Realistic Course Designer software - see the results with Augusta National pics

[Sébastien Dhaussy]

In a previous post, there is answer on a Architect Course Game. The best I know is the APCD (for Arnold Palmer Course Designer) which is delivered with the Microsoft game : LINKS (last version: Links 2003). There is a big community of Links nuts (Linksters) on Internet : players of this golf simulation and also, architects who use APCD.

With this game, you can play on great real courses : Bethpage Black, Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, Kauri Cliffs, GlenEagles, St Andrews, Merion, Colonial,...

To give you an idea of the realism of this game, here is the link for some pics of Augusta National:
http://linksclubhousegallery.com/augusta2.htm

Winged Foot, Shinnecock Hills, Cypress Point are under development for 2005.

APCD architects create too some fictional courses. Here is the link for some pics of Mike Jones (best APCD designer in my opinion) last design: Rugged Dunes. I think you are going to love his "natural" design  
http://linksclubhousegallery.com/rugged.htm

Enjoy !!!
I love this game  

You can contact me if you want more informations.

[Ted Kramer]

That is amazing!
I can't believe how good that fictional course looks. . .

-Ted

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

Wow I cannot believe the realism of those courses.  How does the finished product play.  Do they roll and bounce pretty realistic with the slopes as you see them?

That is very cool.

Then can you play them with any current version of Links?

[Brad Swanson]

Heck, nudging a bunker or 2 a little, move the building structure to the other side of the green, planting a windmill and its the 18th at Sand Hills (sorta) .

Cheers,
Brad

[Sébastien Dhaussy]

Wow I cannot believe the realism of those courses.  How does the finished product play.  Do they roll and bounce pretty realistic with the slopes as you see them?

That is very cool.

Then can you play them with any current version of Links?

Most of the courses now are developed only for Links 2003 (and others for Links 2001).

On the realism of the ball physics, the Microsoft version was good but the ball was not rolling far, even in dry conditions (you can setup the conditions). Ground game was not very used.
BUT some guys had developed a "patch" for this software in order to play with realistic conditions. This program is called the MOD, and we can play it since 2 december. With this patch, the game is now ultra realistic, the ball rolls far in dry conditions, approach with a long iron on a green become difficult if you don't land the ball before the green, ...). Great feelings of real golf (with sounds of birds, river,...).
I can't wait to play one more round ... Merion is my day's choice.
     

[Andy Levett]

On the realism of the ball physics, the Microsoft version was good but the ball was not rolling far, even in dry conditions (you can setup the conditions). Ground game was not very used.
BUT some guys had developed a "patch" for this software in order to play with realistic conditions. This program is called the MOD, and we can play it since 2 december. With this patch, the game is now ultra realistic, the ball rolls far in dry conditions, approach with a long iron on a green become difficult if you don't land the ball before the green, ...).

Sébastien,
Where can you download this patch? I might even finish my course if I could get my Redan to play like a Redan.
Also, do you know how to import topographical maps (I think they are known as DEMs) into APCD?
Merci

[Sébastien Dhaussy]

Sébastien,
Where can you download this patch? I might even finish my course if I could get my Redan to play like a Redan.
Also, do you know how to import topographical maps (I think they are known as DEMs) into APCD?
Merci

Andy,

If you have Links 2003, before installing the MOD patch, you have to install patch 1.02 then install patch 1.05.
When you have version 1.05, you can apply the MOD patch.

The MOD patch can only be found at http://apcd-courses.com
You have to register before (choose the forum subscription, it's the only free). When you have registered, go in the Forum and you will see a thread on the MOD and how download it.

If you don't have the patch 1.02 and 1.05, go to Links Corner at http://lcorner.co.uk and enter the forum. You have to register and it's free.
Here is the link for patch 1.05 : http://lcorner.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9660
and a link for patch 1.02:
http://download.zone.com/MGS/Links/Links2k3Patch102.exe

You can use topographical maps to create with more accuracy real courses. The best tutorial for this is at Links Corner. Here is the link:
http://lcorner.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=480

Hope it helps.

[MikeJones]

Thanks for posting the Link Seb.

To me this is much more than designing for a computer game. I hardly ever play it! It's just the best way for me to express my ideas and I happen to be much better with 3D computer software than with a brush.

It's allowed me to explore areas of course design and visualization that I otherwise wouldn't have been able to do. Of course it's nice that people who play Microsoft Links enjoy my work too but I'm much more interested in using these skills in the "real world"

I've been doing some visualization work for Kevin Atkinson and Phelps design for some time now and got a chance recently to fly out and meet the guys. It's given me an insight into the other side of arhitecture ie: the construction, drainage and enviromental issues that I can by bypass easily in my fictional layouts.

Anyway if anyone is interested in looking at some more pics of my work you can see loads of screenshots and visualizations at my website www.mikejgolfdesign.com

[RJ_Daley]

I just looked at this thread today, and didn't realise what a gem it was.  Mike Jones, you have surely put together a dream course at Rugged Dunes that brings just about every exciting feature and concept of such terrain that one can imagine.  You even have the ideal texture in the rough!!!

So, are you working with Rick Phelps on some conceptual ideas?  Can you fellows share anything at this point about the Lake MacConeghy project?

Also, excuse this old computer technology challenged geezer, I don't even have a golf computer game except a very old Pebble Beach one that I bought my kids years ago.  So, I am not familiar with these "MS Links" products since I never saw or played one.  Can a fellow buy a MS Links game with Arnold Palmer Course Design add on software and just install it and read the directions and go to work doing this sort of thing?  Heck, I took a short course in AutoCadd some years ago, so I ought to be able to figure this out, woudn't I?

[Dexter_Gresh]

Yes, the APCD is included with the Links 2003 computer game.  You can get it most anyplace that sells video games or online.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000C5FKX/qid=1102182601/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/103-0120368-0491053?v=glance&s=videogames&n=507846

The learning curve is fairly steep, but once you master it, the results speak for themselves, as you can see from the stills.

I used APCD to design the Links version of Merion mentioned above... I don't have a whole lot of time to devote to it, so it took me over a year and a half to complete, but I think it came out pretty well.

[RJ_Daley]

Dex, as these versions of "Links 2002-2003-2004" keep coming out, does the design software keep improving as well?

[Dexter_Gresh]

The designer first appeared with Links 2001.  It was updated and improved with Links 2003.

Links 2004 was released only for the XBox, so there has been no update for either the game or the designer for PC in some time.

APCD 1.5, which shipped with Links 2003 can be downloaded for free.  It's a fully functional version of the designer, but obviously you need to buy the game to see the finished results.

http://linkscountryclub.com/LinksCCPC/Downloads/APCD_Courses.htm

[Jay Cox]

I've been toying with the idea of using the APCD design program to run an informal design discussion group.  There are several websites that collect and rate user-designed courses in the Links format, but all of them (appropriately, I suppose) focus on the technical quality of the designer's work within the program and on how well the course plays within the computer game (where an average player is far more consistent than 99% of real golfers).

Would anyone here who uses APCD (or wants to learn) be interested in using the program to "test run" more realistic design ideas?  A couple of ways this could work include:

1) Someone sends out a pre-made "piece of land" (with elevation and vegetation).  People route a course over it and then discuss pros and cons of various routings.

2) People use the program to create individual holes or sets of holes, and others play them and discuss what works and what doesn't.

Let me know if you might be interested.