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River Styx
by Mike (Pecos Bill) Nicely
| Links Corner Course Database ID Number - 470 |
Release Date |
CRZ Filesize |
Par |
Course Length |
| 2001-07-02 |
53,570,283 bytes |
72 |
7162 yards |
| Type |
Style |
CRZ Filename |
|
FICTIONAL |
PARKLAND |
RiverStyx.crz |
| Course ID |
Course Key |
| 8782ae006efc11d59ed6dca4a103c963 |
785592d8506f18a19ab32a69b1341325 |
|
LINKS CORNER REVIEW |
Reviewed by Mick Lenton
July 2001
Thoughts from the 1st: After having reviewed Mike's Rough Rider, I was looking forward to this one and I was not disappointed. One thing I did notice from the 1st. The grass, It was very, how can I put this, er, Green, yes that's it, the grass was VERY green. It did take a bit of getting used to!
The Course: This par 72 course is built in what I suppose can best be described as parkland. Custom/customised textures are very much in evidence and as I have said above, the grass is a very green colour. Not bright, just very green, The burnt rough texture tones it down a bit. I do like this texture, so much that I had already used a clone of the original in my latest course, as the fairway.
No lets get down to business and get the bad stuff out of the way first. It's not really bad, as this is a nice course, well put together. It is just that I have a couple of gripes with Mr Nicely and the way he constructs a course. Firstly, Mike does seem to love his sharp edges. I mentioned this in the Rough Rider review, particularly regarding the bunkers. What Mike has done is put a ring around the bunkers, but leave the edges at 4 sharpness. As on most of the bunkers there is a slight drop from the ring level to the bunker, this leaves a sharp edge in the rough or fairway around the bunker. Also where the bunker has a ring of 1st cut, the edge of that is sharp, as it lacks a protective ring. Now, as they are all like this it does not look as bad as if it where just the occasional edge, but personally I still don't like it. It just does not look natural. Which is a shame because other than that the bunkers look quite good Also there are a lot of other edges that would have benefited from a ring at 0 sharpness to smooth things a little. I do like smooth rather than sharp. Even the edge of some stone looks better at 3 rather than 4 IMO.
Secondly. I don't think Mike has found the Texture Coordinate Mapping button, or if he has he has beaten a hasty retreat. There are no mapping assignments on this course at all. The same as RR Loads of nice extrusions and texturing, but no mapping. This means that the lovely stone edges that Mike has given his many lakes are, IMO, ruined by the lack of mapping on the extruded edges, leading to the nice stone texture being reduced to those infernal vertical lines. Mike, I know mapping can take a bit of time and in fact can be a bit arduous on a lake or stream edge. Where the extrusion is not of any depth it can be got away with, but, and a big but, some of the lake edges are quite deep and the lines really do stand out.
That may sound a lot and it does detract from things a bit. But it is not enough to ruin what is in fact, quite a nice course.
The tees sit straight on the rough and have the same texture as the striped fairways. IMO this would look much better if they were mapped, so as the stripes all ran in the same direction. The unmapped, striped fairways have a 1st cut, which leads into the rough, which covers most of the course, interspersed with patches of the burnt rough texture. The crosshatch greens have a fringe and are mostly quite gentle, with a couple of steep ones just to catch you out.
Planting within the course is quite sparse and well done. Some underplanting in the thicker bits of woodland, would maybe have been nice, but that is me, I like underplanting. Water plays a big part in this course and mostly the lakes have been edged with different stone types. The connecting streams have a narrow dirt extrusion. There are quite a few nice objects, rocks and fences, dotted about. Quite a pleasing course to the eye.
Playability: If anything, a little too easy. Nothing really tests you, nothing to think about. No really awkward shot distances, nothing to have to shape round. A nice course if you just want a pleasant knock about, in a pleasant atmosphere. I would imagine that good scores are to be had around here, even for PSer's. The fairways aren't particularly wide, but do seem to be quite easy to find and as a real bonus, all the par 5's can be reached in 2. The water, which does play a part on most of the holes, will not enter into the equation, unless you do hit a bad one.
Certainly worth a look, especially for a recreational round or that gentle Sunday morning foursomes.
Good Points: Nicely constructed course. Fine for the PSer's. Well laid out and planted.
Bad Points: Maybe could have been a bit tougher and of course the things mentioned above. The edges and the mapping.
Favourite Hole: I do like the par 4, 1st. It is a nice hole to lead you into the course and there is plenty to look at.
Least Favourite Hole: Very difficult, but I will say the par 3, 6th as that appears to be the most uninteresting hole on the course.
Final thoughts: A little while ago this would have been considered a very good course, but things are moving forward apace. What Mike needs to do is get proficient at mapping and then go back to this course, and Rough Rider, and map those extrusions. As for the sharp edges, if you meant them Mike, let me know. If they are not supposed to be a feature. Get rid!!! What I would advise you to do, is go to display/hull display and select 'wire sharp edges', as you have quite a few dotted about, that should not be there, because they are not at texture boundaries, apart from the ones around the bunkers!!
It is a very big D/l and would only suggest it if you know you like Mike's courses, or you want a nice, easy, picturesque course. Unless of course you have broadband, (Which to a lot of us over here is only a dream :-((( ) and if you do, it is well worth a look and maybe a keeper, although it would look better with the work I mentioned, carried out. Unfortunately, without the originality of RR, I cannot mark it quite as highly. There are too many other, better finished, courses out there. MAPPING and SHARP EDGES!!!!
Let's see the next one Mike!!
Filesize 46MB
Course Info :
Splash Screen? Yes
Cameo Screen? Yes
Custom Flag? Yes
Custom Tee Markers? No
Hole Previews? No
Readme file? No
Par - 72 7162yds
This review will be based on playability, aesthetics, design, originality and construction. Please keep in mind that this is only my opinion following my play-testing of the completed course.
I fully understand the hard work and immense skill that is involved in the designing of these courses as I am a designer myself and my comments will try to be constructive and without bias.
Tested on Power Stroke swing - Champ level - from the back tees - Breezy/M/M Moderate
I have changed my method of reviewing to try and give more value for money. I have a knock around the course to get the overall picture. I then play a round in a window, writing as I go, reviewing hole by hole. In hope people enjoy this method. I am always open to input. micklenton@hotmail.com Not too much hate mail please!!!
Test Machine - AMD Athlon 1.4 266, 512 meg DDR ram, ATI 64 meg DDR Radeon VIVO |
This course is available as a FREE download.
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