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Hi,
I have been following the various discussions on Sim software (TGC2019 updates, first bounce, limited course design features, gameplay issues, etc.) and thought about finding a way to get a product that caters to the demands of this golf simulator community. And "community" was the word that triggered the question if it would be feasible to develop an open source golf simulator software. I am neither a software engineer nor a computer wizard, so this might not be feasible at all, but I thout I'd throw the idea against the wall and see if it sticks.
Following my thoughts:
I imagine that a golf simulation is a rather static environment. As soon as you know the launch conditions of the ball (which we get from the simulators) you know how and where it carries (based on a given flight model - there are plenty of scientific publications on that - I do not know about the quality and transferability of them). Where the ball ends up is determined by the surface conditions of the landing point and the following surface (hardness, resistance, slope). I do not know how much work it is to simulate the movement of a sphere in a predetermined environment (i.e. the course surface), but I would figure that for simulation purposes one only needs around 10 surface variables additional to the slope (green, fairway, sand, rough, water, hard rough, ....).
Thanks to Chad's Tool we have the ability to use Lidar data to generate the surface of a course rather easily. I figure that that information can be used in other software environments as well. So the question really is how diffcult is it to develop/adapt a software that simulates the movement of a golf ball in a predetermined environment (and I am sure that there are software programs/engines that do exactly that).
Developing such a framework would also enable the users to adjust the settings to their liking (e.g. green speed at exactly STIMP 9 - not just "fast/medium/slow", same with other course conditions). Also things like training modes etc. should be easily modified to our liking/specifications.
The next issue are the graphics.
Looking at the designer in TGC2019 we get various surfaces for greens, fairways, rough, etc. So this is really a rather limited amount of graphics needed for the basic gameplay. The main issue I figured are all the things that make the software pretty.
I used to play Transport Tycoon and when the developer stopped supporting the program, a group of people started an open source version of the game called OpenTTD. One of the features was that it became possible to individualise the graphics of the trains and trucks and upload them to the game repository. So the community developed real life recreations of various train sets from around the world as well as bridges and buildings (someone even developed an IKEA building to be incorporated in the game). I figure that the same process could work for a golf simulation software. Additionally there are plenty of 3D models out there (some of them open source) that could be used in a golf simulator environment: trees, bushes, water, buildings, .... . Some people have the ability to create such models, most people do not. But there is still a way for everybody to contribute to such a project: "Donate a tree!" Even if some 3D models are only available commercially it would be possible to integrate them, if someone donated them.
As for structuring such an endeavour I see two different paths: Start from scratch or team up with an experienced business (ProTee?) that enables the development of an open source repository.
Starting from scratch would potentially mean some start up cost that could be financed by a group of people that like to support such an endeavour (much like Kickstarter or other funding structures).
Maybe some of the software guys in this forum could do a size up of such a project and the associated financial implications, to get the discussion going.
Thanks.
I have been following the various discussions on Sim software (TGC2019 updates, first bounce, limited course design features, gameplay issues, etc.) and thought about finding a way to get a product that caters to the demands of this golf simulator community. And "community" was the word that triggered the question if it would be feasible to develop an open source golf simulator software. I am neither a software engineer nor a computer wizard, so this might not be feasible at all, but I thout I'd throw the idea against the wall and see if it sticks.
Following my thoughts:
I imagine that a golf simulation is a rather static environment. As soon as you know the launch conditions of the ball (which we get from the simulators) you know how and where it carries (based on a given flight model - there are plenty of scientific publications on that - I do not know about the quality and transferability of them). Where the ball ends up is determined by the surface conditions of the landing point and the following surface (hardness, resistance, slope). I do not know how much work it is to simulate the movement of a sphere in a predetermined environment (i.e. the course surface), but I would figure that for simulation purposes one only needs around 10 surface variables additional to the slope (green, fairway, sand, rough, water, hard rough, ....).
Thanks to Chad's Tool we have the ability to use Lidar data to generate the surface of a course rather easily. I figure that that information can be used in other software environments as well. So the question really is how diffcult is it to develop/adapt a software that simulates the movement of a golf ball in a predetermined environment (and I am sure that there are software programs/engines that do exactly that).
Developing such a framework would also enable the users to adjust the settings to their liking (e.g. green speed at exactly STIMP 9 - not just "fast/medium/slow", same with other course conditions). Also things like training modes etc. should be easily modified to our liking/specifications.
The next issue are the graphics.
Looking at the designer in TGC2019 we get various surfaces for greens, fairways, rough, etc. So this is really a rather limited amount of graphics needed for the basic gameplay. The main issue I figured are all the things that make the software pretty.
I used to play Transport Tycoon and when the developer stopped supporting the program, a group of people started an open source version of the game called OpenTTD. One of the features was that it became possible to individualise the graphics of the trains and trucks and upload them to the game repository. So the community developed real life recreations of various train sets from around the world as well as bridges and buildings (someone even developed an IKEA building to be incorporated in the game). I figure that the same process could work for a golf simulation software. Additionally there are plenty of 3D models out there (some of them open source) that could be used in a golf simulator environment: trees, bushes, water, buildings, .... . Some people have the ability to create such models, most people do not. But there is still a way for everybody to contribute to such a project: "Donate a tree!" Even if some 3D models are only available commercially it would be possible to integrate them, if someone donated them.
As for structuring such an endeavour I see two different paths: Start from scratch or team up with an experienced business (ProTee?) that enables the development of an open source repository.
Starting from scratch would potentially mean some start up cost that could be financed by a group of people that like to support such an endeavour (much like Kickstarter or other funding structures).
Maybe some of the software guys in this forum could do a size up of such a project and the associated financial implications, to get the discussion going.
Thanks.
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