Proposed New Online Play Guidelines for the Optishot Online Tour - final draft

[Willymakit]

For myself I like using YouTube to download my video. The reason being I'm at work more then at home and I use my iPhone to watch videos on YouTube. I can't watch the videos on twitch through iPhone.

So sometimes through out the day I watch my videos and any other videos that are posted on YouTube.

[braycobb]

I upload to YouTube for the same reason. However, I start with Twitch for live streaming. After I have played and I have stopped the live stream, I log onto Twitch and export it to my Youtube account. The export is built into Twitch. So, I Can accomplish both tasks (live streaming and YouTube) fairly easily.

[JohnMeyer]

There is a twitch app for iphone now

[braycobb]

The Twitch app only lets you watch live streams, not past broadcasts.

[JohnMeyer]

My views of 2 issues raised so far

Video Uploads

The issue with forcing uploads is peoples internet speeds. Live streaming to Twitch is just not physically possible with my speed. In rural UK I am limited to Upload Speed of 0.7Mbps

I can record and upload later, probably to youtube, but I did record my ryder cup round with Ian using OBS. Video File produced was 795MBs, and 1hr 40mins long

Previously i uploaded my direct testing video to youtube, which was 15 mins long and it took 40 mins to upload, so you can imagine how long it would take to upload one that is an 1hr 40 long

If thats whats decided is required then so be it, but will be a bit of a pain in the ass, epsecially if have to do it for every round I play


Putting with a ball.

I would suggest that although it probably doesn't make any difference to make things simple I would say that all putting must be done with a ball, as otherwise will have to get into what distance is no ball allowed etc and make a separate rule, and test it, so would suggest for simplicty just to make all putts done with a ball.

If people want a "lazy man" clause then its fine, and i must admit if i leave it an inch or 2 short etc i just tap in but its just what distance do we set if thats the route you wanna go down

[Buckeye]

If you recorded with OBS all you have to do is give it your twitch info and it should upload it automatically, or does that take more resources?

[JohnMeyer]

If you recorded with OBS all you have to do is give it your twitch info and it should upload it automatically, or does that take more resources?

I think it probably would but my simulator is located in my workshop away from house so have to use my iphone as hotspoton 3g ( quicker than my fixed line broadband anyway lol) but obviously if I did that id have to then leave my phone in my workshop for the multiple hours it would take to finish uploading

Solution would be each time id have to bring laptop back to the house and leave it to upload overnight, which again, if thats whats required is fine.

Laptop is high spec gaming one so resources not really an issue, just internet speed, and didnt want the Upload possibly causing issues with lag or something when actaully playing the game, especially in this case when playing with another person in real time.

It all depends if you feel it necessary for ever player, every round to be uploaded, thats a lot of videos, 20 players, 3 rounds, 60 videos. How many of them would actually be watched?

Im happy with whatever as fully agree important to make sure people following the rules, just not sure it has to every player every round uploaded but if thats whats decided is required to ensure validity of results then will have to comply

Also im not sure where people stand on data limits too, i now some people may be on say a 2GB data limit on their mobile device, we have such things in UK. If each video is say 500mb, thats 1.5 gb right there.. just a thought

All issues that may well or not be issues, but once its in the guideline people will have to follow it, so need to be sure its worth doing, as if I was on on 2GB limit (im on unlimited as I pay for it) and it was a forced upload id not be joining the Tour as would worry may exceed my data limit.

I will have a good look through the OBS settings though and see if i can lower the quality right down even further and see how the affects things. Ive update the Opening Post with a link to the OBS/Twitch settings help page so hopefully, perhaps at a low quality most people will be able to stream. Ill test this next time im at my sim, and see if its possible as i must be one the lower end of any of the players web speeds.

[MatalaWedge]

I use a real ball for putting. I am on foam setting otherwise. Anybody else do that...? Is it even ok when it comes to guidelines? Much better feel IMO. Would hate to see it go... I've never not used a ball though. I think we need to investigate if it is easier to maintain straight line without a ball. If so then I feel a ball is required for putting at all times.... Actually I kinda feel it should be required anyway. The past few weeks has been realism realism realism.... Irl you would tap it in in a comp... Gimmies and mock shots are for prac rounds.

[CatMan]

You hit it on the head Nick, Putting is much more real with a real ball, but I don't think we should have a rule that you can't use a real ball just because you use Foam for all other shots, but I do see the hypocrisy in the Guidelines then... I think when it comes to putting we should make an exception because I feel there is no advantage on what you use, in regards to the setting... It seems to me one of those areas we can be flexible on.. just my opinion.....

And would need to be stated in Guidelines language as such if players are onboard with this...

[Willymakit]

I just think if the board is wanting to verify your score or anything else then you would have to upload to YouTube or twitch. Other then that, just put it in the save file. And if the board asks for it then you would know where to find the file.



Honestly I'm suprised nobody asked to see my last round at Warwick. I must be off the radar now. Lol.

But Vincent. You must post yours all the time. Lol. I enjoy watching them. Like seeing low scores.


Reason why I don't download to YouTube every time is because of the time it takes which is roughly 45 minutes.

[JohnMeyer]

You hit it on the head Nick, Putting is much more real with a real ball, but I don't think we should have a rule that you can't use a real ball just because you use Foam for all other shots, but I do see the hypocrisy in the Guidelines then... I think when it comes to putting we should make an exception because I feel there is no advantage on what you use, in regards to the setting... It seems to me one of those areas we can be flexible on.. just my opinion.....

And would need to be stated in Guidelines language as such if players are onboard with this...

So what would the proposal be, something along the lines of-

When putting players must hit either a real or foam ball, however this is not dependant upon the ball type you use throughout your round. However, if you play No Ball Setting for your normal Round may you putt without a ball

Eg, If you use a foam ball normally, you may putt with a real ball if you prefer. However as always the ball setting must match the physical ball you are hitting as this may effect putter swing speed indications.


Nick, ref the above Eg, do you normally change the ball type whilst putting or do you leave on foam ball and hit a real one. I'm not sure this is actually a necessary rule as putter speeds can be set between 80% and 100% already but I would have thought if using a real ball on foam ball setting your swing speeds would be impacted.

I wonder how many of you who advocated the 100 % speed putting do this and if you were putting with a foam ball you would prefer it on 80%. Just a thought.

Im happy to have whatever, as like you say its an individual thing and all putting a real ball on foam setting would do would be to slow swing speed do to the unexpected increased weight of the ball, and we can already do that because of the 80% putter speed rule

[CatMan]

I'm ok with the either including using nothing for short tappin's.

[MatalaWedge]

I don't change the setting. Don't see a need either. It would be a hassle anyway. think it should suffice to say that one can use a real ball to putt if one prefers to.

[Willymakit]

The other option with so many rules is just maybe when a newbie looks at all these rules it will be so over whelming that they just won't join. There's alot of informaction to take in.

I know when I first started a couple months ago I thought that there was a lot to take in. And that's half of what there is now.

[Buckeye]

The other option with so many rules is just maybe when a newbie looks at all these rules it will be so over whelming that they just won't join. There's alot of informaction to take in.

I know when I first started a couple months ago I thought that there was a lot to take in. And that's half of what there is now.

There really are no more rules now then there was. It is just worded differently now. It looks like a lot but really it is different set of rules for different set ups. Find your set up and play by your rules.

As far as putting, I'm ok with must a must putt out with either a real ball or foam ball. And in reality this could be used for the no ball folks too. With the putting speed rules just include:

Everyone must putt out using either real or foam balls.

[Buckeye]

I think the goal, or at least my original "complaint" revolved around not having a real set of rules and resolving the driver distance issue. If that means we increase the rules some, so be it, but I believe in the long run it will be well worth it.

Our list of rules are much much shorter and easier to understand than the USGA Rulebook. So this shouldn't be an issue to any half way serious golfer.

[MatalaWedge]

I am going to disagree with you slightly on this one Jason. I don't see a problem yet. There are a lot of rules to a lot of things. Golf itself has a lot of rules. If we are trying to treat this as "not just a computer game" then we welcome people with similar interests. These people will understand even if it is a lot to take in. I am confident that the rules are necessary. As long as we can keep it at 1 or 2 sheets of paper then it won't be a problem.

[Joe_S]

The tee is not in the middle of the two sensor rows. So putting with ball means that you can't setup the putter right in the middle, without ball this is possible. This could be the difference. So the putting setup with ball has to be a bit different.