Simulation Partner Update

[SkyTrak_Seth]

Hey Everyone. I'm working on about 3 hours of sleep so bear with me here I want to address the most glaring point of frustration on the forum (as far as I can tell, at least). It has to do with our simulation partners. I know it's been terribly exasperating for all involved. There has certainly been no secret plan to hold anything back, so let me explain where we are.

First I'll start with WGT - I think overall, for what it is intended to be, WGT has been a great success. There are 2 things to keep in mind here: 1) WGT was never intended to be a full 3D simulation experience with local multiplayer. etc. The goal was simply to provide WGT fans a badass "joystick" to be able to play the game using their own balls and clubs. While it may not be a full-blown simulator in the traditional sense of the word, it's still a great game with fantastic graphics and courses. 2) The WGT ball flight model does have a driver distance issue which we are actively working with them on. We all realize the gravity of this discrepancy, so believe me, it's very high on the radar.

We do have additional partners in the pipeline, but I am going to stay with the outstanding "big 3". TruGolf, Perfect Golf, and TGC all had previously successfully integrated with us using a very bare SDK from us to make a ball fly in their software. In order to be able to launch in the market, we needed tighter security features in place on a lot of fronts. This effort was significant more work for our partners to implement. In full disclosure, we have pulled our development efforts off any major software updates for SkyTrak in order to devote personal attention to each of the sim partners. In most cases, we are actually working with their code to integrate our system for them. We all understand the urgency to get this stuff out there and it's the right thing to do.

I am going to try and be better through the end of the year of maintaining a more reliable presence on the forum. You guys deserve good communication and your feedback needs to be read and absorbed - it makes us better.

Thanks and looking forward to getting you guys up on the sim software of your choice as soon as humanly possible.

Thanks,
Seth

[avantix]

Hi Seth,

Thanks for the update mate hope the baby isn't keeping you up too much at night

Are you able to shed some light as to approximate release dates on either of the big 3? I understand that you wouldn't want to commit to anything just something along the lines of when you mentioned we would have something to keep us busy over Thanksgiving weekend re: PC software release

[Sascha1818]

Thanks Seth for understanding our frustration. I think for most of us it comes down to if we will be able to play multiplayer sim over the holidays. I'm sure quiet a few of us will have time off and want to use that to play some golf with our friends and maybe family members.

[SkyTrak_Seth]

I will comment as soon as we have a better understanding of each of the systems. I will say that given the new workflow opportunity, I am optimistic on timing given the fact that these partners are not creating anything new...they all have their functioning simulation/game play in place. We're just another launch monitor to them, so we just need to hook up the SkyTrak hardware and backend management, which our team is very familiar with

[Sascha1818]

If you need more coffee for the guys working on it, I have connections hahahahaha

[luv2golf]

I will comment as soon as we have a better understanding of each of the systems. I will say that given the new workflow opportunity, I am optimistic on timing given the fact that these partners are not creating anything new...they all have their functioning simulation/game play in place. We're just another launch monitor to them, so we just need to hook up the SkyTrak hardware and backend management, which our team is very familiar with

Don't mean to be the devils advocate here, but we've been hearing this for awhile now. At the end of the day it's the GIP and the yearly subscriptions that are causing the headaches (my read into this).

Understandably, it is what it is, doesn't mean that it makes any of us any happier that we bought a product expecting multi player sim play and still haven't been delivered on that promise.

I personally don't see this happening before 2016 and likely will launch at the PGA show. For marketing purposes you'll gain more exposure, but from a customer perspective, the sim portion has been ready for MONTHS.

If it were skytrak Japan, it would of been out a long time ago. Again, the wait is all about money for skygolf, don't fool yourself into thinking it has anything to do with SDK or sim integration. As bubba and zmax have said, it's been ready for a long time now.

[SkyTrak_Seth]

The GIP and subscriptions are a part of it, I suppose, but not really directly responsible for any holdup. Again, please do not speak on behalf of our company, our product, or our partners...you have no clue what is going on behind the scenes. I explained above what Bubba and Zmax have said was "ready". That was the proof of concept only. Hit ball - see ball fly. As an oversimplification, we gave them a interface with one port to plug up to. Now they have several ports and it's not nearly as simple to make all the connections. Of course there is money and product control on the line...you'd have to be an idiot to think otherwise.

[luv2golf]

The GIP and subscriptions are a part of it, I suppose, but not really directly responsible for any holdup. Again, please do not speak on behalf of our company, our product, or our partners...you have no clue what is going on behind the scenes. I explained above what Bubba and Zmax have said was "ready". That was the proof of concept only. Hit ball - see ball fly. As an oversimplification, we gave them a interface with one port to plug up to. Now they have several ports and it's not nearly as simple to make all the connections. Of course there is money and product control on the line...you'd have to be an idiot to think otherwise.

Who says I'm speaking on your behalf. It doesn't take rocket science to read between the lines and understand where and why there have been so many delays. I'm sharing my thoughts and opinions, hence why this is called a FORUM.

That being said, why does Skytrak Japan have no problems with security? Why are they able to 'KEEP IT GOING'? As I mentioned in another post, don't get bent out of shape thinking we're pissed at you (or let me speak for myself seeing as that seems to be an issue with you........I'm not pissed at you). It's how this whole thing has gone down.

[wbond]

Seth, with rumors of a competitor launching next month with potentially more bells/whistles and TGC being available immediately, is this something that skytrak is aware of and trying to beat the clock on? Without commenting on timing, hopefully you can at least answer it in this form.

[SkyTrak_Seth]

The best way I can answer that is to restate that I've pulled our entire team off development in order to assist getting these partners to market. It has nothing to do with any competitor. It has to do with the fact that this has gone on long enough.

[Joko]

And just to poke fun, the attached is what went through my mind when you mentioned pulling the entire dev team. Hugs

[ryanoneill1]

I guess luv2golf took the picture.

[luv2golf]

Yep, if I recall that was you ryanonell1 at the front.......with the pig tails. :-)

[arwin]

Come on guys. Give SkyTrak_Seth a break.

He hears the complaints on the forum and he's already acknowledged the main concerns that we all have with the sim software.
He's already stated that they are doing everything they can to get the sim integration complete.

We all know that SkyTrak_Seth doesn't need to be participating on this forum and he's taken the time to give us tidbits of information that you would never have received in the first place. So thanks to SkyTrak_Seth for releasing what he can and listening to our complaints

Everyone knows that if they don't have tight security around the sim integration, people are going to do some kind of hack to bypass the license checks and then they are going to lose revenue.
It's part of their business model to get paid on a yearly basis for re-occuring revenue. Nobody is ever in business to lose money or lose potential revenue.
If you don't like their business model for re-occuring revenue, go buy a GC2 or wait for the ES16.

So let's just sit tight and hopefully their dev team can get the sim integration/security checks complete as soon as they can. Hopefully sooner rather than later.

[Sascha1818]

Couldn't have said it better, all I want is to be fed some information about what's going on. So thanks seth

[voodoo_ca]

For some reason, people think if they keep saying "We NEED more information!!!!!" - They are going to get something more than they already have.
Anyone in this thread remember back to when the internet didn't exist? Most people didn't know something was coming unless it was already for sale... and if you wanted more information, you had to CALL them.

I think SkyTrak_Seth is being more than fair with the information he has given - on things that he really doesn't NEED to tell anyone.

[wilson]

Foresight is trying to plug their leaks for SDK access, so ST is ahead of the curve in protecting their IP.
Remember, if there is no ongoing support from customers the. Incentive to innovate or update languish.
We wouldn't want a new "Vector" on our hands here would we?
Also note the plurality of "ports" - people's complaints about accuracy, contact and chipping may be significantly improved with a real implementation.
ST is on he hook for sloppy implementations here as it directly affects their bottom line.
They get this right with their partners (with real inside help) then we all win.

[davray666]

The Vector pro comparison is not fare. That thing failed because it was a piece of junk that did not work as advertised. I know, I have one.
While the ST has it flaws it's still the best you can get in that price category and kind of delivers what is promised. (luv2golf, calm down I am only talking about the hardware)
If the strategy to lock down the unit data interface and capitalize on it in a greedy way is smart or not remains to be seen.
I think it might work short term as long as people have no alternative.

[luv2golf]

STOMP, STOMP, STOMP..........that was for you tretee. LOL!!!

[Sascha1818]

I think the 100 per year GIP will not kill us if that's. ....I'm saying IF that is all they are taking.

[SkyTrak_Seth]

Thanks for your understanding guys. I'm trying my best to set ever-increasingly more-realistic expectations. It's been a learning experience for me to have to account for the number of moving pieces here...

[pwade3]

Thanks for the updates Seth. Really appreciated. Don't let anyone get to you. Hope the new family member is doing well, and hope you are too. That's really what is important. The rest is not. All the best.