Super Video Golf News

[p]And here we are again, with yet another progress update! It’s slightly unusual to make it to 3 updates, but it looks like the next release is going to be a pretty big one 😅
[/p][p]If you haven’t seen the previous two progress updates, you can read them here and here - to summarise, they cover the upcoming Equipment Counter and the new graphical updates to the UI, shadows and cup rendering.[/p][p]
[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Further to those I’ve been working on some new ways to play Super Video golf. The first one is the new Team play option in Freeplay. Teams mode allows you to buddy up in pairs, and take turns sharing the same ball. Teams can be applied to the standard game rules: Stroke play and the Stableford variants, as well as Multitarget. Multitarget mode can be particularly fun to play with a partner 😁[/p][p]
[/p][p]There are also some experimental game modifiers (which may remain so for now) in the works: Snek and Big Balls. As these are “modifiers” they can be active during any Freeplay round, regardless of the current rule set. When Snek is active any player who takes more than one putt to sink the ball is handed the Snek. The player left holding the Snek at the end of the round is subject to finger-pointing and ridicule (or something more appropriate 😅)[/p][p]
[/p][p]Big Balls is inspired by the Big Head mode of Unreal Tournament in days of old. As the round progresses player balls grow or shrink, depending on whether they are over or under par. Beyond that it has little effect on the game - it’s merely a cosmetic gimmick.[/p][p]
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[/p][p]If you’d like to try these game modifiers, the host can use the console commands[/p][p]sv_snek_enable 1[/p][p]or[/p][p]sv_bigballs_enable 1[/p][p]when in a game lobby. Setting either to 0 will turn them off again.[/p][p]

[/p][p]Meanwhile, in the Clubhouse…[/p][p]I’ve also been working on a new arcade game for the clubhouse named Sports Ball[/p][p][/p][p]
[/p][p]You may possibly recognise it as being a take on a certain fruit game - if not then the idea here is simple: match the balls in pairs, and when you do they grow. Match as many as you can before the box fills up! As with the existing arcade games there are online leaderboards to top (assuming you’re playing on Steam) so you can compete with other players of Sports Ball.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Finally…[/p][p]I’ve also updated the websocket data to include the new packet types introduced by the game modes above. If you’re using the websocket interface for modding, or you’re a webdev interested in finding out more, you can find the repository here.[/p][p][/p][p] \[hr]\[/hr][/p][p][/p][p]These are going to be the last few features added to version 1.21, which is now in its final round of beta testing where I aim to polish as much as possible and iron out any bugs that may have snuck in. The beta is public so, as always, please do give it a go if you’re curious. I love to know what you all think, and of course it helps shape the game into something that everyone can enjoy. The beta can be found by right clicking on the game in your Steam library and choosing Betas.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Thanks to everyone who has taken part already (corgi1 & the denizens of SVS!) - your feedback has been invaluable. Also a big hello to all the new players who’ve joined over the last couple of weeks, from both the indiedb giveaway and Summer Sales. Hello! Please do feel free to join the community, either on Discord or the Steam group chat, everyone is welcome 😁[/p][p]
[/p][p]That’s all for now though - with any luck the next post will be announcing the release of Super Video Golf 1.21![/p][p]
[/p][p]See you on the green,[/p][p]Happy Golfing! ⛳🏌️‍♂️[/p][p]
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Every calendar month a new challenge runs, starting and ending at midnight UTC.

This month takes a break from the course, and sees us on the driving range! For each available target you need to score 99% accuracy or better. Targets can be met in any order, and at any time - the challenge does not need to be completed in a single session.

Rounds can be played at any time throughout the month, and completing the challenge awards 1000XP! Track your progress from the menu in the Clubhouse on the 19th hole, and look out for the notification in the top right corner of the screen.

And, don't forget, new monthly leaderboards and Global League are now live too! 😁

Happy golfing! ⛳

[p]Happy Summer All! It's that time of year once again, where you can grab a bargain on your favourite Steam items - including Super Video Golf 😁[/p][p][/p][p]From now until 10th July Super Video Golf is discounted at 33% off, and the official soundtrack at 25% off. If you've been on the fence about trying Super Video Golf, or want to get a copy for a friend to join you for a quick 18, then now is the perfect time.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]With 8 player local play, up to 16 players online, a Career mode, Tournaments, Steam Deck verified status, multiple game play styles, a Driving Range and a Clubhouse Arcade - and much more! - why wait? 😉[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Hope to see you on the green,[/p][p]Happy Golfing! 🏌️‍♀️⛳[/p]

[p]Greetings Golfers! It's the third weekend of the month which means all day throughout the 14th and 15th of June 2025 you'll be earning double XP when you play Super Video Golf! Weekend times are, unlike the monthly challenge, in your local timezone running from midnight to midnight - so you won't have to get up at 4am to scoop up those extra helpings of XP 😁 So, if you're looking to buff your stats and climb the ladder, now is the perfect opportunity! Happy Golfing! 🏌️‍♂️⛳[/p]

Hello again all! It’s time once more to take a look at what’s being worked on for the upcoming update to Super Video Golf, so let’s jump in!

Last month I revealed the new Equipment Counter, which has been undergoing thorough testing in the public beta so, in between taking on board player feedback and making tweaks and adjustments, I’ve been giving the game a light visual overhaul to pretty things up here and there.

First off I’ve upgraded the shadow rendering of the game engine, which provides much nicer soft shadows compared to the old system:



To accompany this there’s also a new Very Low and Very High setting for shadows available in the Options.

Next up is a little touch I’ve actually wanted to add for many many months, but have only now just managed to get everything together to implement it. The cup on each green, formerly just a black circle, is now 3D in look (although not in nature!) as it now employs an effect called Parallax Offset Mapping. If you’re interested in the technical side, you can read about how the effect works here.



It’s a small thing but it really does add to the feel of the game in my opinion 🙂

Another graphical tweak I’ve had on my list for far too long (literally years at this point 😅) is an update to player animations. Originally there was only a single animation available when hitting the ball, which looked a bit odd as the avatar would swing a huge drive, only to chip the ball onto the green. Now a more subtle chip animation will play when using a wedge, which helps to make everything look a little bit more natural.



And, finally, I’ve added some more ball models which are unlocked when acquiring new balls from the Equipment Counter. Each of these models represents the in-game manufacturers (such as Tunnelrock or Woodgear) as well as exhibit a more traditional dimpled look one might expect from a golf ball. I find these can be a sober, yet pleasing, alternative to the slightly wacky novelty balls already available in the game.



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Not everything in the update is cosmetic, however, I’ve also been working on improving the tutorials and documentation for the game, which go further to explain some of the finer points of Super Video Golf gameplay, that may have previously been under-described or otherwise difficult to infer. Extra tips will appear throughout the game (although hopefully not nag - they won’t appear more than once unless you request them from the Options menu) and a complete, text-based, guide is available from the Options menu at any point during the game. I’ve also done my best to make it as flexible as possible to update and potentially even translate into other languages in the future.



As always this is all available in the public beta, which you can get to from the game’s properties in Steam and choosing the Beta tab, where you can opt in or out at any time. If any of the new graphical effects are appearing a little funky for you, or you think there’s something which could be added to the documentation, please let me know! You can drop a note over at the Discussions, in the Steam Group Chat, or on Discord.

Thanks to everyone who has offered feedback so far, I look forward to hearing what else it is you have to say! 😁

That’s it for this update though, so until next time:
Happy Golfing! 🏌️‍♂️⛳