LADYDRAGON.COM - Create the Links 2003 Course of Your Dreams With the Free Arnold Palmer Course Designer

Tuesday August 20, 2002

Create the Links 2003 Course of Your Dreams With the Free Arnold Palmer Course Designer

Microsoft Game Studios today announced that virtual course designers can now download the new version of the Arnold Palmer Course Designer (APCD) for Links 2003. This free download enables designers to get a head start creating courses before Links 2003 hits store shelves in late September.

To download version 1.5 of the APCD, please visit the official Links 2003 site at http://www.microsoft.com/games/links2003/apcd

The APCD will also be included in Links 2003 and offers a wealth of new features so that courses will look more beautiful than ever before:

* New Seam Blending - Greatly enhance the appearance of courses by softening the lines between adjacent terrain types and creating more organic-looking transitions

* Two-Texture Blends - A two-texture blend is a combination of two textures -- one overlaying the other -- and can be used to create unique effects such as divots, dry patches, etc.

* Water Color Selection - Customize the color selection

* Object Library Merge Tool - Merge the new APCD version 1.5 object library with an object library from APCD 1.0

* Path Mapping - Create a more realistic look for any created path

* All of Type - Select a specific terrain type wherever it appears on the entire course

* Improved Sound Planting - Unlike previous versions, there is a visual interface for planting sounds on your course for more accurate sound distribution

* Objects - There is a new Object Library containing hundreds of all new 2-D objects, 3-D objects and new Planting Sets

* Sounds - All the available sound files are brand new, high quality, and better organized. Included are global sounds (which play over the entire course) such as insects, birds, forest sounds, referred to as Ambient and Insect Loops. 3D sounds include animals, course sounds (mowers, sprinklers), traffic, water, etc.

* Panoramas - There are seven new panoramas available (making it a total of 13)

* Terrain Types - The Terrain Type scroll-down list box contains six new, higher-quality textures

Links 2003 will feature improved photo realistic graphics, six all-new championship courses, a growing list of high-resolution 3-D characters and expanded online capability. With its superior ball physics and unparalleled attention to detail, Links 2003 is the perfect way for golfers to experience true-to-life golf on their PC.