Farsight talks to the BBC

DanBradford · Feb 4, 2014

apologies if this has been already shown on the forum -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26018682

Espy · Feb 4, 2014

Pretty cool publicity. Though I can't find a link to it from anywhere on the main site!

Naildriver74 · Feb 4, 2014

DanBradford said:
apologies if this has been already shown on the forum -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26018682

I don't remember seeing it thanks for posting it.
Aren't you the guy that wrecked his bicycle a while back?

DanBradford · Feb 4, 2014

heh, no that wasn't me sorry

shutyertrap · Feb 4, 2014

Thanks for sharing. Not really anything we haven't heard before, but at least they're still saying the same thing! Of note, I like this idea of putting out original tables and seeing what clicks with the consumers and THEN making a physical table. I hadn't heard that particular sound byte yet.

xAzatothx · Feb 4, 2014

ideal opportunity to approach the BBC about getting Dr Who license sorted

Crawley · Feb 4, 2014

The other original tables tidbit I hadn't read before was that they did talk to previous pinball designers about creating tables and that they seemed interested. I can't recall them confirm that before, just they were looking in to creating original tables.

Bowflex · Feb 4, 2014

Crawley said:
The other original tables tidbit I hadn't read before was that they did talk to previous pinball designers about creating tables and that they seemed interested. I can't recall them confirm that before, just they were looking in to creating original tables.

I have heard them mention that before. They also stated they have gotten input in the past from designers when recreating tables. The only designer they mentioned by name was Steve Ritchie. I would love it if they could work with J-Pop, Brian Eddy and of course Pat Lawlor. Lawlor might be more difficult since he is with JJP and he and J-Pop have been affiliated with other digital pinball development. I have heard that J-Pop is a fan and he used to post on Farsight's facebook page.

Shaneus · Feb 5, 2014

Look at the opening paragraph:

The flashing lights, cool sound effects and high-speed bouncing ball action have made pinball simulators a hugely popular genre of video game, not to mention big business for the software houses that develop them.

Hint for the next table?!? Or possibly:

The flashing lights, cool sound effects and high-speed bouncing ball action have made pinball simulators a hugely popular genre of video game, not to mention big business for the software houses that develop them.

?!?

Bowflex said:
I have heard them mention that before. They also stated they have gotten input in the past from designers when recreating tables. The only designer they mentioned by name was Steve Ritchie. I would love it if they could work with J-Pop, Brian Eddy and of course Pat Lawlor. Lawlor might be more difficult since he is with JJP and he and J-Pop have been affiliated with other digital pinball development. I have heard that J-Pop is a fan and he used to post on Farsight's facebook page.

I know Steve loves his PC games, but I don't know if he'd be up for creating anything virtual. There's no thrill in playing a virtual machine, at least, nowhere near as much. I'd also wonder whether he's an employee of Stern still or if he'd do it under his Steve Ritchie Productions banner.

smbhax · Feb 5, 2014

What excites me about this article is hearing that Gary Stern is considering simultaneous digital releases of new Stern Pinball tables:

Gary Stern said:
Designing a pinball machine is a major task, so it could be that in the future we do a video game simulation of a new machine at the same time.

This is something I've had hopes of for a while now. Heck I think they could even release these as standalone downloadable games for $15 or so each and still do pretty well.

shutyertrap · Feb 5, 2014

smbhax said:
This is something I've had hopes of for a while now. Heck I think they could even release these as standalone downloadable games for $15 or so each and still do pretty well.

The only problem with that is Stern doesn't exactly put out tables with finished Roms. So essentially the virtual release would be a beta until sometime after the physical release. Now, once the software is finalized, then I could see charging that much.

netizen · Feb 5, 2014

I'm still leaning toward Gary using simultaneous releases as a way to pimp out and push sales for "The PIN", but only time will tell for sure.

Eegah · Feb 5, 2014

smbhax said:
What excites me about this article is hearing that Gary Stern is considering simultaneous digital releases of new Stern Pinball tables:

This is something I've had hopes of for a while now. Heck I think they could even release these as standalone downloadable games for $15 or so each and still do pretty well.

Pair it with a pinfinder-like deal to find a nearby physical table and you're good to go.

Also pump Steve Richie full of coke and let him design a TPA table already.

Eegah · Feb 5, 2014

Actually better yet pump Python full of blow and let him do a Future Spa sequel for After Dark.

smbhax · Feb 5, 2014

shutyertrap said:
The only problem with that is Stern doesn't exactly put out tables with finished Roms. So essentially the virtual release would be a beta until sometime after the physical release. Now, once the software is finalized, then I could see charging that much.

Well, to run with this a bit, and admittedly thinking positively, there are a few possibilities here: a) once Stern sees the profit potential in this, they actually bother to get their software done earlier; b) working closely with the virtual table dev team, they now have access to something like three times as many programmers as they usually have working on a game...

Espy · Feb 5, 2014

It's far easier to patch a video game than patch a pinball machine anyway. Users don't need to do anything to get their game updated, updating a pinball machine requires operator intervention. Could be a good way to get the softwate stable before adding it to a real machine.

Though I don't see this happening, to be honest. Not for a long time, anyway.

Bowflex · Feb 5, 2014

Gary Stern seems fond of Farsight and the potential there but if he ends up hanging up his hat for good, there may be a different perspective. George Gomez is a top person there and he does not seem to hold a favorable outlook on any digital pinball.

Shaneus · Feb 5, 2014

shutyertrap said:
The only problem with that is Stern doesn't exactly put out tables with finished Roms. So essentially the virtual release would be a beta until sometime after the physical release. Now, once the software is finalized, then I could see charging that much.

I'm pretty sure the physical releases are betas as well. Have you played the Metallica code recently? The half-mil "random" bonus is a load of crap.

Eegah said:
Pair it with a pinfinder-like deal to find a nearby physical table and you're good to go.

Also pump Steve Richie full of coke and let him design a TPA table already.

I reckon he's had enough... it looks like he's straight off the set of Wall Street in all the promo pics he's in! For example:

Whatever it was that he did in the 80s, I don't care. Hell, even today he's still designing amazing tables. Can't wait for his next one!

Espy · Feb 6, 2014

I doubt you could design a pinball table with great rules and flow while high. That's just creativity.

Heretic · Feb 6, 2014

rofl toucharcade has out this in their frintoage

Farsight talks to the BBC

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