A VERY dangerous thread!

[Sean DonCarlos]

I wasn't referring to pro mode.

I know. But Pro mode's persistent state demonstrates that periodic ROM resets are not necessarily required for table stability.

 

[Advalle]

This post has been going too long. And who knows what. This is feeling like a soliloquy.

 

[angrytilter]

You talk about games going wonky because of the ROM... wouldn't that happen to every (real) pinball table? I don't think I've ever really heard of it being a problem.

 

[Rhandos]

1. Working GI lightning controlled by the ROM. If needed, consider shutting down support for mobile devices too old and weak for that, e.g. GI lighting for iPhone 4S and up, legacy lightning for slower ones. If it's not possible on mobile at all, GI support PC would be awesome.
2. If 1. isn't possible on mobile, a night mode with more blinding inserts, lights and flashers would be great
3. More closeup cameras. I love those and it makes the table feel more alive
4. Updated and more complex mechanical sounds. Right now it's the same kinda off sounding ball rolling sound no matter the speed or position
5. Considering so many of the requests are related to the lighting, graphics engine and UI, maybe consider hiring additional workforce or external consulting who can support you with those tasks?

 

[kimkom]

There's been lots of serious issues discussed in this thread. Here's a petty one. I never cared for the way the camera pans over the table at the conclusion of a game. It focuses too much on the non-animated backglass and not enough on the playfield "game over" sequence. I wish there was a way that you could NOT see the high scores just after a conclusion of a game and just look and listen to the lights and sounds after losing that last ball.

Good shout. Ive thought this too. Some more close up angles and a bit of smoothing of that linear camera movement would help.

 

[netizen]

3. More closeup cameras.

Those close up camera can mess with game play and be too slow to keep up with ball movement. They're neat the first time, but annoying the 100+

Think BOP transformation, taxi joyride etc.

 

[Kevlar]

Those close up camera can mess with game play and be too slow to keep up with ball movement. They're neat the first time, but annoying the 100+

Think BOP transformation, taxi joyride etc.

I like the close ups too, nothing wrong with them at the right time, i.e. your just waiting for the ball anyway.

 

[DopedToInfinity]

I know it sounds picky, but please fix the little things like camera naming. My favourite view is cam 3 portrait (low) but I like this view because it is the highest! It has been named wrong for the last year. Also remove the "ding" noise from DMD and alpha-numerical tables which have their own high score entry noises.

These are small quibbles and don't matter too much (unlike the whole C.V. Game-breaking bugs), but if you want your product to appear polished to newcomers then these need to get sorted.

Also with a locked camera TZ and STTNG will zoom in/out with a locked camera upon launching the ball for a skill shot, phaser shot, etc.. A locked camera should never move.

BTW I love the new interface now it's portrait & landscape - perfect! (Yeah, I know people disagree!!)

 

[phreaker47]

I have another one.

Making sure the leaderboard scores are consolidated across all platforms for all tables. Some of them don't. On Android, Funhouse scores from consoles aren't shown... but they are for other tables (unsure right now which other tables might have this problem)

 

[noneed4me2]

Another vote for I-cade, I-controller support. Also i know most will be against this but I like the old arcade ui select from the PHOF. It doesn't even have to be in the old style but something reminiscent of it. Even a sub menu where you can just view and see all the flyers posted on a nearby wall would be cool IMHO.

Another vote for personalized camera views. This would seriously enhance gameplay and I would think not to hard to implement but if I am wrong I stand humbly silent.

 

[Sumez]

Actually, the Pro versions of the tables do save their state permanently, across plays of other tables, closures of TPA, even re-downloads of the table. This is easy to test with Twilight Zone Pro. Play a game with the Pro mode on, and load the gumball machine so that the Powerball is not in the top position. Finish your game, then go and play other tables, etc. When you come back to TZ and re-enter Pro mode, take a look at where the Powerball is; it should be where you last left it. It will also remember your score from the last Pro mode game you played and will display it on the DMD, even though that game may have been played weeks ago.

Note that the Pro tables only have persistent state while they're actually in their Pro mode. If they're in regulation mode, they act like the normal tables and reset whenever you quit mid-game or exit to the main menu.

Although I agree that there's no reason for TPA to reset the game ROM constantly, I'd like to point out that the location of the powerball in the gumball machine has nothing to do with the ROM emulation, but the state of the (simulated) physical pinball table. Two things that work together, but separately.

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

Although I agree that there's no reason for TPA to reset the game ROM constantly, I'd like to point out that the location of the powerball in the gumball machine has nothing to do with the ROM emulation, but the state of the (simulated) physical pinball table. Two things that work together, but separately.

Yep. That's why I said the Pro tables save their state, and not just the ROM's state.

 

[brakel]

I know. But Pro mode's persistent state demonstrates that periodic ROM resets are not necessarily required for table stability.

I think this demonstrates that FarSight isn't as concerned with weird behavior in pro mode because the scores do not post to the leader board and you can't use pro mode in tournaments.

 

[brakel]

You talk about games going wonky because of the ROM... wouldn't that happen to every (real) pinball table? I don't think I've ever really heard of it being a problem.

Its not my opinion, it is what FarSight employees have said. However I think there is a difference between the actual ROM and emulation of the ROM. But there is certainly the chance that a ROM is going to get into an unplayable state the longer it is running. Pinball tables can and do lock up from time to time.

 

[phreaker47]

Its not my opinion, it is what FarSight employees have said. However I think there is a difference between the actual ROM and emulation of the ROM. But there is certainly the chance that a ROM is going to get into an unplayable state the longer it is running. Pinball tables can and do lock up from time to time.

Real tables do... I can remember many times walking up to a glitched out table... then reaching underneath and flipping that on/off switch most tables have.

 

[Butterkins]

Could you please remove the squalid looking "art" (like that "Game Over" sign) from the background environments? It looks low-rent, and is just another thing that detracts from the presentation.

If you can't do an arcade environment, please just consider a neutral, dark texture. (And one without obvious compression artefacts, please.)

Also, arcade environmental sounds, please. Some of the earlier tables sound very sterile; there's no atmosphere.

 

[Sumez]

Real tables do... I can remember many times walking up to a glitched out table... then reaching underneath and flipping that on/off switch most tables have.

Always confused me that they decided to put the main power switch on the outside...

 

[SKILL_SHOT]

Alot of people never knew, theres always the plug too.

 

[Sumez]

Which a smart operator would leave off limits

 

[kimkom]

Could you please remove the squalid looking "art" (like that "Game Over" sign) from the background environments? It looks low-rent, and is just another thing that detracts from the presentation.

If you can't do an arcade environment, please just consider a neutral, dark texture. (And one without obvious compression artefacts, please.)

Also, arcade environmental sounds, please. Some of the earlier tables sound very sterile; there's no atmosphere.

Weird, I almost posted about his yesterday.

I was thinking perhaps FarSight could add a couple of different options for environments, perhaps with a minimalist dark one?

At the very least, I think the existing environment could do with higher resolution textures.