Request Ability to change flippers in Pro Mode

[netizen]

Now that Fish Tales has been released, and Lightning Flippers have been officially added to the FarSight modelling stockpile, could it become possible to add the option to change flipper bats in the Pro Mode menus?

Some Player may like the increased challenge on some games to swap to Lightning Flippers, and some may want to switch Fish Tales to normal bats; with full knowledge that they will be ineligible for the leaderboards and goals OFC.

If this were possible it could lead to a monetization stream like the custom ball skins, seeing as the tables are tuned independently and currently the colour of the rubbers has no effect on the physics on the table. Players could get, through an IAP or be awarded, custom bats and rubber combos. From translucent bats that will push higher end PC systems to "simpler" custom painted bats and colour matching on the rubbers for low end systems and Mobiles.


This leaves another option for later as the physics engine improves so that there is a player adjustable physics layer in Pro Mode where the bat and rubber combos used has some effect on ball handling abilities. Some rubbers will be more tacky, some like flubber. Obviously this is a vapour dream but something that hopefully FarSight can keep in mind as they move forward, and not end up being all, DOH! we didn't remember the surface effects of tension and friction.

 

[Rudy Yagov]

Been wondering about something like this for a long time now. However...

From translucent bats that will push higher end PC systems

I literally laughed at that. TPA is not a demanding game by any stretch. Even my oldass computer can run it on max settings. Just making the flippers see-through won't change that.

 

[netizen]

I literally laughed at that. TPA is not a demanding game by any stretch. Even my oldass computer can run it on max settings. Just making the flippers see-through won't change that.

Congratulations Mr Fancy Pants.
My newass computer can run TPA with minimum settings, so adding an extra layer of transparency on what is the most moving part would make for a completely unplayable game. Judging from the sort of "bug" complaints that are made by people who have very high end hardware, then there is a level of demand on the system that is unexpected. So it's nice that you have no issues, but it is hardly universal.

Enjoy your LLOL, they are few and far between on this forum it seems.

 

[ER777]

The ability to add lighting flippers to some tables would be a welcome one but don't you think that it would be quite a bit of work per table to implement? I would think that the way TPA works lightning flippers would require a completely independent tuning pass from the regular length flippers for the table to play right. Maybe I'm wrong and just swapping the models would be enough but I suspect it might be a little more complicated than that.

Edit: And for the record the games that truly need to option for shorter flippers are the Zen games!

 

[Rudy Yagov]

Congratulations Mr Fancy Pants.
My newass computer can run TPA with minimum settings, so adding an extra layer of transparency on what is the most moving part would make for a completely unplayable game. Judging from the sort of "bug" complaints that are made by people who have very high end hardware, then there is a level of demand on the system that is unexpected. So it's nice that you have no issues, but it is hardly universal.

Enjoy your LLOL, they are few and far between on this forum it seems.

My computer was built in 2008. I got a new video card last year, but that's the only upgrade that the machine has gotten in the half-decade it's been around.

There are plenty of new games that I have trouble playing on higher settings, but TPA ain't one of 'em. Runs 100% perfect on max settings at 1080p.

Borderlands 2 I have to run in 720 with a lot of settings turned down, and I still get a pretty mediocre framerate.

 

[grashopper]

Haven't played in a while so this may be a bad example but what about really late flipper tip shots like TZ gumball loader? Wouldn't that make the table unplayable with a shorter flipper?

 

[jaredmorgs]

The ability to add lighting flippers to some tables would be a welcome one but don't you think that it would be quite a bit of work per table to implement? I would think that the way TPA works lightning flippers would require a completely independent tuning pass from the regular length flippers for the table to play right. Maybe I'm wrong and just swapping the models would be enough but I suspect it might be a little more complicated than that.

Edit: And for the record the games that truly need to option for shorter flippers are the Zen games!

I think you're right unfortunately.

So the request would probably be for "interchangeable flipper models with baked in tuning".

We know that tuning is applied to each table individually, so with the current development model, there would probably need to be tuning profiles for each table's flipper sets.

This raises an interesting question about a table builder, and how issues like this will be managed when/if this is offered.

 

[brakel]

Now that Fish Tales has been released, and Lightning Flippers have been officially added to the FarSight modelling stockpile, could it become possible to add the option to change flipper bats in the Pro Mode menus?

Some Player may like the increased challenge on some games to swap to Lightning Flippers, and some may want to switch Fish Tales to normal bats; with full knowledge that they will be ineligible for the leaderboards and goals OFC.

If this were possible it could lead to a monetization stream like the custom ball skins, seeing as the tables are tuned independently and currently the colour of the rubbers has no effect on the physics on the table. Players could get, through an IAP or be awarded, custom bats and rubber combos. From translucent bats that will push higher end PC systems to "simpler" custom painted bats and colour matching on the rubbers for low end systems and Mobiles.


This leaves another option for later as the physics engine improves so that there is a player adjustable physics layer in Pro Mode where the bat and rubber combos used has some effect on ball handling abilities. Some rubbers will be more tacky, some like flubber. Obviously this is a vapour dream but something that hopefully FarSight can keep in mind as they move forward, and not end up being all, DOH! we didn't remember the surface effects of tension and friction.

FarSight's license won't allow them to do that. Their tables must be presented as closely as possible to the production machine as it was when released as a real pinball machine. I remember there was one table, maybe TZ, that FarSight's real table sample had a post added that wasn't part of the original machine. FarSight had to remove that in order to remain compliant to their license agreement.

 

[netizen]

FarSight's license won't allow them to do that. Their tables must be presented as closely as possible to the production machine as it was when released as a real pinball machine. I remember there was one table, maybe TZ, that FarSight's real table sample had a post added that wasn't part of the original machine. FarSight had to remove that in order to remain compliant to their license agreement.

The issue with the post was about complaints from players. The post in question was shipped with TZ machines and left to the operators discretion as the whether or not to install it, most didn't as it made the L outlane too safe and increased game times. With TZ already being easier on TPA having the post in place made game times incredibly long and the pop bumpers very exploitable.

 

[Zaphod77]

Here's the true story of the post.

If the machine is having tons of trouble with bumper to outlane drains and people are avoiding the game because of it, then the operator is supposed to install the post. In fact the designer added the post himself during testing when he got frustrated with the bumper to outlane drains.

however that post can cause lost powerfield to straight down the middle drains instead. so you replace one problem with a different one.

Since both problems cropped up in testing a decision was made to leave it up to the operator.

 

[SKILL_SHOT]

Central Park flippers on Mid evil Madness now thats a flipper GAP!