BlahCade 123: Saucy Sounds from Stepansky

[jaredmorgs]

http://blahcadepinball.com/2018/01/15/Episode-123-Saucy-Sounds-from-Stepansky.html


We kick off the new year and our first episode back in 2018 in all the right ways with an interview with Norman Stepansky from Farsight Studios.
There’s a pile of great information in this interview, so get listening.
We’re working on a new website that will make it much easier to find interviews like this, so keep your senses peeled in the next few weeks for more details.

 

[Kolchak357]

Sounds good, can’t wait to give it a listen.

 

[Blkthorne]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv9JkHm6T-M walkthrough of Banning PM by TNT Amusements from 2 years ago.

 

[Spork98765]

Ironic comment from Norm about - "you shouldn't be waiting for someone to tell you this doesn't work, because 19 people played that table and did not enjoy it."

The Switch SPA UI is reminiscent of the old Hall of Fame Collection UI, IMO.

Can you ask someone at FarSight to clarify the purpose of SPA now that Ghostbusters has been released and was cross released on both platforms; IE will future releases will be cross released, what licences (DE, Capcom) are going to be released on which platform; etc.

 

[jaredmorgs]

All good questions, Spork.

We'll see what Farsight is able to tell us about these questions.

I'm interested to learn more about the purpose of SPA as well. I feel that backing away from that SKU would surely allow Farsight to redirect development time back into the core app.

That seems more logical to me from a value perspective.

 

[Blkthorne]

Ironic comment from Norm about - "you shouldn't be waiting for someone to tell you this doesn't work, because 19 people played that table and did not enjoy it."

The Switch SPA UI is reminiscent of the old Hall of Fame Collection UI, IMO.

Can you ask someone at FarSight to clarify the purpose of SPA now that Ghostbusters has been released and was cross released on both platforms; IE will future releases will be cross released, what licences (DE, Capcom) are going to be released on which platform; etc.

From my understanding, Ghostbusters was just brought out on TPA to fit the Halloween theme and to bring some attention back to SPA, I know many people had a hard time getting the table to even work on their computers/mobile which is the reason the newer Stern tables are on a different app(SPA). I thought Mike Lindsey had said in one of the Twitch streams that going forward, any new releases of DE/Sega/Stern would be on SPA, but Stern Electronics' tables seem to be still on TPA only like Flight 2000.

 

[Citizen]

It's going to be a real shame if TPA loses out on the future DE/Sega releases, since those work perfectly well on TPA and the older devices it runs on. I wish they had just never gotten into the whole Ghostbusters cross release debacle by picking some random, cheap, non-licensed table for TPA Halloween 2017.

It seems like continuing to release DE/Sega pins on both apps would make more sense, since it would give them more opportunity to make money back on the expensive licenses those machines carry. It would also allow them to work on DE/Sega pins as TPA additions first and foremost so they could focus on doing actual Sterns for SPA. If they decide to shift DE/Sega exclusively to SPA, then every time they work on one, it would just prolong the wait time between Stern pin releases.

 

[Blkthorne]

Majority of the tables by DE and Sega were big license themes other than Time Machine, Laser War, Torpedo Alley, Secret Service and Checkpoint by DE, so it comes down to how much Stern could help with decreasing the amount needed to bring out those tables if they even still have the licenses for them. We did get Last Action Hero, Starship Troopers, Ripley's, Harley, High Roller Casino, Frankenstein and Phantom of the Opera.

 

[shutyertrap]

I know how the speculation/rumor mill can spin out of control here if no one says anything. In all my 'off air' conversations with people from FarSight, I can tell you that TPA and SPA have no end in sight. Mike Lindsey was just in Las Vegas for CES as part of the Stern booth, and as you can hear in this interview with Norman, TPA has no signs of stopping. Gary Stern just gave a recent interview extolling the virtues of digital pinball and how he'd love to have it come out day and date with the actual machines via SPA at some point. What he'd really like is for the app to point you in the direction of the nearest table of choice you played in the app. I think Stern and FarSight are looking for new and interesting ways to market this, so I'm excited to see what may come.

 

[shutyertrap]

The Switch SPA UI is reminiscent of the old Hall of Fame Collection UI, IMO.

Can you ask someone at FarSight to clarify the purpose of SPA now that Ghostbusters has been released and was cross released on both platforms

Yep, it's totally reminiscent. Apparently this is what the Oculus version uses or something, but I have never gotten my hands on that. One things for sure, they'll run into the exact same problem that forced the UI change in TPA when too many tables become available. And yes, they are aware of that very fact.

The purpose of SPA is that Stern hired FarSight to make that app. It's a marketing tool for them, and however best Stern feels they can market their games, they will. As with all things SPA, you are better off asking Stern than FarSight, because FarSight clams up whenever we ask them anything directly about SPA!

 

[Spork98765]

I thought Mike Lindsey had said in one of the Twitch streams that going forward, any new releases of DE/Sega/Stern would be on SPA, but Stern Electronics' tables seem to be still on TPA only like Flight 2000.

Yeah, but they also said that all new Stern's would be exclusively on SPA. So, take it as speculation and all Twitch dealings as not on the record - so as true as the 12 days of xmas and Pinball After Dark.

The purpose of SPA is that Stern hired FarSight to make that app. It's a marketing tool for them, and however best Stern feels they can market their games, they will. As with all things SPA, you are better off asking Stern than FarSight, because FarSight clams up whenever we ask them anything directly about SPA!

Perhaps a Stern PR person can be questioned then. I have tried asking Stern questions via their social media accounts since FarSight updated the UI and SPA was announced, and I have not ever gotten a reply.

 

[Gorgar]

Hey, I'm actually clamoring for Jive Time and Ace High. Playing Ace High was my favorite table PHOF Gottlieb Collection, which was what got me into pinball. And I always had tons of fun playing Jive Time on the Williams Collection.

I also think that Spanish Eyes is a blast, and I am guessing that Norman was the one who picked it (because it is a pretty random table to include otherwise). It is fun in the way that Jive Time and Ace High are in that the main challenge is simply keeping the ball in play. So, I think there is a good chance that Norm will like Jive Time if he plays it.

And it's weird that he didn't say anything about Ace High even though it was included as part of the question. I am hopin this means that there is already plans to include it, but that probably is only wishful thinking.

 

[Citizen]

Hey, I'm actually clamoring for Jive Time and Ace High.

Same here.

 

[shutyertrap]

Hey, I'm actually clamoring for Jive Time and Ace High. Playing Ace High was my favorite table PHOF Gottlieb Collection, which was what got me into pinball. And I always had tons of fun playing Jive Time on the Williams Collection.

I also think that Spanish Eyes is a blast, and I am guessing that Norman was the one who picked it (because it is a pretty random table to include otherwise). It is fun in the way that Jive Time and Ace High are in that the main challenge is simply keeping the ball in play. So, I think there is a good chance that Norm will like Jive Time if he plays it.

And it's weird that he didn't say anything about Ace High even though it was included as part of the question. I am hopin this means that there is already plans to include it, but that probably is only wishful thinking.

Same here.

So answer the question that I posed in talking to Norman; are you clamoring for those because they were in those previous games and you liked them, or because you want more EMs? I’d argue there are plenty of better EMs out there but these have familiarity which is why you want them.

 

[Citizen]

So answer the question that I posed in talking to Norman; are you clamoring for those because they were in those previous games and you liked them, or because you want more EMs?

I find Ace High to be a genuinely fun and decent quality EM both in terms of the real pin and the HoF version. So for that one, I want it for HoF completion sake, because I want more EMs in general, and because I just like it.

For Jive Time, it's mainly for HoF completion sake.

I’d argue there are plenty of better EMs out there but these have familiarity which is why you want them.

I don't disagree with either of those points, but if you look at the current lineup of EMs in TPA, the selection we have is already extremely random and varying in quality. It's not like the selection of SS games, where we have the majority of the most popular and highly regarded tables. And it probably never will be. For me personally it's not all that relevant to be concerned with how many better EMs are out there, because we'll never get 95% of them anyway. Ace High and Jive Time are easy specific tables to hope for because of their past inclusion in FarSight products.

 

[Gorgar]

So answer the question that I posed in talking to Norman; are you clamoring for those because they were in those previous games and you liked them, or because you want more EMs? I’d argue there are plenty of better EMs out there but these have familiarity which is why you want them.

The way I see it is I want them because I am nostalgic for them. I played pinball in the 90s, but not enough to get into them as much as I did when I started playing the Pinball Hall of Fame games. I think nostalgia is a valid reason to want them because the 80s and 90s tables people request are fueled by nostalgia too.

At the same time, you can always argue that there are better EMs out there, but everyone has their own taste. For instance, I found Spanish Eyes very addicting and fun, although most people around these parts don't seem to like it. Fireball is a table that, while I can appreciate how many features are on it, I don't really care to play it in real life (because it kicks my ass) or in TPA (because I figured out that the trick to scoring high involves making the same shot over and over again with the flippers closed). I personally would have taken Ace High and Jive Time over Fireball and Centigrade 37.

Well, Centigrade 37 would probably be more enjoyable if it was tuned harder.

Anyway, thanks for asking Norman about them.

 

[shutyertrap]

Thanks for the response, guys. You are absolutely valid in nostalgia being a reason. I think because Jive Time made no connection with me, there might be a slight bias! EMs are a weird breed, in that someone who loves wedge heads may have no taste for mid 70’s machines. I loathe 2” flippers, yet Fireball is the EM I play the most in TPA. Ultimately I want EMs to get a fare shake among players that might easily dismiss them, and I worry that Jive Time wouldn’t change anyone’s mind.

 

[Jeff Strong]

There was a Rock 'N Roll pin for sell near me at one point, which is the Add-a-ball version of Jive Time, but as much as I love the artwork, I think they were asking like $600 and I just couldn't see paying more than $250 because there just isn't much there in terms of gameplay, and this is coming from an EM nut!

I will say the backglass spinner is pretty damn cool though, but that's about all it has going for it besides the art.

 

[Russell Bergman]

I'm a fan of EM's, and I've been requesting Ace High and Jive Time for years, both as a completionist and I actually enjoy both tables. Ace High is a woodrail EM, and currently there isn't any woodrail machines in TPA, and woodrails have a charm of their own and are a big part of pinball history. If it were up to me, I'd put Ace High and Gusher as a two pack, and Jive Time and Space Mission as a two pack. Heck I'm a fan of Play-boy from the Gottlieb Collection, and there was a Play-Boy at the Texas Pinball Festival last year in the History of Pinball booth (PreWar), and there were people in line waiting to play it, and I couldn't believe it! I sent a pic in to FarSight showing people playing it. Lastly, it would be funny to tease people about bringing back Strikes n Spares, but it would be the excellent EM table rather than the Premier table....or throw everyone off and do a two pack of the EM and Premier. I know, crazy talk! Great podcast and interview btw!

 

[Striker]

Gary Stern just gave a recent interview extolling the virtues of digital pinball and how he'd love to have it come out day and date with the actual machines via SPA at some point. What he'd really like is for the app to point you in the direction of the nearest table of choice you played in the app.

Would love to see this implemented. I keep hoping actual-machine pinball makes a comeback, and I see more tables in bars now than five years ago. Anything to promote pinball is OK by me.