BlahCade Interview with Zsolt: Ask Your Questions Here

[jaredmorgs]

Hello everyone
[MENTION=2322]Zsolt[/MENTION] has kindly agreed to do an interview with the BlahCade podcast, which will be released in the April episode.

Here's your chance to ask Zsolt some questions you haven't already received an answer to. Ask any question related to ASK Homework's games on iOS and Android. I'll pose all questions to Zsolt and he can choose whether he responds to certain questions (such as future table plans and release dates: you know the usual stuff devs don't like speculating on publicly).

I'll cover the Q&A in the podcast, then publish the transcript after we push the April podcast live (in case you don't care to listen to podcasts).

This thread is open now, and will be locked from further comment on the 28th March (Aussie Time). I'll then compile the questions and send to [MENTION=2322]Zsolt[/MENTION] to answer. He will not be providing a verbal interview due to language barriers. I'll decide whether we'll do a reading of the answers or just publish the transcript after April's podcast is released.

Looking forward to seeing the burning questions you all have.

 

[SickBoy]

Are there any plans for Zaccaria Pinball to come to PC? If not, is there anything the community could do to make it happen (ie: a kickstarter, etc)?

Is there any chance that Zaccaria Pinball could be made to work with applications like Andyroid or Bluestacks again? (the most recent update, I believe, broke functionality for them)

Are there any specific tables that will absolutely *not* be considered for implementation in Zaccaria Pinball (due to licensing, technical issues, etc)?

 

[Baron Rubik]

No real questions here, but tell him thanks for the Android port.
I really appreciate it. Favourite Pinball app.

Actually, just thought of one - my question is... Going forwards, if future Pinball apps were developed, would an Android port be scheduled earlier in the cycle now that the process is known, or would it still be developed first for one platform primarily?

 

[Snorzel]

Are there any specific tables that will absolutely *not* be considered for implementation in Zaccaria Pinball (due to licensing, technical issues, etc)?

Specifically Granada, Top Hand, and Tropical?

Great list of questions so far.

Ask him about the real pinball scene i Hungry, present and past.
His favorite beer (if he likes beer)
How do they fix bugs so fast?
Any hints on a next project after Zaccaria like possible license considered for more pinball digitizing?

Thank you for putting this together Jared

 

[74-89]

Ask him about the real pinball scene i Hungry, present and past.
His favorite beer (if he likes beer)

Thank you for putting this together Jared

+1

 

[jaredmorgs]

Keep the questions coming guys. Great stuff so far.

 

[Extork]

Are there plans to do Zaccaria After Dark?

 

[Pinballwiz45b]

Can you guys do InterFlip games? Specifically Dragon?

BAO

 

[Extork]

But really, you should ask what his favorite/least favorite TPA tables are. Likes/dislikes about TPA.

 

[Jeff Strong]

My question is: what are their plans for leaderboard expansion? 3 ball, 5 ball, arcade, simulation, etc.

 

[smbhax]

I'm interested in the table creation process. It seems like the tables recreated in the app aren't always on-hand. Doesn't that make it tough? Or are they? Anyway yeah, what's the process like.

 

[night]

When Zaccaria is finished, what are your future pinball plans? Are you looking into other brands to recreate, like Taito or other companies, or is this going to be problematic for some reason or the other?

 

[SilverBalls]

Q1. How many people work at Ask and what are the numbers working in each role (nb of developers)?

Q2. Many of us were surprised by the transformation in physics after the re-write. You mentioned Ask had employed someone with Physics knowledge, however it is still difficult to pull off such a good simulation. What is the persons background and had they had any previous experience working with pinball physics or ball simulation physics?


Q3. You appear to have a powerful game engine supporting multiple platforms, great lighting, and the ability to run on mobile devices, which some of competitors must envy. Can you tell us how this engine evolved, and some hints on how you achieve such good lighting effects, metal reflection, etc in real-time? Eg: is there some pre-rendering for example?

Q4. The games background noise sounds like quite a lively pub, and I can hear English sounding voices saying 'Corrrr, look at that?'. Was this recorded at the Ask Christmas party?

 

[SilverBalls]

2 more...
Q5. Have you considered promoting the Zaccaria pinball app at pinball shows to get it more exposure, and if so would you consider building a small virtual pinball cabinet to catch peoples attention using one of the new large screen Android All-in-one PCs with 24" screen?

Q6. In order to spark interest in the virtual pinball cabinet making community such as VPForums with over 70,000 members and to allow people to build mini Zacarria Pinball cabs hosting your application, your game engine would need to be able to render the pinball app sideways as many of the large screen Android devices now force a fake portrait in landscape mode. Is this technically feasible and something you would consider as something like this could really can help promote your game amongst the enthusiasts?

 

[gsxrboy]

Is there any chance of Age & Art of Pinballs receiving the new physics engine (I'll happily pay for a IAP "Pro" option to get the new engine) and things like a general UI clean up to get rid of all the buy buttons (spesh in Age which is a bit untidy with them all over the screen). Popping them all in a IAP menu would be nicer and more reflect the outstanding quality of Zac and the way it's laid out.

As others have already asked, more Zac tables etc

 

[The loafer]

After you have done all the tables you want/can do and have hopefully come up with a PC version , have you guys considered selling your app as a "pinball construction set" tool for all platforms? Seriously, you guys seem to have struck a good balance between features and performance, well done and would love to see this tool in the hands of creative community members.

Your new physics model is excellent and yet familiar too

 

[Reagan Dow]

When Zaccaria is finished, what are your future pinball plans? Are you looking into other brands to recreate, like Taito or other companies, or is this going to be problematic for some reason or the other?

+1

 

[switch3flip]

Online multiplayer?!!!

 

[shutyertrap]

Having deja vu with these questions...they are very similar to what we all wanted to know from FarSight when we first got to talk with them. Be curious to see how different the answers might be.

 

[IGoFirstIndy]

Have the Zaccaria Brothers played the game? what do they think about it?

Any chance of ASK doing the Zaccaria Arcade games?

Any Chance of Devil Riders getting rescanned?

Any Chance of getting the Zacc blue and red flippers? Would be a great option.

-- Thanks for doing this Blahcade guys. look forward to listening.