BlahCade Weekly Zen Tournament

[wilbers]

I'll have to level up my rewind before trying - having it only at level 2 would be a big disadvantage.

 

[shutyertrap]

I think we had our largest tournament showing this past week on Medieval Madness with 50 entrants! Is this a popular table or something?

1. TritiumLUPsClub 334 million
2. Pinballwiz45b 267 million
3. pinballr 186 million
4. Xanija 156 million
5. NimbleLee 153 million

This week's table comes via suggestion from jwillan, who wants E.T. because it's Halloween this week and there's actual trick or treating in the game (or at least candy collecting). Suggest a table and apply a themed reason? Yeah, twist my arm! Playing in classic mode, no extra balls, 5 attempts.

 

[wilbers]

Are there some weeks without a tournament?

 

[shutyertrap]

Yes, but there’s no rhyme or reason for it. Some weeks I just don’t get a chance on Monday to set one up.

 

[shutyertrap]

So I have to apologize for the lack of tournaments. Last week was legitimately because I was busy, but this week it's because I'm playing the Volume 2 beta. When we have access to that, none of the other tables are available without redownloading everything and then I sometimes lose progress. So, I promise we'll have one up next week, but I hope you all understand why there's not one this week. In the meantime, scores for E.T.

1. TritiumLUPsClub 226 million
2. zmcvay 180 million
3. Pinballwiz45b 175 million
4. Bufko67 118 million
5. dcclark_Rene 94 million

 

[zmcvay]

You are forgiven if you can get us into the beta. But if you're taking requests for next week, how about a Marvel table to mark Stan Lee's passing? X-Men, Fear Itself, or World War Hulk are good tables that feature characters he created.

 

[shutyertrap]

Good suggestion. We'll honor Stan the man.

 

[Tarek Oberdieck]

So I have to apologize for the lack of tournaments. Last week was legitimately because I was busy, but this week it's because I'm playing the Volume 2 beta. When we have access to that, none of the other tables are available without redownloading everything and then I sometimes lose progress.

This should help:


There is a small work around if you don't feel like downloading 5gb of data each time you switch between beta and release.
1. Navigate to your steam games install folder, usually C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common
2. Make a copy of the Pinball FX3 folder, name it Pinball FX3 - Release
3. Go back into your steam settings and opt into the williams-beta. This will download the beta version of the game.
So now you will have 2 folders, one being Pinball FX3(the beta), and the other of the release files (Pinball FX3 - Release), so then if you want to switch back to the release version of the game;
1. Rename the Pinball FX3 folder to Pinball FX3 - Beta,
2. and rename Pinball FX3 - Release to just Pinball FX3.
3. Then opt out of williams-beta within steam, it will verify the files but not re-download everything.
Repeat the process each time you want to opt in/out of the beta.


From the Zen Forum: https://forum.zenstudios.com/showth...-those-considering-the-beta!&highlight=rename

 

[shutyertrap]

Okay, who's ready to play again?

This week, in honor of the passing of Stan Lee, we'll be playing Captain America. Turns out it's one of those tables I've barely played, so it'll be Classic mode, 3 balls, 5 attempts. That's my go-to when needing to learn a table!

 

[shutyertrap]

Hope everyone enjoyed stuffing their face this past week...on pinball! Here's how things shook out with Captain America...

1. TheHatchet18 317 million
2. XAF//SMerrell>> 123 million
3. dave950lam 92 million
4. zmcvay 92 million
5. TritiumLUPsClub 84 million

Because we need to knock some of these off the list, we're gonna spend the next few weeks playing all the film based Star Wars tables. So let's start where ya gotta, by playing A New Hope. Classic 3 ball with extra balls enabled, but only 5 attempts. May the Force be with you!

 

[shutyertrap]

Sorry for the delay folks, screaming back pain kept me from even sitting at the computer on Monday. Here's how things shook out with A New Hope:

1. XAF//SMerrell>> 394 million
2. TritiumLUPsClub 283 million
3. Pinballwiz45b 199 million
4. Hiob1971 76 million
5. NimbleLee 64 million

So this week I'm well aware you all are gonna want to be playing the new Williams tables, so I set this tournament to a single entry so you can get back to playing what you wanted to anyway! Continuing with our run of Star Wars tables, it's The Empire Strikes Back and you can use whatever upgrades you'd like, but again you only get one shot at this. Good luck!

On a side note, I'm starting to see a bunch of your names hosting tournaments. I encourage everyone to join in when you spot them! And to those hosting, feel free to use the sub thread to draw attention to it like Pinballwiz45b has started doing.

 

[shutyertrap]

So Empire Strikes Back had a rather large gap between 2nd and 3rd place. It's kinda why I like 1 chance tourneys now and then!

1. ThaShizzel420 114 million
2. Kab00m2013 100 million
3. NimbleLee 39 million
4. jlb6915 20 million
5. Chrisbizarre 19 million

Time to finish out the original trilogy with Return of the Jedi. I actually think this is in the running for 'best' of the film based tables. Classic mode, 3 balls, no extra ball, 5 attempts.

 

[steven120566]

Sorry for the delay folks, screaming back pain kept me from even sitting at the computer on Monday. Here's how things shook out with A New Hope:

1. XAF//SMerrell>> 394 million
2. TritiumLUPsClub 283 million
3. Pinballwiz45b 199 million
4. Hiob1971 76 million
5. NimbleLee 64 million

So this week I'm well aware you all are gonna want to be playing the new Williams tables, so I set this tournament to a single entry so you can get back to playing what you wanted to anyway! Continuing with our run of Star Wars tables, it's The Empire Strikes Back and you can use whatever upgrades you'd like, but again you only get one shot at this. Good luck!

On a side note, I'm starting to see a bunch of your names hosting tournaments. I encourage everyone to join in when you spot them! And to those hosting, feel free to use the sub thread to draw attention to it like Pinballwiz45b has started doing.

I have been playing in Pinballwiz45b, SYT, and many others. I am no threat to win even in my own, but have cracked a few top 5s. So, alrighty, I don't need a whole thread, but will in general do a plug for mine here. I do short, 3 day max tourneys on many of the older original and licensed tables. Since there are plenty of contests for newer tables, I won't do those until they become older themselves. Always classic or limited power ups, always 3 ball. I have been getting good participation from xbox one players and some steam as well. So if you are in the mood for tables at least 3 years old and older, Search for: "MC Hannie B" Thanks!

 

[steven120566]

I have been playing in Pinballwiz45b, SYT, and many others. I am no threat to win even in my own, but have cracked a few top 5s. So, alrighty, I don't need a whole thread, but will in general do a plug for mine here. I do short, 3 day max tourneys on many of the older original and licensed tables. Since there are plenty of contests for newer tables, I won't do those until they become older themselves. Always classic or limited power ups, always 3 ball. I have been getting good participation from xbox one players and some steam as well. So if you are in the mood for tables at least 3 years old and older, Search for: "MC Hannie B" Thanks!

Ugh! My xbox one is no more, perished Christmas Eve. I may replace it but probably not for awhile. I got a switch as a gift, and building the collection back up gradually seems more financially feasible than just buying a new Xbox One. I'll now be playing as "Schmitzy" and looking up the tourneys from the Nintendo side of this game. See y'all on the boards.

 

[shutyertrap]

Sorry, but the scores for Return of the Jedi are completely eluding me. This is what happens when 2 weeks of holiday completely dominate your normal routine.

Speaking of normal routine, let's get back to playing weekly! Continuing with the Star Wars movie tables, this week it's The Force Awakens in classic 3 ball with 10 attempts.

 

[Crazy Newt]

While I have purchased all of the Pinball FX tables going back to the beginning, I haven't played all of them. I just automatically purchase any new content, as I know one day I will get around to playing the table. These tourneys are good fun and I really enjoy having some purpose to playing, though video pinball is something I will play just to pass some time while listening to music or watching a sporting event on TV. Your tourney is probably the best format I have played. I like limiting the number of play attempts, though I wish it were possible to see the number of attempts remaining from everyone that has played at least one game. It would be interesting to see a bonus applied to those that played fewer games than the max. Something like game 1 being 100% of your score, game 2 being 99%, 3 98%, etc. Just a little knock on your score if you play multiple times, but nothing so severe as erasing your current score to put up a new score.

 

[shutyertrap]

That’s not a terrible suggestion Newt. I would love for Zen to allow us all sort of tourney customization. Imagine if we could set up a bracket system! I too have had times where I’ve wondered how many attempts another player has left, if for no other reason than to know if it’s worth my effort to try on tables that kick my arse.

And yeah, having a reason to play the tables helps. Over time those random names you see playing too become targets to take down. Pinball rivalry is a fun thing.

 

[Xanija]

Another idea would be to have the possibility only to register the last attempt rather that the best of all attempts. Do I risk a good score hoping to get a better one?

There are surely many ideas which could be implemented fairly easy, as it's not complex. Not sure if this is something that could get some priority right now.

 

[shutyertrap]

Another idea would be to have the possibility only to register the last attempt rather that the best of all attempts. Do I risk a good score hoping to get a better one?

There are surely many ideas which could be implemented fairly easy, as it's not complex. Not sure if this is something that could get some priority right now.

What we could do is collect a bunch of such ideas as then present them to Mel. They’ve already added things to tourney, so we know it’s not set in stone.

 

[wilbers]

What we could do is collect a bunch of such ideas as then present them to Mel. They’ve already added things to tourney, so we know it’s not set in stone.

Seems it would do better to have a new thread to kick around ideas and see what comes out of it. Dare I say it, but it would also make a good subject for a podcast section.