Bram Stoker's Dracula sucks

[switch3flip]

Skill shots light coffin locks? Maybe I shouldn't ignore those.

You advance one ramp with every middle face skillshot. You also get a letter for video-

There a couple easter eggs in BSD. Have you tried writing SUN if you get to enter initials?

 

[vikingerik]

Also the shorter lighting flippers seem to work really well in TPA, the feeling is much more realistic. You have to hit the ball well to get the power to make the ramp shots and also live catching or catching in general is much easier.
The shorter flippers make for a wider gap between flippers and that makes the TPA version a more realistic feeling pin because side nudging to avoid SDTM drains becomes harder and not so unrealistic.

This, very much so. I love the feel of the lightning flippers in TPA. There's more space around the flippers to do a bit more of the subtle moves that TPA's flippers are usually too crude to allow. And slap saves aren't automatic, I actually miss them on occasion. The lightning flippers play very well, at least if you have keyboard or gamepad controls for precise nudging.

how skill shots light coffin lock

This I didn't realize. I knew a skill shot advanced towards video mode, but does it advance the coffin ramp too? Will have to pay closer attention to that.

how well the theme fits

This I'm not so sure. What even IS the theme? It's Dracula spouting off a bunch of random quotes with no coherence. Are you killing Dracula? Some of the voiceovers seem to hint in that direction, but nothing you do actually gives a quote or animation to say so. What are you doing in the castle that's worth so many jackpots? What is Mist and why do you want it? Compare to say MM or MB, where everything you do is visceral and relevant - attacking the castle, looting the treasure room, smacking trolls, recruiting and rocking monsters. What's even happening in BSD?

 

[Captain B. Zarre]

The goal of Bram Stoker's Dracula is to destroy Dracula.

- Castle multiball represents killing the Concubines
- Coffin multiball represents trying to kill Dracula
- Bats represents trying to kill Dracula's bats
- Rats represents trying to kill Dracula's rats
- Video mode represents trying to kill Dracula's werewolves, the Children of the Night

 

[switch3flip]

This I didn't realize. I knew a skill shot advanced towards video mode, but does it advance the coffin ramp too? Will have to pay closer attention to that.



This I'm not so sure. What even IS the theme? It's Dracula spouting off a bunch of random quotes with no coherence. Are you killing Dracula? Some of the voiceovers seem to hint in that direction, but nothing you do actually gives a quote or animation to say so. What are you doing in the castle that's worth so many jackpots? What is Mist and why do you want it? Compare to say MM or MB, where everything you do is visceral and relevant - attacking the castle, looting the treasure room, smacking trolls, recruiting and rocking monsters. What's even happening in BSD?

Ha ha ha, yeah the "story" isn't really crystal clear, lol, I certainly agree on that. In the castle, I think your'e sticking your pole in Draculas concubines, he he But yeah, it's not super clear, lol.
I was more of thinking how I like the mood of the pin, with the music, artwork, screams and callouts and horror stuff.

Yeah, you advance coffin ramp with each middle face skillshot.

Oh, and in the asylum, if you flip a flipper you get more points and a different animation!

 

[Storm Chaser]

I also thought the title of this thread was a play on words.

BSD is one of my top 3 on TPA. I especially like the sound effects and music! Being rather obsessed by high scores and goals, this table is the one I turn to when I just want to play for fun.

 

[Kratos3]

The thread title just dawned on me.

 

[yespage]

I have to agree with the OP. This table drives me bonkers. My first game, scored over 850 million. Had no idea what I was doing, but was doing very well. I am lucky to get over 100 million now, pondering to myself how in the world did I ever manage to do so well the first time.

My main problems besides the whole being at the whim of chaos if you miss a ramp shot is how the speed of the balls down the left and right lanes (more so the left than the right) seem so random, making timing real hard. The other issue is I swear the flippers are ineffective at times. I know I don't have the best reaction times, but it seems as if the flippers aren't even there.

 

[kinggo]

and that's normal. For each decent game you'll have ten (or more) on which you won't have enough to get EB. It's BSD.

 

[zmcvay]

It's a terrible introductory table, which is where I think the complaints are coming from. BSD won't try to wow you with cool shots and flashy design. You can't just jump in and start modes or clear target banks. And if you don't know what you should be aiming for the outlanes will eat your ball and tell you to go home.

Getting into this table is hard, but when you manage to get everything going right, it is so satisfying. But really tough. My best score on BSD is 4.4 Billion. My 2nd best is just barely one billion. That's the difference a really good game makes.

 

[dtown8532]

I wish I knew a local guy who had a real one and felt the same way as I'd be happy to take it off his hands for the right price.

 

[EldarOfSuburbia]

I wish I knew a local guy who had a real one and felt the same way as I'd be happy to take it off his hands for the right price.

Well there was one in Allentown and one in York this year... didn't see what the prices were, tho.

 

[dtown8532]

Well there was one in Allentown and one in York this year... didn't see what the prices were, tho.

Allentown's was pricey. Fully shopped. Wasn't able to make York this year. I saw one in the flea market area on TNT's video. Don't know the price.

 

[Tann]

BSD is one of the best tables in TPA, due to its simple layout but very fun rules, punitive difficulty, and very nice presentation and sound FX ("Thirrrrrrrrrrrty Million!").

It's the TPA table that makes you actually feel the most like playing a real pinball table.

 

[Kratos3]

I have to agree with the OP. This table drives me bonkers. My first game, scored over 850 million. Had no idea what I was doing, but was doing very well. I am lucky to get over 100 million now, pondering to myself how in the world did I ever manage to do so well the first time.

My main problems besides the whole being at the whim of chaos if you miss a ramp shot is how the speed of the balls down the left and right lanes (more so the left than the right) seem so random, making timing real hard. The other issue is I swear the flippers are ineffective at times. I know I don't have the best reaction times, but it seems as if the flippers aren't even there.

Sounds like a real table....

 

[yespage]

Sounds like a real table....

Which it can certainly be. Typically, I prefer drainers when making pasta, not playing pinball.

 

[invitro]

how the speed of the balls down the left and right lanes (more so the left than the right) seem so random, making timing real hard. The other issue is I swear the flippers are ineffective at times. I know I don't have the best reaction times, but it seems as if the flippers aren't even there.

I don't find it random, but the ball comes out of the jackpot hole's kickout down the L inlane super fast. It's gotta be much faster than on the real thing, which is a problem I think TPA has. They probably chose that as a way to make tables not so easy.

On PC/keyboard, you can side-nudge to catch those L inlane returns (and R ones too). This helps tons both scoring and enjoyment IMO.

 

[ZREXMike]

I really like this one, it has taught me about nudging & how radically you can change the path of the ball with it. It is a little over the top with the speed sometimes, but so are alotta tables.

 

[Joelpbafan]

One of my favorite tpa tables to each pinball table there's a different challenge it's a fun exciting table I play this a lot it's one of my go to tables

 

[arakno1]

I think junior is not totally wrong. I played the real pinball table back in the days and it was a total money sucker. Nobody wanted to play it for that reason. For me there are numerous anomalies on this table. First of all you can see there is a problem when you realise that when you shot 5 ball at least 1 is lost without having the chance to touch it. In this case if you have the chance to go "everlasting love" 1 on 10 is also lost without having a chance to touch it. And dont tell me "it is for experts" or " it is on purpose" it is just nonsense for any game ever invented to end the game before even letting the player trying to play.
There is also a problem of dynamic with the slingshots maybe. Probably also a problem with the flippers that reportedly are 1/8 inch shorter than the standard Williams flippers but that cant explain everyting. Generally the control of the ball is hardcore and some accelerations are just impossible to predict.
That doesn't mean its not fun to play. But using the word frustrating is not out of subject. On the real machine it was a pain in the ass, clearly, if it is not worst the money you don't play it again. Big mistake and the machine soon disappeared from the place. On pinball arcade well, its free so i believe some can have fun and feel to have reach an expert level when the one billion bar is reached but its wrong. On pinball arcade my first go i reached 900 millions, but then its been a week i'm sucked on it and i barely reach 400 000 millions. For me its the opposite of a good sign.

I'm not an expert but its just suppositions. Who am i to say it wasn't buit on purpose and then who are you to say it was? Now we deal with it.

Though, like i said i'm totaly perverted by the table now, as i want to figure out how to control a lil bit more and make points out of those problems. So yeah still a good game, addictive, great music and great animation. But i maintain that the original table was hella frustrating, i can still feel the anger in me 20 years later. Thank you guys for the advice in your comments that is really helpful for me.
Great message from doncarlos. Can someone give me the link of this PAPA website?
Sorry for the english as you probably realised it is clearly not my first language.


EDIT: alright i found papa vidz and it helped me a lot, plus i played seriously all day long so i figure out the way to embrace this table and dance with drac. Its still hard but i slowly approach the billion so thanks everyone for this topic. I am so sad i did not insist like i should when i had the chance to play the real table now... So for me Dracula dont sucks balls anymore, just blood, and he never drinks wine.

 

[RuySan]

Never played it irl, but i love this table. Yes, it's a money drainer, but since it's fast and it's not a grinder, i'm fine with it.

Star Trek, on the other hand, it's also a drainer, but in that case it annoys me much more because it has more intricate objectives that can take a little longer to achieve.