Bugs, Glitches, and General Issues [PS VITA]

[1976mrk]

I just browsed the Cirqus Voltaire forums, and it looks like the iOS version has its share of issues as well. Hopefully Farsight will work on all versions, Vita included, to make improvements. I've never played the actual Cirqus Voltaire, but video of it looks very fun.

 

[1976mrk]

The Pinball Arcade just posted on Facebook:

"We released a patch today for NA PS3/Vita that fixes the drastic slow-down issues on the tables. It will also fix the Monster Bash nudge bug."

In addition, the Star Trek Kickstarter just met its goal, and Pin Wiz writes:

"Before everyone starts asking for the update, please keep in mind that FarSight is currently working through a bug that was present in the latest PS3 (NA)/PS Vita (NA) update."

Kudos to Farsight for its current and continued success, and it's great that they are indeed working to make The Pinball Arcade as accurate as possible. I'm back to "guaranteed buy"

 

[Metalzoic]

So they released a patch to fix an obvious bug that never should have been overlooked, and the patch introduces a new bug that never should have been overlooked?

All I can do is shake my head at that.

 

[Kevlar]

All I can do is shake my head at that.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall in their morning meeting (assuming they have one), 2 f'd up ps3 updates and an iOS screw up all in the same week ( on top of a long, long list of delays,rejections and bugs ). Kick ass Jay!

 

[Sinistar]

there was no patch on the Vita today , unless Im missing something *checks Vita* Ahhhhh 1.04 patch wonder what that does ..........downloading now

 

[Victor the Winker]

Is it just me or does Black Hole have framerate problems with the newest patch?

 

[Metalzoic]

Is it just me or does Black Hole have framerate problems with the newest patch?

I haven't tried it. To be honest I have only played 2 games of TOTAN 1 game on MB and 1 game of Gorgar since tuesday. I've been trying out Zen the past few days instead.

 

[Metalzoic]

Message deleted. It was my own user error I think.

Word to your mothers...

 

[Dinosaur Toy]

FYI the frame rate on Black Hole is absolutely worse now, it stutters pretty bad at times. The sound effects on Black Hole may also be misfiring or conflicting with one another in new ways.

The frame rate on Medieval Madness is also much worse for me (on Vita) now. It's seriously awful, never runs full speed and is stuck at heavy frame skip.

 

[Crush3d_Turtle]

FYI the frame rate on Black Hole is absolutely worse now, it stutters pretty bad at times. The sound effects on Black Hole may also be misfiring or conflicting with one another in new ways.

The frame rate on Medieval Madness is also much worse for me (on Vita) now. It's seriously awful, never runs full speed and is stuck at heavy frame skip.

MM has always had frame rate problems from the release and I can't really tell if they have got worse. BH does have a stutter now so I will be adding it to the list. Thanks for your input.

 

[1976mrk]

It needs to be understood that fixing bugs in the PS Vita version is probably not the problem, it is most likely the complicated distribution through PSN.

The PSN is undergoing maintenance for most of today, could that potentially clear some issues?

 

[Dinosaur Toy]

FYI I have tested Black Hole on PS3 and Vita to compare, and the Vita sound is broken. The background beeping that should be continually playing cracks and cuts off whenever another sound effect plays, then resumes after a few seconds. Sound effects are also lagged on the Vita - timing is behind on-screen animations.

 

[Metalzoic]

Jesus... The Vita version is gaining bugs faster than they're fixing them.
I really wish they would fix what I've already paid them for rather then them trying to sell me more tables or asking for more kickstarter money.

5 effin' months this game has been out and they still haven't fixed it. 5 months.

 

[Dinosaur Toy]

Jesus... The Vita version is gaining bugs faster than they're fixing them.
I really wish they would fix what I've already paid them for rather then them trying to sell me more tables or asking for more kickstarter money.

5 effin' months this game has been out and they still haven't fixed it. 5 months.

I'm new to this forum but have been a big supporter of Farsight since the PHOF days. I've bought every DLC for Pinball Arcade on day one not just to show support, but because I really want the tables.

The bugs and the poor quality of the Vita build are really starting to push it over the line however. Especially now that Zen Pinball 2 is out on Vita and you can directly compare the quality of the two ports - performance wise ZP2 blows PA out of the water, while running much more complex table visuals. Meanwhile, it seems something is deeply wrong with Pinball Arcade at the engine level - Farsight cannot adjust something related to one table without then breaking three other tables.

If there's not another patch out or announced for the Vita by the time the next table pack is out on PSN, I may give up on them. It's unacceptable at this point.

 

[Sinistar]

ZEN PINBALL 2 is a fantasy pinball game , one which has a very basic table not adhering to real physics , nor does ZEN 2 try to use a antique ROM to replicate a actual nut and bolts machine . The difference in the coding for a Zen Pinball 2 table , and what FarSight does is like comparing a GameBoy to a high end gaming PC . What Zen does is deliver a mediocre box with some fancy dressing , what Pinball Arcade is doing is a high end simulation , so of course there are bound to be bugs , and they are both Pinball based videogames but that is where the comparision ends .

 

[Metalzoic]

The bugs and the poor quality of the Vita build are really starting to push it over the line however. Especially now that Zen Pinball 2 is out on Vita and you can directly compare the quality of the two ports - performance wise ZP2 blows PA out of the water, while running much more complex table visuals. Meanwhile, it seems something is deeply wrong with Pinball Arcade at the engine level - Farsight cannot adjust something related to one table without then breaking three other tables.

If there's not another patch out or announced for the Vita by the time the next table pack is out on PSN, I may give up on them. It's unacceptable at this point.

I very much agree.

ZEN PINBALL 2 is a fantasy pinball game , one which has a very basic table not adhering to real physics , nor does ZEN 2 try to use a antique ROM to replicate a actual nut and bolts machine . The difference in the coding for a Zen Pinball 2 table , and what FarSight does is like comparing a GameBoy to a high end gaming PC . What Zen does is deliver a mediocre box with some fancy dressing , what Pinball Arcade is doing is a high end simulation , so of course there are bound to be bugs , and they are both Pinball based videogames but that is where the comparision ends .

Sinistar have you played Zen 2?
Zen certainly does not have very basic, mediocre tables. The majority of their tables are very good and Zen actually has to design and build them, make them work, make them fun, create all original assets, create the artwork etc.... Farsight might be trying to emulate an actual ROM, but they don't actually have to design or create the actual game themselves as they are re-making somebody else's existing design, right down to the artwork.

I agree Zens physics aren't as "real", I agree it doesn't have enough bounce or wildness to the ball, but in general it feels nearly as good TPA (which is too bouncy) and the flipper physics are far superior without all the ball-through-flipper bugs and the ability to pull off real life catches that TPA can't seem to do.

Overall Zen looks better, runs smoother, is designed better, has better flipper interaction, better menu design, better control set-ups, more tables, better scoring systems, better friend comparison systems, local and online multiplayer. Most importantly it works right, it isn't perfect but it doesn't seem to have nearly the problems, glitches and bugs that TPA has (and seems incapable of actually fixing).

I honestly wish Zen was actually the company making the real tables, I think we would have a far better product than what Farsight has given us.

 

[Bonzo]

Farsight might be trying to emulate an actual ROM

That's the point! The one Sinistar is trying to make, not you, though...

The ROM emulation is what makes it hard. On the one hand, it's eating up a LOAD of resources and on the other hand it's like a black box Farsight's coders have to deal with. Bugs on ZEN tables can much more easliy be sorted out than those FS and we have to deal with in TPA.

 

[Sinistar]

You are entitled to your own opinion, and it is not one we share. Look if you broke down the Zen tables as a grid with no objects and no textures ? They would be the identical sandbox with very little deviation, THAT is why they get it so perfect , they dont really change the ramps , the flipper positions , where the ball drains occur . It's all the near same table , they add a marvel , video game theme, or fantasy /scifi decor , and create a unique animated model to differntiate it from the other tables , and then some music. Ive installed Zen on my PS3 and PS Vita . They could not generate the excitement The Pinball Arcade has given me .

When I play Zen 2 , I only see the programmer had a template program , and how they basically they cut and paste their tables together . Farsight it's not as easy , since they have to recreate the tables from digital models of actual machines , then code the physics to behave like a real ball , bumpers, targets,lights , ect. Then they have to recreate ROMs not intended for video games to pretend that they are on real tables . You may not think that's hard , but it is , and I appreciate that more than the cookie cutter stuff in Zen Pinball .

 

[BonzoGonzo]

sry metalzoic, i too agree with sinistars points and btw prefer tpa over zen/pinballfx

yes i played both (all three actually, ps3 and xbox, on latter i had 22 tables and just deleted them when tpa came along) and zen doesnt hold a candle to tpa where it counts -> the table design, music, sfx, modes of gameplay... zen has a guy who does the design by ripping off (not that its necesseraly a bad thing) existing tables, but they don't play half as good... add to that led ball physics plus no-flipper-gap to get a pretty boring pinball experience...

but it is really polished one must say... just remember they did the first version of this (pinball fx in 2007) with only 3 tables -> a whitewater clone (mean machine, doesnt play as good), a black knight clone (extreme, despite the ultra annoying theme i actually liked it ) and a star trek the next generation clone (agents, which is really annoying to play for some reason)... that was followed by bucaneer (the addams family clone, nowhere as fun to play as the original)... and when i say clone, they have almost completely ripped off table designs from their 'inspirations' (the table layout is like 95% the same, but sometimes mirrored), that sadly play nowhere as good as the originals...

becouse zen studios just doesnt seem to have the experience/understanding in what makes pinball fun... the same thing with shoot em ups and 1on1 fighting games... there are developers that understand what it takes for such a game to be fun (japanese ones, not all of them) and then there is stuff like mortal kombat and killer instinct (they didn't even have grab featured!?! so you just block and nobody can touch you, great), and soldner and such euro shooter crap...

 

[Dinosaur Toy]

It's very interesting to act snobbish over video pinball simulations, but at the end of the day, I'm a customer and Farsight wants money. As a business, they show every sign of having over-extended themselves in order to try and release Pinball Arcade on every platform known to man at the exact same time. I'm well aware of the nature of The Pinball Arcade and the emulation being employed for some aspects (not all can be / are emulated, some tables fall back on simpler scripting). None of that changes the fact that every time Farsight updates their product, they break it in bizarre and unexpected ways. Fix a non-working rollover on one table, and the framerate on a table that received no overt adjustments tanks. Adjust the textures on a 3rd table, and the sound stops working on a 4th table.

The problem Farsight faces is more practical than arguing over subjective opinions such as whose pinball board design is more "fun". They need to sell more DLC to fund development. I'm sympathetic towards that, so even with the constantly broken state of the product, I kept buying more DLC. I also contributed to Kickstarter. Every time you buy something from Farsight however, it seems that another update is released that breaks what you previously bought.

I think I've given them enough money while not being able to play random tables in the meantime waiting for fixes. I'm not alone; plenty of people are tired of Farsight, and they're very fortunate that enough are still willing to support them blindly so that their kickstarters can succeed.