Exactly how are TPA tables easier than the real thing?

[Richard B]

I, and many others, have complained about the intentional dumbing down of the difficulty on many tables. What I want to know is what exactly did they change to make these tables easier? So far, here's what I found:

1. Predictability - Kickers shoot the ball out the same way every time, and the ball always responds the same way. Games like FH and TZ are already made much easier because of this, as the kickers (which are used often) can always be trapped by the right, or dead-bounced to the left, not only guaranteeing a trap, but essentially giving you the choice of which flipper you want to send the ball to. On real tables, traps with the right flipper are usually (but not always) safe, but dead bounces to the left are risky.

2. Plunger - A plunger released from the same position always reacts the same way. Memorize the right position for the skill shot and you'll hit it every time.

There's other things I've noticed, such as shots hitting targets more often and it's easier to get the ball under control if you miss a shot, but why is that?

 

[smooverr]

3. Lack of ball spin drastically impacts the randomization

4. When shooting up ramps the ball doesn't bounce back and forth off of the sides like IRL. This would typically slow its momentum, this is why it's so much easier to make ramps shots in TPA.

5. Ball speed is slower in TPA

 

[xAzatothx]

chaos theory is way more complicated than the simple physics rule set of TPA
there is no spin in TPA
the ball does not leave the table in TPA
no randomness in TPA
much easier to nudge in TPA
less precision needed in TPA to hit ramps and make it all the way round.

 

[grashopper]

the ball does not leave the table in TPA
.

It does on CV
flies right out the side

 

[pezpunk]

the ball does not leave the table in TPA

pffff we wish!

much easier to nudge in TPA

apparently not an iPad player, eh?

 

[Kolchak357]

There seems to be less bricked shots IMO. Shots off by a little seem to still go in the scoop (or what're ever you are snooping at).

 

[Carl Spiby]

You have to see ball spin in real life to see the crazy stuff that can happen, I had backspin tonight so it travelled up the playfield at speed only to unnaturally stop and come hurtling back down

 

[Kevlar]

You have to see ball spin in real life to see the crazy stuff that can happen, I had backspin tonight so it travelled up the playfield at speed only to unnaturally stop and come hurtling back down

Spin was one of the first things I noticed when I got my table, I was quite shocked at the balls behavoir having next to zero experience of real pinball at the time.

 

[iguanarama]

Kick outs are far slower and more predictable on TPA. For example, on TZ on TPA, the ball comes out of the fruit machine at quite a sedate speed, allowing you to dead pass it over to the left flipper 100% of the time.

On a real TZ table, well... check out a youtube video of its play. The ball comes out at, say, at least double the speed, and with variation in its speed and angle/trajectory.

 

[SKILL_SHOT]

Its EASIER on the wallet

 

[brakel]

Everything on a TPA table works like it is fresh-out-of-the-shipping-crate new.

 

[Richard B]

You have to see ball spin in real life to see the crazy stuff that can happen, I had backspin tonight so it travelled up the playfield at speed only to unnaturally stop and come hurtling back down

Yes, I've seen odd stuff happen. It's the spin that causes this?

 

[Carl Spiby]

Yes, I've seen odd stuff happen. It's the spin that causes this?

In real life, yes.

You get some wicked spin off the slings sometimes too.

 

[Fuseball]

Targets (drop targets in particular) register hits regardless of the angle they are hit at. Real pinball targets generally require at least a hit to be mostly from the front to register. A good example of TPA getting it wrong is on ToM when a ball rolling down from the "vanish" loop clips the hocus Pocus target from behind and still registers a hit.

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

Yes, I've seen odd stuff happen. It's the spin that causes this?

You have no idea how many times I've had the ball on a real Twilight Zone eject from the slot machine, hit the right flipper, and do a triple reverse somersault neatly into the center drain.

 

[brakel]

You have no idea how many times I've had the ball on a real Twilight Zone eject from the slot machine, hit the right flipper, and do a triple reverse somersault neatly into the center drain.

How does a sphere do a somersault? Or maybe that's the ONLY thing a sphere does when its rolling!

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

How does a sphere do a somersault? Or maybe that's the ONLY thing a sphere does when its rolling!

The Powerball often picks up a speck of dirt or dust from the playfield in its travels. Once it does so, it's quite easy to see its spin.

 

[SKILL_SHOT]

EASIER 2 MOVE. Id like to see you put a pinball machine in your pocket.

 

[Jeff Strong]

Its EASIER on the wallet

Truth!

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

EASIER 2 MOVE. Id like to see you put a pinball machine in your pocket.

I could put this one in my coat pocket: http://digitalpinballfans.com/showt...able-has-arrived?p=38563&viewfull=1#post38563