Farsight Deserves Insane Amounts Of Credit For Engine Improvements

[Mark W**a]

Lonnnnng title but hey, I need to grab everyone's attention.

If you haven't noticed, there have been subtle changes to both the ball and flipper mechanics over the last few updates.

When Pinball Arcade launched early last year, it was already the best physics and most accurate pinball sim on market.

I notice all the little enhancements. How the ball whirls out of the monster slide hole, randomly, just like a real machine. To the faster ball speed (more accurate IMO), more realistic rubbers and what have you, and just really polished releases (minus that little Whitlwind fiasco which was resolved today).

What prompted me to make this thread though weren't any of these enhancements. What I noticed today on Whirlwind is that the flippers have a subtle, backfire if you will. It's hard to describe this but, basically flip once, and when the flipper lands, it bounces ever so slightly upon return... God this is hard to describe... But my point is, this is exactly how real machines behave.

It's attention to detail like this that really blowse away. Finally, and I'm not sure when this happened, but drop catches and cradle separations are now possible. I've only just discovered this so you'll have to excuse me because I don't know which tables support it but whirlwind certainly does. And it works wonderfully.

So just kudos to Farsight for just continually improving the game. No other developer is supports their game as well as Farsight IMO. On how many platforms? Monthly dlc, continuing features added, continuous engine enhancements... For all the **** they get from fans I wanna take this time to really say thanks and give props to Farsight. They really deserve it.

 

[Jamman39]

Props to you, for giving props to them!

The PA season pass is the only video game season pass I never regretted buying. For this very reason

 

[rob3d]

I can do cradle separations on tz and I noticed I can occasionally do a drop catch on white water and cactus canyon but it's very tough.

 

[Crusty Booger]

Right on...there is not a better pinball sim.

 

[Nightwing]

Right on...there is not a better pinball sim.

True!

 

[SKILL_SHOT]

I don't know.....I played this ancient reflective, nudgey old ass pinball arcade game and not only was it cool but I remember thinking "these physics are on par with TPA".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7ioySx8UWA

 

[Bowflex]

It would be awesome if someone had an old iOS with the original TPA on it that never got updated and the current version running on another device just to compare. I bet it would be insanely different both watching and playing.

 

[sotie]

It would be awesome if someone had an old iOS with the original TPA on it that never got updated and the current version running on another device just to compare. I bet it would be insanely different both watching and playing.

The menu's are different but the four original tables haven't changed much since their release. There have been a few tweaks to BH though.

 

[Bowflex]

The menu's are different but the four original tables haven't changed much since their release. There have been a few tweaks to BH though.

That is true...They got the initial four pretty right on. I know Medieval Madness and BoP are way different though. Maybe a better comparison would be the initial versions of the first few DLC packs with the current offerings.

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

That is true...They got the initial four pretty right on. I know Medieval Madness and BoP are way different though. Maybe a better comparison would be the initial versions of the first few DLC packs with the current offerings.

They didn't have a hard time limit with the first four tables, since they were not on the DLC-a-month schedule yet, so they probably spent a lot more time tuning and testing them.

 

[Gord Lacey]

Well, Black Hole has gotten significantly better since launch, don't you think?

 

[Tokyo Rose]

I am really surprised by the constant and consistent attention and apparent love BH gets from PA fans.

Is it merely the nostalgia factor that I'm missing or something else ? I remember playing it in the arcades back in the day too, but much like an old TV show or movie one loved when younger and then is unmoved upon seeing it now, that's how BH strikes me. Firepower too. Neither are bad tables, but just.. uninteresting compared with the others, imo. PLEASE, someone tell me WHY BH is so popular with you ?! What am I missing ?!

 

[Bowflex]

I am really surprised by the constant and consistent attention and apparent love BH gets from PA fans.

Is it merely the nostalgia factor that I'm missing or something else ? I remember playing it in the arcades back in the day too, but much like an old TV show or movie one loved when younger and then is unmoved upon seeing it now, that's how BH strikes me. Firepower too. Neither are bad tables, but just.. uninteresting compared with the others, imo. PLEASE, someone tell me WHY BH is so popular with you ?! What am I missing ?!

I can't speak for everyone but Black Hole is far from my favorite table. It does have appeal, though. I think a big draw is the risk of the lower playfield. You can reap huge benefits by playing down there but you also risk an instant drain if you don't finish the bank of drop targets, too. Plus the game is all about getting high scores and those tables often translate to more replayability.

 

[Jeff Strong]

BH falls into this category:

I think the thing to keep in mind is that with the newer tables, there is a point where you don't feel a need to play them. Just like with video games...you beat the wizard mode or boss and get the ending and what's left? Sure they are fun but the older tables like Gorgar and Centaur are just brutally challenging and all about getting high scores in the same way Pac-Man, Galaga and other old video games have a replay value not found in modern games that you beat and then sell or forget about.

Congrats on being a senior member, btw!

Exactly!

When I ran an arcade back in the 80's, we had a name for those games that people stopped playing after they achieved the wizard goal - "$100 games." Dragon's Lair was one of the first $100 games; you spent (on average) $100 on it, saved the princess, and you were done, never to return. Whereas Centaur, Robotron, Galaga, Tempest, Centipede, Black Knight and the like kept you playing until you (a) rolled the high score or (b) had to leave for the day.

When I need a quick pinball (TPA) fix, I almost always go to tables like Centaur, Firepower, and Black Hole because I can get right into the fun as opposed to slogging through a bunch of shots in order to get a reasonable score. I really enjoy many of the wizard mode tables too, but they've gotta be fun on the way to wizard mode.

 

[DeeEff]

PLEASE, someone tell me WHY BH is so popular with you ?! What am I missing ?!

I like Black Hole because it has:
- a unique and relatively balanced flipper arrangement where every flipper has a purpose
- a good combination of long shots (upper level) and short shots (lower level)
- the lower level with its upside-down arrangement
- two sets of drop targets that you gotta get sequentially (BLACK and HOLE)
- two sets of drop targets with their own "gotta get" reasons on the lower level (left set of four = points, right set of three to light special)
- a great set of sequential goals (go to lower level, open gate, light special, return to upper level and get special, increase G-Force to 3X, hit right-hand stand up targets, go to lower level and wail away for bonus points)
- a challenging multi-level multiball, even though I don't really try for it; but I enjoy playing it when it happens
- no Wizard Mode - just step right up and have fun!

What'd I miss? Maybe a little nostalgia factor because it was uber-cool when it first came out, but that's not as important as its serious Fun Factor.

 

[Tokyo Rose]

Ok, I can see that then, fair enough. Thanks, guys !

 

[ER777]

Black Hole is just fun to play, nothing overly complicated, just enjoyable pinball.

 

[wolfson]

good onya Mark !!!!! we have our own pinnie parlour for next to nothing !!! enjoy !!!

Lonnnnng title but hey, I need to grab everyone's attention.

If you haven't noticed, there have been subtle changes to both the ball and flipper mechanics over the last few updates.

When Pinball Arcade launched early last year, it was already the best physics and most accurate pinball sim on market.

I notice all the little enhancements. How the ball whirls out of the monster slide hole, randomly, just like a real machine. To the faster ball speed (more accurate IMO), more realistic rubbers and what have you, and just really polished releases (minus that little Whitlwind fiasco which was resolved today).

What prompted me to make this thread though weren't any of these enhancements. What I noticed today on Whirlwind is that the flippers have a subtle, backfire if you will. It's hard to describe this but, basically flip once, and when the flipper lands, it bounces ever so slightly upon return... God this is hard to describe... But my point is, this is exactly how real machines behave.

It's attention to detail like this that really blowse away. Finally, and I'm not sure when this happened, but drop catches and cradle separations are now possible. I've only just discovered this so you'll have to excuse me because I don't know which tables support it but whirlwind certainly does. And it works wonderfully.

So just kudos to Farsight for just continually improving the game. No other developer is supports their game as well as Farsight IMO. On how many platforms? Monthly dlc, continuing features added, continuous engine enhancements... For all the **** they get from fans I wanna take this time to really say thanks and give props to Farsight. They really deserve it.

 

[Carl Spiby]

Only thing missing is ball spin really.

 

[haj]

I am really surprised by the constant and consistent attention and apparent love BH gets from PA fans.

Is it merely the nostalgia factor that I'm missing or something else ? I remember playing it in the arcades back in the day too, but much like an old TV show or movie one loved when younger and then is unmoved upon seeing it now, that's how BH strikes me. Firepower too. Neither are bad tables, but just.. uninteresting compared with the others, imo. PLEASE, someone tell me WHY BH is so popular with you ?! What am I missing ?!

Black hole gets really excited once multiball started. It's chaotic when you have 3 balls on the upper and lower fields simultaneously. Actually it's almost only multi ball where the fun is ;p And, I don't remember since which version, the lower field now is much easier and you can quite easily to open the gate so you won't worry about going into lower field; actually you wanna go there often since that's the place to earn points.