From PlayStation Blog...super patch time frame

[shutyertrap]

Pinball Arcade Out Tomorrow on PS4

Posted: 16 Dec 2013 10:45 AM PST

Pinball Arcade on PS4

The holidays are here, and we’re happy to be launching Pinball Arcade on PS4 tomorrow! We’ve been working hard all year on remastering and relighting the classic pinball tables in our game to take advantage of the PS4′s power. And you’re getting a table on PS4 for free.

That table happens to be one of the best pinballs of all time, Tales of the Arabian Nights, which was designed and manufactured by Williams in 1996. We can’t wait for people to try it who may never have tried pinball before. Pinball is a much deeper game than some people think.
Out Tomorrow

The digital version goes live this week in North America. The blu-ray is also getting delivered to a few retailers this week — a great stocking stuffer for anyone who likes pinball (hint hint).

We’re launching with all of our Season One content available. That’s more than 20 tables worthy of first ballot Pinball Hall of Fame inductions. In fact, nine of the top fourteen ever, according to pinside.com are available from day one on PS4. We’re humbled to get to recreate these masterpieces for all of the real pinball fans out there.

Pinball Arcade on PS4Pinball Arcade on PS4
Lighting Tech

Since we started re-creating pinball tables digitally, a decade or so ago, we’ve wanted to implement point lights — the illumination of light from specific points. Pinball tables are a great way to show off this technology. Some tables have more than 100 points of light that have been designed to flash on and off during the different modes and features of the table. I’ll always remember the PS4 for being the platform that we developed this on first.

Also adding to the eye candy is the amount of real-time environment map reflections we can add. Pinball tables are made up of lot of plastic and metal parts. Lots of chrome, combined with lots of colored lights going on and off makes for a beautiful light show!

Improvements

Since we first released the Season One tables on PS3 and PS Vita, we’ve been making fixes and improvements to our engine and each table. These fixes will soon be released for those platforms in a big patch that should be out in January. The PS4 version will get this updated gameplay on day one.


Pinball Arcade on PS4
Discounts

We want to give players who own the PS3 and PS Vita content a discount on PS4. There have been some technical hurdles, but we’ve been able to work with PlayStation to implement a loyalty discount on PlayStation Store for the Season One Table Packs. Players who own all of the Season One tables can buy either of the Season One Packs for half price! We’re also giving 10% off of these Season Packs to PS Plus members for the next two weeks.

Happy holidays to all of you guys from everyone at FarSight!

 

[SKILL_SHOT]

so its ALL already fixed for PS4 figures PS4 users have been loyal paying customers longer than everybody

 

[Espy]

so its ALL already fixed for PS4 figures PS4 users have been loyal paying customers longer than everybody

Only to be expected that they put all the up-to-date bug fixes in a new release, while it takes longer to patch them into an older one (at least on the PSN side of things).

 

[shutyertrap]

They had to really do some sweet talking to Sony to even be allowed to do this patch. And obviously Sony is more interested in PS4 titles right now, so that there is stuff for people to buy during launch. My guess with the timing of the patch is that it coincides with PS3 completing Season 2. Who knows, that might even be a clue as to when the new UI comes out, as it would make sense as far as patching is concerned.

 

[brakel]

so its ALL already fixed for PS4 figures PS4 users have been loyal paying customers longer than everybody

It hasn't been "fixed" for the PS4 per se but rather when they made the tables for the PS4 version with all of the upgrades to take advantage of the new technology, they started with fixed tables. If you're redoing the tables would you start with broken ones? That doesn't make any sense.

One thing that this mega patch timing shows is that FarSight has not been keeping up with the table fixes for the PS3. I guess they thought they would never update the PS3 versions because you'd think it would be more efficient to keep up with the fixes as you go along on all platforms...except for the one platform that you don't think you'll ever publish the updates on!

 

[SKILL_SHOT]

they started with fixed tables but its not "FIXED" thanks brakel that cleared it up for me.

 

[shutyertrap]

One thing that this mega patch timing shows is that FarSight has not been keeping up with the table fixes for the PS3. I guess they thought they would never update the PS3 versions because you'd think it would be more efficient to keep up with the fixes as you go along on all platforms...except for the one platform that you don't think you'll ever publish the updates on!

Actually they have. When Jeff and I went up there, we were told that many of the things, including emulation for DK, Gorgar, Firepower were ready to go. We begged for a change log to be made available, but they said it's been months in the doing, with many individuals making changes, and would be a nightmare to compile. Sony is the one that wouldn't let them change up individual tables (as was discussed many months back), so FS came up with the idea of releasing all the fixes at once.

 

[brakel]

they started with fixed tables but its not "FIXED" thanks brakel that cleared it up for me.

I am only encumbered by my own lack of explainiation skills. In other words its not like they made the PS4 version tables and then fixed the table bugs in them. They started with tables that were the most updated. I'm assuming that they started with updated 360 tables since that has been their development system and they would keep those most up to date. They wouldn't have started with PS3 version tables because architecturally the PS4 is closer to the 360 than the PS3.

What I'm saying is that it wouldn't make any sense to start developing tables for the PS4 using old broken tables. Is that better SKILL_SHOT?

 

[DarkAkatosh]

At least were getting it. This could be the last big thing we see of the ps3 version. Doesn't appear to be a strong fanbase on the platform anymore.

 

[brakel]

At least were getting it. This could be the last big thing we see of the ps3 version. Doesn't appear to be a strong fanbase on the platform anymore.

They will continue to publish new tables to the PS3. Probably for as long as they do for all the other platforms. I don't think it would be too much to expect a mega patch every year or every other season now that they've done one and they know how to work it with Sony.

 

[Byte]

One of the major issues with the PS3 platform is that DLC (i.e. everything except for the core tables and first packs included in the main program that use an unlock key instead of actual DLC) is not upgradeable. Especially the "Black Night" situation drove a lot of people away.

I've never seen an update on my PS2, PSP, or my Wii for PHoF so I'm very happy that tables *are* being upgraded on the PS3 come 2014. But with the relatively low price of the PS4 at launch compared to the PS3 today, it stands to reason that PS4 will outgrow PS3 sooner than PS3 did to PS2, and that will mean certain "business decisions" will have to be made re Season Four (assuming Season Three will still be released in its entirety on the PS3).

 

[brakel]

One of the major issues with the PS3 platform is that DLC (i.e. everything except for the core tables and first packs included in the main program that use an unlock key instead of actual DLC) is not upgradeable. Especially the "Black Night" situation drove a lot of people away.

I've never seen an update on my PS2, PSP, or my Wii for PHoF so I'm very happy that tables *are* being upgraded on the PS3 come 2014. But with the relatively low price of the PS4 at launch compared to the PS3 today, it stands to reason that PS4 will outgrow PS3 sooner than PS3 did to PS2, and that will mean certain "business decisions" will have to be made re Season Four (assuming Season Three will still be released in its entirety on the PS3).

Sony has sold 70 million PS3 consoles. They hope to sell 4 million PS4 consoles world wide by April.

 

[Jeff Strong]

One of the major issues with the PS3 platform is that DLC (i.e. everything except for the core tables and first packs included in the main program that use an unlock key instead of actual DLC) is not upgradeable. Especially the "Black Night" situation drove a lot of people away.

All the DLC will be updated in the super patch. Farsight found a workaround.

 

[shutyertrap]

Not to mention that DLC for PS4 will update very similarly to how it currently is. So the workaround FS will be using on the PS3 is the very same they will have to use on the PS4 should patches need to be applied there. It's going to be a massive download each time, something PS4 users won't notice since you can play while it's downloading, but at least PS3 will get fixes from here on out too.

 

[brakel]

Not to mention that DLC for PS4 will update very similarly to how it currently is. So the workaround FS will be using on the PS3 is the very same they will have to use on the PS4 should patches need to be applied there. It's going to be a massive download each time, something PS4 users won't notice since you can play while it's downloading, but at least PS3 will get fixes from here on out too.

I didn't realize that from now on they'll keep up with the PS3 patching. Cool!

 

[Byte]

All the DLC will be updated in the super patch. Farsight found a workaround.

I understand and appreciate that; I was replying to "Doesn't appear to be a strong fanbase on the platform anymore." but forgot to include a quote. I'm hoping the changes introduced with the Super Patch will put the PS3 on equal footing with iOS, Android, PC-Steam where the fixing/enhancing existing tables is concerned. That should draw back some of the fans that are currently playing on their phones/tablets.

 

[Tabe]

But with the relatively low price of the PS4 at launch compared to the PS3 today, it stands to reason that PS4 will outgrow PS3 sooner than PS3 did to PS2

The PS2 has sold 155 million consoles worldwide. The PS3 is sitting on about 70 million right now.

 

[brakel]

The PS2 has sold 155 million consoles worldwide. The PS3 is sitting on about 70 million right now.

The PS2 had its largest sales growth after the PS3 came out. Sometimes people who always buy the latest console forget that most people don't stay current.

 

[Lazareth]

To say I'm "excited" about the PS3 patch finally coming up on the horizon, even a month later than anticipated, would be an understatement.

As for PS4 I have zero plans to upgrade any year soon.

 

[Kratos3]

To say I'm "excited" about the PS3 patch finally coming up on the horizon, even a month later than anticipated, would be an understatement.

As for PS4 I have zero plans to upgrade any year soon.

Me too. As much as I'd LOVE a PS4, I'd really only play TPA on it. I'm interested to see how well the Vita integration works, though.