I really hope that there is a typo in this article!!

[Biff]

Well,if you check out TPA's FB page - they announce GoT pinball by Stern. And that they would love to digitize it someday.

Old post. Came out last week!

The IGN article came out today!!!!


Stern posted this last week:
"Even the guys over at IGN.com are getting pumped up about Game of Thrones Pinball! Lots of exciting stuff coming next week! Stay tuned!"

IGN (Imagine Games Network) primarly cares about video games. Maybe this was a hint about a zen deal, "watch out what IGN has to say next week"

 

[Zaphod77]

People are being a bit unfair to Zen studios with this stern thing.

zen tables are normally not recreations of real tables. so they have their layout done from scratch, and the physics tuned around this.

Recreating a real life table is a whole different kettle of fish. first they gotta get the layout correct, and then they gotta make things act right.

From what I understand, the engine is pretty flexible, and can be used to make more "realistic" physics. it will remain to be seen.

 

[Bowflex]

There was that mysterious post from Stern on their Facebook page where they stated Zen had visited the factory and in response to someone asking if Zen would be working with them in the future there was a response of a wink. That would make me inclined to believe this is the fruit of that particular dialogue if not for the fact the article states they are working with Zen to recreate current and past games. Farsight has already done several games in their back catalog so perhaps it is merely a typo.

 

[invitro]

Well,if you check out TPA's FB page - they announce GoT pinball by Stern. And that they would love to digitize it someday.

I doubt that it means anything at all. It's just the kind of semi-cheesy thing you say if you're a social media content generator, wanting to be polite to Stern.

 

[TNT]

I doubt that it means anything at all. It's just the kind of semi-cheesy thing you say if you're a social media content generator, wanting to be polite to Stern.

+1

 

[jrolson]

If it's Zen, the graphics will be amazing.

I just hope they make the physics better...

 

[invitro]

Of course, but Zen has way more people to feed and I think a skilled game developer gets a reasonable income even in Hungary.

I'm sure their income is reasonable for Hungary, but since we're talking about licenses, actual dollars are what matter. Unless Hungary gets a discount when they get a license.

I can't find a good income comparison, but Hungary has an average net monthly salary of $929 according to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Hungary which is $11,148 yearly, and California has yearly income per capita of $47,401 according to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_California . California has tons of taxes though. I would guess that the Farsight employee gets 2 to 4 times as much as the Zen employee.

Does Zen put out one table every month, and are they on the same platforms, or is this another factor to consider?

 

[TNT]

There are so many different things this could mean. Even if Stern came to an exclusive agreement with Zen it could just be with "past" tables meaning tables with the SAM system. Of course that would frustrate a lot of folks here who want post 2005 Stern tables.

Who knows.

 

[invitro]

Reviews on the Steam page for Pinball FX2 say:

(begin quote Taken from this game's EULA

"...this information may include, but is not limited to, your name, profile picture, gender, user ID, email address, your country, your language, your time zone, the organizations and links on your profile page, the names and profile pictures of your social networking site “friends” and other information you have included in your social networking site profile. ZEN may associate and/or combine as well as use information collected by ZEN and/or obtained through such social networking sites."

The developers want to sell your social network info, and the info of all your friends. This isint a game, its spyware with a pinball user interface.

(begin quote After buying 22 different DLC tables / table packs, they introduce a new, invasive EULA. When you refuse to sign it, they lock you out of content you've already paid and owned prior to the EULA.

(begin quote Just got a EULA update, Beware of PRIVACY CONTRACT.. DECLINED IT, UNINSTALLED!!..

"To the extent ZEN makes location enabled ZEN Services available and you use such ZEN Services, ZEN may collect and process your location data to provide location related ZEN Services and advertisements"

"The data we process on you may include, but is not limited to: email address, device ID, IP-address, user names and passwords.

ZEN may supplement your data with data received from third parties in connection with demographic, advertisement, market and other analytics surveys or services."

(begin quote [quote from the 2015-05 EULA update]
The ZEN Services may include third party dynamic behavioral in-game advertising technology which enables tailored advertising to be temporarily uploaded into the ZEN Services on your device and replaced while you are online.

You are responsible for reviewing, and agree to review, the Privacy Policy and the privacy policies of third parties that may collect information via the ZEN Services. Please study the privacy policies of third parties recognizable engaged in making available the ZEN Services or involved in ad-serving technology.
[/quote]
Uninstalling game. In-game ads from random uncontrollable 3rd parties. No thanks.
(end quotes)

If true, well that's a helluva lot of income that TPA thankfully doesn't have. Combined with Hungary vs California, I think everything is explained.

 

[Biff]

Oh Invitro, do know the publisher of Pinball FX 2? MICROSOFT Studios
btw. zen explained on facebook why they had to change Eula and that they are not collecting private data like passwords.

 

[chinzman93]

I wonder if Zen/Stern will allow for proper cabinet support with these?

 

[Biff]

I'm sure their income is reasonable for Hungary, but since we're talking about licenses, actual dollars are what matter. Unless Hungary gets a discount when they get a license.

Of course a reasonable income for Hungary.

Zen has huge licenses. Licenses which are out of reach for Farsight. Everyone who plays both games know this. Even on this forum you find numerous posts where people talk about this.

 

[shutyertrap]

I've gone straight to the FarSight source, I'll let you guys know the response when I get an answer.

 

[chinzman93]

I would guess that means no TFTC as the Halloween table in 2016.

 

[TNT]

I would guess that means no TFTC as the Halloween table in 2016.

Well per the last BlahCade Bobby stated that Fox asks really high prices for their licenses. So even without some sort of issue with Stern it would most likely require a Kickstarter.

 

[chinzman93]

Well per the last BrahCade Bobby stated that Fox asks really high prices for their licenses. So even without some sort of issue with Stern it would most likely require a Kickstarter.

That makes sense. It would be one I would kick in on if it wasn't unreasonable. But there are bigger fish to fry.

But I can't imagine that this is a typo...that would be a pretty big mistake by IGN. Possibly Gary Stern pulled a double-cross or maybe Farsight passed on the option to free up staff resources for the highly anticipated sequel to Orbals?..

 

[TNT]

I agree. I don't think it's a typo.

 

[Jeff Strong]

The Physics are fully tweakable in Zen Pinball / Pinball FX.

Every Zen table designer decides how much realism he wants to put in.

You can read it all in this interview:
http://paulsemel.com/exclusive-interview-zen-studios-pinball-designer-peter-grafl/

And guess what, Zen is already working on Zen Pinball 3!!!
(and Farsight .. TPA2 .. yeah right.. and TPA 1 ... it's a bugfest galore .. the visuals, audio and presentation .. ok I'm quiet)

Zen has 75 skilled employees and the power to do great things, as they proved in the past!!

Oh, I see. So up to this point, all their designers have decided to go down the "very little realism" route.

Jokes aside, I've never understood why they don't offer a "simulation" mode or something. If their engine is capable of it then it seems like a no-brainier.

 

[mpad]

Phew. What a read in the morning.
Can't say I am happy about it.
I really hope the tweak ability of the zen physics engine is as you say.
Graphics wise they have a great overall quality yes, but lighting sucks ass. I am so glad with TPA dx11 atm.
But maybe this is all coming with fx3, so we are getting a whole other deal anyway.

 

[chinzman93]

I agree. I don't think it's a typo.

Between this and the cab support being "on hold for business purposes", it has been a couple of weeks of bad news.

Perhaps this will maybe change things on the cab support side....