Just a thought...

[IGoFirstIndy]

What do people think about having a customized ball pack as DL content for Zaccaria?

Imagine playing fire mountain with a lava ball or time machine with a lightening orb.

Maybe charge 5 bucks for five balls. I gotta admit the Addams Family ball pack is pretty fun.

 

[night]

I'll be honest and just talk for myself, but custom balls is something I never understood in a retro pinball simulation game. For me there is only 1 ball, and that one is made of chrome.

I MUCH prefer authentic transparent Zacc flippers, I'll pay for that!!!

 

[74-89]

I'll be honest and just talk for myself, but custom balls is something I never understood in a retro pinball simulation game. For me there is only 1 ball, and that one is made of chrome.

I MUCH prefer authentic transparent Zacc flippers, I'll pay for that!!!

What he said! Striped ones too! I'm starting to wonder if there might be some kind of problem with implementing this? It seems to be the only major request that has gone completely unanswered. Everyone clamor for authentic Zacc flippers!

 

[jaredmorgs]

Wait for the Q&A...

 

[Flipper bump]

I fully agree with Nights post, for me Zacc is an authentic retro table collection which should have a nice shiny metal ball, which is the case now when looking at pics after the latest android update

As for the post of 74-89, no man, i also dont have a clue why after numerous requests for the original blue and red flippers we never got any feedback, they are really cool and i just cant imagine this is technically not in ASKs reach, or is it they are just not in favour of this idea?

Curious to know what this Q&A tells about this.

 

[night]

Well, when you change the flipper colors in the menu for example, all flipper colors change, so the flippers must be something that is somehow organized behind the scenes as one element, and when you change a flipper on 1 table it affects all tables. What we want is transparent (and striped patten) flippers on the tables that had them, but not all, and perhaps this is not an easy task to do. Thats the best I can think of why we don't have them, but ASK has the answers.

 

[tripleplonq]

Well, when you change the flipper colors in the menu for example, all flipper colors change, so the flippers must be something that is somehow organized behind the scenes as one element, and when you change a flipper on 1 table it affects all tables. What we want is transparent (and striped patten) flippers on the tables that had them, but not all, and perhaps this is not an easy task to do. Thats the best I can think of why we don't have them, but ASK has the answers.

I think it's probably very expensive (computationally) to include visually believable transparent flippers because you have to simulate refraction to make it look good. OTOH - ASK Homework is evidently capable of magic so they might find a solution sooner or later.

 

[74-89]

Well, when you change the flipper colors in the menu for example, all flipper colors change, so the flippers must be something that is somehow organized behind the scenes as one element, and when you change a flipper on 1 table it affects all tables. What we want is transparent (and striped patten) flippers on the tables that had them, but not all, and perhaps this is not an easy task to do. Thats the best I can think of why we don't have them, but ASK has the answers.

It sounds like we'll find out soon! I'd be happy with changing all the flippers - If you owned an older Zacc and needed replacements, and you ordered some from them from 1983 onward, they would likely send you transparent flippers. I've seen quite a few pictures of older machines with the newer flippers installed.

 

[night]

It sounds like we'll find out soon! I'd be happy with changing all the flippers - If you owned an older Zacc and needed replacements, and you ordered some from them from 1983 onward, they would likely send you transparent flippers. I've seen quite a few pictures of older machines with the newer flippers installed.

Yes, it is not the end of the world if all tables will change to transparent flippers if that is technical easier for ASK.
Btw, perhaps can the transparency be simulated with a texture map.

 

[night]

Ok, this is done very-very quick and dirty in 5 min, but this an image map of a transparent flipper scan and placed in 3D software on the top of a 3D flipper. Works well!
I don't think transparent flippers have to be simulated in real time (like the red tube in Time Machine for example), which would probably take resource power.

I took the top of this image, corrected it's perspective in Photoshop and imported into my 3D software.

Close-up of real Zacc flippers

 

[DA5ID]

For custom balls - the only feature I really want is increased visibility. I bought the season 1 and 2 pack in TPA on ps3 and 90% (IMO) of these balls are actually harder to see on the playfield. I think I only use the yellow ball and the green one on a few table where color contrast is really needed.

Bought the Addams balls hoping the storm and light bulb would brighten things up (not so much). Really like the visibility of the thing ball but wish I could disable the move feature that kicks it out of leaderboards/tournaments.

For both ask and TPA, I would love to see very bright high contrast super reflective custom ball. I would have no problem with a bit of glow as well.

 

[haj]

I'm also one who doesn't feel any attractiveness for custom balls or flippers. If the ball isn't smooth sphere it may be interesting but only for Zen pinball
I hope default ball is a bit brighten in the color. Current one looks a bit blacker for a shiny metal ball.

 

[Flipper bump]

I'm also one who doesn't feel any attractiveness for custom balls or flippers. If the ball isn't smooth sphere it may be interesting but only for Zen pinball
I hope default ball is a bit brighten in the color. Current one looks a bit blacker for a shiny metal ball.

After the last Android update the ball looks really nice like polished chrome, isnt it ?

 

[Flipper bump]

Ok, this is done very-very quick and dirty in 5 min, but this an image map of a transparent flipper scan and placed in 3D software on the top of a 3D flipper. Works well!
I don't think transparent flippers have to be simulated in real time (like the red tube in Time Machine for example), which would probably take resource power.

I took the top of this image, corrected it's perspective in Photoshop and imported into my 3D software. [/IMG]

Yes that looks real nice man, i dont know much about 3D software, but does this mean that working with those image maps makes it possible to select different transparent colour flippers for different tables ?

 

[night]

Yes that looks real nice man, i dont know much about 3D software, but does this mean that working with those image maps makes it possible to select different transparent colour flippers for different tables ?

Yes. Zacc had 2 colors, blue and red, so you basicly need 2 different image maps.

 

[haj]

After the last Android update the ball looks really nice like polished chrome, isnt it ?

That's good! Can't wait for the update for iOS! Hopefully by the end of this week..

 

[haj]

Yes. Zacc had 2 colors, blue and red, so you basicly need 2 different image maps.

Good as usual!

 

[smbhax]

Nice job there night ^_^

 

[IGoFirstIndy]

Those flippers look cool night.

Still think a ball pack would be cool and could be a way to give a little $$$ back to ASK for all the tables we get.