Just cannot get over the lack of high resolution textures. Comparison shoots inside!!

[lettuce]

I dont know why FarSight have tried to fob us of with less than impressive resolution on the textures on all the tables. I was playing TOTAN early on and the extra ball was lite and you know what i couldnt work out where i had to shot the ball for the extra ball as the resolution on the playfield is so poor and couldnt read any of the 8 flashing decals on the table to see which one was the extra ball.

The way i feel about this is if table creators from simulators such as Visual Pinball and Future Pinball can create there table which stupidly high resolution textures and do it for free then what excuess does FarSight have considering they charge us for these tables!?. Dont get me wrong the rest of Pinball Arcade is excellent they have nailed the physics etc, just very disappointed in the quality of the graphics and sound effects.

Below i have a few comparison shots of tables from either VP or FP and then The Pinball Arcade versions, now im not talking about how realistic they look as TPA version do look more realistic, im taking about the resolution of the textures.....to me there is no contest!!!......





Couldnt find a decent picture of TPA version of BOP, but heres the FP version.....

 

[Craig Booth]

Why do we need another thread on this?! They have already responded regarding the graphics and comparing a PC version to a 360 version is retarded. I play VP on a cab and it looks ugly compared to PA. These kinda posts are getting fricking boring.

 

[lettuce]

Yeah cos the PF for TOTAN that TPA are using is really as high resolution as this one isnt it......

http://www.arcadecrusade.com/gallery/d/30278-1/Totan-JR.png

I think not. There is NO WAY the texture resolution that TPA is using is 1080p!!!. its not really retarted Craig if using a pincab at 1080p resolution and a 360 set to 1080p aswell and still the VP and FP recreations look a hell of alot sharper, you can actually read the table decals on VP and FP versions. not sure what your using to play on yourcab if you think TPA looks better, more realistic maybe yes ill agree with that but the resolution is no comparison!

Im not bagging TPA im just a bit underwhelmed at the whole sharpness of the tables

 

[HeYjOe]

At first I thought the resolution was a tad harsh compared with PHOF but I was wrong,after tinkering with my LCD HDMI settings found the graphics to be excellent. It wasn't the graphics being thrown out by the game that was the problem, it was my LCD options at fault (down to me)

 

[Jeff Strong]

Just curious how you took those screenshots of the 360 version? They look jagger than my TV....

While the res might be higher in VP/FP, quite a bit of the art just looks off (the table dimensions are wacky too, which is another story, but I'm only talking about the art/textures). You gotta admit those tables just look weird next to Farsight's versions. I know you're only talking about the res, but actually the res looks better in some spots on Farsight's tables.

 

[lettuce]

Yeah theres no doubt about it TPA tables look more realistic and authentic, but the texture resolution on the game could be higher, id go as far to say its below 720p! Hopefully the 2 DLC tables and future DLC will be of higher quality. As ive said before things can only get better!

 

[Animator_pin_fan]

Lettuce, I don't get it. Those pics of TPA aren't even from the xbox360 version! The 360 version has hard wood floors instead of carpet. Yeah, I doubt the iPad2 version has 1080p, but the Xbox version certainly does. And what are we comparing BOP with when you don't even have a source image to compare? I certainly don't mind if they improve the graphic quality on all versions, but keep in mind older mobile platforms aren't going to compare to consoles. And while VP fills a niche, I don't think it really even comes close to TPA in terms of quality, physics, or feel. AND it's still early days for TPA. VP has been around for over 10 years! So please give it some time, and I'm sure you won't be disappointed. I'm dreaming of building a pincab too but I'll gladly wait until TPA on PC has come out.



I agree Craig, this type of nit picking is pointless.

 

[ND3G]

The FP version of TOM looks like ass, and the the Visual Pinball version of TOTAN is a flat image so you can hardly compare it to TPA which is in full 3D. The FP version of BoP looks nice enough but the physics on FP are crap and it hasn't been updated in years.

TPA >>>>>>>>>> VP >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> FP

 

[Jeff Strong]

Lettuce, I don't get it. Those pics of TPA aren't even from the xbox360 version! The 360 version has hard wood floors instead of carpet. Yeah, I doubt the iPad2 version has 1080p, but the Xbox version certainly does. And what are we comparing BOP with when you don't even have a source image to compare? I certainly don't mind if they improve the graphic quality on all versions, but keep in mind older mobile platforms aren't going to compare to consoles. And while VP fills a niche, I don't think it really even comes close to TPA in terms of quality, physics, or feel. AND it's still early days for TPA. VP has been around for over 10 years! So please give it some time, and I'm sure you won't be disappointed. I'm dreaming of building a pincab too but I'll gladly wait until TPA on PC has come out.



I agree Craig, this type of nit picking is pointless.

So those screenshots are from the Android or iOS version? Lol, yeah, that's a real stretch to compare to a PC game.....but the funny thing is TPA's mobile versions of the tables still look better overall.

 

[Animator_pin_fan]

I've even tried the updated physics version of FP and while it does play better than the original, it doesn't at all feel like real pinball, or even come close to the feeling of TPA...

 

[Brian Clark]

I wonder if that Future Pinball Bride of Pinbot is a special version where she sings Shania Twain.

Seriously, though, I think that the iPad 2 versions shown look better overall. The funny thing is while VP is capable of better physics than FP, there are actually a couple tables I like better in Future Pinball. I like Martin B's version of Eight Ball Deluxe better than the JP Salas VP9 version. The VP9 version feels a bit too fast.

 

[lettuce]

Please dont misunderstand on what im saying, TPA wipes the floor with VP and FP on the physics, how the tables play and the real life authentic look, its the whole resolution of the textures that FS have used on the 4 release tables that im questioning, that and only that does FP have the upper hand on. To me if the resolution of the textures was 1080p, heck even if they were 720p shouldnt you be able to clearly read all the decals clearly on 75% of the playfield. Just look at resolution of the decals on the appron of TOTAN for the xbox 360, theres no way you can tell me thats at 720p resolution, if it was a HD resolution then it would be clear and sharp and it just isnt.

Its just this small gripe i have....and to be fair it doesnt detract from what a great achievement TPA is, it would just be the icing on the cake if these could be address in the future.

 

[emb531]

The FP version of TOM looks like ass, and the the Visual Pinball version of TOTAN is a flat image so you can hardly compare it to TPA which is in full 3D. The FP version of BoP looks nice enough but the physics on FP are crap and it hasn't been updated in years.

TPA >>>>>>>>>> VP >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> FP

I've even tried the updated physics version of FP and while it does play better than the original, it doesn't at all feel like real pinball, or even come close to the feeling of TPA...

Please dont misunderstand on what im saying, TPA wipes the floor with VP and FP on the physics, how the tables play and the real life authentic look, its the whole resolution of the textures that FS have used on the 4 release tables that im questioning, that and only that does FP have the upper hand on. To me if the resolution of the textures was 1080p, heck even if they were 720p shouldnt you be able to clearly read all the decals clearly on 75% of the playfield. Just look at resolution of the decals on the appron of TOTAN for the xbox 360, theres no way you can tell me thats at 720p resolution, if it was a HD resolution then it would be clear and sharp and it just isnt.

Its just this small gripe i have....and to be fair it doesnt detract from what a great achievement TPA is, it would just be the icing on the cake if these could be address in the future.

You guys are crazy - Future Pinball is awesome. The physics (IMO) are better than TPA - TPA is way too bouncy on the flippers, the ball will be going pretty slow and will bounce way up the playfield off the flipper for no reason. FP you can actually properly catch the ball with the flippers.

Not to mention the graphics - full 1080P resolution, real-time ball reflection, reflection from the glass on the table, ball drop sounds, numerous camera angles including free camera, enhanced lighting, etc etc. All things missing from TPA.

Take a look at this video - nothing from TPA compares to Twilight Zone on FP.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBcKuk9FliY (TZ by rom/fransico)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjJbPo6X7vQ&list=UU2A-ho6wO1z0Wu2K9pvq5Jg&index=4&feature=plcp (mod by SLAMT1LT not released yet, but should be soon)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0Qz1yuAw3g&feature=related (Addams Family)

Here is SLAMT1LT's channel, lots of great vids.
http://www.youtube.com/user/VirtuaPinball

And it is all free...

 

[jrolson]

The physics (IMO) are better than TPA - TPA is way too bouncy on the flippers, the ball will be going pretty slow and will bounce way up the playfield off the flipper for no reason.

Guess you've never played a real table before?

BTW Future Pinball is only for people who like poorly coded tables and cant afford TPA...

 

[Animator_pin_fan]

excellent example video jrolson!
Even among the virtual pinball PC enthusiast, there seems to be a great rift that splits the community. There are those that prefer the authentic rom emulation, and physics of vpinball, and then there are those that prefer the slick, more polished graphics of Future Pinball, even though the physics aren't up to snuff, they will always argue otherwise. Again, for video pinball, it's all about what you prefer. But if you want to argue realistic physics, you should look at real pinball first. Where I believe TPA really shines, isn't just they physics, but they've really managed to nail the feel of the original tables. Believe me, I wanted to like Future pinball. I've tried and tried. But sitting here now, playing the latest versions of Twilight Zone followed by The Adams Family, they don't feel very different. It just feels like the same set of flawed physics, trapped on a different table layout. There is no feeling. And I'd like to think that I play enough REAL pinball tables to tell the difference.

 

[ND3G]

Well emb531, jrolson's video basically put your argument to rest. The physics in FP are no where near as accurate as TPA.

Also the tables on FP and VP are only "free" because the authors are illegally reproducing the tables without obtaining the proper licenses or permissions. I suppose you think torrent downloads of music, movies and video games are "free" too.

 

[Animator_pin_fan]

I wouldn't say "illegally" but it's definitely a gray area of the law. Midway/Williams doesn't really give a care about pinball anymore. And the designers are all well aware of the virtual pin community. Since no one is trying to profit over these games, I don't see it as bootlegging. Especially since pinball is a physical machine. However, I'm glad a developer like Farsight has come along and is willing to put in the time to develop realistic licensed games, and I hope they profit very well off of them.

But I would be curious to know what some of the pinball designers think of TPA...

 

[Brian Clark]

I know John Popadiuk actually commented on a few posts on the TPA facebook page. I'm not sure what he thinks of the game, though.

I don't remember specifics, but when I was looking at tables on the visual pinball forums, I noticed at least one of the tables credited the designer of the real table for help.

 

[unclewilly]

This thread is funny.
Everyone gets so self righteous when someone else comments on something they like playing.
It cracks me up.

I've made tables in vp and in fp and will in tpa if they make an editorial they said they would for the pc.
Its all comparing apples and oranges.

The legality issue you talk about is a joke as well as its a hobby and if the pinball companies wanted to shut down the sites where the tables are available they easily could. If you believe that would stop people from creating tables that they want to playyou are dead wrong. I don't make vp and fp tables for the communities, i make them for myself because i want them on my cabinet, i simply share them because there is a place to do it.

you can all say what you will about fp and vp physics and graphics and anything else but i know for sure at least with vp, when pinball becomes extinct visual pinball will be the only software that you will be able to find basically any given pinball table to enjoy a little bit of history.

As for physics, there isn't a simulation out there that can reproduce a real pinball tables physics.

Saying one is better then the other is just a matter of opinion and we all know opinions are like a$$#oles

But saying this i think tpa should be held to a much higher standard since we are being charged for the games and the have purchased the licenses. I don't know how much real pinball the people around here play but i can say for myself, i have 2 machines in my Cameroon and the national pinball museum is right down the road from my house. I probably get about 8 to 16 hours of play on real machines a week. I spent a good 2 hours on a black hole in mint condition on Saturday and to say tpa version of the game plays like the real machine is quite a stretch. close but no cigar.

Regardless, i have and play vp and fp.
And i can afford and have purchased tpa on 2 platforms
and you know what, i like them all for different reasons

Oh and and for whatever the guys name was: if you think my bad cats fp table is poorly coded you my friend, can go f#@&k yourself.
I would love to see you do a better job at game creation

Just my 2 cents
not that it matters

 

[Animator_pin_fan]

Very well put unclewilly!
I'd say the most excited possibility about TPA is that someday it might be released as an editor. And then the community will be able to produce even higher quality tables that just aren't feasible for Farsight to license for mainstream release.
BTW, I love your version of Bad Cats!