Just graphics improvement, or is the more? How does it compare to PC?

[Richard B]

In addition to the graphics, does this new platform feature badly needed updates, such as the new physics engine on older tables, improved tuning, or emulated versions of the early SS games that previously were scripted? Also, how does this stack up to the PC release?

 

[Bowflex]

I can't speak from experience however I do know that Farsight has stated they are working on redoing lots of work for every table and that Season 3 tables will start coming out prior to the release of Season 2. Season 2 needed a lot of work and lots of the tables showed room for improvement. I think you will see these come out looking better than anything else out there (even PC will probably need to catch up).

 

[smbhax]

As far as I know from what FarSight and others have said, the tables are the most up-to-date versions as are available on other platforms--fixed orbit on AFM and so forth. FarSight have said emulation of (at least some of?) the scripted tables will happen at some point, but it isn't in the game yet.

I haven't seen the PC version up close, but a friend who has it was kind of blown away when he saw the PS4 version, and said he didn't want to play the PC version now until it gets the same dynamic lighting treatment, because its baked-in lighting looks flat and boring by comparison. FarSight have said that the PC version will eventually be updated to DirectX 11 and dynamic lighting, similar to what the PS4 version has now. I don't know if they've given an estimate on when that will happen--I don't think they have really.

 

[Alex Atkin UK]

Personally, I prefer the PC version as I can play it in portrait and I find the PS4 lighting doesn't look realistic enough. It doesn't "feel" like its coming from light bulbs.

Then again I haven't had the chance to play the tables much as I am still waiting for the discount pack to be fixed so I can actually buy them.

 

[Shaneus]

From what I've played on the trials of some of the tables, I'd say the physics *feel* better than the PC version. Flipper control still needs the hell tweaked out of it (still can't do live catches/flipper passes/multiball jailbreaks) but the ball during play feels a lot more lively.

There's probably zero difference at all, but that was just the feeling I got from it.

 

[Alex Atkin UK]

You could be right there as I haven't really tried hard to compare them fully. I got put off a little by the fact I also ran into the "L1 and R1 sticking" issue. Its like Sony REALLY don't want me playing the PS4 version.

All the PS4 tables improvements (apart from graphical ones) are meant to be ported back into the PS3 mega patch though from what I hear, so it makes sense that they would do the same with PC. So eventually at least those three versions should be on par with each other. (although personally I wish they would go all out and just push the PS4 to its limit, it should be possible to have these tables REALLY photo realistic by now if they weren't holding back)

 

[Vegard]

...it should be possible to have these tables REALLY photo realistic by now if they weren't holding back)

Yeah, look at Pro Pinball - from 1997-1999 - the textures on those tables (especially Big Race USA and onwards) are much higher res than the ones in PA. I guess there's a simple reason for that; mobile devices. Since this is such a niche title for the PC, I'm hoping that the PS4, with it's very limited library (for now), can carve out a bigger following and in turn make the devs focus on improving the textures for the stationary devices.

It's pretty peculiar though that Zen Studios managed to make the tables look equally stellar on both mobile devices and the more powerful devices. Even if I stick my face a few inches from the monitor in portrait mode, FX2 looks fantastic. PA is, for now, a blurry mess.

 

[Patty]

TPA a blurry mess? Can´t agree with this judgement. The graphics are absolutely impressive, exspecially the lightning. But there is still space for further improvement. Some tables look more "real life" than others.

 

[Alex Atkin UK]

Yeah not sure blurry is the right word, but it definitely doesn't have the polish of Pro Pinball never mind Zen Pinball/Pinball FX.

That said, Pro Pinball cheated by pre-rendering the environment and presumably toggling sections of the screen and they seem to be going this route even with the remake. I'm sure there are some limitations in PA due to having to simulate things whereas other pinball games can be written from the ground up, you aren't trying to mimic an existing table.

I still come out feeling disappointed with PA on PS4 though, the lighting just doesn't feel right. Is it pretty? Sure, but this is supposed to be aiming for realistic and to me it is not. But I mostly play on No Good Gofers and the table artwork on that is really poor in places. I think they rely too much on the source scan when they should be touching up that scan to produce flawless artwork. Its particularly a problem on some tables artwork where you can see the original dithering from the printers, it might match the original table better when you can see it, but it looks bad when trying to be scaled by the GPU.

 

[Metalzoic]

Yeah not sure blurry is the right word, but it definitely doesn't have the polish of Pro Pinball never mind Zen Pinball/Pinball FX.

That said, Pro Pinball cheated by pre-rendering the environment and presumably toggling sections of the screen and they seem to be going this route even with the remake. I'm sure there are some limitations in PA due to having to simulate things whereas other pinball games can be written from the ground up, you aren't trying to mimic an existing table.

I still come out feeling disappointed with PA on PS4 though, the lighting just doesn't feel right. Is it pretty? Sure, but this is supposed to be aiming for realistic and to me it is not. But I mostly play on No Good Gofers and the table artwork on that is really poor in places. I think they rely too much on the source scan when they should be touching up that scan to produce flawless artwork. Its particularly a problem on some tables artwork where you can see the original dithering from the printers, it might match the original table better when you can see it, but it looks bad when trying to be scaled by the GPU.

Perhaps the right term is "obviously much lower resolution artwork/textures than it should have."
Does it look better (weird lighting and all)? Yes.
Does it look good? Err... Not exactly.

 

[Alex Atkin UK]

Perhaps the right term is "obviously much lower resolution artwork/textures than it should have."
Does it look better (weird lighting and all)? Yes.
Does it look good? Err... Not exactly.

That is pretty much how I feel yes.

 

[Darrell Harding]

Yeah I agree with a few in here in that the ps4 version often looks better due to the lighting but not on all tables . I actually find black hole more appealing on ps3 than ps4 but Theatre of Magic is spectacular on ps4 (dark mode) compared to any other platform. Fact is though the graphics and textures are the ps3/PC ones , Farsight haven't created new stuff for ps4 which is easily noticed if u do a pro table exploration on PC/ps3/ps4 and just examine them, I flip between Hdmi inputs and the most notable "upgrade" was the table art has been filtered slightly to remove some blockiness which serves to give it a slight blur look. But definently the lighting needs tuning on alot of tables , the bright room setting is pretty useless for the most part as it just like someone has cranked your tv to dynamic mode and it looks as fake as hell. With the real machines in the office I was hoping they would have tinkered and tuned each table to look like the real counterpart in a dark room. Still it is the most played game on my ps4 so Farsight is definently doing something right

 

[Vegard]

TPA a blurry mess? Can´t agree with this judgement. The graphics are absolutely impressive, exspecially the lightning. But there is still space for further improvement. Some tables look more "real life" than others.

I exaggerated for effect. The textures, for the most part, look pretty awful.