Kickstarter tables tourney

[Tann]

New tournament from 09/13/2014 21h58GMT to 10/10/2014 21h58GMT

3 tables:

- Twilight Zone
- Star Trek : The Next Generation
- Terminator 2 : Judgment Day

20mn time limit as usual.

Good luck!

 

[Byte]

I was just about to start a topic as well. Just 17 players in Gold level... Common ppl, you want tourneys... Get in there and play!

 

[gameaddict4life]

I think I'll give this one a try even though I'm not very good at TZ or STTNG. I don't have T2 either since I don't have Season 2. How active is the PS3 tournament scene? Every time I check it there isn't one going on. Is it easy to move up in the ranks? (Not many playing?) Also I know it's a 20 minute time limit but can you start over before the timer reaches zero or can you do it over again once time runs out? This will be my first tournament ever so I'd like to know. I've had Season 1 since last October but haven't seen a tournament going on until now. I didn't play for a while though so maybe that's why.

I haven't posted here much but my PSN is gameaddict4life. Not sure how to add friends to this game for score comparison etc. Any help with that would be nice. Thanks!

 

[netizen]

Also I know it's a 20 minute time limit but can you start over before the timer reaches zero or can you do it over again once time runs out? This will be my first tournament ever so I'd like to know.

Just like a regular game, you can quit and restart if you want, and you have as many (20 minute) chances as you can take in time that the tournament is running. You don't just have 20 minutes to play each table as many times as you can, each time you start the table the timer resets to 20 minutes.

 

[maezun]

Is this tournament tiered then? If it is, I should be in gold but I'm in bronze for some reason. Is anyone else having the same problem?

 

[Tann]

I was just about to start a topic as well. Just 17 players in Gold level... Common ppl, you want tourneys... Get in there and play!

The tournament will last for one entire month. So I guess a lot of players will join the last week (particularly the "insanely good" players).

How active is the PS3 tournament scene? Every time I check it there isn't one going on. Is it easy to move up in the ranks? (Not many playing?)

Gold Tier: about 70 players
Silver Tier: about 250 players
Bronze Tier: I don't know.

I think it's not too difficult to move up to the Gold rank, if you have all the tables. A lot of players doesn't own all the tables. So, it makes easier to be in the 10% top rank in order to be promoted to gold (~20 players each time). An average score of 560pts (out 800pts max), 70pts per table, is enough.
Like you say, the more the players in a tier, easier is to get promoted.

Be in the top ranks in Gold tier is another history though. Moreover, if you don't own all the tables, the goal is mainly to save your place!

I track each tournament result I was in on my profile page (number of players, scores and rankings per table). It will give you an idea: http://digitalpinballfans.com/member.php/2327-Tann?tab=aboutme#aboutme

Is this tournament tiered then? If it is, I should be in gold but I'm in bronze for some reason. Is anyone else having the same problem?

Yes, as usual.

I thought that the tier problem (you're in bronze instead of gold) happened only on PS Vita. For my part, it's OK (gold tier).

 

[gameaddict4life]

Thanks for the replies. I'm kind of debating going forward with TPA if I should switch from PS3 to PC. I don't think there are even tournaments yet on the PC version, is that correct? Also I have a lower end graphics card so I won't be able to take advantage of the new DirectX lighting stuff anyway. What I do like about the PC though is the release schedule is faster, seems to take a while for the PS3 to catch up. I also wonder about the future support of the PS3 version. I heard the recent podcast which seemed to confirm continued support for the PS3 version but if customer demand drops off what then? It seems that the platforms of the future are PS4, Xbox One and PC. Then again the developers are still working on getting the 360 version out so who knows?

 

[WhiteChocolate]

well this is a tricky bunch! all three i’ve not really “mastered” the least bit… i hadn’t played these much at all since i had to last reloaded them, so i went through them in non-tourney and tested/set the balls to a different ball to help. seems like the ‘yellow happy face’ ball is the best to play with on most tables! stands out the most, on the sub-ps4 look… gad i envy the youtube vids of the ps4 TPA…

man, st is tricky - slips a lot of outside drains past you with those big ol’ honkin’ “launch probe” things! big outside drains, and some slippy tricky insides/straight-down-themiddles for you. i like waiting for the last launch option, “warp 4”, then trying to shoot more of those off the right flipper; seems to get nicer scores, but i don’t know the rule sheet for it (nor for about anything i play!)

tz is kind of next in line for “tricky”, but pretty differently - lots of side-to-side bouncing that threatens to send your ball straight out when you least expect it to. i tend to play safe at this till i get multi ball (pretty easy on it), then slam at it till i get back down to one ball.

t2 is the “easiest”, but only for the big loop structure to it - the centers (aiming for the skull or anything else near straight up the middle) threatens to send balls STDM again. only the rubber bouncy “save” pole right below the flippers helps save the day! the right “chase” loop seems to be the easiest immediate bonus points, and it also seems to have easy multi ball.

if for some reason relaunching a game seems to stall, do the inner-right “prefs/options” button (on a ps3-style controller), then “resume game”. seems to reset my game just fine then.

so what’s the deal with the new “custom pinball machine” farsight is making for the future (as mentioned in the last blahcade)? that’s awesome and exciting! bears the question, are they gonna go all “zen” and do things you can’t do with a real-life pinball table (yet)? holographic-style or quantum ball effects? or “keep it real”, lol?

you know something TPA for ps3 needs, is a “screen margin” setting - can’t see the tourney time completely in the corner (on an old tv); just the barest edges!

 

[Kratos3]

I was just about to start a topic as well. Just 17 players in Gold level... Common ppl, you want tourneys... Get in there and play!

I was in Gold but the PSN tournament before last had a glitch and I got kicked down to Bronze.

 

[Byte]

you know something TPA for ps3 needs, is a “screen margin” setting - can’t see the tourney time completely in the corner (on an old tv); just the barest edges!

Try pausing the game, then resuming. Works most of the time.

 

[Shadowrider49]

I'm in bronze too. Not that I am complaining might have a chance there lol!

 

[Tann]

I don't think there are even tournaments yet on the PC version, is that correct?

Right.

Also I have a lower end graphics card so I won't be able to take advantage of the new DirectX lighting stuff anyway. What I do like about the PC though is the release schedule is faster, seems to take a while for the PS3 to catch up.

The PS3 version graphics are pretty solid since the release of the Super Patch. FS did an awesome job on most of the tables. And the PS3 version is the only one to have the special lighting FX on the ball itself.
Like you say, what's wrong with the PS3 version is that the patching process is a pain because of Sony's rules. And that the tables are released much later.

I also wonder about the future support of the PS3 version. I heard the recent podcast which seemed to confirm continued support for the PS3 version but if customer demand drops off what then? It seems that the platforms of the future are PS4, Xbox One and PC. Then again the developers are still working on getting the 360 version out so who knows?

FS said that the "current gen" is still worthwile (and I think there's still more players/buyers on PS3 than on PS4). So, no worries about that.

 

[gameaddict4life]

Oh, I didn't know about the special FX lighting on the ball being unique to the PS3 version. Is there a thread about that anywhere? I do notice the tables look better on my PS3 as opposed to the PC, the colors seems more vibrant, I also enjoy playing on my tv with my sound setup. I'm going to stick with the PS3 version. I just seem to have more fun playing it on PS3 and that's what matters the most. Too bad there can't be more trophies for the game. I guess if I get the Season 2 Pass then I can go for platinum.

 

[Tann]

Oh, I didn't know about the special FX lighting on the ball being unique to the PS3 version.

Look carefully. The PS3 ball is shiny and metallic, and have an nice reflection FX, not available on the other versions.

I do notice the tables look better on my PS3 as opposed to the PC, the colors seems more vibrant

With the super patch, FS added a reddish ambiance light to all the tables (to simulate the incandescent lamps -don't know the term in english-). It's gorgeous on almost all the tables, but misses the point on some (MM for example).

Too bad there can't be more trophies for the game. I guess if I get the Season 2 Pass then I can go for platinum.

No platinum on TPA, sorry!

 

[gameaddict4life]

Well I will be able to collect all the existing trophies then.

 

[WhiteChocolate]

Try pausing the game, then resuming. Works most of the time.

thanks - -seems- like i've done that in the past to no effect; i'll try again though and see. last i knew though, -nothing- set the tourney time rightly inside my screen margin. (old tubey tv! it's not -that- old though; we're not talking a floor set with radio tubes in it ;0)

 

[WhiteChocolate]

ohhh if i could only break into the top 100! i'd be happy this round lol ;0...

twilight zone continues to be twisted, but easiest - plenty of side-to-sides to watch for, but somehow arranged so it's not so much an easy drain. makes it tougher though to compete!!

t2 is a different kind of 'easiest'; i love the loops but 'trying to hit the skull' and other center shots can be killer, if you don't have them at the right speed! constantly reminding myself, i -have- that extra-rare little rubbah bummpa right down dead center; DON'T STAY FLIPPED UP!

st:tng - oh WHY do you have to be so nasty to play?? ;0 such big wide side-outs; so many 'not really a target' up top... big open wide playfield to never get in the way of that horrible richochet coming from the top, whizzing past you while you're trying to remember which way to push the 'tilt' control!! (and hey - while i'm at that - why not an 'invert left/right tilt' preference????? i find myself constantly pushing my thumb opposite how i would try to nudge a machine in RL; that would be a nice option to try!)

 

[speed_stock]

I was onto this tourney pretty quick! I check the tournament section whenever checking in to play TPA, which is often ; only since July though, as I had stopped looking at the tourney section for a long time, as it was always showing tournaments I wasn't invited to, so I figured it wasn't something yet ready for access on PS3. (I don't use any other devices for gaming).

Surprised at the length of this one, but I'm ok with that. I get a terrific buzz out of competing and it's rapidly advancing my knowledge of the machines features, in a way that I think non-timed tournaments (as I understand they were) wouldn't. Strategy becomes far more important in a 20 min game.

I've been largely avoiding T2 and ST:TNG up till now, but this tourney has forced me to persist and I'm starting to feel the love for the Trek table that I know so many have. Especially since I've made some good progress on avoiding those rh drains. There's some very helpful game play advice for specific tables to be found amongst these boards too, which I've found invaluable!

T2 is killing me though. Found it immensely gruelling to make a 519m and it was murderous inching that up to 531m and then 548m, which is as far I had got. I just can't get dialled in on that skull shot, especially so during multiball when you need it the most for the 'stoopid' super jackpot. Too often I just get super jack*%'@ lol... the top score put up was +900m so I left that alone for a while to go after the 16b Trek score of 'kategator'. ST was my poorest showing, I hope to change that though.....
I have a plan!

I feel maxed at 2b on TZ but I'll keep playing it to death as I don't find it at all taxing. Must need a good run of Powerball jackpots I guess, to get that extra 300m+ or whatever?

I only found this site a couple days ago, which is the upside result of my console showing TYLOD soon after logging in on Sunday evening. Should have a nicely reconditioned replacement 'fat piano' CHO3 being delivered later today! (I also still enjoy the GT series, and as the PS2's die on me really fast I have given up with them).

So..yea...back into the fray later today, I hope!! Last time I looked I was 5th or 6th overall and I'm wondering how far I've dropped? Looks like I'm going to have bop all my way back to Coney Island. Caaaan yooooou dig it!!!

Keep on keeping on....
;-j
James

 

[nstalkie]

Just noticed this yesterday.
I set a base score for the 3 tables, but dunno if I will continue much with it. I set decent scores I think except on T2.
The time limit does make things harder for the TZ and ST table for me, especially TZ which I usually play very slowly and methodically.

 

[Tann]

I feel maxed at 2b on TZ but I'll keep playing it to death as I don't find it at all taxing. Must need a good run of Powerball jackpots I guess, to get that extra 300m+ or whatever?

My strategy for this one:

- Max out every modes (Greed, Clock, etc).
- Don't waste too much time with multiballs (one or two jackpots, then lose the balls)
- If all goes right, you start Lost in the Zone with 5mn remaining and a score about 1.4 billion.
- An average Lost in the Zone score is 400M.
- Use the last minutes to max out your score (use the ball bonus score if you have more than one ball remaining).

My best highscore is 1.5B... without starting the Lost in the Zone! 2mn remaining, and I lost my last ball just before starting Lost in the Zone. Fuuuuuu**!

-------------------------
My strategy for ST:TNG:

Mission, mission, mission. Grab as much artefacts as possible (the video mode is an easy way to stack artefacts btw). Start Final Frontier. Rinse and repeat. Don't waste time with multiballs.

I currently have the 2nd score with 13 Billions (could have done a little more -~15 billions- if the Warp Factor 9 didn't have started during the second Final Frontier, 1 minute before the end!! )

------------------------
My strategy for T2:

I don't have one . I just play randomly, trying to max out as much as possible the Super Jackpot when I manage to start it.