Latest NEWS And INFORMATION On FarSight Studios' The Pinball Arcade

[Matt McIrvin]

I had some trouble actually buying the new pack in-game. I don't think it was anything to do with TPA, it was more that Google Play Store was acting up and not letting me perform the transaction for some reason. First the button wouldn't activate (even after I checked the terms-and-conditions box), then it gave me an unhelpful "An error has occurred" dialog.

I got it after a few tries, though.

 

[Metalzoic]

Wow, this seems like a major update. Aside from Taxi and Harley, most of the existing tables re-downloaded.

Really? Has anyone noticed any fixes or improvements?

 

[PiN WiZ]

Really? Has anyone noticed any fixes or improvements?

There are tons of fixes and improvements, but I don't have time to compile the list as I'm still at work at the moment.

 

[Metalzoic]

OOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooohhh... that makes me happy. Hopefully the other systems have plenty of fixes too.

*crosses fingers

I'd love for it to actually be playable on the Vita again!

 

[DarkAkatosh]

Did Pack 4 for PS3 get delayed a week? It says Sept. 25th in the newsletter and it was originally scheduled for the 18th.

 

[PiN WiZ]

Did Pack 4 for PS3 get delayed a week? It says Sept. 25th in the newsletter and it was originally scheduled for the 18th.

Yes, I have to update the OP with some new information when I get home later tonight.

 

[PiN WiZ]

UPDATE Hard dates announced for DLC Table Packs #1 and #2 on PS3 (EU) and PS Vita (EU) and DLC Table Packs #3 and #4 for PS3 (NA/EU) and PS Vita (NA/EU), plus an update on the Wii U version and support for Ouya has been announced.

 

[Metalzoic]

UPDATE Hard dates announced for DLC Table Packs #1 and #2 on PS3 (EU) and PS Vita (EU) and DLC Table Packs #3 and #4 for PS3 (NA/EU) and PS Vita (NA/EU), plus an update on the Wii U version and support for Ouya has been announced.

Thanks, but I have less than zero interest in buying new tables until they fix the ones I have already paid them for.

Under the updates section it says nothing about the Vita getting any kind of patch on the 4th (although it says the DLC release date is the 5th which is actually wednesday). However in the section below it says the Vita should get a Trophy patch by the end of August? I'm guessing this would actually be a patch on the 4th now.

I'm really hoping they plan on fixing this game and just haven't said anything about it. Especially since Zen 2 comes out that same day.

 

[Groni]

UPDATE Hard dates announced for DLC Table Packs #1 and #2 on PS3 (EU) and PS Vita (EU) and DLC Table Packs #3 and #4 for PS3 (NA/EU) and PS Vita (NA/EU), plus an update on the Wii U version and support for Ouya has been announced.

What means "Hard Dates"?? When will they be available??

 

[BonzoGonzo]

check the first page of this topic

 

[Nik Barbour]

What means "Hard Dates"?? When will they be available??

Hard Date - means, a date that should not change at all.

 

[Kevlar]

Hey Pin Wiz, great job on the front page. There's quite a few things in the ' Features, Additions And Improvements Coming In The Near Future ' section that were ticked off a while ago, you might want to update this section.

 

[aguy]

Page needs to be updated:

1. No Good Gofers for DLC Pack #6
2. Possible support for 2 new platforms!
   
   Ouya support
   Ouya will not ship to consumers until at least March 2013. The Pinball Arcade says,

   We're big fans of the Ouya and we will be seriously evaluating support for it when we receive our development kits in a month or two.

   
   
   Note: "month or two" would reflect late September or late October so they might give a more definite word around then if it is playable/doable.​
   
   Linux support
   Are you considering creating a Linux version?
   
   

   We're thinking seriously about a Linux version. We fear that too few people would play the game on Linux to make it worthwhile, however. We'll make an announcement if and when we decide to move forward on Linux.

   
   It sounds like as long as the Ouya doesn't suffer performance problems like the Nintendo 3DS did, it will be a sure thing come Q2 of 2013. But what I think is especially important, is broadcasting that FarScape has officially given insight into a Linux version! I never in a million years ever thought they would even begin to think of bringing TPA to Linux. Not only did they say they were thinking, but they are seriously thinking.
   
   I would like to see this on the news & info page so people can express support to FarScape to bring the TPA to Linux.
   
   I know that everyone wants it to come to the PC, but in order to do that, they need to work more with Microsoft. And I think we all know how Microsoft has treated them when it comes to the Xbox 360 Marketplace. I can totally understand why they would want to say screw you Microsoft... so let's help them! What's better, ANYONE can run Linux. They could package it with a Linux Live CD that you just pop in your computer, restart your computer, and it loads up Linux without ever installing anything on your hard drive. That would be slick.
   
   Please throw your support behind this Windows users ... Linux users get few fun games! Thanks!

 

[PiN WiZ]

Page needs to be updated:

1. No Good Gofers for DLC Pack #6
2. Possible support for 2 new platforms!
   
   Ouya support
   Ouya will not ship to consumers until at least March 2013. The Pinball Arcade says,
   
   
   Note: "month or two" would reflect late September or late October so they might give a more definite word around then if it is playable/doable.​
   
   Linux support
   Are you considering creating a Linux version?
   
   
   
   It sounds like as long as the Ouya doesn't suffer performance problems like the Nintendo 3DS did, it will be a sure thing come Q2 of 2013. But what I think is especially important, is broadcasting that FarScape has officially given insight into a Linux version! I never in a million years ever thought they would even begin to think of bringing TPA to Linux. Not only did they say they were thinking, but they are seriously thinking.
   
   I would like to see this on the news & info page so people can express support to FarScape to bring the TPA to Linux.
   
   I know that everyone wants it to come to the PC, but in order to do that, they need to work more with Microsoft. And I think we all know how Microsoft has treated them when it comes to the Xbox 360 Marketplace. I can totally understand why they would want to say screw you Microsoft... so let's help them! What's better, ANYONE can run Linux. They could package it with a Linux Live CD that you just pop in your computer, restart your computer, and it loads up Linux without ever installing anything on your hard drive. That would be slick.
   
   Please throw your support behind this Windows users ... Linux users get few fun games! Thanks!

Ouya has already been added to the OP and Linux won't be added to the "Announced" section until FarSight officially announces support for it.

As for No Good Gofers, I won't add the new tables pack to the OP until BOTH tables have been officially announced.

 

[aguy]

Thanks, but I have less than zero interest in buying new tables until they fix the ones I have already paid them for.

Under the updates section it says nothing about the Vita getting any kind of patch on the 4th (although it says the DLC release date is the 5th which is actually wednesday). However in the section below it says the Vita should get a Trophy patch by the end of August? I'm guessing this would actually be a patch on the 4th now.

I'm really hoping they plan on fixing this game and just haven't said anything about it. Especially since Zen 2 comes out that same day.

It appears they are issuing the games in "Beta" form first. They are definitely playable, it's just not 100% accurate to the actual machines.

Along with the gameplay not being 100%, the artwork is not fully rendered either. The update to the 4 original tables on Xbox 360 is breathtaking. It is exactly how I expected it to be when their trailers were showcasing what TPA would be like before it had been released.

Anyone who understands development cycles will clearly understand the challenges they are facing. And ALL game development issues patches to update bugs. A game makes no $$$ if it is not released for people to buy. There has to come a point where you release it before you would like so the people who are going to work everyday and doing their job can bring home a paycheck. This is all the more difficult when the people doing the work don't have millions of $$$ to throw around if they need to delay a product like Konami ($3.2 billion company), Electronic Arts ($4.2 billion company), Activision Blizzard Inc ($13.1 billion), etc.

Has anyone asked recently how many billion FarSight is worth? I'm not saying they should not fix bugs, just that they are fixing them (see OP), and they don't have $$$millions to hire 10 new devs to fix your $10 game.

Oh, and also some bugs just can't be fixed easily.

 

[aguy]

Ouya has already been added to the OP and Linux won't be added to the "Announced" section until FarSight officially announces support for it.

As for No Good Gofers, I won't add the new tables pack to the OP until BOTH tables have been officially announced.

Well, the thread title is Latest NEWS and INFORMATION from FarSight... and a possible Linux platform sure sounds like NEWS to me ... or at least INFORMATION.

I never thought it was a sure thing. But if you are adding Ouya, then is that a sure thing? I thought they hadn't even tested it on the platform yet... ?

 

[superballs]

I would like to see this on the news & info page so people can express support to FarScape to bring the TPA to Linux.

I know that everyone wants it to come to the PC, but in order to do that, they need to work more with Microsoft. And I think we all know how Microsoft has treated them when it comes to the Xbox 360 Marketplace. I can totally understand why they would want to say screw you Microsoft... so let's help them! What's better, ANYONE can run Linux. They could package it with a Linux Live CD that you just pop in your computer, restart your computer, and it loads up Linux without ever installing anything on your hard drive. That would be slick.

Please throw your support behind this Windows users ... Linux users get few fun games! Thanks!

Only real problems with that is that it's not going to be able to run on whatever generic GFX drivers get packed onto the Live disk.

That and seriously...paid software on linux? Yeah it exists but the "what's this man? it should be open source" crowd will start to cry.

Linux is great for running servers, backends, if you want to run an OS on your toaster (pop up blocker heh heh) but it's hard to take seriously as a gaming platform. Especially with how much of a PitA simple tasks like installing graphics drivers and proper sound drivers are. Yes, the generics are great for running a desktop but i spent 3 days doing it just to get Scorched3d to run smoothly, when in Windows all I had to do was install the game and play.

 

[PiN WiZ]

Well, the thread title is Latest NEWS and INFORMATION from FarSight... and a possible Linux platform sure sounds like NEWS to me ... or at least INFORMATION.

I never thought it was a sure thing. But if you are adding Ouya, then is that a sure thing? I thought they hadn't even tested it on the platform yet... ?

FarSight officially announced support for Ouya in their latest newsletter which read as follows:

Ouya Announcement

We are excited to announce that The Pinball Arcade will be a launch title for the new Ouya console! Ouya is an Android-based open-source gaming console that is scheduled for launch in March 2013. This system is definitely worth getting excited about!”.

 

[aguy]

Only real problems with that is that it's not going to be able to run on whatever generic GFX drivers get packed onto the Live disk.

That and seriously...paid software on linux? Yeah it exists but the "what's this man? it should be open source" crowd will start to cry.

Linux is great for running servers, backends, if you want to run an OS on your toaster (pop up blocker heh heh) but it's hard to take seriously as a gaming platform. Especially with how much of a PitA simple tasks like installing graphics drivers and proper sound drivers are. Yes, the generics are great for running a desktop but i spent 3 days doing it just to get Scorched3d to run smoothly, when in Windows all I had to do was install the game and play.

Generic GFX drivers would not be included. ATI or NVIDIA closed source video drivers would be included and you would need a compatible video card. Open source video drivers can't keep up-to-date with new cards. There are just too many changes to make and the cards are too complex to be developed open source. I mean video card drivers are almost 100MB! Ten years ago I threw a UT3 livecd based on Gentoo and I remember it "just working". I remember not expecting it to though I don't know I would like to see something like that, but given how whiny users of TPA are on their FB page, I can understand why TPA would be VERY hesitant at asking them to "make it work". I guess when I think about doing anything with Linux, I think of how fun it is to tinker with it until I can make it work ... I guess maybe I'm tired of tinkering with all these boring things on Linux, I mean, if it was TPA then there would be real incentive to make it work!

In any case, I'm guessing they just mentioned this because Valve recently announced (couple months ago) they will be releasing a Linux client and I'm guessing they still plan on distributing on PC through them?

I'm not a Valve customer, but I would be. I just would really like to get the game without Valve... you know, like old skool.

With Electronic Arts recently releasing some "games" through Ubuntu Software Center, maybe this is all a foreshadowing of Linux's big homecoming ... afterall, Apple's stock prices are not sustainable and Windows 8 is the next Windows ME so what's left?...

 

[Pinballfan69]

The PS3 version just had the update but no new tables yet. I know the store hasn't been updated but the tables do 'feel' quite different from the last time I played last night in preperation for DLC #3. MM and CV 'feels' much better. I'm not sure the flipper gap was fixed or not but it seems like I'm not losing the ball STTM as much as before.

Also it seems I can be much more accurate with my shots. I'm not sure I suffered from the PS3 lag that seemed to be an issue to some. All I know is that I can shoot some of the side targets and outer orbits more accurately than in previous versions. Can't for the store update. DLC #3 and ZP2? Will be in pinball heaven for another 3 weeks at least until DLC #4.