Official Twilight Zone News

[ND3G]

It just hit me that YOU leaving the forum will solve the same problem on my end. So, take care and enjoy whatever life brings you elsewhere.

Yeah but you leaving will solve everyone elses. Stay, go. Do whatever you like. I am not wasting another second on you.

 

[starck]

"To see this mess continue"? What? The PS3 version was only released eight weeks ago. The May DLC package has only been officially "late" for a week. I'm sorry, I just don't think it's reasonable to regard that kind of a delay on the very first DLC package as some kind of a major slap in the face.

I'm a little disappointed at not having any of the other tables to play on my Mac, too, but I'm certainly not bitter or heartbroken about it. It is a game. Which cost ten bucks. People need to get a grip.

Please read my long post above, in reference to why I called the current state of things a 'mess.' It wasn't about DLC. In fact, I don't care all that much that PS3 hasn't gotten DLC yet.

 

[ND3G]

starck, welcome to the forums by the way!

 

[emb531]

I don't think I've ever seen this level of *****ing about a video game before. And it's a pinball simulator! Of all things. Get a life Actionball, if you are getting this riled up about the DLC you must not have a lot to do/occupy yourself/a job. Did you even read the update from FS? Xbox DLC not being released has nothing to do with MS wanting it released simultaneously across platforms, has to do with the 4MB update limit. Anyway, PS3 owners are happy I'm sure, weird release schedule however but PS3 will get 4 tables all on one day so that should be exciting.

 

[Vercingetorix]

Please read my long post above, in reference to why I called the current state of things a 'mess.' It wasn't about DLC. In fact, I don't care all that much that PS3 hasn't gotten DLC yet.

I read your post. You want all the bugs fixed in all the games, the user interface completely overhauled, and the audio significantly improved, presumably on all platforms simultaneously. You want the website fixed. You're angry enough about it to write a long angry screed in which you curse at Farsight about all of it.

I don't actually disagree with you about much of it, by the way, but the fact that you're apparently so pissed off about it already just kind of makes me shake my head.

 

[Jeff Strong]

Guys, let's not make this personel or be rude. We're all on the same side here.

 

[PiN WiZ]

I think this Thread has gone beyond civilized discussion...

 

[Brian Clark]

As opposed to your post that you deleted which twisted the truth to the point of being unrecognizable? If being talked down to as a response for being rude in the first place is uncomfortable then I suggest you not make baseless attacks, twist the facts or cherry pick your out of context quotes in the first place.

I edited my post becuase I said something that I thought it was silly having to do with "difference of opinion" that would probably give you bait to assume I didn't understand your post. BTW, you technically cherry picked my post when you chose only to reply to one thing from my post and talk down to me. Also, baseless attacks? I based everything on what you posted and then you accuse me of making attacks, when I simply said you were being rude, calling people fanboys, and talking down to people, which you are. I didn't intend my post as an attack, but I feel you are being very unreasonable here.

If you were talking about the first post that I deleted rather than edited, I honestly don't remember everything, but I was saying that I felt some of the things you said about MS bribing FS were baseless. I haven't seen proof anywhere, but half of the posts I have seen replying to you didn't comment on the MS issue that you claimed people supported. I don't understand how the firm dates for the PS2 and Vita versions suddendly confirm that Farsight delayed the PS3 version due to MS.

 

[starck]

I read your post. You want all the bugs fixed in all the games, the user interface completely overhauled, and the audio significantly improved, presumably on all platforms simultaneously. You want the website fixed. You're angry enough about it to write a long angry screed in which you curse at Farsight about all of it.

I don't actually disagree with you about much of it, by the way, but the fact that you're apparently so pissed off about it already just kind of makes me shake my head.

I don't expect it to be done simultaneously. At the end of my post I eluded to the idea of a long term game plan that is sustainable, and that keeps everyone happy (developers and users).

Eh, I'm not even pissed off- it's more sort of like...frustration with a really great concept. This frustration becomes amplified when the co. Has secured over $60k in funds for another table, but has yet to fully fix the current product as it stands. Unsustainable amount of work in my opinion. They need some priorities here. It's not a huge studio, and they can't do things as quickly as a large, big budget studio can.

But, I don't run the company, or even work there, so all I can do is make suggestions. Sometimes all caps makes the suggestions 'easier to read'?

Thx for welcoming me to the forum ND3G.

 

[Vercingetorix]

You are right, yet wrong.

My earlier post wasn't about you in particular; it was in general. The overall level of anger and hysteria directed at Farsight is, I think, wildly disproportionate to the harm they've actually done anybody so far. It's flat-out childish.

 

[Matt McIrvin]

Now that I know the PS3 DLC is all ready to go and the holdup is squarely on Farsight being strong armed by the MS first release policy I have gone ahead and dumped my TZ pledge.

This is interesting. Is there new information that indicates that this is actually the reason?

Farsight's latest update just gave definite dates for the PS3 DLC releases, but not for the XBox 360, saying just "when we have a date we'll let you know". That suggests to me that the PS3 DLC is not being deliberately held up just to wait for the XBox DLC.

 

[Vercingetorix]

In hindsight it seems pretty clear that they should have held off on the TZ Kickstarter until they got the console DLC up and running on a regular basis. It's ratcheted the frustration with that process up to another level for PS3/Xbox users.

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

First of all, I would like to apologize to the readership for having partially provoked the previous drama. I was taking a principled stand on what I thought was a limited issue and in the process created a larger monster than I anticipated, which has now run out of my control. I will try to do a better job of keeping my indignation to myself in the future.

In other news, though the kickstarter dragged through the mud for much of the day it has managed to erase the deficit and is now sitting positive $408!

Yep, and a bunch of reasonably calm/supportive comments on FB in place of the earlier sandstorm. Amazing how fast the winds of public opinion change...

Nobody supports a software company unconditionally. Some of us just think it's too early to get the pitchforks and torches out.

The reason critics of Farsight get so much blowback on this board is not because they're critics; it's because most of them have a giant sense of grievance and entitlement far out or proportion to their lousy $10 or $15 investment.

In hindsight it seems clear that Farsight have bitten off a little more than they can chew by trying to launch on so many platforms simultaneously and "committing" right out of the gate to a two-tables-per-month DLC package on all of them. But we're still in the launch period of a product that, again, has cost less so far than a sandwich and a glass of beer. It's way too early for people to be foaming at the mouth about how badly they've been screwed.

Indeed. This is not Skyrim, which cost $60, was put out by a giant software house, and yet was still riddled through with completely game-breaking bugs. Granted, Bethesda did catch their fair share of hell for it (but not as much as one might have expected, because many players remembered the mess that was Oblivion and so were prepared for weirdness).

I will say FarSight needs to do two things immediately with respect to Twilight Zone:

• Have a plan for making sure TZ is near-perfect when it hits. Unlike most DLC, backers will have "paid" considerable sums for this table and will rightfully expect this table to work out of the box. Complicating this is the fact that TZ is extremely complex, with lots of interacting modes and features and physics challenges (that Powerball is going to be a pain to get right - even on a real table the software sometimes gets confused about what to do with it), and the six-ball multiball "Lost in the Zone" with all those physics/collision calcs, every mode on the table active, and the utterly berserk light show is going to be highly taxing on mobile devices' capabilities. On the plus side, they're going to have 10+ external beta testers...let's hope they get put to good use.
• Have a plan for communicating the progress of TZ after the kickstarter is over. Kickstarter allows (and encourages) post-funding updates, and regular updates showing the various steps in the process would both be highly interesting in its own right (or at least I would be highly interested) and if they did run into technical difficulties or delays, would go a long way in mollifying backers in case the Nov 2012 estimated date slips. (Console players, you may as well mark this "Dec 2012" in your heads.)

And for the love of the pinball gods, no more kickstarters until after TZ has been out for a while. I think it's abundantly clear at this point that the well of player/consumer goodwill only holds enough for the occasional drink and needs to be allowed ample time to refill in between.

 

[PiN WiZ]

As far as I can tell, there are more involved in this back and forth ranting than just one person. Gord created this Forum so we can all get away from the mess on Facebook and have civilized discussions. Let's try and keep these discussions on topic and try not to personally attack others with opposing opinions. Just for the record, I am not singling any one person out, I'm speaking to all members who are more than welcome to join in on discussions that interest them.

 

[ND3G]

In hindsight it seems pretty clear that they should have held off on the TZ Kickstarter until they got the console DLC up and running on a regular basis. It's ratcheted the frustration with that process up to another level for PS3/Xbox users.

I am sure Farsight were excited at finally working out the licensing and wanted to get started right away. Besides lets not lose sight of the fact that the kickstarter succeeded! Any bonus goals are just that, bonuses.

This thread should be in celebration mode!

 

[Vercingetorix]

Yet you quoted only me. How do I not take that as directed at me and respond to your points as they pertain to me?

I cherry-picked a quote out of one of your posts which seemed to espouse an attitude that's typical of the angry group on the board. It had nothing to do with you in particular. I don't know anything about or have anything against you.

You are taking everything about this thread way too personally.

 

[The Doctor]

How do you guys think the physics of the ceramic powerball will be compared to the real thing?

 

[ND3G]

How do you guys think the physics of the ceramic powerball will be compared to the real thing?

I am curious about that too. Have any other pinball games used special balls?

 

[Brian Clark]

Calling certain people fanboys was in response to personal attacks, made against me, NOT the precipitation of the argument. If you don't want to read the previous posts and understand how a conversation gets from point A to point B then you should stay out of it.

As for saying that *I* am contending MS was bribing Farsight to hold back content...I don't even know where to begin with this.

At no time did I say any such thing.

MS (Microsoft, the people who make and sell the Xbox) have a policy about content release on their company store. They will not allow content to be released first on a competing platform, it is either simultaneous or first or not at all. It is not my own delusion. In fact, plenty of others have brought this up and I do not see Pin Wiz being screamed at for saying exactly the same thing in multiple posts in various threads. The reason we won't get our DLC on PS3 for a month is to give them time to resubmit it YET AGAIN to Microsoft, not because of an issue with sony.

I meant the first release thing when I said bribing (and you said strong armed, so same difference or whatever) and assumed that you would know what I meant. Please don't argue with me over semantics. And I was replying to this comment "Now that I know the PS3 DLC is all ready to go and the holdup is squarely on Farsight being strong armed by the MS first release policy I have gone ahead and dumped my TZ pledge". So I took that as blaming Farsight for the hold up. Pinwiz didn't purposely post comments talking to me like a three year old, even when I posted something stupid (and I try not to purposely post misinformation).

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

How do you guys think the physics of the ceramic powerball will be compared to the real thing?

I'm frightened to think about it. The Powerball is barely controllable in real life. Between that and the excess bounciness of the regular pinballs in TPA, it could be a real monster. Hopefully the improved flipper physics will be ready in time for TZ; being able to trap the Powerball for a set shot is really the only way of getting the thing back into the gumball machine.

It also can get going really fast. (It's about 20% lighter than a steel pinball.) If anything's going to ghost through flippers, it'll be the Powerball.