Paragon - first impressions

[Baron Rubik]

A guy I work with, has a 6plus, which has been rendered useless for about a week now after an OS update. He must have spent 15 hrs this last week on support calls (during work). The network provider have started to tell him, buy a newer apple device now.

 

[Heretic]

**** that jazz dude they just released a new iPad with the same chipset, 340 pounds sterling, I'll start a bloody riot if they dint properly support it for at least a couple of years...(apple that is, this doesn't seem like a tpa issue), this came as up to date as can be so yeah broken in box it's a feature yay....I decided to keep it as my laptops dying pos

 

[zdjh22]

This game brings back lots of great memories. A friend in college bought a Paragon the summer before our Junior year as an investment and put it in the student center. I spent lots of quarters over the next couple of years! IRL the saucers were a bit less picky, although on a freshly cleaned playfield the ball did love to rim out. The waterfall was not as dangerous, usually spilling out reliably onto the right flippers. A lost ball between the right flippers was called a "frosh flush" (we had coined this our freshman year on a Captain Fantastic, where the double flippers were on the left). The advance bonus target was the "Wally button" after a classmate who couldn't resist going for it, almost always flushing SDTM.

This TPA version is as deliciously frustrating as the real thing. It was my first wide body pin, and I remember how much effort it took to bump the thing (and there was no way to win without lots of bumping). Using a controller really helps because nudging is so important.

As other folks have mentioned, Paragon really needs to be configured as a 5-ball game (as it was every time I played it IRL).

 

[Zaphod77]

This game is HARD.

In fact, without the tap pass working, this is harder than real life.

 

[Ace Pumpkin]

This table has inspired the tagline "50 Ways to Leave the Playfield."
I seriously find a new way to drain every few times I play it.
It used to be every time, but I've played it a lot.

 

[suffocater]

I used up all my luck until retirement. Four out of five wizard goals. When it comes to the Paragon special, this table is a monster with 27 arms and as many middle fingers raised up.

 

[Heretic]

I used up all my luck until retirement. Four out of five wizard goals. When it comes to the Paragon special, this table is a monster with 27 arms and as many middle fingers raised up.

You say that like it's a bad thing heh

 

[suffocater]

You say that like it's a bad thing heh

It kinda is. The table is way faster than it should be and without the tap passes, we all are missing a very important tool to fight this monster.

 

[Kolchak357]

Not really a first impression, but I was thinking about Paragon last night. I was thinking how I stopped playing it. It’s just too difficult to get anything going on this pin. Is it more difficult than the real thing? Maybe too fast? I’m not sure what it is. I know the real pin is difficult, and I stink at that as well. But this seems even worse. It’s a beautiful pin, with a very cool layout. This pin should be giving me that play just one more game feel. But it’s not happening.

 

[switch3flip]

To keep the same approach to the pin as one would with a tap pass, try using the tip pass.
Cradle the ball on left flipper then quickly flip, like you do when post passing. Keep holding the flipper up. The ball should roll back up the inlane a little bit then come back towards the left flipper again (that you are still holding up). When the ball is at the tip of the flipper, quickly flip. The ball will hop over to the right flipper pretty much like after a tap pass.
It's not ideal but the closest you can get to tap pass at the moment.

 

[Cyberleader63]

My first impression was I did not like it.
I definitely do not like the IRL table.
The era its from i would still play xenon or embryon before it.
But the TPA version has really grown on me.

 

[Gorgias32]

My first impression was "this is hard". But I liked it.

Now it's grown on me to be one of my top 10 tables, it has a similar feel to 8 ball deluxe, but is a lot harder, but manages to feel relatively fair most of the time. Like 8 Ball Deluxe, it plays differently than in real life but is a similar experience, and the table design is genius.

I'm still trying to get my first Wizard goal on it, but it keeps me coming back for more.

 

[Jay]

This pin should be giving me that play just one more game feel. But it’s not happening.

This is now one of the first games I launch when I play TPA. I'm kicking myself that I didn't spring for the Pro version when it was available. 3 balls just isn't enough on this table. But it's really addictive. I downloaded the VP version as well and it's a much more realistic simulation, though again limited to 3 balls by default. The correct sounds are there and the lighting (which never seemed to be TPA's strength) is superb.

 

[Pete]

how to change the number of balls in vp
https://www.vpforums.org/index.php?showtopic=3130

 

[Jay]

how to change the number of balls in vp
https://www.vpforums.org/index.php?showtopic=3130

Thanks!