Pro Pinball

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Richard B

New member
Apr 7, 2012
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Timeshock appears to be the table most people like the most. However, the physics are vastly superior on the final two tables (Big Race USA and Fantastic Journey). If they do re-release the originals, I hope they update the physics so they all play the same.
Also, while BRU and FJ work fine on a modern machine right out of the box, The Web and TS, while playable, have serious graphical corruption.
 
Tabe

Tabe

Member
Apr 12, 2012
833
0
Richard B said:
Timeshock appears to be the table most people like the most. However, the physics are vastly superior on the final two tables (Big Race USA and Fantastic Journey). If they do re-release the originals, I hope they update the physics so they all play the same.
Also, while BRU and FJ work fine on a modern machine right out of the box, The Web and TS, while playable, have serious graphical corruption.
Click to expand...
I play all four on my current PC without any difficulty. love en all but BRU and Web are easily my favorites.

Tabe
 
Jeff Strong

Jeff Strong

Moderator
Staff member
Feb 19, 2012
8,144
2
BRU is my favorite, but Timeshock will always hold a special place in my heart because it's the first pinball video game I ever played that truly felt like I was playing a real pinball machine.
 
superballs

superballs

Active member
Apr 12, 2012
2,653
2
I'm right there with you Jeff, almost. Better physics or not, i just think TS is the coolest table.

I play all four tables on a Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit machine. Only "trouble" is that the menu animations on The Web is too fast
 
R

Richard B

New member
Apr 7, 2012
1,868
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Tabe said:
I play all four on my current PC without any difficulty. . .


I [superballs] play all four tables on a Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit machine. Only "trouble" is that the menu animations on The Web is too fast
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Very interesting. It could be the discs themselves that are the problem. BRU and FJ are the original releases, while my versions of the Web and TS are from a combo pack that came out just before the release of BRU (a demo is included).
 
Ade

Ade

Silverball Studios
Aug 1, 2012
11
0
superballs said:
I aquired a copy of Timeshock for PC and had a friend over to play (he is still an avid pin-buddy of mine even though we live in different cities now). He was wowed by the physics and couldn't believe that Timeshock was an (at the time) 6 year old game.

Since then I've purchased ever table released and my ONLY wish would be to be able to play on a rotated widescreen. And maybe some physics improvements on The Web because i absolutely love that table because it reminds me a lot of High Speed II: The Getaway.

Thank you for releasing such great games and I really hope to see the same greatness re-released. If it's running in a smoking new 3D engine...cool as long as it plays as well as it did. If concessions need to be made...well just remember that people still happily play Visual Pinball with layback settings. Timeshock on a cabinet with a backglass and DMD on a second (and maybe third) monitor would be GODLY.

The fact that your tables do not exist in physical form but feel like they are simulations of actual existing tables is a feat of programming and execution that still remains unmatched. I would even look at some of the original talent at VPForums (Bob5453 most notably) if you would like to develop some "old school" feeling tables that are still a blast to play. In fact, if you do head there, I more than recommend 2 original tables that your lives cannot be complete without playing.
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Thanks very much. Of all our games, Timeshock! does seem to be the one the majority of people seem most fond of. After creating The Web we were determined to push things as far as we could in the time we had. It helped that we knew some other pinball games were due to come out and there was no way we were going to let them beat us! If we were ever to build a real Pro Pinball game, Timeshock! would definitely be my first choice.

As far as your concerns about playability go; Despite the high resolution 1600x1200 true colour graphics we had on the PC, the gameplay and realism of the physics has always been the top priority for us, and that's something that isn't ever going to change.

I appreciate the suggestions for some simpler tables, and it would be interesting to do something like that one day. But despite that fact that more complicated isn't always better, if we were to do a new Pro Pinball table I would want to at least try and top all the games we have previously done, in every possible way!
 
R

Richard B

New member
Apr 7, 2012
1,868
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Ade said:
Thanks very much. Of all our games, Timeshock! does seem to be the one the majority of people seem most fond of. After creating The Web we were determined to push things as far as we could in the time we had. It helped that we knew some other pinball games were due to come out and there was no way we were going to let them beat us! If we were ever to build a real Pro Pinball game, Timeshock! would definitely be my first choice.

As far as your concerns about playability go; Despite the high resolution 1600x1200 true colour graphics we had on the PC, the gameplay and realism of the physics has always been the top priority for us, and that's something that isn't ever going to change.

I appreciate the suggestions for some simpler tables, and it would be interesting to do something like that one day. But despite that fact that more complicated isn't always better, if we were to do a new Pro Pinball table I would want to at least try and top all the games we have previously done, in every possible way!
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Your series is the best "not real but could be" series I've seen. A dozen years later, and no one, not even TPA, can compete with your physics build (though they get closer with each new table). I can't wait to see what you'll come up with using modern technology.
The one area that needs work, however, is the sound. The sonorous lounge music needs to go. Play any Bally or Williams table released on or after 1986, and you'll see how important it is to have music that builds tension and excitement, rather than putting people to sleep.
 
superballs

superballs

Active member
Apr 12, 2012
2,653
2
Ade,

Your product speaks for itself, and if I ever saw a new Pro Pinball product, knowing the same team is working on it, I would have no doubt that it is a polished and lovingly created. So few companies take pride in what they produce. The time is right for a new release and there is a pretty devout following behind any serious and high-quality pinball title.

I agree about the music though, except The Web, the music in The Web is awesome.
 
Fungi

Fungi

Active member
Feb 20, 2012
4,888
2
I just need to poke my head in here and say that I'm a huge fan and own every table in Playstation form. I also have the ones offered on GOG. It's a shame Timeshock's ball movement is so choppy in that version.
 
A

Animator_pin_fan

New member
Mar 4, 2012
183
0
fungi, so is it really the GOG version that are flawed? I was curious what all the hype was about, and since I missed them when they first came out, I got them on GOG but to me they feel kinda dated in every aspect. I know everyone touts that Pro Pinball has the best physics of any pin sim, but it just isn't evident on the versions that I've played. I would be excited about an updated version though...
 
Fungi

Fungi

Active member
Feb 20, 2012
4,888
2
Animator_pin_fan said:
fungi, so is it really the GOG version that are flawed? I was curious what all the hype was about, and since I missed them when they first came out, I got them on GOG but to me they feel kinda dated in every aspect. I know everyone touts that Pro Pinball has the best physics of any pin sim, but it just isn't evident on the versions that I've played. I would be excited about an updated version though...
Click to expand...


Yeah, in order to get Timeshock to run on new machines, they are using a DOS version, which in turn must run thru the dos emulator DOSbox. I believe that's what's affecting its' performance. BRUSA and FV run just fine. TS is my favorite tho'. The rule set and music are so awesome.

But after playing TPA so much lately, I've been having a hard time adjusting to the ProPinball physics. They aren't bad. Far from it. I'm just no longer accustomed to them. That might be the reason you're having a hard time warming up to them.
 
superballs

superballs

Active member
Apr 12, 2012
2,653
2
I think some of the physics are looked at through rose coloured glasses of nostalgia. BRUSA and Fantastic Journey are still more than adequate. The ball's lateral rotation is even represented, how awesome is that?
 
B

Brian Clark

New member
Feb 28, 2012
624
0
Fungi said:
I just need to poke my head in here and say that I'm a huge fan and own every table in Playstation form. I also have the ones offered on GOG. It's a shame Timeshock's ball movement is so choppy in that version.
Click to expand...

I was able to get the movement smooth using certain settings, but I used around 50,000 cycles with double buffering. I also recommend keeping the CPU type at auto. It acts odd on the dynamic setting too.
 
Jan Duin

Jan Duin

New member
Feb 20, 2012
545
0
Wow! It will be interesting to see how Pro Pinball's Kickstarter campaing will develop in comparison to TPA's.
 

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