Season 6 - Thoughts So Far

[Gorgias32]

I was looking at the season 6 tables last night and I really like how the season has been shaping up. Even with three Gottlieb Premiers, two of them are IMO the two best Premiers Farsight has put out.

Here are my current rankings and thoughts (8 tables in, I'm on Android so Master of Time is not out yet as of this writing):

1. Eight Ball Deluxe - this is just one of the best pins in TPA, instant classic
2. Gladiators - this is new so probably will move down the list as it loses it's shine, but I am finding that it has good challenge and the "just one more game" factor for me. I think it has interesting rules and modes and some cool shots, especially the upper playfield, it's fast and fun.
3. Big Hurt - I keep coming back to Big Hurt, there is a lot of depth and the glove area is very satisfying. Two player games are fun on this one too, you can compete on pinball score, or on runs scored, innings, home runs, etc.
4. Indy 500 - Good flow, multi-dimensional rules (score, laps, position, and modes), a quality package
5. Dr. Who - this one took a while to grow on me, it gets better the more I appreciate the shots and rules, but the video mode is kind of annoying and I tend to have long ball times.
6. Centigrade 37 - I thought I would like Jacks Open more, but Centigrade has a more interesting layout and the challenge of setting up the special is good and satisfying when you get it. This drops down on the list because the wizard goals were too easy (finished them in the first two days)
7. Jacks Open - great feel, but a bit one-dimensional, I think in the long run I won't come back to this very often, even though it's fun to bang around on every so often.
8 Bone Busters Inc. - I liked this at first but it is a pretty crummy layout and the art is hard to look at. Definitely the weakest of the season so far.

 

[QuickAceItsA2ndChance]

I don't buy season packs, just individual table packs. And Season 6 has been the biggest seller for me after Season 1.

As observed, Eight Ball Deluxe is a must have that draws me back every day. Centigrade/Jacks is also a must for everyone except the strictest anti-EM crowd.

Obviously, I'm a biased fan of Doctor Who. I love the game play, a big improvement on the Pinbot table structure. The references to the show work well (as you might guess, I love the McCoy bits) and I get a real thrill of building up the Time Expander and eventually killing off those loudmouth Daleks. I'm assuming the MOT table will also be a hit with me.

And Gladiators is tempting. Not amazing, but certainly fun. I'll probably pounce on it during a sale.

So, yeah, even though I didn't bother with getting the Premier tables, I think this season is turning out much better than people here have been saying.

 

[EldarOfSuburbia]

It's nice to see some people throw some love out for the Premiers! I'm still going to rank them lower on the totem pole, though.

#1 EBD - the ultimate time-waster. I've played this way more than any other table since I got my hands on it, especially the Android version.
#2 Dr Who - I'm a WHO fan (growing up in the UK in the 70s and 80s helps!), and I played this table a ton when it was first around.
#3 Jacks Open - has a similar time-wasting feel to EBD, but not quite as complex.
#4 Indy 500 - wasn't a huge fan when this table was around in the 90s - I much prefer Corvette - but it grew on me in TPA. The challenge does wane after a while though and it gets quite boring.
#5 Masters Of Time - it looks great, plays okay, and is not bad for a first genuine attempt at a Zen-style table from FS, but the audio package is weak and the callouts are too random.
#6 Gladiators - I've not really got fully into it, and won't until the goals are fixed, but it seems fun enough.
#7 C37 - a more complex EM table than Jacks, you'd think it'd hold your attention more, but the layout is very tricky and it doesn't have the same satisfaction level.
#8 Big Hurt - as a baseball fan, I want to like it, but it just doesn't work for me.
#9 Bone Busters - easily the worst of the season, but it's mainly the lurid art package that ruins this table. If you could re-skin it, there might be a semi-decent game hiding underneath there, somewhere.

 

[Crazy Newt]

To me, EBD was worth the entire price I paid for the Steam season 6 pro package. While I do appreciate the EM tables, and I don't mind if many more are added in the future, I do have more fun playing Indy 500 than Jacks Open or C37. Not a Dr. Who fan, and I like Jack-Bot better, and I played a ton of Pin-Bot at the arcades and a local 7-11 convenience store, so that one has a special place in my heart for nostalgic reasons. With the release of SPA, I have not really spent too much time in TPA. Maybe tonight I will take a romp around and play some.

 

[wolfson]

It's nice to see some people throw some love out for the Premiers! I'm still going to rank them lower on the totem pole, though.

#1 EBD - the ultimate time-waster. I've played this way more than any other table since I got my hands on it, especially the Android version.
#2 Dr Who - I'm a WHO fan (growing up in the UK in the 70s and 80s helps!), and I played this table a ton when it was first around.
#3 Jacks Open - has a similar time-wasting feel to EBD, but not quite as complex.
#4 Indy 500 - wasn't a huge fan when this table was around in the 90s - I much prefer Corvette - but it grew on me in TPA. The challenge does wane after a while though and it gets quite boring.
#5 Masters Of Time - it looks great, plays okay, and is not bad for a first genuine attempt at a Zen-style table from FS, but the audio package is weak and the callouts are too random.
#6 Gladiators - I've not really got fully into it, and won't until the goals are fixed, but it seems fun enough.
#7 C37 - a more complex EM table than Jacks, you'd think it'd hold your attention more, but the layout is very tricky and it doesn't have the same satisfaction level.
#8 Big Hurt - as a baseball fan, I want to like it, but it just doesn't work for me.
#9 Bone Busters - easily the worst of the season, but it's mainly the lurid art package that ruins this table. If you could re-skin it, there might be a semi-decent game hiding underneath there, somewhere.

Eldar , same as yours except I`d move no.7 C37 to no.2 and move the rest 1 down !!!!

 

[warh0g]

1. Dr. Who - Love it
2. EBD - So much fun!
3. Indy 500 - Like the theme and playstyle of the table, plus this is the type of tables i remember from my childhood
4. Jacks Open - For some reason I like gambling themed pinball
5. C37 - A good EM table
6. Gladiators - I enjoy this tabel quite alot, it is in the same style as Tee'd Off. There is something with the Premiere/Gottlieb tables that I find tugs at my nostalgia for some reason without having ever played them
7. Big Hurt - Have about 0 interest in baseball hehe, and the table is boring imo.
8. Bone Busters - Difficult to see what is going on the table, it just looks like a mess
9. Masters Of Time - Feels and looks like a Zen pinball table, with all that implies. I do not enjoy it.

 

[rehtroboi40]

1. Eight Ball Deluxe - voted for this one in the poll Centaur ended up winning. A true shooter's table, and easily the best of the season so far.
2. Indy 500 - Never played IRL, but has lots of fun shots. A lot more approachable than it might first appear, IMO.
3. Gladiators - One of the better Premier's I've seen in TPA so far. Now FarSight-unlock those goals please!
4 (tie) - C37 - a fun-to-play EM. I like the look of it too.
4 (tie) - Jacks Open - Another well-done shooter's table. FarSight hit both EM's out the park IMO.
6. Dr. Who - enjoyed it IRL, seems too hard and inconsistent in TPA.
7. Big Hurt - better than I expected, but that's not saying much.
8. Bone Busters - worse than I expected, and that's saying a lot.
9. Dr. Who Masters of Time - never played it IRL, seems easier than the earlier one, but still inconsistent.

I am glad there will be a season 7, but table selection has got to improve, and fast. What I really want is some remastered season 1 and 2 tables-BK and the kickstarters (TZ and ST:TNG should be first priority for this IMO.)

 

[Ben Logan]

Bad Cats and Roller Games, please.

 

[k88dad]

1. Eight Ball Deluxe - voted for this one in the poll Centaur ended up winning. A true shooter's table, and easily the best of the season so far.

I voted for the second-place finisher in all of those polls with three-or-so tables. Come on, Paragon.

 

[Baron Rubik]

I'm going to buck the trend, and say I'm not a huge fan of 8 ball deluxe.
I don't agree it's a shooters table. Putting the drops on the right vertically makes it difficult to accurately aim for a specific drop as everything is shot from the lower third tip of left flipper.

Jacks open is a shooters table.

I think Dr Who is my favourite of season 6 although Indy 500 is close behind.

 

[Crazy Newt]

Bad Cats and Roller Games, please.

Bad Cats would complete my nostalgia bone, as this was another table I frequently played when it was released.

 

[Fuseball]

Eight Ball Deluxe is the only one I've found myself coming back to repeatedly. Dr Who was definitely fun for a while but that video mode gets old very quickly. I can see myself loading up Indy 500 from time to time though. Not my favourite but I don't feel I've exhausted it yet. Sadly, I've never got along with Premier tables.

I must admit that since SPA hit iOS, I've barely touched TPA. That's 90% down to Star Trek, which I love playing IRL too.

 

[switch3flip]

8 ball deluxe and dr Who are ok.

 

[psykil]

So far my thoughts on S6 are "where's S6?"...

 

[HotHamBoy]

It's pretty mixed for me

8BD, Dr. Who and Indy are great

Jacks Open and C37 are okay

Bone Busters, Gladiators and FTBH are crap.

Strong start, weak finish. Garage Band will be interesting.

A big problem is that some of these games can be pretty fun IRL but in digital form they are rather boring.

Fortunately, Stern Pinball Arcade gave us 3 awesome tables to make up for it.

 

[dtown8532]

EBD and the Gottlieb EM's never get boring. The rest can suck a goat.

 

[Nat-1969]

Hi, haven't logged in for many months but just witnessed the love fest for EBD and had to say..I told you so

Edit: I just had to say..I got this as first table on PC because I couldn't wait for PS4..greatest table ever..yeah there are a couple naysayers yet on EBD, but yeah ..whatevs, totally obvious greatest pin ever and it was a sin we had to wait until season 6

 

[travisbickle]

Outside of 8-Ball and Indy, Season 6 has made me wonder why they even keep trying. Their "mission statement" says something about releasing the greatest machines of all time. This constant stream of Gottlieb trash shows that they're not as concerned about making great tables as they are being cheap. So cheap that now they're releasing Pinball Not-Arcade games! And if that subpar-Zen Pinball Doctor Who table is the shape of things to come, they should just quit while they're only a little behind.

 

[HotHamBoy]

Outside of 8-Ball and Indy, Season 6 has made me wonder why they even keep trying. Their "mission statement" says something about releasing the greatest machines of all time. This constant stream of Gottlieb trash shows that they're not as concerned about making great tables as they are being cheap. So cheap that now they're releasing Pinball Not-Arcade games! And if that subpar-Zen Pinball Doctor Who table is the shape of things to come, they should just quit while they're only a little behind.

Comparing the Dr. Who Master of Time table to Zen Pinball is an insult to Zen Pinball.

I wonder if a lot of the Zen Pinball haters have bothered to try any of their tables from the last year or two. They have different designers and just like IRL, some are better than others and they all have their design quirks.

I think the Bethesda Pinball pack is some of their best stuff yet and, in general, Zen has come a long way from those early tables.

Back to TPA, I don't know what is going on. Maybe they are negotiating a new WMS/Bally contract, maybe they aren't. It's difficult for me to believe they actually think these Premiere games are worth the effort so they must just be cheap to get done.

The Premiere games are definitely too mediocre to translate to an interesting digital experience.

 

[Crawley]

Outside of 8-Ball and Indy, Season 6 has made me wonder why they even keep trying. Their "mission statement" says something about releasing the greatest machines of all time. This constant stream of Gottlieb trash shows that they're not as concerned about making great tables as they are being cheap. So cheap that now they're releasing Pinball Not-Arcade games! And if that subpar-Zen Pinball Doctor Who table is the shape of things to come, they should just quit while they're only a little behind.

Here's their mission statement on that: "The Pinball Arcade features exact recreations of the all-time greatest pinball tables from Williams®, Bally®, Stern®, and Gottlieb® together in one game." But "all-time greatest" is subjective. That's why you can go in to a donut shop that says "Worlds Finest Donuts" and to someone they are the worlds finest donuts (e.g. the owners) but you might think they're just ok. I get what you're saying, there's some stinkers in S6, but it's marketing.

As far as the table choices being cheap I think there's a few factors that go in to that. One, as mention, the licensing. A table license may turn out to be too expensive to purchase to make it cost effective. Take for example NBA Fastbreak. They would have to pay to use the NBA license, the player likenesses, the commentators for the audio, and if any bands have music on that table would have to pay that as well, on top of paying Williams. Two, the licenses companies that own them may not even be interested. Take the Indiana Jones table. Disney owns the licenses and Farsight has said in the past they Disney is not interested even negotiating with them for it. Can't do much if the original license holders are not interested. Three, the tables are going to depend somewhat on what tables are available at the time of purchase and their prices. Farsight purchases tables like any pinball enthusiast. They go on the market, see what is available, and has it shipped. So maybe they want a Banzai Run but there are none available at the time. Or there is some available but the asking price is way over budget. Farsight has said they had to change their lineup based on what was available at the time.

So there are several factors involved in why there aren't certain tables in the product. People here have also suggested they may have run out of Williams table licenses or are in the process of renegotiating so have had to pad with Gottliebs. Although I've never seen Farsight say that so honestly its just a rumor.

For the "so cheap they're releasing Pinball Not-Arcade games" the Doctor Who Regenerated table was a Kickstarter bonus. It was used as a reward to help get the Dr. Who table funded. I know for me it helped increased my pledge as I was at $10 with no reason to increase that pledge until they offered the bonus table. Farsight has also said that table does not count against the total number of tables in Season 6. So what harm is it doing?

As far as them "quit[ting] while they're only a little behind" that makes it sounds like you can only enjoy the game if your view of a company if their image is untarnished. You must realize that is pretty silly and not a view shared by everyone. Not everyone likes the same thing so while you, and I for that matter, don't care so much some of the Gottlieb tables others really enjoy them. I'm all for them to continue releasing as many tables as possible. There's plenty I've played that I'd love to see in TPA like Solar Fire, Defender, Pinball Magic, Sorcerer, Medusa, Fire, and of course Big Bang Bar. I say keep making them.