Single table releases - are they going to be the new normal?

[brakel]

With the announcement that the next TPA release would not be a pack of two tables but would instead be the first non-premium single table release, do you think this is the way all of season will go? Do you think pricing will be half that of the two packs? Do you think they will release one table per month or might we get one table every three weeks? Will this present a challenge for FarSight to keep up with bug fixes and new feature roll outs? Presumably they will have fewer people working on them if they are single packs. If they indeed half the price of a two pack what will this mean for the profitability and the future of the TPA franchise?

So many questions!

 

[jaredmorgs]

Just caaaaalm down, brakel. You remind me of the skydiver dude from No Fear: Dangerous Sports.

Time will tell...

I'd be fine playing one super-refined, ultra-polished table each month. Keep the price the same. Go back over the other tables and finesse them.

In Australia, it's $1 / play on most machines. I've made my money back in 5 games.

 

[Chris Dunman]

^^ agree totally with Jared here... As Pin Wiz has said in other threads, hold fire and judgement until we hear more. PW has said there is light at the end of the tunnel and lots of good stuff to come.

Criticism has been seen at FS releasing too many too fast. Looks like that's being addressed so, even if it is only 1 Table a month from now on, remember PW's words.

For my tuppence worth, I can't wait. I think FS have made sound business judgements so far.

I see no reason to start mistrusting them now, therefore they'll continue to have my full support.

 

[Captain B. Zarre]

With the announcement that the next TPA release would not be a pack of two tables but would instead be the first non-premium single table release, do you think this is the way all of season will go? Do you think pricing will be half that of the two packs? Do you think they will release one table per month or might we get one table every three weeks? Will this present a challenge for FarSight to keep up with bug fixes and new feature roll outs? Presumably they will have fewer people working on them if they are single packs. If they indeed half the price of a two pack what will this mean for the profitability and the future of the TPA franchise?

So many questions!

Shut up and JUMP!

 

[night]

Shut up and JUMP!

I have some mixed feelings. I think TPA can only become stronger with single table releases, more time to fix bugs and art issues, more time to focus on one table. The danger might be that older tables (EM's) are not going to be emulated anymore, and we might only see lots of popular DMD's to play safe. We shall see.

 

[Chris Dunman]

^^ Clip of the day! On a sadder note, I have the same ceiling fan...

 

[karl]

Edit: Information overload

 

[westofrome]

Thanks for the info. Do you know if the tables will come out one-per-month for the whole season?

 

[jaredmorgs]

I believe it is no secret now that Season 3 will include 10 tables. As soon as fish tales is available to buy they will reveal 3 other tables forthcoming in season 3. (most of you will be happy with those 3) I can't remember the correct price but I believe it was 29$ for the standard season and 39$ for the Pro season. Not half the price but still a decent price. To anyone who's thinking about complaining about the price: You are cheap bastard

If this is true, then no complaints from me.

I'm kind of happy the pack isn't up around the $40+ mark. I'm short on cash this time of year.

 

[The loafer]

I will buy whatever they put out but I do think since I believe Farsight has indicated previously that DMD games sell more than non-DMD games, this may mean we will see very little EM games in the future, perhaps even little to no early SS releases. Too bad, I like these nearly as much as I like DMD games.

In saying that, this could mean we are about to get more premium releases which would follow the one-table-per-month release schedule in a more consistent manner. Much easier to sort out "season pricing"

 

[vpalmer]

In Australia, it's $1 / play on most machines. I've made my money back in 5 games.

just wonder when some of you will finally understand - real game and virtual try to recreate it are two different things - and TPA's tables are faaaaar in quality level from RL things. its same as saying "i bought a ticket to carousel instead of buying real car or horse so i saved huge amount of money !"

 

[norbert26]

while virtual pinball has limitations VS a physical pin it is still worth its wait in gold. With real tables scattered and in undesirable locations at least virtual pinball can be played in a location of your choice. Don't forget the cost of operating your car to get to these real tables.(although that can be compared to hardware cost to run virtual tables). at $1 a play cost can be quickly recovered. a one time cost $4.99 is not much for the return it will bring.

 

[Kolchak357]

I have some mixed feelings. I think TPA can only become stronger with single table releases, more time to fix bugs and art issues, more time to focus on one table. The danger might be that older tables (EM's) are not going to be emulated anymore, and we might only see lots of popular DMD's to play safe. We shall see.

You have nailed my only concern. My dreams of Triple Strike, Surf Champ, Atlantis, Centigrade 37, Abra Ca Dabra, etc now seem in question.

Maybe a standalone EM game/app will come to the rescue in the future.

 

[karl]

I think we will still see late 80' tables but I agree with you kolchak357. I worry about the old classics from the late 70'. So many great Gottlieb and Bally machines from 75-79. Maybe they could release a special oldies pack with 4 tables each season since they take far less time to build than the dmd machines. At least they could try it once and see if there is enough buyers willing to spend cash on them. I know I would

 

[Naildriver74]

i think we will still see late 80' tables but i agree with you kolchak357. I worry about the old classics from the late 70'. So many great gottlieb and bally machines from 75-79. Maybe they could release a special oldies pack with 4 tables each season since they take fare less time to build than the dmd machines. At least they could try it once and see if there is enough buyers willing to spend cash on them. I know i would

i would!

 

[vpalmer]

Maybe they could release a special oldies pack with 4 tables each season since they take fare less time to build than the dmd machines. At least they could try it once and see if there is enough buyers willing to spend cash on them. I know I would

is not this the same what i offer to do some time ago? of course FS must start to do EM Packs! or is not EM a part of pinball history anymore which FS try to preserve as it is said in "our mission" section of menu?

 

[Crawley]

They're going to do whatever keeps the company profitable.

That said I wonder if the single table release has something more to do with the holiday's, where many people are on vacation/holiday, making it too difficult to push out two completely new tables. Will see what happens next month. But I'm looking forward to this release all the same.

 

[DrainoBraino]

I have some mixed feelings. I think TPA can only become stronger with single table releases, more time to fix bugs and art issues, more time to focus on one table. The danger might be that older tables (EM's) are not going to be emulated anymore, and we might only see lots of popular DMD's to play safe. We shall see.

That's exactly what I don't want to happen. I want the older tables. Everyone keeps crying about wanting the best of the best modern tables, then they don't even buy them. Or they only buy that one, and complain about everything else.

Farsight, I don't care how many tables you release at once, but KEEP THE OLD TABLES COMING.

 

[BigWeather]

Farsight, I don't care how many tables you release at once, but KEEP THE OLD TABLES COMING.

100% this. So long as we continue to get a healthy mix of past and (nearly) present I'm a very happy customer. I love the old tables very much (I know I'll get laughed at this but I keep coming back to Big Shot more than any other pin) and hope they will continue to have a place in TPA.

 

[superballs]

Farsight devs have stated that EMS are no less work than did machines since even though they have simpler rules to and geometry, they have to build the games logic from the ground up where with the newer games they map the switches to the room and let the rom take care of the rest. I don't think EMS will come in packs.