Some comments from a casual player

[Jim]

Greetings everyone, this is my first post, though I have been reading these forums for a while.
I should preface this post by saying that I am not a pinball expert (not even close to one), nor do I own any real tables. However I do enjoy pinball, and when I find a real table I always play it.

Anyway I figured I would register to add my two-cents on specifically the PS3 version, because this is the version that I play most often; nothing beats Pinball Arcade in a dark room with a large HDTV. Having said that though, there are also a few "little things" that could be improved which would enhance the experience greatly. And so I would like to list my opinions below.

Note that for future reference, these comments are for the latest version at the time of writing this: 2.09

- The New UI
I like it. I know that it's a copy of the Android interface, but I do feel that it is more functional than the previous one.
The low-res images and music do not bother me because I don't spend more than a minute in the menu anyway

- The ball shadow/reflection
This is difficult to explain. I am not referring to the shiny ball reflecting the atmosphere around it. I like that. Instead I am talking about the new ball "shadow" of the reflection underneath the ball on the table. To me it is very distracting and doesn't look quite right. Because of the odd way that it looks, I find that my eyes want to focus on it, and it detracts from the game.

- Camera not staying locked
I like to play with a fixed view that makes it look as if I'm standing in front of a real machine. So I use the option to lock the camera. However I notice that for two specific tables (maybe more?) the camera refuses to stay locked. On Cirqus Voltaire, the camera will always zoom in on the Ringmaster, even when it is "locked". And also on Bride of Pinbot, the camera will always zoom in on th Bride's face, again even when locked. This greatly detracts from the realism I am trying to create, as it is unnatural.

- Inability to set controls
I have an X-Arcade Dualstick that I want to use the side-buttons as they were intended, as pinball flippers. However I cannot currently set Pinball Arcade to anything other than the L/R buttons, and so I cannot use my X-Arcade with TPA. The option to map any button however I want would be nice.

- Camera views/angles not saving
If I play Theatre of Magic or Tales of the Arabian Nights in view #2 and then play any other table and then go back, the views need to be reset to what I had them at before.This is especially annoying because I can only change the view angle while the ball is in play. This usually causes the first ball to drain while I am changing the camera angle. I would like the camera views to save for each table.

So in closing I think these things listed would greatly improve the experience, and I do not believe they would be hard to fix, but they would have a big impact on the enjoyment of the game (at least for me).

I hope this is not sounding like a complaint post, because I do like TPA, and I want to see it improve.
I'll put on my anti-flame suit now just in case.

--Jim

 

[Heretic]

Nice points, and welcome to the funny farm jimbo

 

[Fungi]

Wow! Post number 1. Drop the mic and walk away Jim. Boom!

Btw, that camera view not saving thing... always bugged me too.

 

[shutyertrap]

Very well thought out, concise first post. Welcome Jim.

I think if you added "stop with the chimes while adding initials" you would have covered everything!

I'm don't usually lock the tables, but I experienced exactly what you are talking about on both BoP and CV. BoP I just wanted to see the light show, but can't. CV I was sick of seeing the ringmaster up close. It does seem like a true camera lock and individual table setting saves should be fairly easy adds. But then we've been asking for them for a very long while.

 

[Bonzo]

Welcome to the fold. No need for your asbestos suit

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

Welcome to this thing of ours, Jim...and I'd like to echo the comments on a great first post!

Asbestos clothing generally is not necessary here. While constructive criticism is allowed (and encouraged!) and while we do like to have an argument every once in a while, we have little patience for abuse here - if we wanted that, we'd go on TPA's Facebook page.

 

[ER777]

I like to play with a fixed view that makes it look as if I'm standing in front of a real machine.

Like everyone else said - Welcome to the forums. This is exactly how I like to play too by the way. ^^

Nice points, and welcome to the funny farm jimbo

Lol - well put.

 

[karl]

Yes. I will join the choir and give you a warm welcome. Some excellent points about things that could improve and you said it with ten times the class of the usual whining by us regulars
It is very refreshing to get a fresh perspective on things. Don't be a stranger and do not be afraid of addressing hiccups in the game

 

[Jim]

Well, I can truly say that this is the warmest welcome I have ever received on any forum. It appears I made a good choice in registering.
You know, I actually thought my opinions were rather unique, and I wasn't sure how they would be looked upon. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one who thinks that way.

Thanks again everyone. Looks like I found a good place here.

--Jim

 

[Jeff Strong]

Welcome aboard, Jim! Constructive criticism is always welcome. This sort of feedback will help make the game better for us all.

 

[smbhax]

Yeah I think many of us share your interest in having these items tweaked, Jim, and if you stick around I'm sure you'll see other people bringing them up in their own ways. I haven't seen much discussion of the lack of per-table camera angle settings, though, so that was an interesting point to bring up.

Oh and welcome to the forum! : D

 

[Fartfog]

I think it might be nice to have the option of utilizing the motion-sensing ability of the Sixaxis controller to nudge the table and then to be able to use the left stick to look up at the backglass to check your score, etc.

 

[shutyertrap]

I think it might be nice to have the option of utilizing the motion-sensing ability of the Sixaxis controller to nudge the table and then to be able to use the left stick to look up at the backglass to check your score, etc.

Considering how well that works for the tablet crowd, I think we're better off with the analogue sticks!

Perhaps the right analogue stick could do this though, when not plunging? Hmmm, probably add a whole 'nother wrinkle of problems.

 

[smbhax]

Yeah I pretty much never want to have to use the Sixaxis' motion sense for anything. : P Thankfully very few games insist on horrible "shake the controller" stuff anymore!

 

[Mark W**a]

Nice points especially the inability to configure buttons. That's an easy fix that would go a long way.

Those camera issues I believe have been brought up to Bobby King and I think fixed are on the way.

 

[Jim]

I think it might be nice to have the option of utilizing the motion-sensing ability of the Sixaxis controller to nudge the table and then to be able to use the left stick to look up at the backglass to check your score, etc.

I wouldn't want to have the motion-sense used for nudge simply because I would be tilting the table every few seconds. I'm one of those players who gets a bit rambunctious during heated games.
However I love the idea of having to look up at the back-glass to see the DMD, that would add realism... though I notice that the DMD on the back-glass in Theatre of Magic seems to just be a still image. It's not that way for every table though.


On another issue, I was interested in Star Trek: TNG, but because of the many bugs about it being discussed I wanted to try it first before buying. I know that in the Android version, all that you have to do is select the table from the list and tap Start to play the demo of the table.
When I tried this on the PS3, I could not successfully select the Start button in the menu -- even though it was there just waiting to be clicked -- as a result of that I was unable to try the demo on the PS3.

Has anyone else had this problem?

--Jim

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

I believe there is no way to demo a DLC table on the PS3 due to Sony policies regarding DLC. One of the other members with a PS3 can correct me if I'm wrong.

Also, regarding Theatre's DMD: The older tables do not have functioning backglass DMDs. That was added around DLC Pack #4 or so.

 

[smbhax]

Well, as someone else pointed out in another thread, Zen for instance has timed demos for their new Star Wars tables in Zen Pinball 2, so presumably there's *some* way to do it.

 

[shutyertrap]

Yep, I pointed that out.

Zen has you download the 'demo', which in reality is the full table. That table times out, regardless of score. When you 'purchase' the table, all you are really buying is an unlock code that installs automatically. It's like a 100kb file size, really small. As such, any score you post while using the demo table actually saves and scores you points in the grand scheme of their game.

I've said it before and I'll say it again...if FS wants to do a pinball 'package' right, from front end to team scoring to multiplayer, look no farther than Zen.

 

[Jim]

Yep, I pointed that out.

Zen has you download the 'demo', which in reality is the full table. That table times out, regardless of score. When you 'purchase' the table, all you are really buying is an unlock code that installs automatically. It's like a 100kb file size, really small. As such, any score you post while using the demo table actually saves and scores you points in the grand scheme of their game.

I've said it before and I'll say it again...if FS wants to do a pinball 'package' right, from front end to team scoring to multiplayer, look no farther than Zen.

Yes, that is really what I was expecting TPA to do as well. In-fact almost every game I have on my console operates exactly how you have described it. I see no reason why the same method of operation can not be applied to TPA, and quite frankly, I think not being able to "try before you buy" is a hindrance to potential sales.

Sure one might argue that a few dollars is not high risk, but when you consider that all PSN purchases are non-refundable, buyers are much more likely to be put-off by a purchase when there is no option to refund. I have in the past felt cheated by a few other games that I later found out were plagued with bugs, and I not being able to "return" them only made me more sore about it.

--Jim