Table Pack 16: Flight 2000 and Goin' Nuts!

[night]

Or do you become greater than you ever thought? Maybe get spit out in another sector of the galaxy or travel back in time? theoretical physics are awesome to think about!

The Disney flick The Black Hole was very hopeful, they made it to the other end. I always trust Disney movies.

 

[brakel]

I realized a while ago why theme and technology (EM, SS, DMD) do not matter to me when it comes to pinball with one exception. And that exception gives me an understanding of why theme and technology matter to other people. I'm not sure that I can explain this right but I'll try. When I play a pinball machine there's only one factor that influences my enjoyment and that is game flow. Every table has game flow. Some of it good, some bad and a few excellent. There are many sub factors involved in game flow but one of the most important is the layout of targets and how those targets lead to a goal or set of goals. Everything on a table that the ball can hit that will generate points and/or lead toward the goal or goals, is a target. So a bulls eye target, a drop down, a ramp, pop bumper, a toy are all examples of targets. It is these collections of targets and their goals that make up a good portion of game flow. However, in my mind it makes no difference if the target that I am shooting at is a spinner, a troll, a ramp or a ball lock. It is all just aiming the ball and flipping the flipper. What makes the difference between good game flow and great game flow however is highly subjective. In my opinion none of the pinball machines selected for TPA have bad game flow and several of them have excellent game flow.

I think some people put the theme and technology of the table ahead of game flow. They might judge a machine by its game flow but will only try machines of a certain kind or won't try machines with a certain theme. I will play any game, any theme and I have favorites that are EM, SS and DMD. My only exception is Elvis themed pinball machines. I just won't play them. I just dislike Elvis that much. No disrespect for Elvis fans. More power to you. He's just not for me.

While I can understand narrowing your choices of pinball machines that you will play I think most people could broaden their pinball enjoyment if they looked at game play first and other factors second.

 

[androidlove]

While I can understand narrowing your choices of pinball machines that you will play I think most people could broaden their pinball enjoyment if they looked at game play first and other factors second.

Honestly, I give all the tables a try. I want more tables. I have Creature and Theater of Magic because of the themes. However, I passed on Flight 2000, because putting a ball in a hole does not a table make.

 

[androidlove]

Here is a list of my PA tables with "flow" and "theme" indicators. Flow is important. However, if the flow is mundane to me, I might still play the table based on theme. If the flow is absent to me, even theme can't save it. Notice I have Scared Stiff but not Elvira and the Party Monsters.

Arabian Nights - flow and theme
Big Shot - flow
Black Hole - flow and theme
Black Night - theme
Bride of Pin Bot - flow and theme
Centaur - flow and theme
Cirqus Voltaire -theme
Creature - theme
Dr Dude - theme
Firepower - flow and theme
FunHouse - flow and theme
Medieval Madness - flow and theme
Pin Bot - flow and theme
Scared Stiff - theme
Star Trek - flow and theme
Taxi - flow and theme
Theatre of Magic - theme

 

[Tabe]

i dont dislike harley davidson. there i said it.

I rather like Harley Davidson. It's terrible-looking but I enjoy playing it.

my least favourite by a country mile is genie

Same here. Hate everything about that table.

 

[Pinballfan69]

Everyone has personal preferences in what type of tables they like. I love tables that have some form of Multiball. The generic EM tables like Central Park, Big Shot, Genie, even Gorgar are boring to me regardless of theme. After trying the Demo of both tables on my SGS3 I will definitely buy the pack when it comes out on the PS3. Goin' Nutts is interesting and has MB from the start. Flight 2000 isn't too bad and I like the idea of hitting the drop targets in descending order for the ability to lock the balls for MB. It gives the table it's theme IMO.

Again Personal choice. I will give every table a try. All I know is that there will probably be a table I won't care for and play at all but there will definitely be a pack that has a table that I will enjoy playing. Well... Maybe the only table I will skip is Adams Family ducks begin rock I really don't see the allure of this table. I've played it. It's at Castles and Coasters in AZ and I don't care for it. I hear there that FS is aggressively looking to license the table.

 

[heddhunter]

Everyone has personal preferences in what type of tables they like. I love tables that have some form of Multiball. The generic EM tables like Central Park, Big Shot, Genie, even Gorgar are boring to me regardless of theme.

Not to be pedantic (too late!) but the only EMs are Central Park and Big Shot. Genie and Gorgar are SS (solid state). You can tell by the fact that they have LED score displays instead of score reels, and they have electronic (synthesized) sounds. EMs have chimes (bells) and score reels.

Maybe the only table I will skip is Adams Family ducks begin rock I really don't see the allure of this table. I've played it. It's at Castles and Coasters in AZ and I don't care for it. I hear there that FS is aggressively looking to license the table.

I'm not a giant fan of Addams Family but I'll buy it eventually. I'll probably skip the Kickstarter though.

 

[StarDust4Ever]

Or do you become greater than you ever thought? Maybe get spit out in another sector of the galaxy or travel back in time? theoretical physics are awesome to think about!

Travel back in time only to get eaten by Dinosaurs ala Jurassic Park? Im in!

with me not buying this months pack is more a matter of principle than the actual money. i think its really poor show to have 2 tables together that are as old as these ones are, and i especially disagree with goin nuts inclusion as it wasnt even a table that was commercially released at the time. for me while flight 2000 isnt a *bad* table its in no way substantial enough to be the main table in a pack, and as a customer the only real way i can show my dissatisfaction is by not buying it, so thats what im doing. instead i spent the money on a couple of zen tables, which i will get way more play out of than these 2 (and thats something i never thought id find myself saying...)

as far as the argument goes about it paying for itself after 5 goes, well i wouldnt put any money into a goin nuts machine and would only consider doing so to flight 2000 if it was the only machine i had the option of playing on.

basically if these 2 tables had been released in separate packs alongside more appealing main tables, i wouldnt have had a problem (i would still dislike goin nuts, but it wouldnt be an issue for me), but together? nah, im not having it.

You dislike this table pack and voted with your money by spending elsewhere. I decided Goin' Nuts was a fun table and decided to vote with my money buy buying it. One man boycotts are rarely successful, ya know! As for me, I haven't tried Flight2000 yet but am looking forward to devoting a good solid couple of hours to it. In fact, my panties are getting wet with anticipation! <--Okay that was totally a joke btw...

 

[djrobx]

Here is a list of my PA tables with "flow" and "theme" indicators. Flow is important. However, if the flow is mundane to me, I might still play the table based on theme. If the flow is absent to me, even theme can't save it.

I think you're missing the "adventure" aspect of modern pinball machines.

For example, there's a certain excitement when you get good enough to see a mode like "lost in the zone" on Twilight Zone or "touring the mansion" on The Addams Family. Modern ROM-based machines generally have more combinations of goals and outcomes to explore. On an old EM, I can pretty much see everything that could happen, there's not much element of mystery.

I almost never play video games for purely for a high score. I'm usually more interested in accomplishing tasks and not losing/draining/dying.

 

[StarDust4Ever]

On an old EM, I can pretty much see everything that could happen, there's not much element of mystery.

I almost never play video games for purely for a high score. I'm usually more interested in accomplishing tasks and not losing/draining/dying.

I'm fine with more EMs releasing on TPA, especially with gameplay on par with Big Shot. Games are over faster usually, but they are no less engaging. You simply play more games as a result. Also the 5-ball mode is a nice touch to extend the games as well.

 

[androidlove]

I think you're missing the "adventure" aspect of modern pinball machines.

For example, there's a certain excitement when you get good enough to see a mode like "lost in the zone" on Twilight Zone

I experience the adventure. I get lost in the game. I just don't like Twilight Zone.

 

[Rudy Yagov]

I realized a while ago why theme and technology (EM, SS, DMD)

DMD is SS. I don't get why people keep thinking it's something else.

 

[Kolchak357]

I think he is just differentiating between early and later SS (using the DMD to separate the eras).

 

[DaPinballWizard]

Honestly, I give all the tables a try. I want more tables. I have Creature and Theater of Magic because of the themes. However, I passed on Flight 2000, because putting a ball in a hole does not a table make.

You give ALL tables a try, yet the one you choose to not try is Flight 2000? Ok. If I could have one table only, it would be Flight 2000. Even if I had to pay $100 or more for it. To each his own. But why single out Flight 2000 if you "give all tables a try"?

 

[Rudy Yagov]

I think he is just differentiating between early and later SS (using the DMD to separate the eras).

You can split up SS into way more than just two eras.

Numeric, Alphanumeric, DMD, Pin2K, LCD...

 

[Kolchak357]

You can split up SS into way more than just two eras.

Numeric, Alphanumeric, DMD, Pin2K, LCD...

I get what you're saying. I'm just guessing he didn't want to get into that much detail.

My buddy calls them old and new style. I never know what he's talking about. Drives me nuts. You would have a fit talking with him.

 

[androidlove]

You give ALL tables a try, yet the one you choose to not try is Flight 2000?

I'm not sure how you got the impression that I didn't demo the table.

 

[smbhax]

Not to be pedantic (too late!) but the only EMs are Central Park and Big Shot. Genie and Gorgar are SS (solid state). You can tell by the fact that they have LED score displays instead of score reels, and they have electronic (synthesized) sounds. EMs have chimes (bells) and score reels.

There were some in a sort of in-between phase with LED displays but still chimes and bells--Stern Electronics' "Stars" (1978), for instance (and that one was, I think, their last one before moving to electronic sounds).

 

[DaPinballWizard]

Actually forgot about the demos. I buy them all instantly. No need to demo.

 

[brakel]

DMD is SS. I don't get why people keep thinking it's something else.

Those were three examples of how pinball machines are categorized by technology. I was not trying to imply anything else.