Tables and prices policy of FS

[Patrick]

Hi guys.

I know that pinball fans are various. I am in the category of players who really doesn't like old tables with only 3 things to do. Perhaps because I am only 36 years old.
The problem is that, now, I don't have the choice. Before it was different, I could choose wich table I wanted to buy. Now I must buy the pack. Why??? Because the sales of old tables were to low? (I think it is this but not sure). So, I pay for tables I will play 2 times! The last old table space shuttle is a bit more interesting than some others, hopefully. 50 tables are planned, a pity (for me) that only 25 will be "recent" tables.
But everybody deserves tables he likes, so it is ok. But I would like to be free to buy only the newer!!!

 

[crazyflipperfingers]

Hi guys.

I know that pinball fans are various. I am in the category of players who really doesn't like old tables with only 3 things to do. Perhaps because I am only 36 years old.
The problem is that, now, I don't have the choice. Before it was different, I could choose wich table I wanted to buy. Now I must buy the pack. Why??? Because the sales of old tables were to low? (I think it is this but not sure). So, I pay for tables I will play 2 times! The last old table space shuttle is a bit more interesting than some others, hopefully. 50 tables are planned, a pity (for me) that only 25 will be "recent" tables.
But everybody deserves tables he likes, so it is ok. But I would like to be free to buy only the newer!!!

This has been discussed here many times. If you were to just ignore the second table you get in a pack, is $5 really too much to spend for 1 table? IMO, no. I think $5 for a single table is still a great deal.

 

[Patrick]

The question is : why was it possible before? I was more honnest IMO.

 

[MontanaFrank]

Hi guys.

I know that pinball fans are various. I am in the category of players who really doesn't like old tables with only 3 things to do. Perhaps because I am only 36 years old.
The problem is that, now, I don't have the choice. Before it was different, I could choose wich table I wanted to buy. Now I must buy the pack. Why??? Because the sales of old tables were to low? (I think it is this but not sure). So, I pay for tables I will play 2 times! The last old table space shuttle is a bit more interesting than some others, hopefully. 50 tables are planned, a pity (for me) that only 25 will be "recent" tables.
But everybody deserves tables he likes, so it is ok. But I would like to be free to buy only the newer!!!

I think five dollars for two real life pinball machines that have been faithfully reproduced into video form is super inexpensive.

That's is $2.50 a table. I ask you to go find one of the real pinball machines you like to play in TPA. and spend a couple hours playing the machine and then compare that to the $4.99 you would pay for two TPA tables. I am sure you'll find TPA as a excellent value.

 

[Jeff Strong]

The question is : why was it possible before? I was more honnest IMO.

Probably because it's simply better for sales this way. They need to make a profit in order to continue cranking out all these pins.

But yeah, as others have said, it's only an extra $2.50. That's dirt cheap.

 

[nepo]

50 tables are planned

"Only" 50 tables are planned? What happens after they are released within TPA?

TOPIC: OK, not ideal - I agree. But the prices are really good I think - compared to the real pins, of course. I think of it to support Farsight a bit extra if I buy a table pack which contains a table I don't like. On the other side playing all these classics isn't a bad idea after all in my oppinion!

 

[Jeff Strong]

"Only" 50 tables are planned? What happens after they are released within TPA?

As long as TPA remains profitable, they will continue to release new tables. So keep buying them, and they'll keep making more.

 

[Patrick]

I have always supported FS. I have bought all tables, except big shot, plus 50 and 30$ for kickstarters!
But I don't understand why the choice has gone...

 

[Jeff Strong]

But I don't understand why the choice has gone...

Check a couple posts up:

Probably because it's simply better for sales this way. They need to make a profit in order to continue cranking out all these pins.

 

[Patrick]

Probably because it's simply better for sales this way. They need to make a profit in order to continue cranking out all these pins.

I think it was this, yes. (Just seen your answer ;-) )
Anyway, I love playing on my ipad. Grats to FS. I hope some ligntning improvements and it will be the perfection!

 

[Gord Lacey]

It may have also had to do with there being different prices for different tables. It wasn't $2.50/table, it was usually one for $2.99, and the other for $1.99, but sometimes $3.99 and $0.99. Making a pack allows them to budget better, and it's less accounting to worry about.

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

Packaging might also have been needed to keep the Gottlieb licensors happy, as their tables are older, simpler and usually are the "B" table in their packs. People who prefer modern machines may have been skipping over them in favor of the "A" tables alone (which would have been Scared Stiff, Attack from Mars, and Cactus Canyon).

 

[canuck]

So, 50 tables at $2.50 each is $125...that is cheap entertainment!

 

[nepo]

As long as TPA remains profitable, they will continue to release new tables. So keep buying them, and they'll keep making more.

Thanks for the info! Glad to hear there is no hard table limit!

 

[Bowflex]

Another take is you get 2 tables for $5...in many cases you dont love or maybe don't want the second table. You did buy it so why not give it a chance? It may grow on you. There are actually a few tables I wasn't crazy about when I first got them but they have become tables I do play regularly and enjoy now.

 

[Worf]

The reason for this isn't protecting profits $1 at a time. It's because otherwise there would be a ton of buttons offering every choice you can have.

There are three things you could buy - the old table, the new table, the pro pack. The available purchasing options would be:
1) old table only
2) new table only
3) old and new table
4) new pro table only
5) old and new pro table

Add this to the two buttons that are also possible:
6) Play free version
7) Cancel

Now tell me how you're going to have all of these options and varying pricing schemes (because you get discounts when you buy them together). users will get HORRENDOUSLY confused and wonder what the differences are.

Plus, it also means they have to test and offer these various combinations. So the code that determines which tables you own now has to accommodate various combinations as each is considered a separate purchase. (And nevermind it might be possible to purchase multiple packs by accident).

It's a nice to have, but a UI nightmare.

 

[canuck]

Also, they make more money if two people buy the $5 combo pack, than two people buying individual old tables for $1.99 each or two newer tables at 3.99 each.

 

[weirdingway]

If the old tables aren't selling then instead of cramming them down our throats to get to the newer ones they should just work on the tables that DO sell. The popular requests are obvious and if they can kickstart games like Star Trek and TZ, I'm sure they can get some rolling for Indiana Jones and Addams Family. Then naturally there are loads others that can't be that hard to license (like High Speed II and Junkyard).

They can always release old school pins in their own pack for the people who like those if they think the demand is there. Otherwise, don't do it. It's common business sense.

http://www.ipdb.org/lists.cgi?anonymously=true&list=top300

See the lists? Keep left side pins in their own pack and right side pins in their own pack. If the right side packs (Mechanical) don't sell then continue to focus on the left side pins (Electrical).

Personally I respect the mechanical pins but actually I only prefer to play them in real life (went to an old school arcade con in Phoenix recently that had a bunch of pins of both types) in order to get that "So this is what pinball used to be like" feeling but I can easily get over the lack of actually touching a pin with the electrical kind. Basically mechanical pins to me are only fun mechanically (a physical pin) and electrical pins fit just fine with something electrical (your device playing TPA).

 

[brakel]

Its electronic not electrical. They're all electrical.

If the old tables aren't selling then instead of cramming them down our throats to get to the newer ones they should just work on the tables that DO sell. The popular requests are obvious and if they can kickstart games like Star Trek and TZ, I'm sure they can get some rolling for Indiana Jones and Addams Family. Then naturally there are loads others that can't be that hard to license (like High Speed II and Junkyard).

They can always release old school pins in their own pack for the people who like those if they think the demand is there. Otherwise, don't do it. It's common business sense.

http://www.ipdb.org/lists.cgi?anonymously=true&list=top300

See the lists? Keep left side pins in their own pack and right side pins in their own pack. If the right side packs (Mechanical) don't sell then continue to focus on the left side pins (Electrical).

Personally I respect the mechanical pins but actually I only prefer to play them in real life (went to an old school arcade con in Phoenix recently that had a bunch of pins of both types) in order to get that "So this is what pinball used to be like" feeling but I can easily get over the lack of actually touching a pin with the electrical kind. Basically mechanical pins to me are only fun mechanically (a physical pin) and electrical pins fit just fine with something electrical (your device playing TPA).

 

[superballs]

It's not "common business sense".

Common business sense would be to package tables in a way to maximize sales.

Releasing a pack of tables that will only sell marginally is not "common business sense" a popular table and a less popular table is a much better idea.

The majority of the feedback that I've seen is that usually the "less popular" of the tables ends up being very well received anyway. Take Big Shot/Scared Stiff for example. I bought the pack, played one game of Scared Stiff and then Big Shot (which I'd never played before ever) for the next 2 months almost exclusively.

Quite frankly, if they change their entire business model every time someone complains about it they would have to change it every month and every release.

It is my honest but not so humble opinion that if you skip a pack because you aren't excited about one of the tables, really it's your loss. The new tables are always increasing in quality and the revisited tables are always pleasant to revisit.