Thoughts on improving OS X integration

[bonch]

Presumably, platform-agnostic issues like the sizing of interface elements, the lack of a Quit button, and other console elements that don't quite fit well on the desktop will be addressed for both Mac and PC eventually. Additionally, there are a few Mac-specific features Farsight might consider taking advantage of for improved OS X integration.

- Multi-track gesture support for plunging/nudging via the MacBook trackpad, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad. Some examples might be two-finger dragging to pull a plunger, tapping to press a digital plunger, swiping to nudge in a given direction, and so on.

- iCloud syncing of high scores and configuration settings, which would benefit the iOS versions as well, for those of us hopelessly addicted enough to buy PA more than once.

- Window restoration support so OS X will automatically remember window size and fullscreen settings.

- Mountain Lion has some mentionable features not covered by NDA, like Game Center and native Twitter/Facebook integration. The built-in Flickr sharing would be great for high score screenshots, and hey--maybe some in-game recording someday using AV Foundation and the native Vimeo support, so that people like me could upload their amateur drain videos to the same site where PAPA's professional tournament footage is hosted. I can dream.

- Updated icon so that it's not a sharp square. I think it would look great if it was just the ball and logo in front of a transparent background. By law, Mac users must fret over trivial design details.

 

[rivalschools]

I agree on the lack of "desktop" oriented menu functions for the interface, though it's understandable.

- Options to remap keys (z and / for nudge just doesn't feel "right" to me, if I could move them up/down a row, that'd be awesome), and a dedicated pause key would be awesome.

- Fix the unable to nudge + flip at the same time issue.

- Agreed on the icon, on my Android phone, the Monster Bash icon looks sweet, just use those...

- Flippers still feel "slow," overly animated, or not "snappy" compared to a halfway decently maintained real table; sudden flips lag enough to catch the ball on the outer tip of the flipper rubber, causing it to drain. I feel like the flipper motions in PA are like a drawbridge raising compared to a real table, though this would have to be a cross platform-wide change to keep scores comparable...or perhaps it's done purposely to compensate for devices with slower processors, I dunno.

 

[night]

I only run TPA on my iPad, does it look the same in OSX or has it the 'console' look, better graphics and lighting?

 

[bonch]

It currently looks like the iOS version, which is understandable since it was probably simpler to port.

 

[rivalschools]

Dang, another round of DLC announced, and still no updates for the Mac side. The only ray of sunshine is that the 360 guys are still waiting on theirs, but...Monster Bash!!

*patiently waiting with moneys*

 

[mmmagnetic]

Dang, another round of DLC announced, and still no updates for the Mac side. The only ray of sunshine is that the 360 guys are still waiting on theirs, but...Monster Bash!!

*patiently waiting with moneys*

As an owner of a Mac Mini and a 360, this made a single, bitter tear roll down my jaded face

360 version looks and controlls great but has only 4 tables, Mac version looks dull and bland like the iOS version and hasn't even gamepad support, iPad version is frustrating to play with only touch input... And PHOF has floaty physics. At least being able to play Whirlwind, Gofers and Taxi numbs the pain a bit