TPA on the PS4 - First Impressions

[an ox]

I think my only major disappointment so far (apart from the subpar audio) has been Strobe Multiball on AFM. I was expecting an eyeball-blasting display from the new lighting system and in the end it's more like Darkness Multiball! I was hoping/expecting it to get like an early 90s rave in there from the name .

 

[Dumpstar]

The sound makes it very hard to play. Tables look good, though it was taking forever to download the tables, and I don't like that you do them individually. I would like an area like the mobile versions that you can download all the tables you haven't got yet (Manage tables), or check for updates if they have just changed the version of a table.

 

[Jeff Strong]

I've found that the tables that have the darkest areas in the middle look best with the lighting set to neutral instead of dark. This reduces the distracting dark area and makes the ball easier to see when it passes through while preserving most of the effects of the light show.



The first thing that I do when I get a new TV is turn off all the picture processing that I can. Then I calibrate it. If you like to watch movies on bluray and you want to watch the movie the way the director and cinematographer intended, then all picture processing off is the correct place to start. Everything that the tv does to the picture after it gets the signal from the HDMI cable takes it one step away from that ideal. This also has the added benefit of reducing screen lag.

On a TV that gives you a lot of control you can turn off more individually than might be turned off with just the gaming mode. On a TV that tries to control stuff for you then the best you might be able to do is put the tv in gaming mode.

Good advice.

 

[an ox]

The sound makes it very hard to play. Tables look good, though it was taking forever to download the tables, and I don't like that you do them individually. I would like an area like the mobile versions that you can download all the tables you haven't got yet (Manage tables), or check for updates if they have just changed the version of a table.

It seems like it does after all download all the tables automagically. I installed the game and bought season 1 and the first two or three times I selected a non-free table it took an age to download. Then suddenly all the tables were there. I guess it starts downloading them all, possibly prioritises one if you select it before it's downloaded and that seems slow going in parallel with the bulk download, but after a while they are just all there. Could be better signalled what's going on with some download progress bars or something.

 

[jrolson]

Yeah, I think they automatically download in the background when you buy the season pack.

 

[Dinosaur Toy]

Yeah, I think they automatically download in the background when you buy the season pack.

They are. In fact it causes a bit of a visible error message sometimes - buy the season pack, and the PS4 download list is populated by every individual numbered pack. If they pile up too fast it may even show and error and say they can't download. But in reality the 2+ gigs of data for the entire base game plus season pack is downloading in the background.

As a reminder for PS4 users, you can check the current installed size of a game, and its background streaming download status, by highlighting the game on the main menu and pressing the Option button. Then select Information. You should see the total size of the game, plus a live update in megabytes if the game is still pulling down files. The PS4 is set up differently from the PS3. In most cases the games must have a section you can launch and begin to play while the rest of the game continues to download. Pinball Arcade works this way. Once the base data for TOTAN is down you can launch it and play TOTAN. If you go to any other table you will see a progress bar for the download of the table. Similar to the progress bar in the mobile versions when downloading a trial for a new table. Farsight just re-used that UI for the PS4's play-while-downloading capability.

 

[smbhax]

As a reminder for PS4 users, you can check the current installed size of a game, and its background streaming download status, by highlighting the game on the main menu and pressing the Option button. Then select Information. You should see the total size of the game, plus a live update in megabytes if the game is still pulling down files. The PS4 is set up differently from the PS3. In most cases the games must have a section you can launch and begin to play while the rest of the game continues to download. Pinball Arcade works this way. Once the base data for TOTAN is down you can launch it and play TOTAN. If you go to any other table you will see a progress bar for the download of the table. Similar to the progress bar in the mobile versions when downloading a trial for a new table. Farsight just re-used that UI for the PS4's play-while-downloading capability.

I did not know that, that's pretty keen.

~~~~~~~~

- Hadn't noticed this before, and it wasn't there in the PS3 version I'm pretty sure, but if you click the X button while you have the ball skin selector highlighted on a table's Extras menu, a ball skin-buying interface comes up. Or at least it tries to--I got all the skins with the Pro bundle so I just get a message saying I already have them all. In theory though some sort of store interface would come up?

- I'm finding that the blue/aqua ball skin is a bit easier to see than the default silver when the ball is in the shadowy parts of tables played in the dark. : ) EDIT: And green's pretty good too; definitely better than the blue one for HD, which has a lot of blue on the playfield.

- I love the eyes on the skull in Party Monsters, how they indicate how many balls are locked, and well just blink and all that stuff. Couldn't see that at all in the PS3 version. : )

 

[brakel]

They are. In fact it causes a bit of a visible error message sometimes - buy the season pack, and the PS4 download list is populated by every individual numbered pack. If they pile up too fast it may even show and error and say they can't download. But in reality the 2+ gigs of data for the entire base game plus season pack is downloading in the background.

As a reminder for PS4 users, you can check the current installed size of a game, and its background streaming download status, by highlighting the game on the main menu and pressing the Option button. Then select Information. You should see the total size of the game, plus a live update in megabytes if the game is still pulling down files. The PS4 is set up differently from the PS3. In most cases the games must have a section you can launch and begin to play while the rest of the game continues to download. Pinball Arcade works this way. Once the base data for TOTAN is down you can launch it and play TOTAN. If you go to any other table you will see a progress bar for the download of the table. Similar to the progress bar in the mobile versions when downloading a trial for a new table. Farsight just re-used that UI for the PS4's play-while-downloading capability.

Actually the tables don't download when you buy the season or individual packs. The full tables are contained in the free base game. Besides having TotAN completely free in the base game it also lets you play until the first high score on all of the season one tables. When you buy the season or individual tables it just unlocks the appropriate tables in the base game.

 

[PiN WiZ]

Don't know if anyone has noticed, but many audio samples that were previously missing from many of the tables have been implemented into the PS4 version. The next time you play a table, listen a bit closer and you'll see what I'm talking about.

 

[NeedleBanger]

I am one of the most thorough & harsh critics around, and I honestly haven't found a single thing I hate about TPA. I'm kinda saving the tables I haven't seen on 360 for later, but the upgrade to Funhouse is amazing!! I had a game that lasted 15 minutes or something!! Such a good little game, it's so good at what it does.

 

[smbhax]

Don't know if anyone has noticed, but many audio samples that were previously missing from many of the tables have been implemented into the PS4 version. The next time you play a table, listen a bit closer and you'll see what I'm talking about.

I suck at this! Any hints? : D

 

[wolfson]

PiN WiZ I`m picking up a lot more on the audio. I think because the volume is down a little , we are able to pick up all the extras.it is fantastic, what a great job FARSIGHT have made. thankyou very very much !!!!

 

[xAzatothx]

Don't know if anyone has noticed, but many audio samples that were previously missing from many of the tables have been implemented into the PS4 version. The next time you play a table, listen a bit closer and you'll see what I'm talking about.

does this also apply to steam version? I've only really played MM - but noticed a few samples I'd not heard on the 360 version.

 

[PiN WiZ]

does this also apply to steam version? I've only really played MM - but noticed a few samples I'd not heard on the 360 version.

Yes, the Steam version should have the additional audio samples as well. I'll give everyone a bit more time to hunt down the new samples before I begin listing some of them.

 

[Rafie]

Yes, the Steam version should have the additional audio samples as well. I'll give everyone a bit more time to hunt down the new samples before I begin listing some of them.

Pin Wiz, the only audio I've noticed so far is Rudy calling me "Chuck" now. He didn't do that on the PS3 and/or 360 version. Now I'm going to turn my game back on and try to listen for more.

 

[brakel]

Don't know if anyone has noticed, but many audio samples that were previously missing from many of the tables have been implemented into the PS4 version. The next time you play a table, listen a bit closer and you'll see what I'm talking about.

I think we heard one in MM. Upon rescuing one of the princesses she asks "Where have you been!?!"

 

[Tann]

I think we heard one in MM. Upon rescuing one of the princesses she asks "Where have you been!?!"

I can say I heard this one many times on the PS3 version. Try again.

 

[Dumpstar]

Yeah, I think they automatically download in the background when you buy the season pack.

I think it was just the dialog which said downloading table 1 of 1 which threw me. Cause it took so long I didn't play any other tables. It was only later that I realised that all the tables were available.

It doesn't have any integration with the HOF points like the mobile versions? And personally I would prefer it if just had highscore lists for the PS4, nothing else. The tables feel like they play differently to the iOS ones in most cases, and I feel it's an unfair comparison.

 

[phreaker47]

Pin Wiz, the only audio I've noticed so far is Rudy calling me "Chuck" now. He didn't do that on the PS3 and/or 360 version. Now I'm going to turn my game back on and try to listen for more.

Not new. The PS3 version always called you "Biff" but only because the ROM is always in the same predefined state. If you play more games in succession, you'll hear all the other names, including "Chucky".

They definitely have NOT added the missing sounds from BK.

 

[smbhax]

- Man, the plastic edges around the R1/L1 triggers are kinda sharp compared to the PS3. Oh my achin' index fingers : p

- I don't remember the "Goal 5 Completed" or whatever messages being quite so distracting in the PS3 version; maybe it's just because I'm playing in Dark mode, but in this version the way they appear in big bold white lettering RIGHT OVER THE FLIPPERS AND CENTER DRAIN o) is incredibly distracting and has caused me to come close to losing balls several times. : pp