TPA versus your average Real Life Machine

[Matt McIrvin]

Keep in mind, too, that one of the most common things that happens when a machine wears out is that the flipper solenoids get weak, to the point that the machine seems superficially functional but it's simply impossible to make many shots, especially ramp shots. It can get pretty fast-draining when that happens!

 

[brakel]

Outside of the Pinball Hall of Fame in Vegas I rarely come across a machine in the wild where it is possible to hit every shot. Flippers are usually a little weak or a little sticky. Some owners will compensate by reducing the angle of the table but that can have its own problems like making things too bouncy.

 

[Kolchak357]

The Pinball Gallery in Downingtown has Spider-Man. They also have a Wizard of Oz on order. They're currently closed till February while moving to a new location. They will be merged with an ice cream shop just a couple blocks away.

I still haven't been down there. Maybe I can get my wife to go with me if I bribe her with ice cream.

 

[SpiffyRob]

I still haven't been down there. Maybe I can get my wife to go with me if I bribe her with ice cream.

Definitely check it out when it reopens. The owner is really cool and keeps his machines in great shape. They rotate stuff in and out with some regularity. They also had a Shrek when I was there right before they closed down.

In Philly there's North Bowl, which has an AC/DC Pro (that has issues with the ball search making it kind of unplayable) 24, and Avatar.

 

[Sumez]

But if you haven't played real pinball in awhile and are very accustomed to TPA or especially Zen, then yes, real pinball is going to seem harder because it is...but that has more to do with the fact that virtual pinball is just easier, and less to do with the design of the pinball machines.

Yes, they are easier. But more importantly, I think, they are different.
No matter how great you do at virtual pinball, there's a limit how much it will help you with a real pinball game. They may look alike, but are entirely different things. It's possible to rule supreme at virtual pinball, while still not being able to get anywhere on a real table.
Coming the other (more traditional) way around though, I think being good at real tables will help you immensely off the bat when you're playing TPA. There's just more to real tables, really. More physics, more surprises, more challenges, but also more helpful expert-tricks that you can perform, such as live catches and better control of the flipper.

 

[Jeff Strong]

Yes, they are easier. But more importantly, I think, they are different.
No matter how great you do at virtual pinball, there's a limit how much it will help you with a real pinball game. They may look alike, but are entirely different things. It's possible to rule supreme at virtual pinball, while still not being able to get anywhere on a real table.
Coming the other (more traditional) way around though, I think being good at real tables will help you immensely off the bat when you're playing TPA. There's just more to real tables, really. More physics, more surprises, more challenges, but also more helpful expert-tricks that you can perform, such as live catches and better control of the flipper.

Well said.

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

No matter how great you do at virtual pinball, there's a limit how much it will help you with a real pinball game.

It will help with learning the rules and finding the general vicinity of shots on an unfamiliar table. Beyond that, it really won't make much of a difference.

For a demonstration, consult your local Twilight Zone table.

 

[Richard B]

It will help with learning the rules and finding the general vicinity of shots on an unfamiliar table. Beyond that, it really won't make much of a difference.

For a demonstration, consult your local Twilight Zone table.

I've got to disagree. I've become a lot better at real pinball after playing a lot of TPA and VP.

 

[Sumez]

I certainly haven't.

 

[monty22001]

A big thing, to me, is flipper strength. They seem stronger on virtual tables. By a lot. Makes the real ones a lot harder on distance/ramp shots.

 

[Sumez]

A lot of real tables probably have old coils in bad shape, or EOS (end-of-stroke) switches that aren't aligned properly (meaning the strong shot gets interrupted before the flipper reaches the extent of its reach), if the owner isn't keeping them in good shape, which would be one reason you see a lot of flippers that aren't as strong on real life tables.

 

[dtown8532]

It will help with learning the rules and finding the general vicinity of shots on an unfamiliar table. Beyond that, it really won't make much of a difference.

For a demonstration, consult your local Twilight Zone table.

Learning the rules of a game allows one to concentrate on shots rather than just keeping the ball alive so, in that respect, I have improved my real life game. It's also taught me that I don't always need to flip.

 

[monty22001]

Learning the rules of a game allows one to concentrate on shots rather than just keeping the ball alive so, in that respect, I have improved my real life game. It's also taught me that I don't always need to flip.

That's one thing I agree on for sure! I used to just flip away when I was young, now I let the kickbacks hit the flipper and can do catches. The shots on the ones I tried were a bit harder and I think the weaker flippers are to blame mostly. However, there's also a bit more stress and excitement. It feels like I want to flip sooner than to risk rolling into the drain for the wide shots.

 

[Sumez]

Well, learning that you don't always have to flip doesn't take more than someone saying "You don't always have to flip". Of course, you do learn some basics of ball control from TPA, but as long as you're getting used to ball physics that, despite that fact that they're still the best I've seen in any pinball game, are still very far removed from real life pinballs, it's not going to take you far until you spend as much time with a real table as you did with the virtual ones.
Honestly, I can see TPA causing an increase in pinball sales in the future.

 

[dtown8532]

Well, learning that you don't always have to flip doesn't take more than someone saying "You don't always have to flip". Of course, you do learn some basics of ball control from TPA, but as long as you're getting used to ball physics that, despite that fact that they're still the best I've seen in any pinball game, are still very far removed from real life pinballs, it's not going to take you far until you spend as much time with a real table as you did with the virtual ones.
Honestly, I can see TPA causing an increase in pinball sales in the future.

Sure, someone can say that but, it's not so easy when you're popping money into a machine and worried about the risk of losing that precious ball.

 

[DrainoBraino]

The main difference is the physicality of the real thing. You gotta slam, nudge, bounce, *FLIP*, jiggle, clutch, and BANG the machine around if you want to get high scores.

Virtual pinball will help in many ways, but only to a certain level. It has definitely helped my game over the years.. But, when you want to be good on the real machine, you have to play the real machine.

 

[shutyertrap]

I find on real tables I have a hard time viewing the entire playfield like I'm used to with virtual. I'm also less prone to experiment with ball bounces IRL than virtual (probably 'cause of the money factor!).

 

[Bass Mummy]

I had the chance to play a Funhouse and an Addams Family last summer. Even though the Funhouse machine was very beat up and the flippers were weak the very fact that I knew the rules thanks to playing it on the Williams Hall of Fame collection meant that I performed much better. There is certainly something to be said for simply learning to rules of a table, whether it's thanks to a virtual table or no.

 

[Punisher]

TPA seems to be considerably easier than normal tables, in my opinion. It could be considered to be good training, so you can wow others when you manage to beat the wizard mode on the real table that are watching you. I mean, I beat the Grand Finale in ToM, something I never did before on the real table.

 

[shutyertrap]

Well, there is no doubt that if I ever come across a RIBION I'll actually be able to attempt a decent score as I understand in theory what to do. It'd still be hard though, since I doubt the bounces I can count on happening repetitively in TPA would translate to real life. But that is a table where knowing the rules is 3/4 of the battle.