What is a "Pro" Table?

[kcpinballfan]

My gameroom isn't that great yet but I just moved into my house recently and am starting to really concentrate on building my collection. I have room for at least 20 pins and if I added my sub basement and garage I could do 40-50 total but the sub basement is gonna be my theater room and ill worry about room for pins when I cross that bridge. Next pin to be added is Skit-B's Predator when it's finished. And to get this thread back on track, I agree with what you are saying and I like TPA also just not happy they are charging for an operators menu. I think one of my main complaints about the game is a lack of options, but that doesn't mean I won't buy the games.

 

[jaredmorgs]

Well, you don't need the options in the pro menu - you can get by without them (it's just like how TPA was before this update, after all). You can also consider it a cheap way to disable tilt if you don't want to earn the wizard goals (disabling tilt cancels any high score entry).

It's really more for hardcore pin players - if you're casual, you won't gain anything (and you really ought to have a copy of the manual with you when configuring the options).

For me, I wanted to find out about the damn dot.

Ahh, the dot. The thing that makes an operator's heart sink, and their toolbox open.

The dot after the credit indicator tells the operator that there is something that needs attention on the machine.

When the coin door is opened, and you press the Enter Menu button, the list of machine faults will display on the DMD or alphanumeric display.

 

[Worf]

The dot?

On iOS, MOST of the Williams/Bally tables have the "dot". It's the little dot beside the credits (it says "Credits 0." or "Free Play."). This is a Williams feature that lets the operator know if there's something wrong with the table by quickly looking at the DMD. If there's nothing wrong (perfectly functioning table) there is no dot and you just see "Credits 0" or "Free Play".

It only shows up on iOS - Android and Xbox I don't see it.

 

[Dan]

They may have taken the "please take my money"-phrase a while ago a bit too literally...

 

[brakel]

You could look at it this way. With the basic game they gave you the experience of playing the tables anytime you want to on free play. Like you bought a life time membership at an arcade but you have to pay by the table. With the pro version they are expanding that experience to you owning the table or arcade.

I also don't think this is a cash grab. Its going to take more man hours to implement this on each table and to support it when the inevitable bugs come up.

 

[countcb]

I like the pro tables option. And I don't have a problem with the fact that they take money for it.
If I want the operator menu I WILL spend that money.

The only thing that does not belong to PRO mode is the explore table feature.
It is a feature that was long asked for and is really usefull. I want to see what the blurry lights on the table actually say to see where extra balls are or to generally understand the table layout better.
Taking money for operators menu: ok
Taking money to look at the table: seems a little bit too much like money making


If I'am in the arcade I don't need pro menu access to LOOK at the table. this is necessary for playing pinball and has nothing to do with PRO

 

[Rudy]

It'd be a lot easier to swallow if Farsight said that they plan to make current DLC compatible with future devices, but naturally as we have no idea what specs the PS4 or Xbox 360 2 (or whatever it's called) and presumably neither do the developers then I guess we'll never know.

Besides, We could have TPA2 by then >_>

 

[amv71]

Ah yes. I remember the dot now. Not played the real thing for years. I suppose it's one thing that a sim has going for it. Dot-free!

 

[jaredmorgs]

On iOS, MOST of the Williams/Bally tables have the "dot". It's the little dot beside the credits (it says "Credits 0." or "Free Play."). This is a Williams feature that lets the operator know if there's something wrong with the table by quickly looking at the DMD. If there's nothing wrong (perfectly functioning table) there is no dot and you just see "Credits 0" or "Free Play".

It only shows up on iOS - Android and Xbox I don't see it.

I've seen the service report dot a number of times on my Android TF300T. On Medievil Madness when I didn't rescue the princess enough, for example.

And on NGG when I didn't get the hole in one enough times.

It resets when you exit the table, so you have to be paying attention.

 

[MadScience2006]

Taking money for operators menu: ok
Taking money to look at the table: seems a little bit too much like money making


If I'am in the arcade I don't need pro menu access to LOOK at the table. this is necessary for playing pinball and has nothing to do with PRO

Agreed but I dislike the asking price. As it stands now, I doubt very much that I'd pay $4 just to "look" at the table since I very likely wouldn't be using any other of the PRO options. Drop the price to $.99 per table and I'll consider it.

Better yet, PRO mode at a fixed purchase price for all tables or even a selection of say, 5 tables (that YOU choose to enable and not FarSight's choice) for a fixed price would be a better option.

 

[night]

This IS a cash grab. Why charging extra money for extra features? To earn more cash. Best thing would be if these features could be accomplished with a serious high-score. Now that would be a good idea, but of course that does not bring in 'extra' money.

 

[Worf]

Technically, the only thing that can be earned by playing that's also in pro mode is tilt - you can disable tilt in pro mode without getting all the wizard goals (though you still can't get on the high score list either way).

Other than that, it's really up to you. If you're a hardcore pin player, the extra $4 is really only 8-10 plays on a real table. (Which is why FarSight is doing the popular older tables - the ones the operators have long made up their money for.)

 

[night]

Technically, the only thing that can be earned by playing that's also in pro mode is tilt - you can disable tilt in pro mode without getting all the wizard goals (though you still can't get on the high score list either way).

Other than that, it's really up to you. If you're a hardcore pin player, the extra $4 is really only 8-10 plays on a real table. (Which is why FarSight is doing the popular older tables - the ones the operators have long made up their money for.)

I don't mind paying $8 for a good table. I mind paying for something extra that is not extra work. A table is a lot of work and involves license costs as well. This I understand. Making extra options available and asking money for it I don't. This is looking for ways to get more money out of customers pockets. I really like TPA but this is a move in the wrong direction and does not get my sympathy. This is a TPA fan-forum, but that does not mean we have to cheer at every move TPA makes. This is a weak attempt to make more bucks out of the same product.

 

[brakel]

It costs them more money to program it, implement it and support it. Vote with your dollars. If Subway comes out with a new sandwich that costs $10, but I don't think its worth any more than the 5 dollar subs, then I'm just going to buy the 5 dollar ones. I'm not going to go online and begrudge Subway's new sub pricing. Companies have to make find ways to make money with their ventures. In business, if you're not making money, you're losing money. If you're losing money then you'll be closing up shop soon.

I don't think its a coincidence that FarSight was looking to hire more staff a few months ago and now are rolling out new TPA features. New staff means more expenses. Personally I think its good that they are giving us choices. If you don't want to spend more money, you can keep paying the same amount per table. If you see value in the pro tables then you have the option of buying them. The choice is yours.

 

[night]

Charge $1 more per table and include the extra options and TPA is making more money than with this ridiculous extra options.
But first, let them sort out the bugs before thinking about ways to drain more money. I payed for many tables that are now suffering with the ball/camera stutter problem on my iPad2. How great is that?

 

[brakel]

Charge $1 more per table and include the extra options and TPA is making more money than with this ridiculous extra options.
But first, let them sort out the bugs before thinking about ways to drain more money. I payed for many tables that are now suffering with the ball/camera stutter problem on my iPad2. How great is that?

Console users would probably not balk at spending a dollar more for tables but I don't think that would go down very well in the mobile markets. I think FarSight needs to keep the revenue stream running anyway they can in order to pay their staff, licensing and overhead so they can keep releasing tables every month.

I don't know what fixing bugs has to do with pricing of new content.

 

[Meto]

I assume by your login that you reside in the Kansas City area...

I do as well and Pinball is my life

 

[spoonman]

I would love to see some video demos of this Pro Mode.
Has anyone made a video showing off all of the features of this?

 

[Worf]

I've seen the service report dot a number of times on my Android TF300T. On Medievil Madness when I didn't rescue the princess enough, for example.

And on NGG when I didn't get the hole in one enough times.

It resets when you exit the table, so you have to be paying attention.

28 balls or so, actually.

What happens is the software detects the length of time between hits - if a switch hasn't been activated in something like 5 games or 28 balls, it'll assume the switch is bad and compensate for it (other switches will score the shot). Making it during a normal game will reset it.

And from a fresh install, the Android tables don't have the dot. What happens after play is unknown. However, on iOS, on all but one of the Williams/Bally/Midway tables, it's there by default. On the other platforms, it's not there (indicating a perfectly functional table).

The dot is one of the reasons why Williams tables tend to play well - most other tables simply never score the shot and you get "cheated". For Williams, it doesn't and the table tries to make an alternative scoring method for the shot so play continues.

In your case, what happens is you need to play better . It's the other meaning of the dot.

 

[Pinballfan69]

My post wasn't about the money it was about the principle of it all. If they originally said, we are gonna charge you $15 per table and you get all the functionality of a real pinball machine I would have dropped that money in a hot second, but to claim your game is the most authentic pinball sim out there but leave out options that would be in an authentic pinball machine and now months later charge for options that are part of the games original code is gouging.

I have plenty of money, I have a good enough job and I also own 6 pinball machines with another one coming in shortly. I spent $7k on ACDC LTBR LE so as you can see this isn't about money. And instead of acting like I'm a cheapskate because I don't share your opinion how about opening your mind and being constructive?

The bottom line is I would gladly spend countless dollars on the real thing on location but let's be real this a sim and a video game, this is so far from the real thing. If I play my funhouse or taxi here at my house then play it on this video game its so far from the same that you realize that it's always gonna be just a video game and doesn't mean we should be willing to throw money at whatever add-on they throw at us even though an operators menu is not an add on.

You see I didn't want to turn this into a flame war I just wanted to voice my opinion and displeasure for TPA gouging its customer base for options that are a part of the original romsets. Maybe I'm in the minority on this subject and you all think I should just fall in line like sheep to the slaughter but there are other opinions out there beside the fanboy opinion and I believe I paid for the right to that opinion, I've bought all tables on Android and the PS3 so that being said ill stick with my original statement this is gouging.

Well said. The cash grab or DLC is starting to get really annoying in today's gaming market. *cough Skylanders *cough. It seems today's games are not even complete. You spend $50 - $60 a game only to have DLC thrown at you in 2 weeks to 2 months time. In skylanders's case you can't even get the full experience of the game unless you have a character of each of 8 elements. The starter pack usually comes with 3 elements. The others are around $10 a character ($15 for the currently released Giants) and to if you're a trophy hunter, you will need all 32 characters to get the full %100 completion. So you will pay $60 plus another $50 to $100+ to finish the game.even more to get %100.

I know Tables in TPA are far from what a normal game will cost but charging for an option that should have been there in the first place is gauging. I would probably get it if it where $.99 per table but not $4. I don't have deep pockets like most and I'm a pinball fan. Zen has the stat options changing amount of extra balls and outlane post locations in the operations standard. If Zen can do it, why can't Farsight?

I like TPA I really do, but I play Zen more. TPA does indeed bring back the nostalgia of playing classic pins. Zen's much more polished. Sure they have bugs etc that can be annoying but nothing to the extent of TPA.