Pinball has changed dramatically over the years, so many elements that were once commonplace have now all but vanished—what turns do you wish pinball had (or hadn't) taken in terms of mechanics and design? Here's my own take:
-Count-ups: Does anyone know if any manufacturer other than Gottlieb ever used these in their tables? Anyway, I really like the idea of having a count-up as opposed to a countdown—it rewards good risk-reward calculations with big points and discourages simply avoiding the shot if you miss it. Unfortunately, neither Williams nor SegaEaStern seem to have taken to it and it really baffles me as to why.
-In-game currency: This is another idea that originated with Gottlieb, but unlike count-ups, it has proven to have some legs, with Zen using currency systems in Blade & Moon Knight. This would add a whole new level of risk vs. reward to pinball if it became a common feature—do you take what you can afford now and run or save up for the big item you really want? You could also use it as a way to ease some of the woodchopping innate in so much of modern pinball by allowing players to buy progress towards one of the table goals.
-Non-movie licenses: I think this is the biggest reason I don't mind Marvel Pinball—if nothing else, it's a break from yet another Hollywood blockbuster theme. This only really started around 2008 or so—did Stern need the money that badly? I, for one, can't imagine TPA without Elvira, Twilight Zone or the Universal Movie Monsters tables, so I really find it a crying shame that Stern haven't shown a little more initiative in this department as of late.
Well, those are the top 3 on my pinball design wishlist. What do you guys want to see more of in pinball?
-Count-ups: Does anyone know if any manufacturer other than Gottlieb ever used these in their tables? Anyway, I really like the idea of having a count-up as opposed to a countdown—it rewards good risk-reward calculations with big points and discourages simply avoiding the shot if you miss it. Unfortunately, neither Williams nor SegaEaStern seem to have taken to it and it really baffles me as to why.
-In-game currency: This is another idea that originated with Gottlieb, but unlike count-ups, it has proven to have some legs, with Zen using currency systems in Blade & Moon Knight. This would add a whole new level of risk vs. reward to pinball if it became a common feature—do you take what you can afford now and run or save up for the big item you really want? You could also use it as a way to ease some of the woodchopping innate in so much of modern pinball by allowing players to buy progress towards one of the table goals.
-Non-movie licenses: I think this is the biggest reason I don't mind Marvel Pinball—if nothing else, it's a break from yet another Hollywood blockbuster theme. This only really started around 2008 or so—did Stern need the money that badly? I, for one, can't imagine TPA without Elvira, Twilight Zone or the Universal Movie Monsters tables, so I really find it a crying shame that Stern haven't shown a little more initiative in this department as of late.
Well, those are the top 3 on my pinball design wishlist. What do you guys want to see more of in pinball?
