Why am I not enjoying Twilight Zone table??

[Fungi]

Honestly, I've only played TZ in TPA a handful of times because I tend to avoid the tables that require a half hour or more per game.

In fact, that's exactly why I haven't played it in a while. I need to schedule a block of time to play TZ. I love the game, but I just need to use that time to watch a movie or something.

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

In fact, that's exactly why I haven't played it in a while. I need to schedule a block of time to play TZ. I love the game, but I just need to use that time to watch a movie or something.

And the most ironic part of it all is that the real TZ is exactly the opposite.

 

[febake]

In fact, that's exactly why I haven't played it in a while. I need to schedule a block of time to play TZ. I love the game, but I just need to use that time to watch a movie or something.

That's my beef with TZ. It's great, I love the theme, the skill involved, the immersion in the whole table....and you quickly look up at the score after what seems like the longest game ever - and you're only at about 250 million, and the dizzy heights of the leaderboard are just a dream. It's like Scared Stiff - you can get to those high scores, but who wants to wait that long?

 

[smbhax]

I would like to see it tougher, but so far I've been kind of surprised in that I've liked TZ better in TPA than in real life. When I've encountered it in arcades it just seemed cluttered and incomprehensible, so maybe it's just that with the detailed table rules and stuff TPA has (not to mention the discussion threads here!) I actually feel like I have something of a handle on how the scoring works now and what I should do. But also both TZ tables I encountered in real life were dark and dingy and in ill repair, and of course it was hard to hear the sounds because of all the other stuff in the room. So that and well the lower difficulty, I guess, has helped me get into it and actually have some fun with it; I do think TZ has some not so great design choices in fairly critical areas, but it still has quite a variety of interesting things to do, and a high quality of presentation to them, and those are coming across for me better here than they did in the wild.

 

[Fungi]

... and of course it was hard to hear the sounds because of all the other stuff in the room.

Heck, I never knew the Golden Earring song was in the game until the TPA version.

 

[Pinballfan69]

I can't quite figure it out. It's one of the few modern machines I never had a chance to play in
the real world so my first experience with this was TPA.

Perhaps I was caught up in the hype. I donated on day 1 and waited patiently for it to hit the PS3.

Maybe I need to read the directions, but I start going through and see 700+ pages and then just jump into the game only to be confused.
The table seems really cluttered to me. I just have so much trouble finding a camera view that works well.

Is something not right about the PS3 table? Did they forget to add something that makes it fun? Maybe I'm getting burned out on pinball (I hope not!).
I still enjoy tables such as Medieval Madness, TOTAN, Ripley's, Funhouse, and others, so I don't think this is the case,
but for whatever reason I don't find myself wanting to play TZ.

I am also a huge fan of the TV series too. Maybe part of the reason was I was expecting more tie-ins with the show.
.

LOL and they say that Zen's tables are even more confusing. I might be in the same category as you though. I'm not sure why this table is ranked so high. Of course it's all a matter of personal opinion. I find it boring.

-Shoot left ramp, right ramp) either hit the ball in the piano or slot sinkhole to start a mode.
-Start all modes to get to Lost in the Zone
-during this process lock the balls or go for gumball mutiball.
-rinse repeat

sure that is the essence of pinball there is a lot of repetitive aspects on every table. Spam this shot, Spam another shot but there is something about TZ that doesn't grab me. Like you I prefer other tables. Here are my top 5 tables and why

1. No Good Golfers

Even though It's all about the mutiball and shooting Left Ramp, Right ramp lock the balls. I just love the randomness of the put out reward. Some are worthless some are a necessity. Sometimes I find myself waiting to see what the reward will be before putting out. OF course the HOLE IN ONE shot is so unique.

2. Monster Bash

Stacked modes galore multiball Monster Madness. Enough said. This table requires pretty accurate shots to even have a potential to score big.

3.Theater of Magic.

Love the idea of even trying to make it to Grand Finale. I've done it many times but it's the Journey and challenge to get there that makes this table so much fun to me.

4. Medieval Madness

I know I know what's so different about trying to hit the castle so many times. It's not all about that it's about also getting the the other madnesses shots and not hitting Merlin's Magic to start before doing so. It's also the theme and the Chatter that makes this table so much fun.

5. Ripley's

Some say it's TZ's little brother. I like challenging tables and this is one for me. Unlike TZ where you just start the mode to give you credit towards the wizard mode in Ripley's, you need to finish some of those modes to light a letter. towards getting to Atlantis. Yeah you can just start the mode to get all the bonuses from every mode but getting to ATLANTIS is so enjoyable.

Again it's a matter of personal opinion.

 

[superballs]

SB - what's your YouTube page address?

My channel name is foldaset (don't ask). The totan video kind of sucks but ripleys came out better. I'm working on a few things to improve video and sound quality like a happauge hdpvr and dound direct to my camera etc

 

[alexk3954]

1. No Good Golfers

Even though It's all about the mutiball and shooting Left Ramp, Right ramp lock the balls. I just love the randomness of the put out reward. Some are worthless some are a necessity. Sometimes I find myself waiting to see what the reward will be before putting out. OF course the HOLE IN ONE shot is so unique.

How is it that you do that? Do you have a massive TV or do you sit really close? I can't seem to read anything on that wheel and my vision is fine

 

[Richard B]

And the most ironic part of it all is that the real TZ is exactly the opposite.

I played this a lot at an expo today, and I noticed two things that makes the TPA version easier than the real machine (aside from the extra ball friendly settings). The first is the shots - the arcade version requires absolute precision to make each shot. The gumball and lock shots are especially difficult, though this could be the flipper angles, which weren't as steep as they are in TPA, but were comparable to the machines around it. The other is the slot kicker. This thing is a pain in the a** on the real machine. I'd usually lose at least one ball a game from a ricochet or, at one point, it tossing the ball straight down the middle, perfectly out of range of either flipper. This is one thing I'm glad is not duplicated.

 

[Dan]

Honestly, I've only played TZ in TPA a handful of times because I tend to avoid the tables that require a half hour or more per game.

Received my voucher code today, but I really feel like I don't care anymore. Will download and give it a try, but TPA is dead to me.
(Why am I still lurking around? There are some nice people, pin fans around here. Also, for the "Other pinball games" board.)

 

[Butterkins]

Also, for the "Other pinball games" board.)

Must admit it's a bit more interesting at times than the official Zen board. That can be a bit stifling.

And as far as I'm concerned, the more competition FS have, the better. I think we'd all like them to improve their game in various areas.

Zen, too.

 

[Butterkins]

The first is the shots - the arcade version requires absolute precision to make each shot..

Yeah, I think this is true of most every table.

TPA does an OK job, but real tables have many features that aren't modelled in simulations. All of them add up to much more ball complexity, and harder shots, than these simulations usually provide for.

Just one example, of many: when a ball hits a flipper in real life, the flipper rubber deforms, and the flipper bat is pushed back slightly. It also wobbles very slightly, as it does when the flipper reaches the limit of its stroke. (That wobble introduces randomness in to the ball's motion and spin.) And each flipper's solenoid is different, and they perform differently as they heat up, and as they age.

I've been playing a lot of Zen's TESB lately, and it irks me that a certain ball return will come back to me, on the very tip of my flipper, pixel perfect every time. Just doesn't happen IRL.