Williams' Collection Volume 5 guesses

[Nomorestalker]

For me , hype also might have reach its apex and is also declining, but i think its due to the fact that we know whats coming, and that i got it all in TPA. When they start doing non-dmd stuff, i hope they do something like 1 unseen table per pack, that could just be very awesome. I really love the Zen physics, visual, it make me enjoy tables i didnt enjoy at first in TPA, but in a way sometime i feel im just buying remasters version of something that already exist. Im still happy to get em, but i think we need new tables. If your telling me that what we will get till the end of the year is the next two logical tables pack, and in halloween stuff like Addams Family, Monster Bash, Lagoon, and still nothing new, i will be disappointed .

For me peak hype was the picture with Gary Stern and Mel.

 

[Citizen]

Halloween will almost certainly be nothing new if we do get a Halloween themed pack. They only have the WMS license right now and are doing the DMDs. There aren't any horror-themed WMS DMDs left that FarSight didn't do, and pickings would be slim even if they did dig back into the pre-DMD WMS library for a Halloween appropriate table that FarSight didn't already do. They'd have to dig down to the high 100s/200s on the IPDB list for something like Medusa, and I just don't see them wanting to do that at this point while they're still trying to get half their fanbase acclimated to real pinball recreations.

 

[Cloda]

I feel sorry for you guys that played TPA I for one couldn't stand the floaty physics so never got into it. Each table is thus new and exciting for me and there will be many other Zen Pinball only players like myself that are now discovering the real tables for the first time. In my opinion, Zen's major stroke of brilliance with the Williams tables are that they designed the tables to work with the familiar Zen physics in addition to the Classic Arcade / Tournament physics. If they didn't do that, the tables would have been inaccessible to most of the traditional Zen players. I realised a long time ago, mostly looking at the scores posted on the leaderboards, that there is only a small elite of maybe a 100 players that are able to beat wizard modes and build big scores on the traditional Zen tables. The players (from the traditionally Zen only pool) that would have been able to do well with the Williams Classic physics right away and immediately enjoyed it are certainly not many.

 

[shutyertrap]

I feel sorry for you guys that played TPA I for one couldn't stand the floaty physics so never got into it. Each table is thus new and exciting for me and there will be many other Zen Pinball only players like myself that are now discovering the real tables for the first time. In my opinion, Zen's major stroke of brilliance with the Williams tables are that they designed the tables to work with the familiar Zen physics in addition to the Classic Arcade / Tournament physics. If they didn't do that, the tables would have been inaccessible to most of the traditional Zen players. I realised a long time ago, mostly looking at the scores posted on the leaderboards, that there is only a small elite of maybe a 100 players that are able to beat wizard modes and build big scores on the traditional Zen tables. The players (from the traditionally Zen only pool) that would have been able to do well with the Williams Classic physics right away and immediately enjoyed it are certainly not many.

Don't feel sorry for us, we got to play these tables for a solid 6 years without really knowing better! It's sort of like how my wife, a huge Harry Potter fan, feels about someone reading the books for the first time now. She's extremely jealous that they don't have to wait the extended period of time between books, can read the entire story straight through, and then can sit down and watch the entire movie series too. On the other hand, she got to revel in fandom for all that time, which in and of itself can be fun too.

The rest of your post is spot on to what I've been telling people. Zen had its core group of fans, and they were more worried about them accepting these table recreations than they were about TPA fans being willing to double dip. Obviously they wanted to please both, but taking care of that original fan base was quite important.

 

[Scared Stiff]

Dude, you do realize they have an entire block of employees, around 20, purely devoted to pinball? They have other employees that work on Operencia, or whatever new app is in the works that isn't pinball. They also have a team dedicated to all things mobile. Akos just moved into marketing, but he has said the community manager type stuff has gone from 1 to 3 people in the department. They are hiring, they are expanding. The release schedule for Zen has never been on a set schedule going all the way back to the early days.

I look at Naughty Dog and what's going on with The Last of Us 2, where it got announced 2 years ago. They are living by the motto of it's done when it's done. I'm sure Sony is losing their minds over it, but on the other hand you don't want be Fallout '76.

You say at the very least you want a hint? Hear ya go, the next Volume packs are either going to be the 3 remaining Williams DMD tables or the 3 remaining Bally tables. Has Zen said that? No, but you can take it to the bank. If you're looking for a hint as to what the licensed table stuff is going to be, they like to keep that close to the vest just in case something happens with the license holder that is out of their control.

As for hype, you do agree that there is a certain apex to where hype reaches its max and then starts dropping down again, yeah? Zen believes they have found that sweet spot to capitalize on max hype. Now unless you have access to their internal data (I know I don't), I'm going to figure they know what they are doing.

Hiring and expanding doesn’t mean POOF! it’s a done deal and everyone is up to speed and churning out stuff. It takes TIME to ramp up new hires. When you say you want to release things faster and instead don’t, that points to an internal issue. It’s logical to put two and two together and think the extra new projects are causing it.

Additionally, your sweet spot for hype doesn’t make sense to me either. Considering the Nintendo Switch stuff was announced months in advance.

I like looking forward to something. And yes, I am well aware of what packs are potentially on the list. I just what a hint. You know...the way they did with the White Water animation. Something for us to talk about and fuss over.

Wouldn’t that be better than NOTHING?

 

[shutyertrap]

I'm going to concede this point...I would like to know the schedule in loose terms. I've even expressed that to Zen prior to this latest volley of comments. And when I say loose, I mean not dates to ink in on my calendar but something I can pencil in and erase if need be.

Now, let's talk about why the Star Wars on Switch announcement is the exception to the rule in terms of hype.

Star Wars Celebration Chicago was in May. Was there not a more perfect place to make the announcement? I don't know the reasons for the September release, whether that was a Zen call or a Lucasfilm decision or what. It might even relate to there being an actual physical release and the ramp up time it takes to make such things. I just know you don't pass up the golden opportunity that was SWCC, where Stern had a booth nearby yet Zen wound up having the larger crowds (or so I've been told). The first trailer for Rise of Skywalker debuted that same weekend, and you know the hype train for the movie is probably going to start back up around September too. I think Zen is just riding a wave they didn't have to create themselves.

Meanwhile, let's say you got a hint about a table from Volume 5 now (for the sake of argument, call it NGG), but due to scheduling of Star Wars and then the proposed licensed Halloween release, it won't come out till late November. You really gonna be stoked to know it's No Good Gofers 4 months in advance? FarSight said they were working on a new table, that someone was doing art on a female head of hair, and that was how many months ago? Does anyone even care at this point? People were cool talking about it for a few weeks and then it just turned ugly with comments. You mention that White Water animation, and that got released and then literally a week later came the announcement. Expect more of the same.

I'm trying to line up another interview with Mel regarding the Star Wars release. If I get that, I'll do my best to get him to spill something regarding the other stuff that I can actually put on air without the gag order.

 

[Cloda]

Don't feel sorry for us, we got to play these tables for a solid 6 years without really knowing better! It's sort of like how my wife, a huge Harry Potter fan, feels about someone reading the books for the first time now. She's extremely jealous that they don't have to wait the extended period of time between books, can read the entire story straight through, and then can sit down and watch the entire movie series too. On the other hand, she got to revel in fandom for all that time, which in and of itself can be fun too.

The rest of your post is spot on to what I've been telling people. Zen had its core group of fans, and they were more worried about them accepting these table recreations than they were about TPA fans being willing to double dip. Obviously they wanted to please both, but taking care of that original fan base was quite important.

I'm sure that the TPA players that got into it had lots of enjoyment. I’m just (selfishly) glad that my first exposure to these tables are now with the quality Zen releases. As far as I can tell, the Classic Arcade (and off course tournament) physics makes the tables play harder than in TPA. I revel at that challenge after I got a bit bored with the long game time a good game on a Zen table took. I’ve been playing White Water for the last week or so and have fallen just short so many times in getting Vacation Jackpot. Rather than the tedious frustration I felt back in the day when I had to play through the Iron Man missions so many times until I finally defeated Ultimo, I can have a fast, furious, and exciting game in 10-15 minutes. Once I defeated Ultimo, I never touched the table again whilst with the Williams tables I constantly go back to tables I already got the Wizard mode and / or high score on because it is so much more accessible and rewarding.

Getting back to the topic at hand The re-playability of many of these Williams tables makes the wait between new releases not nearly that excruciating; that is apart from the fact that I have a self-imposed embargo that I will only play the first three volumes again once Zen has implemented the volume four flipper physics That will likely only be implemented with the release of the new volume.

 

[Firefox2000]

^^^Don't feel sorry for PBA owners, i have a very nice collection of digital tables on PBA that are gone now, and that we might never again see such a diverse collection of real life digital tables appear in one place ever again.

 

[yespage]

We received, what, access to 12 Williams/Ballys tables so far? That doesn't seem bad at all for a debut year (it's only been a year right?).

 

[wilbers]

We received, what, access to 12 Williams/Ballys tables so far? That doesn't seem bad at all for a debut year (it's only been a year right?).

13 not 12 so far. Williams pack 1 released on 9th October so even if it is after the Star Wars on Switch there is still a window to release more before the first full 12 months has passed.

 

[wilbers]

https://steamcommunity.com/app/442120/discussions/0/1643170269569267448/ (post 7)

"Keep your eyes peeled for news on Pinball FX - it will be good!"

Intriguing, would that have been posted if nothing was going to happen until after the Switch release? Implies something will happen, although that doesn't automatically mean new tables - is the campaign/light/dark thing from the Switch version feasible to add to FX3, time will tell.

 

[Sara]

https://steamcommunity.com/app/442120/discussions/0/1643170269569267448/ (post 7)

"Keep your eyes peeled for news on Pinball FX - it will be good!"

Intriguing, would that have been posted if nothing was going to happen until after the Switch release? Implies something will happen, although that doesn't automatically mean new tables - is the campaign/light/dark thing from the Switch version feasible to add to FX3, time will tell.

It's pretty typical for a developer to respond to threads that way. I don't think it means anything.

 

[HighFive]

https://steamcommunity.com/app/442120/discussions/0/1643170269569267448/ (post 7)

"Keep your eyes peeled for news on Pinball FX - it will be good!"

Intriguing, would that have been posted if nothing was going to happen until after the Switch release? Implies something will happen, although that doesn't automatically mean new tables - is the campaign/light/dark thing from the Switch version feasible to add to FX3, time will tell.

Im more intrigue , perhaps it could mean nothing but, at «*Regarding the new table pack, they're coming.

Hmm more than 1?

 

[tizzomr]

I’d love to see Tales Of The Arabian Mights, Cirqus Voltaire, and Cactus Canyon. For the Halowwen themed pack I’d say Monster Bash, Creature From The Black Lagoon, and maybe... Fun House???

 

[Scared Stiff]

Meanwhile, let's say you got a hint about a table from Volume 5 now (for the sake of argument, call it NGG), but due to scheduling of Star Wars and then the proposed licensed Halloween release, it won't come out till late November. You really gonna be stoked to know it's No Good Gofers 4 months in advance? FarSight said they were working on a new table, that someone was doing art on a female head of hair, and that was how many months ago? Does anyone even care at this point? People were cool talking about it for a few weeks and then it just turned ugly with comments. You mention that White Water animation, and that got released and then literally a week later came the announcement. Expect more of the same.

Yes, I would in fact be stoked to know something 4 months in advance. That would be preferable to 4 months of silence, wouldn’t it?

As for TPA, it turns ugly because they haven’t released anything in a year. All they seem to want to do is promote tournaments every week on Facebook, which they then get scorned for because people want new tables, not just announcements of tournaments or “hey we are playing some pinball on twitch come watch” announcements.

 

[ZREXMike2]

NGG, STTNG, T2, please. Or MB, CFTBL, SS. Or BSD, Elvira, TOTAN. Anything but old hokey like last pack.

 

[Pinballwiz45b]

NGG, STTNG, T2, please. Or MB, CFTBL, SS. Or BSD, Elvira, TOTAN. Anything but old hokey like last pack.

Good luck with that. Conflicting licenses with all of the above picks. Refer to this post: http://www.digitalpinballfans.com/s...lume-5-guesses?p=289845&viewfull=1#post289845

It's ironic, too, because all of the above were also in Pinball Arcade. And there's a very slim chance of Elvira because of potential heavy censorship and that Farsight is rumored to produce Elvira 3 for Stern on TPA.

Granted, the remaining tables are way overdue for a massive overhaul anyway. Take a table from Seasons 1 or 2, and you can already see a big difference between both versions.

TL;DR: There are 6 unlicensed DMD games left, perfect for V5 and V6.

 

[francis247uk]

Keep checking my Youtube feed for an announcement video, was sure we'd get one today Does anyone know if beta tables have been released yet, don't need to know what they are, just that they're coming... .Makes me nostalgic for Pinball Arcade monthly releases, newsletter and table clues which the forum here would crack in 5 seconds

 

[shutyertrap]

Keep checking my Youtube feed for an announcement video, was sure we'd get one today Does anyone know if beta tables have been released yet, don't need to know what they are, just that they're coming... .Makes me nostalgic for Pinball Arcade monthly releases, newsletter and table clues which the forum here would crack in 5 seconds

We have not received a Volume 5 beta, nor do I suspect we will until after Star Wars on Switch comes out September 13th.

 

[francis247uk]

We have not received a Volume 5 beta, nor do I suspect we will until after Star Wars on Switch comes out September 13th.

Ahh ok, thanks for confirming shutyertrap. How long is a Williams Zen Beta period usually - days/weeks?