Williams Pinball App Discussion

[rob3d]

Yes, it's being discussed in the Android Beta thread.

I'm running in a Pixel 3 XL as well and I've not noticed any dead flippers, though. Nor on my Galaxy Tab S2.

thanks for the link, was wondering where this was being discussed since google+ isn't really a thing going forward.

 

[abouttreefitty]

Anyone notice the flippers occasionally wont flip on the android beta? There will be times when tapping the screen does nothing, and its definitely inside the tap zones. I've had it happen on all tables. Lost a couple challenges because of this. Running a pixel 3xl for those curious.

This happens on my iPhone 7. I experienced this on The Pinball Arcade on iOS as well, but the issue is worse here. This is a multitouch issue. It happens when there are two touches registered at the same time. There are certain spots that if you’re touching and holding on one side that a touch on the other side won’t register. You can test this by holding a ball in one flipper and then touching the other flipper in various spots. You’ll find certain spots that are dead zones.

The Pinball Arcade developer said this issue could not be fixed. I’m learning to play with my thumbs in different spots to avoid the dead zones.

 

[Fungi]

I've noticed that when you get the cards for completing a challenge, the rewards for the three "free" cards are always added in automatically, even if you don't "turn" them - watch your ticket count when you tap on the case to open it, it will go up. So I assume the other two "free" cards (typically a skin and some parts) are also credited as well.

Can't say the same for the "coin" card or the "movie" card, but at least with the "movie" card if that fails first time, waiting 10 seconds or so before pressing "Retry" has started to be 100% successful.

Ooh. Thanks!

 

[strells]

The only way I'm getting any progress in this is by refreshing the daily challenge for 25 tickets, which is not obvious at all (tap the little circle arrows for the basic daily challenge to refresh it after you get all 15 stars).

I am really annoyed, however, by the randomly non-responsive flippers, especially the left one, on my iPhone 8. I've tried touching all over the zone for it and it still keeps happening, and not just on multi-touch. I never had this issue in TPA. And I still hate the nudge zone being placed at the top of the screen. I'm trying gyro control but the game gives very little indication that you've nudged the table so I'm not sure I'm even doing it right.

 

[jaredmorgs]

Anyone notice the flippers occasionally wont flip on the android beta? There will be times when tapping the screen does nothing, and its definitely inside the tap zones. I've had it happen on all tables. Lost a couple challenges because of this. Running a pixel 3xl for those curious.

Same phone model. Same problem.

 

[Craig Grannell]

I'm getting some pretty nasty frame-rate judder on iPad Pro (11in). Anyone else seeing this?

 

[BostonBuckeye]

I'm getting some pretty nasty frame-rate judder on iPad Pro (11in). Anyone else seeing this?

I have an iPad Air and have had this issue since the beta. The ball jitters and jumps all over the place. I haven't really seen any improvement from beta to the current version. Game is unplayable in it's current state for the iPad Air. Surprised I haven't seen more people mention this since I am sure there are people playing the game on older iPads than mine.

 

[Gord Lacey]

I'm getting some pretty nasty frame-rate judder on iPad Pro (11in). Anyone else seeing this?

I have the same iPad and it wasn’t great during the beta. However, their last update greatly improved the frame rate for me on Attack From Mars and MM. haven’t played much of the others.

 

[Michelle]

I downloaded the game, got immediately turned off by its format, and deleted the whole mess within three or four minutes.

I’ll stick with TPA until Zen comes to its senses.

 

[Craig Grannell]

I find the lack of straightforwardness about costs a turn-off. So I'm assuming that unlocking a table for 250 purple coins will fully unlock it at level 4? But then, notably, 350 coins is the nearest available pack, for ten quid. So it's like when you top up a mobile and end up with wasted cash sloshing about, rather than someone just saying "buy this table outright for £X.99.

The unlocks are also unfeasibly slow. In all, it feels like they've spotted that the mobile market only really likes free, whacked in a load of confusing freemium guff of the likes seen in those beat ’em ups, and forgotten that some people would happily pay a few quid (or whatever) per table. (From what I can tell, the £48.99 option would be necessary to unlock the current seven tables – so that's seven quid each.)

Right now, I'm just approaching this as a free and quite nice (if slightly jittery) version of Attack From Mars. At this rate, I'll be amazed if I ever see another table.

 

[BostonBuckeye]

I have the same iPad and it wasn’t great during the beta. However, their last update greatly improved the frame rate for me on Attack From Mars and MM. haven’t played much of the others.

Party Zone is still really jittery. I haven't had a chance to play the app much since the beta ended, but I have earned two stars on all of the tables now, so I plan on testing the others out soon to see if the frame rate has improved on them. For me during the beta Black Rose was by far the most jittery of the bunch. I was able to earn 4 stars on all of the tables in the beta and the one thing that really helped with the frame rate issue was being able to play offline.

 

[Gord Lacey]

Party Zone is still really jittery. I haven't had a chance to play the app much since the beta ended, but I have earned two stars on all of the tables now, so I plan on testing the others out soon to see if the frame rate has improved on them. For me during the beta Black Rose was by far the most jittery of the bunch. I was able to earn 4 stars on all of the tables in the beta and the one thing that really helped with the frame rate issue was being able to play offline.

Ah, Party Zone is one I haven’t unlocked to 2 stars, so I haven’t played it much at all. I’ve pretty much stopped playing the game at this point, choosing to spend my time on some other games instead.

 

[shutyertrap]

My comments are regarding the iOS version

I downloaded the game, got immediately turned off by its format, and deleted the whole mess within three or four minutes.

I’ll stick with TPA until Zen comes to its senses.

Don't expect Zen to suddenly change the entire format because you couldn't make it past the walkthrough. I have played many mobile games that guide you through your first few matches and various menu screens before letting you loose on your own. While I agree that at first things are not intuitive, it does not take much effort in learning to get comfortable with the mobile format Zen has laid out.

The unlocks are also unfeasibly slow. In all, it feels like they've spotted that the mobile market only really likes free, whacked in a load of confusing freemium guff of the likes seen in those beat ’em ups, and forgotten that some people would happily pay a few quid (or whatever) per table. (From what I can tell, the £48.99 option would be necessary to unlock the current seven tables – so that's seven quid each.)

Right now, I'm just approaching this as a free and quite nice (if slightly jittery) version of Attack From Mars. At this rate, I'll be amazed if I ever see another table.

Indefeasibly slow? I've played the game now for 2 weeks and have 3 tables fully unlocked and the other 4 just about. I've been playing another mobile game for 2 years where you unlock cards and upgrade them via coins and gems and collecting of card multiples, and out of over 70 options I've managed to max out 5. That's it. And at least with the Williams Pinball app you actually have the option to buy the tables outright (do the 50 coin packs and you'll save yourself $10 in the end) whereas most of these mobile games that do coin/gem currency don't.

It takes a couple (literally 3 for me) of days to get 2 daily challenges as a steady option, by weeks end you should have at least one table at 3 stars which will let you play the 3rd challenge. I think Zen is being fairly generous with how quick you can fully unlock things, as I know one individual who has already unlocked the full 7 tables in this same time, without spending a single penny. And oh bummer, it was grinding by playing pinball.

 

[shutyertrap]

Just to further the point...

Here's my progress after 2 weeks playing the iOS version of the app. Everything has been earned via daily challenges, no challenge has been reset early.

Attack From Mars - 3 stars, 19/20 table parts for upgrade
Black Rose - 4 stars
Party Zone - 3 stars, 12/20 table parts
Fish Tales - 4 stars
The Getaway - 4 stars
Junk Yard 3 stars, 16/20 table parts
Medieval Madness - 3 stars, 16/20 parts

13,060 tickets earned
80 Zen coins (100 spent to open 4th daily challenge)

I should point out also, that I don't always reach the max position with daily challenges, but at minimum earn the first tier for each. I only opened the 4th challenge 2 days ago in an effort to speed things up even more.

People have pointed out that they clearly have not been so lucky with the card flips as I apparently have, but like I said in an above post, someone else I've heard from has already fully unlocked all the tables using the same tactics I am. So rather than whine and complain about how you just want to buy the tables outright, how much you hate the in game currency, I've a suggestion...try actually playing the pinball as offered. If you have even a modicum of skill, withing a week you'll have access to all the tables.

And to the Android beta users, try and remember you are still in a beta. Treat it as such, and not as just early access to the game. Zen is very much looking at data from this time period, but you can fully expect things to fall right in line with iOS when the app goes live officially.

 

[Fungi]

Also, there’s no thinking or decisions to be made. You play, you collect rewards. Eventually the tables say “level up” with animated arrows and everything. Just “promote” the table. Lather, rinse, repeat. In the same amount of time SYT has played, I have 6 of the 7 tables maxed out.

 

[jaredmorgs]

Here's a question that I'd like all Android beta testers to please answer. What is the amount of tickets that you need to spend to unlock a table to 3 star status.

If your amount is different to 3000 tickets please respond in the comments.

Zen is well known for running experiments in apps. I just wonder if they are running freemium model sub-experiments on us as well.

 

[Craig Grannell]

Indefeasibly slow?

I said "unfeasibly", in the sense of them being inconvenient. Perhaps you're playing significantly more hours than I am. I've been playing the game daily for a week. I have Attack From Mars on two stars, and four more tables on one star. (As for freemium games, I'm well versed in them. Google my name online, and you'll see I write about the things all over the shop. Also, notably, I am one of the few mobile games writers who regularly and consistently covers pinball, hence my interest in this title and its mechanics.) And, yes, I realise you get to buy the tables outright, but I do find it curious that the pricing for these is significantly higher than on other platforms. (I've asked Zen about this – and some other things – with my journo hat on, but haven't received any reply.) So whereas on other platforms, it's "buy three tables for a tenner", on iOS it's "buy one table for a tenner, unless you're prepared to play the lottery".

If you have even a modicum of skill, withing a week you'll have access to all the tables.

I guess I don't have a modicum of skill, then…

 

[Kolchak357]

Im gonna stick with TPA and buy new (not on TPA) pins when they appear if interested. The Zen prices aren’t low enough to blindly rebuy pins I can already play. And I don’t enjoy being held prisoner to a grind and earn format.
I’ve already stopped playing the Zen Williams app and I don’t miss it at all. I’m a big pinball fan and have been since the late 1970’s. So I’m just disappointed. Not the first time an app or game has left me feeling that way though. The app is new, maybe changes will come that will bring me back. That’s just me, hope others are enjoying it. Interest in any kind of pinball is a good thing imo.

 

[Michelle]

Im gonna stick with TPA and buy new (not on TPA) pins when they appear if interested. The Zen prices aren’t low enough to blindly rebuy pins I can already play. And I don’t enjoy being held prisoner to a grind and earn format.
I’ve already stopped playing the Zen Williams app and I don’t miss it at all. I’m a big pinball fan and have been since the late 1970’s. So I’m just disappointed. Not the first time an app or game has left me feeling that way though. The app is new, maybe changes will come that will bring me back. That’s just me, hope others are enjoying it. Interest in any kind of pinball is a good thing imo.

This is how I feel as well.

I have all seven of the tables in TPA and play those when the mood strikes. If Zen releases tables I don’t have, I might give their app another try.

 

[jonesjb]

I own all the tables outright, 4 stars. Without spending money. Just play the daily challenges and do well. I got them in about 2 weeks.