Zaccaria Pinball - Mystic Star (1986) Bugs & Feedback

[74-89]

Production year of 1986 is represented as "1987" on the table icon. Bally -35 MPU is called "Generation 2" on the info page.

 

[Zorgwon]

Production year of 1986 is represented as "1987" on the table icon. Bally -35 MPU is called "Generation 2" on the info page.

That's eventually the design date and start of production. Release could have been later.

I'm surprised about how poor this table is compared with great tables like Farfalla. They abandoned the game time bonus and REACT flippers. Zaccaria was on the way down, apparently. At the same time there was the American table SORCERER with some similar art.

Few players on the leaderboards.

 

[74-89]

That's eventually the design date and start of production. Release could have been later.

Could have been, but wasn't.

I'm surprised about how poor this table is compared with great tables like Farfalla. They abandoned the game time bonus and REACT flippers. Zaccaria was on the way down, apparently. At the same time there was the American table SORCERER with some similar art.

It's a conversion kit for use with the Bally -35 MPU. Great art and playfield, retro sound and rules.

 

[IGoFirstIndy]

Bug - various elements of the table are fuzzy including the left and right slingshots and the center target art.

 

[Zorgwon]

"Special" Bug - Red Special is lit too early without the requirements (S-T-A-R-S completed at least once).

 

[IGoFirstIndy]

Camera and Plunger Issue - When you get the ball back down the plunger ramp from the playfield in order to attempt a skill shot to get another letter in "stars", the camera does not pull back to allow you to plunge accurately. also the plunger physics are not precise enough to accurately and consistently make skill shots.

 

[Zorgwon]

When you get the ball back down the plunger ramp from the playfield in order to attempt a skill shot to get another letter in "stars", the camera does not pull back to allow you to plunge accurately.

There is an auto-plunger in this situation.

also the plunger physics are not precise enough to accurately and consistently make skill shots.

That's a problem on all tables.

 

[IGoFirstIndy]

There is an auto-plunger in this situation.

That's a problem on all tables.

the auto plunger doesn't allow you to line up the skill shot, which is why you can get back into the plunger lane in the first place.

agreed. plunger precision is a global issue with the game.

 

[PBallGizard]

On this table in particular, I get the sense that there is too much side spin on the ball. The ball seems to grab into the bumpers and come off at unpredictable angles. Maybe it's more noticeable on this table because of the two angled banks of rubber bumpers leading down to the left flipper. The ball often lurches down these banks like it has an enormous amount of counterclockwise spin. It feels unnatural to me relative to the play on other tables.
Also, the outlanes are HUGE! Easily 25% wider than the inlanes.

 

[Zorgwon]

On this table in particular, I get the sense that there is too much side spin on the ball. The ball seems to grab into the bumpers and come off at unpredictable angles. Maybe it's more noticeable on this table because of the two angled banks of rubber bumpers leading down to the left flipper. The ball often lurches down these banks like it has an enormous amount of counterclockwise spin. It feels unnatural to me relative to the play on other tables.

It's always spinning on all tables, even at the plunger. Raising friction has no impact.

The upper center hole could give a nonlit STARS letter and not always the S.

 

[Flipper bump]

On this table in particular, I get the sense that there is too much side spin on the ball. The ball seems to grab into the bumpers and come off at unpredictable angles. Maybe it's more noticeable on this table because of the two angled banks of rubber bumpers leading down to the left flipper. The ball often lurches down these banks like it has an enormous amount of counterclockwise spin. It feels unnatural to me relative to the play on other tables.
Also, the outlanes are HUGE! Easily 25% wider than the inlanes.

Good that you post this cause i forgot about it, yes indeed i notice too theres too much sidespin on the ball on all tables, and lots of times it just keeps going for no apparent reason,

The side effect of this is that the ball movement becomes unstable and unpredictable at times and most probably the calculation of data will put quite some extra pressure on the engine, this issue should be checked by ASK,

 

[IGoFirstIndy]

Good that you post this cause i forgot about it, yes indeed theres too much sidespin on the ball on all tables and lots of times it just keeps going for no apparent reason, the side effect of this is that the ball movement becomes unstable and unpredictable at times and this issue should be checked by ASK.

agreed!

 

[PBallGizard]

It's always spinning on all tables, even at the plunger. Raising friction has no impact.

The upper center hole could give a nonlit STARS letter and not always the S.

I've noticed that a lot, too. The ball animation and control on Shooting the Rapids is a lot more realistic to me than on some of the others. The ball is not constantly spinning, although it does pick up some spin at times. It stops dead on a trap, and behaves realistically for the most part. I do have some issue with it too often spinning off of the top of the left flipper island straight into the outlane. Overall though, I'd be happy if I had the same ball control from Rapids on all of the tables.

 

[Flipper bump]

I've noticed that a lot, too. The ball animation and control on Shooting the Rapids is a lot more realistic to me than on some of the others. The ball is not constantly spinning, although it does pick up some spin at times. It stops dead on a trap, and behaves realistically for the most part. I do have some issue with it too often spinning off of the top of the left flipper island straight into the outlane. Overall though, I'd be happy if I had the same ball control from Rapids on all of the tables.

Yes agreed ASK is still busy fixing all remaining bugs & graphical issues at the moment, which is great, but in the remaining time untill this collection is finished still quite some time should be spent to really improve ball control and accuracy during gameplay, and imo this will be the big finishing touch making this collection top notch.

 

[Zorgwon]

... should be spent to really improve ball control and accuracy during gameplay, and imo this will be the big finishing touch making this collection top notch.

That sounds easy but really many virtual pinball creators struggle with that. In this case the flipper shape should maybe changed and for the sake of accuracy adjusted to the real table ones

 

[smbhax]

The ball accelerates suddenly off the back side of the central barrier (particularly its right side; not sure about the left) as if it is being pushed by a kicker, but no sound is made--purple marked location below:

Also, it sometimes behaves oddly near the green-marked area in the screenshot above; not quite like it is being kicked... Might be more of a manifestation of the pronounced ball spin on this table that others have already mentioned.

 

[Zsolt]

The ball accelerates suddenly off the back side of the central barrier (particularly its right side; not sure about the left) as if it is being pushed by a kicker, but no sound is made--purple marked location below:

Also, it sometimes behaves oddly near the green-marked area in the screenshot above; not quite like it is being kicked... Might be more of a manifestation of the pronounced ball spin on this table that others have already mentioned.

Checked and made necessary changes to behave the ball there fine, thanks!

 

[smbhax]

Android v 3.4

There is now a clump of stray lightmapped shadows in the lower right corner of the table as indicated in the screenshot below:

Update: fixed in 3.4.1

 

[Zsolt]

Android v 3.4

There is now a clump of stray lightmapped shadows in the lower right corner of the table as indicated in the screenshot below:

Thanks, the next update will fix it!

 

[74-89]

This is one of my top 5 favorites of the collection. Info screen says MPU Generation 2, maybe the line should be left blank? It's not Gen 2

(not terribly important but there you go.)