bManic, There is definitely some truth in your post... however I think it's a bit harsh. I think the bugs are less an issue of skill of programming, and more of an issue of a small team without a huge testing budget or long testing phase in their timeline, and the fact they are releasing on so many platforms. I myself am a programmer, but not a game programmer (which is way harder than what I do). I have been on projects with huge testing budgets where every last bug gets squashed before release, but that does not come cheap. Most of my projects I do don't have the cost/benefit to do that level of testing, so we follow the 80/20 rule which means you get the most cost benefit out of an 80% solution, and then move on and only address major bugs. Sometimes that last 20% of polish can cost more than the entire rest of the project. I am not suggesting this is a good model for gaming... as even the smallest bug can kill a fun experience... but I'm just relating to the fact that even the best programmers have bugs, and long, expensive test phases are how you deal with them... and FarSight doesn't have the resources for that (yet). So like it or not, we are the testers, and they are working through the bug lists that are coming from us. I have no doubt this Pinball Arcade game will continue to improve even if sometimes we take one step back for two forward.
I find it really difficult to intentionally shoot the upper loop in Funhouse. Trying to get the trap door wizard goal is going to be super difficult. Hopefully once I get the Flings I'll find it easier to make.
I tried out using Flings as buttons, but it's only marginally better, if at all. The problem is that you can't rest your thumbs on them - barely touching them causes a flip. It might be possible to stick on some foam rubber to make them require an actual press to flip and I might try that at some point.
I think the devs would have to add support, but I bet the iCade buttons would be nice: http://www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/retro-gaming/e762/ And now there is a smaller version: http://www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/retro-gaming/ecea/ I remember back in the day, pinball games would use left on the touchpad, and the far right button for the flippers. Problem with both solutions is not only does the game need to add support, but there would be no way to nudge. We just need this: http://gizmodo.com/5701436/turn-your-ipad-or-iphone-into-a-pinball-machine
Dunno if anyone reported the Black Hole camera glitch. The camera would be fixed onto the lower playfield even after a success re-entry. Cycling through camera angles don't do anything and only losing the ball will reset the camera angle.
I'm beta testing and this has been fixed in next version. Also the HUD setting is now remembered in CV if you turn it off.
Say thank you to Farsight for me . Btw any new tables coming out in the update? Plus, when is it scheduled to be released?
No new tables in this beta but I doubt they would let beta testers have them before they even announced them. No idea when it'll be out.
I wouldn't think the iCade would be a good solution due to the lack of a good way to implement nudging. Though I suppose you could have the flippers as the leftmost and rightmost buttons, and use the joystick for nudging, but that might be awkward since you'd either have to let go of the left flipper button, or stretch your hand out to the stick and control it with your pinky. Sounds awkward. Plus, and probably most importantly, it's not portable. I have an iCade and I don't use it because the last place I want to sit with my iPad is at a table. It was a waste of money, but at least I didn't pay full price for it.
Bit harsh ! Think the iCades superb, my gaming depends on where i am, i prefer playing games on my ipod rather than my ipad as its more portable. The iCade i use mostly for iMAME which cant be beaten. Just depends on the game, some work better on iCade, some without. The iCades a brilliant bit of kit, i wouldnt slate it
"We are pleased to announce that the mobile versions of the Pinball Arcade have now have been downloaded OVER 3 MILLION TIMES!" From the Facebook Page of Pinball Arcade. Downloaded over 3 Millon times, what a big sucess. They didn´t tell, how many paid versions or IAP tables have been sold. But with that many downloads plus the sold versions on the other platforms they need a kickstart project for "Twilight Zone"? Not earned enough money, so they need another 55000$? I can´t really believe that. Don´t get me wrong. I really love Pinball Arcade and the sucess of this project will bring us more of our beloved pinball classics.
As they state on the Kickstarter page the $55000 is to pay for all of the licenses needed for the Twilight Zone table - it's not profit.
Ít´s like in any bussiness, first you have to invest, than you may earn. I´m sure, Farsight will earn much more than 55000$ with Twilight Zone. A new company with no financial backround may need a kickstarter project, thats what it´s made for. But an established company like farsight, which earned a lot of money already, shouldn´t need a kickstarter project.
Hopefully you're right and they do earn much more! I'd like to see them continue releasing new tables for a long, long time. It sounded like the Kickstarter was a very special circumstance due to the high licensing costs, though we'll have to wait and see if they decide to do one again for another high-cost licensed table.
I guess you are asking them to donate Twilight Zone to us out of gratitude, but they are a business and it needs to make them a profit, not a loss. The licensing costs of TZ are much higher than an unlicensed game. You've got the game itself, but more importantly the Twilight Zone TV show, the music, the characters/actors, etc. They've been pretty up front about the reason for the Kickstarter and what it pays for. They never claimed to be a non-profit.
I'm very satisifed with Pinball Arcade. Granted i'm not some hardcore pinball fan so a lot of the 'issues' people report i dont notice at all. Very happy to hear about this Twilight Zone table, can imagine it costs a fair bit to get the license. People are happy to help the project, i'm grateful to them as in x amount of months i should be able to download it. Still the best Pinball app out there, happy we've had a host of new tables after a slow start. Its great to see the collection get larger and larger
Now we just need somebody to make us Fling-like arcade buttons. That would make me very happy indeed.
3 million downloads of PA, if 1 million of them buy twilight zone for 2$, there will be more than enough profit for Farsight. I dont think they really need the 55000 from us. I dont ask them to donate us the game. I will pay like for any other table.
Actually I was a bit surprised at that announcement myself. I figured if $55,000 extra was going to price it too high to be practical, then they must not plan to sell more than about 27,500 copies, since that would raise the price $2. If they expect to sell more than 100,000 copies then I don't really understand why we are all donating to kickstarter just to keep the price from increasing by 50 cents. But I guess the issue is uncertainty. This takes the risk out of it for them. Even if the table bombs, they aren't out $55,000.
