Universal Zen Pinball - by Zen Studios

Discussion in 'iPhone and iPad Games' started by Sun Vulcan, Nov 30, 2011.

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Which of the first three tables do you prefer? (only vote if you've played all three)

  1. Sorcerer's Lair

    48.0%
  2. Wolverine

    23.0%
  3. Captain America

    16.4%
  4. Don't like any of them

    12.5%
  1. Habakuk

    Habakuk Well-Known Member

    The same with Asphalt 6 HD btw (iPad orig. + iPad 2). Don't know if it's an iOS or Gameloft bug.

    During gameplay they show up in the dot matrix display panel when you stop/trap the ball and wait a few seconds.

    Thanks, Jeffy!

    Scene from Wolverine (top of the table), short but intensive mini game:

    [​IMG]
     
  2. jeffy777

    jeffy777 Well-Known Member

    Oct 31, 2010
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    I also wish they'd make the different views more varied like they are on the consoles. I'd like an angle that was more like View 1 on 360.
     
  3. ShinyT

    ShinyT Member

    Nov 30, 2011
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    But if your friends are playing this game then they'll be on OpenFeint too. If they're not playing then you don't need the feature anyway.
     
  4. Habakuk

    Habakuk Well-Known Member

    Found a separate minigame in Sorcerer's Lair, a ball game:

    [​IMG]

    There are some hints in the matrix display on how to play the minigames but the instructions flash away soon. There should be a special training mode where you can play & learn all the countless minigames (without competition) in calmness.

    In Captain America is a mode where you can choose from several minigames/bonus missions.
     
  5. jeffy777

    jeffy777 Well-Known Member

    Oct 31, 2010
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    I take this back. I was playing in portrait mode before, but in landscape mode the views are more like on Xbox 360.

    Wish it was a little smoother on iPad 1. Captain America is especially sluggish.
     
  6. jeffy777

    jeffy777 Well-Known Member

    Oct 31, 2010
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    #66 jeffy777, Dec 1, 2011
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2011
    Seems like turning off a few extras makes it run a bit smoother on iPad 1 (turned off Arcade Effects and Music). Disabling the Dot Matrix Display helps too, but then I can't see the score/missions so that has to stay on.

    Hopefully they'll be able to optimize the frame rate a bit for older devices with an update.

    In the meantime, wishing I had an iPad 2....it's not unplayable on my iPad 1, but it's not as smooth as what I'm used to with these Zen tables on 360.
     
  7. pluto6

    pluto6 Well-Known Member

    Jun 21, 2009
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    I'll have to give this a try - I am running a bit sluggish, and I hate losing a ball because the flipper takes a short time to respond...

    How are the other 2 tables? I think that the free one is great - the other 2 screen shots don't look nearly as glamorous - almost like giving away the best, then buying the others and wondering why you did that... Thanks for the opinions - Playing this makes me think about getting a few more tables for the PS3 version..
     
  8. Cowboyman381

    Cowboyman381 Well-Known Member

    Dec 22, 2008
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    I feel your pain...lol....I have wished that a few times lately myself....if it wasn't so close to the iPad 3....I would really consider it.

    I wonder why the first table is so good and Captain America isn't....is it that way for you too ?....Sorcerer's Lair is smooth as silk on mine.
     
  9. MidianGTX

    MidianGTX Well-Known Member

    Jun 16, 2009
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    Kinda tempted, but I'm worried they're just gonna in-app purchase the crap out of it the way they have done with DLC on the PS3 version. I'm not against paying for content per se, but for some reason pinball tables just don't seem unique enough to me. Probably a personal thing.
     
  10. jeffy777

    jeffy777 Well-Known Member

    Oct 31, 2010
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    #70 jeffy777, Dec 1, 2011
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2011
    Pretty much. Sorcerer's Lair is much smoother.

    Well, the app itself is free, and you get one table for free, so might as well give in to the temptation :)
     
  11. jeffy777

    jeffy777 Well-Known Member

    Oct 31, 2010
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    #71 jeffy777, Dec 1, 2011
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2011
    As a test, try turning off the Dot Matrix Display on the Captain America table. I know it's not ideal, but for me it makes the table MUCH smoother (and the other tables too).....maybe if we confirm this, Zen can optimize it in an update.
     
  12. pluto6

    pluto6 Well-Known Member

    Jun 21, 2009
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    One thing I am VERY impressed with is how energy efficient these are. I played 2 hours straight and dropped only 12% on my iPad. Seems like most app drop about 10% an hour, so 6 % is a nive improvement.
     
  13. your personal robot

    your personal robot Well-Known Member

    Nov 11, 2008
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    #73 your personal robot, Dec 1, 2011
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2011
    Love the table design. Pity that it's not running perfectly smooth, but I didn't reboot yet. Playing on an iPhone 4. But I'm already downloading the other two tables, cause I know this will become a brilliant collection.

    EDIT: LOVE the table design. (Watch this Gameprom)
     
  14. Appletini

    Appletini Well-Known Member

    Jan 8, 2011
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    As a note, turning off "arcade effects" will boost the framerate while also removing unrealistic elements (power trails behind the ball, etc.) for those who want a purer pinball experience.
     
  15. Misguided

    Misguided Well-Known Member

    Jan 27, 2009
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    Sorcerer's lair is not close to smooth on ipad2 for me. There are stutters before some sounds start.

    The game doesn't want to connect to GameCenter. I see scores for my friends but I don't have one.
     
  16. JamesDean69

    JamesDean69 Well-Known Member

    Nov 19, 2009
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    Tristan is super realistic as far as physics go. The Last Gladiators tables on IOS are awesome as well. This Zen titles are great but they are def not up to par w the Xbox and PS3 versions. Which is dissapointing. i know it is asking a lot but i thought a pinball game if anything would be the type of game to be able to duplicate the console closely. The game is still awesome and fun. Pinball Hall of fame Gottleib Collection and Williams collection are still the best Pinball games around. They have super realistic physics especially since they are carbon copies of REAL arcade pinball machines down to every bell and whistle. A pinball has weight to it. Far to often arcade pinball games make the ball too light and way too small. which is what plagues Gameproms tables. u hit the ball in those games and the ball flies at 900 MPH which is very unrealistic. u need to feel that weight on the flippers.

    The only other game i felt duplicated this perfectly was a Pinball game for the original Xbox. Wish i still had it. Dont rewmember the name. There were 3 tables all w a futuristic space type themes. If anyone knows what game i am talking about please let me know.
     
  17. Habakuk

    Habakuk Well-Known Member

    #77 Habakuk, Dec 1, 2011
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2011
    Interesting. One of the Xbox owners says ZP is better on iPad 2, the next one says no. Anyway—for now I am enjoying them more than any other video pinball game.

    Two more screenshots. Time-limited (almost) unlit night view (as a bonus item) in Sorcerer's Lair (I can confirm that something similar exists in Wolverine with an even more glowing orb):

    [​IMG]

    Minigame scene in Captain America (built-in screenshot minipuzzle: who finds the ball?):

    [​IMG]
     
  18. vr0om

    vr0om New Member

    Dec 1, 2011
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    In-app Purchases Deleted?!

    I downloaded this game last night, was super impressed, and so I purchased the Wolverine and Capt. America tables immediately.

    This morning, I load up the app... and the two extra tables were GREYED OUT AGAIN! I tapped (or double-tapped) on one of them, and it asked me if I wanted to purchase it for $1.99 AGAIN!

    Does anyone know if I'll be able to re-download these for free? I have no idea how they got deleted, but as impressed as I am with the game, I refuse to pay for the same thing twice, especially when it wasn't my fault :mad:
     
  19. crunc

    crunc Well-Known Member

    Aug 11, 2008
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    On an iPad 2 played portrait, the view of the table and graphics are better than on the Xbox. Xbox version is 720p, right? In portrait mode you get higher vertical resolution, which is key. In any case, the view of the table is certainly much better on the iPad in portrait than it is on the Xbox.

    IMHO, Sorcerer's Lair is better than both of the Marvel tables. In fact I think I like it best of all the Pinball FX2/Zen Pinball tables I've played. I still don't think any of the Marvel tables are really that good. I guess if I was a huge Marvel fan I'd might feel differently.

    They all (not just Marvel) still suffer from too much repetition in physics. Things happen exactly the same way over and over. I wish they'd find a way to make the physics more realistic in that regard.
     
  20. GordLacey

    GordLacey Well-Known Member

    Nov 18, 2009
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    I own all the tables for the PS3, and I'll likely buy them all for iOS. Laying in bed, playing on my iPad is absolutely awesome.

    I recognize a number of you from the leaderboards; I'm BlueFrog on there.
     

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