Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
 
  • Post
  • Reply
TheMcD
May 4, 2013

Monaca / Subject N 2024
---------
Despair will never let you down.
Malice will never disappoint you.

ReverendHammer posted:

Also probably for some of the lesser known sports no one would remember who those people were anyway. Just a bit jarring to hear the audio cut.

After playing it again on TPA I still hold my opinion of No Fear that I had when it first came out: it's boring as hell.

Oh, it's easy to work out who those people were, just check promotional material: http://ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=2852&picno=4581&zoom=1

All of those people are at least notable enough to have a Wikipedia article. One's dead, which might be a bit of a problem, but the main problems are money and effort.

Personally, I like No Fear, but it's easy to make me like a pinball if you start out with a shredding Vince Pontarelli guitar soundtrack. The outlanes are killer, though, especially the right one, and the returns on weak shots are incredibly dangerous.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

King Vidiot
Feb 17, 2007

You think you can take me at Satan's Hollow? Go 'head on!

LordPants posted:

I was really cold on this season and now I'm thinking, welp, I better just buy the whole thing.

With each of the last two seasons I was like "alright, I'm just going to wait and cherry pick this season" and wound up buying the whole thing. Gonna do it again, and again and again...

ReverendHammer
Feb 12, 2003

BARTHOLOMEW THEODOSUS IS NOT AMUSED

TheMcD posted:

Oh, it's easy to work out who those people were, just check promotional material: http://ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=2852&picno=4581&zoom=1

All of those people are at least notable enough to have a Wikipedia article. One's dead, which might be a bit of a problem, but the main problems are money and effort.

The only other name I recognize was Jeremy McGrath. Wasn't Ivan Stewart the one they had for Stadium Off Road?

quote:

Personally, I like No Fear, but it's easy to make me like a pinball if you start out with a shredding Vince Pontarelli guitar soundtrack. The outlanes are killer, though, especially the right one, and the returns on weak shots are incredibly dangerous.

I will admit I like the music. Wouldn't mind listening to those outside of the game. But other than it just seems like a repetitive orbit and ramp game... unless there's some interesting scoring strategies I'm not aware of.

InfluenceDroid001
Dec 10, 2013

ReverendHammer posted:

I will admit I like the music. Wouldn't mind listening to those outside of the game. But other than it just seems like a repetitive orbit and ramp game... unless there's some interesting scoring strategies I'm not aware of.

I would not call the scoring strategy on No Fear interesting. Time out the modes until you get to No Limits, then trap a ball on the left flipper and use the right flipper to loop the left ramp.

TheMcD
May 4, 2013

Monaca / Subject N 2024
---------
Despair will never let you down.
Malice will never disappoint you.

So, what's the verdict on TPA's No Fear?

Personally, I'm not a fan. I like the table in general, but the TPA version is just hell. It's very fast and very unforgiving. The ramps and Asphalt loop all have tendencies to STDM on rollbacks, the outlanes are incredibly hungry, and shots like the Skydive, Skull and Asphalt loop are very stingy and need to be nailed juuuust right or they'll brick on the post and get sent out of control (towards Hungry Hungry Outlanes). Losing lit extra balls if you don't collect them on the same ball sucks too. I find myself constantly restarting just to attempt a Grand Champion score, let alone a leaderboard score. I feel like I need to 1) get the Raceway extra ball, 2) get at least two challenges going and 3) make progress towards the Asphalt extra ball, and I very rarely manage to do all three.

Also, the sound quality sucks rear end again. God loving damnit, Farsight.

Niwrad
Jul 1, 2008

I'm guessing we'll never get World Cup Soccer?

TheMcD
May 4, 2013

Monaca / Subject N 2024
---------
Despair will never let you down.
Malice will never disappoint you.

Niwrad posted:

I'm guessing we'll never get World Cup Soccer?

Licensing issues might be the reason we wouldn't see it. You'd have to license Striker (who owns that mutt, anyway? FIFA? Warner Bros. - who designed him? U.S. Soccer?), and you'd probably have to license the '94 World Cup as well, which probably is a problem... probably.

Dr. Hurt
Oct 23, 2010

TheMcD posted:

Licensing issues might be the reason we wouldn't see it. You'd have to license Striker (who owns that mutt, anyway? FIFA? Warner Bros. - who designed him? U.S. Soccer?), and you'd probably have to license the '94 World Cup as well, which probably is a problem... probably.

FIFA will probably need the money for legal fees soon anyway.

So after spending the weekend playing around with No Fear, I'm also not a huge fan. There just doesn't seem to be much to do with the table. It also seems to dump it down that right outlane pretty badly.

algebra testes
Mar 5, 2011


Lipstick Apathy
When is the new Stern thing happening?

Clouseau
Aug 3, 2003

My theories appall you, my heresies outrage you, I never answer letters, and you don't like my tie.
I believe they said they'd have more details in November, but they're nearly out of time. So, who knows?

Billy Gnosis
May 18, 2006

Now is the time for us to gather together and celebrate those things that we like and think are fun.
Are we sure they meant November '15?

ReverendHammer
Feb 12, 2003

BARTHOLOMEW THEODOSUS IS NOT AMUSED
I've been playing Game Of Thrones here and there at Buffalo Billiards (yay for my workplace being four blocks away)... is it just me or do some shots just seem a lot more difficult to make than you'd expect? I've bricked so many orbit shots I'm trying to decide if they just need a lot more accuracy by design or if I just suck as a human being.

Clouseau
Aug 3, 2003

My theories appall you, my heresies outrage you, I never answer letters, and you don't like my tie.
I have the same problem on GoT. It seems like it should shoot a lot easier (read: like Star Trek) than it does. I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing, especially since most of the great players I know pretty much tear that game apart.

DevCore
Jul 16, 2003

Schooled by Satan


ReverendHammer posted:

I've been playing Game Of Thrones here and there at Buffalo Billiards (yay for my workplace being four blocks away)... is it just me or do some shots just seem a lot more difficult to make than you'd expect? I've bricked so many orbit shots I'm trying to decide if they just need a lot more accuracy by design or if I just suck as a human being.

I miss working at the Omni hotel, lunch breaks were awesome.

ReverendHammer
Feb 12, 2003

BARTHOLOMEW THEODOSUS IS NOT AMUSED

Clouseau posted:

I have the same problem on GoT. It seems like it should shoot a lot easier (read: like Star Trek) than it does. I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing, especially since most of the great players I know pretty much tear that game apart.

I was wondering if I should treat it as a slower playing Medieval Madness. Which is fine... I need a change of pace from high speed orbit-and-ramp games.

Inferior Third Season
Jan 15, 2005

TheMcD posted:

So, what's the verdict on TPA's No Fear?

Personally, I'm not a fan. I like the table in general, but the TPA version is just hell. It's very fast and very unforgiving. The ramps and Asphalt loop all have tendencies to STDM on rollbacks, the outlanes are incredibly hungry, and shots like the Skydive, Skull and Asphalt loop are very stingy and need to be nailed juuuust right or they'll brick on the post and get sent out of control (towards Hungry Hungry Outlanes). Losing lit extra balls if you don't collect them on the same ball sucks too. I find myself constantly restarting just to attempt a Grand Champion score, let alone a leaderboard score. I feel like I need to 1) get the Raceway extra ball, 2) get at least two challenges going and 3) make progress towards the Asphalt extra ball, and I very rarely manage to do all three.

Also, the sound quality sucks rear end again. God loving damnit, Farsight.
I'm also really disappointed in the TPA No Fear table. As opposed to every other machine that I've played on both TPA and in real life, the virtual version is more difficult than the real thing. I think the most annoying part is that the Jump ramp plastic hides a significant chunk of the table when using the most overhead view option available (does anyone actually normally play with any of those low angles?). I have no problem seeing things on the real table, though the angle of view is nearly identical.

I switched to a lower view, but that made the Jump ramp nearly impossible to hit. I get disoriented and dizzy and play like poo poo if I use a non-locked view, so that means this table is basically unplayable for me. Which is a shame, because I quite like the real thing.

a shiny rock
Nov 13, 2009

PA didn't count my Black Rose score for the new tournament. Is that a thing that happens? I ended the game with 5 seconds left, entered initials, and when I pressed A it immediately started a new game. The new game with 0 points is what got submitted (steam version).

T-Shaped
Jan 16, 2006

The weapons you pick up along the way help. At least they help you do less talking.
Rob Zombie Spookshow International teaser is out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uXQ7ppJLYQ

TheMcD
May 4, 2013

Monaca / Subject N 2024
---------
Despair will never let you down.
Malice will never disappoint you.

OK, come on, there is absolutely no reason for this game to come shipped in family mode. You're buying a Rob Zombie pinball that's limited to 300 units, you know exactly what you're getting into.

Looks fun, shame I'm never going to get to play one.

Clouseau
Aug 3, 2003

My theories appall you, my heresies outrage you, I never answer letters, and you don't like my tie.
Looks neat. America's Most Haunted was a good game, and they're pretty much the only boutique company that has manufactured games, and seemingly done so without falling hugely behind on deadlines, promising the world, or running off with everyone's money.

algebra testes
Mar 5, 2011


Lipstick Apathy

Clouseau posted:

Looks neat. America's Most Haunted was a good game, and they're pretty much the only boutique company that has manufactured games, and seemingly done so without falling hugely behind on deadlines, promising the world, or running off with everyone's money.

You gotta respect 'em for that.

iastudent
Apr 22, 2008

Found this in my backyard today. :stare:

Do not even ask
Apr 8, 2008


If you backed the Timeshock Ultra kickstarter, a PC build has finally been released for backers. It's really barebones but it's still Timeshock.

Jobbo_Fett
Mar 7, 2014

Slava Ukrayini

Clapping Larry

iastudent posted:

Found this in my backyard today. :stare:



I would gladly lose at least $20 to that table.

Clouseau
Aug 3, 2003

My theories appall you, my heresies outrage you, I never answer letters, and you don't like my tie.
The only game in that line up I don't like as much is Pirates, but even that isn't too bad, it just isn't as interesting to me as the other ones. That pirate ship toy is dang cool though, one of my favorite toys Stern has ever rolled out.

FishBulb
Mar 29, 2003

Marge, I'd like to be alone with the sandwich for a moment.

Are you going to eat it?

...yes...
This pizza place I'm at has 3 broken tables and no working ones :(

Jobbo_Fett
Mar 7, 2014

Slava Ukrayini

Clapping Larry

FishBulb posted:

This pizza place I'm at has 3 broken tables and no working ones :(

Buy them super cheap and fix them up yourself, its the only way.

The Kins
Oct 2, 2004
Farsight posted on Facebook that the next table will be Judge Dredd (Bally, 1993).

Squashy Nipples
Aug 18, 2007

Inferior Third Season posted:

I'm also really disappointed in the TPA No Fear table. As opposed to every other machine that I've played on both TPA and in real life, the virtual version is more difficult than the real thing. I think the most annoying part is that the Jump ramp plastic hides a significant chunk of the table when using the most overhead view option available (does anyone actually normally play with any of those low angles?). I have no problem seeing things on the real table, though the angle of view is nearly identical.

I switched to a lower view, but that made the Jump ramp nearly impossible to hit. I get disoriented and dizzy and play like poo poo if I use a non-locked view, so that means this table is basically unplayable for me. Which is a shame, because I quite like the real thing.

I've been enjoying it... but I haven't seen the real thing in 20 + years, so I can't judge how accurate it is.

I think I'm just a sucker for a good Rock N Roll sound track? Music matters in pinball.

Collateral Damage
Jun 13, 2009

Do not even ask posted:

If you backed the Timeshock Ultra kickstarter, a PC build has finally been released for backers. It's really barebones but it's still Timeshock.
Whoo. I had almost forgotten that I backed that. For some reason all Kickstarter updates I get go into my spam folder so I tend to forget about them.

Domus
May 7, 2007

Kidney Buddies

The Kins posted:

Farsight posted on Facebook that the next table will be Judge Dredd (Bally, 1993).

So I'm curious: Are they going to do the table as released, or as it was designed? 'Cause the ball lock of orbiting planets is pretty awesome.

hexwren
Feb 27, 2008

Domus posted:

So I'm curious: Are they going to do the table as released, or as it was designed? 'Cause the ball lock of orbiting planets is pretty awesome.

Details?

TheMcD
May 4, 2013

Monaca / Subject N 2024
---------
Despair will never let you down.
Malice will never disappoint you.


http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1322 posted:

The planet "Deadworld" feature located on the upper left playfield was redesigned for all production games from the version that existed on prototype games (test games) like the one shown in the flyer. The test game version would lock balls on a ring that rotated slowly around the planet, until the third ball was locked, and then all three balls would be released by the Space Station Robotic Arm (a magnetic crane) for multi-ball.

In the production games, the locks are virtual and only the third locked ball is actually diverted to the planet, where it goes directly from the loading ramp to the crane and is lifted out immediately. The holes in the ring were cut open so if the crane ever failed, the balls will just fall off the ring as it turns.

It has been suggested that this feature was changed because it failed under test, leaving balls trapped on the ring. We asked designer John Trudeau about it. He clarifies:

quote:

The original ring and [software] program were only used on the prototypes and sample games. Nothing ever failed and all the games worked flawlessly, throughout their stays at their test locations. Even the sample games sent to Europe worked well.

The problem was with the German distributor. He said he saw a potential for failure with the ball crane. In other words, he just didn't like it. I don't know why. And I never actually heard what he threatened Williams with, but it was enough pressure to have the game changed. I fought the good fight for keeping it the way it was, but I didn't have big enough clout to outweigh the potential loss of sales. So I swallowed what pride I had left and changed it. It wasn't as cool as having the balls in orbit, but there was a lot of game still there to have fun with.

The same potential "failure lock-up" point is at ANY ball popper or even the outhole. It just never made any sense to me.

The prototype games were all retrofitted with a new ring and program. The distributors were all sent conversion kits to refit their sample games to the modified play. Whether these kits ever actually found their way onto the sample games was up to the distributors. The incentive for the distributors to do the conversion was the fact that any subsequent software updates would have the "new" ring in mind. The "old" ring would only work with that original software release. I would expect that everyone would eventually do the mod.

Any regular production game having a planet ring that matches the one shown in the flyer has been fitted with an after-factory reproduction of the prototype/sample model, and the game programming should have been adjusted to support this change.



It does sound like a technical nightmare, the kind of thing that would give operators fits.

EDIT: I mean, they COULD do it - they'd have to use the L-1 ROM, and it's available online, so it's out there. I figure :farsight: will win out, though. No chance they do something extra.

TheMcD fucked around with this message at 00:17 on Dec 13, 2015

Boxman
Sep 27, 2004

Big fan of :frog:


So, my local pinball place is closing at the end of the month. I stopped in to say goodbye and :stare:

Nurge
Feb 4, 2009

by Reene
Fun Shoe

TheMcD posted:

It does sound like a technical nightmare, the kind of thing that would give operators fits.

EDIT: I mean, they COULD do it - they'd have to use the L-1 ROM, and it's available online, so it's out there. I figure :farsight: will win out, though. No chance they do something extra.

I don't think it's :farsight: at all. Their licensing deal with the pinball companies require them to make the machines copies of the original production run ones. This is why there's no bug-fixed ROM for totan etc in the game. Their licensors would throw a shitfit if they tried to include anything outside of the machines they sold.

King Vidiot
Feb 17, 2007

You think you can take me at Satan's Hollow? Go 'head on!

Boxman posted:

So, my local pinball place is closing at the end of the month. I stopped in to say goodbye and :stare:



Is that CP? Because if so I think I kind of have no choice but to go next weekend :stare:

Discendo Vox
Mar 21, 2013

We don't need to have that dialogue because it's obvious, trivial, and has already been had a thousand times.
This seems like an incredible opportunity to pick up some machines, if they're not already spoken for.

WeedlordGoku69
Feb 12, 2015

by Cyrano4747

Boxman posted:

So, my local pinball place is closing at the end of the month. I stopped in to say goodbye and :stare:



Is Goin' Nuts actually fun in real life, or is it still literally hitler

algebra testes
Mar 5, 2011


Lipstick Apathy
kill it.

kill it with fire. :stare:

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Luigi Thirty
Apr 30, 2006

Emergency confection port.

LORD OF BUTT posted:

Is Goin' Nuts actually fun in real life, or is it still literally hitler

I didn't even think there was a finished ROM for it

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • Post
  • Reply