Pinball Arcade is now available for XBLA

[g_block247]

Played the demo, pretty solid. Can't wait to see them roll out more tables for this. Will be picking it up come payday.

[Nephasth]

If PBJ doesn't have major complaints about this, it must be worth picking up.

[TopJimmyCooks]

Played the demo yesterday and I will buy it.  Interesting to see how much the upcoming tables will cost per.  probably $5/400 points based on their typical scheme, but hopefully less. 

[Donkbaca]

I agree if PBJ says its worth it, its probably worth it

[drventure]

I'm by no means a pinball expert, but I played with this game at the texas pinball fest and talked to the guys there.

It's pretty dang nice. The guy manning the booth said they have "serious plans" for a cab friendly PC version "soon", but when I pressed him and I mentioned that I was just starting to put together parts for a vpin cabinet, he said "Well, it might be done by the time you finish collecting all your parts" 

For me, that might be months 

But still, this game really did look good. I particularly liked the way the camera followed the ball. It seemed much better "orchestrated" and natural than what I've seen futurepinball or Visual Pinball (although I really like both of those games too).

Maybe it'll help spur on some new stuff in those open source projects.

[rooter]

I'm by no means a pinball expert, but I played with this game at the texas pinball fest and talked to the guys there.

It's pretty dang nice. The guy manning the booth said they have "serious plans" for a cab friendly PC version "soon", but when I pressed him and I mentioned that I was just starting to put together parts for a vpin cabinet, he said "Well, it might be done by the time you finish collecting all your parts" 

For me, that might be months 

But still, this game really did look good. I particularly liked the way the camera followed the ball. It seemed much better "orchestrated" and natural than what I've seen futurepinball or Visual Pinball (although I really like both of those games too).

Maybe it'll help spur on some new stuff in those open source projects.

I can't wait.  There are a lot of people asking for this on their Facebook page.  We should all petition for the cab version so they don't lose interest in the project.  It's shouldn't be a big deal for them.  Porting code from Xbox 360 to PC can be as easy as remapping the controls.  (no multiple monitors and other useful features though).  Also, the iOS versions of the game supports horizontal and vertical play.  I just worry that they make so much money from the iOS versions that they use all their resources making new tables instead of porting the software they already have.

[g_block247]

Oh, I will buy this, just cant get it til next friday. I'm REALLY hoping they release some of my all-time favs on here (GnR, Twilight Zone, Addams Family, ST:TNG, Attack From Mars)....I would easily pay $5.00 a table for any of those listed.

[Le Chuck]

I agree if PBJ says its worth it, its probably worth it

Yep, and PBJ actually paid for it, too.  Lord have mercy.

This thing craps all over Future Pinball and Visual Pinball.  It also has tables from Williams, Gottlieb, and Stern which is just astounding.

Holy cats.  I am getting in line now for the PC version and totally think that $5 a table is a more than fair price.   

[TopJimmyCooks]

I was just guessing on the pricing.  seems like most xbl stuff is either $5 or $10. 

[Nephasth]

It was an 800 point download.  Can't recall what that cost me in real money... I bought some points card last year.

 

$9.99, or $2.50 a table.

[TopJimmyCooks]

The game with the original four tables is $10 or 800 M$ points.  I was guessing what the upcoming tables would cost. 

[Nephasth]

I like it so far. I would hope that they release table packs like PFX2 does sometimes. I hate buying one table at a time.

[rooter]

Oh, I will buy this, just cant get it til next friday. I'm REALLY hoping they release some of my all-time favs on here (GnR, Twilight Zone, Addams Family, ST:TNG, Attack From Mars)....I would easily pay $5.00 a table for any of those listed.

If you need something to hold you over, there is a new Twilight Zone table out for Future Pinball that is pretty incredible.

[g_block247]

Found the TZ table, installed FP, but it runs like crap...never had any luck with these pinball emulators  

Edit:

doesn't run anywhere close to this vid. the lcd display is b/w really basic graphics, choppy, etc.

[rooter]

Found the TZ table, installed FP, but it runs like crap...never had any luck with these pinball emulators  

doesn't run anywhere close to this vid. the lcd display is b/w really basic graphics, choppy, etc.

It runs perfectly smoothly for me at over 100fps.  There are two DMD's.  A white one on the playfield and an orange one on the back glass.  I moved the white one off the screen because it was covering the cool gumball machine.  You can either use a second monitor for the backglass, or move the orange DMD to somewhere you can see it better.  The table is available here.

[Syco54645]

I'm by no means a pinball expert, but I played with this game at the texas pinball fest and talked to the guys there.

It's pretty dang nice. The guy manning the booth said they have "serious plans" for a cab friendly PC version "soon", but when I pressed him and I mentioned that I was just starting to put together parts for a vpin cabinet, he said "Well, it might be done by the time you finish collecting all your parts" 

For me, that might be months 

But still, this game really did look good. I particularly liked the way the camera followed the ball. It seemed much better "orchestrated" and natural than what I've seen futurepinball or Visual Pinball (although I really like both of those games too).

Maybe it'll help spur on some new stuff in those open source projects.

if they make cabinet friendly i would be all for it. hopefully it would work with an ledwiz for contactors and such. also it would be nice if it works with 3 monitors and has an animated backglass. oh and works with russ's usb board for driving a real dmd. alot of tall orders to fill. we will see how it works.

[rooter]

I'm by no means a pinball expert, but I played with this game at the texas pinball fest and talked to the guys there.

It's pretty dang nice. The guy manning the booth said they have "serious plans" for a cab friendly PC version "soon", but when I pressed him and I mentioned that I was just starting to put together parts for a vpin cabinet, he said "Well, it might be done by the time you finish collecting all your parts" 

For me, that might be months 

But still, this game really did look good. I particularly liked the way the camera followed the ball. It seemed much better "orchestrated" and natural than what I've seen futurepinball or Visual Pinball (although I really like both of those games too).

Maybe it'll help spur on some new stuff in those open source projects.

if they make cabinet friendly i would be all for it. hopefully it would work with an ledwiz for contactors and such. also it would be nice if it works with 3 monitors and has an animated backglass. oh and works with russ's usb board for driving a real dmd. alot of tall orders to fill. we will see how it works.

I would bet that you could set your camera up to work with a cabinet.  Moving the DMD to another screen would be a maybe I would think.  The backglass would probably just be an image loaded by a frontend.  I would doubt they would bother with ledwiz and creating ROMs for the DMD board.  Who knows what they will actually do though?  I would be really happy with just about anything they come up with, even if it means playing the games in my MAME cabinet instead of the Pinball cabinet.  They are advertising a windows version of the games on their website, so we should get something decent from them.

[Syco54645]

I'm by no means a pinball expert, but I played with this game at the texas pinball fest and talked to the guys there.

It's pretty dang nice. The guy manning the booth said they have "serious plans" for a cab friendly PC version "soon", but when I pressed him and I mentioned that I was just starting to put together parts for a vpin cabinet, he said "Well, it might be done by the time you finish collecting all your parts" 

For me, that might be months 

But still, this game really did look good. I particularly liked the way the camera followed the ball. It seemed much better "orchestrated" and natural than what I've seen futurepinball or Visual Pinball (although I really like both of those games too).

Maybe it'll help spur on some new stuff in those open source projects.

if they make cabinet friendly i would be all for it. hopefully it would work with an ledwiz for contactors and such. also it would be nice if it works with 3 monitors and has an animated backglass. oh and works with russ's usb board for driving a real dmd. alot of tall orders to fill. we will see how it works.

I would bet that you could set your camera up to work with a cabinet.  Moving the DMD to another screen would be a maybe I would think.  The backglass would probably just be an image loaded by a frontend.  I would doubt they would bother with ledwiz and creating ROMs for the DMD board.  Who knows what they will actually do though?  I would be really happy with just about anything they come up with, even if it means playing the games in my MAME cabinet instead of the Pinball cabinet.  They are advertising a windows version of the games on their website, so we should get something decent from them.

It is unlikely but they could be using the rom. I dont think the license of Pinmame wouldn allow this though.

[yotsuya]

I have this for my Android phone and my iPad. I bought the version of Black Hole for the iPad. I'm going to buy Medeval Madness for the Android as soon as the free trial month ends.

[TopJimmyCooks]

kewl.

[Le Chuck]

They wrote me back:

"The vertical display is already available on the Mac version of the game and will be available for the PC version when it is released. (not until at least June). "

 

My pants just tented. 

[billpa]

I purchased the mac version when it came out a week or two ago.  You need to rotate your display in the system preferences ie your desktop needs to be vertical as well.  So if you are planning on running this version on a pincab, you are going to need to have some sort of command before the games launches that switches your screen orientation...if that makes sense.

The view is not like FP or VP in that you see the side rails more as you get to the back of the playfield.  It is a shame that they only have two camera options.  Overall I like the game.  I feel like I can trap and pass the ball.  I wish they toned down the ambient light as everything is lit which makes the playfield look really busy...especially TOTAN.  The other thing I noticed is there is a distinct visual difference between TOTAN and RBION.  Ripleys looks more cartoony (talking about the 3D rendered look).

[wp34]

I picked this up for the iPad based on the comments here. It is really good.  I'm not a pinball expert but I've tried all the simulators for the iPad and this one is the best.

If the PC version has more tables this might rekindle my interest in building a dedicated video pin.

[rooter]

I purchased the mac version when it came out a week or two ago.  You need to rotate your display in the system preferences ie your desktop needs to be vertical as well.  So if you are planning on running this version on a pincab, you are going to need to have some sort of command before the games launches that switches your screen orientation...if that makes sense.

The view is not like FP or VP in that you see the side rails more as you get to the back of the playfield.  It is a shame that they only have two camera options.  Overall I like the game.  I feel like I can trap and pass the ball.  I wish they toned down the ambient light as everything is lit which makes the playfield look really busy...especially TOTAN.  The other thing I noticed is there is a distinct visual difference between TOTAN and RBION.  Ripleys looks more cartoony (talking about the 3D rendered look).

Just for reference for later, many video drivers will rotate your screen by hitting Ctrl+Alt+Arrow key, with the arrow key pointing to the direction you want the top of your screen to be.  Also, there is a free program called iRotate which give you a quick icon to rotate the screen and also works from the command line.

I agree about the camera options, but I think they may add features to that.  Rumor has it that they are building their own pinball cabinet to test the Windows version.  That should mean dual monitors and the playfield lined up nicely on the main screen, that is, if the rumors are true and they don't hit a development snag that makes adding the features not cost effective.

[Nephasth]

Just for reference for later, many video drivers will rotate your screen by hitting Ctrl+Alt+Arrow key, with the arrow key pointing to the direction you want the top of your screen to be. 

Learn something new everyday!

[stu33]

Ok...so...have had this for 360 for about 2 weeks now.  Theatre of Magic is probably my favorite table, even though it can be cheap sometimes with the ball heading DIRECTLY DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE TABLE after hitting the trunk, which you have to do about 300 times per game...

But, what's the deal with Black Hole?  I want to love this table, but I completely and utterly suck at it.  95% of the time when I get the ball up the left ramp and into the lower playfield, I will lose the ball without getting the gate open.  That lower playfield really seems to be the way to achieve some killer scores too, once you've got your multipliers up.

The problem is, I can't see due to the camera angle what I'm supposed to hit to make the gate open.  Is there a way for me to change the angle on 360 so I can actually see more than just the flippers and the one pop bumper?

[rooter]

But, what's the deal with Black Hole?  I want to love this table, but I completely and utterly suck at it.  95% of the time when I get the ball up the left ramp and into the lower playfield, I will lose the ball without getting the gate open.  That lower playfield really seems to be the way to achieve some killer scores too, once you've got your multipliers up.

The problem is, I can't see due to the camera angle what I'm supposed to hit to make the gate open.  Is there a way for me to change the angle on 360 so I can actually see more than just the flippers and the one pop bumper?

I hate Black Hole too (all versions).  There are other ways to open (and close) the gate from the upper playfield, just read "Re-Entry" the instructions in the games table menu.  I haven't played on the 360, but the angle you are seeing is the same you would see if you were standing at the real table.

[stu33]

But, what's the deal with Black Hole?  I want to love this table, but I completely and utterly suck at it.  95% of the time when I get the ball up the left ramp and into the lower playfield, I will lose the ball without getting the gate open.  That lower playfield really seems to be the way to achieve some killer scores too, once you've got your multipliers up.

The problem is, I can't see due to the camera angle what I'm supposed to hit to make the gate open.  Is there a way for me to change the angle on 360 so I can actually see more than just the flippers and the one pop bumper?

I hate Black Hole too (all versions).  There are other ways to open (and close) the gate from the upper playfield, just read "Re-Entry" the instructions in the games table menu.  I haven't played on the 360, but the angle you are seeing is the same you would see if you were standing at the real table.

Really?  Yikes, I'd consider that a design flaw, for sure.  All I can see is the edge of the pop bumper and the flippers.  I really have no clue what's going on anywhere else in that lower playfield.  Knowing now the original table was like that too, I'm probably done even trying that table anymore.  Thanks.