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Any gamers around here?

Started by Agramon, June 21, 2013, 02:55:17 AM

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the_antithesis

So I finally dropped the hammer and downloaded Pinball Arcade and Pinball FX 2: Now With More F And A Little Less X. Both programs are very similar in that they are pinball simulating physics engines where you have to buy the tables like you might download an MP3 or something. Each has a nice sized stable of tables which you can play for a brief demo which kicks you out just as it's getting good, so you pony up the money.

The difference is Pinball FX 2 is all original tables while Pinball Arcade is recreations of "classic" pinball tables. We'll talk about that first.

To Pinball Arcade3, classic means twenty years ago. As in the 90's or later which is what the bulk of their tables are. There are a few from the 80's or earlier, but it seems that 90's or later pinball is what you kids want, so that's what they spend their time licensing.

Not that this is a bad thing. Most of the games I remember and liked were from that era. I wasn't into pinball during the 80's because I was too crazy for video games to notice these weird machines with a ball bearing rolling around in them. Also, games from the 70's and earlier tend to be a bit bland with just a bell for sound effects and shit. however, part of the joy of this shit is playing classic games warts and all. Let's face it, anyone who's going to bitch about 50's tables not being very flashy compared to modern pinball tables are not going to be interested in pinball in the first place.

They do have a nice selection at time of writing, although the Doctor Who table is conspicuous by its absence. That said, most of the tables I'm interested in are in season one... they have their releases divided up by year of release. You can either buy an individual table (or pack as some are bundled together) or the whole flipping season. Strangely, the number of tables per season goes down while the price stays the same, or jumps up for the current season to about twice the price. This may be a case where patience is a virtue and getting a season a year or three later will be significantly cheaper.

Pinball FX 2, on the other hand is all original tables with the bulk of their offerings being licensed properties. They have like a billion tables with the Star Wars logo on them and a million billion under the Marvel banner. It's incredible. There are a handful of original tables which are more interesting to me that any of the other shit. If I never spend another cent on anything Star Wars it will be too soon.

That said, I think the designs here are kind of stupid.

Both platforms suffer from most computer screens being landscape and pinball being presented portrait. Why Zen Studios that makes Pinball FX decided to hamstring their games in this way is beyond me. They could have made wider, shallower table designs that would look good on a tablet or smartphone, never mind a 3DS or laptop. But they didn't do that. At least Farsight Studios had an excuse with Pinball Arcade since they were recreating old games. What the fuck is Zen Studio's excuse?

As a result, both suffer from not having an ideal position to view the table. They have a scrolling view that follows the ball around WHICH IS COMPLETELY FUCKING WRONG WHEN PLAYING PINBALL!!!!!

Pinball requires the player to have full view of the playfield at all times. So they can glance around and look at this or that area quickly. A moving camera just doesn't work. Like having butt sex while you and your partner are in different cars. There are ways to fix the viewing angle, sort of. For some reason both of them jump the view to the front of the virtual machine instead of having a little window in that dead area to the right of the table.

Pinball FX 2 is just not as good, in my opinion. The tables tend to be a desperate attempt to make pinball appeal more to the kids. Kind of like some of the 90's era pinball tables, like Party Zone and Dr Dude and His Excellent Ray. Completely stupid overcomplicated miasma of sight, sound, and shit designed to trick idiots into thinking this is fun.

I was playing the Guardians of the Galaxy demo and at one point, the flippers stopped working while two of the characters had a conversation. It was a cut scene. A cut scene in a fucking pinball game. Mother fucking christ! Is nothing sacred?

Personally, I dislike the animated characters Pinball FX 2 uses. They look like jittery mannequins and they do not improve the experience at all. The voice acting is likewise terrible and repeated to the point of inducing suicide.

So, I prefer the approach of Pinball Arcade. I don't think it's as good as Visual Pinball, which I can't get to run on my laptop. Future Pinball may have been better, in fact. But both of those programs seem to be barely supported anymore. (and two of my favorite VP tables, Pagan Pinball II and Trigon, were originals that would only run in old versions of VP) So these pay platforms seem to be the future. For now.

kilodelta

There should be a cut scene where the hot pinball slut starts feeling up the player's avatar. You know. Like in real life when you're playing pinball so well that it gets the pinball slut hot and bothered.
Faith: pretending to know things you don't know

Mr.Obvious

I realize I've only recently posted another link from the youtube-channel from my friend and I. And if you'd rather I remove this, I will.
It's just that he put a lot of work in this, the first episode of our second season of our retro-game hunting channel. (Stivad does all the editing.)
Retro games for the win. See any you remember? See any you like?

https://youtu.be/mrehQg5mjE4

(P.S. I'll tone down the self-advertising from now on.)
"If we have to go down, we go down together!"
- Your mum, last night, requesting 69.

Atheist Mantis does not pray.

PickelledEggs

So I got a PS4. Add me if you want. You know the name

Hydra009

*opens steam*
*checks skyrim mods*
'mods fur SALÆŽ!  Cheep!'



*clutches Nexus tight and sobs*
"There was an accident today.  A terrible accident..."

Mike Cl

Quote from: Hydra009 on April 24, 2015, 01:23:37 AM
*opens steam*
*checks skyrim mods*
'mods fur SALÆŽ!  Cheep!'



*clutches Nexus tight and sobs*
"There was an accident today.  A terrible accident..."
WHAT????!!!!  Really??  Damn!  I am fairly new to modding.  And I love that the steam workshop makes it so easy to use them in Skyrim.  I currently run about 40, but always look for more.  My fav games are Fallout 3, Fallout NV and Skyrim.  All three have hundreds of good mods.  But I've always been afraid to use Nexus to use mods for the Fallout series---I'd love to, just too chicken.  I am not a computer geek (wish I was) and have heard how unsuccessful mod downloading can cause all sorts of computer problems.  I've looked closely at Nexus in regards to all three games--some great, great mods there--but get scared away by the steps I need to take to down load those mods.  I can see you are a serious modder.  Is there a real danger of screwing up your computer and or game by incorrectly downloading a mod?  Is it really as complicated as I think it is????
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?<br />Then he is not omnipotent,<br />Is he able but not willing?<br />Then whence cometh evil?<br />Is he neither able or willing?<br />Then why call him god?

Hydra009

#1446
Quote from: Mike Cl on April 24, 2015, 09:03:15 AM
WHAT????!!!!  Really??  Damn!
Read it and weep.  http://steamcommunity.com/workshop/aboutpaidcontent/

Two things really irk me about this:

1) Putting up pay walls deters people from downloading mods, which is one of the major selling points of PC games.  Plus, modders want their creation to spread far and wide, discouraging people in any way runs counter to modding culture.  Modders generally do it in their spare time for pleasure rather than profit, but large projects can rely on voluntary donations pretty successfully.  It's not like modding has been dying out from lack of interest or funds.

2) Valve gets 75% of the cut for doing nothing but host the file.  This strikes me as incredibly predatory behavior from a company famed for its (relatively) benevolent behavior. 

QuoteI am fairly new to modding.  And I love that the steam workshop makes it so easy to use them in Skyrim.  I currently run about 40, but always look for more.  My fav games are Fallout 3, Fallout NV and Skyrim.  All three have hundreds of good mods.
My favorite games tend to be mod-heavy as well.  Adds a hell of a lot of replay value.

QuoteBut I've always been afraid to use Nexus to use mods for the Fallout series---I'd love to, just too chicken.  I am not a computer geek (wish I was) and have heard how unsuccessful mod downloading can cause all sorts of computer problems.  I've looked closely at Nexus in regards to all three games--some great, great mods there--but get scared away by the steps I need to take to down load those mods.  I can see you are a serious modder.  Is there a real danger of screwing up your computer and or game by incorrectly downloading a mod?  Is it really as complicated as I think it is????
Generally, modding isn't that hard.  It can be as simple as editing a text file.  But mostly, you're going to have to download files, place them in the right directories and maybe overwrite what's already there.  There are some mods that really require a lot of effort to install, but most of the time, they're not that challenging.  And yes, it is possible to screw up your computer, but unless you delete system files or download one hell of a virus, it's unlikely.

Here's what I do:
1) Get mods only from trusted websites.  Nexus is the among the best, imho.
2) Research.  Know what you're downloading.  Read the comments.  Watch gameplay videos if possible.  I guarantee you, something malicious will have LOTS of negative feedback.
3) Good antivirus.  Scan whatever you download for viruses.  Should be standard operation procedure for anything from the internet.
4) Backup your game directory.  If you're overwriting a file, make sure to back it up first.
5) Follow instructions to the letter.  Modders get a lot of complains from people who couldn't get the mod working because they couldn't follow instructions.

Solitary

For those who have waited an eternity for Mass Effect 4, it will be worth the wait if they get the game out soon from what I'm hearing. I'm going to be dead before they get it out if they wait too much longer.  :eek: :angry: Solitary
There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action.

Mike Cl

Quote from: Mike Cl on April 24, 2015, 09:03:15 AM
WHAT????!!!!  Really??  Damn!  I am fairly new to modding.  And I love that the steam workshop makes it so easy to use them in Skyrim.  I currently run about 40, but always look for more.  My fav games are Fallout 3, Fallout NV and Skyrim.  All three have hundreds of good mods.  But I've always been afraid to use Nexus to use mods for the Fallout series---I'd love to, just too chicken.  I am not a computer geek (wish I was) and have heard how unsuccessful mod downloading can cause all sorts of computer problems.  I've looked closely at Nexus in regards to all three games--some great, great mods there--but get scared away by the steps I need to take to down load those mods.  I can see you are a serious modder.  Is there a real danger of screwing up your computer and or game by incorrectly downloading a mod?  Is it really as complicated as I think it is????
Somehow that Steam news escaped me.  My comment--well, fuck! 

Hydra, one of these days when I feel brave enough, I'll have to tackle registering with Nexus and download a simple mod.  That is, if any will be simple for me. :)  I have to admit that the mods have really extended my play on Skyrim.  I have 1500 hrs. since I started modding that game.  And have not stopped yet.  I also have to admit that Sophia is my favorite mod.
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?<br />Then he is not omnipotent,<br />Is he able but not willing?<br />Then whence cometh evil?<br />Is he neither able or willing?<br />Then why call him god?

Hydra009

They have a good mod manager that could help simplify the process.  But personally, I use the manual option.

Mike Cl

Quote from: Hydra009 on April 24, 2015, 02:21:32 PM
They have a good mod manager that could help simplify the process.  But personally, I use the manual option.
A good mod manager?  I can see that I need to make a major study of this before I attempt anything.  There must be some web sites that can give me some baby step, beginner type guidance.  :)  Novice would be a step up for me in this stuff.
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?<br />Then he is not omnipotent,<br />Is he able but not willing?<br />Then whence cometh evil?<br />Is he neither able or willing?<br />Then why call him god?

Hydra009

Fortunately, the internet is full of tutorials.  Here's a good one specifically for the Mod Manager:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0HbbZrQXgs

Mike Cl

Quote from: Hydra009 on April 25, 2015, 12:47:41 AM
Fortunately, the internet is full of tutorials.  Here's a good one specifically for the Mod Manager:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0HbbZrQXgs
Thanks, I appreciate that, Hydra.  It is now safely bookmarked and ready for study. :)
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?<br />Then he is not omnipotent,<br />Is he able but not willing?<br />Then whence cometh evil?<br />Is he neither able or willing?<br />Then why call him god?

Hydra009

#1453
Modgate is really picking up steam, heh.  Gaben decided to do an AMA about it.  A lot of his responses are puzzling, either giving the impression that he doesn't know what his company is doing (really?) while simultaneously trying to mend fences and toe the line.  Very bizzare stuff.

My favorite part:


Hydra009

It is over.  For now.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwYUxJ3QgdY

We are victorious, but a more terrible battle remains ahead.  He who should be the greatest of us all has bargained away his soul to the ruinious powers.  And we are branded as renegades and traitors.  My brothers, this cannot- this will not stand.   We shall purge the rot in our Chapter once and for all.  When that day comes, we must all be ready.  Let none find us wanting.