Should Farsight get rid of the pause feature in TPA?

invitro · Aug 4, 2015

One of their employees, RSchwantner, said "I've been trying to push for no more pause function at all. Can't pause a real table."
http://digitalpinballfans.com/showt...ategy-thread-)?p=216696&viewfull=1#post216696

EDIT: Oops, he was just joking, and I got fooled...
"Haha he was only joking

Even if pausing during the roll can give some people an edge, were not going to take it out and we couldn't even if we wanted to per Test requirements for every platform." - FlippyFloppy
http://digitalpinballfans.com/showt...ategy-thread-)?p=216711&viewfull=1#post216711

Maggie · Aug 4, 2015

The pause function is huge. Without it, I would play less because I'd hate to lose a big game if I got interrupted with a phone call or something. Being able to pause means I know that even if something comes up, I won't have to drop a big game.

suffocater · Aug 4, 2015

To be honest, I would hate to lose this feature, because of its incredible convinience. BUT I have to admit that without it, it would be much more a simulation.

Gus · Aug 4, 2015

I guess on PC you could just force a key down to cradle the ball over night or similar if there was no possibility to pause, but on phones/pads you're screwed. I agree games get too long, but IF that problem should be fixed it should be done another way - difficulty settings, reduce nudge severely etc.

DA5ID · Aug 4, 2015

There should be some inherit beneficial features of a digital version - pause is one of them. In fact make it even better - if you pause a game too long or switch apps ( on iOS) it restarts the TPA software and you lose your game.

EldarOfSuburbia · Aug 4, 2015

Life happens; and Pinball is just a game.

If my boss calls me at the weekend or on a day off, I'd better be answering that phone.

Fungi · Aug 4, 2015

There's a pause feature??? Everytime I pause on my iPad, the darn app relaunches when I wake it back up.

switch3flip · Aug 4, 2015

Gus said:
I guess on PC you could just force a key down to cradle the ball over night or similar if there was no possibility to pause, but on phones/pads you're screwed. I agree games get too long, but IF that problem should be fixed it should be done another way - difficulty settings, reduce nudge severely etc.

It's possible to work something out on phones/ipads as well. You can put a stylus pen with the rubber touch thing down on flipper area on touchscreen and have it hold up the flipper and if you put some support around it, it stays like that and you can leave it over night or something.

-

I didn't vote because my opinion is that pause maybe shouldn't be removed but changed somehow, I don't exactly know how though.

invitro · Aug 4, 2015

Oops, he was just joking, and I got fooled...
"Haha he was only joking

Even if pausing during the roll can give some people an edge, were not going to take it out and we couldn't even if we wanted to per Test requirements for every platform." - FlippyFloppy
http://digitalpinballfans.com/showt...ategy-thread-)?p=216711&viewfull=1#post216711

Sorry folks...

Crooker · Aug 5, 2015

EldarOfSuburbia said:
Life happens; and Pinball is just a game.

If my boss calls me at the weekend or on a day off, I'd better be answering that phone.

You got that right.

Bowflex · Aug 5, 2015

No, as unreal as it is, it also falls in line with the traditional pause feature of home gaming that has been prevalent since the mid 80's. In that case you were able to do something you couldn't with an arcade game. I understand the sentiment but leave it in the hands of the user if they want to have it or not.

switch3flip · Aug 5, 2015

Well when/if online multiplayer or head 2 head gets enabled, pause should be disabled or have a countdown timer.

Slam23 · Aug 5, 2015

Did you know that there is a pause function on some real pins too? I found this description on a site that reviews Twilight Zone: "Mute and Pause function – Have you ever been in the middle of a great game of pinball, only to have the phone ring? Well, Twilight Zone, now has a feature to allow you to pause your game. Catch the ball on a flipper then tap the Extra Ball button. The flipper will be held, and the game will go silent. To resume play, hold in the flipper button and tap the Extra Ball button again. (The game will resume automatically after 15 minutes.) This function can be disabled by a new adjustment, “MUTE & PAUSE OK.”
I don't know if there are more examples out there?

Extork · Aug 5, 2015

The ones that said yes have to say yes to everything. Just like that in that one movie

Nightwing · Aug 5, 2015

Extork said:
The ones that said yes have to say yes to everything. Just like that in that one movie

Yes.

Sorry,couldn't resist.

For the record - my vote is no,of course. Unless you are battling online in mulilplayer mode. (If we ever get it)

invitro · Aug 5, 2015

Slam23 said:
Did you know that there is a pause function on some real pins too? I found this description on a site that reviews Twilight Zone: "Mute and Pause function – Have you ever been in the middle of a great game of pinball, only to have the phone ring? Well, Twilight Zone, now has a feature to allow you to pause your game. Catch the ball on a flipper then tap the Extra Ball button. The flipper will be held, and the game will go silent. To resume play, hold in the flipper button and tap the Extra Ball button again. (The game will resume automatically after 15 minutes.) This function can be disabled by a new adjustment, “MUTE & PAUSE OK.”

Well, I don't remember knowing about this, so I thought maybe you were reading about some custom ROM. But sure enough, it exists, in the home ROM (9.4H). goggle gave many refs, here's one:
http://www.planetarypinball.com/mm5/Williams/tech/roms/twilight.html

(This page also has some pretty nice "release notes" for the various ROM versions.)

I can't find mention of a pause feature on any other game, though.

Espy · Aug 5, 2015

I actually have a weird self-imposed rule about game pausing. Only time I walk away from a paused game is when the ball is in the trough. In my own mind, you can't pause a real table so I don't pause the digital ones. By no means should the feature be removed, though. Just personal preference!

Kratos3 · Aug 5, 2015

Gus said:
I guess on PC you could just force a key down to cradle the ball over night or similar if there was no possibility to pause, but on phones/pads you're screwed. I agree games get too long, but IF that problem should be fixed it should be done another way - difficulty settings, reduce nudge severely etc.

This alone would make TPA soooooo much better and more realistic.

tenparts · Aug 5, 2015

The thing is, not having a pause feature is a requirement of the arcade environment. Really, there oughta be a pause feature for private use in the test menus of pinball and video arcade games; with pinball, maybe you could press the/a service button to lock flippers in place.

RSchwantner · Aug 5, 2015

I'm sorry this has been a running joke I bring up from time to time in the office.
No plans of removing pause at all.

Should Farsight get rid of the pause feature in TPA?

Should Farsight get rid of the pause feature in TPA?

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