Round 3: Q & A With Bobby King: Answers

1.) Would you ever commission a new table design from a classic designer exclusively for The Pinball Arcade?

Absolutely! This has always been part of our plan. We haven’t negotiated with them, but several of the top designers have told us that they would love to design an exclusive table for us. Personally, I can’t wait for the day when we can start one of these new original tables.

2.) We know Farsight's goal is to provide exact recreations of the pinball tables (and we are very thankful for that), and that you go through a painstaking process to ensure the tables are as perfect as possible. With that in mind, how do obvious bugs/inaccuracies such as the flipper gap on Medieval Madness make it through to the released table? Will we see bug fixes/improvements for the previous tables with each new update?

Flippers are their own beast within the table creation process. We don’t “re-create” them for each table. The artists take existing flippers and rework them. On MM, the flippers were very close to being the correct size and distance on the 360 when we were first tuning the gameplay. On the lower LODs, they somehow got made smaller and the testers didn’t catch it. When we fixed them for the mobile devices, we revisited them on console so they should all be perfect now. The flipper size and angle issue is now something we’re more aware of when the artist hand off the assets to code. I will start looking at them more closely before tuning from now on, so I hope that it doesn’t happen again. This week, we are going through a long list of bug fixes to knock out as many as we can.

3.) Many of us are desperate for any sort of PC news. We know that you recently said that you're hoping to have the PC release straightened out by fall, but is there any other morsel of PC news that you can give us? Are you planning to use Steam's upcoming Greenlight program?

We have talked about Steam’s greenlight program and that might be an option. We have some new ideas/opportunities as well that we’re looking into. The PC version continues to progress. The goal is still to make sure we’re out in time for Twilight Zone’s release.

4.) When will the online Tournament and Challenge function be added?

This has gotten pushed back a couple times. We are planning to overhaul the front-end across all platforms and we want to do all of this at once so it ties in well with these modes. In our staffing-up plans, we hope to get some more help that can be dedicated full-time to front-end GUI and features.

5.) What is the status of older SS emulation? Will current tables such as Black Hole and Gorgar be updated with full emulation?

It’s my understanding that older SS emulations can be problematic due to timing issues with the emulated chipset when you consider all of the devices (hardware) that we run our game on. This is still to be determined.

Some nice tidbits of info there: possible original ip, a large bugfix, a planned ui overhaul, staffing up (ok we knew this) so the project is expanding which is a good sign.

Its a shame older tables is up in the air, speaks for company interaction that this time we knew most of the info, glad to hear theres a bug fixing spree, i know bh isnt technically a bug but heh gimmie my favourite shot back

thank you very much, both Jeff and Bobby, for taking time and doing this. some of the answers made me very excited while I would to have more details about others; but I guess that's how it goes. TPA exclusive tables by old masters is something I can't wait for, I will pay a lot for that; great news!

Good read.

Thanks Bobby and Jeff for the Q & A threads!

Thanks for the Q&A

Jeff Strong said:

1.) Would you ever commission a new table design from a classic designer exclusively for The Pinball Arcade?

Absolutely! This has always been part of our plan. We haven’t negotiated with them, but several of the top designers have told us that they would love to design an exclusive table for us. Personally, I can’t wait for the day when we can start one of these new original tables.

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Wow. Really? This is something I´ve been thinking about a lot, and I always assumed these designers were somehow against something like TPA, you know - kind of like because they have been used to building real pinball machines and that it was "against their pride" or something. Hearing such positive feedback makes me really excited!

I wonder if they could even use their usual CAD programs and convert it to a TPA model... In any case, skipping the huge procress of stripping and scanning an actual table is a huge timesaver.

(At 5:20 you can see Lawlors CAD design for RBION)

No need for licenses either - and who knows, maybe the other guys like Chris Granner or John Youssi would still willing to team up as well? I wouldn´t mind that the table I´d be playing doesn´t actually exist in real life, but I recently gave Marvel Pinball another chance, and man... it´s so far removed from feeling like an actual pinball machine. I want those pinball industry veterans to design a new one, just like it actually could exist in real life. (And who knows, maybe build a limited run of such a machine and sell it to collectors for additional profit!)

You know, I´d really love to see as many classic tables on TPA as possible, I really do. But it breaks my heart to think that there are so many machines out there which are tied down by licenses that are just impossible to get. And adding to that, it pains me to think that these veteran designers probably still have so many new designs in them, that are just not feasible to actually create anymore. Videogame designers can still just go ahead and program their game ideas, but what´s a pinball designer going to do when the whole business is on life support?

Really, this is really big news to me, it absolutely floors me to think about this. Recreating and preserving existing classics is one thing, but giving these design heroes another shot, with millions of people being able to easily buy these creations ... man. Now THAT is pinball for the new century! Hearing that this is even remotely possible is kind of touching, to be honest. Videogames killed pinball, and now they´re might be able giving it a second (albeit only virtual) life?

I dont disagree man but i wonder if that 400k price tag for pro pin goes to pat lawlor? Farsight couldnt afford them in their heyday, but if the ask a reasonable tag id happily pay a premium for such a table...ive a soft drunken spot of python angelo

I'd have to think every well known designer probably has several table designs in their portfolio that they've always wanted to do but never got picked up. Maybe the designs cost too much (too many toys) or the top brass demanded a license (Stern for example. I just listened to a TopCast interview and learned Lawlor wanted to do a Haunted House theme but Stern insisted on a license, and the result was RBION). Seems to me it would be an easy decision for someone like Gomez/Ritchie/Lawlor to dig out some abandoned game concept from the 90s, polish it up, and actually make some profit from it.

Question is, is the ground up design/programming process any different when designing for TPA? I mean, you still have to have the design, the rules, the DMD, sound, etc. I'd be interested to see how that would work.

Heretic said:

I dont disagree man but i wonder if that 400k price tag for pro pin goes to pat lawlor? Farsight couldnt afford them in their heyday, but if the ask a reasonable tag id happily pay a premium for such a table...ive a soft drunken spot of python angelo

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That 400k wasn't just Lawlor's salary, that is to finance the remakes of the four tables, in addition to the new Lawlor table.
Some designers (Lawlor, Ritchie) have fared better than others (Oursler, who, last I heard, was working an ordinary job in the health care industry). While the days where designers could afford Lamborghinis on their salaries (as we saw in the Getaway video) are probably long gone, many might be grateful just to work as designers again, particularly the ones who haven't been as fortunate in their careers.

Doesn't sound good on older SS emulation. Looks like BH, Gorgar, BK, and others won't be emulated after all. Let's hope that means they won't do any more, beyond that which they are already committed to.

Richard B said:

Doesn't sound good on older SS emulation. Looks like BH, Gorgar, BK, and others won't be emulated after all. Let's hope that means they won't do any more, beyond that which they are already committed to.

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FarSight stated that emulation for System 11 ROMs is now working, and that it would not be a big leap from there to the older Williams ROMs. Gottlieb emulation for Black Hole is apparently more challenging and might not actually happen.

Serenseven said:

FarSight stated that emulation for System 11 ROMs is now working, and that it would not be a big leap from there to the older Williams ROMs. Gottlieb emulation for Black Hole is apparently more challenging and might not actually happen.

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If they can't emulate BH, I'm hoping they could at least improve the scripting to more closely match the original. Even using the scripting from the PHOF version would be an improvement. That was more accurate in terms of "rom" behavior (though vastly inferior in physics, graphics, and just about every other area).

Jeff Strong said:

5.) What is the status of older SS emulation? Will current tables such as Black Hole and Gorgar be updated with full emulation?

It’s my understanding that older SS emulations can be problematic due to timing issues with the emulated chipset when you consider all of the devices (hardware) that we run our game on. This is still to be determined.

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This is extremely disappointing to hear. I was hoping more effort would be put into doing older emulation, despite of how difficult it is. It sounds to me like a lot of features that should be inculded are left out due to fear of bugtesting and a streamlined engine. I don't see how older emulation is impossible when an outdated program supports it. I want to see the best product possible, but instead of farsight being encouraged to make their best effort, I keep hearing the same facts about how hard the emulation or how hard it is to bugtest dipswitch settings. Hard to bugtest or not, these things are part of the real machines and I rather see some effort than none at all. I'm fine with having older emulation only on the more powerful systems if it means getting it to work at all.

Richard B said:

If they can't emulate BH, I'm hoping they could at least improve the scripting to more closely match the original. Even using the scripting from the PHOF version would be an improvement. That was more accurate in terms of "rom" behavior (though vastly inferior in physics, graphics, and just about every other area).

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They're planning to soon....as for the exact timing, hopefully it's included in the "long list of bug fixes" that Bobby said they've been knocking out this week.

Brian Clark said:

This is extremely disappointing to hear. I was hoping more effort would be put into doing older emulation, despite of how difficult it is. It sounds to me like a lot of features that should be inculded are left out due to fear of bugtesting and a streamlined engine. I don't see how older emulation is impossible when an outdated program supports it. I want to see the best product possible, but instead of farsight being encouraged to make their best effort, I keep hearing the same facts about how hard the emulation or how hard it is to bugtest dipswitch settings. Hard to bugtest or not, these things are part of the real machines and I rather see some effort than none at all. I'm fine with having older emulation only on the more powerful systems if it means getting it to work at all.

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While it doesn't seem to be a priority right now, I think they will get all the older SS stuff emulated eventually.

Jeff Strong said:

While it doesn't seem to be a priority right now, I think they will get all the older SS stuff emulated eventually.

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At least they have System 11 now.

Brian Clark said:

This is extremely disappointing to hear. I was hoping more effort would be put into doing older emulation, despite of how difficult it is. It sounds to me like a lot of features that should be inculded are left out due to fear of bugtesting and a streamlined engine. I don't see how older emulation is impossible when an outdated program supports it. I want to see the best product possible, but instead of farsight being encouraged to make their best effort, I keep hearing the same facts about how hard the emulation or how hard it is to bugtest dipswitch settings. Hard to bugtest or not, these things are part of the real machines and I rather see some effort than none at all. I'm fine with having older emulation only on the more powerful systems if it means getting it to work at all.

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Agree 100%. If emulation is a problem then at least put some more effort into scripting the games properly. BK was clearly scripted (and tested) by somebody who had never played either a real BK machine or even PHOF.

Fuseball said:

Agree 100%. If emulation is a problem then at least put some more effort into scripting the games properly. BK was clearly scripted (and tested) by somebody who had never played either a real BK machine or even PHOF.

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All FS' programmers can't be PB experts.
But FS CAN call on the expertise on here to assist in testing...
...IF they want to.
It HAS been offered MULTIPLE times....

HOW said:

All FS' programmers can't be PB experts.
But FS CAN call on the expertise on here to assist in testing...
...IF they want to.

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They have and they are...There IS external testing going on.

I was hoping more effort would be put into doing older emulation, despite of how difficult it is.

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Now now, they arent saing they arent putting in effort, they are saying they are finding it hard.

It sounds to me like a lot of features that should be inculded are left out due to fear of bugtesting and a streamlined engine

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.
It sounds to me they need to clean up what they have before they invest more time and energy into other stuff which makes sense to me, most newly implemented features caused issues one way or the other on some platform. Dont get me wrong, this imo should include the older SS, and Mike already said Gorgar, Bk emulation closer with system 11 emulated.

I don't see how older emulation is impossible when an outdated program supports it. I want to see the best product possible, but instead of farsight being encouraged to make their best effort, I keep hearing the same facts about how hard the emulation or how hard it is to bugtest dipswitch settings. Hard to bugtest or not, these things are part of the real machines and I rather see some effort than none at all.

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Again with the harsh conclusions, they didnt say it was impossible and the obviously are putting effort in.

I'm fine with having older emulation only on the more powerful systems if it means getting it to work at all.

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Im sure you are, but I dont think they are. They need to look where their money comes from. Not just from a "must make more profit!!!" pov but also to ensre the continuation of this projet

All that said, its easy for me to take this stance, my favourite Pinballs are almost all System 11/WPC/Whitestars: all emulated MPU's. Unfortunately for people that prefer older era machines, that goes for a high percentage of people and thats where FS business priority is (and arguably should be to ensure the longterm succes of this project).

Fuseball said:

Agree 100%. If emulation is a problem then at least put some more effort into scripting the games properly. BK was clearly scripted (and tested) by somebody who had never played either a real BK machine or even PHOF.

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FS has a BK on the premises. If the developers never played it, it's their own fault.