There's a new version of Black Hole on VP, and it plays much differently than TPA's version. There are more voice samples and sound effects in the VP version, and even the ones that are also in TPA sound different in this VP version. There is no "whooshing" down below, however. The upper playfield is much the same, though the spot targets seem easier to hit from the flippers, as is the right capture hole, but the lower playfield is much more difficult than it is in TPA. Hitting the loop shots is near impossible. I was unable to capture any balls, and was only able to increase the multiplier once, while on TPA I could score them at will. The ball also seems out of sight longer, and the space between the flippers seems wider in this new version. There also seems to be more distance between the drop targets and the flippers. I haven't been able to last long enough to see if there are any rule differences, as this version is much harder than the TPA version (which is pretty challenging in it's own right). Not sure which of these two is closer to the real machine, having never played (or even seen) one of these in real life, but it's safe to say that either the TPA or VP version is off the mark.
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New VP version of Black Hole is out, and boy, are there differences!
- Thread starter Richard B
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Brian Clark
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- Feb 28, 2012
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It looks like the new FS VP9 Black Hole is a mod of the VP8 version. I noticed some of the same things you mention in the VP8 Black Hole. From videos of the real table (I have played a real one, but didn't get to the bottom playfield as much), it looks like the rules are closer to the VP version where the gate stays open when opened from the bottom playfield, even when the bottom bumper and drop targets are hit afterwards. I also noticed there's a pole between the flippers on the bottom playfield of the real machine.
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- Thread starter
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Yes, the lower playfield is where the most differences are. The flippers are farther apart in the VP version, and the real machine (according to photos at the ipdb). This probably accounts for the increased difficulty of making the loop shots. On the flip side, it is much easier to avoid the bumpers. There's also a several second delay from when the ball leaves the lower playfield and re-entry. As for the post between the flippers, not all machines will have it, as they are removable.
The countdown doesn't stop when it reaches the hundredths, it continues all the way down to the ones position. The voice is also much rougher, like a Speak and Spell.
The countdown doesn't stop when it reaches the hundredths, it continues all the way down to the ones position. The voice is also much rougher, like a Speak and Spell.
Brian Clark
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- Feb 28, 2012
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The voice on the game reminds me of Q*Bert. Probably becuase it has a similar voice systhesizer, if not the same one.
From my previous post:
"From videos of the real table (I have played a real one, but didn't get to the bottom playfield as much), it looks like the rules are closer to the VP version where the gate stays open when opened from the bottom playfield, even when the bottom bumper and drop targets are hit afterwards."
The bottom bumpers don't close the gate on the real table, so there is less need to avoid them.
From my previous post:
"From videos of the real table (I have played a real one, but didn't get to the bottom playfield as much), it looks like the rules are closer to the VP version where the gate stays open when opened from the bottom playfield, even when the bottom bumper and drop targets are hit afterwards."
The bottom bumpers don't close the gate on the real table, so there is less need to avoid them.
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George Klepacz
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- Feb 20, 2012
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I hope Farsight eventually updates and makes Black Hole a complete table, not a close remake.
unclewilly
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- Feb 20, 2012
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it could possibly be tje rom they are using that they are missing those samples.
it may also be due to there emulation code. vp is using pinmame which fully emulates the mpu and sound board.
if tpa isnt using a recoded pinmame they would have to emulate the tables on a per table basis so maybe the full emulation of all the boards isnt complete.
i think it would be in the best interest to add the full emulation for all systems to the game engine that way they could just add the rom code to the table files, much the way vp works with pinmame but having the game engine and the emulation together in one exe file.
it may also be due to there emulation code. vp is using pinmame which fully emulates the mpu and sound board.
if tpa isnt using a recoded pinmame they would have to emulate the tables on a per table basis so maybe the full emulation of all the boards isnt complete.
i think it would be in the best interest to add the full emulation for all systems to the game engine that way they could just add the rom code to the table files, much the way vp works with pinmame but having the game engine and the emulation together in one exe file.
Brian Clark
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- Feb 28, 2012
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In an email from Farsight, they said that some Gottlieb games weren't emulated yet when I asked if it was using the ROM. They have a real one now, so, hopefully, it will have the emulation soon. The rules of the current version are different from the original, but with a real table, that may change soon.
