Request Beta of Pinball Arcade for PC?

[freezy]

Those decisions are up to management.

Not to put any pressure, but your management should have dealt with those kind of questions about a year ago when the PC version was announced, right?

Also I'm not following your logic about the revenue. PC is one of the largest gamer markets, how would that not produce any income?

 

[shutyertrap]

Not to put any pressure, but your management should have dealt with those kind of questions about a year ago when the PC version was announced, right?

Also I'm not following your logic about the revenue. PC is one of the largest gamer markets, how would that not produce any income?

For all you or Mike knows, those decisions WERE already made. The point he is making is, HE is not involved in that and does not know what management has decided. Do you know every decision your bosses have made? And why should you the customer need to know the answer until right before it's available for purchase? So you can get riled up if they change their minds and switch it up at the last moment? Mike is a programmer, not a marketer. When Jay finally comes to these boards, feel free to ask him all the management questions you'd like.

As for the revenue, PC might be one of the largest game markets, but it is unproven to FarSight and their game. The number of mobile users FAR outweighs what they will expect on the PC, and that is the beast they need to keep feeding to allow for the other platforms to exist.

 

[Gord Lacey]

I'm a little older than 20's...thanks =)

Right, I just figured the clone wouldn't be ready to work at FarSight for at least 20 years.

 

[Jeff Strong]

As for the revenue, PC might be one of the largest game markets, but it is unproven to FarSight and their game. The number of mobile users FAR outweighs what they will expect on the PC, and that is the beast they need to keep feeding to allow for the other platforms to exist.

This is true, but the fact is that, before the mobile boom, PC was the biggest platform for pinball for quite some time (Visual Pinball, Future Pinball, and going back even farther). It's a big field just begging to be harvested by Farsight.

 

[freezy]

For all you or Mike knows, those decisions WERE already made. The point he is making is, HE is not involved in that and does not know what management has decided.

You may have a different view of things knowing these guys personally. I don't particularly care WHO from Farsight responds to the questions here. Mike sounded like he was blocked by a management decision that should have been made a long time ago, hence my confusion.

Do you know every decision your bosses have made?

Actually, if it concerns my workload, yes, I do.

And why should you the customer need to know the answer until right before it's available for purchase? So you can get riled up if they change their minds and switch it up at the last moment?

Don't forget there are quite some people who already paid for a product months ago. That's the reason I think the customer should know the answer.

Mike is a programmer, not a marketer. When Jay finally comes to these boards, feel free to ask him all the management questions you'd like.

I actually appreciate very much Mike's answers here, specially as a dev, since the "community manager" seems to be doing other things. I don't know who Jay is, but then again as long as SOMEONE answers, I'm happy.

As for the revenue, PC might be one of the largest game markets, but it is unproven to FarSight and their game. The number of mobile users FAR outweighs what they will expect on the PC, and that is the beast they need to keep feeding to allow for the other platforms to exist.

I counter-speculate the contrary!

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

I don't know who Jay is, but then again as long as SOMEONE answers, I'm happy.

Jay Obernolte is the president of FarSight Studios (and also the mayor of Big Bear Lake).

 

[rob3d]

Jay Obernolte is the president of FarSight Studios (and also the mayor of Big Bear Lake).

Ha! I thought the line about him being mayor was a joke, but it's true. Learn something new everyday.

 

[Gord Lacey]

since the "community manager" seems to be doing other things

If you mean Rob Mann, he no longer works at FarSight.

 

[Pinballwiz45b]

If you mean Rob Mann, he no longer works at FarSight.

Why did he quit? Too low of a wage? Or what happened that made him quit?

 

[RetroDude]

Why did he quit? Too low of a wage? Or what happened that made him quit?

There can be hundreds of reasons why anyone would change jobs.
Speculation about wages or any other reason isn't fair to Rob Mann nor to FarSight.

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

Why did he quit? Too low of a wage? Or what happened that made him quit?

I would assume that the circumstances of Rob Mann's departure are something that neither FarSight nor Rob wishes discussed publicly. Changes of employment should be a private matter between company and individual, not something to be speculated about on the Internet.

 

[Pinballwiz45b]

Apologies. Never knew that. It's what rob3d said: Learn something new every day.

 

[Mike Reitmeyer]

You may have a different view of things knowing these guys personally. I don't particularly care WHO from Farsight responds to the questions here. Mike sounded like he was blocked by a management decision that should have been made a long time ago, hence my confusion.


Actually, if it concerns my workload, yes, I do.


Don't forget there are quite some people who already paid for a product months ago. That's the reason I think the customer should know the answer.


I actually appreciate very much Mike's answers here, specially as a dev, since the "community manager" seems to be doing other things. I don't know who Jay is, but then again as long as SOMEONE answers, I'm happy.


I counter-speculate the contrary!

I'm wasn't blocked by management decisions, I was blocked by information Valve gave me that seemed contradictory to how we wanted to do things. It seems they misunderstood us (terminology issue of In App Purchase vs DLC), and it's been clarified so now I can move ahead. So far they've been very helpful and easy to work with.

I'm not 100% sure if we are doing just tales as a single table, free or paid, or a 4 table pack to start. And I don't want to promise anything that may change.

We do however plan to allow the user to demo every table. I got clarification on that as well.

 

[Mike Reitmeyer]

This is true, but the fact is that, before the mobile boom, PC was the biggest platform for pinball for quite some time (Visual Pinball, Future Pinball, and going back even farther). It's a big field just begging to be harvested by Farsight.

While I agree that the PC could be one of our largest markets, the business side is unsure what the sales will be. They do know the sales of Mobile version do way better console and mac. So since it's an unknown it's a lesser priority than getting tables out every month. We also haven't shipped a PC game in quite a few years, and the last one we did, I don't remember it selling all that well. But in all fairness it wasn't a pinball game =D

However, I'm working hard on steam so it's definitely coming. Just don't know what date exactly yet.

 

[Jeff Strong]

I understand, Mike. I know it's hard to compete with mobiles these days, but PC was historically the most popular platform for pinball. VPforums alone has nearly 70,000 members. Then there's the old school pinball games, etc. I can't think of any other platform that has that strong of a pinball history.

 

[freezy]

This sums up my opinion on mobile quite well: http://theoatmeal.com/blog/apps

Spending $60 on a PC game doesn't seem to bother lots of people however. Seriously, I'm pretty sure releasing a PC version will make it worthwhile.

 

[AshleyAshes]

While I agree that the PC could be one of our largest markets, the business side is unsure what the sales will be.

I also think that there can be some advantage with Steam. You don't have to worry about keeping things stocked in stores and anyone who's impressed by the game elsewhere can buy it immediately. And of course you have all those people who would never buy the game but then suddenly went 'Five bucks? Sweet.' after seeing it on one of the big Steam sale.

Oh there are so many games I own but don't even play because I said 'Five bucks? Sweet!'.

 

[Sexton Hardcastle]

I also think that there can be some advantage with Steam. You don't have to worry about keeping things stocked in stores and anyone who's impressed by the game elsewhere can buy it immediately. And of course you have all those people who would never buy the game but then suddenly went 'Five bucks? Sweet.' after seeing it on one of the big Steam sale.

Oh there are so many games I own but don't even play because I said 'Five bucks? Sweet!'.

"Don't even play"? More like I haven't installed a whole pile of them yet. lol

I mean it. The first time Farsight puts TPA/tables on sale, they can back, twist their mustaches, and laugh nefariously as the money flows in. In the rest of my life, I'm so careful with my money, but put a game on sale on Steam, and I'm much more likely to over-spend. Terrible habit.

SH

 

[AshleyAshes]

"Don't even play"? More like I haven't installed a whole pile of them yet. lol

I mean it. The first time Farsight puts TPA/tables on sale, they can back, twist their mustaches, and laugh nefariously as the money flows in. In the rest of my life, I'm so careful with my money, but put a game on sale on Steam, and I'm much more likely to over-spend. Terrible habit.

I recently bot Steam BPM working on my XBMC machine. With it's AMD A8-3870K APU it's a pretty decent gaming machine and I'm gunning for a lot of five dollar, casual, gamepad friendly games once the Steam Summer Sale comes around. TPA would be a great addition to such a machine.

 

[Rudy]

I'm pretty sure that TPA will be the first full priced Steam game that I'll have bought for about 3 years now