How far behind wil we get?

[The Great Cornholio]

The iOS version alone is responsible for a majority of FarSight's income. Add in Android and mobiles dwarf the other platforms combined. (Steam may be starting to make a dent in this.)

To be blunt, the console versions are the biggest pain in the arse for FarSight (submission fees & waiting for review, launch restrictions, bizarre technical restrictions on patching, etc.) and are the least profitable.

I am not at all suggesting that FS abandon the console market, but know that it is not where the money is for them.

I am aware of the fact that FS made most of their income with mobiles and tablets. Those were also the systems that were only plagued by minor bugs. But I think that the momentum will shift soon. I don't know the development of their sales but i wouldn't be surprised if they had alienated lots of casual gamers with rather obscure tables like Class of 1812. The most popular tables without expensive license have been released. They should focus on their original goal to preserve pinball machines the best possible way. This goal can only be achieved with next gen consoles and pc. I am sure they could develope a new fanbase. In order to achieve that they must offer a better product. There's still a lot to do before you can call the game a simulation. So they should stop trying to please everyone because it only results in pleasing hardly anyone.

 

[Megahurtz]

This might be an odd question, but does Farsight actually program the PS4 version themselves with in house programmers, or do they contract it out? On the streams Mike never seems to know what is going on with the PS4 version. They said zero work had been done on the PS4 since launch. The only posts from Farsight in this entire sub-forum are 4 from Flippy Floppy in the bug tracking thread and two from Mike R. from prior to launch. It seems like there is FAR less information and communication about the PS4 version.

 

[brakel]

I am aware of the fact that FS made most of their income with mobiles and tablets. Those were also the systems that were only plagued by minor bugs. But I think that the momentum will shift soon. I don't know the development of their sales but i wouldn't be surprised if they had alienated lots of casual gamers with rather obscure tables like Class of 1812. The most popular tables without expensive license have been released. They should focus on their original goal to preserve pinball machines the best possible way. This goal can only be achieved with next gen consoles and pc. I am sure they could develope a new fanbase. In order to achieve that they must offer a better product. There's still a lot to do before you can call the game a simulation. So they should stop trying to please everyone because it only results in pleasing hardly anyone.

Casual gamers would not be alienated by tables that they might find obscure, they just wouldn't buy them. However, you're overlooking that people continue to discover TPA every day on the mobiles. The differential between the number of mobile sales to console sales is huge. If the sales on the mobiles dip down below the sales of consoles the net result is NOT going to be FarSight pumping more money into development. It would mean FarSight moving on to another game or games. Console and PC sales aren't going to be enough to keep a team the size that they have working on it. I'm sure you're right that sales have dipped some since the game first came out. That's why they had to pull people off the TPA team to work on another game. But it's not because the casual gamer was alienated by some of the DLC. I bet that most casual gamers are satisfied with having just a few machines in their virtual collection and if they were lucky enough to have that one favorite machine recreated in TPA then they're probably even more likely to move on to some other game.

This might be an odd question, but does Farsight actually program the PS4 version themselves with in house programmers, or do they contract it out? On the streams Mike never seems to know what is going on with the PS4 version. They said zero work had been done on the PS4 since launch. The only posts from Farsight in this entire sub-forum are 4 from Flippy Floppy in the bug tracking thread and two from Mike R. from prior to launch. It seems like there is FAR less information and communication about the PS4 version.

Mike doesn't know only because he doesn't work on the PS4 version. All the development has been done by FarSight but most of them don't post here. I've never seen a post from anyone claiming to be the PS3 or PS4 guy. I guess we're just unlucky that "our guy" isn't a fan forum kind of guy.

 

[smbhax]

I am aware of the fact that FS made most of their income with mobiles and tablets. Those were also the systems that were only plagued by minor bugs.

I don't really follow the mobile TPA scene, but even I have read of many, many occasions, here and on their FB page, where a mobile update has broken the game to a shocking extent for a great number of mobile users--they actually get the worst of the worst bugs, because they don't have a publisher like Sony doing any kind of testing before release. On the other hand, because of that they also get fixes a lot faster.

But I think that the momentum will shift soon. I don't know the development of their sales but i wouldn't be surprised if they had alienated lots of casual gamers with rather obscure tables like Class of 1812.

When they got near the end of Season 2, FarSight's license to do Williams tables had run out, so they were stuck doing Gottlieb games for a while there. They'd renewed their Williams license by the time they started season 3.

 

[Kemetman72]

I don't really follow the mobile TPA scene, but even I have read of many, many occasions, here and on their FB page, where a mobile update has broken the game to a shocking extent for a great number of mobile users--they actually get the worst of the worst bugs, because they don't have a publisher like Sony doing any kind of testing before release. On the other hand, because of that they also get fixes a lot faster.


When they got near the end of Season 2, FarSight's license to do Williams tables had run out, so they were stuck doing Gottlieb games for a while there. They'd renewed their Williams license by the time they started season 3.

Those are valid points, but the fact remains whoever gets tables into my hand by April 29th gets my money. Zen can get a date and stick to it, BUT I do like the S3 tables so far. So it's whoever is on the ball. I don't have unlimited money, I actually play more than pinball. I am 42 and have always had a console. You know I did ask a trivia question once. Who was the first 3rd party company ever? No Googling, but I'll give you a hint. They're still around today and are near or at the top.

 

[Bowflex]

Those are valid points, but the fact remains whoever gets tables into my hand by April 29th gets my money. Zen can get a date and stick to it, BUT I do like the S3 tables so far. So it's whoever is on the ball. I don't have unlimited money, I actually play more than pinball. I am 42 and have always had a console. You know I did ask a trivia question once. Who was the first 3rd party company ever? No Googling, but I'll give you a hint. They're still around today and are near or at the top.

I would guess either Service Games or Namco. Although Nintendo originally was a third party on consoles.

 

[Timelord]

My guess is Activison.

Timelord ...

 

[wolfson]

I don`t know what all moaning and groaning is all about,we have 45 tables on phones tablets and pc.41 tables on ps3. ps4 has 22 tables,we should have the catch up within 2-3 months,just have a bit of patience.i bought my 1st table pack back in sept 2012,in 19 months I have 45 tables not bad, and I have been having the time of my life. I must admit I don`t worry about bugs or colours on the tables. I think we should go easy on FARSIGHT , they have made me very happy playing all these tables at a nice price.

 

[PinballLizard (Mark Wyda)]

I would guess either Service Games or Namco. Although Nintendo originally was a third party on consoles.

Sega, Namco, and Nintendo all had games published in the Atari 2600 before they made their own home consoles (well Sega and Nintendo not Namco). You'd have to go back to who had the first non-Atari developed game on the 2600, which is beyond my expertise. My knowledge starts with NES since that was my first system (though we did have an Oddysey 2, it just scared us! Lol).

Looks like it was a sports game from activision in 1980. So Activision is probably the first ever 3rd party.

Ok unless you count Sears published games lol.

 

[Bowflex]

My guess is Activison.

Timelord ...

Activision was probably the first third party publisher. I would have actually guessed Coleco but they aren't around any more. Lots of other companies were third party developers (Namco, SEGA, Nintendo, Taito) before Activision ever existed.

 

[The Great Cornholio]

The differential between the number of mobile sales to console sales is huge.

And one of the reasons is the fact that there are/were not many tables to buy. I would have loved to spend money on xbox dlc then and I would love to spend money on ps4 dlc now.

 

[Timelord]

Activision was probably the first third party publisher. I would have actually guessed Coleco but they aren't around any more. Lots of other companies were third party developers (Namco, SEGA, Nintendo, Taito) before Activision ever existed.

Yes, I remember the times well. I was working for Midway/Williams then.

Timelord ...

 

[Tabe]

Activision was probably the first third party publisher. I would have actually guessed Coleco but they aren't around any more. Lots of other companies were third party developers (Namco, SEGA, Nintendo, Taito) before Activision ever existed.

Near as I can tell, the first Nintendo game for the 2600 came out after the first Activision one. From everything I've ever heard, Activision is considered the first 3rd party developer, at least for home consoles.

 

[brakel]

I always thought that Gutenberg was the first third-party publisher.

 

[Oldskool1969]

Looks like you Yanks get the new table FT and BR April 22nd. Lucky buggers!
Wonder when us Aussies get ours? Finally some good news

 

[PinballLizard (Mark Wyda)]

Activision was probably the first third party publisher. I would have actually guessed Coleco but they aren't around any more. Lots of other companies were third party developers (Namco, SEGA, Nintendo, Taito) before Activision ever existed.

Stuff like PAC-man, pole position were developed (and published) by Atari in house. Before 82 or so, Sega, Nintendo, and Namco were not 3rd party developers or publishers, they just made arcade games (and Nintendo doing the game and watch, and other non gaming stuff as well).

I'm going off this source:http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Atari_2600_games

Most atari games, it seems, were made by just one or two guys in the early days. And zero Japanese names in those lists, so definitely none of those games, including Namco ports, were done in house.

I'll have to look into intellivisin, because wasn't that also late 70s? I find this stuff very interesting.

Namco and Sega existed long befofe activision, but were strictly arcade devs. I think that's where you're getting thrown off.

 

[PinballLizard (Mark Wyda)]

On topic though.

3-4 weeks ago, Black Rose and Fish Tales were confirmed to be in Sonys hands.

So where are they?

 

[Oldskool1969]

2 posts up dude! Newsletter arrived today

 

[PinballLizard (Mark Wyda)]

Oh ok. Awesome!! Yay new tables

 

[Kemetman72]

Activision was probably the first third party publisher. I would have actually guessed Coleco but they aren't around any more. Lots of other companies were third party developers (Namco, SEGA, Nintendo, Taito) before Activision ever existed.

Yes you're quite right. I meant for Atari. Activision also created the first game (for the time) that has more than one background. (Pitfall 2!) But then Atari had no QC and we all know what happened. How about this? What was going to be the original title for Return of the Jedi? Lucas (at the time) thought it was too dark. Intellivision was in the 80s as well. Weird as hell controller. My friend had one. I think by then I was playing games like Bill Budge's Pinball Construction Set on my Commodore 64. Good news for tables then. Yes it is queer Sony hasn't released them yet. It''s DLC. Who knows?