The Pinball Arcade Is On Its Way To The Windows 8 Marketplace!!!

[Nik Barbour]

I agree. I was going to suggest we start up a group called the Antisocial Society for those sick of social networking, but it appears that someone has beat me to it: Anti Social Society

You could write a blog about it.

 

[dirtyvu]

Well, congrats on the Windows 8 release, but don't forget about those of us waiting eagerly for the Steam version! Count me as one of many who won't be updating to Windows 8 anytime soon (whats the real point if you aren't using a touch screen device?)

there's a lot of reasons to upgrade to windows 8. even if all you're looking for is the performance improvements.

if you don't like the new start screen, use a start screen replacement program to get back the old start menu. I'm already playing Pinball FX2 with the new Star Wars tables. great stuff. using my 360 controller and my 23" vertical monitor (part of my 3 monitor setup).

 

[Heretic]

Welcome to the forum dirtyvu

You derrty win8 lover(a soon to be pirchase ****ing tpa)

 

[jkonami]

there's a lot of reasons to upgrade to windows 8. even if all you're looking for is the performance improvements.

if you don't like the new start screen, use a start screen replacement program to get back the old start menu. I'm already playing Pinball FX2 with the new Star Wars tables. great stuff. using my 360 controller and my 23" vertical monitor (part of my 3 monitor setup).

I'd be curious to know what the reasons are. Did they go back to being able to create a folder hierarchy in your start menu? One of my biggest complaints with 7 even though I'm overall satisfied. I end up having to type in partial names to find what I want but I'd love to have a completely customizable start menu again. I definitely won't use the new window panes touch screen start menu. In any case, I don't have the money to upgrade even if I wanted to!

 

[dirtyvu]

Welcome to the forum dirtyvu

You derrty win8 lover(a soon to be pirchase ****ing tpa)

thanks for the welcome!

yeah, with the crap that's been going on with the bankruptcy/change of publisher thing on the 360 side of things, it'd be nice to have TPA in Windows. I'm actually spreading out my pinball to multiple platforms. Windows would be great. I can download it to my desktops, my laptops, and my tablets. plus, I love the vertical monitor! makes work/reading a joy and is perfect for pinball.

 

[dirtyvu]

I'd be curious to know what the reasons are. Did they go back to being able to create a folder hierarchy in your start menu?

yeah, win8 works like win7 in terms of typing in partial names.

you have alphabetical sorting

you still have a folder hierarchy view in Win8 if you want it

and of course, your own customized start screen. note: this isn't my desktop. I actually prefer having more tiles on the start screen so I turned on that feature where this guy kept it the default size. I didn't include my desktop because it's not that different just more tiles.

really, you can convert Win8 to look just like Win7 if you really want to (except the Aero look). lots of start menu replacements to bring back the win7 look.

 

[superballs]

Not to mention that they priced the upgrade from windows 7 at like 48$ or something rediculously low.

 

[shutyertrap]

Got my upgrade for $15!!

There was some promotion that I snuck in on with only a couple of days left on it. Sure beats the $199 they wanna charge over at Best Buy.

 

[superballs]

I just downloaded the win8 pro iso and claimed one of my msdn keys. I will hopefully have everything backed up by tonight and win8 installed by tomorrow night.

My only question is: is this going to be the full in pc version or a cut down mobile version?

 

[Biff]

My only question is: is this going to be the full in pc version or a cut down mobile version?

This is positive news for the PC release, people!

Not at all, IF this is just another TPA Light version.

It shouldn't be, the PC beta for Twilight Zone that I tested a while ago looked like the 360 screenshots.

Don tested the real thing, but I still think that the one on the Windows 8 store could be just a fking light version.
Maybe both, like on the PSN. Vita & PS3.

Here are quotes from the current newsletter:

Our 2013 plans include:

Releasing Pinball Arcade on Wii-U, OUYA, as a Windows 8 app for desktop and Surface tablets, and as a PC game with cabinet support


we are submitting our game to Microsoft for inclusion in the Windows 8 Marketplace. This version will be playable on all devices and desktops running Windows 8 (including Surface tablets and phones).

PS: Also a good question for the next Q & A with Bobby King.

 

[seattlemark]

I think this is great news! I hope that in this TPA on Win8 they enable XBOX Controllers (like Pinball FX2 supports under Win8). Flipperwise, I find it much easier to use the triggers on the XBOX controller when I play Pinball FX2 on my Windows 8 desktop PC, than using my Kindle Fire tablet's glass for the flippers buttons in TBA. Same is true for the nudge. As far as the picture, I use my monitor (and sometimes my TV) with the Fire on TPA and with the Win8 PC on PBFX2. Although I think the picture from Windows 8 with PBFX2 is benefiting because my graphics adapter on my desktop PC is a lot more powerful than on my Fire.

 

[Nik Barbour]

http://digitalpinballfans.com/showt...he-Windows-8-Marketplace!!!?p=56813#post56813

If Zen for Win8 is anything to go by, TPA for win8 will almost definitely (I'm not positive, but very nearly) be a scaled mobile version for PC, similar to the current TPA for Mac version.

The TZ PC beta Sean played will almost certainly be a derivative of the full Windows version which cannot get greenlight on Steam.
Not the same animal at all.

Zen for Win8 is a ghastly shadow of its console counterpart, and is not even as good as the Android version!

 

[dirtyvu]

http://digitalpinballfans.com/showt...he-Windows-8-Marketplace!!!?p=56813#post56813

Zen for Win8 is a ghastly shadow of its console counterpart, and is not even as good as the Android version!

no need for any FUD. maybe the guy didn't turn up the higher graphical settings. they are all at the lowest settings by default when you first purchase it. apparently, the reason is that the game is extremely buggy with various versions of Nvidia drivers. some people have had to fall back on older Nvidia drivers to get the higher graphical settings enabled.

luckily for me, I have ATI/AMD and the game looks beautiful.

 

[Nik Barbour]

turn up the higher graphical settings.

I turned them to max, but it looked flat and matte, but even more importantly, the game play didn't feel fluid. (this was the free table - Mars).

I'll admit it's not the greatest spec laptop, but it's not bad.

Be interested to see some screen shots off your system.

I guess no one knows fully what it will be like till it releases. I certainly want to try it.

 

[utblick]

From Facebook:
We are submitting for Windows 8 very soon. We plan to be on all windows 8 devices through it's marketplace.
Great!

 

[dirtyvu]

Be interested to see some screen shots off your system.

here's star wars on my 1080x1920 vertical monitor (I have a 3 monitor setup for my main desktop: 1920x1080, 1600x1200, and 1080x1920):

bloom, reflections, and transparencies never show effectively in a static shot but even then, it's still able to be shown in the screen caps. there's no way that the console version is "better by a lot" over the PC version. The controls are the same (using an Xbox 360 controller on the PC), the framerate is the same (60 fps).

here's star wars on the Xbox 360 (I captured it myself):

this is the closest camera angle on the 360 to my preferred view on the PC

anyway, this talk is way off-topic. I'm excited about The Pinball Arcade because it has the tables I played with as a kid. As much as I like Pinball FX2 (and I have quite a few tables on the 360 and now the PC), I like the old tables more. I think the design of pinball is better. Don't want to turn this into a TPA vs Pinball FX2 argument either but if I had to pick one, I'd pick TPA for its classic tables.

 

[seattlemark]

A couple of issues that are happening with the current Zen Studios Pinball FX2 implementation on Windows 8, which I hope that FarSight can avoid with TPA when FarSight goes on Win 8.
#1). In Win 8 version, there are no demos/trials of non-purchased PBFX2 tables (other than the free Mars table that comes with the base download of the game).
#2). In Win 8 version, you must have an internet connection to get to your profile in "XBOX Games" before you can start up any but the free Mars PBFX2 table. If no internet connection, the tables that you have already purchased become limited time trials until you can get back to the internet.

When I inquired about the internet connection issue of #2 above, three weeks ago I learned from a Zen Studios employee in their forum that this issue is being worked on but they did not know yet when Win 8 users would have the ability to play offline. Some other Zen forum members said that it has something to do with DRM and may involve Microsoft too. This issue, I was told by the Zen forum users, is not happening with the XB0X 360 console. So ironically an XBOX 360 console (that tends to be stationary in the home) does NOT require the internet connection to play PBFX2, while a portable Windows 8 tablet (which often leaves the home) DOES require the Internet to play PBFX2. (And not everyone has a data plan for use outside the home on their tablets, and not everyone is near a wireless hotspot outside the home.)

Regarding the issue #1 involving lack of PBFX2 demos before purchase, I have heard from other forum users that it's also specific to the Win 8 implementation and also may have to do with the DRM on this Zen Studios game. The demos are a fantastic part of FarSight's TPA and helps with purchase decisions, and I sincerely hope demos can remain when TPA goes to Win 8.

On the plus side, Pinball FX2 provides the ability to use an XBOX 360 controller in its Windows 8 implementation (in addition to keyboard and touch window). As I mentioned in an earlier post in this thread, the ability to use an XBOX360 controller is a huge benefit to Win 8 desktop users of PBFX2 under Win8, and I hope Farsight can do the same with The Pinball Arcade under Windows 8.

 

[Nik Barbour]

here's star wars on my 1080x1920 vertical monitor

I've got to concede it looks great on your rig.

That probably means TPA win 8 will be a no go for me also then (stoopid Nvidea piece of cr@p).

Ho hum - I'm happy Nexus 7'ing.

 

[seattlemark]

I've got to concede it looks great on your rig. ... stoopid Nvidea ....

Like dirtyvu, I am using an AMD/ATI graphics adapter. My picture with that setup with Pinball FX2 is excellent using my desktop PC, when connected via HDMI to either my monitor or to my TV. That, plus I really hope XBOX 360 Controller support, are reasons that I can't wait for TPA on Win 8. (I would have been happy with Win 7 for either game too since I am running Win 8 in a Virtual Machine on a Win 7 desktop PC, with pinball my inspiration for even trying Windows 8 for the first time.)

 

[superballs]

here's star wars on my 1080x1920 vertical monitor (I have a 3 monitor setup for my main desktop: 1920x1080, 1600x1200, and 1080x1920):

bloom, reflections, and transparencies never show effectively in a static shot but even then, it's still able to be shown in the screen caps. there's no way that the console version is "better by a lot" over the PC version. The controls are the same (using an Xbox 360 controller on the PC), the framerate is the same (60 fps).

here's star wars on the Xbox 360 (I captured it myself):

this is the closest camera angle on the 360 to my preferred view on the PC

anyway, this talk is way off-topic. I'm excited about The Pinball Arcade because it has the tables I played with as a kid. As much as I like Pinball FX2 (and I have quite a few tables on the 360 and now the PC), I like the old tables more. I think the design of pinball is better. Don't want to turn this into a TPA vs Pinball FX2 argument either but if I had to pick one, I'd pick TPA for its classic tables.

I'm quite impressed. I'm more onterested in how it will all run on my now quite modest laptop.