Zen Pinball - Star Wars

[karl]

Happy for the zen fans. I never seem to get into their tables, but I will still keep an open mind and try it out when it gets a release. I do think they are milking every license they get far too much. 4 Star Wars tables at the same time? Glad there is a lot of options for their tables at least (like turning off that ball trail. Ughh!) I seem to like some of the older tables more than their Marvel overdose. The animations look well done but it not for me. I really want to like zen and I commend them for what they are doing for digital pinball.

 

[SilverBalls]

I was watching some Zen pinball youtubes. One thing that bugs me is that when you shoot the ball there is this (and I have no clue how to explain this in english) white flash/smoke trail from the ball. What's that all about? Is that something you can switch off? Physics seem to look realistic. If Star Wars is without the stupid animated figures I might buy it. (At least if it will be available for the iPad?)

That always baffles me why just about everyone who makes a video leaves the trails on. Totally ruins the experience.

 

[Lord Boron]

Interview and video of gameplay over at IGN

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/02/05/star-wars-pinball-is-real-exclusive-footage-here

 

[Nik Barbour]

Looks great - I'll have them for xbox or Android.

Always loved the non Marvel tables, but bought the lot on sale at Xmas for $1 per table, and have to admit to quite enjoying most of them now.

 

[Sumez]

All this talk about animated 3D characters... who cares, it's just bells and whistles, no different from the castle in MM, or the mirror in TOM.

TPA needs Revenge From Mars, and then you'll see interactive 3D characters

 

[Butterkins]

That always baffles me why just about everyone who makes a video leaves the trails on.

I have the trails on. Turns out that it really helps the gameplay, particularly in multiball.

The trails help you see not only where the balls are, but what their trajectories are when moving at high speed.

This doesn't always look good in a trailer or YouTube video at 30fps, but it's very noticeable in-game at 60fps.


And for the record, there will be 3 packs of Star Wars tables, each with 3 tables. And a single table.

I'm presuming they'll sell each for $10. Though, maybe more considering the popularity of SW.

(And I take back what I said about lack of gimmicks. The full IGN preview shows that Zen are doing their usual thing with toys, gimmickry and soundbites. Oh well.)

 

[Fearmonkey]

Interview and video of gameplay over at IGN

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/02/05/star-wars-pinball-is-real-exclusive-footage-here

Clones Wars table looks the best to me. But I'm looking forward to all three.

Also, I liked Greg's rip on Call of Duty. LOL

 

[shutyertrap]

Okay, after watching that video I'm totally in. And released a day or two before my birthday!

There was a moment in the vid where you were controlling a lightsaber and blocking shots from the little drone. It's moments like that I expect from WoZ and their LCD screen. Why have a DMD video when you can just go whole hog? Dug that. Also am wondering about the little screen that would pop up on the right side. Sometimes it just looked like a pic in pic of what we already were seeing, sometimes it showed a ball's eye view (which was cool).

Anyways, as jaded a Star Wars fan I've been the last decade, I can't help but get a slight nerd boner over this.

I did find interesting the question about doing a table related to the new movies. The guy said it wasn't part of Zen's plan, but they certainly want to look into it. I'm calling it now...if Stern hasn't already been trying to lock that one up, they got their heads truly up their butts. And if Stern DOES get to make a table, what are the odds that the good feeling relationship FS has with them will extend to getting included in that license agreement? Place your bets now, but I'm hedging toward Stern having a table and FS getting to put it out too.

 

[SilverBalls]

I have the trails on. Turns out that it really helps the gameplay, particularly in multiball.

The trails help you see not only where the balls are, but what their trajectories are when moving at high speed.
)

I have it on Xbox but just can't play with trails or floating scores. It is probably because I have played so much video pinball without them and I always want the experience as close to the real thing as possible - although admittedly in Zen that isn't easing with Marvel characters walking around on the table

Each to their own - at least there's a choice.

I like the simpler look of the Star Wars tables. More space on the table, etc. Will definitely pick them up.

Farsight should try and get a spot on that IGN show at some point to plug PA.

 

[Pinballfan69]

Interview and video of gameplay over at IGN

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/02/05/star-wars-pinball-is-real-exclusive-footage-here

I love how when you select scene 3 on the Star Wars table Asteroids pop down and there is a Tie fighter scrambling around the slings.

Some footage of all 3 tables. Perfect. Clone wars and Boba Fett look interesting but I think purists that are put off by the characters jumping around like they did in Marvel might dis it. So looking forward to it.

 

[laughing_lunatic]

There was a moment in the vid where you were controlling a lightsaber and blocking shots from the little drone.

My 3D monitor/glasses are positively a-quiver. Can. Not. Wait.

 

[Jamman39]

Zen is great in 3D, possibly one of the best looking 3D games I've played. My only gripe is that on my passive Vizio set it can be pretty tough to get the right viewing angle. Zen is the only game I've had that issue with

 

[Butterkins]

I'm calling it now...if Stern hasn't already been trying to lock that one up, they got their heads truly up their butts.

Keep in mind that Marvel (Disney) have negotiated separate, distinct rights for their properties, between Stern and Zen.

e.g. Stern has Iron Man, Avengers, X-Men tables. But so does Zen. And the tables aren't related to each other, apart from sharing IP.

So I think it's safe to say we'll probably see Star Wars coin-op pinballs, as well different, movie-related Zen tables.


However, it may not be Stern who does the Star Wars coin-op machines. Jersey Jack has the Hobbit rights, which is huuuuuge.

 

[spoonman]

Zen is great in 3D, possibly one of the best looking 3D games I've played. My only gripe is that on my passive Vizio set it can be pretty tough to get the right viewing angle. Zen is the only game I've had that issue with

I agree. It's great news that we will (eventually) be enjoying TPA in stereoscopic 3D as well.

+ Bobby King on February 5th, 2013 at 12:59 pm said:
Stereoscopic 3D support is in the works. We hope to debut it next month in Texas.

 

[Captain Rumwood]

Can't wait to get this. I wonder if they'll go for other Disney franchises such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Indiana Jones. . . . . . . ahhh the possibilities.

 

[neilpinbot]

I will probably pick this up for Android...maybe even xbox "Wolverine" is still one of my fav tables.

 

[Rafie]

Keep in mind that Marvel (Disney) have negotiated separate, distinct rights for their properties, between Stern and Zen.

e.g. Stern has Iron Man, Avengers, X-Men tables. But so does Zen. And the tables aren't related to each other, apart from sharing IP.

So I think it's safe to say we'll probably see Star Wars coin-op pinballs, as well different, movie-related Zen tables.


However, it may not be Stern who does the Star Wars coin-op machines. Jersey Jack has the Hobbit rights, which is huuuuuge.

Dude I thought I was the first one to post the news about Star Wars Pinball here. You beat me to it. LOL I didn't see your post til now.

The tables aren't related, but the X-Men table sure does take after the Zen version a lot. The voice work on Stern's version was piss poor in my opinion. It could have been a lot better.

 

[kimkom]

Looks okay to me. To be honest I was seriously underwhelmed when I saw the teaser trailer but having watched the IGN interview, the tables don't look too bad.

There is something seriously lacking with Zens tables though, imho. Hardly any of them have any real character, it's all extremely generic stuff. Unfortunately they now seem to be doing the same with Star Wars.

For me, TPA manages to capture what real pinball is all about, Zen are all about making video games within a pinball environment. They really need to work on table layout design and move away from from this video game trash.

 

[canuck]

Looks okay to me. To be honest I was seriously underwhelmed when I saw the teaser trailer but having watched the IGN interview, the tables don't look too bad.

There is something seriously lacking with Zens tables though, imho. Hardly any of them have any real character, it's all extremely generic stuff. Unfortunately they now seem to be doing the same with Star Wars.

For me, TPA manages to capture what real pinball is all about, Zen are all about making video games within a pinball environment. They really need to work on table layout design and move away from from this video game trash.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Sumez]

What's wrong with video games within a pinball environment?