/vr/ - Retro Games

I found Episode One really distracting with its video screen and obnoxious clips/voice overs. Shit table but still better than the film it's based on

I'll check back in later if thread picks up...

Hell yeah. Glad to see some pinball on /vr/. I've actually got an arcade in my hometown (where I unfortunately no longer live) with a couple tables (Goldeneye and Back to the Future being notables). I'm shit at pinball, but I appreciate its place in electronic games history, and it really is fun, especially when you know all the trick shots a table has to offer and whatnot. The Pinball Arcade, which certainly toes the line between /vr/ and not /vr/ is nonetheless a very good Pinball sim, and it's out on just about everything but Wii and Wii U, including mobile and even the Vita. It's got some great recreations of classic tables.

And yeah, I've noticed that mom & pop pizza joints are also a great place to find a table tucked away somewhere. Pop a few quarters in if you show up before your order's ready or whatever. Always nice to see.

I'm just glad the Pro Pinball: Timeshock! kickstarter was succesful. I wonder if my body will be ready for the prerendered graphics when even the oldest tease pictures looked like photographs of an actual table.

>>1086103
And here's how it looked in 1997.

A local pizza joint has one, but it's really disappointing. The exit lanes are ball magnets, the sound effects are really awful, and there's just nothing all that interesting about it. Are most pinball machines like this and I was just spoiled by the awesome Theatre of Magic, Medieval Madness, Monster Bash, etc at my local arcade growing up?

>YOU GOT THE POWER
>YOU GOT TO FIGHT
>GET READY FOR BATTLE
>BEAT THE BLACK KNIGHT
>OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUTgj90iB7M

What are some Pinball games I should play, I don't know if those community-made stuff like Virtual Pinball is worth it.

>>1086148
Both of the major pinball simulations are good in their own rights, as long as you stick with tables made by specific individuals. Anything made by JPSalas for Visual Pinball or material made by Slamt1lt or rom for Future Pinball(especially those optimized for physics 2.4 or 2.5) play pretty well. Other than that there are games like Pro Pinball or the 3D Ultra series that are great fun.

>>1086173
I forgot to mention that even though the physics are overly generous Pinball FX 2/Zen Pinball have some really fun tables to play.

>>1086142
What's the name of the machine?
Some tables are harder or not as exciting as others, for me Star Trek next gen is my bane, I love Trek but damn that table.

>>1086148

>I don't know if those community-made stuff like Virtual Pinball is worth it.

They're obviously not quite the real thing, but some play very damn close. Like >>1086173
said, some creators (JPSalas and PacDude come to mind) consistently put out good work.

As for tables... Twilight Zone and Addams Family are generally considered to be among the best ever. I'd also recommend Medieval Madness and Fish Tales.

>>1086318
Don't forget Theater of Magic.

>>1086026
I actually really like Episode I. It's what got me into really liking pinball besides the occasional arcade thrill when waiting for a game to free up.

>>1086318
(Not that guy, OP here btw but) Twilight Zone I just can't get into, it's too cluttered for me, but it does get so much love. I really like the more "open" tables that stick with the more classic two flipper scheme.
Medieval Madness of course applies here.

>>1086148
The Pro Pinball series.
I'd recommend starting from Fantastic Journey since it has the most simple table design / gameplay and the most advanced physics of the four (the first game, The Web, isn't in the picture since it is the oldest and has a maximum resolution of "only" 1024x768).

There used to be a place in town with Funhouse, but they closed down a few years ago.

I think the only machines left around here are generic basketball themed.

>>1086457
HEY BUCKO

>>1086148
Visual Pinball is great if you're a poorfag and want to try the popular tables. Obviously I want to invest in something like Pinball Arcade for the PS3, but I'm too cheap to buy individual tables.

Visual Pinball isn't perfect, but it's the next best thing to the real tables themselves.

But nothing comes close to the thrill of the lights and the rolling silver ball before your widened eyes.

>>1086428
Theatre of Magic would be right up your alley, then. Real nice and open and some great use of magnets.

>>1086428
I didn't like Twilight Zone much before either, but once you learn the whole ruleset properly, it starts getting really fun. Still pretty hard, tho.

The Simpsons Pinball Party is a similar table with equally complex rules that's pretty great, too. I even like the theme better.

is anyone else on the pro pinball backer forums?

>>1086145
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybU4wsGHbyQ

>>1087171
I think that's the case with most tables, the harder they are the harder it is to learn and really get into, especially if you don't have the cash. An easier table that yields more playtime for your credit has a larger appeal for a cheapskate.
The Elvira Scared Stiff pinball is one of my faves, just because it is so damn easy and in no time I was hitting the multiballs and jackpots.

>Future Pinball Vs VirtualPinball.

>>1088318
>anything vs. Pro Pinball

>>1087174
Yeah. There's not much to talk about, though.

So I'm lucky enough to have an actual pinball arcade near me.
Here's their list of machines:

>Avatar (LE - 2010)
>Big Shot (1973)
>Black Knight (1980)
>Captain Fantastic (1976)
>Chicago Cubs Triple Play (1985)
>Cleopatra (1977)
>Creature From The Black Lagoon (1992)
>Demolition Man (1994)
>Eight Ball Deluxe (1981)
>Family Guy (2008)
>Funhouse (1990)
>Gorgar (1979)
>Medieval Madness (1997)
>Monopoly (2001)
>Old Chicago (1976)
>Power Play (1977)
>Revenge From Mars (1999)
>South Park (1999)
>Space Invaders (1980)
>Spanish Eyes (1972)
>Star Wars Episode I (1999)
>Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
>The Rolling Stones (LE - 2011)
>Theatre of Magic (1995)
>Transformers (LE combo - 2011)
>Tri Zone (1979)
>Tron Legacy (LE - 2011)
>Twilight Zone (1993)
>Viper Night Drivin' (1998)

Any specific machines I should check out, aside from "all of them"?
I've been sticking to Medieval Madness and Revenge From Mars, mostly because the older games tend to kick my ass.

>>1089590

I'm a fan of Captain Fantastic, Demolition Man, Gorgar, Medieval Madness, Theater of Magic, and Twilight Zone

There was a pinball arcade near my college with many of the same games, but now that I've graduated I have to hunt down bowling alleys to find any anymore

I'd like to get a few machines one day, but I'd like to know how to properly repair and maintain them, and not many people just go and teach their repair secrets

>>1088450
>anything vs. Pro Pinball

The only better pinball game would be Digital Pinball Necronomicon.

Consider:
- despite being a console game, it runs in hi-res 640x480 (not many games did that in 1996)
- tables and backstory inspired by Lovecraft (Arkham Asylum, Cult of the Bloody Tongue, Dreamlands)
- music inspired by Dream Theater (John Petrucci even did the intro and outro!)
- LIVE narration and storytelling as you unlock routes
- up to 7-ball multiball modes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-VnGnBH_lY

And some of the companies previous pinball games were so realistic that they actually could construct a live replica of one of the tables.

>>1090095
>they actually could construct a live replica
So, why haven't they?

>because STERN refuses to make anything that isn't based on a licensed IP
Oh, right.

I posted this in a thread a week or two back, but here in Phoenix, Castles N Coasters has a two-floor arcade, and one of the floors is like 75% pinball machines. It's pretty darn great. They have unlimited play for $10 after 7pm. What Arizona lacks in diversity it makes up for with the best arcade I've ever been to.

>>1090130

>>1090123

Stern is the cancer killing pinball. They havent innovated or added anything to the game that we didnt already have in the late 80s

Now every time they release a table it comes out in 5 different editions, fucking up the market. Not to mention that even the best versions look like cheap as fuck plastic toys from the bargain bin using recycled field layouts

>>1090123
Perhaps I wasn't clear - by "they could construct a live replica" I meant that they actually went ahead and did it. I don't have a relevant link at hand right now, I think I save it on Kaze Co's old website.

>>1090148
So then why hasn't someone started up a new, better competitor?

Or would that flood the already saturated market, killing off both companies?

>>1090130

>>1090194

There's a few people trying to start up companies as we speak

The problem mainly comes from the small market. Not many people want to sink $5000 for a machine that will only play one game, and arcades are pretty much dead

Stern survives by existing before the crash, inheriting what little Williams had left when it left the market, and selling directly to the 40-60yr old mancave market

If somebody could come out with cheaper games of higher quality (hard to do), or a base pinball system that could be easily upgraded/modified into new games with kits, they'd probably corner the market or at least force Stern to start giving a shit again

>>1090265
>modular pinball table

Now that I think about it, that's actually a pretty cool idea.
Since you're designing and building everything to some standard instead of being a one-off design, you could, theoretically, sell the base table and basic module(s) for less than a traditionally built machine.
Plus, releasing upgrades and enhancements over time would help to maintain interest.
I'm sure it would make maintenance easier, too.

Although I can't imagine why you'd want to rebuild an entire table just to "change games". Unless you're hurting for space, or unless that particular game flat-out isn't making money, at that point wouldn't you just buy a new machine?

>>1090310

Eh, a whole new machine would be $5000, but I'd imagine a 'swap-out' module would be $1000 or less

It's pretty much how arcades worked back in the day. The vendor bought X amount of games, then when interest waned for the new hotness, he converted them to different games for a fraction of the cost of buying X new machines

And with the home market the one being targeted now, it could be that much more attractive, as the average home doesnt have room for more than a few pinball tables, tops

>>1089590
Holy fuck that's awesome, I'd go through and play all of them at least once. I'd love to try my hand at a real "Big Shot" table.

Give Gorgar a few goes

Did you check the terminator 2 chrome edition table? It was made by a guy who works at dreamworks, and it's prolly the best looking table I have ever seen on a pc

>>1095775
Visual pinball, right ?
Any link to this table ?

>>1095803
http://www.vpforums.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfile=6105

>>1095820
Sheeeiiiit, it need a powerful machine.

>>1095775
It looks better than the timeshock remake.

>>1095876
Why I have this weird line on the terminator head ?

>>1095971
No one ?

>>1095775
>>1095876
How is it called when the Visuall Pinball is done in this wa, in tate mode ?
Or maybe this table is the only one to be done like that.

>>1099953
If the proportions aren't distored for cabinet usage (ie. cabinet mode), I would just call it portrait mode.

Picture related, it's a test render of Timeshock's new cabinet mode.

I do pinball and arcade repair at my local joint in Alabama. We've got 35 Pins and about 20 'Cades.

>>1089590
where is this place

south park pinball is awesome, funnier than the actual show

>>1101952
As much as I hesitate to give away my approximate location:

The place is Main Street Amusements, located in Lafayette Indiana.

timeshock... no virtual pinball game comes even close to the feeling of a real machine. just the sound and vibrations of the entire cabinet plus perfect ball physics are something you're not going to find in a simulation. and yes, i know timeshock and have played it since 1997. however, it's still the best simulation ever, imo.

>>1103387
That's like saying no flight simulator ever comes close to feeling of a real plane. Pro Pinballs were made over ten years ago so I'm pretty sure the physics and sounds can be made much, much more accurate than back then.
For low population density regions without any arcades these simulators are prety much the only way to experience pinball unless you are ready to pay tons of money for a real machine.

>>1101952
There's a website called pinside that has locations mapped all over the world where pinball is.
Check out your city on the map and find out what machines are near you.

What you guys think about Pinball Fantasies (DOS version)?

Finding pins in the wild is getting harder and harder. I've been collecting since 2004, and have people/friends over about twice a month to play. Pic related, current queue to get up and running

>>1102204

Ive been there many times

The owner is a cool guy

I usually hit up Games N At in Pittsburgh for my Pinball fix.

They only have about ten tables at any given point, but they include some of my all time favorites.

No really, it's beautiful.