Steve Paradis (aka Simplyus) has been busy creating an incredible mod for the Pinball Fantasies "Speed Devils" table remake by LvR & MooG. The "Special Edition" mod takes the table to new heights and really shows the beauty of Future Pinball as a pinball gaming engine in the hands of a master craftsman.
Be sure to also keep an eye out for his next mod based around Pethu's "Steel Wheel" table, due later this week.
Great to see that development is still going ahead with Visual Pinball, this week we see the software updated to v9.0.3 with the following changes and fixes (three cheers for functional ball decals).
"1) Edit Properties Pane status is now corrected. It has been broken since tech beta 5. It is persistent, meaning if it was visible last time vp was open, it will be visible next time you open vp. Edit/Options now works again.
2) VP8 Colored slingshots are now available. This is fully compatible with Randy's vp8 implementation
3) PlungerName.Position is now available to the script. This will provide a raw value of the mechanical plunger for Pinball Wizard and Cabinet users. Divide the returned value by .04 to get a number from 0-25. You can then base an emreel, wall animation, or other graphical representation on that number to custom animate the plunger object. You could also use the mechanical pinball wizard plunger as an entirely separate type of tinerface, with accurate pull strength - ie pool cues, balloon/rubber band/spring tension, I'm sure you can come up with more.
4) Nudge has been reversed. A right nudge - moving the machine to the left, moves the ball to the right. A left nudge, moving the machine to the right, pushes the ball to the left.
JPSalas has been busily grinding out fantastic tables for VPinMAME over the last few months and has just released a huge update to all his VP9 compatible tables. The updates include "new transparency, backdrops, game settings, sounds,and complete angle independent rails!"
Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection (PS3 and Xbox 360)
Written by Graham Jupp
Thursday, 24 September 2009
It would seem that Crave Games have finally released the highly anticipated next gen versions of Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection, available now for both PS3 and Xbox 360. Unfortunately Crave's website designer seems to have fallen asleep at the wheel as there has been no update to their site to show that the game was even in production, let alone released.
The title is however receiving rave reviews for the US release, whether it makes it to a PAL release for my fellow Aussies and European gamers remains to be seen. Crave... please wake up your web designer and update your site with next gen details.
Press Release:
Crave Entertainment, the full-service publishing and distribution division of FillpointSVG, one of the videogame industries’ leading providers of online distribution, fulfillment, and e-commerce services for national retailers, today announced the release of Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. “Rated E10+”, the game is now available at major retailers nationwide for a suggested retail price of $39.99.
“The Pinball Hall of Fame franchise was built on delivering the highest level of authenticity to the most discerning pinball players,” said Betsi Gijanto, executive vice president, Crave Entertainment. “With three brand new Williams tables, leaderboards, the 4-player multi-play option and high-definition graphics, Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection for Xbox 360 and PlayStation3 upholds that standard while providing gamers with everything they’d expect on the latest game systems. Value-priced at $39.99, Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection is destined to become a classic in many gamers’ libraries.”
True to the franchise, Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection, developed by FarSight Studios, offers 13 Classic Williams tables from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, including three new tables: Medieval Madness™, The Tales of the Arabian Nights™ and No Good Gophers™. In addition, the award-winning franchise is marking its debut on Xbox 360 and PlayStation3 with online leaderboards and trophies, multi-player for up to four players and HD Compatibility (1080i and 1080p). The game also features expanded table goals and bonus features throughout.
“I have been a fan of the Pinball Hall of Fame franchise since Crave launched its first Williams Collection for Wii, PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 2,” said Keith Elwin, World Pinball Champion, 2005-2009. “Having multiple, classic tables right there in your living room is a dream come true for avid players like me. In a flip of the switch, I have my own arcade without the responsibility of maintaining the machines.”
What the press are saying about Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection: “This is easily some of the best pinball you're going to get in videogame form, and with so many machines out in the wild, hopefully this is just the start of things to come for the Pinball Hall of Fame series.”
Score: 8.5/10
- IGN
“Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection is easily one of the best games on the Xbox 360. This game not only recreates 13 of the best pinball machines of all time, but it also offers some of the best pinball physics around. Pinball Hall of Fame is not to be missed!”
Score: A
- Gaming Nexus
Sitar Funk Bar (Future Pinball)
Written by Graham Jupp
Monday, 21 September 2009
Tii certainly has a knack when it comes to melding a musical instrument with a pinball sim. Sitar Funk Bar (Future Pinball) is an original table design with a distinctive musical edge.
Indie games don't get much better than this. Osmos by Hemisphere Games will treat your brain to a visual and audio feast and you'll wonder where those last few hours went.
Osmos is a casual game where the basic concept is to absorb other blobby lifeforms around you with the aim of growing larger. You can only absorb blobs that are smaller than your own and each time you run into an enemy you will either grow or be absorbed depending on their size. To move, you have to vent part of your volume and therefore will shrink in size, move too much and you will quickly shrink and be unable to complete the level. You also have to contend with physics elements such as gravity and inertia.
Coupled with a hypnotic soundtrack, Osmos is certainly worth the US$10 asking price and Im sure the game is well on its way to many independant gaming awards.
If you were the kind of kid who loved playing Marble Madness then you'll love Switchball. The game is a couple of years old now but its still sure to be a blast to play. If you like this game then you'll probably enjoy similar games such as Ballance and Slickball .
What's even better is that Direct2Drive have the PC version of game on sale for a ridiculously low US$5 so get in quick as its only available for a few days.
Bugs in the System
I was a big fan of fractal generators a few years ago so its interesting to see Tii using fractals in his latest "Monster" table for Future Pinball.
Steve Paradis (aka Simplyus) has been busy creating an incredible mod for the Pinball Fantasies "Speed Devils" table remake by LvR & MooG. The "Special Edition" mod takes the table to new heights and really shows the beauty of Future Pinball as a pinball gaming engine in the hands of a master craftsman.
JPSalas has been busily grinding out fantastic tables for VPinMAME over the last few months and has just released a huge update to all his VP9 compatible tables. The updates include "new transparency, backdrops, game settings, sounds,and complete angle independent rails!"
Tii has updated his original Stadium Soccer Pinball (Future Pinball) which now includes updated graphics, checkout that fireworks display.
Tii certainly has a knack when it comes to melding a musical instrument with a pinball sim. Sitar Funk Bar (Future Pinball) is an original table design with a distinctive musical edge.