What is the role of mini-playfields?

[clydebink]

I started wondering how I felt about mini-playfields that remove you from the table (such as Sorceror's Lair, Moon Knight, World-War Hulk, and Fear Itself) compared to mini-playfields that open up a section of the table (Shaman, Captain America, Blade, Tesla, and V-12). Then I started thinking about the parts of playfields that feel like mini-playfields (upper playfields of Spiderman, Infinity Gauntlet, and the escaped soul section of Ghost Rider).
I think mini-playfields are like a spatial version of a mode. I try to activate multiball so that I can do better this time in the same way that I try to get to the mini-playfield so that I can see what happens when I hit all the targets. I'm fascinated with the difference in feeling when your ball drains from a mini-playfield, compared to how it feels when you lose a ball.
What are y'all's feelings on mini-playfields. How do you like to see them used?

[Trollwart]

Personally, I love them...I get more from an 'event' on a table than 'points' (I may have opened a can of worms here I realize). The more cool stuff the table has, the better...the mini playfields just add to it.

That said, I think the transition to the minifield is very important...it should be a 'physical' part of the table, a reveal of some sort that was hidden or comes about from some kind of transformation. For example, the Skrulls mission on FF4...the building rotates out, robot appears, and the playfield forms from the building...awesome! In Sorcerer's Lair, the ball 'goes to the cellar' where a minifield is, the screen just transitions or fades (can't recall) to a new screen...seems cheap. Same with some other tables...it was disappointing in WWHulk and IGauntlet especially. Again, just my opinion, but I think keeping the minifields as physical manifestations of the table forces more creativity from the designer and more eye-candy for the player.

[Jeppo99]

Interesting. I thought the transition between field and mini-playfield on the Infinity Gauntlet was pretty cool. Same with Fear Itself.

I have noticed some of the transitions were removed in ZP2 - Moon Knight and Sorcerer's Lair in particular, but those transitions only involved the camera panning into the object you hit the ball in (the moon and the sinkhole in those examples) so you aren't missing much.

But it's like two tables in one so I like mini-playfields no matter what guise they're in.

[RabidShark]

i think they are great i do like the off table ones a little more it gives the main playfield more room but tables like Paranormal have an amazing adaptations with the main playfield basically it has 1 or is it 3 :P on the playfield and one in the back glass "Genus",
and sorcerer's lair with 2 off table playfield's keeping plenty of room for the main playfield truly Wonderful Minds at Zen

when i first saw these i immediately thought about how i used to play NES game called high speed it also had the first adoption of mini play fields http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfdynpQpBXg

[jsd]

tables like Paranormal have an amazing adaptations with the main playfield basically it has 1 or is it 3 :P on the playfield and one in the back glass "Genus"

this is based on a real life pinball called Banzai Run designed by the legendary Pat Lawlor. We had one of these on my college campus and I wasted way too many hours playing it. "GO FOR THE HILL!"

Check out around 4:30

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFcf0z8ZaLc

The lights and sound on this table are off the chain. I wish Zen would make something with a real classic feel like this some day.

[RabidShark]

this is based on a real life pinball called Banzai Run designed by the legendary Pat Lawlor. We had one of these on my college campus and I wasted way too many hours playing it. "GO FOR THE HILL!"

Check out around 4:30

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFcf0z8ZaLc

The lights and sound on this table are off the chain. I wish Zen would make something with a real classic feel like this some day.

forgot about that one. only saw it in a video probably that one but ya looks vary cool.
Pat Lawlor is working with pro pinball i would love to see them succeed vary vary much.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=93991209

[clydebink]

My favorite thing about Banzai Run is that the left kickback shoots the ball into the center kick-out sometimes. I feel like the machine is playing itself.