Zen Pinball 2 on PS4!

[Alipan]

People have expectations that complex AAA games will run at 1080p and 60fps on PS4.
So I sort of took it as a given that a pinball game would be able to manage this - I dont see that as exciting news just the minimum you would expect.

Zen have dropped quite a few hints over the last year of all the work they have been doing on PS4 / Xbone.
As such Im quite surprised that so far it seems to be just a reskin of some old tables. No new tables? No new features? Really?

Maybe there is more news to come? I hope so.

Im genuinely finding this announcement a bit strange - they dont seem to know themselves exactly what the product is. Is it a straight port or is there more to it?

#baffled

[tenorhero]

We're still supporting ZP2 on PS3, so even if you don't buy a PS4 right away, you aren't missing out on tables.

Oh I would think so. It's just the thought reconnecting the PS3 over and over again to play those great tables that are missing when I eventually get the PS4. Again Thanks for what you do and can't wait to play Dr Strange.

[Phobos790]

People have expectations that complex AAA games will run at 1080p and 60fps on PS4.
So I sort of took it as a given that a pinball game would be able to manage this - I dont see that as exciting news just the minimum you would expect.

Zen have dropped quite a few hints over the last year of all the work they have been doing on PS4 / Xbone.
As such Im quite surprised that so far it seems to be just a reskin of some old tables. No new tables? No new features? Really?

Maybe there is more news to come? I hope so.

Im genuinely finding this announcement a bit strange - they dont seem to know themselves exactly what the product is. Is it a straight port or is there more to it?

#baffled

There is a new table and it looks sick, Dr. Strange. Why not wait until you play ZP2 at 60 fps 1080P before complaining about it...and that cannot be the minimum you expect when that's maxed out.

[iCub]

Take a look at Facebook

There was an interesting post over on facebook from one of the Zen Studios programmers. He was responding to a comment from someone who seemed quite dismayed that only a selection of tables were being ported over. The poster said he would be willing to pay again at a discounted rate (similar to Farsight's approach) for the said tables to get them on the PS4. The programmer responded saying basically he was interested to hear that and basically that Zen would listen to comments from the community and consider accordingly (I paraphrase).

What do you ladies and gents think to this suggestion?

It actually shouldn't be that difficult or time consuming for Zen to do if demand is there, as the PS4 is essentially a PC inside and all tables have already been ported for the PC Steam release (where you already get 1080p and 60fps.... but no stereo sound oddly). The PS4 Zen Pinball 2 main program has already been made for the 20 tables, so bringing remaining tables across should be more than feasable, as long as there is a financial compensation for doing so.

On a personal note, I find the porting of 20 tables at no extra cost is more than generous and I would be happy to pay an "upgrade" fee for any outstanding ones, in order to have the full set. I would really miss the likes of Mars and Thor otherwise.

[BarbieBobomb]

There was an interesting post over on facebook from one of the Zen Studios programmers. He was responding to a comment from someone who seemed quite dismayed that only a selection of tables were being ported over. The poster said he would be willing to pay again at a discounted rate (similar to Farsight's approach) for the said tables to get them on the PS4. The programmer responded saying basically he was interested to hear that and basically that Zen would listen to comments from the community and consider accordingly (I paraphrase).

What do you ladies and gents think to this suggestion?

It actually shouldn't be that difficult or time consuming for Zen to do if demand is there, as the PS4 is essentially a PC inside and all tables have already been ported for the PC Steam release (where you already get 1080p and 60fps.... but no stereo sound oddly). The PS4 Zen Pinball 2 main program has already been made for the 20 tables, so bringing remaining tables across should be more than feasable, as long as there is a financial compensation for doing so.

On a personal note, I find the porting of 20 tables at no extra cost is more than generous and I would be happy to pay an "upgrade" fee for any outstanding ones, in order to have the full set. I would really miss the likes of Mars and Thor otherwise.

That wasn't a programmer, that was Mel (you know him as Crackervizzo around here)

We do want to hear what people have to say (otherwise they wouldn't have hired me, right?) but that being said, Sony also has to allow us to do what our community has asked of us. For now, it will just be the 20 tables we've listed, but if there is a lot of interest in playing the older stuff, then hopefully we'd be able to revisit the idea of bringing more over. Let us know your thoughts!

[Alipan]

Im actually inclined to let all the old tables go.

They have been great and Ive had a lot of fun out of them but Ive spent dozens of hours on them and had my moneys worth ten times over. I dont really feel the need to play them again on PS4 or Xbone - Im more interested in new stuff now.

[shogun00]

We do want to hear what people have to say (otherwise they wouldn't have hired me, right?) but that being said, Sony also has to allow us to do what our community has asked of us. For now, it will just be the 20 tables we've listed, but if there is a lot of interest in playing the older stuff, then hopefully we'd be able to revisit the idea of bringing more over. Let us know your thoughts!

I have no problems re-buying those said tables on the PS4.

[Xeonic-Ice]

I'd totally re-buy all tables. It's pretty awesome that we're getting 20 for free since I already assumed that I'd have to purchase everything on the new platform. I like having all of my content in one place and honestly, wish that the standalone games were just absorbed into Zen Pinball 2 as just different sections as opposed to separate titles altogether. I like what Marvel and Star Wars Pinball do within their own titles, art-wise and gameplay-wise, but I don't see why they can't be tabs in the full ZP2. That, to me, would make it completely worthwhile to purchase every single table over again. I actually don't like going to separate titles with separate leaderboards just for the new stuff. Plus, I have to download the same tables several times which eats up precious space on both Vita and PS4 (I'm close to halfway on mine and I only have 4 games installed that take up at least 30gigs).

Don't get me wrong, I love Zen Pinball in all forms and my friends can attest to that since I still talk about it constantly. I'm just hoping for a more unified platform without losing all the cool stuff thrown into the standalone versions.

[tenorhero]

Well in context the older tables would mean the original Zen pack which I can agree I could do without. The only table I would miss in that pack would be TESLA.

I would eventually like to play Fantastic Four, Captain America Civil War. Can't believe X-men, Thor and Moon Knight got left out. MARS, Excalibur (May not be the most popular but it is challenging IMO) All those are tables I would consider one of their best productions. Not to include them on the PS4 would be disappointing.

Nonetheless, I'm not sure I would pay for them again even with a discount. I've considered doing it on STEAM where I bought the PBFX2 core pack and Splosion Man to play against those on my friends list just to reign Pinball Supreme plus I don't think they will ever come out on the PS3/PS4. I passed up Buying the rest of the tables because I already have those tables on my PS3. I just can't fathom spending more money on the same tables just to play them on another system.

Just to reiterate I'm extremely disappointed with Microsoft and Sony not be willing to make a machine that can play old games you've already purchased on the other Systems. It's way too cumbersome to keep reconnecting the older system just to play the games you adore (example ZP2) especially when your entertainment center is already cluttered.

Too much Bull $%^& about the technology can't do it or whatever the reason they mentioned. It's all about getting more money from the players.

[BarbieBobomb]

I like having all of my content in one place and honestly, wish that the standalone games were just absorbed into Zen Pinball 2 as just different sections as opposed to separate titles altogether. I like what Marvel and Star Wars Pinball do within their own titles, art-wise and gameplay-wise, but I don't see why they can't be tabs in the full ZP2.

This would be freakin sweeeeeet. Love the idea.

[Dinosaur Toy]

Too much Bull $%^& about the technology can't do it or whatever the reason they mentioned. It's all about getting more money from the players.

The unfortunate truth is that it is the history of game consoles that's responsible. They've never used a standard architecture, with every console using whatever is the most affordable type of CPU and GPU available at the time for a mass market box. The only way for the Xbox One or PS4 to provide backwards compatibility would be to essentially bolt a PS3 or 360 to the new console, driving the price up. (And out of the range most people are going to pay.)

Switching to X86 - the same thing that's in your PC and/or modern Mac - has finally sorted that problem. If you want to call bull, wait and see if platform compatibility is maintained moving forward now that the technology is in place to make it feasible.

[iCub]

That wasn't a programmer, that was Mel (you know him as Crackervizzo around here)

We do want to hear what people have to say (otherwise they wouldn't have hired me, right?) but that being said, Sony also has to allow us to do what our community has asked of us. For now, it will just be the 20 tables we've listed, but if there is a lot of interest in playing the older stuff, then hopefully we'd be able to revisit the idea of bringing more over. Let us know your thoughts!

Oops... apologies for the misinformation

On the point of paying again.... up to now, I have bought nearly all tables on PS3, Android & PC (twice, as I also gifted them). I must admit that for the PC I waited for a sale for all but 4 of the tables. I still consider them excellent value for money when I think of the time spent playing in relation to many other games that I have paid many £££/$$$ for, only for them to sit on a shelf collecting dust.

While I wouldn't want to pay full price again on PS4, I realise porting takes some time and cost and therefore would have no problem paying for that. For me, next gen pinball is different to most other games, because it's not the sort of game that you complete and then forget about. I find it to be more like my old Monopoly set that I have had since I was wee bairn; it's still used today.

Just my two penneth. At any rate, it's good to know that any future PS3 purchase is also another table added to the next gen when I finally jump in.

P.S. no next gen Moon Knight and Capt. America makes me sad

[Thefly0810]

Ps4

It will be interesting to see the amount of tables that will be carried over for the XBOX One. Don't get me wrong, I fully appreciate that 20 tables will be available for free on my PS 4 since I have all the tables purchased on my PS 3 and Vita, and I would gladly pay for any of the older tables that did not make the cut. However, I would be lying if I didn't say that I would be disappointed if all the PBFX2 tables were available to the XBOX One in some form or another (free or available for purchase).

I know it's pure speculation at this point, but it's hard not to be skeptical when the Zen Pinball Originals have been available for all platforms for a while and Microsoft still has the PBFX 2 core pack under licensing lock and key. It makes me question whether the 20 table PS 4 limit has anything to do with the [email protected] Launch Parity Policy.

http://www.vg247.com/2013/12/05/idxbox-launch-parity-clause-called-out-by-vlambeer/

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/12/09/studio-must-delay-multiplatform-game-to-get-xbox-one-release

http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2013/12/12/microsoft-dodge-questions-about-the-day-one-parity-clause/comment-page-2/

P.S. - I do like the suggestion above of having the separate sections of Star Wars Pinball, Marvel Pinball, and non-licensed tables all available under a Zen Pinball 2 hub.

[Zuch80]

I have very mixed fillings about it now. I was very happy to hear ZP2 is coming to PS4 but leaving so many tables behind its like deal breaker to me. I would love to have every single table I bought since the ZP1 under one roof like on PS3. Will it be clarified if the rest of the tables (all) are coming to PS4 in the near future? I don’t think it will be a problem If we have to pay for them again.

[Thefly0810]

Plus, if Zen releases the remaining 15 tables in the future at a cost using the current generation pricing it wouldn't be bad at all, considering prior PS3/Vita owners get the other 20 free. Adding it up, it would be about $41. $10 for the Zen Pinball Originals (Tesla, Shaman, El Dorado, V12); $10 for the Marvel Vengeance and Virtue Pack (Thor, Ghost Rider, Moon Knight, X-Men); and then $2.99 for the remaining seven standalone tables (Excalibur, Mars, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, Street Fighter 2, Marvel:Fantastic Four, Marvel:Captain America, Marvel:Civil War). I'd slap down $41 in a heartbeat in order to have all the tables available to me on the PS 4.