Current Score and Number of Remaning Balls - on screen at all times...

[Satori]

They could show it up at the top right corner where nothing ever happens, or list it below the dot matrix on the top left. It doesn't have to (/shouldn't) be huge, but it would be really nice to see these two basic values at all times. Nothing matters more than those two values. I can't count the number of balls I've lost due to me trying to see my current score, and having to wait a few seconds until the dot matrix eventually shows me what I need to know (score & balls). The "Balls" value on the dot matrix doesn't tell you how many balls you have left. It tells you which ball you're on and you're just supposed to know how many you have and do some simple math anytime you want to know.. which is pretty much all the time. And if you don't know how many extra balls you have, you must stop the ball with a flipper and wait for the dot matrix to show you that one value.

Sorry if I sound frustrated. Zen does so many things right with these tables. You can easily see the love and skill they put into making and testing them. But why not give us a way to see these most basic numbers?

Any thoughts?

[McLovin]

Interesting suggestions, we always thought that displaying which ball are you on would be enough. I'll bring it up with our designers see if they like the idea or not.

I think the way it is now is to be like physical pinball machines which use these kinds of displays.

[cantankerous--]

Interesting suggestions, we always thought that displaying which ball are you on would be enough. I'll bring it up with our designers see if they like the idea or not.

I think the way it is now is to be like physical pinball machines which use these kinds of displays.

I think his point is that it doesnt always display what ball you are on.

[Satori]

I think his point is that it doesnt always display what ball you are on.

My point was that I would find it beneficial to be able to see my current score and the number of balls remaining, at all times.

[BinaryHedgehog]

I like the DMD effect. I think it's a nice touch. That being said, some tables will display your score even during modes with special displays.

[QuietlyWrong]

My point was that I would find it beneficial to be able to see my current score and the number of balls remaining, at all times.

Balls remaining is subject to change in any modes where extra balls are possible.

What about something like Ball: 2/3 to indicate you're on ball 2 out of 3. I realise that there is a slight arithmetic cost to the end-user to determine the number of balls remaining but I don't imagine that's measurable for most people...

[cantankerous--]

Balls remaining is subject to change in any modes where extra balls are possible.

What about something like Ball: 2/3 to indicate you're on ball 2 out of 3. I realise that there is a slight arithmetic cost to the end-user to determine the number of balls remaining but I don't imagine that's measurable for most people...

I think they just put what ball you are on in white digital display somewhere easy to see and if it ends up with that same numbered ball that you won an extra ball the display turns red and number remains the same.

[Satori]

Balls remaining is subject to change in any modes where extra balls are possible. What about something like Ball: 2/3 to indicate you're on ball 2 out of 3. I realise that there is a slight arithmetic cost to the end-user to determine the number of balls remaining but I don't imagine that's measurable for most people...

Or just Balls Remaining and it would always be easy to see exactly how many you have left? If you get an extra ball, the number of balls remaining goes up by one. Simple as that.

I think they just put what ball you are on in white digital display somewhere easy to see and if it ends up with that same numbered ball that you won an extra ball the display turns red and number remains the same.

Complicate it even more? No. Just one number of Balls Remaining would be simple and precise enough. No need to over-engineer it.

[McLovin]

Maybe you guys know this, right now the way to see if you have an extra ball loaded in, is that the 'Ball Save' or 'Shoot Again' lamp is lit at all times.

So if you don't have an extra ball -> Shoot again lamp will flash while a ball save is active, when that ends it will go out

If you have an extra ball -> Shoot again lamp will flash while ball save is active, when that ends it'll remain lit

[cantankerous--]

Maybe you guys know this, right now the way to see if you have an extra ball loaded in, is that the 'Ball Save' or 'Shoot Again' lamp is lit at all times.

So if you don't have an extra ball -> Shoot again lamp will flash while a ball save is active, when that ends it will go out

If you have an extra ball -> Shoot again lamp will flash while ball save is active, when that ends it'll remain lit

No, I never knew that. Thanks, now if I could only have all the balls back that I thought were going to be saved only to move onto my xtra ball. lol

[QuietlyWrong]

Maybe you guys know this, right now the way to see if you have an extra ball loaded in, is that the 'Ball Save' or 'Shoot Again' lamp is lit at all times.

Yeah, I knew this, but it does mean that while ball saver is flashing you can't tell. Capturing the ball and holding it will usually eventually tell you but missions can prevent this (IIRC) and of course the ball saver would be ticking down...

I'm sure there are a variety of ways the game could show ball numbers and extra balls and stuff on the UI but it sounds like you can't please all the people all the time.

[GruffMckenzie]

Surely people have usually got a good idea that they've earned an extra ball. The ball saver doesn't last that long either.

[Cornholio]

The OP is obviously a gamer and has never played a real pinball machine. As a real pinball player for all of my life, I think this idea is stupid. Leave it as is. This would confuse every other pinball player out there.

Not tried it, but do zen tables work like real tables where if you hold both flippers (while holding the ball of course, or before plunging a ball), does it display info that you can cycle through? If so, your score and ball that you're on are shown there. I'm not near my ps4 to try this now.

OP, pinball works like this: you get 3 balls. The ball that you're on is displayed on screen. If you get extra balls (lets say on ball 1) the shoot again lamp will light (between your flippers!!), when you drain your first ball, the next ball will still say 'Ball 1'. If on ball 2 and you get an EB, it will say 'Ball 2' etc. So all you need to know is if you're on ball 1, 2 or 3, not how many you have left. I have NEVER heard anyone ask for this feature, hence why you will confuse everybody if you implement this idea.

And as McLovin mentioned, all 'real' pinball players know about the 'Ball Save' or 'Shoot Again' lamp which is always between the flippers.

[QuietlyWrong]

Surely people have usually got a good idea that they've earned an extra ball.

Usually, but for me, if I've had two or three EBs with one ball, I can lose track of how many I have left and find myself wondering if I have one or none at times of ball-saver flashing. But it's not a biggie.

Not tried it, but do zen tables work like real tables where if you hold both flippers (while holding the ball of course, or before plunging a ball), does it display info that you can cycle through?

Yes, capture your ball on one flipper and the info will cycle.