Pinball FX3 Wishlist

[Nekro Neko]

Guys, what would you like to see in the upcoming FX3?

For me I would like to see the following.

Difficulty Settings.
- Casual/Easy Mode, table is set up to help newer player get longer games in.
- Stock Mode, table is set up to be fair to all.
- Tournament/Balls of Steel Mode, table is set up to break the player.

Score Attack/Time Attack leaderboards.
- Score Attacks would be the time it takes to get to a certain score, for example, the time it takes to make it to 10m. There could be multiple tiers per table.
- Time Attacks would be the time it takes to do certain tasks on the table, such as the time it takes to beat Wizard mode, or activate a game mode and beat it for example. It could even be the time it took you to earn your first Extra Ball. Some of these could be tracked in every game you play and posted to the leaderboards once your game is over.

Time Limit leaderboards
- You get 1m, 2m, 5m, 10m or 30m to get the best score you can, you start with an unlimited number of balls. The game is always set on the Balls of Steel setting.

Multiplayer
- Up to 8 players can join a lobby. They can race like they do now or they can play in other optional modes.
- Tournament mode, players can play a straight up knock-out tournament, each round lasting whatever the host chooses. Losers would be able to watch or play against losers from the previous rounds depending on the host settings.
- Series play, this would be a series of tables ranging from 2 to 30 with timed unlimited ball settings for each. Players would then score points for each round, much like the F1 scoring system.
- Pinball Battle Mode, you would play a one on one battle with another player. Completing modes gives you powers that you can use against your opponent such as Smaller Pinball, Smaller Flippers, Magnet Madness (Magnet would mess with the ball trajectory near the flippers), Low Friction, High Gravity, Mirrored Flippers, Banana Ball, Invisiball, Steel Score, Reset Score. The powers would be selected randomly on a %age chance based on the number of times you've earned a power. You can only have one power at a time.

Improved Tables Page.
- Instead of having tables all display on one page, you could have them in categories, such as Marvel, FX Core tables and such, but also you could have it display your favourite first before any thing else, of which, up to 20 could be selected.

Improved Camera
- Enable you to look at the tables while in play and when between games. The camera can be zoomed in, panned around to look at anything, a close up of a toy or some artwork that you can quite make out or want to just see in better detail.

Local scoreboards can go up to 100 entries, all of which can have a timestamp on if played while connected to live.

[maink]

i would like to see a trophy / achievement for a high score on all tables , i don't know maybe 1 billion ?

[lasvegaspinballhalloffame]

Yeah, good luck getting a billion on Extreme and Rocky & Bullwinkle. Nekro, looks like you got everything covered buddy.

[Corpsesmith]

One thing I like about The Pinball Arcade is the way achievements work. A set of standard goals which then unlock the achievement and subsequent set of wizard goals.

I'd like to see something like this in PBFX3

[ShoryukenToTheChin]

Guess I would like to see

- "Call for Attendant!" for when the Ball gets stuck etc.

- Time stamps on our Highscores

- More options for Messages like "I just beat my Highscore by..."

- Folders eg. Marvel, PFX1, PFX2, PFX3

- Random Table Option, eg it will start a Table at Random.

Got some others but that will do for now.

[lasvegaspinballhalloffame]

Folders?? I think the menu now is absolutely perfect ( uhh, as compared to TPA menu which sucks to high Heaven right)? The way it is now makes folders unnecessary I believe.

[Scotty Canuck]

Folders?? I think the menu now is absolutely perfect ( uhh, as compared to TPA menu which sucks to high Heaven right)? The way it is now makes folders unnecessary I believe.

Each to their own mate. Personally, I like TPA's table selection menu, where we get to see the cabinet artwork. Folders (or even ability to 'favourite' tables), would help up skip past the tables we have no time/love for.

I think that the option for folders would make everyone happy, as we could choose to leave things as they are if we wish, or customise as we see fit.

[Nekro Neko]

Folders?? I think the menu now is absolutely perfect ( uhh, as compared to TPA menu which sucks to high Heaven right)? The way it is now makes folders unnecessary I believe.

I know it works right now, but it isn't perfect when you consider that we may have over 100 tables in the future. I for one wouldn't like to look at 100+ tiny icons on a screen and I have a 40" TV. Imagine trying to make them out on a small 15"-21" monitor/TV, it'd be horrible.

And I guess I meant to use the word tabs instead of folders, but that just a detail.

[Womble]

Each to their own mate. Personally, I like TPA's table selection menu, where we get to see the cabinet artwork. Folders (or even ability to 'favourite' tables), would help up skip past the tables we have no time/love for.

I like being able to see the cabinet, but I think TPA's implementation leaves a lot to be desired. I think they settled on tablet approach for all devices, which hurts the console versions.

Better would be a list of tables, and the cabinet image appears for each as you move down the list. This would be very fast, yet still graphic.

Then again, Zen doesn't have cabinets. You can't even see a backglass, normally.

And since this is a wish list, here's something I don't want to see: tables that break up the cabinet design. I really do not like game artwork and geometry that goes outside of the cabinet. (e.g. Ghostrider). It's just a bridge too far for me.

[gasfoodmurder]

I'd definitely agree with improved camera angles (since not all of the tables have the same camera angle perspectives), and possibly custom viewing angles, if it's possible.

Would it also be wrong to add real, licensed tables to the wishlist? After spending some serious time with the Pinball Arcade, I really can only imagine what ZEN could do with some of these real tables on their engine. Pinball Arcade is a fine game, don't get me wrong, I just think ZEN has something special here and would love to see it applied to some real tables (lighting, cameras, visuals, sound). Just my opinion, no offense or disrespect intended to anyone.

[lasvegaspinballhalloffame]

Zen has said they are not gonna make any real life tables. A shame since their physcis are WAY better than FarSights.

[peglegp]

If the physics comment is in regard to Pinball Arcade, I agree.
-The ball floats VERY lightly in my opinion, and reaches speeds higher than I would have expected for a realistic table, with some crazy bounces.
-Tables graphics are great, but the ball physics don't seem real or as if they give the game its' appeal, surprisingly felt like playing a beautiful Virtual Pinball table.

Then again, maybe we have very high expectations having played the real tables.

[Womble]

Suggestion: add the ability to perform a drop-catch with the flippers.

(I don't know if it's an underlying issue with the physics model, or if it's an incorrect materials property (rubber) but it seems nigh-impossible to deliberately dead-stop a ball on the lower flippers in PFX2.)


Suggestion: remove nudge passing from flipper to flipper.

(This "feature" has an unintended consequence; it slows the game down, as all the player has to do is wait 30 seconds to reset the tilt warnings between easy flipper passes.)

[Nekro Neko]

Suggestion: remove nudge passing from flipper to flipper.

(This "feature" has an unintended consequence; it slows the game down, as all the player has to do is wait 30 seconds to reset the tilt warnings between easy flipper passes.)

I dunno, it's kind of okay with me because for one, using the flipper pass (using the edge of the slingshot) is so much more difficult to do on PBFX2 compared to TPA. Swings and round-a-bouts. Besides, you shouldn't be nudging the table anyway

[Womble]

As Eugene Jarvis once said, pinball tables were designed to be moved. Ya gotta use some "english" on them.

[lasvegaspinballhalloffame]

Suggestion: add the ability to perform a drop-catch with the flippers.

(I don't know if it's an underlying issue with the physics model, or if it's an incorrect materials property (rubber) but it seems nigh-impossible to deliberately dead-stop a ball on the lower flippers in PFX2.)


Suggestion: remove nudge passing from flipper to flipper.

(This "feature" has an unintended consequence; it slows the game down, as all the player has to do is wait 30 seconds to reset the tilt warnings between easy flipper passes.)

You really can't perform a drop catch on Zen's tables? Wow. Also, nudge passing is a part of pinball. People asking for real world elements of pinball to be removed is just wrong.

[ShoryukenToTheChin]

Would like that option to Post scores to Facebook that Zen Pinball 2 is getting.

[Alipan]

I have to say Im of the view that Xbox and Facebook should never mix.

Maybe its an age thing - I dont really want all my 'friends' (used in the loosest sense of the word) knowing that I have just beaten my high score on pinball Thor and to be fair I dont think they are that interested either!

Online leaderboards I would definately be more than happy to see though.

[ShoryukenToTheChin]

I have to say Im of the view that Xbox and Facebook should never mix.

Maybe its an age thing - I dont really want all my 'friends' (used in the loosest sense of the word) knowing that I have just beaten my high score on pinball Thor and to be fair I dont think they are that interested either!

Online leaderboards I would definately be more than happy to see though.

Dude it would give you the option to post if you want of course.

[Alipan]

Yeah I understand its not compulsory – I take your point that you don’t have to use it.

Its just that unless all your friends are pinball junkies I don’t think many people will really appreciate these high score updates. To them it will just be like those other spam gaming messages like “Alipan has just harvested 19 lettuces on Cropsville.’

Personally I don’t want to inflict that on other people or want to read about other peoples performance on games I don’t play. That’s just my view though – the view of a grumpy 30 something!

But yes you are right – no harm in having it and just using it if you want.

[Womble]

You really can't perform a drop catch on Zen's tables?

Can you do one reliably?

Wow. Also, nudge passing is a part of pinball. People asking for real world elements of pinball to be removed is just wrong.

Show me a video of people doing Zen-style nudge passing on TOTAN, TOM, AFM, Twilight Zone, etc.

Actually, don't bother. Zen's nudge passing doesn't exist in the wild. You are confused.

[ammonitida]

Regarding the score limit and time attack modes, either limit the number of balls (unlimited balls would encourage skill shot, sink and drain tactics) or add severe score penalties for draining (like 50% deduction or greater).

[Dalek Nation]

Guess I would like to see

.................................................. ......................
- Folders eg. Marvel, PFX1, PFX2, PFX3

- Random Table Option, eg it will start a Table at Random.

......

I'm torn on the folder idea... I'd miss te little icons and I really like the looks of the icon menu as it is now. That said, I understand that in the future there will be a need for new organization.... gotta admit I won't miss "Wolverine" every single time I go to the main page.

I do love the random table idea. Mad -flipping through the menu doesn't work as it tells you the table you're selecting... ruins the whole "surprise" that a truly random choice would give you.

Nudge-passing: I get an immediate tilt on any table I've played in real life for nudging hard enough to bounce the ball off the flipper. PBFX2 makes this overly easy imo (just compare with PBFX1 tables).

Easy mode(?): Would have a pointless leader board from you elites who would end up with infinite scores. A tourny mode (fewer balls, no extra balls etc....) just like they have on a lot of real tables would give you 'lites something to chew on and let the rest of us enjoy the tables as they are now... 'perfect' difficulty.

[bclewis]

gotta admit I won't miss "Wolverine" every single time I go to the main page.

I kinda like how I hear "Secrets of the ... Wolverine!" whenever I first load up.

(I don't know if this happens for everyone, but when I load up, it starts on Secrets of the Deep, and then my DLC loads and it switches to Wolverine)

[ShoryukenToTheChin]

I kinda like how I hear "Secrets of the ... Wolverine!" whenever I first load up.

(I don't know if this happens for everyone, but when I load up, it starts on Secrets of the Deep, and then my DLC loads and it switches to Wolverine)

Hahahah, on Street Fighter X Tekken there is a really bad one on the Character select screen when you cycle through certain Characters then stop on Juri.... its to ummmm not suitable to post what it is lol.

[Nekro Neko]

That reminds me, please make it so the tables cache into the memory more efficiently (if that's possible). I can take up to 30 minutes for all the tables to load on my console, especially if I don't play in a while.

[Corpsesmith]

I kinda like how I hear "Secrets of the ... Wolverine!" whenever I first load up.

(I don't know if this happens for everyone, but when I load up, it starts on Secrets of the Deep, and then my DLC loads and it switches to Wolverine)

I know exactly what you mean!

[BarbieBobomb]

That reminds me, please make it so the tables cache into the memory more efficiently (if that's possible). I can take up to 30 minutes for all the tables to load on my console, especially if I don't play in a while.

Holy cow! That is crazy, I can't believe you wait that long! Totally not cool

[Nekro Neko]

Holy cow! That is crazy, I can't believe you wait that long! Totally not cool

I don't know why that it is like that. It wasn't so bad when I was playing every day, then it took only a minute or two at most, but leaving the game alone for a while and the problem just escalates. I've tried clearing my system cache but that really didn't work and I don't want to re-download the game for fear of losing my local high scores and stats. Who knows, maybe FX3 is what I need.

[BarbieBobomb]

I don't know why that it is like that. It wasn't so bad when I was playing every day, then it took only a minute or two at most, but leaving the game alone for a while and the problem just escalates. I've tried clearing my system cache but that really didn't work and I don't want to re-download the game for fear of losing my local high scores and stats. Who knows, maybe FX3 is what I need.

I have passed this on to the team, hopefully we can get it figured out.

[Nekro Neko]

I have passed this on to the team, hopefully we can get it figured out.

It might be something to do with Microsoft, the Xbox or some programming thing you've missed, or possobly all three. I'm guessing it's cycling round in circles trying to locate the content and failing on each pass. I would show you a recording of the screen if that would help. Of course, my PC isn't accepting my USB cable lately so that may be an issue.

[ZodiacMunch]

Difficulty Settings.
- Casual/Easy Mode, table is set up to help newer player get longer games in.
- Stock Mode, table is set up to be fair to all.
- Tournament/Balls of Steel Mode, table is set up to break the player.

I pretty much just agreed with this in a different thread a few minutes ago, but I just wanted to throw in my support for the difficulty settings and getting the average game length under control. That would be such a great improvement in my opinion.

(Lots of other great ideas on the list btw)

[lasvegaspinballhalloffame]

Yes I can usually drop catch when I want on Zen's tables. Also, you can nudge pass on real life tables. You just have to be very talented.

[Womble]

Yes I can usually drop catch when I want on Zen's tables.

I think you've misunderstood what a drop catch is.

It is not the act of trapping a falling ball. A drop-catch is the timing of the flipper such that all of the ball's movement is absorbed; the ball is stopped on the flipper, instantly, with no bounce.

As far as I can tell, Zen's engine and settings don't allow for reliable drop catches. (It's not just a matter of player skill and timing. The engine needs to accurately simulate the rubber on the flipper, the force of the ball on the flipper itself, flipper acceleration/deceleration, maybe even flipper vibration.)

TPA's engine doesn't handle drop catches either. But FS say they are working on it.

Also, you can nudge pass on real life tables. You just have to be very talented.

It's not a matter of "talent", it's about physics. Anyone can bash a machine and occasionally impart enough of a force to push the ball over the tip of a flipper on to the other flipper. Doing it without scoring a double danger warning or TILT however, is another thing.

On most real life machines, you cannot nudge-pass Zen-style. That is, you cannot repeatedly, safely and reliably bump the machine in such a way as to pass the ball from the end of an outlane or flipper, to the opposite flipper.

Thus, it's not about "removing" things that exist in real life pinball. Real life pinball does not have Zen's leniency when it comes to nudge passing.

[SBVIPER]

I would just like to see Zen's Nudging, work, horizontally speaking.

In TPA, and PHoF:WC, if there's a shot going STDM, a simple left or right nudge with give the ball enough vector to where you can save or catch the ball on the left or right flipper! However, in all of Zen's tables, if you have that same STDM roll coming, I've nudge twice in the same direction and the ball path doesn't change at all.

The vertical nudge works fine for nudge passing and death saves. But there's no response what so ever (for me anyway) in horizontal nudging. Please see if they can "nudge" that effect up a notch to make it more effective. Thank you the wonderful people of Zen Studios!

[Skode]

It might be something to do with Microsoft, the Xbox or some programming thing you've missed, or possobly all three. I'm guessing it's cycling round in circles trying to locate the content and failing on each pass. I would show you a recording of the screen if that would help. Of course, my PC isn't accepting my USB cable lately so that may be an issue.

Its never taken anywhere near as long as that for me personally even if i havent played for ages as such suck need to reupdate the title personally but any noticable slowdown for me with the game loading all the tables has only ever started since Microsoft introduced cloud saving and it takes the game longer to sync everything up to scratch. As such cloud saving even if your not using it could be whats really slowning down your start ups of the game.

Anyway my wishlist is for more multiplayer modes including friend tournaments Game Room style (ie challenging seven friends to see who can get the best score on a table in 24/48/72 hours etc and having the current/final results showing first place to last and a winners/second/third place podium on completion). More Avatar awards to keep the motivation to be more than just scores and a choice to sort tables Rock Band 3 style (such as most owned, highest scored, Newest to oldest, Marvel/other etc)

[Dspaceman]

That reminds me, please make it so the tables cache into the memory more efficiently (if that's possible). I can take up to 30 minutes for all the tables to load on my console, especially if I don't play in a while.

Saw this post and registered on the forums because I had this problem. I found that recovering your profile solves the problem. I actually recovered my profile in relation to a problem on another game, but it solved this too! Hope this helps.

[Nekro Neko]

Saw this post and registered on the forums because I had this problem. I found that recovering your profile solves the problem. I actually recovered my profile in relation to a problem on another game, but it solved this too! Hope this helps.

I've tried that too but it doesn't help, but may give it another go. Guess that will take an hour itself .

[rexkix]

The most important feature for me would be to have an online spectator / play mode. Essentially make each person's tables live in their own arcade that others can visit, depending on the permissions we give them. This works great with your existing "save game" function. That way, if I need a break and a friend is playing a table, I can save my game and wander over to his arcade to watch. When I get bored, I can come back to my game and continue where I left off.

I'd make the permissions be to have the arcade be invite only, open to all friends, or open to all. I'd also allow the "hotseat" mode be available online like this.

Please and thank you,

[chiralfox]

I think you've misunderstood what a drop catch is.

It is not the act of trapping a falling ball. A drop-catch is the timing of the flipper such that all of the ball's movement is absorbed; the ball is stopped on the flipper, instantly, with no bounce.

It's not a matter of "talent", it's about physics. Anyone can bash a machine and occasionally impart enough of a force to push the ball over the tip of a flipper on to the other flipper. Doing it without scoring a double danger warning or TILT however, is another thing.

On most real life machines, you cannot nudge-pass Zen-style. That is, you cannot repeatedly, safely and reliably bump the machine in such a way as to pass the ball from the end of an outlane or flipper, to the opposite flipper.

Thus, it's not about "removing" things that exist in real life pinball. Real life pinball does not have Zen's leniency when it comes to nudge passing.

Are you sure you don't mean a live catch? Because a drop catch is pretty easy to do in PFX2. I've never been able to reliably live catch in digital pinball in the same manner as I do on a real pin though.

Incidentally, a few weeks ago I was watching Adam Lefkoff play (not online, I mean I was standing like 3 feet away from him), and he was actually moving the ball from flipper to flipper with nudges. It was rather impressive. True, it's not something that can be done 100% of the time, but then, neither are live catches.

[rexkix]

- For each table, let the user pick where the fixed camera position should be for both single and multiball modes. For me, view 1 is often too close and view 6 is too far. I've never figured out who would want to use a non-fixed camera position, but they're always included so somebody must.

- When I set a new high score, please tell me my old one. I want to know if I beat it by a little or a lot.

Thanks,

[Satori]

Having certain values always visible would be helpful. Balls Remaining, and Current Score would be the two I'd like to be able to see at all times.

Extra values like High Scores or the Current Mission Progress being plainly visible at a glace would be nice. Make it optional of course.

[X DrLobo]

Ok folks, here are my two cents ....

Everyone has great ideas so i won't start quoting the ones i like or prefer, anyway....

One thing that would be extremely cool is starting the game in a lobby like it was in 'wazzisname' arcade ... game room ?

That, with pinballs, would bring tears to my eyes ! plus, think of all the cool things we could do with our avatars and friend's rooms, visit, invite, start multiplayer lobbies... oh the possibilities !

gameroom.jpg

[Satori]

I like that gameroom idea and it reminds me of another improvement I've been wanting forever: The ability to do a side-by-side game with 2 people online. We could also use that to show our friends how to do certain things. It would be very helpful. And as a multiplayer environment it would be a lot better than a progress bar at the top like we have now.

[X DrLobo]

unlock table based decorum for our room when buying them or earning achievements on them ....

That would be awesome , really zen !

[eden06]

Long post I know, but I have alot of niggling annoyances with FX2 that just cause my enjoyment to drop a small amount. So I registered here just to post in this section.

A more clear set of instructions as to achieving the medals on each table.

Also, a tier based hotseat tourney feature, similar to that of street fighter 4, there's stages to each tournament, a victory in round 1 gives the player a token for round 2, a victory for round 2 gives you a token for round 3, etc. 2nd place would access a play-off token for a spot in a final. This will allow tournaments to not have as centralised structure and be more "sit and go", you could fit each round in your daily life, as there would always be someone ready to play in the round you had entered. The prize and scoring mechanic could add to it's own xp system, opening up larger tournaments with more diverse rulesets and conditions as you go. The ability to play a table as I wait in a lobby for multiplayer would also cut down on alot of waiting. Additionally the tournament structure could make the "final" tables easier/harder using the preset difficulty levels built in to the fx2 tables in order to make for shorter/longer games, or utilise a "best of 3 approach".

Leader boards that target world wide leaders similar to that of the game hydrothunder for XBLA. In that game, you are given a target score before you start of the next person up on the global leader board, or the one closest to the next milestone, this personalises the high score challenge and makes the achievement feel more tangeable. This doesn't need to be intrusive, if I'm in position 6931 on the global leaderboard, target the person in 6500 as my next target perhaps?

The ability to switch off score based UI features or at least having a streamlined version, I don't need to see my avatar grinning at me every time I set a high score, it's incredibly distracting considering the small amount of information actually being given on such a large screen space. An optional, universal sound cue that indicates the upcoming presence of such an announcement would also be helpful, as this feature is most frustrating when one isn't expecting it.

I have a few tables on which the person above me on my friends list has upwards of 200x's the points I can currently achieve, so every time I beat my record I end up with a section of my screen taken up by the difference in between my present score and their score, this is very distracting, and somewhat needless, having an update flash up for every 10% gain or similar might be less intrusive, and then the final 5% being counted down, or just a button that can hide these features quickly, in situations where screen space is at a premium. This would be most useful on tables like captain america, where the rear right of the table is sometimes the target, and completely obscured by these features.

A less laborious or abridged high score screen, finishing a game with a sub par score because I've drained or just had a bad run doesn't warrant me being pulled away from the table to see my wizard score every time, perhaps having this appear only when I've actually improved upon my previous standing or when I quit a table would be less of a chore, and allow the experience to be a little more fluid. I often find myself switching to a competitors game out of frustration of this, simply because it makes grinding sessions seem less fragmented.

The ability to save pre-set initials for local high scores. I get that entering it directly into the video display like an old school cabinet is retro and adds to the pinball experience, I'm also aware this is most likely due to fx tables having a rom in the table itself to make the experience more , but, it's also needless busywork that breaks the flow of a session, much like the above, if someone is playing one of my tables, it's most likely me unless it's a multiplayer game.

Think that's it, Also, balls remaining as a UI element would help, farsights pinball games have this feature, just an unintrusive, neutral font in the bottom left corner, incredibly helpful, and close to the flippers so one can check it without their gaze being distracted.

Think that's all I got.