Marvel Pinball <=>Zen Pinball

[KingJackalope]

So I saw the MARVEL PINBALL app and bought it for the .99 cents. I then purchased THOR for the $1.99. I then found that these tables are on the ZEN PINBALL. I didn't know you had made separate apps that did the same thing so hadn't thought to look for it . I then figured the ZEN PINBALL would be better since it has more options like the Star Wars license of tables that I'd like so I tried to "import" the THOR table that I had purchased only to find out that it won't. Why would this not be "open" to me on the same OS same tablet? like Comicology's app if you buy a comic on the MARVEL or DC app you can open either in the generic app that has them all there. You are not bound to have to use 3 separate apps to read the comics you PAID for.

I hope at some point this opens up. I'm not going to spend ANOTHER $1.99 on the same table I already have and it seems really stupid to have 2 apps that do the exact same thing when only 1 could be used.

[MadScience2006]

I believe this was already discussed and addressed by Zen in case you missed it...

https://forum.zenstudios.com/showthr...nball-quot-app

[Nik Barbour]

I don't think that thread or Zen's post did address the OP.

His question as I understood it is why (using Android as an example) aren't marvel tables purchased in Zen pinball HD available to the same Android account in the standalone Zen Marvel app?

It's not hugely important, but I'd like to have all the marvel tables I own available in the standalone. Same with Star Wars.
Why doesn't purchase in one app transfer to the other. Its the same platform, device, and account.

[KingJackalope]

Seems like this was more specific to the Spider-Man table. If that one is only available in the Marvel app then so be it. BUT, if the table is available in BOTH apps...why can't I play them in BOTH apps?

[KingJackalope]

Nick: Exactly. Thanks for understanding.

Sometimes I think I'm writing in a different language and the "old timers" on threads just want to differ and make everyone else seem beneath them. Seems like if they took a minute to actually read what someone asked it would make a world of difference and not put off a NEW customer that potentially has $$ to spend with a company. People are so fast to say NO they don't even know what the question is.

[Solitude]

Unfortunately, Apple does not provide a way for apps share/transfer DLC purchases. Maybe if enough customers contact them, they will implement this ability. If they do, we will incorporate it immediately.

The reason we have separate apps is that we would have to be pretty stupid to get a powerful brand like Marvel or Star Wars and then hide it under the title "Zen Pinball". At the same time, you guys have been very clear that you want to be able to have all your tables in one place, so we make them available in Zen Pinball as well.

[surf1der]

I don't think Zen has any kind of customer authentication support to allow them to enable cross app support. I would imagine your comicology app has some kind of separate user account login to recognize your purchases across different apps. It would be nice if Zen's mobile apps had that support but for whatever reason it doesn't. Being a relatively small company working across the fragmented android platform, ios, ps3, 360, osx, win8, steam, and most likely ps4 and xb1, I imagine they made a decision to invest the time and money elsewhere instead of creating the backend support for cross app purchases.

Zen has 3 separate ios apps (zen pinball, star wars pinball, and marvel pinball). If you want a single app that has all the tables choose the zen pinball app. It includes all the tables in the other 2 apps except spiderman, which was not possible because of unique licensing difficulties (I think Sony has some rights to the Spiderman franchise).

[Nik Barbour]

Unfortunately, Apple does not provide a way for apps share/transfer DLC purchases.

Does Android (Google Play) have this ability, and if so will you implement it?

[KingJackalope]

Well they have the ability to restore purchases so if I deleted my marvel pinball game and re-installed it I could then re-download my THOR app for "free". So.... why can't I restore it via the ZEN PINBALL the same way since I've already paid for it from the company?

[KingJackalope]

Unfortunately, Apple does not provide a way for apps share/transfer DLC purchases. Maybe if enough customers contact them, they will implement this ability. If they do, we will incorporate it immediately.

again I can only compare to the COMICOLOGY when I do a DLC purchase for AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #21 I can open and read it in EITHER the Marvel comic app OR the COMICOLOGY app. I can have it on both even. I can even load it up on my computer and read it there. How does Comicology accomplish such a bold feat while using the licenses of MAJOR comic companies such as MARVEL (who it seems the finger is kinda pointed at here) DC, DARK HORSE, IMAGE and numerous others?

[Solitude]

Does Android (Google Play) have this ability, and if so will you implement it?

They don't. Right now, we could only accomplish it on PSN, XBLA, and Steam (which is why we have cross buy on PSN and PFX1->2 import on XBLA).

[Solitude]

again I can only compare to the COMICOLOGY when I do a DLC purchase for AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #21 I can open and read it in EITHER the Marvel comic app OR the COMICOLOGY app. I can have it on both even. I can even load it up on my computer and read it there. How does Comicology accomplish such a bold feat while using the licenses of MAJOR comic companies such as MARVEL (who it seems the finger is kinda pointed at here) DC, DARK HORSE, IMAGE and numerous others?

They designed their apps to use their own server-based system rather than Apple's built-in system. If we had designed ours from the ground up to work that way, then we could do it, but 1) we couldn't afford to do this and 2) it had to be done from the start - there's no way to change from Apple's system to a custom one built by us post-launch. Since we didn't know we'd want it when we created the initial app, we went with the most straightforward and inexpensive method, which was Apple's built-in DLC purchasing system.

[Nik Barbour]

Thanks for the answer Solitude!

Bottom line is I'm grateful I can play Spiderman on my Tablet.

Awesome job as always Zen Studios - Thanks.

[KingJackalope]

That's cool. Shame on me for not checking out if there are 2 apps from same publisher that do the same job with the same content. I'm out my $2.98 no worries. I'm just glad I found out before buying the Moon Knight, Infinity Gauntlet, World War Hulk, X-Men, and Wolverine tables. Saved me some money. Thanks for the prompt reply. Take care.

[Coffee_n_Donuts]

Unfortunately, Apple does not provide a way for apps share/transfer DLC purchases. Maybe if enough customers contact them, they will implement this ability. If they do, we will incorporate it immediately.

The reason we have separate apps is that we would have to be pretty stupid to get a powerful brand like Marvel or Star Wars and then hide it under the title "Zen Pinball". At the same time, you guys have been very clear that you want to be able to have all your tables in one place, so we make them available in Zen Pinball as well.

I feel disappointed by this. I've been a supporter of Zen Pinball on both iOS and PS3 since launch and have bought every table available. Then Star Wars Pinball standalone is released but only after we've all bought them for the Zen Pinball app. The same thing is now happening with Marvel Pinball. So what do we do? We shouldn't have to but the tables twice, or in my case 3 times as I have them on PS3 also. Why can't Zen issue redeemable codes for the App Store to existing table owners?

Now we have a situation where we have Spiderman released in Marvel Pinball but not in Zen Pinball. So for the first time it's impossible to have all the tables in Zen. It's causing a lot of headaches and is very annoying. Granted it won't bother everyone but it clearly bothers a lot of people who've already had a moan about it.

I think Zen dropped the ball when they released the first Marvel tables for the Zen app. They should have released the standalone app initially. Not after everyone has bought all the tables in Zen.

[Nik Barbour]

I'd agree Zen dropped the ball.

The bundled table with the Marvel standalone should have been Spiderman.
This would have saved some people having to buy Avengers twice.

But - hey, I'm still happy just to have Spiderman even if it's not in the main app.

[Solitude]

I feel disappointed by this. I've been a supporter of Zen Pinball on both iOS and PS3 since launch and have bought every table available. Then Star Wars Pinball standalone is released but only after we've all bought them for the Zen Pinball app. The same thing is now happening with Marvel Pinball. So what do we do? We shouldn't have to but the tables twice, or in my case 3 times as I have them on PS3 also. Why can't Zen issue redeemable codes for the App Store to existing table owners?

Now we have a situation where we have Spiderman released in Marvel Pinball but not in Zen Pinball. So for the first time it's impossible to have all the tables in Zen. It's causing a lot of headaches and is very annoying. Granted it won't bother everyone but it clearly bothers a lot of people who've already had a moan about it.

I think Zen dropped the ball when they released the first Marvel tables for the Zen app. They should have released the standalone app initially. Not after everyone has bought all the tables in Zen.

We can't issue codes on iOS, since Apple doesn't provide support for this. If I want the tables on my device, for example, I have to buy them. Reviewers, etc. have to buy them for themselves as well. And we don't have a database of purchases that we could use to identify table owners anyway, as that's on Apple's side and not accessible to us.

For quite same time, we didn't even plan to launch a standalone game after ZP was out. It was only after it become clear that a) we were not going to be able to release Spider-man and b) we were missing out on lots of sales by not having a marvel-branded app that we created it.

Contractually, Spider-man couldn't be a table by itself in the Marvel app, or we would have put it there instead of Avengers.

[Coffee_n_Donuts]

We can't issue codes on iOS, since Apple doesn't provide support for this. If I want the tables on my device, for example, I have to buy them. Reviewers, etc. have to buy them for themselves as well. And we don't have a database of purchases that we could use to identify table owners anyway, as that's on Apple's side and not accessible to us.

For quite same time, we didn't even plan to launch a standalone game after ZP was out. It was only after it become clear that a) we were not going to be able to release Spider-man and b) we were missing out on lots of sales by not having a marvel-branded app that we created it.

Contractually, Spider-man couldn't be a table by itself in the Marvel app, or we would have put it there instead of Avengers.

I understand the reasoning behind it. But understanding it doesn't make it better.

[Solitude]

I understand the reasoning behind it. But understanding it doesn't make it better.

Right. I just wanted to point out that we don't have any better alternatives.

[Nik Barbour]

Right. I just wanted to point out that we don't have any better alternatives.

I'm a happy Zen customer - not trying to stir up trouble, promise

But.... I also play 'The Pinball Arcade' who have done 2 Kickstarter tables, and at a certain level you received as a backer, a free download table which was available across multiple platforms including Android and Ios.
I picked Xbox360 as my reward platform and consequently am still waiting for reward, yet somehow Farsight managed to send out free tables to both Android and Ios customers successfully. I believe the rewards were tied to a server login, as there was an uproar when the server wasn't active and users couldn't access their reward tables.

Would this be (a non perfect) solution for you too?

How can Farsight award table access not purchased through the official store, yet Zen can't? Is it a programming issue?

[rklapp]

I have ten games on my ASUS T300 tablet. I created a separate account for myself and installed the app. I can see my high scores for each table but they are not listed for download. If I delete the app on the orignal account, will the tables then show up in the new account? TIA

[Nik Barbour]

I have ten games on my ASUS T300 tablet. I created a separate account for myself and installed the app. I can see my high scores for each table but they are not listed for download. If I delete the app on the orignal account, will the tables then show up in the new account? TIA

No - purchases are tied to the Google account they were purchased under.
They cannot be transferred.