8 replies to this topic

[Mister Mumbles]

While I had a brush with Future Pinball before, I just now really delved into it. One thing I can say Parallels will likely become my dedicated pinball box now.

So, there I was trying to have Pro Pinball: Timeshock's sound to work properly in DOSBOX after its purchase from GOG, and I just couldn't figure out why it wouldn't play the sound effects, while the music worked just fine. I got a bit frustrated with it so I was generally browsing around about pinball games and such, and I stumbled upon Future Pinball and its sibling Visual Pinball again. I've tried running anything in the latter and found it beyond aggravating... Okay so I was trying to get some not so legal PinMAME stuff to work because I was curious of how well they really recreated them. Long story short, I gave up on it since there was always something wrong with this or that file.

I knew I wouldn't have these kinds of problems with Future Pinball so I just jumped back onto that, hoping it would run okay. In the past I had not so much luck; that is, if it even wanted to start up at all. It certainly shows how far Parallels has come that it can now run the app smoothly - it probably helps that I have a much better machine now, too - with only some minor quality degradation. I only have to turn down very few bells&whistles and lower the resolution a tad, but after that it runs incredibly smoothly.

One thing I do find quite impressive is some of the tables these users have come up with. Sure, something like the recreation of the classic Indiana Jones table is quite fun to play, but it's some of the original designs that bowled me over. Yes, they may borrow sound and music from their respective movies, but that gives them an incredible authentic feel even if they're just fan creations. Very well made ones at that.

I give to you Star Wars: Empire Edition and Alien Legacy:



All in all, I can heartily recommend Future Pinball to anyone who only even has the remote itch of flipper madness.

P.S. It's highly unlikely there will ever be a Mac version since the app heavily relies on Windows-specific code.

[Thain Esh Kelch]

Why are all modern flipper games always so dark?

I like my flashy Loony Labyrinth..

[dimmer]

Why bother with using emulation when you can have Pinball Yeah for $2, or Pinball HD just as cheap from the App Store?

[Thain Esh Kelch]

dimmer, on 09 March 2011 - 05:00 AM, said:

Why bother with using emulation when you can have Pinball Yeah for $2, or Pinball HD just as cheap from the App Store?

Because those games doesn't live up to the real games available for Mac/PC. Both in design and gameplay.

[Mister Mumbles]

dimmer, on 09 March 2011 - 05:00 AM, said:

Why bother with using emulation when you can have Pinball Yeah for $2, or Pinball HD just as cheap from the App Store?

Yes, because Pinball Yeah is such an excellent example of brilliant pinball design. Pinballl HD is better, but not by a whole lot. Future Pinball is anything but emulation.

I don't mind the 'dark' design of most tables - for the Alien table it actually makes sense. There are definitely some more colorful makes available for FP. I guess I just got used to the more subdued color schemes. It has one upside though when all the lights go off as your pinball zips around the table. Some good ole arcade feeling right there.

[Mister Mumbles]

Alright, just for you Thain I've found some examples of not so dark tables. Both are remakes of classic 2D-scrolling pinball tables: Speed Devils from Pinball Fantasies and Wild West from Psycho Pinball. I was especially impressed by the latter, as its update is so good in fact you'd think it was created by professional pinball makers. It sure helps that the original design was terrific to begin with, but they've definitely added some additional flair to it without changing its formula.

[the Battle Cat]

Mister Mumbles, on 09 March 2011 - 06:50 PM, said:

I like this one because it has boobs.

[Thain Esh Kelch]

Yeah, those two are much better, but it still doesn't compare to Loony Labyrinth:

Or Crystal Caliburn:

Maybe it is the cartoonish look that I also like.. Hmmm...

This one, which I can't find any screenshots of, was also pure awesomeness back in the days:

[jeanq001]

Mister Mumbles, on 09 March 2011 - 03:06 AM, said:

While I had a brush with Future Pinball before, I just now really delved into it. One thing I can say Parallels will likely become my dedicated pinball box now.

So, there I was trying to have Pro Pinball: Timeshock's sound to work properly in DOSBOX after its purchase from GOG, and I just couldn't figure out why it wouldn't play the sound effects, while the music worked just fine. I got a bit frustrated with it so I was generally browsing around about pinball games and such, and I stumbled x360key upon Future Pinball and its sibling Visual Pinball again. I've tried running anything in the latter and found it beyond aggravating... Okay so I was trying to get some not so legal PinMAME stuff to work because I was curious of how well they really recreated them. Long story short, I gave up on it since there was always something wrong with this or that file.

I knew I wouldn't have these kinds of problems with crack xbox 360 Future Pinball so I just jumped back onto that, hoping it would run okay. In the past I had not so much luck; that is, if it even wanted to start up at all. It certainly shows how far Parallels has come that it can now run the app smoothly - it probably helps that I have a much better machine now, too - with only some minor quality degradation. I only have to turn down very few bells&whistles and lower the resolution a tad, but after that it runs incredibly smoothly.

One thing I do find quite impressive is some of the tables these users have come up with. Sure, something like the recreation of the classic Indiana Jones table is quite fun to play, but it's some of the original designs that bowled me over. Yes, they may borrow sound and music from their respective movies, but that gives them an incredible authentic feel even if they're just fan creations. Very well made ones at that.

I give to you Star Wars: Empire Edition and Alien Legacy:



All in all, I can heartily recommend Future Pinball to anyone who only even has the remote itch of flipper madness.

P.S. It's highly unlikely there will ever be a Mac version since the app heavily relies on Windows-specific code.

I like my flashy Loony Labyrinth..