I've often wondered why the pinball companies abandoned Flipperless once Whiffle
and Baffle Ball, the first two flippered games appeared. If it had been me,
I would have tried offering some dual mode games, at least for a while, just
to see if such a scheme would increase my profits. And surely, when sales did
began to slip and pin companies began failing, I think they might have found
a way to survive in making Blended games. Sure, I'm that Flipperless nut, but
keep reading, maybe my ideas aren't nearly as crazy as you might imagine. As
an experiment, I decided to modify two tables partners of mine and I have made.
First I went to work on Bronco Buster, which SDB and I released about six weeks
ago, a flippered seven ball game which met with favorable response. I was quite
pleased with the results of my conversion of Bronco Buster into a Flipperless
game.
While the Flipperless version seems to score slighter lower,
it's still a fun and fast game, every bit as active as the original, and very
simple for me to convert. First I will detail my quite simple and easy conversion
of Bronco Buster, then I'll tell you about my work adding flippers to Seven
Up, and then I'll explain my Blended games idea. And no, the flippered version
of Seven Up will never be released, since it is a recreation. On the other hand,
the Flipperless Bronco Buster can be downloaded here, so everyone can see that
my ideas aren't as weird as I may seem at times. I'm also going to try to make
Bronco Buster into a Blended, dual mode table, with both a flippered mode, as
well as an Unflippered mode. Maybe it's not possible in VP, but it's worth a
try to make my point that Flipperless didn't need to die. And I'm sure it wouldn't
have been that difficult for the pin companies to have done.
Quite simply, other than removing the flippers on Bronco Buster,
I extended the Outlane Wall on both sides of the table towards the drain area.
I then added extra points to the lower portion of the Outlane Walls, which I
changed into slingshots. In effect, I created what looks a bit like a pair of
fixed flippers, and acts like extended slingshots, just above the drain, or
Out Hole. I also tweaked the power of the actual slingshots to match my extended
Outlane Walls, which I morphed into super slingshots. While I kept the Hit Threshold
at 1, I boosted the Slingshot Force to 13, and made the Elasticity 0.7. What
I find interesting is that while Nudging is a very big part of the Flipperless
Bronco Buster game, it's also possible to simply sit and watch the game react
to the changes I made. Of course, while it's fun to see one time, auto play
is not my idea of exciting pinball.
Now, for Seven Up, which I co-authored with Nissananimal and Russ Jensen, besides adding
flippers, I had to do a bit more tweaking and fiddling, but nothing major. And
while the flippered version plays nice, I'm not sure which version I prefer.
I will say that with the flippered version, I was able to light all seven bumpers,
something I've never done with the actual game. But once I update Seven Up with
druadic's new Variable Nudge Velocity code, the original Seven Up, and every
other Flipperless table, should respond to nudging more realistically. So, even
if you're not a big fan of Flipperless or Novelty games, keep an eye open to
the Flipperless Development team for some new features that everyone in VP will
find interesting and useful. As the Tutorial
section of Flipperless.com is showing, we Flipperless authors aren't the
group of second rate developers some folks might like to believe.
So, for the flippered version of Seven Up, I of course added
the flippers, and reset the lower height of the Outer Wall to 0. I also made
the properties of the Outer Walls; Hit Threshold, 1, Slingshot Force 13, and
Elasticity 0.5. As for the Flippers, I reset the Strength to 8, and the Elasticity
also to 0.5. I also made the bottom edge of the Outer Wall into Slingshots.
If a flipper hit doesn't send the ball into the Outer Wall, the ball simply
moves up the table until it encounters one of the many bumpers. If the ball
instead strikes the Outer Wall, or especially the Slingshots I added next to
each flipper. the ball often is sent back to or near the top of the playfield.
Not only can this really add to your score, but it can also pile up the credits
awarded during the game, which is the real goal of Seven Up, the winning of
credits. In fact, I assume that the flippered version plays much like the actual
game does, and like the original Unflippered VP version will, once the Variable
Nudge Velocity has been added. This Variable Nudge Velocity feature of Will's
should add realism to countless VP tables, originals as well as recreations.
I presume VPM tables might also benefit, but I'm not a VPM author, so I can't
say for certain.
And now, let me explain what my Blended Mode idea is really all
about. And yes, I really think that if the pinball companies had tried something
along these lines, Stern would still have at least several other manufacturers
to compete against. And while a Blended game might don't be achieved through
VP, I'm sure that it wouldn't be very difficult in reality. And as innovative
as pin companies were back in the 30s, I'm a bit surprised something similar
to this wasn't marketed, although we'll never know if it was explored. Sure,
these idea comes from a Flipperless freak, but also someone who treasured early
EM tables nearly as much as bagatelle and Flipperless commercial coin-op.
A Blended machine might have had a switch or a lever that would
have flip-flopped the playfield with a hidden playfield, one would be the flippered
version, the other the Flipperless game. But this would have probably nearly
doubled the cost of manufacturer, so my second idea would more likely have to
have been used. What I envision would be the same switch or lever flip-flopping
just the section with the flippers, slingshots, and the outlanes, with a panel
without these features. The switch would also reduce the table's slope, since
Flipperless games usually play a bit slower that flippered ones do. Now I suspect
that many of you are shaking your heads in wonder about my sanity, and those
of you who prefer VPM era tables might be laughing at my expense, but once you've
composed yourselves, think about this for a minute. Back when Whiffle and Baffle
Ball first appeared, Payouts were still popular, and most of those were Flipperless,
since flippers would have given the player more of an advantage. And just as
now, there were probably a sizable number of pin fans who simply didn't care
for those new-fangled contraptions.
I'm sure if I have the opportunity to play Simpsons Pinball Party,
I would drop my coins in for one or two games, just to see what the game was
like, and the same goes for Rollercoaster Tycoon. But that would be it, once
my curiosity had been satisfied, I'd never play the games again, since I don't
care that much for modern games with all the ramps and toys. I simply don't
like my pinball disguised as an arcade game. And since fewer people are playing
fewer games on the infrequent new offerings of Stern, maybe now is the time
for an experiment that I think should have taken place in 1938. There really
has never been many commercial bagatelle, maybe none which are pure bagatelle,
so what I'm talking about is commercial coin-op, such as Seven Up, which is
perfect for my discussion. With the few minor changes I made, the Flipperless
original was transformed into a game with an entirely new set of characteristics.
Both versions are great fun, and both are challenging, although the flippered
version of Seven Up can be higher scoring. But it isn't always, and the number
of credits won seems to be about the same. The flippered version has a wider
gap between the flippers, and doesn't have the slingshots or outlanes that a
traditional game has.
Of course we'll never know if such an idea would work in the
flesh, so to speak. since I doubt if the Stern factory will be producing any
Blended Machines any time soon. Actually, in spite of everyone fussing about
the shortcomings of VP, it allows us to be much more creative and innovative
than a Stern will ever be. Of course, in Stern's defense, none of us invest
anything other than time in our designs, where Gary Stern and company has a
bottom line called survival to consider. Stern lives in the real world, while
VP lives on Primrose Lane in the timeless village of Nostalgia. While I really
am surprised my ideas weren't at least test marketed back in the late 30s, I
fully understand why Stern hasn't and probably won't give it a try. I do wonder
if anyone in the coin-op and pinball industries ever had these kinds of ideas,
and if so, what ever became of them. If nothing, it makes for some interesting
speculation, or at least I think it does.
tiltjlp
Updated Jul 06, 2004 Written by tiltjlp
and Baffle Ball, the first two flippered games appeared. If it had been me,
I would have tried offering some dual mode games, at least for a while, just
to see if such a scheme would increase my profits. And surely, when sales did
began to slip and pin companies began failing, I think they might have found
a way to survive in making Blended games. Sure, I'm that Flipperless nut, but
keep reading, maybe my ideas aren't nearly as crazy as you might imagine. As
an experiment, I decided to modify two tables partners of mine and I have made.
First I went to work on Bronco Buster, which SDB and I released about six weeks
ago, a flippered seven ball game which met with favorable response. I was quite
pleased with the results of my conversion of Bronco Buster into a Flipperless
game.
While the Flipperless version seems to score slighter lower,
it's still a fun and fast game, every bit as active as the original, and very
simple for me to convert. First I will detail my quite simple and easy conversion
of Bronco Buster, then I'll tell you about my work adding flippers to Seven
Up, and then I'll explain my Blended games idea. And no, the flippered version
of Seven Up will never be released, since it is a recreation. On the other hand,
the Flipperless Bronco Buster can be downloaded here, so everyone can see that
my ideas aren't as weird as I may seem at times. I'm also going to try to make
Bronco Buster into a Blended, dual mode table, with both a flippered mode, as
well as an Unflippered mode. Maybe it's not possible in VP, but it's worth a
try to make my point that Flipperless didn't need to die. And I'm sure it wouldn't
have been that difficult for the pin companies to have done.
Quite simply, other than removing the flippers on Bronco Buster,
I extended the Outlane Wall on both sides of the table towards the drain area.
I then added extra points to the lower portion of the Outlane Walls, which I
changed into slingshots. In effect, I created what looks a bit like a pair of
fixed flippers, and acts like extended slingshots, just above the drain, or
Out Hole. I also tweaked the power of the actual slingshots to match my extended
Outlane Walls, which I morphed into super slingshots. While I kept the Hit Threshold
at 1, I boosted the Slingshot Force to 13, and made the Elasticity 0.7. What
I find interesting is that while Nudging is a very big part of the Flipperless
Bronco Buster game, it's also possible to simply sit and watch the game react
to the changes I made. Of course, while it's fun to see one time, auto play
is not my idea of exciting pinball.
Now, for Seven Up, which I co-authored with Nissananimal and Russ Jensen, besides adding
flippers, I had to do a bit more tweaking and fiddling, but nothing major. And
while the flippered version plays nice, I'm not sure which version I prefer.
I will say that with the flippered version, I was able to light all seven bumpers,
something I've never done with the actual game. But once I update Seven Up with
druadic's new Variable Nudge Velocity code, the original Seven Up, and every
other Flipperless table, should respond to nudging more realistically. So, even
if you're not a big fan of Flipperless or Novelty games, keep an eye open to
the Flipperless Development team for some new features that everyone in VP will
find interesting and useful. As the Tutorial
section of Flipperless.com is showing, we Flipperless authors aren't the
group of second rate developers some folks might like to believe.
So, for the flippered version of Seven Up, I of course added
the flippers, and reset the lower height of the Outer Wall to 0. I also made
the properties of the Outer Walls; Hit Threshold, 1, Slingshot Force 13, and
Elasticity 0.5. As for the Flippers, I reset the Strength to 8, and the Elasticity
also to 0.5. I also made the bottom edge of the Outer Wall into Slingshots.
If a flipper hit doesn't send the ball into the Outer Wall, the ball simply
moves up the table until it encounters one of the many bumpers. If the ball
instead strikes the Outer Wall, or especially the Slingshots I added next to
each flipper. the ball often is sent back to or near the top of the playfield.
Not only can this really add to your score, but it can also pile up the credits
awarded during the game, which is the real goal of Seven Up, the winning of
credits. In fact, I assume that the flippered version plays much like the actual
game does, and like the original Unflippered VP version will, once the Variable
Nudge Velocity has been added. This Variable Nudge Velocity feature of Will's
should add realism to countless VP tables, originals as well as recreations.
I presume VPM tables might also benefit, but I'm not a VPM author, so I can't
say for certain.
And now, let me explain what my Blended Mode idea is really all
about. And yes, I really think that if the pinball companies had tried something
along these lines, Stern would still have at least several other manufacturers
to compete against. And while a Blended game might don't be achieved through
VP, I'm sure that it wouldn't be very difficult in reality. And as innovative
as pin companies were back in the 30s, I'm a bit surprised something similar
to this wasn't marketed, although we'll never know if it was explored. Sure,
these idea comes from a Flipperless freak, but also someone who treasured early
EM tables nearly as much as bagatelle and Flipperless commercial coin-op.
A Blended machine might have had a switch or a lever that would
have flip-flopped the playfield with a hidden playfield, one would be the flippered
version, the other the Flipperless game. But this would have probably nearly
doubled the cost of manufacturer, so my second idea would more likely have to
have been used. What I envision would be the same switch or lever flip-flopping
just the section with the flippers, slingshots, and the outlanes, with a panel
without these features. The switch would also reduce the table's slope, since
Flipperless games usually play a bit slower that flippered ones do. Now I suspect
that many of you are shaking your heads in wonder about my sanity, and those
of you who prefer VPM era tables might be laughing at my expense, but once you've
composed yourselves, think about this for a minute. Back when Whiffle and Baffle
Ball first appeared, Payouts were still popular, and most of those were Flipperless,
since flippers would have given the player more of an advantage. And just as
now, there were probably a sizable number of pin fans who simply didn't care
for those new-fangled contraptions.
I'm sure if I have the opportunity to play Simpsons Pinball Party,
I would drop my coins in for one or two games, just to see what the game was
like, and the same goes for Rollercoaster Tycoon. But that would be it, once
my curiosity had been satisfied, I'd never play the games again, since I don't
care that much for modern games with all the ramps and toys. I simply don't
like my pinball disguised as an arcade game. And since fewer people are playing
fewer games on the infrequent new offerings of Stern, maybe now is the time
for an experiment that I think should have taken place in 1938. There really
has never been many commercial bagatelle, maybe none which are pure bagatelle,
so what I'm talking about is commercial coin-op, such as Seven Up, which is
perfect for my discussion. With the few minor changes I made, the Flipperless
original was transformed into a game with an entirely new set of characteristics.
Both versions are great fun, and both are challenging, although the flippered
version of Seven Up can be higher scoring. But it isn't always, and the number
of credits won seems to be about the same. The flippered version has a wider
gap between the flippers, and doesn't have the slingshots or outlanes that a
traditional game has.
Of course we'll never know if such an idea would work in the
flesh, so to speak. since I doubt if the Stern factory will be producing any
Blended Machines any time soon. Actually, in spite of everyone fussing about
the shortcomings of VP, it allows us to be much more creative and innovative
than a Stern will ever be. Of course, in Stern's defense, none of us invest
anything other than time in our designs, where Gary Stern and company has a
bottom line called survival to consider. Stern lives in the real world, while
VP lives on Primrose Lane in the timeless village of Nostalgia. While I really
am surprised my ideas weren't at least test marketed back in the late 30s, I
fully understand why Stern hasn't and probably won't give it a try. I do wonder
if anyone in the coin-op and pinball industries ever had these kinds of ideas,
and if so, what ever became of them. If nothing, it makes for some interesting
speculation, or at least I think it does.
tiltjlp
Updated Jul 06, 2004 Written by tiltjlp
