About reviews of "all in one" software packages

[GeorgeH]

I love this idea, ...

It would be no small task but software like Pinball Emporium must already be doing this. A good approach would be for Pinball Emporium to include a few tables where they got permission to use but also provide direction to end users on how they can add their own tables. I think most folks would be OK with that type of approach.

 

[ArgCades]

Hi people... im seeing this thread is still active... sort off...
Im not doing any new front end with a "pack" this days but i think here is beeing discuss different things and putted all in the same bag...
For example, why talk about fx2/fx3/etc piracy along with community driven content?
I mean, yeah i can point my finger and said ----> you there, including a piracy software with your front end...
Please! raise your hand if you never played a rom that you didnt owned. Besides, i PERSONALLY use copys of material that i DO OWN, cos its easier, those companys already toke my money a long time ago in different devices even... and i think if people like that software, they will still pay for it on different devices (even if you have "illegal" fx3 on your cab, you may still pay for it on a tablet). But enough about that...

I have nothing but good things to say about people who made tables, pup packs, software developers for example that made the pinup system, freezy... idk, all those smart people that made this things, are great, they really are smart people and they deserve not only props for their work, but also support, so i do encourage people who can afford it, please, support your favorite creators, or the people who makes the softwares that you enjoy using.
BUT... enough is enough... i read on this freaking thread a MILLION times, if you want to include this, or that, or what... ask the creator, then ask the other creator, then ask the other, and maaaaaaaaaaaaaan i got bored only for reading this and i got tired at the same time... imagine asking for any step you make to everyone, come on... It is FREE content, or is it EXCLUSIVE content??? im 100% in on giving credit to whoever makes the content, but we cant be asking for every freaking thing... this is the way that politics are handled... "Hey, we need to make a new park, ok, take this paper, go there, make it sign, then that paper needs to be aproved for the trees that we will be using on the park, ok, now we need this paper to go and be aproved to use the water for the park... and so on and so forth" i hope i made my point...
I understand that people should be recognized by their work, but if they make FREE content, should be fine to share it... if not, well... put a paywall on your content and that's all... some people will pay for it, some may not, some may get that other ways... but this nonsense of... yeah its free but only community exclusive... i dont see how "user friendly" that way is, in fact, that says more and more "this community is not for newbies" and that leads people into BUYING stuff at the end... that is what WE, and i think i speak from almost all people here, are 100% against.

Again i want to clarify that im not an expert in any of this, im just starting sort of, only a little more than a year in this world but i like it and i want to keep having this in my life and try to share what i learn with others.

Thanks for anyone who took the job on reading all this :)
Thanks again for everyone involved in making any type of content like and not limited to, tables, b2s, pup packs, themes, front ends, guides, software, etc, etc...

 

[TerryRed]

Let me address a couple of things quickly, as I have better things to do... like make my content available to all the main VP sites.

I only brought up the inclusion of pirated FX3/2 because I noted that was a one reason many were upset about PE. The other reason it was brought up one more time is software devs like Nailbuster don't want their name and product associated and bundled with a pirated version of a commercially available product like FX3/2.

Another reason why many authors don't want content bundled in any way is because they don't want this hobby to "appear" to be a "commercial" product. If you can get an all in one installer program that comes off like "Atari Legends", some IP holders may get ticked off at that. It's also another reason why roms aren't bundled with tables, and also the reason why Gottlieb roms were pulled from the VP sites.

Also, in some countries... some authors fear about their work being bundled with packs / installers or worse being sold as its possible they could be prosecuted because of it. Even though the author only created it for fun and as a hobby and had nothing to do with the "sale" and distribution of what they created... they fear being prosecuted as the laws in their country are more strict.

Knorr... a fantastic VPX table dev and author who has made some of the most amazing works has asked to have all his work pulled for this very reason. He worries about seeing his name and works being associated with "sales".

Sorry, but if you can't be bothered to take a few moments to ask an author / dev if you can include their work in some kind of installer / package (if they can be reached and are still active in the hobby)... then you are lazy and don't have any respect for the time they give up (sometimes many months of work for one table, and for free) to create those games you get to play. There are multiple reasons they may have for not wanting it included. The least you can do is "try" to ask them out of respect.

None of the authors / devs (including me) is naïve enough to think that anything they make won't be shared by other means... but their concerns are valid, and I stand behind the people who make this "hobby" possible... not those who just want a download link.

 

[ArgCades]

Let me address a couple of things quickly, as I have better things to do... like make my content available to all the main VP sites.

I only brought up the inclusion of pirated FX3/2 because I noted that was a one reason many were upset about PE. The other reason it was brought up one more time is software devs like Nailbuster don't want their name and product associated and bundled with a pirated version of a commercially available product like FX3/2.

Another reason why many authors don't want content bundled in any way is because they don't want this hobby to "appear" to be a "commercial" product. If you can get an all in one installer program that comes off like "Atari Legends", some IP holders may get ticked off at that. It's also another reason why roms aren't bundled with tables, and also the reason why Gottlieb roms were pulled from the VP sites.

Also, in some countries... some authors fear about their work being bundled with packs / installers or worse being sold as its possible they could be prosecuted because of it. Even though the author only created it for fun and as a hobby and had nothing to do with the "sale" and distribution of what they created... they fear being prosecuted as the laws in their country are more strict.

Knorr... a fantastic VPX table dev and author who has made some of the most amazing works has asked to have all his work pulled for this very reason. He worries about seeing his name and works being associated with "sales".

Sorry, but if you can't be bothered to take a few moments to ask an author / dev if you can include their work in some kind of installer / package (if they can be reached and are still active in the hobby)... then you are lazy and don't have any respect for the time they give up (sometimes many months of work for one table, and for free) to create those games you get to play. There are multiple reasons they may have for not wanting it included. The least you can do is "try" to ask them out of respect.

None of the authors / devs (including me) is naïve enough to think that anything they make won't be shared by other means... but their concerns are valid, and I stand behind the people who make this "hobby" possible... not those who just want a download link.

Look, i understand, everyone has a lot more things to do than this...
But you are basically saying in your response, that, it actually doesnt matter if i or anyone asks to put a table inside a pack, most of the answers will be NO, for whatever reason, i understand all of them and i can understand the concerns and whys of all... I personally would ask if i knew back when i made a FP pack that the authors would be mad, do not missunderstand. But honestly, i can also understand the why of the other part of dont even ask cos if in the other end you where pushed away of many places (not me, at all, i always asked everything nicelly and had lucky to get back a very nice answer and im very "self trained" so i take the time to search everything even under a rock before asking), but i readed a LOT of very AWFUL responses in many forums or groups to people asking things nicely... even to the point of asking if their computer was good enough to run this or that and the response were, if you dont have the money go somewhere else.
So... saying that, i understand both sides of the table here... If a person who get those responses ended up looking just a download link to see what the heck he could actually run... its not his fault either...
What i was trying to say about the, dont ask for everything that its out there, was that it will be actually good if at least the MAIN PLAYERS can come to a single response and not having to beeing asked, "YES PUT MY TABLE ON YOUR PACK" (not for sale of course), or "DONT EVEN BOTHER TO ASK". (always with proper credits to them of course and i think they will promote their content a lot more).

But, for what you are saying, it doesnt actually matter if someone asks or not... at least for the reasons that you are giving. But i dont see for example how "Original creators", like you for example, couldnt share their content in a pack, like RetroFlair on the Baller Installer.

 

[LynnInDenver]

I know there's one potential solution to the whole "including tables" issue... tell the front end what tables you want it to keep track of, and it informs you when the author updates the table and lets you go to the download page to go get it.

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

I know there's one potential solution to the whole "including tables" issue... tell the front end what tables you want it to keep track of, and it informs you when the author updates the table and lets you go to the download page to go get it.

Now, you may be right, and we may be crazy... but this sort of goes back to the net-DB requirement, no?

 

[NitroNimbus]

"Original creators"?

 

[ArgCades]

I know there's one potential solution to the whole "including tables" issue... tell the front end what tables you want it to keep track of, and it informs you when the author updates the table and lets you go to the download page to go get it.

That idea would be nice, but do you know any front end that has the ability to do that? and still dont know even with that feature if the "including tables or not" issue would be solved.
I refered to "original creators" for those who doesnt base their tables on a "real pinball table", but i dont know if he is the "original creator" of RetroFlair for example.

 

[LynnInDenver]

That idea would be nice, but do you know any front end that has the ability to do that? and still dont know even with that feature if the "including tables or not" issue would be solved.
I refered to "original creators" for those who doesnt base their tables on a "real pinball table", but i dont know if he is the "original creator" of RetroFlair for example.

I think the original creator of that was ROM.

Regarding the DB, I know that actually I've seen similar done on Discord on one of the Virtual Pinball servers there, a feed that basically shows when a table is posted or updated. It might just take a bot checking in twice a day at most to see what's new, so the only DB access may well be the bot's own DB to see if the table in question has been seen before.

 

[ArgCades]

I think the original creator of that was ROM.

Regarding the DB, I know that actually I've seen similar done on Discord on one of the Virtual Pinball servers there, a feed that basically shows when a table is posted or updated. It might just take a bot checking in twice a day at most to see what's new, so the only DB access may well be the bot's own DB to see if the table in question has been seen before.

i think you are right about the table creator...
the thing with the updates and pinball is... honestly... not a lot of people want to have their pinball online... thats a hazzard with windows updates and a lot of more stuff... even more when you already have your cabinet how you like it...
i know its a stupid step only, but for example, i had my pin running a few tables a few months ago and it had fx3 with the tables with steam offline cos i did not have it plugged in to my network, then i bought the new tables, funhouse, etc... and connected the pin to update fx3 and add those tables... and then my cabinet code went away and now asks me for a new one... honestly... i say... F... OFF!!!! i hate this stupid uptades messing the already functioning setup! Another PC with a LOT of steam games that i keep online to update those... stop working after a windows update...
Its not very reliable to have a front end always ON imo.

 

[LynnInDenver]

Well, to be fair, my cabinet still runs Windows 7 (which is a whole 'nother kettle of fish when online), so I don't see Windows updates on it. I also haven't had FX3 bork the cabinet code on me with any updates.

 

[TerryRed]

Legitimate cabinet codes should work fine if they were linked to a legitimate Steam account and use with a legitimate copy of FX3 only.

If one of the above is not true at some point, then it's not surprising if Zen blocks the code.

 

[ArgCades]

Legitimate cabinet codes should work fine if they were linked to a legitimate Steam account and use with a legitimate copy of FX3 only.

If one of the above is not true at some point, then it's not surprising if Zen blocks the code.

My cab was running fx3 with steam with legitimate cab code from zen and my mobo died, changed mobo and update steam with the new pack and the code is not working anymore. Still dont know why.

 

[NitroNimbus]

Seriously!! Steam and all it's online bullshit made me what to rip code and play games offline. There has been so many!
I am happy to pay for anything, but does everyone need to suck dick for the privilege, I would rather play offline but this is not an option.
Anyone who wants every FX2/3 tables fully unlocked with a cabinet code for free send me a private message. I won't give it to you
because that is illegal. But I will point you in the correct google search terms required to make it happen, cheers!

 

[LynnInDenver]

Yeah, please don't do that.

Also, while I've had no problems myself with FX3, I have had recent problems (well over 6 weeks) when Magic Pixel updated Zaccaria Pinball... and BROKE the multiple screen cabinet support. It's still not fixed because they think running it single screen means it's not broken and they'd prefer to wait until the next table release. And I also heard (given the way they don't monitor the Steam forums, I'm only getting information second hand regarding their Discord activity) that early on after the break, their social media guy basically said that us cabinet owners were asking for something for free.

I was already disinclined to purchase any more content and to not reinstall the software on my cabinet... but that caused me to uninstall it from my desktop and phone (I bought much of the DLC twice), and ask each storefront to delete it from my library listing. I even went so far as to tell Steam to ignore that I have other Commercial Pinball Simulators on my account entirely. I was buying the Zaccaria DLC almost religiously... and it was ALL going onto my cabinet, because that's where I play almost all my virtual pinball. If cabinet mode isn't going to be properly supported, then I'm no longer interested, because that's the feature I was buying into, and I was liking that it enabled me to run a legitimate licensed set of Zaccaria tables on my cabinet.

Ironically, that break also pushed me off the fence on buying the last table pack Zen releases before they change engines and go to Epic... and it's pushed me into "just don't buy it."

 

[ArgCades]

Yeah, please don't do that.

Also, while I've had no problems myself with FX3, I have had recent problems (well over 6 weeks) when Magic Pixel updated Zaccaria Pinball... and BROKE the multiple screen cabinet support. It's still not fixed because they think running it single screen means it's not broken and they'd prefer to wait until the next table release. And I also heard (given the way they don't monitor the Steam forums, I'm only getting information second hand regarding their Discord activity) that early on after the break, their social media guy basically said that us cabinet owners were asking for something for free.

I was already disinclined to purchase any more content and to not reinstall the software on my cabinet... but that caused me to uninstall it from my desktop and phone (I bought much of the DLC twice), and ask each storefront to delete it from my library listing. I even went so far as to tell Steam to ignore that I have other Commercial Pinball Simulators on my account entirely. I was buying the Zaccaria DLC almost religiously... and it was ALL going onto my cabinet, because that's where I play almost all my virtual pinball. If cabinet mode isn't going to be properly supported, then I'm no longer interested, because that's the feature I was buying into, and I was liking that it enabled me to run a legitimate licensed set of Zaccaria tables on my cabinet.

Ironically, that break also pushed me off the fence on buying the last table pack Zen releases before they change engines and go to Epic... and it's pushed me into "just don't buy it."

Honestly, sometimes... UPDATES SUCKS!!! I use a LOT of games that are not online, cracked... and having them already on steam, sometime its even easier and the fit in less space than having the backup of the steam version (and downloading again from steam with data caps and knowing how huge games are today, even worst). Unless i really want some update, like i wanted the new fx3 tables, i prefer to have all of those offline.

 

[LynnInDenver]

Honestly, sometimes... UPDATES SUCKS!!! I use a LOT of games that are not online, cracked... and having them already on steam, sometime its even easier and the fit in less space than having the backup of the steam version (and downloading again from steam with data caps and knowing how huge games are today, even worst). Unless i really want some update, like i wanted the new fx3 tables, i prefer to have all of those offline.

Yeah, most of my issues with cracking right now:

First, you never know if they're going to convert your machine into part of a botnet... even if my machine would be completely offline, I'd prefer to avoid any added payloads. Getting a cracked version of Zaccaria Pinball with DLC prior to Update #85 wasn't even on my decision tree.

Second, even if you're using a cracked version, I really do hope you're still buying the DLC that you're using, just to support them and keep them developing.

My only issue with the FX3 updates has been having to update DOFLinx a couple of days later to reenable front panel buttons and nudge, and even that is survivable for the brief period.

 

[ArgCades]

Yeah, most of my issues with cracking right now:

First, you never know if they're going to convert your machine into part of a botnet... even if my machine would be completely offline, I'd prefer to avoid any added payloads. Getting a cracked version of Zaccaria Pinball with DLC prior to Update #85 wasn't even on my decision tree.

Second, even if you're using a cracked version, I really do hope you're still buying the DLC that you're using, just to support them and keep them developing.

My only issue with the FX3 updates has been having to update DOFLinx a couple of days later to reenable front panel buttons and nudge, and even that is survivable for the brief period.

i do not have zaccaria cos i did not like it, tested a few tables... did not like them... discarted it. I dont have it even cracked.
I do have fx2 and fx3 cracked (also have both in steam, even if fx2 is not longer to buy, wich also sucks for new people, why cant they play southpark for example?).
i do have a cab that i gave to a friend with PINBALL ARCADE (THE ARCOODA VERSION OF 150USD), and it worked SO FREAKING BAD after they lose the licensed cabs they update the software and a lot of tables didnt work well in cabinet mode, i ended up mixing a version of original software and cracked for my friend cos he was a fan of all the PA tables. Never touched again, its completely offline since then and he only have PA on that cab. But thats my point, if a company makes a mistake or have issues with some license you get screwed and you cant do anything about cos you really dont own a game this days, just a right to use the software that they provide, as is, you cant chose wich version of the software to use even. So, for some things its good to be updated, but in other cases... idk... you think this companys are less shady than people that makes cracks? idk.

 

[LynnInDenver]

i do not have zaccaria cos i did not like it, tested a few tables... did not like them... discarted it. I dont have it even cracked.
I do have fx2 and fx3 cracked (also have both in steam, even if fx2 is not longer to buy, wich also sucks for new people, why cant they play southpark for example?).
i do have a cab that i gave to a friend with PINBALL ARCADE (THE ARCOODA VERSION OF 150USD), and it worked SO FREAKING BAD after they lose the licensed cabs they update the software and a lot of tables didnt work well in cabinet mode, i ended up mixing a version of original software and cracked for my friend cos he was a fan of all the PA tables. Never touched again, its completely offline since then and he only have PA on that cab. But thats my point, if a company makes a mistake or have issues with some license you get screwed and you cant do anything about cos you really dont own a game this days, just a right to use the software that they provide, as is, you cant chose wich version of the software to use even. So, for some things its good to be updated, but in other cases... idk... you think this companys are less shady than people that makes cracks? idk.

Yeah, I looked at Arcooda and didn't buy it despite having most of Pinball Arcade (which I also no longer play), because it didn't look like it was going to be usable for my purposes.

And technically, we've never really "owned" a game, all we've had is basically perpetual ability to reinstall from media we own (as long as it still works on the OS we choose, anyway). I don't care for the "you will use the latest version and you will LIKE it, and we'll make you be online to ensure this fact," but generally speaking most companies at least recognize the value in not breaking it for the customer. I still have access to the South Park tables I bought in FX2, for instance. And going forward, Magic Pixel lost any further money I might have otherwise spent on DLC in Zaccaria Pinball because they proved they can, will, and have broken functionality I was paying good money for, and will provide no support for that functionality in the future as far as I'm concerned.

And given the horror stories of malware infections over the years, I'm still going to rate cracked versions as more shady than legitimate channels... albeit, it's not THAT much more shady than what companies do on a commercial basis these days.

 

[ArgCades]

Look, first the move that zen did from fx2 to fx3 cos the licenses for some tables will expire so they release fx3 without for example the south park tables(have those but they are not longer available to purchase), then they added the "you have to send a request for cabinet support", wich wasnt on fx2... Now, going forward in epic store they will release stuff that will not be on the fx3 from steam. So if you want all in one place you will have to buy again the same tables in a PC based different platform. (Those are the times when i want to say F... You whoever... I want to crack everything). And if you wait long enough you will find also a paywall on cabinet mode like PA did with Arcooda.

 

[LynnInDenver]

Look, first the move that zen did from fx2 to fx3 cos the licenses for some tables will expire so they release fx3 without for example the south park tables(have those but they are not longer available to purchase), then they added the "you have to send a request for cabinet support", wich wasnt on fx2... Now, going forward in epic store they will release stuff that will not be on the fx3 from steam. So if you want all in one place you will have to buy again the same tables in a PC based different platform. (Those are the times when i want to say F... You whoever... I want to crack everything). And if you wait long enough you will find also a paywall on cabinet mode like PA did with Arcooda.

And here's the deal with the move from FX3 to FX... I don't want a second storefront installed on the cabinet right now, so I'm clearly out of their market space for at least a year... and I've already determined that they have to be offering something very special besides "the new physics on all the tables we're converting" to buy in once they return to Steam. And if a paywall for cabinet mode is introduced (which, honestly, I would have no issue paying for because it should be GUARANTEED SUPPORT for the mode going forward), it will shift that equation even further into "must be something very special", and having to rebuy the tables for the new physics and engine is a very big part of the "wait and see" I intend to take. When they announced that the next pack of tables for Star Wars was going to be the very last table pack for FX3, that immediately put me "on the fence" about buying it, even with one of the tables being for The Mandalorian. Ironically, the issue with Zaccaria is what tipped me into "don't buy it", and I can honestly do without it - even with me curating tables on my cabinet, I'll still likely have 500+ tables to play anyway between FX3 and Visual Pinball, so I don't really have to shell out for anything more. In fact, my intent for the next year is to just not buy anything Commercial Pinball Simulation, I've even lost interest in watching what Arcade1Up and AtGames are doing in that space - I have my own cabinet anyway, that does what I want it to, and I can keep adding onto without having to seek permission from anyone but me, myself, and I, oh and my loving husband, plus I was looking more out of curiousity about how they were approaching the space and that they were going to be a serious threat to the Lazy Commercial Pincab Sellers.

Also, I did have to send off for a cabinet code, I believe, on FX2, so it's not a thing they just rolled out for FX3 (the code worked on both). And I'm sure they tried to negotiate on the licenses they had to "abandon" in the move to FX3, there was also Ms Splosion Man, Plants vs Zombies, and Football that were also abandoned.

PA having the "paywall" for Arcooda cabinet mode was a bandaid for the fact that they'd negotiated with Arcooda to make the official cabinet for them - it was originally never going to be available except through buying Arcooda's actual physical cabinet - but Bally/Williams decided to let the license expire before the cabinets would actually be released, so there was a scramble to salvage the deal monetarily for Arcooda to reduce the impact of the kick in the teeth they were going to receive losing 2/3 of the available tables for the actual cabinet. Part of why I didn't buy it is that it was an expensive thing to get for tables that are honestly significantly better in Visual Pinball, and wouldn't likely have played nice with my cabinet anyway.

And note that I have zero sympathy for Farsight and Arcooda over what happened to them - I now consider myself part of the cabinet market space, and I expect to be catered specifically to in that regard to open my purse. Farsight more or less has shown that cabinet is nowhere near their focus. This also has negatively impacted my view of Magic Pixel - they clearly paid lip service to me for four years over cabinet mode, that they never intended to seriously service me on that score, and it can and will seriously color my review process of Commercial Pinball Simulators going forward, even Zen's offerings, although they have made abundantly clear that they will support cabinet users as a primary part of their market - I'm sure their Cabinet Mode Code process helps them to determine how many of their users are actually cabinet users, and they've stated publicly over the years that they like seeing that aspect of the community. We'll see going forward given their recent corporate overlords.

 

[ArgCades]

And here's the deal with the move from FX3 to FX... I don't want a second storefront installed on the cabinet right now, so I'm clearly out of their market space for at least a year... and I've already determined that they have to be offering something very special besides "the new physics on all the tables we're converting" to buy in once they return to Steam. And if a paywall for cabinet mode is introduced (which, honestly, I would have no issue paying for because it should be GUARANTEED SUPPORT for the mode going forward), it will shift that equation even further into "must be something very special", and having to rebuy the tables for the new physics and engine is a very big part of the "wait and see" I intend to take. When they announced that the next pack of tables for Star Wars was going to be the very last table pack for FX3, that immediately put me "on the fence" about buying it, even with one of the tables being for The Mandalorian. Ironically, the issue with Zaccaria is what tipped me into "don't buy it", and I can honestly do without it - even with me curating tables on my cabinet, I'll still likely have 500+ tables to play anyway between FX3 and Visual Pinball, so I don't really have to shell out for anything more. In fact, my intent for the next year is to just not buy anything Commercial Pinball Simulation, I've even lost interest in watching what Arcade1Up and AtGames are doing in that space - I have my own cabinet anyway, that does what I want it to, and I can keep adding onto without having to seek permission from anyone but me, myself, and I, oh and my loving husband, plus I was looking more out of curiousity about how they were approaching the space and that they were going to be a serious threat to the Lazy Commercial Pincab Sellers.

Also, I did have to send off for a cabinet code, I believe, on FX2, so it's not a thing they just rolled out for FX3 (the code worked on both). And I'm sure they tried to negotiate on the licenses they had to "abandon" in the move to FX3, there was also Ms Splosion Man, Plants vs Zombies, and Football that were also abandoned.

PA having the "paywall" for Arcooda cabinet mode was a bandaid for the fact that they'd negotiated with Arcooda to make the official cabinet for them - it was originally never going to be available except through buying Arcooda's actual physical cabinet - but Bally/Williams decided to let the license expire before the cabinets would actually be released, so there was a scramble to salvage the deal monetarily for Arcooda to reduce the impact of the kick in the teeth they were going to receive losing 2/3 of the available tables for the actual cabinet. Part of why I didn't buy it is that it was an expensive thing to get for tables that are honestly significantly better in Visual Pinball, and wouldn't likely have played nice with my cabinet anyway.

And note that I have zero sympathy for Farsight and Arcooda over what happened to them - I now consider myself part of the cabinet market space, and I expect to be catered specifically to in that regard to open my purse. Farsight more or less has shown that cabinet is nowhere near their focus. This also has negatively impacted my view of Magic Pixel - they clearly paid lip service to me for four years over cabinet mode, that they never intended to seriously service me on that score, and it can and will seriously color my review process of Commercial Pinball Simulators going forward, even Zen's offerings, although they have made abundantly clear that they will support cabinet users as a primary part of their market - I'm sure their Cabinet Mode Code process helps them to determine how many of their users are actually cabinet users, and they've stated publicly over the years that they like seeing that aspect of the community. We'll see going forward given their recent corporate overlords.

Non of this commercial cabinets are available in my country so anything must be diy here, but at the time i was very far from tinkering with visual pinball and my friend want PA so that solution, if worked properly, would be the best for him... But the software was messy, support totally lame and after licensing expire even worst.
I like a large amount of fx2 and fx3 tables, but as you say, moving forward i dont know what im gonna do, i hate multiple launchers on my pc... And a lot more on a Cabinet. And for example, epic when not online its a pain, updates sometimes require to re-login, also a pain on a cab.
Now im starting to build a new basic cab just with analog plunger and a few extras that i have laying around, like a kinect i will use for FP and a few more stuff... For people like me, that dont want all the bells and whisles a essy to install pack or without tables even... Its the best solution. I like to personalize my own front ends but most people dont know the how tos to do the same, thats why i want a front end more user friendly... Wich... Sorry... But for now, for pinball, theres non. But PE is more for that side of people but then the creators, etc get mad for including the stuff that its a pain to add on other front ends... Not everyone knows even how to add a table and backglass... So, cant decide in wich side im on yet.