Ye Old Space Station WIP

[mystereo]

I approve the move too. Permanent would be better though.

 

[Joe]

People like that are bad for pinball

 

[wtiger]

I approve the move too. Permanent would be better though.

I would request a permanent ban too. Re-read what he said. Why is he even here???

 

[kristian]

Neptune returns...

Oh yeah...where's everyone's favourite man of mystery and imagination......self confessed drag queen and sniffer of young girls bicycle saddles.....?

I kinda miss him...abusing him was kinda therapy for me...

@PD: I just remembered that I _might_ have something for Space Station. Is there anything specific you need still?

 

[PacDude]

Some video footage of the space station toy rotating might be nice. :D

 

[PacDude]

Finally, a day off...well partially. I'm heading to the pub in a bit.

A few more bits added. They still need some finishing work, obviously....

 

[marv75]

Very nice, does the station rotate or turn? Does anyone know?:)

 

[tudnut]

Pac, please don't take me the wrong way (though of course I know you will...it's sort of becoming an ongoing history with us! lol), but why do you insist upon putting that slice of the backboard on top of your tables? Couldn't that be handled another way? (Seems to me that other people do.) I only mention it because, as lovely as your tables are, it leaves them somewhat "flat" in perspective. A computer monitor is small enough, to begin with; we could use all the overlook we can get! (And I think most people see real games about 1/3 of the way up, from a view looking down; at least I do.) Wouldn't eliminating the backboard entirely and making the top of the table flush with the top of the screen provide a better and more realistic perspective?

I'm not being a wise guy here (well, not this time!), it's truly an honest question. I'm just wondering about why that's your preference.

(On the other hand, to perhaps preclude what's to come, maybe a lot of people DO play them standing straight up, as would be the case here, as opposed to the way I play. Obviously, if that's true, then it's just a matter of taste.)

VERY pretty table, by the way.

 

[Cobracure]

I admire your bravery tudnut.

*Click* <- Sound of my ban being actioned when PacDude sobers up.

 

[GHoSTFaCe]

Very nice, does the station rotate or turn? Does anyone know?:)

Yes, it does. Depending on what position the station currently rotated to, the ball is diverted to different sections of the station.

 

[GHoSTFaCe]

Pac, please don't take me the wrong way (though of course I know you will...it's sort of becoming an ongoing history with us! lol), but why do you insist upon putting that slice of the backboard on top of your tables? Couldn't that be handled another way? (Seems to me that other people do.)

Perhaps other authors do it differently, yet most people seem to be huge fans of PDs work anyway so you do the math. I for one really like the ability to place the VPM display at the top of the machine where it belongs rather than off to the left or right as is necessary with most tables. For me it adds to the realism. I believe there was a poll at VPF about this which stated that most people felt the same way.

 

[StevOz]

Very nice, does the station rotate or turn? Does anyone know?:)

Yes, it does. Depending on what position the station currently rotated to, the ball is diverted to different sections of the station.

As far as I can recall indeed the white insert (space station) does rotate. See pic..

http://www.ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=2261&depth=-1&picno=9152&zoom=1

 

[tudnut]

As I was trying to politely say to Pac, I wasn't in any way denigrating his work; I LOVE his stuff.

As far as "adding to the realism" goes, I see your point, ghost...but realism can mean a lot of things. A completely overhead shot (a bird's eye view) can be realistic, but not necessarily from the POV of someone playing the machine.

When I play, I have to look up to see what's going on as far as the screen goes; I'm concentrating on the table, itself. (Maybe it's because of the era I grew up with, but I'm dead serious here: I had no idea what was going on concerning a lot of the DMD's on here until I got here...even though I'd played the games numerous times! LOL!!!)

It was just a real and honest question, and I absolutely meant nothing negative by it. (Heck, Pac and I get into enough disagreements without me criticizing his tables! It was just an honest question...and if, as you say, there was already a poll taken on it, then I humbly bow out.)

 

[PacDude]

118 ounces of beer talking so you do the math....... but the idea is the DMD or alpha belnogs above the table, not off to the side. I can't stand it off to the side, personally. Does that answer your quest ion?????????

 

[tudnut]

Well, considering that at this point we're about one-on-one in the ounce of beer department, bro...it's all good!

 

[cghent]

I gotta agree, the extra space at the top is great for putting the DMD where it should be. What I think is wasted space is the often large amount of room dedicated to the instruction cards, etc. The exaggeration for perspective makes it seem much larger than it is. With some machines there's no choice, as the plunger is integrated into this space, but others could stand some trimming up.. especially those that bother to devote space to the coin door area.

It's a trade off I guess.. MS Pinball Arcade compensated by adding the 'disembodied plunger' pop-up (which I actually didn't mind at all.). Doubt that would work here.

 

[marv75]

I am scared of disembodies plungers....next it will be the flippers and who knows what after that?:)

 

[destruk]

Could always use future pinball with the disembodied ball that flies like a ghost around the rendered gameroom. :)

 

[Joe]

I am scared of disembodies plungers....next it will be the flippers and who knows what after that?:)

disembodied ramps, toys, upper levels, and so on.

 

[GravitaR]

Been awhile since I posted here so I'll chime in on this thread since the game interests me alot and the fact that I happen to have a Space Station machine in house. If you happen to need a better Backglass/Translite pic let me know. Can also shoot a VID of the rotating space station if still desired. Would need the required angle to shoot it at for your use within the game.

Any other pics needed give me a PM.
GravitaR

 

[PacDude]

I could make good use of a rotating station video. The table viewing angle is currently 58 inclination and 40 FOV with a height control wall set to a top height of 400.

A high resolution translite might be helpful in making a background picture. I've got one that's decent, but not quite the resolution I'd like to start from.

 

[kristian]

I already forgot that you worked on this table.....it's excellent table...very underrated. I'll be delighted to add this into my collection.....I've always agreed with Gravitar.....Space Station is among the best Williams late 80'S tables....much better than Space Shuttle anyway.

 

[yogiholzer]

And I didn't notice before

 

[PacDude]

Started to work on this again a bit today. I got the station diverter working properly now so the table is now fully playable. It still needs a more graphics work, working GI effects (I want the multiball mode to look right) and the flashers hooked up, though.

I don't know if Gravitar is going to get the station footage or not. If not, it'll have to do without for now.

I got a call that the house I'm buying is ready to move into now so it'll probably get put on the backburner again for awhile longer....

 

[PacDude]

Spent some time on GI lighting and the plastic playfield layer: