22 replies to this topic

[ruby651]

Just when I thought I'd never get to play Timeshock again! Pro Pinball is now available at Good Old Games, a site selling older computer games for download. Right now, Timeshock is the only one available, with Fantastic Journey and Big Race USA listed as "Coming Soon." Great news for me, since I lost my Timeshock CD long ago, only had the Playstation version of Fantastic Journey and never got to play Big Race. I know from threads at the old VP forums that most everyone here is familiar with the Pro Pinball releases. For those that aren't, they were possibly the best pinball simulator games released for computer. Fantastic physics that could be minutely adjusted for the table to play as "new" or "worn" with plenty of settings in between, and very immersive and detailed gameplay.

Check it out here. Well worth $6 for a download!

Pro Pinball Online

[Shooby Doo]

I like pro pinball and have had a lot of fun with it and I've heard others say how realistic it is, but to me it seems they created it as though the ball and playfield are made out of rubber. The spin on the ball has way too much effect on how it will roll and bounce off things. Too much friction. It's like playing with a superball. (I've only played Fantastic Journey and Timeshock.)

It makes it more challenging though.

[lupine]

I remember Pro Pinball

[David_OSU]

I still have Timeshock, and it is the most realistic pinball simulator game I have (I've got a large collection of PC pinball games). I never played the other Pro Pinball tables, so I'm still waiting for GOG to release these so I can try them out.

[ruby651]

I like pro pinball and have had a lot of fun with it and I've heard others say how realistic it is, but to me it seems they created it as though the ball and playfield are made out of rubber. The spin on the ball has way too much effect on how it will roll and bounce off things. Too much friction. It's like playing with a superball. (I've only played Fantastic Journey and Timeshock.)

It makes it more challenging though.

You might have a point there. I never played Pro Pinball after discovering VP. Now that I have, the physics do seem a bit squidgy, compared to what our fine table creators have done over the years. And time hasn't been truly kind to the graphics, has it? Still, one of the best PC pinball games. Wish they'd release Balls of Steel. That one was pretty fun to play, as well.

[Cameron]

Were there any options in pro pinball to rotate the display etc? I would like to try it out in an Ultrapin cabinet, but it has been years since I played Pro Pinball and I can't remember the options if it even had any.

[ruby651]

From what I can see of the one I downloaded, there don't appear to be any options as far as rotating. They did a little updating for modern monitors, but the screen resolution is still pretty low.

[Cameron]

From what I can see of the one I downloaded, there don't appear to be any options as far as rotating. They did a little updating for modern monitors, but the screen resolution is still pretty low.

Thanks! I know I have the cd lying around somewhere. Maybe if I get really ambitious, I will make a profile for it on the Ultrapin.

[destruk]

Thanks! I know I have the cd lying around somewhere. Maybe if I get really ambitious, I will make a profile for it on the Ultrapin.

All you would need is to rotate the display. You'd also need some game controller keymapping program to get the buttons to work. The backglass, well, that wouldn't be used for anything for this.

[Cameron]

All you would need is to rotate the display. You'd also need some game controller keymapping program to get the buttons to work. The backglass, well, that wouldn't be used for anything for this.

Yeah I might have to try it out. I would use Joy2Key. It has been a while. I wonder if I will still like them. They were pretty cool simulators back in the day.

[cellocgw]

Nice to see they're for sale.
Sad to know it doesn't do me much good -- Champie produced versions of the ProPin games for MacOS 9, but never upgraded to a OSX version. Not that I can blame him, given the extremely limited market he'd be pitching to.

Well, when I get rich and buy a spanking new iMac w/ Snow Leopard I'll install Parallels and then I'll be ready to play

[Cameron]

Or you could convert over to the superior PC. Just kidding ha ha.


I think that it is really cool what GoG is doing. I hope they have good commerical success.

[Hazzard]

I cant seem to find any pinball simulation as good as the Pro Pinball series..

Check out my Pro Pinball Arcade

[Harakiri]

I used to play Pro Pinball The Web when i was 15 or so. It was a great game but i lost interest for it. Nowadays i'm only interested about VP because i will constantly evolve!

Long Live Pro Pinball!

[Mr. Pacman]

I cant seem to find any pinball simulation as good as the Pro Pinball series..

Me too. VP is in its greatest phase though and we have seen miracles thanks to the latest developments, so i would keep my breath to see it growing and becoming the "next Pro Pinball"...it isn't so far from it IMO.

[lupine]

Pro Pinball always crashed my computer. Either that or the discs were dirty.

[smakx]

I just lucked out and found Pro Pinball Collectors Edition for PC about a week ago used in a local video game store. The CE is hard to find for some reason. This edition includes all four games with the last versions of the windows executables that were released. All four games run great, cranked to the max (minus the ball blur effect that sems to slow down any pc). I was able to find no-cd patches for all but the web, which I have to run w/ the cd in win95 compat mode. I highly recommend these games, especially the collectors edition to any pinball fan.

[pface]

I bought Pro Pinball: The Web for PC many moons ago. Also, Pro Pinball Trilogy for Dreamcast. Just rediscovered them all on PC. I notice you can pick them up as individual titles on Amazon and eBay quite cheaply. Still as enjoyable as I remember! They run really smooth on my system, with all settings ramped up to the max. Whereas some of the more graphically intense games get a bit Jerky McJerkster on my setup.

I especially love the way the DMDs are implemented. I was just playing the Fantastic Journey table, and was really impressed by the DMD setting "Intelligent Transparent". This must have been mentioned before, but that would make an excellent suggestion for future implementation on VP9 or VPinMame or whatever. I'm no coder, so would have absolutely no idea how difficult this would be.

Anyone know of any other classic PC pinball games I should check out?

PS. I notice gog.com have 3 tables: Big Race USA [342mb], Fantastic Journey [420mb] & Timeshock [534mb] all for $5.99 each. Dunno If you can download them from anywhere in the world, but it's a fairly reasonable price for an instant(ish) download...

Edited by pface, 20 June 2010 - 09:58 PM.

[Rick2006]

(Anyone know of any other classic PC pinball games I should check out?)



I have a few favorites in my collection from years ago.

Sierra,,, NASCAR PINBALL, with Dale E Sr....as one of the featured drivers.

Interplay,,, STAR TREK PINBALL

And two classic Old Pins.

1) Crystal Caliburn by Solid state Pinball

2) Sierra Creep Night

and here is a fun sleeper pin in my collection,

Sports Pinball "The Football Edition."

All of the above Pins are on the PC.


Here for early Macs.

Eight Ball Deluxe,,, a pinball pool game, also done in VP.

And Glider,,,not a pinball game but I just have to mention it. Fly a paper air plane thru many fun levels. This is a true Classic game.
It might be on the PC now. I have not checked it out yet.

Rick

Edited by Rick2006, 22 June 2010 - 01:21 AM.

[MDG79]

"Anyone know of any other classic PC pinball games I should check out"?

Check Addiction Pinball from Microprose/Team 17
It features a table based on Worms, the classic strategy game from Team 17 ( http://www.gamegoldi...-screenshot.jpg )
and one with a rallyracing theme ( World Rally Fever http://www.pcpinball...pinball-wrf.gif )
It has CD-audio and works great in Vista.

Other favorite pinball pc-games were Epic Megagames' Silverball, Epic Pinball and Extreme Pinball.
from 21st Century entertainment Pinball Dreams, Pinball Fantasies, Pinball Illusions and Slamtilt.

To run these favorites, Slamtilt excluded, DosBox 0.73 is strongly recommended.

I liked the other Pro Pinball games too, but Timeshock! the most. Big Race USA reminds me a bit of Red & Ted's Roadshow.
If Stern only could ask permission of Cunning Developments / Empire Interactive to bring Timeshock! to life as a real table.
The new S.A.M.-board should be able to store all the music, speech and sound-effects.

Edited by MDG79, 22 June 2010 - 08:34 AM.