333 replies to this topic

[chinzman93]

This really sounds great! You can count on a donation from me. However, I did want to clarify one thing. I see that there is included cost for webservers and bandwidth. I understand that some would like to have things like leaderboards, head to head, and table goals. I actually kind of find these somewhat annoying in TPA and would disable if I could. I would not desire or want to use these features and in fact my cab is not connected to my network. I just wanted to find out if it will be required to have an online connection and if features such as leaderboards and so forth can be disabled?

[tmek]

This really sounds great! You can count on a donation from me. However, I did want to clarify one thing. I see that there is included cost for webservers and bandwidth. I understand that some would like to have things like leaderboards, head to head, and table goals. I actually kind of find these somewhat annoying in TPA and would disable if I could. I would not desire or want to use these features and in fact my cab is not connected to my network. I just wanted to find out if it will be required to have an online connection and if features such as leaderboards and so forth can be disabled?

 

Great question.  The online features would be completely optional and Pinball Labs will be DRM-free so no network connection will be required.  

 

However, please keep in mind that without network connectivity you would be unable to participate in the historic cross-Atlantic zany / dyopp21 beat downs.

Edited by tmek, 26 October 2015 - 08:51 AM.

[chinzman93]

 

This really sounds great! You can count on a donation from me. However, I did want to clarify one thing. I see that there is included cost for webservers and bandwidth. I understand that some would like to have things like leaderboards, head to head, and table goals. I actually kind of find these somewhat annoying in TPA and would disable if I could. I would not desire or want to use these features and in fact my cab is not connected to my network. I just wanted to find out if it will be required to have an online connection and if features such as leaderboards and so forth can be disabled?

 

Great question.  The online features would be completely optional and Pinball Labs will be DRM-free so no network connection will be required.  

 

However, please keep in mind that without network connectivity you would be unable to participate in the historic cross-Atlantic zany / dyopp21 beat downs.

 

That sounds great! I think it would be best if I stay away from the Clash of the Titans...

 

Looking forward to seeing Fish Tales in a playable form....it's my favorite table.

Edited by chinzman93, 26 October 2015 - 08:59 AM.

[zany]

Haha!

But true...good to have all kinds of networking optional!

[dyopp21]

This really sounds great! You can count on a donation from me. However, I did want to clarify one thing. I see that there is included cost for webservers and bandwidth. I understand that some would like to have things like leaderboards, head to head, and table goals. I actually kind of find these somewhat annoying in TPA and would disable if I could. I would not desire or want to use these features and in fact my cab is not connected to my network. I just wanted to find out if it will be required to have an online connection and if features such as leaderboards and so forth can be disabled?

 
Great question.  The online features would be completely optional and Pinball Labs will be DRM-free so no network connection will be required.  
 
However, please keep in mind that without network connectivity you would be unable to participate in the historic cross-Atlantic zany / dyopp21 beat downs.

In regards to the Yopp/Zany cross-Atlantic silver ball beat down, as we say here in the south: "It's on like a pot of neckbones." I'll be wearing my Tshirt that says, "STFU! Don't talk to me when I'm playing Pinball!" on the back of it. Yeah. It's that serious.

Now shushit and take the money!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bent98]

If you can get some sponsors to kick in $500-$1,000 each rather then $25 that might be your ticket to reaching the $18K threshold without needs so many contributors. You may want to consider charger for the program once its released to anyone who didn't contribute a minimum of $25. Also, possibly getting some other member to donate their time to help you reduce the overall man hours of the project.

Edited by bent98, 26 October 2015 - 05:36 PM.

[tmek]

If you can get some sponsors to kick in $500-$1,000 each rather then $25 that might be your ticket to reaching the $18K threshold without needs so many contributors. You may want to consider charger for the program once its released to anyone who didn't contribute a minimum of $25. Also, possibly getting some other member to donate their time to help you reduce the overall man hours of the project.

 

True, there is the chance of some well-to-do pinball enthusiasts out there.   Also it could get "Staff Picked" by Kickstarter.  I think I was just taken aback by the idea of 720 people.  I also might be able to get some video endorsements from some of the better known members of the VR community.

Edited by tmek, 26 October 2015 - 06:14 PM.

[bent98]

Tmek, if you can pull this off I am sure you can make enough to cover your expensive with excess once its a final product. Then you only have to spend maybe 30 hours a week to update it.

 

There are a lot of people who have a wait and see approach and may not participate in a kick starter Once people see the finished product and not vaporware you wont have any issues getting contributions.

 

Of course its easy for me to say but ultimately its your time and effort and no one can put a price on that but you.

 

I for one hope you will go forward with the project as I think it will change the way we play virtual pinball for years to come.

[jimmyfingers]

I imagine you could get a number of people here at VPF to throw-in a reasonable amount more than $25.  I personally would be willing to contribute at least $50 to your cause right out of the gate and more along the way with the completion of certain things and confirmation of some important areas like the physics.  

 

I backed Timeshock at a high level for alpha testing access / being able to provide feedback and the whole thing with Pro Pinball has been quite disappointing.  So that $160 CAD feels mostly wasted and gone to me and certainly helping you for what this product looks like it could be would be much more worth it than the feeling I've got from backing Timeshock / Pro Pinball.  

 

People here have even outright donated with no specific expectation to help developers with software purchases in the Unit3D realm.  Both previous software endeavours have achieved arguably different levels of fruition and yours seems like one of the most positive for an all round fantastic and well defined end result.

 

The fact you are even willing to work for an equivalent hourly rate below that of minimum wage to try and get the project to see the end of day deserves a positive response from virtual pinball enthusiasts.

[Ben Logan]

Excellent description of Kickstarter project. I'm certainly still up for participating as a backer. Really exciting stuff! I love the idea of a new platform for users to contribute tables. Fantastic times for pinball enthusiasts. Thanks, tmek.

[MK2]

What are your ideas for an editor side of this project ?

Edited by MK2, 30 October 2015 - 02:38 AM.

[fastpinball]

Tmek,

Very cool stuff. I have heard a lot about this project from Brian. Please let me know if there is anything we at FAST can offer in support.

Aaron
FAST Pinball

[tmek]

Tmek,

Very cool stuff. I have heard a lot about this project from Brian. Please let me know if there is anything we at FAST can offer in support.

Aaron
FAST Pinball

 

Awesome and thanks so much for your support!    I received your contact info from your pm. I will be in touch!

[N3roflint]

Any updates to this project? I saw the thread over on pinside but no new updates there either. Kickstarter up and running yet?

 

Edit: Gave it a bump over on pinside as well.

Edited by N3roflint, 20 November 2015 - 04:39 AM.

[tmek]

Any updates to this project? I saw the thread over on pinside but no new updates there either. Kickstarter up and running yet?

 

Edit: Gave it a bump over on pinside as well.

 

Hi, I'm still working on and very excited about Pinball Labs.   

 

The latest thing I have been working on are the custom geometry components for building things like walls guides, ramps and surfaces (plastics etc.)

 

A Kickstarter preview is up but I'm still working towards some original playfield art before I feel it would be ready to launch.  

Edited by tmek, 20 November 2015 - 02:01 PM.

[chinzman93]

Great news! I have $45 ready to go as soon as this is launched....

[N3roflint]

Good to hear this is still ongoing. Once kickstarter is going I will be contributing.

[chinzman93]

@tmek - I was wondering if you had a rough estimate of when you think the KS will be launching? Can't wait for this to get going.

 

I did have one concern, and perhaps I am overly cautious, but I wouldn't want anything to potentially slow or derail this. It concerns the preview video and the use of Stern's Flight 2000 artwork. While I obviously have no issue with it's use, some entities (Farsight and/or Stern) may have. Farsight in particular, since that is a table in TPA and they have the licensing for it and you are developing a competitor and what will hopefully be a far superior product.

 

While I would doubt they would do anything, I wouldn't be surprised. Particularly, considering how the cabinet mode for TPA seemed to die right before the Stern App deal was announced. I wouldn't want to give them any chance of potentially stopping the KS. I wonder if there is a way to "imply" that a designer can use any art they want without directly referencing such art. Such as the way in which you discuss the API and emulator use without referencing VPinmame directly. Maybe I worry to much....

 

Anyway....can't wait and money is ready to go!  

Edited by chinzman93, 21 November 2015 - 12:28 AM.

[nodz509]

@tmek I just read this entire thread and downloaded the alpha alpha and Im giggling like a stoned school girl am so frickin excited and just blown away right now, I've beta tested for farsight studios TPA for quite sometime so im no stranger to playing hundreds of hours of unfinished tables trying to get the software to goof up the same way twice or comparing the time it takes the ball on the real machine to get from VUK thru habitrail and hit the inlane switch 25 times and average it and make sure they get it right in the game so that it feels natural and man i could jabber forever but i wont and i'll break it down to this...... I have an overwhelming desire to see this succeed  im not a strong programmer but i love to tinker with software and i am sound in mind enough to see the amazing potential here and would be happy to offer my services as a beta tester and my pocket as a kickstarter supporter you can put me down for a hundred bucks to start with!   

 

yea delete the flight 2000 backbox,farsights paired with stern so by defacto they too now have to worry about how  gary stern will pay for his italian leather boots.....be careful bud.  they arent gonna like you.  Your quickly becoming a threat to them especially having an editor with vpinmame support.... 

[Ben Logan]

Nodz and Chinz -- Good consultation. I never think in these terms (meaning "business"). Nice to have your perspective.