137 replies to this topic

[rob046]

Why does everybody get these off GOG? For one thing, it is illegal because the Pro Pinball guys don't see a penny of those profits.

And of course, that's why these are still being sold on GOG even though the Pro Pinball guys are active and working. Oh wait, no. I mean really, do you have facts to back up that statement? You don't just throw out accusations like that without some facts. And if so, why are you not telling the Pro Pinball guys that? After all, it should be within their legal rights to at least call a C&D on GOG, or even get a settlement that gives them a slice of the pie, helping fund the project.

Why would you assume I would make such a claim without facts? & why did my comment turn you into a sarcastic jerk?
I heard this straight from the Pro Pinball guys, & will link you to the comment if you want.
& as you know (or apparently don't) they only recently got their rights back for this product, & so this is probably new-ish news to them as well. They didn't say they were going to do anything about it since at this point, & with the remasters coming out soon I don't think there is much more profit left in those old versions to be had. But maybe they will try to take them down over this, IDK.

[unclewilly]

So if they dont reach the goal they get none of the money.

Does this mean the project will fizzle out and well never see the remastered pro pinball series.

Kinda bummed about the whole thing now

[TheMcD]

Why does everybody get these off GOG? For one thing, it is illegal because the Pro Pinball guys don't see a penny of those profits.

And of course, that's why these are still being sold on GOG even though the Pro Pinball guys are active and working. Oh wait, no. I mean really, do you have facts to back up that statement? You don't just throw out accusations like that without some facts. And if so, why are you not telling the Pro Pinball guys that? After all, it should be within their legal rights to at least call a C&D on GOG, or even get a settlement that gives them a slice of the pie, helping fund the project.

Why would you assume I would make such a claim without facts? & why did my comment turn you into a sarcastic jerk?
I heard this straight from the Pro Pinball guys, & will link you to the comment if you want.
& as you know (or apparently don't) they only recently got their rights back for this product, & so this is probably new-ish news to them as well. They didn't say they were going to do anything about it since at this point, & with the remasters coming out soon I don't think there is much more profit left in those old versions to be had. But maybe they will try to take them down over this, IDK.

Like I said, that's a huge accusation to make, considering the legal ramifications, without clarifying facts. Maybe it's from frequenting many other internet fora and the like, but usually people that make claims like that are full of it and assumptions got the better of me. Sorry. Still, they could really need the money coming from a potential settlement with GOG to fund the remasters, because the Kickstarter is not going to reach its goal - the 20K surge was to be expected in the beginning, and now donations are going to fizzle out. And once the funding fails, that's it, they're not going to see a bloody cent from the Kickstarter. If I were the Pro Pinball guys, I'd be looking for money in every place I could find, it's going to be necessary.

[slam23]

Hi all,

I'm also concerned if they are gonna make it. Still figuring out on which level I want to put my pledge, will be between 50-100 probably. I'm with McD on the assumption that this kind of niche-thing is not gonna attract a mass pledging like for Double Fine. I don't know if the PA kickstarters for STTNG and TZ are comparable because they offer just one table each and this is a whole package and a brand new, built-from-scratch table. People in the know will know the difference and those people will be the predominant backers. Then again 400K is a big goal. I would have put Timeshock more in the front at lower pledge levels, although a new Lawlor table is a great idea, it's offcourse not as proven yet as Timeshock is. So you're 50 bucks lighter when you just want to have Timeshock remastered/revived. I found this: http://www.kicktraq....-and-remastered
I'm not sure how reliable those predictions are but what I understand they include things like the usual "rush" at the end of the kickstarter periode. So there it also doesn't look very promising....keeping fingers crossed though!
Slam23

[unclewilly]

Well if this falls through. Maybe theyll consider a kickstarter on say just timeshock and the lawlor table.
Im sure once they have timeshick out they will get a nice inflow of money off mobile downloads and pc/mac sales

[TheMcD]

Well if this falls through. Maybe theyll consider a kickstarter on say just timeshock and the lawlor table.
Im sure once they have timeshick out they will get a nice inflow of money off mobile downloads and pc/mac sales

Yeah, a split project for each table might have gotten some better results and some cashflow. And as much as I love the guy, maybe taking out the Lawlor table and just focusing on the originals with a lower target would have also proved to be a better move. Of course, I can't see into alternate futures, but I can see how it would work.

[lionheart88]

Well at least they announced they'll be adding XBOX Live Arcade so maybe that will bring in more people willing to support the project.

[FrankT]

I'm not entirely sure; I've never actually played the Pro Pinball games yet. I'll get one off GOG and see what goes.

Why does everybody get these off GOG? For one thing, it is illegal because the Pro Pinball guys don't see a penny of those profits. & for another thing, I know for certain that at least Timeshock! is missing the music on that version, which is only a DOS version that runs through built in DOS box.
Please, pay the extra $1 & just get the game elsewhere, a physical copy. If you have trouble finding it, I can help. Last I checked you could get the whole 4 collection of CD's at Amazon for as cheap if not cheaper than the 3 games on GOG. Yeah, considering Timeshock has some of the best pinball music in history, you might want that.

*gasp* Too late! I've already bought Fantastic Journey off them!!!

[TedB]

No mention of cab support?

[slam23]

The kickstarter made a nice jump into the 32.000 range. They also just announced that they submitted that iPad lighting simulator that they've shown already for appstore approval. This will be a nice hands-on preview of the Timeshock table as rendered on an iPad. Release next week.
Slam23

[Dodger]

No mention of cab support?

Rooter postet the answer in this thread.


Hi Rooter,

Thanks for getting in touch.

Absolutely. We will be rendering a specific view just for cabinets and will support dual monitors too. Other cabinet features like the ones you mention will probably be included at some point as we intend to create our own cabinet.

Cheers,

Ade.

I don´t know. Pro Pinball was awesome but 400000$?? I don`t think they will make it.

[rob046]

Yes 400k is a very high goal, especially coming on the heels of pinheads already dumping cash into the TZ & STNNG kickstarters. I do hope that no matter what we will see the remakes. Surely they can turn a profit on those. On iPad alone I think ppl will go apeshit over those.

I love the idea of Lawlor, but if he's too expensive... who designed Timeshock & the others? Clearly that person or people are incredibly adept at pinball design.
I'm not gonna bash the 400k goal because anything is possible. PP has garnered many fans over the years. & who knows, some of those fans might be pretty wealthy & could drop thousands, maybe toward the end if needed. Maybe Silverball should release more info on the table, & if its going to be licensed what is the license? With that info, maybe a lot of ppl would jump on even outside of pinball. Like if it were Ghostbusters, you'd think people everywhere would be excited about that.

[TedB]

No mention of cab support?

Rooter postet the answer in this thread.

[b]

Thanks, now I know there will be cab support I will donate some cash (75 or 100)

I agree with most comments that 400k is probably too much for such a small community, but we will know in about a month...

[Themer]

$ 400.000 is a lot for the pinball community? The Pacific Pinball Museum is asking this community even more to transfer to a new location: $ 1.500.000! You can back their move here: http://www.indiegogo.com/PinballMuseum.

On topic: Why don't we first see something remastered before pumping money into the project. People here who love PP are telling us that TPA shouldn't do Kickstarters because their lack of quality. Yet they haven't seen any updated quality of PP. Anyhow, as I already said in the topic about TPA (which I've fully bought on the Xbox) I think that fundraising projects like these result in unhealthy businesses on the long term. I'll buy everything when it's available on the market, but I won't help funding these projects Than I'd rather pump some money in the Pacific Pinball Museum.

Edited by Themer, 08 September 2012 - 10:42 PM.

[TedB]

If the museum wanted to transfer to Holland I might have been interested Not even $4000 after 8 days.

I was not interested in a kickstarter for TPA but Pro Pinball is something different. They already have proven they can make their pinball games work on pretty low performance hardware. Reviving it could only result in something better.
The kickstarter has $35000 after 5 days, so I am pretty sure they will not raise 400k. Usually the biggest part of the funds is received in the first few days. Don't think I will bother donating now.. especially since it is not possible to pay with paypall.

Maybe they could adjust the kickstarter and only upgrade Pro Pinball. If 100k is enough for that they might reach that goal. I assume that whatever the kickstarter does, they will release it for the ipad (they already working on that). Too bad that is the platform I am least interested in.

[tamoore]

I'm in for 100, but at this point, I doubt they'll reach their goal....

[epthegeek]

The kickstarter has $35000 after 5 days, so I am pretty sure they will not raise 400k. Usually the biggest part of the funds is received in the first few days. Don't think I will bother donating now.. especially since it is not possible to pay with paypall.

A defeatist attitude like that sure doesn't help them pull it off.

[TedB]

A defeatist attitude like that sure doesn't help them pull it off.

I'd rather consider my attitude to be realistic
If the tide turns and there is even a small change of reaching the goal i will chip in.

[lionheart88]

A defeatist attitude like that sure doesn't help them pull it off.

I'd rather consider my attitude to be realistic
If the tide turns and there is even a small change of reaching the goal i will chip in.

But you do understand how a Kickstarter work's don't you? If you commit to $50 and they don't reach the goal then you are not charged the $50. It's one thing to wait near the end and see if there is even a remote chance they'll make it but if too many people do that it could potentially never get close to the goal whereas if people go ahead and commit at least it get's them that much closer to the goal not to mention with a high enough pledge you secure your copy of the games for the platform of your choice. I look at it like pre-buying a game I really want that hasn't been released yet but in this case may never get released without the funding. I only wished it was tax season, at least for me anyways I usually get a big return and could afford to pledge more.

[EalaDubhSidhe]

$400,000 is a business plan figure; it's not an extravagent amount of money when it has to fund an complete team, their development costs and their salaries, for five products over an entire year.

What seems to be going wrong here is that nobody appears to be seeing the project for what it actually is - a videogame series. The Kickstarter mentions the formats and resolutions they want to bring out, but otherwise it's being pitched like a pinball product, and everybody here is treating it as one. And while pinballs today are true collector's items that are intended to hold up their long-term value (and they weren't sold that way in 1995, when Pro Pinball started), over the same period, videogames have become more transient and disposable. Quick, name me another videogame from 1995, outside of Nintendo remakes, that they could do again on today's hardware and confidently sell back to the mainstream at the same value, without having to put it on a compilation. You have thirty seconds, and if you own a PS Vita you don't need to answer the question.

Emphasizing the 'retro' appeal on modern iOS gaming platforms is another mistake to my mind, since without a grounding in classic gaming which few casual players have, why would they care how many units Pro Pinball shifted back in the day if they have no emotional ties to the product? Since Pro Prinball itself is going to be 'new' to most of these gamers anyway, and the stated aim is to bring it up to date, wouldn't the Silverball Studios guys be better off promoting on the exciting pick-up-and-play element of pinball instead?