ContributorHi all,
In efforts to improve my own skills in table design, I've taken to studying tables and analyzing how they are laid out. I'm hoping to share some of these insights in hopes that they might inspire people to take a stab at building their own tables or at least help people appreciate the art of table design. In this series, I hope to discuss both table design, basic solid state game production, and to talk about different strategies that one might use to build a game.
If you dig it, let me know...if its not so relevant, please let me know what might make these mini-tutorials more helpful.
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Rule of Thirds
I'd like to begin this foray into table design by looking at a more general design concept: the "rule of thirds". In a nutshell, the rule of thirds posits that you can beak a design into 9 parts (3 horizontal rows and 3 vertical columns that overlap). Per the rule of thirds, objects that are placed along the lines or intersections are presented with additional urgency and are perceived more regularly to a viewer. see article below for some examples in art.
https://en.wikipedia.../Rule_of_thirds
Recently, I started exploring how this applies to pinball table design and found that many tables that have effective designs seem to use this concept well (knowingly or not.) I have taken screen shots of 3 new vpx tables and have overlaid a grid to show how the law of thirds applies to the design. (Side note, all of these tables are brilliant, kudos to their vp authors)
Monster Bash - Uncle Willy (not a 70's era table, but included in the infographic to show how the principle still applies)
Evel Knievel - HauntFreaks
Buck Rogers - Sindbad
Monster Bash: I am starting off with discussing this table because it shows that despite how elaborate a table is, the rule of thirds can often be used to dissect how a game is laid out. For starters, it is really interesting to see that on this machine, as well as the others that the flippers span the lower middle third of the play field This is a theme that seems to be pretty consistent from most 70's era tables and beyond. The slingshots run along the lines roughly which also compliments the layout of the table. Near the intersections at 10:00 and 2:00 there are some pretty key shots to the game and are prime real estate for toys and other objects of interest. It is also worth noting that there is something to see or do in all of the quadrants.
Evel Knievel: This table is pretty symmetrical and lots of the content of the table lines up with rule of thirds. at our intersections, we have pop bumpers, and the super spell out lights. the lanes down from the upper skillshot hole are also aligned with the column lines. While the drop targets don't exactly follow a vertical flow from the columns, the lights do. The spinner also seems to be aligned with the upper row line. Slingshot and flippers also are roughly aligned mid third.
Buck Rogers: The B and K rollover triggers are aligned with the column lines, and pop bumpers are roughly aligned with the intersections. The captive ball arrow and captive ball are just about on the upper row line. the lower rollover triggers by the slingshot are roughly in line with the lower third. Supporting the theory that the artist would be aware of the rule of thirds is the fact that on both the row lines, the artist has spaceship jet streams with the jets themselves being at the intersection of columns and rows.
A final thought: the idea presented in this is just a rough guideline and is not suggesting that following the rule of thirds is they *only* good way to make a table... it is however a helpful framework for evaluating your work and informing your decisions. As designers, because we work with a limited amount of space, it becomes important to find ways of making the most of what we have.
If you try to use this method, please post and let me know what observations you come up with.
-Lodger
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