13 replies to this topic

[Sabbat]

Hey everyone, awhile back I imported Pro Pinball Trilogy for the sega dreamcast which has 3 cunning development tables Future Shock/Big Race USA/Fantastic Journey. Anyone else play this? What is your thoughts on these tables and their physics, in comparison to VP9 and otherwise.

I just got done playing Fantastic Journey and I'm still trying to find out what the best options are for that table. The default settings seem bad, The ball hardly makes it up the ramps. I had to change the flipper strength all the way to 7. Yet even though the options are there to change the slope and flipper strength. It seems like cheating. I feel as though the default options are the way it was meant to be played but I dunno. If anyone plays these tables have you set different slopes and flipper strengths? What are some ideal settings for each table? Also what is the difference from setting the table appearance from New to Neglected... I didn't see any visual differences.

Anyways discuss anything about these games that you wish

[rob046]

You are just now learning about Pro Pinball? Oh my, you have sooooooo much to catch up on!
Playing it on the dreamcast? Forget it.

The PC versions are literally 100x better. On PC (as well as PSX/PS2/xbox1) these are the best pinball simulations ever created.
I've wrote about them in the forums before, just search pro pinball & you'll find a post or two of me talking all about these games.

Even to this day, these games (btw, your forgot The Web, there are 4 total PP games) are still the best pinball games ever on any platform, even though the 1st PP table is now 14 years old! Timeshock is 13 years old, BRUSA is 12, FJ is 11.

Yes, you MUST find the latest versions of these games (make sure they are the windows versions, not DOS), & see them in all their glory on your PC. I can help point you in the right directions for anything PP related you might need.
It absolutely floors me when I learn that a pinhead isn't familiar with the PP series. For any pinhead, especially those who like to play some pinball on the PC, having the Pro Pinball series up & running properly is as important as breathing! I'm gonna attach my full glory screenshots in this thread later when I have time, so everybody can see what the fuss is about. & as good as they look, which is incredible, they gameplay is even more incredible, as is the depth of the games, the roms (yes roms) that are just like real life dmd pins.
You mentioned the maintenence settings. I think if you choose really worn, you might see some visual differences. I personally prefer either brand new or the one next to that (new but a few plays). But its fun to mess with those settings. I think they mainly affect gameplay. For example if you play worn, you might have weaker flippers & things like that. You know, things that would make a real pinball play different when worn, pro pinball will do the same things.

This feature is only available on BRUSA & FJ. Those 2 tables also have a couple ball/motion blur settings. I recommend disabling blur.

[Sabbat]

I've known about them for a long time I remember when Timeshock came out for ps1 because I had a demo promo of it in a cardboard slipcase.

I've only been playing them on the DC maybe a year, the 3 I mentioned come in a collection, Which is why I didn't mention The Web. What is better about the PC versions? Have you played them on Dreamcast? I am a Dreamcast fan so either way I will continue to play them on there but I would really like to know why It might be worth my time to play the PC versions sometimes.

[rob046]

I've known about them for a long time I remember when Timeshock came out for ps1 because I had a demo promo of it in a cardboard slipcase.

I've only been playing them on the DC maybe a year, the 3 I mentioned come in a collection, Which is why I didn't mention The Web. What is better about the PC versions? Have you played them on Dreamcast? I am a Dreamcast fan so either way I will continue to play them on there but I would really like to know why It might be worth my time to play the PC versions sometimes.

Its just very well documented that the PC versions of these games are the most incredible sims ever made. I played the tables on a PS1/PS2, they just aren't the same. The main thing is that you can play the PP games at a beautiful 1600x1200 resolution. Even if your monitor doesn't support that, even 1280x960 looks incredible. One of the main reasons I made sure to get a 1920x1200 monitor was to simply play VP & Pro Pinball at 1600x1200.
On a console, at best you might be seeing 640x480.l
The physics & smoothness are unbeatable on the PC versions.
There is much more depth & options on the PC versions.

To put it simply, its the same games, just MUCH better on PC. Visuals are probably the main improvement over the consoles, but gameplay on the PC with these games makes them hands down the best pinball sims ever (inlcuding anything on a console, even the PP series on a console). Even The Web on PC would surely beat even FJ or BRUSA on a dreamcast or playstation. Web only does 1024x768, but that is still much higher rez than you get on an old console. & though "The Web" shows its age the most, don't overlook it, for a 14 year old sim it is still on par with or better than any non PP sim that has been released ever since in terms of overall quality & just pure fun. Plus its easy to play & understand, but it comes with a manual anyhow. All the PC versions come with very hefty PDF manuals, very cool! They are just like manuals for real pins!
Here are some quick screenies I took, I could take even nicer ones with some more lamps & GI firing, but these should do...And be sure to view them at their full size to really get the detail, & see what I see when playing...

[Rawd]

I have never played it. I am downloading a demo from here: http://download.cnet...4-10053298.html

I ran the demo. I can't get above 640x480 in the options, so it doesn't look great. The lighting and physics seem pretty good! I wonder if you need the full version for the full set of video options...

[rob046]

You never played Pro Pinball! You guys are killing me! Don't make me rant again!
On the plus side, better late than never!

Hope that demo works out for you. Its old, & I have no idea what the limitations might be. Also it may not come with the newest patches like my CD's did by default.

Don't even bother with the demo, not only for those reasons. But cuz I guarantee you will love all 4 of these tables. Also, I bought my set of the 4 PP tables from amazon.com like 6 years ago for $5 for the whole set! Yet I'd pay $100 for the set, seriously.
You are getting tables, no offense to this community, that are better looking & playing than anything VP or FP could possibly do.

[Sabbat]

definitely get the games Rawd.

[rob046]

yes rawd, the full version will get you 1600x1200 resolution (cept for on The Web which maxes out at 1024x but still looks a hell of a lot nicer than 640x). I was gonna say don't bother with the demo. These are the most beautiful games of their time, yet the demo only does SDTV resolution at 640x? Though to be fair, the demo is like 10 years old, from a time when 640x was considered an OK resolution!!!
In fact, even the downloadable full versions you can get for $3 or $5 are apparently DOS versions, you don't want that either. Pisses me off that these are some of the greatest game achievements of their generation & sites can't even offer up proper versions. Its sad.
Maybe another site has proper versions for download, maybe i'll look around & see.

But the best way to go here is to just pay a few bucks & get the whole damn collection on disc for dirt cheap. I got all 4 PP games, windows versions, defaulted with latest patches, for $5 on amazon (for the set). Hell, if I had to I'd gladly pay $50 per game, they are that good!

You want to look for "Gamefest Pinball Classics". maybe google "Gamefest Pro Pinball. Amazon sells them.
http://www.amazon.co...c/dp/B00004ZBS0

Disregard the $43 thing, click on the "6 new" link & some guy is selling the gamefest (all 4 games) for like $12 total. I know there is another set out there too that is good, but they don't have The Web. Maybe check ebay as well. Its amazing that I paid $5, 6 years ago on amazon, yet the price has now gone up. That tells me the gamefest set is still in demand & is likely getting rare, so grab these while you can.

Also, I always have ways for people to get these games. Without getting into details, if anybody really needs help getting these games, getting proper versions, or needs help getting them to work properly, I have all the tips, tools, & tricks one would possibly need for these games. That said, I have windows 7 64bit, & these old cd's play great right out of the box! Don't even need compatibility settings. That is why having the latest windows versions is nice, & why I recommend the gamefest set.

But anyhow, nobody has an excuse to not be playing these games. if money, not having the right versions (or stuck with dos versions), or any other issues stand in your way, please let me know. I will hook you up! When it comes to people playing PP, nothing gets in my way!

[GSGregg]

From my July 18th post (currently the last) in the thread, "Good ole games selling Pro Pinball games", re the PP Ultimate Collection (three games---absent The Web):

Anyway, my 'Ultimate' collection came in a box about the size of a VHS tape, which looked factory-sealed but contained only the CDs. No manual, no advertising....just three disks with room to rattle.

rob046, it would seem that you're the man to ask....Should there have been a manual or other content with these games? Seems the box has plenty of room for it.

Since I had PP only a short time before discovering VP/VPM, I spent barely enough time playing PP to even memorize the names, what with my fave (Centaur) only four clicks away. However, rather than chance your enthusiastic rant (that's the best kind) being wasted, I suppose I should load'em up and try'em again.

Oh---they are the Windows 98-thru-XP version, in a very legit-looking Empire Interactive box. [Edit] Just looked up the receipt: 01/25/10 from buynowlv thru Amazon, $9.32+S&H.

GSG

Edited by GSGregg, 08 August 2010 - 08:36 AM.

[rob046]

From my July 18th post (currently the last) in the thread, "Good ole games selling Pro Pinball games", re the PP Ultimate Collection (three games---absent The Web):

Anyway, my 'Ultimate' collection came in a box about the size of a VHS tape, which looked factory-sealed but contained only the CDs. No manual, no advertising....just three disks with room to rattle.

rob046, it would seem that you're the man to ask....Should there have been a manual or other content with these games? Seems the box has plenty of room for it.

Since I had PP only a short time before discovering VP/VPM, I spent barely enough time playing PP to even memorize the names, what with my fave (Centaur) only four clicks away. However, rather than chance your enthusiastic rant (that's the best kind) being wasted, I suppose I should load'em up and try'em again.

Oh---they are the Windows 98-thru-XP version, in a very legit-looking Empire Interactive box. [Edit] Just looked up the receipt: 01/25/10 from buynowlv thru Amazon, $9.32+S&H.

GSG

I believe the Ultimate collection only had the 3 newest tables, correct? yeah the is the other version I was referring to that should be good & should be the latest versions by default
Timeshock should be v1.07
BRUSA should be v1.18
FJ is either v1.07 or v1.08
The Web is v1.50

Anyhow, those complex manuals I mentioned are actually on the CD's in the form of PDF files. But I have a great package of stuff, compiled it all into one zip. Manuals, FAQ's, instruction cards, pinball tips & tricks. Here it is, just under 10mb...

http://www.mediafire...j8nx4yh4tn9sd4p

[GSGregg]

To rob046: Got it---thank you! I'll start reading/comparing during tonight's wee hours when I get back.

GSG

[Headlesshobbs]

I'm so glad of this thread because I just did a search and was able to find someone around my city who had a copy of fantastic journey for PC. I had a previous version on playstation and now I can finally trade that off. This is such a good table.

[superballs]

Ahh 2 of my favorite things in one topic.

The Sega Dreamcast and the Pro Pinball Series

I agree with Robo on it being better for the PC.

If you have a VGA box for your dreamcast you will get to play those tables at 640x480p which is wonderful for a console of that time.

Though on the PC you will get the first table (the web) and the ability to crank the resolution to whatever your monitor can handle.

Only The Web looks dated and it's still a great table. The hours i've spent on that and Timeshock.

The other 2 are great tables but i just haven't put the time into them like the first two.

Find them for PC, enjoy having them for your Dreamcast, a great treat for a fellow DCer.

I found VP through heavy googling because i wanted the PP experience but with real tables.

I kind of wish someone would recreate the PP tables here.

[Sabbat]

I'm glad to see you enjoy the DC and have played both versions. I'll have to hunt down the PC versions but I know i will enjoy having it for my dc just as much when i'm not around the computer