(Topic ID: 157574)

POLL: Are you here today because of Pinball Arcade?

By frolic

7 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 92 posts
  • 72 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 7 years ago by japespin
  • Topic is favorited by 2 Pinsiders

You

Linked Games

No games have been linked to this topic.

    Topic poll

    “Are you here today because of Pinball Arcade?”

    • YES - Pinball Arcade was/is a major reason I am here today. 107 votes
      24%
    • NO - I'd be here anyways (or I was here long before) 343 votes
      76%

    (450 votes by 0 Pinsiders)

    Topic Gallery

    View topic image gallery

    image_(resized).jpg
    nes_pinball_arcade_(resized).jpg
    255px-Pinball_Hall_of_Fame-_The_Williams_Collection_(resized).jpg

    There are 92 posts in this topic. You are on page 2 of 2.
    #51 7 years ago

    Pinball Arcade is here because of us.

    #52 7 years ago

    Pinball arcade games surely helped cement the addiction. Originally bought Diner off a friend who was down-sizing. Ended up trading for Tron. Then it was all downhill from there. Found pinside and then pinball arcade. So all of my B/W games I own thanks to Pinball arcade. Now I run my phone battery down checking pinside and playing pinball arcade...

    #53 7 years ago

    23% is impressive considering so many have been into the hobby for so long. I bet if you did a poll that asked the same question, but only to people that are less than 4 years into it(new to the hobby), it would be over 50 % pinball arcade.

    #54 7 years ago

    I'm here because my neighbor was throwing out an old Gottlieb "2001." It was in great shape, and the hoarder within me couldn't bear to see it trashed. Gave it a home, learned to fix it when I was in high school, and the rest is history.

    My close friend never really cared too much about my pinball machines though until pinball arcade came out. Now he's all about it, and thinks he's a pinball master just because he plays them on his iPad. I'm glad he's into it, and appreciates my hobby now, but he'll say things like "I really don't like High Speed. It's so boring. There's nothing to do on the game." Or "Addams Family is stupid because there's not enough action." He knows not what he speaks, and now judges these games based on their simulation, and not the read deal. I'm taking him to Allentown to "learn him real good."

    #55 7 years ago

    I voted yes.

    I enjoyed playing pinball in the 70s thru 90s, but then location games evaporated, and the few I found played poorly. I often wondered if anyone still made pinball. (Obviously Stern was, but that was a very well kept secret beyond this small community!)

    Last winter I was rabidly playing Pinball Arcade, and purchased season one on Steam. Scared Stiff and others were so much fun that I went looking up pictures and info in real life, such as under playfield photos and service manuals, since I'm an electronics engineer.

    By coincidence, that February I got a message that a friend of a friend was moving and I could have their pinball machine which had electronic issues. I grabbed two friends and picked it up. Not sure if I would have even considered it if I was not so currently taken with Pinball Arcade. (I have met plenty of people with broken EM machines in their basement, and did not want to be another.)

    14 months later I have 4 pins. Credit goes to Pinside, Pinball Arcade, Pinball shows like SFGE, and the rare location pinball I find when traveling for work.

    1 month later
    #56 7 years ago

    I voted "yes" even though I tried Pinball Arcade and it sucks. I'm here because of Zen Pinball. Well kinda. I was playing a lot of Zen for abut six months, then I read an article somewhere about the RZ pin coming out. I wouldn't say I thought nobody made pinball anymore, I just didn't really ever think about it or know that somebody WAS making pins still. Anyway, huge zombie fan, so I got online to check it out, and that's when I found pinside. I've bought a few pins now - it's an addictive hobby.

    #57 7 years ago

    I'm here for the culture and mental stimulation.

    #58 7 years ago

    I've been here way before Pinball Arcade ..... I started collecting when Williams was wrapping up Pin2K

    2 months later
    #59 7 years ago
    Quoted from sulakd:

    I voted "yes" even though I tried Pinball Arcade and it sucks. I'm here because of Zen Pinball. Well kinda. I was playing a lot of Zen for abut six months, then I read an article somewhere about the RZ pin coming out. I wouldn't say I thought nobody made pinball anymore, I just didn't really ever think about it or know that somebody WAS making pins still. Anyway, huge zombie fan, so I got online to check it out, and that's when I found pinside. I've bought a few pins now - it's an addictive hobby.

    I've got Zen and PA also on my PS3, always liked pinball, spend countless hours mashing Pinbot, Gorgar, and Black Hole back in the day, but never knew much about them. I am also a fan of virtual pinball, some of the more out there versions like the old Turbo-Grafx games Devil's Crush and Alien Crush. This site is very cool and I'm on the hunt for my first real pin.

    I have a question for the guys that have played PA tables and their real counterparts. How close are the emulations? I understand nothing compares to real pinball but I'm more after the answer to if I like the table on PA will I like it in real life or is the virtual version so far away you can't even make that basic value judgment?

    #60 7 years ago

    There aren't too many pinball arcades left, but when I was young I hung out in every one I could find. So I guess that is part of the reason I'm here today.

    #61 7 years ago

    Pinball was a memory of a few EM machines I played in the basement of a cafe when I was a kid. Not until Pinball arcade introduced me to modern games both Solid State and EM did I see how much it changed but also was very different. I still play today, and always surprised when I go to a show how much it helps my playing. Its not entirely analogous to real playing, but it allows me to have better reflexes and know more about some fun machines, making the in person experience much more valuable.

    Still can't give them any love for the new Steam UI. I hope they fix it soon.

    #62 7 years ago

    Cool question/poll. I found Pinball Arcade after I started playing pinball again and used it as a way to play while the bars/arcades were closed or to play games that weren't local. Now if only I could remember how I found Pinside? I think I was just Googling for "pinball maps" or something?

    nes_pinball_arcade_(resized).jpgnes_pinball_arcade_(resized).jpg

    #63 7 years ago

    Grew up in the 80s loving pinball before video games took over. Then found Microsoft Pinball Arcade for my PC in the late 90s and got pinball fever all over again. Enjoy Pinball Arcade on my phone daily. Once my dream theme was remade (KISS) I knew I had to own my first pin.

    #64 7 years ago

    yes, I got hooked originally because of an app on an ipad, and yes, it was in 2012, but actually it wasn't Pinball Arcade, but another one which had created fantasy tables which resembled tables from the mid 80's (don't recall the name and it seems to have disappeared from my ipad). After playing that for a while I had this crazy idea to buy a real table, then another and another. Pinball Arcade definitely influenced some of my later decisions, but I had it on PS3 way before I had it on the ipad. I think I've always been a closet pinball fan, I probably just never realized it.

    #65 7 years ago
    Quoted from bkbirge:

    I've got Zen and PA also on my PS3, always liked pinball, spend countless hours mashing Pinbot, Gorgar, and Black Hole back in the day, but never knew much about them. I am also a fan of virtual pinball, some of the more out there versions like the old Turbo-Grafx games Devil's Crush and Alien Crush. This site is very cool and I'm on the hunt for my first real pin.
    I have a question for the guys that have played PA tables and their real counterparts. How close are the emulations? I understand nothing compares to real pinball but I'm more after the answer to if I like the table on PA will I like it in real life or is the virtual version so far away you can't even make that basic value judgment?

    If you like it, it will be close to what you like in real life. However real games can be much harder in real life than in the emulation. You'll have a harder time hitting ramps repeatedly. I've also found though the physics in the game aren't as realistic. Tap passes are harder on PA and trying for shots on the end of flipper are truer in real life. Sometimes on white water on PA I want to shoot for the boulder garden or the targets on the left and it will brick off the bottom of the sling instead. It's a little unrealistic in that respect.

    For buying your first pin, don't be afraid to try something you haven't before. If you can buy a game for a decent price you can usually get your money back. Condition is the main thing when pricing a pin. It doesn't affect the playability a lot of times but it will affect the resale value.

    #67 7 years ago
    Quoted from CaptainNeo:

    what the hell is pinball arcade?

    Most popular pinball app for IOS and Android platforms. Faithfully recreates all the classic tables. Trial versions of tables are free. If you want to buy a table or several there is a charge.

    #68 7 years ago

    I can pinpoint the exact date I became interested in pinball: 11/22/13. I am (was) an avid PC video game player and I saw Humble Bundle's Zen Studios Pinball FX bundle one day. I decided to try the demo, liked it, and bought bundle. Pretty quickly I dropped all other video games and starting playing virtual pinball exclusively. After a year of Pinball FX and Pinball Arcade I finally took the plunge to get a real pin.

    #69 7 years ago
    Quoted from bkbirge:

    I have a question for the guys that have played PA tables and their real counterparts. How close are the emulations? I understand nothing compares to real pinball but I'm more after the answer to if I like the table on PA will I like it in real life or is the virtual version so far away you can't even make that basic value judgment?

    Code emulation is excellent. Sound design (music & call-outs) is also a faithful reproduction. Physics are pretty good, but not perfect.

    The biggest difference, IMO, is nudging. Nudging is way too easy on a digital pin compared to a real pin, so expect your scores to be much lower on the real pin.

    Nevertheless, if you like the theme, code, and sound design of a digital pin, and you enjoy the basic shots and gameplay, you'll probably enjoy the real pin, too. Just don't expect to score as high on the real pin. JMHO.

    #70 7 years ago
    Quoted from Razorbak86:

    Code emulation is excellent. Sound design (music & call-outs) is also a faithful reproduction. Physics are pretty good, but not perfect.
    The biggest difference, IMO, is nudging. Nudging is way too easy on a digital pin compared to a real pin, so expect your scores to be much lower on the real pin.
    Nevertheless, if you like the theme, code, and sound design of a digital pin, and you enjoy the basic shots and gameplay, you'll probably enjoy the real pin, too. Just don't expect to score as high on the real pin. JMHO.

    I rarely nudge on the Pinball Arcade which makes it a little more realistic. Most ramp shots are much easier on TPA. I think they have ramp assist.

    #71 7 years ago
    Quoted from thundergod76:

    Most popular pinball app for IOS and Android platforms. Faithfully recreates all the classic tables. Trial versions of tables are free. If you want to buy a table or several there is a charge.

    I don't do apps, so it would be useless to me.

    #72 7 years ago

    I am here mostly because of Craigslist...

    #73 7 years ago
    Quoted from CaptainNeo:

    I don't do apps, so it would be useless to me.

    Its also available on console and steam for PC.

    #74 7 years ago

    I think one of my Wii Games is called pinball arcade.

    #75 7 years ago
    Quoted from dmbjunky:

    If you like it, it will be close to what you like in real life. However real games can be much harder in real life than in the emulation.

    Cool, thanks for the info! I wonder how much PA is responsible for the current price of the pins they feature. Chicken and egg question I suppose.

    #76 7 years ago

    Nope. I’m here because I always wanted a 1970’s KISS pinball machine to add to my KISS collection. When I was finally fortunate to get one a few years ago, I realized how much I enjoyed playing pinball and bought 6 machines in the next 18 months. I had probably played 10 total games of pinball in my life from birth, to age 38. The past 3 years I’ve played thousands!

    #77 7 years ago

    VP was here first.

    #78 7 years ago
    Quoted from bkbirge:

    Cool, thanks for the info! I wonder how much PA is responsible for the current price of the pins they feature. Chicken and egg question I suppose.

    PA did coincide with the rise of pinball prices the last few years. It could have been partially responsible because it introduced more people to pinball. The games featured on PA though are priced relative to their popularity not because they are featured in the game. Rescue 911 and Cue Ball Wizard still hover around $1500, some under $1000.

    #79 7 years ago

    Absolutely.

    I have always enjoyed pinball but pinball arcade rekindled my love. When they added Getaway it brought back all the memories and the next thing I knew I was buying a machine from a pinsider.

    The impact is huge. Not only for bringing new people in or fans back but look at what happens to the value of tables that get added to pinball arcade.

    I'm shopping for another couple tables right now and the only reason is because I could virtually play them and learn the rules. It's not like I can just go play dozens of tables and pause the action and look at rules as I go otherwise.

    If you're one of the people asking what pinball arcade is and you're on this site it's a bit hard to believe you haven't heard of it. Maybe you browse the site with your eyes closed or head buried in the sand.

    #80 7 years ago
    Quoted from bkbirge:

    How close are the emulations? I understand nothing compares to real pinball but I'm more after the answer to if I like the table on PA will I like it in real life or is the virtual version so far away you can't even make that basic value judgment?

    I know others may disagree, but in my opinion, no, liking a game on PA does not translate well to the real table. PA does an ok job of emulating real tables, but to me, it does not give an accurate "feel" as to whether you will like the real table just because you like the PA version. Go play some original tables on ZEN for a good virtual pinball experience - tables that were designed to be played on a screen. Real tables have not translated well.

    #81 7 years ago

    Not sure how to vote! I've been interested in owning pinball machines for over 20 years. However, what pushed me forward after so long was seeing my son get interested via Pinball Arcade.

    #82 7 years ago

    I owned 2 back in 1993. Sold due to new family needing room and kids arriving like a bad dream. Pinball arcade got me back into the spirit again.
    Machine's were a lot cheaper back then.

    #83 7 years ago

    Its impressive to see that about 25% of polled responded yes. That's quite an impressive influence. I can't think of another reason that would compare. outside of pinball arcade, home use would be the next largest influence I could imagine, and that's a by-product of the post-arcade retro game room/man cave trends.

    No matter how we get there, its sure nice that its popular. It makes for a great community.

    #84 7 years ago

    It's funny that people dump on Pinball Arcade because it's "not the same" which is like, well, yeah, duh, but the alternative for most people is no pinball at all.

    #85 7 years ago
    Quoted from trunchbull:

    It's funny that people dump on Pinball Arcade because it's "not the same" which is like, well, yeah, duh, but the alternative for most people is no pinball at all.

    Exactly.

    The point for me is to try out tables I want to buy. If a table isn't in Pinball Arcade the chances of me buying it without experiencing the gameplay are almost zero.

    Thankfully Papa tutorial videos help fill gaps.

    #86 7 years ago

    I played as a kid in the 80's but just flipped like crazy. Didn't know much about rules. About 10 years ago met a friend (pinsider) who always had a rotation of games coming through the gameroom. Enjoyed playing always and learned more of how deep rules can be. Few years ago started playing Zen Pinball on the PS3 and liked how they could do things that couldn't be done on a real table. Found Pinball Arcade to play real tables that I may not be able to in real life. Didn't plan on owning. I now have two games with room for zero but I still enjoy playing Pinball Arcade to learn rules and some strategy. When I do get to play the real versions I at least have something to go on while I learn the feel of the machine.

    #87 7 years ago

    Yep. I always liked pinball and would play when I saw tables out and about (not to mention that I was obsessed with Revenge of the Gator on Gameboy many moons ago), but it wasn't until a pal suggested Pinball Arcade to me that I realllllllly got into it. The feel isn't the same, and I greatly prefer the real thing, but it helps to learn the rules and it also just got me itching to play constantly. So I guess you could say Pinball Arcade took pinballing from something I would do when I had the opportunity to something I try to do whenever I can.

    #88 7 years ago

    I loved playing T2 and JP as a kid. Pinball Hall Of Fame The Williams Collection on xbox360 got me into buying and playing real pins again. I got it a month or two after beating all the wizard goals in PHOF. First pin was a BOP in 2010. Beater for $900.

    #89 7 years ago

    I am here not because of Pinball Arcade but because of Pinball Fantasies AGA for the Amiga 1200. (The AGA version was the updated version from the Amiga 500 with more colors.)

    It was the first time I realized their was a rule set to pinball not just batting the ball around randomly trying to keep the ball in play as long as you could.

    image_(resized).jpgimage_(resized).jpg

    #90 7 years ago

    Never played it or any arcade pinball...Growing up in the Pinball/arcades is what got me into it that and having a pinball machine in our house growing up.

    #91 7 years ago

    Been in to pinball since birth. Somebody thought it would be cool to have one in the house for fun some years later i was born and have been hooked ever since. Got in to it more because i got a job. Money in your pockets finds it way in to coin slots on games. Have no clue how i found pinside. I just know it's to blame for me buying broken\junk pinballs that were on the way to being parted out and bringing them back to life at sometimes twice their actual value. Currently have 4 projects in various states 1 GTB and 3 DE machines 3 of the 4 actually playable just have nagging issues i'm beating out of them.

    #92 7 years ago

    I was strictly a video guy until Pinball Arcade. Never understood pins growing up, nor did I care to learn. Wasn't until Pinball Arcade that I realized there were actual rule sets and objectives that needed to be accomplished. Now I'm hooked, own 2 pins, and will almost always drop coins in one if I see one on location.

    There are 92 posts in this topic. You are on page 2 of 2.

    Reply

    Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.

    Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

    Donate to Pinside

    Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!


    This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/poll-are-you-here-today-because-of-pinball-arcade/page/2?hl=hassanchop and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

    Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.