The first mail might have been short so I hope this one will compensate it. To make all of you who are awaiting the arrival of Timeshock! and Ballistic Pinball happy a interview with both sims programmer has been included. Please keep in mind that Ballistic Pinball probably not will be released under that name. More about that will appear on the Ttop news site when the time comes, and probably in the next club mail when the time comes. Also there is a little writing about the upcoming games for the next year, and about those who came this year. And all members feel free to add stuff to the Ttop site (=The Tower..), links, demos, news ans so on...
But for now read and enjoy, because the next mail wonÆt come for a time.
All members should support their club =D. Well it is more your choice really.
Members who has not got their name on the Ttop web page may freely send me a mail and tell me what to write there. For some reason IÆve lost the mails where their name is.
The staff (that will be me) at The Tower of Pin Pinclub has made a interview with the two hot programmers right now. And they are Adrian Barritt (Pro Pinball The Web) and Stefan Boberg (Ballistic Pinball). Please keep in mind that Ballistic Pinball probably not will be released under that name. More about that will appear on the Ttop news site when the time comes, and probably in the next club mail when the time comes.
I asked them questions about their life and pinball, and of course about the upcoming titles Timeshock! and Ballistic Pinball.
_______________________________________________
*-Adrian Barritt-*
He is the program team leader of the newcoming Timeshock! the second table in the Pro Pinball serie.
_______________________________________________
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*First I would like to know a little about you
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Q: Who are you? (Just a short presentation would be interesting to read)
A: I am the Pro Pinball Team Leader.
Q: How come you got started with computers.
A: It all began when I saw a feature on "The Money Programme" announcing a new device called the ZX80...
Q: Did you start programming in a early age?
A: Probably.
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*That was the personal bit, now some questions about PP/TW
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Q: What in heavens gave you the Idea of making a pinball game that became such a big hit?
A: Nobody had produced a realistic 3D pinball simulation, I wanted to change that.
Q: We all know you are the leading person in the making of the Pro Pinball series, what is it you do.
A: I'm responsible for the design of the tables and coding of the rules. With another member of the team I'm also responsible for the physical simulation.
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*Programming
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Q: PP/TW had great physics, Isn't it difficult to create a game with realistic ball movement. How do you achieve that? What kind of style do you use?
A: Realistic ball movement isn't that hard to do. Simulating the flipper accurately is the biggest challenge.
Q: For what I know Ballistic is supposed to use a more "sophisticated" way of simulating the ball. Instead of masks is uses vectors, what do you say about this?
A: I've no idea what method Ballistic uses, and I'm not willing to discuss the methods we employ. Though I can say that Timeshock! uses techniques that The Web doesn't.
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*From a Timeless past, The Timeshock!
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Q: Will Timeshock be much like TW. I'm thinking of the table layout, graphics, sound, physics.
A: The table layout for T! is much more complicated than TW. T! Has lots of diverts and physical lock points. All the sound effects are new and improved. The music is produced by Jake and Bruce like TW but it is now mixed using Dolby Surround tm. The physics have been completely redesigned and rewritten.
Q: What will the table theme be like? (or is it classified, if so.. reveal some!:)
A: The theme involves traveling through time to collect fragments of a shattered time crystal. The time crystal is needed to stop a deadly shockwave of anti-time..
Q: Have you heard of a upcoming game called "Ballistic Pinball". The Team are having it programmed. Do you think it has any chance of competing with Timeshock!.. and why?
A: I have heard of Ballistic, in fact I've played it. Ballistic in appearance is more like TW than any other pinball simulation, so from that point of view they are competing with us. It is difficult not to be biased, but if it's OK, I'd like to quote Jon Hall from his ECTS report:
"The ball physics weren't quite in the Pro Pinball league"
Plus, in my humble opinion we have moved on somewhat since producing TW.
Q: Will you be adding any new futures to the game, such as tournament play, network, Internet (!?) capabilities, new angels?
A: We have at least six viewing angles. Tournament, novice, challenge and regular modes of play. And yes we do have Internet support (the details of which we will be announcing soon).
Q: The first game needed quite a while be for the USA release. Will it work better this time (and when will it be released) I'm aware of the switch Empire-Interplay, but since Empire still have their web site up It's a bit confusing.
A: We still work for Empire Interactive, the USA deal with Interplay was only for distribution. At this point in time it looks like there will be simultaneous worldwide release for T!
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*Last
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Q: Have you got any plans for a third pinball in the PP serie?
A: Yes, we are designing it as I type.
Q: Last I must ask if you will let me beta test Timeshock! =3D))
A: Sorry, we currently have more than sufficient testing capability.
_______________________________________________
End of Interview with Adrian Barritt, programmer of Pro Pinball series.
_______________________________________________
-*Stefan Boberg-* (Email: boberg@team17.com)
The programmer of Ballistic Pinball. This newcoming game has not only gotten interest because one of the tables has the theme of "WORMS", the game also will future 3D views.
___________________________________________
START: Interview with Stefan Boberg, programmer of Ballistic Pinballà
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*First I would like to know a little about you
------------
Q: Who are you? (Just a short presentation would be interesting to
read)
A: Full name: Per Stefan Boberg, born in Stockholm 1972. Moved to Gotland, studied Applied Physics and Electrical Engineering at Link÷ping Institute of Technology (LiTH). Now living in Ossett, England, but would really prefer to live somewhere else, like in the Bahamas :-)
Q: How come you got started with computers.
A: I'm not sure why, but I became interested in computers back when I was about ten years old. Me and my brother got a VIC-20 on christmas 1982, and I more or less took over it immediately :-) Then I saved up to a C64, followed by a C128D, an A500, an A3000, an A4000/040, and then I moved on to the PC.
Q: Did you start programming in a early age?
A: Yep. Since my father would not allow us to play games (the sadistic old devil :-), we had to type in all the examples from the manual that came with the computer, and games from magazine listings. later on got some games, but by then I was already hooked.
Q: WhatÆs your merits in programming, except for Ballistic?
A: Well, I'm not sure it's a huge merit, but I wrote an accounting system for the sugar factory where my father worked when I was 13. I then moved on to writing demos (did "SnurkelScroller" with some guys from TSL, which won some big party competition) and other hacker related things like some widely-used crunchers (TetraPack and DefPack) and various other useless stuff. I also wrote some archivers, LhArcA and LhA, of which LhA became the de-facto standard Amiga compressor/archiver, and was a big success for a shareware project (about 3000 registrations in total, which is not bad for an Amiga program). I've also written various routines for Alien Breed, Superfrog, Project-X, Alien Breed II, and a load of other Team 17 Amiga hits. I did a bunch of CD32 conversions, and finally ended my Amiga "career" by coding Alien Breed: Tower Assault for christmas 1994. Since I finished that, I've been working on the PC, mainly working on Ballistic.
Q: As I have understood it you are the leading person in the Programming of Ballistic, what exactly is it you do?
A: I'm the "lead programmer", which isn't much of an achievement, or indeed surprising considering that I'm the sole programmer of the game :-). I've written the lot, which means the simulation,graphics, VESA, Win95, sound code, compressors, image quantizers and compressors, Alias PowerAnimator plug-ins, table editors, sound bank generators, 3D engine coding, some SGI-based tools and whatnot else. It's a lot of work, but I love it! :-)
As far as the actual game part of the game goes, I'm the one who designs the rules, tweaks the table layouts, and generally tries to make sure that the game flows and plays well.
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*Programming
---------
Q: What is your opinion in making a game with great ball physics?
A: The actual physics involved are really not that complicated. All the basic formulas being employed could probably be scribbled on half an A4 sheet of paper. The problem is getting all the physical constants right, like "bounces", friction and other things. It's not completely obvious exactly how the flippers affect the ball, how much spin affects the ball motion, and so on. It takes a lot of guesswork, testing and tweaking to get it to feel and flow right.
Q: If you compare Ballistics feeling with what Timeshock! will have, what do you think the difference will be? (you can also compare with The Web, since I donÆt know what you know about Timeshock!)
A: It's difficult to say. Currently, the physics in Ballistic are quite a bit better than PP/TW. I'm pretty sure Adrian and the other guys have been improving the engine since, so I would think they'd be about the same. I don't really think "accuracy" is of any huge significance in itself. What really matters is in the end how well the tables play, and how fun they are.
As far as the rules go, I'm trying to strike a balance between making the game easy to understand for novices (making it possible to start neat stuff even when just knocking the ball about), while at the same time providing enough depth to keep die-hard fans interested. There will be a lot of hidden things in the game (special skillshots, combos etc.), and wizard-modes, to make it more rewarding to play for real wizards.
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*Some questions about Ballistic Pinball
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Q: For what I know Ballistic is your (Team17) first pinball, where did the Idea come from?
A: We wanted to do a pinball game way back in 1993/94, but then it was meant to be made by Andreas Tadic/Rico Holmes, and me. Various things happened, and we didn't get around to actually start work on it until autumn 1995.
Q: Will Ballistic have any special futures like tournament mode, network/Internet support?
A: I have not yet put in a tournament mode, but I don't think it will be a problem to add. It's definitely on my to-do list. There will be Internet support in the form of global high-score lists that are automatically maintained on Team 17's website, and also downloaded into the game. The player will also be able to generate/print audit reports (game stats) and various other things.
Q: What will the tables layout/theme/views be like? I know one is going to be Worms, sounds odd but fun.
A: There will be three tables in the first package. The tables are:
Worms: Based on the big hit game by the same name. Cartoony graphics, easy-listening music, and a table layout with plenty of nice repeatable loops and orbit shots.
Alien Breed: Futuristic sci-fi theme. Blast aliens, rescue hostages. Hi-tech table containing plenty of mechanical gadgets and visual special FX. Techno music and plenty of rendered LED animationÆs, and some interesting video modes.
Rally Fever: Racing theme. Manga-style graphics, a more basic, symmetric table layout with nice sense of speed and repeatable alternating ramp shots. Rock music and roaring engines.
I've tried to make the tables as different/varying as possible, and not just in appearance. The tables all play very differently.
Q: Have you heard about Timeshock! The second pinball in the Pro Pinball serie. How do you think it will stand compared the Ballistic. (the question migth be very much like the one above but could you compare the playing value)
A: Naturally, I know about Timeshock!, and I have the greatest of respect for the pinball people at Empire. I have no doubt that Timeshock! will be a great pinball game. I do think that we have the means and ability to make a game that is as good, or better. Since we have more tables, I think the overall package will be more attractive and have a longer-lasting appeal.
Q: Is Ballistic a game or a simulator. The Web was a very serious simulator while others like 3D Ultra Pinball more are games that you play only fir the fun, what is Ballistic?
A: I'd say it's more of a simulator than a game. We don't have any silly sprites walking about the table stealing the ball, for example. We have tried to do as much as we can while still staying within the limits of what would theoretically be possible to do with a real-life pinball game. Most of the gadgets on the Alien Breed Table, for example, would probably be possible to make in reality, but would hardly be feasible mainly because of manufacturing, cost and reliability problems. It's naturally still important to make it FUN, since that's what games are all about...
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*Last
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Q: Have you got any future plans on programming more pinballs?
A: Yep. Can't be very specific, though, so please don't ask :-)
Q: Last I must ask, may I beta (alpha?) test Ballistic?
A: Possibly. We obviously have to be VERY careful with these things... We'd like to keep the testing within the walls of this office.
Have fun.
Stefan
_______________________________________________
End of Interview with Stefan Boberg, programmer of Ballistic Pinball
The new year 1997 offers a lot of things for you to enjoy. The people who made Pro Pinball The Web is releasing their next table, a new challenger to PP/TW, Ballistic Pinball will come (and it looks like it will be a nice challenger). Not to forget Apogees Balls of Steel which will come, not that it will be in 3D or challenge PP/TWÆs title as the best pinball, but it has a Duke Nukem table. So take a look at what is to come.
* Coming *
(1) Timeshock!
(2) Ballistic Pinball
(3) Balls of Steel
(4) Slam Tilt
(5) Combat Pinball
(6) Williams rumored games
* *
(1...) Timeshock, publisher Empire
The second table in the Pro Pinball series. Not so much has been spoken about this game, and not much can be told. They have so far been rather quiet about this simulation.
For further reading see the interview in this mail with Adrian Barritt, the lead programmer of Timeshock!.
(2...) Ballistic Pinball, publisher Team 17
Ballistic is a pinball that looks like it going to be something. It gives you 3D tables which is what a pinball requires to give the true feeling. And by the way, yes it is Team 17 who are releasing a pinball game. The game will future 3 tables:
Worms: Based on the big hit game by the same name. Cartoony graphics, easy-listening music, and a table layout with plenty of nice repeatable loops and orbit shots.
Alien Breed: Futuristic sci-fi theme. Blast aliens, rescue hostages. Hi-tech table containing plenty of mechanical gadgets and visual special FX. Techno music and plenty of rendered LED animationÆs, and some interesting video modes.
Rally Fever: Racing theme. Manga-style graphics, a more basic, symmetric table layout with nice sense of speed and repeatable alternating ramp shots. Rock music and roaring engines.
For further reading see the interview in this mail with Stefan Boberg, the lead programmer of Ballistic Pinball.
(3...) Absolute Pinball, publisher Apogee
Apogee making a pinball, this year really is revolutioning, first Team 17 releases their first pinball and now Apogee. As Team 17, apogee will make a table based on one of their past games, the rest of the tables their is nothing official said. The one table something is said about is the one based on duke nukem. The game will be a usual 2D scroller that also gives you some different views. A view except the usual one will be a half screen one. This game doesnÆt look to be a real hit even tough the programmers say the ball physics will be different from the rest. But who knows a 2D game might be good even tough 3D is much more nice.
(4...) Slam Tilt, publisher 21st Century
21st century is the company who has published most pinballÆs, and now they are going to release the Amiga Pinball Slam Tilt for the PC. Slamtilt will be a 2D pinball game, just like the Amiga version.
(5...) Combat Pinball, publisher 21st century
Something magic, play pinball over the Internet. This thing really sounds interesting. Little said about, but sounds great.
(6...) Old rumors
The rumor about WilliamÆs making PC conversions of their pinballÆs have have been around for a while. Team17 once (about two years ago) asked Williams if they wanted them to make PC conversions of their pinballÆs games, but since they asked for a too high royalty no deal was made. One of the persons who attended got the impression that WilliamÆs where going to make the pinballÆs themselves.
Many people have asked around at WilliamÆs only to get the answer that no one know anything about this. But since WilliamÆs have many departments this doesnÆt have to mean anything. But official nothing has never been said that WilliamÆs will make PC conversions of their pinballÆs.
Well, the year has soon passed and in case you have missed any of the pinballÆs released this year here is a list. Things to notice is the USA release of Pro Pinball The Web (which probably nobody has missed). Also the release of Pinball Construction kit is nice to know, not for the construction kit where a very big hit, but anyway...
* Released *
(1)Pro Pinball The Web
(2)Absolute Pinball
(3)Full Tilt! 2 Pinball
(4)Pinball Prelude
(5)Pinball Construction Kit
(6)Pinball Gold
(7)Sports Pinball
* *
(1...) Pro Pinball The Web, publisher Empire
!<It is simply the best>!
This is just the long awaited USA release, but it is the best Pinball ever. The guys who gave all to make the best pinball really managed to do it, but of course all you probably know all this by now =). The game is on of a few to use 3D and does it good.
(2...) Absolute Pinball
A nice 2D pinball, it has fun layout and nice physics, but all to ordinary. Still it is a fun pinball game to spend your time with, even tough it doesnÆt reach the sky as "Psycho Pinball" and "Pinball Fantasies" does.
(3...) Full Tilt! 2 Pinball, publisher Maxis
Windows pinball in all glory, strange looking table layouts but still it is the same (almost) as Full Tilt! And space cadet. Windows pinball is and stays, as pinball games and not simulations.
(4...) Pinball Prelude
!<This Years strangest pinball>!
Ah, this game is, is strange in all ways. But itÆs fun, and the feeling and layout canÆt be compared to anything else. It scrolls all the directions, (that is left, right, up and down). The layouts are psychic, they sort of keeps you at the game. And the feeling, the feeling is bad in some bits but still is good to this game. Because this game is no simulator, it is a pinball you play plainly for the fun.
(5...) Pinball Construction Kit, publisher 21st Century
Well it is one of a few pinball construction kits. It letÆs you create your own tables. The only problem is that you havenÆt got so many choices of how the tables will look. The makers of the pinball is supposed to have said that this is just a beginners kit and that a pro kit will soon arrive. Well, we will have to see about that. The probably only other construction kit for the PC except this one is the Pinball Wizzard 2000. A dos based construction kit that is rather good and gives you big freedom in creating the tables, the quality of the tables created might be different from Pin.Const.kit. A article will be placed on the Ttop web site later on.
(6...) Pinball Gold, publisher 21st Century
Well, 21st century has placed some of their dearest pinballÆs in yet another packet, in this one all tables have a SVGA resolution that you can choose. The tables are from
"Pinball Dreams I,II"
"Pinball Fantasies"
"Pinball Illusions"
"Pinball Mania"
(7...) Sports Pinball
!<The worst game of the year>!
The different tables to the game are:
"Sports Pinball Hockey Edition"
"Sports Pinball Baseball Edition."
"Sports Pinball Football Edition"
"Sports Pinball Basketball Edition"
I really canÆt understand how anyone can make such poor looking pinballÆs like this one theses days. This pinball is absolutely nothing to get, because the graphics are lousy, the sound bad, the physics non and the layout nothing. There is currently four tables in this Sport pinball series. The tables might have some kind of charm in them, but I surely not canÆt find it.
In case any of you have missed this notice on the web site, here it is:
"Interplay┤s PP/TW contest has now started. December 1 -> 10 January it will be official open for you to send in highscore codes and win prizes. I haven't really understand the rules. You fill in a form and send in your code, so far it's easy. But after that donÆt knoe if they pick just a send in score at random that wins, or if they pick the highest score send in that week."
This is the current list of pinball games for the IBM/PC computers, all games listed here are officially released ones. The list is not complete since itÆs hard to list all of them, but it is by no means a false list. It gives you a good understanding in how many pinballÆs it currently exist. The numbers are for listing purpose and not ranking purpose.
"Please notice that I donÆt asure you this list is either correct or complete"
__________________________________________
==========-~^-_Pinball List_-~^===========
TITLE | DISTRIBUTOR
1.Pro Pinball "The Web" Empire Interactive (Interplay)
2.Pinball Fantasies 21st Century
3.Pinball Fantasies Deluxe 21st Century
4.Pinball Illusion 21st Century
5.Pinball Dreams 1,2 21st Century
6.Pinball Dreams Deluxe (P) 21st Century
7.3D Pinball Vcr/Total Pinball 21st Century
8.Pinball Mania 21st Century
9.Absolute Pinball 21st Century + UDS
10.TILT/3D Hyper Pinball Virgin Interactive
12.Pinball World 21st Century
13.Pinball Arcade (P) 21st Century
14.Pinball Expert (P) 21st Century
15.Pinball Construction Kit (C) 21st Century
16.Perfect Pinball (P) 21st Century
17.Pinball Gold (P) 21st Century
18.Extreme Pinball Epic Megagames
19.Epic pinball enchanged Epic Megagames
20.Silverball Epic Megagames + Microleague
21.3D Ultra Pinball Sierra
22.Creep Nigths Sierra
23.Take a Break Pinball Sierra
24.Tristan Amtex Pinball Classics
25.Eigth Ball Deluxe Amtex Pinball Classics
26.Royal Flush Amtex Pinball Classics
27.Fireball Amtex Pinball Classics
28.Crystal Caliburn Solid State Software + Little Wing
29.Loony Labyrinth Solid State Software + Little Wing
To my knowledge these are the only two sites about PBS I know. It is a neat little community we got :). It always can be good to hear different opinions.
** The New Pinball Heaven **
This site futures highscore lists for many of the pinballÆs existing. It also has reviews and opinions about released pinballÆs.
http://www.snip.net/~nashua/pinball.htm
** Martin Mathis' Pinball Simulation Page **
Nice site with many reviews of many pinball games.
