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VPL - Virtual Pinball League.


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Wotto's real life pinball league along with a post by a member in the high scores thread about a VP table got me thinking.

 

We have the MGL, and I have raised a console league before, but what about a virtual pinball league?

 

Real life pinball leagues are fantastic for local players, but hard to organise across a vast distance. This could easily be solved by a virtual pinball league, the tables are readily available, easy to all play the same table etc.

 

I think it could be great, but unfortunately I don't have the time as such to run it, organise it so leaving the idea open for someone run with depending on the response in this thread.

 

Thoughts?

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For the guys already playing visual pinball is there a good number of real tables available and working nicely to choose from? Its been a long time since I looked at vp.

 

I assume we would only use recreations of actual tables for the league?

 

 

 

-------------------------------------------

Sent from mobile phone - All errors are the mobiles fault.

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The latest version of Mata Hari plays REALLY well on VP for one of the SS titles, Genie is another.

Quite a few of the older games have been ( re ) done/ re drawn to play very well.

 

Not a lot of DMD games play REALLY good - I think AFM ( latest ) plays good from memory.

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I just ran through the install for Visual Pinball and loaded up some tables that I was familiar with.

 

MM, PZ, TZ, FH.

 

All up I think they are great and could easily be used for some VPL gaming.

 

Have to try out future pinball as well to compare.

 

DKong: PinballArcade is not out yet for PC I believe, it's on most other formats though I think. Issue here is the cost, not a lot of course, but not free either. Though the tables are outstanding. Anyones thoughts?

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All the new ones are good ..... CV , MM , SS , TOTAN , AFM , BBB , BSD , FS , HS2 , LOTR , MB , NF , R&TRS , STTNG , TSPP , TAF , T2 , TFTC , TOM , WH2O , XF

 

Plus some good solid states and some EMs.

 

Also Haunted House was just released

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If somebody wanted to step up and run it then I'd have no issue making a section for it but it wouldn't be no small undertaking.

Problem I see is a comprehensive guide would be needed showing people how to set up and where to download tables from, it could get complicated for some peeps.

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If somebody wanted to step up and run it then I'd have no issue making a section for it but it wouldn't be no small undertaking.

Problem I see is a comprehensive guide would be needed showing people how to set up and where to download tables from, it could get complicated for some peeps.

 

There is already a comprehensive setup guide that can be linked to on the VP Forums. Still no small undertaking with organising it all, collating all the tables that are good, setting it up and managing it etc.

 

I used the guide on their forums and it is very straight forward.

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The question becomes - how do we prevent cheating? After all, it's *really* easy to cheat in VP (think: use pinmame to trigger switches and such, then load up VP to bring up high score table).

 

Then there may also be fake tables or tables modded so they're easier...

 

At least with PinballArcade things are on a more even footing.

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The question becomes - how do we prevent cheating? After all, it's *really* easy to cheat in VP (think: use pinmame to trigger switches and such, then load up VP to bring up high score table).

 

Then there may also be fake tables or tables modded so they're easier...

 

At least with PinballArcade things are on a more even footing.

 

No different to the MGL. It is an honor system and really there is no need to cheat as it is just a bit of fun. We are all adults and I would hope cheating to get a few kudos on a forum is beneath us.

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So lets start nutting out the structure. I guess the MGL has pretty much nailed it so how does this sound:

 

Number of rounds to be decided: Do we want two or one week rounds?, How many rounds?

Pins in comp: As per MGL allow people to nominate pins, this works nicely by allowing people to nominate pins from VP that they know play well.

Point scoring per placing etc.

 

Any other ideas on structure, suggestions etc?

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I play PinballArcade on my wife's Sony Tablet S and it's pretty good, worth paying a couple of dollars for, I like to support the developers in the hope they will bring out more. I used to play it on my phone sometimes, not as good as it's too small, but now it's stuffed and crashes my phone needing a hard reset.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing it on PC, scores are linked to Facebook so all we would need is an AA pincade group to post scores to, I have not checked out that feature yet but I'm sure it would be easy. No mods no hassle, FB haters can just miss out, they would be used to that anyway :lol

 

I have looked at VP in the past but found it overly complicated to set up, if there is such a thing as a quick start guide for it then I might be interested. But it would want to be really good to beat PinballArcade.

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Table consistency might be a bit of an issue - what is the situation as far as AA is concerned in regards to hosting or being associated with possibly copyright tables? ie Where would everyone get the exact same quality table from? (as a lot of vp tables are a bit crap).

 

Certainly not trying to throw up roadblocks on this as I would be in like Flynn (been watching the thread and keeping my mouth shut for once).

Edited by Dyson
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Dyson: No need to keep your mouth shut thrown the ideas in it all helps. As for the tables. My thinking here was for the person who nominates the table, to also post the link to the table they are using. This would mean we all play the same table the same as everyone plays the same game rom in the MGL. Also, the thinking is the person suggesting the table knows that one plays well so provides the link for it.

 

Rat: VP does not come close to Pinball Arcade I do not think, it is ok but to me the physics are just not up to scratch as much. Having said that my issue with pinball arcade is table selection. With only 8 tables and one on the way there really isn't much of a selection.

 

If the VPL takes off and becomes a regular thing I think it would get a little boring just playing the same few tables. :unsure

 

Also, Pinball Magic is not on PC yet, deal breaker I think as the VPL should be open to as many people as possible on the same platform.

 

VP whilst not being as technically gifted provides the selection of tables, and everyone on the same platform. HERE is the setup walk-through I mentioned above.

 

As for copyright concerns I don't think there is anything to worry about, again pointing to the MGL with Roms being played.

 

If we can nut all of this out I think we can get something going, I don't mind running it if need be.

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Just setup a Virtual pinball - sight unseen except for video from the net.

 

I have not had much luck finding something tablewise that would be playable and would appreciate the links to what you guys have been playing / work well.

 

Wotto mentioned Mata Hari and MM would be worth a look. Looking forward to helping get this underway.

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Just setup a Virtual pinball - sight unseen except for video from the net.

 

I have not had much luck finding something tablewise that would be playable and would appreciate the links to what you guys have been playing / work well.

 

Wotto mentioned Mata Hari and MM would be worth a look. Looking forward to helping get this underway.

 

on the VP website you can select VP9, and then search by recreations and most downloaded. Those tables should be the best I would say.

 

Back on Pinball Arcade. I found a listing of the tables they will release coming up and a rough timeframe:

 

Monster Bash (June DLC)

Gorgar (June DLC)

Attack from Mars (taken from Facebook post on February 7 - release date unknown)

Creature from the Black Lagoon (taken from iOS release description on February 9 - release date unknown)

Black Knight (taken from iOS release description on February 9 - release date unknown)

Space Shuttle (taken from iOS release description on February 9 - release date unknown)

Pin•bot (taken from iOS release description on February 9 - release date unknown)

Big Shot (taken from iOS release description on February 9 - release date unknown)

Either Dr. Dude or Earthshaker (most likely Dr. Dude - taken from Gamezone interview with Bobby King on January 29 - released within first year)

TAXI (taken from Facebook post on March 27 - release date unknown)

Strikes and Spares (taken from Facebook post on April 29 - release date unknown)

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VP9 would be best , most of the VP8 tables are outdated.

 

The other thing is that there are a few tables that need a pretty beefy system to run.

What runs smooth for me , might not run on someone elses system.

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I'm starting to think this could be split into two, you guys can bang your heads on the table trying to get VP working up to scratch, while the rest of us play PinballArcade :)

 

I would like to see a PinballArcade sub section in the Pinball high scores forum, not as a time limited competition, but the same as the real pinball high score tables are run. I'm not sure if it's time to set that up now or wait till the PC release? Anyway if that doesn't happen now I will hold that thought and bring it up again when it's released on PC. Noticed this morning that Circus Voltaire is the free game of the month, but this time they have ads that pop up between games :( quite annoying. Oh well the more cash they make the more incentive to do a good job of all those upcoming titles :)

 

 

I hope the VPL works out for you, and I might have a look at it in the future, but ATM my gaming time is all taken up with real pinball, PinballArcade and soon the MGL.

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I just did my first FB login through PinballArcade, you can limit the posts it makes to viewable by yourself only which is good, but it seems people have to be on your friends list to see their scores, I suppose that is to be expected. I will look at the settings later, might be able to post a score to a group, that would be cool, then we wouldn't need to "add" AA members to our FB "friends" just to compete with their scores.

 

I can only see DKong's hi scores ATM, pity I can't upload some of my old scores, it only posts your highest as you beat the last one on it's records, so I have some work to do :)

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