26 January, 2014

A new, season three, table by Farsight


The Pinball Arcade collection of Farsight has just become one table richer. (By the way, I am really worried about the new shenanigans of Farsight: in this, third, season they are publishing new tables one by one and selling them at the same price they were selling a lot of two tables in seasons one and two. What will they come up with next?)
Anyhow the new table is Black Rose


a pirate themed game which I find funny. Graphically appealing table, uncluttered playfield, with some nice features. It has even a cannon shooting balls. As always, the game is almost unplayable with the standard ball. However, as my friend Doc-Nick has advised, I started experimenting with various balls. (Mind you; most of them are totally useless: they are there just to justify (?) the price Farsight is putting on the extra ball packs). Here is what I prefer


The white ball is visible most of the time. If only Farsight were coming up with a silver, non reflecting, ball...

7 comments:

  1. I also have been playing this with a season 2 white ball. It improves the visibility. The game is indeed a funny game and has some nice objectives.

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  2. I agree, when I first discovered the usefulness of alternate balls, whiuch was a fluke, actually, because for the pool hall table I thought it would be great to use an "8 ball".. I found it really did help visibility.
    Regarding the hidden price increase, that is, one table per "table pack", I complained bitterly aboput the dishonesty of them saying that it was a "price decrease" on their facebook site, when in fact it was a price INCREASE! A *doubling*, in fact.
    And you know what? I got RAKED through the coals by all sorts of people saying "You should be *happy* to get such a good deal, and "there's no price increase, it's the same as it was last year, 29 bucks" and other idiots.
    How can you argue with people whose math is that bad ?
    And.. how the heck can you call ONE table a table "pack" ;-)
    aah well.. the only way I could justify the expense was to buy a season pack.
    Which, incidentally, you cannot get from Apple, anymore. Only Steam.
    I think I will leave it at this. I know it must look by now as though I'm a chronic complainer.
    It's not that actually, it's more I just hate being blatantly swindled by merchants. An honest mistake, or a fair and warranted price increase I have absolutely no problem with, but to increase the price and then lie about it, and the reasons why, or even deny there IS a price increase, when it is obvious there is, it hard for me to swallow.
    And Apple.. oh don't get me started on Apple.
    You know why there's no season pack three available? Because they cal it
    "unfinished programs" and they're not allowed to sell them. Well, OK, maybe, but they allowed it before when pack one and pack two were not finished..
    I can see their point, but they should have done it from the start.
    Oh well....

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    Replies
    1. I did get a season pack, just before Apple decided to block the season packs. I agree on the pricing. It's not the first increase either. I've been buying their tables from day one (even before that). Still, I like playing the pinball games and the only way I can justify the costs for myself is I used to spend many more coins on real machines.

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    2. DId you get an Apple season pack? If so you're one of the lucky few! I expect you would had to have have gotten it right when Fishtales came out..
      I didn't, but not to worry.. Steam saved my butt! I still can't figure out how Apple allowed two different sales options on an Apple approved app.. AFAIK, it's the only example..

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  3. Oh I forgot to mention about this table.. I do like it. I developed a liking for it from a PC program "The Williams Collection" (a different one from the Farsight one).
    Still waiting for "Junkyard"...

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  4. Well.. , if you ever needed more prima facie evidence that it's really "all about the money" with these guys, here's their response re 8 Ball Deluxe or Royal Flush:
    On january 26 at 17:28, someone asked: ''Are there any of the older, electro-mechanical games like Slick Chick or Royal Flush coming any time?'' Farsight replied: ''Probably not. As much as we love older tables they don't sell very well.'' Someone else asked further: ''How do you know they don't sell well?'' Farsight replied: ''Comments from fans regarding Central park, big shot, genie, and el dorado.''

    So waddya think about that? Suure they "love older tables".. but not enough to miss out on every single penny of profit..

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  5. Hi Vasili! Yesterday I got the latest table (Black Knight 2000) and was it ever a difficult table to see the ball on. Finally found it's the *green* ball that fixed that (which is why I'm making the comment here so it helps others) . It's just a hunch, but after having played it, and now having an idea of what you like, I don't think you'll like this one very much. Might be wrong, but I don't think so..

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