Thought a bit about it, read a bit about it. More comments are welcomed but in the meantime here's what I suggest: - The left series of light would be used for an end game bonus. - Current game multipliers would keep multiplying the base score during game and be diminished when the ball drains. - After game, all multipliers obtained during the game would be 'restored' and the final end game bonus would be multiplied by that total. So you'd have a sense of what will be the end game bonus but there would still be a bit of mystery around it. - The end game bonus would be balanced such as it'd be hard to have it exceed the base score and even harder for it to massively exceed the base score. - Score, bonuses and multipliers events would be re-shuffled in the game.
In real pinball, bonuses are typically achieved by completing goals, and then multiplied at the end of ball. Like say 'hit target X for 10,000', the player hits it 5 times during that mode, and they achieve a 4x multiplier during play. At the end of the ball, 10k x 5 x 4 = 200,000 point bonus. It depends on the pin, but on some games the bonuses can be HUGE. Many, many times the value of the base score. On most modern games, a bonus averages I guess 10-20% of the base score, but it all depends on the skill of the player. Maybe if the lights on the left represent the score of the end game bonus, and the lights on the right represent the bonus multipliers (as they score as two separate values in typical pinball). I can't tell if you're meaning to have a bonus score running alongside a base score, as in typical pinball, or are just applying the bonus multiplier to the base score (that's what it sounds like you mean). Balance is a HUGE focus. Glad to hear that's on your mind. Shuffling values from game to game also sounds interesting. I will say that it is interesting that the current scoring fits closer to the 'endless' model than to a pinball model. Low scores that grow as the player gets further in the game, rather than a skilled pinball player hitting all the bonus jackpots and multipliers and beating a long playing, low scoring game, as can happen in pinball. Also, the scores are in the hundreds, rather than the millions or billions like pinball. In an endless game, the player is rewarded with a high score for surviving longer. In pinball, its all about skill, not necessarily game length.
So, bonuses in a typical pinball game are always added at the end of the current ball and never builds up for a whole game? I was suggesting to have 3 separate values, events that increase the multiplier, events that increase the base score (x multiplier for current ball) and events that increase the end game bonus (x total (nerfed) multipliers obtained in all games). I can see that there's a lot of ways we could proceed but it's a good point you raise, saying that for an endless game it might be more proper to have a game-length-score-build-up instead of a ball-by-ball-score-build-up. I'm willing to discuss other variations though. The scoring system will probably keep evolving as we think about it and as we receive feedback. About the re-shuffle, I meant to redistribute balance the events effects based on the upcoming modified score system (like changing the effect of a minigame for another effect), not re-shuffling the effects every game, otherwise it could become a bit confusing.
Glad you're having fun! I may understand what you're saying but I'm not sure what to do about it. If you miss your target and the ball goes fast, it go around and come back to your flipper faster. If the ball goes slowly, it will take more time to go back to your flipper and it will reduce the overall pace of the game so I'm having trouble seeing the advantages of reducing the launch speed but I might be missing the point.
It depends on the pin. Games like Bram Stoker's Dracula have various bonuses (ie. rats, bats, etc) and if you collect the rat bonus on ball one and it is 30 million points, it is awarded at the end of each ball, for a total of 90 million bonus points. Bonuses are always awarded at the end of each ball (so they are awarded three times on average), but there are also awards in-game often like 'collect bonus', where hitting it can score your bonus while the ball is in play! I think for PBF, scoring the bonus at the end of the GAME makes more sense than life by life or whatever. No matter how bad the player is, there is ALWAYS a bonus at the end of every ball in modern pinball. It might be a tiny bonus if the player doesn't build the bonus while playing, but there is always some award. I think we are saying the same thing. Three values building at once - bonus, base and multiplier. That is the same as conventional pinball and I would recommend that scoring system for PBF.
I've been playing this quite a bit when I can find some free time, which is normally late night in bed! It's a lot of fun already I agree that the score needs to be numbers but dots are fine for the multiplier. I'm finding enough room on my iphone 5s for the flipper controls on either side on the screen but the ball does seems a little floaty if that makes sense, I was going to suggest upgrades but I see you plan on putting that in so that's good news. I've had no crashes to report but I've not tried it on my iphone 6s plus or ipad mini 3 yet all of which are running IOS 9.2.1 Now back to the testing!!
I don't know if you're referring to gravity but I can boost it and run some tests to see how it would affect the game. About upgrades, there's a whole meta-game which is currently planned. For now, we'd like to add 3 types of items in the upcoming shop: - Power-up unlocks and upgrades - Mini-games unlocks and upgrades (boosting their effect) - Visuals unlocks, like new balls, pimped flippers and walls, this sort of things The shop would also introduce a natural way to give info to the player about mini-games or power-ups. Perhaps we'll hear more suggestions for the shop as things move along!
I've boosted gravity a bit and it seems to be pushing the game in the direction of several comments: - Reduces the 'roll-around-the-screen' a bit - Makes the ball hangs in the air a bit less - Makes it a tad harder to secure the ball with the flippers - Increases the pace a little For the next testflight build, we're in the process of making a big iteration on visual aspects: - Shockwave effects when a block is destroyed (we've just tested it and it's cool, adds a lot of wow effect) - The overall thematic will be pushed. The blocks will show they 'real face' from time to time, transforming into blocky monsters for a moment (increasing the Space Invaders feel) - Following the same 'invasion' thematic, the zone to defend will be replaced by a city that you have to protect. Was thinking about having a big shield over the city, displayed for as long as you have more than 1 life. - And more...
Thanks but localization is always a nightmare so we tend to avoid it and put our efforts on the core. If this changes I'll remember your offer though!
Here's a sneak preview of the next build! City as the new 'death zone', explosions system, blocks randomly showing their 'monster face'. It's an invasion folks!
Awesome! I can't wait! I read what you plan to change and I like it. I also definitely like the idea you have for the shop. What I would ask though is you consider having currency doubler in app purchases. People like myself don't mind purchasing these types of things for FTP games. It allows me to actually play the game to earn things I want, but feel I'm getting good returns for my time as well as contributing financially to the devs. Just something to think about. The other thing to think about in the future after this one is done is making Don't run with a Laser sword II. I will keep bothering you about this until my dying breath or until you guys relent to my demands. You have been warned sir lol Billy
We often bind currency doubler to premium unlock IAP so that would be one way to do it. I have sad news...we can't make Don't Run With a Laser Sword II.... . . . . . . . . . But Don't Run With a Plasma Sword II is one of the two other games we currently have planned for the year!!
Get out! No freaken way! Oh man I am so happy! You guys really are awesome! Don't run with a PLASMA sword is one of my favorite games. I actually played it when I had an android device and when I finally came over to the iPhone honestly it was one of the first games I looked for. I don't know why but I can just play and play and play. Ok back to this game! I really love the idea of different balls and flippers. Maybe even different flipper shapes. They would have the same hit zones but just cosmetically look different maybe. Billy
I second the currency doubler IAP! I love those! Wondering what to spend currency on first though... haha... And I've played quite a bit, but I'm not sure I've seen the mini-games. Are they just in the form of the 'next wave', or do they play off screen?
I wonder if I'm confusing people with the terminology. I call mini-games any side track that has a 'goal' and a 'reward' like: - Whack-a-mole for added multiplier - Hit targets in right order for score bonus - Hit 3 targets on both sides for an extra life Later on, there will be stuff like: - Hit a button that fires a laser that destroys bricks in its line - Turn a set of side tracks to the same color to destroy all blocks of the same color on screen This sort of things...you guys might have new ideas too. There's also fancier stuff we could do. Or chaining a series of 'side-tracks', completing each 'goal' would trigger the next 'track-goal' with a bigger reward at the end. There's really lots of possibilities to dig around the concepts found in the game. This opens room for future updates featuring 'new tables' with new twists on thematic, rules and gameplay.
Ooooook, I understand what you mean by 'mini games' now. I don't recognize the whack-a-mole mode, but I definitely understand the extra life targets and whatnot. Mini-goals I guess is more what I was thinking. A mini-game to me invokes a game taking place on another playfield, as is common in pinball, both physical and virtual. And yes, there seems to be a lot of possibilities, and its exciting that you are developing even more ways to interact with the game.
Yeah it seems that what we're doing/planning here for minigames would be cover a wide spectrum of names in pinball. The whack-a-mole is the one with long strings of cells on both sides with the target that spring randomly among those cells. The target appearance is not time-based though, but we're planning more 'target-games' based on timers. I'd be curious to hear examples of games taking place on another playfield in pinball, as this might give us new ideas. I've been reading about wizard mode (or boss mode) in pinball and already found that inspiring .
To be honest, When you said mini games I thought you meant mini games like there are in other pinball games. If you do the right set of things, like whack all those side buttons a mini game would open up. That's what I thought you meant originally. Billy
