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From: koo@tcville.HAC.COM
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.games
Subject: re: Pinball
Message-ID: <11565@hacgate.UUCP>
Date: 2 Nov 90 22:57:30 GMT
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Reply-To: koo@tcville.HAC.COM ()
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Organization: Hughes Aircraft Co., El Segundo, CA
Lines: 57

In article <<11250@hubcap.clemson.edu> robert@hubcap.clemson.edu (Robert
Reynolds) writes:

> Well, I've been waiting for a review of the Karmasoft pinball
> construction set,...

  I was able to create a fairly playable pinball machine using just the parts
  that came with the machine (bumpers & sound).  It took all of one evening to
  tune and adjust, and I still haven't done the graphics yet.  Power Pinball
  comes with 4 different machines which you could use as examples for your own
  creations.

Briefly (on playing):  

    - The game is HD-installable, and has no protection except for manual
      lookup.
    - I had to use 68000 mode on the A2500/30 for this game, so there should
      not be any difference in performance from an A1000.  The game may not
      work on an A3000.
    - Gameplay was much more realistic than 1st Person Pinball.
    - Some things can be tweaked e.g. gravity, bounce
    - I missed Night Mission Pinball from my Apple ][e, but once I was able to
      modify the sounds to my liking, this isn't too bad.
    - Multiball features, more than 2 flippers, and a bonus bumper that 
      pops up and guards the exit would be nice. Flippers are fixed in their
      locations in this version, too. :-(
    - The pinball machine keeps track of 4 players, one person for each
      electronic "quarter".
    - The two Amiga keys operate the flippers, the Alt keys emulate 'Tilt'.

Brief remarks on the construction set:
    - Most of it is fairly easy and intuitive to use.
      Adding events (e.g. lighting up lights, scoring, or reseting the
      target banks) take a little more reading.  But most of the work has
      been done for you.
    - It is a graphical construction set, so there is no need to write code.
    - You can attach sounds to most events, e.g. hitting a bumper,
      end of game, dropping a target bank, background sound, etc.
    - The pinball machine uses 8SVX and FutureSound samples.
    - Designing the machine is rather time-consuming (even without the bugs).
      Most of the time is spent editing spots where the ball appears to be
      trapped (bouncing between 2 bumpers forever).
    - A free update is available by mail: register, then send in your original
      disk asking for the fixed version.

>> Plea <<
  By the way, the pinball machine I'm creating has a spaghetti western theme.
  Does anyone have good sound samples from "The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly"
  that I could use for the opening (e.g. that neat opening music)?  Thanks!
>> End of Plea <<

    Conclusion: Not bad. I'm pretty satisfied, but I wouldn't refuse more
                sounds, more fancy effects, and more flippers.
    Disclaimer: Those bugs had better be fixed in the update disk. Otherwise,
                I take it back.

    Frances