Just found in a dictionary the meaning of "scathing" - my critics were not meant to be harsh!

Just thought, that each part of this game needs to be absolutely perfect, because the user looks at it a thousand times again and again.

Sorry about that - got caught up with another matter...

The animation has been mentioned...so I am not too sure what else should be mentioned. Getting good animation...especially when you can't just toss some body armor or bulky clothes on the model is not something that is very easy. There are a few options which you can look into...I'll need to examine it a bit closer though, and then I'll fire off an email regarding them.

The sound hang up seemed to be more noticeable on machines with an on board sound card than those with the after market sound card. Probably due to the added CPU hit involved with onboard sound cards.

A bit more flashing light would be nice I think. Most the pachinko parlors I have been to in Japan had lots of lights flashing all the time (almost to the point where you would need to put a warning to epileptics...something which you might consider for the gimmick quality alone).

Cat still chases the balls around when I put it up on the projector...so it passes her approval.

I tested it on my main PC and it ran with no hang ups at all - other than the minor sound...and I only noticed that because I was looking for it (not really surprising). I than fired up my test box and gave it a go. Worked well enough on that (no game play problems...loading took a bit, as did exiting). That was an 800 MHz P3 with 128 MB RAM and a 64 MB ATI 7500.

Might consider having a windowed option. Games like this are often used to pass time while the boss isn't looking or when the kids are busy doing homework (or whatever else). Being able to quickly tab out of the program would be a major bonus.

I'm going to run the monkey (program that executes random keystrokes ranging from one key to all the keys at once) on it right before I go to sleep to night to see if anything happens too. Should be OK, but you never know.
__________________________

Quote:

---

Just found in a dictionary the meaning of "scathing" - my critics were not meant to be harsh!

---

Not to worry, that is a bit of that NZ sarcasm slipping in. He didn't mean that your comments were too harsh.

Just to let you know A.Russel that your site hasnt been named from Untitled Document yet.

*feeling observant*

Yeah, webpage is in its early stages. I just did enough to get it up for the BETA test. Should be more to see there by the end of the weekend.

Myrlyn68 -thanks for the testing. I've implimented the windowed mode already, it only took a few minutes. You couldn't take a picture of your cat going for pachinko balls for my webpage, could you?

The sound is using Direct Sound apparently. It's probably because I have so many sounds loaded in there. Possibly what is happening is that sounds are getting swapped out, in the same manner as when you try to load too much into your video card. Triple X has just made a plugin that gives control over what you load and purge using Direct Show, so perhaps that would be the way to go.

Quote:

---

Not to worry, that is a bit of that NZ sarcasm slipping in. He didn't mean that your comments were too harsh.

---

Pappenhiemer, yep, a bit of NZer sarcasm slipped in there. You can't hear the tone of my voice on this notice board to know when I'm joking, but just imagine I speak like Kevin Bloody Wilson (or Rolf Harris, if you're a family man) with my vowels about an octive lower. To an Ausy's ear it would sound a bit like "ai hud sum fush n chups un wundy wullungtun," wheras they would say "geeve us a sex pack of bire." Just be thankful you don't come from a country with a lot of sheep; I'd really have to tease you. Anyway, your criticism is welcome, constructive and very well appreciated. I like a lot of your ideas, too. The physics makes such a hit on the processor I won't be able to impliment all of them, but thank you.

Yulor: X buttons for closing windows are a good idea. I was just a little lazy to impliment them, and just made them close when you clicked on another part of the screen. It would make good sense to include them, as people expect to close windows that way.

Thanks for the lectures about humor and wit in New Zealand etc.!
I love this sort of knowledge!
It's a great thing to use such knowledge to spice up a game's dialogs and characters!

I was going to play it again a minute ago, but I guess the seven days is up.

I had a thought about jackpots though.
Maybe you could give a button, so the player has some control over when the slot stops.(if they do nothing it'd play like it does now)
Might not be like real life pachinko, but would give the user more chance for skill.

*drags feet into thread*
I'm back! & with some screens for ya.


Seems you have random "yellow stuff" sticking out of the machine on level 2.

Seems a file wasnt included in the resource again. *tear. The game still ran without it though.

Other Bugs:
On level 2, the pachinko girl froze. (She stoped swaying like she does in level 1)
When you change resolution, quit... and re-enter game... the "Loading..." pannel is off center. Easy fix though
The spinners froze on level 2 when loading a game... I cant remember which save slot.
When loading a game, I appeared inside the machine.... I'll try to figure out how i did it.

Other Comments / Exc.
Really nice job on the pachinko girl. She is ummm.... accurate enough
I never knew about the "roving camera" thingy. Its kinda neat.
Come on baby, saterday night! It isnt even a setence... yet its permenently stuck forever in my mind.
You should animate somthing else besides the odd panning of the pachinko girl for the standing animation. It looks kinda erie.
Very nice job again! (No spinners fell)

Think thats about it.

Cheers,
AMan

EDIT: Fixed Pics.

Didn't run into any problems. A nice improvement since the last time I played it several weeks ago.

Some thoughts as I play Pachinko... as theyu occur, as it loads and runs...

Cool design, colors, and it looks fun from the outset.
The text is pixelated and difficult to read... "Click Bug Balls and drag handle to start... oh BUY not bug...
I dont know what pachinko is... wish I had a tutorial level... or a quick start guide...
Where is the handle? Ok the Yellow ball... which way to drag it.. and what now?
Ok the balls are flying around, dropping. Is this like pinball? Is it a skill game -- do I do anything to control the balls in the machine?

Hey I think Im winning...

Artistic consideration -- more contrast on screen -- some shadows or darkness to relieve the eyes... darker background for the numeric display (I had a calculator that looked like that a long time ago... before computers). Rounded graphics are pixelated at edges. Sounds and music are fun and add to the enjoyment of the game. Graphics overall are great.

Very Good! Dance! Dance!

Fun game. I'd like to know about it -- how do you play, how do you win, whats its place in Japanese culture.

Poke Smot -Don't worry about your BETA expiring, there'll be another one soon.

From your, and others, comments I've added another skill factor to hitting jackpots. Rather than have buttons to stop the reels, like in some slot machines, you have to overflow the four slot limit on the tulip and get the ball down the little hole under the screen a number of times to trigger a chance game. Above or over one of the four catch bins a light will start to flash, and if you can direct a ball into that bin before the light stops flashing you will trigger the "Ken Fujino Fight!" chance sequence.


Aman -Thanks again for your screens, observations and bug reports. Level 2 is a bit messed up, isn't it? I'm reworking it, as well as adding a level 3. The "stuck in machine" after loading a saved level 2 game is fixed (at least I'm pretty sure it is) and you can test it in the next release, which should be soon (I have a day job, so not too soon).

Quote:

---

Very nice job again! (No spinners fell)

---

You have no idea how happy I am to hear that!

Also, awesome high score. 11 Super jackpots, wasn't it? Amazing.


Glad you like it, too, Orange Bratt. The next release will have more special effects in it (likw some of the stuff Pappenheimer was taling about. I was encouraged by Myrlyn's reprt that it runs on a 800Mhz P3), so should be a good one.


Muralist -Yeah, I've heard your questions about what pachinko is from a few people. I've imroved the help menu (which will get another overhaul). I wish you'd suggested the tutorial mode before I did the voice recording. Anyway, she does say at the beginning to right click for a menu, and people should try that if they are lost. I'll need to put some more instructions in there. The website will have pictures and information about Pachinko, as well as specific help and information about this pachinko video game (the world's first 3d pachinko game if I'm not mistaken ). I have an interview with a pachinko shop owner next Monday that I will use, as well as pictures of the real parlors, staff, players, games, and underground info on the darker side of the bright lights with Yakuza and North Korean involvement.

The pixelated graphics have been noted. Sometimes its my fault for not antialiasing. It also has some to do with keeping texture sizes down and the maximum size I can get a render out of Lightwave. It mostly looks better in the highest resotion mode and 32 bit depth (comes on at a crappy default 800X600 for people with weaker computers).

Quote:

---

I had a calculator that looked like that a long time ago

---

I was actually going for that effect . I've had some positive comments about it. Ah well, can't please everyone.

I'm really happy to hear that you found it fun to play.