Sunday, November 17, 2013

Pinball Battle: The Multiplayer Version of Pinball Masters

If you're already excited about Pinball Masters, wait until you hear about the multiplayer version! Imagine sitting down across from your best friend at a long, flat pinball table. Each of you have your own set of flippers, but you share a ball as you try to force the opponent into three ball losses. You have targets you can hit on your own side to earn points, which will allow you to buy equipment, such as temporary stoppers to prevent the ball from exiting your side, and one-way doors, which will reflect the ball back onto the opponent's side of the table, while allowing it through when you send it across to the other side. Once your opponent has lost three balls down their side of the table, you clench your victory!

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Switching to Unity

Greetings! This week I have begun making the switch to using Unity3D as the development tool for my pinball game. It has a lot of incredible functionality, which means there is a lot to learn! So far, I have the main game components added to the screen, but no flipper motion yet. Here's a quick clip of the game:


Monday, November 4, 2013

"Just One Minute": A Pinball Masters Gameplay Excerpt

The player pulls back the plunger, exhales, and launches the ball onto the table. The ball speeds through the launch ramp and into the gameplay area. The player can hear the ball as it ricochets back and forth between the bumpers, causing lights to flash and points to build. Watching intently as the ball makes its way down the table, the player tries to anticipate its arrival. Noting the ball traveling directly down the center, the player attempts to gently tilt the table. Unfortunately, the ball still escapes down the drain, but is saved and automatically relaunched. This time, the player manages to activate the flipper in time to send the ball back onto the field. As the player continues to bounce the ball around the table, a series of flags are triggered, and the player is given his first mission. A friendly assistant offers to grant shielding if the player shoots the ball up the left ramp in the next 30 seconds. A skill shot launches the ball up the ramp just in time to earn a basic shield in his inventory. The player decides not to use the shield at the moment, but to wait until he has to fight the next enemy. Hopefully he can also earn some healing and weaponry by completing other missions before he has to battle THE PINBALL MASTER!