Interviews

February 11,2008

Is it Reality? Or is it Dream Pinball 3D?
By Louis Bedigian

“Dream Pinball’s foundation is based on realism.”

Generations before video games took over as the number-one form of entertainment, the beginnings of interactive content could be found at your local malt shop. It wasn’t Pong or Pac-Man – it was pinball. The ball-flipping, point-multiplying game introduced the world to coin-operated entertainment.

Decades after the first table was created, and just years after the once-thriving arcade market came to a close, pinball remains an important part of gaming. On the consoles both Sonic and Mario have taken a stab at it virtually. In malls and movie theaters you’ve likely spotted newer pinball tables touting movie and TV licenses, including The Simpsons.

But it wasn’t until the Pinball Hall of Fame series arrived that a video game had managed to capture the true essence of a real pinball table. This April SouthPeak will attempt to take it one step further with Dream Pinball 3D, a game that merges the real-world mechanics of pinball with fantasy elements that could only be done virtually (or in this case, on Wii, DS, and PC).



GameZone spoke to SouthPeak to see how the game is coming together.

The latest generation of pinball video games has all but annihilated the previous generations. Aside from looking great, developers have finally managed to get the pinball feel just right, as evidenced by hits like the Pinball Hall of Fame. Dream Pinball 3D is another realistic-looking title – now tell us: how will it improve on the traditional pinball formula?

SouthPeak Team: Dream Pinball 3D has everything modern-day pinball simulations have: realistic physics, multi-level tables, multiple flippers, skill shots, combos, elevated rails, multi-ball play. But it adds some fantastical elements that separate itself from the others, who concentrate on the recreation of real machines. In Dream Pinball, we use particle effects to simulate electrical sparks coming off a spinner as the ball passes through at high speeds and the ball itself can change to different materials during the course for a game. We also have a multiple dynamic cameras that zoom and pan around the tale for a more immersive experience.

What does it take to re-create pinball in a virtual environment? Which elements – the weight of the ball, the speed or resistance of the flippers, etc. – make the biggest difference?

SouthPeak: Getting the physics just right is important so variables like weight, gravity and friction play a part in keeping the experience realistic. Tuning the forces on bumpers and flippers can make a big impact on speed and difficulty but in the end, it’s the design of the table that governs its overall success. All the turning and physics don’t add up to being fun if the table has is poorly conceived lines and skill shot areas. We spent a long time turning each table to play just right.


Pinball games usually go in one of two directions: fantasy or reality. Dream Pinball 3D seems to have elements of both.

SouthPeak: Dream Pinball’s foundation is based on realism but we introduce fantasy elements like cool lighting and particle effects plus the different ball materials. Ball material changes are based on score and depending on the selected level of difficulty, a ball change will take place at 10, 20, 30 or 40 million points. This will affect the balls speed and reactions; it also increases the point value of all targets the longer you are able to maintain that ball in play. So you start with the basic steel ball and work your way through all materials until the ultimate material, gold. This is the heaviest ball and has maximum point values but there are six materials in all to challenge players.

It has been announced that the Wii version will use motion controls, the DS version will use the touch screen, and the PC version will use a mouse. These are three very different control styles... Can you explain how they'll work?

SouthPeak: We opted to keep the traditional button uses for most controls. During testing, we found flicking the controller for flippers was inaccurate which resulted in loss of the ball or a misplaced shot.

Other than the control differences, how will the three versions of the game differ?

SouthPeak: We recreated the same immersive experience on all platforms even the DS is played on a full 3D table. The DS version has support [for] 2-player Wi-Fi support and the PC version has a global high score list so players can upload their score and compare it to player from around the world.


What are the themes / styles / layouts of the six tables being planned for the game?

SouthPeak: The six tables are quite unique. They range from pure medieval fantasy found in Knights Tournament and Amber Moon to an underwater sea world called Aquatic. There is a Halloween themed table called Monsters and a military table called Spinning Rotors, which comes complete with a helicopter with spinning blades planted in the middle of the table.

Are there going to be any hidden passageways to uncover in any of the tables?

SouthPeak: There are skill shots, drop holes and bonus targets not in clear sight but with our dynamic zooming camera it won’t be hidden for long.

What visual and physical (bonus items, etc.) rewards will be given for high scores, new achievements, etc.?

SouthPeak: In the PC version, posting first place to the Internet high score list will be the biggest reward for some players. Since we do not have licensed tables we didn’t include any behind the scenes or history on the tables.


Pinball is typically a solo affair, but with multiplayer modes appearing in almost every game released these days, I'm wondering if there will be any competitive or co-op features in Dream Pinball 3D?

SouthPeak: The PC and Wii versions allow 1-4 players to taking turns but the DS has Wi-Fi support and it allows 2 players to play simultaneously. You’re not sharing the same table but you are competing simultaneously for a higher score since your opponents score is displayed and updated on your screen.

Thank you for your time.