Sunday, October 26, 2014

Status Update #4 - New Multiball!

Hello! Development is slower than usual right now, with school and Smash Bros. 3DS taking up most of my time, but still I have a few new updates on JUBR to share! So, let's get started with...

Biggle's Bagels Multiball

I've added some new playfield component's primarily used for a new multiball mode, called Biggle's Bagels Multiball. Here's a screenshot:

Wireframe kickout and hidden diverter
First off, the bumper area represents Joe Biggle's bagel shop, Biggle's Bagels, which is obviously where the name of the multiball comes from. This multiball mode is lit by hitting the bumpers a set number of times. (Probably something around 50 or 100, at least for the first time per game.) Once lit, shooting a ball into the bumpers will instead cause it to be diverted to a VUK in the upper left of the playfield, underneath the ramp. A new ball will be placed in the plunger lane and multiball will start the moment the ball is launched. The goal of this multiball mode is to shoot one ball towards the bumpers, where it will again get locked, but only for about 10 seconds. While it's locked, you must shoot the second ball into the bumpers, and each time a bumper is hit, it will raise a jackpot multiplier up to 12X. Once the ball leaves the bumper area. the jackpot will be awarded times the multiplier, the locked ball is released, and you simply try to repeat this process as many times as possible before one of the balls drain. The jackpot will be raised from bumper hits.

Other tweaks and improvements

Here is a list of some other changes and additions I've made:
  • Greatly improved the pointed lights. Before I had shaped pretty much each one from scratch, but now each one is based off of one light, just rotated and resized accordingly. The ramp-Bus Stop combo value lights have been colored to look like a stoplight.
  • I am working on an overhaul of the missions and rounds system. I got rid of the two seperate types of modes, and merged them into one set of five. These modes will be started the same way as missions, by lighting the four white targets. I hope to be able to program these modes in such a way that still allows people to be able to lock balls and other things while a mode is still active.
  • Art is still a work in progress, but is a little closer to what it will look like when finished. Obviously the bus art on the bottom of the playfield will be adjusted to fit the lights properly.
  • A little bit of programming and a little bit of bug fixin'!
Finally, here are some fresh pics of the game right now:

Close up on the new lights. Note the five lights in front of the bus that represent modes.

Entire playfield as of 10/26/2014

Twitter

From now on, I'd like to try and tweet a little more often and a little more pinball focused, maybe even an occasional screenshot of progress on JUBR, or some other table designs I have lying around on my computer. My twitter isn't ever going to be 100% pinball, but I'll try to make it more focused on pinball stuff and JUBR development.