| 词条 | Epic Pinball | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 释义 |
| title = Epic Pinball | image = | caption = CD Cover of Epic Pinball: The Complete Collection | developer = Digital Extremes | publisher = Epic MegaGames | platforms = MS-DOS | released = {{vgrelease|NA|November 1993}} GOG.com{{vgrelease|WW|November 30, 2017}} | genre = Pinball | modes = Single-player, multiplayer | designer = {{Unbulleted list|James Schmalz|Joe Hitchens|Terry Cumming}} | artist = {{Unbulleted list|Robert G. Depew|Joe Hitchens|Mikko Iho|James Schmalz}} | composer = {{Unbulleted list|Robert A. Allen|Joshua Jensen}} }} Epic Pinball is a 1993 pinball video game developed by James Schmalz and published by Epic MegaGames. The initial release pre-dated Schmalz' Digital Extremes name. The game is played seen from a 2D top-down view within a scrollable window with plain raster graphics in 320x200. It was noted for being programmed entirely in x86 assembly language [1] for MS-DOS systems. On November 30, 2017 the game was re-released on GOG.com, with support for Windows, macOS, and Linux. TablesThe game was originally distributed on floppy disks in 3 separate packs of 4 tables each. The original shareware version (and an early retail version) included only the original "Android" table. Later shareware versions and retail versions contained an updated version called "Super Android" (although it's still referred to as "Android" in the game, the table was changed to say "Super Android")
Another table, "African Safari", was included in the "Full Edition" (the CD-ROM version), in addition to the tables from the three packs above. DevelopmentTim Sweeney saw some impressive 3D demos done by a group of Finnish developers that formed the company Future Crew and sent Mark Rein to Finland to recruit them. They declined except for Misko Iho who travelled to the USA with Mark, bringing back an unfinished version of a pinball game.[3] Unable to convince them to allow Epic Megagames to finish the game, Tim showed the unfinished game to James Schmalz in Canada. James developed Epic Pinball (with six pinball tables) from scratch in nine months while he was in college. Tim and Mark kept in touch with James to ensure he was on the right track.[4] The graphics were created using Deluxe Paint II and the music was composed using Scream Tracker.[5]ReleasesIn 1993, the first registered game included only the first two pinball packs. The following year, xLand Games distributed that very version under the title "Fliper".[6] In 1994, the "Crash & Burn", "Jungle Pinball", "Enigma", "Cyborgirl" and "Deep Sea" tables were released as individual games by B&N Software and its child company Strange Ranger.{{citation needed|date=July 2017}} In 1995, all three packs plus the exclusive "African Safari" were released on CD.{{citation needed|date=July 2017}} In the mid to late 1990s, individual tables were given away as free floppy diskettes to customers of Blockbuster Video upon renting 2 or more items. The promotion lasted only for a few months.[7][8] In 2011, the game was partially re-made by Fuse Powered Inc. for Apple's iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad platforms. The game, re-titled as "Retro Pinball", features updated versions of three tables from the original game.[9] Reception{{Video game reviews| PCF = 91%[10] | rev1 = PC Power | rev1Score = {{rating|5|5}}[10] }}Epic Pinball was a major commercial success for its creators,[11] whose internal figures placed it as the third-best-selling shareware product of all time. Designer James Schmalz said in 1999, "Epic Pinball was way more successful than anyone imagined it could be. I went from earning $1200 a month to earning at times almost a hundred times that."[12] According to Epic's Tim Sweeney, it was the publisher's top-selling shareware game ever, and Schmalz earned "more than a million dollars from the shareware royalties" in its first year.[13]Computer Gaming World in 1994 stated that Epic Pinball was superior to the development team's commercial Silverball and "overall quality is very high". The magazine concluded that the $45 registration fee was a good value for eight boards, as "Very few commercial alternatives offer as much without causing your wallet to Tilt!"[14] See also
References1. ^{{cite web | title=Company: History of Digital Extremes | url=http://www.digitalextremes.com/company/ | work= | publisher=Digital Extremes | date= | accessdate=2009-05-22 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090403053415/http://www.digitalextremes.com/company/ |archivedate=2009-04-03}} 2. ^{{cite magazine|last= |first= |title=Epic Pinball - PC Player Review |url=https://archive.org/stream/PC-Player-German-Magazine-1994-10/PC-Player-1994-10#page/n75 |magazine=PC Player |issue= |publisher= |date=October 1994 |page=78}} 3. ^{{cite book |title=Finnish Video Games: A History and Catalog |url=https://books.google.com.mt/books?id=T1tiCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA41&lpg=PA41 |last=Kuorikoski |first=Juho |publisher=McFarland & Company |date=2015 |isbn=978-0-7864-9962-5}} 4. ^{{cite web |title=From The Past To The Future: Tim Sweeney Talks |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/132426/from_the_past_to_the_future_tim_.php?page=9 |work=Gamasutra |publisher=UBM |first=Benj |last=Edwards |date=May 25, 2009 |accessdate=January 25, 2018}} 5. ^Epic Pinball - Read This; Inside Story 6. ^{{cite web |title=Fliper (DOS) |url=http://www.mobygames.com/game/fliper |publisher=Blue Flame Labs |accessdate=2018-03-21}} 7. ^http://www.lastbandit.com/pinrevue.html?pbsim_other 8. ^https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/183692/video-pinball-is-rad-real-pinball-is-rad-talking-about-pinball-is-rad-be-rad 9. ^{{cite web |title=Retro Pinball |url=http://www.fusepowered.com/games.php?gameid=23 |publisher=Fuse Powered Inc. |accessdate=2011-06-27 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429061208/http://www.fusepowered.com/games.php?gameid=23 |archivedate=2011-04-29 |df=}} 10. ^1 {{cite journal |last= |first= |date=September 1995 |title=Epic MegaGames 1995 Catalog - Epic Pinball |url=http://annarchive.com/files2/epicmegagames4.png |journal= |location= |publisher=Epic MegaGames |page=7 |accessdate=15 August 2016}} 11. ^{{Cite web |url=http://www.gamezone.com:80/news/03_13_02_08_44AM.htm |title=Digital Extremes moves from the days of shareware programs to set the mark in mainstream gaming |last=Lafferty |first=Michael |website=GameZone |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020613103656/http://www.gamezone.com:80/news/03_13_02_08_44AM.htm |archive-date=June 13, 2002 |dead-url=yes |access-date=January 15, 2018}} 12. ^{{Cite web |url=http://www.gamesdomain.com:80/gdreview/depart/dec99/de.html |title=Digital Extremes: James Schmalz Interview |last=Kang |first=Jeff |date=December 16, 1999 |website=Games Domain |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001006000731/http://www.gamesdomain.com:80/gdreview/depart/dec99/de.html |archive-date=October 6, 2000 |dead-url=yes |access-date=January 15, 2018}} 13. ^{{Cite web |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/132426/from_the_past_to_the_future_tim_.php?print=1 |title=From The Past To The Future: Tim Sweeney Talks |last=Edwards |first=Benj |website=Gamasutra |access-date=January 15, 2018}} 14. ^{{Cite magazine |last=Miller |first=Chuck |date=February 1994 |title=Shaking Those Winter Blues |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1994&pub=2&id=115 |department=Best of the Rest |magazine=Computer Gaming World |pages=130, 132}} External links
8 : 1993 video games|DOS games|Linux games|MacOS games|Pinball video games|Video games developed in Canada|Software written primarily in assembly language|Windows games |
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