Zen Design Issues

[FoxyLoxy]

AKA Why I Don't Play Zen's Original Tables Any More: an OPINION

or... how I'd like Zen's original tables to improve, by learning the lessons of the Williams tables.


BACK-STORY

I used to spend a lot of time on Zen's tables on 360. But, over time I became frustrated with some of Zen's design choices. When it came time to build a Steam box, I bought many of the tables again, but found I didn't actually want to play them.

My frustration with Zen's design stems from a couple of key issues. I've shared these thoughts with Zen in the past, but many of Zen's tables continue to exhibit the same issues, even across different designers.

The frustration has been compounded by the fact that Zen obviously care about attention-to-detail and polishing their products. And it's no secret that they were heavily inspired by real-life tables for their own virtual tables, so it's always seemed weird that some major, obvious real-life design elements were not translated to Zen's work.

With the addition of the Williams tables, the Zen design flaws are even more stark.


AUDIO, PART 1: CANNED MUSIC AS THE AUDIO ENVIRONMENT

I believe audio is Zen's Achilles Heel.

I don't mean in terms of bitrate or quality. I mean the way Zen employ audio, and more importantly, the way they don't.

As a studio, their approach to audio is not integrated. From the very early days, audio has come second to the visuals, with the use of canned sound effects, the use of music as an overall table "audio environment" and the use of sub-par voice-overs and call-outs.

Though the games have evolved somewhat since the days of Excalibur, Buccaneer and Rocky & Bullwinkle, it's surprising just how little the overall audio design has improved. In some ways, it regressed.

The Marvel and Star Wars tables probably represent the nadir of Zen's approach: a "cinematic" orchestral or faux-orchestral track is used as the basis for the audio environment of the table. It is the key to the entire audio experience. Where Gorgar and Space Invaders and Meteor and Firepower had heart-beats and rising tones to push the audio experience along, a Zen table provides entire tracks. At their worst, they don't push the experience along; they just act as a kind of audio wallpaper.

But if you turn the music off -- or you are watching a Twitch stream -- you are left with a ghost-town of a game. You quickly realise just how little audio there is on the table. Half of the game feels missing. That music track may be dour, inappropriate or repetitive -- you may even hate it -- but without it the game doesn't feel alive.

So the music is papering over an audio deficiency; a design failing.

The tables don't have a "heartbeat": an audio identity outside of the music track.

And in part, that's because....


AUDIO, PART 2: AUDIO PHYSICS

... a Zen pinball table doesn't sound much like a real pinball table.

On a real table, ball roll is a substantial thing: you hear and feel it. You hear the ball picking up speed across the mylar. And you'll know it when the ball hits the glass. (Something that does not happen in a Zen table, due to a lack of z-axis support.)

In real life, if you get two or three balls hitting each other at speed, you'll know about it. And you WILL hear those flippers. They are electro-mechanical devices and they make an absolute racket.

A Zen table doesn't sound like a physical thing where solid metal balls are rolling across scratched varnish, smashing in to metals, plastics, woods, all echoing in a glass box.


AUDIO, PART 3: CALLOUTS, VOICE-OVERS

Too often, Zen's callouts and voice-overs are inappropriately dour or subdued, too lengthy or just sub-par.

Some of the voice talent has improved over the years, particularly with the Disney franchises, but there are plenty of missed opportunities still haunting Zen's collection.

i.e. Rome. "Day-us-ex-mashina" indeed....

Or the inexplicable bored Valley Girl droning on Pasha. (I mean, WTF?)

(It is truly baffling to me why Zen have not fixed these particular issues, after so many years.)

Then there's the concept of the animated toys, and the role they have in a Zen table.

We have Spiderman and Doc Ock slinging (juvenile) one-liners against each other. And Fake-Yoda spouting fake-Yoda-isms. And Wolverine telling us who is best at what he does, blah blah blah. Every. Single. Ball.

These elements are so overused, and become so repetitive I just want to turn them off. This is always going to happen on a game that you replay many times. But when you do turn those elements off, there's nothing to replace them... the game feels sterile.


THE HOLISTIC APPROACH: TIMING, REWARDS

Even where audio elements are of good quality, and are appropriate, they are often used in isolation; a single sound sample is used as the audio for a major event (e.g. a Super Jackpot), often without any build-up, anticipation and release. Without a corresponding light-show.

Or the audio is played at an improperly low volume level relative to other, more minor events.

By way of contrast, look at MM or Fish Tales. Instead of isolated audio tracks and the odd flashing light, those tables employ a build-up (anticipation) and release that uses a combination of audio tracks and lighting and timing that rewards the senses.

Zen, if you want to see how it's done, just start up multiball on AFM. The entire sequence is a master class in how to build up anticipation and reward the player through the senses.



Ok, I'm done for now. This is all just opinion, so your mileage will vary. Any considered feedback is appreciated.

[PinStratsDan]

I thought this thread was about gameplay and not audio ;-) . I don't have much to say on that front as I play with the music off (listen to my own music) and play with the sound low. I"m easily distracted, especially with repetition in audio, so the Williams tables also don't work for me. Anyway, I know I'm in the minority on this so have never bothered with it.

The reasons why I stopped playing is simply to do with a game taking too long to get anywhere i.e. too easy. The Williams tables stop that gap as even a decent game (with Classic Arcade Physics) won't take forever. So, unless Zen's own designs from now on works with both the Zen physics as well as the Classic Arcade Physics, I doubt that I'll ever go back to it. There are now two very different requirements from their players and by offering both types of physics they can satisfy both needs.

[p.mohen]

The best real life pinball sound has "The machine" (bride of pinbot) because the music, followed by Back Knight 2000.
The best ZEN table is Boba Fett because the perfect mix of music, sounds/speech samples, a Terminator2 look-alike-layout , Boba himself as ballsaver and a colorscheme that let the whole table look like a Dig-Dug-level.

[wentzelitis]

my biggest problem with zen originals is that they don't make them anymore! i mean i guess star wars tables are "zen originals" but I want some real originals like mars, zeus, etc

[punchobastardo]

Prologue: First of all my biggest issue right now with the old Zen tables is not audio (which annoys me immensely as well and the only way to not infuriate myself in the past was to turn off either music or/and voiceover -depending of which of the two was worse-), but the fact that after having played the realistic classic-tournament physics of the Williams tables I can't go back to the old floaty air-ball ones.

Now, as far as audio concerns, I agree 100% and more, though there's so much I would like to tell to let the steam out, that 10000 lines would not be enough... I'll try to keep it in a reasonable length and am going to include some video examples too.

Zen's audio is their biggest weakness, it doesn't matter how good you design the table if the audio, the music, the acting and the effects are not captivating, motivating, offering a fullfilling, satisfying experience and the sense of reward. While the licensed tables have vastly improved in that aspect, (and they were the only ones that I could tolerate, with the addition of Wild West -though the music volume must be toned down as well because it can get pretty monotonous too) many old ones are trully atrocious and annoying, and should have been either erased from the catalogue, or should have been reworked.

Take V12 for example, the actor saying different words but in the same high-pitched tone and with the same horrendous acting performance, sounding so "fake":

"V...Twelve! - Engine... Ignited! - Ball... saved!" Same actor is in "Tesla" iirc with an extra "eastern european" accent, in "Shaman" with the same horrible V12 tone and in some other tables that I don't really want to remember. Horrible everywhere. You can't connect with the actor because it is not believable that he cares, how can this be exciting and motivating?

Music:

In general, cinematic "soundtracks" that are generic, tasteless, forgetable, emotionless, motivation-less, disconnected from the gameplay and game atmosphere, it is like they slapped a random track at the last minute. Not thought out, not dynamic, not adjusted to the mission objectives.

With what table should one start... The repeated vocal choruses of Excalibur? In pinballs, there is enough voice with the voiceovers, there's absolutely no need to use that kind of music. It positions itself to the foreground, while it should be in the background. "Tesla" music, which feels so disconnected from the rest? It's like someone have put a random track playing in the background... "Biolabs"? The soundtrack of it which is like we are dancing to charleston music? In a bio-lab themed table?

Speaking of "Bio-Lab" there's a similar table from Pinball Wizards, called "Mutation" in the Balls of Steel pinball pack of 1997... You can instantly feel from the music and the voices that you are in a mysterious lab with experiments, you can hear the scientists, the ambient in the background, the agony in some missions, that's audio design connected to the gameplay. Check it:

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93I3aECip3Y )

Notice also @5:00-6:00 the mission mutli-ball, where the motivating music, composed being affine in energy and rythm with the more action packed 4-ball gameplay, the motivating comments, and the actor's good performance (excitement), combined together produce excitement and satisfaction. That's AAA entertainment right there!

Same with "Barbarian" you feel you are a Barbarian, they made it like you are Schwarzenegger's Conan, as the character yells, celebrates, commentates, there are different voices for the missions, there are sound effects of "exploration", "mystery" etc, an epic "viking-kingdom-like soundtrack in the background and so many details (start @0:36, 3:18 video mode, multiball 4:35, 6:44 another mission)

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSbowMaH98I&t=36 )

Those tables, together with the rest of the pack like Duke Nukem and the Williams'/Bally' ones should be clinics to sound/audio design and it's a huge surprise how Zen is so bad in that regard, while they produce interesting tables, their audio design is holding them back at becoming a benchmark and "classic" in the pinball genre as Williams/Bally are. It's the reason (together with the real physics as I've stated being the #1 reason), that I'm only playing the Williams tables since their re-release.

[The Space Ferret]

I'm glad someone agrees about the audio. The repetitive voice overs are just the worst, and lots of them are just too long. Same with the music. It's not dynamic.

[Etchasketch]

This was a really well written criticism. I hope Zen takes note.

[Ronn]

This is coming from someone who's been playing Zen originals since the 360 days, got all their tables on Steam, Switch, Android as well as the VR Version.

Zen always had bad sound design, so much so that you have to look past it to enjoy the tables, most often both the music and the sound effects feels like an afterthought, something they just slapped on quickly after the table was finished. In the early days all tables had similar upbeat music tracks that really didn't fit the theme of the tables, a lot of sound effects that sounded similar, the same cheery voice samples. Modern Zen Originals are a bit better but still not very good.

I've always wondered what kind of experience Zen tables would be with truly good sound design, I think it would make a huge difference.

[Ronn]

Here is an example of truly great audio design on a pinball table, fortunately we might see it in Zen in the future, imagine this table without this level of audio design.

https://youtu.be/hBmETI8AziY?t=52

[FoxyLoxy]

Some suggestions to fix long-standing problems, and improve the gameplay and overall experience:

1. The Zen (Originals) DMD.

Although the DMD animations have mostly improved over the years, the actual quality of the faux-DMD has not.

Even with different colours applied, the DMD's contrast level is very low.

And even at the largest size, the DMD's contents are often too small:

- The typography -- with strokes -- makes for complex reading. The typography should be solid, not stroked, and should contrast strongly with the DMD background. And avoid using serif or ornamented type faces on DMDs.

- Important messages (e.g. DANGER, for a first tilt warning) are tiny.

- It's extremely easy to miss major mission objectives. Often, objectives are quickly replaced by other information, some of it not useful. This is exacerbated by the lack of audio and visual clues for major gameplay events. A character saying "multiball" in bored voice does not cut it.

- Timer countdowns are usually tiny. You have to squint to notice that there's a timer running on a mode, and then you have to decipher what the timer actually says.

Compare, contrast with the Williams DMD, and the design of the graphics therein.


2. Grace periods.

Williams and modern Stern tables provide significant grace periods after the official end of modes and other timed sequences.

i.e. when a Jackpot timer runs out, you usually still have a few seconds to make your last shot.

It's a very nice, satisfying touch.

Zen, as far as I know, do not do this. As soon as a mode times out, bang, that's it. It's harsh, and frustrating.


3. Score animations.

Question: what's the difference between 100,000,000 and 10,000,000? They both look the same. But one is a major jackpot -- and the goal of a mode -- one is minor.

Question: what's the difference between two 10,000 scores overlaid next to each other, and 100,000,000? They both look the same.

Suggestion: ensure that major scores (e.g. Jackpots, Super Jackpots) look LARGER, more substantial, obvious. Different colors if needed.

And they should look LARGER, more substantial and obvious on the DMD.

[Matt Beeching]

I tend to agree Foxy, perhaps it's personal preference but there's often a slight lack of excitement and spectacle which makes FX tables feel a little too friendly and pedestrian at times.

Real cabinets are bright, loud and 'in yer face' - necessary design choices as they'll spend their working lives vying for attention and quarters. This chaotic onslaught also makes them rewarding and engaging for the player over repeated plays.

Below are different approaches to similar themes and features but I know which I prefer.

FX3: Jurassic Park - 0:27
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfY4GhdnG0k&t=27
Data East / VPX: Jurassic Park - 02:57
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6tPwcyDye4&t=177
_____

FX3: V12 - 03:04
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgrk8P9IQWk&t=184
Stern / SPA: Mustang - 11:23
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH0yNn947tg&t=683

I'm a huge fan of PFX and this is intended as constructive criticism but there are clearly areas for improvement with regard to lighting and audio. Fear Itself is one of the older tables but I think it's an underappreciated gem with exciting sound design and snappy callouts - If only I could dim the lights and increase the bulb intensity!

[punchobastardo]

Actually things are simple, if I was Zen I would make my research regarding the music, sound samples & effects of popular US pinballs of the past (for PC or real tables) and contact those guys to outsource the whole audio production to them. Having produced so many tables with pretty awful audio performance, it's obvious that US composers are compositionally on a truly better level. I'll mention Balls of Steel again as an example (see videos and time marks above). You need 2 seconds to get in-love with that music, instead of Zen's music that leaves you... not cold, frozen.

[Matt Beeching]

These David Thiel videos may be of interest, he's a sound designer for many real cabs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYjKzryUTLw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2f1jdZ6WbY

[Mb]

I 100% agree with the original post! The audio part, especially music and how it's a "generic backdrop" is just silly. It's one of the reasons why the original tables never feel truly exciting and why when you start a new mode or mission it never really feels like you are starting one.

Indeed Zen has completely ignored what has been learned by other companies when it comes to pinball and how the sum of many small parts creates the whole.

Especially how the music just keeps droning on, regardless of mode/mission is what always put Zen pinball apart from something like the Pro Pinball series, not just the physics. The Pro Pinball series (Timeshock, BRUSA and Fantastic Journey) always felt exciting and novel to play.. very rewarding feel when playing those, and one of the main ingredients was the variation in music and sound effects, all approriate for the various modes.

I've always had the nagging feeling that the Zen employees are not really pinball fans, that they are just a normal video game developer who somehow do not understand nor enjoy pinball. They like making graphics and coming up with themes but not actually playing pinball.

This has obviously changed with the Williams tables but of course this time around all they had to do is simply copy the already fantastic designs of Williams. Like a composer simply copying another much more talented composer.

[Mal]

Originally posted by Maggot Brain:

I've always had the nagging feeling that the Zen employees are not really pinball fans, that they are just a normal video game developer who somehow do not understand nor enjoy pinball. They like making graphics and coming up with themes but not actually playing pinball.

You are completely and 100% wrong.

[Mb]

I hope so. It's a bit weird how they missed some fundamentals of what makes pinball pinball.. things that have been slowly evolving for literally at least 30 years and become standard. There are reasons for standard good game mechanics.

There are also usually reasons for when somebody disregards standard good game mechanics, or any good "mechanic" in any genre, be it art, music, teaching, politics, advertising, movie making etc.

.. just saying.

EDIT: Could it be that the crew of Zen mainly grew up with computer pinball "simulations" of the 80's and 90's? There are quite a few design queues from those days, especially from Digital Illusions set of games (Pinball Dreams / Fantasies) and the Epic pinball tables (Android table etc.). Some of the same wonky flipper behavior/ball trajectories is almost identical to what those games did back in the day. The difference being they really did try their best to be "simulations" but with limited technology. Pro Pinball was the first series to change all the previous weird behavior of computer pinball simulations but was never as widespread or mainstream as many other pinball games on various consoles and computers, unfortunately.. thus their influence wasn't the same.

My point is: A person who devotes a lot of time to something usually starts noticing the small intricacies of that particular hobby/interest. You are bound to get influenced by it. Thus somebody who plays a lot of real pinball would have a really hard time coming up with the original Zen pinball physics.. or mainly the weird flipper behavior (arguably the most important part of a pinball machine and something that even real pinball designers stress about, what exact angles and power yield the best game play). Thus this development would make kind of sense if the original Zen tables were more inspired by the video game pinballs of yesteryear instead of actual real pinball.

Many of those early pinball games also had the exact same way with the music where it just droned on and on as a backdrop instead of working as it did on most real pinball tables (Digital Illusions being sort of an exception where you did get some "mode" music sometimes).