VP Cabs - Virtual Pinball Machines

[TrekMD]

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While I was at FreePlay Florida, I had the opportunity to enjoy various "virtual pinball machines" from a company called VP Cabs.  I was quite impressed with these as you can essentially emulate any table they've licensed but on a table that let's you experience games as if you were using a real pinball machine.  These tables have haptic feedback so it feels like the ball bounces on the table, things vibrate, etc.  They are pricey, though.  Check out the video below and look at some of the tables at the link further down.

[align=center:14e3tcao]http://youtu.be/3Hg2kF9Ceqc



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[Isgoed]

Nice video, thanks for sharing!

[zapiy]

They are awesome. Prefer a real one but beggars can't be choosers.

[TrekMD]

Well, there are advantages to these.  Low maintenance, you can choose them the size you want, they do have haptic feedback to help them feel more real, you can have a ton of different tables without having to have an airplane hangar to keep them all...

[zapiy]

That's a good point but there is something special about the sound and look of the real moving parts. That authentic feel you just won't get from these. Like you say though, You could have a million different virtual boards.

[TrekMD]

Well, of course the real tables are special but I'm just looking at these with a pragmatic approach as a hobbyist.  You can't replace the feel of the real tables (I guess not until someone makes holographic virtual tables that perfectly emulate the physics of real tables). 

[Lorfarius]

That's a good point but there is something special about the sound and look of the real moving parts. That authentic feel you just won't get from these. Like you say though, You could have a million different virtual boards.

Problem with the real kit is the maintenance when it all goes wrong and they do quite often! You really need to know your stuff and they can be a fire hazard, seen one lately where someone had left an old manual tucked up in the wood beneath that caught fire from its aging electrics!

There's a couple of UK retro arcade makers looking into making the virtual ones. I've always wanted one and I'll prolly pick a decent one up when it comes out.