Want to play Hyperspace Pinball but you're not at your desktop? No problem, because you can also play it from your mobile device! Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gamieon.hyperspacepinball iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hyperspace-pinball/id449062825?mt=8 You're welcome to post feedback on that in the discussion threads; but the preferred away of leaving mobile feedback is to tap the button on the main menu that e-mails me directly. Don't forget to rate it after you play!

How is it different from the desktop version?

Like the desktop version, the mobile version has limitless levels. However rather than cycling through all of the levels, you can cycle through the first five levels for free. When you lose, you have the option to watch a video ad to get two extra balls. To get all the offerings of the desktop version however, you must purchase the in-app content.

But I already bought the Steam version...do I really have to pay for in-apps to get all the mobile content?

Yes. The desktop and mobile versions may look similar, but they had different development paths, maintenance costs and optimizations. When you watch an ad or buy an in-app, you're helping me break even with development costs that the Steam version did not have.

[ 2016-08-27 16:00:39 CET ] [ Original post ]

Want to play Hyperspace Pinball but you're not at your desktop? No problem, because you can also play it from your mobile device! Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gamieon.hyperspacepinball iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hyperspace-pinball/id449062825?mt=8 You're welcome to post feedback on that in the discussion threads; but the preferred away of leaving mobile feedback is to tap the button on the main menu that e-mails me directly. Don't forget to rate it after you play!

How is it different from the desktop version?

Like the desktop version, the mobile version has limitless levels. However rather than cycling through all of the levels, you can cycle through the first five levels for free. When you lose, you have the option to watch a video ad to get two extra balls. To get all the offerings of the desktop version however, you must purchase the in-app content.

But I already bought the Steam version...do I really have to pay for in-apps to get all the mobile content?

Yes. The desktop and mobile versions may look similar, but they had different development paths, maintenance costs and optimizations. When you watch an ad or buy an in-app, you're helping me break even with development costs that the Steam version did not have.

[ 2016-08-27 16:00:39 CET ] [ Original post ]

If you're using an X-Box controller with a rumble pack in it, the latest build of Hyperspace Pinball should now by default make the controller rumble when the ball hits a bumper. Thanks, TurtleSquared, for this feature request and for helping out in the discussion threads too! The operative word is "should" because It Works On My Machine (TM) and I have not personally witnessed it work on a Mac or Linux machine despite my attempts to get them to recognize my controller. If this feature works with your controller and you don't like it, you may disable it from the Options menu at the bottom of the Controls tab. Please post any feedback you have on this feature in the discussion threads.

What's next?

I'm taking a small break from new feature development again. I'm about to re-release an unrelated mobile game of mine after spending months giving it a big makeover. We're also approaching the one year anniversary of the release of Hyperspace Pinball, and I'm pondering ways to celebrate the release and to celebrate the wonderful player base that helped make it a success.

[ 2016-08-21 01:38:58 CET ] [ Original post ]

If you're using an X-Box controller with a rumble pack in it, the latest build of Hyperspace Pinball should now by default make the controller rumble when the ball hits a bumper. Thanks, TurtleSquared, for this feature request and for helping out in the discussion threads too! The operative word is "should" because It Works On My Machine (TM) and I have not personally witnessed it work on a Mac or Linux machine despite my attempts to get them to recognize my controller. If this feature works with your controller and you don't like it, you may disable it from the Options menu at the bottom of the Controls tab. Please post any feedback you have on this feature in the discussion threads.

What's next?

I'm taking a small break from new feature development again. I'm about to re-release an unrelated mobile game of mine after spending months giving it a big makeover. We're also approaching the one year anniversary of the release of Hyperspace Pinball, and I'm pondering ways to celebrate the release and to celebrate the wonderful player base that helped make it a success.

[ 2016-08-21 01:38:58 CET ] [ Original post ]

The big change is finally done; there is no more level cap in Hyperspace Pinball. The ending animation will still appear in the formerly final level; only instead of ending the game it will take you to the next level. It will look a bit like the levels you've already played but with a different color scheme, more difficult enemies and slightly faster speed.

What's next?

I have my sights set on X-Box controller rumble pack support now. I hope to have that in the next update; no ETA yet because I need to learn how to make it work first.

[ 2016-07-31 18:39:38 CET ] [ Original post ]

The big change is finally done; there is no more level cap in Hyperspace Pinball. The ending animation will still appear in the formerly final level; only instead of ending the game it will take you to the next level. It will look a bit like the levels you've already played but with a different color scheme, more difficult enemies and slightly faster speed.

What's next?

I have my sights set on X-Box controller rumble pack support now. I hope to have that in the next update; no ETA yet because I need to learn how to make it work first.

[ 2016-07-31 18:39:38 CET ] [ Original post ]

After a long time working on my other mobile and PC games, the pendulum has swung back to Hyperspace Pinball. This is one of two updates I have planned in the coming weeks. In this update the leaderboard lets you filter on your friends' scores. The leaderboard window now utilizes a scrollbar that you can quickly navigate through with your mouse. The leaderboard controls for the keyboard and gamepad have also changed:

• Left/Right change leaderboard and friends-only filters
• Up/Down let you navigate through the score list; you may hold then down for automatic scrolling.

I also updated the third-party engine that powers the game. If you're a Linux player and you notice any good or bad behavior changes, please post in the discussion thread.

[ 2016-06-05 18:12:42 CET ] [ Original post ]

After a long time working on my other mobile and PC games, the pendulum has swung back to Hyperspace Pinball. This is one of two updates I have planned in the coming weeks. In this update the leaderboard lets you filter on your friends' scores. The leaderboard window now utilizes a scrollbar that you can quickly navigate through with your mouse. The leaderboard controls for the keyboard and gamepad have also changed:

• Left/Right change leaderboard and friends-only filters
• Up/Down let you navigate through the score list; you may hold then down for automatic scrolling.

I also updated the third-party engine that powers the game. If you're a Linux player and you notice any good or bad behavior changes, please post in the discussion thread.

[ 2016-06-05 18:12:42 CET ] [ Original post ]

After a relatively quiet few weeks I just pushed out an update that fixes a bug where a jackpot mini-boss encounter in level 3 could cause weird behavior such as not being able to complete the level. It was first noticed in the mobile version; I subsequently confirmed it to be an issue for the PC version as well. I also added a mechanism that will report internal errors to a developer portal I use with the Unity game engine. Not all errors are obvious crashes; sometimes they quietly cause weird behavior and may be dismissed as one-time glitches. Combined with user feedback, I should be able to identify and fix bugs more quickly. I've been hard at work maintaining all my mobile and PC games lately and I know this game hasn't been getting a lot of love...but I'll get back to new feature development soon. As for bug reports and feature requests, you know I'm always watching :)

[ 2016-04-20 22:34:32 CET ] [ Original post ]

After a relatively quiet few weeks I just pushed out an update that fixes a bug where a jackpot mini-boss encounter in level 3 could cause weird behavior such as not being able to complete the level. It was first noticed in the mobile version; I subsequently confirmed it to be an issue for the PC version as well. I also added a mechanism that will report internal errors to a developer portal I use with the Unity game engine. Not all errors are obvious crashes; sometimes they quietly cause weird behavior and may be dismissed as one-time glitches. Combined with user feedback, I should be able to identify and fix bugs more quickly. I've been hard at work maintaining all my mobile and PC games lately and I know this game hasn't been getting a lot of love...but I'll get back to new feature development soon. As for bug reports and feature requests, you know I'm always watching :)

[ 2016-04-20 22:34:32 CET ] [ Original post ]

First of all, everyone is invited to follow me on Twitch at https://www.twitch.tv/gamieon and watch me stream the development of all my games, Hyperspace Pinball included. Not only can you watch, you can give me real-time feedback! I don't have a set schedule but I will also post on Twitter @gamieon before I go live. Now on to the update: I made the following changes:

• Added a Bonus Spiral that appears on the right side of the table below the top-right flipper
• Flippers now move a little faster
• Bumpers are more responsive when they "bump"
• Reduced time dilation frequency

I also made some under-the-hood changes that prepares the game for the next major feature update.

What's next?

There have been numerous bug reports where the graphics are glitching out in the Linux version. It's to the point where I think I must dedicate a release cycle to combating it. I think the problem is that I expected the game to work on high quality settings for everyone...and it's just not so. I'm considering lowering the default quality and giving users more control over individual settings. People are wondering "Why is only this game having issues? Why can't it render a simple pinball table?" Frankly I'm wondering the same thing, but I'll do my best to fix it.

[ 2016-03-22 22:19:30 CET ] [ Original post ]

First of all, everyone is invited to follow me on Twitch at https://www.twitch.tv/gamieon and watch me stream the development of all my games, Hyperspace Pinball included. Not only can you watch, you can give me real-time feedback! I don't have a set schedule but I will also post on Twitter @gamieon before I go live. Now on to the update: I made the following changes:

• Added a Bonus Spiral that appears on the right side of the table below the top-right flipper
• Flippers now move a little faster
• Bumpers are more responsive when they "bump"
• Reduced time dilation frequency

I also made some under-the-hood changes that prepares the game for the next major feature update.

What's next?

There have been numerous bug reports where the graphics are glitching out in the Linux version. It's to the point where I think I must dedicate a release cycle to combating it. I think the problem is that I expected the game to work on high quality settings for everyone...and it's just not so. I'm considering lowering the default quality and giving users more control over individual settings. People are wondering "Why is only this game having issues? Why can't it render a simple pinball table?" Frankly I'm wondering the same thing, but I'll do my best to fix it.

[ 2016-03-22 22:19:30 CET ] [ Original post ]

I haven't abandoned the game, I'm just real busy trying to push the mobile version out! Today I put out a significant update that includes a minor engine upgrade and bug fixes. Here is a list of new features:

• Added a Restart button to the game
• Added a vSync toggle under video settings
• Brightened up the background of boss 3

And the bug fixes

• Fixed slowness after you earn 1M points
• Fixed issue where balls could still act like the nexus was on the screen after transitioning to the next levels
• Fixed issue where the ball count would on rare occasion appear as a scrambled number
• The ball should now strike Boss 8 (the spaceship) while it's veering left or right

The changes aren't over yet; I plan to have some microupdates over the next few weeks to address other known issues. As always if you have any issues, please post in the discussion threads! I plan to be online on and off this evening until 9pm EST.

[ 2016-02-15 21:32:31 CET ] [ Original post ]

I haven't abandoned the game, I'm just real busy trying to push the mobile version out! Today I put out a significant update that includes a minor engine upgrade and bug fixes. Here is a list of new features:

• Added a Restart button to the game
• Added a vSync toggle under video settings
• Brightened up the background of boss 3

And the bug fixes

• Fixed slowness after you earn 1M points
• Fixed issue where balls could still act like the nexus was on the screen after transitioning to the next levels
• Fixed issue where the ball count would on rare occasion appear as a scrambled number
• The ball should now strike Boss 8 (the spaceship) while it's veering left or right

The changes aren't over yet; I plan to have some microupdates over the next few weeks to address other known issues. As always if you have any issues, please post in the discussion threads! I plan to be online on and off this evening until 9pm EST.

[ 2016-02-15 21:32:31 CET ] [ Original post ]

I just pushed a small update that fixes a bug where multi-ball power-ups did not spawn in the Boss 8 fight. It was designed to be a long battle; it was never designed to be near-impossible. There is still a known issue where the ball seems to go right through the boss when it's at certain orientations.

Future plans

I still have a list of things I want to do which comes almost entirely from player feedback. I've slowed down the update cadence some because I'm working on both the mobile version and on the prototype of another game that I want to put on Greenlight next year. Here are some of the items I'm looking into:

• Changes related to end-of-game flow
• Quick restarting
• Get achievements in endurance mode after the game ends instead of during
• XBox controller rumble support
• Screen rotation without changing Windows video settings
• More achievements
• More enemy diversity
• Fix the Linux startup crash related to Catalyst drivers

If you have an issue or know a way to improve the game experience, please post in the discussion forums!

[ 2015-12-09 22:21:37 CET ] [ Original post ]

I just pushed a small update that fixes a bug where multi-ball power-ups did not spawn in the Boss 8 fight. It was designed to be a long battle; it was never designed to be near-impossible. There is still a known issue where the ball seems to go right through the boss when it's at certain orientations.

Future plans

I still have a list of things I want to do which comes almost entirely from player feedback. I've slowed down the update cadence some because I'm working on both the mobile version and on the prototype of another game that I want to put on Greenlight next year. Here are some of the items I'm looking into:

• Changes related to end-of-game flow
• Quick restarting
• Get achievements in endurance mode after the game ends instead of during
• XBox controller rumble support
• Screen rotation without changing Windows video settings
• More achievements
• More enemy diversity
• Fix the Linux startup crash related to Catalyst drivers

If you have an issue or know a way to improve the game experience, please post in the discussion forums!

[ 2015-12-09 22:21:37 CET ] [ Original post ]

In this update I believe I fixed the problem of the ball falling through the bottom flippers and otherwise bouncing off them weirdly. The operative word is "believe." I think the problem got bad with the major engine update and I didn't test it nearly well enough. Ironically that same engine update allowed me to fix the problem without needing all the hacks I was using before; at least that's my experience here. If anyone is still having bottom flipper fall-through problems after this update, PLEASE let me know ASAP. Friend me on Steam to get my attention if you must. I also added a bumper to level 1; I positioned it so the ball should not fall down the center slot, and at the same time it should still be very possible to shoot the ball with the top left flipper to hit the top right switches. I'm open to hear about that change as well. Fine as is? Remove it? I think it takes a little getting used to but I like it.

[ 2015-11-20 03:07:23 CET ] [ Original post ]

In this update I believe I fixed the problem of the ball falling through the bottom flippers and otherwise bouncing off them weirdly. The operative word is "believe." I think the problem got bad with the major engine update and I didn't test it nearly well enough. Ironically that same engine update allowed me to fix the problem without needing all the hacks I was using before; at least that's my experience here. If anyone is still having bottom flipper fall-through problems after this update, PLEASE let me know ASAP. Friend me on Steam to get my attention if you must. I also added a bumper to level 1; I positioned it so the ball should not fall down the center slot, and at the same time it should still be very possible to shoot the ball with the top left flipper to hit the top right switches. I'm open to hear about that change as well. Fine as is? Remove it? I think it takes a little getting used to but I like it.

[ 2015-11-20 03:07:23 CET ] [ Original post ]

There has been a growing number of reports of people being unable to play because they can't control the ball or because it keeps unfairly falling down the center. I'm sorry about that, and this is the first in a line of patches that I hope will return control back to the player. Here are some of the changes:

• Reduced gravity
• Reduced flipper strength
• Change of "bounce" factor on the ball, flipper and enemies
• Changes in ball throttling logic

I've personally found the experience improved, but there are still some open issues:

• The ball will still sometimes sink into the flipper or almost go through it
• The ball can still slide down the bonus letters into the hole
• Still the occasional unfair ricochet into the hole
• Maybe once in every hundred times that the ball hits an alien near the left side of the playfield, it seems like the ball is getting pulled by a hidden gravity well.

Scoring

Another important change was inspired by a player who observed that nobody could get the 10 million point achievement. So I greatly increased the scoring potential...if you're good enough to be high ranking in the leaderboards, chances are you will get that achievement in the near future. This also means if you play now, your rank will shoot up in the leaderboard until everyone else catches up.

[ 2015-11-07 03:21:26 CET ] [ Original post ]

There has been a growing number of reports of people being unable to play because they can't control the ball or because it keeps unfairly falling down the center. I'm sorry about that, and this is the first in a line of patches that I hope will return control back to the player. Here are some of the changes:

• Reduced gravity
• Reduced flipper strength
• Change of "bounce" factor on the ball, flipper and enemies
• Changes in ball throttling logic

I've personally found the experience improved, but there are still some open issues:

• The ball will still sometimes sink into the flipper or almost go through it
• The ball can still slide down the bonus letters into the hole
• Still the occasional unfair ricochet into the hole
• Maybe once in every hundred times that the ball hits an alien near the left side of the playfield, it seems like the ball is getting pulled by a hidden gravity well.

Scoring

Another important change was inspired by a player who observed that nobody could get the 10 million point achievement. So I greatly increased the scoring potential...if you're good enough to be high ranking in the leaderboards, chances are you will get that achievement in the near future. This also means if you play now, your rank will shoot up in the leaderboard until everyone else catches up.

[ 2015-11-07 03:21:26 CET ] [ Original post ]

A new update is available today that makes it easier to see the ball in two ways:

• When the portal appears, it no longer obstructs the ball
• When you transition to the next level, the white flash now lasts about half as long and the game runs at a reduced speed for about a second

I'll admit the ball may still be difficult to see in front of the portal if it's moving very quickly.

Plans for next big feature

Based on some of your feedback, I've decided to add a fourth play mode called Custom. You will be able to set the parameters of the playfield, such as gravity, speed, alien density, possibly flipper angles; and even a special Michael Bay Mode where balls and aliens continually spawn, allowing for a crazy light show! It's a button masher's dream. The only tradeoff: No leaderboard integration in custom mode.

[ 2015-11-01 14:52:39 CET ] [ Original post ]

There is now a leaderboard for endurance mode. You can view it by going to the Scores screen from the main menu, and pressing the Up or Down button. If you've played endurance mode before, your best score will be posted on the leaderboard after you play in endurance mode once more. I also fixed the spinning flippers in the main menu (which I swore I fixed while working on the engine upgrade patch!) and the joystick navigation in the Scores screen as well.

Plans for the next patch

I'm going to try to make it so the ball will render in front of everything on the pinball table and not be obstructed by particles; and also do a speed adjustment during level transitions so everything is at a near-stop while the screen is white, and gradually returns to normal speed soon after.

[ 2015-10-27 01:46:54 CET ] [ Original post ]

A large update is coming up, and it will not have any new features. Hyperspace Pinball for Steam was developed with the Unity 4 toolkit. To ensure continued development for both the desktop and mobile editions, I chose to move my projects over to Unity 5. One does not simply upgrade a game to Unity 5. After a fair bit of bug fixes and tweaks on my local build, I confirmed it works fine on my computer; but I'll be keeping a very close eye on the discussion threads over the next week. Expect the update to download pretty much the entire game all over again. Sorry, but that's the way it is with engine upgrades.

[ 2015-10-17 14:33:29 CET ] [ Original post ]

It's been a good first week and I want to thank everyone for their patronage and feedback! Here's a list of changes made to the game since launch day:

• Added support for XBox controller trigger buttons
• Fixed the leaderboard page not displaying certain scores
• Faster flippers, wider gap between them

Right now the ability to save and load your game in non-boss levels is being looked into, and could become a new feature in the not-so-distant future. If there's something else you'd like to see, don't hesitate to post in the discussion threads!

[ 2015-10-07 00:49:30 CET ] [ Original post ]

Three years after being posted on Steam Greenlight, Hyperspace Pinball has finally landed on Steam! Hyperspace Pinball for Steam is an arcade shooter for Windows, Mac and Linux with pinball controls that has players battling aliens and making big skill shots through more than 20 challenging and beautifully rendered levels. Score big points by collecting power-ups, running loops, defeating mini-bosses and conquering mini-challenges. You can even compete with other players on the campaign leaderboards and earn Steam badges, trading cards and more than a dozen achievements! Features include: - Stunning, colorful graphics that blend space and fantasy themes - More than 20 challenging levels of unique gameplay - Steam leaderboards and achievements - Collectible Steam trading cards and badges Follow @gamieon on Twitter for the latest news and updates!

[ 2015-09-30 11:05:36 CET ] [ Original post ]

Check out the stream of Highsight playing Hyperspace Pinball with an audience of developers and gamers at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlCFIiJFY9Q

[ 2015-09-02 23:54:14 CET ] [ Original post ]

That's right everyone! If you didn't get a beta key the first time, this is your big chance to get one and help Gamieon find bugs in Hyperspace Pinball while your mind gets blown by how awesome the game is! Hurry and get your key at http://www.deathbybeta.com/2015/08/28/another-hyperspace-pinball-beta-key-giveaway/ before they run out! ...and while you're there, check out their hands on play article at http://www.deathbybeta.com/2015/08/13/hyperspace-pinball-hands-on/ *** UPDATE: We ran out of keys! Sorry folks, that's all! But don't worry, the release is only a month away! ****

[ 2015-08-25 20:32:15 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hurry and visit http://www.deathbybeta.com/2015/08/14/hyperspace-pinball-beta-key-giveaway/ for a chance to get your key! *** UPDATE: WE RAN OUT OF KEYS AGAIN! STAY TUNED AS WE MAY HAVE ONE MORE GIVEAWAY BEFORE THE RELEASE... ***

[ 2015-08-01 14:06:15 CET ] [ Original post ]