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The Pinball Arcade |OT| play them all from Soho to Brighton
- Thread starter AMUSIX
- Start date
I haven't played ST yet. I'm waiting to hear back from the guy I emailed about it. I have played MET and had a ball. It'll be my first pin, so I suppose I'll see how ownership goes. My parents have a No Fear, and other than replacing the rubbers I haven't had to do anything for them maintenance wise.
You're a lucky man, No Fear is a great game (if a little cheesy). I'm not sure how fleshed out it is as far as rules go (I understand there's some iffy scoring that can be exploited) but it's such a fun machine to play.
I was damn close to getting one, but I realised that for tournament practice I should get a Stern instead of a Bally/Williams and found a nice example of a Ripley's to get instead. But if ever I get the chance to own/store/use more than 4 or 5 machines, No Fear would definitely be on my list.
Honestly one the allure of having it wears off, the game is too easy. I can frequently beat it multiple times a play, and you are right about the scoring. The dirt track nets you 20 million per jump while mode is live, and you can keep it up there all day. With that said it has 2 things that always keep me coming back for more... The "second place is the first loser" never fails to bring a smile to my face, and there is a bungie jump mode that I have only ever been able to start once in nearly 1,000 games.
That sort of sways me into not buying one. The layout is fantastic and great fun to play, but hearing confirmation the scores are out of whack is a shame. Wish it was easy to somehow tweak code for pinball machines!
If you have a chance, see if you can find a video (I can't, despite my efforts) of previous world champ Keith Elwin belittling a No Fear with I think 48 or so upper flipper shots in a row. It's astounding.
Here's a funny pinball story. Sort of.
Was just on holidays at the Gold Coast and was playing the ACDC machine at Timezone. On ball two when suddenly the right flipper button dropped to the floor. Bent down to pick it up which meant I lost the ball. I was surprised that it popped back in and worked fine. Launched the next ball and hit and then a globe from who knows where fell down the table towards the flippers. I was able to hit a couple of times with the flippers before I assume it eventually went down the left lane. I was too focused on the ball to see the exact moment it disappeared.
The strange thing is that this table and the surrounding ones all looked in excellent condition. Weird.
Was just on holidays at the Gold Coast and was playing the ACDC machine at Timezone. On ball two when suddenly the right flipper button dropped to the floor. Bent down to pick it up which meant I lost the ball. I was surprised that it popped back in and worked fine. Launched the next ball and hit and then a globe from who knows where fell down the table towards the flippers. I was able to hit a couple of times with the flippers before I assume it eventually went down the left lane. I was too focused on the ball to see the exact moment it disappeared.
The strange thing is that this table and the surrounding ones all looked in excellent condition. Weird.
It's March, so PAPA 18 is around the corner. And with it coming up, they announced the tables for the divisions, which of course has some tables featured in TPA:
Division A
Mustang
CSI
Medusa
TSPP
Space Station
Cactus Canyon
The Walking Dead
Black Rose
Lost In Space
Creature from the Black Lagoon
Division B
LOTR
Fish Tales
The Rolling Stones (Stern)
Radical!
Time Machine
Revenge From Mars
Batman (Stern)
Quicksilver
WOZ
Mousin Around
Division C
Centaur
TOTAN
Godzilla
Taxi
24
Surf n Safari
Metallica
XMEN LE
NBA Fastbreak
Shadow
Division D / Sr / Jr / Split Flipper
Monopoly
Future Spa
Flash Gordon
TAF
WCS 94
Indiana Jones (Stern)
Pinbot
Funhouse
Division A
Mustang
CSI
Medusa
TSPP
Space Station
Cactus Canyon
The Walking Dead
Black Rose
Lost In Space
Creature from the Black Lagoon
Division B
LOTR
Fish Tales
The Rolling Stones (Stern)
Radical!
Time Machine
Revenge From Mars
Batman (Stern)
Quicksilver
WOZ
Mousin Around
Division C
Centaur
TOTAN
Godzilla
Taxi
24
Surf n Safari
Metallica
XMEN LE
NBA Fastbreak
Shadow
Division D / Sr / Jr / Split Flipper
Monopoly
Future Spa
Flash Gordon
TAF
WCS 94
Indiana Jones (Stern)
Pinbot
Funhouse
twinturbo2
butthurt Heat fan
On further reflection, I'm okay with Cyclone being this month's table. Anyone remember the poll before the last one, which Diner won? The other two choices were Cyclone and Earthshaker, and both of those were added with season 4. I'm now confident that the nine pre-1980 tables in the last poll will be added eventually.
Had the weirdest dream last night... a capacitor (or something) had blown on my Ripley's and the inside of the backbox was a mess. I had to hurry to clear up all the acid it had leaked (don't even know if that's a thing or not). I remember being more pissed about potentially losing my scores than the condition of the machine, strangely.
Thing that shits me about being in Australia is there are very rarely any comps (at least, in Melbourne) that involve anything other than a small handful of Sterns or more than 1 or 2 Bally/Williams machines. So even if I ever, EVER get to something like PAPA, I'm so devoid of experience with any of the titles they have, I'm basically fucked. Shame, as I'd love to travel over there for a comp.
It's worth listening to the most recent Coast 2 Coast too, there's an extensive interview with Cayle George where he gives his own perspective on each of the A games used.
Thing that shits me about being in Australia is there are very rarely any comps (at least, in Melbourne) that involve anything other than a small handful of Sterns or more than 1 or 2 Bally/Williams machines. So even if I ever, EVER get to something like PAPA, I'm so devoid of experience with any of the titles they have, I'm basically fucked. Shame, as I'd love to travel over there for a comp.
Just remember that the ones in that initial poll were of Farsight's choosing, and the "pre-1980s" poll was all nominations and voting from PAF members. So it's likely they already had access to Cyclone, Earthshaker and Diner whereas the others will be a lot harder to come by (I'd imagine).
Got back into TPA after not touching it since Season Two. The pinball sim is still really good, but jesus christ, the UI is SO BAD. Besides the "download all previously purchased tables" button, I actually think it's gotten worse.
I'm trying to buy Season 4 on iOS, and as far as I can tell... I can't? Nowhere in the app am I finding an option to buy the entire season. Only individual tables -_-
I'm trying to buy Season 4 on iOS, and as far as I can tell... I can't? Nowhere in the app am I finding an option to buy the entire season. Only individual tables -_-
nicoga3000
Saint Nic
I seem to remember reading that iOS users cannot buy a Season Pass anymore. Either buy them one at a time, or wait until they are all released and buy them all at a discount.
That's the worst.
Reinstalling the app, it seems to have eaten/not saved half my high scores, but the other half are there.
I also received an error when trying to connect/log in with Facebook, but when when I canceled, it actually looked like the FB connect worked after all.
I'm also getting a "You must log in to GameCenter to access this" error every once in a while, even though I am logged into GameCenter as far as I can tell.
Edit: Upon closer inspection, I can't tell if it's pulling my friend leaderboards from Facebook, TPA account, or Game Center. I also can't tell if any scores I'm posting are posting under my FB, GC, or TPA account.
Yup, Apple wasn't allowing anyone (not just Farsight) to sell season passes for upcoming content. I've actually skipped on buying any tables from the current season. So excluding Addams Family (which I got via KS) the most recent table I have on iOS is the last one in the last season.
And yeah, I don't know about the high scores and stuff either. If you have nothing coming up you can always try to do a "restore" from "remote" (via the options menu), but I always thought that was stored alongside Gamecenter info via some kind of cloud thing (but not iCloud, as something just tied to your username). But yeah, I honestly have no idea. All I know is that syncing between my iPhone and iPad (when they both have a wifi connection) is non-existent, I have to manually do that backup/restore myself.
Such a pain in the arse.
Man, buying a used pinball machine is super disheartening. Missed out on a Star Trek pro by two hours, a Creature from the Black Lagoon by 3hrs (didn't see it till I got home from work), and now I have my fingers crossed for a Simpsons Party Pinball coming up at this auction next weekend or I'm going to end up settling for a World Cup Soccer94. What a rollercoaster ride.
This is true. Also, don't be afraid to lower your expectations (not condition-wise, but title-wise). You'd be surprised how many great games are out there in solid condition that you never really considered. There are a stack of mid-90s DMDs which were never that popular which you could probably grab cheap.
Is it going to be your first?
Is it going to be your first?
Agreed...just a little concerned I'll get board of the lack of modes.
nicoga3000
Saint Nic
How much for all of them? Some great titles there!
It'll be my first one. My parents have a No Fear, and I find it super boring at this point.
Various prices...ST $4.4k, CftBL $3.9k, not sure on TSPP yet, but set the budget at $4.5k, and the WCS94 is $2.2k.
nicoga3000
Saint Nic
Great price on WCS! TSPP can be had for less, unless the one you're looking at is latest run HUO in pristine condition.
Dodgy licenses are always good to keep an eye out for, too. I know Judge Dredd usually goes for pretty cheap, as does Johnny Mnemonic and The Shadow, and all are very decent machines (Shadow above the other two, IMO). Dirty Harry I believe is rarer, but still a great game.
That is a solid price on the WCS, too. Especially if it's in good condition.
That is a solid price on the WCS, too. Especially if it's in good condition.
Johnny Mnemoic is a pretty fun game, but my understanding is the hand breaks all the time. The Shadow on the other hand is an amazing game that I haven't played in at least a decade, but I would have to find something to replace the translight.
As for the WCS, I didn't see any broken plastics, the ball was white, no yellow, and it had all leds. The only issue I saw with it was all the city lights were out. I'm assuming a blown fuse, but who knows.
nicoga3000
Saint Nic
Aurich on Pinside did a SICK alt translight. You should keep your eyes peeled for a Demo Man. Talk about a bang for your buck pin!
Yeah, pretty sure that awesome Shadow translite (and speaker panel) are not difficult to come by. I believe the biggest things to look out for on a Shadow are the Battlefield, the wear around that upper magnet and making sure both lane switchers work properly.
I'm pretty sure it's going to be my next pin, I just need to find one (and a new house to put it in).
I'm pretty sure it's going to be my next pin, I just need to find one (and a new house to put it in).
Everyone that has Twitter, go retweet this now:
@pinballarcade
RT & follow for a chance to win the exclusive Addams Family Gold for Mobile or Steam! Every 100 RTs = 1 more winner!
https://twitter.com/PinballArcade/status/573910481989017600
@pinballarcade
RT & follow for a chance to win the exclusive Addams Family Gold for Mobile or Steam! Every 100 RTs = 1 more winner!
https://twitter.com/PinballArcade/status/573910481989017600
nicoga3000
Saint Nic
I think I'm going to start looking for a LOTR....
Checking out the Louisville Arcade Expo tomorrow. Pin list isn't incredible, but Im looking forward to finally playing a Solar Fire!
http://www.arcaderx.com/showgames
http://www.arcaderx.com/showgames
nicoga3000
Saint Nic
Glad I didn't drive down from Indy this year. I read the pin content was low. On top of that, I didn't want to deal with the terrible roads.
Post pics though!
Just out of curiosity what is drawing you to LOTR, is it the rule complexity, or something else
nicoga3000
Saint Nic
The epic nature of the quest, the complexity, and the theme integration. While I don't necessarily love LOTR as a series, I feel like the pin does an incredible job of putting you into the movie and the experiences had by all the characters.
But I will say that the depth of that game is part of the reason I'm interested. I know some folks here feel that too deep/complex is a bad thing, but I'm on the other side of that fence.
Gentleman Jack
Member
Finally got access to TAF. Didn't get much time with it but it's scratching that old itch pretty damn well.
So now Predator is a total disaster too? You'd pretty much have to be nuts to preorder a 'boutique' pin at this point. Kind of a bummer, but Spooky so far seem to have been the only ones to have pulled through without major issues. We're finally close to getting a house so these are things I'm seriously considering. I still have not found the 'perfect' pin for us. Ideally would want one that is very low maintenance (knocks out many old games), has a great theme that is also at least not kid-hostile (knocks out most modern Sterns), and is reasonably deep.
I still have not found the 'perfect' pin for us. Ideally would want one that is very low maintenance (knocks out many old games), has a great theme that is also at least not kid-hostile (knocks out most modern Sterns), and is reasonably deep.
nicoga3000
Saint Nic
So now Predator is a total disaster too? You'd pretty much have to be nuts to preorder a 'boutique' pin at this point. Kind of a bummer, but Spooky so far seem to have been the only ones to have pulled through without major issues. We're finally close to getting a house so these are things I'm seriously considering.
Wait what? Link?
It's on the coast2coast pinball a couple episodes back. tl;dr they've pulled all the predator images from their site and are being super vague about what's going on. https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/the-official-pinside-skit-b-predator-discussion/page/38
Now who wants to put a few grand down on their next title!?
nicoga3000
Saint Nic
Oh I seem to remember something about this. I wonder what's going to happen...
Also, are you still in the market for a game?
Yeah, I mean I'm getting slightly ahead of myself as I often too because we're still putting in bids (and this is Bay Area so bid doesn't mean as much in terms of actually getting a house) but I am thinking about it and the house we're bidding on this week definitely has a room for a pinny.
nicoga3000
Saint Nic
Experts of Dangerous looks SO terrible from the pictures they've posted.
Good luck on the house! Getting a pin will be a magical experience if it happens!
What's your budget?Pinny budget? If I were to pull the trigger on one wouldn't let money be a factor, just finding the right fit for our needs.Experts of Dangerous looks SO terrible from the pictures they've posted.
Good luck on the house! Getting a pin will be a magical experience if it happens!
nicoga3000
Saint Nic
Pinny budget? If I were to pull the trigger on one wouldn't let money be a factor, just finding the right fit for our needs.
I'd honestly check into games like Spiderman, Pirates, and Transformers. Deeper Stern titles that are reliable and family friendly. They can be found for good prices, too. Well, Spiderman is a bit more...But POTC and TF are not expensive. Ripley's is fantastic, but the theme is a turn off for a lot of people. X-men falls into that same category. I think its one of my favorite titles ever...Can be had for a good price, too.
If you want to go B/W, there are a ton of great games. The problem is that you'll be dealing with a 20+ year old game that will have more issues.
It has been really interesting listening to all the interviews on Coast 2 Coast pinball recently. The mentality of the competitive players are so similar to people I have known in other sports, some people that always want to compete at the highest level all the time, and others that just want to hide in lower divisions rather than push themselves to get better.
nicoga3000
Saint Nic
As much as I'd LOVE to play competitive pinball, it's just not feasible given that the only regular league is 60-75 minutes away. I'm too busy with real life to make that a weekly or even monthly thing.
But that said, watching a great player on a table you've played is insane. It's not even just their ability to score or progress through a table...It's their accuracy and their nudge skills. It's on another level.
E: If you haven't seen the PAPA LOTR Valinor strategy, watch it. You'll see what I mean. He plays for like an hour on 3 ball play. That's no joke.
Yes the skill on display from these guys is amazing. As someone whose primary focus when playing real pinball is just keeping the ball in play it is pretty crazy watching people that look like they are just juggling the ball on the flippers and nailing every shot they attempt.
Edit: Started watching that Lord of the Rings video, 20 minutes in and he is still on his first ball. That looks like it would be a cool table for Pinball Arcade with how many different modes it has.
Super Double Edit: The ending of that video is hilarious and painful to watch at the same time.
nicoga3000
Saint Nic
Pretty sure he did that on purpose, haha.
Got a lead on a super nice routed LotR for $4800. I think I can get him to $4500, though.
Keith Elwin did a video on Ripley's that went for over 50 minutes. I haven't watched all of it though, dem spoilers. That, and his accuracy is so bloody on-point, I'm not really learning anything because the strategies he (and anyone else) implements on a table I can rarely apply because I keep missing shots :/
I know it is cool to some, and I appreciate it from a Guiness wow-that's-a-big-number sense, but to me the amount of time competitive players spend on a single game is just boring as hell. I dunno, put a shark in the game that randomly eats the ball or something. Kinda wish they'd talk about competitive pinball way less on coast2coast because I just don't find it all that interesting unless it's someone in here or something. :/
nicoga3000
Saint Nic
I think it's always exciting to hear or read about high level play. What I think you're forgetting is that by watching and listening to really great players, you sort of get better by osmosis. It's not for everyone I guess, but I know I appreciate hearing how they approach games.
Unrelated - I had a chance to play Avengers Pro a bit more. I initially hated that game, but I think that I've improved to the point where I can appreciate how unique it is. The shots are VERY tight and the game requires a high level of skill to score and progress through. However, that doesn't take away from the fact that it looks like a cheap children's toy.