Hi Steve, love how the machine is coming along. If you ever bring it down to the Phoenix area I would love to give it a try. I am sure you have some ideas for how to advance the staircase without the standup targets but I thought I would give you some more incase not. First would be just using the drop target at the front of the staircase, for example to lock the first ball you just have to hit the drop target once, then lock. But for the next ball you will need to hit it once to advance, then another time to open, and then once more to lock. This could go up for each ball requiring one more drop target shot to qualify, advance, and lock the next ball. My other idea, and my preference is to actually use the horseshoe! What if you have to first hit the drop target, then shoot the horseshoe to advance the staircase? This could also increase for each ball you lock, i.e. to lock the 4th ball you might need four shots at the horseshoe for it to advance the stairs and then you can lock. I don't know if either of those ideas would be easy to implement, I haven't started making a machine yet due to money and time constraints, but I am heavily planning the shots, rules, etc. You have been very inspiring and your videos are going to be super helpful when I start building!
Yeah I'm trying it out with just hitting the drop target itself and it's pretty good, but I didn't think about the horseshoe shot! I like that idea I'll have to try that out and see which I like more, ty!!
Hi Steve and happy to see you in good shape. It's true that it's difficult to offer shots that satisfy both casual and experienced players. Don't question everything because I love your pinball (like many people too) I was wondering if moving the captive ball back a little would make it easier to shoot in the horseshoe? I have a few difficult shots on my pinball machine (like the climb to the saloon)...so I programmed a multicator PF when we make this shot...which enhances the fact of having made this shot and balances the game ... I can't wait to see what happens next... friendship Thibaut
Keep up the good work steve. I like it when you play your own machine I would like to see more of that but you know you are a bad player when you cant play your own machine 😂 Anyway thanks for the continued updates your channel is one of the few that I have watched every single video . I enjoy them for multiple reasons so keep doing what you're doing and ps that pop bumper definitely needs to stay where it is never ever even think about moving it or removing it ha ha because it's the best part of the table haha
Fun and different > everyday and always expected! Pop bumpers are pinball, no question. So precise on the stair issue; might be a test run thing to see if it works better or not? So far, looks better....!
Pop bumber to left outlane idea: You should have a post save like in Foo Fighters Premium. Programmed like this: If the pop bumper switch and left outlane switch are triggered within a set amount of time ...(Approx 0,03-0,15sec), a quick double flip on the left flipper can raise a post. The ball will bounce of the post and land on the right flipper.
Very cool and instructive (as someone who's still early-ish on in making my own homebrew) to see these later discoveries and tweaks. Thanks for sharing them. Your game is something to be truly proud of! Quick (unrelated) thing I've been curious about: how do you start up MPF on your finished machine? I know you've got the computer in the backbox - but with it hidden back there, how do you go about launching the 'mpf-both' commands without a keyboard and mouse - some kind of script? And does the MPF-MC window automatically fill your entire LCD display, or do you have to manually maximize that window each time you launch MPF?
Good question: currently I have a wireless mouse and keyboard that I use to open a command terminal to start mpf every time I want to play. The mini pc has a setting in its bios that let's it resume to its last state after losing power which lets it turn on/off with just the cabinet power switch. Long term plan is to create a script that will auto start mpf upon system startup, but I haven't done that yet since I'm still adding code regularly.
I have an X-Files machine that has a mini loop pretty much the same as the loop you are working on. With the X-Files the speed of the ball matters going around the loop. If it's too slow it will end up going between the flippers the majority of the time. It has a small post between the flippers that can sometimes bounce the ball back up and save it from draining but to rely on that to save your ball every time is a fallacy.
for the U shot problem, if you add some vinyl in the inner side with a bit of high in the inner side and less in the outside, so the ball will go more on the outside side ( dunno if am clear ) :P
one thing i found fun was while i was testing is i had the ball bounce off the left staircase standup target up airballing into the left ramp, so its sad to see them go. but after some thinking, could you thin out those targets a bit? i know they are already thin targets but if you made the side of the standup targets flush with the side of the outside staircase wall i dont think the ball would hit the back of the standup targets while going around the horshoe.
Awesomeness, love seeing the progress. Your tweaks look like a great improvement in ball flow. I hope I get to play it one day...
Hi Steve, love how the machine is coming along. If you ever bring it down to the Phoenix area I would love to give it a try. I am sure you have some ideas for how to advance the staircase without the standup targets but I thought I would give you some more incase not.
First would be just using the drop target at the front of the staircase, for example to lock the first ball you just have to hit the drop target once, then lock. But for the next ball you will need to hit it once to advance, then another time to open, and then once more to lock. This could go up for each ball requiring one more drop target shot to qualify, advance, and lock the next ball.
My other idea, and my preference is to actually use the horseshoe! What if you have to first hit the drop target, then shoot the horseshoe to advance the staircase? This could also increase for each ball you lock, i.e. to lock the 4th ball you might need four shots at the horseshoe for it to advance the stairs and then you can lock.
I don't know if either of those ideas would be easy to implement, I haven't started making a machine yet due to money and time constraints, but I am heavily planning the shots, rules, etc. You have been very inspiring and your videos are going to be super helpful when I start building!
Yeah I'm trying it out with just hitting the drop target itself and it's pretty good, but I didn't think about the horseshoe shot! I like that idea I'll have to try that out and see which I like more, ty!!
The drop target in front of the stairs was my first idea as well!
Nice improvement Steve getting rid of those targets. I agree with the pop bumper, keep it..
Hi Steve and happy to see you in good shape. It's true that it's difficult to offer shots that satisfy both casual and experienced players. Don't question everything because I love your pinball (like many people too) I was wondering if moving the captive ball back a little would make it easier to shoot in the horseshoe? I have a few difficult shots on my pinball machine (like the climb to the saloon)...so I programmed a multicator PF when we make this shot...which enhances the fact of having made this shot and balances the game ... I can't wait to see what happens next... friendship Thibaut
I love your machine!
Keep up the good work steve. I like it when you play your own machine I would like to see more of that but you know you are a bad player when you cant play your own machine 😂
Anyway thanks for the continued updates your channel is one of the few that I have watched every single video . I enjoy them for multiple reasons so keep doing what you're doing and ps that pop bumper definitely needs to stay where it is never ever even think about moving it or removing it ha ha because it's the best part of the table haha
Thank you for making this tutorial.
Fun and different > everyday and always expected! Pop bumpers are pinball, no question.
So precise on the stair issue; might be a test run thing to see if it works better or not? So far, looks better....!
Almost there, Steve. Once the creases are ironed out, I think it will play beautifully.
You could put a spinner on either side of the horseshoe to advance the staircase? See The Leprechaun King table. 😊
hey Steve! quarters was really fun testing out your machine.
Pop bumber to left outlane idea: You should have a post save like in Foo Fighters Premium. Programmed like this: If the pop bumper switch and left outlane switch are triggered within a set amount of time ...(Approx 0,03-0,15sec), a quick double flip on the left flipper can raise a post. The ball will bounce of the post and land on the right flipper.
Very cool and instructive (as someone who's still early-ish on in making my own homebrew) to see these later discoveries and tweaks. Thanks for sharing them. Your game is something to be truly proud of!
Quick (unrelated) thing I've been curious about: how do you start up MPF on your finished machine? I know you've got the computer in the backbox - but with it hidden back there, how do you go about launching the 'mpf-both' commands without a keyboard and mouse - some kind of script? And does the MPF-MC window automatically fill your entire LCD display, or do you have to manually maximize that window each time you launch MPF?
Good question: currently I have a wireless mouse and keyboard that I use to open a command terminal to start mpf every time I want to play. The mini pc has a setting in its bios that let's it resume to its last state after losing power which lets it turn on/off with just the cabinet power switch. Long term plan is to create a script that will auto start mpf upon system startup, but I haven't done that yet since I'm still adding code regularly.
Oh and currently I don't have it set to go full-screen but that's just a simple config setting once I'm done with everything
@@thepinballroom Very cool. Thanks, Steve!
Pop bumper placement is perfect. I have the same placement but slightly higher on the game im working on
I have an X-Files machine that has a mini loop pretty much the same as the loop you are working on. With the X-Files the speed of the ball matters going around the loop. If it's too slow it will end up going between the flippers the majority of the time. It has a small post between the flippers that can sometimes bounce the ball back up and save it from draining but to rely on that to save your ball every time is a fallacy.
for the U shot problem, if you add some vinyl in the inner side with a bit of high in the inner side and less in the outside, so the ball will go more on the outside side ( dunno if am clear ) :P
Yeah I'm not following sorry 😅
one thing i found fun was while i was testing is i had the ball bounce off the left staircase standup target up airballing into the left ramp, so its sad to see them go. but after some thinking, could you thin out those targets a bit? i know they are already thin targets but if you made the side of the standup targets flush with the side of the outside staircase wall i dont think the ball would hit the back of the standup targets while going around the horshoe.
Your solution is american pinball 3/8” stand up targets :) they are 1/8” skinnier than Bally Williams style! Give them a call. That’s what I did.
Steve. Art is never finished, just abandoned.