That's a good story. On my machine I have that shot up to 4 in a row. We've done 3 in a row a bunch of time, but never 4. I think we just choke.

Hi,

I came home to visit my parents in a fairly pinball barren land; but to my surprise there were two (2) Police Force Machines within a 20 min. drive. (w00t!) Thus, over the last few weeks I have been playing this table quite a bit and I have become quite fond of it (something I secretly pay homage to the fact that this game was first slated to be a Batman table). One of the tables is in pretty descent shape, but the second table is pretty hurting. But by no means am I an expert on this table, and please know that I humbly and warmly welcome anyone to correct me on anything pinball, as if I don't learn....well, I'll never learn.

I have a question for both tompallc and jalpert surrounding their posts w.r.t. the "Take High Score" feature of the game.

@tompallc:

Firstly, I'd like to thank you for your post, as it opened my eyes to the tracking of single player vs. multi-player modes. I am fairly new to pinball, so such information is truly appreciated. Secondly, I'd like to 'super' thank you for sharing the hint on the possibility of sequentially increasing your score with multiple players to cash in on the "Take High Score" feature. A lot of people hold secrets of games close to themselves and the manner in which you openly shared this newly discovered trick is something I highly respect and feel is a fantastic reflection of the awesome nature and open spirit of the pinball community. {For Masters do not fear teaching others, they enjoy it.}
My question is w.r.t. to your comment:

"eventually was able to have 4 decent games and double each score in succession until player 4, then double it again thus having this super duper game!".

I can sort of understand how the first player (of a 4 player game) would double their score upon hitting the right ramp twice on the third ball (exploiting the "Take High Score" Feature), but only if the First Player also had the highest score would they "double their score"; otherwise, Player 1 would get the highest score (from whichever of the four player scores was the highest) added to Player 1's current score. I am not saying my assertion is correct here, but more so asking to be informed of the correct result of play, or how you guys set the play up to enable this doubling of the score. As anytime during a multi-player game that I have exploited the "Take Highest Score" feature, I only seem to get the points from the highest scoring player added to the current player's score. And the times I have noticed the player to in fact double their score was when that player held the current high score.

That said, I believe I have a foggy recollection of *one* instance where a player (in a multi-player game) *did* indeed double their score without having the current highest score; but I believe this player was the first player to hit the "Take Highest Score" feature and the next sequential player to hit the “Take Highest Score” Feature did not double their score but only had the current highest score added to their score. I think this was because if/when the player hit “Take Highest Score”, their score would become the highest score, thus the game adjusted to the circumstance.

Regardless, I still have no idea how one would double the score sequentially for each player in a game; only how a player could double their score independently. That is, even if each player managed to hit the “Take Highest Score” feature, their scores would not be compounded – unless of course there was a way to hit “Take Highest Score” more than once on a player’s 3rd ball (or extra balls on the 3rd ball) or there is an alternative game setting that I have not experienced playing on these two tables.

Thus, I must be missing out on an important strategy surrounding "Take Highest Score" and not setting this feature up to best capitalize on it. Admittingly, I don't have the game play (storyboard) fully understood yet, as I have noticed that on the third ball my bonuses often tend to match my player's current score (which I think is related to the G.U.N.s multiplier????) and are assuming you guys are exploiting whatever this phenomenon is that I have only ‘caught’ happening and don’t understand beyond the GUNs multiplier pushing up the bonus.

@jalpert:
Do you mean 4 sequential shot up the right ramp? Or do you mean 4 sequential players hitting the “Take Highest Score” feature on their 3rd ball?

Thanks guys - I hope I haven’t lost you guys on in my description of gameplay or my questions; and I appreciate any help you can lend me surrounding this points multiplier.

Cheers,
HarborMaster

You can only 'double' your score if you are the high score when you 'take high score'.

I'm pretty sure he just using the word 'double' when he meant 'take high score' for players 2-4. Basically meaning 1rst player gets a good score, doubles it...then player 2 'takes high score' (getting the value of player 1s good score that was already doubled added to player 2 current score) , rinse and repeat for players 3 & 4 and scores can get quite high just by 'stealing' the high score from the previous player.

This is all a legitimate part of the game scoring and not really a 'gotcha' to find out his cousin did this.

That's precisely how I thought and have experienced the game to work. Thank you very much for your answer/post - most appreciated. And wow, did you ever explain that game play a heck of a lot more concisely than my long, clumsy post - great job.

@tompallc: Man, you definitely given me more than something to do in chasing down your 62 Million. I managed to get 36 Million one game, which was entirely a complete 'luck-out', as it was before I understood much about the game play. I looked down to start my 3rd ball with a score of 7 mil and when I looked up after my 3rd ball drained my score was at 36 million. {Note that I was so excited by my score that I couldn't focus enough to stop my extra ball(s) from draining.} I score about 10-15 million every so often and generally every few games I get one score that's 5-10 million....well, that's not entirely true. As the way the 'universe' dictates pinball for me, is that out of let's say a dozen games: They'll either all be 10-15 Million; or they'll all be < 5 million and I'll refuse to stop playing until I break 10 Million .

Gheesh, I play this game way too much now. In a couple weeks I'll be back to 'pinball civilization'....I can't wait.

Thanks again guys,
Harbor Master

It's a great game. I enjoy playing it very much and is a shining example of the genius of both Barry Oursler and Mark Ritchie. BTW - I still have an NOS playfield available for sale in the marketplace. PM if you're interested.

Anyone know if there is any rhyme or reason behind how the upper left saucer become lit? Seems like it's randomly lit.

Hot Sheet saucer is lit at the start of each ball. After you score it you need to pass the ball thru the right inlane to relight (easiest to do by going up the center ramp)

Thanks. Wish it was adjustable.

This game gets a lot of flack for some reason but the more you play it, the better the strategy gets. It's well thought out.