I was playing AFM in a pitch dark room last night, and it was a blast. TOTAN in the same amount of light, however, is pretty much unplayable. This got me wondering what others do.

I prefer the dark. Sometimes by the light of the arcade games if people are playing those.

I have dimmers set up so I adjust it to be darker but not to dark that you lose the ball on some games, needs to be good balance - and no glare

If I turn on the aquarium and all the machines, it is plenty bright for gamplay.

I have 6x 60W floods in recessed lighting on a dimmer, and I normally run them about halfway, but AFM last night made me reconsider. Strobe Multiball in my normal lighting sucks.

I just took out all of my regular bulbs in my ceiling cans and replaced them with colored CFLs. Red and Blue in different spots. Its awesome, Not too dark but good accent lighting for the games.

We have a sliding dimmer and I like it about 25%. The wife prefers brighter.

I have sconce lights on the wall on a dimmer. If all machines are on then I don't even use the lights. If I have just one machine on, I'll put the wall lights at a slow dim.

I have no lights in my game room, other than the light provided by pinball machines. AFM strobe multiball is a hoot in a dark room.

10 pins turned on is more than enough light to play for me (especially with all the lighted toppers)

Pinball light only. That and my PC screensaver before power save mode shuts the monitor off.

Depends on the game and how well it's GI lighting shows the playfield art. Generally I prefer it on the darker side, but not lights-out. Most of my pins have well-balanced lighting where all I need is some low perimeter lighting in the room.

I have a rope light that runs along the top of the walls at the ceiling. It goes all around the room.

Good for playing, but not nearly enough for maintenance...but I get by with a trouble light.

Robert

All my games are processed to be played in the dark. First, everything is led. Then I add 4-5 spotlights to brighten up the playfield. In many cases, the spots need a constant source as the game programming flashes or turns off GI (totan for example). In reality, pinball was not designed to be played in the dark. When I'm done, it is.

Very little light for me as well.
4- 60w cans in the center of the room also on a dimmer about 25%

Hey Herg. How have you been? When I visited I thought the brightness was fine at your place.
I like the games to be mostly in a non-directly lit area with background light from other parts of the room. That way the lights of the machine are more impressive. It seems a little more exciting when the pinball lights flashing is the main source of light.

DCFAN said:

Hey Herg. How have you been? When I visited I thought the brightness was fine at your place.
I like the games to be mostly in a non-directly lit area with background light from other parts of the room. That way the lights of the machine are more impressive. It seems a little more exciting when the pinball lights flashing is the main source of light.

Doing well, thanks for asking. When you were here, I had things lit up a bit more than usual since there were kids and non-pin folk running about. Until now, just dimming worked well, and I don't have any glare issues.

Since you were here, I have sorted out the AFM lighting issues, and realize it plays better in the dark. It's plenty bright to see when you're supposed to, and the difference in Strobe Multiball in the dark vs light is like night and day.

herg said:

I was playing AFM in a pitch dark room last night, and it was a blast. TOTAN in the same amount of light, however, is pretty much unplayable. This got me wondering what others do.

Interesting that you specifically mention AFM, which is one of the few games I have a hard time playing with all the lights off. Are you using LEDs in the GI?

Typically with one of my kitchen lights on to provide some side lighting without glare. I have a fixture that hovers directly over my BK2K, but if I turn it on it's glare city.

My BK2K doesn't really like the dark, the yellow/orange/red backglass produces too much glare with the Cointaker cool supers. Might swap those out for softer warms someday. However, my Getaway with Cointakers can be played in pitch black

Legacy said:

Are you using LEDs in the GI?

Nope, the only LEDs are under the blue inserts.

Oh yeah, I also swapped 47s in for the 44s.

I prefer some lighting but not pitch black.

GoneFishinLvMsg said:

I have no lights in my game room, other than the light provided by pinball machines. AFM strobe multiball is a hoot in a dark room.

That's what I do. If it's just me, the only thing on is the pin I'm playing.

I like playing in the dark too!

Whatever the pins, neon signs, and the hdtv put out is more than enough.

I have some neons too, and a few lit up beer signs that add ambient lighting and give that "arcade" feel. I love it when everything is fired up with the lights off and music pumpin'

I prefer the lights to be behind me and slightly above. Its great for those late night wall-shadow- air-guitar-karate-kick-jam sessions. Heres Rick laying it on the line to destroy the ring.

Since I put my neon sign up that's all I need, pretty much the perfect amount of ambient light from the other side of the room.

Low lighting usually.

I love to play AFM in the dark so I can get strobe multiball the way it was meant to be played.

usually a my beer light, the tv, and maybe another pin and im good to go. like it dark.

My pins run 4 each along opposing walls in a space that is pretty much a square. In the center of each quadrant is a recessed light. All are attached by a dimmer. I added a a socket into each fixture with a pull chain switch. I tend to turn off the two lights along the wall I am playing so the light comes from behind the player and does not shine right on the glass.

Dan