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
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.
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.
10 pins turned on is more than enough light to play for me (especially with all the lighted toppers)
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.
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.
Quoted from DCFAN: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.
Quoted from herg: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
Quoted from Legacy:Are you using LEDs in the GI?
Nope, the only LEDs are under the blue inserts.
Quoted from GoneFishinLvMsg: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 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'
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.
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
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