For me, I go thru the menu and set things up how I like and put on free play.
Enjoy it,smell of new machine is as great as new car.
-Mike

Use a pair of pliers to pull all the staples out of the box. No need of running the risk of putting in your foot or car tire. Set the game up look under the playfield make sure nothing is hanging. just give it a good once over.

Current #star_trek code is 1.6.1 and it was released over 2 years ago. Your pin will have the most up to date code.

Corner braces.

If there are magnets on that game, make sure they are level with the playfield. magnets that are not level and flush with the playfield can cause wear to the playfield pretty quickly.

Pay with a credit card, preferably Amex.

Check connectors. In transit they can vibrate loose. Make sure everything is connected solidly and ENJOY! Stat Trek is an awesome first game!

Conduct a proper game inspection and diagnostic checks, just like any used game as you have done before, and how operators have done for decades.

The process is identical, no shortcutting.
Inhale the "NIB smell" as you go (I should bottle this and sell it).

Avoid the new generation owner methodology:

1 ) Put legs on (especially w/o a proper dolley)
2 ) Drop balls in game
3 ) Turn power switch on

Expect the unexpected, and research the title for typical service bulletin updates in old stock games that were not updated.

Stern produced a series of 13 instructional videos covering NIB unpacking and setup. The link to the first video is listed below.

Note: The videos are a little dated (2010), showing a BBH with wood backbox, but for your purposes, should answer most of your questions.

1. Unpacking Your Machine

Setup the game on legs, and take off the glass. Physically touch and inspect every part on the playfield. Look for loose or missing nuts, screws, posts, inspect it all.

The reason is, anything you catch now won't be a problem later. A loose post that is tightened correctly can't damage the playfield by getting hit with the ball. Then a coat of wax on the playfield (a good paste wax with NO cleaners). Most of the time I throw away the balls Stern sends and put in top quality ones. Finally, close it up and play the first game. Pay attention to switches registering, smoothness of the ramps, anything that feels wrong. A couple of switches will probably need adjustment now. Are the slings how you like them? Does the scoop eject well? Just the "play" features you need to dial in to get them right.

Then play the crap out of it. ST is a great game.

You'll likely find a nut or screw loose in the box, keep it.

Both my nib games had screws for the coin mechs loose in the box.... so weird

Get new balls if it is a stern. Their balls put it seems.

Put cliffy protectors on for the left most shot, drain hole and shooter lane. I also recommend placing mylar in the shooter lane too.

I replace the metal washers with clear plastic washers.

I also put superbands on the flippers, I used blue on Star Trek.

Keep nib and sell. Buy used and enjoy.

Someone once asked me a very long time ago...

Why is it I am not worried about my pinball machines "losing value"?
I gave them a straight answer.
As a collector not an operator, I don't buy games to make money off them.
I buy games because I like pinball, especially when it comes to purchasing new machines or keeping games in boxes.

Pinball ≠ "investment".
Pinball = "fun".

Otherwise a person is buying games for the wrong reasons, as a private owner.
This is something that seems to be getting lost in the translational meaning at times today.

The only true reality is if you take care of them, and learn how to fix them properly, they will retain their value.
The absolute best part is you can still play them the whole time, not just look at them unlike other hobbies such as baseball cards. The greatest games are those that are played.

Stargazer.jpg

Well said!

yep, same..

i have no idea, why those are still used...

Congrats !!

Just plug it in and play it
Don't inspect it too much
If your super picky you get disappointed

Don't cut the strap that holds back box in place , last thing to do when game is on its legs

My pointer would be don't get addicted like I did. Man , I started with a Medieival Madness LE. Then I preorderd a Star Wars LE. Then I found a nice condition Simpsons Pinball party, then I found a Walking Dead LE. Im going crazy and broke!

Mo!

you will love it

I like to keep my games as nice as possible. Taking care of them (to me) includes adding protection from wear (Cliffys/mylar) By adding them around scoops, shooter lane and magnet areas helps keep the machine in top shape. One of the added benefits to this is a higher resale value if/when I go to sell it down the line.

There was a list of things I did to my Metallica before I even played a ball. Plastic protectors, snake teeth, shaker, captive ball, Cliffys all around, quick clean & wax.

To use a car analogy (Pinside loves those), if you bought a new car, would you want to put floor mats in it or just drive it? You don't NEED them but it will help the car look nicer for longer.

I couldn't agree more with rvdv: resist the temptation to get OCD with the game inspection! You WILL find little flaws; it just can't be avoided at $5k in a complicated machine which is largely hand-built and finished in an expensive labor/regulatory market like the U.S. You'll drive yourself crazy if you hold pins to the same standards you would expect of other $5k hobbyist toys like high-end cameras or telescopes.

DO however give the boards, harnesses, fuses, and mechs a once-over just to ensure no shipping damage and that nothing worked loose in transit. (In fact, I had a partially unseated flipper fuse in my NIB ST, which would have caused intermittent/weak flipper and possible frustration had I not caught it on initial inspection.)

Finally, enjoy! I think ST is destined to be a future classic and we are nowhere close to getting tired of ours after three years.

Started with a MM LE, geeze you went in hardcore !! No wonder your going broke.

The only thing I worry about before I play a NIB game is felt leg protectors to go over the factory ones, shooter lane protectors (usually 2 minimum) and hole protectors. I also buy new balls since they cost $4.

I also get a few other things but even if I have them in my parts horde I don't let them keep me from playing that first game.