Alice Cooper's Nightmare Castle
Spooky Pinball, 2017There have been 1,029 images uploaded to this topic. (View topic image gallery).
Quoted from awassig:
Is it much a difference hooking up a PSW10 to ACNC ? I have the opportunity to purchase one for $50.00 but didnt want to add it if it didnt add anything to the game....The factory setup is pretty nice as it is.
Anyone hook up a
I did because I got a lot of glass rattle with the stock system and didn't have anti-rattle tape. Sounds great for the time being. If I get some tape I’ll try the stock system again because it does kick ass. For $50 I would jump on that.
Is it much a difference hooking up a PSW10 to ACNC ? I have the opportunity to purchase one for $50.00 but didnt want to add it if it didnt add anything to the game....The factory setup is pretty nice as it is.
Anyone hook up a
I have one hooked up to my ACNC. Massive difference. I would 100% buy that sub for $50. You'll need a 3.5mm audio splitter then just run the audio cable out the back of the game through a cabinet vent hole.
Is it much a difference hooking up a PSW10 to ACNC ? I have the opportunity to purchase one for $50.00 but didnt want to add it if it didnt add anything to the game....The factory setup is pretty nice as it is.
Anyone hook up a
Yes! Especially for 50.00!! It adds even better lows!
I just piggy backed the wires off the cabinet woofer. The auto Off/On feature on that sub is great!
Quoted from bkerins:
This was true in the first release where the EB was available, but is no longer true -- any shot to the Guillotine counts toward your EB progress, during monsters, multiballs, whatever, even the shots during the Alice Cooper monster battle.
Cool - I need every guillotine shot I can get to make it to the required 10 for EB!
I'm nowhere near as skilled as that Kerins guy. 
I have attached a pic of the sub I am looking to buy. Can`t I just use speaker wire...and use high level inputs on the sub? One side with alligator clips to clip to the cabinet subwoofer and the other side straight into the speaker input on the sub? If not can you post a pic of the splitter you are using?
Thanks!
Quoted from Jakers:
I have one hooked up to my ACNC. Massive difference. I would 100% buy that sub for $50. You'll need a 3.5mm audio splitter then just run the audio cable out the back of the game through a cabinet vent hole.
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I have attached a pic of the sub I am looking to buy. Can`t I just use speaker wire...and use high level inputs on the sub? One side with alligator clips to clip to the cabinet subwoofer and the other side straight into the speaker input on the sub?
Thanks!
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Use speaker wire and high level inputs on the sub. I solder mine on, but alligator clips are fine too..
Gotcha I saw the pinnovators kit and it looks clean but I have spare quality speaker wire here at home and can save the $35.00 bucks.
Thanks again!
Quoted from Mr_Outlane:
Use speaker wire and high level inputs on the sub. I solder mine on, but alligator clips are fine too..
Gotcha I saw the pinnovators kit and it looks clean but I have spare quality speaker wire here at home and can save the $35.00 bucks.
Thanks again!
The beautiful thing about the Pinnovators kit (if you have the bill acceptor door) is the exterior volume control and the headphone jack as well as the sub out. It really is a great kit!
Quoted from Calfdemon:
The beautiful thing about the Pinnovators kit (if you have the bill acceptor door) is the exterior volume control and the headphone jack as well as the sub out. It really is a great kit!
I agree that Pinnovators' coin door control units are great! I'm also a fan of Pinball Life's coin door knob control panel paired with just a Pinnovators driver board sub connection.
I think he's referring to the simple $35 Subwoofer "Y" connection that Pinnovators sells though. I ended up going with this for my sub connection as Pinnovators offered nothing else for ACNC at the time. Frankly, quality speaker wire will do as well IMHO.
I have attached a pic of the sub I am looking to buy. Can`t I just use speaker wire...and use high level inputs on the sub? One side with alligator clips to clip to the cabinet subwoofer and the other side straight into the speaker input on the sub?
On most games that's exactly what I do. In fact, I sell cables specifically for this purpose. On ACNC, however, I felt that the built-in sub rattled the game too much, so I disconnected it and hooked my external sub directly to the amp instead. I'm very happy with this setup.
Are the attract sounds only available when pressing the flipper buttons in attract mode? I only remember that doing anything.
Quoted from yuriijos:
Navigating the menus and changing settings is a little different on Spooky games but I’m getting used to it. I changed the attract mode to have sounds and I have never heard it besides in game play, is that normal?
Quoted from chuckwurt:
Are the attract sounds only available when pressing the flipper buttons in attract mode? I only remember that doing anything.
Yeah, that's it. It's not loke other manufacturers that will randomly call out a quote or play music.
Well,
I tore off the upper playfield yesterday to have a look at the secret passage lane to see WTF is causing my rejects and the only two things I saw where the right ball guide at entrance is a little bent where the ball strikes it (1st pic) and the left side guide was tipped to the left (2nd pic). I straightened them and cleaned and waxed up under there. I find it hard to believe that this was causing all my problems. But we'll see..
The secret passage lane is very tight. Ball just makes it through. I actually had to bend them apart after reinstalling guide (I removed it to work on adjusting it).
There are four wood screws holding on the upper playfield. All ramps have to come off first. PITA!! And it was not so easy putting it all back together.
**Some serious advise!!!! Don't attempt this without art blade protectors. You will destroy them! I guarantee it!!! **
Quoted from MEuRaH:
I used these videos to replace the guillotine servo, and in doing so I figured out how to remove the upper playfield if I ever needed to. But you're right, none of these are upper playfield specific. https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/alice-coopers-nightmare-castle-club-enter-at-own-risk/page/79#post-5468641
You were right though!! These videos do show what you need to remove the upper playfield! 
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Well, I'm happy to report that I fixed the problem. Now I can back hand the secret passage shot well and it makes it around the loop much more often. My guess is that when I straightened out the slight bend in the guide at entrance, that resolved it. Also, directly behind the bent section of ball guide (where I circled it above in previous post), there is the ball stop plate. I removed one screw closest to ball guide (circled in pic below) and installed a hex nut under the screw (like a washer would go) to act as a support for the ball guide. I used a longer wood screw of same diameter to do this. Before I did this, the ball stop base was actually under the ball guide (see second pic) thus not supporting the guide and allowing it to bend inward. Sorry I didn't take a pic of this. But hopefully it will support the ball guide from now on so it doesn't bend inward. Other than that, I just straightened the guide that was leaning to the left farther up and widened the secret passage lane a little bit. So it appears to roll more freely thru there now.
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DSCN0109 (resized).JPGWell, I'm happy to report that I fixed the problem. Now I can back hand the secret passage shot well and it makes it around the loop much more often. My guess is that when I straightened out the slight bend in the guide at entrance, that resolved it. Also, directly behind the bent section of ball guide (where I circled it above in previous post), there is the ball stop plate. I removed one screw closest to ball guide (circled in pic below) and installed a hex nut under the screw (like a washer would go) to act as a support for the ball guide. I used a longer wood screw of same diameter to do this. Before I did this, the ball stop base was actually under the ball guide (see second pic) thus not supporting the guide and allowing it to bend inward. Sorry I didn't take a pic of this. But hopefully it will support the ball guide from now on so it doesn't bend inward. Other than that, I just straightened the guide that was leaning to the left farther up and widened the secret passage lane a little bit. So it appears to roll more freely thru there now.
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Nice thinking! I'll have to do that next time I get in there (shudder). Anything to make these flimsy guides more solid
Nice writeup on the upper playfield this should help alot of people with this problem. By the way I purchased new titan rubber glow in the dark rubbers and planning to replace the factory ones. It's it just as much of a pain in the ass to re rubber this machine?
Well, I'm happy to report that I fixed the problem. Now I can back hand the secret passage shot well and it makes it around the loop much more often. My guess is that when I straightened out the slight bend in the guide at entrance, that resolved it. Also, directly behind the bent section of ball guide (where I circled it above in previous post), there is the ball stop plate. I removed one screw closest to ball guide (circled in pic below) and installed a hex nut under the screw (like a washer would go) to act as a support for the ball guide. I used a longer wood screw of same diameter to do this. Before I did this, the ball stop base was actually under the ball guide (see second pic) thus not supporting the guide and allowing it to bend inward. Sorry I didn't take a pic of this. But hopefully it will support the ball guide from now on so it doesn't bend inward. Other than that, I just straightened the guide that was leaning to the left farther up and widened the secret passage lane a little bit. So it appears to roll more freely thru there now.
[quoted image][quoted image]
Nice writeup on the upper playfield this should help alot of people with this problem. By the way I purchased new titan rubber glow in the dark rubbers and planning to replace the factory ones. It's it just as much of a pain in the ass to re rubber this machine?
It actually isnt hard to re-rubber ACNC at all. You need to take a few pieces of castle off, but you do not need to remove the upper play field. You can replace every piece without doing so.
Thanks for the info. I'll get busy 
It actually isnt hard to re-rubber ACNC at all. You need to take a few pieces of castle off, but you do not need to remove the upper play field. You can replace every piece without doing so.
By the way I purchased new titan rubber glow in the dark rubbers and planning to replace the factory ones. Is it just as much of a pain in the ass to re rubber this machine?
No. To change the rubbers in the center monster target section, it only requires removing the crypt if you have it (and relevant castle molds), and the small black ball/switch platform that guides the ball into the crypt from upper playfield. Then you can just remove the relevant lock nuts from the plastic and lift it (slightly bending it upwards). This will give you enough clearance to swap out the rubbers. Titans Rock!!!
Is there anything missing at the top of my back box? As you can see from the picture, the latch is in the locked position but I can still remove the back glass.
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Can anybody else remove the translite with the latch locked?
Can anybody else remove the translite with the latch locked?
No.
Is there anything missing at the top of my back box? As you can see from the picture, the latch is in the locked position but I can still remove the back glass.
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My best guess is that you have a coin door latch up there instead of a lock box latch, or you do have the backbox latch it's just upside down. My lock box latch is diagonal and moved downward towards the backglass when locked.
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**Some serious advise!!!! Don't attempt this without art blade protectors. You will destroy them! I guarantee it!!! **
So if you need to remove the upper playfield and you have side blade art, they will get damaged without the protectors? No other way to remove the upper playfield?
So if you need to remove the upper playfield and you have side blade art, they will get damaged without the protectors? No other way to remove the upper playfield?
Just lifting the playfield will most likely damage the blades.
Quoted from finnflash:
Just lifting the playfield will most likely damage the blades.
I've never damaged the side blades on any of my pins. You just need to lift the playfield straight and even, not askew. Same goes when you lower it back down. I have seen many damaged art blades, so apparently lots of uncareful people out there.
So if you need to remove the upper playfield and you have side blade art, they will get damaged without the protectors? No other way to remove the upper playfield?
You can attempt not damaging them when doing extensive work like this where you will be raising and lowering the playfield many many times, and accidently bumping into them, but good luck with that. Alice has very tight clearance.
Yea, I already fucked mine up a little and I lower it as evenly as possible. Just tight where the castle and cave molds are on both sides. Sucks. Only game that does this.
I f**ked my right blade up the first week LOL! Also did it on my Hobbit which is also super tight (and the playfield weighs a ton with all the mechs). And I was careful! Sterns seem to have plenty of clearance. Even my American does. But ACNC and Hobbit?? Not so much. In both cases I replaced the blades and then bought the protectors... Best money I ever spent! Spooky did sell me just the one art blade too.
https://www.pinballlife.com/interior-cabinet-protector-blade-set.html
Lay it down across the top of that plastic. Have the lid cracked open... put a light in it that ties into the insert. 
At first I thought I had to raise up Frank too. But, turns out, it wasn't that at all. I'm pretty sure now it was that ball switch in franks right side that wasn't registering. I watched that video Spooky posted on adjusting those switches and so far so good. The other thing I have noticed several times, is that the balls are not always being detected in the ball trough. And I already replaced the optos once. A nudge usually fixes the problem so not sure what's happening, but can't ever find a problem in switch test. It always shows all balls in trough. Game @ 6.9 pitch and level side to side front and back.
Having the same issues. I’ll tweak the right Frank/lab lock switch but what did you do about the trough switches?
Having the same issues. I’ll tweak the right Frank/lab lock switch but what did you do about the trough switches?
This turned out to be magnetized balls. I got a set of defective balls 
. I replaced them and solved the ball trough problem. A symptom to watch for is if you see the balls stick together when cradling. They won't roll down the flipper when like this. Also, they won't sit down on the trough switches consistently.
Spooky ever going to release a decent manual for this machine?
What information are you looking for?
Quoted from KingPinGames:
What information are you looking for?
Mech breakdowns with part numbers, schematics etc. Something approaching what pinball machines use to come with. I don't expect a paper manual, but a more complete downloadable one would be nice. The one we have now is a whopping 27 pages! 
https://www.spookypinball.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ACNC-Manual.pdf
I’d love to hear some of everyone’s strategy theories! What do you folks do for highest point count? What do you to best get to billion dollar babies?
Every time I turn my game on my front back box speakers start making a popping noise and you can see the speaker cones pop. I have to remove the trans light and disconnect and reconnect the 4 pin connector to the speakers to make it stop. What could be causing this? Probably my amp settings but why and what to do?
Quoted from Gnrwarkfc:
I’d love to hear some of everyone’s strategy theories! What do you folks do for highest point count? What do you to best get to billion dollar babies?
If I'm in a competition and I need points, it's all about getting the most valuable modes started asap (pit creature, insects). Sometimes though, my plan won't be to get points but just to "have fun" and that usually ends up being my best games of the day.
As for BDB, the focus is on getting the items to help finish modes easier, and on getting the extra balls if you have them turned on.
If I'm in a competition and I need points, it's all about getting the most valuable modes started asap (pit creature, insects). Sometimes though, my plan won't be to get points but just to "have fun" and that usually ends up being my best games of the day.
As for BDB, the focus is on getting the items to help finish modes easier, and on getting the extra balls if you have them turned on.
Great idea! What sequence of monster weapons do you go for? It seems starting with zombie makes most sense.
Great idea! What sequence of monster weapons do you go for? It seems starting with zombie makes most sense.
Not really much of a sequence for me since I can almost never get the monsters or their weapons in the order I want. I do know that 3 or 4 of the monsters you can get a weapon for asap, so I try to go for those guys first. Everyone else is just lucky of the draw.
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