I had my first screw fall out from under the playfield. Not bad for about 3.5 years or so.

The scoop was not recording the ball. Lifted the game and clearly saw the screw at the bottom of the cabinet which fell out of the switch at the bottom of the scoop. I used thread locker and put it back together. Hopefully it will last for many more years.

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a lot of owners install the Houdini side art, and since the side art is is included on Hot Wheels and Oktoberfest, not sure many API game owners have used mirror blades.

Not sure about the shape but I'd think that the thickness would be a problem. The gap between the playfield and the cabinet is very tight. The art blades are paper thin.

And even then they get chopped to hell.

Not if you use a set of slide-in protectors every time you have to raise and lower the PF.

Mirror Blades do not work in Houdini. Confirmed attempt. They are to thick for this game.

I think you and I both have pretty early games and it was (unofficially) reported that those cabinets were made too narrow by about 1/8-1/4" but were still usable. I wonder if later games may have more tolerance between the PF and cabinet.

Very True. You and I are the the first 100 games or so. I believe the newer cabinet didn't happen till 280 or so.
However. I'm a tech on game 400 something and still not much room for mirror blades.

Mirror blades too thick for Houdini.

Besides if you put in Mirrors you would need smoke. ( Smoke and Mirrors - it's Magic )

I've always been interested in this. Does my build number coincidence with my serial number? Example hou1364 would be game the 364th built.
My thought was hou1 is the model and last 3 numbers are build order. Is this correct?

Yes in general but I doubt there is a really strict order number to serial number translation but close enough to count.

I like how JJP puts the damn date on the machine. Makes complete sense.
Yes, your game is 364.

They do put the month and year on the S/N label (or at least mine has that I should say) but yes, JJP and Stern actual put the exact date on theirs.

It's a power issue... specifically: wiring. So, just need to sure everything up.

So mine is Hou1108 with a March 2018 date. From your comments I assume that is an early build? It looks fresh out of the box.

Don't read too much into serial numbers. They are not necessarily in the sequence games came off the line or when they shipped. Also keep in mind that in our old facility warehouse space was quite crammed, so when games left the building, it was typically the most recent built that would go first, as the early builds were further back in a narrow storage space. So some early or mid run games, might have shipped well after later built games.

Maybe a dumb question... has anyone had to replace the green standup targets for the E/S/C ? I just bought a 2018-vintage Houdini and the previous owner warned me that the targets would start to "lean" forward from time to time. I have been able to bend them back with a switch adjustment tool or needle nose pliers but I think this may have been done too many times and they will only stay fully upright for a few games before starting to lean again. I would order replacements, but I can't find them on the API website. I opened a support ticket over the weekend but haven't had a response from them yet. Checked with Pinball Life and apparently API has proprietary targets not sold by other vendors.

Has anyone ordered these from API and happen to have a part number?

I just checked the ticket, and it appears that brenna98 emailed you links to the stand-up targets and black foam on the API web store. Maybe the emails went to spam? Please check.

Just checked, and nothing in my inbox or spam or deleted items folder. I see in the store the yellow and blue targets for Houdini but not the green ones?

All of these target (ESC) are bent forward or just the E?, I saw one time an E get bent forward from not being adjusted/positioned correctly and then getting hit from the back/side, but none of the others.

From what the previous owner said, it has happened to at least one of the other 3 in that set of targets (he didn't say which one). It is peculiar to me that the plastic face bends TOWARD the playfield instead of away from it...

I would love to order a few of these to have on hand if I could just get the link to the store. Apologies if they are listed in the store and I just missed them!

Often stand-up targets are tilted down, as it helps reduce airballs. However, the entire assembly is designed and built tilt forward , not just the target part.

The E, if things are not quite right, can get hit from the side (on the back) and that can bend it forward, as I said, have only seen this once, maybe twice. Never seen the other targets impacted. Possible a previous owner mis-adjusted them at some point and bent the target part. Depending on how it gets bent, it will be susceptible to future bending. If they are not on the site, we can get them added, with thousands of parts in a machine, many parts are not on the website until the first time someone needs them

This is a Oktoberfest duck target (and a hot wheels car target). You can see the angle of the target, I'm holding it on the top side of the wood, so you can better see how the tilt is done by the main bracket, not by the target part . . .

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Thanks for the pic rosh ... that helps! It almost seems as if there should be a post or something to protect the front edge of that "E" target, since it does seem as if it would get exposed to a lot of hits from the front/side due to its location. Once I can get the new target(s) I will make sure that the assembly is properly oriented when replacing it.

Rules/lights question...

The chain links in the lower playfield light up as you complete various tasks, correct? For example, if you complete a combo mission, a pink link gets brighter?

How about the light in the pad lock (lower playfield)... that doesn’t seem to coordinate with lock is lit?

The locks are how many balls are locked.
There are 2 at very bottom that dont light up.

The lock inserts serve two purposes, each lock represents the wizard mode for that set of chains and will flash in the appropriate color when the wizard mode is qualified.

The two locks closest to the flippers will light the Trunk MB color when balls one and two are locked.

If both are needed, it will alternate between them.

Josh, feedback done already, but again, something to know about the "warnings" would be more than nice...

Got it... and I'm correct about the chain links?

yes, the links are the escapes, movies and missions and light in the appropriate color as collected

This gate is now listed: https://store.american-pinball.com/products/one-way-gate-wireform-1-09-wrf0007-00?_pos=1&_sid=d4dc0c690&_ss=r

I have had this game at home now for a couple weeks, and find myself loving it more every day!

The latest thing I've done to it is to add an external subwoofer. WOW what a difference! The game as it comes from the factory seems to have very "thin" sound, with almost no low-end response from the built-in speakers. Adding the subwoofer gives the sound a much more rich character and really helps to bring the game to life.

I have my shaker and knocker kits ordered, so I am looking forward to the continued improvement of the overall game experience those will provide.

I just unboxed a Houdini today and I am having an issue with the stage or is it the theatre? The thing with the curtain that opens under the screen. the ball goes in but the game doesnt know it’s there. I assume I have a switch issue. is that a physical switch or an opto? Where does it plug in? That thing is hard to get to, so hopeful it came unplugged from the board somewhere, didn’t see anything obvious though :-/

Did you run a switch test to see if the game is recognizing the switch?

There is a stage test in the diagnostics.. try that.

I made this quick video for you:

Sorry I’m not an actor.
I’ll make a better one when I have time.

Now that was an answer. Thanks for sharing. Great tip.

Now that’s what I call great support from a pinball company, others could learn from this...

and finally made it to collect the 7 Houdini letters... except i never could put the ball in the (closed) theatre, due to the "milkcan bug level 2" ...
2 extras balls remaining when happened, that means big frustration tonight (but OK, there're things more important in life ! lol )

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Thanks! Problem solved!

I know there was a ton in the Houdini release, but I find it interesting that one particular item has not gotten any chatter . . .

WAIT, WHAT??
Did the morse code change?

I've been too busy playing it to notice a change to the attract mode. I'll have to check it out later today.

Maybe it announces the next API game...

Two days ago everything was great. Yesterday I got the "p3-roc or other system board has failed" error message. I traced the wires and found a domed capacitor on the 5v/12v portion of the stock power supply. I've already done the new 48V power supply upgrade, so what I'm wondering here is: is it worth it to spend the time replacing the capacitors on my current power supply (work I can do, but am not excited about) or would I be better off scrapping the stock power supply completely and dropping a brand new 5V/12V power supply in my cabinet (work I'm also/more comfortable with) and just moving forward?

The fact that I've already had to effectively replace half the stock power supply (48V upgrade) and have now had the other half (5V/12V) fail on me doesn't exactly fill me with optimism and enthusiasm for continuing to use this piece of hardware. Has anyone else replaced this? If so, with what?

I'm in contact with Dave from API and he's being super helpful. Those guys have been freakin AWESOME every time I had a question/issue, but I wanted to also reach out to y'all and see if anyone else had this (or a similar) issue and how y'all handled it.

A couple of the switches

Just clarifying here: do you have the original, original PS and the add-on upgrade? I'd replace them both if it was me. Even just from a simplicity standpoint

Sorry, but I'm a little confused here. What I've got is the original power supply (with the 48V disconnected) and the 48V upgrade power supply. See picture for my current full power supply situation.

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Joined the club again this morning thanks again to Melissa CoinTaker ! Such a great crew to combo with AmericanPinball Anyone have extras of topper/shaker/knocker/mods to get it dialed in when it arrives let me know!

I am surprised that when APIs PMs and support crew saw the regulation issue in the 48v portion of the original Toroidal-Monster power supply, that they didn't simply replace ALL OF IT with an off-the-shelf, bet-your-business 5V/12V/48V supply. Many 3-way combo's exist since 48V is a common TELCO voltage. Using just HALF of the toroidal-monster seems.... odd. My machine worked fine with the 2-supply approach, but it was a tough implementation to get my hands around.

I get how the $ math works. The two-supply approach may have saved a few dollars here and there, in their pocket or in the consumer's, but may have caused a maintenance nightmare in the making for some people and route operators that will be trying to do field trouble-shooting, etc.

Yep, that's what I was asking, and what I was clarifying. AP includes a new, more stable, single unit PS which is what I'd suggest upgrading to. There's nothing wrong with the 2-part PS, (mine is like that), but if parts are failing, just move to the single unit.

Where can I acquire one of these? They're not selling them on the website. The only PS I see there is the 48V upgrade that I already have... If anybody can give me the manufacturer and part number of the new single unit PS I'd appreciate it.