What location was this at?

The ring on the pop is gone.. Most likely has been removed. I haven't been notified, so I think it's an in house repair.

@Rosh: did you have any news for us (European customers) when shipping is planned ? ... Hope is before Q4

Ps: thank you for your great support and the communication to all pinheads

Doing its best Phantom of the Opera opening impression.

Yes. Ball management is currently "magical" and I'd say the game can add (and subtract) balls at any time, for any reason, based on my play. It's not super-frequent, but it does lose track of balls.

I think Josh said the weak coil thing was related to the P3ROC and they're working on addressing it. I've noticed it a smidge, but it's pretty minor for us.

Hi all

I would love to see Lloyd Olsen doing tech support for this company.

He is always there to help 7 days a week.

He is a legend in this business and he would be a great asset for American pinball tech support

So let’s all try and get Lloyd to do tech support for American pinball.

What do you say!!!!!!1

That would be great, but pretty sure the AP guys are undead. They answer tech support stuff at all hours and even on the Lord's Day.

Just installed the external Polk sub and I cannot stress how much of a difference it makes. Thanks to all for the installation tips, super straight forward.

If you mean me ? I believe American Pinball already has Josh and Jeff, both are active here.

LTG : )

My gosh. You bought a Houdini.

Don't worry, I'll help if I can.

LTG : )

...

My apologies if this has already been mentioned but one thing I would love to see added to software is a visual cue when the scoop is getting ready to eject the ball. This is pretty common on some other games and with the proximity to the flippers, the very real chance it's headed toward the middle and not one of the flippers and the fact the ball can come from one of three places (scoop, loop lock or shooter lane) really makes it difficult to handle scoop ejects during MB. Flashing the arrow insert rapidly right before it ejects would be a welcome aid.

Good idea. Over a couple hundred games now and Ive just taught myself to listen foe scoop. But an added visual would help.
Also important to point out that code is roughly at 90%. Josh is working on it all day, everyday, even weekends if i add it up correctly. Many great things are still coming.

I have mixed feelings on this. Part of having the ball come from three or four different places is part of the misdirection that is such a huge part of magic, keeping the audience guessing and on their toes, so to me it is part of the theme integration of surprising the player and keeping them on their toes. As you play the game you start to realize that more often then not it is going to come from the scoop or the shooter lane, since there is a greater likelihood of balls being available there vs the left lock.

I'll continue to give it some thought, but right now it is by intent to not warn you.

I think that's fair enough if we can get the scoop eject to be more consistent, as it is though that's kinda harsh. I guess it's better than purposely re-directing your attention which much of "magic" really is, lol. Having Seance going with other modes is like trying to juggle water sometimes, but in a good way.

I must be missing someting regarding the scoop eject.

Mine has never shot SDTM from the scoop. Ok, in 170 3 ball games, maybe twice.
It'll trickle out and gently bump off the right slingshot to the left where I can gather it up with the flipper.

Occasionally it'll take two tries to eject a scoop ball.
I'll see it popping it's ball head out like a Whack-A-Mole game before the second eject is successful but never get it SDTM... Weird how so many have this issue.
I agree with ROSH..You always have time to react, no mater where the ball is coming from. No need to tell the player it's gonna be coming from the scoop. Seems almost silly to do that.

I've played two different games on location and both of them shot SDTM from the scoop at least 50% of the time if not more. Hopefully they'll be fixed soon as I enjoyed the game but that made me cautious of putting more money in, and completely turned off a friend of mine from wanting to play the game again.

Perhaps people are just used to other games that warn you of a scoop eject with a light and sound going off.
If Josh's intent is to surprise you, it make sense to have a sleuth mode. Always trust the programmer unless you can convince him otherwise.

I don't think it's silly at all, in fact it's pretty common in games to give that visual (often with a flasher) and sometimes an audio cue as well. TAF, CV, Spider-man, TZ, AFM, GOTG, JP are all games that do this just off the top of my head and I'm sure there are a lot more I can't think of right now. If they choose to not do so to go along with the magic theme that's cool but I think it's more of the norm to do it.

Not telling you where the ball is coming from adds to the fun, challenge and theme of the game. Maybe that is a proposal for a feature setting. I wouldn’t want it set on though.

Oh I believe you...
My biggest game issue is bricking the shot somewhere around the KEYLANE entry standups that coming back SDTM before I can blink,
even with the post between the flippers. Wow, would that be frustrating if the post was not there! It saves quite a few of those drains.

If the ball management were consistent (not losing or adding balls at times), the magic ball misdirection might be fun, but as it is, it's irritating. I think it will get there, but it's not fully baked yet.

Can you please snap a photo of where you put it in the amp, the type of cord you used and where you put it in the sub? I am more of a visual learner. The explanations haven't really helped me.

What he said, but only if you have time.

Happy to share. Worth noting I PM'd Barry directly who advised me on the correct install.

What you'll need: A powered sub (such as the one below which someone earlier in this thread linked to) and speaker wires.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002KVQBA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00

With power off, remove the back box. Then remove the 4 screws attached the monitor, disconnect the HDMI and Power to the monitor and place it aside.

Under the amp inside the back box you'll see where you'll need to connect the speaker wires (L+R)

Attach speaker wires, then thread them through the bottom, out one of the grills (see photo).

Plug wires into sub, plug it in and let 'er rumble.

You'll have to adjust sub settings by using the knobs on top of the amp. Problem is, you won't be able to read what they say unless you remove the amp... I'm lazy so I just adjusted on-the-fly while the music was playing to dial it in.

IMG_5113 (resized).jpg

IMG_5114 (resized).jpg

Are the audio settings available in the game settings? Im praying for a headset support or a mod and would love to be able to tweak the sound for this.

I'm not aware of any audio settings in the game settings...

Check page 3-13 in the preliminary manual. There are some settings. No idea if they are what you are looking for.

LTG : )

Do you mean remove the backglass?

I haven’t done this yet but I think the lower row of outputs are labeled SUB. I think you would hook up the sub to either the two on the right or the two on the left.

Finally got to play Houdini the other day. Great game but some seriously tight shots ! Built like a tank too. His eyes on the playfield creep me out ! lol

Putting this here to let people know, more infos in my development thread;

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/houdinis-steampunk-shooter-rod-and-development-thread#post-4285090

thank guys, bob.

Stage Cover in machine (right) (resized).JPG

How we doing on games shipping? Looks like this will be my birthday present this year

Fisrt order of business might be to update the code when I get my game next week. I don't think I've ever waited this long for a game. Now let's just hope it gets here in one piece

The 257 arcade in Woodfield Mall in Illinois. Very cool place by the way.

I've been there, I recommend the pulled pork nachos or the Cubano.. Was a broken flipper return spring, it is now playable once again!

There are no sound adjustments within the software. All sound adjustments are done at the amp.

IMG_20180412_122134706 (resized).jpg

It was great meeting you at TPF Barry!
Everyone there was so very helpful and knowledgeable. What a great team.

Is the amp easily accessible? Those settings would be sufficient for just about anything.
From what I understand its buried in the backbox and the screen has to be removed to get to it?

Or can it be relocated?

I dont have my game yet so Im interested in this.

Thanks!

Screen only needs removing if your hooking up a sub. The controls you see Barry holding are pointed up, so when backglass is off you see those adjustment pots. Easily reachable. With amp being in back box, i just went with a few backglass off games and made it to my liking. However, the settings shipped out were plenty good out of the box.

That's excellent news! I think I will definitely add the sub as well as a headphone jack to this game.
I really hope that some cool tricks with the magnets are going to be added to the code as Im replacing my Theatre of Magic with Houdini. I love the magnet tricks in ToM..... Its Magic!

I forgot to mention there is a master volume on coin door controls like every other Bally/Williams.
In the long run if youve had your TOM more than a couple years, you wont regret the upgrade to Houdini. Much more to do and master.
On a side not about subwoofers, thats todays project!

20180412_081518 (resized).jpg

Sorry for the blurry picture.

IMG_20180412_122754170_BURST000_COVER (resized).jpg

I got my ToM HUO in 1998 (2nd owner).
A lot of the time I can get to the final mode on ball one in a 5 ball game.
I havent really played it in 10 years but people play it at parties and they love the magnet tricks as do I.
That being said, Im not holding on to it for guests. I want games that I like to play.

I really liked Houdini at TPF and decided to buy in. I hope the finished code is amazing and outrageous!
Plus the creepy Houdini eyes really drew me in a lot like my Funhouse

The settings will be on the top of the amp and are easily accessible by removing the back glass. the connections for the speakers and sub are on the bottom and the monitor sits over that side....So you need to remove the monitor to get to those connections. We set the amp settings a specific way when the game leaves the factory so feel free to adjust for your acoustic setting.

Here is the other side of the amp..Covered by the monitor and were a powered sub would be connected.

IMG_20180412_122139651 (resized).jpg

I see a lot of guys adding subwoofers on the floor below their games.
Is it possible to add a sub inside the game (im just thinking aloud now...)?
I know that absolutely the external sounds better, but some games have sub onboard now or at least a snappy base speaker?

I just added a sonos play5 to my game room, so Im getting more interested in audio again after not caring for 25 years lol.

You could mount it in the game floor...But, you would have to do some drilling as there is no speaker on the floor from the factory.

No hole in bottom of cabinet. Where your used to seeing that speaker is just pretty cabinet. Personally i dont want to drill it. But you could, add a grill, and inside cabinet sub.

Thanks Barry !

Sounds like an opportunity to use my giant hole saw
The little rusty gears in my head are starting to spin lol.

It will need 5 or 6 inch hole saw, or template and slow hand jig saw or panel saw after good 1 inch pilot hole.
Advantage if external....you can hook up more than one pinball machine. Add a inline switcher from Frys for $25. Just click to one of 4 pins. Less dust and no vacume needed.

If you're going to go to that much trouble I'd build a bass box around it to really make it thump (kinda like TNA).