(Topic ID: 170560)

Any games that use a multi-position drop target?

By ForceFlow

7 years ago


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  • 15 posts
  • 11 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 7 years ago by Richthofen
  • Topic is favorited by 3 Pinsiders

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#1 7 years ago

I stumbled upon a Williams patent from 1989 of a multi-position drop target. Was this ever used in a game?

https://www.google.com/patents/US4943061

Basically, it looks like it can get knocked down 3 times before disappearing below the playfield like a normal single-position drop target would do. It also looks like 3 opto sensors would determine the drop target's position.

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#2 7 years ago

Never seen or heard of that! It looks like it stays put and only changes its height? I had a similar idea a while back. It would be a "rise" target rather than a drop. You could hit a drop target and it would rise into a ramp habitrail, when a ramp shot is made, the ball would get caught and held up by the drop target, a subsequent hit to the target would lower the target and begin two ball play. This looks like maybe they had something similar in mind?

#3 7 years ago

I suspect it was too fragile or unreliable to use. Not aware of any game that's done this.

#4 7 years ago
Quoted from Frax:

I suspect it was too fragile or unreliable to use. Not aware of any game that's done this.

I was thinkin the same thing. It seems like if the target were fully raised any juicy hit to the bottom would snap it in half. Maybe a metal target with stand ups would survive longer? Sort of like a totem pole target?!

#5 7 years ago

where's vid

#6 7 years ago

This was supposed to be used for the upper drop on Williams's Indiana Jones. Hence having to hit the drop 3 times to start the mini multiball mode.

Likely scrapped the idea because the target would be too fragile at its tallest.

#7 7 years ago

Besides, easily simulated via software without the limitations a hardware design puts in place.

#8 7 years ago

One of the drop targets on my Solar City has 3 positions. Up, 1/2 way down, all the way down. Do not think that counts.

Great info there guys.

#9 7 years ago
Quoted from Meegis:

This was supposed to be used for the upper drop on Williams's Indiana Jones. Hence having to hit the drop 3 times to start the mini multiball mode.
Likely scrapped the idea because the target would be too fragile at its tallest.

Where are you getting this info?

2 months later
#10 7 years ago
Quoted from Meegis:

This was supposed to be used for the upper drop on Williams's Indiana Jones. Hence having to hit the drop 3 times to start the mini multiball mode.
Likely scrapped the idea because the target would be too fragile at its tallest.

You are correct! The patented Triple drop target was a Totem Pole in the upper right hand side of the playfield. I am not sure why it was removed, for cost or fragility, but my original sample build has in installed. The Plastic Totem skin is broken. I know someone who has an extra, but he won't sell. I was going to try the original plastic supplier to see if he still has the tool to make or a drawing. I might be able to have it 3D printed.

#11 7 years ago
Quoted from WillSmuz8999:

You are correct! The patented Triple drop target was a Totem Pole in the upper right hand side of the playfield. I am not sure why it was removed, for cost or fragility, but my original sample build has in installed. The Plastic Totem skin is broken. I know someone who has an extra, but he won't sell. I was going to try the original plastic supplier to see if he still has the tool to make or a drawing. I might be able to have it 3D printed.

I'd be interested to see photos to see how it was implemented in the game, and what the actual mechanism looked like.

#12 7 years ago
Quoted from ForceFlow:

I'd be interested to see photos to see how it was implemented in the game, and what the actual mechanism looked like.

I will make it a point to take pictures soon.

1 month later
#13 7 years ago

Pictures

#14 7 years ago

As mentioned above Indiana Jones was supposed to have such a target. The drawing is actually in one of the prototype manuals. Per Mark Ritchie in Pinball Magazine No. 4 (which also features the drawing) they couln't get it to work reliable and it was very expensive, so scrapped for those reasons.

#15 7 years ago
Quoted from SHOOTTHEPYRAMID:

Never seen or heard of that! It looks like it stays put and only changes its height? I had a similar idea a while back. It would be a "rise" target rather than a drop. You could hit a drop target and it would rise into a ramp habitrail, when a ramp shot is made, the ball would get caught and held up by the drop target, a subsequent hit to the target would lower the target and begin two ball play. This looks like maybe they had something similar in mind?

I like this idea. what I would love to see if a force-sensor target. So a spot target or battering ram style target that, when hit gently, awards a small amount of points, but when hit very forcefully would issue a lot more points. A lot of players try to get around the Iron Monger in IM by hitting him with gentle glancing side shots, but imagine if the harder you hit him, it would be worth an exponential amount of points. Adds to the risk/reward factor

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