(Topic ID: 128259)

Appreciation for WMS engineering.

By epthegeek

8 years ago


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  • 11 posts
  • 9 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 8 years ago by Radius118
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#1 8 years ago

Over the last 20+ years I've torn down and rebuilt all sorts of games, and it's always impressed me how nicely the WMS stuff is (generally) engineered.

This really struck me again when I started cleaning up this BK2K this week.

IMG_1278.jpgIMG_1278.jpg

Hinged upper playfield with a kickstand that can stay powered up when raised. Kudos to those guys man.

#2 8 years ago

This, this, this! Nothing else of the time seems to have the level of design and build quality, and that stays true today. The only complaint I have is GI connectors. It's definitely better built than anything a certain "leading" manufacturer puts out today. People ask us why we do not sell our Williams games and buy new $8000 machines. I've seen the videos and heard the reports... These games take a licking and keep on ticking 25+ years later. The new ones... some you can't even get 25 days out of before LEDs start failing, magnet drivers go out, LEDs fall out, ramps break, backbox bolts strip, displays fail, etc. Our two 24 year old Addams Family machines consistently out earn everything else we have.

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#3 8 years ago

I'm a B/W fan boy and not ashamed to admit it. I like their design, build quality, play-ability, pretty much everything about B/W games. Not to say I hate all Sterns or other manufacturers, but nobody yet in my mind has beaten the quality B/W produced.

#4 8 years ago

I'm old.

When Funhouse is listed as a 'classic'. Ffff...

#5 8 years ago

I like Gottlieb's design of the upper playfield on Spirit. Loosen two screws, lift up a ramp flap and it lifts up and out of the machine. Plus three connectors allow you to unplug it so you can take it over to the workbench.

#6 8 years ago

Williams engineering was A-Ok in my book.

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#7 8 years ago

For EM designs, Williams was pretty darn good. I wish they could have done a little better with the chimebox design though.

In my opinion, the Williams silver coin door was the best coin door EVER made! I can rebuild those things blindfolded.

#8 8 years ago

I love Stern and almost all their newer games, but, while they may excel at Lean manufacturing, B/W did have better engineering.

I re-watched the making of video for X-men recently, and they had an engineer commenting on how much time was spent on the design reiterations of the Wolverine figure. I felt bad for that guy after seeing that. Even acknowledging that hindsight is 20/20, it doesn't take an engineer to understand that a flying steel ball colliding with a piece of hollow plastic will destroy It.

That being said, being over engineered isn't the best either. Over engineering just means spending more money than necessary to get the job done. It's easy to over engineer yourself out of business. Bally/Williams did have a great balance.

#9 8 years ago
Quoted from KenLayton:

I wish they could have done a little better with the chimebox design though.

I'll be honest, I prefer bells over any chimes. And Williams bells play music to my ears. As in that Pit Stop sitting next to the Grand Prix with the open hood.

#10 8 years ago
Quoted from epthegeek:

Over the last 20+ years I've torn down and rebuilt all sorts of games, and it's always impressed me how nicely the WMS stuff is (generally) engineered.
This really struck me again when I started cleaning up this BK2K this week.
IMG_1278.jpg (Click image to enlarge)
Hinged upper playfield with a kickstand that can stay powered up when raised. Kudos to those guys man.

this is exactly the picture i was thinking of before i clicked on this thread.

-c

#11 8 years ago
Quoted from epthegeek:

Over the last 20+ years I've torn down and rebuilt all sorts of games, and it's always impressed me how nicely the WMS stuff is (generally) engineered.
This really struck me again when I started cleaning up this BK2K this week.
IMG_1278.jpg (Click image to enlarge)
Hinged upper playfield with a kickstand that can stay powered up when raised. Kudos to those guys man.

That's awesome. Love that kind of stuff. Along with the sliding rails that let you pull the playfield out and lock it so you can work on the stuff at the back of the machine. I have a Party Zone that doesn't have those and it's a PITA to get to the stuff behind the backboard.

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