Build sheet for #665 just hit my inbox as well, for those keeping score.

Per the flipper fans: do you guys recommend cooling the two main flippers or all three? Eyeing the Vireland kits (Pinmonk) and was debating the merits of each for RAM.

#655 invoiced (and paid here shortly) today.

How quick has it been for you guys from making the payment to the pin shipping?

Thanks! Super excited.

4 in Alaska. We are the per capita capitol.

I cant be mad at our Canadian cousins.

Hoser.

#655 arrived.

This pin is amazing. Best sound/theme and possibly game this year ( the award shows really missed by elevating gnr, imho). It’s hard to explain how good this game is. A home run Spooky.

I really wish more folks could play this pin. I hope a few get out on routes. If you do get a chance to play one, do so! Also, holy shit at the sound system on this....

I had a similar issue, except the glass was not cut at a clean angle (instead of being straight, it was angled a bit) and wouldnt set correctly into the lock (creating massive bass reverb ....oh the bass). I swapped with an existing piece of glass for the fix. Also, fyi, my bass was cranked to an 11 from the factory......assuming this was an oversight....so i adjusted to perfection

Glass felt works wonders on the underside of the top and bottom channels for the glass, fyi. Every time my sub kicks in this was shaking into oblivion. Noticeable difference post install.

Ya, so yesterday I installed the new bushing into my ram and wow. I’m pretty skeptical of information on pinside especially when it’s “x fixes y” but let me also just add to what others have said and say this is a must ( and a correct) fix for ram. For anyone out there doubting the flipper bushings, don’t. The functionality is night and day post correction and I highly recommend it. The game now shoots less like a maladjusted wide body and more like my Iron Maiden ( my only real complaint with the game was how it shoots, and I wondered why spooky got away from what ever they had with TNA, this fix makes ram shoot like TNA imho).

Second here, I tried to dl the file last night and no go for what ever reason. Look forward to giving this a run!

I would pay for the pin version of DLC. But before we open up Pandora's box, we need to define where to draw this line, lest 'unfinished' code/pins become the norm.

It took awhile to dial mine in too. Including moving the garage rail. My scores jumped by a factor of 2x after all of the adjustments. And once dialed in, the disappointment with how the game shot (which was my only complaint with the game) are completely gone. Someone else wrote this plays very much like an old fast em game and I agree, for this reason it will be a long term keeper (its fast, short games, and very very fun).

I just recently made it to Rick Potion 9, and it was somewhat startling. I wasnt expecting it (my machine is set to start at 3 adventures, I may turn this down now). Really cool! If I had one additional wish for the code it would be a deeper wizard mode or 1-2 additional modes. I agree that I dont expect another update and as it sits this is now one of my favorite machines, so i dont feel it needs anything additional to be complete, but those would be wish list items.

The only other missing element is the lack of voices for Beth, Summer etc.. I dont think thats realistic to think they would ever be added in but if we are wishing and dreaming big it would be to have Spooky secure a smaller license to add in their voices or commentary and or 1-2 more modes. But I also would worry this would work against what, imho, is a perfectly balanced and the best use of IP that Ive seen in a modern game. While Spooky has some design, engineering and manufacturing limitations comparative to Stern etc.. where I believe they shine is theme integration, sounds, music etc.. IMHO RAM is their masterpiece of fun and theme integration and really reminds me of a fully fleshed out, IP themed TNA in terms of speed, overall experience, and shots.

Strengths: Theme integration, code, lights/light show, fun factor, sound, and art. Weakness: Engineering and build consistency, shots, depth of code in later game stages

True if they had the same design team/engineer etc. but my understanding is they switched gears and it's noticeable.

On a side note, the lineage between RAM and TNA is neat. I feel like when Im playing RAM Im playing an evolved TNA. I thought I wanted to own both but if I had to choose it would be the RAM hands down. RAM has all of what makes TNA awesome plus a lot more depth, shots etc. (a second dimension, vs a rather flat playfield in TNA. Both are great though).

That it leaves you wanting more is the hallmark of this title and why it is deserving of consideration. What is interesting to me is despite some of its design/geometry flaws, it really is a fun and great game. I believe it is the best theme integration/use of IP I've seen to date in pinball.

Yes. At first I thought this was a dimension mode feature that was new but realized that it is not. FYI seems to happen with me when combined with an active dimension.

Anyone else having difficulty unpacking the zip file? Perhaps not possible on a mac? Didn't have this issue on prior updates but it seems to be struggling this go for me.

Fixed: for some reason both Mac's had switch to "open with installer". A swap back to archive solved the issue. Posting fix here just as an fyi for anyone else having the issue.

Yah thanks. I'm not sure why but both of my Mac's defaulted to installer. Annoying

Hey, just fyi thank you for your ongoing replies/involvement/support. You've made a few fans here as a result of your continued involvement and engagement and I am one of them.

Also, on a different note, I agree with prior commenters, this should be a top ten game. My sense is the lower production numbers tempered the community response a bit (that, and the game is brutally hard....but given Elwin's run I think the 'too hard' limit has significantly lessened in terms of game acceptance).

it really is amazing. Generally, Im against a 1k uptick but in this case: Spooky's butter cab is 1,000% recommended.

Hells yes

Same here, and here are a few reasons why from my perspective:

Quick ball times. Aside from a few skilled players, most ball times comparative to other pins in my lineup (I have a TZ, which isnt exactly friendly....) the ball times on RAM are super short. This leads to multiple games per player.

Fun: as a shooter goes, RAM is clunky and particular (aka hard and unforgiving). Its why I also like it. However, what often gets left out of the conversation here is its also an incredible interactive and fun game. It never feels dull or wood choppy.

Interactivity: world under glass applies to RAM. Spooky's use of IP here is top level and much like another amazing pin TNA the lights, sounds and vibrations are insane. One of the best light shows in pin prior to GNR (and right up there with the criminally underrated Ghostbuster light show).

IP: Its hard to argue with how engaging the use of IP is in RAM. It literally feels like Rick and Morty stand over your shoulder. Adds to the 'drawn in' aspect of the machine.

Summation: RAM is a unique pinball experience with solid pinball moments. While it has weaknesses in geometry and design those are largely offset by fun and interactivity. It is a top ten pin, imho, and is I think a 'throwback', as much as TNA was as well, to what might have been a 'future' design if the basic layouts of the 80's pins continued into the modern era.

Agreed. I also think ram was the best spooky. I think spooky is great but would like to see them score this team and or some decent designers for future releases.

Ya 100%. As far as pinball fun/experiences go, TNA and ram are something unique. That’s not to say they are above say any stern, where design and engineering are vastly superior, but Spooky’s niche is unique design, immersion and “sensation” if that’s a thing in pinball.

I can’t imagine selling my ram. The only thing close to the experience of it in pinball I’ve found is TNA, and I view ram as an upgraded polished TNA (they are different games of course but there is enough that’s similar to make me go back to this comparison. Ram feels like an evolution to TNA).

I think ultimately because ram is so immersive, fun and engaging it’s easy to ignore the clunky shots and the difficulty level. The only modern game I have an equal affinity for is sterns Iron Maiden. Iron Maiden may be the greatest game of all time ( or one of them). I go back and forth on where ram should sit comparative to maiden, and while I still think maiden is a superior game from a design and engineering standpoint, where stern remains king, it’s hard to say that ram isn’t equally engaging for its own unique merits.

Spooky’s magic is the immersion and world under glass factor and ram imho is their masterpiece to date.

One other thing I’ll add is i find it also interesting that, comparative to the modern trap heavy designs from stern, where technical brilliance is emphasized in design and encouraged in gameplay, to me, and I don’t know if this was intentional, TNA and ram seem to encorisge frantic play and discourage trap. It’s not that you can’t trap on either machine ( TNA far more rewards this than ram does) but to me both pins feel like they were design for flow play. And again that is somewhat of a throwback to 90’s Williams/earlier Ritchie design.

Polar opposite here. The flow, shots, scoring and depth alongside a moderately hard game with enough variation, theme and experience puts Maiden extremely high for me. Try it again! FYI the learning curve is 7/10, it has a somewhat steep wall from casual to punching into the depth. It took me about a year to consistently start hitting 150 mil ish and breaking deeper into the modes.

Jpp in general really disappointment me as shooters. Beautiful, work of art level games, theme integration. And absolutely snooze fest of games. Imho ram should have had more parity with gnr. I think some factors were in play: nostalgia, which is a hell of a drug, shock and awe, in that visually gnr is amazing and most folks wernt playing or seeing these machines in person during Covid, and rams low production numbers, which I think really cost it in terms of notice but also place within the top tier discussions ( I want to give a giant shout to people and ops who put this game out for the general public. It’s too bad more folks don’t get to play it). Those are some of the factors that I think swung gnr far up above where it actually and likely sits in the pantheon of rankings and desirability and likely someone of the factors keeping ram depressed comparatively.

One thing I wonder about as well is, of the folks that pre ordered the game, how many were ram fans vs pinheads etc. at the time spooky was still seen as a next true producer with some amazing games and even now we see that with some ip it’s the theme driving the sales. I often wonder if, had people had the chance to play ram and the production number been higher, that it would have gotten more of a general audience initially but I also wonder, like Iron Maiden, if people were turned off by the ip to some extent too ( I love the ip of both. I also think both took some time to “catch” with the gen pop and both are top tier games etc).

Have you installed the flipper bushing fix? If not, I could see a incorrectly leveled flipper creating a 'floaty' feeling off the flippers. (Spooky had replacement bushings; search this thread for additional info).

We are focused on the use of IP for new episodes, modes, wizard modes etc.. However, one brilliant feature of this game are the dimensions. This, and ball lock awards, are a way Spooky could add content to the game without relying on additional cost related to the IP (it's still their staff and coding time. We spend this freely muahhaahaha). A wizard mode connected to the dimensions would be legit, imho, assuming additional IP cant be procured.

i haven't either, but he described a floating feeling on his RAM. The flippers are the only thing I can see causing this (or maybe a really misleveled machine). The game is not floaty, if anything, the opposite.

OMG. Yes!!!

Can you detail the difference you've seen? I have dialed in game and feel more could be done to smooth out the shots.

Anyone else had sound issues post final update (9/22)? I have main voice and sounds cut out during moonman and also had main character voices cut out during a multi/dimension combo mode. Had to reset the game on the multi etc mode to get them back and the voices and sound effects returned post moonman mode during that game.

Ok right on. I dig it, just making sure it was intended. Thanks mate!

I noticed a significant change. I upped the power to my right flipper and now the ramp shot is solid (previously, on default, it was a solid miss 60% ish of the time and required you to hit it with significant velocity to clear the ramp. Now, it remains a moderately challenging shot but the misses are not related to power but rather accuracy etc.).

Yep I dig it. I feel I have a good balance between flipper power and protecting the machine. I have the precision flippers on my Iron Maiden (oddly, I find Maiden fades far worse than RAM) and enjoy them on that machine. I debated them on my RAM but the flipper coil adjustment seems to have addressed my issue. We shall see if this leads to fade etc.. RAM doesn't greatly lend itself to trapping the ball, so I think thats in part why I haven't see fade, but could see it being an issue if you were laying on the flippers.

Oh and Froopyland is amazing. The last major code drop with the new dimensions was epic, imho.

Love it.

I'm in for one. Thanks.

Have you tried a power adjustment on the flippers first? I did (I own a set of the precision flippers on my iron maiden, fyi, dig em but not for every application) and it worked for me very well. I also had the updated flipper bushing installed from Spooky so I'd recommend that along with the power increase via the menu first. if that doesn't change how the game shoots then would recommend the flippers 100%.

Engineering and design matter. Bottom line. TNA and RAM remain Spooky's best games. A big part of that is their geometry and design. Coding doesnt hurt. What Spooky does really well (IP, art, theme integration) is really represented well in RAM.

What I would give for the passion and skillsets of Spooky to be matched to Stern level design and engineering.

RAM remains bolted to my floor. It is a game that gets played until its dog tired. A big part of this is the ip/theme, but because it's so fun people also seem to ignore the clunky shots comparative to my Sterns and or the fact its an amazingly brutal game.

What I would also give for the remaining seasons Spooky once committed to. I know this is a pipe dream but RAM remains (IMO) Spooky's masterpiece (TNA might also be up there, or in the running). So I will hold out hope. As it sits though its still an amazing machine that, in terms of fun factor, has few equals.

From an end user/player perspective, there are very few games which feel like they are complexly immersive. RAM is this. Labyrinth looks to be similar. I would say have her go play a RAM, with the caveat that you need to be able to hear the call outs etc. to fully gauge RAM as that is a big part of how RAM is significant and stands out vs. other pins.

I've had the polar opposite experience. The difficulty matched with the fun/theme seems to evoke 'one more game' more than my other pins.

RAM ends up with three times the play count comparative to my Sterns.

The ip/theme integration is so good/immersive that I think it shuts off the cognative return of being exceedingly bad at pinball.

I would not trade RAM for a Wonka.

Wonka has some design issues, in particular, there is a shot in the upper right portion of the game that is impossible to see given the physical design of the game. Also, Wonka in general is not close to RAM in terms of fun, though for a JPP game its above average. I think you would regret the trade eventually, and I think RAM is a higher resale and playable value driven proposition comparatively.

Think about when it came out. Covid, low production numbers, and an IP that should not have been as engaging as it is all lead to a significantly undiscovered machine from most of the general public. It's also a game with some limitations ( future modes never completed, geometry can generously be described as angular/tight, and build qa issues). This said, I believe its a top twenty game. There are few machines that are as fun and immersive as RAM, and I will continue to assert it's Spooky's masterpiece to date.