Time to get riggity riggity wrecked, Son!!!
As someone very passionate about this project, I wanted to be the guy to start the official club thread. This will get locked until the games ship, but then, it's on bitch.
--Scott

I just changed the name of the thread to something more fun.
--Scott

I just tweak sounds until they sound right. I get lucky most times.
--Scott

Hey Guys,
Yeah, so this rail adjustment thing is my fault. I put too many tabs on that guide rail which made it very stiff and actually bounced the ball off sometimes. Removing those 2 screws allows the rail to have a bit of flex to it and not bounce the ball off of it and cause it to rattle. I guess it could be worse. Spooky is making the adjustments, but all it really comes down to is removing those 2 screws. You do not need to drill holes or anything crazy. If yours is playing fine, then just leave it as it. Hope that clarifies a bit. I am still learning every single day on the best practices of pinball design.

Thank you,
--Scott

Just to clarify what is going on here. Some people were having rattling issues with these shots since I over-engineered the guide rails to be too stiff on ball impact points. This was resolved by people removing a couple screws on the guide rail tabs on early games. Even out of the box, the game is great. I am not sure who you asked about the guide rails, but spooky did not change the rails on R&M from the CAD I provided them. The only change is them now removing the unnecessary tabs on the guide rails as people found it plays better without them. I can assure you that the team is watching and making necessary adjustments to make the game the best it can be. I am sorry you are not happy with your game.
--Scott

Thank you!

<3

I love you Eric.
--Scott

The song for the TNA dimension is Alpha Particles. That is the song that plays when Reactor 1 is running on TNA.
--Scott

That shirt is AMAZING!

PBL has some things rolling off the line soon.
--Scott

Sling protectors are up for R&M!
https://www.pinballlife.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PBL-300-0173-00

--Scott

So, I chose to use flipper parts on the diverter mech for just this problem. You broke a part on it? Great! You probably have spares in you pinball parts box! I try to future-proof my designs as much as possible to make them as easy to repair in the distant future as possible. Also, it saves money to use existing parts rather than design a new mechanism since you can get quantity discounts easier. You will notice the game also has 4 of the exact same flipper coils in it. Economies of scale!
--Scott

I would have to agree on this one. TNA was a different story completely because I tailored the software to do cool things with the fluorescent green protectors. On TNA, it did make the plastics look slightly more yellow too during normal gameplay.

For Rick and Morty, I chose to stay away from making a whole fluorescent plastic protector for a few reasons, one of which is that the game does a bunch more color floods and the green really wrecked the lighting effects. I chose instead to make slingshot protectors only in case people still wanted to add a small bit of extra color to their playfield. The clear protectors from Spooky are the way to go from the factory if you want to make sure to give your plastics the longest life they can get.

Here are the fluorescent green slingshot protectors I made. I had a bit of fun with this set too.

https://www.pinballlife.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PBL-300-0173-00

--Scott

I never kiss and tell.

Definitely looks pretty neat though!

<3

Since I do own the rights to all the custom music in the game, this is not off the table. I do plan on releasing a new album this year that will include some of the tracks that were used in the game on it. When it releases, I will spam it all over the place, so don't worry.
--Scott

Flipper switch.

I appreciate this post. There is so much that goes into designing a physical layout. I and others in the circle played the crap out of this thing and cut 3 whitewood versions of it before its "final whitewood" which still was tweaked for the better for production.

As for the audio, I did a lot more to Schwifty than it seems. I had to extract the vocals from the track and I completely reverse engineered and re-wrote it from the version that is on the R&M soundtrack. If you put the game in family mode, you can hear how the the word shit is bleeped, but not the music.

--Scott

Well, this is not from Spooky, but the 3 washers on there was a mod people were doing to their TNA games to make the pop bumper ring sit higher on the playfield and get better action on the ball.
--Scott

At least you probably had family mode on.
--Scott

Agreed. I like to keep the swearing percent at about 50%. The bleeps are just as funny.

You want the real answer of the one I made up??? How about 1 of each?

Answer 1: The vocal trigger upon turning the game off is because the switch boards are powering down just a fraction of a second earlier than the P3-ROC and the computer. The computer thinks these switches are being triggered and what you are hearing could be a flipper switch callout in attract mode, or the start of the service menu entry callout. I looked into adding a capacitor to the 12v line, since it powered down first, to prevent this on TNA, but decided it was dumb to add cost for something that is not really an issue.

Answer 2: Your house is haunted and Rick is subliminally trying to tell you to have a party. Jimmy werewolf is waiting anxiously.

--Scott

You are probably seeing a bunch of people reporting back Beta code test results, which is why Eric took that to a more private group. That feedback does not really belong here. Other than that, this is mostly normal pinball stuff that I am seeing.
--Scott

Not yet. I am working on it.

There is one. I made it sound like someone jamming a megaseed up their butthole. It is just not very dominant over everything else that is going on.

The Flooble crank is supposed to be tight so the post does not move at all or you may damage your playfield. The energy is transferred in the form of a high frequency vibration to the captive ball behind the wire.
--Scott

Clean the contacts of your pop switch with a clean piece of printer paper.

The game is designed to make you panic flip and it will punish you for it. You need to trap up as much as you can and take a deep breath, then make your shot. Its the same way I did TNA. These are the types of games that I think are the most fun. If you want to play it crazy, definitely just try and make shots on the fly, it will be insane.
--Scott

They are compressed and normalized, but I will check on the "Like I care" one just in case I missed one.
--Scott

For the glass rattle, I really love this stuff. I use it on my games at home.

https://www.pinballlife.com/anti-rattle-tape-12-x-25-ft.html

I will look into an air ball eliminator for the right ramp as well. This is not a super common complaint, but it may be worth making something for it.

--Scott

I miss that game!
--Scott

After testing a bunch of different scenarios, we came up with a cover for the right ramp on Rick and Morty. Here it is if you need one!

https://www.pinballlife.com/rick-and-morty-right-ramp-airball-protector.html

Thanks,
--Scott

Just to clarify, this is not a Spooky product, this is just a mod. This will not be necessary for most people. I also made something similar for TNA to avoid ball traps. It is not necessary either, but available if needed.
--Scott

Definitely agree that if there is a major issue, a ramp cover will not work. This is just a simple product I had in the works to help the people that occasionally get air balls jumping from the ramp. If you are hitting this protector on it's edge, the problem is elsewhere and that should be looked into.
--Scott

Re-download and run the software update again.

Hi everyone!
So I wanted to chime in on this as it has been asked to me many times now. The little adjustment holes are there to help get both flipper resting positions in the proper place. To adjust them, with flipper rubber on the bats, put a tooth pick in both of the adjustment holes and let the flippers rest against them and tighten them up that way. This is the way that I had it configured in all my Whitewood testing and the way I prefer it to be set. By doing this, you may not be able to backhand the right ramp from the right flipper, but I never meant for that to be possible originally. This may help out with the ease of being able to hit the left ramp more smoothly. Thanks everyone!
--Scott

Then you are good to go!

Round. Problem solved.

It's actually a thing, I had some back in the day. Weird huh?

Just throwing this out there, but that may cause air balls off your flippers due to the now upward angle of the flipper rubber. It's going to act more like a pitching wedge now than a 3 wood. Your mileage may vary though.
--Scott

Don't cut it. Loosen the screws on the EOS switch, move it down a little so it clears the washer, and tighten the screws back down.
--Scott

Definitely worth trying. Post passing should be possible in both directions.

In engineering, part of the fun is that most changes to existing assemblies will have unintended consequences. You just need to think through and catch them. Anyway, I would just wait for the new bushing. That bushing spacer will not work and it is not worth the risk of putting a spacer under your flipper mechs, using too long of a screw, and ruining your nice playfield.

Also check to make sure the flipper bat shaft is not gouged. If it is, it will want to go back to the position it was originally in.
--Scott

Knockdown was an issue with TNA early on because of the scoop firing at full power directly at the right flipper. I mitigated it with software, but I am going to have to try the lowering of the bushings and see if that helps even more. I know on my game it is not an issue, but the different games seem to all have different results. This is pretty neat and helpful to read what you guys are finding here. Thanks!
--Scott

Regarding the "clunky" comment. I think a bunch of people define this word differently and that is ok. Rick and Morty was physically designed to be a pretty tough layout. This game does not have any wide shots like a direct up the middle bank of targets, or super wide ramps. Instead, it has more smaller sized shots. By designing it this way, the game will force you to make your shots count. If you miss a shot, it will hit a post and now you are no longer in control.

My playing tips for Rick and Morty are to make sure to trap up when possible, take a breath, and then make your shots. If you panic flip, this game will eat you alive. Obviously, you cannot trap up every time, but you will get better and better as you play more and you eventually and naturally trap up less.

I just cannot bring myself to design an easy game. I personally get sick of easy shooting games very quickly and I feel a bunch of other people do as well. Part of the "one more time" factor is a game that can hand your ass to you if you deserve it.

I can honestly say I am very proud of how this game turned out. <3

--Scott

The zip ties are a great (and cheap) way to quickly help with the rattle, but Justin at Pinball Life recently found some really awesome tape that I put on my machines and it works really well. It is a different material than I have seen used before. I think it is some sort of felt.

https://www.pinballlife.com/anti-rattle-tape-12-x-25-ft.html

This was enough for 3 games.

No, this is a mod for the game and not required.
--Scott

Hey Guys,
This is correct. It is also reinforced. It will work at almost any coil power as well.

Hey Guys,
Just a clarification... This ramp that was posted today is a mod for people that want it, and is not at all necessary for the game to function properly. These are not made by Spooky Pinball and will not be put into the games. This is no different than a ramp cover or quiet fan mod.
--Scott

That is definitely an interesting mod. Does it bounce around a bunch before getting to the flipper????
--Scott

Exactly. This is not an issue for most.
--Scott

I agree!

Yep, this was ran through a ton of testing and it perfectly ok! We wanted to run this off the 12v line for this game, which causes extra heat dissipation, but it is so far within tolerance that we decided it is all good. At first, I wanted to eliminate the all the heat, but running a switching circuit to knock down the voltage for the opto transmitters is just not cost effective.

I am actually scared to play Luke on this game next time I see him with all the game testing they have been doing. I am going to get my ass handed to me.
--Scott

I uploaded the code to my Google Drive as an alternate link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-w7uXaluIhEm1HETNLgutCBW8rzYIzlM/view?usp=sharing

Does that work for you?
--Scott

Oh man, that is a lot of questions. OK OK...

Pinball Life:
I do not own Pinball Life, I am just the engineer here and I enjoy it greatly. This is my actual day job and anything else I do is outside of this.

R&M Falling Out:
No. There is absolutely no falling out with R&M and myself at all. It is the most insane layout I have come up with so far and I am extremely proud of it. R&M was built as a team effort by a very solid team of developers and I have full confidence in them. The reason I do not post in here very often is that there is so much going on here and I just don't have the time to keep up with it. I have created a few mods for R&M here and there that Pinball Life sells.

TNA Thread Activity:
As for the TNA thread, I did so much of the engineering, design, coding, sound, etc. on TNA that I am the best person to answer questions about it. I am also still actively taking feedback on that project and working on the 2.0 code update that will be able to be installed on all of the games.

I hope this answers your questions. I still love my R&M and play it a bunch.

--Scott

Make sure the brass finger is close, but not touching the target when at rest and the drop target is up. I would definitely try that first. If you are adjusted properly, then up the pulse of the knockdown coil in the settings a bit.
--Scott

Thank you guys, I am not quitting pinball stuff any time soon. <3

--Scott

Mini post with a 3/8 OD rubber on it would probably be best. You could also try and move the target slightly to the left a bit first.

Mini Post: https://www.pinballlife.com/1-716-tall-metal-post-with-cutaway-with-wood-screw-base.html
Rubber: https://www.pinballlife.com/perfectplay-38-od-silicone-mini-post-rubber.html

--Scott

Correct.

Dumb question... You guys with heat issues... Did you adjust the vertical gap of your flipper bats using a flipper gap tool? This is a huge factor in terms of drag in the assembly. You can also swap out to weaker return springs, which helps as well. You will then be able to turn down the power on the flippers and keep them cooler.

Sorry if this has been covered a billion times. I lost track of the thread for a while there.

--Scott

Just a quick clarification. That is an Aux input for the amp and will not work for a subwoofer. To properly put a sub on this game, just get an RCA splitter and tap off the incoming signal to the amp.
--Scott

Holy crap, that would be crazy. We used this as an input on TNA, I bet you are totally right though and it is cross talking between the RCA and the Aux. haha! Thanks for the added info!
--Scott

Do those LEDs ever come back to normal, or are they always that color? If they are always that color, I bet they failed and need to be replaced.

I would honestly just replace them. I think it could be the LED chip. That is too consistent to be a wiring issue.
--Scott

You will need to pilot new holes in your cabinet for this. Do they fit otherwise? I recommended trying these as I had not yet had a chance to try them in my own game. The switches I recommended for you to try at the exact ones in TNA. Let me know how they work.

Thank you,
--Scott

Yeah, that whitewood is pretty cool! You will notice on this one a few sharpie notes to myself on the playfield. I accidentally missed a playfield insert for Noob Noob. Along with a bunch of other differences I will let you guys have fun figuring out.
--Scott

Eric has his production game and has had it for a while now.
--Scott

That is the right one! I would recommend putting a 3/8 OD rubber rings between the PCB and the pop body to help dampen the vibration on each side. You can slip them on under the PCB on the pop body screws. Vibration is a killer inside this pop.

Kinda like this (I am a horrible MSPaint Artist):
pasted_image (resized).png

--Scott

I do not, I am sorry.

HAHA! The worst part is that I know you are going to do that...

You gotta really cram them in there.

The new Spooky bushings are 1.366" tall, which is just under 1-3/8". If you are going to modify the existing bushings just make sure to cut the extra off the long side. Also, make sure to ream the hole out so the flipper bat does not get hung up.
--Scott

Here are the proper bushings. We rounded the product description to keep it simple.

https://www.pinballlife.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PBL-300-0199-00

Thanks,
--Scott

Also put 2 3/8-OD rubbers on the screw threads under the PCB. This will help isolate the shock to the PCB.

https://www.pinballlife.com/38-od-white-mini-post-rubbers.html

--Scott

Yeah definitely not the pop bumper. It is a pop bumper LED though with the mounting tabs cut off. I do not recognize it at all. Maybe someone was making a mod on your machine to light the scoop?? Does the light stay white during gameplay?
--Scott