Thanx to @STDMinSTL, I think I may have this resolved. The two ramp screws forward of the flail and the two ramp screws behind the flail each had about a quarter turn...once all four were properly torqued down, the clicking went away. It's likely the shaker motor loosing up the screws...may add some locktite to them if it becomes chronic. When triaging this problem, I kept thinking "why is the flail lower?" as opposed to "could the ramp be higher?".

wow, that’s crazy. Sure would think it would be related to the missing screw since I don’t see how that could just start out of nowhere. That’s a shame. I know it’s frustrating not finding that screw missing either. Unfortunately it may be from “under” or “in” something. I had a random tiny screw show up on mine and it ended up being under the plastics for the catapult, and it was one of the opto board screws...not good!

Not sure what’s up with this machine, but I’ve had to go through and loc-tite a TON on it, and I’ve had 3-4 screws randomly show up on the playfield. I’ve owned my AC⚡️DC vault for a year longer and NEVER had a single loose screw or anything on it. And both machines have shakers.

Yep. I just went through and re-tightened a bunch of the posts on the playfield in front of the flippers that had loosened off with play. Like a brand new game the rebounds off the posts are so fast and solid now.

Has anyone purchased the BKSOR side armor from Stern? If so, would you folks be so kind as to post some pics of it installed on your game? Or link to an image of them installed on someone else's game? I still haven't found a pic of the side armor installed on any model.

Hi guys... new to posting on this forum and had a quick question....
I really like how black knight plays and I'm considering buying one...is it 100 percent that stern will add to the code and bring in more features or is it speculation?...
Will they be adding mini wizard modes, other modes, challenges etc or will it be minor stuff accompanied by topper integration?

Anyones feedback will be greatly appreciated as this is the only factor that is holding me back . I want to keep it for a long time as I like fast pace games with deep code..

Thnx in advance

Nobody knows the content of the future code. Only speculation. Apart the new callout things, adult mode and topper interaction.

The only things I've seen confirmed in the next code update are some new call outs being recorded by Steve, a option to toggle the soft call outs on/off and topper integration. Beyond that, nothing else has been said as far as I'm aware. I'm guessing the next update will also include a few bug fixes and perhaps some QoL (quality of life) improvements. I'd love them to flesh the game out more as it's needed in my opinion (especially on the Pro) - but nothing has been said about new modes, features, etc.

Hope for new monsters and multiball modes but dont think it will happen :,-(

As far as code, dont get your hopes up and you wont be let down. I was a big advocate for this game but my enthusiasm has died. It is the best looking game stern has put out but the gameplay is lacking. It could be a great game if the code had more to offer. I own an LE and havent played it in atleast a month but i do enjoy looking at it.

I hope Tim isn’t tagged as the new Lonnie over this. Maybe he’ll surprise us all yet...

You have that right. Especially when everyone thought the new code would hit by thanksgiving. Then it turned to 12/25 and still no code!!!!

I'm trying to install something on that screw but it's all loose due to the screw hole being all stripped. I though I was due to a loose metal post under the PF but I saw there is no post, it's only screwed in a thin plastic piece, which was stripped.

What would be the best way to make that hold? LocTite? Is it safe for plastic? and removable if needed?

screw (resized).JPG

You can always drill the hole up to the next size screw and install a bigger screw. Or install a longer original size screw and put a lock nut on it if there isn’t one holding it in replace already.

Yep, very disappointed about the lack of code updates. Spent an absolute fortune getting a premium here in uk which was not easy to earn. I still love playing it as screen graphics, sounds, music, art blows other games away, but I notice big gaping holes now in the codes depth and they are getting irritating

Retro modes don’t seem to add anything to the game and block your progress. No additional use for the lockdown button during game, only 1 monster per realm, no auto save if knights mace flings ball over flipper lane guides or flipper itself.

The upper loops are just annoying with no awards on 2 of the 3 shots! Tumble weed! And I’m yet to understand what the right hand side 3 bank drop targets do??? Anyone? Maybe I’m missing something..

Not sure why we can’t have regular incremental updates like other games. I like seeing the progress. Doesn’t need to be 6 months between additions, or ‘we need to wait for toppers’. The teams at stern are big enough now surely that programmers can focus on individual projects.

And it feels like the previous update was really 0.85 at best not a 1.0 in my book. Feels like a generous increment!

It activate the Magna Save.
http://tiltforums.com/t/black-knight-sword-of-rage-rulesheet/5210

If I go for the lock nut, I need to see if there is enough space behind the 2 posts to install the nut. Those 2 posts have pooling around, hopping removing them will not cause chipping.

Well there we are then, add that onto the list to. There’s alot more you can do with them than that, like all 3 down during a mode gives next shot for starters and some modes could use the targets themselves as extra shots. A £9k+ game should not have basic 1 dimensional rules

The 3 bank of drop targets light magna save (when all 3 are dropped) plus they fill the sword of rage meter quicker.

Having the lock down bar button for magna save really limits how it can be used in the game sadly If Stern had kept magna save to a second button on the cabinet, the lock down bar button would be freed up for use in play.

Now that I have a second new Stern in my line up (JP), it's given me more perspective on what sort of depth new pins offer in terms of rules and features. It's highlighted how far behind the code on this game is. Even though it's at 1.0. Like you, I certainly feel like the game is further back from 1.0.

I find supers worthless outside of retro mode. You also collect any active supers when you enter retro mode, so there's no point setting them up before hand.

The game has many strong points though. The art package on this game is awesome. The display animations are fantastic. Love the call outs (excluding the soft ones - others like them though - so the up coming option will be welcomed by all). The music and sounds kick butt. Love the setting in the game. I'm on a journey to the Black Castle to defeat the black knight and his minions. The game oozes personality. Wrap all that up in good code and it's a killer game. The only thing missing is the good code. Which is why i'm scratching my head that it's at 1.0 and we're not seeing updates.

On a more positive note, I've started working on a small mod for my BK PRO that will add animated LED strips to the flail ramp.

bk_ramp_arduino_running (resized).jpg

Currently it just cycles through 4 different animations every 4 seconds. The plan is to add a sensor which i'll mount near the rear of the flail to detect the state and adjust the animation accordingly. That way I can play different animations for the open, closed and swinging states of the flail. A short video of it in action on my desk:

A write up on my progress can be found here: http://www.enteryourinitials.com/2019/12/27/black-knight-sword-of-rage-ramp-leds-update-1/

Still lots to do, but hope to get more time over the coming weeks.

That is great!

I think Stern should sell us that LED board tough.

Its got everything but code/depth. Maybe Lyman can help Timmy out like he helped Lonnie.

Very nice !
I have led strips but just synchronised with the red GI
Looking forward to see how you will sync it with the game !

Picked up a used pro yesterday. Very excited. Glad to join the club.

Couple of questions: Goodie bag is still stapled in, but there was no hard copy owners manual. Assume that’s now standard?

And missing the plumb bob. Anyone know a part number or can I just use a standard graphite bob?

Any other protective additions or mods suggested?

623BC42A-9231-48F3-BB54-BC5B948C558F (resized).jpeg

My pro had the goodie bag installed. Came with soft cover owners manual, setup manual, Mylar for playfield in front of the knight as well as spare kicker plastics and some other plastics like key chains.

Mods I’d recommend is upgraded speakers, (external sub would be cool too)mirror blades, and Colored plastic protectors for the kickers at least.

I’d have to look at the manual for the plumb bob PN. You can go to stern.com and pull up the manual if you don’t have one and print it out.

Welcome to the club!

I still think there is ALOT more you can do with the lockdown bar button regardless. 2 quick ideas (off the top of my head) .When you are in a multiball for example you don't need magna save so the button can be freed up for other things. When you are on the upper playfield in single ball play the button could be used to cycle awards for loops, or the current loop shot that is lit. Look at how the button was used on star wars and bm66. The lamp in there is rgb to, so you can use different colours to signify different uses.

Another thing to (on a seperate topic), when you lock a ball back into the castle lock if the lock isn't lit, you get nothing, also if you lock a ball back in during multiball play and the super jackpots are not lit, you also get NOTHING..

Thanks for the advice. Found and downloaded the manual.

And easy implementation for the lock down button is something like smart missiles or vip... easy to put in the code.

I really hope Tim pulls his finger out and goes to the next level for this code and tries some innovative rules... otherwise he's not off to a good start in the coding game. As it stands he's coded an average to above average game in it's current state.... good but not great. He talks the talk quite a bit... and he obviously knows what makes a killer game.

I would suppose for Stern as a company the game is pretty much "finished" and all ressources have been spread on different projects.

So the code updates that'll come eventually are done on the side or completely in their free time... so don't poop too much on those guys.

And yes of course I'd like there more "on the sides" to do but for me BKSoR is kind of a perfect game, because it has such a clear goal and easy structure to it. (Wich is not only a thing of code of course.) In this regard this game is way ahead of most recent Stern efforts.

Edit: I post that I like the game in an owners Club (wich is generally more positive) and get negative votes for that. That is... interresting. XD

I found these online and figured id share. I’d like to see em on a pro, but It’s already got a large sword on the side so..
89B17A0C-7932-4308-AA8C-696A7934E95C (resized).jpegC652B4FA-5666-43D1-9E24-56763B647E59 (resized).jpeg

Thanks for tracking those pics down, @tilted81.

As I feared, at least to my tastes, they don’t do it for me at all. I hate to say it, but it’s like they phoned this one in. All three cabinets already have swords on them - all pointing towards the player. Plus the side armor sword creates a visually strange angle with the cabinet swords as I see it.

Oh well. On the plus side, with money I’m saving on the side armor now, I’m only $179.01 away from the $429.00 I need for the topper - presuming they stick to this price initially floated to the distributors.

It‘s made differently as usual also, isn‘t it?

I remember all Sideböades having the pictures engraved/ printed behind a cutout.
This here looks just straightly printed on.

Yea, I don’t even care for that style of armor. It looks like someone just slapped a mirror blade on the side of the cab. The good news is, the topper will make up for the Armor shortcoming

Yeah It's less bad than what I was expecting, but still, they only look "okay". Way too large imo. Hope someone else create some nice armor.

On another topic, I'd tried installing Hooked flipper swords without the decals under them, and after 1-2 shot of flipper, they all went out in outer space. Any idea how to make them stick correctly? Should I just install the decals to create a sticky surface? It seems my flippers are too slippery.

I had the same experience. No way am I putting them back even with better glue. I figure they might come off while someone else is playing my game and maybe get under the flipper or somehow do serious damage to the playfield. Just not worth it.

Did you had the decals installed? I've seen many pictures of people using them with decals and they look fine.

And yeah, I had the "brilliant" idea to use better glue to make them stick and same result. Went flying after 1-2 shots. Thing is, now I have glue residu on all my flippers and I need a way to hide that. Flipper decals? of give another shot to hook with decals?...

I liked the look better without the black decal. Apparently they have better glue now, but I'm still not willing to try.

I honestly don't have a huge problem with the code as it stands. I would maybe mix up the modes a bit more, for example maybe one fight you have to hit the drop targets down first to knock down a wall then you beat the monster. Another mode use the upper playfield a little more require a loop shot or something. I think they can do a little better with the retro mode as well. Finally better use of the knights and maybe this happens when you battle him but you need to get a shot past his flail while it spins no stopping it etc.....

Yes the code is straight forward, but I don't need every game to be as deep as Star Wars for example!

Get this tape. I got a roll at my local hardware store. Amazon also has it for less than $5 a roll.

It's not thin like normal double-sided tape, but at only 0.042" thick it works fine. With or without the decals, I've never had a problem with the swords flying off the flippers after mounting them with this stuff several months ago.

Procedure:

1. Unroll and trim off a piece that's just a few millimeters less than the length of a sword.
2. Scrape off the adhesive already on the sword.
3. Peel off one side of the film, exposing one of the sticky sides of this piece of the tape.
4. Carefully align and press a sword onto the sticky side so that just that small amount of the sword's handle and tip hang over the edge of the tape.
5. Using an X-acto knife or other fine blade carefully trim around the sword to remove the excess. You may want to trim at a slight angle to cut away a little bit beneath the sword so you don't have the tape visible at the edges of a sword (that's why I suggested making the piece a little shorter than a sword - that takes care of any excess at the end of the handle or the tip.)
6. You now have a Hooked Flipper Sword ready to install atop a flipper.
7. To install just peel off the now sword-shaped tape backing.

Be VERY CAREFUL to get your alignment correct BEFORE pressing the sword onto the flipper!!! While you can remove it by carefully running a piece of piano wire or some such under the sword any time you want, this stuff really does hold upto 50 lbs. of stuff as advertised in its regular uses. I suggest holding the sword between your thumb and forefinger with both hands - one hand holding the tip and the other holding the ends of the hilt. "Hover" the sword with both hands like this slightly above the flipper to determine your placement - and be sure you're looking STRAIGHT DOWN at the sword over the flipper because viewing it at an angle can fool you. Then gently lower the sword into place and press it down.

Hope folks find this as useful as I have.
T-Rex Tape (resized).png

Get some acetone, Goof-Off, Goo Gone, etc. It took me a while to recover from my similar attempt, but with a little patience you can remove that residue. Once the flippers are smooth again, try the tape solution I just posted.

I have tried goo gone after the incident, but not for very long. What did you rub the flipper with (cloth)?, any suggestion? I used super glue.

I'll definitly look for the tape. Thanks.

They have this tape in stock in a store nearby, I Wonder if that would be a nice equivalent. They say it hold up to 50kilo and it's 1.14mm tick: .08mm thicker than Trex tho.

https://www.lepage.ca/en/lepage-products/build-things/construction-adhesive/no-more-nails/no_more_nails_heavydutymountingtape.html

I can't remember what brand of superglue I used in my eventual learning experience, but whatever it was it took a lot of patience and time to finally get all of the residue off. A lot of that was motivated by my fear of chemically damaging the flipper bat itself, but fortunately it was never affected.

But in order to get it all off, I ended up using Goof-Off, Goo Gone and straight acetone in a rotation until the residue was all gone. I'd soak a Q-tip in the one that was up in the rotation, carefully smear the residue with the tip of the Q-Tip, let it sit for a few moments, and then start working on it with a Scrub Daddy (available all over the place; I found mine at the same place that I got the T-Rex tape from.) It was stiff enough to work, but soft enough not to scratch the flipper bats. But it took repeated round-robin chemical applications and firmness using the Scrub Daddy to get it all off.

Another big tip: be sure to hold the tip of the flipper bat up with the thumb and forefinger of the hand you're not scrubbing with and/or find a suitably thick but non-abrasive piece of something you can use as a shim to keep the flipper bat level when you're scrubbing away. Again: don't expect to get all the residue off in a couple of minutes. It's not like it will take an hour (of actual scrubbing time), but don't give up if you don't see a whole bunch of it come off in an application or two.

One more observation: once clear progress was being made during the removal, I found that the straight acetone was doing a much better job than the Goo-x products, so when the residue on a flipper was about half gone, I just used the acetone to finish it up.

It looks to be about the same stuff. Once you peel the red backing off the T-Rex tape, it's a translucent clear/white. Take a look and ensure the color of the tape itself will work for you with the black or yellow (decal/no decal) way you plan to install the swords.

Finally, I don't think the extra 0.08mm of thickness will make that much of difference - that's in the range of human hair thickness. And the miniscule bit of extra height might actually make it a little bit easier if you ever need to remove the swords.

Keep us posted and let us know how it goes, @Bagdad!!!

Scrub Daddy (resized).jpg

Seems you guys should just buy some new flippers ! Haha

Only as a last resort. I'd rather spend my time and effort solely on top of the playfield if the problem can reasonably simply be addressed that way. (Yes: I hate working on flippers.)

I had the same problem with the swords on mine. I solved the problem by buying double sided Gorilla tape on Amazon. Just cut it thin and put it on the entire backside the sword, I haven't had a problem since.

I guess they are cheap and putting in a new flipper seems like less effort .. but I hear ya .

If the community and owners don't give the coders a hard time and put some pressure on chances are the code won't get that extra polish. It's the nature of the situation.

It's not a personal attack on Tim... but owners have paid big dollars for this game and it is his job to code the game as best he can. As I said in my original post at present it's only a good game not great. He needs to sort it and get that code up to scratch and add some deeper rules and objectives.

Looks like I'm going to hit the hardware store tomorow. Pretty much everything you mention is available.

Hope it doesn't affect the flippers power to push/rub them too much. Something I was wondering too, is the flipper on the upper PF any different from the other 2 longer shaft or anything?

Thanks for the help

Pretty sure it's the same flipper plastic, but the shaft is indeed longer as it goes from the upper playfield all the way thru to the coil/bracket/etc on the underside of the lower playfield.

Of course you are right with that.

That's the thing, I just don't want to make it "too personal".

Customers have paid big dollars to Stern. So Stern should "make it Tims job" to be able to continue on the code.

Truth is we don't know what Tims Job is at the Moment and he might be on the next game and do this additional codework in his spare time, like Lyman did with Metallica and Walkind Dead and I think Dwight partially also. And it feels wrong (for me) to hold Tim personally responsible.

(Partially because I know the situation and have to make a cut with what I "deliver" within the timeframe and monetary restrictions I get from a client.
If that restrictions are too tight I won't take the job, because the lack of quality will fall back on my reputation. But the difference is I'm able to choose because I'm self employed.)

Of course you should insist on a code update... loudly!
But from "Stern", so they'll listen and allocate some time for that.

That's why I recommend finding something flat, non-abrasive, and with nothing on it that might transfer off of it that you can shim under the flipper bats. Let the playfield (through the shim) take the brunt of the downward pressure distributed across the shim - not the flipper shafts.

One way to make a reasonable shim it to take clean white computer/copier paper and cut flipper-sized rectangles out of it. Slide one rectangle under the flipper. Then just keep sliding more of the rectangles underneath the existing ones until you can't slide any more in. But you may already have something of the necessary thickness that might work laying around.

If you're working on a Premium or LE, you'll want to make your shim out of something that's the right thickness but extremely rigid to span the cutout beneath the upper flipper ... like a piece of flat metal (put a strip of the paper or two underneath it to avoid marring the playfield just to be safe.) And if you make one of those shims up, you can use it for the lower flippers too of course.

Pinball software engineers have spare time? Things really must have changed since my couple of years doing it.

But DS_Nadine is correct: pressure the company - not the person - so official (paid) work time is allocated to it as part of the person's schedule.