Quoted from DRDAVE:I like shorten the groove option. Nice catch Stu.
I agree. Nice attention to detail, Stu. ...and kudos for soliciting opinions.
I'm going to preface this by saying that I have no plans to aquire a Skateball (despite loving the PF artwork), but I would also vote for the shortened shooter groove over a new curved one, for a couple reasons:
A) It seems like it would be a nightmare to get that curved groove to be EXACTLY where it needed to be in order to hug that ball around the path of the metal. I would imagine with slight incosistancies in groove curve and ball path you'd end up with the same problem (ball wear, just in a different spot). My guess is that would be avoided with a shorter, straight groove.
B) I can't think of any game that has a curved shooter-groove (would be interested to know if I'm forgetting a title that does). That might be cool to see on a new game, but on a repro playfield where you're trying to replicate a product that is as close to the original (decades old) product as possible...probably not the place to start getting experimental.
Just two more cents for ya, Stu.
Good luck!
Ryan Claytor
Elephant Eater Comics
www.ElephantEater.com