STERN OF THE UNION ADDRESS – APRIL 2020 :

Status of Code:

Elvira – For all Elvira owners, please make sure you have updated your game to the most current code version (v0.93.0) released last month. Be on the lookout for a new code update later this month.

Hey everyone. I finally made a video of my topper. I apologize in advance for the shaky camera work.

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You should definitely market that.

That looks really good buddy, nice your a local closed by to me maybe after all this Clovis-19 goes away we can meet and battle on some pinball
I would be onboard Incase u where to make a few great job

Wow looks amazing, thanks for sharing. I'm sure you could sell a few of these. Are you going to make these for purchase?

Sweet... Can't wait to update my code. I still haven't.

I work for a school district, and I've been busy prepping laptops for home student use. And so I've worked harder and longer hours than I normally would. On top of that I tweaked my ankle, and it hurts to just stand right now. So no pinball for a good while. Plus, I got get some scripts out to my artists for my side hustle job. Been too busy for pinball. So by the time I get settled down, I hope for code .94!!!!

Pinsider started a thread requesting feedback on SS vs EHOH.
Not a bad idea to chime in since many here have the most experience on both games.

I love scared stiff... I have yet to get the stiff o meter filled though. I think the Translite and possibly playfield might be better in SS. Cooler ramps for sure in SS. I do enjoy the playfield art a bit better in SS too. Crate is a cool toy, and great integration with the pinball cab art. However... As much as its brilliant, and it is some of the best theme integration ever... I wish it had Elvira on the side... But, then again, with that Translite on SS, you really don't need another pinup of her, cos that is the best one of the series.

I think EHOH is however a better game already, and once the code is finished, it'll be even BETTER! I also hope one day to own a SS... Just don't want to plunk 7k down right now for one.
Heck, I gotta get my EATPM working before I buy any more pinballs.

I love the look, the theme, the toys, the fun shots on SS (those ramps!). But I don’t love playing it. It got old after about a week. Really bad news, as that was the wife’s favorite Game. So I got E3!

Interesting tonight randomly while playing the following happened twice. Newest code has never done prior and code in since it came out. Going to try fresh install and see what happens. Door was completely closed and locked. Open and close door it’s fine then randomly again while playing. Wonder if door switch defective checked connections on switch - unplugged shaker and problem didn’t occur again.. Hmm
Plugged shaker back in and same error as below when shaker started, turned shaker off in adjustments and no issues. Guess check for loose connection or wire in the morning

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Yes, that’s where it gets stuck on mine.

I think that's a fair assessment to be honest. I've played a lot of SS in person and digitally. And while I never completed the stiff o meter and got the ultimate wizard mode for the game. I know that would be something I could and would do quickly if I actually owned the game.
And SS just doesn't have that much going for it in terms of modes or variety.

I do like the rules for it, but it leads to it being a shallow game. And if you don't have the space for something like this in your collection, then I 100% understand where you are coming from...

I don't mind shallow games. In fact I lean more towards liking the rules on something like EATPM, Space Shuttle, or Sorcerer over something like some of the newer games like Stern's Star Wars(I like the game, just the code is not for me). However, with that being said. You always have to have a few deep games in your collection. And EHOH when its all finished, I have a feeling will be a very deep game.

But, I also do enjoy the fact that its not just mode based with EHOH. You got un-happy hour. Which by itself can be somewhat lucrative if you're accurate. Pair it with a double bonus or a double double, and you can really make points. And of course pair it with a mode, and multiball, and watch the points fly.

I don't think drive me crazy is as lucrative, mainly because getting control back after an orbit is a bit harder. But, its still points outside of a mode. And of course you got gargoyles gone wild. Which is best to pair with a multiball. And that can get you nice points too.

Lots and lots of scoring strats and things to go for in EHOH, and its only going to get better. As the hurryup hasn't been implemented yet. That should create a bit of points outside of modes as well.

Any Topper for EHOH, Official or Custom MUST have Elvira on her Couch...there is simply no other way to have it. That is where we expect to see her and only adds to theme integration. Given Stern seems to now be in the "Topper" business, it only makes sense to produce a High Quality Topper for this machine....if they can do it for Munsters, Star Wars, others, then they can certainly do it for an amazing game like Elvira House of Horrors. The whole Tombstone concept needs to be shit-canned.

I’m willing to bet Stern was taken by surprise by the success of this game. Isn’t it a contract job or whatever they call it ?

I was super excited for a cool official topper, and then I saw sterns, and I was like... Do the people have half a brain between them. This is Elvira, and they're missing at least 2 BIG reasons why people buy the game. Not the only ones. But, they are big reasons still.

My topper won't have a couch, but its going to be a good one. I hope to break ground on it soon.

Beats the hell out of Stern’s. I’d buy one.

How’s the new code treating everyone?
Just like to ask before I update.
Was having a very average game today, then decided to throw a house party.

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When your ball comes out of left orbit is it going to your left flipper or hitting the left sling on your game? Thanks

For me, most of the time it comes down to the left flipper and I can hit it right into the right ramp without stalling. Keeps the flow going. Love that.
Sometimes it hits the left sling but most of the time it gets to the left flipper.

Mine hits the left sling every time. If anyone knows of an adjustment let me know. I kinda drives me crazy. I just deal with it. I seem to get it under control 95% of the time

I put a little thicker post rubber on the post at exit. Now it feeds the right flipper 90% of the time. Use to go right down the middle alot.

I will have to try this.

Dribble out of pops and SDTM at wrong time...

I adjusted the left orbit guide rail when I installed the skill shot kit. Can't wait for finished code.
2 gappa angry completed
10 movies completed
2 Manos wheels completed
"Have you seen Debbie Torgo?"
"..........No........"

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Sheats would be proud of that score, great score btw well done!

Just adjust the sling shot leaf switches by slightly widening the gap to make them a little less sensitive. Stern has them set on a hair trigger.

Dang Chrono!! Nice score if I lived close to you id be asking if you were ready to sell it....

I tried the leaf switch gap but it didn’t work. I’m going to try the rail at the top. It just needs to come out a tiny bit.

When you guys say you are adjusting the left orbit, are you doing that so the ball hits the left flipper instead of the left slingshot? I ask because when I watched the reveal of the game with the designers playing it, the machine they played on had the ball hit the sling shot from the left orbit hence I assume that's how it was designed since the guys who made the game were playing it that way. Mine hits the left sling shot so I've left it that way since I thought that was the intent, but am I wrong on that?

Mine does not always hit the slingshot. It all depends on how it rolls around. It seems to do it less since I raised the pitch. I ain't changing it.

Simply nudge the right has side of the machine when the ball comes down from the left orbit. The ball will always land on the left flipper, you could trap the ball if need be.

For the best playing experience, in my opinion, you want the ball to travel from the left metal guide down to the the left flipper without hitting a sling or anything else for that matter. I have found that pins are very touchy in terms of pitch and level. I typically have my pitch around 7.0 and try my very best to have them perfectly level. You can also remove the ramps and bend the metal guide to also help the ball path.
I have had to do this with Stranger Things among other pins and it’s necessary to have an awesome playing experience.

Seems mine went sdm 90% of the time without adding the thicker post rubber. Rarely hit the left slingshot or left flipper.

I thought the turret used to turn when you powered the game on. I will have to see if it works in house party.

Is it not turning during house party?

See I'm curious about what the designers actually intended though, because if they wanted it to hit the sling then I'd like to leave it like that but if they intended it to hit the left flipper then I would adjust mine. I think I may email Pablo at Stern, maybe he would have some into on how it's supposed to be.

I can't, in a million years, imagine that hitting the sling so clunkily is what Dennis Nordman intended. EATPM, SS, Indy500, even Demo man - none of them have shots that come out like that on purpose

That’s right, hitting the sling kills flow and that’s not what any designer would want. It also can cause cheap drains. There are two easy fixes for this.

1. Adjust the leaf switches so they are less sensitive.
2. Very slightly and gently with a flat head screwdriver pry out the top part of the metal ball guide by the post just above the truck entrance.

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I mean maybe you guys are right, it's just bizarre to me that the guys that created the game would play it live on the reveal with the ball hitting the sling, when that was never their intent. You'd think they would have taken a few seconds to adjust the orbit ramp, go figure.

Those reveals can be a bit of hot garbage... Which surprises me.
But, they also had a switch out on the one of the gargoyles.

I'm not hating on Stern. I appreciate the reveals I do. And I watch every one of them. But, with that one. They all were up super late and spent the day getting it ready, and were all exhausted by the time it started. For a game that took so long to come out, it sure got rushed near the end.

But, those issues aside. Once the code is complete. Once all the bugs have been ironed out, we'll have a game for the ages. I don't think this game will be better than Iron Maiden(at least to me). But, heck... Its another dream theme, and its going to be super amazing when finished. And I can tell you all, it will never leave my collection.

Many stern games are rushed out the door, how many went out with bad super skill shots

Mine was one of those. Not really happy about it. But, I did what I needed to do and got it replaced. I fear I might have overtightened one of hte screws for the house when I put it back in... Even though I kept telling myself. Firm, but not to overtighten.

I don't think anything bad will come of it. But, I really hate working on pinball machines. It might not be that I can't do the work. Its more the fear of messing it up. Paralyzes me. Such a huge price tag on these things. And you have the aethetics to worry about too. Its not just something like a computer, where you really don't care how it looks(yes, some people do, but long as case isn't cracked I'm fine).

So that is one of the things that holds me back when working on my pins. Just the fear I will not only not fix the problem, but I will make it worse.

Totally fair point - but if I Recall correctly, Lyman was the only Stern guy playing the game, and he is A) so good I doubt he even noticed, and B) had just tried to get a code update ready in time for that stream, and wasn’t able to get it quite finished.

So I doubt he was thinking about the slings. I’m betting he was thinking “Man... I wish I’d had all those new modes added and bugs fixed... and this is a BIG reveal for the company! ... and I better not DRAIN!!”

I kind of like it feeding into the sling. I feel it makes me a better player. I try to nudge it or tap the machine a bit to get it off the lip and just barely miss the sling, and sometimes I am successful at that. I also like the super sensitive slings... Well... No I don't. But, I feel like they are making me a better player. My Iron Maiden's slings are nowhere near this sensitive. Still, I'm not going to alter them just yet, as I do want to see if they'll make my play better.

I hope he puts in a super duper wizard mode. I’m sure it will be in there. I’ve only finished gappa one time. When you get to the last ball lock on gappa it can be intense. It can be hard to get 4 haunts done. If u need dead heads you can bash away with the right flipper. Trailer trash is where some big points are. I got a 120 million one time. As for me all the shots are smooth as silk. All of them! not one clunker. I like long ball times. This game gives them. game is bolted to the floor. I wish this team would do another pin together.
Can you tell I love this game!
This game and Jurassic park are Hopefully the new normal from stern. Good shooters.
Well then there is stranger things. It gets a lot of hate. I’ve flipped it. Is it’s not that bad. Is it great? My opinion is no.

I agree Elvira shoots really well as does Bksor and JP... I’ve tried to like stranger things... it’s ok, I mean it’s pinball so I’m going to like it but it ain’t the best. Whatever you do don’t critique it over on the st owners thread, they are a bit touchy over there about their game... some of it stemming from buyers remorse i suspect.