FT - Hit anything that lights up and keep the ball in play.

Shoot the flashing shots. Don't drain.

Have fun.

Figure out how you like to play the game the way you enjoy it the most. Then do that.

Do what you can to keep the ball from going down the middle or the sides.

Read the rules on the rule sheet, or not. For most, the rules will come as you play the game.

Play often and play with friends.

F2CF0C24-6831-40CC-8518-EF81E68158BD (resized).jpeg

Pinballvideos.com

http://tiltforums.com/t/stern-jurassic-park-rulesheet/5644

http://tiltforums.com/t/willy-wonka-rulesheet-early-wip/5406

You really gonna explain how to play Wonka to a novice? I have a hard time learning the damn game and I've been playing for years.

Me: "Hit the blinking lights if they blink. If nothing is blinking, hit any lights that are off and see if they turn on. If not that, hit lights that are on and see if they turn off."

That's the extent of what I ever say to a novice, if I say anything at all. I think part of the wonder of learning pinball is figuring things out on your own. I love going up to a new machine and I know nothing about and hitting the start button. I watch and see what happens a few times and when I'm genuinely curious, I'll then read the card.

And when I was a novice, I had a hard enough time aiming at anything. I was more worried about keeping the ball alive than I was about game progression.

===============================================

EDIT: I just realized that I am breaking the spirit of the thread hahaha. OK, my current favorite game is Hardbody. Silly, right?

"Hit the targets until you get a set. Get 3 of the same set and then shoot the middle arrow and the ramps will open up. Shoot under the ramps for jackpots! Don't forget to hit that other button to save your ball from draining and you can hit that as much as you want, so always hit it when you're scared of draining."

A friend of my son's in his early 30s came over for the game yesterday and was so intimidated he only watched others for about 45 min before playing a couple games of the Simspons.

I might tell someone the main objective of a game, "you're trying to collect all the jewels to battle the genie".... As they light modes I might say "Ok, you activated Lightning Lamp, now beat the crap out of it til the countdown ends."

Aside from that, let 'er rip.

Try to trap the ball on the flipper

Take a drink of beer

looking for a flashing play field light

try to make the shot

repeat

Black Knight (1980)
-Knock down banks of 3 drop targets in 15 seconds or less before they reset.
-Each set of drop targets knocked down lights magnetic ball save by outlane used by extra flipper button.
-Knock down each set of drop banks on upper or lower 3 times each to light extra ball.
-Knock all sets down again 3 times to light second extra ball.
-Shoot 3 balls in lock on upper playfield for multiball
-Each ball in play during multiball multiplies scores by that number while in play
-Right inlane lights super spinner
-Left inlane lights mystery score
-Under playfield loop increases multipliers

I'll play:

1. TOTAN: Hit the blue guy and the woman's voice will tell you what to do. Get the ball up the ramp when you're done. Repeat.
2. Baywatch: Every time you shoot a shot a light lights up. Try to light up all the lights.
3. Spectrum is impossible to explain succinctly.
4. Night Moves: Complete a target bank to light a bonus light. After you light all six, hit the red target for an extra ball.
5. Jet Spin: Hit the center of the roto target. Don't lose the ball.
6. Hot Line: Roll the ball over the lit buttons.
7. Bally Rocket: Plunge the ball and watch it go. Maybe it will get in all five kickout holes.
8. Signal: Try to get the ball in the top hole.

TZ:
- Hit ramps to light things (hit both ramps to light locks).
- Piano and slot machine start door modes when lit.
- Shoot camera and gumball when lit to get good rewards
- Shoot right ramp when "the power" is lit to play upper pf. Get ball through top of upper pf to win.
- In MB, shoot piano for jackpot and camera to relight jackpot
- In powerball, shoot right orbit to start powerball mania. Defeat upper pf to get jackpot.
- Play all door modes to get to final wizard mode - Lost in the Zone.

Actually, I find that most novices are surprised to learn that pinball machines even have rules in the first place.

"Playing a pinball game is like watching a television series or playing a video game or even reading a book. It has a main quest and many side quests."

"The main goal is to get to the end, which you will most likely never actually accomplish unless you spend a lot of time learning to play pinball. You get to the end by lighting these lights right here (pointing to playfield), until you are finished and then you have one final challenge left.

"Each of these lights, which represents a mission, is like a chapter in a book or an episode in a television series."

"This is how you start a mission (mode is too confusing)"... explain how to start mode (chapter or scenario)...

"From here... shoot the blinking lights until you complete the mode or mission"... "There will be some blinking lights that aren't as important as others, I can show you or you can figure it out on your own"

"Once you learn how to complete missions, there are many other things you can do in the game that will help make completing missions easier. I'll help you with this when you are ready...

"Good Luck"

Above is how I typically explain newer games to new players. Of course, with EM's, the explanation is different.

I have always found that livestream explanations and the typical way people explain people is way too confusing.

My girlfriend said the same thing when she first started playing pinballs with me. “Theres rules? Don’t you just have to keep the ball from going down the middle?”

Anyways ill add my T2 easy rules to list:

-Shoot the terminator skull
-Shoot the flashing arrow with the canon
-Repeat

Oh and...

-If you miss the skull, aim for the ramps and alternate between them.

knock down all the inline drop targets, rip the Spinner

If they're truly novice, they won't be able to do anything more than just try to keep from draining.

Once they start to get the hang of that, I try to judge the person's interest. Many times, I won't even try to explain any rules. Few people really even care.

The ones that do, I try to point them toward a game with an easy to achieve goal. My favorite is AFM where I tell them to try aiming at the saucer until the bank drops, then keep hitting it until it blows up. Rarely does anyone get past that level of interest.

For fun, I'll try to explain my collection for this beginner-intermediate player. This is not meant to get them high scores or to progress through the game, but only to be something easy-ish to focus on and hopefully get a response from the game.

AFM
Shoot at the saucer

TZ (Not a good beginner game, really)
Shoot the ramps
When the right spiral lights, try to shoot it
Enjoy the gumball machine and hopefully the powerball comes out to create more confusion

Whirlwind (this is surprisingly difficult, considering it's Sys11, so not terribly deep)
Shoot the flashing compass targets
Try to hit the right ramp once it's lit for lock
Most beginners won't start multiball

Tron
Shoot at the drop bank / disk, hope for multiball

Iron Man
Shoot the spinner shots until Iron Monger comes up
Shoot at the Iron Monger
Try not to let the magnet drain the ball

Iron Maiden (Oh, shit! Where to start?)
Try to shoot the ramp in the middle
Flailing will collect enough EDDIE to light a mode
If they shoot the ramp, it will start a random mode, and they'll have no idea what to do, but the lights will be pretty

TNA
Let's play co-op and I'll explain what I'm doing
Shoot at those drop targets

AMH
Shoot at that door until it opens
Shoot the hole behind the door
Laugh when the chain smoking doctor ghost appears

TNA is a novice killer.

Shoot.

Watch ball drain.

Stern Seawitch:

Shoot 4 drops in middle of play field.

Then shoot 3 drops in lower left of play field.

Then shoot 4 drops at the back of the play field.

Repeat.

Lower than average player can have a good time.
======================

Stern The Beatles

Same as above.

But with a whole lot more to do in between.

You have to be good to stay up with this one.
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Stern Catacomb

I can show you in 60 seconds on what to do.

It takes two pages to write it all out. And your reader will still not know what you are talking about.

Bookmarked this. I’m gonna try to explain it like this next time to my more nerdy friends. I feel like people who love Table Top games and DND would LOVE this way of explaining. Maybe that’s why LOTR is so popular.

I’ve played WW a few times, that game is surprisingly difficult. Especially the triple combo shot, Lawlor is a maniac to think anyone could hit that on purpose.

So far most people that come and play my collection have actually preferred Seawitch, and mind you mine is setup extremely steep and very difficult.

I think it’s how “easy” the playfield looks yet how difficult it is to master. One look tells you all you need to do but then playing it, the game is a real Sea B***h

Your post title actually made me flinch. It's behavioral conditioning.

Whenever I try to explain rules to my wife, she tells me to f**k off, and says, "Keep the ball above the flippers. Those are the rules."

Maybe they are closet masochists . "Come on, hurt me, you bastard", followed by a middle finger salute?

Or are your guests more reserved?

Data East Jurassic Park

- Option 1: Go for multi-ball
- Hit all the lit dinosaur targets
- Hit the t-rex
- Hit the ramp

- Option 2: Play all the modes
- Hit the control room
- Do what the screen says
- Hit the power shed
- Repeat

checkpoint- shoot right ramp over and over
bttf- shoot ramp over and over
poto """""""""""
etc

For a novice player.

Keep the ball in play, have fun.

Keep having fun.

This is where variants of gameplay with friends is such a blast. Play some zen (each player has a side of the game to flip from) is so much fun and a great way to play WITH a new player.

I used to have Christmas parties at Lyons Classic Pinball and each time i’d have a silly tournament. Some of the wacky formats were:

-Play pinball facing away from the coin door.
-First player is blindfolded standing in front of the game, Second player is directing the first player.
-One handed
-Players on each side of the game holding hands over the glass and pelvic thrusting to activate the flipper buttons (frikkin’ hilarious!)
-Cross handed
-playing on knees
-playing on a balance board (careful with this one, some people have enough trouble standing upright on solid ground...)

There are options and variants to play pinball. Be creative and have FUN!