It's also a Mystery award

From the rules for mystery:

"- Light extra ball (rare, percentage-based)"

I grabbed a pic off the playfield. Photoshopped out the guitar, copy & pasted the left shoulder over to the right, & did a little generative fill to finish it off.

I agree that the polished shooters just work but I must state the difference between the one from pinball shark and the cheeper one from pinball life,its the diameter and how that difference feels in your hand.i know the pinball life ones for 20.00 are a bargain compared to the way way more expensive pinball shark ones that are a larger size and feel better in the hand.i wish pinball life would match that diameter and if needed raise the price accordingly but still a bargain.

Venon got a significant code update today. I hope Foo is next. It's pretty crazy for a 1.00 release to take so long after production. Poor planning if nothing else.

I think only two things are actually necessary. Combotron multiball and more callouts. I rarely know when I've started Sonic Radio because I don't hear it. The cities are awfully quiet except a few lines sprinkled here and there. So much room for more humor. While it seems like there are a lot of unique callouts in the game, they don't occur often enough and aren't really tied to specific events.

The call-out thing is an issue cause so often we have no idea what's going on in our game and we don't have time to look up at the screen. There is not good cues as to what is happening, and they did add callouts not to long ago to modes, but most are just flavor fluff and serve no game purpose, so we still don't got a clue of what's going on in game. Adding random sound bytes are ok, but those aren't useful either without context.

I'd say three things and it feels complete to the point where i wouldn't mind...

1. Combotron Multiball.. because we know it's not implemented and we know it exists in JDs head
2. More callouts.. it's lacking or they arent firing but we need more instructional / status callouts for sure
3. The Cities... need their DJs (or even the roadie). NO is great, the others WTF?!?!?

That doesnt FEEL like a lot to me....

Yep I shot a super jackpot in Overlord MB during a multiball, but had to look to the screen to see if the super had registered. Fortunately saw it right as the score for the super showed onscreen because there wasn’t ever any Super Jackpot callout for that shot.

Another day another snub for Foo. Venom gets code today Yea

Yep, the game needs more fun & emotional reactions and less of the robotic “do this. Now do this. Now do this” of a feel to it.

I’d add a couple other things to your list:
- Clean up the insert lighting. Bot Frenzy blue is the same as Seattle blue. A51 MB & Overlord MB are the same red. Sonic radio inserts can’t easily be distinguished from white Light Van shots. So lighting VAN isn’t easy to find if Sonic Radio is running. Inserts should be distinguishable and not stepping on each other.

- Doesn’t seem like the upper playfield Jackpot target comes into play much

- Tweak some city modes to use some of the fun layout features instead of just using main shot paths in those modes. Add a hit to the captive ball somewhere. Or maybe a hit to the paddle to spank the Overlord. Something besides only using the vanilla shot paths in those modes.

- And maybe involve the spinner more somehow. It’s a great center spinner that’s just sitting there begging to be more involved in the game than it currently is.

Great list. There’s a lot of untapped potential here. Still fun but could be funner.

This part of Venom update notes had me nodding my head thinking "That's cool":
- "Added speech callouts for main shots when lit or urgent. VENOM and the current HOST will occasionally make suggestions about what the next shot should be. Sometimes they'll even argue about which shot to make!"

That's good stuff there. Callouts that are informative and that also play into the story happening in the game.

So far Foo has relied a ton on the animations on the video screen. But that stuff doesn't come across while you're playing.

I bought my sister a shaker motor for her Foo Fighters pin for Christmas, she likes it but it sounds like maybe the shaker is not utilized the best on this game, (reminds me of the early TMNT code) is that others experience with adding a shaker to Foo?

I'm going to visit her this weekend so I'm interested in seeing how it behaves.

So jaws yesterday, venom today....foo will be soon, this happened before and all get released close to each other.

Does anyone know who’s dog is on the playfield near the left orbit and what kind of dog it is?

It's pretty rudimentary at this point. Hopefully better-utilized down the road.

I’ve heard in interviews that it’s Taylor Hawkins’ dog, but the interviewee didn’t know the breed….he said pug or French bulldog or something. That looks like a Boston Terrier to me.

Just found this pic, so that must be it.

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Stern is aware we want code! I typed this today when they released the new Venom code on Facebook today.

Keep up the pressure! No surrender.

haha there's my smiling face right below you on that FB thread!

Sorry I’ll fix it.

No need - Doesn't bother me at all. just gave me a laugh.

when Area 51 multiball goes off during a city or another mode, it just gets lost in the moment - no noticeable sounds, just lights go out - the game needs a a few pause moments to enjoy some of the these features ...

You all forgot the most important needed update for the next code: coop mode, team modes and monster modes! All the things you guys mentioned would be pretty neat, too...

Has anyone installed the round rgb speaker lights from pinball life that have the pin woofer speakers installed? Terry at pinball life isn't sure if they will fit because of the depth of the aftermarket speaker.

Even if they are too deep, you can remove the metal casing around the power distributor. Just replace it with some plastic shielding. That’s what I did for my expression speakers lights and jbls.

Hey golfingdad1 !

Our speakers fit just fine with that light kit.

However, I'd encourage you to compare our speaker lights. They look better than anything out there owing to our design innovations and components, albeit at a higher price point, but the quality of the light orchestration and the results are unmatched. Below are some remarks from @neilmcrae:

If you have working expression lights you can get the EL compatible kit. If you don't, you can get our controller-based kit:
https://pinwoofer.com/speaker-lights/

Whatever you choose best wishes.

Anyone can give me a shout with questions, etc.

Thanks,

Dan
+1 208-855-0346
[email protected]
PinWoofer.com

Actually that’s a great idea

Both owners are probably super happy

Anyone else catching the TWiPYs? Foo had a pretty good night.

https://twipys.com/2023-twipy-results/

Stream: https://twipys.com/2023-twipy-pinball-awards/#video

Venom got more callouts, too. Dwight’s pretty passionate about his code, it’s one of the reasons I trust buying a game he’s coding.

Is there a way on Pinside to automatically silence all the posts whining about wanting new code for FF? And then all the posts that haven’t happened yet complaining about the new code?

There must be a machine learning engine somewhere that can help us all.

That's awesome !
Well done team Foo.

Game of the year, well deserved.
Congratulations Jack, Tanio and team !
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I really don't understand why you would brag about your light kits' "orchestration", as many of the light patterns are not matched up correctly with your light ring bulb count. You can see this at the bottom of the ring, where the data signal on the rings begin and end. SEE PICTURE. Besides many of the color chasing patterns doing this, the stacking light patterns are even worse with the beginning and ending of the stack patterns not being at the middle of the top or bottom of the rings. They are kind of skew to the side a bit. So....as far as "orchestration" goes, seem pretty piss poor compared to my custom programmed controllers that have their 358 different light patterns matching my light rings and frames, with the stacking patterns hitting at the top and bottoms of the ring, or on the corners with my light frames. How many different light patterns does your light kit offer???

As for the Pinball Life light kits....it's the same lack of care. They have 23 bulbs in their rings (and 1 hanging outside of it) and that really doesn't match well with many of the light patterns either. Their rectangle light kits also do not have a controller that matches well with many of the light patterns.

Dan, I figured you would have picked up on this when you requested one of my light kits from me and said "Let me be clear, we have no interest in being in the speaker light business" just before announcing you WERE getting in the speaker light business. Nothing like working with a fellow modder for over 4 years, making sure our products worked together and then ask for one of their products so you could poke, prod and see how much power you could pump though it before frying it....just so you could learn what you could from it to make your own.

Now back to the light kit controllers, my controllers have built in DIY feature where a user can save up to 8 of their favorite light patterns for quick access or for the controller to auto cycle through. It's seems on your controller, you can't even select one of the static colors with the remote and count on what pattern might be flipping through the controller when you press the mode + or mode - buttons. I have never seen a controller like that in all of my time of testing many, many different RGB controllers. It's almost like it is auto cycling through all of its patterns in the background and if you press the W button, for example and then the Mode + button....it's just a matter of chance as to what pattern will be showing. It's pretty weird, and really makes finding a particular pattern or type of pattern very hard to do with your light kit.

As for your innovations...I'm not really seeing them either. Search "ws2812b ring" and you will see 100s of those light rings available. Forward facing LEDs, the first time in pinball speaker lights??? You better ask bright sound and The Mod Couple about that, because they did it before you. SMT and PCB based light kits?? WOW! Technical terms to try to sound impressive, but things that have been used in every single speaker light kit that I have sold since 2012.

Doug (SpeakerLightKits.com - Home of the original pinball Speaker Light Kits)

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I did read pinwoofers post as a bit of a shot across other shops bow with light kits, whether he meant to or not. I have Doug's light kit for my foo and it is pretty darn awesome, I also got his "sound activated" box for it and I can change the styles as I see fit and that with expression lights works well. Dan makes HANDS DOWN THE BEST speaker kits and audio based systems out there. Both are great in their own lanes.

It’s a dog eat dog world……. It’s only going to get worse. I wouldn’t get so upset if I were you. It’s not healthy. I totally get where you are coming from!!!!! But there’s no fixing it, people are dirtbags. I’ve learned to just go about my business and do the best I can and hope it pays off in the end. I’m a so much happier person now.

Big Congratulations to the Foo team and well deserved!! You put out one of the most exiting pins I’ve ever played. I hope you understand I just want to see the absolute best finish possible. The art and storyline match the layout with all leading to gameplay that just makes me smile everytime. Thank you!

Thanks everyone for the speaker light input .
Great to see Foo Fighters won game of the year. Maybe Stern will see that and polish it off for us.

I wouldn't use that as a barometer. I think it will finish strong. However last year, when the Twippys were still a real thing, Rush cleaned up, and as a reward, it was all but discontinued.

Yes! If you find a way to do this, please let me know. In the meantime, my "ignore" list will continue to grow and weed out the relentless whiners in this forum.

ignored for complaining about complainers

Let’s get a code update reflective of the game of the year.

Hopefully!

When the shaker code was updated on TMNT it was night and day, hopefully the FF code gets a big update soon!

Hopefully. it's literally an accessory sale Stern are missing out on until they make it worth my while!

Lol. Game of the year. Which is sterns to lose based on how many they sold. They only release two pins a year lately. So basically the award is "second worse stern pin of the year" award. Stern doesn't give a shit.

From what has been said by various dealers, Foo sold quite well though. I think the issue now is that it's been a while, no new updates, no accessories, lot of folks gave up on it and sold it off so theres a good bit of used Foos out there, they really failed to keep the momentum on the game going. Feels opposite of like Bond, which stumbled hard out of the gate, but with all the big code improvements, most retailers cleared out their inventories of the title finally and now folks actually have turned around on the game.

someone please get this man back on his medication

For whatever reason in Foo only, I constantly lose extra balls directly after collecting them and not just from the post under that stand up. Seems always a couple bounces then sdtm.

I had this problem early on. If trying to hit it with the end of the left flipper good luck, better hit it. Off sling usually in good shape.

Just spent the afternoon installing the entire CLiP plastics on Foo as well as Davey's "Stumblor" Area 51 mod....lot's of work but came out very nice. Pictures don't do the mod justice and it is amazing in motion.

Posting some install pics if anyone wants to use them for breakdown reference

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Very cool Foo Fighters add-on by Stumblor. My only complaint is my scores have plummeted... I'm so busy admiring the light show that I lose track of the ball.

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