Foo Fighters (LE)
Stern, 2023
Foo Fighters (Premium)
Stern, 2023
Foo Fighters (Pro)
Stern, 2023You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider MikeS.
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I played some Foo Fighters Pro on location last night for the first time and fell in love. The game shoots and flows so well and I really like the rules as well. I put 19 plays on the game and I honestly think this will end up being a top 5 Stern game. I had the same feeling after playing it as I did with Godzilla and Jurassic Park. Woke up this morning and placed an order for the Pro and can't wait to get it in the house!
Quoted from fooflighter:My guess is no unless Stern includes a setting to require the left flipper be raised on a pro to Activate the overdrive funtion, by default, I think the ballsave is automatic. The current pro code will kick a ball into play once you trigger the rollover if overdrive is lit regardless if you hold the flipper up or not to "save" your ball into play... although this may be adjustable with the newest current or future Sten updates. It immediately fires the ballsave. (Even thought the initial code showed to raise the left flipper on the pro demo - this may have been just early code)
I think if someone got a mod going, Stern may nerf (if it's included) the ability to change the Pro setting requiring the flipper to be raised.
http://www.youtube.com/clip/UgkxBXfQnWRhorNc_EeVAybyE5K0FvoDo3ft
Pro code gives you a bonus currently if you hold the left flipper up when overdrive is lit. Ball save is automatic either way though
On the Premium/LE does the ball get autolaunched if it fails to save the ball or are you SOL? Or maybe that's a configurable setting?
Quoted from fooflighter:That is the one downfall, no skill or timing, just the mechanical feature without risk. I guess getting the ball into play on the flippers quickly is one positve versus risking a shooter lane launch.
I would rather have the controlled feed from the autolaunch which brings it clean to your flipper vs having to fumble to get it under control using the post. It also gives you a second to regain your composure.
I put 19 games on a Pro last night and I'm totally fine without having that feature. When the game was announced the two things I was most excited about was the save post and the inlane Schatz targets, but after playing it I don't consider either to be one of my favorite things in the game. The game is way too fast and flowing to even consider shatzing an inlane. I was most impressed by the opto spinner, the insane flow and speed, and both captive ball areas are really well implemented. The Pro feels like a perfect game to me and doesn't feel stripped down at all. I was so impressed that I ordered one this morning. Maybe once I get a chance to play a Premium I'll get a sense for what's missing, but for now I'm not feeling it. I can always pick up a premium later if I change my mind.
Quoted from fooflighter:Awesome man! Enjoy it...I've heard good things about both versions...seems there is something for everyone. So bummed I was sick and missed TPF
Thanks! Yeah I really think this is one of those games where if you own any version you're going to be happy. As much as I love the Pro I'm sure the LE is even better. Expression lights, flow on top of flow with that upper playfield, the magnet and sculpts, and the deadpost will be cool too. You're going to love it! Jack and his team knocked it out of the park on this one.
Quoted from ATLpb:Double posting this from hype thread:
Not sure it’s been said in the comparisons but the Pro is empirically easier for two key reasons. This is often the case as the pros end up being more deterministic(DPool excluded). No exception here.
1
Left outlane drains:
Pro- if overdrive is lit, ball save will be automatic. No center button required. (Though points are awarded if you hit the button anyways) Ball will plunge from shooter lane. Skilled players could even intercept the auto plunge for a plunge of their liking.
Pro- if overdrive is lit, even really slow dinky drains on that side will be saved.
Premium- must be awake and execute the bounce up from the post.
Premium- maybe or maybe not get control onto R flipper after successfully bouncing back up into playfield
2
Area51 multiball
Pro- never anything more than hitting R ramp to start
Premium- on second area51 and beyond the player must accomplish a fair amount on the upper pf
One small exception- a skilled player could utilize upper pf to advantage during multiball to keep too many balls from crowding down by main flippers thus opening up shots.
Lastly, I think the overlord magnet could introduce additional randomness and drains but I didn’t see any in my 10 or so games on premium.
They’re both fantastic. If I wasn’t an operator I still would have gotten the pro for home because of the $. Then again all three models are likely to appreciate unless Stern builds only Foo for the next two years… which given how good it is, maybe they should haha.
On the Premium isn't the overdrive lit at the start of the game whereas on the Pro it is unlit which would help balance out that difficulty?
On the Premium Area 51, could you qualify and start the MB on your first right ramp hit if you play the upper playfield masterfully? I wonder how many times on average it takes to complete the playfield?
Do you think the Pro is any easier because of shot visibility for upper right flipper shots?
Quoted from epthegeek:I’m en la clube
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I played Eric's game at MGC and it played wonderfully! Congrats on getting one of the first premiums and thanks to Kingpin games and Eric for having it available to play at the show.
Quoted from northvibe:So there was a magnet?
[quoted image]
Makes sense. The Premium has a magnet there and the Pro/Premium share the same main playfield.
Quoted from TroyS:Making room this morning for FOO to get its spot in the game room. Which do you think was voted out (but family said keep it a little longer and move to living room)?
Foo Foo Foo….
[quoted image]
I'd move Mando, just because it's the only one that wasn't done by Zombie Yeti.
Quoted from Doctor6:Sorry for the slightly off topic question, but I love how your pins are set up! Do you have a wider pic of your room? I have a lot of space in my basement, but it isn't nearly as aesthetic as your set up, here.
Thank you! The room is basically a 16'x20' bonus room in my basement. It also serves as one of my offices as it's quieter then working on the main floor when the kids are home.
20230406_143326 (resized).jpg20230406_143352 (resized).jpgQuoted from Doctor6:So I currently have a premium on order, and played one last night... I'll be honest... I don't know that I like it as much as the pro. That upper playfield is just busy work, to me, and the overdrive save is sorta meh.
I'm gonna try it again, but feel that maybe I made the wrong choice. I do know I didn't care for how they leveled the game I played, but I'm unsure if that's where my problems are coming from and why it didn't strike me the way the pro did on my first impression.
I'm normally a Pro guy. I even prefer Godzilla Pro over the Premium for gameplay but in this case I think I slightly prefer FF Premium over the Pro after playing both. The upper playfield is actually implemented really well and doesn't distract from the game as much as most games with upper playfields. the molded figures and deadpost are also cool. With that being said I still purchased the Pro and love it and have no regrets. Ultimately i'd rather put the $2700 that I save towards my next game as the difference between the Pro and Premium wasn't worth the financial cost for me. But if you are just looking at which game is more fun to play I think I'd prefer the Premium by a very small margin.
Quoted from delt31:So what should the outlane rubbers be on each side? Mine shipped with none on either
My Pro has none on either as well. Same as the Pro's I have played on route and at MGC.
I'm trying to knock down my last 2 achievements but this one is proving to be difficult. Anyone have any pointers for filling up the radio dial twice to collect that right leg and get it flashing? I hit both targets and then hit it again when flashing but it still takes a ton of hits. Maybe just keep pounding away during multiball to make progress?
Quoted from MikeS:I'm trying to knock down my last 2 achievements but this one is proving to be difficult. Anyone have any pointers for filling up the radio dial twice to collect that right leg and get it flashing? I hit both targets and then hit it again when flashing but it still takes a ton of hits. Maybe just keep pounding away during multiball to make progress?
[quoted image]
Persistence pays off. Set a new HS and collected the achievement late in the game. I made a conscious effort to keep pounding away on those targets during various multiballs. Trying to shoot them during single ball play is too risky. Now I just have 1 achievement left to earn which is the Foobot Super jackpot. I just need to make it back to Foobot MB and keep trying.
Loving this game! For everyone still waiting it is definitely worth the wait!
20230409_164409 (resized).jpgQuoted from JakePG:So my son and I were playing the game. I hit the spinner and drained shortly after. My son started his ball right after, but the spinner was still spinning and gave him points. Has anybody else seen anything like this?
I made the mistake of putting a couple drops of Super Lube on the spinner. It really makes the New York mode hard to complete without van upgrades because the moving shot takes forever to settle down. I've never played a spinner that rips this fast!
Quoted from dpadam450:Optical, no friction.
I've played other games with optical spinners but maybe it's just the placement being back center that helps it rip more than the others. I'm sure the Super lube has something to do with it too.
I was having issues with the consistency of both my auto plunge and manual plunge for hitting the side ramp. I made a tweak which seems to help. I did the same thing on my JP and figured I'd try it here as well and it seems to offer a similar improved result.
On the launch ramp fork, put a small washer under the left tine and then tighten it back down. With the left side slightly raised it seems to help when launching up that ramp.
Quoted from Pin_Fandango:Now that we are on the code topic, how good is the code so far?
How many modes? How deep is it?
Looks like DP depth to me at a quick glance…is it?
It definitely looks fun!!
I think the code is great! It might be slightly deeper than DP due to more base modes but not nearly as deep as games like Godzilla and Jurassic Park which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's good to have games with varying depth. The code structure reminds me a lot of Deadpool but the game is even more fun to shoot. 3 flippers, faster and more flow.
It has the 6 base city modes
Bot Frenzy
the 3 Overlord Multiballs
2 mini wizard mode multi-balls (Austin and DC)
Foobot Multi-ball
Van upgrades are essentially like team-ups in Deadpool in that they make the modes easier to finish
The combo opportunities in this game are a ton of fun.
The game will also have a Combo-tron multi-ball and final wizard mode (Overlord) which aren't in the game yet. I think there is also supposed to be co-op play and possibly some band callouts coming in the future.
I took a closer look under my Pro playfield at the area where the Deadpost would be and there's an unused connector there (under the black cardboard). Not sure if this means anything for future use. Under the cardboard it looks like it's just wires connected to a small sandwich board that is screwed into the playfield that isn't attached to anything (there are no lights or inserts in that area). I'm guessing that this done so that the connector could connect to it and isn't hanging loose. My first thought was that maybe Stern is using the same wiring harness for both models but I didn't see any extra connectors in the magnet or upper playfield areas under the game. Maybe it was a Pro feature and it was pulled out last minute?
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Quoted from PinMonk:No expression lighting option ever really hurts the Pro. But otherwise, it's a very solid pick.
It does but that makes the Premium almost $3200 more than the Pro. I'd rather put that money towards the next Pro model but that's just me.
Quoted from PinMonk:The *option* doesn't mean you have to buy an expression lighting kit, just that you CAN buy one, which you can't for the Pro, ever. So adding the expression kit cost in the calculation is premature unless you want to add an inferior pinstadium to the Pro for an apples to apples comparison. Essentially it zeros out if you upgrade both.
But having the option is a value add, and attractive on a resale side, too, even if the kit isn't installed.
I don't have the self control to not buy expression lights on the premium so the difference would be $3200 for me. With the Pro I don't have the temptation and have more money left for another game.
Quoted from MikeS:I took a closer look under my Pro playfield at the area where the Deadpost would be and there's an unused connector there (under the black cardboard). Not sure if this means anything for future use. Under the cardboard it looks like it's just wires connected to a small sandwich board that is screwed into the playfield that isn't attached to anything (there are no lights or inserts in that area). I'm guessing that this done so that the connector could connect to it and isn't hanging loose. My first thought was that maybe Stern is using the same wiring harness for both models but I didn't see any extra connectors in the magnet or upper playfield areas under the game. Maybe it was a Pro feature and it was pulled out last minute?
[quoted image]
Update.. I'm an idiot. There's actually an insert that lights up where the foot pedal is. I didn't notice it until today. So there isn't any unused wiring in the deadpost area.
Quoted from Kkoss24:Does anyone know if pins get delivered on Saturdays or just weekdays ? Not a question for a friend ,but rather myself
It can depend on lift-gate availability too. My Foo Pro got to the local freight hub on a Wednesday evening but they didn't have a truck available with a lift gate until the following Tuesday due to other deliveries and schedules. Needless to say I drove the 30 minutes to the hub and picked it up the next morning.
Quoted from Haymaker:Anyone got any good tips or strategies yet? Is there certain cities that are more lucrative or worth visiting more than others?
Quoted from heyitsjoebob:I've had the best luck by getting a van bonus prior to starting modes. (Knock down all 3 drop targets, then bash the back target)
If you've got no power ups, New Orleans is a good mode to start with. Just hit a shot, then hit that shot again.
I find Chicago to be one of the easier ones as well. Hit the lit shot. If you're slow, more shots will light up. Fewer shots lit = more points.
I struggle with LA (combo ramps), but I'm not a great player.
One crazy thing I've noticed is that when I pull a multiball into a mode, it generally doesn't help me. The mode timer doesn't pause, and most modes require a little more aiming than I can do in a multiball scenario.
One piece of advice I would give is don't hoard your action button hits and then just bash it when you drain. If you're in a mode and need a shot, use the action button to spot it. You can spot multiball progress, mode progress, and even mode completion. Super worthwhile to get things completed - that's where the points are hiding.
All good advice. If I don't have any van mods built up I generally start with New Orleans because that's the easiest one to complete without van mods. You also only need to hit upper flipper shots once so keep that in mind when picking your shots in this mode. LA mode is also a good one to start because it builds up progress towards Area 51. Chicago is one of the easier modes as well along with Roswell. I generally won't start New York or Seattle until I have van bombs or engine built up because you really want to be able to complete the cities in 1 turn for best points.
When you have a multi-ball going try to get in some right orbit shots to get your playfield multiplier going. Also use this time to try and bash on the sonic radio targets as those shots are deadly in single ball play. completing the sonic radio is necessary to complete that right leg for Foo Bot multi-ball.
As far as the mini-wizard modes go I generally score quite a bit better in DC vs. Austin. Your van mods also help a lot towards the scoring in these modes. In DC you really want to keep bashing the drop targets and in any of these try to hit right orbit shots and get that playfield multiplier going.
.93 code update is out!
Looks like some great additions including a Sonic Radio mode!
V0.93.0 - April 20, 2023
================================
== BUG FIXES ==
-Fix bug where player would sometimes get double credited Overlord shots when capturing a ball for lock.
-Fix inconsistent scoring for van letters and area 51 progression.
-Fix an issue with Overdrive high score entry in multiplayer.
-Fix an issue with Overlord multiball high score entries.
-Fix bug in Austin where the super jackpot multiplier was scoring 1 higher x than it should have.
-Fix bug where playfield x and raygun x combined could not exceed 6x.
== FEATURE CHANGES ==
SONIC RADIO
-New Sonic Radio mode started by collecting enough mystery awards from the sonic radio targets
and reaching the sweet spot on the radio dial.
-Timed mode that starts at 50 seconds shown by the radio dial creeping back to the left.
-All shots lit gray to boost radio signal and increase the value of the sonic radio.
-Hitting a gray shot turns it into a pink sonic radio shot.
-Hit pink shots to collect sonic radio value and build radio jackpot.
-After hitting any shot, the sonic radio targets will be available to add 15 seconds back to your timer.
-Once all pink shots have been collected, all shots relight, and sonic radio targets light to collect
radio jackpot and end the mode and award the upgraded Right Leg Foobot part.
-New high score entry added for Sonic Radio Champion.
OVERDRIVE
-If overdrive is qualified, overdrive light will now be on regardless of if ball save is running.
It will continue to only trigger overdrive if there is no ball save (light effect change only).
-Allow overdrive targets to be scored when radio mystery is lit to make overdrive and mystery awards a little friendlier.
-Improve logic for Overdrive and Bomb ball savers during multiballs.
-If the Outlane Post Save is disabled, when Overdrive is lit the left outlane switch will.
immediately trigger a ball save from the trough.
UFO
-UFO insert will now be on anytime you can advance the ufo towards UFO action button awards.
When UFO insert is blinking, in addition to scoring the UFO Bonus, +1 extra progress is awarded
toward UFO action button awards. This allows you to build UFO action button progress during multiball
(when made from a Rami orbit combo).
-Improve UFO action button logic.
-UFO button improvements during Overlord multiball.
VAN MODS
-Balance van mods:
-Completing drop targets will now advance 1 level (in addition to hitting the paddle afterward).
-Getting level 1 now counts as
+20 seconds for engine (previously +30)
+2 shots spotted for bomb (previously +1)
+500k for Speakers (previously +750k)
-There are now 7 levels instead of 6.
VAN MODES
-Tweak New York:
-First spinner lane shot now awards progress.
-The roving shot will now stay lit so you can keep hitting it.
-The roving shot is now 3x value (previously 2x).
-Tweak Roswell:
-Orange shot is now 3x value (previously 2x).
-Starting value now 1,500,000, incrememnt value now 150,000.
-Tweak Seattle:
-Side loop is now 3x value (previously 2x).
-Balance scoring for final shot: new formula is Seconds Remaining x 1% of total mode points,
ignoring mode points gained from 2x or 3x playfield.
-Show current mode total in UI as you're playing a mode.
-Austin jackpot value is now determined by how many modes you scored 50 million or more in.
-Improve light effects when multiple light effects are on the same shot arrow.
FOOBOT MULTIBALL
-Foobot multiball jackpots will now start +500k higher per upgraded part.
COMBOTRON
-Upper playfield can now combo both shots at any time
RAYGUN TARGETS
-Raygun inlane targets are now relit by their respective inlane (previously the right crossover)
-Raygun shot x will now not be ended by Rami shot, allowing you to make upper flipper shots that will get multiplied
-Raygun (inlane target) multipliers will no longer apply for scores awarded from UFO action button
AREA 51
-Area 51 jackpot boost raised to +500k per boost (previously 250k). Also raise the jackpot by 500k whenever a super jackpot is scored
ADJUSTMENTS
-Add new adjustment "AREA 51 MULTIBALL DIFFICULTY", default EASY. When set to HARD, it will act as if you've already played Area 51 once
ACHIEVEMENTS
- All My Life Super Jackpot
- Monkey Wrench Super Jackpot
- Pretender Super Jackpot
- Max Mod-ulator
- FooBot: Final Mani-Foo-station
= SYSTEM V3.37 =
- Various behind the scenes improvements for correctness and performance.
- Updated to nodeboard firmware/protocol v1.6.0
- Update selectable upper bound for Grand Champion, and HSTD 1-4 Awards. GC may be set up
to 5, HSTD #1 to 4, HSTD #2 to 3, HSTD #3 to 2, and HSTD #4 to 1. The default value for these has
not changed, just the ability to select a higher value.
- Added game version number to lower left of attract mode Insider Connected screens.
- Updated Service Menu landing screen to graphics.
I played a couple games on the new code. Didn't notice anything new in terms of callouts but the new Sonic Radio mode is fun.
Did Stern change anything on the spinner or bracket for the LE run? Mine has only came off once in 250 plays on my Pro but it would still be nice to have a permanent fix if one is available.
There are good points to be had if you focus on hitting the speaker van mods specifically since that one is focused on raising scoring for the mode. Bomb really just makes it easier (fewer shots) and Engine just gives you more time (useful in New York and Seattle) since those seem to take the longest. I find that if I focus too much on van modes though that it causes me to drain quicker since the ball is more out of control vs. hitting safer shots. Mostly I avoid them and shooting anything on the lower half of the playfield while not in Multiball.
The best way to get higher scores is to concentrate on getting your Foo bot parts active and upgraded. In multi-balls I tend to hit the Sonic Radio targets a bunch with my lower right flipper and also try to hit right orbits from my lower left flipper to get that playfield multiplier going. If you work on progressing your shots and collecting Supers it all works itself out.
Quoted from PantherCityPins:During Austin last night I took the strat of letting most of the balls drain during ball save to reduce the clutter and make the shots easier. I was able to collect some blue jackpot shots before the ball save ended. Those 6 ball Multiballs are quite busy and it’s hard to make specific shots due to the balls all flying everywhere.
It does get really cluttered so that's not a bad strat. I find myself playing DC most of the time just because it seems to be more lucrative. It's also easy to pound away at the drop targets with all of the chaos. My high so far is 422 for DC, less than half of that for Austin.
20230419_210312 (resized).jpgQuoted from EtzEtz:Can someone confirm the count of balls in this game during multiball ?
I recall reading that it come with 6 balls. Does that include the ‘alien head’ captive captive ball, leaving 5 for multi ball?
There's 6 total balls in play during Austin, DC, and Foobot Multi-balls. That includes the ball that may be captured in the Overlord area.
Quoted from EtzEtz:That’s what I thought. So I figure when you setup a new machine, the baggie in the coin box come with seven balls?
It comes with 6 in the coin box. The captive ball is already in the game.
Quoted from Gogdog:Shaker squeaks annoy me too. I've tried everything.....spraying contact cleaner, running motors in alcohol to super clean them, lubricating with silicone, gun oil, etc.....I haven't been able to "fix" a shaker once it squeaks (and brand new ones can squeak). From what I understand....its just the sealed ball bearings ..which...since sealed....we can't lubricate if they start squeaking. So, I've either lived with it, or just bought replacement motors and switched them out (which isnt hard to do).
Has anyone tried one of these or know how it works in terms of reducing shaker squeaks?
https://www.pinballlife.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PBL-600-0559-00_ASSEMBLY
Quoted from Doctor6:Okay how the hell is that supposed to work?
It just looks like an adapter to me. I have no idea!
Quoted from snaroff:Was watching this video ( ), and Joel @ ~21:40 is gum flapping about how much harder Rush is than FF (which kind of blew my mind). I just had a typical Rush game where I played for 5-10 minutes (which is really enough for me. I find both GZ and Rush to be very forgiving, kind/gentle games with pretty long bay times/saves. I've only owned FFLE for a few days now, but it's just punishing me. I'm curious, for those of you that have both, which game do you find easier? Rush or FF? Curious.
For my play style I think FF is the easier game. On FF most of the action is on the top half of the playfield which makes it easier to react to shots. on Rush you have the shot through the pops which is tight and pretty dangerous and you have more drop targets closer to the flippers. I think both Rush and FF are medium players. I think FF is less forgiving than GZ. probably more along the lines of Maiden if I had to rank it in terms of difficulty.
Quoted from snaroff:Interesting. The shot through the pops on Rush seems wider than KISS & TRON (2 of my favorites), which might explain why it seems easy by comparison (for me). Most of my Rush games are ~10 minutes (which I consider long)...a great game can be 20 minutes.
In terms of reacting to shots on FF...it's SO FAST at 7 degrees that my reaction time just isn't great. The left ramp is surprisingly difficult for me...wide open shot, but just not finding it (unless I stop and aim). Miss it and it drains pretty consistently. I'm more of an on-the-fly player, which might be my problem with this design.
I've been playing so much "Borg and Elwin" designs that feel familiar to me. It's all good...JD did an amazing job on this layout and it's challenging me (which is great). Almost out of the gate, GZ makes you feel like a superstar pinballer. FFLE for me makes me feel like a novice loser. I guess that means it's a good design
RUSH has an easier shot through the bumpers than those other games. I think Rush is pretty forgiving overall. It's probably pretty close between FF and it. FF does have quite a few of those blink and you drain balls due to the speed. I usually try to backhand that left ramp in single ball play which makes it a safe shot. I also don't go for the drops or Sonic Radio very often either in single ball play because of the risk. If you keep the action at the top it can be a long player. It may just be that I've been playing a lot of FF so I'm just really dialed into the shots which makes it play long.
Quoted from mtp78:I have a chance to get a prem. Very soon from my distributor...you guys think this game rates as high as Godzilla ?
I think its a better game than Godzilla was a month after release. Godzilla has much more depth and polish now and I hope the same happens for Foo as it goes beyond 1.0 code.
Quoted from fooflighter:So just admiring my LE playfield and have a question for you frequent LE buyers. I normally get premiums but this being my grail pin, got the LE. I thought my Deadpool Premium playfield was the best in my collection until I saw my FF LE. I mean this thing is perfect. It's almost like they went with a harder wood and no ribbing at all. I've played over 200 games on it and it has 2 very small dimples after all of that and almost flawless. Is this normal for the LE playfields? My only other comparison in my collection is my Walking Dead LE but that palyfield is just fugly, and no where near the quality of my Foo ...Does Stern select better wood for these or did I simply win the playfield lottery? Just curious, thanks all.
This is in my Pro and the playfield is flawless as well so I'm thinking that Stern uses the same playfields on all models.
20230430_105441 (resized).jpgQuoted from Doctor6:I will say I don't see how deadpool rates higher than this. I feel this is a superior version of deadpool, personally.
I have the games side by side. FF is a way smoother shooter but I think DP has a superior audio package. -The sound quality seems much better as well. both games have super satisfying shots. DP seems a little more in your face and has shorter ball times at least for me. Both games are a ton of fun! On current code I'd give DP the edge but I think FF will surpass it once the code is complete. I think the things FF needs work on is adding way more callouts and sound quality. I have a external sub which helps, but the sound quality isn't as good as I'd like. I may also have to find ways of making FF play more brutal as my game times are pretty long.-currently at stock settings and 6.8 pitch.
Quite a few extra callouts and sound effects added which is great. The New Orleans DJ callouts sound out of place though and don't seem to be mixed right. The levels seem too low for the mix and aren't very clear. Besides that though it seems like a good update.
Quoted from Doctor6:I now notice that the light blue skillshot arrows don't light up like they used to when going for the six way skill shot. Not sure how that accidently got messed up.
I've noticed this as well. Not sure if there was a reason for it or not.
Quoted from TheBensanity:Hi all! Thinking of purchasing a Foo Fighters, but I did have a question I was hoping someone might could answer. We have a lot of younger kids who like to come and play, and I was wondering if when you have it in the family friendly mode, if it censors the songs in addition to removing the callouts with language.
I don't think there's any profanity in any of the songs in the game so there shouldn't be anything to censor.
Quoted from Doctor6:I cannot for the life of me justify the price. If money is even sort of tight, pro. For the price of an LE you could get foo pro and damn near another game too.
The Premium and LE's are amazing games but I can't justify paying Stern's new prices (on Premiums and LEs)
no matter how good the game's may be. Ended up buying a Foo Pro and have a DP Pro on order. I'll take a slight downgrade if it means getting 2 games instead of 1.
Quoted from PinMonk:What don't you like about the Premium? EVERYTHING that's added is a bonafide upgrade to the experience over a Pro, IMO. Interested to see what you don't like.
I talked to several players that played in a launch tourney that had Pro and LE games and the Pro was the preferred game due to having a predictable/consistent Area 51 MB start. Its harder to bring Area 51 into a mode stack on a Premium or if you do it usually makes sense to do it in Los Angeles because of the shots involved.
Quoted from snaroff:Smart financial decision, for sure. I still can't believe I paid almost 14k for my FFLE (13k + sales tax). Could have avoided the tax with an out-of-state distributor, but like supporting Pinball Dudes (3 miles down the road). Fortunately, I'm happy with the game and got lucky with the QA on my example (no aesthetic or mechanical issues after ~100 games).
Speaking of pricing...how about that Bond 60th pricing? Actually warming up to the game, but the artwork (or lack thereof? Geez. Sure, it's a fairly limited run, but there are 12 sitting in Marketplace (some for several months)...5 more than FFLE's for sale! CGC nailed PFLE, and it's 1/2 the price of Bond 60th!
It's all relative. If you buy a desirable LE like FF prices should hold just as well or better than Pro titles. It's just where your comfort zone is in terms of how much $ you want wrapped up in a pinball collection vs. Investing it in other areas. I think most people with collections full of LE's have likely made good financial choices in life to get to a point where they can feel comfortable dropping $14k on an LE.
If you would have told me back in 2005 when I got into the hobby that there would be a day that I'd spend $7k on a NIB and feel like i got a bargain I would have laughed. But here we are.
Quoted from snaroff:Yep, and a waste of time when you are playing. Just played AC/DC and the ball will bop around the bumpers for quite awhile and then dribble out the center. I think the lack of pops is one of the reasons I'm finding FFLE so brutal...non-stop action.
Pops are overrated. I was looking at my collection and 5 of my 12 games have 1 or fewer pop bumpers. Shadow and FF have 0, and R&M, GZ, and Stars have 1.
Quoted from PinMonk:Why wouldn't they? Area51 is a freebie on the Pro - just keep spamming the right ramp. No skill required. If you're trying to win a tournament, easier is better. But for home? Make me work for it and entertain me while you do it.
The skill is knowing when to start it. On the Pro you hit it 4 times and get it flashing and then you avoid it until after you start a mode. Once you start a city mode (or even bot frenzy) you have a perfect feed to your left flipper to nail the right ramp and start the stack. On the Premium you need to purposefully let it drain to the lower once you get it setup on top and then hope you are able to start it the first time after starting a mode. If it takes 2 or 3 hits up that ramp to get it started that takes away from your valuable mode time where you should be concentrating on your mode shots. Yes it's more challenging to control when and how you start the MB and if you're able to stack it. This can be either a positive or a negative depending on how you look at it.
In a tournament I could see avoiding that ramp altogether and instead focusing on the level 2 and 3 Overlord MB's for your stack since those are easier to control when and how they start. I haven't played enough of the Premium but are there shots that are unique to the modes that are needed on that upper playfield or can you just ignore it? If you shoot the right ramp and miss it with that upper flipper you aren't gaining progress towards the MB. This was a frustration that was shared by one of my friends playing in the tournament and why he prefers playing the Pro. Yes you need Area 51 for FooBot MB but in a tournament that isn't really relevant. I think I would avoid it and try to work towards DC which is where you can build a lot of points and can be done using only the lower playfield.
Quoted from NovaCade:Curious to hear everyone’s opinions/strategies on the order they tackle the cities. New York is usually first for me because I can usually hit those easily enough without need for a spotted shot. But from there I have no clear path.
If I don't have any van mods I usually go with New Orleans first because it is the easiest to complete. Focus on hitting the spinner and Overlord shots combined with the side ramp. Overlord is nice because it builds progress towards MB. Side ramp shot is nice because it only takes one completion and returns the ball safely to the lower right flipper.
Sometimes I will go with Chicago on the first mode if the starting shot is in a good placement such as spinner or Overlord. You can preview what the starting shot is when you cycle through the mode select screen.
Roswell I usually try to have a couple of UFO shots built up in case they place your shots in a tough location, but generally I don't have much difficulty completing this mode.
I usually save Los Angeles until I have the right ramp primed and ready to go for Area 51 MB. (On the Pro)
New York is a good mode to stack with Bot Frenzy or with a multi-ball. I usually try to build up some extra time in the van mods for this one.
For Seattle I usually try to build up a few van mods before starting (bombs and engine) because it can take some time to complete.
In this game I find if I focus too much on van mods and getting PF multipliers that it usually comes at the expense of game progress. If I just focus on completing modes and progressing I usually get to more things like Foobot MB and DC which generally results in higher game scores.
Generally I barely ever shoot for anything below the drop targets on this game when not in multi-ball. Keep the gameplay vertical and avoid hitting stand-ups/drops to stay in control whenever possible.
If I had one word of advice to the programmers on this game to reduce game times it would be to force you to shoot the targets on the bottom half of the playfield more during single ball play. I hardly ever shoot the Sonic Radio or Bot target except in MB. My game times are still long and I've already tightened up my slings, increased my pitch to over 7 degrees, and tightened up my tilt. The slings on this game are so far apart and there aren't many lower targets which means that there isn't much chaos around the flippers. In Godzilla Keith forces you to shoot the saucer on a short hurry-up. The game really needs some valuable hurry-ups on those lower targets to force you to put the ball in danger. Another option is making it so that you can't build up your Sonic Radio dial during MB. that's really my only complaint with the game is that game times are long. I don't play the game to maximize points but find that I can put up > 1 billion point games quite frequently. I'm curious to see what a top tier player like Karl will do on this game once he starts streaming it.
Quoted from Theguyoverthere:You can only start super sonic radio in single ball play, so at some point you need to hit radio targets in single ball, also you can only ever make progress towards overdrive during single ball play. If you could only advance the radio during single ball I’m worried nobody would ever see it (it’s almost always the last Foo bot part), also it’s tied to the mystery award and you need to be able to get add a ball in multiball.
The bot awards are pretty good and worth going for when lit, even in single ball play, and collecting one before multiball means now your multiball can light the next one easier.
The ray gun inlane targets are dangerous in their own way as missing the inlane shot is super scary!
Appreciate the feedback though, and there is always the possibility for adjustments or competition only settings
Thanks for the reply and congrats on coming up with a really fun and cohesive rules package. I'm really enjoying the game so far. This game may have the most fun layout I've ever shot, the layout almost seems too perfect in that there really aren't any unfair or "sucker" shots. I have had very few cheap drains, nearly every time I drain it is my own fault. The rules really feel quite balanced and I haven't found any large exploits as of yet. I will occasionally shoot the lower targets if the radio dial is near completion or for Bot Awards or if the EB is lit on ball 3. You are correct that usually the final Foo bot part to acquire is the Right Leg so you wouldn't want to mess with the balance. I also really like the Sonic Radio mode. i like how the music changes and it's just really fun trying to turn all of the shots pink and working towards that Super is just really fun and satisfying.-I think i just really like the color pink. I wouldn't want to deprive anyone of reaching it by making it harder.
As far as bringing down game times I'll see if I can find more ways to physically adjust the game to make it more difficult before going the software route. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know. On most games adjusting sling sensitivity along with tilt sensitivity and outlanes is enough but there may be other ways to bring it down a little bit. I'll probably also switch around my playing style and try being less conservative and going more for score. I haven't really focused on the ray gun multipliers much as of yet so it may be time to have some fun and see what I can do by focusing more on maxing individual modes vs. going for game progress.
I just took a look at game audits and I have the following. I know there's always going to be some long games but it would be nice to bring the average game times down a bit.
6-8 minute games - 18
8-10 min -12
10-15 min - 31
15min+ - 23
Here are my Godzilla audits for comparison: Godzilla skews a little bit shorter for me then FF and is generally considered a long playing game.
5-6 min - 62
6-8 min - 87
8-10 min - 12
10-15 min - 88
15 min+ - 73
Quoted from Jazman:I like the game right where it is... but my times are not anywhere near what you have there...
But I'm also just an average player. Have you tried installing the harder presets?
I'm hoping to bring the times down by making the layout more difficult as adjusting software settings can make it more of a grind to play/progress. I did just turn my slings up to 50 and removed the rubber from the outside posts. I also just tightened up my tilt a bit more and have my slings gapped about as close as I can get them without being problematic. Hopefully this will be enough to take care of it. Probably some of it is just that I've been playing the game a lot and really have the shots down. I'm sure as I visit other games more and play Foo less I will lose my feel for the game and it will play tougher for me again.
Quoted from hisokajp:so no one ran into this issue then? Guess it's time to talk to my distrubor/stern-
I would try re-seating all of your light board cables (cat-5) with the game off. If that doesn't help I would reach out to your distributor.
Quoted from PinMonk:I've heard DC is the one to go to for scoring, but I always choose Austin because I want to see the probes stealing Dave's BBQ.
I like the animations for Austin a lot better but I almost always choose DC because the scoring is so much better. Hopefully this will be balanced out in future updates.
I've experienced that same bug. I also had another experience with NO where the final shot was lit at the Overlord and no matter how many times I hit the shot (and I hit it at least 7 times cleanly to the back target it wouldn't capture the ball and complete the mode. I had to wait for the mode to time-out because I was in jail.
I think I've found a bug on the Pro related to Area 51 multiball. It seems like in the past few days I've had some instances where Area 51 would start randomly vs. Starting it by hitting the right ramp. Has anyone else run into this? I recorded my last game where this happened and will try and review to see what's happening. I did test the right ramp switch in test mode and it appears to be fine.
Quoted from MikeS:I think I've found a bug on the Pro related to Area 51 multiball. It seems like in the past few days I've had some instances where Area 51 would start randomly vs. Starting it by hitting the right ramp. Has anyone else run into this? I recorded my last game where this happened and will try and review to see what's happening. I did test the right ramp switch in test mode and it appears to be fine.
Quoted from PinMonk:Could be vibration related trigger from one of the upper optos after the ramp on the way around. I'd put it in switch test mode and create some vibration around there to see if they go off.
I figured out the issue which could also be the bug fix for the weird issues with the Overlord area holding the ball (and having to wait for a ball search) which started happening to my game in the past week.-it was perfect prior to that.
I did the vibration test in test mode and that didn't cause any erratic behavior but in switch test I found that if I really hammered on that left Overlord Stand-up that it was causing all kinds of weirdness which would cause other shots to randomly get activated (left ramp, spinner, right ramp, etc.) , especially if I pressed it really hard repeatedly. I noticed that the target had drifted slightly and in looking under the playfield it was really close to touching the metal cage for the overlord area. I think it must have been shorting the other switches somehow and causing them to randomly activate? I straightened out the target and tightened it up and played a couple of games and all appears to be well again.
If you're having strange issues with Overlord holding the ball when it shouldn't check out those two stand-ups in switch test and really hit them hard with your finger and hit it repeatedly and see if any weirdness happens on your game. I'm crossing my fingers that this solved the issue. If it happens again, I'll try to insulate the underside of the target with electrical tape to make sure that it isn't hitting that metal and causing any switches to short.
Quoted from Wade:I think you seriously overestimate the average player's ability. I've played mine almost daily for a few weeks now, and I only made it to DC one time. I even play on 10 ball frequently, mostly to practice shots, but occasionally I'll use it to see a mode that I can't reach otherwise. I think adding co-op would allow some others to see other things in the game that they never would get to see in a normal game. I don't see the harm in it. So what if a couple of the highest skilled players could play co-op and get through all the modes? A non issue IMO.
I've made it through everything in the game on a few occasions but I still think co-op would be fun to play with my kids if done correctly. For one, I think in a co-op game that extra balls should be disabled by default. You shouldn't have to wait for someone to play more than 1 ball in between turns. I would also reduce ball save times during MB's and make Overdrive harder to light during co-op. The reason co-op works well in games like TNA and TMNT is that those games have short ball times and are brutal by default. Foo has much longer ball times, but as long as some of that is compensated for in settings it should balance it out and make for a fun co-op experience.
One other option that would be cool is if you could select your skill level at game start for co-op games. You could have a "beginner", "intermediate" or "advanced" level. Beginner would have longer ball saves, EB's, carry over van mods, etc. whereas "Advanced" would disable those to handi-cap the games to the levels of those playing it.
Quoted from KneeKickLou:Anyone noticing the Foo bot right arm not qualifying after starting not frenzy? I got bot frenzy twice today and neither time did the right arm start flashing. The first one was 40mil+ so that should have even been the upgrade. I’ve gotten Foo bot once before so I know it has lit just not sure why it’s not now.
I've noticed this as well and am surprised it wasn't fixed in one of the updates. The game gets the left and right arm mixed up and gives you credit for the Bot Frenzy on the left arm instead of the right. The right arm is the SJ in Overlord or playing the second Overlord MB.
Quoted from Desmodromic:Just had an interesting game with the ball getting stuck captured at the Overlord. I know many of us have experienced this bug, but each time I've had it, there has been a multiball that drained or ended just before. This time I was in New Orleans and the shot was lit at the Overlord so I made it. The gate closed and it captured the ball and just kept it. Just like always, on the second ball search it released the gate and the ball was returned to play. Snapped this pic between the first two ball searches, you can see it trapped in the Overlord and the prompt on the screen to shoot the Overlord to finish New Orleans.
[quoted image]
Quoted from HB_GAMER:Same:[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]
I think this is due to the standup targets in front of the Overlord area drifting. Put your game in switch test and really hammer on those two targets in front of the Overlord and see if anything weird happens in terms of other switches registering. I used to have this issue but after adjusting my standups it went away.
Quoted from Desmodromic:What kind of adjustment did you make to the standups? You think one is being clipped on the way in and triggering the ball capture?
I think the metal on the switch was shorting against the metal on the Overlord cage. I removed the switches from the bottom with a nut driver and then straightened and tightened them up using the same 1/4"nut driver.
Before doing that though really pound on them and hit them repeatedly in test mode. Mine was causing all kinds of errant switches to register before I adjusted them.
Quoted from Desmodromic:Can't reproduce by banging on the standups on either side of the Overlord on my machine in switch test. Will continue to monitor but interested in whatever adjustment you made to the standup targets!
The adjustment I made was removing all of the stand-ups in my game using a 1/4" driver from the underside (2 screws each). Then I loosen up the two machine screws on each target a slight bit and then make sure the targets are straight, and then tighten them down. These weren't torqued enough from the factory which is why they drift in gameplay.
The left standup in mine was really close to touching the side of the metal mech. The metal on the back of the target is also really close to hitting the soldered connection for the red wire for the fork opto. On really hard hits to this target I think it was making contact with either that opto joint or the mech itself which was causing mayhem. In switch test if I pushed it softly repeatedly it wasn't an issue but if I pushed it really hard (like a ball would hitting it full speed) that's when it would exhibit the weird switch behavior.
20230525_211122 (resized).jpg20230525_211335 (resized).jpg20230525_211447 (resized).jpgQuoted from Mike7599:Hey guys what’s the procedure for centering my targets. They all are tilted. I have the playfield up and I removed the two 1/4 hex screws that secure them to the plywood, but the target is larger than the hole so I can’t pull it out. I know I read somewhere on here that people were pulling them out, centering them and then reinstalling? What am I missing here? Thanks!
They should all pull out from the bottom. Might have to use a little force and wiggle them as it's a tight fit on some of them.
If any Premium owner is planning to upgrade to the modded van offered by CRCades , I'd be interested in buying your original. Marco has them listed on their site for $70 but of course they are OOS and Pinballlife sold out quickly the few that they had. I'd pay $110 shipped.
Screenshot_20230527-194829_Chrome (resized).jpgQuoted from WizardsCastle:What I meant, was that I reached the limit of the code, and then it all just reset.
I think my final score was just under 1B.
Did you make it to the Third Overlord MB (The Pretender) in that game too? I've made it through all the cities and Foobot in the same game on a few occasions but not with the 3rd Overlord MB completed. That one usually eludes me. I've made it there in other games when I've specifically tried for it but not when completing all 8 Cities and Foobot. If they make that a requirement along with the forthcoming Combotron MB I think that is enough depth to get to the main wizard mode. Hopefully they also put in a grand wizard mode for hitting the Supers in Austin, DC, Foobot, and Overlord too.
Quoted from Haymaker:Sorry man, never even heard of that movie, tbh I don't really know much about Bo Derek, she was before my time. Oopsie!
She is otherwise known as Chris Farley's step-mom in Tommy Boy.
Quoted from fooflighter:Just got over a billion last night. Right now, getting to Austin or DC is almost a guarantee to get 1 bil. Problem I see right now is there are little too many extra balls being awarded, (I had 4 extras in a row on ball 2 last night) and the mini wizards are frenetic point puking modes which are more reactive flip frenzies than strategic modes. Either hammering in the direction of the van modulator or spiderbots on the fly will almost guarantee you blow it up. I'd like to see the extra balls toned down a bit and maybe the ball save on the wizard modes be adjusted somewhat with less time
In most games I get 3-4 EB's as well which seems high. I think the game has too many 6 ball multi-balls as well. I would prefer that they started with fewer balls but had the ability to add more as you progress. For Foobot I think it would be cool if it started out as a 3 ball MB but could be turned into a 6 ball after you collect the Super. I really like the single ball city modes in the game but the 6 ball multi-balls need more variation or possibly have stages within the modes (like in Godzilla) to make them feel different.
Quoted from Redliner911:Had a ball get stuck here a couple times when slow moving. Can the rollover be adjusted to prevent it?
[quoted image]
Mine did that when I first got the game but the switch eventually "broke-in" and doesn't do it anymore. I'm sure you could adjust the switch as well.
Quoted from rai:I’ve not played too much Foo I’ve heard the code is similar to DP.
Wanted to ask how good is the code and how much exciting pinball moments?
Is this code as good as Maiden or DP?
Currently, the code isn't as good as Maiden or DP but that is to be expected since it isn't at 1.0. I think all of the single ball modes on the game are great. The city mode rules are great, they just need more polish/callouts. I also really like Bot Frenzy and Sonic Radio and think they are well implemented.
Where the code needs the most work is in the mini-wizard modes. I think having all 3 be 6 ball multi-balls is too much and it makes it hard to focus on the objectives. I hope more attention is given to these as well as Combo-tron multi-ball in future updates to give them more personality an make them more fun to play. I just have to remember that code is only at .94 and I have faith that the team will deliver a fun and complete game.
Looks like some nice updates/bugfixes in the update. Bomb bonus makes a lot of sense and I also like that they gave the Austin mode a scoring/ball-save boost to bring it more in line with DC for scoring. looking forward to playing it soon and seeing if there are any other noticeable changes/call-outs.
Quoted from ArcadeBar:Raided my pick and knob drawer & feeling a little more like the band was here and left their stuff lying around(: until I start using the IC this old Music Jack minidisc of one of my late 90s band gigs seemed appropriate
[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]
Personalizing your game is cool but I'd make sure that those mods are all reversible in case you end up selling the game someday. I've bought games before with glued on mods and had to buy new plastics because the original plastics were damaged by the add-ons which I ended up removing.
Quoted from Insanity199:Over the past couple months, I am seeing a trend between my higher scoring games and my lower scoring games, but it isn't what I would normally expect. It seems that almost all of my high scores, including my latest attached, have been when I mostly focused on progression over scoring. In other words, they were games where I didn't focus on building the VAN before a mode start, I didn't focus on shatzing the inlanes for 2-4x, etc. It did incude focusing on bringing in playfield multipliers on DC/Austin however, since those can yield big points.
After scoring my highest game, I went back to test this theory by focusing on upgrading the VAN, shatzing the inlanes for Overlord final shot, etc. Let's just say, the scores were a lot less impressive and my shatzing of inlanes needs serious work. Talk about a way to drain balls quickly. Since I have played about everything in this game as the code stands now, I will probably keep focusing on getting better at maximizing score vs. progress.
Anyone else have the same experiences?[quoted image]
This has been my experience as well. The potential for higher scoring through modifying the van and shatzing inlanes isn't currently worth the risk. I find it relatively easy to score over a billion. My average scores are around 350 Million. It's usually when I try maximizing the van that I end up with sub 100M games. The downside to this approach is that you can go through and do everything in the game (which I've done a handful of times) and still end up with a sub 2B score. I'm sure the expert level players can maximize the van and complete the game, but for me I don't have the recovery skills to fully maximize the scoring potential in this game while progressing far in the game.
Quoted from Wade:Stern is going to have to start grading each of their games as they come off the line. Grade A for no imperfections found (for collectors), and Grade B for games known to have slight imperfections (that will go straight to route operators).
what makes you think that route operators want damaged goods?
Quoted from EtzEtz:Are the quest badges being given out yet today for sure? I’m traveling and wondering if I should journey out to an arcade
I received the Quebec City badge today even though the date is July 8. 10 for 10 so far!
Screenshot_20230707-150220_Chrome (resized).jpgQuoted from Jay_Killjoy:Love the stats on Insider Connected. Got over 1 billion for the second time the other day. I've seen every mode in the game, really looking forward to a final Wizard mode (and maybe some other mini modes). I hope they add a Combotron mode to the game as well.
MODEL Premium
PLAYS 49
HIGH SCORE 1,881,914,830
PERCENTILE 100th
AVG SCORE 209,471,053
LAST PLAY 11 hours ago
I think the Combotron stuff has a lot of potential as it's something that's not really utilized on current code. I know there's a Combotron multi-ball coming. It would be cool if this started off as a single ball mode, but you have a build-up stage where you get 30 seconds to build up the combo meter to determine your jackpot value. If you build it up to red it could be a 6X or whatever. I would model it after "Terror or Mechagodzilla" or "Monster Zero" in that it would be a stand-alone mode that doesn't get stacked with the other objectives in the game and has multiple stages. I think the mini-wizard modes in the game (Austin, DC) need some more nuanced rules/ maybe a build up period where you start with fewer balls and buld it up vs. just throwing you into a 6 ball multi-ball.
Combotron has so much potential and is unlike anything i've seen in a game before. I think they should take full advantage and make it a more core game objective. The game rules have good potential currently but I'm hopeful that the developers will take the game to another level with these next couple of updates!
Quoted from chuckwurt:Just touching/past the top line on the bubble level in the shooter lane. Seems to keep the auto launch going around the ramp and playfield X right orbit consistently feeding the left flipper.
That's where I found my game to play best as well.
20230804_132958 (resized).jpgQuoted from PinMonk:Yeah, lack of callouts is a serious problem, especially when things get intense and you can't look up. The game has like 20% of the callouts it needs. I still play it a lot and enjoy it when I do, but I can do a billion+ and see most of the game more frequently than I should now. It just needs a lot more code and ways to explore the code.
That said, Tanio's on this, and he eventually made Deadpool rock from 0.96 forward, so for now at least, in Tanio (and his team) I Trust.
I just wish he'd hurry up and drop a few more crumbs.
Agree on all points. FF is about where most Stern games are at this point in their release cycle (4 months after release). Most Stern games are pretty lackluster in software for the first 6 months to a year. The hard part is waiting, but I also have faith that Tanio and his team will get this game to where it needs to be and make it great!
Quoted from Pinball_Eddie:Anyone have both a Foo and Deadpool in their collection? Are they different enough to own both, theme aside?
Just curious if they both have staying power in say a collection of 8-9 pins as I’ve seen more than one person saying the gameplay\shots feel similar and Foo is like Deadpool 2.0.
I had a Deadpool on trade for 3 months during the same period that I got my Foo this Spring. While the games have a lot of similarities in how the rules are structured, they shoot completely different and have different personalities. I don't think the shots or gameplay are very similar. Foo is the better shooter, but Deadpool has far superior sound and music. Deadpool is the better overall game as of right now, but Foo code isn't completed yet so it's not really fair to compare them at this point. Both games have moderate depth, so if you had a small collection (2-3 games) I would probably recommend getting a deeper game (like JP or GZ) vs. owning both but in a collection of 8-9 I think they will co-exist nicely.
I have a DP on order for the next run, so they are the two NIB games that I will have purchased in 2023.
Any bets on if we'll get a Foo or Jurassic Park update first? I feel like either one could drop at any time.
Quoted from PinMonk:$500-$1000 loss is not abnormal for the times before COVID. Was pretty common understanding that if you were selling 6 months or a year later, you were looking to take a hit in that range, and as a percentage of original price, that was a BIGGER hit before because pins cost less. I think we're finally settling back into the normal rhythm of pin used sales. Buying a pin, playing it for a year, then selling it for more than you paid (especially with Pro/Prem) I think is over.
Agreed. Even games like Stranger Things and Ghostbusters sold for a significant loss shortly after release. I remember seeing GB Premium for under $6k, ACDC Premium in the mid $5k's. The market is just returning back to normal.
They need more callouts and display choreography to guide you through the multiballs, especially in Austin and DC. It's hard to tell how you are progressing currently. It just feels like you are chasing around lit shots and it doesn't really signify the difference between hitting a blue or red shot.
Quoted from Redliner911:I listed my game for sale, so we will almost certainly see a new code drop this week
Thanks for taking one for the team
Quoted from Bikerjoy:I got my Godzilla Premium Friday (never played it before ordering), and after hammering Gz all weekend, the entire FF game all of a sudden feels very "bare bones". Were in Gz if you can keep the ball alive for even a short amount of time, chances are that you are going to stumble into a fairly intense battle, mode or multiball or all three without having a clue about what you are supposed to do.
On FF I fell I spend most time flailing, mostly in defensive mode, recovering from missed or rejected shots. And even when I do manage to start modes it's pretty dull, no feedback or reward of any kind for making a shot, same goes for the multiball. I do manage to get FF "going" on occasion with current high score about 860M, with an average low score of about 80-100M. That being said, I have more fun scoring 200M in Gz than 800 in FF.
I have high hopes for the FF 1.0 and beyond releases and I can tell you right now if they don't deliver on these updates, FF will have to give way to something else, which would be a big shame because I love the theme (and band), it is a very pretty game to look at (and she was my first....)
I've owned my FF Pro since early April and the current code really hasn't changed much in that time. We got the Sonic Radio mode and some Jackpot callouts and rule balancing tweaks, but for the most part the game code hasn't really evolved from that point. I think the next couple of updates will really make or break the game. The layout is fantastic and the launch code was ahead of where other games like GZ were at launch, but it has stalled since that time whereas Godzilla seemed to introduce additional modes and features with each minor release. I really hope the next code update is soon!
Quoted from PinMonk:I think that's Bader. They've had their problems in the past, but I haven't heard of issues with their playfields since the first TNA.
I'm pretty sure the first TNA's were Mirco, not Bader.
Quoted from Bikerjoy:Controversial in this thread maybe, but isn't it possible that the FF Premiums or Pros simply aren't selling that well? Both Pro and Premiums are in stock at dealers in Europe. Is that normal for such a recently released title?
I think the lack of code updates is a big reason for this. The last update with any gameplay changes was May 2nd. I don't think Godzilla would be the great seller it is today if it was still stuck on launch code. New code will drop and sales will pick up again.
Quoted from PinMonk:Foo shoots very differently from those other two so you're good there, but personally, I'd wait a few more weeks to see what the next code update does. What's there now gets boring pretty quickly. Also, for me (had both Pro and Prem/LE), the Premium is a better experience than the Pro, unlike, say, Maiden where both the Pro and Prem are satisfying.
Good advice. Definitely wait for more code to come out and evaluate before buying. I love the layout, art and theme but I'm pretty bored of the game in its current code state. Hopefully this will get remedied soon through updates.
If money isn't a deterrent go with the Premium as it is jam packed and the upper playfield and extra features are cool. NIB Premiums are out of my price range which is why I have a Pro but with Premium prices dropping to the mid $8k's If I were buying today I'd consider a Premium. The Pro is a great game though if you are on a budget.
Quoted from EtzEtz:I recall they said in the very beginning that coop was for sure in the plan for Foo
I don't think the game is near deep enough to add a co-op mode.
Quoted from VisitorQ:I heard no new code today.
It's like Groundhogs Day at this point.
Quoted from hypnotoad:It's true, to an extent. Most distributors will work around that by offering free shipping and/or no sales tax.
No credit card fees is also a nice perk that some distributors offer. that can net you $100-$200 in cashback depending on your card and which model purchased. Also, if you have a trade-in distributors can be more flexible on price since they can inflate your trade-in value if needed to work around Stern's pricing constraints.
2 plays in one the new update and I really like the new changes. Being able to pick any of the 16 songs off the plunge is a welcome addition. It was getting pretty stale with just the original 8. Lots of new callouts, lightshows, and polish. I like the new "Electrify" voice. New Orleans callouts sound better now too. I like the new Area 51 MB blackout lightshow as it gives it a totally different feel, but I'm sure there will be some that complain that they can't see the ball. I was looking forward to seeing the new Foobot rules but drained right after qualifying it. The game has a much more complete feel to it now. Now we just need Combotron MB to bring it all home!
Keep up the great work Stern! Will be going back to play more soon.
Quoted from Kkoss24:I’m still hoping the Combotron MB will need to be started with a 3 way combo since it’s never been done in pinball
I think it would be cool if it got started by bringing up all of the combo meter shots to a certain color level. That would really get you to focus on comboing all of the shots which would make it super satisfying to start.
Quoted from kermit24:FooBot multiball is awesome now. Great intro!
Yep.. Just played Foobot and love it. it's not the chaotic flailfest that it was in previous versions. Fewer balls in play and you can build up your shots before cashing in at the Overlord. The light show and voicework is much improved. I like that the Foobot voice guy gives you feedback consistently when you make shots. The game just feels and sounds more lively now and actually is developing some personality which was lacking before. The game could still use more callouts and polish but this update was a big step in the right direction. Also, the flipper buttons now activate sound clips in attract mode. This is the update I've been waiting for. I think if Combotron is done right it may just take this game to another level yet!
Quoted from MrNurbtastic:Sitting at 73/78, missing the Final battle, Special NO achievement (it requires like 10 shots total so it has to be done late game without mods I think), Max Combotron (all red), final OL MB Super jackpot, and the final manifoostation (upgrade all foobot parts). The last one only .01% have it so it's clearly hard as hell
I'm at 71. Missing all the one's above along with DC Triple and Van Repaired.
Quoted from BrokenChair:So I’m at my distributor right now play testing the pro and it seems to be making the loop on the auto launch seven out of 10 times that about normal? 70%. Any other fix besides putting a left washer under the screw on the launch Lane
What is a good setting for the auto shooter power? It is set to 210 at default will bumping up the power a bit help it?
I can have his tech take a look at it. Also, are there supposed to be rubbers on the outlane’s right here on the picture?
Many thanks.
I don’t think the fat Genie post will fit on this game if I put rubber on all those things and move the rubber post down
[quoted image][quoted image]
There is an adjustment by the post where the ball exits the lane where you can adjust the angle. I also did put a washer on the left side of the launch lane. My auto-launch is still not 100% but is better than 70%.
There aren't supposed to be rubbers added to those posts, but they do include extras in the goody bag which you can add if you want to make the game a little bit easier.
20231004_135906 (resized).jpgQuoted from daveyvandy:Thank you sir! I'll check out the video.
I was able to get past the bad board issue, but now I have an issue where I can't find four of the node boards. [quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]
Is your coin door closed?
Quoted from TroyS:Well the challenge mode is great. More speech, not so much. Least on mine.
I've heard a few callouts (primarily in Austin and DC) but they are pretty sparse. Still hoping that we get different dj's for cities besides New Orleans.
The combo-tron system has so much potential and I'm hoping that is brought out more in future updates. I can't think of another game that has something similar and it really could be this games killer feature if utilized correctly.
As far as co-op play goes I'd prefer they scrap it and put more time and attention into Combo-tron and other areas in the game.-maybe more bot or Sonic radio modes?
Quoted from Kkoss24:Is it just me or is the honeymoon stage for Foo never ending ?I have not had any time where I went to play pinball and this got ignored .This pin just does it for me .The animated story ,lighting effects ,the feel good music ,sounds ,callouts ,geometry ,the artwork ,it just has it all .I’m really happy to finally start using the radio multi .For whatever reason I never paid much attention to it before .Now I seem to have that shot to the targets down and rebounding safely .Also ,I now mod the van with no fear during single ball play which has really boosted scoring for me because when I’m in multi ball ,I only pound the paddle with the ball save present then concentrate on jackpots .I know we’re still getting Combotron MB ,but I would like to see a couple other side modes worked in as we’ve chatted about .I was thinking of the Homing Pigeon .Maybe work the pigeon in where it brings you the message your needed in a particular city right away .Shows up as a colored insert for the right ramp and if you hit the timed shot ,let the ball fall through (on prem LE) to the right flipper and combo with the left ramp an add a ball will be collected to use in the city it told you to go to .What do y’all think ?
To be honest the honeymoon stage for Foo ended for my quite a while ago. I love the theme, layout, and art on the game but in the end it just didn't up being the right game for me.-which is fine. It was really a combination of a few things. First off, no matter how much I made adjustments the game was just a really long player. I consider myself an advanced player but not an elite level player. When I traded away my game I had just over 500 plays and an above 400 million average per game. Most of my games near the time I traded it were in the 600m to 1.2B range despite trying to make the game a difficult player by tightening up the slings and tilt and playing around with pitch. The layout is super fun to shoot but it's also very safe. The slings are super far apart and there is very little in the game in the lower half of the playfield to induce chaos if you are smart about how you approach the game. Sling drains on the game for me were super rare and I mostly ignore the Sonic Radio and drop target bank when not in multi-ball. Another area where the game let me down was the rule-set. I think some of the base modes were reasonably fun but the modes really just made you shoot all the safe shots in the game. It would have been nice to have more modes that required you to hit the drops or stand-up targets as well as utilizing the spinner more. The game has an awesome opto spinner that is super fun to rip but it is heavily under-utilized. It would have been fun to have some modes or uses where it counts the number of spins, or a way to rip it for huge points by building up a multiplier somewhere. The captive ball kind of feels the same way. Most of the times that I'd hit it were on missed side shots. It seems like the game is mostly about hitting the main shots with the exception of DC which has a heavy focus on the drops. Lastly, I think the callouts in the game and theme immersion were lacking. I enjoy parts of the rules and overall enjoyed my time with the game but it eventually wore out its welcome. I traded it for a STH Pro which I am loving so far. I love the chaos of the slings, having a dangerous bash toy and having a ton of modes. I think If I were a beginner to intermediate level player I probably would have enjoyed Foo more but it just wasn't brutal enough of a game to be a long lasting game in my collection.
Quoted from blizz81:I can jive with a lot of your points.
I do find it interesting that STh is that refreshing in comparison. In my collection STh tends to have long game times as well, and while it has a lot to chop through, and the shots are mostly satisfying, it is pretty straightforward in that it's "start mode, mode tends to light up some series of the major shots and you hit those lit shots", and that's mainly it. The only other thing generally to work on is the drop targets & demogorgon modes (demodog modes aren't something I focus on, rather they generally happen through normal progression anyways).
Foo you similarly have the conscious focus/effort on the modes and the Overlord, but also a couple other things (A51, Foobot). And a bit more strategy and chaos in that the modes can play out differently with the power-ups.
I'm sure some of STH is just that the game is in the honeymoon period for me (I've only owned it a couple of weeks) so it's too early for me to say if it will last a long time in my collection. I do love the show and the atmosphere of the game (sound and lights) so that is definitely in its favor. Compared to Foo though that lower half of the playfield is super chaotic and I find myself fighting the machine a lot more than I did with Foo. The slings on my STH seem super active and a lot of the shots seem to send shots into the slings/outlanes. The autolaunch and ball launch is also dangerous much like my Stern SW, and having drops and bash toy in the center just creates way more randomness. It can be a long player, all of my high scores so far are in the 1 billion to 1.6 billion range, but I also have games that can be super short if I'm not on my game.
I think the structure of the rules is generally good on Foo, they just need to diversify the modes (more spinner, drops, and target incorporation) more and find more ways to force chaos into the game to make it more difficult as well as making the theme immersion better. It can definitely be done, just look at how much better Bond has gotten in the past 5-6 months. I wouldn't rule out picking up another Foo if the code is improved.
Quoted from EtzEtz:Overlord is one of the roving shots in New York, one of the spreading shots in Chicago, and one of the choose-your-shot shots in New Orleans.
On New Orleans they really need to adjust the rules so that you can't pick the same shot more than once during the mode. I always start with Overlord, and then switch back and forth between Spinner and more Overlord (along with picking up the single left side shots) which makes it the easiest city mode in the game.
Quoted from BrokenChair:I think it already comes with those anti-sway brackets on them if someone could confirm or correct me if I’m wrong I have a pro. Thank you.
It comes with them but you may want to tighten them up as mine were a bit loose from the factory. Once tightened they shouldn't sway.
Quoted from EtzEtz:For those of you that have played & finished the Final Battle Challenge, what kind of elapsed times are you getting….whats your best?
Here's my best
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Mt Zion, IL