Quoted from Drano:I think it was just Steve Kirk being Steve Kirk.
The guy had a weird thing with numerology in general and loved prime numbers from what I can tell. That doesn't really explain the 173K but I did once hear someone say that Steve used Nine Ball to push Stern's (then) platform to it's limit and, in effect, show it's weaknesses. People have told me the game seems incomplete as a result, but I can't figure out how.
I find the rules and various scoring opportunities pretty engaging and smart. The game seems complete to me. The fact that he also made certain shoots more attainable via a billiards-inspired bank shot than from a direct hit, is just brilliant. Spinner rubber rebound to 8-ball target and locking balls off the pop bumper are two of my favorite.
The one thing that bugs me is how (if you have two balls locked at end of game) it won't kick all of the balls out. It'll only kick out 1 and leave the other when you start a game. This was a conscious decision by stern to illicit more coin drops via the promise of an easier multiball experience. F2K is similar.
Quoted from chuckwurt:F2k remembers locks. Every player has to earn their own. Or at least mine does.
Off topic a bit, but a bump to the top never hurts
F2K has a setting to share locks or make each player qualify their own. The balls will stay in the lock either way, until multiball or a power cycle. I’d assume nine ball works the same way.
