Bloomfield, MI
I love my ft but don't hold you breath for an alien kit
(Topic ID: 144336)
Linked Games
Full Throttle
Heighway Pinball, 2015
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Quoted from mgpasman:I am offered this game at a reasonable price. Not much into the theme, but is it worth picking it up for the Alien kit? Or am I better off waiting for a deal on a used Alien somewhere in the future?
Quoted from rockrand:I love my ft but don't hold you breath for an alien kit
This, and not sure if current prices of the kit make it that attractive as it was when the kit was approximately 60 percent of the standard edition price.
I advice you to contact iPinball as he is the distributor for The Netherlands to get insight in current kit price and delivery time.
Villejuif
Are Alien kits a reality?
Priced at 80% of a full game price (correct me if wrong), this is simply not viable nor desirable.
Also remember you may have to upgrade the computer.
On the other hand, Full throttle is a fun game on its own.
There's been next to no info about kits. I don't think New HP has said a word.
I've still wanted a kit for the simple reason I'll have parts to cannibalize from a spare playfield, if it came down to it.
Quoted from jlm33:Priced at 80% of a full game price (correct me if wrong)
Quoted from frolic:There's been next to no info about kits. I don't think New HP has said a word.
There has been no word from company. 80% is pure wild speculation.
60% was the original idea. The only info I've seen is a Euro distro that had a flier out mentioning the kits at some high price but nobody else, including Heighway has mentioned the kits.
The new company is rapidly missing their window with the slow trickle of games, lack of timely service etc. Sadly, my wild speculation is that it will be a miracle if they put out the kit, let alone continue as a viable company. Things are just happening too slowly.
That said, if you like Full Throttle and can get one at a good price I don't see why not...it's just a bit of a dice roll if you had some major issue with a Heighway specific part. My game has worked great and is super fun.
Considering a new cpu will be needed for the kit, existing Full Throttle owners basically have:
-a cabinet
-speakers/sound system
-27" screen (if you have it)
Everything else will have to be new. So what is the above worth, and subtract that from an Alien price. Yeah the original premise isn't holding together.
Quoted from Wickerman2:80% is pure wild speculation.
It is not (but the exact figure is 77%: 5995€ vs 7795€) based on info posted by a distro in Europe. I posted it in the Alien thread four months ago, and things have not changed in the meantime.
Quoted from jlm33:based on info posted by a distro in Europe
This price hasn't been confirmed by any other distro or the company, as I stated.
Quoted from jlm33:I posted it in the Alien thread four months ago, and things have not changed in the meantime.
time passing doesn't make some random distro putting a price on it any more accurate.
It's all wild speculation, especially since they haven't even paid much lip service to even the idea of kits since the takeover.
Let's try to be accurate in our posts please.
Quoted from Wickerman2:Sadly, my wild speculation is that it will be a miracle if they put out the kit
That we can agree on. In any case, buying a Full throttle for the sole aim of installing an Alien kit later seems a very dangerous gamble.
On the other hand, buying FT to actually play it is not a stupid idea - it's a decent game.
Dont buy a ft to get an alien, best just order an alien when shipments come in. Buy ft because its a really fun game!
I own FullT and I suggest not buying it if you are not into it. FullT is a super fun super fast game but 'the kit' doesn't really exist and the processor won't support Alien. If you want Alien, get Alien. If you want FullT get FullT.
Quoted from waldo34:Just joined the club. FT is a great pin. It seams a little dark. Has anyone added extra lighting? If so how did you wire it in?
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/full-throttle-in-the-mother-fn-house
I think frolic added spotlights...
Quoted from mgpasman:I am offered this game at a reasonable price. Not much into the theme, but is it worth picking it up for the Alien kit? Or am I better off waiting for a deal on a used Alien somewhere in the future?
Until Heighway gets their act together and starts to support existing customers I would advise against purchasing the game.
The theme is right up my alley and I like the game. Unfortunately I regret the purchase because I have been trying to get parts from Heighway since May (!!!) of 2017.
Any way to increase flipper strength? Not seeing anything for coil strength. Driving me nuts so many shots half way up the ramp.
Quoted from waldo34:Any way to increase flipper strength? Not seeing anything for coil strength. Driving me nuts so many shots half way up the ramp.
Do not have my FT so I cannot check, but I do not recall a setting being there and I never had any problems with the flipper strength.
You are sure it is the strength of the flippers and not the angle of the shots being off? Especially the right ramp is punishing then.
Quoted from waldo34:Thanks for the feedback, I'll mess around with it tonight.
No trouble making the right ramp. I did raise the right ramp with some washers and any problems making that shot went away. Flippers are plenty strong as is, one of the best parts of the game.
Quoted from waldo34:Driving me nuts so many shots half way up the ramp.
I loosened the the bolts a bit at the ramp entrance which in effect raised the entrance slightly(someone else mentioned washers), now I can even backhand ramps. I'd try that first--easiest.
Saskatoon, SK
Hey folks. My game won't boot. Gets to "Installing updates" then "Error installing updates." And sits there forever.
Anyone encounter this before?
Thanks in advance.
Quoted from luvthatapex2:Why can’t you email heighway support?
I have.
Quoted from rockrand:I guess you have tryed to turn off and on again?
Yes.
Quoted from smokedog:Anyone?
Do you have the software update installed or can you reinstall? You can PM me, I have a link to latest update...might be worth a try....or it might brick it! 
Quoted from Wickerman2:Do you have the software update installed or can you reinstall? You can PM me, I have a link to latest update...might be worth a try....or it might brick it!
Helmut sent me a drop box link awhile back for a different issue. I'll be grabbing it tomorrow
Quoted from smokedog:Hey folks. My game won't boot. Gets to "Installing updates" then "Error installing updates." And sits there forever.
Anyone encounter this before?
Thanks in advance.
Maybe you can pm Ferret as he is on of the programmers and he might also have insight in the problem you are experiencing.
Quoted from PinballRulez:Maybe you can pm ferret as he is on of the programmers and he might also have insight in the problem you are experiencing.
Ferret did not work on Full Throttle. I did all of the game code, while other people on site at the Heighway factory built the software packages and the update system. Unfortunately I have very little insight to that process as I was not involved.
However, based on what I know, and the error you're seeing, I think something is wrong with the update package on the USB stick. You would get different errors if the drive could not be detected or could not be read at all. I would double check that you copied the right file to it and that it's not incomplete/corrupted in some way.
Quoted from bcd:I would double check that you copied the right file to it and that it's not incomplete/corrupted in some way.
Do you have access to the file? The link I had for my update is now dead apparently and some people are still looking for copies of update.
Quoted from Wickerman2:Do you have access to the file? The link I had for my update is now dead apparently and some people are still looking for copies of update.
I am one of those people, game resets at 70 million every time. Now the plunger stays up on switch after ball launch, so no ball 2 or multiball. Just want to play a whole game one time. Anyway updated 1.41 code would help a lot
Quoted from bcd:ferret did not work on Full Throttle. I did all of the game code, while other people on site at the Heighway factory built the software packages and the update system. Unfortunately I have very little insight to that process as I was not involved.
However, based on what I know, and the error you're seeing, I think something is wrong with the update package on the USB stick. You would get different errors if the drive could not be detected or could not be read at all. I would double check that you copied the right file to it and that it's not incomplete/corrupted in some way.
The only link provided by Helmut was for the SD card software. He specifically told me not to mess with the USB stick.
Quoted from gentrsa:I am one of those people, game resets at 70 million every time. Now the plunger stays up on switch after ball launch, so no ball 2 or multiball. Just want to play a whole game one time. Anyway updated 1.41 code would help a lot
Quoted from smokedog:The only link provided by Helmut was for the SD card software. He specifically told me not to mess with the USB stick.
I will send you a PM with a link to the 1.41 code update
Quoted from Wickerman2:Do you have access to the file? The link I had for my update is now dead apparently and some people are still looking for copies of update.
I do not have the file. I will suggest that they get it on the new website so that everyone can download it.
No luck with the USB
Still error updating files. Will redo the SD Card for the next attempt ... though the warning sticker voiding my warranty will be removed.
Anyone have a copy of the instructions for reflashing the micro SD card? Helmut provided a lot of files and in his email told me to follow the instructions ... which don't appear to be in the files he provided.
1 week later
Back in action! Finally got the instructions and flashed the SD card. Obviously files had become corrupted. Working once again.
Replaced the pre amp and my audio issues are fixed as well.
Down for 3 weeks on location. Not good for earnings!
2 weeks later
Boston
Quoted from take2-take5:Would factory resetting full throttle remove the latest software installed? Or does it not affect software on io boards?
Factory reset does not affect any software installed on the PC or the IO boards. It only restores adjustments/settings to their default values.
We just installed new io boards 1.4b with latest software,
We did this as our old io boards were not compatible with latest software and so had to be sent out new io boards.
New problems have arisen tho... The game itself is now 100% unplayable, Flippers don't work properly and seem to just slightly move when testing them and balls cannot be ejected into the shooter lane or emptied via the test.
I believe our situation is pretty unique but has anyone else had to replace io boards or know what we could do to get the flippers / shooter Lane coil working again?
It's like the new io boards aren't speaking correctly to the rest of the game now...
Factory reset didn't do anything unfortunately.
Will see what Helmut says as well...
Pretty much a Newbie so any help is appreciated.
I'd say the support does seem to be getting better / more consistent recently we'll get an email or call every so often now, can't say for sure if everyone is getting this treatment though. I cannot begin to tell you the amount of time bugging them we've had to put in to get to this point. Once we've finally got our FT up and running on the latest version I'll probably drop here what "year" our support case began.
But I'm hopeful that it's starting to get much better for everyone.
Right so finally got the fuses today. There's 12 fuses to replace, we received 10... Replaced the broken 6.5a fuse with a new one, and the 3a fuse next to it with a 4a - thought this would be okay to do?
The 4a came from replacing the line of old 4a fuses with the last 9 new 6a ones we received. Of course we was one less to replace the whole line of 10...
Flippers now working fine and game can now eject balls into the shooter lane, however the shooter lane coil doesn't seem to be working, cannot throw balls onto the playfield on the initial ball launch sequence. Will work on an odd occasion and works when the table realises that no ball is on the playfield and does it manually.
Will also work if ball drains too quickly.
Any suggestions guys? Is this just because not all the fuses are upgraded to higher spec? and the shooter lane coil isn't getting enough power? The game shows it can work though in different circumstances and just not on the initial ball launch...
Anyone had this problem before? anything I can try? Is there a way to test the shooter coil couldn't find it in the diagram.
Looks like we are going to be down for another weekend...
Sydney
4 weeks later
Goteborg
Quoted from Ripper:Is Full Throttle still in production or have they ceased?
Visit the Alien thread to see how Heighway is doing and you'll probably get your answer.
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