Man, just found this thread...breath of fresh air!!! I'm in (obviously) just lacking machine....carry on!!!
(Topic ID: 176679)
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Alien (Heighway Pinball)
Heighway Pinball, 2017
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Quoted from Agent_Hero:Shh...keep it members and prospective members only. Leave the "durr, I played it once and I'm drafting a thesis as to what I feel is a flaw" types elsewhere.
Not a word from me... 
...
Quoted from TimeBandit:Can't wait to see the flood of unboxings here over the next week or so! I'm still twiddling my thumbs patiently on my fully paid LE with air freight. So at least I know I have a machine coming sometime that I don't have to pay for. More videos!!!
SWEET!!!
8 months later
Long time, no post...owner of LE 139, Feb '18 build...forgot about this thread, but will be hanging here with all things Alien related....a serious machine...very grateful to have one....
Quoted from Pale_Purple:The lucky ones that got an Alien, how are your games holding up?
Solid...definitely needed new balls and quality USB cables suggested, but beyond that Alien rocks....
Quoted from libtech:Well, now you have to powder coat FT as well, did mine red, red would look great in your lineup, why two? Future speculation?
FT in red looks awesome!!!
Quoted from libtech:Heres how I did mine, reminded me of honda red racebikes
Looks great!!!..the game was alot of fun to play....spent some time on one at expo a couple years ago...
Quoted from billsfanmd:may get mine power coated green. how hard to remove the glass from frame. Then remove anything else before shipping
Ok...so I put PDI in mine (looks amazing on this game btw)...a couple things learned:
The glass magazine comes off easy but is heavy. The factory glass is THICKER than standard (didn't put a mic on it,but a good thing to know going in)
Glass itself is secured w (4x) metal pieces of flat stock, screwed into standoffs that are welded to magazine. Sandwiched in between the metal stock and magazine is in essence rubber weatherstripping, which keeps the glass snug. Standard thickness glass will be held firmly, btw.
HERE'S THE IMPORTANT PART- Those standoffs are metal ....... the glass could potentially hit one of them if jarred and Kapow...shattered glass. You will recall a few of the cobbled together first runs came w shattered glass...this is why.
The machines come now ( at least mine) with (4x) rubber "spacers" which go in between the top and bottom standoffs. 4 posts on each of those sides, so they used it on every other one. THERE ARE NO SUCH SPACERS ON THE SIDES!!! I ended up putting rubber spacers on the side standoffs as well, to insure if the game did get a hard side hit, the glass wouldn't shatter. I highly recommend doing this for peace of mind.
I suspect you could get some exact size rubber tubing (possibly 1/4"ID) and cut them to fit, for a nice clean fit. I didn't have any on hand, but did have 1/4" rubber weatherstrip which I cut in about 2" lengths and fit fine. That is what they provided.
Everything is nice and solid, and will say that it's great to be able to pull the magazine off, set it aside (quite strong), work on game, then put it back without ever touching the glass (I always seem to find a way to smudge the inside of the glass, and don't catch it until I've reinstalled.)
Just be careful, and have a nice flat surface to set the magazine on....pull the glass...and off to powder (mine is already green, so leaving it alone). Good luck....
Quoted from billsfanmd:wow. thx for the detailed instructions
No biggie....just wanted to provide a heads up before you took it apart....scared me when I first saw the config....
Quoted from billsfanmd:Is there an official green color for the LE Trim? thought it looked close to the AFM LE green trim. that main glass frame is pretty big to go in a powder coating oven so hoping i can get it done.
Those greens are spot on, and the magazine is textured so should come out fine. Doubt we'll ever get the exact # manufacturer of the color as there is so little documentation.
I'll take a pic of my AFMR LE lockbar on top of the magazine tonight if it helps...
My powder guy ( and most of the true pros) have ovens you can walk in, so no worries...shopping carts are big business).
Quoted from billsfanmd:so the greens are same? may ask you for his info
I own both, and they look quite similar, if not exact. Should be able to post a pic tonight so you can compare...(camera shots don't always give the best look).
My take is yes, but would be best for you to make the final decision after I show you the pic......mark
Quoted from libtech:Taking the glass out isn't bad, lots of screws is all
Agreed, just placing it in-between the standoffs is a bit unnerving....
Prismatic sent me some swatches when I was matching my BM66LE color, as I recall...have to check ( that was a tough one to exactly match)...
Quoted from billsfanmd:so the greens are same? may ask you for his info
A pic for your discernment...
Natural white led overhead...the AFMRLE appears to have a slightly darker green, but not much, than Alien....sheen irrelevant as Alien is textured...hope this helps....( I'm not a color expert by any stretch, btw...
IMG_20180721_194749226 (resized).jpgQuoted from billsfanmd:thx. tough call. the afm color would look great
Agreed... no reason you can't pick the shade you like, imho...
Quoted from iceman44:To me its every bit as good as JJP and I've got an original WozECLE.
Def reminds me of JJP fit and finish. It's def a beast!
Blows away everything else I've got on video and sound.
Mine actually sit side by side........Alien easily equal on many fronts, and better visually and audibly.......theme vs DI?.......umm.....not gonna do it....biggest (only) true knock on this pin is the failure of the company, so more couldn't experience it......easily could have set a new bar...
Quoted from Kawydud:Anyone changed the voltages on one of these? Helped deliver an Alien LE that someone had shipped from Australia. Never checked the voltage, it is 220. I am assuming it just needs a different power supply, but figured I would ask to see if anyone has converted on yet.
simple switch selection at power supply AND center board under plexi
Quoted from Damonator:And a new power cord!
whoops!!! forgot to mention that....thanks!!!
Quoted from SunKing:Good point about the skill shot - I hadn't considered that. The thing is, I'm getting plenty of failed kickbacks now, as maybe 5 or 10% of the time the ball bounces off the dead-end and falls back to the shooter.
Are you using drop dead foam at the top of the form? Works way better than stock rubber.
That piece pretty much solved for me...got the trough loading correctly about 95% consistently w some tweaking as well...just some thoughts..
Quoted from budroosker:Can you elaborate as to a source for the foam and maybe a pic? Maybe? My launch reject rate is too high.
Pinbits sells it in strips, so you can cut it to size (square in this case). Pretty cheap, and is magic for many areas where the ball bounces out of various areas (Doc Ock in Spidey comes to mind)
https://www.pinbits.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=17&products_id=131
drats...looks like it's sold out at the moment...bought a few strips awhile back, and is perfect for Alien wireform launch end
Quoted from billsfanmd:where on alien?
At the top of shooter wireform stop, replacing the rubber piece currently. The rubber causes the ball to rebound back into the shooter lane quite a bit, even w coil power at minimum, the drop dead foam almost eliminates it...dramatic improvement.
Quoted from TimeBandit:Well, the day is finally here. Today is officially New Alien Pin Day!! Courier is somewhere between 3-4 hours away still, but I wanted to get warmed up, hehe.
Life will deal you crap hands now and then, but resilience is everything, and our problems truly are those of the first world kind. I'm just so glad I can be part of the thread I kicked off back when things were new and exciting.
Unboxing pics will follow soon.
I have read a lot about the gameplay, but have no real plans upon the first plunge. That feeling of first walking up to a new game is something we all understand, and to a greater degree than the average punter. It is not just a cursory flip around for a laugh, but an experience of the unknown opening up before you under the influence of your own hand. I do plan on getting lost in it for a few hours at least.
I am super excited for you!!!! Many adventures await.....
Quoted from Ferret:Consider replacing the USB cables from the CPU to the IOBoards. The ones from the factory seem to be crappy. Thing is, if a little vibration wiggles them just a smidge, it causes a USB connection reset, which takes a few seconds to reset... unfortunately, by that time, the ball has drained. Most or all customers I’ve spoken with have resolved this problem with new good quality cables.
Can't be overstated enough...also make sure to rebundle them in a way to always have the end " naturally seated" in the connector. A nice soft bend into to connector, secured as such, did the trick.
Now over 300 games in post cable swap w zero drops
Quoted from TimeBandit:More GI added. Stern backboard style..
The shot before the glass goes on shows the lights blaring in your face. But once the glass is on the lights are shielded by the bezel.
I think the two behind the Xeno head are brilliant!
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Very cool!!! I have some nice overhead lighting, or I'd do it.,...going to add pulsing green flipper buttons, along w green underglow....ps seems pretty robust in this machine, so may just grab my power there, instead of adding external supply...
3 weeks later
Ok....haven't posted in this thread for a bit (our Club Thread, made by Mike?).....figured I'd throw these questions out:
a) Anyone play w the "extra ball" settings? It says on the apron it changes weapons during gameplay. Should it light for that? Does it do it? Mine seems to do neither. I've gotten into the settings and am able to get it on timed blink for buyin extra ball, but that's it. The behavior is odd if you don't use it though....makes you launch a "dead ball" to complete the game....no biggie, just wondering if anyone has messed with it.
b) I REALLY don't like the trough assembly......looks unlike anything I've seen, and just doesn't produce balls in a constant fashion. Done the whole new balls, bend the curve, etc. ..... pretty reliable, but was toying with getting the 6 ball Mantis version to see if it fits/ works.....anyone messing with this?
c) (in the other thread).....changed the mini stepper motor from plastic to metal version...everything calibrated correctly, but now no magnet on the tongue (doesn't grab the ball).....guessing I blew up the related board...there is also an opto(?) down in the jaw that doesn't seem to be connected. Has anyone taken a truly deep dive on the "production version" of these xeno's and can help? Mine came w the metal gear for the tongue, btw.....
Thanks, fellow Alienheads!!!!
Quoted from Ferret:Using that button to change weapons during gameplay has nothing to do with extra ball settings. I just needed a button to let players choose weapons, and that button was available. It should indeed light during gameplay and rotate the selected weapon if you have more than one type of weapon, regardless of EB settings, or earning an EB, or EB anything.
Mine never lit, and doesn't appear to change weapons.....I got it to light as an "extra ball" option at the end of the 3rd ball....can have it repeat up to 3x
Do you mean the tongue doesn't move at all, or that it moves as expected but doesn't pick up the ball? The tongue magnet is permanent, it doesn't have any associated circuitry, so if the tongue is moving but the magnet isn't holding the ball, I guess make sure that nothing is on the tip of the tongue rod that's blocking the magnet. I believe daudioguy had to tweak that magnet to help it hold the ball on one of his games, but I don't remember the details.
Tongue moves great, timed w jaw movement perfectly now (the jaw wouldn't quite open fully on occasion prior to let the tongue out, hence my curiosity), just doesn't seem to have any magnetism to it... the pf magnet grabs the ball, tongue comes out, and would normally snatch the ball away....now zippo.
I've gone through recalibration, it's all cycling fine......weird...
Quoted from iceman44:Mine did the same thing initially Mark. You might need to adjust the screw on the Xeno board in back that amps up the current on the tongue magnet.
Worked for me.
If that doesn't work, like Ben pointed out, you can blow those boards if you overtighten, but easily replaceable.
Yea....aggravating thing is I've had 500+ good plays on it. Was just tweaking the stepper for jaw, as it would occasionally not open enough for the tongue to get through. Changing the stepper and playing w actuator made that work great...I'm sure it's just a tweak...or the board I suppose. Trying to understand what the 4 wires do, and anxious to show a pic of the mystery opto looking thing when I pull it off again tonight.....
Quoted from MK6PIN:Tongue moves great, timed w jaw movement perfectly now (the jaw wouldn't quite open fully on occasion prior to let the tongue out, hence my curiosity), just doesn't seem to have any magnetism to it... the pf magnet grabs the ball, tongue comes out, and would normally snatch the ball away....now zippo.
I've gone through recalibration, it's all cycling fine......weird...
see my embarrassing findings in the Weyland Yutani Alien thread......xeno head is fine.....mine, on the other hand, questionable at times.....
2 years later
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