(Topic ID: 158037)

Ghostbusters - My Half-Ass Review

By CrazyLevi

7 years ago


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There are 1,084 posts in this topic. You are on page 16 of 22.
#751 7 years ago
Quoted from Kiwipinhead:

I thought Operators like quick games? no money in a game that can be played for 20+ mins on $1

In a couple years JJPs are going full on Neo-Geo, with rules so deep and long (TWSS) you'll be able to continue and continue your journey

#752 7 years ago
Quoted from Rarehero:

Customers don't like games they think are F-ing with them and gives them no chance in hell to accomplish anything. That's the "magic sauce" of game design melded with code that's really hard to balance. That's why Iron Man and Tron are great...they DO in fact kill you quick...but you always feel like you're on the cusp of an accomplishment...one more try will do it! If people are getting frustrated over cheap drains, airballs, and outlane bounces - they feel like there's nothing THEY can do to do well at the gam...they feel the game is unfair....they move on and don't spend more money on it. That's not what an op wants.

I will admit that I put $20 into IM on site when it first came out, with the Iron Monger throwing the ball down the centre and out lanes at $2 a game I stopped playing it! Now that I own a IM I love it

#753 7 years ago
Quoted from TheLaw:

In a couple years JJPs are going full on Neo-Geo, with rules so deep and long (TWSS) you'll be able to continue and continue your journey

Until you need a toilet break

#754 7 years ago
Quoted from Kiwipinhead:

I will admit that I put $20 into IM on site when it first came out, with the Iron Monger throwing the ball down the centre and out lanes at $2 a game I stopped playing it! Now that I own a IM I love it

Right, that can be frustrating - but the player quickly learns that those attacks are something they can avoid if they don't aim dead-center at Iron Monger. Also, I would say that getting killed by a Monger magnet attack is more "fun" than an airball or outlane jump. It's a death that's AT LEAST the result of gameplay.

#755 7 years ago
Quoted from Rarehero:

It's a death that's AT LEAST the result of gameplay.

Basically the same actually, hitting monger or hitting GB drop target both resulting in deaths.

#756 7 years ago
Quoted from beelzeboob:

You just described GOT as well.

Funny you mentioned GOT its right next too GB at pub 340 and that and Star Trek got $16 of $20 I planned to dump in GB. GB did the job though it got me to drive in dump the 20 bucks and have a couple beers. I don't think it will get more than a play or two next time I'm there. It's like the opposite of GOT. GOT plays amazing but looks like ass, GB plays like ass and looks fantastic.

#757 7 years ago
Quoted from Rarehero:

That's why Iron Man and Tron are great...they DO in fact kill you quick...but you always feel like you're on the cusp of an accomplishment...one more try will do it!

Well said. It is that right there that keeps me hitting start over and over. Both of those games are very easy to understand, but difficult to master. Tron always makes me feel like I'm a couple good shots away from busting it open, even when I don't complete a single mode.

#758 7 years ago
Quoted from TheLaw:

Basically the same actually, hitting monger or hitting GB drop target both resulting in deaths.

Monger you can shoot for the side of the monger - avoid the magnet, and it's a fairly safe shot. Took me about two games to figure that out.

the only way to not die during Scoleri brothers is to avoid any of the 4 or so shots that are blocked by the drop targets. You really can't compare the two. Iron Man the Monger can be dealt with via a strategy. Scoleri is just a massive, unwelcome annoyance. It's taken me about 100 games to figure this out.

It's really a horrible feature that shouldn't have made it past whitewood.

#759 7 years ago
Quoted from CrazyLevi:

Monger you can shoot for the side of the monger - avoid the magnet, and it's a fairly safe shot. Took me about two games to figure that out.

the only way to not die during Scoleri brothers is to avoid any of the 4 or so shots that are blocked by the drop targets. You really can't compare the two. Iron Man the Monger can be dealt with via a strategy. Scoleri is just a massive, unwelcome annoyance. It's taken me about 100 games to figure this out.

From a tactical angle I disagree with you. I am not a fan of Scollari targets, let's get that out of the way. But it didn't take me long to figure out hitting the side of the targets is pretty safe. It's just like the ghost target; if you hit it in the middle it's going SDTM 85% of the time (on mine anyway). So completing the scolarri mode, IF you're trying, isn't very hard for me.

Now everything after that I agree...they are annoying, and just like the negative mode, pretty pointless to me and I avoid them. But that;s the way I take them now...they are there to screw me over, so I avoid them; which is pretty lame no cargument there.

#760 7 years ago

GB! It was trivia night at Wonderland brewery (Colorado, 120th and Sheridan, south-west corner, same side as kohls). Because of that, nobody was playing the pins. Fine, trivia was loud, so the downside was I couldn't hear all the nice sounds.

So I popped in 10 credits and played for a while. I like it. I like it a lot. There are some issues with it, of course. The Slimer toy was not one of them. Airballs mostly. Even good airballs! I had some that were saving my ball by bouncing back from behind the flippers! Kind of funny.

(lost a couple of paid-for balls because of funky airballs)

In contrast, Simpson's Pinball Party did not produce one single airball last night. Interesting...

I really like the color changing inserts that change on purpose (not randomly). Really guides you. From green to blue in the case of the 3 main ramps. Really cool, makes the game more obvious.

Now, the scoleri brothers are very camouflaged and blend in the playfield colors. Didn't notice them until my ball was lost to the rebound. Perhaps that is the point? I didn't get fooled twice though, as I knew what to look for.

#761 7 years ago

I finally played GB today, I'm in Vegas and saw one at the New York New York casino. I dunno, I didn't really find it difficult to play, my AC/DC Pro seems somewhat tougher to me than GB. Got 88 million on my 1st game, no idea if that's considered good or not, I'm a noob pinball player so it's probably not great but I had fun and played a decent amount of time. I really like it and still want one, the only negative of it for me is the red display lets it down far more than it does on other games, this game really needed a color display but hopefully ColorDMD will rectify that at some point.

#762 7 years ago

But at NY NY they have a center post on their GB so it might be a little easier

#763 7 years ago
Quoted from genex:

But at NY NY they have a center post on their GB so it might be a little easier

Well it must make it very easy because I went back and 4 games later got 369 million. I guess I just expected the game to be brutally hard after reading various comments on Pinside, but it doesn't seem that hard to me. It's definitely a nice reminder to always play the game yourself as everyone's experience will vary.

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#764 7 years ago
Quoted from Reality_Studio:

I guess I just expected the game to be brutally hard after reading various comments on Pinside, ..

What's your degrees?

#765 7 years ago
Quoted from TheLaw:

What's your degrees?

Not sure, it's not my table, it's the one at the New York casino in Vegas. If I go back tomorrow I'll try and take a picture of the bubble level on the table to get a better idea of the table angle.

#766 7 years ago
Quoted from beelzeboob:

You just described GOT as well.

GoT had some longer ball times similar to say Spider-Man.

#767 7 years ago

What is the consensus on why the Scoleri targets are so disliked? Is it merely the danger? The positioning? The way they are implemented within the rules? Or does the majority here just dislike mid-playfield drops?

I love the drop targets as used in CC, or 24 for that matter and fully expected to enjoy them on GB as well.

#768 7 years ago
Quoted from alveolus:

What is the consensus on why the Scoleri targets are so disliked? Is it merely the danger? The positioning? The way they are implemented within the rules? Or does the majority here just dislike mid-playfield drops?
I love the drop targets as used in CC, or 24 for that matter and fully expected to enjoy them on GB as well.

Airballs and drains off of them. Stern used to use those sorts of targets a lot more. They are always dangerous. The stand up on Soprano's to light lock often sends the ball flying over the flippers, and on Playboy, if you hit the stand up (also to light lock) with the left flipper, it's going to take flight most of the time. They've always been a little problematic until you learn how to hit them just right.

#769 7 years ago
Quoted from alveolus:

Or does the majority here just dislike mid-playfield drops

Correct me if I am wrong, but the bros are not drop targets. They pop out and are just obstacles. For me, like I wrote in my post above, the bros caught me by surprise because I did not see them. They are colored to blend in the playfield. Perhaps that's the point though?

#770 7 years ago

I've successfully distracted air balls from single drops by adjusting the angle of the complete mechanism by installing washers between the base plate and the playfield. I basically tilt the target towards the front of the game. A bit of a pain, but it works.

#771 7 years ago
Quoted from alveolus:

What is the consensus on why the Scoleri targets are so disliked? Is it merely the danger? The positioning? The way they are implemented within the rules? Or does the majority here just dislike mid-playfield drops?

They give you pretty cheap bounce offs, and block the 2 main shots...They're fine in CC.

#772 7 years ago
Quoted from TheLaw:

What's your degrees?

Not sure if this helps or not, but I took a picture of the bubble level on the machine today.

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#773 7 years ago

I wonder why a bubble level wasn't included on WOZ? - it's pretty much jam packed with everything else.

#774 7 years ago

One thing I noticed when they had them here, one gbp had the flippers lined up lower with the dots, one had them aligned more normally, made a huge difference in difficulty. I wonder how many ops are putting the bats as per normal.

#775 7 years ago
Quoted from Reality_Studio:

Not sure if this helps or not, but I took a picture of the bubble level on the machine today.

Whats that a 9 degree angle? Heres what mine looks like at 6.5. Have had it at 7 and 7.2 but plays best for my family at 6.5. Im not sure that the bubble level is accurate on these machines.

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#776 7 years ago

bubble levels are not accurate. too many factors are involved for it to be spot on.

Playfield mounting brackets and nuts could be off on the cabinet.

the wood rail might not be perfectly level that it is mounted to

Bubble level itself might be off

Lockdown bracket maybe slightly higher or lower than it should be.

playfield could be slightly warped on the corner edge

So many factors. It's just a guideline. but not fine science.

#777 7 years ago
Quoted from Phbooms:

Whats that a 9 degree angle? Heres what mine looks like at 6.5. Have had it at 7 and 7.2 but plays best for my family at 6.5. Im not sure that the bubble level is accurate on these machines.

I went back one last time (back home now) and used a bubble level app, it measure the slope as 19.8 degrees. As to how accurate that is, who knows.

#778 7 years ago
Quoted from Reality_Studio:

I went back one last time (back home now) and used a bubble level app, it measure the slope as 19.8 degrees. As to how accurate that is, who knows.

That must be the measurement on topic the glass?

#779 7 years ago
Quoted from cooked71:

That must be the measurement on topic the glass?

Yeah, it's at the arcade in the New York casino in Vegas so I can't exactly pull off the backglass. But the actual bubble level on the playfield does show a very steep slope. I wonder if the operator there did set the game to easier settings though because the top score was 1.9 billion.

#780 7 years ago

The one on location that we play in league is all factory settings and latest code and the GC is 3 Billion.

#781 7 years ago

Less than 48 hours with the machine... un-boxed it yesterday....

I tend to agree with the OP on this. I liked the game at first. The more I play, the more I want to lock the design team of this game in a room with three seashells.

#782 7 years ago
Quoted from PinballHelp:

I tend to agree with the OP on this. I liked the game at first. The more I play, the more I want to lock the design team of this game in a room with three seashells.

Haha classic!

Quoted from LOTR_breath:

The one on location that we play in league is all factory settings and latest code and the GC is 3 Billion.

I saw some big scores going up at PAPA and that would have been the old code. I think KME got 4b on the old code.

rd

#783 7 years ago

I put up 6.5 billion playing the new 1.05 code on location the other day. I had most of the left ramp & right orbit modes completed, a decent bonus multiplier, and then managed to hit 50+ ramps in "Loopin' Supers" mode. The game had factory settings with extra balls set to 1.

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#784 7 years ago

Holy crap!I've got the loop champion on the one we play and it's ONLY 18 loops! One cool thing I found out about Loopin Supers mode. If you start missing and the mode times out, there is a grace period of a few seconds. If you can hit another ramp during the grace period you can start looping again! You 50 loops score must have been outrageous. My 18 loops was worth about 450M.

#785 7 years ago
Quoted from PinballHelp:

Less than 48 hours with the machine... un-boxed it yesterday....
I tend to agree with the OP on this. I liked the game at first. The more I play, the more I want to lock the design team of this game in a room with three seashells.

Do you think some adjustments with the machine itself with fix it? Or do you have issues with Dwight's code itself as well?

I'm hoping the LE model will play much better then the Pro, as I've heard a lot of mixed reviews so far on slimer's placement and also the crappy right ramp on the Pro. The magnaslings should calm down the excessive drains too.

#786 7 years ago

So, I was all set to buy this pin. I love the theme, the art package, the toys look great, the layout looks unique and fun, but after putting about 30 plays on it this weekend. I just really didn't like it. I pretty much agree with Levi's impressions, which disappoints me, because I had my heart set on it.

Oh well. On to something else.

1 week later
#787 7 years ago

I finally got to play the Pro - so I figured I'd add my half-ass review to the half-ass review thread.

Not sure what else I can add that hasn't been said already...but here we go.

F*ck John Trudeau and his giant f*cking flipper gap. There was NO reason to do that with this layout and geometry. Almost any bounce anywhere heads toward the middle. My girlfriend hated it...and she loves Ghostbusters. No one who loves Ghostbusters should have a shitty time playing this game....unfortunately this game seems to be designed for pro tournament players only, and doesn't take into account 99% of people will drain in 2 seconds and walk away forever. The best tournament games also have casual factors that let anyone enjoy...this game fails at that. I wish they would have left the flipper gap stock...and if someone felt their game was too easy, they could add lightning flippers (like BSD, Fish Tales, Dr. Who). Surprisingly, the side drains weren't as horrific as I was anticipating - it's really the fiipper gap that's evil.

I hated that you had to play modes over and over to advance to the next. Since this game has tight shots and little flow, you really need to get control of the ball every time to make your shot, and time runs out quickly. I wish you didn't have to complete a mode to advance to the next. Sure, give me a bonus if I finish a mode - but don't punish me and make me start it over and over. Once a mode times out, the next one should be up to bat. I saw "We got one" like 4 times in one game.

At first we were confused cuz we couldn't start a Multiball. But once I figured out you have to hit the captive ball twice, and that keeps all 3 locks lit for Storage Unit Multiball, it wasn't that hard to start.

There were TONS of airballs...but none that launched into the drain...but any time I hit a target or pinged off something, the ball would fly up, often going on top of the plastic in front of the firehouse. It would always roll off and back into play...but man...I'm not sure what makes this game so airball prone. Maybe just being new.

Slimer registered nicely...it was the old design.

Anyway - despite being a relatively frustrating experience, I still love the theme and presentation. I'm still in on a Premium, but I will unapologetically mod the shit out of the game to make it more fair and fun. This game has the potential to be a lot of fun...but for some reason the designers decided to do a few baffling things to shit it up.

#788 7 years ago
Quoted from Rarehero:

I finally got to play the Pro - so I figured I'd add my half-ass review to the half-ass review thread.
Not sure what else I can add that hasn't been said already...but here we go.
F*ck John Trudeau and his giant f*cking flipper gap. There was NO reason to do that with this layout and geometry. Almost any bounce anywhere heads toward the middle. My girlfriend hated it...and she loves Ghostbusters. No one who loves Ghostbusters should have a shitty time playing this game....unfortunately this game seems to be designed for pro tournament players only, and doesn't take into account 99% of people will drain in 2 seconds and walk away forever. The best tournament games also have casual factors that let anyone enjoy...this game fails at that. I wish they would have left the flipper gap stock...and if someone felt their game was too easy, they could add lightning flippers (like BSD, Fish Tales, Dr. Who). Surprisingly, the side drains weren't as horrific as I was anticipating - it's really the fiipper gap that's evil.
I hated that you had to play modes over and over to advance to the next. Since this game has tight shots and little flow, you really need to get control of the ball every time to make your shot, and time runs out quickly. I wish you didn't have to complete a mode to advance to the next. Sure, give me a bonus if I finish a mode - but don't punish me and make me start it over and over. Once a mode times out, the next one should be up to bat. I saw "We got one" like 4 times in one game.
At first we were confused cuz we couldn't start a Multiball. But once I figured out you have to hit the captive ball twice, and that keeps all 3 locks lit for Storage Unit Multiball, it wasn't that hard to start.
There were TONS of airballs...but none that launched into the drain...but any time I hit a target or pinged off something, the ball would fly up, often going on top of the plastic in front of the firehouse. It would always roll off and back into play...but man...I'm not sure what makes this game so airball prone. Maybe just being new..

Glad to see we are in general agreement on this game (though you didn't mention my least favorite "feature," the scoleri bros targets), and I welcome you into the half-ass review thread with open arms. Together, we have all formed a mighty, whole ass.

I think the problem with airballs is symptomatic of a possibly rushed design or release. The game feels extremely unrefined, like maybe it could have used another revision or two to iron out the rough edges, with maybe a shot being removed or something like that. It's going to be interesting to see what happens with this game in the future. Will the theme and presentation, which almost everybody agrees is awesome, be enough to buoy prices on a game that isn't as fun as Mustang and wives/guests/kids and in fact most players will all hate?

#789 7 years ago
Quoted from CrazyLevi:

Glad to see we are in general agreement on this game (though you didn't mention my least favorite "feature," the scoleri bros targets), and I welcome you into the half-ass review thread with open arms. Together, we have all formed a mighty, whole ass.

Strangely the Scoleris didn't launch the balls during the games I played...it was the blue targets that was somehow causing the balls to fly everywhere. I'm sure bending them forward a bit would solve it.

Quoted from CrazyLevi:

I think the problem with airballs is symptomatic of a possibly rushed design or release. The game feels extremely unrefined, like maybe it could have used another revision or two to iron out the rough edges. It's going to be interesting to see what happens with this game in the future. Will the theme and presentation, which almost everybody agrees is awesome, be enough to buoy prices on a game that isn't as fun as Mustang?

A game MUST have fun factor to keep the value up...if a game is super fun, people keep it. If people keep it, it takes more money to pry it away. However, GB's theme is so strong, it will make owners a bit more forgiving of its flaws. If the theme wasn't so good, I'd prob cancel my order. Non-hardcore type players/owners are really only gonna dig this game with alterations to make it more fair. Or, Dwight can dial in the rules to be more balanced with the design.

#790 7 years ago

Interesting I think this is Trudeau's best game since he started working at Stern. I didn't care for WWE or Mustang but had fun playing Ghostbusters at the Stern factory. We played the PRO and LE and I preferred the LE simply for the right ramp change. I will say the magnaslings could use some tweaking, as I didn't care for dead drops from the bottoms or top. Other than that we both enjoyed playing the 10-15 games on it that day. Fun stuff.

#791 7 years ago
Quoted from luvthatapex2:

Interesting I think this is Trudeau's best game since he started working at Stern.

Aim high!

#792 7 years ago
Quoted from Rarehero:

I finally got to play the Pro - so I figured I'd add my half-ass review to the half-ass review thread.
Not sure what else I can add that hasn't been said already...but here we go.
F*ck John Trudeau and his giant f*cking flipper gap. There was NO reason to do that with this layout and geometry. Almost any bounce anywhere heads toward the middle. My girlfriend hated it...and she loves Ghostbusters. No one who loves Ghostbusters should have a shitty time playing this game....

Anyway - despite being a relatively frustrating experience, I still love the theme and presentation. I'm still in on a Premium, but I will unapologetically mod the shit out of the game to make it more fair and fun. This game has the potential to be a lot of fun...but for some reason the designers decided to do a few baffling things to shit it up.

Amen brother. You can tip save on a Trudeau game without moving the pin inches. Impossible for novices. Hell, dead flips risk drains on my Creech all the time, so you have to flail like a newbie sometimes.

I'd tell Trudeau to his face that I hate his f*cking flipper gap and he's an asshole for doing it though. It's total bullshit.

F*ck Stern for listening. If it sucks, I'm modifying mine to be more playable as well. Carrot flippers FTW. My kids are looking forward to it and there's no reason to not enjoy a very expensive toy.

#793 7 years ago

I really cringe at modifying the original design and i haven't played GB yet but if the gap really bothers me would it be better to add longer flippers or a center post (non drill kind)?

-1
#794 7 years ago

This brings new meaning to the term "Gap Troll". LOL! Anyway, just added a couple more to my ignore list....

#795 7 years ago

I just love this theme and have my sights set on a premium but after getting to spend lots of time this weekend with a pro model I'm just not sure right now. It didn't wow me and I'm not missing it after a couple days of not playing it. Maybe waiting for more future code and trying it again down the road is the right move? Looks like I'll hold out for now.

#796 7 years ago
Quoted from LOTR_breath:

This brings new meaning to the term "Gap Troll". LOL! Anyway, just added a couple more to my ignore list....

Are you really "ignoring" people who have anything bad to say about Ghostbusters?!

#797 7 years ago

I played it last week has about 15 games on it going back today to play it again. yeah i agree the flipper gap is pretty brutal i think you just need to get use to it. The game i played on did have some bugs like the diverted gate not going off. The S bros. were pretty bad it was like shooting a post and having the ball bounce back. Agree on the modes, there pretty liner. I prefer gameplay modes where they at least switch up with pop bumpers, you get sick of playing"who brought the dog" over and over… Code is still earlier so I'm going to wait for now.

I played a machine with a shaker motor in it, at first it was felt awesome. But it was going off for every shot. Also when you wobble the machine the slimmer mech goes off. I guess it needs to be fine tuned.

The Pin itself is gorgeous art wise, tons of toys, love the theme. Not really happy with the gameplay. i think the LE and Prem are going to better then the Pro.

#798 7 years ago
Quoted from CrazyLevi:

Are you really "ignoring" people who have anything bad to say about Ghostbusters?!

He can't hear you. You are going to need to shout.

#799 7 years ago
Quoted from flipordie:

Agree on the modes, there pretty liner. I prefer gameplay modes where they at least switch up with pop bumpers, you get sick of playing"who brought the dog" over and over… Code is still earlier so I'm going to wait for now.

I'd be interested in how this could change with an update. The modes are increasingly hard as you move "up" a ladder, so going random seems a bit strange...but I guess plenty of other games have random modes varying in payoff. Maybe the points just get lower for doing a "higher" mode out of order...could be some added strategery there.

#800 7 years ago
Quoted from flipordie:

I played it last week has about 15 games on it going back today to play it again. yeah i agree the flipper gap is pretty brutal i think you just need to get use to it.

Hmm, ok I guess I'll have my guy install a post between the flippers before he ships me my premium (eventually). I dunno, I'm a total amateur player and didn't find the game difficult, I'm honestly really surprised so many here are having trouble with the game and finding it too tough. But then again the one I played did have a post between the flippers, maybe that does make all the difference in the world. Installing a post should be easy enough and should be reversible for future owners that don't want it.

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