It's ok to have that opinion and I don't feel GOTG is great right now either but I think it's a good game that will definitely get better and end up being good. I was just talking about the same people that say a game sucks everytime a new game comes out, or the people who hate a game just because Stern makes it etc. Nobody likes every game.

Questions for everyone....What "Protection" mods should I put on this machine. I contacted little shop, but what else is needed. Could you please be specific so that I can keep the play-field looking nice.

Thanks!

Could someone with a pro take a quick pic of their goody bag. Mine seems rather empty with just 1 key fob type plastic. Is this what you got to? I was expecting a few other things like sling shot plastics and stickers like on other games i've had nib. I know my game was an early build (nov 8th 2017) so wondering.

Also, Was there a modification to the plastic above the drop target? I thought i read somewhere about a metal bracket? I don't see one on mine, just a regular plastic above the target.

Thanks

https://pinballsupernova.wordpress.com/2018/01/01/news-stern-service-bulletin-191-metal-bracket-protector-for-guardians-of-the-galaxy/

bueller

I’m not right in front of my machine but I can tell you I drain 2 to 1 at the left outlane over the right. More center drains than either though

I'll grab some for you tonight or tomorrow .... maybe 100-150 plays on it, so its a decent amount to go on

I'll have to check my actual audits, but IIRC I'd say about 60% of my drains are left side drains, which doesn't really surprise me. I have my tilt on pretty loose, so most balls that would be center drains I have a reasonable chance at saving, and the right side already has the ability to earn the "save" feature on it, biasing the real percentage of drain values (not to mention this game is very easy to death save on).

As for long ball times, I think any above average player with an ounce of strategy in them is going to have VERY long ball times on this pin. I abuse the fact that there is no switch indicating when the ball has entered the playfield, so every time I lock a ball I do a quick short plunge and capture the ball on the right flipper, take my time and then line up my shot. In the event that I drain trying to capture, the game just kicks another ball out because it never read a switch to indicate the ball was in play (same as TAF when you miss the skill shot up on top). With the constant ball saves from Groot shooting balls out (which IMO you have to have 'cause there is nothing more frustrating than when the game just flat out screws you over) and the ease of getting Groot MB, I find average games get to be a decent length of time. And now that I've got a decent amount of time on it, I just avoid the danger shots all together like Rocket. I'll go for the stand ups and light the Hadron Enforcer and use that instead when I need to hit the Rocket shot further taking the danger out of the game.

would love to see your data. I have been trying to appropriately tweak our route game, which I do over time for each new game.

I will be in today to check audits and make further adjustments. Prior to last code update and some small tweaks, the game was 40% left, 50 % center, and 10% right and game times were over 5min (which is too long for the average).

I took out the right post and we shall see if that evens things up a bit and makes game time more reasonable. Since this is a competitive location, I want to try and balance it a bit more (already have TAF and IJ which are long playing and GOTG was making them appear quick )

I need to tweak mine. Ball times are too long and I like the music, but during the music I cannot seem to find anything to shoot for besides starting a mode. That needs fixed. It would be better to start modes via shots like Tron. This way the music could play in the background and the voices could be eliminated as they serve no purpose.

Sadly I think they are sticking to this lazy code layout.

I agree there needs to be more code between modes - hitting ramps/orbits are practically worthless; it would be nice if they built up to some other hurry-up or mode like in Metallica with the Lady Justice or whatever what ever it is. give me a reason to explore the game outside of a mode or multiball - make me have a choice to intentionally shoot for something other than Groot or the scoop.

I disagree 100% though on trying to hit shots over and over to start a mode. I'm probably in the minority on that, but that always feels like chopping wood to me. I really like KISS, Aerosmith, and GOTG that the modes are started via the scoop and that you can select one on game start or if you start a new ball and the scoop was lit. I suffered through Transformers and so many other games that required shot after freakin' shot just to start a mode. Not my cup of tea. (I will say, it works well for TRON though, but a big part of that I think is that TRON doesn't really have many "modes," so starting them should be a little challenge.)

Okay so you start your mode at the beginning and the scoop, but if you do this remove the forced voice work and use those clips as feedback when shots are made. I'd love to hear boo boo be Lee Bo when I hit a ramp. Maybe "the collector community..... When I hit an orbit. Just make it responsive to the shots.

Original factory setup was both outlane posts in conservative postion and ball times were too long with heavy bias to left drains.

Next set up was removed right post completely, left post in middle position. Still too few right drains relative to left drains, game times a bit too low.

I think I have the proper adjustments now to make ball times more reasonable and also even out drains.

Close the left lane but remove post rubber. Leave the right lane post completely out. That should balance drains and get close to 3 min average game time.

It just comes down to groot multiball being both lucrative and easy to achive for even a medicore player. GOTG is a long playing game, but I am enjoying it better in the current configuration. Right amount of challenge and risk v reward IMHO.

Just checked my audits:
Left Drain: 57%
Center: 35%
Right Drain: 8%

Average is tough to report since I have over a dozen games in the +15 minute range but it looks like it's probably in the 6 to 8 minute range.

Thanks. I assume factory post settings?

How many tilts?

Factory posts and default code. And yes, quite a few tilt warnings

So who is making 3D printed Groot hands for the pro machines?

I feel like there was a discussion about this earlier in the thread. I think someone is already working on it. I could be wrong though.

Won’t they be available for sale? It’s not an LE exclusive item.

Litedpinballmods mentioned in a thread that they were working on it when I asked about it earlier.

I kind of thought that made sense but a bunch if others didn’t think they would be. I think they look awesome.

V0.85 downloading now!!!

New code is up (0.85):
http://www.sternpinball.com/game-code

PRO V0.85 - January 9, 2018
=====================

- optimized switch hit graphics during Escape Kyln 2 as each FX was slowing down the display.
- changed Immolation Initiative music to match Intro with Ronan.
- optimized switch hit graphics during Immolation Initiative.
- updated the display effect that appears while pressing both flipper buttons in the attract mode to show the score(s) of the last game played.
- updated the Competition Mode display effect that appears in the attract mode while holding in the left flipper button.
- added a level 2 jackpot lightshow to Immolation Initiative.
- Added score frame to Immolation Initiative progress display screen
- added award display f/x to Immolation Initiative.
- fixed a problem where mode select was still active after the player plunged the ball and inadvertently switched the selected mission as they used the flippers to move the lit skill shot.
- added an Immolation Initiative Champion to instant info
- added an adjustment to allow Mode Select at Ball Start, default is "Yes".
- added skill shot speech.
- added Hadron Enforcer speech.
- added skill shot, super skill shot sound FX.
- now every other Immolation Initiative level 2 jackpot adds a ball back into play.
- added Immolation Initiative light logic to the bottom grid of lamps.
- added Save Xandar light logic to the bottom grid of lamps.
- changed logic for the orbit control gates to remain down during Immolation Initiative.
- Groot Multiball ball save progress has been optimized.
- added a Hadron Enforcer Awards adjustment, i.e. # of Hadron Enforcers shots to award upon completing the Hadron Enforcer targets.
- increased the MAX number of Hadron Enforcer shots accumulated to 9.
- raised the volume of the Sibling Rivalry, Pod Chase & Sanctuary Awards as they were hard to hear over the background FX.
- added Immolation Initiative awards to the Hadron Enforcer, i.e. the Hadron Enforcer can collect Immolation Initiative awards.
- fixed a bug where the Hadron Enforcer would give awards when they were not available.
- added a level 1 jackpot lightshow to Immolation Initiative.
- added Immolation Initiative progress display screen.
- fixed Immolation Initiative speech.
- added Hadron Enforcer Lit sound F/X.
- now only single rampage letters show up if the display is busy showing other awards.
- the Hadron Enforcer action button, after game over, was still flashing in the attract mode. This has been fixed.
- Immolation Initiative can now be restarted if a level 2 Jackpot (which adds a ball) is collected during the grace period.
- fixed a bug where the right outlane ball save was awarded if you drained during the start of Multiball. Now the game gives the ball back without turning off the right outlane ball save lamp.
- added Immolation Initiative High Score Champion.
- added adjustments to support Immolation High Score Champion (default score threshold, type of award to give, # of awards to give.
- added Immolation Initiative Champion to the attract mode.
- Fixed a problem where high score 3 was showing phantom letters.
- fixed Immolation Initiative speech that was being cut off.
- Immolation Level 1 and 2 Jackpot awards can now be collected via switch hit thresholds.
- fixed a bug where locked balls were not being added into play during Immolation Initiative.
- added Immolation Initiative Wizard Mode.
- restructured Orb Magnet timeout to be more efficient.
- added mode start display effects for all movie modes, i.e. Sanctuary, Sanctuary 2.
- now the top magnet pulses during Orb Multiball
- now cycling magnet(s) will timeout if balls are being held on the flipper.
- added lights to Orb Multiball to indicate orb/super jackpot levels.
- Added Hadron Enforcer lit display FX.
- high score initials music was running during the match f/x, this has been fixed.
- added End of Ball Bonus Multiplier sound FX 1X-10X.

what a nice surprise

They fixed the mode selection bug from the Kiss & Aerosmith copy/paste.

Sweet!

Just checked and that bug is still there.

I didn’t try but the read only says you can turn it off in the option now. Does it not turn off?

Wait... you have to turn off the bug?

lol, that can't be real can it?

Oh never mind. Lol. I read what wrote wrong. I played about 15 games and never had the mode selections bug at ball launch happen.

I thought you meant this:

I read this like you can set it up where you have to hit a shot to start the mode. I could have read it wrong too though lol

Do you like your machine any better with the new code? You have posted some really good stuff in the last month or so and things for us to really look out for when we get our machine later this month. I am very interested in your opinion!

So is the readme wrong?

It says "fixed a problem where mode select was still active after the player plunged the ball and inadvertently switched the selected mission as they used the flippers to move the lit skill shot"

That bug was there before. I did not see it with the new update. I have the LE version for reference.

V.85 feels a lot more polished. Looking forward to movie speech from Cleland.

Anyone noticed a lot more shaker in this code ?

Excellent, downloading now.

good to see these 2 updates in there

- fixed a problem where mode select was still active after the player plunged the ball and inadvertently switched the selected mission as they used the flippers to move the lit skill shot.
- added mode start display effects for all movie modes, i.e. Sanctuary, Sanctuary 2.

Hoping the black screen with white text at mode start now shows some nice graphics!

The thing i want more than anything is a progress report on shots made per movie mode when selecting the next so you can determine how far along you are.

503 Left drains - 37.5%
731 Center drains - 54.4%
109 Right drains - 8.1%
4 tilts
425 ball saves

I didn't see average game time in my audits, only a histogram listing the number of games in the 0-1 minute, 1-2 minute etc etc.

This is HUO by the way with everything at factory default on 0.81 code.

Thanks for the compliment. I do not like the game. I like almost every game to some extent, but cannot get over the code. Specifically the random movie scene dialog recreation with the modes and lack of feedback when you hit a shot. I hope they fix this as I could like it. I like Aerosmith, Kiss, and Metallica, so I should like GOTG.

I just cannot get into it. Ball times are long and without the audio providing feedback I'm just still hating the game. It sucks as I have never disliked a Borg game, but this one is probably a first.

I'm rather hoping it's like X-men and does a 180, but I do not think they are going to change the code at this point.

much appreciated!

Definitely appears stock is left drain around 40% and right somewhere around 10%

I will see after the route game gets more plays in the new configuration, but thinking that closing down the left post but removing the rubber is going to be the correct tweak to get the game a bit more balanced for drains while also leveling out game time closer to 3 minutes.

I will report back in a few weeks after new code gets me some numbers.

agree that the poor audio/callouts are the biggest issue currently.

second issue is that the game is just Groot all day

>>- added an adjustment to allow Mode Select at Ball Start, default is "Yes".

Someone listened ...... this was a huge addition

I will update mine tonight. Are all 3 magnets utilized in the .85 update ?

I'm having trouble with the auto fire on my machine. The ball just sits there being lightly tapped. Any ideas?

With the game off, check your electrical connections at the lugs and back to the connector/board. Also physically move the mechanism and make sure there is no binding and that the post travels freely through the coil.

I checked the connections and the mech. If you hit the side of the cabinet near the right flipper button while its tapping, it then fires.

yes, this would be a great addition. Also more I AM GROOT speech a waste not to have this when his mouth moves or shots are made for his multi-ball mode.

What are peoples thoughts are this update and what else would they want to see?

I got it, it was a loose screw on the right side of the mech. was causing it to hang. Tighten screw. Now works fine.

I haven't played past version .75, when was the I AM GROOT samples added and does rocket interpret them or GROOT just says his line?

Played it last night. Each mode now has a great graphic at the start.

is there a ball save timer for the orb shot with the new code?
the magnet has a tendency to send the ball straight down the left outlane maybe 1 out of 8 times.

had some people complaining about this aspect of it, I checked the adjustments and didn't see anything for this.