I just can't take having such lousy games on my TF that I switched to 5 balls. I want to see more of what the game offers. Wouldn't do that with my lotr, but just cant stand it any more. Hopefully it doesn't piss the pinball gods off.
Quoted from tomdotcom:Sorry BR couldn't resist taking a dig hahahahahaha
Oh dear, Tom, don't wake the beast!
Quoted from Vyzer2:Wouldn't do that with my lotr,
I DID do it on LOTR. I have said it here many times but, I never understood how peeps get such long ball times on that game. It was a drainer for me. Loved it, though...
I started playing pinball (in the 70's) with five balls...and that's the way I still play today. Sorry.
Quoted from iceman44:SM is really easy so not really..
Sadly, after hours and hours of consideration, that is what made me decide to not include SM in a long term line up. I LOVE the game, it just wasn't challenging. I am having the same problem with JM. When I get either LOTR or (maybe) AFM back, hopefully the challenge level comes back up.
I know AFM isn't really considered challenging, it is just do DANG FUN!
Quoted from The_Gorilla:I DID do it on LOTR. I have said it here many times but, I never understood how peeps get such long ball times on that game. It was a drainer for me. Loved it, though...
At Tatman's party I decided to play one more game of LOTR before I went home. 45 minutes later I was done with the game, and had my initials on the board. For the most part I didn't know what I was doing. Beginner's luck I guess, but I definitely saw why people say they can have such long games on that pin. Maybe after I knew what I was doing and how far I was from completing the game I could see switching it to five balls.
The only game I've had that I had set to five balls was LCA. That game had super short ball times.
The only game I have on 5-ball play that wasn't shipped that way is my Laser Cue, because that game tends to the vicious side anyways and the whole game is built around building your bonus, so playing it on 5-ball makes it that much less frustrating and more fun.
Amusingly, it's my oldest game (Haunted House) and my newest (Black Knight 2000) that were shipped set to 5-ball play.
Wcs has the best of both worlds 3, then you can choose the buy in 3 times again ends up at 6 balls. I just switched my jp to five, as at 3 was not unlocking enough of the game, but I am a crap player most of the time.
Quoted from tomdotcom:5 balls is for girls and Black Rose []
Sorry BR couldn't resist taking a dig hahahahahaha
No Problem Tom , LOL.gif I Do like my pin's on 5-ball play.. But Since the Pinball Tourney last Week-end when I got Skunked on TZ , I have set my TZ on 3-ball w/ medium setting's..
Gotta Practice !!
Quoted from spfxted:I started playing pinball (in the 70's) with five balls.
me too!
You know what's Funny !!! I've been to Alot of Member's Gameroom's from Here and There..
Most had their pin's set to 5-ball , and Few to 3-ball.. Then I find a Thread like this , 3 or 5-ball
The 5-ball player's posted that they were 3-ball ONLY , Just to Blend in and Not cause a scene.
So Strap that on Yr Sore AZZ Firebaall ,, oh a smiley smiley-laughing.gif , L.O.L . B_R
Quoted from spfxted:I started playing pinball (in the 70's) with five balls...and that's the way I still play today.
Ditto! I started playing pinball in the 1950's with five balls . . . and that's the way I still play today.
Quoted from spfxted:I started playing pinball (in the 70's) with five balls...and that's the way I still play today. Sorry. []
I have all mine on 5 ball too. I don't apologize for it either. Maybe I just suck at my pins... Oh well, it's still fun.
Who cares what others think, there your games and set them up the way you want and enjoy the most. I switch to 5 ball when kids or the wife plays. My son and I play 3 ball because of the challenge of it, he's 14 yrs. old and placed 9th outta 40 players in a tournament not long ago. The boy just understands the rules of the game.
Quoted from Pintucky:Ditto! I started playing pinball in the 1950's with five balls . . . and that's the way I still play today.
When I was down you said you had it set that way because of your grandkids.
Quoted from futurepinhead:Pintucky said:
Ditto! I started playing pinball in the 1950's with five balls . . . and that's the way I still play today.
When I was down you said you had it set that way because of your grandkids.
LOL !!!
Quoted from Jamaster10:all of my games except my em are on 3 ball
I agree, 5 ball for EM and 3 ball for SS and newer.
That why there are settings, what the heck, I had a couple games where I like 5 ball, Sinbad, target alpha, and bone busters.
Might consider ball save time, when I first got my ironman my wife was starting to not play because such short ball times. So I bumped up ball save from 5 to 10 seconds for a while. It made it more fun.
Quoted from ovfdfireman:That why there are settings, what the heck, I had a couple games where I like 5 ball, Sinbad, target alpha, and Bone Busters.
Might consider ball save time, when I first got my ironman my wife was starting to not play because such short ball times. So I bumped up ball save from 5 to 10 seconds for a while. It made it more fun.
I agree, do whatever makes the games more fun for you. Especially, if it gets the spouse to play the games.
I keep mine on 5-ball now. I used to worry about the whole 3 ball is the way it should be talk. Then I thought if I am paying all of this money for a pin in my home I will leave it on 5 until I am better at it then drop back to 3. When guest come over I leave them on 5 always. It should be fun no frustrating.
Quoted from Vyzer2:Well 5 balls ain't helping...I suck....going over now to the "players tips"
I recommend getting the Pinball 101 DVD. That will show you some basic technique to help you start scoring better. The key is to be calm and learn how to control/trap the ball with the flippers.
3 ball here but... i set my bsd to 10 ball when my inlaws came to visit. It didn't help!
I'm not about to call anyone out for setting up their machines how they want!
You're right!...I'm NOT sorry! 5 Ball It Is!
Why did 3 ball start? Was it just so machines on location would make more money?
I like machine settings to match their design or era. As a Dr. Who fan I've got my DW on 4-ball
just because a. the game is such a bastard and/or I suck, and b. *most* DW episodes I grew up on were 4-part stories. Games with no ball save I can understand puttin' 'em on 5-ball.
Quoted from Beachcomber:whatever makes the games more fun for you
agree
Quoted from DCFAN:Vyzer2 said:Well 5 balls ain't helping...I suck....going over now to the "players tips"
I recommend getting the Pinball 101 DVD. That will show you some basic technique to help you start scoring better. The key is to be calm and learn how to control/trap the ball with the flippers.
Actually, at least as important as 'control' is aiming. Perhaps more important. If you can aim and hit things on the fly as well as when trapped, you'll do a lot better than if you can trap/stop every ball but your aim is off!
As for 3-ball v 5-ball over the years, I don't see the logic in setting modern (SS/DMD) games to 5 ball just because EMs used to be that way. Modern games were designed for 3-ball play. But it is all good, however you want to play! I wouldn't set my modern games to 5-ball: games would last forever when people came by to play, even if I'd get further into them myself.
Quoted from spfxted:You're right!...I'm NOT sorry! 5 Ball It Is!
Why did 3 ball start? Was it just so machines on location would make more money?
There you go!!! That's the way to roll and yeah, I believe it had to be so the Op's could make a few more bucks.
I like three ball. It's what I learned with. I tend to get four or more when I play. You gotta learn how to get those extra balls!
Quoted from spfxted:I started playing pinball (in the 70's) with five balls...and that's the way I still play today.
+1 And the dreaded and confusing times when games started switching from 5 to 3 balls (and a single game for a quarter rather than 2 games). I don't think there's anything wrong with setting a game to 5 balls provided the other settings are adjusted accordingly. Newer games have lots of settings that change automatically with the number of balls. Older machines generally just have a higher free-game score with 5 balls. For me it more a matter of playing the game the way it was designed.
Quoted from blizz81:Is it wrong to tape the outlanes shut?
When I was working at an arcade in my younger days, the owners would close the arcade for free-play charity nights for various kids programs (shelters, hospitals, etc). One of the things they'd do is add ball guides across the outlanes to allow the kids to play games longer.
Quoted from The_Gorilla:I never understood how peeps get such long ball times on that game. It was a drainer for me. Loved it, though...
I hear ya on that one. Ball times are just as long on my AFM.
Quoted from The_Gorilla:tomdotcom said:Sorry BR couldn't resist taking a dig hahahahahaha
Oh dear, Tom, don't wake the beast!
Vyzer2 said:Wouldn't do that with my lotr,
I DID do it on LOTR. I have said it here many times but, I never understood how peeps get such long ball times on that game. It was a drainer for me. Loved it, though...
If it's set up well, LOTR is a very controlled game. Orbits should come around to the flippers, not hit the slings. I have a deflector on the POTD--no random bounces, ball feeds the left inlane. Both side ramps feed the flippers, center ramp feeds a flipper or orbit. There aren't any major drain shots (even short center ramp shots should drop to the side), so long ball times are very possible. Not every ball, heck, not every game, but some balls/games seem to go on forever. My best was around 300M on factory difficulty, 3-ball with EB at 25M, and it was close to an hour long. I'm sure many here have done even better!
I like the challenge & keep it to the default for the game myself. Although must admit I usually have the in lanes tight. Forces me to improve my skills if I want to see all that a pin has to offer. To each their own though. I guess that is why they give the users options like this so we can play them how we like.
Confession: I set my JM to 5 balls after owning it for a couple of weeks to see if I could make it to power down. I had to buy in an extra ball on my first game, but I heard those words every JM owner longs to hear, "You are the Master of Power Down!"
Setting it back to 3 balls to see if I can become a legit Master. (Totally worth it!)
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