Got my shipping notice! Unfortunately it was for my Scream Factory 4K Blu-Rays, not my pin. LOL....still exciting.

I absolutely love what I see in just those two screen shots from the new code. Picking modes...counting bodies...choosing ball save as a reward...hells yes!

That is an awesome idea! I'd love that song to be in the game, but I would imagine the license wouldn't allow it. Hope I'm wrong though.

It's a great scene for sure! And your idea would be a fun way to integrate it...even if they can't use the music.

I love everything about this. Everything. Great job guys...can't wait to watch it keep evolving. I hope this video puts some minds at ease. You'll never make everyone happy, but I think this is shaping up to be an awesome, unique game. Very excited for mine! Keep up the great work Spooky crew!

Spooky is a small company, and are limited in how many machines they can pump out. This is actually the largest run of machines they have ever made (I think?). As it is, this number is going to take them over a year to produce, which is a big reason why they put a cap on them. By then everyone will be itching for them to move on to the next title.

That said, every machine ever made comes available at some point. Any of their previous titles are relatively easy to pick up with a little patience, and I'm sure this will be no exception. Might be hard to find one NIB a couple years down the road, but HUO ones will be around.

Now I’m ready!

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The framework of the code is solid. I'm pretty happy with it as it is honestly, as long as all bugs are squashed of course. Knowing that there is tons of stuff yet to come is great!

As for confidence that the finished product will be good...I am not worried. Bug has literally grown up immersed in two things...pinball and horror. I have no doubt he will deliver. Have some faith and give the kid the benefit of the doubt. If he proves us wrong, well then we have the right to be pessimistic next time. As of now, I see nothing but great things ahead for him though. #INBUGWETRUST!

After spending MGC weekend getting to hang out with Squirrel, Bug, and DJ, (and of course getting to put a couple plays on the machine), I am more confident than ever that this machine, and Spooky in general are in VERY good hands. They truly are an amazing group of young adults full of passion, talent, and just plain goodness. I have literally watched these "kids" grow up at MGCs over the years, and I still picture them as those sweet little kids running around helping wherever they could. It's pretty awesome to see them grow into these roles.

As a big fan of the theme, this game looks and sounds absolutely amazing. During set-up I could hear certain sound cues and effects from across the hall and it put a smile on my face every single time. The layout is unique and so much fun to shoot. The code is definitely a work in progress, but they have said that from the start so it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. That said, the framework that is there is really fun, and you can see it is heading in a great direction. Every major update has shown significant progress, and I have no doubt that will continue and this will end up being a very solid ruleset. I am already very happy with the total package, and can't wait until the night #120 comes home.

#inbugwetrust

-Chris

They are worth their weight in gold, especially if you have multiple machines with blades. No matter how careful you are, you will eventually snag or scuff one up...especially since some machines are tighter than others. And great point about protecting the armor too. The price seems steep at first for what they are, but it's a one time investment, and a pretty small one in the scheme of what we spend money on in this hobby. I'm glad to have them every time I need to lift a pf.

I see two mini-wizard modes (Jack-O-Lantern multiball and The Night He Came Home) and a main wizard mode (Boogeyman). I'd of course love more, but that's not bad.

Well...we call Secure Control Room in JP a mini-wizard and that's only three modes to qualify..

I totally (ha) get what you are saying though. But I'm glad to see it there. It's a nice half way point mode, kind of along the lines of Hand of the King or Cherry Bomb and stuff like that. Maybe a little easier to get to than some of those, but a nice way to mix it up and a good goal for newer players.

It seems Boogeyman will be the final, hard to get "ultimate" wizard mode since it requires not just playing, but completing all of the main modes. Sounds tough to get to, which is good.

Cool flowchart, great video going over it. Haters whining about shallow rules please note that it took a 40 minute video to go through them all, LOL. Awesome work. Looking forward to getting mine VERY soon and then getting to experience the rules evolve first hand. Keep up the great work! #inbugwetrust!

Picked up #120 today, and saw plenty of them sitting by the door ready to ship out. No "delay gate" conspiracy theory happening here.

Ooohhh...I was wondering if that was possible. Only got a few plays on mine so far and haven't gotten it to bounce in on a full plunge. Will play with strengths. I'm sure it will be highly dependent on pitch/level and rubber type/age. Glad to hear it's doable!

Also very glad to see you happy with your game after having some doubts before receiving it. Hope it brings you many years of enjoyment!

I have external subs on all my pins. I go by the "solder to the cab speaker, run to the speaker level in" method. Being this one has significantly more power running to the cab speaker, are people still using this method, or is there a better place to tap into on Spooky machines? Not really looking to use a Pinnovators solution or debate the quality of that product vs the old solder direct method, but do want to make sure I'm not looking for trouble by running an already amplified signal to my external. I'm assuming being speaker level inputs it will be fine, but wondering if anyone else has done it on a Spooky machine. Thanks!

You are running your other 3 to an RCA on the sub? That would be line level. I'm surprised that works at all. Most people that run direct to the cab speaker use speaker level inputs. Of course, that means your sub needs to have speaker level inputs which many do not. I've tried line level converters to use a cheap sub with only line level with no luck. I'm sure a Pinnovator would work in that case, but I'm really surprised you could run direct. Interesting.

Not every machine will appeal to every person. This is no exception. I'm absolutely loving mine so far, and love the direction the code is heading in. Even at the current level of depth, there is still plenty to do. Six "traditional" modes (pumpkin..all very unique) plus three major goals leading to unique multiballs is not what I would call shallow in the slightest. The way those two paths will interconnect in scoring opportunity is great. Knowing they are adding a half-way point mini-wizard mode for pumpkins, and two wizard modes (one requiring everything be completed, not just started), tells me the depth level will be just fine. Maybe not an ultra-deep Elwin or Lyman adventure, but every bit the depth of most modern games.

I have rarely played a machine that sucked me into the theme and atmosphere as much as this one does. It's just a huge treat for fans of the film. The layout is unique and a lot of fun to shoot. The upper playfields are way better than most, and nothing else feels like them at all. I pulled off a triple butt pretzel earlier which felt absolutely amazing. That little ramp to the sanitarium is stellar. It's up there in a blink. The fact that I can backhand a ramp I can't even see if super satisfying. The sound package is awesome. The deep, intense sound when starting Sanitarium in particular is freaking insane. And of course the art package is second to none.

I'm pretty much in love with mine. Is it perfect? Nope...none are. It needs tweaks here and there. The code is still a work in progress heading in the right direction. I have faith it will get continue shaping up to be an amazing overall package. #inbugwetrust

LED strip talk reminds me....one of the few things I was leery of before playing it was the LED strips. In pics/video they looked like they would be kind of obnoxious and in your face. I am pretty sensitive to that, and usually end up replacing any bulbs I can see with frosted as they annoy and hurt my eyes. Turns out, I had nothing to be worried about with these. The smoked "shield" over them works really well at toning them down just enough to not be annoying at all while still being super effective. While I will still admit something more diffused would be even better (and if someone comes up with a nice mod I may be interested), but these are awesome as-is. Much more than I was expecting them to be. I went in expecting to dislike them and maybe even disable them, but I was completely wrong. I believe there is a setting to dim them, but I haven't even felt the need to try that.

Oh man...that's beautiful!

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Oh man...Charlie would have to play the part of Officer Brackett. Bug and Luke pull over to talk to him trying to be all nonchalant. LMAO. I am 100% in for making the drive over to be the camera man.

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My first thoughts with multiple balls being fed are:
1) Make sure the right number of balls are in the machine.
2) Make sure the trough switches are registering correctly, including the trough jam switch.
3) Make sure the balls feed down the trough freely and land correctly on the switches. A number of things could affect this: magnetized balls make them stick together or to the trough, divots in the ball trough that the balls can get hung up on (unlikely being new), switches that are too stiff and do not let the balls roll freely over them.
4) Make sure the shooter lane switch is registering correctly so it knows a ball is already there.

Basically, the game needs to know there is a ball in the shooter lane and one is missing from the trough. As there are also subways in this game, that could add an additional twist, but since they do not stage balls in the subway (like on ST:TNG for example), I do not think that would be valid here.

BUT...I'm sure these were the first things Spooky went over with you, and probably much deeper. Hope you get it narrowed down soon! These gremlins can be a pain, especially when you just want to play and enjoy it! Good luck!

I'm not sure of the exact error messages, but I have heard that you can "brick" the machine in some circumstances when updating if the thumb drive has a glitch or any other number of potential issues. The only way to fix that is for the programmer to send you a new file. I would try emailing Morgan now even though they are closed. It's possible that she will still see it and try to get you fixed up.

The tough jam switch is not on every machine, but this one has one. It's an opto half way between the shooter lane and the first position in the trough, to see if any balls didn't quite make it up and out, or if they fell back in from the shooter lane. It's literally looking for a ball jam. Make sure it tests good, that both sides of the opto are clean and not obstructed by a stray wire or anything, and make sure the solder joints are solid. I would say it's fairly unlikely that is your problem, but stranger things have happened.

Simple stuff first though. Go into your switch tests and make sure it sees balls on all 7 trough switches. Then kick one out with our finger and make sure it sees 6 trough switches and 1 in the shooter lane.

When you manually kick one out (with the playfield down in the normal position), watch the other ones closely and make sure they freely advance to the next position and aren't getting hung up. Then put that ball back in the drain and make sure it freely settles where it belongs.

I would also remove all the balls and manually play with the switches to make sure they trigger easily and aren't sticky or being partially blocked by anything. Make sure they are screwed tightly in place and not loose. Gently pull on each wire to make sure none of them have a flaky solder joint. I'd try to follow those wires to where they are plugged in and make sure that side is all good too with no intermittent connections. Then feed the balls back into the trough one at a time and watch them settle into the trough. Make sure they are all going in nicely and triggering the correct switch.

Sorry if that's being too basic and you've checked this sort of thing before. Hopefully it will help give you a few things to check at least. Good luck!

edit: Nevermind...see Bug's reply below.

Yeah mine likes to get hung up there every once in awhile. I made my machine a bit steeper and it helped, but a slow moving ball can still settle in there. I can get mine out, but usually get a tilt out of it. I keep forgetting to ask Bug if there is a way to adjust that servo to turn a little further. If not, I might dremel my diverter a little bit so it doesn't create a trap. Won't take much.

SpookyBug is this true? Should everyone be renaming the file before updating to be safe? Seems...odd to me.

Ahh...that makes sense. I would suggest not doing that. LOL

Gotcha. I would suggest not downloading multiple files of the same name to the same place to avoid that issue.

Cool...I haven't run into that as I usually delete old code or move it to a different folder before downloading new. I'd suggest everyone do the same to avoid this issue, but I'm sure Windows still might have a mind of it's own. I've never even thought to double check that. Thanks for the heads up John-Floyd ! Good to watch out for each other!

I have played 1.04 quite a lot, including a few hours of glass off testing. I have not seen the house multiball/pumpkin scoop bug. Not to say it couldn't be a bug, but I would look over your pumpkin scoop optos and make sure there isn't anything goofy going on there. I had a wire pulled tight and kinked which I believe led to a few issues I was seeing before I moved it. I would check around there.

I have, however, had the same issue with my ball lock not releasing (and also noticed that ball search doesn't drop the target (it tries to reset the drop instead)). It isn't every time though...sometimes works perfectly, sometimes will not release. I am glad to hear it isn't just an issue with my machine because I have been trying like crazy to figure out if it's a hardware or software issue. I have made Bug aware of my findings with it. Glad I'm not alone on that one.

Possibly related, my super skill shot will sometimes not hold the ball in the lock, but rather drop the target and let it go during the animation, then launch the second ball right away. Again, not sure if just my machine or a bug, but I would love to hear if anyone else experiences this. Seems very random, though it MIGHT be related to a fast ball bouncing back into the rear target multiple times? I cannot seem to reproduce it consistantly, but it is fairly frequent (probably 25-50% of the time)

I have never had a reboot. Knock on wood.

At first I thought it might be mechanical, knocking the drop back down from behind. But it doesn't seem to be that. It holds the ball for a second and settles in, but then seems to purposely drop it while the animation is playing. And it's TOTALLY random (or at least seems that way). Totally.

There are still a few gremlins, but this release made some huge strides. Very happy. And I can't wait to see what additional pumpkin modes they have up their sleeves. Some of the existing ones are super creative and fun. I'm super pumped for a couple more!

I'm sure the remaining bugs will get sorted out as we help them narrow down the cause. Still absolutely loving this game and enjoying watching it evolve!

I do vaguely remember getting a ball or two hung up down there awhile back. A little shake got them moving. I agree with dnapac on making sure you are leveled correctly too. And make sure nothing managed to fall into your subway.

Mine is hit or miss if it will let that ball out when it drains. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. When it doesn't release, my switch test sees everything correctly. My stuck test does not report that switch as stuck.

Dude that is awesome! I have been seriously thinking about trading out my AIQ for an ACNC! Having Halloween has me hungry for more Spooky! Congrats!

Nope. Trust me it’s 100% random, at least on my machine. Spent some time glass off testing and no pattern has emerged. Going to be a tough bug to squash but I’m confident they will figure it out. For now including the drop in ball search will be a huge help. Beyond that it’s only a minor annoyance.

Dude you figured out what was causing what seemed like a super random bug I was discussing with Bug! I couldn’t figure out what triggered it and I hadn’t had it with the latest code but I just didn’t hit the right combo of shots yet. I can now reproduce it almost every time. Seems like it won’t do it while skill shot is active, but if you hit a few things first it will almost every time. I contacted Bug about it too. This find will make it much easier to squash I’m sure. Nice find!

No...everything mentioned was already there. We are just finally narrowing down why they happen a bit more. This update made huge strides and squashed a few big ones. The quick-fire second update that added the drop target to the ball search mitigated the lock issue until they can solve it. This pumpkin mode one was there before, but it's so specific to replicate that I'm sure many never saw it.

I can understand peoples frustration over bugs, but I ask people to be patient and remember that this is literally 1-2 dudes trying to find and figure all these out, as opposed to a large team of people at the bigger companies. Yes, that can lead to us early buyers being somewhat of beta testers, but it's the only way some of these are going to get found. Spooky has been very responsive about them and squashing them as quickly as possible. Please cut them a little slack and help them make the game all it can be (this isn't aimed just at the person I'm responding to). I'm actually enjoying this process, because I know we will get through it and it will be even more amazing in the end!

Yeah totally didn't mean to single you out there. These issues are super intermittent and hard to consistently replicate. The fact that different peoples machines seem to act differently makes matters even worse. I do not envy the job of programmers at all!

Yes, that needs to be adjusted way down to the alignment hole. Mine had also worked itself loose early on. I took the flipper bat out, scuffed up the shaft a bit where the screw holds it, and it's been fine since.

Yeah that's a challenge. I tried to get it from the side, but I didn't have luck. Maybe the right tools would help, but I only have a regular allen key set and I couldn't get that and a socket in there for the nut at the same time. Bug says it's easier if you can lift up the backside of the playfield from the service rail position, but I didn't have a second person to hold it, and couldn't find a way to balance it that I was comfortable with.

I ended up simply taking off the upper playfield. Once I decided to do that, it was super easy. Just a few screws and it's loose. I didn't undo the wires underneath, but there was enough slack to simply pull it up a little and get to the flipper mech easily. It took like an hour plus of screwing around before doing this, and maybe 5 minutes once I decided to do it this way, LOL.

I highly suggest scuffing up the flipper shaft with some sandpaper before repositioning. The first time I just repositioned it and gorilla tightened it. Within a few games it had slipped back up. Scuffing up the shaft will give the bracket something to bite on better. Hasn't moved again yet.

Good luck!

Known bug that is being worked on. If you have the very latest code (two updates were released rapidly, you want the second one, which is on the website now), the ball lock drop was added to the ball search to mitigate the issue when it happens.

Tip? Ask him if he sees anything he likes...

Just some screws/nuts. Really easy. Undo the spring that pulls the balcony ledge down when the ball drops off the magnet. Take off the plastic in back that has covers the diverter (and has the "curtains" plastic on it). Take off the "L" bracket that holds the upper pf to the back board. Take off the "wood" looking molded plastic that goes around the flipper. There is one or two screws under that mold that holds the upper pf to the Sanitarium pf. If I'm remembering right, that's it. Will need to wiggle it free. Should be enough wire slack to just barely get under it without unhooking stuff. Seriously like a 10 minute job. Good luck!

When your ceiling height sucks but you need that sweet stabbing action…

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Super easy. Five screws. The wiring had two connectors (one motor, one LED strip). I ran the wires out through the grill on the back of the cabinet (right above the power cord) instead of the head to give me a little more wire slack. I didn't even have to extend the wires. As the topper is slightly wider than the crates I put it on, I cut two little pieces of plastic (actually a repurposed old plastic protector) to support the ends of the LED strip. I didn't even screw the topper to the crate just in case I need to move it. It is much more stable than I expected. Now that I have it placed, I will probably screw it on just to be safe though.

It's cool seeing the entire knife...was surprised how curved it is but I'm sure that was needed for the range of motion. I have toyed with the idea of finding a pumpkin or zombie head or something for it to stab into, LOL.

I have not seen the first problem. I have, very occasionally, had a random ball save without draining. This has only happened maybe 3 times since I had the machine and on different code revs, so I think it's just a very intermittent issue with my machine. I'm guessing I have a slightly sensitive outlane or trough switch.

The second is how the game works. If a main mode (house, hedge, or sanitarium) is running, landing in a lit pumpkin scoop will auto-select a mode rather than having you choose. That said, it currently only selects Drivers Seat...no matter if you've already played and finished it or not. I believe that part is a bug and it will eventually be either random or select the next easiest unplayed mode.

Nice! Looks great. That was my other option. It would have been super tight, but I think it might have JUST made it. I really didn't want to lose the knife and pumpkin though.

My first option, which I tried when I set it up, was to take out a ceiling tile. I had just enough room to squeeze it in between a rafter and the ceiling grid. However, you could barely see it up there, and it was so close on either side that it would hit with normal nudging (well...my normal nudging, LOL).

I'm glad I could make my crate stand work, but yours looks great as well!

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Did you do a switch test when it was searching for balls to confirm that it could see them all? Having not only a random ball save but also doing a ball search when starting the next game sounds like a ball trough switch issue.

The few times mine did a random ball save, it was completely fine after that, which makes me think outlane switch being set off from vibration or a short. But being yours continued to act like a ball was missing makes me suspect yours is a more persistent trough issue.

You will need to email Fawzma to unbrick it.

[email protected]

Hmm...not positive. Sorry I just copied and pasted from an earlier post.

Maybe this one?
[email protected]

Yup. The targets are lit but they are pretty faint. Not sure if they can be brightened up or if that's just how they are, but it would be nice if they were much brighter.

It's the Sanitarium stand-up targets that you need to hit. They will then drop the Sanitarium drop target.

I will pay more attention next time I play it. I got used to them being so dim you can barely see them, so honestly I might not have noticed if they no longer light at all, LOL.

As dnapac mentioned, that was a bug in earlier code, and was fixed in 1.04b. If you are on the latest code but still having this issue, you likely have a problem with the opto behind the lock, or maybe one of your trough switches. For some reason it doesn't know the ball is there (or thinks it is somewhere else).

But fingers crossed updating the code will fix you right up!

I do not mind house mode staying front and center since it's definitely a highlight (of the movie and the game), but I definitely agree that overall the stacking can use some polish. However, I'm ok with that being a back burner update down the road. To me it's modes and content first, then overall polish. I'm sure it will get there.

You're not kidding about it being a shooters game. I love how it uses all the shots...even the standups are all important. And trying to sniper the scoops during Hedge multiball is no joke! I heard a few people complain early on about how boring it will be having so many scoops. I couldn't disagree more. They each feel so different to hit and are not easy shots by any means. And it never feels like they take up space that would have been better used with something else. So many games would have just had a boring line of standup targets or an unsatisfying drop target bank there.

Very, very different games. I have only played Wonka a handful of times and haven't really felt the urge to play it more. I get significantly more amusement from Halloween. Like everything though, opinions will vary!

That isn't normal. The only time a ball should autoplunge is on a ball save or multiball. Off the top of my head, I'm not sure what would cause an instant autoplunge. Maybe a stuck switch somewhere? I would recommend contacting Spooky tech support. They will get you fixed right up.

I love this game, but I am also a huge fan of the theme. I don't want anyone to take this the wrong way, but for someone who isn't a big fan of Halloween or horror in general, I would probably recommend Ultraman instead. I think the campy, giant monster battle theme might be more universal or at least "neutral" than Halloween. It's probably easier for non-fans to follow the idea of fighting monsters (even if you never heard of Ultraman) than the specific scenes from Halloween.

It boggles my mind that somehow we think we are owed an explanation for every action and decision made by this company.

I understand your point. My comment wasn't pointed only at you by any means. I just wish everyone would remember that these companies (not just Spooky) do not owe us anything other than the machine as advertised. It seems more and more the people in this hobby feel they are entitled to "answers" about every little thing. It's awesome that Spooky communicates the way they do, but they certainly do not owe that to us. All they really owe us are the games we paid for based on what was advertised at the time we ordered them. Anything beyond that is just them being awesome.

I had a small bout with game resets. I found the tilt mech wiring was not soldered well, causing an intermittent signal that seemed to piss the game off. I haven't had any issues since re-soldering it. I would check there, but if all is well there I would check over the rest of the machine carefully for flaky solder joints or shorts anywhere. Either can cause strange problems that can be hard to find. Good luck!

Stalker starts at the pumpkin scoop after you play two pumpkin modes. You will know it's ready because the insert will be flashing blue. You will also be unable to qualify a new pumpkin mode until after you play it.

It is an awesome mode!

Also, in case no one has noticed, Death in the Drivers Seat will no longer autostart over and over during main modes if you have already beaten it. It will now move on to the next lowest unbeaten mode, as it was meant to be.

Man that looks great! Hoping mine shows up soon!

The mode ends if you do not hit the hurry-up in time.

Bug does a nice walkthrough of the new modes. The Halloween portion started around 5:45.

Scoop rejects must vary from machine to machine. Mine almost never rejects IF it's a clean shot. As mentioned, backhands are MUCH easier to sink. Check level and pitch first. Then I would check to see if the bracket is screwed in snuggly. If nothing else obvious, a slight tweak to the bracket angle might be needed. If you try bending, remember a little goes a long way. You could also try a little drop dead foam or similar to help deaden the ball when it hits the bracket. Good luck!

Are you a bigger fan of the Ultraman theme than she is of the Halloween theme? If one of you are a big fan of either theme, I would say that's your answer. In my book, Halloween is a huge treat to anyone that is a fan of the film. It nails the theme integration, mood, and feel perfectly. Of course I think Ultraman does the same for it's theme, so really it comes down to which one your family is a bigger fan of.

It seems to me that if they shipped out all the shooter rods instead of putting them on newly built games, that would only continue the problem for longer and for more people. Sure, the first 150 would get theirs, but the next 150 would then be waiting (or whatever the number is). It would just be a circle. It makes total sense to me for them to build them into new games, and catch up on us early birds when they can.

In my opinion, they did this right. Most companies would have waited to send the entire machine until the shooter rods were available. With the current state of the world and pretty much ALL supply chains being affected, I'm happy they chose to manage it this way. I sure do want my shooter rod too, but I'm also confident that I will get it as soon as they can. In the mean time I am enjoying a fully operational machine. I do not think this is worth getting worked up over guys...they will come. Spooky will not forget about any of us.

Where did you find the Strode Realty sign? Very cool!

90% of the negativity is herd mentality and the fact that there seems to be a large portion of the population these days that thinks it makes them cool to tear someone or something apart. The louder they cry on a public platform, the more attention they get. It's nauseating. Are there some legitimate concerns? Sure...there always is with every game. But the current negativity towards these games is pretty ridiculous and largely driven by a few individuals who seem to have some sort of vendetta against Spooky.

The layout is very unique and fun to shoot, even the upper playfields which I'm not usually a huge fan of. There are more shots than the vast majority of games released. The code is deeper than it gets credit for, and uses the entire playfield(s) in some creative ways. The art is GORGEOUS. The A/V assets are well used, especially the sounds and music which put a huge smile on my face as a fan of the theme. It's a really great game all around, no matter how many people want to dispute that. Sure, everyone has their own opinions of what makes a great game, but this is FAR from the trainwreck some would lead you to believe. Even taking all emotion and preference out of the equation, it's a solid game.

Are there some bugs? Sure. Could it use more code? Yup. Are there some quality control issues? Yup. Every single manufacturer has the same issues. Spooky has straight out demonstrated progress on every one of these issues. Not just talk, action. Is it as fast as everyone would like? Nope. They are a TINY company...a fraction of the size of the big boys, so yes, it's going to take longer in some cases. But they have shown real progress on every issue. People have been hired, bugs have been squashed, code continues to be added.

Bottom line is they deserve a heck of a lot more grace, patience, and trust than they have been getting lately.

Not springing for the butter is literally my only regret about Halloween. The decals look great, but the art is so damn good that as a huge fan of the theme, I should have gone for the best. I would say if you are a big fan, and consider it a bit of a showpiece in your collection, go for it. If it's "just another machine" for you, and it will just be shoved in the middle of a line up anyway, maybe not.

I wouldn't lump everyone together. There are definitely some with legit reasons. Priorities change, things come up, etc. That's understandable. I even cut some slack to those that ordered (out of FOMO or just plain love of the theme or company), but change their mind after getting to actually play one. Not every game is for every person, and when machines are selling out before anyone can play them, I can see why people worry about missing out. Heck, I took that gamble myself. Thankfully I love the game, so it worked out for me, but I can see how people would want to get out of a preorder if they do not like it after finally playing it.

I do have to agree that I don't mind seeing the speculators/flippers get burned though.

Have you reported these to SpookyBug ? I haven't seen either of these but haven't gotten a chance to play much lately. I do not think there is any sort of single-ball last chance feature other than the ability to restart Hedge. So that definitely sounds like a bug. And the second one for sure sounds like a bug. Is it repeatable? I will try to do it later today.

Sorry if I missed it, but have you called Spooky tech support? Sounds like you've exhausted all the logical stuff, so I would get them involved now (if they aren't already). Best of luck!

Great find. Sometimes with pinball, you just have to go with what works. Don't try to make sense of it, just nod your head and be happy it works, LOL!

Congrats on finally figuring it out! Enjoy the evil!

I realize there is a language barrier here, but I have no idea what you are talking about. What is a "current pinball quartet"? What are you using these photos you are requesting for? Being you mentioned image rights transferring, is this something you are selling and will be profiting off of other people's photos?

I think everyone will be happy about the combination of new content and serious bug squashage in the new code.

The scoop must vary some from machine to machine. Mine is a pretty easy shot from either flipper. Left is definitely harder. From a trap isn't too bad if shot clean. On the fly is much more hit or miss, and in those cases I do tend to shoot to the asylum and let it drain in. I love that option...mostly because I adore that hidden ramp shot. So satisfying.

Backhanding the scoop from the right flipper is super easy. Almost can't miss it.

No, that wouldn't fit at all. This machine is based only on the first movie.

I will keep all other opinions of that entire subplot to myself...

Anyone notice Weird Al has a butt-pretzel? Upper playfield snack bar into the lock area. Imitation is the best form of flattery!

It's been said before, but is worth repeating. Make sure you are following the "eject" procedure when yanking your USB stick out of your computer. My best guess (and this is just a guess) is the bulk of people bricking their machines are not ejecting. Because no one ever bothers hitting eject. Also, make absolutely sure you don't have another older code version sitting in the folder you are downloading to (or on your USB stick), because windows will take it upon itself to rename the file if you do. Renamed file = brick. I'd bet tree fiddy that 90% of bricked machines are from one of those two issues. The other 10% is just bad luck. Spooky will sort it out for you!

And to address Jack O Lantern multiball...I'm pretty sure you do not need to finish 3 modes...just play 3 modes. And it's awesome.

Great job Spooky...it's shaping up quite nicely! I'm sure you guys will work through the remaining issues people are having.

It's another "HEY LOOK OVER HERE THIS IS WHERE THE BALL IS GOING TO COME OUT OF!!" attention getter. Because people still complain about losing the ball when it comes out.

Actually I was pegging you for the 10% bad luck category since it sounds like you've tried following everything as well as possible. You are understandably frustrated, but please do not assume everyone is against you. I am sure Spooky will get you sorted out and I hope you are super happy with this update once you can play it!

LOL...see...this is how (some) people brick their machine. Assuming the rules do not apply to them!

Another thing to try would be plugging directly into the board instead of the extension cable. Just one more variable to eliminate from the chain. Stranger Things (hey wrong game!) have happened!

I agree. I love the B&L mode, but it doesn't belong in the "easy" section. Just so many shots, including the balcony. I'd probably call it the hardest mode in the game. And yes...there is a joke in that statement somewhere...

Annie isn't bad. I love the right orbit. Tough shot, but not bad, and oh so satisfying when you hit it. I think I actually have more trouble with the left, but neither are THAT bad. Balcony is way harder, to me at least.

I'm sure the intent was to build and ship in order. But say you get a machine 90% done and then boom, supply chain craziness means you can't finish it. Do you just sit and wait for the parts, or do you keep building as much as possible? Obviously, you do not just sit around. So now, as Luke just mentioned, you have literally hundreds of games waiting to be finished off. From that point, logistically it would be almost impossible to finish and ship them from the first ones started to the last ones started. You are going to finish and ship out the closest ones to the door first. If say number 20 is buried behind numbers 21-60, are you really going to dig out number 20 first, or are you going to follow whatever the logical work flow is to get them all out the door as quickly as possible? Maybe a huge company with tons of floor space can make a "first in first out" system work perfectly in that scenario, but you have to remember Spooky is not a huge place with unlimited resources. They are doing the best with what they have.

Cut them some slack guys. You will all get your games. There isn't some tin foil hat conspiracy going on to hold certain numbers back on purpose.

That's fair. Point taken. No personal attack intended. Hope you get your game soon and enjoy it!

Hit both ramps and both orbits (in any order), then pumpkin scoop to complete the mode. I do not have a problem with my right orbit registering, so I doubt that is a code issue.

I'm not 100% on the insert colors. I think they are green as long as they are shot in a combo sequence and not repeated. But it does seem like they sometimes turn red randomly. I haven't figured out that logic. Maybe there is only a certain amount of time that they stay green for maximum points? I know it doesn't matter for mode completion, but there might be a points difference depending on color. There is no overall timer for this mode.

That's really weird. I can only speak for my machine, but it has never failed to register the right orbit (that I have noticed at least!). Might be worth a call to Spooky to get their thoughts. Good luck!

Yikes. Yeah that isn't a normal bug. I'm afraid there is something more going on with your machine. I would try a new code image install first. (sorry if that's already been discussed)

This was one isolated incident. Let's not turn it into yet another Spooky witch hunt.

The new code has some really great, creative stuff! Just wait until you lock that sixth ball during Boogeyman. Freaking Epic!

This game is shaping up VERY nicely. Well done Spooky family! Can't wait to see what else you have in store for us!

Game reset is very nice...I had missed that being added.

That said, a game end feature would be even better. Stern has started to use a "hold left flipper and start button for a few seconds" to end the game completely. I think it needs to be enabled in the settings. I would love to see that become an industry standard.

Same with the backbox dimming feature. It can be 100% bright for attract mode, but set to dim as far as you want during play to eliminate reflections.

Also, knocker for extra balls, replay, and high scores. I love having my Sterns knock 5 times for a new grand champ....with the knocker volume set to low at least. Since you guys have a real knocker, let's use that baby.

As a huge fan of the movie, having seen it literally dozens of times, I find the Loomis voice actor to be very close to Donald Pleasence in both sound and delivery. Definitely not perfect, but it's not like they could get the real thing, unfortunately. I will say that the volume balance needs work, since some of the callouts are overblown and cause some distortion/clipping even at lower volumes, but that will be tweaked in the future, I'm sure.

If you find them so horrible that they are ruining the experience for you, I have to wonder if there is something wrong with your machine's audio. I find my main volume needs to be turned down very far before there is a noticeable reduction in volume. I would also take a look at the settings on your amp and compare them to the factory settings. I think I saw them posted in this thread somewhere, otherwise Spooky can confirm them. It's very possible that one of the settings were bumped out of wack during assembly or shipping.

The movie itself isn't silly, but some of the dialog is, especially Loomis. His character was always written as borderline crazy himself...and his dialog reflects that both in the movie and the pin. Anyone saying his lines in the machine are cringe-worthy is absolutely right...and they should be...because that IS the character.

I know this isn't directed at me, but I loves me some Argento. Deep Red is awesome. I need to watch it again...been too long and I haven't watched the 4K yet.

Sounds like both of you enjoy the movie and the machine, so peace, love, and pinball guys!

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Yeah that diverter can make a HUGE difference with the tiniest change. I found that mine didn't need to jump an entire tooth, but just loosening the screw gave quite a bit of adjustment "within" each tooth. Mine was reject city at first, highly dependent on which flipper you shot it with when it was in either position. It took a little trial and error to find the sweet spot, but now I can shoot with either flipper to either position with very few rejects on a clean shot. It is crazy how sensitive this shot is to perfect diverter positioning.

Adding time to House mode would be a brilliant use of the Sanitarium playfield! I struggle making the crossover shot on my machine. Since the timer was added to House, I end up timing out a high percentage of the time on the last shot, which is super frustrating and sucks the fun out of the mode for me. I have asked for the option to turn off the timer or at minimum save progress, but adding time (instead of the almost useless health increase) would be a great alternative. Maybe even add time with the stand-ups, increase jackpot value with the scoop after lowering the drop target?

Sorry if I misunderstood, but didn't you mention that Spooky replaced the mold/guide and balls are still getting stuck? That leads me to believe that there is an issue with the mounting tolerances on your machine rather than with the mold. If you loosen the screws that hold the mold on, will the ball fit? If not, could the butt pretzel metal ball guide above it or the post at the end of that guide be a bit low and deforming the plastic? If either of those are pressing down into the plastic, that could narrow the opening. I would try loosening all of those screws and see if the ball fits. Then figure out which one is deforming the mold. Once you figure that out, you might be able to oval out the hole on the suspect mount to give yourself some more adjustment. If it's the post, often there is some slop between the screw size and the inner diameter of the post, so just loosening it might allow you to push it over a bit for more clearance before re-tightening. Hopefully whatever it is will not require re-drilling the playfield, but if it does, at least it should be in a hidden spot. Good luck!

Oh! I missed the part about the replacement not being drilled. That sucks. I'm sure they will make it right, but obviously that doesn't help you in the short term.

If loosening the screws lets the ball move freely, I think I would try increasing the size of the holes a bit so they are not creating tension when you snug them back down. Hopefully you can get enough space without being too large for the screw head, but you could always throw a washer on it if need be too. It is likely the one directly above the ball path, but you never know. Hope you get it fixed up without too much more trouble!