That would be a good question for JJP people on if they will continue to stock these parts once they stop making the pins. My guess is that they would for at least a few years. But even finding plastic ramps for Stern pins is sometimes very hard or unobtainable after a few years. So ... at some point the part support would stop. What the JJP plan is for that is a good question.

Agreed. I'd buy the breakable parts now if they offered me a choice, and keep them. Not the ramps though, they are metal after all.

Metal brackets and mechanical parts and such can easily be handmade (well, some). Molded plastics, not so much...

I could see buying spares for my game so the concern is warranted. The mouth on my Smaug has been broken for a year now and the only part I could source on my own is the servo. I'd love to be able to buy just the PCB.

I'd probably buy a spare Smaug assembly when they do their last run. Maybe JJP should have a non-warranty wait/want list for some of these major "spare parts" for customers so that they can order extras to cover it. A "little tiny bit" more revenue for them just by changing a number on a parts order form to a vendor.

Ah, I forgot about the Smaug assembly. Yes indeed.

Seems like we're all in agreement. Such a pricey game requires spare parts to make it viable in the future.

Maybe JJP could offer "special bundles" for concerned owners? A nice goodie-bag full of the replacement breakable parts would be great!

I spoke with Frank a week ago they are doing an entire reramp of the parts wharehouse it's a disjointed mess right now. They likely don't know what they have they have sent me the wrong part 2x already.

I will likely get replacement beasts sometime - and maybe extra plastics. Not sure about the whole Smaug assembly - that is a bit expensive. The rest of the molded plastic - like the pillars around Smaug and the bumper barrels don't take direct shots so they should be good for the life of the machine I would think.

Edit: I am tempted to get the ramp stickers and then take them off the ramp, chrome plate it, and the put the new stickers on. Also chrome the wireforms. Too much? Thoughts? Maybe the orbit walls too? I think it would look pretty nice.

FYI, Jack did cartwheels this morning!

Thanks for the info. I work for a semiconductor manufacturer, and in an optimal Lean Manufacturing environment, you don't stock large quantities (millions of dollars worth) of parts - you have a pull system that triggers a re-order when inventory falls below a certain level. Sounds like Jack could really benefit by that kind of system, but lead times might make that impossible. As long as we know we can get the parts even if the website is incorrect that works for me. I think Back Alley made the Smaug figure and beast heads so they might offer those in the future even if JJP doesn't, and servos and coils can be found elsewhere. I'm mostly concerned about custom metal pieces and boards that are found within the assemblies.

Jack showed me a couple of screens on their software system for inventory. It's pretty cool. If you click on a part, it will show how many are in stock and will show the drawings for it. They check some of the part dimensions when they arrive to make sure that they are within tolerances. I think they just got a stock pile of JJPTOC parts over the last 6 months as they were preparing for production but delays were happening, so they kept ordering parts to keep the DI production line going. Jack did say that they can check when inventory is getting low and more parts need to be ordered through the system. Sounded kind of like one of those "just in time" kind of inventory systems. A lot of people went on vacation over parts of the summer and JJP hired more people too.

Based off of what a few of you are saying you heard from Frank, I'm speculating that the part count for non-production parts (that would be available to us on the website) may not have been getting updated for the website. The website part store is probably low priority for them. Databases are great (I made and manage a few for the company I work for), but if you don't keep feeding it accurate data, then everyone blames the database for being at fault.

Also guessing that Back Alley had to sign an agreement to not sell the unique JJP production parts to us - ever. Otherwise … I'd buy a few production parts they make from them for sure.

LTG -anyone else do you think it's worth replacing the beast springs .I'm getting my Hobbit on Friday I was eventually able to save more than my wife could spend.

so gameplay question here - I see the right ramp does modes which are self explanatory however what do you shoot when not doing modes? What are the best things to do outside of modes? I see a ton of drop targets everywhere and it appears a name under them. By hitting these do I enable that persons mode and if so, how can I pick one mode over the other?thanks

I usually shoot for loops because the further along you are on your way to Erebor the better since modes are worth more when you've reached its location on the map. Also, if the sneak in inserts are lit you can add a ball to modes. And spinners!!

Every single mode has a qualifier that is earned by spelling elf, dwarf or man or a combination of two or all of them. Once you’ve collected them the mode ramp will light.

If you don’t like the mode that’s lit, shoot left ramp and use the flipper to toggle to another mode before the ball hit the right inlane switch.

I shoot for either MB, erebor spinners, collect dwarfs, etc when not in a mode as collecting those items works you towards the arkenstone modes.

Orbits and locks.
Or drops to qualify modes or collect dwarves.

Finally got around to installing the new code.
WOW, it is awesome, thank you very much.
Put some Titan rubbers and Cliffys on as well for good measure.

No. I never have.

LTG : )

thanks guys - where is the best place to learn the rules? I know google is my friend but anyone find something very concise and to the point for the NEW code?

I did. Swapped them out for a lighter spring which is supposed to be easier on the solenoid. Google the video from Pinball Heaven

What JJP's last stream on the Hobbit. It's on their youtube channel. They go through everything.

cool thanks man!

Thank you very much good to hear

Happy to "report": my Hobbit is alive again! The root cause however still remains a mystery. Actually all I did was disconnecting & reconnecting most of the computer cables, after which everything runs as normal. Go figure. Nothing is on the logs which basically does not surprise me, since CPU was all out. So, according to the Hobbit itself: it never happened

Thanks everybody for the debugging ideas!

@pinballinreno: thanks for excellent ideas, some of which did the trick! Have to keep monitoring and if this happens again, then do just one corrective action at the time, to find the real root cause.
@Bendit: next time will do just that
@Crile1: updated code, running 2.96 now

Glad to hear! Don't freak out, but sometimes faulty memory sticks (the DIMMs) present an issue that's intermittent.
But keep us posted. Cheers!

Glad to help out.
Really glad it worked out!

A lot of computer problems are related to loose cable connections or even loose RAM modules.

We started having this problem consistently lately with one of the drop targets on the left side. Upon checking, we found that all three ridges were completely broken. Two of them had enough remains that the drop targets still stay up most of the time.

Have JJP revised and improved the drop target assembly since the earlier production runs, or do we have to expect these to break?

Are you talking about the black plastic drop Target itself or the mechanism that makes it go up and down?

Some pictures would be helpful if you can get them.

Perhaps LTG will have more insight on this.

I'm talking about the small plastic ridges that are riveted to the main bracket to hold each drop target in the up-position. Part number 30-0024-00, item number 22 on page C-26 / C-27 in version 3.2 of the manual.

Afraid I don't have a picture at the moment. The game is on location, and I'm at work (the real one). Will try to shoot a picture next time I visit it.

Couple of questions:

Beast MB - how do you cancel it if you're in Smaug MB? Center button?

I hear this chime all the time - sounds like milk glass bottles hitting and then I see something pop up right side of screen (says up to 10 for barrels, X playfield) - what is this feature and how did I enable it?

Edit - it's the newton ball in the middle. Send to give awards....

How do you tell how much further you have along the journey you have (top right corner map - just seems like red dots especially when you're in the middle of it)

I don't believe this was redesigned or improved. I broke one of these black ledges on my DWARF assembly the first month I had my game. My game was down for a month until I got a replacement assembly. Here are some pictures of the broken part:

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The ledges should be horizontal so the lip on the target has something to hold onto. If it's not there the drops just fall back down.

Picture with Notes...
IMG_4472_Notes (resized).jpg

Thanks for that!

Having two issues with my Black Arrow Hobbit.

1: my plunger is inconsistent. When I first got it EVERY SINGLE FULL PLUNGE would hit the A in Dwarf. Then after a month or so it stopped doing that. Now sometimes on a full plunge there's barely enough power to hit a lock rollover and once in a blue moon it will hit the A in Dwarf. It feels like spinning the plunger rod effects this. Is there some sort of magnet or device that powers the plunger? It feels when the plunger rod is spun in certain places it "catches" and there's more power? Is it just the tip of the rod that's misshapen? I'm newish to pinball so not sure what to look for to change this, but would like my consistent plunges back.

2: The captive ball Thorin Shot gets stuck. The second ball seems to get stuck on the rails so it doesn't make full contact with the captive ball. Again, this is new and didn't do this for the first month. Should I bend the rails holding the second ball a bit so they're looser?

Thanks!

The Beast MB can be delayed in favor of Smaug MB in the game settings. You have to enable this setting.

Check the shooter rod, it should move very freely in and out. Silicone/PTFE (teflon) spray to the rod will make it move smoother.

Check to see if your shooter rod is bent. This happens sometimes when raising or lowering the playfield.
Check the condition of the shooter rod tip, it may be time to replace it.
Check the condition of the shooter rod spring, its possible to stretch it out to make it stronger while waiting for a replacement spring.

Check the pitch or downward angle of the games playfield (not the glass) it plays the best at about 7.2 degrees.
The game should be as level as can it can be horizontally at 0 degrees pitch (left to right).
Adjust leg adjusters as neccessary.

The captive ball should move freely, check for debris in or around it. Make any adjustments neccessary.

Please check if the playfield hangers are bent away from the apron. They should be straight up and down with the rear of the apron.

LTG : )

1: I had to put a little folded up masking tape under the PF support arms that go into the lock down bar area to elevate the PF a few millimeters so that the shooter rod cleared the housing on top of it. There may be a better way - but that allowed it to shoot clear and strong (it was glancing the metal house above it that prevented a clean plunge)

2: My captive ball is very easy to move - or will just brick off it - depending on where it hits the captive ball. I am not sure how to adjust it. It transfers energy and hits the back target 80% of the time - other times the pinball will just bounce of of it - and the captive ball behind won't move. I don't know what I need to do - tighten the guides - loosen them? So watching closely to anyone else's suggestion.

Also, I need to drop the rollover targets a tad - not sure how to do that either.

Adjustment screws at the bottom of the assembly underneath the playfield. Use them to raise or lower the drop targets.

LTG : )

White nylon screws at the bottom of the unit. Loosen nut, turn screw. Tighten nut.

LTG : )

DSC00600 (resized).JPG

Thanks, but I need to lower the rollovers, not the drops. Looking back my post was a bit confussing...

Leaf blade switch below the playfield, underneath them. Adjust so the roll over is a little lower. They won't go flat to the playfield.

LTG : )

I wish the rollovers LOCK switches weren't physical rollover switches but were a technologically based sensor using an eddy or photometer based switch so they didn't interfere with ball trajectories...this should be fairly easy to engineer using technologies that have been around for >25 years.

Make them and you will own Middle earth!

That's a good point as they definitely have some unexpected movements but I will tell you that it actually keeps me on my toes bc of it which I like!

I'm finally in the club and fishtails has a friend again .Had one of the best pinball nights ever playing in till 2:30 in the morning with my best mate. After a bit of mucking around got the new code updated and it is so good. Gave it a wax and set it up a bit over 7 degrees it is really fast and fun, it is one of the best pinballs ever. I think everyone needs to give it a new rating and get it in the top 10 where it belongs. The only bad thing was when I woke up my dog has eaten my certificate of title.

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Congrats on your nib game. Some pins are better than others to open up new and Hobbit is a good one. Your dog has excellent taste.

You might open a ticket on the help desk under support to see if you could get a new one.

LTG : )

Thanks LTG I'll speak to my dealer and see what he can do I was just so happy to get to machine I couldn't even be bothered getting angry with the culprit and this is him Doug

IMG_20180826_134054 (resized).jpg

Yep, looks guilty as hell.