I ordered my Smaug 7/14/14 and was told last month that I should expect my game by September some time.

Yes, but it takes some work. There's a sweet spot on the switches, and I've managed to get them all registering front and back hits, although you DO need some velocity on a backstab. For the top ones, it'll register ramp turnarounds, and for the bottom ones, it'll get loop hits. The Warg is a little under-sensitive right now, but otherwise they seem to work OK. You're probably never going to get really slow hits registering from the back.

I have had problems with the mechs getting stuck on the plastic inserts, but that was a matter of bending the bracket a little so it doesn't catch.

Yeah as long as it registers proper backstabs I guess thats ok. There is a mode where you have to hit the right orbit and as soon as you hit it the spider pops up.... and the ball smashes into the back of it and completes the mode. Really satisfying for some reason so gotta get that working again.

Which Bracket are you bending exactly? I have a little issue with the back of the Spider hitting the edge of the wood slightly. The Mech is designed a bit weird that the 2 x shafts wobble a little, so not sure what I should be bending or if it is just sitting on the wrong end of the wobble if that makes sense.

officially in the club .....LE #3

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See the red circled one in the attached picture. It was already curved, but in this case, it was jamming behind the insert. I bent it forward a little so that it impacted the plastic instead. The other thing to watch out for though is that it can also bind against the screw, so it's a fine adjustment.

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What a great machine. I am really having a blast playing it and most of my friends and family (who normally are not so much interested in pinball) love it.

My only disappointment so far is that killing Smaug isn't really great. It just happens by accident. Spoiler: ... I know that I have to hit the single lit dwarf target with a shot from the kickback. But this just doesn't work. I wish it would be more like killing the witch in WOZ. Maybe they could stop the crazy Smaug multiball once you get close and drain all balls. And then you get two balls back in play and have to hit Smaug similar to the witch. As Smaug is flying a rotating /moving drop target would be a nice target for the final shot. What do you think.

Once I killed Smaug the final scene is missing quite some sound effects and / or music. It's so quite. When he's hitting the ground there should be sth besides the shaker rattling the cab. Or is there something wrong with my software? I guess not.

Maybe throw a spoiler alert up?

Could be wrong because I stopped reading at killed Smaug but yea.

I never post pictures of delivery trucks. Well there..I did it!

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I actually think the missus won't even notice, hehe..

Before..

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After..
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Great ideamaybe disable beast multiball in last stage. Make the qualifier to hit the orbit Shot and maybe temp hold the ball while you load the win lance. Only issues is the more balls you have the harder it is.

I've finished the mode twice. Once was on purpose. 1 was completely by accident.

Lots of code tweaks to come methinks

I agree.
The game is a little multi-ball heavy right now, it needs something like a few 2 ball modes to balance it out. Or do something with the magnets.
Balanced code and finishing the game will make it the best!
Its hard to wait for the next update.
Im excited that the battle of 5 armies is coming soon. Epic wont even describe it!

My Hobbit won't come on, anyone have any ideas what to check for? I power it on and can hear the hum of the transformer, but there are no play field lights and the screens stay black. Let me know what you guys think. I opened a ticket with support too, waiting to hear back from them. Thx

Most likely a cord came unplugged. Re seat all connections going to the computer

See if this helps, it might just be a failed boot of the PC:
Turn off game
Unplug it from the wall.
Flip the power switch to the game on and then off.
Reset the computer.
Replug into the wall.
Turn the game back on.

Is there a reset button like on woz? That is what it sounds like.

I lifted up the playfield and opened up the metal cabinet that houses the computer and control circuity. The big control board on the left turns on and lights up, but the computer doesn't come on. The standard PC style power supply doesn't come on, the fan doesn't spin, etc. Sounds like the PC power supply is dead? I checked the power connections to it and they all seem connected. :-/

I'm out of town, my son tells me that one of the pop ups is not coming up. Since I can't see the game looking for a direction to point him in.

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Something is binding it, maybe the hole in the playfield it goes through.

LTG : )

Did you try jump starting the motherboard ?

LTG : )

Is there a ball jammed in the mech? I see you have the fix... so maybe no.
Is the character head (Goblin) loose/missing a screw, tilting forward or sideways, sucked a ball down with it and now binding?
It looks like its tilting forward in the pic and hitting the lighted white plastic...but it seems lower.
Could also be hitting a wire that fell, under the PF, near the mech and binding underneath.

Does he know how to test it?

Best ball trap eva. Video shows it staying trapped during the ball search.

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I had same exact thing happen. Ball search kicked it out when smaug looked around

Check the springs at the back attached to the flap.

I've had them compress and kind of get stuck within the bracket they attach to.

All I had to do was push the mech up from underneath and while supporting it, push down on the flap from above and it sort of dislodges the stuck spring.

Does anyone know if JJP sells the rubber trim that they had on WOZ on the top of the head or backbox?

I'm working on finalizing a deal for a Hobbit but the top of the head has a small dent/scuff on the left side. I noticed my WOZ has that rubber protection piece but the Hobbit apparently doesn't. If I could get that piece I could just cover up the part that has a small scuff.

Excited to be close to getting one.

Contact them and see.

WOZ needed it for the state fair balloon pop bumper. Hobbit doesn't need it.

LTG : )

I thought that would happen too. That's why I took the video. It just rolled around in there.

Thanks for all the info. Too late on the east coast now so I will have him try the above suggestions and report back!!!

I added washers (size 3/16x3/4x18g) to the side with the curved metal. Havn't had a single stuck beast yet.

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Also found my first min led GI circuit death. Do JJP sell these yet?

You can plug it into a different spot to be sure.

If your warranty doesn't cover it, yes.

LTG : )

for those that got the playfield protector are you happy with it?

Good idea-if mine stick again, I'll do the same.

Which cable controls the entire GI?

I've been lifting up my pf a lot for tweaks. Today the GI went off. Ans then on again a second later.
Happened everytime I lowered and raised the pin.
Is it that mini USB cable?

Yes, it's great! Probably overkill, but it looks great and plays great and I can cut it off down the road years later and have basically a NOS pf.

http://www.jerseyjackpinball.com/game-specific-downloads/the-hobbit-downloads/ Download the manual here to help you run down the GI cable.

LTG : )

Yeah that one hole turned out to be the worst, the rest weren't bad. I have to give a shout out to Victor @ JJP. He sent me a set of the top mylar pieces for free in the mail which I just received today! I installed them tonight so now I can play my game again

I am very happy with the support I have received from JJP.

When I would plunge the ball it used to make it to the upper dwarF target - now only the d or w. What do I need to do to make sure it is aligned properly to get the maximum distance?

Anyone got the new ramp flaps yet? The update kit was in my box with all the other fixes, but no ramp flaps. 2 days' playing and they are beat to hell. Epic machine though! Mode lock, yeah!!

Plunger isn't touching the autolauncher mech in the way through is it?

If the playfield shifts too far to one side it can happen.

My thoughts exactly!

I have heard other users (non hobbit) complain about them but I have one on both my hobbit and starwars and I'd get them on every pin eventually.

Does anyone have a fix for this problem as my HOBBIT SMAUG has the same problem as it doesn't even get the ball onto the playing field it so weak .

I can no longer hit those either. Going to install a red spring I have laying around and see how that works

Check AA thread. Your playfield Is sitting a little bit to the right and the plunger is hitting the auto plunger on the way through.

Yes. It protectes everything you would otherwise cover with mylar. Normally a new machine gets played the most when it is new. You can play the hell out of it and then later just take the protector of and the playfield will be as good as new. Big plus.

I don ot feel the game plays very differently with it. My WoZ came without one and put one on myself. Difference is not much. Decided to get Hobbit with protector from factory.

Mine would only ever reach the R when I first setup the game (has never reached the F) and now it will only reach the A. Personally I hate how weak the spring is and am seriously considering replacing it with a stronger one.

Some thoughts on Smaug multiball:

I agree that the Smaug multiball should not mix with the beast mutiball. Its a little too chaotic and one loses track of which goal you are attempting. Killing Smaug or killing beasts?

I think that the sequence to kill Smaug should entail 5 separate, discreet multiball games, much like separate modes leading up to the final mode that you can kill Smaug. They should be in sequence so that you might know that Smaugs death is imminent if you work the modes and reach the last level.

Possibly 5 separate goals with awards and completion bonuses.
I know its setup that way anyway, but I was thinking of better separation and some finality between goals?

This should be like the WOZ that has separate games within the various modes and you know exactly where you are in them.

I think the current code is a bit multiball heavy and separating the modes will give a lot more variety.

Since the code isnt complete yet our feedback is important.
Any one else thinking the same? Or have better ideas?

Agree whole heartedly. I've said for a while I think it's a bit too chaotic with the mb's. But there is also an argument to be made to control the mb's. Maybe that's what Keith wants. I've tried but fall back to flailing away. Wish there was some time to look up at the screen to see what needs to be accomplished or more call outs.

I don't want to miss on the multiball chaos. It also can be fun and challenging. But - as I wrote here some days ago - I would prefer to separate the multiball madness from the "Killing smaug" finale section. So once you get through the multiball the machine could drain the balls, pause other running modes and give you 2 balls back for killing smaug. Similar to destroying the ring and the witch.

Well mine is still offline until I can get the rest of the trapdoor mylar but the list of problems has grown a bit. Just diagnosed the lamp problem, someone at the factory cable tied the lamp board B to C cable so tight that it's actually damaged it internally. Just tested with an old cat5 cable I had and bingo, solid lamps again near the back.

However I still have problems with Smaug - it would really help if some owner(s) could play their game for 15 minutes and let me know if the smaug rotation motor gets really hot. Mine had the whole bracket hot to the touch. Also if you switch the game into test mode from attract, does the Smaug left stop switch show as active? Mine works, but it seems to park just off the switch as if it can't really hold it there and I wonder if this results in a stronger hold voltage or something crazy like that. Or maybe they just burn hot as the sun as standard?