Finally got my Hobbit after 4 years of waiting! Loving it so far, it's playing great!

I wonder about this rustling noise coming from the speakers. I couldn't find any thread about this for Hobbit, but both my friend's and my games have it. It's especially present during attract mode. I already replaced the audio cable going from the back of the computer to the backbox speakers with a high quality shielded one but the annoying rustling sounds are still there.

Also, while the playfields seems incredibly hard (no visible dimpling) I wonder about the two "extra ball" holes. Do these need protectors? That wood looks terribly exposed/delicate.

I also posted some bugs/suggestions in the code update thread: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/hobbit-code-19-now-available/page/3#post-3730203

Glad you're loving your Hobbit! It such a great game once you start to understand the modes/rules! As for the extra ball holes, there are cliffy protectors available. The left hole requires some dismantling of things to put it on. I don't have cliffys on my THLE yet and have not had any wear in those areas yet (about 400 games on my machine).
When I do a tear down to clean/wax in a few months I may throw them on.

This game is built like a tank!

has someone disassemble the hobbit machine to move it upstairs? are there things to look out for?
gr udo

a hernia comes to mind!

An Escalera ... it saves the following:

I bought an Escalera and love it. It does not get used much, but my back and balls thank me every time it does get used. My son thanks me now too.

This game is so under the radar! No one is really talking about it and I think it is just a masterpiece in beauty and game play. Lets keep it quiet!

I caught lightning in a bottle sunday morning got to Battle of 5 Army's. Beat my GC score by over 1,000,000. now at 2,600,000.

I have it on 3 ball but have EB setting based on scores, plus earned maybe 2 more by the hole shots.

What a game, almost late for church. My wife told me to quit bringing the 5 army's up all day.

Congrats on your high score. I'm still trying to input all the info to my brain so my score is a little weak. Had my game for about 3 weeks now and it gets better each time I play it.

I was getting static in the right speaker. Issue was the 3.5mm aux. cable between the motherboard and the sound board was bad. The cable they use is cheap. I used one I had on hand and that resolved my issue.

I removed the playfield on my Hobbit to make it easier to move it upstairs. It really was fairly simple--I just labled all the connectors as I disconnected them and the playfield simply pulls right out. It made it easier for me to move the two pieces upstairs and then I just reconnected all the connectors.

Still no word on another update or final wizard mode? I've been to 5 armies, but want something more to aim for.

This is from another thread on Hobbit code, so its something:

Quoted from daudioguy:

Alas, after review I have made an error. Good find. The mix for Scoring Fanfares is done dynamically at run-time. I specify how much the music goes down and how (when it goes down, when it starts to come back up and how fast). How far it goes down is a negative value. I left off the '-'. My bad.
This fix will be distributed along with more sounds in BOFA at some point in the near future.

Just for clarification...this was in response to Robin where he pointed out some "bugs".

Thanks for the idea, I'll take a look at that tonight.

Not "bugs", but bugs! David confirmed (one of) them, so they're "real"!

Just bought a WOZ and loving it so much that it is making me think about The Hobbit. Love TH theme and artwork, but have limited play on it. I know it is a very different game from WOZ, but if it is filled with the same JJ innovation and awesomeness, I would likely love it.

Am wondering what you guys (the owner group!) think overall, especially compared to WOZ. I know TH is limited on toys and that it is perhaps more of a 'battle' game as compared to the overall game play of WOZ, but would love your insight.

Comes down to two questions, I guess:

1 - Is there the same JJ innovation in TH as WOZ? When you first bought it, were you guys learning new game play and thinking, 'Wow, that is cool! Can't believe they thought to do that...'
2 - Should I do it? ha ha

I have owned a hobbit for four months and just picked up a woz. Very different games, but similar traits in terms of quality. Love them both. Hobbit is way underpriced right now, grab an le or smaug while you can.

1- Yes
2- Yes

I own both and my family enjoys them the most. TH is a good home pin as it will take a while to figure things out and learn strategies. With 32 modes, it is pretty entertaining to us. We've had the TH for 7 months and we are still in the honeymoon phase with it. It'll be a keeper. I would advise to read the rulesheet in that thread to see if it is just too much depth. It's too much for some ... not for me. Still learning and figuring things out as I progress deeper into the game.

I own both. Woz was my grail game. After getting hobbit, it has nearly taken it's place as my favorite. Both compliment each other well, and are very different. Both are gorgeous and build quality is much much higher than anything else ever made. Get a hobbit. It's amazing. Both my jjp games are keepers for sure and I wish I had funds for DI or jjp#4.

I have a different viewpoint. I would say:

1. - Yes
2. - Not necessarily.

I owned both Woz and TH together for awhile. I bought TH first, and picked up Woz soon afterwards.

If you love one game, it does not automatically translate that you will love the other. At least it didn't for me. I kept the game that I thought was more fun.

Woz and TH are very different games.

This is very true. Same company, totally different experiences. I love both. Quality on all jjp games are best in the business and seem to get better each new game. Just because you love one game from a company doesn't make the other games they make winners. Best scenario is to always find one to play first. With hobbit, make sure you play a huo that is properly set up to properly gauge the game. This is very important.

So which one did you keep?

lol

i believe that

thanks for the advise!

Tha manual is available now on JJP's site : http://store.jerseyjackpinball.com/Parts/The-Hobbit-Parts/

Just like the WOZ one. Photo quality paper, pictures, back story, etc.

LTG : )

At this point WOZ is significantly a better game than TH. I own both. A few more code updates can elevate TH, but I'm not sure it will ever be better than WOZ is.

I still have Woz.

LTG if we mention your name do we get a discount?

This seems to be a fairly common problem that is covered by warranty. Register your game via the Support website and create a ticket regarding the issue. They'll send you a Ground Loop Isolator free of charge. This addressed the issue on mine. Enjoy!

I need a tip for one of the modes. Riddles in the dark I think it's called. Golumn is telling riddles and I think there is a target to hit? Something with the drops? What exactly is going on here?

So, there's always a blue shot that reveals the orange shot you need to "answer" and advance to the next riddle. While the riddle is being told, there are a lot of blue shots which slowly disappear and eventually reveal the one you have to hit. You can get lucky and hit it during the riddle, which will automatically reveal the orange shot to solve the riddle. This is definitely a tough mode - and you should always take advantage when the TIME ramp is lit - get that extra time, you'll definitely need it!

I have both and would only have WOZ if my wife was willing to part with TH

Woz is definitely my favorite, but it's close. Hobbit definitely needs another update to lengthen the game. I'll never beat woz, but I've already gone through the hobbit.

Right on, thanks

Where does the ground loop isolator hook into?

it goes inline between the audio jack on the motherboard and the cable that plugs into the motherboard.

Just got mine! Smaug SE with Radcals. Should I put flipper button protectors on it? If so, where do I get those? Also, I saw some talk about needing additional leg protection with the Radcals. Does anyone have any more information on that?

Thanks. Green connector end correct? I know that is typically the color cable that plugs into line in.

You need neither with radcals.

Just ordered an LE. Super excited. Thanks for your help everyone.

WOZ > TH

WOZ is a well rounded game in nearly all aspects. TH needs code which I'm not sure is coming.

Congrats! It's a great game.

I agree. Woz is an instant classic and hobbit really needs a final wizard mode and a little more polish. Hopefully it will still come.

I still find WOZ to lack satisfying shots and to have a really annoying sound package. That being said if I had one in the home, perhaps it would eventually click like Hobbit....but those "ding ding dings". Hobbit on the otherhand has the most beautiful and exciting music ever composed for a pin, and I find the shots and how they work with the rules to be super satisfying.

I don't mind the woz sounds, actually probably like the sounds. I can agree that hobbit has pretty epic sounds and definitely more flow to it. Just totally different styles between the two. Love, love them both.

I got my TH a month before I got my WOZ, have had both games almost 6 months now. I checked the audits on both last night and WOZ has 100 more games on it. Between myself, friends, and family, it appears WOZ is winning the popularity contest. Both are amazing games and both are very different.

I honestly think woz will get more casual players due to the amazing layout and ALL the cool toys. Hobbit is deceptive at first sight. It does look bland in comparison to woz in regards to toys/playfield, but once you play it and understand it, the game gets crazy fun. I literally love them both, and they will be keepers. I can't wait to see jjp#4.

Is there any way to dim the light in the backbox? I looked through the menu, but didn't noticed anything (which doesn't mean it isn't there).

No. Put a difuser over it.

LTG : )

Joining the club. Just bought my Smaug from Butch2099 and it will be here Tuesday. Probably be next weekend before it is set up because I have to get it upstairs. I played one at the Seattle Pinball Museum and had to have it. All of my other pins (except Ripley's) are 90's machines and I told myself if I could only have one more pin, I wanted a newer one. I like Ghostbusters and WOZ, but TH blew me away. Read the books as a teenager so many years ago, which helped form my love of D&D and the Middle Earth role playing game (MERP), loved the LOTR movies, but unlike most people I love the Hobbit movies even more because of extra content (much of which appeared in MERP). I can't stop thinking about the pin...

congrats on the Smaug but get help taking it up the stairs. those bad boys are heavy!

I recommend taking the back box off, very easy to do and makes moving a little easier.

I updated the code to the newest beta.

Now in a couple modes the windlance is weak when the meter says strong on launch from the windlance.
Its got to be a bug, Hasn't happened before ever.

For the most part the windlance is normal.

I have to say that the ball save on a failed windlace lock is really good though.