Thanks! Probably why I didn't see it. I haven't gone in to system settings.

Almost completed into the fire, got to third stage of Barrel Chase, missed the kill shot on Smaug...one heck of an epic game! I love this game. Just a shout out to fellow owners, I know this game gets some hate on here, but this is one purchase I don't regret. I've had it since March and no major issues except it continues to kick my butt. I'm sure my next 20 games will stink, but an epic run like tonight keeps me coming back. I hope you all love it like I do. Makes me feel like a kid again, and for me, that is what pinball is all about.

What does it mean when the round Arkenstone light at the bottom of the playfield is flashing or lit?

Future code to come?

I know this is an owners' thread, but if anyone has a friend in the NY area that's looking for a deal, here you go:

SOLD!

Machine - For Sale

FOR SALE: The Hobbit Black Arrow Special Edition ($6,900) Featured Archived

HUO - Documented (Home Used Only) - “HUO, 165 games played. (716 balls played.) Code just updated to 2.0. Plays and looks perfect. You'd be hard pressed to find any difference from a NIB. Back cabinet is signed by J...”

2017-08-11

Montecito, CA

getadam

6,900 (OBO)

Archived after: 46 days

Viewed: 2892 times

Status: Sold for $ 6,900

Contributed to Pinside

Got positive feedback

I've got an issue with a drop target I'm hoping someone can give me advice on how to fix. One of the DWARF (the W) drop targets doesn't consistently stay up when raised. If I push up the plunger that goes through the coil manually, it doesn't stay raised. If I push on the plastic piece behind the drop target that breaks the site line of the opto, it does stay up. I haven't yet unscrewed the bank of drop targets to take a closer look, but thought I'd seek advice before messing around in there.

Any suggestions?

Has anybody figured out what issue the upgraded left wireform is addressing?

On my game the right hand wireform is the one which causes unfair drains FAR more often. I've bent it up a bit but it's still happening occasionally. I'm a little tentative to really bend it a lot, in case the weld won't hold.

Anyway so what's the left one helping with?

I have had that happen 2 times now. The issue is that there is a black plastic 'ridge' that the drops will sit on when raised up. When hit it will push back off the ridge and the spring will pull it down (drop it). I have found that if it doesn't stay up well (or at all) it is because that black plastic ridge is broken. My understanding is that you can't fix it - and have to replace the entire drop target assembly.

It is to stop the ball from falling off the left side of the rails as it is coming down to the windlance and trapping above the left side of the game.

Try replacing the drop target itself.
Order a single drop target and a new W decal, Without looking at it, it might just be worn or a bad molding.
Pull it out an post some pics or move it to the next location and see if the problem follows it.

Thanks for the advice on the drop targets, folks, I'll pull it and try to see what's broken.

After 2 years finally defeated Smaug...flippers went dead, watched the screen. It was amazing!! Wish I knew what I did would like to do it again.

whoa! Congratulations. Played for about 45 minutes today and had the worst games since I've owned it. Never even made it to the Barrel level. Damn modes!

Congrats! It's actually easy to understand how to, but still challenging to actually do it. There is a great YouTube video on how to. Find it, and you'll understand much better. Great game Hobbit is.

Okay, so I got the scoop on the Arkenstone light...
There are 5 tasks (as you know) to complete to setup an Arkenstone mode (the first mode is Into the Fire). To setup and light Into the Fire, you collect the five pieces by getting all the dwarves, reaching Erebor on the spinners and so on. As you complete each task, not only do you get the shard on the monitor filled in but the Arkenstone light will begin to flicker after you complete one of them, then change and get brighter after two, and so on. Keith says there are specific colors involved but looking at my game that is hard to tell. It just bumps up the intensity and speed of the pulsing as you collect more shards. That light becomes most intense and brightest when an Arkenstone mode is qualified and ready to start.

No shit? Thanks! Never noticed, too busy staying alive.

Never noticed that either, very cool detail! I am having the hardest time completing ONE mode lately, can get the other 4 items easily almost every game, but ...OMG I always end up with one of those modes where you need to nail a single Elf target. Guess I should write down some of the easier damn modes

You can cancel the pending mode via the lockbar button before hitting the ramp.
After hitting the mode/book ramp you can use the flippers to select different modes while the ball is on the wireform.
They will be listed on the playfield screen.

I know, I do it all the time - I'm just not familiar enough with which modes to know the ones I can finish; some of them are super easy "hit the right ramp" and the others go in and on and on and on...

The one ring is one shot right ramp. Revenge of Sauron is 5 shots left ramp loop over and over.

I have lost count of how many times I couldnt make the "One Ring" shot under pressure...
The game is amazing!

I think it would be cool if it took 2 shots to the right ramp to complete the mode (to make it a bit more challenging). There seems to be enough video to do a looping in during those two shots. Maybe hit the goblin first (to make the ring drop) and then the right ramp to have Bilbo pick it up.

It would also be cool if that mode - once completed - would automatically charge the ring (if not already) - or light golem.

I'm hoping that we see another code update by or at expo with a super wizard mode!

I think Keith has a few other goodies in mind as well - but he is probably very busy on other projects. I am still certain he can continue to elevate the code on hobbit.

My Goblin head after a number of plays will slowly be moved to the side to the point where it impedes the ability of the mech to go up and down. I have to take the glass off and physically push the head to the right. I guess it is a little loose. My question (and afraid of the answer) is to tighten the head, do I need to remove the entire mech?

Likely yes. I had the same issue and many of the screws for the beast heads were losse. I posted a guide in this thread or The Hobbit tweak thread on how to fix the issue.

You can tighten the screws with a tiny wrench (like ignition wrenches) or a 4" channel lock (craftsman sells one).
Raise the mech manually and put a tool under the shaft to keep it raised.
Pull off the hair pins and remove the lid with springs ( dont loose the tiny parts they can go flying)
This will allow you to access the screws for tightening.
You can actually tighten the screws without removing the lid but its slow going.

Hello,
when the grand finale is scheduled?
It's been over a year since the hobbit came out !!!
Be careful not to do as STERN, wrong direction

Hey fellow Barrel Riders,
My top left pop up isn't going back into the playfield when hit. It registers a hit, but stays up for duration of cycle, as if not hit. Anyone had this issue? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Luke

I think their code for Hobbit was ahead of most Stern code from day 1...

If you have a friend who has been drooling over your Hobbit, you may want them to check out this fantastic deal. (Shameless self promotion.)

SOLD!

Machine - For Sale

FOR SALE: The Hobbit Black Arrow Special Edition ($6,900) Featured Archived

HUO - Documented (Home Used Only) - “HUO, 165 games played. (716 balls played.) Code just updated to 2.0. Plays and looks perfect. You'd be hard pressed to find any difference from a NIB. Back cabinet is signed by J...”

2017-08-11

Montecito, CA

getadam

6,900 (OBO)

Archived after: 46 days

Viewed: 2892 times

Status: Sold for $ 6,900

Contributed to Pinside

Got positive feedback

OH. MY. GOD. I have just under 1000 games on my machine and I had NO CLUE that I could do this, I thought you had to hit the ramp each time you wanted to change modes. Then I could never get to the modes I really wanted to do as feeder modes. YOU HAVE JUST CHANGED MY LIFE.

do you have the link ?

Your welcome!

Wait I didn't know this either. So you have from the time the ball is on the ramp to when it lands on the playfield again? I could not get this to work earlier..

Yes. Shoot the left ramp and use the flippers to change the selected mode. If you want to start the mode that is selected, shoot the right ramp if it is lighted red. If the right ramp is lighted green, hit the lockbar button to cancel the lock first. The ramp lighting will change to red. This only works if the lockbar button is lit. If it is not lit, shoot the ball around a bit (I mostly shoot it into the bumpers) and it will light rather quickly.

Great game.

Oh, I get it now. I was trying to change the mode after hitting the right ramp.

If the left ramp is lit book, you can turn the pages with the flippers after you shoot the left ramp.

Did not know that...how long do you have?

Until it hits the inlane switch.

Just as long as it is on the left ramp,not very long

Choosing the modes. Must admit I wasn't aware of this until a few months into ownership. The Hobbit really is a fantastic piece of work. Some great coding and integration of theme here. The new code keeps making it better.

I have been playing MMr quite a lot recently, which is a much more - maybe not 'deep', but has a lot more modes than I thought. I sort of think of WOZ as the next level of TZ, and likewise TH the next level of MM. Sure, there's no castle, but there are still a lot of similarities. I've been going through "if I can only keep one of the two games..." type of thinking. TH blows it away in almost every capacity.

Here's one of the smaug tutorials that helped me greatly.

That's a good video on how to kill Smaug. But still doesn't stop me from missing the shot and watching the ball drain my dreams away. I have my Hobbit right next to a LOTR and in my opinion, killing Smaug is harder than destroying the ring.

I finally killed smaug once after learning how to get there. It's a great challenge for sure, and very cool once you do it.

Hey awesome video
There is another one on how to get into arkenstone modes.

Tests switch test matrixed switch tests then spin it and see if the game registers it. If not physically push down on the micro switch arm next to the spinner
Does that register? If so then your actuator (switch arm) needs a gentle Bend up carefully hold the arm down against the body when you bend it
If still not reading look at 2 pin connector underneath and look for broken soldered wires on the switch body