Yup, that is the only way I can get it out of the lane! Wonder why they did not include the spring. Reaching out to them now for more info. Thanks!

They are sending me the spring, which should patch it right up. It does look awesome btw! Much better than the stock black shooter.

I had the same spring issue but was able to pirate another shoother rod that I had replaced earlier. I have also noticed that the rod is just a slight bit loose in the sleeve of the shooter housing. Seems the rod diameter and the JJP shooter housing are a bit different.

What is the best way to contact JJP? I sent them a email on Sunday and haven't heard back?

Did you just email, or did you submit a support ticket? Support tickets usually get answered fairly quickly.

I’m also enjoying the Critics cut. It makes multiballs way harder to earn for the modes. It is really nice getting orbit shots that go all the way around now too. I used to dislike that the ball always got trapped and locked up.

I also find the mode multi ball generally hinders me more than helps me, always hitting my two shots together, or rushing shots...

I went to "contact" on their website and explained the situation, haven't heard back? If that is a support ticket, then yes I filled it out.

I would try here: http://www.jerseyjackpinball.com/support/
Then click on Support Form.

Call them. Much faster and they will do a great job of helping you.

I will try giving them a call. Thanks Guys.

Hey fellas , was just south in Mexico and found these cool letter openers I had bought to use as mods for my hobbit machine. The scale is a little big but the quality is stunning! They are made in Spain , later on I will try to find the manufacturer

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Bilbos blade sting

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Arwen's blade detail

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Orchrist , Thorins "orc killer"

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Glandring gandalfs sword

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Those look awesome!

I second this. Called them a few weeks back and someone actually answered. Was able to discuss my issues and order the $7 part I needed.

They look pretty cool - but not sure where you can place ALL of them on the PF without it looking a bit like a porcupine. Maybe go with one (like Sting), but where would it go? Shooter lane maybe? Perhaps the ring would look ok on the Bag End plastic? Maybe Thorins blade on the captive ball plastic?

Interested to see what you come up with.

Added this precious ring today. Thought it looked great. Was only about $12 on eBay. Fits the overall quality of the machine. Love this game.

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Hey guys im way out of the loop are we still expecting gameplay updates?

Yes, but only after Pirates is released.

Had anyone brassed their ramps and habitrails?

I didn't see any pictures or mention of it in this thread, so I'm guessing not. But, just something I was thinking would look nice and tie in with Smaug's gold piles.

Thank you. Is everyone mostly ok with this 2.01 code I see a couple pages back? Im on 1.9 i think

I like 2.01 better. It has the old attract lights.

It depends who you talk to... in the JJP forum there is a very evident feeling that this game has been left behind in terms of code tweaks/polish and the true vision has never really been implemented.

Yes it's complete in terms of everything there, but its missing real integration of the modes and incentives to play through them well. The code itself is really quite linear which can make the game feel samey i.e. every Arkenstone mode is qualified the same way, and the same 5 objectiveness for each one, and those 3 MB modes have to be played in order. Also there is a lot of forced stacking which kind of messes up modes and multiballs if you are trying to play through them cleanly.

What is kind of wrong/missing with the game has been done to death over that side, the JJP team have no doubt seen all this so most people are holding out hope that it will finally be given this extra shot in the arm. If that doesn't happen I think the value of the Hobbit will take a nose dive and a lot of owners will be pissed at JJP for some time to come. It has the potential to be an outright classic but its just missing that something special which all of Keith's other games have. Myself I think he will deliver as he's never disappointed yet.

You can select what attract lights you want in the latest code.

More will be coming, be patient. Jjp and the designer have said so. Small company, slower progress, it hasn’t been abandoned, I take their word for it. It’s greeat as it plays now, but they aren’t going going to turn it into a different game. I’d think changes will be more on polish, add final wizard mode, etc.

I feel strongly that Keith and team are going to bring the code along nicely. But to your point - the modes are awesome, but I think the rinse and repeat for qualifying the Arkenstone modes is a bit underwhelming. Once I get into the fire I definitely feel I am in the wood chopping stage to get the next one.

Basically I feel like you take a breath and internally just say 'Again' and then do the same steps all over again. It would be awesome if Keith could shake that up and have different ways to qualify - almost like you got to the next level in the journey and now the game changes a bit. I have a few ideas, but I think Keith and team will come up with something better.

I get what you're saying Goronic, and I hope that what you want happens, but look at LOTR. Qualify the mini wizard modes and play destroy the ring. If you miss the shot(s) then chop wood all over just to try again. And beat destroy the ring...well chop wood better to someday achieve Valinor. Do you think Keith is going to do something vastly different from his previous work? So, at this point, I'm just hoping for final Wizard or pair of Wizards, one for just starting all mini-wizards (a la destroy the ring) and one for actually beating them all(a la Valinor). All in all, as it is already, I enjoy Hobbit more than LOTR.

Editing because it seemed too negative. Believe me, I also want better integration of the modes into the game. Because I love so many of them...although I have much hate for The Bait..."Come and get me!!!!!"

To mention the Critics Cut in the latest code... I said this over in the JJP forum but that setting is both good and bad news. First the good - it gives you a taste of what its like to play Beast and Smaug MB in isolation, and they are great! The bad - it makes the gameplay even more linear as Beast/Smaug now come up in a similar order every time.

All it needs is for the ring button to become a postpone button just like for the ball locks, whether it be for a MB or mode starting like follows:

- so you're in the middle of a MB/Mode and you qualify another one
- there's an audio queue and you have 5 seconds to press the ring button to postpone it starting
- as soon as the current MB/ends, the postponed MB/mode is queued up and immediately starts.

It's simple, uses something that is already there, and it gives the player a choice, to stack or not to stack.

My idea for adding variety to the Arkenstone qualifying modes was to give a bonus incentive to complete them in a certain order, sort of like spelling sequential FILM letters in Creech. This could be random every time you start the game, one panel pulses to say that one first, then the next one, etc. e.g. Collect Dwarves, visit Erebor, Smaug, Mission, Beasts. The bonus would have to be worth it could this could be something like an extra ball instead of points? Code wise it doesn't change the fabric of the game much.

My last request, give the ramp a u-turn bonus. Make it a hurry up shot for extra points, collect dwarf, lock letter, move towards Erebor, etc. Similar to Glenda in WOZ (not that she's a hurry up but more the award she gives).

Yeah I also think Keith/Ted will get round to this - but more than the wizard mode that has been promised it's crying out for VARIETY and DEPTH.

If you "attempt back stab" using the ring button option, the ramp diverter goes down. Maybe award extra points if you accomplish doing the U turn and do actually back stab the beast on that side of the playfield.

I didn't know that - are you sure the attempt will make the diverter go down? I will have to check on that

I am so happy they brought those back. Experimentation is cool and accepting that not everyone liked it is even cooler!

For those of us that have just purchased the game (I'm on 2.01), what is the Critic's Cut preset and what does it do?

Thanks in advance.

People (critics) were complaining about the stacking of Beast MB and Smaug MB, so the settings were tweaked to make one qualify before the other. It works to a degree:

...it's located in the difficulty presets, it's another option added to the easy, medium, difficult, competition, etc. menu. You scroll through them and it's at the bottom.

What it does is change the settings for the Smaug locks for Smaug MB and Beast qualifiers for Beast MB - the aim being to play them separately.

Thanks for taking the time to answer and being detailed...appreciated.

I just bought a Hobbit NIB. Need some advice on issues with it:

1) The informational flyers they stuck to the glass left gunk on it, and the alchohol/water mix they recommend for cleaning the glass will not take it off. I have goo gone but afraid to use it on invisiglass coating.
2) Mylar applied at slingshots and around beasts is not applied well. It's not peeling but it is very noticeably not clear. I'll call JJP about this.
3) My ramp screws at the base of the ramp are stripped to high hell. I'll just replace these, but geez.
4) The ball regularly flies off the right upper habitrail. Other posts seem to recommend lowering pitch and/or flipper power, neither of which I really want to do from where it is right now. My flippers are only at 20. Any other options here?
5) The shaker motor does not seem to be activating during gameplay, but it is during test mode. I also think I made sure it was enabled in the menu, but it was late, I'll double check that again today.
6) Backbox rear sticker is peeling on edges. This is not a big deal but it's weird.

Thanks in advance for advice.

Don't forget that if Smaug and Beast are going at the same time, focus on the beasts. When you hear "Super Jackpot" slap the ring button and it will end Beast Multiball.

Looking at the manual I am missing something here! I am getting an error message on all three flippers to "Check Dedicated Switch - EOS Stuck Open" but yet the flippers all work.....what am I missing?

EOS switches aren't working. Machine can work without them.

Go into Tests - Switches - Dedicated, turn each flipper bat. Any of them register on the screen ? If not, check if they close when the pawl moves them, then start checking them for a common broken wire at each on and on the way to the I/O board.

LTG : )

Again, appreciate the assistance. If you can provide any other ideas (use technical for dummies terms n pics help)???

Yes. Or a bad connection from the I/O board through the metal box holding it and along and up to the EOS switches. Their common wire is black. You have a break somewhere.

LTG : )

I had a great couple of great games on TH yesterday, the last had me a set a new Grand Champion score but your comment came to mind. After an epic 30 minute game there was nearly zero incentive to press the start button again and have the game be ~85% the same experience in terms of qualify runes, arkenstone modes, etc. I know this won't be a problem on location but I hope some consideration is given to the home owner to boost the variety. LOTR seems to feel different every time I play it, even after all these years.

Also had another thought while playing... I know collecting dwarves is one of the runes to qualify an arkenstone mode but i don't understand why. In the 100s of games I've played I think I've collected all of the dwarves by default, it's never something I get 4 runes and then find I'm missing dwarves. I just wondered why this was included as a rune and not a stand alone bonus feature?

If I play any game for 30 minutes, I never feel like pushing the start button again, it's not just the hobbit. To me playing 10 games of IM or XM for 30 mins or 1 game of th for 30 mins is the same thing. 30 mins + of lotr and tspp leave me with the same feeling.

I suppose this is an individual thing. I played WOZ yesterday and had several long games in a row, but the 'feel' of the game seems to be different every time I play it in terms of the objectives or mode I play along the way. Even if I start out with a plan it changes which makes the whole thing feel non-linear, the opposite to TH.

I took both outlane posts and the center post completely out of my game. Combined with making the software harder the ball times are now usually less than a minute. Nobody has beaten the Jersey Jack 500k factory GC score in over three months and about 1000+ plays.

It's absolutely addicting to play now. Always leaves you wanting more. Never feels like a boring game since your chances of survival are so low; as the should be against a dragon!