Had the greatest game, killed Smaug...pure luck during multiball but hey, it happened.

Question on a beast mech giving me troubles. Sometimes one does not come up even during tests. When it is too far toward the front of the game, it is hard to lift. Took out the beast plastic ball save to ensure they were not rubbing up against them. Eventually happened again. If I push the mech back toward the back box, everything is smooth. Doesn’t happen when the playfield is up as I think gravity is helping me. If I had to guess the coil plunger is a little angled and rubbing on the blue sleeve too much. Any thoughts on what it could be? Thought I read something on adjusting this but can’t find the posts. Verified not hitting any wires, not rubbing against the white ball guard piece, and do not have a playfield protector.

Make sure the mech raises and lowers without any friction at all it should Drop Like a Rock.

You can raise the mech and physically bend the above the Playfield portion backwards towards the back glass or forwards a little bit to ensure that it raises and lowers friction-free.

Also check the leaf switch inside the mech and make sure it's not gapped too closely.

If the switch is gapped too closely the mech will register a ball hit and not raise all the way up.

All of the mechs should raise and lower properly in test, if not it is either binding or you have a broken wire or a poor connection or a poorly crimped wire inside a connector or even a bad pin on a connector or a poorly adjusted Leaf switch.

I am happy with the code as is since I have so much to learn. But....

Ted just posted the following sentence at the end of a thread in google for DI:

Regarding Dialed In! in particular, we're waiting on some graphical content. Personally, I've been giving Hobbit more attention lately.

--Ted

Thanks
Michael

<blockquote cite="#4281219"I've been giving Hobbit more attention lately.
--Ted

That’s exciting news!!!

Now, if only I could make it to the Battle of Five armies, so I had a chance to see this forthcoming “final wizard mode”.

I just posted this in the JJP forums under the 'black sheep' thread. It kind of sums up how I feel at the moment:

Yes here we are a few more months down the road, still waiting... different people, making the same comments about where the game is lacking. Against my better judgement I've kept my Hobbit for a couple of reasons. One because I'm a stubborn bast**d who loves Keith's code and wants to see the game reach its true potential. Two, that I hold Jack to his word and won't touch another JJP game until this code is sorted.

As much as I still love the game there are a some cold hard facts after having the game to play in-house for a year:

- it's not a deep game, there is certainly a lot to do, but it's not integrated or layered. It's broad rather than being deep
- the 30+ modes are a distraction, you only need 3, one for each rune. We would have been better off with 6 amazing modes, but the game was designed around the many drop targets and these elaborate modes that are not integrated in the gameplay
- the game is very linear. Three arkenstone multiballs you play in the same order, you do the same thing to qualify each one, every time
- The MB/mode stacking is an abortion and you're right there should be an option to at least disable it. The ring button is there and ripe to use as a postpone MB/mode button... the critic's cut makes the game even more linear

For me JJP can keep the wizard mode and spend time weaving the fabric of the game together. Give the player choices, give the game depth, make it spontaneous. Give it some X factor, inject some LOTR and WOZ into it...

JJP as a company need to make more games per year to succeed. From now on games will launch with more or less finished code so people like us won't bang about how their game's code is not finished. JJP took this decision to cash in on people bashing Stern about code updates, unfortunately the scapegoat(s) for this move is our game and us as customers. The irony is that Stern seem to be putting out more code updates, ok their base code is much less advanced, but they are improving. After being burned over this game I would say I would now entertain a Stern game where before I was JJP through and through. I never thought I would say that and I still hope JJP act to make me eat my words...

Actually I'm very happy with the code and the game. It's probably my favorite of the 9 games I own. I play it the most.

In fact I avoided the last update on the code and probably will in the future

Great news hobbit code is being worked on! Hopefully this is the one that polishes it off.

Don't get me wrong, I love the game. I played it tonight and had a blast, but it could be a lot better... it could stand shoulder to shoulder with WOZ but it doesn't at the moment, that's the truth.

Great news that Ted is working on Hobbit code! If some of the code concerns that many of us our in consensus on get addressed the Hobbit will be a masterpiece.

Remember it took until version 5.0 for The Wizard of Oz to even come close to being polished.

Prior to that it was pretty sketchy.

Now it code version 6.0 The Wizard of Oz is really a good game.

I imagine if The Hobbit gets up to version 5.0 the game will be truly amazing.

Yeah, it's just taking The Hobbit far longer to get to that point...hopefully it happens sooner rather then later.

Every code update from JJP makes the pin much more amazing. Can’t wait!

The self test reports matrixed switch #51, Nori Target (stuck open). What am I looking for to fix it?

I know many of you are looking for an updated code and I hope it gets done to your satisfaction. Due to my abilities I'm not sure I will enjoy the game as much as I do now. Example, a few days ago I had everything ready except beating the mode & getting stone to get to Barrel Escape. I ended game with 1,122,000 and no BE.
I have woz and the end goal is totally unattainable maybe the best I have ever done was get 2 or 3 diamonds of the following . (ECMB, HFMB, MW and 50 YBRs)

Check the manual to see where it is.

Then go to Tests - Switches - Matrixed, and push it and see if it works. If not check the usual things. Broken wire, needing adjusting.

LTG : )

I just don't get why the things people are looking for in an update would make the game less enjoyable for you. No one said the game should be made harder. I think what people want is that the game shouldn't be as linear as it is now. I don't know if there is any other game with so cool and with so many modes as in the hobbit. But you only have to play one to get to the next stage. And you always try to select the easy one. The structure of the gameplay as it is now is in my opinion a waste of the potential. The modes are what makes this game awesome, but the focus of the gameplay structure is on the MBs. For me the most important step would be that the Arkenstone modes should require different ways to get to them. So that you can go to them in different nonlinear order. It just needs all to be arranged in an other way.

I couldn’t agree more. I’ve the game for 2 weeks now and I definitely like it a lot. But I did get to all wizard modes AND into the fire twice the other day. I also killed Smaug in the same game. So I essentially “beat” the game. Damn. Two weeks and I beat it?

So I just want to go for a higher score. Ok cool. I will. But to qualify the next wizard mode is the same exact process. The game is very linear at the moment. I hope they do change this and also incorporate all the cool modes better. The modes in this game are so great, but you only need one, so why play more? I really hope there is a final wizard mode that requires you to play ALL the modes and maybe beat X amount of them.

All in all it’s an amazing game and I do like it a lot. The code could just use some polish. Hers a pic of that game on factory settings.

EA9DE0CB-EC55-42A9-9465-F5567A34221E (resized).jpeg

Amazing score! I would say to technically beat The Hobbit today you would need to complete all 31 book modes and all 3 Arkenstone modes so there's still more to shoot for

There's a folder in the last update called "There and Back Again" that wasn't in the previous code updates. I'll guess There and Back Again is the super wizard mode that is coming. I wouldn't be surprised if the number if modes completed and scores in them influences scoring in the super wizard mode.

Is the center post installed on your game? If so, I suggest removing it. Or, at the least, taking the rubber off it.

--Ted

I think once you played beast frenzy and feast frenzy you cannot play it again until you playes an arkensa mode

More code updates are always welcome but the game is still really great if you take the time to set it up to your liking. Personally I removed the outlane posts and made the software tougher and the game has become a thrilling challenge and not a lengthy chore.

I hope that after all this time without any major updates, the development team hasnt lost its way or its vision.

I believe that the hobbit can be as well polished as the WOZ, but its up to the team to come up with something astounding!

Or leave is shallow like so many other games and move on to the next. That would be sad.

The game needs more humor and exciting surprizes in the code that are meaningful and unique to the game.

Great news there is more code coming.

Hobbit may be on the easier side for good players but I am average at best. I like that the pin feels like the Hobbit movie, a little laid back with flashes of itense action (multiball).

Pretty happy with mine for far, but only a few weeks in so who knows where my opinion will be down the road.

Located the switch, standup target nearest the upper flipper, behind the M drop target.

No obvious broken/loose wires, so I assume it’s an adjustment issue, but I’m a completely new at adjusting leaf switches, so I don’t understand what parts I adjust and which way.

Did you check it first in Tests - Switches - Matrixed ?

See the MM troll picture. Red arrow is pointing at one of the two leafs. Yellow arrow is pointing direction to make more sensitive, opposite that direction if stuck closed.

LTG : )

Trollface (resized).JPG

So if it’s listed as stuck open in matrix switch test I need to make it more sensitive?

Check it in tests first.

LTG : )

2CC93408-4239-417B-9D3E-125FB8C1BA4C (resized).jpeg

Never mind. Found it, I’m blind. Looks like I’m going to have to learn to solder. Green wire at the front of the switch broke off.

Just strip it a little and solder it back?

Yes.

LTG : )

From mediocre players (my wife & me), Hobbit is a fantastic pinball machine as is. So is DI and WOZ for that matter. If they are "just" making a final wizard mode for TH, I wouldn't see it for a while or very often (gotta play better), so the urgency for us is not there. Any new code to advance these JJP pins to a new level or polish them off is very welcome and would refresh our addiction to the games. I would award Keith and Ted a beer if I ever meet them in a bar sometime for their good work that (I think) goes above and beyond - dilly, dilly! They (and their team) both do very fine top notch work that puts JJP at a higher standard and leaves the owners with pitchforks wanting MORE ... and wanting it NOW. Patience ... they said that their main concentration is on the new JJPOTC pin until it is released and that they WILL come back to TH and DI. Hearing that they ARE spending time on TH again and that they are waiting on some more animations for DI reinforces that ... thank you for that update Ted. JJPOTC must be close to production.

JJP coding team --> Keep up the good work and we look forward to whatever new code you will entertain us with. Keep feeding our addictions ...

Erring on the side of caution as we've had our hopes built up a number of times in the past... a throw away comment by Ted in a DI thread does not mean it's happening. I'll believe it when I can download it, or as the Wolf would say

As a follow up to the barrel lights...my son designed and printed a cup holder for the Hobbit. Really turned out well! Like this one a lot. If anyone has interest we will get the file up to Thingiverse if you want to print your own.

965A5AF1-9155-4093-AE13-AECDFAAC96D1 (resized).jpeg

466E5518-8BEC-4713-9E87-3B6630B87406 (resized).jpeg

Very nice! Also my beverage of choice

I don't have a Hobbit so I haven't really spent any time in this thread.
But I CANNOT POSSIBLY be the only person who looks at the playfield and can't help but see THIS.
This has to have been mentioned a thousand times already, RIGHT??

40698226f196581d4d433626e28c9b5f53371d6d copy (resized).jpg

I have never even remotely noticed that before...interesting though.

LOL...well, that’s a stretch. You see what you want to I guess.

It's a spread, actually.

I've encountered a problem with the LOCK rollovers. The O is no longer registering. Likely just a switch needing adjustment. However, when I lift the playfield, the lock switches are buried under lots of other stuff. Anyone have any suggestions on the procedure to follow to get to these switches?

I had to adjust my L rollover and had the same issue. I just looked at it from a bunch of different angles until I could get my tool on the switch and did it blind. Not the best way but it did the trick.

Get a couple of these (they can break):

https://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=1518&parent=0

Adjust the thicker backer strip to do it properly if you can. Bend it slightly closest to the base of the switch for lasting results.

One of the best little tools I've ever bought you will use it plenty.

I wish the wizard modes were randomized. I am not very good lol, so I won't see the 2nd one very much and the third one maybe if I am lucky!

I agree with having different ways to get to the wizard modes. The game does have a linear feel to it that could be improved. I also would like to see more usage of the Smaug toy

Agree as well. I think an "easy" way to solve this would be to require 3 modes to be completed for each wizard mode as one of the 5 required Arkenstone mode qualifiers. For example for Into the Fire require 3 Man modes to be completed, Barrel Escape 3 Elf modes, and for Battle of the Five Armies 3 Dwarf modes.

Something such as above would allow players to go after a particular Arkenstone mode as well make it worthwhile to complete more then just 1 mode. Having this at least as an option in the games menu would be nice.

As a previous Hobbit owner, I don't think this is a good idea. While I would play a lot of modes, I never completed many modes. If I had to complete 3 modes for each wizard mode I would rarely reach any wizard mode.

Yeah I hear ya there, that is why I think it would be best to have it just as a setting. Also having the option to select how many modes need to be completed to reach an Arkenstone mode would be nice as well.

I said it before but I'll say it again because a lot of time has passed.

My favorite rulesets have layers. For example, just starting modes get's you to a mini-wizard. Completing a mode increases score and a certain number of completed modes gets you to a deeper wizard mode. Completing all modes maybe gets a big point bonus and your name on a special list.

The important thing is that every accomplish has meaning and a reward that is appropriate to the difficulty of the accomplishment. My favorite rewards come in the form of (game progression + points + fanfare).

After a descent amount of time with no code updates the game feels unfinished to me.
I would like to see a varying amount of balls in the multiballs, 2 ball for a mode, 3 for another, add-a-ball for another, 5 ball for a main one with add-a-ball etc. Stacking of multiballs is fun but takes away from the over-all mission of the game.

Example:

Beast frenzy might be a locked 2 ball mode with add-a-balls, otherwize its just random hits and no aiming or shooting the beasts.

This would break up the non-stop mutliball heaviness on this game.

Also add some surprises and more humor to the code PLEASE!

I have stopped playing my game sadly due to repetitiveness and nothing to look forward to other than a non-stop multiball fest.

Im thinking of selling it.

Hopefully there will be some serious code changes to change my mind soon.

I look at what amazing transformations the WOZ went thru from linear crap code to an amazing polished and finished game!
But that was code 1 to code 6.61 in a fairly short time. This kept me on the hook and I enjoyed the journey the game is a keeper for me.

The hobbit as it stands now? Not so much, maybe a JJPPOTC.... Or Lawlor JJP5.

I think it could become a new classic but it need a major code update.