The Hobbit
Jersey Jack, 2016You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider Vyzer2.
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I picked up my game today at JJP. Good times. I will say this, the factory is humming and there are a lot of pins that are boxed and ready to go. I think they are going to pump games out fast. Tons of play fields and cabinets ( both LE and SE) around. Think the early months orders will go reasonable fast.
Quoted from FalconPunch:Not that it really matters but how many people would you estimate are on the floor working on the line?
I got there during lunch hour and didn't really count. But at that time there were at least as many in the teens. Lots of activity.
The game is different. It's different in the same way that WOZ was different in the beginning where there was more concentration on scoring than in completing traditional modes. But once code developed, there was a clear strategy to completing modes as well as maximizing scoring opportunities. I can see TH developing in the same manner.
As most have seen, the game is beautiful. But what is not mentioned enough is that the sound is far superior to any ( stock) game I have played. Rich deep base and the varied music adds to the overall immersion of gameplay.
While the play field is wide open, there is more than enough to shoot at. The drop targets are integral to game scoring and while I don't understand it enough, I imagine there is a progression of hitting the drops to complete modes and advance further. The movement of the drops makes for quite a fun shooters experience. The pop ups block certain shots, messing with you hitting what you are supposed to. I would like the code to allow for a screen telling you how many you have hit at the end of the game and having a high score for popups.
The play filed is well lit and easily played in a dark room.
I have seen a few very interesting and fun modes where Keith has used the flashers and white lights to "brighten" up the pf during a particular mode. I can only imagine how much more the lights will help direct the flow of the game.
Game needs more callouts and a better indication of what needs to be done, but there is already a clear framework of what is needed to progress. Shoot left lane, start this mode, hit the left or right ramp to start this mode, hit the drop targets for more scoring, etc.
Having heard that there is more voice for Smaug, I can see Smaug playing an important role. The sound/voice that comes out of Smaug is excellent. His mouth moves perfectly with what he says. Couple that with the shaker at times and the deep base, is really good.
The LCD... I would imagine you could probably see the whole movie if you watched it long enough. There are so many clips that are played in crystal clear quality. Same as WOZ in that while you are learning the game, you had little time to actually look up. But as you learned the game, woz's lcd was easy to read and understand. TH's lcd has so much more going on. At first it was no way you can understand it, but now after really not much playing time, I already have a good feel for looking up and understanding what's being displayed.
Yeah, TH is different....but different in a good way. I think it's a really fun pin and it's only going to get much better. I have not scratched the surface of the subtleties and haven't done justice to all that is already there, but I do have a good feeling that this is one great pin. Different yes, but in a real good way.
Quoted from Pimp77:Got her unboxed on Saturday. This thing is an absolute beast to move. Heaviest game I've moved, and I have WOZ and RS. When I first cracked the box and got a look at the RADCALs, I was pleasantly surprised. They look REALLY nice. They actually look better than the direct print WOZ cabinet! Super shiny/glossy. That's saying something.
The game itself is absolutely beautiful...from the powder to the pf art to the colors. Look at the pics. Upon boot I thought I had an issue with the little LCD, because the JJP logo is upside down when booting. It's the right orientation after booting. Weird. Both screens looks very nice. JP did an astounding job on the graphics. JJP needs to retain him (and Keith/Ted) at all costs.
Had a couple minor things to fix out of the box. My "D" drop target up coil and upper right flipper hold coil were not working. Traced it to a loose connector at back of box on the bottom of the cab. Fixed both issues. Had to adjust the inner right inlane switch and gap the Orc troll target. I need to work on the ball trough ejector setting as it takes a couple tries sometimes to serve the ball. All in all though, arrived without many issues. I immediately upgrade to 1.10 code.
My first game it felt very floaty...especially after having just played MMr. But that feeling disappeared after a couple games. This isn't a blazing Stern game like IM or ST or a brutal game like GB or TWD. This isn't a slow game by any means, but let's not pretend it's blazing. It's about WOZ speed. This is a players game. You have to be very precise with your shots. The orbits are really really smooth and feel great to hit. The spinners make a great sound. Same with the ramps, smooth. It shoots very nice. My pop-up mechs work very nice. Both the goblin and Orc each "trapped" a ball when dropping, but they popped right back up and freed the ball. No ball trap issues anywhere in fact. Once in a while the warg will self-hit and drop...just need to gap it a little more I think. The beasts are very satisfying to hit and come up often. It wasn't rare to get Smaug multiball and Beast frenzy at the same time. That's a frentic riot!
I don't really have a grasp yet on the rules other than how to start modes and the multiballs. The modes seem mostly framed in and vary nicely. Some very cool stuff there. I thought I heard David Thiel say once that there are unique stingers recorded for each mode's successful shots. I don't think that's there yet. Sound/music are amazing by the way...Thiel is a master at his craft. While playing you don't have much time to look at the main screen, but the little LCD is very nice. It tells you what shots the running mode requires and how much time is left, or it shows you what the next mode will be. It's pretty useful, similar to the TSPP TV, but way cooler.
The code has a ways to go, but what's there now is more than most games already. There needs to be more fanfare to progressing through modes and achieving things IMO. Hopefully that's coming...the mode stingers will help immensely. The game is already awesome and will only get better. Ball time is on the longer side...not quite LOTR long yet, but I see it getting there after I learn how to avoid all the punishing shots. All this pinside talk had me a little worried, but I have no doubt this will become an epic game. It's a keeper at this stage already. To those waiting to receive one: squash your fears, this game is worth the wait!
Well said! Those were my sentiments when I first unboxed and how I feel currently. This game has the makings of something special. The modes need to be cleaned up with proper call outs and indications of finishing the modes. You have to believe that with Keith and Ted, they are going to finish this game up quite nicely.
Quoted from fnosm:I'm having an issue where the ball isn't always successfully served up from the ball trough to the plunger. It looks like the ball is being deflected back into the trough by the ball keeper (the tab that closes the ball trough when the playfield is raised.) Anyone else experiencing something similar or have any suggestions?
Yes I had this very same problem when I first unboxed. You're going to have to lift the pf and bend a piece of metal back a tiny bit. I'm traveling now or I would send you the email correspondence I had with Llyod. It was an issue on WOZ as well, so there is an easy and known fix. Send Lloyd a pm and he can send you the fix, he's well aware of this.
Well its a shooters game for sure. Keith has a lot more work to do. Game needs more call outs so you know what to shoot for. Although the small book (lcd) tells you what you need to do, there are times, esp during a multiball when you start a mode that you either don't know what mode your in or what needs to be shot at. There's little chance of having time to look at the main screen or the book. Watching WOZ progress from early code issues such as TH, got to figure he will clean up the rough spots. So much more to come, mode completions, the 3 main wizard modes, call outs, scoring balances and lighting issues. At least for me, having a hard time understanding what the change in lighting color actually means. Trying to figure it out vs reading a rule sheet. Overall, its very different than any pin out there, which makes it unique and fun to play.
I love the game, truly do....but, I am finding it draining balls on the cheap way too much. The roll overs and the lids to the pop ups change the direction of the ball significantly, and for my game, drains down the middle way too many times. I'm set up at 6.7, wondering if I should go to 7.
Quoted from RobT:How long have you had the pin? I am at factory settings including the outposts, and I am one who usually brings the posts all the way in on my Sterns. As it is, after having the pin for 5 days and getting to learn the shots, the ball times keep slowly increasing for me. If I were to make an adjustment on the pin, it would be to open the outlane posts more.
That said, my pitch is at 7.1 or 7.2 degrees, so definitely give that a shot. People often don't realize that increasing the pitch can actually make a pin easier, not harder, as it can reduce the outlane drains. Not sure if it will help your SDTM drains though. My SDTM drains usually come from the pop bumpers.Where do you get these?
Have had it since October. The drains were not as bad as they are now. But I actually think I may have had it set up higher. I had some heavier coasters under the back legs and took them out....hmm. I'll go higher. Iam also going to try and lower the rollovers. Changing the ball direction way too often and not for better. Factory on the posts, might as well bring them in and see if I can keep this ball in play longer.
Also going to have pin exorcised for any demons. 
I agree the center post rubber does not bounce like the center post in woz. Thks PF
Quoted from metahugh:How did you get one back in October?
Sorry.....was March (23rd).....picked up my mmr in October (both from jjp). Getting old I guess.
Since I changed the pf slope to 7 the biggest difference has been that I am not getting as many ball diversions by the rollovers or even the mylar atround the slings and pop ups. I never thought that by increasing the slope, the game would be easier to play, if that makes sense. So at least on TH, a higher slope seems to make the game more agreeable for me.
Into the fire has to be one of the coolest wizard modes, esp when it first begins. Keith and Ted have really taken advantage of combining the lcd and sound with this mode. Really cant get enough of this game as it is different every time you play. Aiming to get ITF is a great goal...cant wait for the next 2 mini wizard modes. TH has a lot to offer, so different than anything out there.
After 4 months 
finally just beat Smaug 
Like dtr in lotr for the first time, I thought the game just shut down and would have to start all over. What a great "ending" for beating Smaug. Game is something else. Played into the fire twice..ended up with 1,922,723. My best game so far. After a game like that, my wrists hurt, my fingers hurt...what a workout. This was on 1.21.
Quoted from Goronic:So how do you kill Smaug - is it in his multiball?
To be honest, I really don't know. It was my second Smaug mb with a beast and feast frenzy happening. I know a got a lot of super jackpots, and I think it was from the third flipper to the dwarf targets. But I can't be sure with balls flying around. It was a great light show though.
Quoted from pinballer0415:Pretty much correct. After hitting the ramps, spinners, and holes enough times, the MAN targets will start to flash. You then must hit any of the MAN targets, which then lights ARF targets. Hit any one of those to to destroy SMAUG some more. Then MAN targets will be flashing again so hit those and then the two ARF targets that you didn't hit will be lit and you must hit one of those. Finally, you have to hit the MAN targets again, and the right ramp will light. Shoot the right ramp which diverts it to the left shooter. Press the ring button, and you must hit the stand up target that is flashing red (one of ARF stand ups). It is the only one with the drop target not up depicting his missing scale. If you hit any other target, you must repeat this final step of hitting the MAN targets and loading with right ramp and finally hitting the correct scale.
I just finished a game where I got to Into the Fire and Barrel Escape three times each. Killed Smaug once, but missed the final scale shot 5 times on my second attempt to kill him. This game is so intense!
Like I said, I don't know how I killed Smaug
Theres a lot of action going on with multiple mb's. Wonder if it's better with only two balls to kill Smaug or let the craziness of 4-5 balls hitting targets.
Quoted from pinballer0415:Great game! I thought there was a big difference between 1.10 and 1.21, but I honestly think an even bigger difference between 1.21 and 1.30.
Woz was very much like that. Each new update made the game geometrically better, till one time with one of the later updates, the game just came fully together. I can see TH taking that path.
Very early on, Keith said I'm going to show what a mode based game really is (or words close to that). Already it's like no other game.
Quoted from pinballinreno: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.
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.
Quoted from koops:This has been seen before. The wireform causes a fast ball to spin. Try repositioning the wireform by unscrewing the nut on the outlane post. There is some left/right movement available. I am not sure what direction fixes the issue.
I didn't have it when factory new but I did get the issue after doing some ramp modifications.
In my situation I think I moved that one towards the middle. The ball drop was hitting the middle metal divider pushing it into the left rubber (while ball is spinning anticlockwise). When it touches the rubber it then arc's over the right post.
I think you were going for "counter clockwise"
I love this game but.....I wish that Keith would program a different "avenue" to each of the main 3 arkenstone modes, instead of rinse and repeat to get to each one. The 32 modes are all different and offer all kinds of different shots to complete each one. Keith is masterful at coding and he didn't disappoint on creating so many different modes. But qualifying for an arkenstone mode needs something.....different. Besides a lot of the suggestions others have offered, at the very least would like to see the arkenstone modes stay lit after having played it.
Quoted from konghusker: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.
Quoted from KingBW:There is more to come.
There hasn't been "more to come" in 9 months except for 2 beta releases. So if there is more to come, wish it would come already.
Quoted from ViperJelly:For an average player what should you expect for ball times? Longer than a couple minutes? I have a small collection which already contains TSPP and when neighbors come over it can take a while to get through a 4 player game. I would assume that this is in the same boat.
Thanks.
I don't think a 4 player game with neighbors is going to take very long. Throw in some average players in a 4 player game, could be quite long.
Quoted from Phbooms:Did the 2.0 code add anything gameplay wise? Ive only read it added callouts, choreography on modes, and abstract lights.
Well, it now blows up on day 2 if you are close to finishing all the modes.
This rule is a bit old (done by Scott T). Search for Hobbit rules for the complete and updated version...quite good and extensive:
There are three primary methods of lighting an extra ball. They may be completed in any order and are:
• Award after 25 Captive Ball Hits
• Completing all 6 mode qualifiers (Gandalf, Bilbo, Radagast, Elf, Dwarf, Man) and then
hitting the travelling drop target before it is gone
• Achieving Super Jets and then Kicking over 5 barrels while it is running
[Is this unlimited? i.e. if you kick over 10 barrels will you get another extra ball lit b/c you did another 5? And if you light all qualifiers and get the travelling drop target again do you light another?]
The default behavior for collecting the first extra ball is for both the Extra and Ball inserts to blink at the left and right holes respectively. You must hit both holes in any order to collect.
For the second extra ball only Extra will be blinking and must be collected before Ball blinks and must be collected.
I've been playing the critics cut and kind of like it, somethings more than others.
How do I go back to the "original cut"?
Is that a factory reset or....? And is there a way to go back to keep high scores and custom settings?
This is one paragraph from Ted explaining the critics cut:
For those of you who have expressed frustration with the overlapping multiballs, try out the "Critic's Cut" preset. This may help spread things out a bit.
Now, does anyone know how to undue it?
Quoted from Wildbill327:What version of code is critics cut on?
2.01
Quoted from xbloodgreenx:My Smaug mouth motor appear to have gone kaputt. Anyone figure out a fix, other than a complete assembly swap? I spent a couple hours trying to move the mouth and get the servo to re-engage. I can get it to work a couple times after moving the jaw a little side-to-side and hearing the servo motor make some noise, and then would fail again after a few more tests.
Most times it doesn't seem like it's engaged to the servo motor at all, the mouth just hangs open and there is no resistance when manually opening closing the mouth.
I guess my next step is trying to perform the Calibrate the Servo Horn from the
manual. Has anyone had success in this?
Mine is now doing the same thing, so will be interested with any help offered.
We as a group here on pinside and Jjp forum have come up with a ton of great ideas. I don't think Keith is going to implement any of them beyond what he said in the podcast. I don't think Keith likes to rewrite any of his established codes beyond polish. It's really too bad because so many great ideas have been mentioned and there are so many great assets to work with. Besides all that is mentioned would like to see Smaug play a bigger role with more voice material. Hope for the best, and hope not to be disappointed.
Quoted from PanzerFreak:Yeah. I'm still very surprised to this day that a vast majority of lines from the first time that Bilbo and Smaug meet are not in the game.
There's always going to be something we wish would have been added but even if those ideas never get implemented The Hobbit is still one of the deepest pinball machines ever created. In terms of mode variety, and use of licensed assets in modes I can't think of another game that does it better. There's so much material from all 3 movies to use that all of it cannot be put into the game. What's awesome is that we have 31 objective modes with licensed assets + custom music for every mode, and 3 very deep wizard modes with multiple stages featuring licnesed assets. A super wizard mode and more scoring opportunities will be the icing on the cake in my opinion for this pin.
I agree with this. My disappointment is probably more along the lines of, how much better this pin could be.
I dont know about that^^^^^^^^equating DTR and killing Smaug. DTR is what 6 or 7 shots compared to killing Smaug. I dont know how many shots that is but its more than DTR and you have to do it through the chaos of multiballs. I have completed DTR numerous times but only killed Smaug once in hundreds and hundreds of games (and still not 100% sure how it happened).
Quoted from PanzerFreak: It sounds like you can enable an option to allow playing all book modes for a given qualifier to award an Arkenstone attempt. This is huge from a playability standpoint as it allows you to change the way the game is played by not having to repeat all of the same tasks for each Arkenstone mode attempt.
Thank you JJP!
That would be a welcome addition. Let's hope that's the case.
Quoted from Budman:All,
I am considering purchasing this title and would appreciate your input to see if it might be a good fit. I live in a rural area so haven’t had a chance to play it. Just been watching videos and tutorials.
1. Love the theme as do my teenage sons.
2. We all have basic playing skills.... AFMr high score of 7.5 bill.
3. Not interested in an hour long game and probably don’t have the brainpower to embrace all of the rule set anyway. We are somewhat of a casual player type.
So, do you think The Hobbit is even a close fit?
Thanks!
I like the game, don't love it (yet). Hoping the new code changes that. In any case, this game is packed with rules, which I think is a good thing if you have a few fast paced simple rule games in your collection. So at least be aware of that.
According to Steve at JJP, he says to keep the values no more than 18 apart. This has not worked for me, but then again I dont know where to start and I have tried various settings. He also said to check the values written on the bottom of the servo motor as different Smaug motors have different values. The software updates change the settings, so this could be the reason other than a motor burning out.
Quoted from Wildbill327:Ok Smaug is talking again . Thanks for the call LTG I went through every connection and I also recalibrated Smaug again and he is good to go.
Can you go through the steps you did to get Smaug’s mouth working. My mouth remains open even though the servo is working and I have recalibrated.
Have one of NJ’s finest techs here. We have Smaug’s head completely apart to recalibrate. Pia. Going by the Hobbits manual instructions. Fingers crossed this will finally do it. Just btw, all was ok till a software update in early 2018. Tried recalibration to the specs on the service motor which never worked.
Thks wildbill
So couple issues and yes we had the service horn adjusted.
Now the mouth moves but it goes all the way and hits the led light. Can hear the motor wanting it to go higher even though we keep changing the values. Also now, the motor at the bottom of Smaug that makes it swivel is heating up to the point it started smoking.
Good question re mouth position, well we had the top mouth off so not sure the exact position of the bottom. But we followed the directions perfectly.
My servo motor had 106 and 125 marked on the bottom of the motor. So should the 106 be the mini value and the 125 be the max?
Again thks Wildbill. Well after 3 hrs its a no go. I can hear the servo motor working which is a good thing. So what happens is the mouth moves all the way up AND wants to go higher, but will not move down. The motor continues to run till you literally get out of Smaug device test. The mouth then relaxes about a 1/4 in but will move no lower, despite changing the values. Frustrating.
Update: I was about to send the post above and my tech after leaving my house for 15 minutes comes back. He has Steve from JJP on the phone.
Another Update...after being on the phone with Steve (who spent close to an hour on the phone...what a great guy), everyone is baffled as the mouth will only go up not down. This after we took apart the whole mech for a third time which as you say, gets easier.
Steve is going to send another servo motor. Not sure that's the issue as the motor stays engaged (till you drop out of the smaug device test). Unless there is something in the motor that prevents the mouth from lowering, its a mystery. Hope no one has to go thru this.
I also had this or a similar problem. There is a black ledge that the drop target catches when it goes up/down. Mine was cracked in half. It would not catch maybe 50% of the time. You really need to examine that mech as it was hard to find, more because I was looking at wires and soder connections. I actually wound up putting a bead of hot glue on it to reconnect the broken pieces. So far so good. I am actually surprised that every one has not broken. The “ledge” is a very thin plastic.
Having a hard time starting beast frenzy. Every time I hit a beast (orc, warg, spider) the inlane stays lit and says hurry up. Hit a beast, inlane stays lit says hurry up and continues to do that on every inlane. Sometimes the screen will say x defeated but inlane shows a hurry up. I can’t seem to start beast frenzy to get that arkenstone. What am I doing wrong. ( this is a recent issue, don’t know if I changed a rule or ??) Any help appreciated.
Quoted from LTG:Tests - Switches - Matrixed, do the character faces register when pushed ? Broken wires can happen.
LTG : )
I’ll hand check that Lloyd. Thanks. Every once in a while, I will get BF so didn’t think it was a switch or wire but this make sense.
Quoted from screaminr:My Windlance has never shot it into the Killi entrance is there a way to adjust it
Same here.
On the other hand the left kickback on my DI will make the phone scoop 90% of the time when the guy dude isn’t in the way. So I have to imagine some sort of tweaking will make it happen. Haven’t found that sweet spot yet.
Quoted from MrBubbles:I’m sure it’s mentioned somewhere, but after searching for 20 mins, I can’t find it. So can someone tell me what to do if Smaug’s mouth stops moving when he talks? I found a post where someone else asked this question but got no answer. After finally dealing with air balls due to rollovers, ramps that were bent in the front, and beasts falling apart... I was starting to love this game again. Yet another issue makes me just want to go back to POTC though. So annoying. Thanks in advance!
Almost positive it’s the servo motor. I replaced mine by taking Smaug apart a dozen times but gave up after not getting it to work. But I believe many people have replaced their servo motors and have had success. JJP has the motors and the manual clearly shows how to replace. There are also settings in the menu. You can try changing the values and see if that works.
Also, there are numerous posts about Smaug’s mouth.
Quoted from ChrisLIX:Maybe you are right, but I can confirm that they were still solidly fixed and not moving at all. The 2 only weakness I think there are in those bank targets are the rest ledge plastics and the spring that needs to be replaced sometimes (but I don't care too much about springs because they are very easy to replace).
That’s a great write up. I had the Bombur target ledge snap in half. I was able to glue it together and surprisingly it has lasted for quite a while. Those ledges are very thin and it’s amazing that they all don’t break often. No way to fix the ledges without taking the rivets out which looks to be nearly impossible. I was trying to find a way to reinforce them with a thicker plastics but with the rivets, couldn’t do. Kind of good to know that 3 bank targets are only about 30 bucks each.
Quoted from Tuna_Delight:I have Tilt Graphics' "Treasure Trove" gameblades on my Hobbit as I like how they extend the Smaug gold and Erebor palace theme from the back of the game. Here are a few quick pics. Unfortunately, they're no longer perfect as I've snagged them on both sides with the playfield and have had to apply small repair/protectective mylar patches accordingly.
[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]
How did you route the wires on the shire mod? Did you do as the instructions as I cannot see your wire in the mystery hole.
Quoted from Goronic:There are plastic ledges that 'hold' the drop target up that could be broken. I found that in test it would sometimes hold, but in game play it did not.
Get a light and look to see if they are broken (when viewing from under the play field). I had to replace my whole assembly to fix that issue. I want to know if anyone has found a way to replace those black plastic 'ledges' instead of having to replace the whole assembly? I seen a few posts ago someone tried with a stern replacement and those didn't fit. I would love to hear from JJP on this - and perhaps I should just call them.
NOTE: If you have the opposite problem and the drop won't go down it is a broken spring. - And that is a quick inexpensive repair (unlike the other)
Those ledges are on there by rivets so no way to replace the ledge except what you did, replace the whole mech. When the ledge broke on mine, and after exploring how to fix, I actually super glued the ledge figuring it would never last past one game. That was over 200 games ago. Now this all depends on how the ledge breaks. Mine was a jagged line but when placed together it was a perfect fit and super glue worked. Go figure.
Like you said, also interested if JJP or anyone else has a better idea.
Quoted from screaminr:The shadow is beating The Hobbit , we can't let that happen , get over to the thread and give The Hobbit a vote .
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/greatest-pinball-game-of-all-time-tournament-edition
Yeah, that’s just ridiculous.
Quoted from RhettDR:All - My "Bifur" switch is not working... It's switch #81. Before I go through mass disassembly - was wondering if there was a simple thing to check. Otherwise I am going to pull the entire drop-bank mechanism and see what's up. I did re-seat all of the connectors on that line, already... so, was hoping just a crummy connection. But so far - no improvement.
Thanks RDR
It could very well be the ledge that the Bilfur target sits on. I had the same issue and the ledge was cracked apart. Mine was a clean break and i was able to glue it together. Its lasted a few hundred games but i think its only a matter of time. Many have had this issue and resulted into having to buy the entire bracket.
Someone has posted the part # and price in this thread.
Quoted from Tiltboss:i guess thats just forums lol. u got people that get smarmy on a keyboard hundreds of miles away that would cower in person ♂️ all good used to it after dealing w douches on grow forums for years. im sure ill get like “points off” or something demerits lol. im sure hes like a mod or some big important person at a pinball co. theyre usually the smarmiest carry on
Wow, really dude? You should think before you post. And at the very least, do a little research.
Quoted from Tiltboss:Deleted post
Just stop before the hole your digging gets any deeper.
Quoted from CLEllison:For the record I consider myself an average player. I've had a couple almost 2 hour long games (I think just shy of 9 mil?)
For the record, I don’t consider you an average player. Killing Smaug three times in one game, wow!
^^^^^^^
Agree. I find myself playing TH more than any of my pins and I like them all.
At first I was like ok the games just ok, and than progressively liking it more and more. There are so many achievements that you can set new records and modes to complete. Each game is different and scoring possibilities are endless. When finishing a game I more or less feel I’ve played enough pinball for the day.
Anyone have any tips in getting the battery out? I’ve taken coin cells out of all my games but this battery is flush with the casing it’s in and no way to pull out. Knicked my hand so many times on the fan. Game was nib 4yrs and a few months so time to replace. Any ideas are welcomed.
Quoted from bbulkley:If you're talking about the CMOS battery on the mobo, I don't think anything negative will happen if it dies. Your clock will reset but I can't think of anything else. I could be wrong though.
Thanks but if the battery dies you will lose high scores and settings.
Ok learned something new. I always thought you needed to have the machine on when removing a battery. Well never had to reset a bios, but may have to learn that one.
So if I shut the machine off and take the battery out, will I lose the bios settings ( guess so).
Quoted from Bendit:Why are you replacing the coin battery? These last a very long time.
No, the scores are not kept because of the BIOS coin battery. All game data is kept on the hard drive of the computer that's in your machine.
The motherboard coin battery only keeps the BIOS settings.
Yes, a motherboard can work even if the coin battery is dead. The motherboard will fall in default mode every time it boots though. So if the game requires BIOS settings that are not default, you will have to change these settings at every boot. And yes, the clock will also reset every single time.
I've had motherboards that are 15 years old, and the coin battery is still operational. I don't understand the obsession in changing this battery.
Preventive maintenance, it’s a rainy day and I have a cr2032 battery lying around.
We will see how long the original battery lasts. Now going to wipe the blood off my finger from that pesky fan.
Quoted from WizardsCastle:It's not making it out of the trough. It looks to be hitting something and dropping back down. Does it 3-4 times and then finally gets out to the shooter lane.
Well known issue: try this:
http://www.pinplay.com/5/adjusting_the_ball_trough_on_woz.html
Quoted from Travahontas:With some help and insights from allhokie3, I've finalized the design and installation instructions for the "Gate at Bag End" mod and I finished an initial production run of 13 kits. I've got a Pinside ad, so you can grab one here, but it's easier for me if you use Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/trumpanchemods That's the only way for me to do international - they figure out the shipping.
I hope those of you who get one like them as much as I do! Also, please please please share your thoughts and feedback!
drdoom toppers joetechbob
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Here’s a mod that works great and reasonably priced. Thanks for coming up with this Trumpanche.
Quoted from Modelvisionary:I guess I'm the one to apologize for the cost of the Arkenstone mod. It took 3 weeks in development, 5 prototypes (otherwise known as "scrap"), using materials from 9 different sources, including several toxic chemicals and 3 unique jigs for production. I'm continuing to refine it, like all of the items I build. If you have one of my One Ring shooters, the current version is the 5th generation of that item. The Ring has grown from size 16.5 to the current one that's size 22 and the mounting is more optically clear and is available in several colors. I also stand behind everything I make. I'll give you a full refund including shipping if you don't like it for any reason. I love doing the research and development but it's also nice to recoup some of that investment of time supplies.
As for the swirling image in the stone, I've tried my best to make that happen. By using an optical quality crystal half sphere, the refraction moves the color and sparkles with the slightest change in the angle you view it. Building in an air layer between two separate surfaces of color changes the refractions happening internally adding both considerable depth and complexity. The crystal also picks up area light so that it appears lit even when it's not.
This shooter rod and now button business is how I keep busy in retirement since I don't play golf and prefer to get my fish from the market instead of the Tennessee River. I have an extensive line already and if you can't find one for your machine, I'll develop one for you.
Bill Hanson
superskillshot.com
PS. To help you decide, I added a discount code PINSIDEHOBBITFORUM just for Forum members for 10% off.
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I think your button mod is fantastic. It’s not overly priced for the amount of work you put into it. In fact many of the mods being created are great and most likely priced according to the work and developmental time. It just that mods have become relatively expensive. What sucks is that I want many of them.
Quoted from screaminr:It has been a week since my Hobbit Le has left the building . I'm pretty sad that is has gone but it was the only way I could afford GNR . Hopefully I can get enough money to have it back someday . Mine played fast and the flippers weren't mushy , it was the most immersive game I've ever played . I've never brought into the third Flipper was useless , there's over 20 things you can hit .
GNR better be worth it .
I did have it for over 3 years and sold it for 1k more than what I paid , I'm just sad to see it go .
I know people will hang shit on me but I rated it a perfect 10 .
Getting rid of games you like is tough. Im in for a gnr as well but no space and dont want to sell any that I have. So...Im shipping off one of my games to one of my kids. Im sure the sting of it leaving will lessen with GNR. Good luck!
Quoted from screaminr:Considering how much is in the game , if JJP wanted the gate there , they would have put it in .
Im not so sure. They may rethink that position after so many people are pleased with this mod. But than again designers are less likely to approve of any new design they are not part of. Still,would like to know.
Quoted from PanzerFreak:New Factory Find from JJP on PinballWizard.com. $40, not bad considering how much these get hit. Ordered a set as never plan to sell the game lol.
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Thks for the heads up Panzer, set ordered.
Why is JJP selling these heads? Why not keep them in inventory when someone would need to replace a broken head months, years from now. I understand selling left over manuals, but parts? It’s a bit unnerving. I’m sure I’m reading more into this and hope all is ok with the co.
Quoted from moat-pin:Had my Hobbit on loan and just got it back so finally installed the bag end mod and Arkenstone start button. Love and love.
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Ps instructions for bag end gate were great and super easy to install. Shout out to Bill for very responsive ans kind help with the Arkenstone start button (couldn’t get the damn old locking ring out)!!
Which size start button did you go with? I can’t decide.
Having an issue with my game. The last few times I’ve played the game will completely shut off after the 2 or 3 ball when it enters either the left or right vuk. Ball 1 or 2 or 3 can go into the vuk with no problem then all of a sudden a hard shutdown.
I’ve asked jjp and they very promptly replied. Good suggestions, check for loose connections, make sure no wires are getting pinched by the vuk’s. I m asking if anyone else as ever had this and suggestions you used to fix.
Quoted from pinballinreno:Some people reported a loose power cord from the game to the wall.
Spreading the "tangs" in the game's socket will tighten it up.
Thks
That was actually the first thing I checked. Seemed tight but I’ll pull out the cord and reconnect.
The power supply on my game went caput. Has anyone else had that happen on this game? It has less than 1k plays. Why would this happen? I think I recall one or a few say this but wonder if this is widespread for this particular PS.
Quoted from ccbiggsoo7:just replace mine in my woz, less than 300 plays. had to splice wires and cut off some old connectors to get it to work, so don't throw away your old one. several different cpu's were used. none that you can purchase come with all the right connectors on early models. not sure if they finally got it standardized by the time they built hobbit. mark all connectors, because you might have to do some rigging to get the standard power supply to work.
I just recently replaced my PS. The ps that jjp sent matched the old one. So it was just a matter of connecting all the connectors. I do have a woz and have not checked whether the connections are the same. But you are right, jjp changed many connectors on earlier to late builds.
Quoted from ccbiggsoo7:yeah, but they want like 350 dollars for a 60 dollar power supply. that ain't happening.
I just replaced mine about two weeks ago. It was $225, but yes way too much.
Quoted from WesleyCowan:Probably going to call in tech as thoroughly discouraged after trying a different CPU, power supply, I/O-testing it with DMM, reconnecting about every connector in game etc. Lights on but still no slings, beasts popping up like coils when they gun sling and afraid this will wear mechs and coils. Took many hours to just get it to this point. Have had time in this process wouldn't boot even jump starting wouldn't help. Video running ultra slow and game reboots after trying to test mechs in test mode. Very frustrated but thankful for all the suggestions and encouragement offered!
I can’t wait to find out what the heck is going on with your game. You’ve spent an awful amount of time testing everything. I had some similar problems (not all) as you and it turned out to be the power supply. I really wish you luck in getting TH up and running.
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