The Hobbit
Jersey Jack, 2016You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider konghusker.
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Quoted from scasey:I was hugely disappointed in the cabinet artwork on the Hobbit, it looked like a Stern Pro with the wrap around decals and bubbles.
Can you provide pics just out of curiosity? I remember metallicas having a similar problem, but I don't think it was common, and I haven't heard of other hobbit's with decal issues other than warning label on back. Just curious.
Are any of you owners still having issues with ball jams under pop ups, or did code fix that mostly?
Quoted from Skyemont:I wasn't at first but now I am. Happened 2 times this weekend. So 1.01 did not fix the issue.
Was ball search trying to pop ball out though? Not much any more coding can fix if it's just getting too lodged in there I assume.
I agree. I think TH trolls leave too much space for a ball to get in. It seems like a design flaw. All code can do is open and close pop-ups, but if balls get lodged just right, code can't fix that. A physical mod would be needed.
Can the figures be moved outward some via washer's behind them possibly? I'm not sure how they're mounted, but if so, that would reduce space in front of them.
Right now, I think the ball jams is my biggest concern. Once this is solved, I may pull the trigger, but until then, it seems like a frustrating problem always removing the glass to release balls. Has anyone heard of a coming solution from jjp yet on both wire form and orc pop-ups?
I just talked to Jack about all ramp, wire form, and pop-up issues. He said all problems were on early production games, and new games being built have been addressed. Wireforms are now positioned differently, and pop up mechs have been changed he said. Those are his words, so it sounds like they addressed the issues moving forward. Early build game owners can contact distributors for needed upgrades basically. I feel more confident to buy knowing that now. 
I'm sure the build dates will depend on issues, not when you receive it. From what I gathered, the wire form is mostly the same, but slightly moved to the right differently. Would have preferred different style form, but he said it works now. Pop-up mech has been changed to not allow ball in, so I don't know what exactly the change was, but again he said it's different. "Early birds" probably just need to contact distributor and jjp will make it right I'm sure. I'm curious for any updates from people getting games now.
I just ordered an LE from automated this week and they have recently built LE and se on hand ready to ship. I'm now playing the waiting game for it to get here.
So I got the call and my LE will be delivered tomorrow. Any suggestions on what to do first thing as far as checking loose parts or areas that mylar is recommended for?
So I got it set up. Unfortunately, I have absolutely no lighting. Anybody know where to focus looking. I've gone through connections but don't see anything. Help please. Game seems to play.
Thanks for the fast response Lloyd. This was the problem. You're the man. We are loving the game while we work out the kinks and get settings where we need them. I'm also trying to get 1.2 downloaded. Thanks guys
Quoted from metahugh:I think Into the Fire is my favorite mode so far! It is so much fun.
I got into the mode twice last night. What a game. I can't wait to see how the updates keep changing it.
I noticed mine has mylar around only 3 pop ups. The upper left one doesn't have it. Is this the same as everyone else and should I put mylar around it myself?
So jjp is sending me the pop up mylar. Question as I've never installed mylar. I've read somewhere to wax playfield before installing mylar. Is that correct, and does mylar instantly stick or can I adjust if needed easily?
Quoted from fordtudoor:^^^^^^^^I wouldn't wax it. It is self-adhesive, I presume, so I would try to clean any dirt, dust, wax, oil, etc. build-up by wiping it down with some naptha. Unless anyone else has a better idea. I guess maybe rubbing alcohol would work, too.
OK so no wax. Is it easy to apply and adjust if needed?
I've been getting a bunch more air balls now plus the right ramp flange has lifted some. I put 2 sided tape under it, but it's working itself back up. Anybody have a suggestion on the air balls. I turned the flippers down to about 22-23 and pitch is at 6.9 degrees. I waxed it and the table picked up some serious speed. Probably shouldn't have waxed it. Lol.
So my plunger isn't hitting the ball strong enough each time to hit the F in dwarf. Any suggestions or do we live with it being inconsistent? It hits hard enough probably less than half the attempts now.
Also, what level is good for the kick back setting? Mine automatically fires it to the right hole instead of the orbit that I thought it should be.
It looks like I'm getting good contact on plunge now, but it's still weak. Better, but still not hitting the F much.
No pf protection on mine. I'll loosen them up some and see if that helps. Thanks guys
Oh, and TH was the hit of my 4th party hands down followed closely by woz. People loved it.
Where did you guys get the blue shooter spring? Pinball life is down, does anybody else have it? I couldn't find one on other sites.
Got the blue spring ordered from Marco along with a post to block left ball stick. Thanks for helping. Just had a 1.3 million game. What a wild game. Awesome!
I'm going to contact Marco before they send my order to change to a lesser strength spring.
Update...I bumped my order down to a medium spring. I'll try that and report back. Thanks guys.
I just want the option at the very least to hit ALL skill shots available. The current factory spring is so inconsistent and keeps getting worse. I have it lined up perfectly, but it just doesn't get the upper half of dwarf targets. Hopefully this new spring fixes it.
I guess I'll just try it and see. Confusing for sure as the blue Marco was the link given, but then was said to be too strong. When I talked to Marko they said the medium/high was the one in most sterns and pins, so i opted to go just medium. The blue was a high/low they said which is stronger than the sterns factory spring which is definitely too much. I'll try it. The other spring I suppose I could have also ordered was the next level down as a low/high. No biggie like you said if it doesn't work right. Yes, the ball guide is lined correctly as I can smack the shooter rod and hit the F every time.
Quoted from NimblePin:As long as you and the other (future) Hobbit owners are enjoying the machine more by the end of this thread then, we've done our job.
Hobbit has so many great skill shots to choose from with the roving-lit lock rollovers being the most addicting to try and go for.
I just wanted people to have ALL the options available to plunge without having to max out their stock spring.
I fully agree. I'll update once I get it. Thanks again for your help.
Guess I didn't even realize the inlane one is roving. Thought they all stayed lit. I can never get left in lanes though without hitting locks. I'll have to check out the roving pattern better. Right lane is very doable.
So lifted the playfield today and found 2 wood metal screws, 1 wood screw, and a larger bolt/screw in bottom. Found knocker missing the wood screw, but can't find others. Frustrating.
OK, I see that the two left side pop ups only have one screw in the back if their head.
Transformer has 4 larger screws in it, speaker doesn't use large ones it appears, and I see nothing wrong with smaug. Lost on large on still
I was able to get screws back in from the top after removing flap. Now, where in the world does the bug screw go? Thanks for assistance guys.
Quoted from kpg:I just installed the 3D printed troll fix things that Pinball Bulbs sells http://www.pinballbulbs.com/products/hobbit-troll-ball-catch-fixes
--they work great, no more balls getting stuck and needing to wait for the ball searches. Wasn't a big problem, but for $20 and about 45mins of installation time, they work as expected.
Do these install from above or below playfield?
Update on my spring change. The medium spring was too strong. It was difficult to get in lane skill shots. I actually put the original spring back in and cut off about an inch from the medium spring and intertwined it into original. Works perfectly for any shot. Can't even see it intertwined so I'm good with it.
My glass is just the opposite. It's not wide enough to fit into rails correctly. Lloyd us looking into it. Compared to my woz cab, th is nearly 1/2" wider and therefore the glass barely touches the side plastic guide. I have to lift it up near the top and pop it into place. Curious if anyone else with woz and hobbit can measure widths to compare.
Yeah, my glass is correct width. The cab is wider than my woz by nearly 1/2". Not sure how to adjust guides inwards. Frank is looking into it.
Quoted from VolunteerPin:I have same issue. It finally catches about 8 inches in but it is certainly not wide enough by probably 1/4 inch or more.
Compared to the photo above it is almost exactly the same.
Yep, it sorta catches, but once it gets to the top, I have to reach up to top and basically pop it into the guide better or it hangs low on one side and won't go all the way into the top guide. 1/4" wider glass would fix it, but jjp said they wouldn't do a specific cut for the fix. Not sure what else I could do. Just sucks because it's annoying and has scratched glass and black wood as it slides up off guides. Oh well.
I'll measure at the top tonight. I know I originally looked for cabinet separation and didn't see anything that would make me think it was a problem. The side walls are tight against front and back walls. I assumed it was same cabinet used on woz, but my hobbit is literally about a 1/2" wider. I wondered if a small batch of cabinets got cut wrong.
Quoted from fnosm:I also have this exact same issue. My assuption is that the groove for the plastic rail was cut too far out. I figure it is at least 1/8" to wide on each side.
Please share any fix that you and Lloyd come up with.
That was another thing I thought, but after measuring outside cabinet area, it's bigger than woz. I was wondering if all hobbits measured the same or if I just got a lemon
Quoted from VolunteerPin:I'll measure tonight. Lloyd simply told me to open a ticket which is, of course, the reasonable thing to do. Just not sure what actually might be done since it does 'work' once it is back installed but it is just tougher than normal to get it going.
Quoted from fnosm:While my glass does hit the top guide when I slide it in, my problem is that the glass is narrower than the plastic rails and it will fall out of the rail on one side or another as I am sliding the glass back in place.
Exactly. Not a big deal once it's in, however mine has scratched the glass on both sides the whole way up from rubbing directly on the wood cabinet. Cabinet is also getting scratched then from glass. It sucks, but it's not the end if the world. I do have a ticket in and Frank said I'll get a new glass once they figure out how to resolve cabinet flaw. I'm not sure anything can be done other than sending a glass piece cut slightly wider. Again, not the end of the world. Just curious if others had same issues.
^^ I may have to try that after vacation in a couple weeks. Like I said, it's not the end of the world, but annoying. Thanks
Quoted from FalconPunch:I believe you need 6 or so jackpot, then a super to advance to the next level/scene. There are 4 levels
After that you load the winlance and kill smaug with the upper flipper
And the lit blue and red shots are jack pots correct?
Frank told me they had a ramp fix too. I tried bending, and double sided tape. Both temporarily worked. Waiting for a kit at this point
Quoted from twenty84:I just joined the club this weekend. Played the game a bunch at ReplayFX and loved it so much I bought a SE at the show... without evening telling my wife. Luckily she loves it too:
https://www.facebook.com/theleahcrane/videos/700999696713779/
The se at replayfx had radcals. Is that the same one you bought? The radcals did look nice in person. Congrats BTW. You'll love it.
Quoted from twenty84:Yes, there was a SE available for play that had radcals, but that one was not for sale. I bought one that was NIB. Both of the NIB SEs available at the show had the standard decals, and I got one of those. The radicals looked great, but for me not enough better to make it worth ordering one when I could take one home.
I agree it's not worth ordering. I didn't get them either and machine looks great still. Nice purchase.
I don't have a problem with the fixes offered. I don't need a whole new wire form when the post fixes it already. I think the post is plenty reasonable along with the other fixes. I'm waiting to see the fix for the ramp flats though. Anyway, good job on jjps part addressing the issues and even posting a public notice on YouTube. Well done jjp.
2 resets just now. Last one I was over a million and close to my first barrel escape. Crap. Waiting for a fix at this point. This game is nuts though. It's a total blast with new code. Good job jjp.
Definitely worth it. I seriously just keep playing my jjp games. I love the depths of jjp pins. Can't wait for the code fix
Quoted from 1quartershort:Congrats Mike
Really interested on how you compare the WOZ and THLE. Sitting on the fence between the two. Played both in Tacoma but TH was early code and no one really seemed to know how to play it then. Looking forward to your observations.
Enjoy!
Both games are amazing. I own both and if I had to choose now, I like woz. It's mainly due to difficulty level and finished code. Hobbit to me is easier to progress. Its really hard to choose between the two. I would suggest playing each a little more before deciding if possible. You can't go wrong either way, and both blow other pins away IMO. Pm me if you want more info on each game as an owner.
I was hoping ramp fix would have just overlapped existing flaps using the screws to hold it down. Don't know that alot of guys are comfortable removing ramp, and grinding off rivets. Maybe it will work better than expected. Yeah, hopefully jack does a how to video for flaps as well.
Quoted from Goronic:I am not a fan of the coin flippers - but I would love Matt to make some more mods for the Hobbit. I really am glad I got the pin.
I told myself I would only get 1 pin and that is all - all I have room for. But, well, I am going to get WOZ next (soon). JJP pins are just over the top awesome in my book. Just 1 more pin and that is all
Woz is a must if you can pull it off. The two are amazing together.
Quoted from Meph:I haven't really followed The Hobbit development because I always thought of it as out of my range. I recently picked up a NIB Ghostbusters Pro and my wife really hates it. I thought the theme would be perfect for the kids but even with the center post addon, its just too brutal for the kids and the wife. I sold my STTNG that they didn't play in hopes of the theme/game they would play. They all play Metallica daily.
Since my Ghostbusters so far has shown no insert ghosting that many are experiencing I figured it was time to move it out and get something else that they might like better. That brings me to the hobbit. The theme is perfect for them. So without reading the whole thread and the numerous others during development can someone school me on the basics of the hobbit.
The rules sound pretty deep with 33(?) modes. I have also heard it has longer ball times? I think that is part of the problem with GB for my wife. 30-40 second ball times and laddered progression for her is a bit of a buzz kill. Like most people she wants to feel she is progressing in her game and not just draining before she accomplishes anything. She played WoZ for the first time 2 weeks ago and really liked it.
So sell me on why The Hobbit would be a good choice for a small 2 game collection, paired with Metallica. I have also watched some videos but if anyone has links to some good HD videos with nice sound, it would be appreciated. I send an email to a local distributor tonight for pricing, I hope to be joining the club soon.
My kids Love hobbit. It's easy enough my 9 year old fully understands the rules and can even get into the fire. It's hard enough and deep enough to keep better pinballers going for a long time. Metallica is the perfect alternative next to either jjp pin imo too. definitely get a jjp. You won't regret it.
My warg has to be hit dead on to register. Is this normal for others? I'm debating on moving switch in some, but it originally was too close and registered without a hit. It works now, but seems like it should be more sensitive. Just curious
How exactly does the back stab work? I see the ring light up for back stab, but I hit it and nothing. Does the ball also have to hit beast in back?
Can the rollovers be adjusted to be more sensitive? If so how? I can't see an easy way to adjust them
I got my fix kit last night. Just to let you all know, I was able to install all 4 pop up blockers without removing anything. I used a power driver with drive extension. It really wasn't bad other than dropping a couple screws and having to search for them in the playfields mechanical mayhem. Lol. Post works great, pop ups look good, and I also got the glass extension plastic and that works well too. I'll get around to installing new ramp flaps when I have more time and ambition. Anyway, great job jjp, and big thanks to Frank at jjp for much help.
Quoted from BillySastard:Did you need to adjust your Warg at all? I did a dry run with my protector and the Warg hit the protector every time.
No adjustment needed on any pop ups. It is tight, but works great. Really not looking forward to installing the ramp flaps though. Game is playing great though.
My new blue flaps came with my fix kit per my request. The ramp has to come off and new rivets need installed which came with ramps. It's going to be a pita I think.
Quoted from ikrananka:1. Have others had success installing the beast inserts without unscrewing the beast assemblies? Or is it so tricky to do it's better to follow the complete JJP instructions with removing the beast flap, springs and mechanism?
Yes, I installed all 4 without taking anything out. It was really easy with a power drill with driver extension.
Quoted from koops:ahh!
The little metal up down guide in the mech. I have two of these screws but there is only one hole that has a cut thread.
Know of anywhere else these thumb screws are used?
Check the pop ups and drops. I'm thinking pop ups though
Quoted from system11:I have this exact same problem with my SE that we finally unpacked and got inside the house today. The glass is identical width to WOZ but the cabinet is 1/32" wider. I have no cabinet splitting evident or anything like that, the problem is even top and bottom of the glass.
On WOZ the glass is held fairly well with only minor movement side to side available. On Hobbit unless you position the glass perfectly it falls onto the edge of the wood instead on one side. You have to slide in the glass at a diagonal angle and carefully straighten up when it's in, to get it resting correctly.
My guess is the channels for the plastic guide have been cut wrong or the manufacturer of the plastic guides has changed the spec. The edge of the plastic is a clear 2mm away from the edge of the wood on both sides. Not going to be an easy fix to this - some nylon liners about 2mm wide placed on the inside of the glass channels would at least centre it properly and stop this happening.
How the fuck did they leave the factory like this?
Jjp sent me the nylon fix for the glass. It was easy and works much better now. A service ticket is needed if you have this issue.
Quoted from TimeBandit:Best ball trap eva.
I had same exact thing happen. Ball search kicked it out when smaug looked around
Just got to battle of five armies. Pretty frickin cool. New GC claiming it back from my neighbor finally. My book went black to, so it's an obvious software issue. This game is just a blast.
Every time I start a game, a few modes automatically trigger before plunging the ball. It's always different modes to. Anybody else have this issue? I'm assuming tight switches triggered by drop targets resetting.
Quoted from koops:Do you mean the skill shots? It is part of the game.
The available skill shots are : Dwarf drop targets, elf drop targets, one of the 4 inlanes, lock roll overs.
The skill shot can be selected by pressing the ring button. Note that by selecting a specific skill shot the reward isn't as much as it you go with the one selected automatically.
The true game modes can only be triggered by the optical switches on the ramps. These need to have their qualifiers lit prior so it is doubtful they are being triggered prior to the first ball being fired.
If its neither of these can you provide a little more info about what is actually happening?
Not the skill shots. I start game, ball poppa to trough and sits, and as I change skills shots, sometimes the screen registers modes have been opened. Their different modes to, not always the same ones. I was assuming switches rattling due to drop targets moving while changing skill shots. Just can't seem to find the specific problem
Hoping on an update soon as well. Love hobbit, but still feels incomplete after I made it to all 3 arkenstone modes.
I noticed that when smaug talks his voice sorta cuts out some. I remember others mentioning this also. Any known fix for this?
I swapped for a stronger spring a while back. Worked great for a while, then stopped working so well after several months. I went back to the factory spring and more carefully adjusted the shooter rod to hit ball in center and it's been working perfectly since then.
Make sure your game slope is around 7-7.5 degrees. It will help the trough ball stop stay back. Also, my woz needed the redirecting trough bracket to be slightly bent to allow ball to properly eject into ball lane. Should be old threads on that adjustment. Double check all nuts and connections under playfield to. It's a great game once everything has been adjusted. Congrats on a great choice
7.2ish incline and turn slingshots power up a little. Experiment with the settings. Enjoy this awesome game.
Quoted from Crile1:Obvious new Hobbit LE owner here. Another question/concern. I'm trying to get the right playfield angle (6.5-7 degrees). I am using android apps (I know I'm supposed to get the pro tool, but haven't). I found that after a month I am having a really hard time hitting the spinners, thus can't make it to Erebor. Level is fine (I already had a good real level). So I thought maybe it had settled since I have carpet. I rechecked and was now at 5.9. So jacked up the back. To get even close to 6.5, I find that I'm almost to the end of where the legs will go. Could this all be from settling? Or is this what you guys have yours at? I may have to bite the bullet and get a good clinometer.
Best angle is about 7° and you may need to turn up power on your flippers a bit to make the shots. Try small power adjustments to get it right, as you don't want them too strong and doing damage. Adjustments are made in settings menu coils.
Anybody try the true color plastic protectors from pinballbulbs? I currently have washers in my games, but wanted to upgrade.
I'm trying to decide if I even need them or if washers will truly save the plastic. Also, are the return lane plastics ever really in danger of getting broken?
Still no word on another update or final wizard mode? I've been to 5 armies, but want something more to aim for.
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.
Quoted from RTS: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.
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.
Quoted from lschmidlin:Just ordered an LE. Super excited. Thanks for your help everyone.
Congrats! It's a great game.
Quoted from thewool:WOZ > TH
WOZ is a well rounded game in nearly all aspects. TH needs code which I'm not sure is coming.
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.
Quoted from Rarehero: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.
Quoted from FlippyD: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.
Quoted from LTG:No, more stuff added like the printed WOZ manual. Photos, history, etc. etc.
LTG : )
My woz manual is pretty darn cool(for a manual that is).
I just heard back. Didn't get much, but he said Hobbit code coming in "near future". Also said jjp#4 coming soon. I expressed my hopes of final wizard mode and more call outs. They just said hopefully the update meets expectations, but not saying what's in it yet. Anyway, sounds like at least hope of it soon.
Quoted from JamesMxP:How big of a job is changing the upper slingshot rubber? Any tips?
I did mine a while back when it broke. It wasn't horrible, but just be patient.
Seriously still love Hobbit, but man I need an update to have more objectives to go after. Great game still.
Quoted from PanzerFreak:Yeah, there's a ton of modes but there needs to be more rewarding reasons for completing them.
Right now there are 31 book modes in the game but only 3 need to be completed to unlock an Arkenstone mode. What about the other 28 book modes? The book modes are awesome, a lot of work went into them, but there needs to be more incentive to play through them. A reward for beating the sets of man, elf and dwarf modes and / or for beating say 5, 10, 15, 20 etc modes would be great to see. The lack of something along those lines is biggest issue I have with the game today.
Also, it would be nice if Beast Frenzy and Feast Frenzy are expanded upon to make them beatable with an option to turn off stacking with Smaug MB so that Smaug MB can be enjoyed on its own.
Oh, the qualifications for reaching an Arkenstone mode are all the same so you have to do the same 4 tasks 3 times to unlock the 3 wizard modes which makes the game feel like a bit of a grind. It would be great to see the qualifications for the 2nd and 3rd Arkenstone modes altered slightly to mix things up.
Finally, a super wizard mode for beating everything would give the game its own "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" equivalent goal.
^^this exactly. It's still fun, but I want a final wizard mode. I've done most everything else, and honestly don't have anything to try to achieve currently on it. I still enjoy the game, but it feels unfinished.
Install one of those rubber footings that go on the bottom of shelf speakers maybe. It's adhesive and would pop right off if it doesn't work.
Quoted from PanzerFreak:Yes! Fingers crossed that The latest Hobbit code is beyond what is in 1.95P.
I'm starting to think we won't get a final wizard mode. Don't know why, but I just don't think we will. Hoping I'm wrong. Battle of five armies is the end of trilogy, so what else is there?
Quoted from Rarehero:After you finish 5 Armies, turn on Lord of the Rings and continue to Valinor!!!
That would be cool, but can you imagine the amount of time that would take? Lol. Would be cool having a lotr next to Hobbit.
Quoted from Kenz:Well done JJP. Keep on supporting WOZ and Hobbit. Both fantastic pins that will never leave my collection.
Same here.
Lloyd posted on Facebook today that Hobbit and woz code is ready. Didn't say exact release date, but looked like an official announcement.
Quoted from Rarehero:Yup, and when you get them they turn white. They used to be orange instead of purple.
I never really noticed them before when orange. The purple really sticks out and emphasizes the shots. Good upgrade imo. Thanks
Quoted from Goronic:not a bad effect. Also, I think it would be good to have smaug say clips from the movie while he is doing that.
That would be cool. Although, I don't think he's technically following it any. Didn't Williams or whoever have a patent on that feature? I'll have to pay more attention next time I play, as I never noticed smaug alive until mb started.
Quoted from Pimp77:He is "following" the ball...he'll turn to face whatever the last switch hit was.
That's awesome! I really never noticed that. I'm surprised due to the whole patent issue that other games dealt with apparently. Can't wait to go try it.
Quoted from pinball_keefer:Patents expire...
Just played and noticed this. Well done. This game is so cool and immersive. Thanks for the work.
Question, while playing a big game, the right spinner stopped registering. I've had issues before with it not registering. After the game was over, I started another game and it worked perfectly. Is this a code thing, or physical problem? Anybody else notice this issue?
Quoted from Wildbill327:Congrats,I'm still looking forward to my first time
Thanks. Took me a year, but worth it. I watched a how to video to understand, but stopped it short so it didn't ruin the show for me. What a great game. Now hoping for one final wizard mode to be added, and I'll feel like the game is done.
Quoted from BigT: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.
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.
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.
Quoted from freddy:$67 bucks cheap insurance!
Ordered cliffys today. Better safe than sorry I figured.
Had a weird boot up scenario tonight. Turned game on, and a screen full if commands popped up with a timer count down going. After about 20 seconds, it auto selected an option to boot, then went to another screen that said unibootin or something. Finally booted afterwards. Wish I had a picture
Quoted from ronaldvg:You get this (grub screen) when something was not closed good when turning off the machine. You can get it again if you start up the machine and turn it off before it is started up fully. Normally it should not be a problem.
Thanks. Good to know it's not a big deal. Thanks for the input.
Quoted from docdeath:Photo of alternative site for Hobbit ring display (sorry for duplicate photo).
That looks good too. How's it held on? I positioned mine above the precious outlane on top of the ring image on play field. Your spot is definitely more predominantly shown though. Nice.
I keep having issues with the right spinner not registering. Rebooting sometimes fixes it, and sometimes it starts working mid game. I've reseated wires and adjusted the spinner itself. Any ideas? Thanks
Quoted from pinballinreno:The switch might have to be replaced sometimes the switches are just weak or inconsistent.
Ok. I was originally thinking maybe a code glitch, but I'm sure you're right if it's not common with others. Thanks
Still haven't loaded new code. Waiting for 3.0 with bugs worked out. glad to hear all the positive reviews so far though.
Quoted from KevInBuffalo:Joined the club yesterday. I’m going on an adventure!
[quoted image]
Good choice. Jjp's all lineup so beautiful together.
Question. My spider use to drop down right as the windlance would fire. Lately it drops, but not fast enough before the ball hits it. I don't see any hang-up, and it works fine otherwise. Is this normal or a setting I can adjust? Thanks
Quoted from KevInBuffalo:Nice little upgrade for the lockdown bar button. A button with gold trim like this would be good to have for JJPOTC too.
[quoted image]
I've really been looking at finally getting this. Looks great.
Quoted from XpertDBA:Question,
In preparation for installing the 3.00 full release, I backed up all of my settings using the menu options inside the machine onto a USB. After I install the 3.00 full release and restore my settings, will the high scores still be there (restored from the settings) or does that need to be done in a different way?
Scores and settings should all be there
So did they get rid of smaug breathing fire over play field at game over? That was so cool and it hasn't happened after updating. Didn't see anything in settings.
Played a big game today and got into the fire on new code. Wow!!! This new code is amazing. Thanks jjp. Now I really want to get a potc even more.
Played some more today. This update really helps make me want to play more modes. Great job jjp. Thanks
I've been hearing a clicking noise since updating to 3.0. it is a few 3-5 clicks at start of the game. Not the drop Target sounds, but quieter. Can't figure it out.
Quoted from screaminr:Does it sound like it's coming from around the Dragons head just before the ball pops out mine started making that sound after the update I'm not worried about it just something I noticed
It's hard to tell, but it's just a quick 5-7 click noises underneath. Maybe what you said. It was after updating to 3.0.
Quoted from Rondogg:Sounds like a down switch is getting triggered, by something. I would go into the diagnostics menu and run a coil and a switch test.
I noticed smaug is lit active. Is that normal when machine is idle? Thanks for helping guys.
IMG_20181206_145606624_BURST000_COVER (resized).jpgPlayed again today. Wow! Thanks jjp for getting this game improved. This game is amazing. Jjp, keep it up.
Quoted from oyvindmo:Replacing balls every 400 games seems excessive. By all means, replace them if they start looking rough in any way, but my Hobbit with about 13-14000 plays on it has only needed to have its balls replaced once or twice.
14000 plays??? 
good to hear these games are holding up. 
Quoted from Rondogg:Would love to see a write up of issues during that stretch.
Definitely, and pics.
Quoted from SantaEatsCheese:I really want to like this game and am thinking about trading my AFM SE for one this summer. However, after finally getting some time on the game I am completely lost. Does anybody have a particular walkthrough or video they would recommend above the others that does a good job of explaining the pin? It seems like a really deep pin that would hold up well in a small lineup... but I gotta understand the rules.
My 9 year old fully understands our hobbit and can reach into the fire mini wizard mode. It's not difficult to pick up once you understand the 5 stones on the screen. I like AFM, but no way I'd take it over hobbit. Make the switch and never look back.
The M target stopped popping back up. Haven't had a chance to look at it yet, but is it probably a broken spring? Hoping that's all it is. I put the new springs in last year hoping they held up better. Also, it made that funny noise I was hearing before, so I'm glad to finally figure out where that sound was coming from.
Quoted from f3honda4me:I was so sure WOZ was going to be my next pin, but seeing all the 3.0 gameplay videos has moved Hobbit to my next pin. Need something to complement my JJP POTC LE.
Seriously can't go wrong with either one. Woz is deeper and tougher to play and understand. Love both my hobbit and woz and neither will ever leave.
Traced the M target opto wire back and pushed connection in better. Seems to have fixed it hopefully
Quoted from f3honda4me:Joined the club and Hobbit will be my 2nd pin. Arrives tomorrow!
That's awesome! We play our hobbit most, second only to our Metallica. It's such a great game. You'll love it.
Quoted from darkryder:For sure. Melting the witch in WOZ is amazing too. Long live pinball!
The witch mode is way more intense Imo. Probably my favorite mini wizard mode ever.
Quoted from darkryder:Yeah, I’ve only melted her a few times and it was memorable. Will have to try again soon
I've done it two or three times. Killed smaug only twice. Such great events. Makes me wonder what potc has to offer that's similar. I'm still considering that one or waiting to see Wonka or toystory first.
Quoted from f3honda4me:My wife is twisting my arm and wants me to sell Hobbit to buy AFMrLE lol. But - I love my preciousssss.
Absolutely not!!!! I like AFM but play it for a half hour or so and then decide. You can play it free on the pinball arcade on PlayStation or whatever and you'll know right away if it would hold your interest.
Quoted from f3honda4me:We played the AFMr LE at a friend’s house quite a bit. We loved it. We have that or MBr on our list for quick fun games in our collection. We like variety, so far JJP POTC and Hobbit are great but we want a game like MB or AFM too.
I agree they're fun games and I play them anytime I'm at my friend's house that owns them. I'm just saying for $7k, I wouldn't own one over a newer game with more depth and variety. I just recommend he played one extensively and decide before selling off a game he loves in hobbit.
Finally got back to playing Hobbit again, and just killed smaug for my 2nd time in a couple years. Such an awesome game!!!
No wrong answer between Hobbit or Metallica. I have both. Hobbit will never leave, but I find myself playing Metallica more than any other in my collection followed by Hobbit next. Hobbit is a longer game, do it's easier for you to just put a couple quick games on Metallica at times. When I do play Hobbit or my woz though, I walk away saying these are such amazing games, and my jjp games will never leave.
Jjp sent me free plastic guides that go into glass slots to fill the space. It tightened the glass right up. Mine was so lose, the glass would slip out and scratch inside walls of cabinet when removing or installing glass.
Quoted from Reaper802:I had to remove my ramp as it was an early run with the old ramp flaps. Otherwise the machine only has 199 games played when I bought it. It's a little bit of work to get the ramp out, maybe 90 minutes when you do it the first time.
I have yet to do my ramp flaps. Something I've definitely been avoiding.
Quoted from CLEllison:Beyond pissed. Game of my life and the machine takes several shits.
1.) Radagast switch decides to get flaky right as I kill Smaug. All balls drain except the one of course.
2.) One of the beast mechs stopped working
3.) Second time through Barrel Escape all but my last ball drains and the damn flippers act like I killed Smaug .... they went dead. Ball drains and my ultimate game ends. Luckily I just passed my GM score. But what bullshit that is.
4.) Ball save activated and then just disappeared and killed the save.
Played Taba and completed 26 out of 32
Killed Smaug 3 times[quoted image]
Wow, would have loved to see how that score finished without problems. Maybe flaky optos? Great score man.
Quoted from pipes:Hitting that last shot perfectly from the upper flipper was absolutely the most amazing experience I have ever had in pinball. It's just incredible.
One of the most intense sequences in pinball along with melting the witch in woz. Jjp wizard modes are on a different level than most. Curious if any of the other 3 jjp games have these intense moments as well.
I'm still trying to figure out what the point of Bluetooth on Hobbit would be? No more updates so what would it be used for?
Quoted from Mr_Outlane:Which fix kits are available for The Hobbit. As I understand it, there are heavy duty springs for the drop targets, brackets for the beast doors (to prevent balls from getting caught), and a redesigned left wire form (to prevent balls from hopping over kick back post stop? Anything I'm missing?
Thanks!
Better ramp flaps. I still haven't ever installed my ramp fix yet due to the complexity of it.
Quoted from Mr_Outlane:Where did you get these?
Jjp sent out a fix kit for us early buyers.
Quoted from fnosm:I was thinking of the reworked wireform returning to the left. If memory serves the reworked wireform wasn't offered as a warranty to those with the previous wireform. I wonder if this has changed?
You'll probably get a post to install next to wireform like I got. It does the trick just fine.
Quoted from HighNoon:Hi All...just joined the club with a HUO Smaug. So far I love it! I have a question about the fix kit. My born-on date is 7-12-2016 which just misses the date where all machines had the fixes. I have no idea if the previous two owners installed the fixes. How can I tell if the beast brackets, springs, etc. have been installed? I’m not even sure what I’m looking for.
Congrats! It's a great game. Some easy fixes to see would be ramp flaps are blue steel if fixed, and the beasts all should have a clear insert in front of them so balls can't get stuck in them. Also, a post on the left side of the game next to left habit trail drop.
My take on Hobbit vs DP. I own a Hobbit and have plenty of time on a DP LE. Hobbit is completely different from anything else out there. It really is an epic journey. It is slow at first, but I like that. It follows the movies better than any other pin.
DP is fun, and I enjoyed the rules. It's definitely easier to understand for casual players. I could own one, but after awhile playing it, it begins to feel like the other Stern's.
Both machines are beautiful to look at. Hobbit blows it away in theme integration and sound. If you want more variety in a collection,a different feel with a longer playing adventure, own a Hobbit. If you want another fast, exciting game, get DP.
Last note about the modes(31) on Hobbit. They are the best I've seen ever as far as variety, and lighting. The wizard modes are extremely exciting, along with the smaug death shot. The game really opens up fast after a slow beginning.
Quoted from Doctor6:Holy effing crap, look at that room!!!!
Agreed. Can't believe he voted for Hobbit over DP. Lol. Beautiful set up sir.
Quoted from Mr_Outlane:How did you manage that?? I was all thumbs trying to reach up in there and hook the end of spring to drop target. I can't imagine how that would be easier than removing the mechs.
Needle nose pliers. It really was easy.
Every time I play I remember I still need to change out my ramp flaps. It seems pretty daunting. Any advice or is it even worth messing with? Mine are slightly curled but have always worked fine.
Looks like the little rgb boards under my bilbo and bag end/mystery aren’t working for blue and white colors. Is there a repro board to buy for these or do I only have to contact jjp? I turned in a ticket but was curious if other cheaper options exist
I cleaned and adjusted my right spinner for a couple years, and it was always intermittent. I finally called jjp and they sent a new one that has worked perfectly ever since.
Quoted from OchoFosho:I opened a ticket with Jersey Jack and got this reply:
"Your game is working fine. That is a rule set function." along with a link to the papa ruleset for this game (https://papa.org/wp-content/uploads/HobbitRulesheet.pdf). But nowhere in that document could I find it say that the right spinner isn't supposed to advance you towards Erebor like the left one does.
Can anyone confirm that advancement is only for the left spinner and that my right spinner is in fact working properly?
-RLF
I’ll confirm they aren’t telling you accurate information. Mine was always frustrating and intermittently advancing the map. After getting a new opto, it ALWAYS advances.
Not sure what’s going on at jjp tech services. I called about my 3 light boards I listed above and they wrote me up a ticket for new ones to buy. Luckily I didn’t have my check card on hand, and after thinking it was odd that 3 boards went bad at same time, I investigated further and found that simply reseating the connectors fixed the missing colors. Can’t remember who I talked to, but they were quick to just send and charge for new boards before really diagnosing more. He did tell me to read manual and trace wires eventually, but not until after they originally sent me an invoice and I eventually just called to talk on the phone vs email. Friendly guy though, but seems like they should have told me odds are something different than bad boards.
Your opto is definitely bad.
Quoted from Lermods:Yep, there’s not much like it in any other games except maybe destroying the ring. Such an amazing game.
True, but melting the witch in woz could possibly top it as well.
Killed Smaug last night for probably only the 4th time in several years. Man what a great game. I seriously need to play it more often than I do.
Quoted from wesman:Looks great!
Did you adjust the lighting for the backbox? Mine is far more washed out for sure!
I think it’s a simple light diffuser you can do to get better colors on back glass. I haven’t done mine yet, but it does look good.
Does anybody have any pics of the art blades from pingraffix on a game? I’m debating on the two options they offer and would like to see how they both look installed. Also, is a blade protector needed on hobbit and woz for the blades or not? Thanks
Quoted from pinballinreno:I use blade protectors religiously.
Its a good habit to develop after damaging a couple games.
where did you get the protectors? Thanks
Quoted from pinballinreno:I have 2 sets now, one for the shop, one for the gameroom.
With a little maneuvering they fit inside most games thru the coin door.
https://www.pinballlife.com/interior-cabinet-protector-blade-set.html
Perfect. Thank you
I have a set of brand new pingraffix art blades of the map layout I’m not going to use. I’ll get pics later tonight. $65 shipped. Pm me if interested.
Quoted from GTO:This happened to me for a while. Clean the ball through optos and re-seat all wires to the ball through. The game kept thinking I had lost all balls at random times and both flippers would go dead, forcing the drain. If I opened the door and closed it again, then the game would kick out another ball and act like nothing happened. Yes, this happened a lot during multiball, but also at other times.
I’ve had this same issue and fix on both my woz and hobbit. Definitely put some time in looking over all the trough connections and switches.
Crazy after years of ownership and a ton of games on my hobbit, I started hearing a bunch of new call outs I’ve never heard before. I cannot figure out why all of a sudden they started popping up, and all last night. No recent updates or anything. Pretty cool though.
Quoted from paulbaptiste:That does suck. I ruined one side of my Wonka and then found out the made protectors to avoid this. Highly suggest purchasing them before changing it out again. Available at Pinball Life[quoted image]
Looks like I need those. Still mad about it
Quoted from pcprogrammer:Would love to see some pics of art blades and mirror blades people have installed on the Hobbit. Trying to decide what to go with.
Sorry for the glare. These were the best matching blades I found and are pretty much a perfect match to the factory art. I think these were from pingraffix, but can’t remember for sure.
89EBA626-10EF-4944-B1F1-B1A5FFE70F0C (resized).jpegBC48705E-DF08-485E-9331-C87E629A0560 (resized).jpegC6108AE7-F6AE-4FF7-A91C-3E08253B3F22 (resized).jpegEB861A05-D5D2-4952-8553-88E806C25F25 (resized).jpegQuoted from Prophet:I bought these from Tilt Graphics: https://www.tiltgraphicsinc.com/product-page/hobbit-treasure-trove-gameblades. They look great in the game especial if you get the 3d printed coin flipper mods. However the game is so tight in the cabinet, it will ruin the blades so you HAVE TO buy https://www.pinballlife.com/interior-cabinet-protector-blade-set.html and use them EVERYTIME you lift the playfield. No exceptions. Look at the image of my game with them installed. [quoted image]
Same ones I got. Easily the best choice, and most theme fitting. Scratched mine though unfortunately before I bought the must needed protectors
Quoted from ORF:On the wrong side of the pond... But available:
https://pu-parts.com/the-hobbit-pinball-lockdown-bar-ring-button-plate-engraved
FR Michael...
Seen it earlier but doesn’t look like it ships to the US unfortunately. Thanks though
ALL hobbit playfields are the exact same other than cosmetic color changes on Smaug and BA editions.
So I’m looking at the laseriffic topper and the lior Smaug one. Anybody have either and what are your thoughts? Is the lior one available anywhere still? Little shop doesn’t respond to emails for some reason.
The other option I’m considering but really unsure of is that lpm 3d hologram topper. Anybody have it and thoughts?
That’s kinda how I feel about the 3d one. Figured I’d at least ask opinions on it, but it always seemed out of place and odd compared to other toppers. The laseriffic one looks factory made to me, and the lior one looks really cool breathing smoke
Quoted from pcprogrammer:I was just looking at the red dragon topper from lior. I think I'd rather get that one over the laseriffic one but I think we missed out on it.
That’s my guess, but little shop hasn’t responded to a couple emails I’ve sent. I’m assuming we’re too late, and it was probably more than I wanted to spend anyways. I really like the laseriffic one though. It’s officially licensed and looks like what jjp would’ve included factory
Oh man that sucks. Sorry to see that for you. My back glass has a small scratch In artwork I recently noticed. Better get some triple thick spray asap
Was it kept in a non climate controlled environment?
Quoted from DiabloRush:FYI, Pinball Life appears to have restocked a whole bunch of Hobbit specific parts. They now have complete cabinet decal sets for all versions, playfields, apron decals, monster bash-targets (see what I did, there!), and several others. The targets in particular have been rare, and they’re attractively priced ($10/ea).
Has there been a common problem with the bash monsters? Any in particular?
Quoted from pcprogrammer:Not really but I think they wear and scuff with thousands of hits just like anything else. I grabbed a bunch of spare parts, I plan on keeping this pin for a long time, possibly for the rest of my life. I love the theme more than anything else, I have fond memories of reading this book as a kid over and over.
What's funny is that I went and looked at Wonka parts on pinball life and they have 7 listed. Seems like they got a Hobbit dump of parts recently, but nothing much for Wonka yet. I did buy a spare Oompa Loompa camera assembly since that is a common one that breaks randomly with air ball hits. I wouldn't mind getting some spare ramps and even a backup playfield for Wonka but that stuff isn't available anywhere I've found. I did also grab a spare Hobbit playfield, the price seemed right and like I said this is a lifetime keeper for me. I normally don't buy spare playfields but let's face reality, Mirco playfields are hit or miss. Anyone know where I could get a spare Wonka LE playfield let me know.
Glad to hear you’re enjoying the hobbit. I should grab a few spare parts maybe myself. The hobbit playfields are solid. About the best built playfields out there really. The parts I’m most concerned about breaking are the drop target mechanisms. My hobbit isn’t going anywhere, so I’ve been modding mine up a bit lately along with my other pins. I did pull the trigger on the laseriffic topper btw. Can’t wait to get it. I still really want a wonka too, but I’m hats a ways away.
Quoted from Atlgills:I am the original owner of this game and its been in the same place since. Never below 58 in the winter and never above 78 in the summer. These temp swings are very slow and would not be the cause. I dont know how long its been like this. I just noticed it last week. Wonder how many more are like this?
If it was a widespread problem we would have been seeing them posted all over. This is the only one I’ve seen do this. Something had to have caused this. Obviously concerning as to what caused it, but I would assume if these are kept in a house, this wouldn’t be a problem. Is yours in a garage heated or not?
Quoted from Atlgills:Its inside my house in the gameroom. Its a conditioned space and its sets with all the other pins. I cant fathom why this happened. Hopefully just a fluke.
I would assume a fluke then if other pins are fine in the same area. Sorry to see that for you.
Quoted from DrDoom:The ring is a very good idea!
How did you attach the ring?
It’s just wired on and positioned so you don’t see the wire from the player’s perspective
Lloyd said a new hobbit update released today. Anybody see the breakdown of what it added or fixed? I’m not seeing anything so wondering if it’s just a beta release
I screwed mine up somehow and now it doesn’t boot at all. User error. I’m downloading full update to try again now
Quoted from LTG:Hook a keyboard to USB cable by cashbox and hit any key to continue. See if that works.
Otherwise I'd start all over fresh with a full install.
LTG : )
I tried the keyboard multiple times. I’ve also redownloaded full code on my usb and still same message. Would that paper clip reboot do anything?
Quoted from LTG:If you turn the game off. Wait a minute. turn it back on, do you get the jjp logo splash screen ? If so paper clip to start the power supply won't help. Splash screen is motherboard turning on.
Did you follow full install instructions carefully, USB stick 8GB to 16GB, use unetbootin to put full install on USB stick ?
LTG : )
Yeah I get jjp flash screen. I’ll try reloading usb tomorrow again. Thanks Lloyd. Go get some sleep.
Quoted from LTG:If you used the USA mirror on the website, try the EU mirror. Maybe the download is the issue ?
LTG : )
Ok thanks. I did this on a Mac for the first time. Hopefully I can figure this out after work today. I assume we plug the usb in before powering game on correct?
So Lloyd, I carefully followed the Mac full installation instructions twice again, trying both us and eu versions, and it’s the exact same thing.
Quoted from pinballinreno:If it cant find the SSD, it could be bad.
Also, with a keyboard installed, you can go thru the bios settings and confirm them.
The BIOS settings are in this thread.
As soon as I hit a button on the keyboard, it just goes blank. Anything in particular I can hit on keyboard to get something to pull up?
So after hitting delete button on power on I get this screen. What am I looking for or what should I do next guys? Thanks for the help btw. I’m not good with this pc stuff.
156C7581-5AE4-4B8A-A9E5-5621E82B3B72 (resized).jpeg78C2ED4C-160D-4AC0-9CA6-578DD5BE31A8 (resized).jpeg7C326497-AEB7-4081-9B22-B70FB09A8A60 (resized).jpeg8228FEA7-9370-4CD7-9964-9DC02CA6DE43 (resized).jpegD9391C25-A715-486B-A582-C445EB48FA8D (resized).jpegQuoted from DiabloRush:See this post for instructions on how to reset the BIOS. Apparently, you reset them to the default. Good luck.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/woz-how-to-fix-cmos-settings
I not getting any screen like the one in that thread
Quoted from mjfisher:You can't just copy the file to the USB unfortunately. You have to make it a bootable USB. I don't have a mac unfortunately but this article may help - https://recoverit.wondershare.com/mac-tips/iso-to-usb-on-mac.html. I'd suggest using something like Etcher and see if that works. Once you've written the ISO to the drive you should be able to browse the individual files in the USB which is a good indication that it worked.
That’s what I was wondering. I never had issues using my pc, but my wife switched over to Mac and I can’t get the iso file to open and show any content. It’s basically just copying it onto usb, so I’ll try that etcher I suppose. This Mac is completely foreign to me unfortunately. Thanks
**update**
I got it running!!! I used my old pc laptop and loaded the code that way instead of on a Mac. It took forever downloading on the old pc, but hobbit fired it right up. Thanks everybody for the suggestions and help. From now on, I’m staying away from MAC simply due to unfamiliarity. Also, ken from jjp support was very quick to respond and start working with me, with constant follow ups. Happy holidays!!
Ps- just in time for my laseriffic topper arriving tomorrow.
I agree with everything above from rage. I own both and will never sell either. I play my Woz the least out of all my 5 games but when I do, I just sit in awe of how dang magical that game is.
As far as hobbit, it’s maybe my most played game. It is a very long journey playing game. The multi balls can actually be very controlled and strategically used once you understand the hidden entrance lock for mode multi balls, so I wouldn’t say it’s really multiball heavy unless you choose. Killing Smaug and melting the witch are definitely two of the best moments in pinball. The 31 modes are all unique and very well done. The 3 mini wizard modes are incredibly done and reachable. TH plays different from anything else, and that’s one of the reasons I love it. Last, it’s probably the most beautiful machine ever made. I have an LE because I prefer all the characters represented on the artwork. All versions are the exact same game, just cosmetics and then Smaug and black arrow have a different attract image pop up once in awhile.
Quoted from screaminr:I think it went , standard , limited edition , Smaug gold , Black Arrow , I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong .
This is correct. I will add that most early machines probably got the fixes sent to them and shouldn’t be an issue.
Quoted from pinballinreno:Have you installed the capacitor mod yet?
I built up the heculease ones (Im too cheap to buy them) as they are super easy to install, but havent put them in yet.
For $15 it looks like a simple solution
Where can I buy the cap kit needed, and is it the kit universal for all jjp games?
Quoted from briyau15:Everything seemed snug but I changed outlets anyway and still got the same result in the middle of a game.
Thanks LTG. I took a look at connector and it didn’t seem loose. I took it off and gave it the NES treatment by blowing on it a bit and put it back. In the middle of a second game and working so far but will give more time on it tomorrow to see if it holds up…
The NES treatment works every time
I ordered the capacitors for my hobbit, but it sounds like the fans maybe make the biggest difference. Anybody just run fans on factory flippers and able to confirm that?
Quoted from Reaper802:Very happy with just cheap $5 fans in mine. Maybe someday I'll do the caps but I've never felt flipper power was an issue with this game. The only issue was flipper consistency over long play sessions. Fans solved that issue for me.
Perhaps a little more snap out of the flippers would make backhanding the right hole easier? It could also make hitting the ELF and MAN drops even harder... Hard to say. I have my game set up to play hard AF as it is. 7.2*, no center post, no MB stacking, outlanes open. Baby game it is not.
Yeah, I never had an issue with how the flippers feel, just hate how they get tired and weak in long games. Was trying to figure out if the fans keep them consistent. Thanks
Quoted from Ericpinballfan:This is what the fans solve. Flipper fade on long games.
What fans did you go with, and from where? Thanks again
Quoted from CLEllison:After all these years of owning this machine I don't think I've ever heard, "I will have war". Granted, I shamefully admit I went through a phase when I didn't touch it for a couple years and I've only made BOTFA less than a couple handful of times and I've choked every single time (never beating the mode). Does this audio clip exist?
I understand why they likely don't offer a way to add/alter audio clips, but I wish JJP either provided an app or simply enabled SSH capability. Several dwarves had so few lines in the standard cut of the movie so I understand why the dwarve audio clips are few and repetitive. More material to pull from using the extended version of the movies. It's not like the hard drive doesn't have enough space to handle the additional stuff.
Has anyone added lube or dielectric grease to the beast mech rails? Certainly it would reduce noise and the drag of metal on metal. They really are noisy as is.
I am enjoying the Beta 9 though, giving thanks and kudos when and where due!
There’s a beta code for hobbit? What does it have that currently isn’t in the game?
Quoted from Oneangrymo:Yes that one, Ive been asking him on facebook about it, but he hasnt been replying lately. not sure if he is out of town or something. Is our money safe?
That was a really cool topper, pricey, but really cool. Can’t believe those haven’t all been shipped by now. Hope you all get them and can post pics. GL
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