Joining the club later today!

Any issues) damage I should look out for?

Also, how many balls does the game take?

Got the game set up, and had a few little issues to sort out, but one I'm still dealing with is the ball needing several attempts to get into the shooter lane from the trough.

Any suggestions?

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.

Also, can someone tell me where the posts should be by default factory setting. Mine are here as shown in photos.

And, what rubbers were used on this game as stock? Did they go traditional rubber or silicone?

Thanks!

IMG_20200925_123922 (resized).jpg

IMG_20200925_123928 (resized).jpg

Silicone like Dialed In had, not standard rubber correct?

And is the consensus that stock setting was posts in the middle?

And last thing, what's the best rules guide to refer to? There's way too much going on with this game.

Just so I have it right...

Factory settings had outlanes in the middle, and the rubbers on the game are silicone, like Titans?

Also, what was on the flippers from the factory?

Can someone take a photo of the left and right outlane posts on a machine that only you've owned and has not been changed from factory setting.

Thanks!

I prefer playing at factory default. If I clear the game, I like to know I'm playing it the way it came.

Personal preference.

Thanks!

What is STC?

The manual shows silicone for all rubbers.

What were on the flippers from the factory?

I'm confused... You guys are saying standard white rubber, but manual shows silicone. I have a Smaug edition.

Lifted the pf tonight for the first time, and wow, it was like lifting a car!

I'm impressed by how much JJP tried to put in this game. Also hugely impressed by their video and audio. Makes Stern look amateur.

One other thing, I noticed after a few games, it was getting harder to hit those ramps. Does this game suffer from flipper fatigue/fade?

Put up my best score of 4.3 million tonight, but for the life of me, I can't figure out how to beat Smaug. I started 6 or 7 multiballs, and just couldn't figure it out.

Also, what are the main requirements for TABA?

I heard that call out about the Wind Lance, but had no idea what to do. There is just too much flashing all at once making it very difficult to understand what you need to do, so thanks for explaining.

Funny, the first game I played when I set it up, I beat Smaug. Now that I'm intentionally trying to beat him, I can't!

Also, is progress saved for Smaug everytime you start the multiball?

And is there anything special that happens if you complete the 3 main wizard modes like Into The Fire?

Seems ridiculously difficult to complete all of them.

And TABA only requires the modes to be completed at 10%? No other requirements like Smaug, etc?

And what if you get less than 10% on certain modes, can you go back and pick those modes to play again?

Thanks!

So there is only one wizard modes (not counting the mini wizards like Into the Fire)?

I was going hard at the mini wizards and Smaug thinking that should lead to something, but if it's just modes, feels a lot like some of the older B/W games like Indy and TZ where you'd just start and time out.

What about hitting loops and progressing the map. What does that do?

Thanks again for the help!

I think most of my score came from the mini wizards. I played all of them, and Into the Fire a second time.

Also played Smaug MB like 7 times!

Game is definitely a lot of fun. Just need to learn the rules a bit here.

Anyone know if the Smaug edition came with rubber or silicone, and what was on the flippers?

Spoke to someone at JJP and they said everything was standard rubber on these from the factory, but their manual shows to replace with silicone.

Just curious to know what they were originally putting on these at the factory.

Cheers

I put it up at about 7 when I first got it, and then tried it at 6.5.

I personally like to keep all my games at 6.5 because I think it's closer to what the designer had in mind for the game. It's of course personal preference, but that's just where I am with it.

I know a lot of people say that this game is notoriously long, but I have had a LOT of really short games. I find that ball changes directions after hitting the flaps of the monsters, making it hard to predict.

I think I do better with faster games like TWD and IMDN, but I quite enjoying this unique layout and slower style.

Go to the point in Smaug MB where you the lance, but I can't seem to finish it.

Is it just one shot to the flashing red target to end it?

Anyone?

I finished it once on the second game I played on this machine and didn't even know what was going on.

Now that I'm aware of what needs to be done, it seems impossible haha.

I think some of the modes start at less than 10%. Pretty sure when I played last night, one started at 5% and another at 4%.

One of them required the right orbit shot first, and I just couldn't hit it.

I guess if you need 10% on all, I would have lost my chance at TABA.

I'm really digging the code thus far, but kind of feel like something was missed by not having everything come together in the end for a Valinor like epic wizard mode. Not that I don't like the code, but having an end goal of getting all three wizard modes, killing Smaug, and maybe getting some Arkenstones or modes could have been cool.

I do like though that currently you can pick a few paths. Some games I go for Smaug, some games I go for the mini-wizards, and I'm going to start getting into the modes to see how that works out.

Cool game though!

Almost every game is like that, which is why I always ask specifically where people are measuring.

Also take into consideration that inserts, even slightly raised will throw off the level.

I use the same torpedo level that you have, and also a small one that fits just about anywhere on the pf.

But I find the change in slope from top to bottom more drastic on Hobbit than other pins I've levelled.

Not exactly sure why.

What are used for the post sleeves in this game? Are they just standard post rubbers, or thinner?

Does this game use standard post sleeves, or the thinner Stern style?

Beat Smaug last night which is pretty epic, and then got to the three mini wizards. I had one ball left, so thought maybe I could try for TABA. I decided to cheese it, and time out all the modes. Got 21 of the down, but then the mode ramp would not like light.

I read in the rules that modes first need to be qualified? How do you qualify all the modes?

Is there a way to qualify all modes earlier on? Or how can you tell what needs to be hot to qualify?

Like in LOTR, I know to hit the white shots to start the mode.

Beat Smaug again tonight, and what an awesome sequence. Seems to easiest way for me to do it is trap a ball on both flippers, hit the right ramp with the left flipper to load the Wind Lance, and then hope you can hit that target from the right flipper.

Played tonight with headphones plugged in for the first time, and wow!!!

It really immerses you in the game when you're plugged in with noise cancellation.

Definitely appreciate the sound package even more after trying this!

Noticed a couple of my spotlights were flickering, so change the bulbs and within a few minutes they started overheating and smoking.

Any idea what's gone wrong here?

Wrong bulbs?

I'll have to check that. Thanks Llyod!

Can someone help me understand how you get extra balls in this game?

I swear, one game I'll play, and I'll quickly get 3 EBs, and then for many games following, I can't pick up a single one.