The honeymoon is fading.. I'm agreeing more and more with the "seems like work" post. Rule changes are needed to keep ST(LE) interesting. Right now you have missions (one at a time), Klingon MB and the Vengeance modes (only one of which is worth playing). Starting to feel linear and repetitive, especially with the same quotes in the same spots for the same shots over and over. Bring on Urban and an expansion of simultaneous features we can have running!

Oh I know they haven't abandoned it, but at the moment we're playing it less and less... it needs a second honeymoon

atari > intellivision

This is exactly what it is. You can see the different direction the light takes as the game does the purple/green bonus paint as well.

Aren't you the one who stalks some other dude and thumbs-downs everything he posts? Sounds like just as much a waste of time as parroting JJP propaganda...

What's the custom Frodo speech? All I know of is the dwarf's speech...

Ahh that's right... they're not as memorable as Gimli's to me, but I can see them having to be custom, can't pull phrases like that from the movie

Oftentimes the actors demand royalties even to use their voices from the movie or TV show. Hence the lack of female Simpsons characters in TSPP.

No, I'm just pointing that out - people keep saying to just use movie assets, but JJP may be limited in what they can use there, if a particular actor is not on board. All depends on the license agreement. I'm thinking JJP may have said once they had the ability to use anything from the movies... hopefully that is the case

Anyone posting here who is not a JJP employee or insider is filling this thread with crap, including you

There is a Hobbit update now.

So here's a good look at the playfield...

hobbwhitewood.jpg

Initial thoughts:

Standups and not drops? I assume this is for testing and drops will take their place. Kickback appears to aim at right VUK. Troll popups as expected. Assuming Trumpers are test only and did not get tornadoed to Middle Earth. Big area for Smaug to live in. Like the metal ramps and wide open center area. Slingaxes are cute.

That's what I get for looking at the pics before reading the blurb

It's not even just the code. If you drain a twister before finishing it, hold the UR flipper out... the ball will fall thru the hole and bounce off the flipper, then roll perfectly to the LL flipper for a drop-catch and stickback up the ramp for more twister loops. Don't do this from magnet holds, though... not enough momentum and it'll want to roll SDTM

I still consider it a dog. A very pretty dog. Kinda like a poodle... fun to play with here and there but no need to own one

I don't understand people who can't be bothered to spend 5 minutes (or less) to learn a game's rules. TZ might be "deep" by pinball standards, but everything you need to know is written on a 3x5 card in the apron. Hell, it can be condensed even further:

Shoot ramps to light locks, mode starts and gumball shot. Shoot locks for mutiball. Shoot yellow mode start shots for door modes. Shoot right side when lit to cycle gumball, do that enough to get powerball. Shoot powerball back up right side for another multiball. Inlanes lights opposite orbit for spiral award.

The above paragraph covers 95% of TZ. Not exactly rocket science. Now, learning how to play the game WELL and EFFICIENTLY and get good scores... that's the learning process!

If you're referring to Alien Invasion, that is one of six wizard modes, but it's not the "first" one (or the last or any other order). Each wizard mode in TSPP occurs when you finish its associated feature. I bet you've seen a few of them already and don't realize it.

The wiz modes, starting with the easier ones:

Secret Stash - complete enough hurryups to start. I've actually started this on ball 1 a number of times - shooting for CBG skillshots and making them both really speeds up progress

Mystery Spot - light all the 2x scoring lamps (standup target, otto lane, rinse/repeat). This is the reversed flipper mode. Also easier to get than AI if you concentrate on it.

Daredevil Mania: complete the 4 Bart skateboard modes (bumpers, loops, targets, ramps) to light. Usually happens purely off missed ramp or right orbit shots, but not hard to start if you work on it.

Alien Invasion: Likely the one you've seen, and a kickass mini-mode in its own right. Play all TV modes to qualify

Scratchy's Revenge: play all four I&S multiballs, then start a 5th....

Six jackpots. Not a wizard mode, but a SDMEWM requirement.

Pretzel Multiball: not a SDMEWM requirement, but an end mode for collecting 26 kids. Shoot right orbit over and over... failed garage shots that dribble back also count.

The main thing to remember is that ALL OF THESE ARE INDEPENDENT. If you want to see Mystery Spot, concentrate on Otto and you'll get it in a game or three. Same with most of the rest, although some are helped a lot by long games....

I love that you use the word 'punish' because it perfectly fits with what this has devolved to.. "Better not mouth off to momma or she'll bend you over her knee and give you a whuppin!"

Yea, 24 hour ban, whatever... this thread is useless without new information from JJP anyway. Have a great weekend talking about ... !