"I suck but have so much fun with pinball" club

I have been in the hobby since 1996. I am currently ranked around 10,000th in the world by IFPA (constantly changing). I currently suck!

http://www.ifpapinball.com/player.php?p=15545

If you have a ranking, it must mean that you are really good. Can I have your autograph?

Copy and paste the below:

Sparky

I owned TOM for 10 years and never beat it. Am I in?

Rankings are not always an accurate indicator.

The link you provided shows that in the 3 tourneys you played in, you have done pretty well against "known" players.

Further you only have 3 total results out of 20 that count in IFPAs ranking system.

I'd bet you are a decent player

that makes 2 of us... at least with pinball i don't need half a dozen new balls every time i play...

golf, pinball, sex... 3 things you don't have to be good at to enjoy...

And all three we can do by ourselves...

I love it when people come over to play and expect me post an amazing score with no effort. They quickly realize that I suck. Someday I'll spend more time playing and "working" on my skills. Right now life outside pinball is very full with family. My playing time consists of an occasional game slapping the ball around with my kids.

I dont know which club I'm more proud to be in,...this one or the Vacation America club. Pretty sure I have a lifetime membership in this one, so I got that going for me.

Wait...did I just get kicked out of this club?

Still haven't beat the factory default high score on FT that has been in the collection for almost 2 years

Note to club........don't get an IM! It's emasculating even to good players.

I think Id belong to this and the dumb luck pnball thread. I have had this weird mean tease history with pinball. Most often my luck has them fire straight and fast down the sides or bounce all over and thrown there where I can not do a thing but get pissed it happened. Around that I clearly do not score much, even happening on my first pinball machine I own. Yet I get these shining moments where luck doesnt decide to screw me and things go well until I truly blow it.

For instance I can get like 100-300K range on my Gold Ball easily enough on most plays because the game screws me and I never spell Gold Ball to kick off that special ball for big points. Yet I racke up a week ago a 2.5M score and I have hit a couple more just over 2M and a few times 1-1.5M too, but almost all the games go down the toilet and it gets infuriating. Because this went much further than home ownership in the past Id drop a quarter or two and get fed up then mostly play the 80s arcade games instead. This bad luck transfers nicely to Pinball Arcade downloadtables and the 3DS release too.

Golf. Haha. I play at least 30 rounds a year and I have never broke 90. Woof

Ain't that the truth.

Yep this is a good club for me

You play better than you think, Just ask Jeff.

Having fun is all that matters....

Well since you brought it up....

That goes for both of you guys . I think you guys both play very well.

In fact I think since we started having more and more open houses, regular events and shows, a lot of people in our region have gotten much better.

It's awesome!

I fear I will be a life long member of this club. No worries though. I can't see playing being any more fun if I was better at it. An added bonus to being a really crappy pinball player is the short game times. I never have to worry about getting tied up with a pinball machine and having to blow off something more important.

I suck too.. I'm much better at repairing/restoring them than playing them. But I'm having fun....

Is it considered having fun when you slam the lockbar, yell "Go F- Yourself!", and flip the machine off with both hands after you missed your shot, hit a post, and send the ball out of the outlane?

If so, I believe my scores are low enough to belong here!

Woohoo!

A club for me finally!

lol. I'm with you on that. Just love hitting the ball for 10 minutes and not being able to hit one ramp. It must be fun because we kept coming back for more.

I know how they work and can fix just about any issue with a machine. I create mods and totally pimp out my collection, but, yes, as far as playing skills, I suck.
Worst part is I know a number of good players and they have no interest in helping the lesser players get better. It's some sort of competitive mindset. No fun to play pinball with either.
So instead my pinball parties are full of (fun) people who aren't great at pinball, but we have a great time, drink beer and play pinball all night long.

Not saying I am great at pinball, but having fun is first and foremost. I hope I am never around those good players you speak of. I practice A LOT, and if I have a friend come over that stinks, but wants to learn, I will sit with them on a game all night and share my knowledge with them and help them get better. Sounds like those good players you have come across are scared that if too many people find out about this awesome game, they might not be considered that good any more.

That's too bad you can't find someone to teach you how to be a better player. We have plenty of good players in Florida that are more thann happy to help.

My favorite is hitting the ball around for what seems like a few minutes but hitting nothing and the machine goes into a Ball Search.

That is one of the all time classic pinball moments (especially if friends are watching). No stuck ball and no trapped ball and it goes into ball search because you're bricking every single shot!

Thanks jeff

its all about the lucky ball or two

I'm in! I've never before been this involved in something at which I am so hopeless a participant.

I too sucketh hardeth

count me in!

It's also moving when the game lights the extra ball out of pity because you suck so bad.

If there's a sub-club starting for those who get pissed off, smack the metal top on the front, flip it off and curse some crap at the stupid f'ng table I'll join that too.

I guess I should be happy my 1983 table doesn't have ball search and isn't complex enough to have moments that long no points happen.

Yesterday I discovered I had the angle of it screwed up a bit too. I will never understand using the iphone why the compass (leveler) says one thing, then this bubble level/angle/etc download said another a few degrees off. That second one depending if I set it sideways or not (it would recenter) would still say a different number. I got pissed because it was going funny with the ball, then found via google a member here a year ago made a pinball leveler tool for iOS, and now it's set at 5.5 angle and 0.0 left to right. Maybe slightly less to get pissed off at later eh?

Count me in as a member. Except for the random good game I usually don't get on the high score list but do have a fun time.

When nonpinball people come over I jokingly ask if they want to play me for money. They quickly say 'no way don't try to hustle me'. Little do they know it would be the easiest money they ever made!

Eric

Definitely in the club. I can occasionally put up a decent score, but usually it all goes horribly wrong. Part of the problem is I sometimes go weeks/months between playing if I get really busy at other things, the other part of the problem is a basic lack of natural ability...

I still have tons of fun playing though.

I am sure I hear my pinnys chuckle when I step up to play. Count me in please

I start games with clear objectives and a game plan but before you know it I am just looping ramps and shooting any shot that feels good. Perhaps I suffer from Pinball Attention Deficit Disorder.

I do feel better that a lot of comments in here are how I think. It's so nice not being alone.

Misery loves company!

ha,that's me - nice collection.

Thanks Chalkup. Your games/gameroom look nice.

Also fun to go to friends and have that rare game that gets your initials on their game! Or maybe its because they just changed their batteries? Either way its good.

Eric