There is nothing wrong with narrowing the outlanes. HUO pins should be set up for fun before anything else. I hope when you say closed you mean narrowing, rather than completely closing off the outlanes. Closing them off might be fun for a few weeks, but would wear out the fun of any game from very long ball times and the lack of a challenge.

right behind you champ

No shame in that...you did it for your family.

Now you just have to promise not to sell the game in a few months because it's "too easy".

WOZ is always a short game for me, pulling in the outlanes is just a good idea. Now, should we talk about going 5 balls?

I came close a few times but i refuse to pull them in. I did make the outlane post on the toto lane a little larger by adding a post sleeve and then the rubber ring for the post, the result is a little tighter on the outlane but not as tight as moving the post in a notch.

I have come really close though, it is a tough game but i like it that way.

I put my outlanes on the lowest setting all the time. It doesn't embarrass me. I buy pins to play them and have fun. Not to maximize non-existent quarter drops.

If I was good enough that I was having ridiculously long games all the time then I'd open them back up again, but I'm not.

If you prefer them open then enjoy! Same if you like them closed more.

I agree Aurich, I bought a game off a guy who sets all his games to 5 ball and brings all his outlane posts in. Needless to say I had some very long ball times on his games. That's how he likes them though and there is nothing wrong with that.

My guess is that a very low percentage of WOZ owners will ever beat the game / get to SOTR no matter where the outlanes are. Mine are moved in, and I still can't beat the witch

I use the narrow outlane setting on most all my pins, its not a tournament, just good fun at home.

Even narrowing the outlanes on WOZ leaves them fairly wide. The OP subject is misleading; closing (blocking off) the WOZ outlanes would be pathetic (imo), but just moving the posts to the narrower position still makes for a challenging game.

Yeah, don't put rubber bands across them or something. But the games come from the factory with post options. Use them!

I don't care for 5 ball play myself.

WOZ is brutal. Bring in the outlanes and set the game to 5 ball. It's the only one of my games set to 5, because what's the point of playing if you can't get anywhere on only 3 balls? SOTR is still out of reach, even on 10 balls...

I should clarify, I keep my EMs on 5 ball, just not my DMDs. And WOZ kind of has a bit of that old school EM feel, I've played it on 5 ball and it felt pretty good.

No shame whatsoever in bringing in the outlane posts, WOZ is a very tough game even at the most conservative settings.

I can't move my left one in. The ball guide is in the way. What am I doing wrong?

The ball guide needs to move too...take off the plastic above it.

I narrow all of my games. Fun is better than frustrating.

You're not beating the shit out of it. A little blunt force and stupidity can solve just about anything.

The only reason to widen/remove outlane posts is if you're good enough to be practicing for tourneys. If you're that kind of player though, all your machines will be like that and you will still be able to crank off good scores regularly.

The reason those posts are adjustable is to match the skill of the players. The audits tell the operator how many balls exit through which lane, among countless other stats, so he can make adjustments so that the player base can achieve high scores/free games on occasion to keep them coming back for more.

You could also try a plastic post instead of a mini post if it's really monstrous.

Also re-set the high scores every month or so, so your family can compete for the HS table.

BEWARE! Some outlane posts have locknuts under the field.

Interesting to hear other people's tweaks to make the games a little easier. I actually do something a little different that I find very rewarding - I set up 4 fixed replay levels that award an extra ball at decent score levels. It requires a good game to get to the first replay level, so it has the effect of extending an already good game...and you have 3 more extra balls waiting after that if you keep it going.

I like it much better than 5 ball.

It is perfectly acceptable to setup a game in the way you find it to be the most fun. You own the games to have fun playing them, so however you like it is great.

It's also fun to change them later. Pick a game that feels a little stale, and a new setup can make it feel like a new game.

I do this as well. Replays are meaningless at home. But I set the extra ball thresholds really high so you have to EARN them, and I leave the auto-adjustment on.

play better.

No shame in setting the outlanes to easy. I do it on all of mine and weirdly enough, the ball still fits through them with alarming regularity!

Yep, me too. Moved them ALL in, left, right, and the castle playfield. I get WAY more action in the castle playfield now, and my outlane drains are still there, they just arent as brutal. Loving it now more than ever.

all 3 on woz do.

I thin the outlanes and go for 5 ball.

I'm a terrible player so this makes the games fun for me.

Wow! You get to actually enjoy the game, what a novel concept. The left outlane on WOZ has to be the most terrible design in pinball in the last five years. I would have bought the game if they had designed it differently, I just can't get past the constant drains on that side.

It is not that bad once you learn how to nudge.

I can nudge just fine. You can't nudge a 30 mph ball careening down the outlane from the other end of the playfield. Especially when it does it off the shooter lane eject.

Once I moved my posts in this doesnt happen nearly as much, and I can nudge to save it more times than not.

Lol, classic exaggeration there. I don't think the ball gets up to 30mph , no way.

What is the "shooter lane eject?"

I think he's talking about the upper right flipper and how if you don't time it right, you can flip the ball right into the TNPLH outlane.

Not judgin' anyone here, but I like my games tough. I give them ALOT of pitch and set my bumpers and switches as tight as I can get them, without them machine gunning on their own. I do set my tilt real loose though. This way I can nudge . I don't get a lot of replays but you really learn how to man handle a machine. I like it!

Yeah, flailing will usually end in bad results. It's called pinball.

You cannot move the stainless ball guide because the one of the posts goes through the PF. I took mine off and used a dermal with a diamond wheel and slowly shaved the end off the guide. You cant tell that I did it. Be careful or you will burn the crap out of your fingers and discolor the stainless

On Mars Trek, the upper flipper has almost nothing to shoot for other than the left outlane.

It makes it fun to use it as a "stopper". Get it safely to a lower flipper if you can.

image-9.jpg

The guide also moves............

Because of the quest type nature of WOZ, it seems just logical to me to set it up so you at least have a fighting chance to advance further along the path, so having point related extra balls is a very good way to go. You can set them up just like a replay so they get harder the more you achieve them, mine is currently at 410,000, started at the standard replay score of low 200,00 IIRC, so as my scores get better, the EB gets harder.

How does it move? I found no way to move the left stainless ball guide enough to move the post out to the third hole. lll have to look when I get home.

I keep the left outlane popper on easy on STTNG. It pops every ball that goes down the left drain out. it gets used about as much as the flippers. I absolutely hate the machine. Worst ever.

Remove the plastic on top and then take out the screw holding the end of the guide. You will then see another hole if i remember correctly.

I think it's a great idea. And who cares what other people think. Plus if it gives you longer ball times, it actually will make you a better player over time since it'll help you better understand the flow of the ball and where the danger spots are on the playfield that eventually turn into a drain in the outlanes.
Best of luck to ya!

Yes you can. There is a sneaky little hole drilled in the PF purposely to accept the moved ball guide. I just did it. One would never know the hole is there unless the ball guide is removed. It could be the sneakiest hole in all of pinball.

This.