That's actually starting to get a little old and sound a little dickish. Tell you what anytime you'd like to go head to head on IM best of 10 on any setup you choose I'd be happy to oblige.

It's a hell of a score. I know who's pin this is and I also know he can kick the crap out of 90% of the people on here. Anytime you get your initials on one of Josh's games your doing really good.

Maybe I beat you, maybe you beat me? Who the f cares? When you close in the outlanes all the way it neuters the game and makes the score irrelevant. That's all I'm saying. Open them back up. It's more fun when you do reach stuff then.

I broke 150,000,000 twice and defeated Jericho and collected DoDhu four times on factory settings. Then I decided to close them down and set Jericho to carry over. Yes the game got easier and I blew past that 150 million.... But it's even more fun overall and is still an ass kicker.

Play the game however you like....make it fun for you. But unless you 100% block those outlanes IM can never be set up for "pussies" (IMHO).

And that is the best feeling

Enjoy!

Man I'd love to see a good player come play my game so I can see how bad I suck or how mean my game is. I swear to you I'm not allowed to touch the ball more than once on Jericho. Just had one of my famous, start Jericho, roll off back of monger directly into Outlane while I'm actively and preemptively nudging to no avail.
Lanes in and still easily most frustrating game ever. This is why it wasn't first on my list to buy when I got into the hobby.

Even with the outlane post in the lowest position this game is still pretty fast and tough. We've had plenty of outlane drains despite them being closed up, but after I get a better feel for the game I'll move them up a notch.

I don't like getting pissed off all the time when playing a new game, I want to have fun. For a so-so player like myself I need a little extra help to enjoy this new $5k toy. I used to have my games set on 4 balls plus some extras, but I've come to realize this only makes it tougher for myself when I play someones else's games, plus I try harder if it's set up harder.

Exactly my reason for waiting until now to add to my lineup. TRONLE has been my in house, ass kicker for sometime ( easily brings out the most profanity and shortest ball times)...I've been hesitant on IM because it's always killed me when I play it in the wild....bet most of my quarters were still warm in the coin bin before the game was over...
Time for another brutal machine to join the torture club...

Thanks for linking to that. But I think I agree now with RobT about Monger Multiball start difficulty (setting #7): making it easier to start actually makes the game harder, since the Monger is in the way a lot more. So I think it's better to keep #7 on the default setting.

Plenty of fun to be had no matter how you set it up. The best settings for a player of any particular skill level is when the carrot is dangled just within reach. (Gotta try one more time...). If the carrot is too far away, then the player gives up in frustration and says skip it. If it can be grabbed every single time, then the excitement is over quickly as it always available.

In 5+ years in 3979 plays on my personal game, the audits show Jericho has been reached 278 times (various players) and completed 3 times (only by me). Outlanes 1 from top, no Jericho carryover, no extra ball scoring tiers and tight tilt. We like the level of difficulty as it sits

There is no right or wrong setup, but of course there are defined parameters for "factory" so people can compare apples to apples.

Here's my take on Jericho carryover. I think it's the best single-ball wizard mode in modern pinball. The way the music builds up the tension is just amazing (thanks to Davaid Thiel). I'd rather experience as much of this awesomeness as I can, than worry that I can't compare scores with someone else.

I had mine on factory for a solid 6-7 months. Achieved everything but DoDmb and breaking 200 million (155 was my best). In that time I had 2 games that broke 10 minutes. Since moving the posts down roughly 4 months ago I still have not cracked 200 mil (getting close) and have had 2 games over ten minutes.

The posts make a difference..... but not a huge difference.

Congrats! Although I wish you'd made an offer on mine instead!

I really wanted the NIB, and got a good deal on the last one in stock at the distributor's.

B

My son just beat Jericho on the "pussies" setting and hit 251mill. I know it doesn't count but he sure had fun getting it! I told him it looks like I need to open up the outlanes and see how he does.

How steep is your playfield? Just curious

About 7 degrees, but I'm going to knock it down to 6.5 as mentioned by Pinster68 to promote more side-to-side action. Right now that ball likes to shoot down pretty fast, especially if it doesn't make it all the way up the right ramp and then it's SDTM. My son has been playing it for about the last two hours straight, if he ever gets tired maybe I can play a game on it. He prefers solo when he's on a mission, which now is to get DoD mb.

So there's less side-to-side with a steep pf, but there's also added danger of draining SDTM from a fast moving ball.

He must be an awesome player - tonight while he's sleeping, wax it up!

how old is this budding professional pinball player if you don't mind the question ? "my son" is vague. depending on age, we're looking at the 8th Wonder of the World. those numbers and accomplishments are basically insane Michael Jordan numbers given you've said you've only had game a short time and are on factory settings. Not challenging just curious, the statements made so far blow my mind.

Wow! Fantastic! Tell him good job!

A trick / key to getting huge scores on Ironman is doing things on 1 ball. What i mean is, if you collect the DOD hurry up, that doubles all scores for the rest of that ball. Thus if you then get into Jericho and finish it in that same ball, you get a monster double SJP. I have done it once.

He's 15 and has always been a fast learner, and not just with pinball and video games. At 12 he quickly learned to juggle and ride a unicycle at the same time, whatever he takes an interest in he becomes good at quickly.

Maybe he has a shot for a lucrative career as a tourney player?

Except the outlane post are in the lowest position! I want to open them up and see how he does, I'll report back on that.

I wish him and you the best and hope to see you guys in Pinburgh or elsewhere where he can make me wish I'd never flipped or gotten into this crazy hobby.

Tourney games are almost always factory or harder. I played an Iron Man in a tourney once where there was no ball saver and the outlane posts were REMOVED. That was ridiculous. 15 MIL was godlike.

Oh and IM was the final game: my son took overall 1st and me 2nd. Greatest feeling ever losing to him.

This x10000000000000. Too many ppl on here think you can only have machines setup to PAPA settings or something. Some of us just want to have fun playing. If that means 5-ball with extra balls galore, that's not my idea of fun, but for some it is. More power to them.

The goal IS fun, right?

Bit the bullet today and bought a colour DMD. Can't wait to see that puppy in action. Does anyone have a more comprehensive manual? I found that 32 page manual online, but it is pretty useless.

Completing Jericho is tough. I get to it all the time, but I have only completed it once or twice. So many shots need to be made in it, many of which are very risky. It feels great completing it though!

I agree. If you decide to go out and pick up IM for your collection you are not a "pussy" at all. Not my favorite word to describe someone with women on the forum, but free country, open forum I guess.

You are a player who isnt afraid of owning a short ball time, "one shot away" heartbreaker of a pin that will make you a better player no matter how good you are. Nothing whimpy about that.

Slight change of topic: are any of you tempted to sell your IM to fund an SMVE, even just a little bit? I picked up my IM in 2012 when I was looking for a SM. I still love IM, but I have to say that I'm watching SMVE with interest.

No sir. I'd like to put a SMVE beside my IMVE.

Then again, I also want an Elvis, XMLE and Acdc Premium

I can't make up my mind!!!

Only certain thing is my IM is bolted to the ground

Edit - Nope. IM is to good to let go. You are an EM guy and IM plays more like an EM compared to any other newer Stern. It is challenging for a good player, but fun and approachable for a new player. A good and bad player can play IM together and the bad player will not get bored waiting their turn. The poorer player may win also. It is a great tournament game too. Keep it and find another way to get SMVE. If it ever comes out.

Hmm, I'm really more of an early 80's guy. But I agree that IM plays like a challenging SS pin - lots of dangerous shots are required to do well.

I have BSM- got it way before IMVE. Prefer spidey over Iron Man overall. spidey is a 10 and IM is a 9.14536.
They're fantastic for diff reasons. Go extremely well together (short vs long balls)

Neither are ever leaving. (I don't really sell)

Swamp you are of course invited to check out my spidey whenever you want.

IM is polar opposite to SM. SM has loooong ball times and a deep ruleset. We all know how IM is...it's a 1-10 minute game. A game of SM can take 45 minutes. Thats with the outlane posts set to the top holes. I'm lucky enough to own both and both are 10s for VERY different reasons. I'm watching for SMVE for a possible trade up of my regular SM, but do really love the cab art, translight, sound bytes and music on the original. Waiting on seeing the total package if it comes. The PF art is the only place the original lacks in my opinion.

Woohoo ... it seems my Iron Man has arrived in Jersey. Waiting on a call back to schedule final delivery. Pumped!

Good points. SM would be a good replacement for LOTR, but that's a family favorite. I just can't bring myself to sell 2 great 90's "B" titles to buy one new Stern. I tweaked out The Shadow and Dirty Harry this weekend, and I'm loving them.

A Merry Christmas indeed!!!

If I said yes my IM would come up the stairs and hit me, so no, not a bit.

I am curious to see what they do with the new SM, but not at the cost of Iron Man. It would have to be an addition.

Wednesday's the day. It'll me a Merry Christmas for sure. My wife is as excited as I am.

SM is a great game....the only reason I never picked one up is because I was a little concerned about the longer ball times. I wish my buddy near would pick one up already he's been talking about one for years ST pushes the limits for ball times (for me) and SM seems to play a little longer. I would sell LOTR. Horrible multiple player game. It was great while I had it but I don't really miss it.

No machine is as intense as IM.

SM is a great game for 15-20 game times. I'M is for those who go for 10 minute max games. I love IM; it simply is Stern's BSD.

To those that have fitted a color DMD, which dots type do you prefer?

I still need to install mine but rumor has it DotsXL

Thanks Astropin.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/im-color-dmd-best-settings

Dots XL does Look the best.
Installed mine yesterday.

I like SM, but for me IM > SM, VE or no.

Couldn't agree more!!!....SM not leaving, as it's such a fun, relaxing ride....nice change of pace from the ass kicking some of IM/TRON type games......variety keeps it nice....

It's here!!!

image_(resized).jpeg

Congrats B!!

Sweet!!!...and a Merry Christmas it will be!!!