This makes total sense. Pyrates didn't have spell-check on their cell phones back then.
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But now the demand is because of the stoppage.

This needle trick worked perfectly for me when applying smaller decals. The hole completely disappears. ( I haven't tried cabinet decals though)

How do you know RGB boards can't be swapped into an SE? Have you tried it?

Page 349 of the manual says the only difference in lighting is on the boards - RGB vs White. The software is the same.

The lighting is all described in the manual here:

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1513623/Jersey-Jack-Pinball-Pirates-Of-The-Caribbean.html?page=349#manual

Gotcha. I'm not a modder. I was just curious what prevented it from working, other than the different LED boards as stated in the manual.

I agree. I had zero interest in this game, mostly due to the high price.

And then I played it. Totally worth it. Easily JJP's best game. Every aspect of the game is excellent.

What character is considered the best for score and progress? Didn't see it in key posts - just a breakdown of character rules.

I've only had the game 2 weeks, but my best scores have been Norrington. I was one chapter away from qualifying my 2nd mini wizard in a game. He really helps with sloppy shooting.

Each side rail is attached at two points in the front and back. There is a small phillips head at the back. And from the front, lift the pf and remove the nut from inside to detach.

The rail does have two sided tape at three spots, one at each end and one in the center. They are about 4 inches long. I'll attach a pic.

I used a wide plastic scraper to slide inside to remove the seal.

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No damage to the cabinet if you use a firm but flexible plastic scraper (not metal.) Since the adhesive tape is only in 3 spots, you can get the scraper inside somewhat easily.

Slide the scraper slowly left or right. Don't pry it up. Take your time. You don't want to put a bend in the rails.

There is hardware attaching it, so it will stay on without tape. Depends on your level of OCD. I intend to get some tape to make sure it stays tight.

Hobbit is properly rated. Personally, I really don't understand that there are people who like it.

I agree the theme integration is good, but there is no way that it compensates in any way to elevate how un fun it is to shoot.

The only satisfying shot was sinking the ball into the holes for extra ball. Constant ramps and bonking those incessant popups was so tedious.

It's almost offensive to compare POTC to TH. I own some games that others may dislike, but Hobbit is one of the few games I really, really hated.

I believe it is collected at a switch behind the sling on the right side of the game that the ball must hit.

It's located just past the entrance where extra ball insert is pointing, on the right. Tough shot to make.

The problem I had with the lighted window was I immediately thought it looked like an old time radio from the 30's. Doesn't fit in a pirate's ship.

I can't unsee it now.

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It was just my first impression. I think Scott does great work and I have other mods on order from him.

I think it means you hit the action button when there was no gold to collect and the lower display and audio are telling you the next award you will receive for completing the Pirate lanes.

No, you still have to hit the target after completing the inlane to get the award The audio cue comes when you hit the action button before collecting. I didn't say it gets collected when you hit it.

I put on neoprene washers on Day 1, the same day I unboxed my game. The clear around my sling posts was perfect - no damage because the game hadn't been played.

Six weeks later, I can now see rippling has formed in the clear at the base of the sling posts.

It looks like neoprene washers are no better than the JJP nylon washers.

Has anyone else noticed rippling with neoprene?

I didn't change to star posts, I still have the original narrow posts. I read somewhere that the wider star posts were to cover existing damage. Even with a star post, there is a narrow screw inside.

Are you referring to how narrow the neoprene washer is?

March 5 2019

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I also had wires break off under the Black Pearl causing an error at switch D04. It was the EOS for the left flipper.

The wires were really short, so to allow more slack, I soldered about 1.5 inches of new wire to extend the broken wires so it won't be as tight and likely to break again in the future. Slide on some heat shrink tubing first so you can cover the bare wire.
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Not really. The ball hanging up only happened when the BP was NOT moving. The rocking would release it.

Yeah, I was stupid. It's the slow rocking that would catch the ball for me. It hardly seems like it was rocking when it's slow compared to other times when it rocks more preventing the ball to catch.

Exactly.

I think the placement of the left screw holes on the ramp was a manufacturing error.

Has anyone gotten loop champion of 7 or higher?

Im not sure if I keep failing, or if the code only goes to 6.

The SE is actually more scarce than the LE.

I agree. I have an SE with all the mod upgrades plus a powdercoat that's nicer than the LE. I know buyers still prefer the LE.

Which Stern Premiums are more rare than LE's?!

No we didn't. We bought the game as is.

If you expected something different, you'd be better off waiting before buying.

New code wouldn't be bad, but I think it's pretty good with how it is now.

This game is fantastic as is. The rules are deep and well implemented. It's not like initial Stern code at all.

Have a lot of people completed all movie modes in one game without a wizard mode, or are they just insisting it exist even though they have no ability to see it? And what's wrong with the ball search?

Other than missing a final wizard mode, the above items do not indicate incomplete code. They indicate a desire for it to just be better. I get it, but the missing wizard mode is the only valid argument for incomplete code.

Just curious as it may improve my score, where is the scoring unbalanced? I want to take advantage of it.

What characters need tweaking? Are some traits listed but not implemented in code? I generally pick the same few.

Also, what things need fixing? My ball search doesn't cause problems. And having no ball save is by design. It's better that way.

The one thing I might question is Liar's Dice. It doesn't seem completely random, fair and balanced. I think they used a crappy algorithm. The opponent doesn't make calls like I would expect from a real opponent. But the code still seems complete with it.

That's not a good example.

Unbalanced scoring is when there is a way to boost your score without sufficient play or skill, a loophole to a high score.

66k scoring is just a feature in the game that if it didn't exist, you wouldn't even know. It's as relevant as midnight madness. A cool novelty but not a quick way to a high score.

You don't want to lose to someone who got a 1M mystery award. That is an example of unbalanced scoring.

I don't think there is a specific definition.

I've always considered unbalanced scoring when a game rewards an inordinate amount of points when very little pinball skill is used to earn it.

Generally if a feature is very difficult yet rewards big points, it's balanced. (Hard work, big payoff. )

A difficult feature with low score potential will not inadvertently allow a weak player to beat a better player. It' would be an example of a lousy scoring feature. Strategically, it would serve little purpose.

This can also be stated as a feature of the rules or strategy for playing mini wizards. Getting a mini wizard mode is tough. Having Tortuga ready at that time is another fold to the challenge. The amount of Gold required to collect increases each time as you progress toward the mini wizards. It's no gimme.

It's 100% exactly the same as stacking a mode with a multiball, which is THE most common play strategy that you will always see used by good players.

Stuck forks to lock in the chest or problems starting OST have not been my experience.

The ball search may be a bug needing a fix for location games. When I play at home, I always remove stuck balls and try to fix where they get trapped.

You're strategizing when you get close to a mini wizard mode, like a good player.

My only suggestion would be to use paragraph breaks.

But I will concede your point that fixes are needed for the code, but nothing in my opinion indicates incomplete rules other than final wizard mode.

I agree with this guy.

I initially misread BOOM as you scored 800M from the spinner. I need better glasses.

That is impressive. But what's the deal with the really low score?

I was really just thinking that playing all chapters would automatically create a huge score by virtue of just having played so many.

I've never come close to doing that. It really is impressive.

Is there a link to the most comprehensive rules?

I need to learn the intricacies to max my scores.

Is it possible to replace the weights for lighter ones at the same location instead of performing dremel surgery on the shaft?

Not worth it to me.

I think the opening and closing chest mod is better, and it doesn't cost stupid money.

It's kinda funny to me that mods are now numbered with certifications to create collectibilty hype.

Had a friend put up a GC on my game. His goal was to just reach a mini wizard mode but almost played them all.

He picked Tia Dalma and methodically went through each of the colored chapters in order from left to right. He successfully manually selected, even during multiballs.

He played 4 mini wizard modes in all, one by one, and was half way through his final (5th) when he tilted the game.

He won every blue chapter of On Strangers Tide along the way. His score wasn't all that high in the end.

The mini wizard modes were semi disappointing. Not coded with much excitement.

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Look, it's a great achievement to reach the mini wizard modes, but they still felt lackluster. They lack an introductory fanfare to create the excitement.

The music and lightshow didn't stand out at all. The animations reminded me of Houdini. They're fine, but they're far from amazing. Even B/W games fake shut-off and rapidly replay animations.

I love the game, but don't overstate these modes. I think the sound and video from scoring an extra ball is better than the Kraken tentacles.

Compare to music and lighting for "There and Back Again" or "Destroy the Ring" from LOTR. I can remember those. POTC mini wizard modes are not on the same level.

Yeah, exactly. JJP games need to improve the introductory fanfare.

I've started Melt The Witch more than a few times without immediately knowing it happened. They could do a better job with the visual introductions. It's better if a scoop starts the event so the ball can stop during the introduction.

Happened to me too. And if it's your last ball, it's Game Over. They need to make Liar's Dice favor the player a bit more.

At least for EB, it'd be better to have it that if you win, you win. And if you lose, you don't win but nothing is lost.

The computer is never fooled with a deliberately misleading call. There is no bluffing. The algorithm does not match real life Liar's Dice.

Is there no longer a monthly fee to use scorbit?

That's great news.

I was an early preorder supporter of Scorbit with money down.

They later contacted me requesting additional payment along with the news that they'd charge a monthly fee to use it. I requested and received a quick refund.

I never heard they amended their subscription service model for JJP games. Glad to know.

I understand that now.

It was just never mentioned in the Scorbit email I received that stated there was a monthly subscription fee.

There are two metal latches on each side that hold the display in position on an articulating bracket.

You need to slide the latches up to release it from the locked position, and then pull toward you.

I pull on the right side first, and then the left. Later JJP games got rid of the latches, and replaced them with magnets. The magnets are better.