Anyone know if Oktoberfest is going to be at VFW in a couple of weeks?

as you know someone will always complain about something! given that the vast majority of potential buyers have probably not been to Oktoberfest in Germany if the worst complaints you get are that "it is not reflective of Oktoberfest " that would be a bad thing?

IF ONLY Oktoberfest took its inspiration from Tapper! At the time it stood out for its detailed and appealing character design and funny animation!

I have heard a few people complain about the game being sort of slow. I agree but it doesn't bother me at all because I like video games etc. However if there was a way to make the code so it is "optional"to have Otto and the tents select randomly for you to pick up the pace it would be cool! This would appeal to the steve Ritchie fans,add another variable for home owners to change things up, and I can see this fun in the adult version where perhaps Otto is drunk while making the selections.

You'll never please everybody, our expectations are driven by our misconceptions.

It's funny that people complain about this game that tries to be more accurate to it's real life theme when they really don't know what it is about. Do people complain about fantasy and si-fi themes? Take BKSOR, Are people complaining about hydras and sand worms not being realistic? I wouldn't know since I don't follow that thread. A movie or TV theme has lots of film footage and characters to incorporate. A real life them might be much harder to develop.

Learning about the real Oktoberfest has been fun and interesting

I’ve thought about this, and can certainly add an adjustment for this if there’s demand. Meanwhile, in non-tournament mode both stein select and tent select tend to default to semi-random things you haven’t chosen already in the game, so... just close your eyes and double-flip to basically get the effect you describe.

Yes definitely do this!

Someone on YouTube commented about the music on Oktoberfest. He referenced this slot machine and it's music. Skip to 1 minute and 30 seconds. The voice acting sounds pretty solid as well.

This is supposed to be better than what's in the game already?

I'm a huge fan of Oktoberfest, great theme, great layout, the tents, the steins for the rules, the locks, the ramps (especially the drop down ramp) and the magnets. It is obvious a lot of thought and effort were put into this game (unlike say, moving a bash toy and magnet around) In my opinion, ya nailed it. Its just the guitar and cymbals stand out so much. Perhaps going for a Rammstein type of German music? I dunno. For the main theme it feels heavy for a celebratory game like Oktoberfest. It would fit great for a hurry up mode but its just in your face (ears). Thankfully the music in the modes is perfect. Again major kudos for going for a theme like this, not many games have caught my attention like this one. Good work.

Please do! Maybe a dual option adjustment to turn one on and the other off? I don’t mind having to pick steins, that makes sense. But modes/tents really slow the game down, it seems like they would fit better as a traditional pinball related mode in that some other feature on the game drives what mode is lit (i.e. pops, slings, Ramps, or even flipper buttons like DI/LOTR).

And honestly, It should be like that by default. One of the biggest issues new players have with Pinball is making decisions. Let them figure out later that flipper buttons or switch hits can change their mode.

I’d also advise with not having tents be played til completion; One and done so to speak. Some of the best games dangle carrots for the player to get via modes; LOTR with gifts, IMDN with soul shards and tomb awards, TWD with multi kills and horde. Have players play for perks - playing modes over and over til their complete is a false sense of achievement.

Thanks for the feedback, folks. There’s already about a zillion adjustments in the game, so what’s a couple more?

More boobs!

how are the power supplies holding up under load?

I have had no power problems with mine in the two months I’ve had it. Electromechanical aspects of the machine have been rock solid.

Does OF have the replacement supply for Houdini or something else?

Any idea why the 2 of the 3 games had a crash at MGC? Is it just a code/software update that is needed?

I was in the booth all night Friday and a good chunk of the day on Saturday, and never saw a crash. I heard about one after I left, but have no other info on it.

We had all the games go down at one point, when someone from another company, 'accidentally', hit a breaker and powered them all down.

I modified my post, I re-read it and it came off sounding like the games were just crashing left and right and that is NOT what happened.

I was in line at one point and 2 of the 3 games rebooted themselves at different times, about 1 minute apart.

I spent quite a lot of time on Oktoberfest and Houdini through out the weekend at MGC and didn't see any crashes

That's great but doesn't really answer my question. :p

Unfortunately I have no info on it, and no logs to review. Only issue I am aware of on that release that would cause a crash, is a bug when entering high scores, if you use the extra flipper button to move down a row, while on the letter W, it will crash. Hopefully if it occurs again we can get the log to see what happened.

Ah you know, now that you mention it, my wife reminded me that she thinks both crashes happened while people were entering names in. So that is sounding like a highly possible cause!

was anyone able to make the upper ramp shot on any of the MGC games?

I tried multiple times and have also been over to play the one on location in Madison 2x now. That upper flipper to ramp shot does not appear to have enough power. Is something going on with this? Still purposefully turned down since early games with 3d printed parts?

I really enjoy the layout and shooting of this game (its best feature), but not much fun with the current feel of the flippers.

It's a tougher shot but I made it once or twice.

I played on a different machine (not at MGC) that had been powered on for some time but no one playing. All shots were very makeable for my first ~25 minutes. After that, upper flipper shot was far more difficult but I hit it once. Steep ramp was impossible. Would love to know if and how this has been fixed.

I didn't play the games at MGC but I have no problems making that side ramp on the Blue Moon's game. I can make it about 80% when using a Mag nab and about 20% when on the fly. The thing you have to remember is that the shot is really late on the flipper and not where the sweet spot would typically be. It definitely takes a while to find the shot but once you do it becomes rather make able.

No, I could not for the life of me... lol

that may be the case. When I played both at MGC and on route, the game had been played by others prior to me being there.

I found the sweet spot (just like baywatch but other side of game ) just steep ramp and not enough 'umph' when hitting it perfect.

My personal preference would be to make all of the flippers just a smidge stronger. All shots are makeable as is but as the game gets played more and gets dirtier they will get tougher to make. The side ramp reminds me a bit of Whirlwind in it's makeability. The game also needs a slightly stronger shooter spring as the current one is often too weak to collect a Stein off the skillshot

I agree, I'm getting used to it watching all the streams online but its too prevalent. I say keep it but more limited to a mode or something. Everyone has there own taste but I like keeping to the theme. "We need more cowbell" the short spurts of it get muddled in and drowned out very quickly. I love that cowbell song at oktoberfest and would be great to last during the whole duck shot mode. Also there is no yodeling! That song from the Price is Right would be priceless for another tent mode.

At TPF there was so much 'umph' that several times I got a bounce back all the way from the top of the ramp back out. This sounds like a localized situation for you...

Palm it.. and it goes in nearly every time

I make the upper flipper shot consistently, whether a fast orbit (which can sometimes make it too strong) off the magnet or even just when the ball finds its way into the area, so a big part of it is getting the feel for the spot as it is low on the flipper. Personally, I prefer Gum Rubber vs the new stuff on that upper flipper, maybe just my imagination, but I think it shoots better. I think Ferret still has the new stuff, and he also has no issue hitting it. Again, takes a bit of practice to find the spot.

One of the issues at MGC, is that on Saturday Balcer adjusted things in the morning and he likes to set the flippers to be just strong enough to make the shots, and that can become problematic. I like to make them a little stronger then necessary. Whenever he goes to check the game at Level257/Pacman, I try to go out later that day or the next to turn them back up.

We are looking at some tweaks to improve flipper performance when under non-stop play

I will say that some locations jack up the back legs and the game will not play as well. Leg levelers should be all the way in, or only out a small amount, extending them all the way will create a variety of issues.

I've never had this issue, so, wonder if the game is just set up too high or something else is going on. I know Balcer tried different strength springs, and not sure why he did not go stronger. Possibly it impacts the other skill shots. I'll share the feedback with him.

Josh - thanks for going on Kaneda to talk about The Fest. Highly enjoyable podcast. It does make me want to find one some to play. Sounds like there is a lot of innovative rules going on and a lot to explore in the game.

Josh great job on kaneda. The modes you described sound great. Excited to play this finally

Always.

Hopefully I did not say too many dumb things, naturally I was sipping Tequila during it.

I think collaborating with Ferret has been hugely beneficial, as we both challenged and pushed each other to make it the best we can. We each have different ideas and we have been able to meld them together to create something that will be fun for novice, enthusiast and tournament player. We have tried to create a rule set that you can step up and have fun knowing very little, and at the same time there are multiple layers of strategy in the game relative to which steins to take when, when to take more than one of a stein, which tents to enter when, the accumulation of calories and ducks, when to use magnabs, etc.

Even though I know the rules inside and out, I find I am constantly changing the strategies I use at different points in the game or the state of the game. I also know there are certain strategic aspects of the game I'm not even really thinking about yet, that I should be. For example, I rarely keep tabs or focus on getting the playfield multiplier up during modes and multiballs, and using the magnabs to help do so (spell TAP at upper lanes to advance playfield multiplier). I tend to be lax in resetting the food stand timer to keep the uber food mode running longer so as to accumulate more calories (which increase jackpots value in multiballs) and I am surprisingly bad at being sure I have a mode running before starting corkscrew multiball (let alone choosing the right mode), I get that second lock and just can't wait to shoot the ramp again for the third, and considering the scoop is right next to the ramp, so really no excuse for it.

Please never do that again lol. Constant mouth noises during podcast = ear hell.

Back legs all the way in the best setup for this game? That's a first for me but I'm getting mine this week and want it to play its best!

Joe Balcer designed Houdini and now I believe Oktoberfest to have game out of box with leg levelers all the way up, nut touching leg. Should be right on paperwork when you open box.

Unless it's a live podcast, that kind of crap should be edited out before posting to be halfway professional.

unless your floor isn't level. Adjust as needed.

You and Rare...Lol

True, check your pitch.
All the way up is the starting point.

I concur. Levelers should be all the way in from the factory, stick with that, and only tweak as needed for left/right leveling. On mine it plays at a nice speed overall and all ramps are reasonable to make.

Are these being shipped now ?