So these Jackpot lights in the backboard are super weird, as I mentioned in a previous comment -- (1/2, 1, 2-1/2, 3 million) lights solid on and 3-1/2 million blinking--. I ran the ALL LIGHTS test and they all blink up to the 4 million light and the jackpot flasher so I know that circuit is working. I ran the SWITCH EDGES test and proved that all the switches in the upper playfield are working (since I was told that completing these lanes will advance the jackpot).

I started a game and pressed the UPF switches to complete all the lanes repeatedly trying to see if the Jackpot lights on the backboard would respond past 3-1/2 million. They didn't change until I hand completed the lanes something like 8 or 10 times. Then I was awarded the JACPOT and the backboard jackpot lights started blinking followed by dancing and finally ended with the bottom light blinking (an apparent reset). Hoorah maybe I just needed to cycle the system to wake it up!! But NO. I started a new game and completed the UPF lanes over and over with no effect on the Jackpot lights on the backboard... until, as before, 8 - 10 times the same blinking, dancing, back to bottom light blinking occurred. Turned machine off and back on. Bottom light is still blinking!!! IMPROVEMENT over 4 solid and 1 blinking. But still the Jackpot lights will not advance during gameplay. The bottom light just stays blinking until you complete the UPF lanes a bunch of times and are awarded the jackpot. I opened the coin door and ran the ALL LIGHTS test again. All Jackopot lights again proved to be working. When exiting the menu the lights WENT BACK TO (1/2, 1, 2-1/2, 3 million) lights solid on and 3-1/2 million blinking!!!!!! AAAAHHHHH!!!!

What could be the problem? I'm at the point that I just want to leave it as is and say it adds character to the machine.

Oh and let me add if it matters that the jackpot lights on the backboard dance and flash when entering initials for a high score.

You are at war with the game settings. It sounds like some of them are set on HARD, making it extremely difficult to advance the jackpot value. Investigate the game presets in the manual. Consider installing the "EASY" preset. See page 23 of the ops manual.

I tried changing from Easy to Ex-Hard the jackpot lights don't respond to those changes. I did notice however, that when you start a game the digital display indicates the correct JACKPOT VALUE for the light that is blinking on the backboard.

Also let me correct a statement I made earlier regarding the UPF lanes - these lanes advance the bonus inserts on the playfield, I'm not sure about the effect they have on the Jackpot lights on the BB. And to be awarded the jackpot I had to enter multiball and make the center ramp 4 times. Then the jackpot amount was awarded consistent with the light on the BB that was blinking.

I am wondering if this is Game ROM issue? I am going to order new ROMs and see what effect that has on the game. I have two different versions of the chips on the CPU, JOKERZ U27 ROM 2 Rev 1 and JOKERZ U26 ROM 1 Rev 3

If this doesn't fix it then its going to just be the way it is and that's it

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Try the L6 roms.

http://www.planetarypinball.com/mm5/Williams/tech/sys11roms.html

rd

I don't think either of us understands how the jackpot is advanced in a game! Read the manual until you understand it, then tell the rest of us.

Giving up is not allowed.

Generally, SYS11s build up the JPs with switch hits.

I have fixed JP roms in most of my SYS11s for tournament use.

My Jokerz has a fixed JP of 4 million.

rd

Glad to hear you saw improvement with the resistor. The only other treatment I added to mine was replacing the speaker wires with shielded cable to shield against RF interference. It helped, to the point where I really don't have any buzz now. But that's a lot of work, and it may or may not reduce the remaining buzz you have in yours. Every pin is different.

Oh, I had no thought that even existed. I need to Google it, seems something I could do rather easy.

I looked back in Amazon and found which one I ordered. If I recall, I soldered the ground shield to the pin's ground plane at both ends, but I don't remember if it had any noticeable effect. Here's the link:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071DFHKRB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00

Ok... I didn't give up. I just now feel like a total idiot. Here is why. In the system menu the operator can set the Jackpot to begin at various amounts. Over time as players keep playing game after game the jackpot will increase on its own dependent upon the score that the previous player earned during the last game. I noticed this when I was showing my wife that the game displays what the Jackpot is at the very beginning of a new game... and to my surprise the digital display read a number higher than last game by 15k. So we quickly played another game and started a new one to see that the jackpot had increased by 5k.

This was the OMG I'm an idiot moment. In the menu settings I can change the starting jackpot amount, duhhh. I thought it wasn't advancing the jackpot b/c I assumed the jackpot would start over at 500k at the beginning of every game. But that's not how it works. I was also frustrated that after testing switches and stuff and finally figuring out how to earn the jackpot, the light would reset to 500k. That's because it's supposed to!!! Then the jackpot amount builds until someone earns the jackpot and it starts over again. It's like a slot machine!!!!

So my game is set to start at 2.5 million. That's why the jackpot lights on the BB seem to always be illuminated. After doing a bunch of factory resets, I could never get the jackpot lights to increase b/c it kept going back to 2.5 million. This is a case of user ignorance and a manual that doesn't describe this very well.

I guess I'm the Joker... or the fool. At least I know now that it's not broken and all the work I did to try to fix the non-existent issue probably helped bullet proof the machine for better reliability.

Congrats on figuring that out. Agreed that the manuals don't always explain things very well. As time goes on you will know everything about the game and then...trade it for a new challenge.

If you do decide to install shielded cable, make sure you take pictures of what you remove/disconnect. Polarity matters in that circuit!

Hello Jokerz!
Anyone upgrade their plastics and have any spares? Looking for the center ramp cover, having a hard time finding it!

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If worse comes to worst, you can make one out of polycarbonate (not plexiglass!) and some inkjet waterslide decals.

Curious about the backbox sticker listed on Marco's website:

JOKERZ (Williams) Backbox tech chart #16-567: "Williams JOKERZ pinball machine backbox technical information matrix chart, 11 x 17 inch peel & stick vinyl"

Anyone know if this was included in original Jokerz game backboxes? Mine shows no evidence of it.

Joined the club a few weeks ago - factory mylar on the playfield was in such bad shape that you could hear it crackle when you were playing, and there were splits wide enough that the ball would deflect. I was able to remove the mylar and remove adhesive, but unfortunately my "deal again" insert and a couple of the bells suffered some clear and paint loss in the process. The remaining bells and inserts are clearly on their last legs as well. That said - the rest of the playfield art beyond the inserts is in great shape with the only paint loss being due to crud getting under the mylar in a few spots.

Has anyone happened to create decals that could be used to restore the writing on the bells and "deal again" inserts? If not, I think this is a case of leaving it "as is" since it's definitely no where close to bad enough to warrant a hard top.

Thanks So Much for posting this!
Please check your inbox. I've sent a PM response.

The original pinhole drawing for Jokerz is for sale on eBay. ebay.com link: itm

Not trying to spam the group. It is a very cool drawing that I though the Jokerz group would like to see.

Are there side art blades made for Jokerz!? I just saw an ad on facebook today that showed them installed on a nice Jokerz! and they look terrific. Pics below. I had never seen or noticed these anywhere nor had I read about them on pinside being available. Did I miss something?

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I am going to look at one of these next week. Are there any specifics I should be on the lookout for? Also, if you had to do over again, would you have bought Jokerz or gone another direction?

I bought my Jokerz blades from Retro Refurbs but have never seen the ones from that ad, those look great.

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Inspect the upper mini-playfield for cracks and the posts pulled together - if it has those issues then factor in a new one (they are available, amazingly). Also check to see if the stepper motor in the backglass is operational; there's a test for it in the diagnostics menu. Of course, check the main playfield for worn-to-wood areas and other missing artwork...those things will be a pain to fix.

Otherwise everything else on the game is commonly available.

Is $1800 decently priced. The pictures of the playfield look good but the cabinet has some fading of the blue.

I was happy to pay $2000 for a working Jokerz with really really damaged mylar that resulted in some paint loss on a few inserts once removed. $1800 for a working Jokerz is a very good deal, I'd say. Just a "good" deal for a complete and clean but non-working.

1800? 2000? Holy moly prices for this B-list title are insane! I paid $350 for one in 1999 and then still had to spend another thou to make it really nice. It was a good starter game to learn about restoration, but no way it's worth today's prices (to me).

Agreed. It didn't help that they printed more money in the last three years than ever in history. The dollar has just devalued so much in addition to pinball taking off - it is what it is. If you look at the inflation calculator your $350 in 1999 equals $629 @ the 78.6% inflation. Add your thousand which equals $1795 for a grand total of $2424. Besides the obvious inflation sucks for all of us - it's not that far off actually.

I think gem mints of these are $3500 so the extra grand is from the higher demand and lower supply (I assume some Jokerz have been destroyed or parted out in 23 years). But I will gladly double your money if you still have it and its clean

If you really want depression, look at vehicle and housing prices over that time span.

How dare you hit me with facts and reality!

I sold that Jokerz for $1500 and got a Simpsons Pinball Party (that will be the last Stern I ever own). Traded it for a STTNG, then traded that for a Junkyard, then traded that for an RFM. RFM is the crowd-pleaser game in the collection, so it stays. I wish I still had all those predecessors, but I'm not wealthy.

I am with you on the Stern. I am just getting started and will be buying my first pin today - Flash Gordon. I went and played some and I just couldn't get into all the rules and toys. I was a kid back in the late 70s and early 80s. My parents had a Bally Wizzard that was a circa 1975 EM. To me that is pinball but I always wanted a newer one with the cool tech at the time which was around 1980-81. The digital displays and the "Speak and Spell" type voices were just uber cool for a kid that was 11. I guess I never grew up because I still want one

I remembered the System11's being in the bowling alleys when I got my license in 1986. I plan on staying in the 79-89 era. I am a n00b but have been working on arcade machines for a number of years. I have had an itch to get a couple of pinballs for the game room but dang - I sure wished I would have gotten the itch when we bought this house in 2012. The market has gone nuts But money in the bank is depreciating so I need to get into some fixed assets. At least with pinball, unless the market goes kaboom, I can buy a couple of pins, have fun playing and fixing them, and then at least break even or make a couple of bucks should I sell them. I hope this Jokerz is decent. I like the STTNG because I was a huge fan of the TV show.

It just felt flimsy. Cost-cutting was evident everywhere. The classic Bally/Wms games are just solid, and I can live with the electrical shortcomings like the typical overloaded GI header on the driver board .

STTNG is a great pin and now some enthusiasts have updated the game program to an unofficial "L8" version with a lot of rule adjustments and new features. I really wish I still had one.

Back to Jokerz: I made a rudimentary set of web pages about my game back in the day and still keep them available. Maybe you've run across them:
https://videoengine.com/pins/jokerz/jokerzmain.htm

Here are pictures of the one I am going to look at. Would you guys mind giving some feedback if this is considered poor, average, or good condition.

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Hard to tell from those pics but def not poor condition. Doesn't look like wear around pops so Average+ or better is my guess.

If it plays and all displays work I would say priced very fair at $1800

moved to different thread

I do not still own it.

Oh, OK. I won't ask why you're in this Jokerz! owners thread then.

I'll answer you anyway. I know all about this machine and enjoy following along here and sharing what I know in the hopes of helping others.

Sounds worthy. You are certainly helping others get a devalued price; a takeaway from devout owners. Out of respect for other pinheads, I try not to bash my former pins in a public forum. In fairness to Jokerz haters, this was my first SS, so I opened up a vein when I spent a year restoring it. Of all pins I've owned, this one's given me the most enjoyment, faithful service and absolute value. Family adores it, too. By these yardsticks -- best machine I've ever owned.

I just got my Jokerz! machine back today. It was at a friends house for 7 or so years. I didn't play it before I moved it home. When it made it home and I tried to play a game, the left flipper isn't working. I have older Bally games, but this is my most modern game, and the only Williams game I have. I checked the obvious, flipper button switch and contacts, as well the switches and contacts on the flipper coil. Nothing obviously wrong. I checked all fuses, including the one for the left flipper. It tested good. Whats next? I'm somewhat of a newbie to the Williams games, and need some advice on what to check next. I have a volt meter, but that's it. And I'm not sure how to use it other than for continuity. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

Check this thread for some great tips: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/jokerz-flipper-problem

The dead left flipper was fixed re seating a connector on the interconnect board. Since playing this game for the last few days, It is a tough one to get a big score on. But that frustration factor always leaves me with the one more game mentality. Anyone else have issues with the draw poker kickout hole not getting the ball out? Sometimes mine takes a few attempts to get it out cleanly. Maybe a less steep angle of the playfield? Just curious. I like this game. It is the most modern game I own.

Rebuild the lockout mech — disassemble, clean all the crud off it, new coil sleeve.

Should be good to go.

Remember these things are 35 years old now.

rd

Mine does the same thing. I tried several different fixes but nothing helped. Then I read a post about how this phenom can be a blessing in disguise. If it takes 3-5 or more attempts to kick the ball out while you're in multiball mode, it buys extra time to hit the center ramp with the other ball one or more times to build (or win) the jackpot. It changed my shooting strategy. Other players haven't figured it out and keep complaining "hey, it's stuck"!

I joinz club...

my question is, what did Python actually contribute to this game? He is listed as co-designer, but the plans I saw only had Barry Oursler's name on it. ( ebay.com link: itm )
I feel like Barry must have done most of the design but...?
I thought maybe Python had contributed art, but I guess not?

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Finally got around to installing art blades for this game that I've had for many months. The game now fits nicely next to two of my other SS's. They add to the colorful appeal. I had to devise a way to lift the playfield up using a "sky hook": clearance between the PF edges and the pivot posts and hinges was way too restrictive for me. It was the only option besides removing the PF with 6 billion connectors that need to go with it. (The riskiest part of that is getting the reassembly routings and reconnections correct.) This may not be best for everyone but worked great for me. I have another set of blades on order for my SW so once that's complete, I can remove the ceiling hook and patch/paint the little hole. Or not.

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Hey guys looks like I need a little help, finally got around to recapping my sound board and confused about the orientation of C33 & C34. The board doesn't have polarity, the schematic doesn't have polarity but its only missing for these two. When I removed the old ones I am 95% certain I laid them out on the bench in the direction they were but I would rather be 100% sure.

Can somebody please post a clear, closeup picture of their Jokerz! sound board (lower right hand side as it sits in the machine - these caps sit just to the left of the audio amp. Sadly all the pictures I can find online are too blurry to be certain.

Thanks!

Whelp - was able to use a couple pics in 10y Jokerz! sound issue threads to confirm the positioning of those two caps - sadly this did not fix my issue