The Schleich velociraptor is pretty nice, and it’s the perfect size for that area.

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I bought 2 of them on Amazon, since they hunt in pairs. They were around $15 each (I’m too lazy to check Hobby Lobby)

I would thumbs-up this a thousand times if I could

I hope it’s okay for me to cross-post the review I left on Whysnow’s thread...

I played about 8 games on the Pro. I had a few scores over 100M, but the rest were well below that. The ramps are buttery smooth, but not wide. It takes a few games to find the shots. I had trouble finding the tower shot, but I saw my friend hit it 4 times, so it can be done. The only reliable way to get the ball into the pops is a straight shot just past the right of the truck. A weak shot through the spinner will do it, but a stronger shot feeds the ball to the upper flipper. CHAOS multiball is crazy fun. The modes are somewhat basic but fun to play and lucrative. The raptor pit on the Pro is fine to me, the control room lock does the job. I didn’t see many people shooting for that anyway, as it’s a somewhat dangerous shot.

The art on this game is second only to IMDN Premium, which I also hope to own some day. Hiring great artists was a smart move by Stern.

They hunt in pairs, right?

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Schleich, Amazon. I bet Hobby Lobby has them too

Just the raptor(s) and helicopter for me too. Replace, not add.

6.5” from nose to tip of tail
1.5” wide
3.25” tall

Should fit nicely into that area.

It’s not a bad idea to wait a few months for Stern to work through the first-run issues. But nothing I see is going to stop me from ordering the game later.

These are impractical for the playfield, but damned if they aren’t fun to browse. A few would make good toppers.

https://www.designtoscano.com/search.do?query=Dinosaur&cx=0&sortby=bestMatchesDescend&pp=30&page=1

I broke my own rule (about waiting a few months) - my new Pro is on its way. I’m out of town, so the party will have to wait a few weeks. I’m excited, it’s my first NIB since Metallica in 2013.

Regarding the potential post/clear issue...I had a thought about how to avoid this for my next playfield swap (Mata Hari). My plan is to Dremel out about a 3/8” circle around the hole, then install the post with a 1/4” washer or 2 to hold the post just shy of the playfield, barely touching it. Then all of the stress from the slings is never transferred to the clearcoat. Kind of the same principle as the metal leg brackets that Stern added a while back, to prevent wrinkling at the legs (they’re plastic now, but they still work well).

Thoughts?

You could also use the clear plastic fender washers. [edit: beat me by 4 seconds ]

My game is waiting for me in a friend’s garage. I know that one of three things will definitely happen:

1. The playfield will be fine, or
2. There will be minor issues and I’ll live with them, or
3. There will be serious issues, and Stern will take care of me.

TBH, I’m getting tired of coming to this Owner’s Thread and reading all the speculation and naysaying from people who don’t have the game in their homes yet, or maybe never will. Let’s hear more from the current owners! That’s what I’m here for.

The art on the Pro is some of the best I’ve seen in pinball, full stop, and I don’t need PMs from people agreeing with me to know I’m right. This is really nice work, in my humble opinion. Fantastic color, detail and realism. I also like it the best of the 3 versions, and that helped push me into the pro camp.

I set up my born-on-Aug21 JP2 this morning before heading off for the weekend. No issues that I could see, but I snapped pics for the thread anyway. I had a small panic when I thought I saw a long crack in the inlane clear, that turned out to be the edge of the mylar.

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CoolCatPinball beat me to the raptor mod. I knew it was going to look great there. I’m considering whether to replace the T-Rex with this awesome Papo model. Will post pics of my success or failure. I think the smaller T-Rex is more the right scale for the broken fence. I’d stick his butt and tail back through the head-hole.
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Ah yeah. If there’s not a hole in the backboard, I’ll just cut Rex in half with my tablesaw. My golden rule is: “all mods must be reversible”.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NJN1W93/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_BXWADbXRN2VFW

Comes in brown or green.

Yeah, that feels like the most vulnerable spot to me. I’m definitely going to do @highprotein’s post mod.

Nope, I had to leave town right after setting it up. I’m hoping to work on it Tuesday after work.

Ouch, I’m sorry you cut your hand. I’ve done the same injury with that maneuver, but many years ago. I don’t think I’ve ever seen standard playfield glass with sanded edges. That’s one of the things I love about PDI glass.

We need a “Decided not to become an owner club”. I’m still happy with my decision to jump in now. Time will tell whether the clearcoat issue is widespread or not. I have a friend with three JP2’s on location right now, one on free play. I’ll check in with him and see how they’re doing. I know he told me that the game is earning like crazy.

I haven’t mounted mine yet, was just checking it for size. I like your method and I’m going to do the same thing.

While I like the art and aesthetics of the stock 2-tier sling plastics, I’m not a fan of anything blocking my view of the inlanes. Is anyone working on replacement sling plastics?

The ramps spot the values listed under the spinner. Light all 4 for 195k a spin. The lights all reset once you hit it, so make the shot count!

Loaded the 8/22 code and I’m about 12 games in on my new JP2. The tower ramp reminds me of my Dirty Harry, tight but rewarding when you make it. I’m hitting a lot of posts, but I haven’t played pinball in over 2 weeks. I still think the layout is awesome. Can’t wait to dig into the new rules!

Also, I changed my mind about the sling plastics - they’re great as they are. The cutouts at the top let you see the posts and nudge if needed.

I’m thinking of doing a video with my son JG, who will be 21 soon. We’ve bought 3 new Sterns since he was born in ‘98:

2004: LOTR (he was 6)
2013: MET (he was 15)
2019: JP2 (he’s almost 21)

I thought it would be fun to get his take (and mine) on the evolution of Stern’s art, rules, display, gameplay and audio over 15 years. We’ve bonded over these games and many others for 20 years, and he has no filter on his opinions. I think they are all instant Stern Classics, and it’ll be hard for me to pick a favorite. I feel very lucky that I can still keep our old favorites around.

I’ve got my game on 5 ball temporarily so that I can get a little deeper into the modes. At one point I heard the callout “Amber Ramps”. I hit the ramps but didn’t notice anything. Cool mode, if it’s in there. Even on 5-ball, my best game is just 325M. I need to play better.

I’m finding the Helipad shot to be pretty tough - it takes a precise hit to make it all the way up. Fortunately the reject from this shot goes right back to the left flipper, so you can try repeatedly.

I’m not sure how I feel about this mod yet. It’s not mounted, just wedged in place currently. I feel bad that I had to cut his tail off to make him fit. You can upvote this post if you like it, and downvotes won’t hurt my feelings at all. Curious what folks think.

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Here’s how I mounted my Papo T-Rex. Totally ghetto, but it works pretty well and is mostly invisible. I may buy another one to try a shallower mount like @graysonsdad suggested.

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I put a Stern shaker in mine yesterday, definitely makes it more fun. The start of the T-Rex multiball especially.

I’s like to add a spotlight or 2 near the helipad, but I’m afraid to tie anything into the Spike electronics. There must be a way to add external power safely.

You’re you’re in for a treat, the new code is awesome!

Getting this club back on track...I did a few more preventative maintenance things today. First, I turned the trough eject power to its minimum - still kicks out just fine. Second, I added 2 more layers of mylar at the ball drops.

I had my best game so far today, about 325M. Most of that was a CHAOS MB with an unnatural amount of flow. Really fun when that happens.

Rulesheet:

http://tiltforums.com/t/stern-jurassic-park-rulesheet-wip/5644

I love this post. Our family’s first NIB was LOTR, in 2004. My son was 6 then, and we really bonded over it. He’s 20 now and he still doesn’t want me to sell it. I wish I could go back to that time when our relationship was pure and uncomplicated. Enjoy it while it lasts!

I’m a fairly decent player (Pinburgh B division), and I haven’t cracked 300M yet. It’s a tough enough game for me, which makes it a keeper. It’s the first new pin since IM that feels like a great sparring partner. For me, the only easy shots on the game are the spinner, left ramp and Control Room. I’ve only had it for 3 days though.

Had a party last night for some local pinheads, everyone loves JP2. I’m going to try to hook up a subwoofer today, T-Rex modes need it!

I wish I had $5 for every time I drained my last ball with both CHAOS and Extra Ball lit. It’s definitely one of those things that keeps me hitting the start button over and over.

The LEDs in the ramp signs are a little too subtle. Would be nice if they were 50% brighter.

I’m really happy with the music on this game. Lots of variety, and it really builds up the excitement. I even love the sound when the ball is waiting in the shooter lane.

Hope these pics help TheLaw

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I’d try re-downloading the update.

This is Nedry’s doing

No problem doing post passes in either direction for me. I have most of the shots dialed in now, but the “A” and “O” shots are so tight! I can usually hit one by aiming for the other, lol. My high scores are mired in the low 300s, and will probably stay that way until I get those 2 shots down.

The rules are kind of shallow right now, but it’s still a blast. I wouldn’t mind a 30-second cut scene on the LCD when I finish the 4th paddock, so I can wipe off the sweat and drink a beer. It’s definitely a bruiser like Iron Man or BSD. JP2 will never be a tournament match bottleneck.

Toppers and siders and back-yarders:

https://www.designtoscano.com/category/garden+statues/animal+statues/prehistoric+statues.do

I think I’ve pulled the plunger on this game 5 times in 200 games. I just like using the autolaunch. Had to dial it in, but it makes the ramp 98% of the time for me now.

I just kept trying different coil strengths until I found a setting I was happy with.

Anybody else getting this ball trap? I’ve had it maybe 3 times. I know it looks like the raptor toy is the problem, but it’s not touching him.
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@Scribbles, check the alignment of your autolaunch fork. If it’s off center, it can make the ball rattle around at the ramp.

Hey man, this is a no-drama / no whining zone. Just some Pro owners enjoying their games. Please take all the angst to the Pre/LE thread. (This comment isn’t directed at anyone in particular BTW)

Nice, even fits the theme!

I’m totally in love with this pin. The more I play, the better it flows. The update is great, fixes the few annoying callouts and has a much faster bonus countdown. The risk-reward aspect is fantastic. I always go for a few ramps before starting T-Rex MB. There are a lot of games where I leave Chaos and/or Raptor MB on the table, but it’s worth it when I have that 1 game where it all comes together.

That’s so funny, before I even saw this post I was going to ask you this. I’m still thinking of pushing out my JM to make room for IMDN.

I played a friend’s JP2 tonight and it seemed to play so much better. Finally figured out that it was about 1 degree steeper. The back legs were raised maybe 3/4”. Huge difference, somehow.

I guess some of us have a “limited edition pro” now. Kind of like my early-run Metallica, snake still has his natural fangs (well, one - the other broke off). As long as it doesn’t develop issues, I’m cool with it.

Art under the posts, a pretty insignificant difference.

Not true.

Didn’t know there were leprechauns in Nublar.

I think it’s okay to express an opinion, especially when someone says their mod is “a must”. For some reason everyone thinks they can make a jungle-themed pin look better by adding more green lighting. The Congo thread is full of pics like that. I think it looks 100% wrong - it changes all the colors on the game, and it’s an insult to the artist. Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t enjoy having a beer with the guy who posted it.

Conversely, I’m sure that some people don’t like my T-Rex mod, and that’s fine. What are we here for if not to share mods and opinions? I’m just glad there’s another thread for people to post their LE numbers.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/jurassic-park-stern-2019-owners-club-welcome-to-jurassic-park/page/23#post-5183990

I will say that I haven’t found a mounting solution yet that I’m happy with. It sags and his feet get in the way of the ball. I hope to come up with something better next weekend.

https://www.amazon.com/Papo-Dinosaur-Figure-Green-Running/dp/B007CF7JI2/ref=asc_df_B007CF7JI2/

I think the post under the upper flipper is going to require some good groupthink. Here’s a pic from the other thread, hopefully the OP doesn’t mind me stealing it. When this post works its way loose, it’s a danger to the playfield. That’s my main concern, so mods that keep it tight are the most urgent, whether it’s Loktite or securing a longer post with a nut on the other side.

I’m also considering a mod that would take all of the pressure off of the clearcoat. My rough idea is:

1. Get a few small washers, smaller than the one that’s currently under the post
2. Use a brad-point drill bit slightly larger than these new washers to cut a hole through the clear and art.
3. Install 1-3 of the small washers, then the larger washer, then the post.
4. Tighten this stack using your preferred method (Loktite or through-hole)

The goal here is that the factory washer doesn’t contact the clearcoat at all, but instead rides about 1mm above it.

Please talk me out of this if it’s a bad idea.

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See, I don’t think so. This post is more vulnerable because it’s out in the open, getting smacked from all sides. It’s closer to the flippers than any other post. Mine came loose after about 50 plays. It’s the only post I’m really concerned about.

Good advice, guys. I think you’re right, a smaller base under that post would eventually cause problems. BTW, since I have the LE Pro (art under the posts), I’ve added washers under the upper slingshot posts (the clear cylinders). Probably not needed, but I’m a little paranoid. Fingers crossed, I’m at about 250 games with no pooling.

Definitely check the alignment of the autoplunge fork. If it’s not dead center on the ball it can make a big difference in power.

I love my Metallica, but the big code update for Crank It Up took almost a year. It was a nice surprise, and Lyman just kept making it better and better. JP2 is already a lot more mature than MET was this far in, and it’s a cornerstone game for Stern and Elwin. No need to worry about getting CSI’ed on this one.

I have the early Pro with all the art under the posts, and I haven’t seen any playfield issues in over 300 games. In fact when I look under the post washers, it looks like they were never there. I’m feeling lucky right now because I have the “extra art and clearcoat” version, but I do know that can change 6 months from now. Will definitely post here if I notice any changes.

I own both and while I agree that JP2 is great, MET is much much deeper than JP2, and probably always will be. Sadly I’ve been neglecting my MET since JP2 got here.

Today I had the Smart Missile, hit the O shot and it went around and down to the pops and hit the target - the callout was “Direct Hit!”. Made me laugh.

Wow, I really do not like this update. There’s a new sound like a vacuum cleaner coming on, and it’s everywhere. It’s horrible. Did I screw up my update, or are other people hearing this sound too?

The lighting effects and new smart missile awards are nice, but I wish I could roll back to the old release for now. And I agree that the smart missile award selection is counterintuitive, though I eventually figured it out.

No, it’s definitely 100% not that. It’s a much lower whoosh and it’s the same sound every time. It’s similar to the sounds you hear during the bonus countdown.

I think there’s a place on Stern’s site to grab a clean full image. I’ll try that tomorrow.

So I finally figured out that the vacuum cleaner sound is supposed to be the jeep on the screen, revving its electric motor? Cannot wait to edit it out.

Yep, I replaced all 3 coil stops on mine, and it’s playing much better. I had 2 broken stops within a few weeks.

I just re-imaged my SD card to 0.91 from scratch, and a bunch of issues were resolved. Raptor hits were doing nothing, the switch test didn't work at all, and I was hearing weird sounds throughout the game. All fixed!

I have one of the first-run 2019 JPs, with art under the posts. I needed a break from it, so I've had it on location for the past 3 months, made $450 over about 1300 games (I charge a flat $150 a month). I went to clean it up today, and I'm happy to say that there's no pooling and the game still looks like the day I slid it out of the box, aside from the normal dimpling. The arcade owner is happy - he said it's still one of the most popular games, and even though I don't get paid per-play, that makes me happy. If he keeps it another 3 months, I'll have a nice $900 off my cost basis.

I was thinking of selling JP for Led Zeppelin when it comes out, but after playing today I want to keep it. Something else will be sacrificed for LZ.

I bought my JP from probably the first run, the one with the art going all the way to the posts, and I wanted to share a very important mod/hack I discovered tonight:

SET THE GAME TO 5 BALLS.

Thank You.

[EDIT: I still think this is one of the best games ever, I just want to see the wizard modes, and I’m barely B division on my best days]

I can get the extra ball from rescues pretty regularly. Is there another way to earn EBs? With the game set to 3-ball, I can rarely get past the 3rd paddock. For me, there are just too many shots needed to advance, especially for the later paddocks. We’re not talking about Whitewater here.

I’ll probably set it back to 3 balls once I’ve seen the Visitor’s Center, and those hidden Control Room modes.

I got the Ultra-Skillshot (4 way combo) for the first time last night! Man that was satisfying. Basically left ramp, right ramp, tower, “O”.

I finally upgraded from 1.01 to 1.03, and now it seems like all my non-flipper coils are stronger. The defaults are maxed out in the settings, so I must have had the strength dialed down before. Now the chaos target in the pops gets hit a lot more frequently, which will make this more fun.

This is actually one pin that doesn’t need a manual shooter rod. There’s no skill shot based on plunge strength, and no reason to soft-plunge that I can see (I could be wrong).

My “C” light was really dim, and reseating the connector fixed it.

Turns out these games can make money! I had my Pro on location for 5 months and picked up $700 over about 2000 plays. The location was great, not a scratch on the game when I brought it home. After a good cleaning and a few adjustments, it was like new again. I’m starting to rebel against the HUO mentality. I love hearing about how much people enjoy my games (Aerosmith is there now). I realize that not everyone has access to a good location, but I wish every game could spend some time in public.

It ended up being about a 60/40 split with the arcade owner (with me taking the 40%). Making money isn’t really my main motive. I wanted to help the owner get some variety, share the game with local pin heads, and reduce my investment cost a little bit. It feels good to own a $4800 JP, in the era of $6k Stern pros.

Here you go. I’ve played a few hundred games, so the rubbers already need cleaning again. This is one of the early-run playfields that were prone to pooling; I got lucky and haven’t had any problems with mine. In fact, it seems to be dimpling a lot less than most of my Sterns.

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I think the most important mod on this game is to replace the screw-in post under the upper flipper. See the 3rd pic in the post above. If it works its way loose, it can dig out the playfield. I replaced mine with a through-hole version that bolts on from under the playfield. I also added a small Lexan washer, but I don’t know that that’s necessary. I was more worried about pooling than anything when I did the mod.

I have a big supply of misc parts from old playfields, so it came from that. I can take it out and try to identify it. Will post a few close-ups tomorrow for sure.

Everyone should have a set of these screw extractors, they work great:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LDMKR5G/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_D51PRSQKB03BQV6V9WMQ

Pics of the upper flipper post mod. You’ll need to remove the entire flipper mechanism to install the nut on the other side - I’d recommend a nylock nut, which I didn’t have on hand when I did this. I’m going to remove the Lexan washer now that I have the game off location.

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Just a quick follow-up about the upper playfield flipper post fix. My friend and I bought our JPs together so we could combine delivery and save a little money. Well, after league last night, I mentioned doing this fix, and someone told me that my friend’s JP (after having been sold several times) developed exactly the problem I was afraid of. The loose post chewed a hole in the playfield, and it took wood putty to repair it. I’m hearing this 3rd-hand and I don’t know the extent of the damage, so take that for what it’s worth.

TL;DR: check those upper flipper posts and keep ‘em tight!

There should be an adjustment for coil strength. But it’s not uncommon for Sterns to do what you describe in their first 100-200 plays. The slings should calm down a bit over time.

Post #10205 above

Now I’m depressed. I’ve had mine for over a year and I haven’t been to the VC yet. I need to play better! And avoid the T-Rex paddock.

Parkshow30 I followed your advice, and on the very first game, I had VC flashing for the first time ever! I drained before I could start it, but now I know it’s possible. I was helped a lot by 2 smart missiles where I wisely picked “Finish Paddock”. Also, it may be the first time I hit 2 smart missiles in 1 game.

.

My game shows a “node board 9 over current protection error” at boot every time, but eventually boots up and plays fine. I wonder if anyone else has run into this. Short in one of my GI sockets, maybe?

You are correct, my upper right GI string is out. I also got the screen below when I went into the Technician Alert diags. I’ll check the sockets for shorts.

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^^^ This is now fixed. Here’s what I did, hope it helps the next person (or me in a few years):

1. Propped the playfield up, and unscrewed the affected GI sockets from the bottom (easier than removing from top).
2. Removed all of the affected LED bulbs, and check sockets for shorts (none seen).
3. Cycled power, node board error was gone.
4. Reinstalled original LEDs, all working now - strange.
5. Pushed playfield back in, and the GI string went out again when the playfield went over the bump.
6. Repeated steps 1-3, but with all new LED bulbs.
7. Gently lifted playfield back into position (no slam).

It sure is a brighter game with all of the GI working. I bet I’ve always had this problem.

EDIT: Problem returned after a few games. I guess I need to email Stern.

Thanks! I was hoping that was the issue, since I had the exact same problem in my NGG about 10 years ago - tiny little bit of metal. I haven’t blown out the sockets (I will), but I checked them all and they looked okay. I will say that one nice thing about SPIKE is that you don’t have to go through a box of fuses to fix the problem. I’m assuming that the problem isn’t the node board itself, though.

EDIT: I’m going to take a picture of each socket to get a better look. The fact that the problem comes back with vibration definitely points to a stray bit of metal.

I’m pretty sure I’ve isolated the bad socket. Here’s a pic of it (the rest look the same). If I remove this socket’s bulb, I can bang on the playfield (and push it in and out roughly) without losing GI. I’ll play-test for a few days, and replace that socket if everything else seems good.

Oh, and I also had that phantom “Trough Malfunction” error with my node board error, so I think that’s a bug.

[pic removed because that was NOT the bad socket]

I found the little bastard! Once I realized the 2 top middle bulbs were part of the upper right GI circuit, I checked them. I love it when the criminal leaves behind evidence. I cleaned it out, and heard a tiny “clink” as the metal bit hit the floor of the cabinet. I’d say this was it.

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Yeah, this was exactly the problem with my No Good Gofers, many many years ago. That one took me weeks to figure out. I’m really impressed with the node board’s ability to recover once the short is removed. No boxes of fuses!

Stray metal...uh...finds a way.