Ok guys, maybe I'm overthinking this. But when I'm leveling a playfield (I have the pin guy app on my phone or a real level), isn't it VERY dependent on my putting the phone or level in exactly the right place on the playfield at just the right vertical? What's the best way? Are the hubs of the flippers always a safe horizontal line?
99% of the time I have a straight edge (square rod of acrylic) from top slingshot post to top slingshot post. then butt a torpedo level against that.
For newer games I level the back of the field with the top of the lower cabinet since either there's no flat spot to get a level to or there's just so much stuff up there.
Older games with a few top lanes on them I can use the rod again same as on the slingshots.
Ok. Thanks all. So it's not as straightforward as it seems at first pass... Thanks for the advice. I was thinking I'd put a straight edge across the flipper hubs but top of slingshot seems easier. Is that always a horizontal?
Just play the game. If you notice that the playfield has a lateral slope, adjust for it. If not, it's fine. Keep in mind that often the leg levellers need a few games to settle after being adjusted anyway so the bubble being in the centre when you put the glass back on is no guarantee that the playfield will stay level.
Quoted from paynemic:Ok. Thanks all. So it's not as straightforward as it seems at first pass... Thanks for the advice. I was thinking I'd put a straight edge across the flipper hubs but top of slingshot seems easier. Is that always a horizontal?
There's a few games that have asymmetrical slingshots but not a great many. On those I find a straight horizontal line across the field in the artwork and align the torpedo level with it and do my best to keep it straight and adjust to that. No line? See if there are two "twin" inserts on the field you can align with the top or bottom edge of the inserts.
Level is VITAL.
Quoted from Circus_Animal:Just play the game. If you notice that the playfield has a lateral slope, adjust for it. If not, it's fine. Keep in mind that often the leg levellers need a few games to settle after being adjusted anyway so the bubble being in the centre when you put the glass back on is no guarantee that the playfield will stay level.
*this* - really no substiture for play testing. I'll use a level to get it in the ballpark, but then dropping a ball from the center of the playfield repeatedly, watching for SDTM (straight down the middle) accuracy between the flippers. Play a few games and see how the shots feel. Games like Taxi and Pinbot with vortex skill shots can be affected by the leveling as well. I find that dialing it in for a good feel of play sometimes means ignoring what your level tool tells you.
Quoted from wayout440:*this* - really no substiture for play testing. I'll use a level to get it in the ballpark, but then dropping a ball from the center of the playfield repeatedly, watching for SDTM (straight down the middle) accuracy between the flippers. Play a few games and see how the shots feel. Games like Taxi and Pinbot with vortex skill shots can be affected by the leveling as well. I find that dialing it in for a good feel of play sometimes means ignoring what your level tool tells you.
Strange, I don't get this at all. Level is level. You think you can release a ball by hand and level the game based on that rather than an actual level? If that's what makes you satisfied with the gameplay, that's fine by me. Not arguing the point, I just don't understand why you don't use the right tool for the job?
Quoted from cody_chunn:Strange, I don't get this at all. Level is level. You think you can release a ball by hand and level the game based on that rather than an actual level? If that's what makes you satisfied with the gameplay, that's fine by me. Not arguing the point, I just don't understand why you don't use the right tool for the job?
Well, I do use the right tools at first. It's just that when I start playing, I'll often end up tweaking in the level for one reason or another. I know a lot of folks will just live by what the tool says and leave it at that. Sometimes it just feels like a game is not quite right when the ball rattles around at the in/outlane area, maybe it feels like it tends to be draining a lot to the on one side. I might revisit the leg levelers a few times before I am satisfied in the feel, the randomness of bouncing, the shot capability, the speed, etc...
I'm not the only one...
"Using a level gets it close to true, a ball test finishes the job.
I've always trained my staff to test the playfield by rolling a ball
down the center several times. If it rolls true then the playfield is
level."
"The ball is the true indicator of a true playfield"
"I always level by feel alone...play, adjust, play, play, adjust, play"
Quoted from cody_chunn:Strange, I don't get this at all. Level is level. You think you can release a ball by hand and level the game based on that rather than an actual level?
Absolutely. I've had to tweak "level" a little bit as many times in my life as I've played a game that was "technically level" and the ball drifts.
OK...that's understandable. I guess I never met a game that seemed out of true after leveling it with a torpedo.
It's all good. I'm sure I would enjoy a pin that you guys set up for play.
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