Maybe, but this really helps make Teekee's sentiments ring true.

lol... preach brother!

Here is a cheaper way to prepare yourself.

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If you think that's going to protect you from nut punches, you're sadly mistaken. I think you're looking for one of these:

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I have a feeling a nut punch isn't all CGC has in store for their loyal customers.

One of the problems with buying NIB is not being able to examine your machine before purchase.

For example, I've seen glassy smooth clear coat and rippled clear coat on lots of machines so I expect this is typical production variation. Sure, everyone wants the glassy smooth but should the manufacturer be expected to replace all playfields that have some ripple? How much ripple is too much?

In the case of MMR, I don't think CGC should have to replace all the playfields that have thinner black lettering (again, subjective), but offering the diffuser for free to all owners who request it seems like a no brainer, PR wise.

Edit: It also sounds like a pain to install, so why would someone want to go through that unless they felt it was needed?

Just like the coin mechs?

Here's the part I don't get. It seems on the unboxing thread that some MMrs might be shipping with the diffuser already installed. Did those owners have to pay another $30? If not then why should those that didn't come with it?

Because this project is already working on razor-thin profit margins. Rick reminded us all many times before the games shipped that original games cost a lot more, they left untold thousands on the table with this effort. Per game. To expect them to ship out $4 worth of plastic in a USPS media shipping tube at a cost of probably another $5 seems selfish on the part of these new owners. I know Rick doesn't come here but if he did I would tell him he really screwed up on this one. Everybody that wants one of these upgrades would have paid a lot more than $30 for it. I'm thinking $75 easy, maybe even $100. It's not like people can make their own.

I think your dry wit may fly over the head of some readers here. I'm certainly enjoying it though

It appears that they are flying by the seat of their pants and have no idea how to run this properly.

I'm surprised nobody saw this coming.

hardest part bout installing diffuser was getting bottom part around trolls mechs

anyone getting excessive balls falling off the peasant/catapult metal ramp? right by the dragon/trolls

I installed the diffuser today. I actually wasn't sure I needed it, but asked my distributor and they got me one. (No charge)

Not too hard to install.

And what I like the best is you can no longer see the green circuit board behind the king of Payne insert. And a few other Inserts that you could before. But otherwise I don't really think my Inserts needed it. As there is not a huge difference in the lettering. Just a difference in actually seeing the leds behind them not spotting now.
Now it's like they went from superbrights to frosted bulbs.
It just makes the leds not quite so bright through the Inserts.

And as we all know leds don't photograph well. The print on the lit Inserts is actually darker in reality.

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PPS +CGC=NFG

NFG No Freaking Good (polite form)
NFG New Found Glory (band)
NFG Neighborhood Funders Group
NFG Nefteyugansk (Russia)
NFG National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation
NfG Note for Guidance (European Medicines Agency)
NFG Nar-Anon (Narcotics Anonymous) Family Group
NFG Non-Functional Gear
NFG Not Functioning Good
NFG National Golf Foundation
NFG Not for Girls (hair care line)
NFG Non Fighting Group (gaming)
NFG No Filament or Grid (vacuum tube)
NFG No Finish Grind (metal finishing)
NFG Non-Food Grade
NFG Next Flight Going (Air Freight)
NFG Not Fully Guaranteed
NFG New Freaking Guy
NFG Not First Grade
NFG No Future Generation
NFG NeurofunkGrid
NFG Net Facilities Group

Things are getting pretty tense over on the PPS forums on this topic, Rick has begun locking topics on this subject. I honestly feel bad for everyone involved. From the mfg dates that folks are providing it's clear that CGC has continued to build games with the weak insert printing far beyond it being discovered as being a customer issue. My guess is while production was slowing down at Stern several months back they went ahead and produced the rest of the playfields to have them ready to go so they have way too much stock to dump them or re-work them.

I guess that ALL the playfields were made before the issue was known, CGC then said all existing playfields were inspected and any not up to THEIR standard were rejected, from memory they said they only rejected a couple. It seems their standard is VERY low and from what I can see most of the games shipping now have light printing. Has anyone seen a recent unboxing that has dark text like the early runs?

Rick wants the PPS forum to remain a walled garden of positive comments only.......with so many unhappy customers he is having a difficult time maintaining that. I wouldn't be surprised if he spits the dummy soon and closes the whole forum.

I'm tired of him telling everyone they need to talk to CGC instead of him.....I have tried talking to CGC and they ignore me......in fact even Rick can't get any real truthful info out of CGC so I can't see how he expects us to be able to. Someone needs to stand up and take responsibility instead of all this passing the buck and ignoring or blaming the customer.

I can't get a response from CGC right now.....doesn't make me confident I will be able to buy a spare board for my game in 10+ years time

These four probably would have been enough.

"spits the dummy"...lol I wish we Yanks could use this expression.

But yeah... usually they simply discard "bad" PF's and then some show up up at shows as factory seconds, etc. Maybe they really DID run so many that they feel compelled to use them? That would suck. To put it mildly.

Then again this the first time Churchill has been in charge of the whole show and just may have lower standards and/or more profit focused. I don't think WMS or Stern would have accepted these PF's for their games... hence why we've never heard of the "faded insert" problem before this.

Talk about burning through all your goodwill... I'd be scared sh*tless to buy a product from PPS/Churchill. They'll both point the finger at each other and then you'll get the predictable, dreaded "falls within specs" reply.

They are getting their money. Doubtful they give much of an F other than that. Williams Pinball is dead to them.

He's probably been too busy working up a pitch for his next product.

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Turn out the lights, the party's over.

He left here because he doesn't care for criticism that he can't control and has to respond to. Pinside serves a valuable purpose for Rick when he is selling his wares, but when he has a full slate of orders and he is into the months and years it takes to fill them he has no interest in engaging the rabble, especially when legitimate concerns come up. He has faithful minions that will reinforce that idea as well, and coincidentally a lot of those folks seem to have ended up with early production games that didn't have any of these issues. I will never understand the mentality of people that seem to think that it is in their best interest as a consumer to support a business' desire to operate behind an iron curtain where their money flows one way but the other side can't be bothered to respond to scrutiny.

If you adjust those two brass screws it determines how tight it holds down the bar. Try those if you haven't already. Sounds like it's set too tight if the handle won't close.

Yeah I wish I had more suggestions... I had one machine where the latch wouldn't engage unless I really leaned down HARD on the bar. I was hoping this was all it was for you as experimenting with the screw adjustments got it smooth and easy.

You really shouldn't need any lube for such a simple mech and it will quickly attract black flipper dust and it'll get ugly.

Good luck! Hopefully something simple

At the risk of offending you are you sure the glass is all the way in and the bar isn't hitting the glass keeping it from going into the receiver far enough? Does it have this problem without the glass installed?

Yeah that is standard they all touch, mine is not showing any wear to the sticker after 500+ games, I was thinking about putting mylar on it or buying a spare sticker but I have not done either yet.

Not necessary. The original MM was like that and decal wear wasn't s problem in commercial use.

Nothing to do with the spring. There is a bar the lever moves back and forth. The screws raise or lower that bar. The spring holds it into position.

LTG : )

If you really have to force it that's a sign that you need to adjust those 2 screws. Unless there is truly a manufacturing defect of some kind you should be able to loosen it considerably.

As usual LTG explains it more concisely

Anyone else having issues with a flipper sticking up/not settling down all the way?

I installed new flipper bats (the purple metallic ones) and now the left flipper does not always return properly. I gapped the flipper against the bushing the same on both sides, right flipper is flawless.

When I play with the flipper, with the glass off, it feels like the plunger is sticking in the coil sleeve... I removed the coil and sleeve, didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

I tried gapping against the bushing even more and it worked great for a couple games, now it is happening again.

Anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks!

Edit: I see one of the links has a very loose bolt! Will tighten that and see if it solves the issue.

Edit 2: seems to be helping

MMR 884 is finally here! Too bad it was DOA out of the box. It's been a rollercoaster getting it going and I"m finally stuck. At first, It had lit LEDs on the PCBs under the playfield but it wouldn't boot. I wen't through every connector and jiggled/re-seated them. It then powered on and booted fine. I played two quick games and during the second game, the flippers, bumpers, slings, trolls, castle, plunger, etc. all stopped working and failed their diagnostics test. I could only get one of the solenoids to fire, which I think was a ramp lifter or something(It was at ~37 solenoid test before one fired). I pulled the playfield to give it another look and since then, it hasn't powered on again. I'm 95% sure that it's just a loose wire but I've gone through every connection 3 times since the last failure... I still have the small LEDs lit on the PCB's under the playfield, but the game won't boot. There aren't any LEDs on the PCB in the back box so it feels like it's happening on the way there. Any insight is much appreciated!

I also found this lone molex clip that didn't have a mate in reach. It's up by the plumb and comes out of the coin mech harness area.

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That's normal and not your gremlin. Hope you get it worked out. Usually something simple.

Thanks. I figured it was by design but I couldn't see anything else out of the ordinary.

Should the flippers be set parallel with the ball guides? I set them that way and they seem too high in their end of stroke position.

FTR, that's for your dollar bill acceptor..

Call Lloyd and he will help you out. Also open a ticket for problem so it can be documented. It will get fixed so hang in there. On a side note did you want the plumb bob for the tilt upside down?

LOL, thanks! I'm a newb and it seemed like a tight fit!