Danny came home this weekend to attend a friend's wedding and had heard me talk so much about my new Creature that he wanted to make sure he got to play it.

Well, you never heard so much frustration in such a short period of time! It was hilarious. But he got focused, and after a number (and not a small one) of games, he starting to adjust to how precise shots need to be. At one point he stormed away muttering, went back to cover it and then tossed the cover aside and turned the game back on. After asking permission to get more aggressive with the nudging. He then got the hang of it somewhat and did well, getting a game together and rescued the girl. He said, "I cannot see how anyone can get high scores on this game." I had explained to him the strategy earlier and again and again. So I said to him let me play a game. We had played a few together, and he had asked to go solo to get a better feel for the game.

One of those father moments that will be repeated in story again and again. I demonstrated the strategy and had my best game ever setting a new GC score of 1.2+ B. He was amazed at the points that you can score on the jackpot and superjackpot. This led into a discussion of what features of the game were integral to accomplishing that task. It was fun reviewing how each feature seems only point focused but aside from one or two on the game, all had benefit for achieving or maximizing the jackpots, even if was score points to get the extra ball.

After this I told him about my thoughts to do a mod to the bumpers beyond just installing lights. We talked about how you enter the drive-in, get a paid ticket and still have friends in the trunk after entering the drive-in, thus the call out, "Hey, it's dark in here!" in the pop bumpers. I told him that I never understood why the original designers chose orange skirts and red caps for the bumpers. He paused thinking for a minute and said that at that point the focus is on the trunk of the car, and that brake lights are red and that some turn signals are amber.

He figured out after an hour with the game what I doubt I would have ever realized.

Dan

Now that I understand the coloring chosen, I am totally conflicted about the mod I wanted to do. May go back to the orange and red.

Yes, for sure! He is partner in a high tech start up and is just so bright. I sometimes feel intimidated talking with him, but he never makes me feel that way. We share a lot of similar interests and tastes and can be totally transparent and vulnerable with each other.

It's great that your whole family enjoys pins. I wish my wife did, but that won't ever happen.
Thanks for letting your son help you out. My father was a tremendous talent with his hands. When he was fixing something, I would always try to get him to let me in and ask if I could help. His reply was usually that it was a one-man job. He wasn't mean about it. He would explain things but rarely let me do the task. But I would hang around and watch and learned so much by observation, and that has served me and my family and others well.

So you are right on judging by my experience. I really appreciate just how devoted you are to your family.

You have no idea how special those times are to her now and how important they will be to her decision making when other young girls around her will be seeking their value in ways not in their own best interests.

I think we should start a sticky on "Our pins and our kids" to build a picture album.

No, he's 25. The high score was the game I had demonstrating to him my strategy of how to get to high scores. It was one of those slices of time when the planets were aligned and all went well.

I have found that having a level bowl to raise the multiplier effectively is the most important thing to getting the higher scores.

I doubt my game is set up like Papa. Factory settings with extra ball set for 396M and special award. Didn't get special awarded that game.

Posts between lanes are mid position and upper post and rubber at lower position. I would guess PAPA is set with the widest possible gap at the outlanes.