So it's a dilemma of the dubious magma slings vs the over reliance of the right flipper.

Agree, and as I said before, I don't think these will become the new normal so GB premium/LE will be very unique for this. I'd bet there is a lot more cost/effort to be put into these slings than a normal setup and (hopefully) Stern would not put them on if it wasn't worth the effort.

You consider the r&d, and the extra programming hours involved, as opposed to a stock kicker.

Then you consider how Star Trek lost the vuk to warp, because the performance wasn't reliable enough.

So, if these mag slings make it to the final game (which looks like they are), then Stern has to be very happy with them.

It's impossible to roll back the clock but IMO if the premium and LE had traditional slings I don't think anyone would be complaing. There are plenty of other features in those machines with the improved slimer, subway lock, right ramp, metal ramps and ecto goggles to make the upgrade well worth the cost. Still on the fence with my purchase but I'm interested in either a Pro or a Premium...

Quit using common sense there is no room for that in this thread.
I heard if you have a pacemaker you can't play this game as the magnets might kill you

This was my first big concern from day 1 with the game, I said why put them on *unless* you had a great feeling about them. It's not a minor feature like the moving ramp in XMLE. It's a major feature that will be in action tens to hundreds of times each game. So I'd assume that Stern and JT thought they would add something good and unique to the game. I don't think Stern or JT want this game to fail or to be thought of as the game that was almost great.

These slings will never behave 100% like normal sling kickers but I have 8 other pins with normal slings and I've owned 16 pins and they all have normal kickers. I think something oddball and different might be nice.

I can understand that thought process but in small collections like mine with 3 max pins it could be another story. Still too early to rule out either version of the machine.

It doesn't need to act like normal slings, but Stern should aim to minimize the following as seen in the video:
1. Not have the slings work to slow the ball's momentum
2. Not push the ball to the center of the playfield, stop the ball's movement, and just let the ball drop in the center.

Some people just cannot see the big picture. Don't buy the effing game if you are scared of change. I think the magna slings are going to be utlilized brilliantly in this game.

I cannot say that I am fond of the magno-slings from what I have seen so far but what would be mega groovy would be if you were cradling the ball for an extended period and the sling picked the ball off the flipper and then threw it across the playfield.

Ive watched all the youtube videos of the pro. The ramp on pro has a diverter that drops the ball into contaiment hole that kicks the ball to the left flipper besides feeding right flipper. Looks like the Premium/le extra right ramp only feeds the left flipper which im not sure be worth extra. I dont think the extra ramp crossing playfield on Premium/le looks as good compared to Pro open view but the subway going under playfield i do like. Im leaning back towards Pro after seeing magna slings and not thinking extra ramp worth extra. Now just got to see ecto goggles image it projects to make up my mind, if goggles are dumb then its the Pro for sure for me.

Interesting, what happens exactly... I'm not sure I follow, which ramp shot goes to the left flipper on the pro? Is there a specific video showing this?

I think the slings will turn out great and be used in other titles as well. I have a feeling that they do act like normal slings as well as what the video was showing and do other things. John Trudeau said it and I believe him to be a straight shooter (pun intended). I believe Stern was just showing us a video of an additional feature of these slings. These are just my assumptions of course but a lot of people are making assumptions on this thread. Time will tell...can't wait for the gameplay video soon

I think the magna slings look pretty awesome. I like the randomness and the varied things they will be able to do with them

he's talking about the scoop on the right side under the ramp. I'm not sure it shot it to the left flipper tho. I don't remember.

My thoughts too, I like the see through ramps and the uncluttered look (metal ramps) of the Pro. The extras on the Premium just don't grab me but I do like the look of the Library on the Premium. Sterns pinblades are gonna look great on the game so they are a must for me. How do others feel about them?

Found it... It looks like it does, you can see it in the Dead Flip stream at 1:15:45. This feature will likely be in the Premium/LE (via the VUK), and with the addition of the ramp that diverts to the left flipper, the Premium/LE will likely have more balanced left and right flipper play.

This is definitely a game you can get away with the pro without losing a whole lot. Most Sterns you can. Some games I like the pro better (ie MET). There are very rare exceptions where you can't like (GOT, or gameplay changes a lot between the 2 like AC/DC).

right on, i'm going premium but pretty sure PRO is super cool and gameplay pretty much the same. Toys (slings, ecto googles, more animated slimer and tunnel) are not separated from gameplay. Toys here are just an add on. So rules should be pretty much the same premium/LE and PRO.

So anyone freaking out with the slings should just go PRO and sleep better.

You have WhoopiGoldburg, it's Greg (Rare Hero ) except that he is intelligent where Whoopi is not

I've read all these posts and I'm still getting a Premium no matter what anyone says about the magna-slings, slimer toy, code, ramps, no video, etc.

I'm taking advantage of being a newbie and I'll just enjoy this awesome pin when it comes and be none the wiser. Don't be jealous!

For those worried about the "right flipper only" play - don't! I played many games on GB pro at Papa and didn't feel this way at all. Never crossed my mind.

With the left flipper you can backhand the left ramp, hit the ghost shot in the middle, hit slimer, right loop, captive ball, and right ramp.

Ghost and slimer Id recommend from the left as the shot seems easier and safer that way.

Been kinda skimming through the latest 20 pages or so to see what people have been saying. Looks like what I thought would be said about the magna slings. Pretty mixed. Thought I'd post my thoughts on them as well. Because, hell, why not.

Like others have said, they look kinda frustrating. You don't get the ball bouncing back and forth rapidly. And like what others have also said, this is still early code. But I'm wondering what they want it to actually do. Are they trying to mimic the standard slingshots? Or are they trying something completely new with ball behavior? The excuse keeps coming back to it's just too early in the code, but it is possible to create an animation of their target behavior.

While I'm still really looking forward to playing this, personally, I'd much rather see these magna things used as a mode. Would be fun to see someones reaction start that mode, and all of a sudden the ball isn't kicking back like they thought it should. Would feel more "Ghostbustery."

Will be interesting to see how these work with a real game being played, instead of someone just tossing the ball. Especially during multiball. But I am glad to see some new innovation. Something we hadn't seen before.

simple as that !
+1

Haven't watched the sling video for awhile but it looks to me like they are showing sampling of different modes... One mode where it stops the ball and throws it up and over to the lane so it can then be hit by the flipper. Another mode where it grabs the ball throws it around and away. Perhaps a third mode where it grabs the ball and throws it to the middle (I dont particularly like that one)

To me they were showing and testing different modes or settings. I don't think they were showing just the regular game play magnaslings.

As long as they don't stop the ball and flow all the time (which I don't think they will) I am a big fan of these. Something different is great! Bye bye ACDC Premium... Haha.

Yeah and I like the KISS design (this just isn't my music) but it's still something completely different licensingwise. An intellectual property like a movie or TV series, a "franchise" with big companys and lots of people involved, has much stricter guidelines (or so it was argued for a long time). Even with GB they explicitely said that although they had the rights for the franchise, they had to get the approval for every individual likeness from the actors themselves. (I just guess that's a bit simpler if you get in touch directly with a band.)

Oh, and Metallica art looks shit.

You're obviously wrong. JT was in the Dead Flip video and he didn't strip.

scnr

Impossible to tell how these slings will perform with the game "on." There was a comment in the video to the effect of: "It's even cooler during the game."

My response: Then show gameplay.

The video Stern posted was pretty uninspiring... quite a few SDTM throws.

So, we wait...still has a chance to be really neat.

there is absolutely no way, no matter what they do to the code that those magnet will be close to a real slingshots.

the effect i saw in the video (ghost effect) fit the game very well.
magnets in games is nothing new. innovation is a good thing, not sure i like magnet as a new way to imitate slings and that close to the flippers.

Only issue is that DMD = lack of info displayed. There would be no way to see instant info this way

ATTN: Jared @ Stern

Please show a video of Slimer on Prem/LE ASAP.. Concerned Pinside will crash from repetitive Magna-Sling debates. That could be the one major feature people can unanimously agree on... Hopefully.

From looks of premium flyer the left ramp will only feed right flipper with no diverter to the ghost contaiment hole because it is a scoop on premium/le while the right ramp only feeds left flipper. On pro the left ramp feeds the right flipper and also gets diverted to the ghost contaiment hole that kicks the ball to left flipper. Looks pretty evenly balanced on the Pro videos.

Time will tell when we finally see some real gameplay with these. In hindsight, if the game had regular kickers AND magnets then that would have been the bomb! Best of both worlds.

Rob

That or traditional slings would have been the safe bet but they put their chips all in and now we will see how it plays out.

Couldn't that happen in mutliball? Cradle 1 ball, next ball hits the sling and your "trapped ball" gets pulled by the magnet and launches up and into the sling... is the magnet that powerful?

True story. JT mentioned at his seminar at the Texas Pinball Festival that they start with the Premium in mind when they begin designing a machine and take a few items off for the Pro as cost-saving measures. I think that is much better than designing a Pro and then slapping untested items on it.

TZ has magnetic 'flippers' which are roughly the same concept as magnetic slings. They can work quite well to propel the ball, but the timing has to be right or it just doesn't work. Since ball direction, location and speed varies this could take quite a bit of code finessing to get just 'right'.

Rob

Our local pub got theirs yesterday along with St Augustine , not sure if stern is selling prototypes early to vendors , but the playfield still has the negative reinforcement typo ...very fun stern, great code from the start, can't wait for the premium!

IMG_20160417_002127_(resized).jpg

Read his post again until you get the joke.

Video to come. Stay tuned.

Hi Jared!

I come down to Palm Coast about 2X per year. I'll have to stop by that bowling alley in St. Augustine. Looks like a nice collection of pins they have. What pub in/near Palm Coast has GB?

Matt Groening has never done a piece of promotional/product art from The Simpsons - his signature is on everything, but the TV show artists or promotional department did the pins.

Lonnie is putting the video together.

It worked.!!! Looking forward to it man.

Wait a minute .. Now you're telling me that not only JT, but Steve Ritchie stripped as well?! I thought Stern was already doing quite well, but I guess you do what you have to do to sell Pros.