If the modes started over from beginning each time instead of remembering what shots you have left when you restart them now that would be annoying, but the way its setup now where if you hit 2 shots of 3 and time out or drain the next time you start the mode you start right where you left off. I havent seen Marshmallow Man mode or any wizard modes yet but thats what keeps me playing.

Side note my wife who doesnt play all that much hit 550million last night and had 2 Storage Mballs during game cause she knows the general layout and what to shoot for since shes watched me play it. We like the game so much were spending more money to get a Premium but id be happy to keep the Pro and buy a GOT pro but kids like the Premium look better so who am i to argue...

After the game is played a bunch, this calms down and rarely happens anymore. Fresh out of the box it does for sure. My route game, it's very rare to see this now (though the stand ups can be death shots, sort of like every other stand up in other games.)

Who brought the dog is 3 shots, and they all flow together. I watched it happen last league night, many times, and did it myself. Many guys completing it making shot-shot-shot. Right loop off the skill shot. Dead bounce from left loop stall to right flipper. Left ramp shot, left loop, dead bounce to left flipper, right loop, done and started the 2nd mode.

Once you've played it a bunch, it's the easiest mode to complete, and very consistent.

I see no issue in this. I see no issue in the way it is either though.

Yes.

Or better yet, watch someone who has played quite a few games on it, and watch them stack mass hysteria with a mode and PKE running, then smash the left captive for multipliers and quickly rack up a billion points. Hectic and good fun.

I actually don't care how you set the game up. I just want you to shut up about it, because it craps up the thread every time. Go ahead and add three center posts. Do it. Nobody cares. But the game isn't flawed, you are. Just admit to yourself that you're unwilling to improve at playing the game and mod it quietly and however you want.

But no, nothing is "wrong" with the game just because it wasn't designed with your exact sensibilities in mind.

I feel like I'm trying to explain to my 3-year old son why we can't have cake for dinner.

I am **terrible** at pinball and with practice can now easily ace the early modes in three shots. Getting to the Ballroom is actually really easy. Sneaking up on the Librarian ghost and getting WCWS is not that hard! You can do it too. That being said the game is really frustrating and I would move the outlane posts down to the bottom probably. If I had kids or novices playing I would put rubbers on the inlanes as well maybe? I was thinking about moving my posts but have it stock everything so far (not counting the left and right eject strengths being turned down some.)

IMO, that's a band-aid. Better than starting over from scratch...but still - starting a mode takes so many more shots (ghost targets, then defeating Slimer) than most games' mode starts..you're likely to get an airball death or dribble from the pops straight down the middle before starting that mode again to continue where you left off.

I'm not saying Marshmallow Man should be a gimme...but it shouldn't be impossible. It's mode 4 of a ladder, a character everyone likes, and a main toy in the game. Shouldn't even casual players get to see the Marshmallow Man toy turn red with anger and get "burned" as you fight him? Seems like a total waste to make that an impossible mode. Wizard modes, yes - make those impossible. I have NO problem that I still haven't seen Valinor in LOTR...make me work my ASS off for that. But Marshmallow Man? Mere mortals should be able to see that occasionally.

Points are irrelevant! The point is blocked content! We're playing a Ghostbusters game and not getting any Ghostbusters story/callouts/etc because they're locked away in the modes that are difficult for most people to advance through!

ARROGANT! Now you want the thread to be YOUR WAY. I think we have a control freak here...

It's a Ghostbusters thread. I'm talking about Ghostbusters. Put me on ignore if you don't like it.

I will not be quiet! I love Terry at Pinball Life! I will scream LOUDLY about the REVERSIBLE center post mod that he sells. Terry rules. Why are you trying to take business away from him? Did I mention it's reversible? Just a plastic with a post hanging from it? If the game starts to feel too easy, I can take it off. THEN you can come over and tell me how awesome I am cuz I'm doing things YOUR way.

Nothing is wrong with making adjustments. All games have multiple difficulty adjustments. Many people set their games to 5-ball. Do you call them entitled? I don't like 5-ball, but it's their game, they can do what they want.

Oh I can't wait till that kid starts having a mind of his own....going to drive you NUTS!

This thread took a nasty turn. Let me see if I can help all of us get back to a happy moment.

My distro just called and said that they just set up shipping for their LE's. Their shipment is coming on Thursday (the 7th). I'll be riding my happy little butt 200 miles round trip to get her same day. Hopefully their information is good. I imagine it is. They didn't ask for the rest of my payment or anything. Just wanted to set up my pickup date. Anyone else in the US hearing some solid dates?

I agree with that too. Though I already purchased the carrots[only few bucks]I want to play it for about a month with zero changes to see how bad that gap and outlanes are. Pretty sure will add with pressure from friends and it's easy even for me to make the adjustment. People need to stop judging people on making the decision to change the unit, be glad people are still interested in pinball. It almost died and I am glad it didn't my kid loves it. Next generation is coming!!!

Shouldn't even casual players get to see the Marshmallow Man toy turn red with anger and get "burned" as you fight him?

No. That is the reward for getting to the end of that ladder. The casual players get to see Slimer and see the Marshmallow Man toy. Doing the scenes out of order would make no sense based on how they designed them and put them in ladders. Catching Slimer and saving New York (the end of the MM ladder) are part of "beating" the game. If you want to give casual players a chance at those things change the settings of the game to award extra balls for points and specials and up the percentages for getting awarded each so you get them from the pops/Tobin's more. You will have 5-8 ball games and be good to go.

IMO your issues with game arent issues to me but i understand what your saying. I enjoy the game as it is and im glad the modes arent just handed to me. If i seen all the modes and heard everything the game offers in the first week i owned it id be the exact opposite then you arguing the games to easy and would get bored of it quickly.

You're misunderstanding me. I don't advocate for the modes being out of order. What I think should happen is if you fail or time out a mode, the next one on the ladder should now be available (like any other mode based game you've played). If you complete the mode - reward the player with extra points, multipliers, qualifiers toward a wizard mode - sure...some reward for good play - but, if you fail, time to move on - next mode. Don't want to ever see "We Got One" 3 or 4 times in a row.

That would be awesome. I can't wait to get the call/email/courier pigeon myself.

Actually that's one of the easiest to complete once you learn how to do it. The challenge for me is to hit the shot with it lit from both flippers for twice the goodness. With the ball trapped on the left flipper, highlight the left ramp with the right flipper. Now quickly toggle the left flipper (without actually flipping) until the Warp ramp is lit. Now when you backhand the left ramp you'll get credit for a double. Then quickly press the left button I think 6 times to setup for the next shot. It's hard to get all doubles but overall easy to complete.

Now back to GB...

Here's the the thing - the physicality of the game is what it is - so it will never "be easy", even if the modes flow more freely. When I asked Stern to add an option for progression save on Optimus MB in Transformers, their pushback on me is that it would make the game too easy. I said it wouldn't change the physical nature of the game...so if a person can keep the ball in play, they'll still keep the ball in play...they'll just be doing the same thing over and over. If you add Optimus progression save, they'll at least be able to pass that roadblock, and continue to the other half of the game. It's not about making things easier, it's making things less repetitive and more fun. They did end up adding that option to the game, and I bet most TF owners have that progression save turned ON.

In any case - I'm advocating for this to be an option in the settings. MANDATORY MODE COMPLETION: ON/OFF ...for those who like the way the game is now, leave it "ON", for those who want things to keep moving, "OFF". Lots of games have options like this...Metallica has like 200 game altering options. Customization and rule tweaks in the option settings isn't anything new....pins have had this forever.

That's right.....it makes a great bank.

My Distro said they were starting to ship this week, but the lines are also producing other models at the same time, so the LE's are coming at a slower pace. They have 2 coming out of the bunch they had on order....so once they get to the distributor, there are going to be more happy folks. If what they are telling me is not BS, then most likely LE's will ship over the next 2 to 3 weeks.

No. I'm not talking about deviating from the standard factory settings. I'm talking about adding a big plastic and rubber post in the middle of the flippers to save balls.

Sounds like a good option, i see no harm in having it on there.

*shrug*

It's reversible....and, it's not something that games HAVEN'T had. Spider-Man had one, and that had a normal flipper gap. Center-post-outrage just seems really overblown.

Even Steve Ritchie said that he's cool with the STTNG outlane extenders...he thinks he should have done it that way from the factory. Designers are just people like the rest of us.

BUT......

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Mod and adjust your game the way you want it. I like mine setup easy. Just like to play. I would love setting with endless balls in the code. Just sometimes you want to play forever and get all the achievements. Why couldn't they code that as a free play setting? Your score wouldn't be recorded as high score. Great for kids...

need a comma in that meme

,

May I ask if you are picking up your game next week but the distro did not ask for full payment,when do you pay,it sound like when you get to the pickup

I would normally keep quiet, but this is just too ironic coming from the guy who does the exact same thing in Hobbit threads.

Hobbit REVIEW threads. I don't go into the official thread at all. The review threads exist exactly for that reason. There's also a mile wide chasm difference between the tone Rarehero posts with and what I post with when talking about The Hobbit. He's just whining about non-problems.

...and I'm the one cluttering the thread...

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Check your PMs, Rarehero. That's the last I'm going to say to you here or in private.

Also, people can stop PMing me about the situation. I'm done talking to him and while I appreciate the "go you!" or "point this out!" support, I'd rather not bicker.

I guess you really hated almost every video game...

Nothing wrong with challenging to advance instead of participation trophies for everyone.

There are always other games

*shakes head*

You don't get it.

There are good video games. There are bad video games. There are challenging games that are legitimate challenges. There are impossible games that throw cheap shots at you and kill you regardless of skill.

Balance leads to the classics of gaming.

Okay, that is a distinction but having the same opinions repeated ad nauseum gets tiring wherever it occurs, wouldn't you agree?

Problem or non-problem is in the eye of the beholder.

At least Rarehero is buying the game so he is very vested in fixing the flaws he perceives. Voicing his opinions may result in a better game for him as well as others.

Thanks mang...and keep in mind my "two issues" are relatively minor at the end of the day.

1. Physical - not asking Stern to change anything...owners can make their own choices on this matter
2. Code - asking for an option...not a flat out change. That way, everyone can tweak the game to their liking (no different than many other games)

Stern may or may not like my ideas for GB...but in the past they have liked a few and incorporated them into games, resulting in more choices and fun for all.

How about it stays in the mode on your next ball like Star Trek does? Not only do I have to get back into the mode, I also have to make the shot. How about just continuing where I left off, as in, in the mode?

Not a terrible idea, but what if you want to switch ladders?

Another rarehero meltdown eh? Surprised it took this long.

You just switch ladders, It's up to the player to decide what they do. You can leave a ladder almost anytime you like, by juts hitting the last completion shot not in the ladder shot...if that makes any sense.

It's a very controlled game in some aspects. Shooting on the fly punishes you greatly. I don't think I've ever lost a ball from the drop targets if you backhand them. Going front hard shot I still get plenty of jump balls.
I agree the modes are very repetitive, it's actually pretty annoying and I didn't think it would bother me.

EDIT:
The issue is you have to keep the modes rolling. The skill shot to start a mode is very important, because shooting slimmer 3 times can be dangerous.

Up until this game Stern has been praised for having to complete modes making Sterns "much tougher" than W/B games, now we should change it?

Right, I meant what if you wanted to switch ladders rather than try to complete that current mode. Like say you started Spooked Librarian, failed, and would rather start We Got One instead? It's probably a bad tactic, so it's not something many would do, but I could see people feeling even more locked in if it already put them back into the same mode.

Ah I see what you mean...well I think that option will still be available using the skill shot. Now when you end a ball with all ladders lit, they are still all lit plus a skill shot start. Don't know if that rally counts but it's something....does keep people away from using that shot for other things.

I have not played GB yet, but I will say this: I find it very strange indeed to see all this extensive discussion (and mostly bashing) of the Trudeau flipper gap.

I owned (and really liked) Mustang LE. I honestly don't recall any discussion of the flipper gap on that pin in the owner's thread. If there was discussion about it, it was pretty minimal I can tell you that. It would *appear* (again, I have not played GB...based solely on posts I've read) that GB might be more unforgiving than Mustang, so now the flipper gap is being blamed even though it was never an issue on Mustang.

Strange.

I also think it's strange; but I don't think I've ever seen an actual measuring of the gap to tell the diff'rence I've seen people post pics saying "look its the same" but never any real proof.
Unirregardless, it does feel MUCH larger than any other game. I've played Mustang/WWE many times and never thought once aboot the gap...same size as congo they say and that game is easy.
I think GB is just the most punishing game to come out of a box since IM. I mean it's frikkin brutal...so I wonder if the speed of it is amplifying the gap somehow?

Someone please measure GB gap then compared to another Trudeau title

Same size as CFTBL, Flintstones, JD...any JT game.

What's your take? Feels bigger no?

Does anybody know if flipper slope differs at all between Trudeau games? I've found GB fairly easy to trap up on, easier than CFTBL. I don't know if that has anything to do with difference in flipper slope or just the speed of the game or anything else.

Flintstones.... never even noticed it

Ha I've had the opposite feeling...because of the speed.

Well first of all, there was no hype or expectations for Mustang. That aside, I've played Mustang and it's pretty fun...the layout and rules seem to fit together in a way that works pretty well. I'm not anti-gap if it works for the design/rules. I love Congo! GB seems to have more shots that ricochet the ball straight down the middle, a pops exit that can dribble it straight down the middle, Scoleri pop up targets that can fling it over the flippers, and even the gate on the left-to-right orbit exit doesn't seem to always guide the ball right, it can ricochet off the metal ball guide, miss the gate, and go straight down the middle. These things just really make you THINK about that gap, where you don't really think about it so much on his other games. It's never been an issue on his older games, as those games had simpler rules and mode structure. It's the "Iron Man" principal. Hard is OK if the rules make sense for it.

Heres GB, WOZ, and LOTR. GB is 1/2" wider then WOZ and WOZ is 1/16" wider then LOTR.

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Um, photos don't show both flippers ...Half an inch sounds like a HUGE difference. How wide is a ball? 3/4 inch?

Rare, I think everyone gets your POV on GB by now. It sounds like you want to love this pin so bad but can't. I totally get that. I'm confused too as to why they made it so hard. But it's either let it go or accept it at this point.

I think you'd be much happier if you looked at it for what's great about it instead of what you want to change. Pinball is what you bring to it.

Well thanks but we really wanted to see other JT titles...we all know they're bigger than other machines.