Grand Rapids, MN
just curious how the majority of us have our games setup regarding the number of balls in play; for pins that have that as a set-up option.
(Topic ID: 8440)
3. 2 if proceeded by three. Never 5. The number counted shall be three and three shall be the number. Sorry. 
I don't own any EM's, but that is the only time I would ever set my games to 5 balls. Otherwise, they are all on 3 ball with no buy-in.
I have set some on 5 in the past but I have weaned to 3. I get frustrated so sometimes 5 keeps it alive.... 
Most 3, one pin 5. The one pin with 5 is because the person I bought from had it set to 5 and his initials are still on there for GC. Thought about resetting it as I don't think that really counts. 3 ball is better for shorter games.
We've done this before.
My pins are set at 5-ball because of my age. I grew up where all the pins I ever played had 5 balls. I'm stubborn. To me, 3-ball pins were invented for the sole purpose of shorter playing times, thus more profit, and screw the player. This may not make sense, but this is a subliminal message to me that a 3-ball pin meant I was going to be getting less for my money. I would like to think there is more to it than profit. Plus, people from my era just automatically expected to get 5 balls, and old habits die hard!
I THINK this 3-ball thing is more of a 'modern era' phenomenon. In the interest of keeping things on a level playing field (no pun intended!) when comparing high scores, 3 would definitely be the standard.
To each his own . . .
Mike
Quoted from Pintucky:We've done this before.
Lol Yeah, I wonder how many of these threads would show up if I did a search?
Real Mutants play with 3 balls.
Quoted from GoneFishinLvMsg:Factory setting.
+1, used to have them at 5
Geel
Quoted from dvandentop:5 here idk guess i am a newbie
Yep same here. I have The Shadow set to 5 cause I can't get very far. My LW3 is set to 5 cause games would last 2 mins on 3 ball. I need to change the set up on LW3, it is too hard.
Regina, SK
Quoted from Firebaall:5 balls on a solid state pin is cheating!
I cheat ALL of the time. 
5 balls, two maybe even four replay levels, 2 buy-ins or so. I average about 15 actual balls or so a game counting the extra balls "earned" during gameplay.
I actually set Taxi to 6 balls for my friends. They don't like to drain and get bored with my pins when they do. I have to feed them tons of balls to keep them interested. I actually could play on 3 ball and be fine with it... I guess...
When I host a party, I usually set mine to 5 balls, because most of my friends are not really good in pinball and I don't usually play, the more they last, the more they will like pinball machines. that way I make pinheads of my friends. When alone, I set it to 3.
My Black Knight 2000 is set to 5 balls cause that was the factory setting. Same with Haunted House (I think, no one has ever really confirmed what the factory setting on it was). Laser Cue gets set to 5 balls because it's impossible to get any decent bonus otherwise. All the rest get 3 balls.
Really depends on the game. Generally speaking 3 ball for SS/DMD and 5 ball on EM's but there are exceptions. I have my SS Joker Poker set at 5 ball because the bonus multiplier is designed for 5 and I have Shadow set at 5 ball because it's so damn brutal otherwise (OK I cheat on this one but it keeps the wife happy).
Mine on default is 3, but I do have a buy in button. I consider that the cheater high scores, but I can't resist pressing that buy in frequently if I'm not hitting any high scores and I'm not totally sucking that day.
Also, if I suck on a buy in ball I usually complain that I spent .50 on that d@mn ball even though it's on free play.
Quoted from NimblePin:"Three"- that's the magic numberrr...
Attachments DLS.jpeg (7.6 KB, 0 downloads) 21 hours old
Awesomeness!
Quoted from spfxted:Pinball is 5 balls.
Careful. You're showing your age there, Ted. 
Quoted from Finrod:My Black Knight 2000 is set to 5 balls cause that was the factory setting. Same with Haunted House (I think, no one has ever really confirmed what the factory setting on it was).
Wouldn't the factory setting be whatever the game defaults to when you reset it?
Quoted from kmoore88:Lol. I didn't bother to do a search before I posted my poll.
On some forums I've been on, when you attempt to start a new thread, it automatically shows you past threads with similar titles. I'd love to see something like this implemented on Pinside.
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