(Topic ID: 193882)

Pop Bumpers whats the point?

By Phbooms

6 years ago


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  • 112 posts
  • 57 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 6 years ago by Pugsley
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    Topic poll

    “Pop bumpers on future games”

    • Yes keep them 77 votes
      66%
    • No i cant stand them 9 votes
      8%
    • I dont care either way 17 votes
      15%
    • Make a game with only pop bumpers and 5 flippers 13 votes
      11%

    (116 votes)

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    There are 112 posts in this topic. You are on page 2 of 3.
    #51 6 years ago

    I agree...IM, AC/DC, etc...they are just tucked in the upper right with no real rhyme, reason or purpose. I love how they change the trajectory on older games, much more of a purpose. If you've ever played Fan-Tas-Tic, Suspense or Magic City, the balls bounces all over the damn place, and adds a huge reflex element having them down by or in the middle of the flippers.

    Quoted from Yoko2una:

    I always had this idea when I first played Mustang and IJ4 where you have those captive ball areas.

    Quoted from o-din:

    Gotcha covered. less the captive ball...

    And definitely on this. I actually bought a Wico Big Top for my daughter a few years ago...and restored it (surprisingly). I remember working on it and thinking "why don't more games have this pop set up with a barrier around it".

    big top (resized).jpgbig top (resized).jpg

    #52 6 years ago
    Quoted from Colsond3:

    I agree...IM, AC/DC, etc...they are just tucked in the upper right with no real rhyme, reason or purpose. I love how they change the trajectory on older games, much more of a purpose. If you've ever played Fan-Tas-Tic, Suspense or Magic City, the balls bounces all over the damn place, and adds a huge reflex element having them down by or in the middle of the flippers.

    And definitely on this. I actually bought a Wico Big Top for my daughter a few years ago...and restored it (surprisingly). I remember working on it and thinking "why don't more games have this pop set up with a barrier around it".

    The 'Action Ring'!

    #53 6 years ago
    Quoted from nascarrey:

    The 'Action Ring'!

    I know...too funny.

    I actually play it here and there just to do it, and like that getting it up into the "Action Ring" creates another shot on the PF. I actually aim for it. And I rebuilt the pop with a Bally coil, so sometimes the ball gets batted around in there for a good 10 seconds or so. Now looking at it, I think Stern looked at this game when they did the layout for SW. (just kidding fellas )

    #54 6 years ago

    Yeah get rid of the pop Bumpers and the slingshots and the outlanes. Hell get rid of the flippers too.

    Okay i went to far.

    #55 6 years ago

    I think they should have disappeared a long time ago, if a game uses them and implements them well into the rule set then ok sure but for the most part get rid of them.

    #56 6 years ago
    Quoted from ForceFlow:

    Pop bumpers are probably my least favorite assembly to service. I wish there was any easy way to replace the skirt. On some games, you have to take off a lot of parts just to get at the pop bumpers.

    I love the way how classic Bally pops are removable

    #57 6 years ago
    Quoted from Yoko2una:

    I always had this idea when I first played Mustang and IJ4 where you have those captive ball areas. I thought it would be cool to have a feature where a captive ball could be knocked into a small " single pop arena" and pop hits could be counted this way for bigger rewards.
    1) It's something different.
    2) It's harder to hit then most simple dumps into a pop nest.
    3) It could fit a similar footprint, perhaps smaller.
    4) It would cost less.
    5) You could design it where it's tucked underneath a ramp entrance or top corners of the PF - the two least commonly used areas in modern designs.

    love the patent pending

    #58 6 years ago
    Quoted from Hazoff:

    I think they should have disappeared a long time ago

    Like this?

    image-7 (resized).jpgimage-7 (resized).jpg

    image-8 (resized).jpgimage-8 (resized).jpg

    #59 6 years ago
    Quoted from nascarrey:

    The 'Action Ring'!

    Here's a link to all of the games that have the "Action Ring" feature listed on the IPDB. Unfortunately, the list also contains all of the games that have just the word "Action" in the "Notable Features".
    Lady Luck is a personal favorite of mine. When playing the game on location I would always shout "Get out! Get out!" when the ball was careening around in the 1-Point Action Ring and the points were getting close to 21. Fans of the game will know exactly what I am talking about....

    http://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?ft=action+ring&sortby=name&searchtype=advanced

    #60 6 years ago

    Cirqus Voltaire has a unique use of pop bumpers. I'd love to see the rising pop bumper integrated into other machines. Is that patented by JPop?

    #61 6 years ago
    Quoted from lpeters82:

    The rising pop bumper is something I'd love to see on other machines.
    Is that patented by JPop?

    I don't think so since Harry Williams invented it. See pics in above post.

    #62 6 years ago
    Quoted from Yoko2una:

    I always had this idea when I first played Mustang and IJ4 where you have those captive ball areas. I thought it would be cool to have a feature where a captive ball could be knocked into a small " single pop arena" and pop hits could be counted this way for bigger rewards.
    1) It's something different.
    2) It's harder to hit then most simple dumps into a pop nest.
    3) It could fit a similar footprint, perhaps smaller.
    4) It would cost less.
    5) You could design it where it's tucked underneath a ramp entrance or top corners of the PF - the two least commonly used areas in modern designs.

    Check this out:

    http://www.ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=2847&picno=67326

    pasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).png

    #63 6 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    I don't think so since Harry Williams invented it. See pics in above post.

    Oh, sorry about that. I glanced over the picture, but didn't realize the "like this" reference. I get it now. I think that's an idea due for a comeback. Like multiball, it allows the coder to increase or decrease the amount of chaos on the table.

    #64 6 years ago
    Quoted from Pmuis:

    I love the way how classic Bally pops are removable

    Allied Leisure and Data East are like that as well. It's a very convenient design for easy service.

    #65 6 years ago

    Boomerang.

    4 (resized).jpg4 (resized).jpg

    #66 6 years ago

    Or This?

    pasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).png

    #67 6 years ago
    Quoted from ForceFlow:

    A few games have as many as 5 or 6 pop bumpers.

    Whirlwind comes to mind - genius layout - so many shots and flow and somehow there are 6 pop bumpers in the game? Incredible. Addams has 5 and they also don't get in the way at all.

    Dialed in makes good use of pops - they are right by the mechanic standup which can award a super jackpot.

    I like the pops in some early SR games like Flash and Stellar Wars - lighting the pops early in a ball is a smart strategy, since you'll be going up top anyway for lanes and bonus why not get 1000 or 2000 a pop hit?

    #68 6 years ago
    Quoted from Colsond3:

    "why don't more games have this pop set up with a barrier around it".

    I'd guess it ends up being too much stop-and-go play by having to wait for the ball to exit the captive pop area.

    #69 6 years ago
    Quoted from ForceFlow:

    A few games have as many as 5 or 6 pop bumpers.

    Egg Head for the win. 9

    LTG : )

    #70 6 years ago

    Or even this

    #71 6 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    What I'd like to see is them bring back the passive bumper. I don't think they've used those since the 60s.

    Sorry can't get on board with this. Always hated this "feature."

    #72 6 years ago
    Quoted from CrazyLevi:

    Sorry can't get on board with this. Always hated this "feature."

    From the few games I've played that have had a passive bumper, I'm not to crazy about it either. You hit it and the ball just kind of dribbles off from it.

    #73 6 years ago
    Quoted from LTG:

    Egg Head for the win. 9
    LTG : )

    Only five are pops.

    #74 6 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    Might as well get rid of flippers and slingshots too and go back to the days when the almighty plunge actually mattered.

    Ya, I'm gonna go one better for ya and go back to no legs either.

    On the pinball...not like the above guy.

    #75 6 years ago

    this us why I have left the hobby, i get no respect

    #76 6 years ago

    Not every game needs them, Fire! works great without any. When they are added, let's have some variety. Do we need the formulaic tri-pop layout in every Stern? Please surprise us!

    Pinball Magic is another that uses captive pop area to good effect.

    PM-Pop (resized).JPGPM-Pop (resized).JPG

    #77 6 years ago

    Big Guns has no pop bumpers and i liked the game, two catapults impressed me.
    But in general i would miss them.

    #78 6 years ago
    Quoted from PopBumperPete:

    this us why I have left the hobby, i get no respect

    Funny, this cracked me up!

    EDIT: I guess I need to go to expo this year and get to know some of you better. Some of you have a good sense of humor, and the rest are just bat shit crazy.

    #79 6 years ago

    Take out the pop bumpers?!?! What?! Isn't part of the fun of pinball the randomness and unpredictable movement of the ball!!?? Leave them in. I don't want a shooting gallery. I want pinball.

    #80 6 years ago
    Quoted from Hop-Pac:

    Take out the pop bumpers?!?! What?! Isn't part of the fun of pinball the randomness and unpredictable movement of the ball!!?? Leave them in. I don't want a shooting gallery. I want pinball.

    Not very unpredictable if there's only one exit

    #81 6 years ago

    On new stern games the pop bumper has no function other to be there since Gary stern loves them.
    On met, ST, and so on they don't add any randomness.

    On games where they add randomness and danger, love them.

    #82 6 years ago
    Quoted from Goronic:

    Funny, this cracked me up!
    EDIT: I guess I need to go to expo this year and get to know some of you better. Some of you have a good sense of humor, and the rest are just bat shit crazy.

    most pinfans are good guys
    only a few take this great hobby way to seriously

    #83 6 years ago
    Quoted from Goronic:

    : I guess I need to go to expo this year and get to know some of you better. Some of you have a good sense of humor, and the rest are just bat shit crazy.

    Hang around the free play room in the wee hours of the morning. You'll see bat sh*t crazy and then some.

    LTG : )

    #84 6 years ago
    Quoted from Axl:

    On new stern games the pop bumper has no function other to be there since Gary stern loves them.
    On met, ST, and so on they don't add any randomness.
    On games where they add randomness and danger, love them.

    They defintely can add some randomness on MET. Ball can easily shoot straight to the left outlane from the left pop exit.

    #85 6 years ago
    Quoted from PinballNewb:

    They defintely can add some randomness on MET. Ball can easily shoot straight to the left outlane from the left pop exit.

    Met and Ghostbusters have the only slightly useful enclosed bumpers, because they at least have two exits, one more dangerous than the other

    #86 6 years ago
    Quoted from Phbooms:

    What games dont have pops? Shadow and No Fear are two that standout to me. Dwights slot machine pops is ok use of them i agree.

    A list thus far, post-1947:

    http://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?ft=no.pop.bumpers&sortby=date&searchtype=advanced

    If you identify more, I'll make them appear on this list.

    Jay
    IPDB

    #87 6 years ago

    A pop bumper array that can keep the ball busy for a few seconds allows the player a bit of time to breath and refocus. That may not be important for many of us who play all the time (it still is for me), but it's absolutely vital for beginners. A game where the ball is constantly just headed for the drain isn't going to be worth a newbie's second quarter (or four quarters).

    #88 6 years ago

    Yeah, who needs pop bumpers when you can have thumper bumpers instead.

    Thank you Mr. Williams.

    image-7 (1) (resized).jpgimage-7 (1) (resized).jpg

    #90 6 years ago

    Nice, but again let's give credit where credit is due. The innovator himself, Harry Williams.

    http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1654

    image-6 (resized).jpgimage-6 (resized).jpg

    #91 6 years ago
    Quoted from mkecasey:

    (like matching pop bumper awards on GOT)

    W?D

    #92 6 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    Nice, but again let's give credit where credit is due. The innovator himself, Harry Williams.
    http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1654

    How old are you? Pinball gandolf?

    #93 6 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    Nice, but again let's give credit where credit is due. The innovator himself, Harry Williams.
    http://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1654

    Holy crap -- I never would have thought this was done prior to hitchhikers-- damn they invented almost every feature 50 or more years ago it seems. Makes me wonder what the truely innovative features were in the 90s and beyond? Was there really nothing until pin2k? And then what?

    #94 6 years ago

    Hurricane suffers from beautiful pop bumpers with poor integration - and look what it did to that game. The ball is placed into the bumpers as an afterthought, not as an actual target. I know the game is about long flowing shots but these powerful fun pops are sitting there waiting to get used and they just never get touched.

    I love the frantic noise and action of pops. More of them!

    #95 6 years ago

    How about instead of getting rid of pop bumpers, actually write great code that makes them integral to the gameplay?

    #96 6 years ago
    Quoted from Mfsrc791:

    How old are you?

    15 going on 56.

    #97 6 years ago
    Quoted from Yoko2una:

    I always had this idea when I first played Mustang and IJ4 where you have those captive ball areas.

    Tee'd Off also has something like this:

    IMG_9585 (resized).JPGIMG_9585 (resized).JPG

    The bumper is under the ramp and builds your bonus. It can be really fun to hit, especially when you hit it hard and really get it bouncing around in there!

    An idea I'm using in a Future Pinball game I've (slowly) been working on is to put a few spot targets in the pop-bumper area, which light when hit and can be cycled with the flippers like lane changing. This way, when the ball is in the pops, the player can still try to accomplish something by trying to light all the spot targets.

    IMG_9586 (resized).JPGIMG_9586 (resized).JPG

    It's probably already been done before, but it's just one thing that could be done more often to make pops more entertaining.

    #98 6 years ago
    Quoted from mystman12:

    An idea I'm using in a Future Pinball game I've (slowly) been working on is to put a few spot targets in the pop-bumper area, which light when hit and can be cycled with the flippers like lane changing. This way, when the ball is in the pops, the player can still try to accomplish something by trying to light all the spot targets.

    It's probably already been done before, but it's just one thing that could be done more often to make pops more entertaining.

    P3 has this with the default Lexy module: I thought it was a nice addition...

    #99 6 years ago
    Quoted from Yoko2una:

    I always had this idea when I first played Mustang and IJ4 where you have those captive ball areas. I thought it would be cool to have a feature where a captive ball could be knocked into a small " single pop arena" and pop hits could be counted this way for bigger rewards.
    1) It's something different.
    2) It's harder to hit then most simple dumps into a pop nest.
    3) It could fit a similar footprint, perhaps smaller.
    4) It would cost less.
    5) You could design it where it's tucked underneath a ramp entrance or top corners of the PF - the two least commonly used areas in modern designs.

    They did exactly this in Teed Off.

    #100 6 years ago

    http://pavlovpinball.com/whats-the-point-of-pop-bumbers/

    And that article has 3 hot chicks included...not sure how they figure in to the subject matter. But who cares.

    There are 112 posts in this topic. You are on page 2 of 3.

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