(Topic ID: 78410)

PSA: On taking newbies to play pinball

By ryanwanger

10 years ago



Topic Stats

  • 10 posts
  • 8 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 10 years ago by lladnip
  • Topic is favorited by 1 Pinsider

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    #1 10 years ago

    I watched two unfortunate scenarios unfold last night, each with one experienced player, and one total newbie.

    Scenario #1: Two guys step up to TSPP for the first game of the night. Guy #1 explains "hit the flashing shots", and then proceeds to get an extra ball, couch multiball, and a Replay - all the while repeatedly throwing his hands up and sighing in exasperation every time he didn't hit the couch shot on the upper playing field - as though he is embarrassing himself with poor play. By the time his first ball is over, I have played 3+ *entire* games of MM. Guy #2 steps up to the machine knowing his ball will last 15 seconds.

    Scenario #2: Different guy and his girlfriend step up to MM. He plays a really long ball, explaining what he's doing as he goes. After draining, he spends a full minute or two explaining to her how to play the game. Started with "hit flashing shots", and then on to: hit the catapult 3 times, hit peasant shot 4 times, hit castle, etc, etc, etc, stacking modes, etc. Clearly *way* over her head. She steps up to the game, and starts trying to put money in - not even aware that he already paid and started a two player game. In fact, she's not even totally sure where the flippers are and I hear him say "no, that button is to start a game".

    It made me think a lot about how I treat inexperienced players. I'm sure I've made mistakes, but it was so clear to me last night how fragile that first interaction can be. Watching the experiences of the two newbies - I doubt either of them is eager to play again.

    So my takeaways from last night were:
    1) Make sure newbies feel included (and not just spending all night waiting for their turn)
    2) Start with the basics (there is no need for them to know scoring strategies until they have dozens of games under their belt)

    Anyone else see things like this? Any other good advice?

    #2 10 years ago

    I usually just let them play and watch. If they want I will offer a suggestion between balls but incessant coaching is annoying IMO. I learned by playing and so can they.

    #3 10 years ago

    I usually explain how to start multiball, and watch. If I'm also playing, I generally just shoot on the fly and screw around to not extend ball time too much.

    #4 10 years ago

    Well... a lot depends on the age of the persons involved too...

    If I think back a bit to the first time I turned my grand-kids loose in my game room, the minimalist approach seemed to have worked fairly well. I first let them watch me play a game, with a minimal bit of 'play by play' narration just so they could see what is was all about. Then made sure that they understood where the flipper buttons were, how to use the plunger or 'launch' button, and where the start button was, then just sat back and let them go at it.

    Currently they are in the 4 to 8 range, the personalities also range from the "I don't want/need any help" to "what does this, that, etc... do?" Though once they got used to the 'basics' and the inevitable competition between siblings set in, the questions started fast and furious!

    "How do I get multiball?", "How do I get this, that, and the other to happen?", "How do I catch a ball on the flipper?", and on and on until they either ran out of questions or were getting higher scores than the others on a regular basis.

    I guess what I am really saying is that in this case a bit of a 'just go with the flow' approach caused the least stress. And they always want to get back on the games when they come over.

    Of course, I would guess that the lack of needing to feed quarters in repeatedly is a bit of a stress releaver too...

    #5 10 years ago

    To pin virgins and kids that love just slamming both buttons repeatedly...
    I like to play 2 people on one game
    Example I take the right flipper they take the left and we play the game together.
    It's been working pretty well I think

    #6 10 years ago

    Your chance of scoring a MATCH replay should be based on how crappy of a game that you just had.

    Entice a beginner to play another game if they had a low scoring game.

    The pin should also play a callout/sample that is some variation of "Man you suck! Give it another shot!"

    #7 10 years ago

    I usually tell new players to just keep the ball in play as long as possible and when they feel comfortable, to try to progress toward hitting lit shots.

    I also suggest they try a bunch of machines and then park themselves in front of the one that they liked the most for an hour to start to get familiar with it.

    New players have more fun this way. Deeper objectives appeal more to experienced players.

    #8 10 years ago

    ya, hate to say it but pinball is kinda like sex, just better to figure it out at your own pace- last thing i want to hear is about the brains neurons while im doing it.

    #9 10 years ago
    Quoted from lladnip:

    ya, hate to say it but pinball is kinda like sex, just better to figure it out at your own pace- last thing i want to hear is about the brains neurons while im doing it.

    #10 10 years ago

    lol- i bet he takes all his honeys to his vr loveshack

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