(Topic ID: 68179)

PINSIDE CHALLENGE: Let strangers play your machine(s) during Halloween!

By Jared

10 years ago


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  • 261 posts
  • 117 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 8 years ago by gliebig
  • Topic is favorited by 6 Pinsiders

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    35
    #1 10 years ago

    Got you attention?

    Ok, so this Thursday night... Weather permitting... When all those local kids and family's come strolling by looking for candy: why not show them some pinball?

    Pretty much the one day a year you will have 200+ random people come by your door. So... Put a pin out in the sidewalk! On the porch... On the patio... Whatever.

    I guess my point is, why not find a way to showcase pinball (whenever) we can to (whomever) we can to help grow the interest?

    Anyone here planning to incorporate your machines to Halloween?

    I'm going to have my garage door open, spooky music blasting on my PA system, lights going, and all the games turned on and ready to go for any passers by.

    Wife is like "don't advertise what we own!" I'm like "what thief has a pin dolly?" lol

    image-358.jpgimage-358.jpg

    17
    #24 10 years ago
    Quoted from s2k4ary:

    Bought my third pin, and had them in the garage. Shopped them out, and had my brother over to play. It was night time and for the ffirst time had the garage door open while playing. Light show as you can imagine, had a few passing cars slow Down, and one even stopped to look at what was going on. 2 weeks later I had a break in, and over $10k stolen from us. Thank god none off us were home. Sharing your hobby with others is great, but you may be setting your self up for some crazy shit.

    Yikes.

    Thankfully, I live in a very good neighborhood.

    My entire garage is a arcade, and everyone around here knows it. I hosts parties 1-2 times a month, and most of the time play with the garage up. So everyone around here knows where I am and whats inside here. I invite strangers in/over all the time. I have had at least 6 people who were walking by or jogging come up to see what the deal was when they saw that there were machines in the garage...

    I even made a facebook page for my garage. It has a couple of hundred likes. https://www.facebook.com/jaredsarcade . Through the page, I allow total strangers to arrange to come by and play for no reason. Has not backfired yet...

    Then again, I am self employed, and stay here at home... and this is Texas... and we pretty much all have guns. I have a couple of weapons in the house (and some dogs) and anyone breaking into this place when I was home would be in trouble. If they did break in while I was gone... I doubt they would take a pinball machine. Even if they did... it can be replaced. Insurance...

    Stealing a pinball machine has got to be up there on the theft list with stealing refrigerators. Thief's want small, fast, quick, and pawn-able items.

    One time I left my garage open on accident when I left the house. My neighbor called my wife about 3 hours later like "Hey man, how do I turn these pinball machines on?" LOL. He played and then shut the garage for us.

    Im honestly not afraid at all in my neighborhood.

    DSC_2151.jpgDSC_2151.jpg

    Half the people in this shot are strangers. See my garage door is open? I do this often.

    I hope that on Halloween I have the biggest impact of all.

    #29 10 years ago
    Quoted from Jesterfunhouse:

    I want to take one out on Thursday but everyone in my family thinks I am crazy to do so...I would love to share with the Trick o' Treaters and their parents and I think it would be fun...I think it all depends on the weather if I put one out on the sidewalk and play and hand out candy...AM I CRAZY?

    You are not crazy dude. Not at all.

    I cant wait to see pictures of trick-or-treaters playing your game on the porch.

    I hope this thread is full of pics of pinsiders doing it around the nation.

    Community outreach. Pinball should not be a secret. Spread the love.

    #31 10 years ago
    Quoted from luch:

    National Pinball Day Oct. 31st 2013

    MAKE. IT. HAPPEN.

    #48 10 years ago
    Quoted from copperpot:

    I started this last year. We had about 150 kids total come through. Some of the kids didn't understand how exactly to start a game, and a few didn't know that these were games and actually had buttons on the side. Fun time, doing it again this year with a different setup of games (Spy Hunter and Tron, i think)

    Halloween 2012.jpg 434 KB

    Awesome!!!!!!

    I knew this was way too good of an idea for me to be the only one!!!!

    11
    #49 10 years ago
    Quoted from IdahoRealtor:

    I wouldnt do it. It's an advertisement of wealth, which tells crooks there's likely a lot more good stuff in the house. It's not the pins that would be stolen. I have dogs and guns too, but break-ins are still dangerous and bad guys pack heat sometimes too. Not worth the risk to my family. And fancy neighborhoods have break-ins too. You're probably okay to do this, but there is an element of risk.

    image-675.jpgimage-675.jpg

    "You step outside, you risk your life. Take a drink of water, you risk your life. You don't have a choice. The only thing you can choose is what you're risking it for."

    #66 10 years ago
    Quoted from johninc:

    Last year, one parent told me his son talked about "the pinball machines" all year, and he was really glad they were there again. You can bet I'll be doing it for as long as I can.

    Please take pics.

    Come Friday I want this thread to be a national collection of Halloween pinball evangelism to strangers.

    #75 10 years ago
    Quoted from retired_user_101:

    hmmm...
    all my pins are upstairs right now except joust.
    kids might like that.

    Just one is fine...

    #82 10 years ago
    Quoted from Classic_Stern:

    We run after them with a chain saw without the chain after we lure them to the door with a nice person in silly clown outfit. Then we make it pitch black, turn on a 400 watt bulb in their eyes about 50 feet away, crank the sound system 130+ db and then come running at them from behind the light with a chainless chainsaw.
    It all happens so fast they "FREAK OUT"....We have had people hit us because we have scared the livin' shit out of them. Kids piss themselves., It causes people to go crazy. They think the chainsaw actually has a chain. Adults initially think oh this is interesting then they think they are going to get hit with a chainsaw and ; can't believe what the hell is happening. They start to think..."What if???" You got kids diving into cars and running in every direction.
    Only can do it about every 3 - 4 years. But each year you don't do it; you want to hand out amazing candy so they come back. Then you "Lure" them in.
    Guess what....This year it is on. Screw the pinball. Get a Chainsaw, bright lights, and way too much sound for the human ear.
    This year. IT IS ON!!!!!!!!!!................

    #85 10 years ago
    Quoted from robertmee:

    I put out my Mystery Castle and Scared Stiff last year....Ran contest where I had big candy bars for the high score for kids, and a six pack of beer for the high scores for adults. I've had lots of neighbors ask if we're going to do it again this year, so I'll probably pull them out, weather permitting.

    Hooray! Cant wait for pics!!!!

    #113 10 years ago
    Quoted from Jean-Luc-Picard:

    Ahh, I see now. I did not read all the posts. It would be great if we could trust strangers. Especially to introduce people to the hobby. But too many demons, goblins and trolls lurking in the dark that can not be trusted lol.

    Depends where you live for sure.

    If you are not comfortable... no worries. No judgement given.

    I dont mind to share all of my personal info with (anyone). Pretty much been doing it for 10 years straight. I even had a live webcast of my wedding for strangers and friends a like to watch. I have 100% open public settings on my facebook... and I broadcast intimate details of my life and possessions there to nearly 30,000 people every day.

    When a new pin comes home I do more than tell the neighborhood... I tell the world.

    Just never been a issue for me... and yeah I have been robbed at gunpoint too.

    28
    #127 10 years ago

    Epic night!!!!!image-744.jpgimage-744.jpgimage-428.jpgimage-428.jpgimage-242.jpgimage-242.jpgimage-522.jpgimage-522.jpg

    #129 10 years ago

    I estimate over 400 kids came by. I was blown away by the turnout. My PA could be heard at least 2 blocks away. They came likes moths to a flame.

    11 months later
    #170 9 years ago

    I was about to bump this thread of mine and saw that you guys already did it. SWEET!

    I am getting some signs made "FREE ARCADE OCTOBER 31ST" which this year falls on a Friday! That should mean some BIG crowds coming by the house! SWEET!

    I am happy to report that 12 months after my "Halloween Experiment" in our middle class neighborhood in Rockwall no pinball machines or items have been stolen from my house. No odd activity to report what so ever. LOL!

    This year I have a much bigger lineup with some improved titles. I think the real winner will be HAUNTED HOUSE! I am thinking I am going to do a high-score contest on the Haunted House machine at the arcade. We shall see.

    Last time I simply opened the door... hundreds came. This time I will advertise it locally. Pinball is back baby.

    4 weeks later
    #192 9 years ago

    Epic Halloween.

    Didn't photo random kids, but about 200 or so came by!

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    1 week later
    11 months later
    #221 8 years ago

    Thanks for bumping this. This will be the 3rd year in a row I have done this.

    1 week later
    #254 8 years ago

    Very impressed with everyone efforts this year. Thank you so much for believing in this idea!!!!!

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