Raleigh, NC
We will be arriving on the 23rd. Hitting the Laurel Caverns, Silverball Country Club and most likely Kennywood before ReplayFX.
(Topic ID: 192312)
Quoted from Whysnow:Any tips to share from those that were there in past years?
So far I was told:
bring a small folding chair
bring a mat to stand on and good shoes
sit often and from the start
Any pre-event stuff to do on Wednesday?
We actually get into Pitt on Monday morn.
2016 was my first year.
I brought a small folding chair and didn't end up using most of the time as there was lots of seats, I won't be bringing it again.
What I would suggest is a cell phone charger and/or power bank like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01F3TZX0E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00
I was checking my phone a lot and the battery drained quickly.
Quoted from BoJo:If you are referring to the one with fries and slaw that is Primanti's.
http://www.primantibros.com/
https://goo.gl/maps/CzpmQFRVscz
If you want a great cheese steak hoagie I recommend Peppi's.
http://peppisubs.com/
https://goo.gl/maps/FnNnc1aNHDG2
If you like gyro's this place is great as well:
http://www.mikeandtonysgyros.com/index.shtml
https://goo.gl/maps/RLfthikoD3q
All have a location within waking distance of the convention center.
Awesome. Thank you
Quoted from epthegeek:Lets talk food. Because there's a lot of meals to be had over the days.
"The Meatball place" is one of my favorites so far (Emporio at Sienna Mercato - http://www.siennamercato.com), definitely planning on that again. Might have to venture upstairs to the pizza place this year.
Anybody know there the steak sandwiches of legend are from? Is that Gaucho? or somewhere else?
Also curious where people hit for breakfast in the mornings.
Yes. LOVE the meatball place. 
Quoted from tmontana:2016 was my first year.
I brought a small folding chair and didn't end up using most of the time as there was lots of seats, I won't be bringing it again.
What I would suggest is a cell phone charger and/or power bank like this amazon.com link »
I was checking my phone a lot and the battery drained quickly.
+1
The suggestion of a power pack for your phone is highly recommended .. along with good shoes.
Also, some people prefer having headphones or noise cancelling sets. The noise level can be fatiguing after all day and several days..
Evan's vagina hurts.
Quoted from wxforecaster:On behalf of all Pittsburgh pinsiders, we ask that you do not patronize this location. You are putting money into the hands of an individual who has wronged far too many here and is indebted way too much $$$ to a number of people caught on the wrong end of that sleeze. Yes the collection is wonderful, but there are many other places in this city with caring, responsible owners far more worthy of your dollar.
Maybe you should have done the fuse/magnet modifications to your POS TAF before putting it on loan to Pinball PA. Maybe then it wouldn't have burned up and you wouldn't have had to blame them while you were selling your games out of their space under the guise of loaning them to the museum... do tell the whole story ya prick...
Quoted from ashes1:Evan's vagina hurts.
Richmond Hill, ON
I love Replay FX, my family and I had a great time last year. I wish there were more vendors there and more representation from the pinball manufacturers. It wouldn't kill Gary or Steve Ritchie to make an appearance.
Quoted from pezpunk:oh wow, did i play against you? i was the guy who drained on Firepower, only like 1000 points away from advancing, who yelled "FUCK" at the top of his lungs, only to turn around and see a little girl sitting directly behind him. i got a stern warning from the official for that! i didn't need it, though, i felt like a piece of shit regardless. i have basically spent the last year working on stopping loud outbursts like that, haha.
That's funny - I do that at home alone...
I again have to miss, then listen to all my league buddies tell stories of how much fun and one-of-a-kind event this is. HOWEVER, I do have a commitment from the "boss" to have those 4 days in July 2018 available for a family vacation.
This time around, we have a great excuse, our moving truck shows up 7/27 and we have 3 days to pack.
I'm going to have to watch Twitch and attend via media again. Sigh.
Ok - time to play Aerosmith. Pity party is over.
More good info for anybody playing in the tournament: https://pintips.net
If you've got quick tips they don't have submit it! When you're playing random stuff all day, some of which you're likely not going to be familiar with, any little bit helps.
Quoted from epthegeek:More good info for anybody playing in the tournament: https://pintips.net
If you've got quick tips they don't have submit it! When you're playing random stuff all day, some of which you're likely not going to be familiar with, any little bit helps.
Tip: as soon as you know your next bank, add some misleading tips about those games. When you're playing against random opponents all day, every little bit helps.
Quoted from redacted:Tip: as soon as you know your next bank, add some misleading tips about those games. When you're playing against random opponents all day, every little bit helps.
Stargate..... Do NOT shoot the Pryamid. The game will tell you repeatedly to do it. Don't do it. It's a trap. The game is trying to fool you. Don't be a fool.
Quoted from redacted:Tip: as soon as you know your next bank, add some misleading tips about those games. When you're playing against random opponents all day, every little bit helps.
There's plenty of misleading tips and bad advice in the "pintips" guide already. You are better off just watching the other players and seeing what works when it comes to games you don't know.
Can't wait to end up with a group of people toting around pintips printouts when I play 'em on Stellar Wars.
London
Quoted from NeilMcRae:so i'm on the last 30odd on the waitlist and I'm risking it coming all the way from London
hell yeah best wishes! hope it works out
Quoted from CrazyLevi:There's plenty of misleading tips and bad advice in the "pintips" guide already. You are better off just watching the other players and seeing what works when it comes to games you don't know.
Can't wait to end up with a group of people toting around pintips printouts when I play 'em on Stellar Wars.
Bah, that's disheartening. I woulda thought the pinball community would do better than that on something like this, what with how detailed rule sheets get written and shared. I like the concept, and I submitted several things to various games.
The problem with those tips is they are like "try to build up the jackpot to a billion before stacking all 3 multiball modes" or whatever on games where 80% of players won't even get one multiball. That's not helpful on a game you don't already know really well. An app of helpful tips would be much MUCH simpler advice such as "the left ramp is safer than the right orbit" or "the drop targets light the lock".
Quoted from pezpunk:The problem with those tips is they are like "try to build up the jackpot to a billion before stacking all 3 multiball modes" or whatever on games where 80% of players won't even get one multiball. That's not helpful on a game you don't already know really well. An app of helpful tips would be much MUCH simpler advice such as "the left ramp is safer than the right orbit" or "the drop targets light the lock".
Honestly unless it's an EM or early SS, I don't even search for it.
Quoted from Azmodeus:I guess I missed the boat over the last few years.
How did Pinburg become replay fx
Pinburg?
Was it an attempt to make a show for everyone not just competitive pin players?Wondering the history. Want to go someday, soon.
Grew too big for the papa hq, spawned this massive show at the convention center.
Quoted from epthegeek:Bah, that's disheartening. I woulda thought the pinball community would do better than that on something like this, what with how detailed rule sheets get written and shared. I like the concept, and I submitted several things to various games.
The problem with inexperienced contributors...
We've had a similar system for our league playersfor several years, populated most by experienced Pinburg players. Pinburg is different due to the scale and variety. You really want to know what you need to know about a game in 30secs. (Edit: and focusing on tournament play)
Pinburg awards consistent above 50% play.
Unfortunately this data (in my short peeks) was more about explaining the rules... instead of focusing on match tournament play strategy. But for many even basic intros can be helpful. So that's nice
I suggest taking a photo of every completed score sheet for the 2 days. I did this last year and loved being able to accurately recall how I did across the eras.
This year I plan to also try something a friend recommended. Honestly take all your lucky breaks (points you got you didn't really deserve) Vs points you lost by poor luck. You always remember the bad breaks, but if you track the lucky breaks as well they tend to even out over the weekend.
Then usual advice. Sit when you can. Drink lots of water. Good shoes. Met people. Have fun. Thank the staff.
Quoted from imharrow:I suggest taking a photo of every completed score sheet for the 2 days. I did this last year and loved being able to accurately recall how I did across the eras.
This year I plan to also try something a friend recommended. Honestly take all your lucky breaks (points you got you didn't really deserve) Vs points you lost by poor luck. You always remember the bad breaks, but if you track the lucky breaks as well they tend to even out over the weekend.
Then usual advice. Sit when you can. Drink lots of water. Good shoes. Met people. Have fun. Thank the staff.
I wanted to be able to go back and check all the matches I had and see what my win/loss record was against players ranked higher than me in the IFPA was. Anyone know a way to do that?
Quoted from chuckwurt:I wanted to be able to go back and check all the matches I had and see what my win/loss record was against players ranked higher than me in the IFPA was. Anyone know a way to do that?
might be able to sort thru this:
Quoted from epthegeek:Bah, that's disheartening. I woulda thought the pinball community would do better than that on something like this, what with how detailed rule sheets get written and shared. I like the concept, and I submitted several things to various games.
People play games different ways. People have different opinions on how to play a game. This makes something like "pintips" inherently flawed. Is it better than nothing? I don't know. I don't think you can really read a pintips guide, step up to a game you've never played, and have any kind of advantage because you read a few sentences on the game based on one individual's opinion or perception of a game.
But whatever works for you. I've done better just watching the other players and trying to do my best. You are better off concentrating on your shots and figuring out what is working and what is dangerous by watching the other players than you are by distracting yourself by trying to follow rules or strategy you just read about 60 seconds ago.
Hint: on stellar wars, the "pintips" advice of going for the top right DT bank is terrible. You'll NEVER light the spinners (it's extremely difficult to knock em down three times in one ball) and it's a super dangerous shot with many returns STDM. If you want to shoot a DT bank, I'd go for the one on the lower left (which pintips says is the "least valuable" of the banks). It's the safest - by far of the three banks - to shoot at, and it lights the Pops for 1000 a hit and then 2000 a hit. this can be valuable since you are going up top a lot anyway.
Pintips sucks.
Quoted from NeilMcRae:so i'm on the last 30odd on the waitlist and I'm risking it coming all the way from London
In the last two years (the years I've gone) nobody who showed up the morning of pinburgh would have been denied admittance. There were more no shows than people who wanted to play. At 30 I think you are fine!
Quoted from CrazyLevi:In the last two years (the years I've gone) nobody who showed up the morning of pinburgh would have been denied admittance. There were more no shows than people who wanted to play. At 30 I think you are fine!
Thanks, Bowen said the much the same so fingers crossed 
Quoted from CrazyLevi:Is it better than nothing? I don't know. I don't think you can really read a pintips guide, step up to a game you've never played, and have any kind of advantage because you read a few sentences on the game based on one individual's opinion or perception of a game.
Its certainly better than absolutely nothing. Stepping up to a game you've never played with no warm up at all and having to compete on it is rough. Any amount of simplified rule-tip or evil geometry warning is welcome there. People do it in person all the time: "Hey I have to play X in the next round and I'm not familiar with it, what are some key points I should know?".
Is it going to make you awesome? Nah. But pointers is pointers. If they're not wrong, anyway.
Quoted from epthegeek:Its certainly better than absolutely nothing. Stepping up to a game you've never played with no warm up at all and having to compete on it is rough. Any amount of simplified rule-tip or evil geometry warning is welcome there. People do it in person all the time: "Hey I have to play X in the next round and I'm not familiar with it, what are some key points I should know?".
Is it going to make you awesome? Nah. But pointers is pointers. If they're not wrong, anyway.
I prefer the step up and start playing method!
But thankfully after a couple PAPAs and Pinburghs I'm starting to flirt with familiarity on most of them.
Quoted from CrazyLevi:I prefer the step up and start playing method!
But thankfully after a couple PAPAs and Pinburghs I'm starting to flirt with familiarity on most of them.
How about a sweet game of "Hoops"? lol
Pintips got me pointed in the right direction last year for that game, but yes, most the time it is somewhat worthless, sometimes it probably can steer you wrong.
If you want "something" to start with I would check it, and then decide if you really want to try what they say.
Quoted from DNO:How about a sweet game of "Hoops"? lol
Pintips got me pointed in the right direction last year for that game, but yes, most the time it is somewhat worthless, sometimes it probably can steer you wrong.
If you want "something" to start with I would check it, and then decide if you really want to try what they say.
Dear lord Hoops...makes absolutely no sense! Timballs gave me some tips on it at pintastic, I decided my best course was to just avoid it.
I found myself pining for the usual Premier ruleset of "mystery award gives multiball"
Made the last two. Qualified into A last year. That would never happen again, so I'm taking a year off to bask in that 'A division qualifier' status 
My tips would include mentioning the amazing free subway system that Pittsburgh has. I've always arrived a few days early, so the subway has been great for getting out to watch a baseball game, visit the science center or find a restaurant (I personally enjoyed the Bar Louie on the north shore).
Other touristy things to see and do include watching the amazing water fountains at the Hard Rock on Station Square, and of course ride the duck boats. Quack quack.
http://papa.org/learning-center/players-guide/?target=general
this is where i am at. trying to get the basics.
Quoted from CrazyLevi:I found myself pining for the usual Premier ruleset of "mystery award gives multiball"
Perhaps you should check Pintips, lol
Its a one strat game.
I will of course be there once again for 16(plus) hours a day, not including set-up and tear down.
It would be impossible to keep me away!!!!!
Look for me, I'll be wearing on of the red "sacrificial ensign" T shirts.
Oh, and h, and h, and h, and h, and h from ^
Too lazy to quote
Noob question alert... what time does play typically finish on Saturday? For each various division on average based on previous years?
Quoted from Pinzap:Noob question alert... what time does play typically finish on Saturday? For each various division on average based on previous years?
It's highly variable based on what games get chosen and whatever - but A finals went into the early evening both of the last two years.
Quoted from Whysnow:We actually get into Pitt on Monday morn.
Pre-event Pingolf: https://www.facebook.com/events/364283447321130/
There will also be a non-WPPR knockout Wednesday night at Kickback: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1126719254103916
Quoted from ZenTron:many of the papa folks have abandoned pinside.
I haven't abandoned Pinside, just not on here very much leading up to Pinburgh. i was just made aware of this thread
Quoted from justanottergirl:I'm still undecided on going this year - I'm still waitlisted for Pinburgh, and while I've heard that almost anyone who showed up got in last year, it sounds like things might be tighter this year. Does anyone know anything about that? And if I don't get in to the tournament, will I still be entertained for four days?
If you're on the waitlist we go through the waitlist on the morning of if there are open spots. Last year, everyone who wanted in at the show got in. No guarantees though.
Quoted from speederice:Do you know if where you are listed on the waitlist matters? Does the tournament desk check to see how far down you are before verifying if you can grab an open spot? How early did you show up on the first morning to register? Sorry for all the questions, I am in the same spot as justanottergirl and it's my first Pinburgh.
Yes. We will go through the waitlisted people that are present first.
Quoted from Azmodeus:I guess I missed the boat over the last few years.
How did Pinburg become replay fx
Pinburg?
Was it an attempt to make a show for everyone not just competitive pin players?Wondering the history. Want to go someday, soon.
Long story short, Pinburgh was too big for PAPA HQ. We needed a large space, decided to bundle it into a show. ReplayFX was born!
Quoted from ninjadoug:Yes. We will go through the waitlisted people that are present first.
Thanks Doug... I'm waitlisted as #109 or so on the list if counting correctly. Flying in from MN, so I'm hopeful that past experiences hold true. Otherwise, I'll get a heaping dose of ReplayFX and Pittsburgh for sure.
In any case, my question for you is this... the website talks about preregistration online is required. Is this only for the ones that aren't waitlisted? How do we "check in" or preregistration if we're on the waitlist, as my flight doesn't arrive til midnight or so Wed night. I'm hoping it's a simple process of checking in at a desk or something Thurs morning to let you know I'm on-site. But with 800 entrants, I can imagine it's a bit of a zoo Thurs morning so any advance advice you can offer would be appreciated.
Quoted from LEE:I will of course be there once again for 16(plus) hours a day, not including set-up and tear down.
It would be impossible to keep me away!!!!!
Look for me, I'll be wearing on of the red "sacrificial ensign" T shirts.
Oh, and h, and h, and h, and h, and h from ^
Too lazy to quote
Snow Derby
Quoted from ninjadoug:Long story short, Pinburgh was too big for PAPA HQ. We needed a large space, decided to bundle it into a show. ReplayFX was born!
When do you guys start setting up the convention center for the event? How many people do you have moving all the machines?
Seems like a huge undertaking. Thanks for all the hard work and preparation for putting on this great show. Much appreciated.
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