Game was difficult to play but it did seem easier than from videos. That's an interesting observation about pitch. When you first set the game up at home and want to learn the modes - set game up at 8 deg. Play it six months and then lower the pitch one degree - essentially making it more difficult and giving it a fresh feel.

Had the opportunity to play mine this weekend finally....At first I was NOT impressed. I just couldn't get into the game. But it's quickly growing on me, and the more I learn about the rules, and the shots, it's a winner. With that said, I'm having a few issues with mine. Everything set factory except I had to turn the back VUK up to 10 just to get the ball up to the upper PF. Things I'm experiencing:

1) The ball trough seems to randomly 'click', or at least that's where the sound appears to be coming from. No balls are spitting out, but during play I can feel/hear a click in this area. All trough switches operate fine.

2) The back arch has caught my ball a half a dozen times. I have the levelers in the back all the way up, and the ones in the front all the way down for fast play.

3) Due to the above I've had to tilt the game to try and dislodge the ball. If you tilt the game and a ball is missing from the trough, the game locks up. I remember my AMH does this too and it was on the list for Ben to fix.

4) My opto on the upper P/F at Cpt Spaulding doesn't appear operative. Or semi operative. It's strange. In switch edge test mode, the switch shows as the 2nd most right column, 3rd switch from the bottom, but there is no text nor audio to indicate it's made. It will flash with finger or ball in the matrix indicator, but that's all. During game play it never registers, so currently, I've never seen Spaulding move. Servo works fine in test mode. I've sent word to Spooky about this issue but no response yet. I traced that opto pair back as the blue/red, black/red wire, and the blue/black, black/black wire and they are on the connector on the Opto 4 bank. Can anyone confirm that Opto 1 and 2 banks are unused....Seemed odd that these optos were connected to the 2nd set, not the first.

5) On my game, on the upper ramp switch, there's electrical tape wrapped around it to keep it from shorting out against the upper P/F screw behind it. Is everyone's game like this? Thinking there should have been a rubber switch cover for this.

Even without Spaulding working, I've completed three or four modes and broken 100Mil a few times. I'm getting the hang of the game, but looking forward to getting some of these issues resolved.

Same here. The only way I know Spaulding works is from running the servo test. There doesn't seem to be any in game indication that he is being hit or otherwise activated. I figured maybe he was only active at certain times... There really needs to be an audio and/or visual queue for every switch in the game, whether it's active or not.

Kinda sucks your having issues out the box but spooky has best/fastest customer service but maybe backed up because there just getting back from the pinball show. When i got to play RZ at pinfest i also noticed that i could never get it to registers either. But please let us know what spooky says about it.

I don't believe the clown guy on the upper playfield is in the code. It was not working on the game I was playing but it also worked in the test mode.

What really threw me is that in switch edge test mode, only the blinking box shows the opto working. No text on the DMD or no audio saying "Last switch made" like all the other switches.

As for the back arch, a little more investigating, and the ball is hanging up underneath the ramp at the bend. If I look straight down at the bend of the ramp, I can look between the ramp and upper P/F and see the ball resting underneath...Takes a hard shake and most times a tilt to dislodge it. Without taking the ramp apart and possibly the upper P/F, is it possible I'm missing a post or rubber under there?

Got to play the game over the weekend. Too early to make any real comment on gameplay, but there was nothing I disliked about the game, presuming some code changes are still to come. The only improvement that I think must be made after my limited experience with the machine, is to add points and an image/animation (or at least title [i.e. Dr. Satan's Hollow]) for making the left inner orbit shot without getting the drop target down first (I recall this coming up here before). It happens often and feels like a flaw when it doesn't recognize it.

Otherwise, the backglass looks amazing (edit: as revealed below, it's possible it was just the translite I saw). It looks great it photos, but apparently those don't do it any justice. Even right up close the image has depth and looks like a painting. Can't wait to see the standard now that I know it too will be a real backglass.

Can you clarify where you saw the backglass? There were a couple of shows going on and I believe the game at sfge only had a translite.

If so, it's the best I've seen (and you absolutely may be correct). It didn't occur to me with all the LE armor, etc. that I could be looking at a translite, especially when I perceived it as looking different from any other translite machine. It was at SFGE, and I'll now assume it was a translite unless told otherwise. Very interested now to know what the real backglass will look like if that wasn't it.

I'm pretty sure all the RZ are coming with backglasses installed, although it wouldn't surprise me if spooky bringing one across the country chose to do a translite for transportation reasons.

I saw this as well... while the VUK never fully failed, On several occasions it had to try several times to get it to the upper playfield. It's just a little thing that could be better tuned at the factory.

It's "okay."

Several people I have talked to have a similar opinion (that have actually played one, outside of a show).

It had a few issues out of the box, the biggest one being both coin switches were wired incorrectly and wouldn't work at all! (Yes, it is being operated, for now.)

Other observations:
Playfield is way too dark (as has been mentioned)
No coin mechs (annoying, but easy to remedy)
Coin door does not have a slot for a bill validator
No space for a standard cashbox, as the audio amp blocks it
Display bugs
Some callouts repetitive
Not enough audio cues to figure out what to shoot for

The theme is definitely an acquired taste...the music is fun, as are the display graphics. The multiple slings are refreshing, and quickly throw the ball all over the place...perhaps they are too strong, though?

I know the primary audience is not commercial with this game, but...

If you are claiming a commercial/arcade quality machine, it should at minimum have the components!

-Mark

I agree, was VERY unimpressed overall with the build quality.

Very excited about #90 coming

So you didn't like the coin door and THAT equals = unimpressive build quality. Ummm... ok Great post.

not worth it. Feedback is not wanted.

Spooky is amazing and everything is perfect!

here is a great door if anyone needs to retrofit their game

https://na.suzohapp.com/products/coin_doors/40-0696-30

I have not played or seen RZ in person yet, so I can't comment directly. It has also been a long time since I played AMH, so maybe the build quality improved since the time I played it, but I must admit that these comments don't surprise me based on my experience playing AMH when I did. I had a ton of ball hang-ups, airballs, under-performing mechs, etc. It just didn't seem that reliable and felt "less sturdy" than B/W, Stern, etc. To be fair, Full Throttle sort of felt similar, so maybe there's something about the cost cutting necessary to make these boutique games viable to build in lower quantities.

I love Spooky and Heighway as much as anyone and I'm in on games from both manufacturers, but I gotta keep it real and hope the quality improves from my prior experiences before my actual games show up.

not worth it. Feedback is not wanted.

Spooky is amazing and everything is perfect!

Has to do with the way the those tests work, its not really part of the switch matrix. I'll make a note to include the optos as part of the last switch hit indicator.

I can add a SFX for when you hit the spaulding gate, maybe even wiggle him when he gets hit.

I think what you are hearing is how the trough is preventing stacked balls.

When a ball ejects, the coil holds until the ball lands on the lane switch. If it doesn't after a couple seconds, the coil drops and refires quickly to prevent another ball from loading. This also rekicks the ball if it didn't make it out all the way. If the ball sits on the trough, the refire causes enough vibration to get the ball to either roll onto the lane or back into the trough to rekick.

Nothing like physically and mentally killing yourself to see false info and speculation on Pinside... makes a guy feel GREAT!

If you TELL us the game is going on location and you'd like a bill acceptor door... we can help do that. It makes zero sense for a company our size to spend major amounts of money on coin doors and mechs when 90% of them are never going to be used in that way. We even changed the shape of the playfields to accommodate this on RZ.

You CAN fit a coin box in our games... all of them. It will slide under the amp, or worst case if your coin box is super tall, just slide the amp over... it's 2 screws. We have 2 location Spooky games... they both have coin boxes in them.

The Spaulding toy needs a callout in the test menu to save confusion... but it's working EXACTLY as it should. Play "What" mode and you'll see what I mean... he's not making constant noises... but Fawzma will add some snarky Spaulding comments for just casual bashes soon. Remember... in most modes that upper playfield is there to increase jackpot values, not battle Spaulding over and over.

Mr. M. ... what "ball hanging up at the bend in ramp" are you referring to? Do you mean the VUK tube? Please contact me directly so I can HELP you figure it out... I don't come to Pinside on a daily basis to see what Hilton's opinion on everything is or who's having an issue. Need help? ASK me...

Hilton... it's REALLY short sighted of you to think you know everything... the loudest voice in the room is rarely the smartest. Come work here for a few months and see how hard this all is. Then I'll hop on the internet and tell everyone how bad a job you did and expect you to be my friend after... maybe even ask you for discounts and ask if I can avoid paying you sales tax. We appreciate the support you've given us, but come on man... talk to us like humans on and off line, and try taking your personality down a notch or two now instead of waiting until you're older and mellowing with age like we all do.

Our build quality has been increased across the board from AMH to RZ. Yes, we have more improvements to make and we know this... and we will get there. If you guys seriously want to keep the open communication lines between Spooky and Pinside going, try not bashing us like a pinata... we WANT constructive advice and welcome it openly. Alternative is we just work hard and never come here like all the other companies do.

Yeah... I know I need thicker skin.

not worth it. Feedback is not wanted.

Spooky is amazing and everything is perfect!

Being polite doesn't diminish the quality of your feedback...It actually makes is clear and more efficient to process. People are not pinatas.

Godzilla_Pinata3_(resized).jpg

Hilton, STFU already. Stop posting for a day or two. Give your love of opinion a well deserved rest.

We've lost a lot of great "industry" people this way. Spooky, please don't ever leave us....

Spooky are going great guns making games and going at a nice speed. I am sure most of the issues described will be addressed.

Going forward, what I would like to hear is how awesome it was to get to first wizard mode etc. Not heard that kind of feedback yet.

Suggestion.

On WH20 and LOTR the game goes crazy and shuts down etc when wizard mode attained - fantastic experience.

Just wondering if something similar but different can be coded to make getting the wizard mode an epic experience??

Like everything goes black with some sort of ominous sound? And then play the wizard mode?

I still have yet to play a RZ yet. Is there going to be one at the Pintastic show in July?

I have played AMH on location....no complaints... whoever did the audio on that game REALLY knocked it out of the park. Sound quality and effects are top notch.

Spooky is always open to opinions and feedback. Responses are always quick and friendly. It baffles me when there are issues brought to a forum, when spooky is quick to respond and very open to adjust things and help. Charlie your skin is fine, it's people's lack of tact and manners that needs work.

Thanks for always responding, even when it's been just to see how the family is. Stoked to say I know you.

Hilton... you are a genuinely nice guy in person. And yes, we WANT feedback. Talk to us on Pinside like you do when I'm standing in front of you is all I'm asking. Constantly spewing opinions of every minor detail on every game ever made just becomes a wall of noise... be it good or bad input. You have a lot of good ideas. Nobody is perfect, no game is perfect, no company is perfect. We're busting our collective asses every single day to get better at this. It's a game to the rest of the world, but to us... it's my families entire future. I'm going to take things personally.

We're here for the long haul... might as well be civil to each other.

FYI, I've had this issue as well - there is a flat spot in the back of the orbit so the ball gets stuck sometimes. As far as the other stick I reference below I haven't figured out that one yet.

Awesomely stated. Ignore user feature of Pinside helps a lot. Thanks for what you guys do.

Now I want to know what he said...

Wish I could view the edit history of posts.

Yes, what I was trying to convey, but that's exactly where mine is hanging up.

Same here. It's much easier to edit an existing post than make a new post apologizing.

(Content edited by Pinside staff). Do you really think every game made is supposed to be to your exact liking? It's pretty simple, quit buying the games if you don't like them.

I applaud your awesome laid back nature Charlie, at some point it's best to tell certain people to go F themselves and that they are no longer a customer though. Every business has a couple of clients that need to be fired.

He needs to learn how to STFU once in a while. Was, re: TPF, Expo, etc.... constant nagging has reduced the value of Hilton's opinion to about nil..

Grab a photo if you can next time it happens and email so I know for sure what it is... we kept the rails at 15 degrees (thanks Dennis!) and really just haven't seen that.

Had a couple hang ups in the "secret passage" that comes out to the right of the right most pop at the show in Atlanta... but it was a switch sitting just a tick high. Little hip check knocked it out.

[email protected]

FWIW, I think Spooky is doing an amazing job. Remember, even the highest-rated game on this site is only rated at like 8.8. There are always some complainers.

and THAT... is one key point of why I'm a customer.

The fact that the games don't suck is probably another...

Jaz

Was not trying to be an ass.... The game was fun, awesome sound and art. Code needed work, but that will come with time. I was simply voicing my opinion on the build quality. I understand spooky is a small operation but black electrical tape? Come on guys. Anyways, I'm excited to see what Spooky does next.

Please keep it civil, guys. It is not okay for everyone to pile on Hilton. Charlie made his point. Now let's move on.

GB LE has corrugated plastic and zip ties to conceal the wiring for the Slimer bash toy. I don't see what your electrical tape comment is in reference to but I think Stern could of done a better job at hiding those wires, since they are the largest operation.

The electrical tape comment is likely from my post, where I asked if other's had tape on a particular switch that keeps it from shorting against an upper P/F screw. Charlie has since responded that it was put there during wiring/testing to keep from shorting out and to keep it from rubbing during shipping, but once the game is in place it could be removed and to be extra safe bend the wire/diode down away from the switch.

Can I get an Amen?