Starting this thread for all of us to express our love for that Gottlieb swan song that was Stargate. Let's post stories, pictures, mods, resources and anything else we can think of related to this great pin!

Stargate was the first pin I ever purchased earlier this year. This was a favorite of mine back in college and I always liked how different it played from all the Bally/Williams/Data East/Sega pins. It always felt very mysterious and definitely more serious than other pins I played. For some reason, it always kept drawing me back for more. The first time I saw the pyramid open was epic and the mechanics of the Horus guards were something I had never seen before (or since). I liked how deep the game was and always wanted to own one. That time was this year when I decided to finally do it and don't regret it one bit. I think the gameplay is even better in a home environment.

Nice work on that restoration! Both of my machines (Stargate and LOTR) were player's machines I got for a great price, but do need some tlc. Luckily, both of the playfields are in great shape with little to no signs of wear. Stargate was a re-import and I would eventually like to replace the coin doors. Unfortunately, the cab decals are wrinkled on the left side and the front. The sides of the backbox and right side are perfect. Luckily, the decals are mostly black, so it is not very noticeable.

Anyone know a good way to polish the pyramid? Any known mods (other than LED's)? I think it is hard to do some, as there is not much space, but would like to see what others have done.

Marlboroa - nice collection, by the way. Do you ever make it to any of the DFW pinball events?

Pretty exciting! Let us know once you get it.

Oh, I see the Neo-Geos in the background. Nice choice! I have a 4-slot one (minus the side art), although I'm considering selling it, as I don't have room for it and my New Net City.

I'll have to agree with you on the multiballs for SG. I love the fact that you only start with 2 and have to earn additional ones by hitting the jackpots. I've always felt that this machine attracts novice players with the multiballs. However, that also seems to be a turn-off to some of the more seasoned pros, who feel that is all the game is about. You definitely have to spend some time figuring out the rules, as there is a LOT do do in this game!

You should listen to your second throughts! A lot of people that sell their Stargate end up missing the game, as it really does not have any other games that play similarly to it. I know a guy in Austin who sold his twice and bought it again for a third time!

Thanks for the info on polishing the pyramid. I'll leave it alone, as it still looks good. I still have not made it to any local events in DFW. I know pinside member Bakushan has taken the lead in organizing a few of them. I'm really looking forward to the expo in Frisco, TX on March.

That is one thing I love about it. The fact that you can "gamble" and pass up on some things to collect more quartz and go for light extra ball, Sandstorm, 50 million points, or advancing jackpots. I love going for the 50M points or extra ball, as those are relatively easy to attain.

Well, don't forget the speaker covers, backbox, etc. Nowadays, you have to do custom mods to have any speaker covers on your games. As for the backbox, I don't think I've ever seen another light show on the backbox like the one on Stargate.

My only gripe regarding the art package has always been the glider toy. I feel like it should have had more detail/better paint job. Compared to the Horus guards (which are absolutely amazing, by the way - I actually had to touch them to be convinced they weren't metal), the glider toy did not get as good of a paint job. I'm seriously considering making that a mod. I want to repaint it, but not a single color. I want to give it much more detail, so I'll probably be looking for some models of the glidercraft from the movie and see what I can come up with. I'll post my progress here as I do this.

Welcome aboard! It is definitely one of the best bang for your buck games. Sadly, I used to feel that it would climb the rankings, but I only see it dropping on both Pinside and IPDB recently. We have to get more pinheads to try it, and help them with the rules when they do. It really is a machine that needs the rules to be understood to be fully appreciated. I really do feel that if you've seen the movie, it all makes sense (save Sari, quartz trading, transporter, rebellion, etc). I can see how people that have never seen the movie would be confused by what to do and objectives progression.

Here is what we got for a glider toy:

stargate_glider.png

Wouldn't it be great if something this detailed came out of the pyramid?

SG Model.jpg

I don't know if it is the mechanics of the game or the layout, but it really does feel so different. I love the fact that they went with something other than the recycled fan layout. So many games have used that layout, that it really does feel tired. Sometimes I feel that Gottlieb gave the Stargate design team similar freedom to what Lawlor had with TZ. That is why it had so many features that would be considered LE extras by today's standards.

Congrats! It seems like I get my best scores if I do well on both Battle and Rebellion modes. There is nothing better than the feeling of nailing all those alternating shots in battle mode!

Interesting tidbit for you Stargate lovers out there. Stargate designer Ray Tanzer also designed the following Gottlieb/Premier games: Bone Busters Inc., Class of 1812, Super Mario Bros., Street Fighter II, Waterworld, Tee'd Off, Wipeout, Strikes 'n Spares, and Freddy Nightmare on Elm Street.

After that, he went over to Stern pinball where he did the mechanics for LOTR, TSPP, POTC, and T3. As you can see, he worked on some very innovative pins as far as mechanics. As you can also tell, some of these are also considered some of the deepest games out there (LOTR, TSPP, and Stargate).

Where is Ray Tanzer now? He left Stern to become the VP of Manufacturing and Engineering for Namco of America.

That is awesome! Did you actually go meet him, or just on the phone? I would have loved to hear some stories from his Gottlieb years!

I have never seen a Waterworld or Freddy in the wild and I would definitely like to play both. From seeing some gameplay videos, the multiball, revolving ship, and hex VUK in Waterworld look like fun features.

Try The Pinball Resource, as they are the authorized dealer for Gottlieb parts (http://www.pbresource.com/). Try giving them a call if you don't find what you need on their website, as I have heard that they have more parts not listed there. I have not tried them myself, but everyone says they are the best place for Gottliebs.

Anyone want to share their scoring tips for Stargate? The only one I've heard that has been useful for me is shooting the left horus guard repeatedly to advance the horus bonus before going into battle mode. Any other good scoring techniques? Is it worth trading quartz to advance the Super Jackpot award, or should I save my quartz and just advance it off the transporter award? I usually only trade my quartz for Flash Extra Ball, 50 Million points (I always say no to the 10 mil), or Sandstorm. I'd love to hear what works best for all of you.

Let us know how it works out. Sounds like you're doing a whole lot of work!

Welcome to the club! Here is a link to the awesome rulesheet for Stargate put together by Keefer (Keith Johnson):

http://pinball.org/rules/stargate.html

This REALLY helps figure out how to score best, advance through objectives, and get a good understanding of why things are happening! Other than the drop targets on the left, Stargate is not a game that rewards randomness, so definitely knowing how to achieve objectives will help greatly improve your score. Additionally, the added challenge of knowing what to shoot for makes the game that much more enjoyable. I hope you find the information helpful!

NNNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! Money and space. Definitely the two biggest factors in this hobby. Oh, one more factor - significant others and the convincing it takes to get them to agree to let that next pin through the door!

Great tips there! Unfortunately, I'm not terribly good at getting the Super Jackpot. I mostly get it from destroying Ra's Bracelet or the Sarcophagus multiball. I'll try working with the Super Jackpot the next few games, as my current strategies only have me averaging a measly 500 million. My best score to date is 740 mil, but I have not been able to duplicate that.

LOL!!! The first time I played it on location I also had no idea that it would do that. It was definitely a wow moment! After a few hundred times of seeing it, you are not as impressed anymore. However, it is always nice to see a new player at my house when they get to see it for the first time as well.

Waterworld does sound like a lot of fun. People just don't give System 3 Gottliebs much love. Gottlieb started that downward spiral in the early 80's and I think there was a lot of bias against their 90's DMD games based on their recent history at that time. I'll have to say I enjoy them and I have added Waterworld to my wish list based on what I'm hearing and the play videos I've seen. I would also like a Freddy, but it's probably too scary for little kids, so not right now (I have a 5 year old). Maybe Waterworld will be my next pin!

As for scoring, I agree. Rebellion is a great mode. It always seems that after rebellion, I look up at the score and I'm always surprised at how many points I got from it. If only I could hit 3x scoring right before Rebellion...

Hi there! Yes, it seems that all the Stargates are in the East Coast. I wonder why some pins seem to gravitate to the west coast and some to the east coast. Must be some sort of reason... Either way, hang in there and the right one will come your way. I also felt the same way about getting mine. I definitely knew that it would be the first pin I would get, as I wanted it for years!

Let us know how it works out. System 3 hardware is pretty reliable, so hopefully you won't have to do much to get it up and running. Hope you get it!

Like your avatar (work, work, work). I love Mel Brooks movies. Forget about the Star Wars license, they should do a Spaceballs pinball. The callouts alone would be epic! May the Schwartz be with you!

Bummer, as I do like a deeper game for home use. Is it an easy game to beat/score high on? I definitely hate games where I'm just hitting the same loop/shot over and over. That is why I love Stargate, you can't just do one thing over and over. It forces you to complete all the modes.

Has anyone ever made a topper for Stargate? It seems to be one of the few games I noticed that don't have a commercially available topper (I haven't even seen a homemade one!).

What about mods? The only ones I've seen so far are really just added lighting. Any ideas from current owners? Other than the glider toy, I'm trying to see what else can be done to pimp this baby out. I'm thinking of maybe a couple of small Stargate figurines that could sit inside the pyramid and only be seen when the pyramid opens? I think that would be awesome. Feel free to throw out any ideas and maybe we can come up with something.

Man, that is a sweet topper! If someone was selling those, I would definitely want one!

Yes, I did. The ball is really flying now! It is nice to see the amount of spin you can generate. I waxed my Stargate, but still need to do my LOTR as well. Maybe next week.

Yeah, I definitely agree. It does have a lot of cool stuff. I think I might just have some "mod envy" It just seems like all other pins have tons of different mods that people do all the time. I'm definitely against any permanent changes, but something classy that fits within the theme would be interesting to see. I don't have a lot of experience with electrical stuff to do any of the usual LED mods, but I'll see what I can cook up.

Yes, I've heard from a few people about upgraded flippers, as people complain that the stock flippers are not strong enough to make it up the steep ramps. I personally have little trouble hitting the right ramp, but that left ramp is a b*tch. I can only get up there if hit just right (which is not very often). I know I've seen the upgrade somewhere... Let me see if I can dig it up.

That is pretty awesome! I bet it shined really bright when the pyramid open and the light started hitting it.

Welcome aboard! Nice to have another member in the club! If you don't mind me asking, what made you decide to get Stargate as your next pin? I always like hearing other people's stories of how they fell in love with this game.

Congrats, blondetall! You beat me to it, as I was just about to suggest watching the movie. Some of the tie-ins make a lot of sense (like entering the sarcophagus to save Sari, mining for quartz, etc.) only after watching the movie. It is definitely a good sci-fi lovers' pin. I hope you enjoy it as much as the rest of the club here!

Yes, I do agree multiball is easy to start. However, I do feel that Stargate took a different approach to multiball. It's easy to start it, but they'll only give you 2 balls and you have to earn the other two. Additionally, no ball save on multiball makes it a little harder to get to super jackpot. All in all, it works great for noobs and people that love the frantic nature of multiball, while keeping it somewhat challenging for pros. That is ultimately what makes it appealing for beginners, as other pins make it so hard to get multiball that some players never get to see it unless they play a ton of games.

Funniest post I've read today! Might as well let you plunge a couple of balls at the start, just so you have multiball from the beginning!

Smaller jackpots? But I like how the score uses all the DMD dots to make those ridiculous numbers.

I have the same issue. Not so much flaking, as just cracking? I also thought of either mylar or clearcoating. Not sure which way to go there...

I'll have to check my pop bumpers when I get home. I think mine are blue also (or at least I remember a blue light there?). I'm curious to check, as I never paid too much attention.

Machine looks great, Blondetall! I think the only thing I noticed missing was the James Spader/Kurt Russell decals from the ramps (although some people might argue that is an improvement not to have those). Mine are somewhat worn, so I've thought about removing them. What LED's did you use? The lighting looks stunning! I still have not LED'd my machine and definitely need to.

Actually, open question to club members: what LED combination do you recommend for Stargate?

I don't know about fixing the rope light, but know pinball resource has reproduction rope lights listed on their website:

http://www.pbresource.com/Stargate.html

Mine still works but is yellowing a little bit, so I might look to get mine replaced as well.

Good to know! I'll make sure to remember that when replacing mine.

My pops are white as well. There is blue lighting on them, which really makes them pop! (sorry, couldn't resist)

I have the same problem with the Anubis VUK. Sometimes I'll shoot a straight shot in there and the ball just comes right back down and drains. It's happened just a couple of times doing quartz trade or battle. A couple of times, I just looked away or reached for a drink thinking the DMD sequence was about to come on only to be rewarded with a drain! Now I always keep my eye on it!

I think he means they are already lit, which happens after you have activated that mode. Flashing mode means it is the next one to be activated by shooting the pyramid. You can change which one is next by hitting Ra's Bracelet. Once all the modes are solidly lit (not flashing), meaning you have activated each of them once, the Eye of Ra in the middle will start flashing. Shoot the pyramid again, and you will be in the Eye of Ra wizard mode.

It sounds like in the case you are describing, you had already completed 3 modes?

Segment bonus is how many of the Stargate segments you had activated at the end of the game (10 million each): Sarcophagus, Transporter, Combo, Quartz Trade, Hurry Up, Pyramid, and Spell Stargate. 70 million possible. If you complete all of them, you do get to go into Stargate Wizard mode (although I have never accomplished this myself, I've only gotten 6 of them).

One strategy that is helpful with Advancing Horus is that it can be advanced by hitting the transporter award over and over (before even going into Battle Mode). That way you can start battle mode and have the first shot be worth however much you advanced the Horus Bonus (I've been able to start at 70 million, but as luck would have it, that was my shortest battle mode ever!).