We’re now holding monthly tournaments on Sunday afternoons in central PA at Chronic Town/Music Underground, with “Stern Army” sponsorship and prizes. We are also planning to throw in a launch party or two. I’ll be updating this thread at least once a month with details. See below for background and details on the November tournament.

Chronic Town/Music Underground is a combination hookah lounge/record store/pinball arcade in State College (home to Penn State) with a great collection of mostly modern pins that I and some other volunteer techs who are local pinheads strive to keep at 100%. Right now we have 19 pins in excellent shape, and we will include at least 14 of those titles (excluded titles will vary each month) in the monthly tournaments.

Current Titles:
Attack from Mars (original)
Family Guy
Games of Thrones LE
Ghostbusters LE
Iron Man
Jurassic Park LE
Lord of the Rings
Metallica
Pirates of the Caribbean
Revenge from Mars
Rob Zombie’s Spookshow International
Scared Stiff
Super Mario Bros.
The Hobbit LE
The Simpsons Pinball Party
The Walking Dead
Transformers LE
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory LE
X-Men

Details for the November tournament follow.

Time: Sunday afternoon, November 21, 2:00-4:00. The business opens at noon and closes at 6:00 on Sundays, so you are welcome to come play outside of the tournament hours.

Location: Chronic Town/Music Underground, 224 West College Avenue. State College, PA 16801. The business is right below a Five Guys.

Format: Flip Frenzy, using the Match Play software. This will keep things intense and moving along, with all players getting to participate for the full two hours.

IFPA-registered: Yes.

Cost: $1 cash to enter per player, which goes to the IFPA. Otherwise, all games will be on coin drop at either 75 cents or $1 per game. So bring your quarters and $1 bills. Many of the games have bill acceptors.

Settings: Games will be on tournament settings, with no extra balls. Ball saves will likely be 5 seconds with 2 tilt warnings.

Prizes: Stern translite to the top finisher and Stern dog tags to the top 3 finishers.

Smoking: Yes—it’s a hookah lounge. But for those non-smokers, the place is spacious with great ventilation.

Alcohol: BYOB. Must be over 21 and show your ID at the front register.

Players Under 21: Those under 21 are welcome to participate.

Expected Number of Players: 10-20.

Masking: Officially, customers to the shop are asked to mask upon entry. Unofficially, plenty of people don’t mask or don’t do so the entire time they’re there.

Beverages and Food On Site: Yes. Coffee, espresso, tea, soda, smoothies, and shakes. Waffles, ice cream, cookies, and cereal.

Nearby Food: Plenty of options within a two-block area, ranging from Five Guys to international food to cafes.

Parking: Free street parking at metered spots on Sundays on College Avenue.

I think that covers everything, but if you have questions feel free to post. Hope to see you there!

Thanks, Looprunner. We look forward to seeing you there!

Our next Silver Ball Sunday tournament is this weekend, November 21, 2:00-4:00, using the "Flipper Frenzy" format and Match Play software. IFPA-registered. A $1 tournament entry fee goes to IFPA--otherwise all games are on coin drop. Stern translite for #1 finisher and dogtags for the other top finishers.

The following games will be part of the tournament:

Attack from Mars
Game of Thrones Premium
Ghostbusters Premium
Iron Man
Jurassic Park Premium (Stern)
Metallica Pro
Scared Stiff
The Hobbit LE
Lord of the Rings
The Simpsons Pinball Party
The Walking Dead Pro
Transformers LE
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory LE
X-men Premium

The following games will be reserved for non-tournament players:

Family Guy
Pirates of the Caribbean
Rob Zombie's Spookshow International
Revenge from Mars
Super Mario Bros.

All games are working 100%.

Please post any questions to this thread or PM me.

Hope to see you there!

Day-before-tournament bump.

Thanks "wise" one. It will be interesting to see how you like the "flip frenzy" format!

An interesting suggestion. I'll discuss with the gang, since we'll be using the Flip Frenzy format in the December tournament as well, which will be on December 5. And we'll change up the titles a bit that will be in the tournament each month as well. Interestingly, we wondered if we should exclude LOTR from the tourney since we knew that game could last long based on how many locals play it, but it turns out that everyone had really short games on it and didn't really get to the multiballs.

They're there all the time tomdrum, and the shop opens every day, seven days a week, at noon. Sorry you missed it as well, but hopefully you can join us on December 5. Details will be posted here a few days before the tournament. I and other volunteer techs have managed to keep all games at 100%, and the shop will be adding another Stern title in January. Feel free to post here or PM me if you need more details. Thanks for posting!

Pics coming in the next day. Thanks, Rob!

Photos representing almost all of the everyday current line-up at Chronic Town/Music Underground.

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Photos from the 10-player November Stern Army tournament using the "Flip Frenzy" format and the Match Play Software.

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If nothing else, removing the "add-a-ball" feature on some of the games might speed things up while still offering the benefit of multiballs, with multiballs being how many people do well in the faster-paced "flip frenzy" format. I'm going to invite you, Wally, and anyone else local who's interested for a few hours on Saturday afternoon before the next tournament to go through the games and set them up for tournament play the next day, so we can discuss it further then.

Our next Silver Ball Sunday tournament is this weekend, December 5, 2:00-4:00, using the "Flip Frenzy" format and Match Play software. IFPA-registered. A $1 tournament entry fee goes to IFPA--otherwise all games are on coin drop. Stern translite for #1 finisher and dogtags for the other top finishers.

The following games are planned to be part of the tournament:

Attack from Mars
Family Guy
Game of Thrones Premium
Ghostbusters Premium
Iron Man
Jurassic Park Premium (Stern)
Metallica Pro
Pirates of the Caribbean
Rob Zombie's Spookshow International
Revenge from Mars
Scared Stiff
The Hobbit LE
Lord of the Rings
The Simpsons Pinball Party
The Walking Dead Pro
Transformers LE
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory LE
X-men Premium

All games are working 100%.

We expect about 10 players--hopefully more! Please post any questions to this thread or PM me.

Tournament day bump.

And we will be adding Stern's Spiderman to the lineup at Chronic Town this week, bringing the total number of pins there to an even 20, all 100% working.

Spiderman now added to the lineup at Chronic Town, and we have another successful monthly Silver Ball Sunday tournament under our belt. A few pics below.

Our next monthly tournament will be Sunday, January 9, 1:00-4:00, and will include a Godzilla Pro launch party. Details to follow in January. Please post any questions to this thread or PM me.

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For anyone following this thread, I'm just letting you know that you're welcome to join in on some free play testing of the pins on Sunday, January 2nd, 2:00-5:00, at Chronic Town in State College. We'll be play testing and switching the pins to tournament settings to prep for our January 9th "Silver Ball Sunday" afternoon tournament and Godzilla Pro launch. Also, on the 2nd, we'll have a new Star Wars Home Edition in the house for the day on free play (duh--since it's ALWAYS on free play!), in case you're interested in checking that awesome title out. All are welcome, including the kiddos. Come join the fun.

Our next "Silver Ball Sunday" tournament is coming right up on January 9, starting at 1:00, and is expected to end by 5:00 for the top finishers. This one includes a launch party for Stern's Godzilla Pro! Godzilla will be set on free play all day for any tournament players to enjoy between flips.

We'll be using a group match play format of five rounds open to all, and if we get enough players we may do two tourneys simultaneously--one for beginners and one for advanced. The tournament is registered with the IFPA. $1 Entry fee to cover IFPA results submission, plus coin drop on each machine that you play as part of the tournament, so figure on spending $20-$30.

Registration opens at 12:00 pm and the tournament starts at 1:00 pm. The top finisher wins a Stern translite. The top 8 finishers of the group match play tournament will compete in a second tournament on Godzilla, with the winner taking home a Godzilla Launch Party Grand Champion plaque and a Stern Godzilla translite.

Post any questions to this thread or PM me. With a purposeful grimace and a terrible sound, Godzilla awaits . . .

Day-before-tournament bump.

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Thanks to all who came out in the ice storm for our Silver Ball Sunday tourney and Godzilla Pro launch party yesterday, to Chronic Town/Music Underground for advertising and hosting, and to our tournament co-director, Eric, for generously sharing his Godzilla with the community for the day on free play. We had a record number of players at 14, a few locals who entered for the first time, and a few out-of-towners willing to drive 90 minutes for the tourney. We're very grateful to all, and everyone had a welcome winter blast! Details about the upcoming monthly winter tournaments to come in this thread. Meanwhile, a few pics from yesterday follow.

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Thanks, Looprunner. You were a great addition, as always!

Thanks. And great pic! Start 'em young!

Chronic Town has now changed to winter hours, as follows:

Monday-Friday: 4:00-10:00 pm
Saturday: 12:00-10:00 pm
Sunday: 12:00-6:00 pm

Same great lineup of 20 pins.

Our next Silver Ball Sunday tourney is coming right up on February 20, starting at 1:00, with registration and practice times open at noon. $1 entry fee plus coin drop for each game played. Stern Army sponsored with a translite for first place and IFPA registered as always. Although the IFPA listing says "three strikes," we'll be using a "four strikes" knockout format to extend the tournament length. Here is the IFPA listing:

https://www.ifpapinball.com/tournaments/view.php?t=46757#

Here is the planned lineup:

Game of Thrones Premium
Ghostbusters Premium
Jurassic Park Premium (Stern)
Metallica Pro
Scared Stiff
The Hobbit LE
Lord of the Rings
The Simpsons Pinball Party
The Walking Dead Pro
Transformers
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory LE
X-men Premium
Family Guy
Rob Zombie's Spookshow International
Revenge from Mars

So take a break from the projected sunny 40-degree weather and spend a few hours flipping inside!

Post any questions to this thread or PM me.

Day-before-tournament bump.

Yes, indeed. The Harrisburg contingent was awesome--as people and as players! Photo of winners attached, including first-place finisher Nathan from Harrisburg.

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Cool beans. Thanks for coming! Our next tourney will be March 20--the first day of spring--with the Stern Army prize that day being a Munsters translite.

Well, just as the tradition of "springing our clocks forward" each year may end if the proposed legislation passes, our Chronic Town/Music Underground "Sliver Ball Sundays" must come to an end as well. With the shop closing its doors soon, our last Stern Army tournament at this location will be the first day of spring, March 20, beginning at 1:00 pm. IFPA registered as always, with a $1 entry fee plus coin drop for about 2.5 hours before the final rounds begin, with plenty of action for all thanks to the "flip frenzy" format. First prize is a Munsters translite, with Cointaker t-shirts for other top finishers.

All 15 pins are 100% working and ready to rock. We hope to see you there for one final spring fling!

Yes, the shop is closing and moving to a new location three hours away in Pittsburgh, with the pinball and vinyl inventory going along to the new location. As far as our Silver Ball Sundays go, those will be rebooted in a new location in State College in May with a fresh pin lineup and a new pinside thread. Still working on those details. Thanks for the interest.

Penn Avenue. The new shop will have three floors--one with pins and one with vinyl, and all three with alcohol. I'm not part of the business. I'm just an amateur pinball tech in State College that supports the current location and loves the business owners. I and the other local flippers will really miss them and I'll surely be visiting their new place in Pittsburgh.

Sorry, I've already tried to buy it on behalf of a local operator (the Chronic Town owner did sell four pins already to that operator for the new Stern Army location just a few blocks away), but the owner gave a definite no. The new shop will include vinyl sales, so the Chronic Town owner wants to take along that music-themed pin with him. Again, sorry. The closest I can offer is two Led Zeppelin Pros (both with audio jacks) routed in State College, and eventually I'll probably be routing my Rush Pro as well, but not for a year or so after I've finished enjoying it in my house.

I'll be glad to do that, but at this point I'm posting no details in that the business owners will do a proper facebook and pinside launch when they're ready, so they should be the ones to share. They're still working out some critical details. But I can confirm that they have owned the building for about two years and are doing a total renovation with a great business plan, that they will definitely have pins, vinyl, and alcohol, and that they are superb people to work with. Their current State College location is closing in May and I hope they can launch the Pittsburgh one before 2022 ends, but I can't say for sure. Once they do, I'll be glad to point this thread to the new business. Again, thanks for the interest.

Sounds great. I'll be there. Be sure to introduce yourself.

Cool. And there's a fantastic pinball scene already in Pittsburgh, as he probably knows: Kickback Cafe, Helicon, and Helicon 2 to name a few.