That's a good point. I can't find one, so I'll start a Godzilla Haters thread, so I can complain among like minded people.

Wade

Check the ball guide to the left of the captive ball. If it's sticking out a little bit, you need to adjust this and snug it up to the captive ball (captive ball should still be able to move, doesn't need a big gap) Will give you a little more leeway on the left ramp shot. At least several people have had this issue.

I have only put like 10 games on GZ so far but immediately I noticed my games last longer than JP. It’s definitely easier than JP and way more forgiving when bricking shots. I’m noticing how few outlane drains I get especially compared to JP.

I forget, but who sells these and what's the price?

Thanks. I watched a few. You wouldn't happen to know what size plug stern uses would you? Going to buy some and a crimper and dive in.

Wade,
One thing you can do to reduce Outlane drains is to relocate the posts at the entrance of the outlines on both sides of the pf. There are pre-drilled holes in the pf for this adjustment. Move the posts over to the next hole to make the width of the Outlane entrance a bit narrower. The factory placement of these posts allow for you to do this. See pic of one of my relocated Outlane posts. One other source of SDTM drains is a weak shot to the right up ramp which frequently rolls back down the ramp and SDTM. I reduced the frequency of this occurrence by increasing the flipper power (to higher power than factory setting) in the adjustments menu. There may be more things you can do, but I haven't found them yet. As my game now stands, I still have some very short games, but there are also some very long games too, which is how the game designers planned it.

IMG_3637 (resized).jpg

.156 mostly. Very fire connectors in the game are .100

Don't you know people here get really upset if anyone comments on the awful wait time for Doug's speaker light kits?

At least you made sure to be really polite to Doug for his shitty wait time so he wouldn't get upset with you.

For those who say the wait is worth it, it ain't. Myth pinball has the same excellent product without the bullshit delay.

https://www.mythpinball.com/game/

Something is going on with my upper flipper. Maybe someone else here has experienced the same thing with their game.

Quick version: upper flipper stops working during play after the game is on a long time and many games are played. After the flipper dies during play, it will work when the next ball is in sitting in the shooter lane waiting to be plunged, but the flipper dies soon as ball is plunged.

Long version: Few weeks ago after the game being on all day and putting in a ton of games, the upper flipper stopped working. Checked all the usual stuff. Figured this is the thing where people say replace the sleeve and coil stop. So I shut the game off, farted around a while and switched out the sleeve and stop. I think the coil stop might have felt a bit magnetized? I did not change the plunger and link assembly. Game was off a long time while I replaced the parts.Turned it back on, played a game. Worked great. Thought it was fixed. Turned it off and went to bed.

Last weekend and this past weekend, after the game is on a few hours and after a bunch of plays, the upper flipper stops working.

Last night I realized that when the upper flipper stops working during play, it actually flips totally normal while a ball is sitting in the shooter lane waiting to be plunged. I can flip it a million times, but as soon as I plunge the ball, the upper flipper dies. If I hold the left flipper button in, the upper flipper drops and no longer works as soon as the ball is plunged. Manual plunge or action button plunge.

I also realized last night that ever since I got the game mid June, I've usually only had time for a game or 2 whenever I turn it on and never had a problem. This flipper issue has only occurred the 3 times I've been able to just keep hitting the start button and play a long time.

Turned the game on this morning and played a totally normal game. Flipper functioned fine.

Ideas?
Thanks.

Over the weekend I picked up a digital level and confirmed that my GZ Pro is level left to right and 6.5 degrees front to back. Unfortunately, I still get SDTM drains when I hit the center spinner. In fact, I just played a quick game and it happened twice. Both shots were really nice, strong shots that ripped the spinner and neither touched the touched the upper flipper on the way down. One moment you've got Ebirah in hot water and the next moment - drain. I guess I can deflect the ball with the upper flipper when it comes out of the loop or else just make softball shots to the center spinner. This doesn't happen when I make a gentle shot - only when I crush the spinner.

Any other thoughts or adjustments that I could make to prevent this?

Reduce the power of the left flipper a bit and see if that helps. Put back to stock if it is not stock power. Play with the pitch of your game too.

Note from someone who’s had to disassemble both kits: they are not EXACTLY the same, but the only noticeable difference is that Doug’s kit has independent control of each speaker’s fire, so it looks more random. It is hard to notice until someone points it out. All other differences are technical and irrelevant to the final product.

I had looked into getting this because the stock one just looks cheap. But this looks too big and bright in the pictures, like it dominates the right side of the play field. It just seems like too much light.

Is it that way in real life or does it blend in better?

Worked perfectly - thanks.

Gotcha. Myth speakers still have independent random flames so I didn't see the difference.

The biggest difference (other than the delay) is the optional building overlay. They are not the same.

Doug's are a sillhouette that can block the bottom row of lights a bit as he points out on his website. Myth has larger buildings that are more transparent. If you cut off the outer frame border, the light is even better. Both are good - just a matter of preference

Mythpinball lighting looks meh!

Have to disagree with you there, unless you just don't like speaker lights.

I've had both kits on my games. Indistinguishable. They are so totally not meh.

I spoke with my distributor this morning. He referred me to email [email protected] with a brief description and some phots. Received an email back from Stern support a few hours later with a request number for a new lockdown bar. They informed me to send that request number to my distributor so he can order a replacement. Once the new bar is received I will then send the original back to Stern.

It's completely customizable. You can set the color, brightness, and effect of 5 different LEDS (3 modes, border, and right side sign) separately.

At full brightness, it is a bit too much. unless you buy all of his other mods he has in the works and your pinball machine just becomes a christmas tree!

But I'm very happy with it turned down a bit.

I wanted to jump in and say that I understand your frustration. I don't personally feel this way about my GZ Premium, but felt pretty similar about my Rush Premium. And I complained a bit in that club thread too (though not to the point where I got down-voted or told perhaps I shouldn't post there any more). To be clear, I think you have the right to be in this club thread and voice your frustration. You are not alone. That left ramp shot is tough!

I've made peace with my Rush and am still in the process of learning to love my GZ. Yes, there are hard shots in both games and I think I just have to work harder at learning how to hit them reliably. I will say that I generally have more fun on my GZ when I'm bricking than on my Rush. Even when I can't make that left ramp, I can usually still start GZ multiball and/or Mecha GZ multiball and still have a fun experience.

I see you have your GZ pro up for trade, and it looks like that's your only game. I'd be curious which games you've had/played in the past that you enjoyed and that you thought were less difficult. Crazy as this sounds, I might suggest Ghostbusters Pro or Premium to you as an alternative (mine is NOT for sale or trade to be clear!). In that game, the two key shots are relatively wide and makeable, and the peripheral shots are not as critical. There's also a wildcard shot that can spot those peripheral shots in the modes that require them. Of course, that wild card shot risks a SDTM return and everyone complains the flippers are spaced too far apart. So maybe there is no easy game at the end of the day...

Regarding “tough” shots in any pinball. Adjust your flipper angles. For me, I could never make the tower shot off the upper flipper on JP. In frustration, I lowered the upper flipper just a bit (more “droopy”), and BANG, now I hit that shot much more consistently. I find the left ramp shot on GZ very, very easy now. I can loop the ramps endlessly (disclosure: I installed the Precision Flip system with bushings, that helped tremendously, too, in improving my consistency).

Thank you. Obvious fix... seems to have worked.

The upper flipper in JP "sags" by default. The top of the flipper is aligned with the dot, instead of being aligned in the middle.

Is there some video or post that explains how to do this? Thanks!

Thank you, I was not aware of that. My flipper is set as shown, more "droopy" than the dot, but only from the center. I'll try it aligned with the face. Appreciate this.
IMG_2235 (resized).JPG

Yours is set properly.

The dot is supposed to be aligned with the top of the bat, not the top of the rubber, so you got it right in that pic.

It's just a bit confusing as to why they simply didn't move the dot lower so that it lined up with the center lol. Seems odd to just have this one off.

On another note about the GZ upper flipper, did anyone raise the power on it? The default power is like WAY lower than the others and any other setting of the defaults in my JP. I believe it was like around 160 or so. All 3 of my JP were 255 and I forget what they were on GZ but they were lower than JP but nothing close to 160.

The bat is supposed to point directly at the dot.

According to Keith Elwin himself, you would be wrong.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/welcome-to-the-jurassic-park-le-club/page/96#post-5516155

Ah. Didn’t realize he did it different for the upper flipper. Good to know, and stupid it isn’t consistent. Haha. So is it that way for all his upper flippers, or just JP?

I believe it's specific to JP. I didn't know about that until I replaced my flippers either and was putting new ones on and was asking in there.

But apparently that is how they come from the factory too I just didn't even look at it prior to taking em off.

Why the dot simply isn't in the spot to be center to the bat in it's correct position is beyond me though lol.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/godzilla-tokyo-neon-sign-mod

Skippy2904

I'm not 100% positive but I thought that upper flipper alignment setup was specific to Jurassic Park. My GZ came with it aligned to the center of the bat from the factory.

Yeah we were talking about JP on a tangent. It's specific to JP.

Played for first time since update, and now only have to shoot 1 ramp to qualify battle . Doesn't matter which , it lights battle. Just a coincidence or new code? Any ideas to fix?

its a setting that somehow must have gotten turned. Go into game specific settings and look for "light battle difficulty" or something. the default is "hard". I Don't know exactly what the lower settings do.

Great call Bud, factory setting is hard, it was on easy for some reason. Thanks

Anyone have Cliffys for Godzilla? The kit is here: http://www.passionforpinball.com/wip.htm -- are these needed for premium, home use? Is it worth the cost for a kit? Or do we have enough protection already from Stern? I don't want to buy everything possible for the pin, just artblades for me-- but if these really help I'd consider it.

Not needed, but lots of people like them.

I have them. I didn't install the scoop protector since there is already one there. I'll save the Cliffy scoop protector for when/if the Stern copy cracks or bends. I also didn't install the switch protectors since the balls drop on the blank playfield and not on the switch. I installed the Cliffy switch protectors that came with the Godzilla kit on my NGG. I like the outhole and shooter lane protection. To each his own.

Curious, what are peoples thoughts on the flipper coil fans for this game? Needed, not needed? Experiences before/after?

I’m starting to get to the point of having regular 20-30 minute game times and I believe I’m seeing some flipper fade (hitting the right ramp is increasing difficult unless the ball has some decent momentum or if I’m cradling/shooting) but I’m not entirely sure if the mod is warranted since the shot can still be made.

If you feel flipper fade, then you've answered your own question...no?

I've never felt the need for flipper fans on any of my Stern games (fwiw).

So the upper flipper on this game should be aligned with the tip centered on the dot?

Mine came with it ahead of the dot just a bit and it just barley catches the ball occasionally.
I was aware of the JP alignment so I thought maybe this game had its own quirk in that regard.
The thread search didn't really provide any insight.

I've been pondering the same thing.
I have them on my DP, maybe I should move them to my GZ

I've experienced flipper fade on my gz prem more than on my other modern sterns (ehoh and DP)...i'd start to feel it after about 20min of play. I ended up picking up PinMonk 's tibetan breeze 3 fan set, plus the magnet fan add-on, and have zero regrets about it. I don't see any flipper fade since adding those.

Pro is here …. An adult beverage for every time the news guy says Godzilla
Awesome game

Concerning the flame effect, to anyone saying the two light kits look the same....I'll come out and call BS.

The main difference, in my opinion, is the light frame on the Myth kit is built so the light strips are visible all the way around the rectangle honeycomb grill area. This draws your eye to the light strips themselves and distracts from the light that the light strips are putting off toward the middle of the grill area. I believe this is what makes them look like lit up flaming "U" shapes that others have pointed out. Of course, it could also be lower quality light strips, but I expect it's more likely the frame design. In any case, what I know is they do not look the same as my light kits, as you keep repeatably claiming.

As for their building design, I didn't realize the frame of it went into the visible honeycomb grill area to cover up the frame's visible light strips. I guess that's one way to try to correct the strips being in direct view. It's easy to understand why I didn't know that, because no one will post a video or even a picture of them mounted in a game or behind a speaker panel. Why is that? Seems weird. How about a picture of them mounted in a game, or even just mounted on a speaker panel, from a player's distance away? It doesn't seem too much to ask. I would like to see what they actually look like in use.

So, let's see a video of the Myth light kit flames, actually mounted on a SPIKE 2 speaker panel, from a player's distance away, looking the same as mine. Use the foam or "Light Distibution Panels" or whatever you need to show off how they look exactly the same as my light kit as you keep claiming. You say they are indistinguishable from each other, but from what I have seen...they just don't look as good when it comes to the flame effect.

To the people that have ordered or are looking to order from me, I'm sorry they are taking as long as they do to make. I can't really argue that, but what I can do is ask for proof of them looking the same or as good when the same people keep bashing me over and over again and claiming you can't tell the difference between the two when the difference is obvious. If you want the best flame effect in your SPIKE 2 speaker panel....put in your order with me and prepare for a wait. Your business would be appreciated. If you want a flame effect that is almost as good and you want it right away...get one of the other flame kits. You should check out Cointaker's flaming failure....it's a downright pathetic attempt.

Doug (SpeakerLightKits.com)

Can anyone point me in the right direction to troubleshoot the game resetting mid-game? GZ premium, has been at my dads house since purchase. Game has been working fine for weeks, playfield hasn’t been lifted since then. Game reset twice out of four games yesterday. Mid ball game went dark and complete reboot. Anything obvious after checking connectors??

Who Dunnit? Road show? Hard to have quick games on those and a few others out there…

I’d go shaker over art blades personally if you going to spend $100 on a single mod, just my opinion though. I’m still waiting one mine and deciding on mirror vs art blades myself once I’d have some extra after getting mine. Getting a shaker with mine installed.

New Stern Mod

298375170_10228919311152096_9046434336250066823_n (resized).jpg