Oh ok gotcha. I figured it came from Solidworks and for a second I thought maybe the files were publicly available somewhere.

I have just gotten the Check switch 64 VUK exit opto message. Before I check under the glass, I wanted to ask you all the following: I have played Challenge mode exclusively since it came out. The building doesn't move in this mode. Is it possible the problem is that I haven't played a regular game in quite a while? Should I just play a regular game and get the building to move, or do I need check the opto?

Great point. Have to wait for the LE version? Thanks

I cut a small block of nylon to size and used 3M VHB (the extra-strong double-stick tape) to tape it to the vertical "wall" to the right of the spinner (where the ball gets stuck. That effectively eliminates the gap. What I used was actually a special nylon picture hanger -- search Amazon for Ready America 4338 Anti-Fall Heavy Duty Picture Hook -- because that's what I had handy. I cut the top half off and just used that, tho you might be able to use the whole thing. It's not beautiful, but you can't see it at all, and being nylon, I figured it won't damage the ball. And the leading edge on it is angled, which was even better.

stern should find a way to make those 3D part catalogs available for customers. it would probably save their techs a lot of time having to research what part(s) a customer needs.

So in what way do we think the speaker LEDs will be integrated into gameplay?

Some no-brainer links to me would seem to include:

- A circle that fills up the more jackpots you collect in multiball modes, until it's full and flashing when super jackpot is lit, like the building counter on the playfield
- A circle that's counting down to zero-fill during destruction jackpot, synced to the countdown timer
- Flashing blue lights synced to Saucer attack being lit

etc

Just ran a standard game, building went up and down as it should, and no more message about switch 64 vuk exit opto. I guess since the building does not go down during challenge mode it had too many game cycles where it did not hit switch 64? I will keep a eye on it.

Perhaps a better question is HOW will they integrate it physically? A new node board would drive the cost of the speaker light kit through the roof. Not sure what other options they have unless there is a serial pin on the CPU board itself that I am unaware of, or they could put a USB to serial adapter into the unused CPU USB port. If they have a true control line, then the integration can be quite interactive and be upgraded over time.

Such a great way to start the week!

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Over the last 4 days, I had fun installing several mods and playing a few dozen games. When the inserts and mods are illuminated, there's a great deal of color to this anniversary version.

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I think the Stern speaker light system is going to have to include a node board (one that normally sells for $200 actually). So, I'm quite amazed they have their light kits at a $200 price. Maybe they have it interfacing with the game code in another way, but that would be strange since both Jaws LE and John Wick LE have the speaker lights, and both have that same node board to run their speaker lights in the backbox.

Having said that, I think at $200 they are still making money on what they are selling with that bill of materials. I doubt those "$200" node boards are anywhere near that when bought in bulk (and that same node board is used for different uses in the SPIKE 2 games). My only guess on the more reasonable than usual price, is they want to get folks hooked on $199 speaker lights and then skyrocket the price in the future. I mean that strat worked with their toppers.

I would love to learn how to mod this so it was powered and activated by the machine. I assume it would be a similar process as what was done with the Grogu mod.

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I got my 70th a couple of days ago and I feel like I just can’t get it dialed in. Everyone talks about how Godzilla is such a smooth game, but I feel like it is kind of clunky. The glass takes Herculean strength to remove and even more to put it back in, the flipper buttons are “sticky” and sometimes stay open, the Left ramp is quite hard to hit from right flipper, and the return from behind MechaGodzilla always bumps off the top of the right sling. I used my digital level and side-to-side is +-.1 and the other is 6.7~ (although the bubble is nearly out of the suggested marker. I know this isn’t trustworthy, but can’t help wonder if it’s really that off.). Is this how the game is supposed to feel or is there something I’m doing incorrectly or missing?

Thanks in advance

To me, Godzilla is definitely not as smooth/flowy as say AIQ, but I wouldn't call it clunky.

The left ramp is not that easy of a shot. My settings are similar to yours, maybe a little closer to 7.0° pitch. Try raising the back legs a little and see if it feels any better.

The glass tightness is usually the channel and you can bend it open a little more with light pressure.

Give it 30-50 games. It will settle.
Unless there are serious issues with a switch or air balls et. Just play it a bit and see how the game settles in. If still a bit off, then begin tweaking.

Brand new, NIB games are wild the first bunch of games. Balls flying eveveywhwre and you get to experience some cool/weird stuff that would never happen again once game settles in lol.

The bubble level is only a guide but it should be close. If yours is way off and your digital level says 6.7 then check to make sure that the bubble level is installed correctly. I have had more than one NIB Stern where it wasn't seated all the way, screwed all the way flat against the rail. Also the glass tube may not be fully seated into the plastic holder. Check both of those things.

What do you mean "The glass takes Herculean strength to remove and even more to put it back in" ? is the 70th glass any different than any other pinball glass weight wise? Also, if you are trying to jam it into the top channel , sometimes that channel drops a little and the glass wont sit in without a little pry up on the channel itself. don't force it in.

It's not different from game to game intentionally or by design, but it definitely varies due to manufacturing tolerances. I have some games where the glass will start sliding out on its own once the lockdown is off. Others take considerable pulling to remove. Just how it is. I prefer tighter because it cuts down on rattling with shaker motors.

Doug, the more I think about it, the more I am convinced they must have decided to use a USB to Serial adapter plugged into the spare USB port on the CPU board in the backbox which would cost them next to nothing, and then they can drive the minimal data needed for WS2812B strips using the main software thread. The only other alternative is to design a barebone node board (like toppers have) but with a BOM of $15 or so, which simply terminates the RS485 as a comm channel and then loads local LED code on the microprocessor, triggered by game code events.

I want to see the kit...

My son and I played a buddy’s LE this week. It had a very different feel from our premium, not in a bad way. One thing we both noticed was that the right ramp was harder to hit than the left. Absolutely odd. I hit five consecutive left ramp shots (ball lock meant guide fed back to right flipper), but could not hit two consecutive right ramp shots and had a bunch of failed attempts. My son, who is better than me, experienced the same thing. I think it might just be something funky about the rubber on his left flipper, but it sure felt different…

I’m glad you like the 70th anniversary edition. With all this praise and excitement for the B&W Zilla, I can’t help but wonder what would the response be to the color version if it was the one released in 2024 and the B&W had been released in 2021. If the only Zilla available for the past four years was the B&W in pro/prem/LE trims, and then Stern released the color premium two weeks ago, I think there’d be a hell of a lot of excitement for the color version and a healthy number of orders placed with Stern, just as there’s been for the 70th. It’s pretty cool we’ve got both!

This 70th is my first GZ. Unfortunatly my game was made on a friday, so have had quite a few small quality control issues (at least thats what I always say - never want a friday afternoon machine . All have been fairly easily fixable (Flipper contacts not on flipper switches, upper flipper connector was loose, upper flipper contact gap was preventing firing, no spinner for mechgodzilla, wifi dongle not seated). Apart from all that - where is the autolaunch or center button designed to fire the ball to? I searched for the answer but got no results. Is it designed to have the ball loop around the upper flipper, Designed to hit the magna-grab? Right now I'm at 6.9 degrees on the tilt and my autolaunch fires the ball to pretty much magna-grab area, maybe just shy of it. Havent played with coil power yet...

That's where my autoplunge goes. I alway use a manual plunge. Full pull then back off about a 1/4" nails the skill shot behind the upper left flipper on my game. I hear you on Friday builds, Monday builds are also potentially bad. LOL

I would love to find a powdercoat to match the red on the cabinet. Think that would really pop, or slap as the kids say now apperently...

I manual plunge as well. Especially when the building lock is down. I manual plunge so that the ball only goes half way around the circle. Then it trickles down the in lane and half way down the right flipper. That allows me to nail the center of the building almost every time to get to Godzilla multiball.

Strange that you mention the topper node board as that IS the same node board they use for the cabinet Expression lights and the Jaws LE and John Wick LE speaker lights, as well as the Jaws and Godzilla toppers. You just set the dip switches in different configurations to let the board know what it is supposed to be doing, I guess. The model number has been 520-5370-72 on that node board for the past few games. In earlier cases like Led Zep and Rush cabinet Expression lights, I believe they had a different revision, but I believe they are compatible.

I really have no idea where and how they can grab different types of game code and I was just going off the assumption of them using that node board for all of those type of uses, up to now and suspecting the speaker lights they are selling separately would be the same as what they had in Jaw LE and John Wick LE.

I believe I have seen where some people have got the Stern add-on speaker lights already...so we should see soon.

The expression lights included on the Jaws LE have a special node board in the backbox, no reason to think there isn't one included in the add-on kits.

Does anyone know the MSRP of the new official Stern speaker lighting kit? If it's closer to $200, then the node board is not reasonable commercially. If it's two or three times that amount, then it's likely they are using some form of node board (addressable RS485 & microprocessor & data output lines). Remember, the WS2812B LED strip just needs a single serial data line, so the node board might be over-kill, whereas a $2 USB-Serial adapter might be sufficient.

Update: Based on the JAWS kit below, it's a full-on node board. Their profit margin is much lower on this kit to be sure...

Has anyone had an issue where the building hits the back right wire form? I’m assuming the building probably needs adjusted or maybe I can move the wire form a bit. Just figured I’d ask here first. I tried searching but didn’t find this particular issue. Just played my first game on a new 70th and happened to notice it. Went into test and sure enough. Want to get it addressed before it scratches or causes other problems.

199.99 - https://shop.sternpinball.com/collections/accessories/products/pro-premium-speaker-lighting-system

The backside wire forms each have two bolts holding them down but you can loosen those and adjust the positioning slightly before tightening back up.

I'm still trying to figure out what the pink objects are in the video clip that shows the building being destroyed from the outside. I tried taking a video of it myself using my phone but the glass reflection made it nearly impossible. It's one of the first clips to play when hitting the building for the first time. It's about a 3 second clip and to me looks like women in sequins evening gowns. But I know that's not right. Anyone have a fix on what that is or how I can somehow study that clip? Stuff like that just bugs me. LOL!

No expert here, but I don't believe the auto plunge is supposed to hit the same area each time it's used. Mine will sometimes hit the magna-grab, sometimes a bit short and sometime will cleanly launch the over the upper flipper skill shot. Seems random. Coded that way maybe?

You have curious now. Maybe it is an easter egg?

Posted in the jaws thread but this is what the kit includes:

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Thanks! That’s exactly what I did.

I ended up putting precision Flippers in my premium for this reason to fine tune and play with the Flipper angles. The shot is very tight and when you adjust the angle of the right Flipper you need to decide if you want the shot makeable with the ball rolling from the inlane or from a still, cradled shot. I couldn't seem to find a middle ground for both at the pitch my table is set at, but then again I'm a crappy player compared to most people here haha.

That right ramp I can make with my eyes closed

If I could just get another set of eyes on that, that would be great. Unfortunately, I don't have someone that can come over to help out. You can barely see a sign (like a hotel sign) on the extreme left. I wish I could post at least an image, but it happens so fast during game play.

I got mine yesterday already.

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I too have a 7/26/24 build. Haven’t gotten to full setup/first power up yet. Don’t know if I will have any issues to resolve.

C715A086-97DD-4512-822B-961A067C51F7 (resized).jpegWell so far I have only been able to unbox, stand on the base, and attach the front legs. I fished two nylok nuts out of the cabinet. I guess they fell off of something on the underside of the playfield.

I sure do not enjoy staring at the playfield underside looking for missing nuts. Only thing that currently comes to mind, is the chrome ring of the pop bumper where the two legs attach to the coil mechanism. Or maybe the building base plate area? I suppose I will figure it out soon enough.

That’s plenty for tonight.

Everything looks good ! It’s not hitting anything. I noticed there’s a tube of lube in the goodie bag so I put a small amount on the building coil thingy that’s moves the building up and down but didn’t help

Lube.

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Deleted post.

Do you mean these 4 screws?

Thanks.

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Check out the last two pages in the manual. That may help you with your building adjustment

Code

"NEW CODE! Stern Pinball has posted new Godzilla code v1.11.0 for the Pro, Premium, and Limited Edition models. This code adds support for the the Stern Expression Speaker Lighting System accessory as well as behind the scenes game improvements and fixes."

https://sternpinball.com/support/game-code/?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20240808_GodzillaCode&_kx=D40F5R2GD2kxn-2F7Zi8P6I0V-P-2xY-b0u7yfMst3Q.We9d8V

Does anyone have the expression lighting kit for this Godzilla Pro/Pre? Very curious what this looks like

Lookie there. It's a full on node board.... their cost of goods must make the profit on this kit far outside what their normal markups are. Wow...

P.S.A.

We had some heavy thunderstorm/tornadoes come through our area on Tuesday and have been without power since then. We aren't expecting power to be restored till Monday sometime. Some orders from the shop could be delayed a few days... just wanted to keep everyone in the loop.

Does anyone else get an insanely loud "BZZT" sound when their machine restarts for an update? Scared the hell out of me