Can frankmac and anyone else who has played the game with a shaker motor installed describe what different game events trigger its activation? Frankmac said he'd like to see more shaker motor activation in future code releases, so I'm wondering what/when it activates now and what/when else folks think it might be effective if it was added.

It's a cool thought and would be even cooler if it happens.

I like that they went with the location names instead of monster names if for nothing more than that little bit of short-lived suspense you got/get the very first time you have to deal with a location, but don't quite know what you're up against until it splashes on the display.

Adding one monster to each location (with each monster presenting a different challenge mission for the player, not just repainting the same challenge in that location) could be interesting.

The first time you enter a given location, the game picks which monster/game task you have to deal with at random so even experienced players will still get a teeny bit of suspense before the monster you'll actually be up against is revealed. You still need only to complete one monster in each location to advance toward the castle.

A difficulty setting could also let the owner/operator decide if locations are locked out after a monster is defeated or if the location is available to be revisited necessitating that the player battle the other monster.

Thus in the "easy" setting once you beat either monster in a given location, that location is marked completed and cannot come up again until after a player is successful against one of the monsters in all other locations and finally burns down the castle.

In the "hard" setting, once you have defeated a monster in a given location, that location is still marked as completed for purposes of attacking the castle - but it remains in the "location rotation" and is available to be revisited compelling the player to battle the other monster. Once both monsters in a location have been defeated, the location is taken out of the rotation. In other words: the other monster in a location gets a chance to stall your march toward the castle if you start a location that you have already completed.

An "extra hard" setting could require both monsters in each location to be defeated before the player gets a chance to torch the castle of Mr. Meanness.

Heck, you could even throw in a setting that would allow the owner/operator to now decide if a location must actually be completed or simply visited in order to be credited as completed on the player's trek to the castle - and whether it requires 1 or 2 visits or 1 or 2 completions.

(My sincere apologies to Tim now that I look back on all of this ... you clearly don't need my crazy ideas given the great things you're doing - and I'm 100% sure you do not need any more work!)

My distributor's shipper called this afternoon to arrange delivery of mine on Tuesday.

At least consider doing this as an owner/operator adjustment setting.

The announcement says: "In addition to this code update, Stern will reveal a new physical game enhancement that will extend the upper playfield gameplay experience." So unless they go full Banzai Run from the upper playfield, it is most definitely not the topper.

Switch the long springs on each shooter.

If you can't make it to the top, don't return the awesome plunger just yet - try upgrading to a stronger shooter spring. Shooter springs are color coded to reflect their strength. Spring tensions (from weakest to strongest) are:

Blue
Green
Standard
Orange
Purple
Gray/Silver
Red

Stern already chose a spring that's 1-step stronger than standard for BKSOR. So it's probably worth $1.50 (or in this case even $4.50) to try a stronger spring before you return that gorgeous plunger.

It's still a heck of lot easier to just swap the old shooter rod for the new shooter rod. The shooter plates are identical - why mess with it?

Mine was built on June 5th and it has it too.

Integrated with gameplay: YES PLEASE!

But tone down the flashing at bonus tally/end of ball - I’m trying to watch the display one of the few times I can really look at for a length of time while playing.

The placeholder that was on Stern’s website for several days until just recently listed the price at $399.99 so it might be worth waiting until it is officially released.

Just in case anyone who may have missed it in the Honourable Knights Only thread might be interested:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/black-knight-swords-of-rage-club-honourable-knights-only/page/46#post-5493516