About the plunger, some have the original stern back on stock. Ive installed it today, really nice! The only thing is that the two leds are very loose, even when the black rings backside are sitting well...

I have not noticed it on mine. I’m running 1.02 as well. I’d try reflashing the SD card or try a different card completely.

I was thinking the same thing. But then I was having a great game, ball comes out of the pops, hits the top of the right sling and launched all the way to the left outlane. #@$$%@#$

This was the first time that happened. Other times when it hits the top of the sling it will bounce around harmlessly.

Hey all,
A flying ball up the right ramp sometimes does not register via opto on my pro, seems like ball is way higher than opto
Anyone else have this issue
TIA

Anyone recommend the spinning arcade sign mod? If so, which/whose design?
Thanks!

mine is on the left, it happens when the ball goes very fast on the ramp, very fast.

also noticed a few times a fast ball going over the stand up target via the mystery lane.

I have the Mezelmods one, but I don't think they make them anymore because they were having problems. So...the Lermods one is awesome!

I've noticed that trend with a few of their mods. New game is released, a mod is rushed, it fails and then discontinued. Don't be an early adopter of their mods, that's for sure.

If you get the spinning arcade sign mod (I have one and like it) please supply power from a SEPARATE 5v power source. I used an old wall wart that I had laying around. Plugged into the service outlet.

I am not going to name the modding company, but I had one attached to my cabinet node board as they want you to do.

When I first got it, I had emailed the company about the motor making grinding noises (on the arcade sign). Eventually the motor shorted taking out my node board. This caused the shaker to go bonkers.

The modding company asked me to send it back to them. (Return shipping on my dime). They verified that it had shorted, told me that it never happened before. Replaced the motor and this time added a diode. (this 20c part would have saved my node board)

So, I had to pay return shipping and pay for a new node board.

Well...the electric ones perhaps (although I've never had a problem). Their other stuff is great out of the gate.

Thanks for the tip. Now you've got me nervous...

One of the reasons I do not put junk inside my games.

Sometimes you need the "junk." Tron would be nothing without the mods. Depends on the game.

I have checked out all parties websites, and they have the mod (79$) and an interactive one (149$). Does only the interactive one spin? Or it spins faster? Anyone know?

Soooo....that company now has a diode attached? Should have rectified the problem...I’m sorry you had to be their guinea pig

Amen!!! “Junk” can be phenomenal! You would hate my games as they are crazzzzzy pimped out! Lol. At least 25 mods in my TWDLE and LOTR. All totally add to the experience!

Hi all,
Searched key posts and within thread but sooo many posts and could not easily find. Have a Premium and demogorgan is dialed in and very hittable from both flippers. But recently, particularly while in Can't stop this or Run Will, the demo isn't registering hits. Even when the ball sunk into his mouth it hasn't been registering consistently. Anyone having this issue and/or a fix?
thanks!

Demo “hits” are actually registered by optos right after the end of the ramp. Which is nice, if you’ve ever had to deal with a flaky Balrog switch on LOTR.

.

Only saw one comment on this earlier, but does anyone else feel like the pop bumpers are not as responsive as they should be? Once in a while I get some good action going between the two bumpers but most of the time it's just a few hits. I'm remembering older machines I played as a kid, and back then you could really get some bumper action going and keep it going for a while with a few strategic shakes of the pin (not enough to tilt, but enough to keep the ball in action).

Hey, let me chime in on this. I posted about it earlier in the thread. Basically, the spoon design that Stern uses is too steep. I swapped the Stern spoons with WMS spoons. The Stern spoons are "deeper". So the pop bumper skirt post requires more effort to move the spoon. Sometimes the skirt post won't return to center that quickly (so it doesn't register the next hit).

I swapped the Stern spoons with WMS spoons. They are shallower and require less effort to move. You must also adjust the leaf switch. (Because it is shallower it doesn't touch the switch without adjustment). I now get super active pops. I swapped out my Star Wars (Stern) spoons as well. I just got a TMNT but I am out of WMS spoons. I bought some from a popular site, but even thought the pic showed WMS spoons, I got the Stern spoons. BTW the Stern spoons are now the universal spoons so I don't know if there are many around. I've attached a pic of what the WMS spoons looks like.

PBResource shows the WMS spoons on their site, so I have an order with them. My last resort is pinball-mods. He makes different colored spoons and they look like the WMS design.
WMS Spoon (resized).jpg

Thanks for the information on this. Sounds complicated. How difficult is it to swap the spoons and make the adjustments?

Also - would it help to adjust the power level of the bumpers, assuming that's possible?

just put in an order for a Pro... does anyone have an extra UV kit laying around?

Just installed Pinnovator’s subwoofer connector to our Pro. It’s banging now! A must add!

My ball can get stuck up in the pops for a while - plenty of action on mine.

It seems to me that they dialed them down for the limited purpose in this game. Right?

It is pretty straightforward but only if you are comfortable removing the glass/pinballs and lifting the playfield. If it weren't for Covid, I'd come by and do it for you.

There are 2 screws to remove from each switch. You pull the switch and replace the spoon. It is pretty simple to do. Adjusting the switch can be done but hand or needlenose pliers. (Preferably a switch adjustment tool, but I am assuming we don't have that).

Thanks will look into testing and/or adjusting the optos. I figured it was more of a motion sensor since when the ball flies around and hits Demo it triggers. Also since the mouth wasn't sensing assumed it was a different opto. Anyways, thanks and will report back!

I am thinking of replacing the plastic bumpers at the posts behind the drop targets.

I can't figure out what is it that needs to come out first to get to these... it looks like the demo ramp is blocking but seems overly complicated to get there...

has anybody replaced these recently?

yeah I just did that to mine. You have to remove the ramps as you have to loosen the entire demo ramp display thing. I've done it so many times at this point it didn't take too long. You probably don't have to take the sides of the ramp off like in my pic. I was working on something else there as well and had to resolder the flasher so just took it all apart. Ramps have to come off to get to the screws for the entire assembly. Remove the optos and the few flasher connections under the playfield and the ramps come right out.

I also sanded down the edges on the outside drops so they don't dig into the new post sleeves. Seems to be working as they have no damage yet.

IMG_20210503_181818542_HDR (resized).jpg

Here’s a pair of mods I just did to get a little more action in the pop bumpers:

1. Replace black rubber with bouncier white (same size)
2. Replace the narrow “Bob post” with a thick one.

This probably works better if you can replace -both- narrow posts, as well as the rest of the black rubber above the pops. However, I don’t see a whole lot of benefit to keeping the ball in the pops a lot longer in this game. If Dart is at 20k a hit, you’re still only getting 100-200k per visit. And he seems to stay an adolescent dog-Dart forever, from what I can tell with the glass off.

I also gapped the switches as close as I could, and the pops themselves are pretty responsive. I think we’re fighting geometry here, as this is not the typical 3-pop-bumper nest. It’s okay, since I hate waiting for a ball to come out of the pops on games like ST.

AD993D1D-267B-42F3-909A-FEE168873C1D (resized).jpeg

Yes, the drawing is nice - I forgot about that. Gotta grab every one you can.

Thanks for the tips on the bumpers. Replacing the saucers doesn't sound too bad after all and the other suggestions sound good also. Oddly, I was just playing for about 2 hours trying to adjust the little gate (the one where you get an extra ball, mystery, etc.) and the bumpers seemed quite responsive. Not sure what changed but maybe something got stuck or something. I took an air duster and blew everything off and it seems decent now.

Now about that gate - that little metal piece that acts as a spring is tricky. If I put it above the gate then the gate is too far down and the ball hangs. If I put it under the top of the gate then the gate sticks out more so no hang, but sometimes the ball rebounds back under the gate. I actually removed the gate and tried bending it a little in different ways but don't think I made much progress. If anyone has any good tips on adjusting that gate, please share. Thanks!

I hope they change their minds and decide to run some more Premiums. I held off getting one thinking they would be running them for a couple of years at least. Find it weird that it is off the line already, feels like they didn't give it enough of a chance to find its legs.

Well I think I can sell my SThLE now, since I blew it up and will almost certainly never get a better score than I just got!

Had a great game, including getting 14 drawings, I completed Light the Fire mini wizard mode, and I *completed* (all 7 phases) of Final Showdown (including a couple crazy saves of the ball where I almost tilted)!

I had 2x scoring going during some prime opportunities, including Can't Stop This and I believe Light the Fire, as well as during the special surprise mode after completing final showdown (I won't give any spoilers here).

Just a crazy game, which kind of came out of nowhere (don't they always?)

(and just kidding about selling, I love this pin)
IMG_4813 (resized).JPGIMG_4817 (resized).JPGIMG_4818 2 (resized).JPG

That’s impressive

Wow! Bravo sir, that’s impressive.

thanks for that swampfire. I could not remember who was the person that did that recently and now I remembered it.
I had recommended to you to clip the corners off the drop targets so I am glad that is working out.

Thanks again!

here I am struggling with cheap drains and shit scores... I even contemplated selling the game 5 minutes ago, lol... I had like 10 crappy games in a row and I was like... ok that is it, time to get DEADPOOL...

lol

this is true, I recently played AIQ after weeks without touching it and I noticed how slow and easy the gameplay felt in comparison... it did not feel like that before Sth.

Is the code in Deadpool very shallow? I thought Stth was not the deepest really...

STH works my reaction reflexes, no doubt. If I’m not nudging or slap saving, games can be short. I like it for that; it’s a great league/tournament game.

Deadpool is very fun, but when I play it on location it’s a looong player. Sucks getting it for matchplay because you know it’s going to be a grind. I’d have to make it harder to enjoy it at home.

what do you mean it takes forever? easy gameplay overall and longer ball times?

are you guys saying that Stth > Deadpool ?

It probably depends on how the game’s set up. And they’re both great games, so that’s a very subjective question. I like games that are feast-or-famine, so that’s why I had IM for so long, and why I think STH and TWD are good for me. I’m picking up TWD in a temp-trade on Thursday (for my Congo).