No problem STTNG is always fun no matter how you set it up. I set it to award free balls at 500 million, 1billion and 2billion everything else factory settings.

Mines at factory settings except I changed the left outlane kickback to easy. The outlanes are a bunch of crap though (IMO) so I put in the extended inlane guides. That tames it enough to where additional extra balls would be overkill.

Maximum extra balls, everything set to easy, plus I've glued some foam rubber into the outlanes and between the flippers so you never loose the ball.

The downside is I've been playing the first game I ever started for four and a half months now and my fingers are just about shot and if someone doesn't empty the litter tray I've been using pretty soon there's going to be a spillage.

You guys play 3 or 5 ball?

Great game but keeping that thing dialed in is a pain. I keep it at factory.

I have it set to 5 ball. More fun for me and guests especially given the brutal outlanes. I have the Kickback on Easy. If I get the extended lane guides maybe I'll go to 3 ball.

Take the glass off and just trigger switches with your hand. No need to risk a ball drain.

5 ball always for mine. Lane extenders help a little to reduce side drains, but they still feature heavily in the game.

Then go with factory settings. There are plenty of EBs available, you don't need to award them for points.

I keep mine at factory settings, 3 ball. No lane extenders or laser cannons.

I have to disagree with the majority of opinions on the STTNG side drain.. I think it adds to the excitement, danger and the challenge of the game. Of course it sucks 80% of the time but when you get that good game in... when everything is 'flowing'... When all your shots are going exactly where you want them to go... then the drain becomes much less of a factor. They are the games that keep me going back to STTNG...

Yep same here..

I think the right drain on STTNG is exaggerated. The right drain on RBION is way worse than the right drain on STTNG.

factory settings.

Outlane extenders. Easy kicker(i think I honestly don't remember). ALWAYS 3 balls, I refuse to set any higher, even to friends. No challange no fun.

Standard extra balls.

Games are relatively short enough, people have good games that are longer and it makes them happy they do well... risk and reward.

My goal is to have a game that is fun for everyone. Ideally, I'd like a noob to be able to step in and be able to see some of its cooler features, but it's still gotta be challenging enough that decent players like me don't bore the crap out of their friends by taking forever to finish a ball or game.

- The lane extenders only reduce the outlane drains by about 10% or so. I think they make the game a lot less infuriating, without making it "easy" by any means!

- I award an extra ball for replays, just because achieving the special is completely pointless, otherwise.

- Since there are so many extra ball opportunities, 3 balls is plenty.

- The factory setting of 450 million for an extra ball is too low. I set it at about a billion, no additionals. no need for marathon games!

- Another important setting: how many "Light Lock"s do you guys allow from launch? I think the default is two, and all subsequent launches only give the option for "Light Holodeck" instead. I have mine set for infinite "Light Lock"s just because I think Borg Multiball is more fun than the Shuttle Simulation. What do you guys think?

There are a bunch of other settings that i'm not entirely clear on what they do. things to do with music and lighting in attract mode, dimming, and other stuff. anyone got suggestions there? (mine has LEDs, if that makes a difference)

I added the race track from Nascar. It launches the ball directly up the delta ramp and creates a permanent Picard maneuver. You never even have to touch the flippers. Just sit back and watch the points add up. My neighbors have been complaining about the noise and I'm getting anxious for a power outage so I can finally post my score!

That light lock is super interesting actually. I never once thought about it. I like borg multi-balls WAAAYYY more, but that could be because I rarely get them so it's quite an exciting cut scene. The light holodeck is good since it does require practice though(for new people). Although, once again you can get it by launching up the beta ramp.... hmm. You sir have given me something to mull over.

Dimming is for the shields. I turned it off because once a game starts if you have LED's in the shields then they flicker, since they are dimmed and LED's don't often dim well. You may or may not have a similar issue. I just took it off so they no longer dim. Only an issue with LED's.