It’s as CrazyLevi sais above. Can’t speak for TZ, but most/all modern sterns have it. JJP Pirates has it.

Say it skips the opto or the opto is broken? The whole upper pf is useless.

Acdc’s lower pf didn’t have it, but it was a completely separate self contained Playfield.

Hmm, a game where the mini playfield is cotrolled only when in use, other than Family Guy, Shrek and Munsters are there any others?.....who knows?
Who knows? The Shadow Knows!

Family guy/shriek/minsters/Acdc are self contained Playfields - the main ball is not passing up/down there from the main pf - they’re just like a separate mode.

Have expectations really sunk to this level?

WOZ is the same. Both playfields are happily flipping away all of the time.

I know Keith discussed muting them when not in use, but decided against this due to reliability of this solution.

That’s exactly what mando is. If the center ramp diverter is disabled you can’t access it

Heretic I know but I'm content to wait to try one at a show before buying.

There are more than a few titles that I wanted based on theme alone and then when I tried them changed my mind.

But it’s still the same ball - it’s connected to the lower pf. Fg/shriek/Munsters/acdc are self contained.

We haven’t seen gameplay yet - maybe there’s multiballs where they keep the gate open so you can access it directly whilst also playing on the lower pf.

In any case, I’m just saying it’s more common than not to have upper and lower flippers going all together - especially games with multiballs. Even as far back as Black Knight.

Munsters is also a moot point since it has separate flipper buttons to control lower playfield.

Fair. I just wanted an excuse to quote the Shadow

Agree.. If JJP did it i could never afford it. I wonder what stern could have done if charging $3k more per pin.

Yes. Please let the LEs get as high as they want, but for my wallets sake, please keep the premiums and pros much lower. Haha

Ppl went nuts...

.... because there was little nothing to get excited about.

Youtubers like, 'A pinball podcast' marvloco are damn near in tears cradling themselves on this game.

Its been a tough year but this is getting embarrassing.

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I believe AC/DC did that, albeit with the lower PF.

Full size flipper mini play fields have some bad history. None of them have been good. They feel terrible.

When I read comments like below all I can think is how people have lowered their expectations of what can / should be in a game that costs $6k - $9k+. I guess myself and others in the community simply expect more for $6k - $9k+ in a pinball machine of all things.

Baby Yoda should actually do something and not be a giant hollow plastic shell. The Razer Crest Matchbox style "toy" shouldn't have an ugly screw head exposed hanging target from it. The upper mini playfield should have more in it then just 6 dull standup targets and no shots. All of the toys in Mando just have this tacked on feeling in my opinion versus being unique interactive miniature mechs representing something from the theme. Stern did toys and features right with GB, TMNT, JP, and Batman 66 to name a few with putting interactive miniature mechs based on the theme in the game, just not seeing it here on Mando.

"Pinball is fun, why complain"

"My non pinball fans are blown away when I showed them the game" (are they going to buy the game? no)

"Pinball was nearly dead, be happy it's still here"

"Who cares if Grogu doesn't do anything"

"There's so many shots in this game" (there's 7 main shots that either pass through or drop into an area, pretty standard if not 1 - 2 lower then most modern pins)

as per the podcast with Brian and Dwight's interview, there is a mention about the mini PF.
It has a multi ball feature, 2 balls in the mini pf, for this to happen one ball is continuously cradled by one flipper in the mini pf,(the game does this automatically) then another ball is launched and you play until you get a second ball in the mini PF, then, 2 ball mini PF multi ball...

If the upper pf flipper can be locked up with software, why can't the same software disable them until you start a mode the mini pf? the modes start only when the balls are diverted so there is an opto or something up there to trigger this.

I don't think it is going to be active all the time, it would be lazy coding?

I don’t want it to be disabled all the time as I want to be able to involve that area during certain modes and multiballs.

If that is not going to happen, then yes it’s possible to code it to be off until you’re up there. Just have to hold the ball in the diverter long enough to get it turned on before dropping in.

the mini Pf is used only in certain modes and it is only used then, according to the interview. There are 3 missions or whatever they are called, and that is what is the PF is used for. nothing else.

keefer has written about this extensively. There are too many possibilities of it not working as intended. The fact that all pin coders follow this strategy tells me those concerns are real.

Well I hope that changes to at least use it for some super jackpot opportunities in certain multiballs a la the shadow.

Lazy is harsh. It’s a low priority luxury that could cause more gameplay issues than fixing a minor esthetic issue.

People would be a lot more upset if it didn’t flip when they think it should than getting them flipping when they maybe don’t need to.

I don’t disagree that they should stay static when the playfield isn’t in use, but I recognize how much additional testing and issues could arise.

That’s why most separate playfield flippers are always live. People point out the cabinet leaf switches for flippers. But what about the switches that are supposed to help track where the ball is? It’s not the end of the world if the switch before entering the playfield is misadjusted if the flippers are always live.

Yeah that was one of the most embarrassing fanboy reactions I have seen. Wonder if he had to change his underwear from near busting a nut on his podcast. You would have thought this was the second coming of pinball.

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Deadpool pinball reveal and early launch reactions on Pinside: Where are the interactive toys? Lil’ Deadpool is just a bash target, not a toy. Modes look lame on early code. Shots seem like a clunk fest. Video content looks pixelated. Eff Stern.

Deadpool results: Pinside top 10.

JJP GNR reveal/launch reactions on Pinside: No interactive toys. Axl upper playfield skeleton is just static. Layout isn’t interesting. Too many multiballs. Lame use of a magnet. Eff JJP.

JJP GNR results: CE sells out in a day. Voted TWIPY GoTY

Mandalorian reveal reactions on Pinside: Grogu is just a doll. Where are the interactive toys? No Cara Dune. It’s just another fan layout. There shouldn’t be lights on Mando’s mini PF helmet. Lame use of a magnet. Eff Stern.

Mandalorian results: LE sells out within a day. The future of the game...??

Maybe... just maybe... the Debbie Downers on these reveal threads are a vocal minority completely disconnected from the majority of pinball enthusiasts

as stated before, a ball is continuously cradled in the mini PF by software. There is a diverter at the top already that triggers everything else. It captures the ball first and then diverts it I think. So the interaction with the 'switch' should happen there and then.

If the flipper can be held up by software, why not disabling it too? The same way the mini PF movement is disabled or active when needed...

There is also a FULL mode that controls power to the flippers, so there is extensive code done for this in the sense that it can truly be controlled by software. The mode is called impossible something, I don't care to remember...

Anyway... I would like them to be disabled, we can do it now... this is not the 90s anymore.

Upper or lower playfields have been disabled before now and well before the 90s.

I promise you, if they are left live at all times, there’s a good reason for it.

I think your post helps prove just how important code is in a pin. I've hammered on Mando but know my view can change based on the code. All of these games are just a box of lights without code and great code can make a pin a hit. Deadpool, GNR, LOTR, and other near universal acclaimed games would all suck if it wasn't for the great rulesets and code work put into the games.

It’s irrelevant that the game can hold the flipper up. The issue is player frustration when the flipper doesn’t flip up when they expect it to.

The limited flipper hold meter game mode may apply to the upper playfield as well as the lower. (Or heck, the base game may have some no holds up there too for some modes)

Unless it can be proven that it is an issue, this argument really does not hold water:
I think the PF stays up in an unplayable angle and not aligned with the diverter (so you can see the helmet) until the 'encounter' is started, once the ball is captured the PF adjusts itself to receive the ball. Following your argument, the mini PF should always be in a playable angle or it otherwise might not be ready to receive the ball in time.
All that to say, if the PF angle is coded so it is visible... flippers could be disabled too?

Rob Zombie has an upper playfield flipper that is off until the ball is up there and then it works

Haunted House upper and lower playfield flippers are off until you are on them - however it's 2 sets of buttons, and the main pf flippers are never off.

Simply question?

Does it look enjoyable to flip?

My first thought on the upper pf was that lightning flippers would look less clumsy. Also increase the challenge.

Maybe...just maybe...every loves to speculate and hear themselves "talk". Anyone that's a fan of the license is biased. Anyone that's addicted to pinball is biased. Wonder how these game would be rated if people played & rated the whitewood

Everyone loved Munsters reveal (since the artwork was amazing and it had the choice of B/W or color), but later learned the gameplay was too simplistic.

When LZ was announced I was jazzed (love the band and own a lot of rock pins). Then I played it. Ouch. Nothing special...arguably a dud. Lame upper flipper.

Until we are able to play the game, all of this is just emotive. Unfortunately, Stern doesn't have Pixar's track record. Stern is a machine and are happy to crank out mediocre games, and given the market, sales aren't impacted. Distributors gobble up all the games with 0 risk to Stern having to carry inventory.

Mini flippers. Lightning flippers are barely smaller.

I think "barely smaller" is what you want. Seems like mini-flippers would be brutal up there. But who knows! Proof is in the playing I guess.

No. I meant lightning flippers, mini flippers would be way too small.

Apologies if this has already been mentioned.

Code updates: Do we still use the stick or is does it have built in wi fi?

Yep. As long as all the shots can be made, I say go for it. But with all the tilting the playfield does (assuming mid mode sometimes), I bet stock will be harder than it appears.

Built in wifi has not been released yet.

Thanks.

I was hoping Stern was going to introduce it with Mando.

I was hoping stranger things was it. Haha

Seems like a smaller Grogu in the hover crib might look more to scale, if it fits.

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Distributor called that they are not getting enough le’s so im not getting one someone knows where i can get one?

Valid for the pro. Not other versions. LZ has plenty going for it, as long as magnetic spinner works properly. There is a flow to LZ that fits the theme and reminds me of MM. We’ll see with Mando, but it looks like they just threw stuff in to suck in a few bills. A two-ball multiball on some dudes face?? Ah, Disney would be so proud..

Black Knight (OG) would like a word

Do yourself a favour and go and listen to Brian on the Super Awesome Pinball podcast. They obviously didn't just thrown stuff in there, what an ignorant comment.

Whoa I missed that, really? they're active all the time? Well that's distracting..

Why would that be distracting?

Seems obvious to me as well. Bash it once the lid opens, bash it again, Byoda gets pissed and uses force powers to fuck with the ball (via magnet in front). Done.