I have a question about the screen. After a little bit of time of the game being on, the graphics will become pixellated like this. Sometimes it goes back to normal if you wait long enough. If I go into a menu (or anything with a mostly black screen) I can see what looks like static in the black parts. I've done a full reinstall (which wiped all scores and settings) and it still happens, so it's not corrupted video files. Is this possibly a cable problem? I've checked the two cables that go into the display and they're tight on both sides.

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I had this issue on my JP after delivery. It was the wire to the monitor that was loose. I unplugged and replugged, and it sorted the issue.

Insert LED question - I have a mandalorian LE, ~ 6 months old. Does anyone know, or can advise if the insert lights are by design to display any "blended colors" ?

I just noticed and it seems like it catch's my attention as something different, but.... The razor crest inserts, at times are not green, but rather a washed out, like teal or weak green. But then will shift back to green. When I test the lights, the diagnostic options are red, green, blue which all test fine, although there is not a test for white?

It looks like when flashing the white is on with the green and thus making the color a really light green at time, but can't seem to determine if this is related to a game condition. My question is - is this correct/normal - I swear I never noticed that before and there really isn't any info available for what color the lights are supposed to be when? Im thinking they were always solid green, but I could be wrong

I fear I could have a board issue ?!? No other light anomalies at all though

thanks for any comments/info in advance!

mike

Sounds just like mine when Razorcrest multiball is ready to start, the center arrows seem to be flashing white quickly, but it really looks slightly green-ish when they do that. Other times during the game they turn white or green or blue, and look perfectly normal. I assume that's just a side effect of the particular LEDs they are using, that they look a little bit green when flashing white really fast.

It's all good, those razor Crest lights are normally green but they change to the teal color when you have one shot left to achieve the multiball.

excellent!

thank you both for the replies

best,

mike

I think there are some bugs in the code that makes some LEDs flash randomly. Sometimes one of the multiplier lights will flash red etc for a moment.

Interested in hearing thoughts/reviews from those that bought the Grogu mod....

I guess my one concern is that thing will be going off like crazy during attract mode. That doesnt really bother me, im just concerned it will wear out quickly. Looks like there's a way to turn that on off, but that seems like a bit of a pain to constantly doing.

My thought is that it moves randomly which is different than interacting with the game. I appreciate the mods that developed it but it just seems like it's too much trouble to install & too expensive IMO there isn't much value there.

I might be biased since we sell them, but here’s a few quick thoughts. We offer an on/off switch that makes it very easy to turn him off in attract mode if that bothers you. Personally, I like him moving. He doesn’t move like crazy, we have slowed him down with a voltage regulator and he triggers off the child insert instead of one the letters in the lanes. Lastly, we have sold many of these and there has not been a single reported failure. Hope that helps.

I unplugged and replugged it in to the monitor (it wasn't loose by any means) and by the end of my first game it was back to its pixelated self. I even made sure the other wires weren't really touching it in the backbox.

I think I may just email Stern and see if they can send me a replacement cable, because maybe it got bad. The individual wires are exposed at the ends so it's possible something's amiss. I'm positive the screen itself is fine at this point.

Thanks for the info!

I've been helping people fix grogu. A couple boards from Amazon. $20-25 shipped or so and a little time and its perfect. I can set voltage to slow him down and duration in secs. I was going to provide a tutorial but don't have time. Instead I've been helping individual peeps. With the changes he only triggers on a roll over of you choice for a set amount if time.

Depending what model you have pro or prem/le will give you different options on which mod to buy and from whom.

There are a couple really nice grogu mods that react with the ramp diverters and additionally the magnet on the prem/le.

I can vouch for the Lermods version. I purchased the full plug and play version for my pro and it's worked perfectly since install. I have added an on/off switch myself that I placed where the tournament button would go under the start button. I do like the ability to turn Grogu off while I'm not playing. I'm not sure running him constantly would hurt much, but it gives me piece of mind that I'm not working the motor any more than necessary.

Talk to smokinhos. He hooked me up and is a solid dude. If he’s busy I can help too. Now my grogu is interactive with the game and doesn’t go on in attract mode. It works like it should have been. I’m surprised the mods don’t come like this. It’s night and day and now I actually enjoy the game.

I'm getting the premium. What mod should I get in this case?

Hey guys, wondering if you can help.

I currently have a Mando Premium NIB with a July of 2021 build with very low plays. Recently I noticed the back GI lights were out and the small playfield wasn’t working. Upon further inspection I noticed the scoop, Razorcrest shot and the far right ramps and lanes were also not registering hits. I checked the diagnostics and it says the node 9 board wasn’t found.

I did the simple things and checked to make sure all of the plugs and pins were securely fastened. Here comes my stupid part.

While checking the connections on the 9 board, I pulled out the far right connector that sits next to the empty one. It’s not labeled and the only way I can describe is that it sits next to the very top left screw of the board. Once I unplugged it I noticed the GI lights turned on. A yellow dot light lit up on the board as well, so I thought maybe I fixed it, since it wasn’t on before with the other 2 dot lights just like node board 8 displayed. HA! I lowered the playfield and tried to play the pin and the Razorcrest shot and the scoop works now, but the rest of the shots mentioned above are still not registering hits. I plugged it back in and it goes back to the same problem.

I contacted my distributor and they told me Stern will probably replace the board, but they want to make sure it’s not the board and maybe another board. It was suggested I remove other boards from my Stern pins to try to find another possible reason why node board 9 isn’t working, but with my luck I’ll end up with 2 screwed up pins besides 1. With all of this switching around, I think I screwed up the Mando more because now it won’t even start a game.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated and please don’t answer with This Is The Way. LOL

I have the same feeling as you do Nick. The mod really makes the pin and the only thing stopping me from purchasing one is the reliability of it.

Just another comment for those discussing the animated Grogu mod. I got it immediately when I purchased my LE last fall. Absolutely nothing negative on the mod itself, its a terrific product!

But my experience for the past 6 months with it has brought me here. I did wire in an on off switch for reasons stated (attract mode). but now I have found, I never turn it on when I play, just completely forget. I also want to move the sensor to an insert that would represent a specific mode, accomplishment or something interesting so that it means something when it moves. but I gave up on that since all the inserts flash randomly during different points in the game, so it will still "randomly' be moving at times.

I have reached the point where I think I will remove it and put the stock one back in, maybe shine it with a green spot. Again, fantastic mod, well designed/built, but I realized (for me) if an animation is not related to a game situation, but rather random it is really not that interesting

Mine is activated when the ball goes over a roll over switch so it’s not randomly activated. I also had a switch before and got tired of turning on/off. There is a fix for it

Totally agree. And also no disrespect to the guys who have put many hours into creating moving grogus, but the stock is fine and the moving one imo is completely unnecessary. For the most part it looks like a toy stuffed in the corner... much more so than the stock grogu.

Isn't that with all kinds of things. In the beginning it is awesome, after a while just annoying or just goes unnoticed, the orb in Guardians, the intro from GnR even the trex in JP. In the beginning you want to see it all and after a while you skip all movies and stuf just to play. I keep my moving Grogu in see how long it will last.

Interesting

Interesting - did you have to build a latch/timer circuit - to keep him moving for a period of time after the switch activated?

what switch did you use and why?

There is a timer that he moves for about 4 seconds after being activated. User smokinhos helped me with it. I can help as well.

I appreciate all the thoughtful replies to my Grogu question. I think for now I'll just save my money.

That intro on GnR is one of the most annoying things in pinball. I want to play! Not be forced to watch these lights flash around for a while

FWIW, the dpannell Grogu mod has been rock solid. 3 sensors only trigger with coils, so it does not animate during attract mode at all.

dpannell has a great interactive Grogu and his after sales is second to none!

Talked to Stern support over this and they suggested I try the cable from my Rush to see if it was that. In the process of taking the cable off my Mando I noticed the nut holding the ground wire was super tight so I decided to just take the connector out and put it back in. The pixelation still happened, but with the backglass off I was able to push in the cable and it fixed itself - so it was really a connection issue between the cable and the main node board. I took it out again, used some compressed air on both male and female ends of the connection, gave a little bit of slack in the wire loom, and did my best to really push it back in. After about 5 or 6 games the video stayed normal, so I'm thinking that was it.

I don't think I started having this issue until after I installed the Pinwoofer mod, so the extra shaking from the bass probably exposed a loose-ish connection from the factory that didn't come up using the stock speakers.

Thanks for the advice!

So this is my first pin ever. I went in blind on buying my first pin. So excuse the layman's terms on this. But I have a few questions

1.) I've noticed that like 3 out of 4 times, the ball doesn't even have enough power to get to my flipper in the top right playfield (pro model). It either just rolls straight down from the ramp or doesn't get pushed close enough to the flipper to even get some hits on it. Is it supposed to be this way? I can't even complete encounters because 3/4 times the ball doesn't even get to the flipper for me to hit it.

2.) Do you guys consider this to be a newbie friendly game? I ask this because if so, I can't handle the stress of other pins then lol. I feel like the layout, when it hits the bottom bumpers, is just prone to have the ball go to the outer lanes and there's nothing I can do. Like it hits an angle perfectly after it hits the bumper and shoots out of bounds. Or if trying for the razer crest, sometimes it just falls back down straight where I'd really have to push the machine to get it in play again. So is this just normal in the pin world where yeah, physics just screw you up sometimes? Might be a stupid question but I am getting frustrated where I have good games (for me) and the third ball, it just hits the bumper, bounces a few times, then bounces out of bounds with nothing I can do.

Grogu will not move in attract and is ONLY activated when the ball rolls over the child rollover - on mine the letter "I". Then it ONLY runs for 4 secs (preset on relay). The other relay regulates voltage to "slow" him down.

This is by far one of the coolest interactive mods I have ever put in a pin.. besides the UV in STh.. lol. My wife plays just to watch him move.

Do you know what your pitch is set to? For the first point this seems like it could be pitch related. A good pitch is around 6.5 degrees. I have it set to 6 because to answer your second point, I don’t find this game to be newbie friendly. I still have fun with it but it’s definitely hard and frustrating at times for the reasons you point out.

Because it’s hard, you’ll read in other posts that it forces you to take your time with shots. This includes practicing live catches, backhanding the horseshoe ramp and the foundry scoop. I had very minimal ability with those things prior to owning this game and have been able to get better at them. I have the same experience with a missed shot up the middle coming back down the middle and if the ball bounces off the top part of the bumper it will likely find itself in the outer lane. It’s frustrating but I’ve tried to work on my reaction time so that I can nudge it when does either of those things and maybe lets me keep it in play for a little while longer. For comparison my high score is around 300 mil with the outlines on easy, the pitch at 6 and everything else default difficulty.

Hi, this is why I think the pro is way more fun to play the mini playfield than premium. When the ball drop, you need to nudge forward 1 or 2 times at the right moment to help the ball to rebound and reach the flipper. Also, make sure the flipper is properly adjust at the right level. Mine was completely OFF when I received the game. You can share a pic if you want so we can confirm you

Yes, you can consider this game as newbie friendly game in the way that the rules are easy to understand. Now it's another story to keep the ball alive, this game can be really frustrating when it doesn't collaborate at all LOLL (slingshot<=>slingshot<=>outlane) or hit the target for the scope and come back STDM... same when the ball come out from the razorcrest slowly and go STDM loll). But with time you will find some trick to avoid risky shots and will get a better experience Overall, the game is not the easiest for sure, but every players can find their place with this game.

Also, don’t forget you can move the pin in the outer lanes to a lower hole to make the game easier.

For your upper playfield issues try this also, remove the plastic that faces the mini playfield on the stair step ramp that feeds that playfield. This provides the ball more momentum to feed to your flipper instead of just dropping straight down and rolling out of the playfield.

No. The proximity of shots (and so, so many posts) to the flippers makes it a challenging game from a shooting perspective. I've played every Stern Spike 2 game and I can't think of one that is more brutal.

BUT....as others have said...it will make you a better player. And tweak to make it easier...lower your outlane posts, reduce sling sensitivity, maybe play 5 balls instead of 3.

This is all true, and I'll add another perspective:

I think it's a great game for all skill levels, including newbies. As you start "finding the shots", you'll build up muscle memory and get better at the game, fairly quickly. The shots are tight but very findable, if that makes sense.

I think what's nice from a newbie perspective is you may not be getting to the end of the game anytime soon (which is great value for a home game - you don't want easy in the home environment), but you can focus on tackling one of the three mini-wizard modes and finding satisfaction in that. For instance, just focus exclusively on the Razor Crest shots for that mini-wizard mode. Another game, just focus on the modes. Another game, just the upper playfield. In other words, there's significant content here and nice "mid-game" rewards in the form of several mini-wizard modes. And the game doesn't force you to do this linearly.

Anyways, I can't wait to get my premium next week and join the club. The more I play this game, the more I like it.

Remove the small plastic were the ball exits on to mini playfield .this will allow ball to reach flipper.
( can always re-install only two screws)

Yes this pin is newbie friendly, but I understand your concerns as if shots are not clean they brick easily!
Practice practice practice .
And in the words of Steve Richie “play better”
Good luck and enjoy your pin.

I consider myself as a very basic player and never felt this game hard or having hard shots.
Black night swords of fury, yes! Was hell hard, even after 7 games i was losing the game in less than one minute ( the 3 balls ).
Also Turtles i found it a bit hard in some shoots.
Jurassic parc didn't found the shoots very hard to do but i was often loosing the ball.
I considere Manda way easy to shoot than this 3

I'm in the same boat, first time owner and bought a used Mando Premium for a nice price. We had played it on location a couple of times before buying it, so we knew what we were getting, and it admittedly was not our favorite game we've played. But we figured it's better to have a machine than not, and it was time to rip the band-aid of ownership off and get that pain over with. What you are saying about the difficulty is true, and at the same time what others are saying about it making you a better player are also true. The shots are close, which leaves very little reaction time if you brick, and it's imperative that you get the ball back under control. The shots are also tight, frequently rattle out, which makes the proximity worse, and puts a premium on regaining that control.

I've definitely ramped up my skills playing this game a couple hundred times so far, but have yet to get to any of the mini-wizard modes. My scores have steadily improved up to around 300 million, but still clank around a lot of 10-20 million games. While I make a lot more shots than before, the difficulty of the game can bite you real hard and really fast at any time. In a macro view, that's just pinball, and why it's a challenge we all task ourselves with. In the microcosm of The Mandalorian, I think what lets the game down for us is the theme, not just that it is hard.

The whole theme of the show is a constant fight or struggle to survive, and the machine reflects that. There are basically no lighthearted moments or anything that really makes you smile or laugh built into the game. Starting any of the missions, multiballs or encounters doesn't excite you or get your blood pumping other than the internal stress of trying to get big points. Beating those modes are difficult on their own because of the number of shots you must hit to clear them, and failure is almost always guaranteed, at least for me so far. I agree that it means the game is a constant challenge, and not easily defeatable, which may be a good thing, but the flip side is I often find I get to around the same level of progress before draining out. When faced with repeated failure like that, it is the theme that has to call to you in order to keep bringing you back, and enticing you to play one...more...game... For me, and especially my wife, Mando doesn't do that.

My best example is playing something like GnR, when you start a song, that is friggin' awesome! It's just so much fun to rock out playing that multiball that even if you get a crap score you just want to do it again. So far, I have not found anything in Mando that does the same. One of our local pinball arcade owners told us, completely unprovoked, that when it comes to owning a machine, the theme that tugs at your heart and makes you smile is the most important part, and I think he's 100% right. Unfortunately for us we heard that advice after we had bought The Mandalorian, so we're looking at what to buy next. In the meantime, I'll still enjoy playing my machine several times a day and hopefully getting better at it, but also understanding that it will leave me muttering profanities at it and eventually walking away angry.

Don’t forget Grogu!! Also the LE is beautiful

Mando can be hard, but for me it isn't. The shots just click, it toke some time to get mine dailed in. I certainly do not have that with all my machines. Like JP was a hell for me, sold mine since I just could not find the shots/flow. Turtles same. Mando is great I can find all shots, backhand the scoop and right ramp. My strategy is always, backhand the scoop twice to light mode, then setup the multiball in the middle. Start the mode, start the multiball, start your flamethrower, if that isn't epic then I do not know what is. Finish it of with a great super Jackpot and your in heaven.
For me encounters are the hardest part. I try to buy these with beskar. That said I really like the forgery and the options you get, get the multiball, get another flamethrower or just hit the question mark to maybe get Dank Farik. Awesome game!

This game is relatable on many levels even if you don't understand or watch the series. The Mandalorian is so unique that having it is basically a must, and playing it always leaves the next objective within reach which keeps someone coming back for more as the big objectives are quite linear. As far as a moving Grogu...keep it. I don't want anything not designed by Stern moving around and touching stuff even if his clothes are rubbing a plastic or artwork it will cause some sort of irritation to the game and possibly your peripheral. The only drawback I feel is the game takes a wallop as shots are close and some things are experimental to a degree. Stay in tune with your game (posts, rubbers, balls, screws, even the diverter up top) and you should be fine.

Dang. I appreciate all the replies to my post! Didn't think I'd get such replies.

So smokinhos , Beeloots , ChrisLIX , Medic , Apinjunkie , scootss , freddy , OB1Kenobi , I just want to say I appreciate the time to reply to my post and give advice/feedback.

I don't want to quote everyone of you because then it would make my reply super huge, lol.

But I just want to say I read every one of your posts. I did not know I could adjust the slingshot strength and adjust the playfield to make the out of bounds smaller, so thanks to whoever said that. I put the slingshot to the absolute minimum, because going from the 20's it was at, to even 15 for example, I hardly noticed a difference lol. Only the minimum felt easier to me.

And ChrisLIX , here is where my flipper is, I did not know it could be an issue: https://imgur.com/a/XSSj6fW

And thanks to whoever said I could take off the gate for the upper right playfield ball. I will be doing that this weekend

So yeah, thanks for such an awesome and helpful community here!

TITW

Just got this from Disney shop. Very cheap and looks great in the machine.

https://www.shopdisney.com/boba-fett-starship-die-cast-vehicle-star-wars-the-book-of-boba-fett-461026129418.html?isProductSearch=0&plpPosition=5&searchType=autosuggest

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Can you show or explain how you mounted it? Thanks.

I got a piece of aluminum from the hardware store. Cut it down to size bent it and then put two screws in the back. Currently attached via 3m Velcro strips but I think I’m going attach it via the screws on the insert.

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