The Mandalorian (LE)
Stern, 2021
The Mandalorian (Premium)
Stern, 2021
The Mandalorian (Pro)
Stern, 2021You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider jstoltz.
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Anybody know of a good way to get a couple flyers for the game (premium), other than waiting for them to eventually show up on ebay? I like to snag two of each machine I have so I can frame and display the front/back. Non pinball guests always think it's funny/interesting how much the promo materials have evolved from our oldest ( Lost World ) to our newest (
Batman 66 (Premium), soon to be
The Mandalorian (Premium) ).
Quoted from GoodOmens:You talking about the PDF flyers they post? Why not take that to a good printer and have it done on nice card stock?
Or are the flyers different?
Ah, right! Forgot that those were available on Stern's website. Looks like the PDFs are "Lo Res" according to the filename, though.. may see if I can get a decent print.. otherwise may just wait for them to show up on eBay. Or bug my distributor. 
For anybody else who is interested, here are the links:
Pro: https://sternpinball.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Mando-Pro-Final-Lo-Res-compressed.pdf
Prem: https://sternpinball.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Mando-Prem-Final-Lo-Res-compressed.pdf
LE: https://sternpinball.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Mando-LE-Final-Lo-Res-compressed.pdf
Edit: This bullet point on the Prem flyer seems to suggest there are 4 wizard modes before This is the Way, rather than just three? Or am I forgetting something?
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Edit 2: PDF Rulesheet just lists 4 as expected.. must be a typo on the flyer. D'oh!
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Quoted from Phbooms:stock LE speakers
[quoted image][quoted image]
Those look like a totally different speaker than the ones in the other LE pictures— or am I crazy?
Quoted from PaulCoff:What does “monster mode” mean?
That’s an optional play mode where using the flippers drains a “power bar” on the display, and if the power bar gets too low for either flipper then that flipper becomes unresponsive for a few seconds while it recharges. Basically discourages you from trapping up for too long and forces you to move more quickly. When the flipper power gets dangerously low the GI also flashes red and there are some buzzing sounds. Obviously intended to increase the challenge for experienced players.
I believe it also eliminates or dramatically shortens the ball save and makes it so you can’t buy certain items (armor?) at the foundry.
Also comes in a mode where player 1 has the flipper limitations but players 2 through 4 do not.
Quoted from tdiddy:Update .....time , this will go into our league machine this week for test. Should easily see 100 plays this week. I will follow then, also for pricing I'm trying work it out, it's a pretty tedious to paint and tie on the ropes
[quoted image]
If this is your “interest form,” I’m down for one as well!
Snagged a few of these (Mando, Remnant Stormtrooper, and The Child) on Amazon.. they’re pretty posable and 3.75” scale, so I’m hoping I can find a good place for them. Maybe on the plastics above the Hunter/Fett standups.
Mando: https://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Collection-Mandalorian-3-75-Inch-Scale-Action/dp/B08KJHFCXB/ref=sr_1_1
Remnant Stormtrooper: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07T85WMX5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00
The Child: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08HBWCJH6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00
There's also a Moff Gideon, The Armorer, Cara Dune, Mythrol, Kuiil, etc. Didn't want to get too carried away though.
Don’t expect my premium until 2022 so I have time to think on it
Kenner’s “The Child” with a rusty pinball, for scale. The carrier/pram is actually pretty detailed as well. Should be pretty easy to squeeze in somewhere for a little more flavor… though I guess having a giant-ass Grogu and a tiny one might be a little weird…
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08HBWCJH6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00
7CA3EDD8-86DD-4E46-8D4C-A7ECB39E51D1 (resized).jpegQuoted from NightTrain:I think I found a bug. Wondering if any of you Premium/LE owners can duplicate this.
Finished encounter 1 (all three levels). Then see if the mini playfield just continually tilts back and forth. This happened to me the other day. Then I played again last night and it happed again when I completed the first encounter. It just keeps tilting/rotating back and forth during gameplay, until I get a ball up there, then it acts normal while the ball is in the mini playfield. Once the ball drains out, it just keeps moving.
Quoted from Phbooms:Yes mine does this every time past first encounter fully.
Still haven't played one myself, and obviously not sure if it's by design or a bug, but they do explain this on the tilt forums rulesheet: http://tiltforums.com/t/the-mandalorian-rulesheet/7056#heading--encounters
"Encounter #2 on Prem/LE: the EPF will continue rotating while you’re not playing an Encounter, and the pitch of the EPF will be locked in when you shoot the lit Left Ramp to begin your next Encounter #2 Level."
I kind of like the idea of being able to time your shot to get the incline you're most comfortable with.
Quoted from K9Marshal:I was playing a mean game on my Mandalorian LE and noticed the shaker vibrating too much as well.........then I woke up and it turned out I was dreaming of owning and playing the LE and it was my dog fuking me on my leg just like the scalpers fuking over the guys that wanted to buy the game and now they are priced 3k higher
pasted_image (resized).pngQuoted from crujones4life:Probably ordering a Mando Pro in next few weeks. People who have got their games in the last week or so...
How is the metal thingy with the welds holding up? Are they adding more welds or are they more robust?
I am worried about the ramp cracking at the entrance. Has this been addressed?
I forget where on the playfield it is but there is a post that seems to always be bent/leaning as it is installed on a nut I think? Has this been addressed?
Thanks guys!
Several people have suggested that the ramp cracking can be avoided by elongating the mounting holes on the metal protector so that the protector can sit flush against the plastic. Sounds like the problem on the ramps that cracked was too much space between the metal and the plastic ramp, causing the metal protector to flex downward when hit by a ball, putting stress on the mounting screw and plastic flange. Too much of this, and the ramp cracks.
It’s a pretty embarrassing quality issue but also a pretty easy fix from what it sounds.
Don’t think anyone has a great solution for the diverter, but I could have missed it.
If any club members have been trying to track down a Spike 2 shaker motor, PBL has them re-stocked now-- they were out for a while.
https://www.pinballlife.com/shaker-motor-kit-rev-c-for-stern-spike-spike-2-system-games.html
EDIT: Damn, already out of stock again...
Quoted from Purdue:-beskar flippers, clear titans and blue plastic protectors is my take on LE goodness [quoted image][quoted image]
Any chance you could share a link to those plastics protectors? I like that subtle blue color a lot.
Quoted from Ponzie:The Pinwoofer amp makes a big difference if you want to dial in levels for sure but there's such an improvement in the better speakers alone, it is worth the investment.
If you think of it, the LE machines have 5.25" speakers in them without any additional amplification. All I've done is replace the stock 3.5" speakers with the larger drivers.
Note: You'll need new mounting plates which I purchased from Doug and SpeakerLightKits.com if you're doing the upgrade. (Lights are optional but look cool... )
Alright, fine, you've convinced me! Been sitting on this for a while but couldn't decide if it was worthwhile.
DugFreez you can send
Ponzie the commission on my Deluxe 5.25" Speaker Light & Plates Combo.
Quoted from TigerLaw:Anyone know when the Mando Premiums will go back on the line? Is the October run indeed no longer happening? Are the rumors this is not going back on the line until 2022 true?
I was told Q12022 when I (pre)ordered on June 25th. I assumed that there were earlier runs I just missed out on since I was “late” to pre-order. That was just an assumption though.
Quoted from thewool:One thing that definitely needs attention is the use of the upper post. As has already been commented, a clean right orbit shot just rebounds and comes back down. Apart from that it seems to be up the majority of the time during the game even when CHILD insert is not lit. PLEASE code team reduce the amount of time this post is up or at least some kind of option to reduce it. It doesn't work well as designed, and even when it does work that area is boring. It's fine to have it in play during the plunge, or at other times, but other than, limiting it will unleash the flow of the game.
I still haven't even played it but it sounds like it could use some code "voodoo" like Batman 66 has, where the ball lock diverter flap is very responsive to the game state and even seems to anticipate orbit shots when you use the opposite flipper. I've never taken the time to figure out how exactly that works but it seems like a similar problem with the up-post on Mando. I've never had a "damnit that diverter shouldn't have been up" moment on BM66.
EDIT: is it truly an up post, or is it a down post? That is, what's the de-energized state? Asking in case it's actually a down post and there are electrical reasons it can't be (energized) down more often.
Quoted from Peanuts:It's a really really nice touch to see some of the concept arts from Christian Alzmann and Ryan Church in the attract mode. And in some way, Cara Dune is in the game...
[quoted image][quoted image]
The concept art actually made me want to watch the end credits of each episode. Really great stuff. To clarify though-- is this modified code, or does the official stern code have the concept art during attract mode?
Quoted from KozMckPinball:I thought this ball hang up was a ball magnetization issue but it is not. The hang up occurs very frequently and is the result of the shape of the metal bracket underneath the left ramp. The bracket is shaped like the letter "F" lying on its side and the F gap lets a ball settle in there. Anyone else experience this/have a solution?[quoted image]
Is this possibly due to your playfield overlay? Seems like a pretty tight fit regardless, but curious if your overlay is partially to blame.
Quoted from thewool:Has anyone come across some flipper bat covers that extend the artwork of the lane guides?
Yup:
https://www.tiltgraphicsinc.com/product-page/mandalorian-flipper-decals-cambo
Also, for what it’s worth, Colywobbles makes some nice brushed stainless* overlays (shooter plate, shooter gauge, and flipper toppers) that in my opinion look a lot nicer/dignified than the swirly beskar designs out there. I think the swirly ones look pretty cheap/fake, and the stainless look is more impressive. I believe he was doing $15 for a set of 4 toppers, $15 for the shooter lane gauge, $15 for the shooter plate, or $40 for all of it.
*they’re not stainless, just plastics that look like brushed stainless. They look great.
Quoted from mbrave77:There does seem to be a lot of mandos for sale, but Im still anxiously awaiting my premium. I think many just saw how awesome godzilla looks and needed to free up money/space. Luckily I now have new found room having given away my 9 foot pool table so I have mando, godzilla, and maiden coming soon. Whats going on with Mando production anyways? I was a day one premium buyer and still no word. A few weeks ago my distrib said it should be a few weeks.
I've got a premium coming in '22.. came across a premium on location last weekend in Pittsburgh (at Kickback Pinball Cafe) and forced myself NOT to play it, not wanting to spoil the magic of unboxing day. I will say the machine looked a LOT more substantial and impressive in person than it has in pictures/streams. Got me even more excited than I was before.
Quoted from ctl723:Finally received my Stern Mando shooter rod. The quality is... absolutely awful? I'm not sure if they're going for an intentionally distressed look, but it sure looks and feels bad.
As a comparison point, this was taking so long to get I recently picked up one of the Hooked on Pinball ones (which I think is a mod of this Etsy ball - https://www.etsy.com/listing/752909526/its-not-a-toy-razor-crest-baby-yoda-knob). Absolutely beautiful.
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Good to know the accessories are being shipped out, at least. I think I like the distressed look, but the blue paint on the end is kind of sloppy. Would like to have seen a distressed version of the HookedOnPinball rod; kind of a best of both worlds situation, since the blue coloring on that one looks more “realistic.”
Has anybody else heard confirmation of these from their distributors? I’m on a list for one, but haven’t heard anything just yet.
Quoted from John1210:Deadflip never exactly does a good job either of explaining code. Nothing against him but if your looking for good code explanation he ain't it. He usually fluffs around loading it on then plays it... which is fine but not particularly thrilling viewing. I was hoping stern starts to broaden its use of streamers tbh.
I guess what I meant was that streaming > text files when it comes to understanding bullet points like “added polish to ______” and “updated light show for ____”, since it’s tough to get a sense of scale from the text file. I feel like code updates also tend to pepper in things like additional call outs or clips or light cues, etc— and those aren’t always in the notes.
I’ll agree that for actually learning the rules his format isn’t the best, but learning the nitty gritty of the rules also isn’t what I expect from his streams anyway, so it doesn’t leave me disappointed or anything.
Quoted from Beowulfz07:So Stern will have an insider connect exclusive feature where it will only come up when child is lit to force all the non insider connect owners to buy the insider connect !!!
Man, some of you guys act like Insider Connected showed up at your house piss drunk, slept with your wife, and dumped in your cornflakes the next morning.
It’s a feature on a luxury toy, not the end of the world as we know it.
Quoted from Waxx:Well, some is in jest but it is a back door to more control, data-mining, and recurring revenue. If you like community pinbrowser packages it’s bad as well. I’m assuming they will figure out how to check the files and remotely disable the game if you run your own audio or video.
Oh for sure, definitely admit there are some legitimate gripes about it.. I just don’t think “gatekeeping up-posts with a paywall” is one of them, and this post is very “the sky is falling” in nature.
It’s fine not to like it, but that doesn’t mean “project every frustration you have from this point forward onto it.”
Quoted from Beowulfz07:My comments were just tongue in cheek !
A bit of frustration thrown in for good measure about the uv kits for ST but I think insider connect is a good idea, I also think Mando is my favourite pin I’ve ever played and Sterns best machine out of the box, and my only very small gripe with it is not being able to do a super skill shot at the start of every ball.
Dwight you’re a legend, end of and if you give us the options in menu for use of the skill post as you suggested then Mando is perfect for me, so credit where it’s due, Thankyou for listening
My bad! I guess I'm just frustrated in general with people getting worked up about speculation, most of which is pretty wild speculation. I understand where you're coming from.
Quoted from Dahawk007:I just heard on the Pinball Show podcast that the October Premium Mando run has now been postponed til December. Ugh
I assume that means the subsequent runs are also gonna be pushed back by about the same amount of time. Definitely a bummer for everyone.
Quoted from KozMckPinball:they took our meconium - no idea what that is in the callout though, googling it states some nasty stuff
Meconium, as in the tar-like stool that comes out of newborns in their first couple BMs? Yeeeeeah no thanks.
Quoted from Ross:I just picked up a Mandelorian LE, has anyone compiled a list of adjustments etc that are recommended? I’m going through the posts but there’s a lot to wade through.
Thanks!
Ross
I'm sure there are more, but I believe the big ones are:
- Lower Ball Trough Eject Power as low as it'll go while still working reliably.
- Adjust (or add a cliffy protector to) the left ramp entrance, to avoid ramp cracking.
- Add some target foam to the diverter for the upper playfield, to help avoid the ball bouncing off of the diverter and rejecting back down the left ramp.
- Make sure the ambush vertical scoop thing isn't digging into the playfield surface when it is activated.
EDIT: Two more from @chrislix:
- Check metal rails and adjust the height for those too close to the playfield. The ball impact is causing the rail to scratch the playfield.
- (Pro only) In the mini playfield section, Check the post that replaces the left flipper and see if it's properly installed and straight.
Quoted from TigerLaw:I’ve been told they are not going back on the line till March. I simply gave up on my order and switched over to a Godzilla Premium. Hopefully Stern gets their production ironed out next year and can satisfy their day one orders from spring of 2021.
Oh man, yuuuuuuck. I'm not even a day 1 order (got my name on a list for a premium on June 25th) and have been hearing "Q1 2022" since then. If you were actually a day 1 order and still weren't expecting yours till March, I hope that doesn't mean mine is even further out than that. That would be a huge bummer.
I'm gonna wait regardless, was just hopeful it wouldn't be quite that long.
Anybody know if the “Making of the Mandalorian” seminar from expo is available anywhere? Or, in lieu of that, any interesting nuggets of info that were revealed during it? I know cameras weren’t allowed in the stern virtual factory tour, but wasn’t sure if that rule extended to the other seminars.
Quoted from JStoltz:Anybody know if the “Making of the Mandalorian” seminar from expo is available anywhere? Or, in lieu of that, any interesting nuggets of info that were revealed during it? I know cameras weren’t allowed in the stern virtual factory tour, but wasn’t sure if that rule extended to the other seminars.
Threw together a summary of interesting bits, for anyone who doesn't care to watch/listen:
- There was originally no "loop" behind the ambush up/down scoop-- just a standup target. They changed it to a loop after getting feedback from other members of the Stern team.
- There was some development time put into a "Force Flip" (like phantom flip) that would use optos in the inlanes to detect ball speed and flip the flipper accordingly for you. It was planned to make 1 of 6 shots "for you." It didn't repeat reliably, so they turned it into what is now the "Scope" feature.
- The Razorcrest originally moved along a rail with each hit, finally lifting the target below the Razorcrest once the ship was pushed to the back of the machine. They couldn't get the mechanism reliable enough to include, and removed it since it was "still fun without it."
- They talked about how the child sculpture actually helps keep the ball from getting too wild during the magnet activity
- Total video content runtime is 63 minutes across 457 *.mp4 clips, from 800 storyboards.
- Jerry was given all the audio tracks separately from Disney (sound effects and dialogue) so that it was easier to separate those assets and use them.
- [Show Spoiler] They originally wanted to get Nick Nollte for the callouts, but he ended up dying in the show so they thought Carl Weathers was a better choice.
- Disney advised Stern to "leave space for" characters who had not yet been revealed, so that once they were revealed (as episodes released) they could still be worked into the art/game.
- Randy Martinez shared that the art of Mando/Grogu flying towards you (down by the flippers) was based on a 3D model Chuck Ernst threw together for him on short notice, so that Randy could use it as a reference and make sure he nailed the artwork for it. They showed a playfield art mockup with the 3D model in place of the artwork. Randy said he loves that it's front and center because it reminds him of how much teamwork played into the development of the machine.
I think the Razorcrest bash-back toy would have been awesome. Bummer they couldn't get it to work, the game seems like it could have used a bash toy like that.
Quoted from J85M:Sounds a little like a more complex version of a vari-target, could have been fun to hit but what they ended up with is still a super fun shot. I think they spent all the BOM before they got to Grogu, I’m not buying it that the sculpt is there to control the ball.
Any mention of the topper?
Hah, yeah-- I think I agree with you on the Grogu point. Probably more of a "silver lining" than a design decision.
No mention of the topper that I heard.. Full disclosure, I had it up on one monitor while I worked on the other, so I could have missed some details. I think my lizard brain would have sent up some alarms if it heard the word "topper" though. 
Quoted from Belvedere:I used a fiber washer from Home Depot. Just snipped it with a scissors so it could easily slide on there. I had to loosen the ball guide a little to get that washer under it. It's held up since
[quoted image]
This is a great idea (over total disassembly, which is something I'd hate to have to deal with on receipt of a NIB machine). Definitely keeping this in mind-- thanks!
Quoted from mbrave77:In another thread someone said the premium run was bumped to spring, but my distributer just told me today its still on for Mid December. So looking forward to getting it then(hopefully)
From the posts over the last few months I'm thinking there may be two runs, so I don't think either statement is false... December Premiums for those who ordered early enough to get it on that run, and Spring '22 Premiums for dumbasses like me. 
Quoted from FamDocKevin:Anyone know anything about the Mando shooter rod from Stern. Got mine today and there are divots all over the surface. Is this an intentional look?[quoted image]
Yep, that’s the intentional, weathered aesthetic they were going for. Protagonists in Star Wars aren’t allowed to have nice ships!
There’s a sleeker, cleaner looking one available from HookedOnPinball, and a few other folks make them as well.
Quoted from its_really:What is this unnecessary post doing here? I made a great mod here and offer it for everyone who has fun.
You could have just asked me if I had a license before you posted so ignorantly here! Firstly, I donated an amount to the designer and, secondly, I pay a license fee for every SpeederBike sold.
Furthermore, not everyone has a 3D printer. Incidentally, the bike is not just simply printed out quickly, it also has to be assembled (glued), sanded, primed and painted. I designed the bike mount myself and so did the lighting. The figures and other material are also needed, which are also not cheap.
Yes, if you have a 3D printer, the skills to manufacture it yourself as described above (working time approx. 4-5 hours) you can of course do it yourself, but not everyone can do that or not everyone wants it!
I don't think anybody really has a problem with it if all of the above is true, it just seems disingenuous to not disclose that in your post from the start.
Quoted from Vespula:Everybody's doing mods, 3d printing is available to everyone. . Buy or don't buy. That's your choice
Yeah, I know… I was responding to the question about “what this unnecessary post was doing here.”
You’ll notice I’m also not telling anybody to buy or not buy, I’m pointing out why he got negative reactions. Making/selling mods is cool, I’m for it. I just think it would have been received better if there was a little more transparency about the source material on the front end.
Quoted from John1210:Gotto reiterated here and hope dwight is listening. There needs to be rules placed in the game that extend upon the 3 main adjectives... once one objective (eg the red) is done you can't just make that whole part of the game finished and it just sits there like a dumb shit until you do the other sections... this is plain poor programming and foresight. I won't bang on about changing the up post again... all I can say is there were more important bugs to fix than changing the up post rules.
anyone thinking this is a quality 1.0 release... well you must be playing a different game to me. This feels more like .95 or a 96 release at best. The fact this is at 1.0 is scary to honest.
As a guy who works in industrial automation, I gotta say that people generally don't like having blanket criticisms like "poor programming" lobbed at them by their end users. Pinside is fortunate that Dwight even takes the time to read/post here, let's not drive him away by being abrasive.
There's a few other folks in here who put ideas/feedback/critique forward to Dwight respectfully/constructively. Can we stick with that vibe?
Quoted from scootss:Yes. Mandos are shipping with IC but it it not yet enabled in the code (due to licensor - disney - approval not yet granted)
I noticed the apron on some of those IC-Equipped Mando Pros didn't have any Randy Martinez artwork around the QR reader, that's kind of a bummer. I wonder if that's also due to a lack of licensor approval?
Fingers crossed the prem/LE aprons get a little more artistic flair like Godzilla did. I thought the surrounding artwork on Godzilla looked great.
pasted_image (resized).png
Quoted from dtrimberger:Where does everyone have their flippers aligned? My L flipper must have been a little loose from the factory and drooped (went flacid?) a few games in. I fixed it but noticed the R flipper upper edge is aligned with the playfield dot. Most of the time the center of the plastic is supposed to align with the dot but occasionally I've heard a few designers that prefer a different position.
Thanks in advance
My understanding has always been that the dot is king, and the tip of the flipper should shoot an imaginary line straight through the dot/dimple. I think when designers intend for drooped flippers the dots are lowered to indicate that.
Quoted from Peanuts:TWEAKED:
- Setting the Adjustment MULTIBALL ALWAYS ENABLED to NO will now require a
new Hunter Mission to be started and competed or draining the ball before
you can advance to the next multiball.
- Changed the default of MULTIBALL ALWAYS ENABLED to NO. By default you will
need to complete a hunter mission after the Multiball or drain before you
can advance to the next multiball.
Since I don't have my machine yet, I have to ask rather than try it myself. Does this mean the "Razorcrest hurry-up between multiballs" is replaced with "hunter between multiballs?" If so, I like the sound of that.
Moving the bonus levels to the end of the encounter also seems like a nice change to maintain the pace of the action. I dig it!
Either way, thanks Dwight!
Quoted from DarthPaul:Just asked my Distributer when I can expect my Premium and was told, Stern cut production by 75% for Decembers batch and added them to March, along with the 2022 price increase.
The conflicting information from Distributors is dizzying. Stern really just needs to make the production schedule available for consumers to monitor “as is” so that there is less confusion among people waiting on orders.
I’m sure distributors would appreciate not having to reply to emails asking about production updates constantly.
For example, you were told March 22 (I assume recently) while FlipNOut reported Feb 22 just yesterday.
Bah!
As ridiculous as it sounds, I got one of these from my mother and father-in-law as a birthday gift.. Thinking about maybe using it as a backup topper if the Stern one ends up being lame and/or too expensive.
Haven't put it on top of my other Stern (BM66) yet to see if the sizing is appropriate or not. Figured if it works, I'll try and find a secure/tasteful stand for it and come up with a way to attach it.
https://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Mandalorian-Electronic-Collectible/dp/B08C15NTSZ
Quoted from Zeusflurry:Anyone know when next batch of Premiums being shipped??
I ordered through Classic Game Rooms, was supposed to be October then delayed to December, no word yet??
Can't wait to be part of the club of Mandos!!
February is the current plan for next Premium run, per Flip N Out. Yours (and mine!) should be in that run as well.
Ref: this post below and the preceding episode of The Pinball Show
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/the-pinball-network-/page/58#post-6691466
Quoted from spidey:It must be the 2nd mode (playfield insert 2) that has the really steep pitch. Maybe Dwight wants us to use Whistling Birds for that level. Still, I'd rather have it not as steep.
Can’t confirm because I haven’t played it personally (waiting for that NIB experience) but tilt forums shows that the 2nd encounter locks in the tilt of the upper playfield when you make the ramp shot. Suggests you can time your shot for the incline you prefer, which is cool.
Only appears to apply to encounter #2 though, Catch the Jawas.
8350F100-A59D-4FC9-B512-92809AB2E60E (resized).jpegQuoted from JStoltz:I'm sure there are more, but I believe the big ones are:
- Lower Ball Trough Eject Power as low as it'll go while still working reliably.
- Adjust (or add a cliffy protector to) the left ramp entrance, to avoid ramp cracking.
- Add some target foam to the diverter for the upper playfield, to help avoid the ball bouncing off of the diverter and rejecting back down the left ramp.
- Make sure the ambush vertical scoop thing isn't digging into the playfield surface when it is activated.
EDIT: Two more from ChrisLIX:
- Check metal rails and adjust the height for those too close to the playfield. The ball impact is causing the rail to scratch the playfield.
- (Pro only) In the mini playfield section, Check the post that replaces the left flipper and see if it's properly installed and straight.
Looking back through the thread for the “fix these things before you play too many games” list— is this list missing anything major? Planning to knock out the above before I let myself play mine much more.
I did get some plastics protectors for then inlane guides and slings as well.
This is a little thing, but I was installing mods and cliffys and whatnot and actually laughed out loud at the attract mode call-out of Mando saying Grogu’s name and then laughing when he responds.
Is 6.5 degree incline the general consensus? For the best play? Did a quick search of the thread for “degrees” and only saw a few comments about it, so wanted to check.
Looks good in the lineup!
Put in cliffys, kenwood 5.25” speakers, speaker lights, shaker, collywobble’s flipper bat covers and shooter gauge plates, diddy’s stormtrooper helmets on spikes, plastic protectors, and a little foam padding at the left ramp diverter.
Having a lot of fun playing, but damn is it challenging. Lights/sound/shaker integration are all fantastic… it’s a beautiful game!
9087401B-D54A-4502-A02F-BDEE970B7C8D (resized).jpegQuoted from John_I:I have tried to find pictures and descriptions of this. Can someone help me out on this?
Sure thing! This is just two adhesive backed, rectangular target backer foam pads (intended for standup targets) from Pinball Life. I put two rectangular ones right next to each other to make it a square about the size of the ball. You could probably use anything similar for the same effect.
For what it’s worth I played quite a few games without it and never had a reject, but it doesn’t hurt to have them up there.
This is probably Stern ownership 101 for most, but figured I would share since it was a first for me. The adjustable position outlane posts are pretty tough to move if you don’t have the right tools. It’s worth a trip to the hardware store to get a set of “deep well sockets” for the job.
Use a deep well 1/4” for the top side. Bottom side is 3/8”, but no need for a deep well socket there.
Definitely don’t fall into the trap of using a standard or adjustable wrench on the base of those posts unless you want to spend an hour removing it and another hour putting it back in.
This game has been pretty brutal on the outlanes, so in the interest of my friends/family enjoying more of it I opted to lower mine to the bottom position. I’ll never be a competitive player anyway, so no shame!
Honeymoon phase still going strong, forgive the post spam!
Art blades on! Was worried about this one but went really smooth. Hardest part was getting the playfield back in, probably should have waited for my wife to get home to have the extra hands… but you can’t play a disassembled game, can you?
Time for a “glad that’s over” beer!
21E16757-451C-4C3A-BDD8-620EF711583D (resized).jpegimage (resized).jpgQuoted from Xelz:Congrats! Those blades look awesome. Now is probably a bad time to tell you they can be installed without removing the playfield…
Quoted from flynnibus:Buy a set of 'ignition wrenches' - they are basically pocket sized combination wrenches. Example: amazon.com link » (not the ones I use, just example)
The 1/4" wrench is essential and works perfect for these kinds of post jobs. The reason for recommending these kinds of tools is because you frequently the posts are blocked from above and you can't get a socket on them. These pocket wrenches are used all over the place for small parts on the topside. Great thing to have in your toolbox.
Good call! Smallest wrenches I have atm are metric and only down to 7mm, hence my decision to just get some SAE deep well sockets.
I hate the idea of backing out ~1 inch of threads using a wrench (time consuming) but definitely see where it’d sometimes be necessary. Glad the outlane posts are exposed!
Quoted from BrandonLaw:Yep. Stock! Bummer! I will see if they by chance have revamped the design since October and get that protector if so.
Fwiw, my premium was born recently (on 1/21/22) and still has the short one.
Edit: I did replace it with the Cliffy immediately (having ordered the cliffy's back in the Fall).
Quoted from torpedo2k:Booting Mando Pro with an External Monitor hooked up on the HDMI port.
Not sure if this has been posted before.
I booted up my Mando Pro with an external monitor hooked up to the HDMI port. Its a different video output all together. Its in reverse. Maybe video for a topper?
Since I cant post video here, here is a link to the video on Google Photos.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/dS4MzQcHEaBfaU3d9
I booted it up, hit the flipper a few times then launched a short game.[quoted image]
Haha, that for sure looks like a hologram or holo-puck stylization, with the blue trails and such. Those effects aren’t active on the main display… I bet you’re right on it being used for the topper.
Quoted from Xelz:Wow, that's definitely designed for a hologram appearance. It's not designed to be reversed, rather it's designed to be upside down (which I guess is the same thing). My guess is that it's intended for a topper that has mirrors to create the hologram illusion. This could be a very sweet topper.
Edit: Typos. Also, that's clearly Moff Gideon voicing "You have something I want."
I’m intrigued.. I wonder if this hdmi output could be used for an under-glass mod or an aftermarket topper (once we see the official one). A little display similar to BM66 tucked somewhere (apron, in front of the encounter diverter where it’s just bare solenoid right now, etc) would be a nice compromise over paying $$$ for the official topper.
Hopefully they leave that HDMI output active regardless of you having an official topper, opens the door for some cool mod ideas imo.
I’ve got a 7” hdmi display from adafruit somewhere here, I might try that concept out tonight. Would have to figure out if it’s possible to reverse the image though…
Quoted from torpedo2k:Booting Mando Pro with an External Monitor hooked up on the HDMI port.
Tried this out, turns out my 7” display is only 800x480, so I’m only getting a fraction of the video. Depending on the actual res of the video, there may be some suitable LCDs out there that would work for this. Combination of an lcd laid flat on the backbox (and a mirror at the right angle to flip the image and make it visible to the player) would probably make for a pretty cool, low budget topper.
Hooked up a normal 1920x1080 capable PC monitor and that seems to do the trick!
Also noteworthy, the graphics appear to be WIP; the high scores and last game scores that show when in attract mode just say “Test1” on them.
A158867E-564A-42E9-8560-060B9B37A641 (resized).jpegC2C47376-64B9-447D-A4FD-995379E83679 (resized).jpeg
Quoted from Guinnesstime:Early impressions....
This plays tough. The slings give you a big fu and send balls down the outlanes. Power down to 20 but still tough.
Will probably move the posts to lowest position.
Super skill shot is awesome IMO. Ambush is also very cool.
Cut scenes play a little too long (I know you can skip).
The Child mystery scene is too long. I could make a snack.
I was getting destroyed by this game and finally decided to lower the outlane posts… worth it!
Quoted from mbrave77:what is the super skill shot on mando?
http://tiltforums.com/t/the-mandalorian-rulesheet/7056#heading--skillshots
It's pretty satisfying, and also pretty forgiving in terms of the time it allows you to complete it. Here's the section from tiltforums:
Super Skill Shot:
Super Skill Shots can be rather risky, but can reward equipment or other awards if you can make them consistently. The left flipper must be held before a shot to the U-Turn is made, followed by a right ramp shot and then one of three final shots within 5 seconds per shot. Each final shot gives a different award:
Left scoop - Immediately start a Mission. If Missions are already lit, then one use of Whistling Birds is awarded. (see Foundry section)
Left ramp - Immediately starts an Encounter. If Encounters are already lit, then one use of Rising Phoenix (Pro) / Jet Pack (Prem / LE) is awarded. (see Foundry section)
Center ramp - Immediately starts one of the three Razor Crest Multiball modes or a Razor Crest Hurry-Up depending on what feature will be started next. If the feature was already lit, then one use of Amban Rifle is awarded. (see Foundry section)
Haven't had a ton of time to play my premium since the first weekend after I got it, but I was able to spend about 30 minutes over lunch playing it today. I had forced myself to read through and understand the rule sheet a little more (particularly hunter and ambush) and now that I "get it" I'm having even more fun playing this thing. Compared to my Batman 66 it's just brutal. Definitely has that "okay, fine, just one more game" quality for me right now.
One thing that has surprised me is how rarely I'm finding myself at the foundry and able to buy stuff. From the streams I watched, I was expecting beskar accumulation would be easier/quicker. Makes it feel more "hard earned," which is cool.
Very glad I invested in this machine... loving it!
Quoted from Karl_Hungus:There's a rumor on Facebook that something is coming for Mando tomorrow. Indicates it is not the topper, but something bigger. I have no idea what the hell it might be.
Book of Boba Fett series finale today, announcement on the Mando machine tomorrow...
A bit of irresponsible, wild speculation: Could this mean some "beyond Season 2" content for the machine?
Quoted from Psw757:This would be cool but season 3 of Mando doesn’t premier until late fall of 2022.
I'd settle for content from S1E5 and S1E6 of BoBF while we wait for Mando Season 3!
And probably S1E7, but I haven't watched it yet.
Speaking of Titans, anybody care to change my mind on just getting a standard black set? Considered the gray but thought that would show dirt a little bit more and potentially drive me crazy.
Quoted from spicekabay:Thank you. This was my expectation, too. but we have check the hardware, the coil is moving fine, nothing seems to be loose. but I will have a second look, since the noise is REALLY annoying...
I have also been wondering about this; mine is audible (I usually play without headphones, volume at ~7 on upgraded 5.25" speakers) and I can definitely tell when the scoop is down from the low humming. I haven't taken the time to lift the playfield and do any testing on it yet though. It's odd that something like the scoop would continually hum when other sustained solenoids (like the diverters, magnet) don't.
EDIT: Unrelated, I had my best game so far last night (~411M, so still not great). Once you start getting and using beskar (buying Heal, especially) the game really opens up. Starting to strategize mission/encounter/flamethrower stacking, etc. The challenge is definitely there for me, but it continues to be really rewarding to play.
I also dropped the beskar on the "Random" award and finally got Dank Farrik multiball going in that game-- pretty great stuff!
Finally made it to a mini wizard mode today (I Like Those Odds) and had a blast playing through it. The wizard modes being timed with a ball saver really make them feel like a reward that you can actually enjoy. Sounds and video clips for the mode really immerse you.
Put up a score of 828M, really good for me on this machine! Had Precious Cargo lit but Shatzed up the inlane and out the outlane to end the game… d’oh!
Quoted from J85M:R rated speech & 83 achievements!!
Thank you Xaqery
Is "Dank Farrik" considered R-Rated?
Curious if this option means speech we've already heard can now be censored, or if it means new speech that is R-Rated has been added...
And agree, thanks Xaqery ! Can't wait to work through the achievements and get family/friends a little more engaged with playing.
Just got my shooter rod from Stern in the mail today (ordered back in June of '21 and my distributor just got it in a week or so ago). This is my first stern shooter purchase, so I was surprised that it came with the whole housing and not just the rod itself.
I've already got a little decal/overlay on the factory housing (mythosaur logo from Colywobbles ), so I'm planning to just swap out the rod and leave the modified factory housing in place.
I guess my point/question is, why does Stern send an entire housing with the rod? I guess to ensure good action/fitment between the rod and the housing? Seems like kind of a waste otherwise...
Quoted from jaycbarnett:Quick question to Prem/LE folks.
The scoop makes a buzzing noise when it's "engaged", it was so loud it could be heard over in the middle of play and I have the machine pretty loud. With the glass off, I rolled the ball through the loop and the buzz could be felt on the top of the mech.
I messed with the Up/Down Scoop hold power setting, trying values above and below. I would seem to quiet down and then come back, so I was thinking it was mechanical somehow. I looked under the playfield to make sure the mech looked like the drawing in the manual and all the sleeves/washers/springs were in the correct place. Hmmm...
Anyway, just set it back to default setting, and last night it quieted down on it's own. It's still there a little bit, but not audible over the game in play. Not heard back from Pablo on my email, just wondering if anyone else had this.
Found this 7 month old post with the search function, digging it up now:
I messed with my noisy (audible hum when held) Up/Down scoop hold power last night as well, lowering it from 96 (default) to about 75. It did seem to quiet down somewhat, but it's still audible.
Was there another solution or adjustment found to resolve this issue? Couldn't find anything else in the search tool. Sorry if this has been asked a few times!
Note: It's a little hard to quickly test the hold power changes in single coil test because the coil just pulses there--doesn't hold. This requires you to go into a game to see how it performs once it goes down for Ambush or something like that, which is a little clumsy.
Did a search last night for "right ramp" and read through all the posts I could find-- it sounds like backhanding the right ramp from the right flipper (from cradle) is doable by some, not so much by others. My inability to consistently hit that ramp shot is definitely holding me back from progressing through the game (Ambush, Modes, etc) so I'm wanting to get that dialed in. For me and my machine, flipping right out of the cradle never seems to work. I'm pretty comfortable with backhanding/aiming shots from the cradle but just can't make this one even 10% of the time. Machine is level from L/R and at about a 6.5 incline.. Still on the factory stock rubbers at the moment.
I do have a bag of clear "skinny" posts from my pile of homebrew parts and I'm thinking I'll try the suggestion to replace the lower Luke slingshot star post with one of those. if anybody else has any other specific feedback on how they made this shot more attainable, I'd be interested in hearing more!
I watched an "Abe Flips" stream VOD and his timing (right cradle, release flipper button, flip) seems identical to the timing I try to execute when attempting the backhand of the right ramp. There's something different going on though. If I do this I'm either hitting the corner of the lower slingshot post and bouncing left ("early") or if I flip just a fraction of a fraction of a second later it's hitting the left 2x target instead. The difference in timing between those two shots is as small as I can seem to make it, even though I know somewhere in the middle there the sweet spot has to exist. I'm just wondering if there's something that I can adjust to widen that sweet spot.
His just seems to interact much differently.
I recognize he's a very talented player and I am, well, "me", but I'd like to think I'm decent enough to be able to execute this with some repeatability.
Here's a link to one of his (many) backhands at ~7:10
Quoted from dtrimberger:Is the consensus to backhand the L ramp? I find that I mostly have to cradle and backhand it but that technique just seems so... boring. Any shot from the R flipper to L ramp just ends up dangerous, from a cradle or on the fly. It just doesn't seem to want to take a R flipper to L ramp shot... as frustrating as JStoltz is with his R ramp shot. I'm open to any ideas to make the L ramp shot easier as well. Tapered post rubbers from Titan?
For me, I *can* backhand the left ramp but I tend to shoot it from the right flipper the majority of the time instead, since I'm more comfortable with making that shot.
If you call the tip of the flipper "100%," I flip from the right flipper at about "70%" and that seems to do the trick. On the left flipper I probably flip somewhere around 40% but I'm not as consistently successful from there.
Quoted from Xelz:I’m in the camp of barely being able to backhand the right ramp. I have an insanely tight window where I need to flip just a hair past hitting the sling post. After watching Deadflip, his seems to let the ball roll a bit further down the flipper, but it’s still a tight shot.
And despite that, it’s still more reliable to shoot backhand from the right flipper than forehand from the left. It’s been by far my most difficult shot in this game, which makes escaping ambushes the PITA that’s it’s probably supposed to be
Glad I'm not alone!
I'm going to try a skinny post this weekend and report back on whether it helps noticeably or not... Will also snag some pictures of how it looks and share those, since I know the detail oriented folks (myself included) might be hesitant to use mixed post styles.
I guess it would also be possible to replace all of the posts with the skinny version.. I'll play around with it.
Ok, quick change of posts and some testing. It’s very easy to change these out, 5/16” driver and a 1/4” driver. These screw into t-nuts, so there’s no need to lift the playfield. Quick and easy.
The size difference is deceptive; it’s not quite as big of a change as it looks because it’s the diameter at the groove in the post that’s most important. The width at the base doesn’t really matter because the ball will never hit it anyway.
426ADD9A-2653-4D6C-9C0A-EB1DF7BDF3E8 (resized).jpeg3CB91E3F-51E6-4B6E-866E-BCA5DABC76B7 (resized).jpeg
That said, the skinny post’s diameter at the groove is smaller by a non-trivial amount (I’ll dig out my calipers later on to figure out the actual difference). Since the groove has a smaller diameter, the rubber doesn’t stick out quite as far from the center of the post either. Means you do get a small amount of additional clearance for the ball.
After getting the posts switched over to the skinny version and putting it back together, I tried the right ramp shot from cradle several times. Basically letting it come to rest in the cradle, fully releasing the flipper, and then pressing the flipper button as soon as the ball rolls out of the cradle position. Feels like about quarter of a second delay, maybe. It’s shooting right up the ramp now, probably more like 70-80% repeatability for me now, and I’m not a tremendously good player.
All that said, the shot is obviously still makable without switching out the posts. I’m honestly not sure if I was getting the timing right before I switched out the posts, tbh. But if you, like me, want a little more forgiveness I think this definitely widens the shot window for you.
0F8384F8-E931-4FE8-89CC-B63F7EB0FBAA (resized).jpeg794BF585-8B4E-46BD-969C-CD3250CF7DF0 (resized).jpegC9FF850F-6EF6-487F-8C52-5A3B9E295FD5 (resized).jpeg
The last two pictures are screenshots from a couple slo mo videos of successful shots. These were shots that made the ramp, favoring the left side of the entrance. As you can see, any further to the right (earlier on the flipper) and it would be in danger of becoming a post-pass instead of a ramp shot.E7B5F90F-7F27-4AD5-B865-98FFC22F62BC (resized).pngFEFC486A-99E9-47C7-9C36-B0DB230F7BE4 (resized).png
Quoted from Bluthgg:Oooh I want to do the same, could you link to that specific post you changed out with?
I believe it’s these:
https://www.pinballlife.com/data-eastsegastern-narrow-plastic-post-1-116-tall.html
550-5059-01 (Clear)
Quoted from nicoy3k:I have not problem making that shot with stock posts
Right, I’m not convinced it’s necessary. There are just a handful of us in the club who have had trouble with the shot, and this makes it just a little easier.
Quoted from BWelch:Do the skinny posts enable passing between flippers? This is something I can rarely do on this pin.
I’ll give it a shot once my kid is asleep and let you guys know; didn’t think to try earlier! I just did the left and right slings to keep it balanced looking…
I’m skeptical it makes enough difference for the post pass to change much, but I’ll definitely try it out.
Edit: Don’t think it changed much. I was able to get some clumsy passes but nothing that I would call consistent or repeatable.
Quoted from medeski7:I came across something new (to me) yesterday! I got to play Din Djarin multiball. It's the first and only time I've had that happen. Such a fun and weird multiball Easter egg. I think I activated it by picking the ? in the foundry and then stopping the selector on the ? with the action button. Totally unintentional and fun. Anyone else get to play this?
Any idea if this was a different multiball than the "Dank Farrik" multiball that starts the same way?
Quoted from medeski7:That's it. I edited my post. So cool!
Agreed! Didn't mean to "correct" you, I just know there are some other 'Mandalorian' modes indicated in patch notes and achievements and was wondering if this was indeed another hidden mode. Guess we'll keep hunting!
I’ll channel J85M here and remind you guys to get Cliffy protectors ordered for the left ramp ASAP!
http://www.passionforpinball.com/WIP/mandalorian-base-v2-001.jpg
I upgraded my premium to the Kenwood KFC-1366S speakers and the 5.25" speaker panel kit from @dugfreez, and did not change any EQ settings or add any other hardware.
I'm not an audiophile and it's very possible that I could improve the quality by doing more, but I will say that the sound is awesome and has plenty of bass for my tastes even with this relatively minimal upgrade. I believe the KFC-1366S speaker was the model Stern was using for the LEs for a while.
I keep the volume around 7 or 8 and have never needed to go any higher
Quoted from J85M:Check in your cabinet maybe on top of the cabinet speaker as it’s magnetic, often the screws are there somewhere.
Non-pinballs that fall out through the center drain also tend to drop into the coin box, that's another place to check.
No news yet on the Mandalorian Topper from TPF, eh? Fingers crossed they do a mid-show reveal or something like that.
Anybody know if they have a decent number of Mandalorian machines on-site to show it off, if they do end up revealing it?
Don’t recall seeing it discussed much, but what are folks setting their inclines at? I had been at 6.6 or so until tonight, bumped it up to 7.0; seems to make the orbits a lot easier to hit and the game seems to play a lot more “clean.”
Curious what others are set at (and why, if there’s a specific reason).
Another machine setup question for everyone.. I just got done replacing most of the factory rubbers with titans, observing that my factory post sleeves had already taken a ton of impact/abuse. Occurred to me that I have, so far, left the flipper power at factory settings and haven’t dialed them back at all. I have no problems making any of the shots if the timing is right (never feel like my shots aren’t strong enough to make it up the orbits or ramps).
I’m wondering if maybe I ought to lower flipper power a little in the interest of not beating the crap out of the posts. Anybody have any experiences with flipper power adjustments (specially lowering the power?)
Related Note: I’ve lowered my slings down to ~15 (they were just way too lively for me) up/down scoop to I think 175 (to cut down on the humming), trough to ~175 (to protect shooter lane) and reduced foundry eject quite a bit so it has enough juice to push the ball out and let it roll down to the left flipper a little more calmly. Not sure off the top of my head what setting I used there.
Quoted from T3quila:It seems only one out of five times I get actually one of the rollovers. Most of the time its middle or back to the right orbit, and 1 out of 5 it's SDTM. I was hoping they are going to fix the algorithm pulsing the magnet that at least more than half the times you have a chance to get anything else than the last item on the list.
I think Dwight punted that tuning to the community (probably recognizing that all machines are gonna be a little different and your mileage may vary). One of the last few updates introduced timing/pulse settings for the child magnet, which would theoretically allow you to tweak how much it does/doesn’t get thrown around.
Problem is that’s a lot of trial and error and I (personally) don’t have the desire to spend an afternoon on that.
I’m guessing making the pulses longer would reduce movement, but I’d need to look closer at what those adjustments are.
Quoted from RandomRetro:I am going to have to contact technical support. Definitely something not right on my game. Last night every switch was triggering score, including just flipping the flippers. The issue stopped for a bit, and then came back... I got to 1B totally legit right
Also check the leaf switch at the bottom of the pop bumpers (not on the pop bumpers themselves, closer to the player on the playfield), I think it's called the 10 point switch. That one has been over-sensitive or stuck for a lot of people.
Quoted from NickBuffaloPinball:Need some help...
Just set up a game at work, build date is March 8 of this year. I have the issue where the rail guide on the left orbit is pushed in too much, which means the ball hits the rubber post and takes a bad bounce, rather than smoothly coming around.
I tried the following:
1) Unscrewed the guide by that area, moved the post out a bit, then screwed back in. Worked for a few games, then got pushed back in.
2) Bent the rail guide by the post. Worked for a few games, then got pushed back in.
I'm finding this annoying. Anyone else have this issue and find a resolution?
Hey Nick--
I think this post is the only other time I've seen this issue mentioned:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/this-is-the-way-the-mandalorian-owners-club/page/92#post-6842033
Neither are "warm and fuzzy" fixes imo though (one being "glue" which just feels incompatible with pinball to me, and the other being "custom print a bracket" which not everybody has the means to do.). I wonder if maybe a lockwasher between the screw head and the ball guide would help keep it in place once it's tightened down? Seems like that might be a less extreme fix.
EDIT: There are tons of lockwashers elsewhere throughout the game, so you might be able to temporarily steal one from a post or somewhere where it won't really be missed.. Then if that works you can take it to a hardware store and get a replacement one.
Quoted from Beez:JOINING THE CLUB !!!
Ordered a NIB Premium - shipping tomorrow )
Also, ordered Cliffy's & a full playfield protector
Congrats!
It's wild/cool/refreshing to hear about people ordering a machine and just having to wait for it to ship, rather than having to wait 8 months for it to be made.
Quoted from Lermods:Don't want this to come off as complaining, but do others find this game as frustrating as I do? Miss a shot and it's in outlane, hit the slings and it's in the outlane. Just when I get something going, it's in the outlane. I'm on factory outlane settings and 7 degree pitch, hesitate to move the outlane posts in. It's so brutal, to the point of wanting to sell it, which I really don't want to do, but I just may do it. Just played like 10 games, high was 187, but most were like 10-40 mil. My high i think is around 400 mil. When you do have that one great game, it's really satisfying and it does have that push the start button one more time feel to it, but man is it a frustrating game. It's as if the geometry is off, forcing the ball to the outlane more than any other game I've played. Likely because the shots are just too close.
One question, what are the ways to collect Beskar? TILT forum rules say hunter, scope and mystery...anything else?
I've only broken 500M a handful of times in a lot of plays. It's frustrating, but I like that it is-- balances out the long-playing BM66 sitting next to it, and keeps me interested in playing it. I'll admit that sometimes that boils down to a love/hate relationship, but I think at the end of the day the difficulty gives it staying power for me. Having it has definitely made me a more accurate shooter and a better player.
As much as I want to see it, I'm willing to wait a little longer. Ended up ordering a Deadpool Premium (arriving soon!) and starting to redo the deck at our house... Gonna take me a while to fill the "Pinball Wallet" back up!
Good problem to have, obviously.
Anybody in the club have any opinions on lowering flipper power below factory (maxed)? Have my playfield at about 6.5 but it still kind of feels like the flippers are cranked too high. Curious if anyone has lowered theirs to a value that feels more "natural" without sacrificing the ability to make it up the ramps. If so, what values did you use?
Thanks!
EDIT: Some searching led me to one person saying 240 L, 210 R. Another couple posts suggested lowering flipper power on all new sterns, but didn't specify how low would be reasonable.
Quick appreciation post for this title… been pretty busy lately and haven’t had much time to get downstairs and unwind with pinball.
Forced myself to take a break last night and put about 10 games on our Mandalorian Premium. Even with a brand new Deadpool Premium (which I am loving) sitting next to it, Mando was keeping me hooked. The integration of the sounds and lights and the challenging geometry give me that “ok, one more game” feeling after every ball 3.
Super glad we pulled the trigger on one of these. Also glad I didn’t bail during the 7 month wait! Still don’t think this machine gets enough love.
Quoted from NickBuffaloPinball:I sold Deadpool to fund this game, and glad I did. For me, it's the better game.
I’d have a really hard time choosing between the two I think, but I would definitely say they offer very different play experiences. I’m finding that our mix of Batman 66 (Long Ball Times), Deadpool (Moderate Ball Times), and Mando (Short Ball Times) makes for a good variety.
I’m not a great player, so Mando is a punisher for me still. But I definitely see the appeal in that. I’ve made it further in Deadpool in just a few weeks than I have on Mando in several months. Sometimes an “easy” game is what I want out of a trip to the basement though. Just depends on my mood.
Quoted from MS1985:Hi - first time pinball machine owner here and I purchased the Mandalorian Pro as my first machine.
Looking to get a feel for the best mods to make on this machine and other key mod tips you would recommend.
I purchased the shaker and will have that installed upon machine set-up. I also purchased the wire ramps to installs right away. What other first time owner tips, tricks and mods would you pass along?
Welcome! Most important things to do are:
1) get a set of Cliffy Protectors for the left ramp ordered to avoid the plastic being broken at the entry of the left ramp (pretty common). Cliff makes protectors for other parts of the machine, but the ramp protectors are the most important for this one. I'd also suggest getting the shooter lane protector if you can. Just send Cliff an email at [email protected] or [email protected] and he'll get you hooked up. There's no online store or anything, kind of oldschool. https://www.passionforpinball.com/WIP/mandalorian-base-v2-001.jpg
2) Turn down the trough eject power in your machine settings to as low as you can go while still reliably getting the ball out of the trough and into the shooter lane. That'll dramatically reduce wear/tear on the wooden groove of the shooter lane, which otherwise takes an unnecessary beating.
Mods are up to your personal taste, but I think Diddy's Mods' "stormtrooper helmets on spikes" mod for next to the shooter lane is pretty awesome.
Edit: Here's a post from a while back with some more things to check out from a machine setup/protection perspective:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/this-is-the-way-the-mandalorian-owners-club/page/49#post-6589395
Quoted from NickBuffaloPinball:I'm going to pile on. I have a Pro on route and a Pro at my office. Liked playing both and was going to get a Pro for home. Figured I would get the Premium so that I have some variety, and yea...Premium is significantly better on this game.
If anyone is in doubt, go Premium.
The actuated scoop on the U-turn of the premium alone is worth the upgrade, imo. That shot is so damn rewarding. Super Jackpots at the end of a tie fighter multiball, especially with a shaker motor... oof. The upper playfield is cool and guests tend to respond to that more than anything else, but the actuated scoop is where it's at. The grogu magnet is pretty underwhelming at the moment, still hoping that sees a little more integration at some point (a munsters style 2-ball multiball hurry-up would be great imo).
Also, the cabinet art on the Premium is just kickass. I've got it on the end of my lineup just so I can see it from the rest of our basement. Nothing cooler than that first whistling birds scene of the series.
Felt like I might have noticed a few new things in a few games, but it could be my imagination or crappy memory
- Lighting effect for flamethrower now includes inserts “between” the flippers and the shot arrow being ignited, more obvious how far you’ve gone from right to left when activating
- Encounter 1 Level 2 seemed to have more sound effects of Fennec Shand making contact with stormtroopers, I don’t remember that being quite as obvious before
-Find the Asset had IG11 Self Destruct dialog that I don’t remember hearing before
-Jetpack multiball starting animation seemed to use more of the GI than it did before?
-Ambush light show seemed a little more red and animatic than before (just the white arrow inserts only, if I recall correctly).
—
Quoted from Wildbill327:Not being able to backhand the shots could of been caused by broken coil stops…I just had to change all 3 on my machine. If you haven’t checked your stops or changed out the wimpy Stern ones…there’s a good chance they are broken
I’ve been wrestling with making that backhand of the right ramp consistently myself, definitely gonna check on this.
I know it’s a shot that requires skill to make consistently, but I just can’t get the geometry right. I even changed the bottom slingshot star-posts to skinny ones to buy a couple mm of extra clearance.
Quoted from NickBuffaloPinball:This.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: in the home environment, I think you want a tougher game. You don't want a game that's super easy and you'll beat. You'll be bored in no time. As you get better, you'll be rewarded by getting farther in it.
I get that someone could step up to Mando and get frustrated that it's hard. But at the same time, this game consistently earns well on route for me and for other operators. And these are mostly casuals throwing money into it, on a pro no less.
What's awesome about this type of game, for me at least, is that I feel pressure on every shot. It's intense. Contrast this to Godzilla... Shots are very forgiving on GZ and therefore a less intense experience. Point is, I love both games. Sometimes I want intense, and sometimes I want a more "flowy", casual experience. But being difficult, in and of itself, can be a very good thing.
Yup-- Mando really shines in a small collection with machines that contrast it from a difficulty standpoint. Sometimes I want to blow up Batman '66 or play a single 45 minute game of Deadpool, but other times I want to throw 10 games on Mando to see if I can actually get deeper or break ~500M.
Quoted from ripit:45min on deadpool i find impressive
Hah, that is for sure an exaggeration. Point is that I tend to have far fewer but much longer games on those titles as opposed to the rapid-fire, beat-down, clawing to survive type experience I generally have with Mando.
Had a couple friends over to play pinball last night; tried to set up a three-player challenge mode but at the end of Player 1’s turn it just went into normal play. I think that might have been reported before but looks like it’s still an issue in the latest code.
Was using Home Team for players 1 and 3 with a non-IC player in the two spot.
(yes, I’ll send to Stern)
Quoted from bigguybbr:I wonder if that makes post passes easier. I know it wasn't the designers intent, but sometimes the difference between a pin staying and leaving is appeasing the players (a.k.a. my wife).
That said I remember Jack Danger saying on a stream that sometimes you can loosen and nudge a star post ever so lightly, and it will change up the geometry enough to fix certain things.I get that too, but then I remember that not everyone who comes over to play is at my skill level (not that I'm that good) so I need to sometimes make some changes to keep things fun for them.
This was one of my posts in the thread, if you search them I have a few photos of it in action. I felt like I could see an improvement in the "backhandability" of the right ramp from right flipper. I didn't really see much improvement at all in post-passing, though. Just a tiny bit more clearance on those right flipper backhand shots, to help widen the window of success a little bit more. It's an easy swap, and if I ever need to sell the game I obviously kept the original posts in the coin box.. doesn't take long to change them out.
In a perfect world I'd prefer to keep things stock as well, but that right ramp is such a critical shot to progressing through the game... I may have to try a flipper adjustment also, like TrekTobbyGermany mentioned.. It's still not as accessible as I'd like.
EDIT: Here's the link.. the handful of posts after this one talk about some other stuff related to the change as well, if you're curious. https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/this-is-the-way-the-mandalorian-owners-club/page/90#post-6824302
Quoted from Nds777:Does anyone have a Star post and skinny post handy? Can you measure the width of the posts with come calipers where the rubber goes? I’m curious about the size difference.
Here's a quick digital comparison.. It's a bigger difference than it appears to be initially, imo.
I drew the black line on the skinny post first, made a copy, and moved it over to the star post. Approximate centerline in cyan for reference.
pasted_image (resized).png
Quoted from J85M:Would any owners be interested in a pair of cast, dual chromed so think Beskar pattern, pop bumper caps to replace the shitty looking factory ones?
For reference use the quality and finish of Hookeds stuff, like the caps he did for Deadpool and Ironman plus a handful of other games.
100% interest!
Edit: a little post bath-time silverball for the little man tonight. I find it hilarious that he got the skill shot from the auto-plunge. Also hilarious that the display says “The Child is Lit” in the picture, haha.
1B8DD196-5F2A-4BC7-AADE-FEEE6A45DFAA (resized).jpegLooks really cool. Can't and won't spend $2,000 on it, either.
Would be nice if Stern would release the gatekept modes (maybe in year or so?), whether you had the topper or not.
Reminds me of another thing Gomez said in the stream (about home leaderboards and how those might impact operators), paraphrased: "We're trying to make sure we do things the right way and keep everyone happy." This kind of stuff is really frustrating as a home buyer.
Edit: I wonder; could one theoretically get ahold of the type of node board used in the topper, hook it in, and access the gatekept content? Also wonder if that would re-enable the second HDMI output on the CPU board. A few hundred bucks for a lo-fi stand-in sounds heaps better than $2000.
Quoted from J85M:If all owners here refuse to buy the topper I’m curious how many they would actually sell at 2k.
No one here has said they are going to get one at 2k
I think there are plenty of folks buying them up, based on the other couple threads that are discussing the topper. I think Stern knows that the average Joe probably isn't going to buy one, but the higher end, wealthier collectors can't resist.
Wouldn't fault anybody with the interest and the funds for buying one, but it's just way too much for me. Had a "spot" on a distributor's list since June of 2021 and told him yesterday to pass it along to the next guy.
Quoted from dashv:I’ll out myself and admit. I am going to get one at 2k.
I’ve had my topper order locked in with my distro since last Sept when I ordered my premium.
As soon as the announcement video hit I called them to let them know I’m still all in.
When I got Mando, I also got the art blades, shooter rod, side armor, voodoo glass, and external volume control, and Insider Connected through the distro, then separately I got and did the grogu mod, Cara Dune shooter ramp decal, flaming speaker grills, and coin door insider connected camera mounting plate.
Given how much my family enjoys the game and how much I have into it already, it just wouldn’t seem right to leave it unfinished. That said, my family is Dwight S. & B. Eddy fans in general and we deck those machines out all we can and bolt them to the floor.
When you add all those extras together the topper isn’t really all that crazy given it’s licensed and 1st party. Stern needed to do extra coding and animations for it, plus testing, plus hardware and that was all done in America where minimum wage is much higher most places now and inflation is at 9%.
Given this is more than the typical “plastic and lights” they usually do, inflation, and the fact that flippers were going to have this thing at 2k resell anyway I don’t have a problem with it.
Sure, I’d rather it was cheaper. But if it’s gonna be 2k I’d rather pay it to Stern and see that money go to Dwight and crew than just be paying an extra 1k to some opportunist with buddies that’s hoarding inventory.
If 2k is a bridge too far for many, hopefully upwards of that leaves scalpers just holding on to unmovable inventory and disincentivizes them.
I know a lot of folks are not happy about the exclusive modes tied to it. But let’s face it. The toppers price is somewhat subsidizing extra software development. We all know it and many keep saying they want more code. More code.
I’m a software engineer and I don’t work for free.
I don’t expect them to either.
If topper purchasers are subsidizing that work, I think it fair that they should get to enjoy the fruits of that for at least a little while. Even if they are just paying a premium to beta test.
Once the topper runs are done they could open the modes up to the masses (if they don’t actually require the topper to function).
I think something like this was done with Jurassic Park.
Another way to look at it is this.
There are people overpaying anywhere from $1000-$5000 right now for flipped, used pros, premiums, and LEs. JJP is making 15k retail pins a thing with Toy Story 4.
Given that’s just widely accepted now as “pinflation bruh”, if one is willing to wait patiently and get their Pin at retail price, the topper is practically free.
My Mando Prem with everything I mentioned and a 2k topper is still cheaper than Toy Story 4 with topper at retail price. At flipper prices… fugggetta-bout-it.
Fair points, my dude! Happy for you. No shade at all from me towards the folks who are making this work.
Wish there was a world where folks who've been hyped about this thing from the beginning (okay, "folks like me") weren't getting priced out of the fun. If your theory about the price being tied to the amount of software dev time is true, I'm hopeful that they sell enough toppers to "recoup" that cost. I hope they eventually opt to release those topper-locked modes to the folks who couldn't rationalize the cost of (or couldn't get ahold of) a topper.
I'm reminded of a comment Gomez made in the recent 007 stream (not about toppers, but about home leaderboards):
"...we have to figure out a good way to do it, and keep everybody happy."
Topper-locked content does not seem like a good model for "keeping everyone happy."
Quoted from Xelz:Thanks! I recall reading about the skinny post swap months ago, but figured I just setup my machine incorrectly or my skill sucks. Sounds like some builds are just off a bit too much without a post swap.
I think this is a general theme with Mando based on feedback from people who own or play it on location. I think the design is just so tight (some of the shot tolerances are so narrow) that anything less than a flawless setup puts shot accessibility into question. Whereas other games can be more forgiving if you don't have things setup just right, I think Mando really HAS to be pretty much perfect or you really cripple the experience. The post swap really helps add some necessary forgiveness to that right ramp backhand shot (a critical shot to making it through the game).
Couple things I was wanting to ask the rest of the club about or just mention:
1. Question: Has anyone else tried the “Minimal Use” shaker motor setting? I was wanting to tone down the shaker in my machine but found this setting to be no different than “Maximal Use.” I ended up just disabling my shaker and tbh I think I like having it off more than having it "Maximal Use." Partially because I tend to play later at night (when my son is asleep two floors above) and I'd rather hear the game than the rattling, but also because I think the shaker is a little too intense. I was gonna submit this as a "bug" to Stern but wanted to check with the club real quick.
2. Question: Does anyone have a strong opinion *in favor of* the Upper Playfield flipper(s) (pro or premium) being enabled during normal play? I feel like this should be an adjustment that can be set to the owner's preference. Beyond putting unnecessary miles on the upper flippers, having them enabled also generates a lot more machine noise. I'd love to be able to turn that off to quiet the machine down a little bit. Was going to suggest/request this in my bug report email to Stern, but wanted to make sure I wasn't alone in thinking this.
3. Comment: I put some "Precision Flip" flippers (https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/review-precision-pinball-products-cnc-flipper-system/page/23#post-7207078) on my Mando last night and had some of my best games right after. Can't really prove that they were the reason for the improvement, but there's a whole thread of people with similar experiences to mine (feeling like shot consistency/repeatability improved). I'd recommend giving these a shot if you're interested. They also look pretty awesome, which doesn't hurt.
Mando_Halographics (resized).jpgQuoted from barroncaliber:i have enough saved up to spurge on two pins . star wars is for sure but is the mandalorian similar as far as playing excitement ? i have not played mando before so it will be a blind buy but it looks great on you tube .
Really suggest you go play it for an hour somewhere to make sure you like it before you buy one. It has some really great moments, lighting, and sound in it.
I'm a pretty average player, so for me it's also a difficult game and a bit of a punisher. It challenges and frustrates me, and a really good game is a bit more of a rarity. As a result when I *do* have a good game, it feels amazing. The payoff of hitting a mini wizard mode or getting a super jackpot is just that much better as a result.
In my collection I have a Mando Premium (shorter ball times, tougher, less approachable), Deadpool Premium (moderate ball times, average difficulty, easy approachability) and Batman 66 Premium (long ball times, easy difficulty, easy approachability). I like having that variety of ball time/difficulty/approachability.
I think if I owned just a Star Wars and a Mandalorian, I might find myself wanting an easier or more flowy game. Sometimes you just want to have fun on a machine and not fight it. Anyway-- just my opinion! Plenty of locations for you to play near Seattle, so go try some out before you commit!
EDIT: I see now that you currently have a GNR and Godzilla, so maybe these would be perfect complements to your more flowy/approachable games.
Quoted from kempsuk:Hi All
Is there a way to control the Grogu magnet. When the ball lands on the magnet, it goes crazy etc. I thought I read somewhere you can control the magnet via the flippers??
Thanks
Nope. There are adjustments in the system menus to change magnet pulse timings if you want to spend an afternoon tweaking that, but no way to control the magnet with the flipper buttons.
Guess it might be possible to do an aftermarket mod for that, but don’t really see it being worthwhile since it doesn’t impact the gameplay much.
Quoted from kempsuk:Half the time (most actually) my magnet ends up throwing the ball out and it just comes down the middle. Maybe I will try to tweak so the magnet is not so fierce .
Thanks
Gotcha. I don't know/remember 100%, but when people were first bringing up this concern I think Stern spent some time trying to adjust the magnet timing for it. With it being a magnet and by nature pretty unpredictable/varied from machine to machine or game to game, I think they realized it was a tough nut to crack. There was an update where I think they did tweak the default timing a little but, but a subsequent update basically admitted defeat, added some adjustments for the pulse times, and punted that "tuning" to the machine owners.
I could see the tuning of that magnet being difficult to get right for all machines. You want the randomness for the mystery award, but you also don't want it so crazy that it shoots it SDTM. I've not spent any time trying to set mine up any different from factory, but I also don't tend to get SDTM drains like others do from the feature. I'd probably be more bullish on the adjustment editing if I was having the same issue, though!
Quoted from spicekabay:Yesterday my son and I again tried to beat Mando, or at least to reach “This is the way”, in cooperation play of course…. We were surprised to figure out that:
1. You can actually reach more than a billion points… Who would have presumed…?
2. Having completed the wizard modes “I like those odds” or “precious cargo” does only count for the very player, who has completed the modes. It doesn’t count for the other players involved in the co-op game. So seemingly the players cannot support each other in reaching “This is the way” by each completing just one of the wizard modes.
Is this intended? Maybe yes…???
3. After having completed “I like those odds” and “precious cargo” as well as three encounters, we couldn’t start the encounter wizard mode “you have what I want”. All we got after hitting the left ramp was starting several bonus levels in the helmet again and again, but no wizard mode.
Is this intended? Probably not…?
Thanks![quoted image]
[email protected] (and [email protected] if you're feeling bold and want to CC him). Unsure if he finds the cc annoying or prefers it, so cc at your own risk!
Quoted from J85M:Really nice update, new ambush sounds like a lot of fun and a big improvement. Just a shame everything else that’s great in this update is topper related at 2k alot of owners won’t see that stuff.
Hopeful for an eventual update that makes the topper content available to the masses (similar to what they did with Goat Mania), but we'll see. https://www.knapparcade.org/post/goat-mania
Regardless, excited to try out this new code later!
Quoted from dri:Unobtainable if the drop-down ramp is involved at any capacity
I think you need to get your machine setup better if this is the case; this shot is far from unobtainable on mine. It's just difficult enough to be rewarding when made, but not so difficult that It's unmakeable.
Also, if you want your feedback to resonate with anyone on the software team, maybe consider phrasing your criticisms constructively. All I'm getting from this post is petulance. If you were a software developer, would you feel any sort of obligation to support a community member that considers your work to be "a turd?" Guessing not.
Quoted from John1210:Thats great but in one of your recent mando streams you said quote "this game is a turd"?
Quoted from shaub:The readme mentions a final shot of 15m, but with pfX maxed out it can be 720m or something? I don't understand the math of it though" +5x (6x playfield) and the shot lit for 2x of that from flamethrower should be 12 X 15M = 180M.
Highest I can figure is 6x playfield (+5x), times 2 for the ramp shot if qualified (12x) and then another x2 from the flamethrower (24x)... so missing one last x2 to get to 48x?
48 x 15M = 720M....
Quoted from CookyJar:The topper "DLC" code is in the code update, so it's on the machine whether or not you have the topper, correct?
If that's so, has anyone figured out how to "trick" the machine into thinking a topper is hooked up, thus unlocking the "DLC" modes and content?
I’m guessing you would need a node board (like the one in the topper) hooked into the machine so that it can “confirm” the topper is there. Might be viable if they were easier to get ahold of, but don’t think they really are at the moment.
Quoted from BrokenChair:Does anyone know any game settings to tweak to make this game more enjoyable for newer players so far all I’ve adjusted is the ball save time to 15 seconds which is helping with the early drains …
Any other settings to tweak ?
Some ideas:
Maybe change it to more than 3 balls per game.
Maybe set it so that the mini-wizard modes are easier to reach (start the game with a couple multiballs already completed, a couple missions completed, and/or a couple encounters already completed).
Maybe change the adjustment to make re-qualifying multiball easier (not requiring a drain/hunter between multiballs).
Quoted from thekaiser82:Recently passed 1000 plays here at home. Still really enjoying the game.
[quoted image]
Love to see an LE in a home where it gets played and not just "collected!"
That mirrored backglass is so awesome. 
Quoted from Psw757:I’ve had a different foundry issue happen when hitting the shot. The screen will change and hold ball but not go to selection screen unless I press both flippers.
I've been wondering about that also. It seems like maybe the 10 second "timeout" is counting down while it shows you the splash screen for the Foundry (before it shows you your options). Noticed that when you press both flippers to get past the splash screen, the timer is down at 3 seconds already. Then using the left or right flippers to move your selection kicks it back up to 10.
Whether the 3 second timer is because of the splash screen or that's just the initial starting time, it seems like not enough time for a new player to understand what's going on. Feel like it makes more sense to start that timer at 10 seconds after the splash screen rather than 3...
Am I crazy? I'll submit as a "bug" to Stern if some other club members feel the same way.
Quoted from DiabloRush:Back in the Mando family, picked up an LE on Monday. Had the Stern shooter rod installed, and as near as I can tell, all the corrosion/pitting on this is intentional. I guess this is supposed to replicate the ball in the series? Hmmmph. Just looks like someone left it outside for a few years to me. Any insight as to why Stern intentionally rusted up the otherwise good looking accessory?[quoted image]
Yeah, it's supposed to look weathered like that..I too would have preferred it to be clean. I think Hooked On Pinball has an unofficial "clean" version if you prefer that look.
Quoted from Bluthgg:Recommend the halos vs the full flippers? Did you have to turn power down any?
I put the Halos on mine and dropped flipper power down to 225 for both left/right, and that works great. I also recently dropped the power down further to 210 for each, and that seems to work pretty well also. The 210 setting might be a little more susceptible to flipper fade than the 225 setting, fwiw.
Quoted from dri:A simple thing I wish they added is to tune the ambient light in the "cockpit". I don't recall ever razorcrest being in this dodgy blue tint.
Quoted from J85M:Xaqery any plans to tone down that blue topper lighting? Big cool/warm white fan here, the blue looks to wash out some of the sculpted detail within the topper and it doesn’t look great on the very brown, orange and yellow premium/pros.
Still think the Topper is pretty cool (disregarding price and the lack of more interesting hologram graphics), but I have to agree that the blue light is no bueno.
I've always felt this way about blue christmas lights as well. They just don't please the eye like other colors do.
It's science! https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5jv1gk/eli5_why_are_those_blue_led_christmas_lights_so/
Quoted from BrokenChair:Has anyone with a pro machine encountered issues with the right u turn not registering when hit ?
Sometimes it will register it sometimes it will not :
I noticed it wasn’t registering when I would hit the super jackpot when lit … any ideas where to begin to troubleshoot
Check out this post by crujones4life
You might be able to resolve the issue by adjusting the stock microswitch style rollover (making it more sensitive by bending it upward to protrude above the playfield more), or you can do what he did and replace that switch with a magnetic reed style rollover.
Side Note: flynnibus would you be willing to make some of these answers to often-asked questions key posts? We don't have many at the moment but there's some good stuff in here.
Quoted from ArmyChris:For those with the topper, do you tilt yours at an angle somewhat?
I'm 5'11" and with mine installed, about 20% of the bottom is not viewable.
I can't see the bottom hologram information at all such as the beskar.
Did yours ship with a wedge? Or is it sitting flat on top of the backbox?
They are supposed to ship with a wedge assembly to get it more aligned with the player’s view, I know at least one person posted about their topper not including a wedge initially.
Quoted from davegauth:Quick question on the HDMI output for the topper.
With the topper now released is the HDMI outputting the visuals the same as it was a few years ago?
About a year ago a friend hooked up the hdmi to a TV and showed me the output. Shortly after hat I had heard a codeu pdate had then shut that signal off.(did not verify) I am now wondering if the topper release, they had also opened the code back up to output the HDMI again - even I you don't have a topper installed.
I'd experiment with this directly myself, but my SW is on location and a bit hard to drag in a TV and check as easily as it would be if it was in my home.
I haven't tried myself since they disabled it, but I doubt they "opened it back up." The current (unproven but I think pretty likely) theory is that the HDMI output is disabled if the node board used in the topper isn't found on bootup... similar to how the Mandalorian Madness and Beskar Bonanza modes are disabled for those of us without a topper.
There's a possibility that if you could get your hands on the node board used in the topper and plugged it in to your machine you'd open that content up for your machine, but node boards are pretty hard to come by at the moment. Would be a fun project to reverse engineer the topper into a "BYO Nodeboard" version for the DIY community. Not sure if Stern puts specific firmware/code on the topper nodes or if the MCU on the nodeboard gets everything it needs during the Spike "Node Board Update" process.
Also not sure if anybody has attempted that on previous toppers (like the Jurassic Park topper's infamous-at-the-time "Goat Mode," which was topper locked until IC was released.)
Quoted from davegauth:Do you know if the topper node boards are similar to all the other Spike node boards used in the game - or are they smaller versions used just for toppers?
I'm not after the extra features - I just want to tap into the video feed and use it for a cool location display.
I think somebody posted the part # for the node board either in this thread or one of the threads specifically about the topper. Not sure if it was a copy of one of the common playfield boards (node 8/9) or something different.
This is all just guesswork though. Assuming you got your hands on the right node board and hooked it up the same way the official topper is, we still don’t know for sure if the machine would be fooled.
Quoted from KSP1138:I'd be willing to try if somebody confirms the node board part number and I can find one somewhere.
Same here, but I don't think it'll be easy to get one without proving you bought a topper and yours has failed. This is the first machine to use this particular node board...
docquest posted the info in the "Stern Mandalorian Topper Released" thread, here:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/mandolorian-topper-released-video-inside/page/17#post-7274744
Node 12 (optional)
520-8530-00
HDMI Adapter-Topper
Side note, was this just sitting here in the manual since launch and we didn't notice it? Or did Stern update the manual recently?
https://sternpinball.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Mandalorian_LE_Pre_web.pdf URL suggests May 2022 upload...
pasted_image (resized).pngNot a topper owner, but definitely appreciate that the theme option adjustment made it into an update at all. +1 for the "good guys" at Stern, imo.
Sorry you guys still have a few bugs, but at least they're paying attention to the clamoring.
Quoted from MrSmiley:Mando topper installed today [quoted image][quoted image]
Would you mind sharing what stand you used for those black series helmets? Looks great!
I have that same Mando helmet that I've considered putting up top (maybe with some flashers on the corners tied into the game) since I can't rationalize an official topper.
Quoted from Thunderbird:They sell a board that will stop the madness of active flippers, when there is no ball in the upper pf? Wow, please send me a link of where to buy this board. Unbelievable that Xaqery Stern has not accommodated us by just putting a simple code update, that tells the upper flippers to not activate unless a ball is in the actual upper pf. So simple and inconsiderate Stern/he won’t do that, unless there is some issue we are unaware. Running flippers when nothing is there wears on the whole flipper assembly for no reason at all. Please Dwight, make upper flippers inactive, when there is no ball to actually flip.
A little harsh, imo. I’m sure everyone in the programming space at Stern has to triage the bug requests (and new development) and knock things out in order of priority/impact. I definitely want this feature (perhaps as an adjustment) too, but I don’t think we’re still waiting on it because any one person is “inconsiderate.”
I’d love for them to hire one or two more support programmers to work through their backlog faster, sure. But Dwight in particular has a good track record of engaging with the community and (eventually) getting around to the updates.
Best thing we can do is periodically submit constructive bug reports to Stern, imo.
Quoted from Gubbin:This is the first real pinball machine in my house. The frustration/reward emotional roller coaster this game provides is something else. I don't see myself getting tired of it anytime soon. Hopefully it will help me ,"play better". Thanks to all the folks in this thread who have provided all the useful tips and tricks.
Right there with you. Constantly challenged/taunted by it, in a way that keeps me engaged. Mine sits next to the comparatively breezy Batman 66 and Deadpool— love the variety.
My goal is to see the wizard mode before my son (who is currently 18 months old). I’d give myself 50/50 odds.
Quoted from BWelch:yep, it’s HDMI - someone in here hooked it to an external monitor - the output was flipped, as you’d expect
I’ll add that after it was posted about in here, the subsequent update disabled the HDMI output and it stopped being possible to do.
I haven’t tried since the update where it was disabled, but I would be pretty shocked if they re-enabled it. I’m guessing, but it seems likely that the code would check for the presence of the node board in the topper before enabling the second HDMI output.
Edit: I also don’t know for sure if the topper connects to the HDMI output in the backbox or if the node board in the topper handles the HDMI output itself. Maybe someone with a topper could confirm.
Quoted from sgorsuch:Hello Mandalorian Club. I have had my brothers premium game at my place for about 4 months. I like the game and want to like it more- as I sincerely like the whole theme. I have noticed a couple of nagging issues with this particular game and wanted to see if anyone else has experience them and if there is a remedy.It seems most of the issues that I experience are all concentrated on the right side.I have found the right ramp to be strangely difficult. I would say that at least half the shots to it are not successful. Most times the ball will jump up and hit the clear plastic ramp cover and roll back down the ramp.I checked to power to both flippers and it was default at 255.I did see where a few players backhand this shot with great success.Any suggestions at what to look at next? The other tough shot is the the right scoop on the Premium. I have made it from both flippers, but a good percentage of the time the shot is not clean enough to complete the scoop and return to the left flipper.Very satisfying went executed.Lastly the 2 spot target multipliers- i get some weird spins coming off the targets from time to time. To the point where i had to examine under the playfield to see if there were any magnet solenoids. Thanks for any constructive pointers. I will try to follow Greef Karga's advice when draining to the outlanes-"Play Better!"
Two easy things you can do (for the right ramp backhanding) are:
1) adjust the right flipper so that is aligned with or maybe just a hair above the alignment dimple, giving you a little more of a “window” for hitting the right ramp shot. See key post here: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/this-is-the-way-the-mandalorian-owners-club/page/131#post-7262846
2) For a few bucks you can try replacing the lower star posts on the slings with the skinny style instead of the stock star style. That buys you a little extra clearance when shooting right out of the cradle on the flipper, which makes it a little easier to hit that right ramp. It's a very easy and very reversible change.
Initial post explaining it: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/this-is-the-way-the-mandalorian-owners-club/page/90#post-6824302
Link to where to buy the posts: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/this-is-the-way-the-mandalorian-owners-club/page/90#post-6824358
Picture comparing the sizes of the different post styles: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/this-is-the-way-the-mandalorian-owners-club/page/120#post-7188907
Quoted from AweHellYeah:I have found a bug and have a question about the topper for Mandalorian.
The bug I found is, according to the podcast, when you sign in with Insider Connected you should see some stats for the user. This works if you sign in with your QR Code, however, if you sign in a home team member it does not show the stats. How can I report this to Stern?
Second, is there any way to adjust the hologram height? Even with the hardware to tilt it up it seems a bit low and for my height 5'9" is cut off during gameplay unless I step back, also note when it initializes the Stern logo is cut off. See Image. I feel if this screren was in frame everything would be OK. Can it be adjusted?[quoted image]
Send a nice polite email to [email protected] and (ideally) it will go on a punchlist for the software team to knock out in the next update.
Don't think there's any official method of changing the pitch of the hologram, but maybe you could add some washers or small appliance shims to get a little more tilt on the topper overall. Not sure how feasible it is to disassemble and adjust the tilt of just the LCD/lexan within. I don't have a topper, so these are just unverified thoughts.
I wouldn't worry about the cutoff stern logo since that's really just a diagnostic/bootup screen and not really "hologram content" that is supposed to look nice.
Quoted from BrokenChair:Can someone tell me if these are the correct posts to replace the large Star posts with ?
https://www.pinballlife.com/williamsbally-1-14-narrow-plastic-posts.html
Would these work to replace the large slingshot posts ? Just trying to help a friend I forgot
If you’re referring to the slingshot post swap to provide more clearance with which to backhand the right ramp, technically I think you should be looking at the stern/data east/sega posts. The Bally/Williams ones you linked are 3/16” too tall compared to the Stern posts, and might be different in other ways also.
There’s a link to them in this post:
It’s really just the lower post on the slings (not all three) that need to be replaced. So two in total if you want the slings to look symmetrical.
Mando also gets some shade from the competitive players for being "wood-choppy" and too linear at times. This was especially true on early code (razorcrest shot, amount of time spent starting and completing encounter levels) but later code has balanced that out a little bit more. I think this was exacerbated by the slow pace of code updates initially. By the time the most egregious wood-chopping issues were softened by a code update, the pinball media had already moved on to talking about the next release. Mando kind of missed the hype window, which didn't help.
If you're not a tremendous competitive player I don't think the above are really issues that should prevent you from owning one. If you like the theme and like a challenging trap/shoot game, this is a fantastic machine with staying power. I think it could still use one more (substantive) code update to eliminate bugs and increase the utilization of the mechs a little more (Grogu magnet is just screaming to be a hurry-up lock for 2-ball multiball, imo), but I also love the machine it is right now.
EDIT: Beskar accumulation could really stand to be increased as well. I think having "foundry shopping" closer to the start button would help hook new players by giving them something "cool" that they can reasonably get to most games. Right now it can be a little tough for a player to get enough beskar in a game to be able to buy anything, due to the way the big beskar payouts are tied to modes like Hunter that you usually have to complete intentionally.
Just to share, I submitted another "bug report / feature request" to [email protected] regarding the following. This is actually the second time I've sent these two in (first submission was Oct 2022).
1) Shaker Issue - It seems as though the shaker adjustment "MINIMAL USE" is pretty much identical to "MAXIMAL USE." I'd like to keep using the shaker motor enabled on my machine but the "MINIMAL USE" option (which I would expect to be as minimal as I can get other than "disabled") seems like the same intensity/frequency/etc as MAXIMAL. Is this perhaps a bug? The "MAXIMAL/MINIMAL" setting is a little too much for my tastes, hence the bug report.
2) Upper Playfield Flippers - Could your team add an adjustment that, when enabled, disables the upper playfield flippers unless a ball has been validated as properly entering the upper playfield? I ask because I would prefer (on my home machine) that the upper flippers didn't fire every time I flipped the lower ones. This is partially motivated by keeping the mechanical noise down and partially motivated by reducing the unnecessary wear/tear on the upper playfield flippers. I could see folks wanting to have the upper flippers enabled all the time (ready for upper playfield sneak-ins, for example) but for home use I'd rather those upper flippers stay dead unless I'm in a validated upper playfield situation.
Quoted from KozMckPinball:I think the setting is frequency of use during gameplay only, nothing more. Same power.
That's what I thought as well, but it seemed to me (back in October, at least) that the frequency was just about the same on MINIMAL as it was on MAXIMAL. I didn't do a super thorough analysis of when the shaker went off in each configuration, but I definitely remember "MINIMAL" not seeming very minimal.
Quoted from tgarrett09:Does anyone have any adjustment pointers for being able to backhand the right scoop? I can consistently backhand the right ramp but just can’t seem to line up on that scoop cleanly.
Edit: oops, you meant the scoop and not the ramp; disregard!
Question comes up a lot, check out this post for some solutions:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/this-is-the-way-the-mandalorian-owners-club/page/136#post-7329639
Quoted from Pinslot:This is a question about the rules. It's driving me nuts. I played a Mando Pro in a tournament twice yesterday having never played it before. (Really fun game BTW)
My questions concern the Action Button.
1. I had bought the Ambian Rifle at the Foundry hoping to extend my multiball. As the second to last ball was going down the outlane in Razor Crest MB, I hit the action button but multi-ball did not re-start. This happened in both my games. Am I missing something here?
2. If I have bought multiple items from the foundry, e.g. the flamethrower and the Ambian Rifle and I wand to use the flamethrower to increase shot value in MB, how do I activate it without activating the Ambian Rifle?
I read thru the rules, but was not able to find an answer, so would be very grateful for any assistance.
Here’s Dwight’s post about the action button behavior:
Quoted from Thunderbird:New code for our Mando out today, making it 1.42. Only IC related items however.
Yeah, kind of a bummer… seems to suggest they haven’t had anyone working on the next update for Mando, if there were no game specific changes ready to be released with this update (like there were for a bunch of other titles).
Additional content is something I don’t expect for lots of reasons, but I was hoping for some bug fixes and/or additional adjustment type stuff (ability to disable upper playfield flippers when there’s not a ball up there, for example).
The fact that there’s no game specific bug fixes bundled with this update just kind of proves there’s nobody currently tasked with the game upkeep, which is disappointing. Figured there’d be a junior programmer working on backlog type stuff at the least.
Hope to be proven wrong! No shade at the team of course, I get that they likely aren’t in control of their assigned priorities.
I think Seasons 2/3 ended up being burdened with the role of “advance the overall Star Wars television universe storyline” and that kept it from doing its own thing. Kind of a rushed and clumsy way to kick off the other shows and storylines while sacrificing time that could have been focused on Mando and Grogu.
Hopeful that later seasons can “breathe” more and get back to the space western roots. I just want more of the vibe that S1 had. More of Mando being a badass, less of him being overshadowed by tie-in plots and characters…
I still enjoyed this season and season 2, but definitely think season 1 is my favorite.
Quoted from jorge5240:Got my game today. Only got a few games on it and still waiting for my topper but first impressions, I am a fan.
I started to post "It's amazing to me that some of you folks can just buy a machine without having played it" and then I realized that's exactly what I did for Mando, when it was initially announced.... sooo nevermind!
I knew I loved Deadpool and BM66 when I sought those out, but I guess there's something to be said about that "I have no idea what kind of experience I'm unboxing" excitement.
Quoted from jbigdoggf:What is the best animated grogu mod?
Hard to tell from reading the thread.
I bought most of the guts required to do the animated Grogu, but ultimately decided not to mess with it. Eventually I just decided that while it was kind of cool to look at, all the other considerations (how to get it to not run during attract mode, whether you want to go the more advanced route and integrate it with the game events rather than electrically following an insert, getting it mounted just right and not getting balls stuck on it, etc) weren't really worth it for something only I would really notice or care about.
I think your options are basically the Acejedi (Joe Abate) approach (I think he might have a free guide you can follow even if you don't buy a kit from him) or possibly the
Tekman route (a more "integrated" approach which may be out of production at this point). If you search pinside for threads they've started I think you'll find what you need.
I don't think the sling post is a design flaw, it's just a tight shot. The post swap is just one of several ways to loosen it up if you're frustrated by the shot difficulty. I think the post swap might be the 'least fussy' way to do it, though, as the others (raising the flipper slightly as crujones4life discovered or compensating with playfield leveling) could be a little more time consuming to get just right.
Here's the post where I show some comparisons of the posts and some screen-captures from videos of successful shots to the right ramp, after swapping the posts. It was pretty tight on my machine.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/this-is-the-way-the-mandalorian-owners-club/page/90#post-6824302
If you're struggling with the shot, I think you should try raising your right flipper up just a hair first. If that still doesn't open it up enough for you, maybe try the post swap.
Quoted from BrokenChair:Had another quick question… when I launch the ball and it goes around and down left orbit and it tends to go straight down the middle …
Games level pitch is 6.6
Any ideas what this is or is it just the way the game launches in general?
it’s absolutely terrifying because I always have to save the ball from draining right after plunge …
Not trying to be a butthead, just letting you know there's a search function that might help you find what you're after.
Throw the terms "ball guide left orbit" into the thread search, there's a bunch of posts from folks with the same issue:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/this-is-the-way-the-mandalorian-owners-club/page/149#post-7686984
For example, this one looks pretty similar:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/this-is-the-way-the-mandalorian-owners-club/page/41#post-6533892
Quoted from flynnibus:Move plastic over left orbit (2 nuts one screw) to expose screws holding ball guide. The guide likes to move inward at the last mounting point allowing the ball to clip the sleeved post at the end of the guide. Reposition guide so ball doesn't touch post and tighten. Replace plastic
Quoted from chuckwurt:Didn’t see this in the key posts, any right ramp roof protection needed? I’ve seen these break on location. Any options out there?
I’ve not had any issues at all with my factory plastics, but that’s just one data point. Home use.. I’m probably more on the “low plays” side of things, though.
I do have the precision halo flippers on my Mando, for whatever that’s worth.
Imo, seems like a “buy a replacement to keep in the coin box just in case” situation. If it breaks once, then maybe look into something aftermarket to protect it better.
Quoted from chuckwurt:In!!
Question on the magnet timing settings on the premium. What’s the best settings to keep the ball in the top lanes and not have the ball go out the right orbit?
Thanks!
[quoted image]
I actually haven’t seen anyone in the thread ever post about the magnet timing settings— I don’t know if anyone has taken the time to dial that in to any specific behavior… I suspect it was Dwight’s way of saying “too much variation from machine to machine and setup to setup, adjust it to suit your machine if you really want to mess with it that much.”
Fwiw, I don’t think I’ve ever seen mine go down the right orbit and I’m on default settings, recommended pitch.
Quoted from BrokenChair:Can anyone offer me a solution my left metal guide rail keeps getting pushed and causing balls to hit the post and go straight down the middle. I’ve already snagged it up three separate times in a week and it keeps shifting. Maybe I should try Loctite on it, but it goes into wood I think? Here’s a pic of the rail for reference.
[quoted image]
Might help to add a lockwasher. I’d give that a shot before adding loctite or anything else.
Quoted from lakerone:Moved from solid to Halo's, like them much more, a little softer feel, also switched to Superbands as chuckwurt has mentioned, liking those so far, Titans just get chewed up too fast, also did the posts....
[quoted image][quoted image]
I've got halos on my main flippers (like them a lot) but not the upper.. noticeable difference up there, or more of an aesthetic choice? Just curious!
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