High-level tournaments could use a little more variance. I'm tired of watching four experts surgically dismantle modern games with no lock stealing, derandomized awards, etc. It's more "fair" but also more boring. Andromeda was amazing at Pinburgh finals.

Lock stealing is, IMHO, part of a four player game when a game allows it. In the end. You are playing AGAINST each other. TDs may choose single player games if the player base are whingy pants.

This, disable the EB frenzy and tone down the ball save is what we need.

Edit: The order of mystery awards and reactor kill shots could be randomized the same for each player to add some variety and not have people memorizing the sequences.

That new multiball rule of saving only the first three balls is going to change things a LOT. I probably get an average of six balls saved per multiball (yes, I suck). More if I'm purposely draining to soft plunge the reactor.

Keep the lock stealing!!

I agree. Always fun to play with someone else's balls

DO NOT Let the Pinside %#*@%@^$'s ruin a good thing.

Feel like #105 is taking forever. I know I’m getting closer and looking forward to “the call”. I’m basically going to order every add on and have them installed.

Seriously considering putting mine on route but really want it at home too. Oh, what to do?!

Lock stealing is awesome if locks don't carry locks over game to game. Someone starting with two balls locked, like in Rollergames, is a bit goofy, but when you're competing against someone and you both know lock stealing is possible, it really adds a lot to the strategy.

Buy 2 , route one and keep one at home .

Bah. Options are good. Just because it's there doesn't mean you have to use it. If adding the logic gets it into more/higher profile tournaments, then add it as an option. Same goes for the Reactor 9 reward. I love it, I'd leave it enabled, but options are good.

another vote for if you do a Tournament Mode, leave lock stealing - it's part of the game! Even though I lost to Jim Belsito on it at CA SCS b/c I left him two balls on ball one

And what others said, Mystery Awards should be in some order (max bonus x is too valuable) and randomize which shot(s) is/are lit for each reactor but they are the same ones for each player. Always sucks when you have that lower left standup as your only one and someone else gets the pop or any other 'easier' shot

Leave the lock stealing Scott!!! I think the overwhelming majority want it kept in! Remember, this machine is YOUR vision, not tournament players. This game is selling because it's not like every other game coming off the line these days. It's selling because it's a game made with your vision, passion, and genius. I know you're a celebrity and all, these days but don't forget why you made this game!

That D shot is just evil.

All locked balls drain at game over.

I'm guessing you have 6 out and the green is not working?
Pull one out. One plug and one screw easy.
The led is soldered in with 4 pads in a square formation. Re flow the solder to all 4 pads.
Put back in and test.
If your not sure, once you take one out,PM me and I'll walk you through it.

Right. TNA does it the right way.

Lock stealing is great for non competition play. But in competition, it’s the random nature of the benefit it gives the next player if somebody leaves locks. It’s like having random ball locks awarded from a mystery scoop.

No problem punishing the actual player for leaving locks, but it’s unfair to the other 2 players who do not benefit from that.

Edit: on a 2 player comp game it would be awesome.

It's not at all like that though. There's nothing random about it, it's part of the risk/reward strategy choice of the player before you. I suppose you could have cases of collusion where one player tries to help the other, but that seems rather far fetched for pinball competition.

I play with competitive players. People like Bob Matthews and Jim Belsito. Nothing but respect for them and their skills and drive to compete. But tournament players can sometimes feel like they're sucking all the fun out of the game. Deal with the randomness, that's pinball. You still gotta play the game. Locking balls isn't particularly hard or risky, it's not something that breaks the game.

Agree it’s not particularly hard to lock, but if I happen to be the player after someone who has already locked both balls, I’ve basically been given multiball, whereas the other 2 players haven’t. So it’s like a random multiball reward. No different than an award from the mystery scoop, which competition organizers try to disable.

We’re talking about a user selectable mode here, not default settings. If your competition wants to leave it default then great. But I can see it being an issue, especially at top level play. Would be a shame if this game wasn’t played at that level as it deserves to be.

If you do add an option to prevent lock stealing for these grumps, I'd vote that you make it wipe out the locks - not remember them. Drain with 2 balls locked? Well you're going to have to lock them again next time. No virtual locks for you!

/still shouldn't add that option

If it's that big a deal to you (or anyone else), then just treat it like a single player EM then--1 player per game, like others have suggested.

EDIT: This is exactly what we do in our monthly tours, except for finals. You can play single player during qualifying if you want. During finals, you're only allowed to play it multi-player.

<blues brothers>no freaking way!</blues brothers>

Utterly different though really. Because what you're not accounting for is your own game. Yes, the player before you might have left locks. Now you're in the same position, and could leave locks for the next player. It's simply part of the game, locking balls comes with a certain risk. And every player has to factor that in, and it affects everyone.

I put decibel meter under the game and measured at volume 11 in both the new code and previous code.
They are pretty similar, 99db for new code vs 101 for previous.
My problem is the sound isn’t balanced for the new music on the new code.

I have not touched the amp settings and the new code sounds muddy and heavy on the treble.

Scott-
If you could provide amp settings, that would be awesome!

Say it happens once in a 4 payer game. And you were lucky enough to be the following player. The multiball you got meant you could start the reactor, get it to critical and destroy it, as well as getting a few jackpots in the process. As a result you won the game.

That is pure luck that only benefited you. A mistake on the preceding players part gave you, and you only, a large benefit - probably more than any of the mystery awards. The other 2 players that were not LUCKY enough to be immediately after did not benefit. They were effectively punished. There was no strategy or skill on your part in receiving the gimme multiball.

If the 4 player game was deciding final places, some players might not be so happy. Others might not care. But a tournament is supposed to test all players SKILL on a level playing field (so to speak).

And multiball is vital in this game, particularly later on as the jackpots and reactor values grow and are multiplied by the amount of balls left in play. And even more so that you can add a ball.

Everyone seems so concerned about removing the random award and the random reactor destroy shot, yet don’t care about leaving the most valuable random award in the game.

In any case, we are talking about a menu option here. If you choose to leave it on default you can.

Unbelievable how well this game blends in among the classics!
TNA#70

Thanks Scott!!
I’m going for clarity and balance. Not a bass competition.
It makes sense that the amp needs a little tuning with the new music. These steps are very helpful.

Tournaments are boring, show me one person having fun

Can you say the same about the Powerball in TZ? If player 1 went through all the trouble of lighting gumball multiple times, and shooting the right orbit multiple times, finally gets the Powerball and drains with 2 balls already in regular Multiball lock (making the Powerball the only ball in the trough after a drain) and player 2 walks up and plunges the powerball, would that not be considered the same? The argument would then be to remove the Powerball since player 2 can potentially benefit from it without doing any real work. This is why i dont play competitively, because it completely takes any fun out of the game. You worry about games being "unfair" instead of enjoying it, as it was meant to be.

Come to The Sanctum. We compete every week and will show you a good party at the same time

Exactly the same.

Not trying to argue whether comps are fun or not.

I’m trying to update the code and I’m not sure what I am supposed to see? I inserted the usb with the .pkg file and the screen said “updating” and 5 seconds later it said “complete”, remove the usb and power cycle. I did and when it started to boot it kept resetting and now the screen is blank and the numeric displays are cycling left to right. It’s been doing this for 15 minutes. Is it updating correctly? How long should it take?

It should take around 10 minutes to update

after the update and power cycle the game should start up normal , less than a minute .

So while the USB is plugged in, 10 minutes and then once it is removed and power cycled, less than a minute?

yes

Anyone had an issue with some digits going out on the player scores? Got a report that the TNA we look after on location had player 3 display only showing two digits. Haven’t had a chance to go check it out yet, but thought I’d toss it out here if this is a known issue.

695AD522-A035-4C25-8C7E-628D1DF5E029 (resized).jpeg

Edit: looks like it’s fixed, needed a power cycle and it was fine. Will keep an eye on this one.

new code file should be 689 MB , make sure you have the whole file on your usb .

Then that's pinball! Play Donkey Kong if you want a more predictable challenge.

Being a little random is part of the game.

This is my opinion on things like this:

There doesn't need to be an option to make games play the way some people want. There's already a thread where someone asked Scott to make it so the music could be replaced! That's ridiculous to me, that someone would ask for that. Scott crafted an entire soundtrack from scratch, to match the game that he envisioned the way he wanted.

He wants lock stealing. If that bugs you as a TO then run games one player at a time (frankly I find that more interesting to watch for a fast game like this anyways), or, just don't use it at all.

It's a feature of the game design, it helps make it unique. I don't think that the creator should compromise and add an option that if turned on changes the character of the game he wants people to play because some people prefer it that way.

My 2 cents, only opinion that really matters is Scott's.

Neither you or I can speak for Scott. I’m sure he doesn’t need anyone to stick up for him and I’m sure he’ll make his decision in the end. I’m not expecting him to change anything at all. Game is truly unique and special as it is. In all honesty I couldn’t care less if there is or isn’t a tournament setting.

But the idea of a tournament setting was raised in this thread. Seems reasonable to discuss it. Im sure Scott is not offended by it being discussed.

Cool thanks trilogybeer I got it working. But now I have the balls ejecting during attract mode. Everything was working fine before the update.....

Sounds like the game is searching for a ball it cannot recognize . switch sensitivity settings might have changed with the new code and now one is just a bit off . I'd test the switches to make sure they functioning as they should .Just a guess on my part though , I am sure someone here will be able to help you resolve the issue you are having .

The use of ball saves on this game is brilliant.

The game is great as it is but adding a tournament setting that is accessed from a menu seems like it would be popular, as game would get a lot of coverage in the years ahead.

But, guessing it takes a fair amount of time to code it so Scott may not want to add it, who knows.

You need to update your code fine sir.
--Scott

Check your Jam opto in switch test.

My "trough 1 and jam" opto board transmitter connector was reversed. Easy fix.

Is it possible to do TNA code update with a Mac?