I don't see any settings related to individual mode volume adjustment. I'm guessing the gain level is ramped up in the programming and other than turning down the overall volume, I'm not sure there is much else you can do.
If there is, hopefully somebody more savvy will jump in. I'm pretty much a noob also, but I can find my way around in a technical manual.

So turn up overall volume, then lower background music. Got it. Thanks!! 1 final question. When I add a 4th player, it automatically defaults to a team play mode. Where 1 and 3 vs 2 and 4. I see nothing in the manual about how to switch this back to a regular 4 player game. Any ideas?

Here is a manual in living color:

www.sternpinball.com/upload/games/226/the/1561/The_Simpsons_Manual.pdf

There is a setting that is defaulted to raising the volume for certain events, feature adjustment 36, like multi-ball, in the features menu.

So there is a way to adjust so all modes pretty much play at the same level, and do not spike during certain modes like AI?

Yes, feature adjustment 36

awesome D, thank you. Hadn't seen the full color version of the manual before. Much easier on the eyes. Thanks for explaining the "allow volume effects" adjustment.
Am I missing an adjustment to defeat the "Team" feature when playing a 4 person game too?

I looked for that, but I don't think there is one.

So, weasel, and D, your games do the same thing? 4 players are always "Team" play? I have 2 other Stern machines. 1 a year newer, and 1 a year older, and neither of those machines do this. It's so annoying when 4 people want to play.

20180929_120001 (resized).jpg

This might be competition mode, turn it off in the settings and see if that fixes the issue.

I don't think it's competition mode (stand. adj. 43 and Allow player comp mode 48). Comp mode equalizes random game featues, and that's all. Also, you can only enter Comp mode by holding the left flipper before hitting start when adjustments above are both set to yes.

My game does this, too, but I gave up trying to figure out how to change it because I rarely play 4-player games. Looking through the adjustments, I can't find any way to change it.

Despite the annoyance of seeing two scores added together, the scores are still listed separately, so it doesn't really effect each player's score.

Below is a pic of Section 2, Ch. 1, page 5. No indication it can be changed.

20180929_121505 (resized).jpg

Yes sir, I saw the same entry in my manual. I guess it's just going to be a minor annoyance like you say. I agree, as long as the 4 scores are listed separately, I'm ok.

Yeah, go with it, I say.

I'm finding that my upper left flipper sometimes gets stuck and doesn't respond as quickly as I hit the flipper button.

I can upload video of it later if needed but has anyone else experienced something like this?

Check for free movement after removing the upper playfield and check for interference from wires, plastic etc.

Quick question regarding the couch ball lock. On a 2 player game, if player 1 locks a ball in the couch, player 2 can come along and lock another ball in the couch, and it counts as ball 2 locked. So in essence, during multiplayer games, you can steal another players locks and start multi ball. Is this normal operation?

That's how my machine behaves.

My balls recently started getting stuck in the garage. This happened once before, but I can't remember how I fixed it. Do I just need to remove the upper playfield and make sure all the wires are out of the way?
Why did they design it like this?

Yes, that’s a start. I also had this issue and found that there was a screw from the upper play field that was blocking the balls path at times. It was in the far left corner of the machine. I ended up removing the screw (didn’t see any purpose for it) and no issues since.

There is a feature adjustment to change this setting so that each player must lock all balls on their own.

Found an answer if anyone else is curious. It's in the feature adjustments. "Hold couch locks" can be set to never, 1 player only, or always. "Always" will allow players to steal each others locks, and hold locks from game to game.

Thanks!

What feature number is this? The manual on ipdb.org doesn't list this, so I think that manual is an early version. I'm pretty sure the hard copy of my manual at home has this listed because I've changed this setting in the past. I'm just curious if I'm missing something while looking at the online version.

Adjustment 35 on the installs menu. My manual doesnt list it either

So I've had the game for about a month now, and I'm finally starting to understand the rules a bit (though most of it is still confusing to me).

I've started AI about a dozen times, started Pretzel once, I think I started Daredevil, and tonight I started Scratchy's Revenge.

Getting these things started is difficult enough, but finishing them, especially all of them, seems just stupid difficult.

AI alone is pretty tough to follow with two couch shots needed, but doing all six modes is ridiculous.

I have a LOTR, and I'm pretty confident that I'll get Valinor one day, but TSPP isn't even in the realm of possibilities from what I've gathered.

I think it's a pretty cool game, but putting the SDMEWM that far out of each feels a bit cheap to me.

If you are getting to AI that easily, your settings are too easy. Change tv mode start to “off” at the beginning of every ball, this forces you to hit the krusty loop to light the tv.

Lol "this game is too hard to do what I want to do"
"Bullshit, make it harder"

That's certainly a valid viewpoint, but personally, I don't think it feels cheap at all. You have to beat everything else in the game to get to the final wizard mode. That seems right to me. After all, it is named Super Duper Mega Extreme Wizard Mode.

It's very difficult to do, no doubt, and most people will never see it. You've only had the game a month, it seems like you are doing very well.

Personally, I view all of the other wizard modes in the game as the major wizard modes. And they are awesome wizard modes, especially AI and SMS.

Also, to me, one of the bigges goals of the game is completing (winning) as many of the normal modes as possible in one ball, and racking up huge victory laps points.

That's a good way to look at it.

I was considering putting ball save on because plunging for it to hit something and go sdtm is a huge buzz kill.

I think it's cool that theare so many mini wizards, but I wish they were in reach a bit more. Like in LOTR, if you fall short on one of the multiballs, you can loop back around and get another stab at it with continued progress. With TSPP, I feel like you have one shot, and you have to be perfect. Pretty damn impossible to do that 6 times in one game.

Looking to sell or trade my TSPP for an AFM. Has ColorDMD and a ton of mods. Less than 1k plays. Figured someone here might want to upgrade their machine to this one.

https://pinside.com/pinball/market/classifieds/ad/69736

I have a personal rule about keeping all my games at factory default settings, but this game is getting ridiculous haha!

I'm losing so many balls just from launching that it's making me want to flip this game over!

Tried to go into settings to put ball save on, but can't seem to find it.

Anyone?

I think its standard adjustment number 38, freeze time.

Just to confirm, factory setting is ball save off, correct?

As far as i know it is.

I believe my manual says factory setting is "auto". But I keep my sterns on 8 seconds.

My game is running the latest (guessing that is 5.00) and the setting is OFF.

I've changed it to 5 seconds so that I can actually enjoy the game a little.

LOTR is the same, but I've opted not to change it, and I've been very close to Valinor a couple of times.

But with TSPP, and I don't know if it's just my machine, but the drains can be brutal! Like right off the launch, off a standup, and SDTM!

I almost never have stdm from ball launch. Try always to make the skillshot ofcourse but that doesn’t cause a stdm. At least not in my tspp. Is your game level?

And yep, I have ballsave on as with all my machines.

TSPP definitely has one of the most dangerous plunges.

"What the heck was that?!?"

It's risk reward whether or not you go for comic book guy, kwik e mart loop, or just skillfully short plunge to the flipper(and skillfully drain if playfield not validated). WOZ seems the same way for me, sometimes the challenge just starts with the plunge!

If you're shooting for CBG on the skill shot and miss, and you don't hit any switches, let it drain. The ball will go back into the shooter lane and not register as being in play yet. I've plunged 3 or 4 times before trying to hit CBG without going to end of ball bonus.

This is true, unless you hit an outlane instead of center drain. Outlanes instantly validate the playfield and will end the ball(with no ball save on).

Yes. Outlane switch, inlane switch, and I&S drop switches will all validate the playfield. However, I don't think a single sling hit will (Edit: and neither will a single pop, as mentioned by D-Gottlieb below).

On my game, if I miss the CBG skill shot, I usually miss high and hit the ramp post. The ball doesn't bounce hard enough off that post to reach the right outlane.

I used to launch for kwik-e-mart skill shot, but the ball would often bounce softly off the bullies stand-ups and drain sdtm. The playfield is validated, and maybe that's what Damien is doing.

I now find CBG safer (and worth more) by not validating and possibly getting a few chances at it.

Edited for switch validation correction per D-Gottlieb.

A single pop won't validate the playfield. As long as the plunger lane skill shot light is flashing, you can drain and the ball will be recovered.

Thanks for the clarification. I edited my post. I rarely only get a single pop when I miss, so I would always try to save the ball on anything but a sling hit.

TSPP is a very long playing game and does not need a ball save.

It has a very difficult wizard mode that will take years to achieve, even for top players. Personally, I would not nerf my machine after one month because I did not make it to SDMEWM. But, to each their own.

What does it mean to nerf a machine (serious question)?

Nerf means make it safe to play or easier.

I'll put the ball save on for the time being to make the game more enjoyable as I try to understand the rules.

Also makes it more enjoyable for others playing for fun.

Question about levelling on the machine. With the bubble between the two lines, my digital level shows 6.0 degrees between the slings, and 6.5 degrees around CBG.

Can anyone with a digital level chime in on what reading they get on their game.

Cheers.

No ball save? Factory or harder settings? Open outlanes? You guys must be far better players than I.