(Topic ID: 260236)

Virtual Ball Locks

By TheRudyB

4 years ago



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    #1 4 years ago

    So as not to derail the thread on the best/coolest ball locks, here's a related question: What do you think of virtual ball locks?

    I don't mind the concept at all - I just think they shouldn't be called "locks." To me, locking a ball means I get a new ball served to the plunger and the locked ball is physically held somewhere out on the playfield until something triggers the release of all the locked balls, typically a 3rd physical lock. But when I only "score" a lock and the very same ball is just handed right back to me, I haven't really "locked" a ball.

    I love my BKSOR Premium, in part because of the catapult ball locking mechanism. TKC, however, makes me wince a tiny bit when I score a "lock" and get that same ball right back. Again: I totally love the concept, I just wish it wasn't called a "lock." It's purely a terminology thing for me.

    If the screen said things like "First knight challenged" or "First knight ready" when the the first knight marches in and defiantly sticks his sword (then the the same thing happens when second knight and third knight enter), I don't mind the balls being served from the ball trough. Yeah, ultimately no big deal but it bothers me in the same way that folks confusing "lose" and "loose" do (or any of a myriad of others ... like "I'd of" instead of "I'd have" etc.)

    [And while I'm on this short little soapbox, I've always considered the gumball machine on TZ to NOT be a ball lock per se, but rather more of an on-playfield ball trough/ball queue since anytime a ball enters at the back of the line, it is immediately replaced with the ball that's first in line. The number of balls in it remains the same with the only exception being when it is completely emptied for 60 seconds during LITZ.]

    #2 4 years ago

    It doesn't really enter my thoughts ever.

    #3 4 years ago
    Quoted from TheLaw:

    It doesn't really enter my thoughts ever.

    It did now. But poof, it’s gone again.
    97478E95-352A-407D-96C9-407806208653.gif97478E95-352A-407D-96C9-407806208653.gif

    1 week later
    #4 4 years ago
    Quoted from TheRudyB:

    I don't mind the concept at all - I just think they shouldn't be called "locks." To me, locking a ball means I get a new ball served to the plunger and the locked ball is physically held somewhere out on the playfield until something triggers the release of all the locked balls, typically a 3rd physical lock. But when I only "score" a lock and the very same ball is just handed right back to me, I haven't really "locked" a ball.

    "Lock" has become pinball parlance for a milestone on the way to starting multiball. I agree: I prefer a physical lock, and really admire pins that have unique/cool ways of capturing and releasing the physically locked balls into multiball.
    But I don't get hung up on a game calling a virtual lock a "lock." When games with physical locks already have max balls in the lock mechanism/trough, they, too, release a ball from the set of locked balls.

    #5 4 years ago
    Quoted from Snailman:

    "Lock" has become pinball parlance for a milestone on the way to starting multiball. I agree: I prefer a physical lock, and really admire pins that have unique/cool ways of capturing and releasing the physically locked balls into multiball.
    But I don't get hung up on a game calling a virtual lock a "lock." When games with physical locks already have max balls in the lock mechanism/trough, they, too, release a ball from the set of locked balls.

    Yes - because when there are no more balls in the main ball trough or no more room in an on-playfield lock/trough, the game has no choice. Funhouse immediately springs to mind; can’t imagine why given my avatar. It’s a 3 installed-balls game. If I’m player 2 but player 1 just physically locked 2 balls in the hidden hallway and I shoot a ball in there having thus far earned no locks in my game, I shouldn’t (and don’t) get to start multiball simply because all 3 balls are now in there. When lock isn’t lit and I shoot a ball into a now-full lock area, I expect to not get credit for a lock and to get a ball back from there. When lock is lit and I shoot a ball in there, I expect that I will get credit for a lock but also get a ball back from there. The difference is that I still performed a physical lock.

    It’s that parlance that annoys me (and yes I admit it is simply annoying to me and I’m a nit picker.) It just feels somewhat lazy to call everything a lock when there’s a great opportunity to call it something else that better integrates play with theme as in my BKSOR example in the OP.

    Bonus Question: if a virtual pin faithfully renders a physical ball lock, is it really a virtual lock now?

    #6 4 years ago
    Quoted from TheRudyB:

    So as not to derail the thread on the best/coolest ball locks, here's a related question: What do you think of virtual ball locks?
    I don't mind the concept at all - I just think they shouldn't be called "locks." To me, locking a ball means I get a new ball served to the plunger and the locked ball is physically held somewhere out on the playfield until something triggers the release of all the locked balls, typically a 3rd physical lock. But when I only "score" a lock and the very same ball is just handed right back to me, I haven't really "locked" a ball.
    I love my BKSOR Premium, in part because of the catapult ball locking mechanism. TKC, however, makes me wince a tiny bit when I score a "lock" and get that same ball right back. Again: I totally love the concept, I just wish it wasn't called a "lock." It's purely a terminology thing for me.
    If the screen said things like "First knight challenged" or "First knight ready" when the the first knight marches in and defiantly sticks his sword (then the the same thing happens when second knight and third knight enter), I don't mind the balls being served from the ball trough. Yeah, ultimately no big deal but it bothers me in the same way that folks confusing "lose" and "loose" do (or any of a myriad of others ... like "I'd of" instead of "I'd have" etc.)
    [And while I'm on this short little soapbox, I've always considered the gumball machine on TZ to NOT be a ball lock per se, but rather more of an on-playfield ball trough/ball queue since anytime a ball enters at the back of the line, it is immediately replaced with the ball that's first in line. The number of balls in it remains the same with the only exception being when it is completely emptied for 60 seconds during LITZ.]

    That thread is dead. But, thanks for thinking it was still alive.

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