Only recently have I started to get into pinball, so I have a base level understanding of things. My understanding of The Addams Family, that while a very fun and beloved game, it can become stale for people with a lot of time on it. Is there much to do aside from the modes?

Then there’s Twilight Zone, which is always near the top of the list of best machines ever. So this brings me back to my original question. What lessons from TAF did Pat Lawlor take to Twilight Zone to make it one of the most beloved tables of all time?

#2 3 years ago

DAD

Yelobird

The Mod Couple

Wheaton, IL

20y 160K 10,056 44 37

Less can be More.

#3 3 years ago

JON

unigroove

Pinball Magazine

Utrecht

12y 80,900 2,145 11

TZ may be loved now, but that wasn't always the case. From what I understood, Lawlor was given green light on almost everything for TZ, which didn't turnout to be an advantage. On location the game didn't earn as well as TAF. The lesson learned with TZ was probably that a bigger bill of material doesn't equal a better game.

#4 3 years ago

LEV

CrazyLevi

Crazy Levi's Pinball

New York, NY

10y 148K 33,545

Quoted from unigroove:
TZ may be loved now, but that wasn't always the case. From what I understood, Lawlor was given green light on almost everything for TZ, which didn't turnout to be an advantage. On location the game didn't earn as well as TAF. The lesson learned with TZ was probably that more of everything doesn't equal a better game.

The game was bit of a disaster and the beginning of the end for pinball in the 90s. Ops bought 15,000 of them based upon the success of Addams and they broke quickly and didn't earn.

Pat didn't learn anything, the industry did. And the primary lesson to ops was to stop buying future pinball machines. WHich is why it always cracks me up when the pinside peanut gallery whines about why won't Stern make games like Twilight Zone. Cause they want to stay in business?

#5 3 years ago

SRT

tullster

Pinside+ Frequent

12y 80,550 822

I had a TZ on route for about 5 years and will testify from experience that TZ did lousy on route even though it was essentially a souped-up TAF (layout and code... scoop - ramp - repeat 'til wizard mode). It LOOKED more complicated, but the average player didn't quite figure out that it wasn't.

Theme-wise, I think Addams has humor & creepy, where TZ just has a creepy vibe to it that I don't think attracted the general public.

After retiring TZ from the route, I had it at home for a few years. I enjoyed it, but the family never played it so I sold it.

Back to the OP's question. The General Illumination is improved on TZ and the code interacts with the toys well. It is a great game.

#6 3 years ago

ZOD

Hazoff

Inactive member

Unknown

10y 112K 8,542

OP
Quoted from aFineMoose:
What lessons from TAF did Pat Lawlor take to Twilight Zone to make it one of the most beloved tables of all time?

I don't think he learned anything and due to the sales of AF is made his 'masterpiece' I really enjoy that game and it was fun to own but like everything it got boring to shoot in time. It not one of my most beloved tables and a lot of pinheads I know can't stand it.

Quoted from tullster:
where TZ just has a creepy vibe to it that I don't think attracted the general public.

Nah. The music is happy go lucky and most people especially kids had no idea about those TZ episodes. I only knew the film from the 80's which I love. It was a little too much for an arcade environment, now it might have worked better today with the home collector but even then it can be overload.

#7 3 years ago

PGL

aFineMoose

Pinside member

New Westminster, BC

3y 42,300 149 2 19

Interesting points made.

Could one argue JJP is doing something not dissimilar? WOZ certainly appears to have as many different things going on in a limited space.

Was TZ truly lousy on route, or was it just that the extra maintenance and value of the machine made it not worth it compared to something like TAF?

#8 3 years ago

CRD

chad

Game Guy

11y 140K 15,202 9 4

Twilight Zone a creepy game, not at all!

#9 3 years ago

ZOD

Hazoff

Inactive member

Unknown

10y 112K 8,542

OP
Quoted from aFineMoose:
Could one argue JJP is doing something not dissimilar? WOZ certainly appears to have as many different things going on in a limited space.

nope

#10 3 years ago

IVE

Ive

Pinside member

Brighton

14y 61,900 1,170 11

I have always wondered why the game is just called Twilight Zone .....and not *THE* Twilight Zone , as the show is called

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