It's not like that because the magnet only pulses when the slingshot switch is hit.

These slings are definitely different. But face it, slingshots are intended to screw you regardless. There's no difference between a magnetic sling sending the ball down the center vs a traditional one sending it out the outlane.

They've found a new innovative way to screw you.

I was thinking about this. It'd be cool if there is a way to hit a target to change slingshot behavior and get rewarded for good shots. That'd be a cool feature.

Overall, I think they'd need to have the slings behave easier than traditional slings, because it's coding that'll screw you rather than a mechanism.

Is everyone here getting a GB Premium or LE? I'm on the fence.

I am on the fence as well. I was ready to order the Pro and now am hesitant wanting to see if the Premium would be the better pin. I believe the LE versions are already sold out.

I am getting a premium or a pro just waiting to see video of the premium before I make my decision. Most of my NIB Stern games have been pro models. I figure it this way you cant't miss what you don't have.

Owner of ST pro, Avengers pro, X-Men pro and Metallica pro. The only upgraded Stern I have ever bought was AC/DC premium.

I am very happy with my decisions to buy pro in all the games I have.

GB is my 1st NIB Stern. I figured I might as well go all out and get the LE

LE, ship it, it's going to be different, no doubt fun.

Pro

My belief is how the magnets are pulsed in test mode has zero relevance to how they will be coded to behave during actual gameplay.

Why Stern decided to demonstrate the magnets the way they did I will never understand.

This is another fallacy. Magnets ar just single point coils that pulse. There is not intricate directional control. If the ball is tossed out the center by the magnet, it is *not* because the code randomly decided it's time to do so. The control over the magnet doesn't work that way.

In this case, software will have slight control over how the magnet operates by determining when to pulse the magnet. Anytime the magnet is pulsed, the ball will change its trajectory and head towards the magnet. In the video, the ball was being slammed against the slingshot repeatedly. What was happening there was the sling switch triggered. The the ball bounced off the sling heading towards the center playfield. It passed where the magnet was located and then the magnet pulsed. This causes the ball to head towards the magnet. The magnet stopped pulsing and the ball continued in its trajectory towards the sling again. Likewise you can cause the ball to be fling towards the opposite sling by pulsing the magnet sooner - when the ball is still between the sling and the magnet - which will cause the ball to speed up towards the other sling.

But that's basically all you can do (unless you stop the ball on the magnet, see below). There is only one way to pulse a magnet. And based on speed of the ball the results will differ anyway so it's quite randomized.

The something else you can do is stop the ball on the magnet. Then you can release the pulse and the ball will start running straight down due to gravity. At this point once the ball is below the magnet, you can quickly pulse it again and it will be flung upwards (the ball was below the magnet, the pulse sends the ball towards the magnet). If you randomly pulse a couple more times then the ball will do some odd things as seen in say walking dead when the ball is pulse released (not drop released) from the prison. But it's still not super directional or software determined.

I think that's the biggest worry with the vid, why use this as the example?! You would think this close to (speculated) production they would have already put in tons of hours of testing and tweaking during actual gameplay. Not just tossing balls at them by hand.

Unless they were in a hurry to just get a video up to show people what they are working on.

LTG : )

Does it matter on which side a sling drains the ball?

I bet you're right. If I go into test mode on Metallica and pulse the sparky coil I can't replicate how he gets fried. Even when I try to match the pulse with what happens during gameplay.
It seems like theres a new initiative by stern to show us more of what's going on in the factory. They are just trying to get everyone excited about pinball and I think it's working. Did you see the video of the ST premiums on the line? That was awesome! It makes me want to buy a new game.
We will see the magna slings in action soon enough. I wouldn't duck out of your LE order just yet.

No, I'm watching the pro evolution. The Prem is just too much money, regardless of bells and whistles. LE is never in the question. Torn right now on going sure thing w TWD with finished code or just wait out GB progression. If anyone has TWD pro in So CA they need to move for GB PM me..

Cheers..

The title of this thread should be changed to "what did you think of the ghostbusters magnetic sling video?"

Smart move. Seems that if you wait, you will always get a great pin with finished code and in great shape. Hard to justify not waiting.

If these don't replicate traditional sling activity...fail IMO. I love fast fast side to side sling action personally.

Agree that they could be amazing though, especially with this title. I look forward to seeing them with solid code.

I agree on the traditional sling replication. A lot of people will jump in and say "whats the point if they act like normal slings?" but I think it would be great if they were seemingly normal and then became "haunted" during different modes. Best of both worlds.

I suppose. Just doesn't seem like the best representation of what they're working on. Or at least I hope it's not.

Being right across the river I am dying to know, too.

I played the GB at Apex and had a lot of the same issues people have been mentioning (air-ball drains, this not registering). I have been meaning to hit up Quarterworld to see how theirs plays.

Are the magnets just normal magnets like that used in other pinballs that simply pulse or do they move? To me they seemed to move in a circle motion in the test video we saw. Think Target logo. Does the magnets move in a circle around the center dot on the logo? I think they might? Thoughts?

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i see "sanctum" areas developing pretty quick between the slings.

Nah... it won't be constantly grinding the ball to a hard stop... if ever. In fact it may be more gentle to the PF in this area compared to the wicked hits modern slingshots lay on the ball.

Depends, are you sure the magnet doesnt have a slight down pull? Time will tell.

Don't worry about it. Worrying won't change the way the pin ends up being. I hear the slings are fun. Plus isn't the point of pinball to avoid the slings? Take a step back and be happy you're getting an incredible pin this year NIB!

What IF the slings suck? Just pretend... IF. We all know it's a possibility. Could the Pro possibly become the preferred model? Is it conceivable that GB LE and Premium will turn out to be the biggest flops since WWE? Stranger things have happened in this hobby.

(FYI, I haven't bought any version of GB, so I have no bias here.) I don't mean to troll anyone, and I sincerely hope it works out well for Stern and everyone involved. However, this feels like watching a train wreck. I can't look away.

You can get circular motion from a point magnet, in the same way that the earth goes around the sun despite being accelerated toward it. That's a fixed, large-core magnet under there.

Yes if the slings suck then the Pro would be the one to own unless you install Rob's sling mod LOL. It is definitely fun as it sits and I can only assume that with code refinement that it will only get better.

ah thanks...I just imagined it differently in my head with a magnet that was able to move in a circle (clockwise and counterclockwise) around a pivot point. Hell I should patent that idea right there!

Interesting topic for sure. Even when the video is released, the slings will be on the early code and likely will be refined many times over the next year or so. I don't think one could really make a decision on the game until the code is close to complete on the slings. I wouldn't expect them to be great on initial release(although they should be good), but over time I think they will keep getting better with code updates. Just my thoughts

what if during multiball both slings are hit at the same time and simultaneously a third ball is directly between the magnets and the strong magnetic force between the magnets causes the third ball to shoot straight up and shatter the playfield glass and get lodged in your ceiling.

it's obvious the thing that would happen, is the shear force between both magnets would rip the ball in half, and both halfs would slide down the playfield into the outhole. You people better stock up on pinballs and have an ample supply on hand. This is obviously going to be a major problem on GB premium/LE. I would be very concerned if I were you. I don't suspect a ball being torn in half would not leave some metal shards, which could lead to playfield wear as well. I think everyone should have a dustbuster mounted to the side of the cabinet, so you can vacuum it out on weekly basis, to clean out the metal dust and shards. This is also a good time to take out the other large pieces of blown ball out of your game. Maybe keep a tube of them handy under the game, so you can just install new ones. Now I see all the concern about magnet flippers...(sorry slings).

That's funny.. the purpose of the slings is to throw the ball into the outlanes. Not only these don't do that, they actually put the ball on the flipper. This means the premium/LE will be much easier than the pro.

Would be cool if there are normal oldschool slings + magnetic slings
in sertain modes cut power of the slings and activate the magnetic ones! For surprise elements in gameplay

Literally not enough room.

Magnetic slings, welcome to the future with all new sterns.

Isn't it too bad this great slingshot inovation is ruined by just another terrible licensed theme?

This is where the "magna-slings acting like normal slings" would come in handy . . .

Is the sling issue really a big deal? What are slings? They simply rock the ball from side to side - mostly in a fairly boring pattern. The magnets add some fun to the game IMO. I don't get the hatred or uncertainty people are showing about them. Pinball needs some innovation as far as I am concerned.

For those that are used to playing easy games with all the same lower half of the playfield it might be. But those that are complaining just make me laugh. No clue whatsoever.

My theory is if you don't like certain features or the way a game plays, just leave it and play something else. No reason to bitch and moan.

I explained this above. The magnets don't move and there's not really circular motion from them. All they can do is attract the ball towards them when energized and let inertia and gravity handle the rest when not energized. You can get some weird things happening with several short pulses though.

I was thinking they were different then just other stationary magnets used in other games.
Yeah we covered this already after your post where I stated:

ah thanks...I just imagined it differently in my head with a magnet that was able to move in a circle (clockwise and counterclockwise) around a pivot point. Hell I should patent that idea right there!

Between the improved flipper positions and these crazy slings, I think it will be fun to learn control on. I've got games without kickers behind the slings and there is still plenty of bounce. In code they could work these mags however they want.

Ways I figure it and convince myself of NIB:

If you don't spoil yourself, who is going to?

Carpe Diem

No time to lose (Monty Python accent)

You only live once

You cant take it with you