Boot me out of here if I don't qualify for membership - I do not own a WOZ (yet)! I have to admit that I didn't initially like WOZ, probably because I didn't understand the rules and the four quadrant display. But after some familiarization, I can't get enough!

I saw the thread attempting to document all the rules. However, has someone created a more abbreviated rules list for people just approaching the game?

Not enough lighting: you can spin your own solution or purchase this pre-fabricated kit: http://pinballbulbs.com/products/wizard-oz-pinball-illumination-kit

As noted, you can move the post and lane guide to narrow the left outlane. You can see the other hole for the post, but you will not see the second hole for the lane guide until you take out the screw - there is one!

While you're at it, the right outlane post and the castle upper playfield drain posts are also adjustable. Yes, I suck and yes I have my machine set to really easy settings. Never forget that it's your machine and you can do whatever you want with it.

I agree. But I think there is a reason for this. A typical game only has one or two things (or modes) going on at once, so the game can highlight the one or two shots that you are supposed to do next. I would cite Stern Star Trek as an example of this: the most you can stack is one of the missions and a Klingon Multiball or one of the missions and a Vengeance mode.

Wizard of Oz is incredibly stackable. For example, the other day, I think I had Emerald City Multiball, Welcome to Munchkin Land, Witch Fireball, and Crystal Ball running all at the same time. (Or at least for ten seconds before I had an adrenaline overload and drained everything.) This is where I think a player needs to change from "aim for the blinky thing" to looking at the monitor to see the status of each objective and decide which of the several objectives to go after.

I think I've read somewhere that one of the hallmarks of an engaging game is that there are many options for the player at any given time, rather than a linear tunnel. I think the sheer breadth of options at any given time and the need to utilize the monitor to stay abreast of your options has generated some confusion among traditional players and may be responsible for some of the lukewarm responses toward Wizard of Oz.

For myself, I know that the first several times I played the Wizard of Oz resulted in a giant yawn. It was only after reading some of the rules that I "got it" and realized that the monitor was my friend, not the insert lights.

This was the case for me. Ironically, with so much going on, the confusion can make a player feel like nothing is going on.

Note that the owner's manual is free to download at JJP's website. One thing it does is describe some of the basic rules and how the monitor relates to the rules.

I found this by accident, but if you love your Wizard of Oz pinball, there is plenty of appropriate wall art to put near your machine, including "Munckin Land", "Emerald City", and "Yellow Brick Road" signs:
ebay.com link: bhp

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I just melted the witch for the first time after 17 attempts at melting the witch. (Lanes set to the most closed position, installed "extra easy", 3 balls. Yes, I suck.) What a rush!

Of course, once that was done, I was left with the fact that I had earned no gems towards Somewhere Over the Rainbow. There's still plenty to do here....

Where do you see how many gems have been earned? I thought it was on the perimeter around the emeralds.

Never mind. It seems that I didn't see the gem because it was white!

Playfield protection mylar is really not necessary, especially in a home environment. I've seen plenty of WOZ machines on location that do fine without any protection. Remember the history of mylar: it was a method of protecting playfields BEFORE Diamond Plate (clear coat) was created. Countless people have spent great effort at considerable risk to remove mylar from their clear coated playfield.

That said, if you insist on installing mylar, here's another thread you can use as a resource: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/pinball-pal-stealth-playfield-area-protectors

Wow, I need to share this because it was such a rush.

I just earned five gems:
- Finish Emerald City Multiball
- Munchkin Multiball
- Haunted Forest Multiball
- 50 Yellow Brick Road
- Flipper Frenzy

I did NOT:
- Melt the witch
- Mega jackpot Rescue Multiball
- 10 Jackpots Fireball Frenzy

Game set to:
- 3 ball
- "Extra Easy" settings installed (hey, this is my machine. I'll set it the way I want)
- Extra ball at 50,000

The worst part of this is that "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" now seems within reach and I will probably spend the rest of my existence fruitlessly pursuing it, getting agonizingly closer each time. "Man's reach exceeds his grasp."

One thing I had not noticed before: after you finish the game, the attract screen that describes all the gems actually highlights the gems that were earned in the previous game and dims the ones that were not earned.

-------------------

What is the greatest number of gems you have earned?

P5280005.JPG

So which gems did you miss? (It seems the most popular ones to miss are fireball frenzy and rescue multiball.)

The finale seems so close and within reach, yet just out of grasp. It's exactly the kind of thing that keeps fans coming back for more.

You don't know stacking until you've stacked on Woz.

Hit the pop bumpers until the "Collect" arrow is lit. Send the ball down the collect corridor to start a Haunted Forest scording mode. There are four:
1) Haunted shots
2) Haunted targets
3) Haunted holes
4) Haunted bumpers

When you finish all four, hit the pops and "Collect" again and you'll have Haunted multiball and the purple gem.

Yes, I've lost a key and had to drill.
That key lock will fit basically every pinball machine, including Woz. In fact, I make it a point to always remove the stock key and replace it with that exact lock. That way, every machine I have uses the same key. In the worst case, you are one Pinball Life order away from having the key you need.

As far as I know, every machine is numbered. You either have a numbered Emerald edition, a numbered standard, or a numbered Ruby Red edition.

Yep, use the line-out. Incidentally, I've known a few people (including myself) who found that the various cables between the PC and the line-out (at the cabinet rear) came loose during shipment, resulting in buzzing and other strange noises in the subwoofer. It should be straightforward to re-seat all the connectors, which are all standard 3.5mm headphone jacks.

dupe.

That's the way my standard topper looks. The front side is smooth and the back side is textured/etched.

Mine looks like the picture. The etching is on the back.

I wouldn't trust the flier. It also shows a standard with emerald armor. It's probably a Photoshop rather than a real photo.

The side with the etching goes on the back.

Yes

I was thinking of the number of pop bumper hits needed to light collect. Is that the same? Maybe I just suck because it feels like more hits are needed to light the next COLLECT.

I wonder if the strategy is actually very simple because of the stackability. That is, maybe the strategy is as straightforward as:
1) Stack everything (Emerald City, Rescue, Fireball, Muchkin, Crystal Ball, Haunted Forest)
2) Don't drain

This may be more of a theoretical exercise than a practical strategy, but I wonder if it really is possible to stack everything listed above.

My machine drops the target during ball search. It clears a ball stuck behind it. Perhaps there is a minor misadjustment on your machine.

Yes, you are sick. Welcome. You are correct that the only differences are bling: backglass, topper, armor, wire ramps. The game play is identical across all editions aside from the shaker that you mentioned, which is standard in some editions.

I think the main obstacle for Kahanaohana getting a used Woz is an address in Hawaii. How would that even work?

I had to sell my WOZ because my family lost interest in it (although for a while, the family was more interested in it than any other pinball machine I have had in the house). After experiencing the oceanic depth of the WOZ ruleset, other machines feel like a lukewarm puddle.

Compared to a Standard, an LE:
1) Has a different topper
2) Has a wooden apron
3) Has the emerald green armor and habitrails (instead of chrome)
4) Has a standard shaker motor, although this can be added as an option on the Standard
5) Has standard Invisiglass, although this can be added as an option on the Standard

In summary, all the differences are cosmetic except for the shaker motor, which can be added.

I believe at one point in the past you could find an EE for $6500. But those days are over now that the new pricing has been in effect for a while, unless you settle for a well routed machine.

The game play is identical in all versions. The only differences are with appearance and options such as a shaker motor and Invisiglass.

Melting the witch is possibly one of the most adrenaline inducing moments I can recall in pinball. You could probably make the castle shot and the ramp shot all day long, but when the when it is time to melt the witch, you lock a ball in the castle VUK and the music changes to those tense and rising notes, the ramp entrance suddenly seems very narrow.

It's an excellent example of rules, lights, and music conspiring to make the player a sweaty nervous wreck. If you make the shot, the ensuing release of tension is that much greater.

The difficulty of the left drain can be adjusted. In the easiest difficulty, you only have to hit each target once and it is carried over across balls.