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Buying my first Pinball Machine :)

While I will always recommend Pinball Arcade to people that want to prepare themselves for tournament scoring on tables on machines they can't readily access, it is a product that you need to be able to 'look past' the idiosyncrasies of the simulator like railroading, the lack of precision in the 60fps-locked physics, the glitches, the incredibly strong, predictable infinite tilting and the fact that it doesn't simulate ball spin and airballs. And of course the fact that it doesn't simulate the raw violence of the real thing whatsoever (and it never will.) All of those things totally change how you will view the table if you don't know how to look 'through' them, and that's not an easy task when clunky tables play smooth and easy as glass, and games that you can smash every time and play for 40+ mins in one ball will murder you on location.

With all respect, the amount of uncertainty you have in this thread is telling me that basing your decision at all on Pinball Arcade is a mistake. I'm still on my first table, but I arrived into the scene with a razor-sharp focus on one single game, chosen because it's the only table I ever truly remembered from my childhood, and because I know that I will never truly master it - nostalgia is a deeply powerful motivator, but add in toughness, and you have a perfect combination for me to never let go of. You're almost the exact opposite - and I know that we all like different things, but your fixation on more than two flippers will have you overlooking some very deep and very challenging tables that would be ideal for longer period play, which is what you say your ideal is. And ruling out Road Show, absolutely perfect for your situation because of the talking heads - I know you say that's your wife talking, but honestly, Redd and Tedd are not creepy, they're a lot more talkative and personable than Rudy so that uncanny valley will very quickly leave.

And the market is only getting crazier. You most likely aren't going to lose money on anything you buy. If you get bored of it - sell it for virtually exactly what you paid (as long as you paid sensibly) and just get something else.

I will also say that all three of your entries on the 'definite' list are not tables you will find for your budget. Not anymore. No chance. And I'll believe you when you say Medieval Madness is not challenging enough when you can score Battle For The Kingdom on every other credit, and also collect tens of millions on the castle hurry-ups.

Play the *REAL* thing, buy a game, try it at home for a while, fully develop your taste for games, and then trade in. You'll do better that way than trying to 'get it perfect' the first time.
 
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My point being games on pinball arcade play nothing like the real thing. Take bsd you can't even see the mist ball behave properly or tz power acting like it should.
Bit off topic but on TZ on Pinball Arcade if you hold the right flipper up when the slot machine kicks the ball out it will always bounce up to the middle right flipper for you to do an easy Hitchhiker or camera shot. Every single time, in exactly the same way. That doesn't happen on my TZ, except with the Powerball (as its lighter) and even then there's some variance in the physics which means it isn't reliable.

Basically, as good as Pinball Arcade is the physics are unrealistically consistent.

EDIT: And PBrookfield said it so much better :)
 
Wouldn't spend too much time over thinking it. Don't over pay and you really can't goo all that wrong, just sell it on and get yourself something else. I started with a Flintstones, fun and cheap. Not a keeper for me but it's a good starter pin and I really enjoyed owning mine.

Oh and Road Show is great!
 
Have you even played tron In the flesh? I used to like it until I had a couple games at play expo now I find it abit meh. And if you can actually find one for sale you need to x your 2k by nearly 5
 
TBH the shadow would prob suit you. It's within your budget has 3 flippers, a magnet, a ramp with a diverter you can control, and a mini playfield with another flipper
 
Haha yes, roadshow on paper was ideal for me. Unfortunately it was veto'd by my partner due to 'no more creepy talking heads please'.
Maybe she'll prefer the real thing... Where abouts are you based?
Talking heads are cool and waaaay better in the flesh than in pictures....good value game also
 
Have you even played tron In the flesh? I used to like it until I had a couple games at play expo now I find it abit meh. And if you can actually find one for sale you need to x your 2k by nearly 5

It may be the honeymoon period but I love Tron so far. Gotta hit those combos!
 
It may be the honeymoon period but I love Tron so far. Gotta hit those combos!
I think it's an underutilised dream theme, so that's a serious mark against it - I would have loved a much better playfield art pack as well.

I personally like the layout and I don't mind more minimal 'mode combiner' types of rules, and I love how it is tied into Sea of Simulation's qualification for Portal Multiball. But it's a table that would have been made in the 90s. It's a license that could easily have supported a table of the depth of GOT, TWD, MM, AFM, MB etc.

There's also an element of taste in it as well. I love the options from the plunger, how the ball falls through the pops into the mode hole at times, how the ball ejects from the same place. All well and good, but I also hear endless griping about my two favorite shots in the game - Gem and Quora - because they're extremely tight shots. Funny, that's why I like them... but can't please all. All that said, I would own it tomorrow, I know what I like.
 
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I think it's an underutilised dream theme, so that's a serious mark against it - I would have loved a much better playfield art pack as well.

I personally like the layout and I don't mind more minimal 'mode combiner' types of rules, and I love how it is tied into Sea of Simulation's qualification for Portal Multiball. But it's a table that would have been made in the 90s. It's a license that could easily have supported a table of the depth of GOT, TWD, MM, AFM, MB etc.

There's also an element of taste in it as well. I love the options from the plunger, how the ball falls through the pops into the mode hole at times, how the ball ejects from the same place. All well and good, but I also hear endless griping about my two favorite shots in the game - Gem and Quora - because they're extremely tight shots. Funny, that's why I like them... but can't please all. All that said, I would own it tomorrow, I know what I like.

Yeah I pretty much agree with all that. Despite the cheap Photoshop job on the play field though somehow the theme and feel still works for me. The music helps. I'm thinking about putting a subwoofer and maybe a shaker motor in mine. As for the gem and quorra shots. Quorra is tough but makeable. Gem is ridiculously tough. As I understand it you have to hit that shot four times on portal mode to complete it. More or less impossible! Tbh I've only got to sea of simulation so far though. Really great game though and very much a 'one more game' game.
 
Buy the lw3 up for sale, cheap and great fun game, was my first dmd and I loved it
 
Have you even played tron In the flesh? I used to like it until I had a couple games at play expo now I find it abit meh. And if you can actually find one for sale you need to x your 2k by nearly 5
It was the first machine I had a go on at play expo and I loved the way the magnets curved the balls being thrown back at me. Yes it's out of my budget but one can dream! I'm guessing it's quite rare to come across cheap machines that need a lot of servicing?


TBH the shadow would prob suit you. It's within your budget has 3 flippers, a magnet, a ramp with a diverter you can control, and a mini playfield with another flipper
Yep, shadow is definitely at the top of my list of games I want to try. It seems like it's got plenty of bell and whistles for a good price with lots of control points
 
your fixation on more than two flippers will have you overlooking some very deep and very challenging tables that would be ideal for longer period play
It's not a fixation. It's a preference. I'm basing this decision on the machines I've played in the flesh and not the simulator. I have mentioned the exceptions which I find great with just two flippers (JM, LOTR, TRON) but the majority of games I enjoy tend to have an additional flipper. Now maybe this means I should go over some of the games I've ruled out for having two flippers that I've only tried on pinball arcade and seek them out in person for another chance.

I will also say that all three of your entries on the 'definite' list are not tables you will find for your budget. Not anymore. No chance.
I only said this because I saw a TZ go for £2800 over the weekend and a STTNG for £2400 a couple of months ago. And I wouldn't mind the condition because I enjoy the whole maintenance part. Never assumed I would get Tron so cheap.

I'll believe you when you say Medieval Madness is not challenging enough when you can score Battle For The Kingdom on every other credit, and also collect tens of millions on the castle hurry-ups.
I probably wasn't clear enough on this one. I tried medieval madness at expo and maybe I was just lucky or I'm missing the point but I could hit all the shots on the first ball and see all the toys do their thing. Regardless there were other machines that captivated my interest a lot more than it and that's just personal preference. Again I think the machine is awesome, really fun and quite a master piece but it's just not one I would like to own atm.
 
MM is really not a dilemna you need to worry about since its over 3x your budget. Not sure where you think you've seen TZ and STNNG sell for those prices but I can assure you that doesn't happen unless they've been dredged up from the bottom of a canal. Unless you're referring to one of the many eBay/Gumtree scams?
 
I’ve found you don’t really know if you like a game until you’ve played a lot of times. I think this is one you need to find your own path on.

Might be worth to watch Bowen’s tutorials as thats guided me on machine choice when I’ve not been able to play a game too often.


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It's not a fixation. It's a preference. I'm basing this decision on the machines I've played in the flesh and not the simulator. I have mentioned the exceptions which I find great with just two flippers (JM, LOTR, TRON) but the majority of games I enjoy tend to have an additional flipper. Now maybe this means I should go over some of the games I've ruled out for having two flippers that I've only tried on pinball arcade and seek them out in person for another chance.

Tron actually has three flippers... Just saying... :D
 
Not sure where you think you've seen TZ and STNNG sell for those prices but I can assure you that doesn't happen unless they've been dredged up from the bottom of a canal. Unless you're referring to one of the many eBay/Gumtree scams?
http://www.jammaplus.co.uk/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=85871&title=twilight-zone-pinball-machine
http://www.pinballinfo.com/community/threads/star-trek-the-next-generation.37490/

Like I've said before, I don't mind the condition. I actually prefer something to work on :)

Choosing to buy a pinball machine based on Pinball Arcade is like choosing to buy a sports car based on Gran Turismo.
I'm starting to feel very misunderstood with regards to these comments. Never have I said I will buy a machine because I liked it on pinball arcade. I am only using it to see the features (number of ramps, visuals, toys, etc.) and to read the instructions to see how the gameplay works. Now even if I did love a machine from pinball arcade, it just means I want to seek out that machine and try it out for real. This is a noobie forum, I am here because it's my first time. I have had some really great, helpful, thought provoking suggestions from other members (which I am extremely grateful for) and even an invitation to Paul's house to play Roadshow with my partner. I prefer this kind of input over the criticism for mentioning that I've looked at Pinball Arcade to filter out some of the many options out there for my first machine thank you.
 
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Play the *REAL* thing, buy a game, try it at home for a while, fully develop your taste for games, and then trade in. You'll do better that way than trying to 'get it perfect' the first time.

I have had Funhouse in my possession for about a month now which is how I came up with what I am looking for in a pin (especially unlockable areas).

Buy the lw3 up for sale, cheap and great fun game, was my first dmd and I loved it
This is quite tempting. Many of the suggestions have been to just buy a machine and see what I like - then sell it on for something I'd like more. Do you think lw3 will hold it's value if I want to pass it on for something else?

Might be worth to watch Bowen’s tutorials as thats guided me on machine choice when I’ve not been able to play a game too often.
Thanks! I'll check them out!
Tron actually has three flippers... Just saying... :D
you got me! Must have forgotten why I liked it so much :)
 
I'm starting to feel very misunderstood with regards to these comments. Never have I said I will buy a machine because I liked it on pinball arcade. I am only using it to see the features (number of ramps, visuals, toys, etc.) and to read the instructions to see how the gameplay works. Now even if I did love a machine from pinball arcade, it just means I want to seek out that machine and try it out for real. This is a noobie forum, I am here because it's my first time. I have had some really great, helpful, thought provoking suggestions from other members (which I am extremely grateful for) and even an invitation to Paul's house to play Roadshow with my partner. I prefer this kind of input over the criticism for mentioning that I've looked at Pinball Arcade to filter out some of the many options out there for my first machine thank you.

if you ask for an opinion don't be upset when you are given one! thats what the forum is all about!

Neil.
 
if you ask for an opinion don't be upset when you are given one! thats what the forum is all about!
I said I felt misunderstood not upset. I was just giving my opinion that I felt like I was repeating myself in regards to those comments and would prefer it if I didn't have to. I'm not having a go at people, just making a request is all.
 
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Yes I think you would get your money back from lw3, good fun game, but then not many games I don't like something about.
I have never sold my lw3, at that price it's a steal
 
Pinball arcade isn't a bad line in the sand, but as with all simulation, it can be lacking. TZ on arcade I think is awful, but get one in the flesh it's a stunning machine to both play and look at.
I bought my Earthshaker based on pinball arcade and never regretted it. However, they are both Lawlor games, so they have similar hooks,as does Roadshow.....
Sometimes you can't play every machine you might want, but Pinball Arcade is as good as any place to narrow down choices to a dozen machines. I have played Tron and hated it. However, as everyone will say, horses for courses.
 
Yes I think you would get your money back from lw3, good fun game, but then not many games I don't like something about.
I have never sold my lw3, at that price it's a steal
it's a bit far away from me. I'm assuming theres a 'try before you buy' golden rule in the hobby?
 
Pinball arcade isn't a bad line in the sand, but as with all simulation, it can be lacking. TZ on arcade I think is awful, but get one in the flesh it's a stunning machine to both play and look at.
i totally agree, I actually played TZ before trying it out on Pinball Arcade and noticed how badly the simulator represented it.
 
I’d pick up that RFM that’s for sale. Even the expo isn’t the best place to play games. Only a few games have the sound at levels where you can actually hear it.
 
I’d pick up that RFM that’s for sale. Even the expo isn’t the best place to play games. Only a few games have the sound at levels where you can actually hear it.
They've got one of these in the pub by my work. I've played about 5 games on it and I'm just not a fan :/
 
I said I felt misunderstood not upset. I was just giving my opinion that I felt like I was repeating myself in regards to those comments and would prefer it if I didn't have to. I'm not having a go at people, just making a request is all.

Oh my apologies. Sorry if I haven't given you any useful advice that you were looking to hear. Anyway, good luck and be sure to let us know what you end up buying at The Pinball Machine Shop for People with Very Specific Needs.
 
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