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Shatsing, looks cool but is it useful?

Lickashot

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May 8, 2020
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I thought I'd try giving this a go tonight. Turns out I can actually shats on my IMVE. Forgive my ignorance but I thought shatsing was only something you could do on the classics but guess I was wrong about that. So as cool as it looks when you pull it off and it feels great, is it really beneficial on any games, I guess not on a DMD/LCD Stern?
 
If you can do it reliably then it can be a game-breaking tactic on several machines where the inlanes light or collect important features, for example shatzing the right inlane to light the spinner on Alien Star, and building bonus and snake pit value on Gorgar.

It can also be useful on some modern machines, for example Foo has inlane targets which you can only reliably hit by shatzing and which give you a stackable 2x shot multiplier. Godzilla destroys two saucers instead of one if you make the saucer attack shot through the right inlane. Or, it could be considered useful on any machine where completing the return lanes gives you something good.

Besides the centre drain from flipping too late, you also have to worry about spinning over into the opposite outlane - higher risk if the inlanes are short. And can you hold your nerve and adjust to the flippers quick enough to try it in competition, I know what the answer is for me 😂
 
In all seriousness, I'd say it's perhaps the most useful modern skill. Once you get good enough at it and it becomes second nature you start to see how important it becomes to controlling the ball. As Simon said, the traditional Shatz can be extremely important on certain games where the inlanes are very valuable. But almost more important than that is the modern use of the shatz that all the kids use, which is instead of a traditional defensive slap save, a slap shatz is so useful, forcing the ball up the inlane to save the ball from a centre drain. It's so much better than a traditional slap save where you have no idea where the ball is going to end up, forcing it into the inlane is so much easier to control

NES is a legend of the game
 
I think the best player that I've seen in the UK that is very comfortable using the shatz is Josh Illes. His control is excellent, and I've seen him build up some huge bonuses using this skill.
I've tried it a few times but don't have the skill to be able to use it reliably, and instead flail around trying to save the ball
 
I use it on my Centaur to light the guardian orbs. Sometimes getting two in one go as it rolls up over the switch and back down.

Depending on the game I like to use it to get the ball on the opposite flipper, like games where a post pass doesn't feel comfortable.

Another fun use I was messing with was on Black Knight, shatzing into the right inlane to light the left spinner then as the ball comes down try to hit the spinner shot, that's where I usually fail 😆.

I end up practicing these skills more than playing sometimes because I always have the glass off fettling or messing with flippers so end up messing about trying to do flipper tricks.

I struggle when it comes to putting it all together in a high pressure situation but it's always great when you pull it off 😄

I've got pretty good at shatzing and tap passes but @Lecari rarely, if ever practices skills like this and is regularly dominating me at comps. One day I swear I'll put it all together 🤣
 
Originally known as the Alley Pass.
I don't see it being important on modern games as there is usually a better less risky way of moving the ball. On older games a tap pass is probably of more use.
 
The 2 modern games were it is probably most useful, and intended to be used in the code, are Foo Fighters and Iron Maiden.
 
Watching that video in reply No.11, is it the apparent slow motion of the playback, or is the flipper action (specifically the return) on that Funhouse bad?

As I thought, the technique itself* is something I sometimes used to collect an Extra Ball on Seawitch - the one-piece return lane wires invited it. Others with two wires, one vertical and one angled, e.g. Eight Ball, didn't.

* my understanding is, from a trap/hold, send the ball up the opposing return lane.
 
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Originally known as the Alley Pass.
I don't see it being important on modern games as there is usually a better less risky way of moving the ball. On older games a tap pass is probably of more use.

They have different intended uses. The alley pass is if you're trying to hit the opposite inlane, a tap won't do that. Good on FG and centaur because the inlanes are powerful (depending on settings).
I've got some games where you could alley pass all day and build your bonus. It feels exploitative but that's what players who want to win will do.

I can't tap pass on newer games but can alley/shatz so sometimes I'll do that if a post pass doesn't work.

Watching that video in reply No.11, is it the apparent slow motion of the playback, or is the flipper action (specifically the return) on that Funhouse bad?

Looks like the plunger and link are probably worn. Even with slow mo I don't think flippers move that much when hit, usually its the rubber and you need a proper high speed camera to see that. I think back when those videos were made pinball maintenance standards were all over the place, especially at comps. 😄
 
Watched the video again, not sure what your seeing there, little bit of ball hop transitioning from the guide to the flipper, does Funhouse use sys11 style conical flipper return springs? they aren't quite as snappy as WPC

Out of all of them Elvira looks the most off, flippers bounce returning to rest position, like the springs are worn or something.
 
Without getting into Williams link/spring arrangements, the r/h flipper of the Funhouse only seems to fully return with the weight of a ball on it. We're not shown the type fitted at the time, but o.e. on Funhouse was as for System 11, high current switching and all.
 
Watched the video again, not sure what your seeing there, little bit of ball hop transitioning from the guide to the flipper, does Funhouse use sys11 style conical flipper return springs? they aren't quite as snappy as WPC

Out of all of them Elvira looks the most off, flippers bounce returning to rest position, like the springs are worn or something.

It's the way the flipper moves when the ball hits it. It's got some slop in it. I've worked on a few sys11s and when flippers are rebuilt they don't have that slop, it won't be the conical spring, so it's just worn.

Not that it really matters, pinball people eh 😆I'm guilty for being obsessed with flipper action 🤣
 
Oh yeah, sort of see it now, as the ball rolls down the flipper moves slightly downwards. I get ya......

Know the feeling, ball hop on the transition is my pet peeve, cliffy return lanes on my games, then modified slightly so its completely seamless, rebuilding linkages and adjusting the flipper angles until they are perfect, then adjusting the buttons so they engage at exactly the same point. Hours well spent :cool:
 
Oh yeah, sort of see it now, as the ball rolls down the flipper moves slightly downwards. I get ya......

Know the feeling, ball hop on the transition is my pet peeve, cliffy return lanes on my games, then modified slightly so its completely seamless, rebuilding linkages and adjusting the flipper angles until they are perfect, then adjusting the buttons so they engage at exactly the same point. Hours well spent :cool:

You and me are cut from the same cloth 🤣
I can't stand ball hop, I haven't had to get any cliffy guides yet. Usually adjusting the flipper alignments and ball guides has worked.

I have bought flipper opto interrupters from multiple pinball parts shops until I found some that were stiff enough and had the correct flipper button action 🫣 obsessive. It's surprising how much the same part varies depending where you buy it.
 
You and me are cut from the same cloth 🤣
I can't stand ball hop, I haven't had to get any cliffy guides yet. Usually adjusting the flipper alignments and ball guides has worked.

I have bought flipper opto interrupters from multiple pinball parts shops until I found some that were stiff enough and had the correct flipper button action 🫣 obsessive. It's surprising how much the same part varies depending where you buy it.
My shadow was unplayable without the cliffys, no amount of adjusting would get it right. Something I noticed is Stern have really nailed the transition with the larger plastic guides, although the standard setup flippers are overpowered and the buttons too stiff.
 
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