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Sunday question .... Did Popeye introduce shot multipliers to the modern game ? :D

Sgt GrizZ

Sgt GrizZ

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So I'm here at GrizZ HQ enjoying my Sunday afternoon pin session .... and this occurred to me whilst trying to save Olive from the clutches of the evil brute Bluto ...

We are all familiar with shot multipliers on modern Stern games, and JJP.

Now - did Popeye introduce the possibility of having a multiplier lit on different shots ?? :D There are up to 5 Spinach cans which can be lit to double the reward for that shot. I'm thinking of the modern DMD era here ...not earlier games that had a 2x or 3x playfield multipier feature. Or things like the 5x Multiplier on White Water that multiplies everything.

I'm scratching my head thinking if an earlier DMD game featured it ?? There may well be one blindingly obvious example that I'm overlooking.

79382
 
please everyone in the world rack your brains to make sure that Popeye didn't possibly give us this innovation!!!!
 
Neil McRae said:
please everyone in the world rack your brains to make sure that Popeye didn't possibly give us this innovation!!!!
Click to expand...

I feel an update to the Ultimate Guide (TM) may be imminent ............ :D:D

GrizZ's Ultimate Guide To Popeye - The good , the bad and the spinach

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EDIT Jan 2023 - LINK to pdf of this rules/discussion. Easier to read than on here. Thanks go to @cooldan https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jo8i2xveusexCOFX2iSIL-9N0EevwFjg/view...
www.pinballinfo.com www.pinballinfo.com
 
Did Rollergames have a multiplier ,seven I think or is a lane multiplier not the same
 
Vimtoman said:
Did Rollergames have a multiplier ,seven I think or is a lane multiplier not the same
Click to expand...
Not the same. That's a regular bonus multiplier. It's not shot specific multipliers.

I'm thinking really of the DMD era games.

Popeye was released Feb 1994. I can't think of any Bally Williams or Data East DMD games before that to feature Shot Multipliers? Gottlieb DMDs... I don't know so well but don't think so?

Sent from my spinach patch using Tapatalk
 
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Maybe the earlier Barry oursler games like dr who or dracula but I think they just have playfield multipliers . I think Barry is the most hit and miss designer ever . Some of his games I love and others I detest. One solar fire is top of my seach list.
 
Sgt GrizZ said:
Not the same. That's a regular bonus multiplier. It's not shot specific multipliers.

I'm thinking really of the DMD era games.

Popeye was released Feb 1994. I can't think of any Bally Williams or Data East DMD games before that to feature Shot Multipliers? Gottlieb DMDs... I don't know so well but don't think so?

Sent from my spinach patch using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

What about when shooting targets to spell Williams?
 
What about T2. That has that kind of shot multiplier. Only two lanes though.
 
The two ramps.
Increasing security levels.
I know they are not just simple figured multipliers and are called different names but the element is the same.

Also on payback time shooting the two ramps consistently you get multiple miilions
 
Vimtoman said:
The two ramps.
Increasing security levels.
I know they are not just simple figured multipliers and are called different names but the element is the same.

Also on payback time shooting the two ramps consistently you get multiple miilions
Click to expand...

OK

I don't see that as the same thing really myself :)

That's more advancing through the rewards/progressive points on each ramp. Like looping the ramps repeatedly on Fish Tales.

Another example ..... the Drumstick Multipliers on The Rolling Stones.

79481
 
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I think the closest I can think of is on Victory https://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2733 which I guess could be described as having a selective playfield multipler, and never-ending timed hurry-ups that don't listen to the playfield multiplier. Though it does have some shots that are timed that do. Hmm. One of my favourite games to play as fast as possible, anyway.

I think the difficulty with finding any earlier examples than Popeye is that it's expensive to have inserts and bulbs for a feature that was easier to understand and more fun for casual players when simply expressed as a playfield multiplier or even a score doubler as in Phantom of the Opera and a few others. Stern having it is because the target market's skill level is wholly different.
 
PBrookfield said:
I think the closest I can think of is on Victory https://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2733 which I guess could be described as having a selective playfield multipler, and never-ending timed hurry-ups that don't listen to the playfield multiplier. Though it does have some shots that are timed that do. Hmm. One of my favourite games to play as fast as possible, anyway.
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Interesting. I still think Popeye seems to be the closest we have for a 'shot multiplier' blueprint for later games - certainly as people understand 'shot multipliers' nowadays. Sorry @Neil McRae but Popeye blazed a trail of code innovation ...put that in your pipe and smoke it grandpa ;):)

PBrookfield said:
I think the difficulty with finding any earlier examples than Popeye is that it's expensive to have inserts and bulbs for a feature that was easier to understand and more fun for casual players when simply expressed as a playfield multiplier or even a score doubler as in Phantom of the Opera and a few others. Stern having it is because the target market's skill level is wholly different.
Click to expand...

That's a good point. It is certainly something for the hardened pin players. If I have non pinheads round playing a game I'm not even gonna bother telling them about multipliers etc ... hard enough to get their heads around hitting the bloody bookcase on TAF ?
 
I think we need to put Popeye on the wall of fame as being the first of having the first multiplier and having the longest que waiting to play on it;)
 
Neil McRae said:
if only it was a good game!
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We will forever disagree. We all like different titles. It's def a game that needs time spent on it.

It has its flaws yes. But it's interesting, different and has a challenging, solid and surprisingly deep ruleset.

Outlasted many so called 'better' games that have passed through the lineup.

Sent from my spinach patch using Tapatalk
 
Sometimes you have to settle for 'commercial failure and often unloved, but you can personally see what the idea was and you greatly appreciate it.'

There's a reason I can play and defend 99% of pinball games I have ever played - at least defend them from a deep-diving player to another ;)
 
Sgt GrizZ said:
We will forever disagree. We all like different titles. It's def a game that needs time spent on it.

It has its flaws yes. But it's interesting, different and has a challenging, solid and surprisingly deep ruleset.

Outlasted many so called 'better' games that have passed through the lineup.

Sent from my spinach patch using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Sometimes you get something that hooks you - it’s cool - and to be clear it’s not a bad game just not one I’m a fan of.


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