“If the machine’s software supports adding balls to a game already in progress, a tournament official will add a ball to the game in progress and the affected player will complete their game.”
Only modern Sterns (SAM and Spike) can add a ball during the game. Enter the Menu, go to the “Balls Per Game” setting and set it to 4 balls during a 3 ball game.
Here is the list of Sterns that DO NOT allow a ball to be added (i.e. Whitestar):
Austin Powers
Elvis
Grand Prix
Harley Davidson
High Roller Casino
LOTR
Monopoly
NASCAR
NFL
Playboy
RBION
RCT
Sharkey’s Shootout
Striker Xtreme
T3
TSPP
The Sopranos
Other manufacturers that do not support adding compensation balls during a game:
American Pinball
Data East
Heighway Pinball (except Alien can add compensation balls)
Jersey Jack Pinball
Sega
Spooky
Bally/Williams (do not use “buy in” button to add a ball at the end of the game, many WPC games with buy-in support have rules changes beneficial to the player on the buy-in ball)
My understanding is that if the Stern game run “SAM” or newer “SPIKE” platform, you can go into the settings during a game without resetting the game so you can set it to 4 balls to add a compensation ball.
You can go to the “Balls Per Game” setting at any point and set it to 4 balls during a 3 ball game.
Also, if you set the number of “Balls Per Game” to a number that is FEWER than the current ball in the game, the games will set you back to ball 1. So there’s nothing to be afraid of because adjusting this setting mid-game will never end the game
I’m pretty sure I tried this on LOTR and when you exit the service menu the game resets, so no Whitestar. That includes Elvis, Nascar, LOTR, RBION, Sopranos, AP, Harley Davidson, HRC, Monopoly, NFL, Playboy, RCT, Sharkeys Shootout, Striker Extreme, T3, TSPP and many more.
OK, so only modern Sterns (SAM and Spike) can add a ball during the game.
Here is the list of Sterns that DO NOT allow a ball to be added (i.e. Whitestar):
Austin Powers
Elvis
Grand Prix
Harley Davidson
High Roller Casino
LOTR
Monopoly
NASCAR
NFL
Playboy
RBION
RCT
Sharkey’s Shootout
Striker Xtreme
T3
TSPP
The Sopranos
Is it acceptable to you B/W continue feature to add the compensation ball? I have never tried it so I don’t know if there are any rules consequences. Might not be worth the cheating risk.
Also, many EMs can add a compensation if you know what you are doing.
Many WPC games with buy-in support do have rules changes (beneficial to the player) on the buy-in ball… e.g. I think WCS gives Ultra Everything. Clearly something like that would not be appropriate for a compensation ball.
Are there any updates to this list of games that support adding a 4th ball without resetting the game in play?
We know that all the Stern Whitestar machines do not support it and that all the Stern SAM and Stern Spike machines do support it, but what about other new manufacturers? I’m guessing they don’t, but I don’t know that for sure.
@keefer, Could you tell us whether Jersey Jack machines support it? @bkerins, Could you tell us whether Spooky machines support it?
Not sure about American Pinball, Heighway or other new manufacturers. Does anyone know for sure (or even know who has one so we can ask)?
Last we try with Dialed In! it did not work. I think to recall it did not reset the game but also did not increase ball for game in progress. Only for future game though this was a while ago… @raydaypinball have you tried recently ?
Both Heighway games, Full Throttle and Alien, support test mode during game.
There is even a special menu that lets you edit the number of players, clear tilt warnings, clear extra balls, and other things like that before returning to the game. Admittedly it was not tested that much.
Currently JJP games also end the game when going into test. With reserve ball play, though, it would be pretty trivial to do an in-game editor for # balls.
Currently both American Pinball games (Houdini and Oktoberfest) end the game in progress when entering the service menu. I would like to change this in the future, just not sure when that’ll happen.
Can anyone confirm whether Heighway games can add a compensation ball during play? I have it currently listed as not supported.
I have updated the list in the original post to show JJP, American Pinball & Spooky as not supported; tidied it up to include Timball’s instruction on how to add a compensation ball & Joe’s warning not to use the buy in button on WPC.
