You could build the modern Pinball 103. Very impressive.
There was some discussion in the last month of shielding when the ball is hitting the slingshots. There is a shielding example in the last video at 0:30.
The left flipper is held up and when the slingshot sends it toward the right slingshot, then the left flipper is lowered and the right flipper is raised. The problem for myself and other players is lowering the left flipper in anticipation of the ball activating the slingshot and sending the ball to the right side. If the ball doesn’t activate the slingshot and you anticipate that it would, then you end up lowering the left flipper and the ball rolls down the lowered left flipper to the drain.
When you hold up the left flipper like this you still have to wait long enough to see the trajectory of the ball before you lower the flipper.
The alternative is to keep the flipper down and react fast enough to raise the flipper if the ball doesn’t activate the slingshot and heads toward the left flipper and drain. I think what @chuckwurt was saying is that if your reaction time is quick enough it’s better to keep the flippers down and quickly flip when the ball unexpectedly hits the bottom corner of the slingshot without activating it.
When I raise the flippers defensively like this I tend to try to anticipate how the ball is going to bounce and I usually end up lowering the flipper too soon before I actually see if the ball activates the slingshot or not. I’ll end up lowering the flipper and the ball doesn’t activate the slingshot and the ball rolls off the flipper to the drain. I find I’m better off just keeping both flippers down and being ready to activate a flipper quickly once I see that it’s going toward the center drain. (Sorry for repeating things.)
And this all depends on the game, the slingshots, the angle of the ball and how fast it’s moving. If the ball is moving fast and more vertically I may tend to hold the flipper up. If it’s moving slower and more horizontally, then I’ll tend to keep the flippers down. After playing competitively for many years I find it’s these little subtleties that take experience and playing thousands of games to learn. These videos help new players, but it still takes lots of practice to use them correctly and consistently in a game!
Exactly this.
Very well explained, thanks for taking the time.
It is hard to put it into words since every machine and situation is different.
And as you stated, if you “open the gate” because you where anticipating wrong, the ball might go down the middle. Yes, the slings are the root cause of all the chaos.
More and more I start to think of shielding when lowering the flippers. It also can be a defensive move to close the gap/gate that way.
My conclusion about all this is, that you have to find a balance and rule out dangerous situations as good as possible. Sometimes you simply can`t shield perfectly and you have to take the risk. Raising a flipper closes the door on one side, but always opens it at the other side at the same time.
Here are 4 video examples for it:
#1 Shatz gone wrong, didn’t raise the second flipper for center protection (reaction times are too slow, you have to flip preemptively when parking balls into the inlane, due to the risky rebounce).
#2 Shatz went well, but didn’t drop the flipper… shielding gone wrong
#3 Everything went well
#4 IMO thats the risk you have to take if you want to shield. I was too slow with dropping the right flipper.
But there was also alot of risk for the ball to bounce down the middle two times if it would have hit the lower sling posts, so I still would raise flippers preemptively here.
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Hey there,
since we nearly went though all main skills of pinball with the series and now I feel a lack of motivation, I’m concidering doing a bigger project like a digital DVD or something. However, I first want to “finish” the series with the upcoming Shielding- and Multiball video.
I’m not sure what the future brings, but there will definitely come more content. 
Thanks again for all your support. You helped to fullfil my goal to excite people for pinball, keep the hobby growing and making friends. 
Here is the upcoming shielding video and I hope you like it (not finished yet)
Is it called “Short Sling” or Sling Short" if you get screwed by a not triggered sling?
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Another great video!
How about “Dead Sling?” The double meaning works well. 
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Ha for sure! I just didn’t want to re-invent the wheel and I thought “Sling Short” is the common terminology.
I also will say another great video! I have never heard the term Sling Short or Short Sling. I guess I usually refer to this as a Dead Sling or simply “Sling didn’t fire”.
how in the heck do you make such high-quality stuff??
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damn amazing production, you should contact Stern to have them host and promote your video for people to learn more 
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Excellent content throughout, and amazing that you only started playing a few years ago!
I definitely refer to it as dead sling myself. Your videos continue to be super satisfying to watch by the way, have been showing them to several of my friends that recently got into pinball.
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very high quality as always Abe great job! a digital DVD / mini-course on this would be so useful for many players at all skill levels! I recommend your nudge videos often.
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Finally it’s done!
Also watch the end of the video for the TILT-FORUM shout out!
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These videos are so good! Thank you!!
Love the videos, very well done! For your multiball video, here’s a ball control technique you might want to include if you haven’t already done so. It’s a little more advanced but looks to be a very good technique to learn.
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Thanks, yes Karl has awesome multiball control, I will present those things too.
Right now I’m not sure how I’m going to release the Multiball Videos, since this would take another two to three videos due to the extensivenes of the topic.
The High speed camera I’m borrowing right now for my videos is old and it takes too much effort to edit and render the files. There is also no audio recording on the cam, so I have to do all audio manually in the post production. 
Anyway, I’m concidering a crowdfunding project on Kickstarter to get the equipment I need for a solid production for a 40min+ digital DVD, available for 20-30$.
It would include all skills with additional footage, more in depth examples, even more topics like multiball play, Shatzes and maybe some tech tips for home users- I have alot of ideas there.
Until now I have no advertising going on and i denied all cooperations i got offered, to give the viewer the best experience possible. I think its time for the next step.
If people want to get the video they can fund the equipment i need by spending for example 25$ and get the video later for free = win/win. I’m positive people would fund this project since they know the kind of quality they can expect due to my other videos.
If anyone has ideas or advice in this regard I would be happy to hear from you
cheers
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Amazing videos. Just binged this thread and all the videos! Keep em coming! Thanks!
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