That generous snake lock add-a-ball is timed at precisely zero Lyman units. 
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I like this but I think you have a Full Count with two dangers on ball 3. Feels more analogous to the situation in baseball where you either get a hit or youāre out. This is your last chance.
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Thatās a pretty great interpretation too! But what about 5 ball games?
Progressive Multiball
Multiball mode that deals with a major point in a pinball game, by adding or intentionally subtracting balls on the field in accordance with how far the player is in completing the mode. It has to be timed as well, as one cannot exploit any potential scoring opportunities in an extensive amount of time, while giving a ball saver throughout the mode. For instance, the latest 3 Pro Pinball games (Timeshock, BRUSA, and FJ) each have at least one Progressive Multiball.
In Timeshock Frenzy, the mode starts with 5 balls in play, and reduces by 1 for each time a ball is re-locked into the Crystal. The same goes for Big Race USA, except the amount of balls in play can fluctuate throughout the Big Race in accordance with race position. Fantastic Journey subverts this; there is one ball in play for each Contraption activated during the Island Adventure.
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Even though you are progressing in the story of the Multiball, wouldnāt subtraction be regressive?
5 balls is cheating. 
Unless you mean EMs. But then, your interpretation only gains us the small number of EMs that have a 3 ball multiball feature. (Iām clearly over thinking this.)
I meant EMs and was going off of YOUR interpretation. And now weāre both over thinking it!
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What about solid states that are essentially EMs? Like Sinbad for exampleā¦ 
AFMās Super Jackpot would be like āLyman Unitsā on top of each other: Lyman Units for the grace period to shoot regular jackpots (you can get up to three of them!) which then produces an e-x-t-e-n-d-e-d Super Jackpot grace period, which then has another grace period when the ātimeā hits zero.
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As an audio engineer and pinball devotee I use a term to describe my favorite sound effect in a particular game and I call it my āWhispering Piccardā. I base this on STTNG game where you have 1 of 2 sound effects that play as your third ball starts. The first one is a no nonsense Piccard wishing you a solid by curt āGOOD LUCK!ā The other, my favorite, is a personal, warm almost whispering āGood Luckā.
For example one of my other Whispering Piccards is āGERMANY IS VICTORIOUS!ā
Your friend and mine
Right Reverend [REDACTED] Ryan Richards the Bionic Pinball Millionaire
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Whispering Picard kinda turns me on.
Good! Itās not just me. I had the experience of working with Patrick Stewart on a production of āWhise Afraid of Virginia Wolfe?ā And he is as awesome of a person as you can imagine.
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My (totally made up on the spot) rule is that if itās solid state and has regulation flippers then itās a 3 ball game unless the scoring is specifically setup for 5 ball.
I donāt know about Sinbad, but Joker Poker has a bonus multiplier that is designed for a 5 ball game. (So Iām told. I read that on pinside. )
WNBJM is an acceptable 5 ball game due to the mini flippers.
But again, Iām just making this up.
I totally agree with your made up on the spot assessment ruleāIāll gladly take my chances with 3, unless weāre talking about EMs where Iāll take my 5. And on El Toro specifically, Iāll take 5 balls ā¦ out of the game to save as parts and dump the rest of it in the landfill. I was just pointing out there are always exceptions and it was meant to be funny but looking back, it sorta looks like Iām confronting youā¦ sorry!
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I wonder if there are equivalents for others:
Keefer Units? Ropp Units? Sullivan Units? Dominy Units?
āTrudeau Unitsā => the amount of miraculous non-draining you are doing while playing a game with a wide flipper gap such as Ghostbusters. Is it measured in shots made? Time not dying? Score? Amount of non-cursing? Amount of saying āplay betterā in a condescending tone? A combination of all of these? Who knows? 
Sullivan units: The measure of the amount of time you can play Sopranos without getting valid playfield.
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GOT as well. Takes three minor switch hits, or one major switch hit.
In Sopranos I think you can actually score the Super Jackpot during Stugots without going valid.
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Haha. No way. Thatās awesome. Also didnāt know sopranos was a Dwight game. No wonder why I like it so much.
Bwahahahaha. @jay wins the internet today!!
Sadly, El Toro isnāt the only luck box EM that shares this sentiment for me.
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