If I could, I’d pay $5 to not play my Harlem, lol
I’ve been pretty good at substituting “Fart” for “F*ck” these days. During Pinburgh round play I let out a rather loud Fart (audible . . . not the other kind), and there was definitely some teenage player next to me who gave me the look that my 6 year old son is now giving me, the ‘You are soooo NOT COOL’ look.
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I am more of a “Frack” kinda guy 
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Not necessary - but also ‘harmless’. We harm the game more everytime we break the game down and move it around.
Twisted legs… games slamming into each other… bent coin doors… those are all things I agree shouldn’t happen and are easily avoidable without asking anyone to change any ‘pinball behavior’.
But people are too wound up over shaking, slapping, or even dropping a machine.
I’ve seen games take full spills and slide around in a truck… and besides some connectors loose and some cabinet bruises… they were fine. I dropped my Flash Gordon from hip height to the ground… it cracked the wood trim and that was it. I’ve seen both a monster bash and STTNG take full on topples to the ground when on their back. They were both fine. I’ve watched operators drag games around by the shooter rod for decades… and walk on them like they were milk crates. They are fine.
I totally get the “respect other people’s property” thing… but some people really need a reset in what they really think is ‘harmful’.
This coming from a guy who brings his HUO games to events and shows… and volunteers for days to move full truck loads of games in/out of places for other people to enjoy.
and know what… sometimes Shit happens and you gotta learn to roll with it. If not, you’ll drive yourself insane.
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Must… resist… bringing… up… death… saves…
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When I’m at an event with kids (happening more often lately), I have gotten in the habit of switching to “fudge”.
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Respect OPP. That’s a policy I fully endorse!
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Just remember that people want to see the agony of defeat just as much as they want to see the thrill of victory. If you only show winning and smiles, you’ll never get those millions of viewers.
The agony of defeat is what made Nascar what it is today. When Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison wrecked each other while leading on the last lap of the 1979 Daytona 500, then started fighting on the infield while Richard Petty drove by them for the win, that moment put Nascar on the map.
I don’t think deathsaves are banned because of machine abuse, rather the fact tournaments could take forever if skilled players were allowed to perform them. You have officially lost the ball by that point, please stop trying.
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“FLEEP!” All day!
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Maybe, but if so then why don’t the rules just state this instead of explicitly naming machine damage and personal injury as the rationale?
It’s “FISH!” in this household
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Strongly second this. It’s really annoying that many machines are designed to all but force you to side-smack them to keep the ball under control. I’d rather play the machine “normally” and save wear and tear on both my hand and the cabinet. It’s poor design, and inconsiderate of the players (you shouldn’t have to risk pain to play well). If the designers want to make it “possible but not automatic” to keep the ball in control after an orbit or similar shot, find another way. Use button-operated mechanicals, e.g. something like the slideable plunger feature on Volcano, a magna-save, upper flippers [mini, if necessary]; heck, build in a slap button. Or just let the ball come to the flipper without deflecting off the top of the sling or whatever, let the player keep control if they have the skill. Or have it always hit a tiny post and bounce away and challenge the player to regain control.
If people are convinced that whatever they are doing as a “move” is helping them save the ball, I don’t think you’re going to be successful saying “don’t whack the side of the cabinet” or “don’t do whatever that other thing is”. A lot of it falls into the category of “I think this works so I’m going to try it”.
I’d guess the line of reasoning with the slap the machine straight down is that you’re not inducing force into the tilt bob back and forth as much, but I doubt you’re introducing much influence on the playfield, either. You’d have to be SPOT on with your timing.
As for annoying habits with tournament players, I find that the catcher-contemplater more annoying than the other types. The ones that trap EVERY single ball, wait 10-15 seconds, then shoot it. Especially when they miss over and over again. I’d heartily lobby all software coders to add an incentive to shoot the ball quickly into a shot.
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They did in both Star wars and Game of Thrones and got flack for it. I thought it was brilliant coding as it forces quicker play and decisions to score big but most others seem to disagree.
The only thing more annoying to me are the, I’m going to call them “baby sitter” players. The ones you have to constantly tell them it’s their turn or (in my local league) constantly walk around looking for them when it’s their turn to play (I.E. Baby Sit them). I’m of the opinion that if you are playing in a game you should stay at that game and be ready to play. But again, i feel I’m in the minority on things like this.
Funny thing is this is the largest, by far, reason why my wife will never come to another event with me. I finally talked her into coming and the standing around waiting for others to come back and play their ball was enough for her to say, “Enough, I’m going home., this is boring.” Had to convince her to stay.
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This!!! One of the main reasons I don’t play in larger tourneys is due to unwarranted player delays.
IFPA/PAPA has a rule for this:
if a player is absent when it is his or her turn to play, he or she will be awarded three minutes to return before the game in question will be recorded as a zero. A second three-minute absence by any player in the final rounds will result in their elimination from the tournament.
Have your TD or officials enforce this rule and it won’t be a problem.
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I completely agree. I refuse to do this any more at local tournaments. I will back up the entire tournament just sitting at the machine waiting for my opponent to show up from a smoke break, get drunk break, forget I’m playing in a tournament break, whatever. Not my problem to go find people.
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Yes, but nobody enforces this and I find that when I bring it up nobody else in the group wants to “put the player on the clock” and they think I’m just being a jerk. Bathroom I get, but tell someone before you run off, but everything else is 100% avoidable.
Agreed. Next time someone is gone for a bit, find a TD and they will start the clock.