Hello tiltforums, I’m new to pinball headed into my second year. I’m getting better flipper skills wise (accuracy is still a battle for me, but it seems like that’s an eternal struggle), but deep modern sterns and similar are a major hurdle for me. I’ve started reading rule sheets but they haven’t had an impact yet for the most part. I’m curious what you more experienced and skilled players parse and apply to your game and then how you take what you learn from the rule sheet and turn it into points. I’m a chronic over thinker so maybe I’m making it more complicated than it has to be, so any wisdom shared will be greatly appreciated.
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Reading a rulesheet is somewhat like trying to learn a language by reading a dictionary. Sure, it provides information, but it’s a lot of information, without much immediately available context, and that’s hard to grok.
Instead, try learning the new language by immersion. One of the best ways to understand rules better is to play a lot – preferably against people more knowledgable than you. If there is a league you can join, or weekly tournaments, that is a great way to start. Watch your opponents, see what their strategies are, and how those strategies translate to higher scores and/or unlocking more game features. Once you’ve experienced that, you can refer back to the rulesheet, and more of what you read there will click. Keep playing and using what you’ve learned, keep cross-checking the rulesheet, and you’ll probably get comfortable with the rules faster than you might’ve expected.
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Agree learn your own path then bring things into it as you learn the rules
To piggy back on that, most experienced players are more than happy to share their knowledge and advice!
As far as reading the rule sheet goes, that really only helps me if I read it AFTER I have a fair amount of time on the game. It’s all too abstract to have any meaning if I haven’t already shot those ramps, scoops, and targets already to visualize what the rules are explaining. (Also it’s too much to absorb and retain in a single reading).
I would not try to memorize the whole ruleset either - just try to remember the basics. How to start modes, how to lock balls for Multiball, maybe how to build playfield multipliers (if applicable). I mean, if you want to be a world champion, yeah you kinda gotta learn everything eventually, but you’d be surprised how far you can get just by simply bringing a mode into a Multiball consistently.
By the way, the thing that separates beginners from intermediate players is knowing when NOT to flip. Letting the ball bounce off the flipper (usually over to the other one) is an incredibly useful tool to slow down the ball and get it under control. Practice recognizing dead-bounce opportunities and you’ll be surprised how often you can just do nothing and end up with a cradle or controlled shot.
Good luck!
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Read the update notes some times good info is in them
rules sheets don’t cover all settings and other things done to games in some events.
The rule sheet doesn’t give you the best strategy on how to play a game. It tells you “Do this and this will happen”. With modern games with deep rulesets, reading the rulesheet isn’t the best way to start learning about it. I tend to play it without knowledge as my best way to get started learning about the game. If I have to play it for a tournament without much experience on it, I would look at the Pintips for quick things to do.
Another resource you could use is watching streams on the game especially from top players since they tend to know the best strategies (some strategies might be tough to do but still useful to know).
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All great advice here already so I won’t rehash that. I’ll elaborate on the idea that rulesheets are more helpful after immersion and after learning a strategy or path. I find rulesheets to be helpful in figuring out what to look for in the playfield lights and the display to quickly assess the game state.
For example, I might learn from experience, streams, or talking with other players that there are big points available in JAWS from combining Machette with Beach Closed hurry ups. From that strategy I can then go to the rulesheet to more efficiently learn what to do and where to look so that at any moment in the game the playfield lights and LCD clearly tell me what I need to do next to progress towards that goal.
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When you play a new game as well, try figuring out one combination or series of goals at a time. Once you master that, move to the next one. A bit tedious but it can be effective. Good luck.
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Thanks everyone, all genuinely great advice. I think I’m being too rigid with my approach to improving and could use some “just play the game and feel it out” in my life!