HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: gleeson@mundil.cs.mu.OZ.AU (Martin Joseph GLEESON)
Subject: Re: Addam's Family Questions and Hints (TAF in OC)
Organization: Computer Science, University of Melbourne, Australia
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 13:04:46 GMT

In <keatesm.711799358@cs.man.ac.uk> keatesm@cs.man.ac.uk (Martin Keates(MSC RJH)) writes:

>I just tend to start by aiming for all the shots and then going for whatever
>I'm playing well enough on the day to hit.

>And if the electric chair chucks the ball straight down the middle I won't
>play the game - I'd complain and turn it off.

>I don't think that accumulating bear kicks is particularly worthwhile, once
>you've got the first extra ball, unless you're going to get the second and
>the super bear bonus (and get bored out of your mind).
>The first thing I check on a machine is ease of making the combo shots - if
>these are easy, you'll get the most points by repeatedly going for 4-ways
>(getting you adv-X's, T-H-I-N-G letters and stars as well as all the
>immediate points).

Pretty much sounds like my game strategy (and attitude towards operators of
questionable character :-)

>Oh, and it is possible to get a 15M thing bonus - but you have to spot the
>room on the mansion (or do it on the tour).

Or, alternatively, you could shoot for the lane on the right hand side
of the bookcase and have the ball deflected into thing for the 15mil (well,
ok, ok, it's not reproduceable, but it has happened to me twice, not that
it was what I was aiming for at the time :-). But, for something a little
more reproduceable is to leave the left flipper down for the chair kickout
and let the ball bounce over to the right flipper for a direct shot for the
15 million (or a little less), or if you got the room via the swamp kickout,
the direct shot is a sure 15 million if you nail it.

BTW, if the 'timer' goes lower than about 7 or 8 million, I don't bother
trying to lock it, and if it goes below 5, I avoid locking it. It's not worth
messing with the magnets for such a lousy score. Quick multiball can be 
quite lucrative if you can keep nailing the vault (I once hit it eleven
times after it had got to 10 mil for a total of about 150 mil for the m-ball).
Of course, if you do something like that, Murphy is right there saying you'll
do little else that game, and you all know how often he's right...

>The bonus multiplier goes up to 6X (or is it 5?) at which point the "lite
>adv-X" light goes out. No bells or whistles, no extra ball and definitely no
>special lit.
Yep, it is 5.

>My pleasure - Martin.
Mine too - Martin :-)

----------------------=============***O***=============-------------------------
Martin J. Gleeson   | Computer Science, Melbourne Uni, Oz |    ...  __o    Outta
gleeson@cs.mu.oz.au |  E Pluribus Unix  |  BIKE  IT   !!  |  ...   -\<,       my
" We gladly feast on those who would subdue us." - Addams |  ....(_)/(_)..  way!
 "I can't give you brains, but I can give you a diploma." - The Wizard of Oz
----------------------=============***O***=============-------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
From: bovine@engin.umich.edu (Mitchell Rohde)
Subject: Re: HELP! Flakey operation - Questions
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 92 11:31:21 EDT
Organization: University of Michigan Engineering, Ann Arbor

  Yes, you must disconnect one end of the diode.
From: jerryc@tekig7.PEN.TEK.COM (Jerry C Carathers)
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
Subject: My Revised Top 5
Keywords: All things considered
Date: 29 Jul 92 15:52:19 GMT
Organization: Tektronix Inc., Beaverton, Or.


You know, I been thinking since I posted my five all-time favorite pins that
there's two distinct ways of determining how to judge. First, I believe that
technology has breeded superior games. In the words of Tom Kahill (a Williams
rep for 25 or so years), what has been made since 1990 is a completely
different game then anything before.

Based on this and how much I like the new games, I'll quickly say that TAF,
Elvira, etc. are the best games and I really believe they are. BUT... perhaps
the best way to judge a game is on how much you enjoyed it when it was
released which makes all scales relative, not absolute.

All things considered, including the fact that when you're younger you have
less to worry about and can enjoy playing games more, here's my all-time
favorite list based purely on how much pleasure they brought me in their day.


		  #5) Memory Lane (Stern 1978)
		  #4) Playboy and Eight Ball tied (both Bally 1978)
		  #3) Aladdin's Castle (Bally 1976)
		  #2) Flash (Wms 1978)
		  #1) Night Rider (the SS version - Bally 1977)

The above games are near and dear to me. They are what started my addiction
to pinball and I doubt that any of todays high-tech marvels will ever truly
replace them. 

		    Jerry (Mr. Pinball) Carathers

P.S. Thanks to all who emailed me. It would appear that my incesant babbling
     of pinball acquisitions is not as frowned upon as one poster would
     lead me to believe. However, I will tone it down. T2 only has a 75 WPC
     amp and a 5 band equalizer :^) :^). That was a joke son... get it...

-- 
Internet: jerryc@tekig7.MAP.TEK.COM
___          __   __                __                        __  __
|_ ) | |\ | |__) |__| |   |      | (__     |\/| \ /    |   | |_  |_    
|    | | \| |__) |  | |__ |__    | ___)    |  |  |     |__ | |   |__     
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
From: gallaghj@med.unc.edu (John Joseph Gallagher Jr.)
Subject: Black Rose
Originator: gallaghj@calico
Organization: UNC-CH School of Medicine
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 06:18:50 GMT

Well we finally got one in the other day (fresh out of the crate and
all!).  All and all a really neat game.  I really like some of the ideas
they incorporated into the theme, especially the cannon and the broadside
shot down the center.

One question I had is:  what is the best way, if any, to align the cannon
shots?  Basically, this one was shipped bad from Williams in that the 
cannon itself was adjusted slightly low in the playfield, so that any
fast flipper shots would cause the ball to hit the edge of the playfield
(where the cannon plastic was too low), and launch the ball upward so that
it hit the metal rods (ball path from the broadside shot).  I was able to
loosen the adjustment screws and level the top surface of the cannon with
the playfield (after taking out the whole assembly...  Apparently, someone
at Williams has quite a grip when it comes to tightening adjustment
screws!  :-o  ), but can't figure out how to get the cannon shots to line
up with the turret (without moving the plastic itself).  Any ideas?  It
works for the most part, but is quite annoying when trying to shoot a
precision shot (such as the broadsides shot).  

The only other gripe about the game is the fire button (drilled into the
glass lockdown bar), isn't really a button, but a membrane type of button
similar to those used on calculators.  It works well for single shots, but
is lousy when it comes to rapid presses (such as on the Walk the Plank
video mode).  Any good way to tune this sort of button up?

All and all the game itself is fun, although most shots are not that
bad to pick up, with only a couple of exceptions.  One being the three
target ricochet (sp?), in which the ball from the right flipper hits one
target from each of the three banks in succession.  The other shot that
is sort of neat is shooting the ball up the left ramp, but not having
enough power to make it all the way around so that it drops down the
Davey Jones locker ramp.  I forget what the bonus is, but it gives
something worthwhile if I remember.

It is sort of funny to watch the expression on a new players face when
the ball comes straight down the playfield at them after the broadsides
shot!  :-)  Given, every once in a while, the ball falls off the ramp at
the bottom, bouces over the flipper, and drains...  :-(

Well, at least it is pulling a lot of traffic off the TAF!

						Jay
						
						gallaghj@med.unc.edu
						
					
P.S.  Has anyone noticed how similar TAF and Funhouse playfields are?  One
      is close to the mirror image of the other...  :-o  And you thought
      Rudy was dead!  ;-)
From: hay_g@apollo.hp.com (George E. Hay)
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
Subject: Re: Quick Pinball Vote
Date: 29 Jul 92 20:40:57 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Corporation, Chelmsford, MA


    Hmmmmmmm,

       Five all time favorites.....some of mine go back a
    ways...


    #5  Funhouse
    #4  Wiggler  (Bally '67 I think.  3 ball multi
                  ball & zipper flippers!!  Wowzerrs)
    #3  Cactus Jack (I know, but it just cracks me up.
                     Achtung!!  Tumbleweed!!)
    #2  The Addams Family
    #1  El Dorado (lots o' drop targets and wide open
                   spaces.  *Still* my favorite.)

    Honorable mention:  It's a Mad Mad Mad etc World
                        I don't know who made it.  I don't
                        know when it was built.....but I loved
                        it as a kid.
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
From: moody@brahms.udel.edu (John David Moody)
Subject: My Top 5
Organization: University of Delaware
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 05:20:51 GMT

Here's my list of the top 5 (my favorite) pins:

1.  TAF 

(Judging by my posts, what else would you expect?)  This game is outstanding
is almost every aspect.  It is not a "one-shot game", so different players
can do well by employing different strategies.  The sound effects are good,
in addition to the music, especially the music that plays during the
Seance.

2.  Fun House

A tough loss for Rudy (I thought we were pals), but the game is still
outstanding.  Good shot variety, and the Multiball/Million Plus sequence
is quite well done.  Surprisingly good, considering the fact that it has
only one ramp (Most games now have two.  I have yet to see three).

3.  Earthshaker

It is too bad that it is difficult to find these in arcades, because this
is also quite good.  It doesn't have the shot variety of TAF, but it is
not overly complex, and does not have a lot of "major" shots which tend
to inflate scores.

4.  The Machine (Bride of Pinbot)

The playability is not that good.  Most often, failed center ramp shots will
drain.  It is also not that easy, and the 1 billion shot GREATLY inflates
scores.  When you spin the big wheel, you are lucky if you light the billion
shot.  I only spun the big wheel one time, and didn't get the billion shot
lit, but instead got 50 million.  The reason I enjoy this game is due to
the sound effects, especially once you get her to speak.  Hitting loops after
that makes it sound like you are kissing and caressing your girlfriend and
making her VERY HAPPY.  'Nuff said.

5.  Whirlwind

Good shot variety, and not overly difficult.  I must admit that the upper ramp
shot (for million/million plus) is the most difficult shot I know of.  Even
when playing a single ball, it is difficult, not to mention trying to hit it
during multiball.  Overall quite good.

Well, there you have it.  It was quite tough since I enjoy playing pinball,
and have played quite a variety of games.

--  John David Moody
From: crywalt@vaxc.stevens-tech.edu (Christopher Rywalt, maladjusted cartoonist)
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
Subject: Re: TAF, the full quote list, I dont think so....
Date: 28 Jul 92 20:11:05 GMT
Organization: Fairleigh Dickinson University

In article <Bs41sz.7Fv@news.udel.edu>, jeremym@ravel.udel.edu (Jeremy A Moskowitz) writes:
> But, I once saw an interview with the kid who did the real IT voice
> for the movie. He was a little 15 yr old, who said he made up the
> language AS HE WENT along. If this carries on to the game,
> it would make our hearing anything a total coinsidance. 
>  
> I just think he made a sentance of audio blur's. It really doen't
> say anything, but to us humans.. it does.
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
>      // Email: jeremym@brahms.udel.edu------\  Monitor of---------------\
>     //  Registered Commodore Amiga Developer|  Comp.sys.amiga.EMULATIONS| 
> \\ //                    This is the Nineties Hamton - -
>  \X/            Go get a bank loan, and buy yourself a clue!

	Hang on, I saw an interview with the GUY who did It's voice,
	and he was just a short actor with a high squeaky voice, not
	a kid.

	But he did say that he made up the sounds as he went along,
	just trying to communicate feelings.  I remember thinking that
	this actor was getting a little involved, considering the part
	he was playing.  He had like a rationale and everything, for
	a squeaky hairball.  Method acting -- how frightening.



-- Chris

%SYSTEM-F-ACCVIO, access violation, reason mask=00, virtual address=00000000, PC
=0000BFEF, PSL=03C00009
%TRACE-F-TRACEBACK, symbolic stack dump follows
module name     routine name                     line       rel PC    abs PC
                                                                                
SIGNATURE	main				 2226      00000107  0000BFEF
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
From: medic@milton.u.washington.edu (Travis Lauricella)
Subject: TAF: Do I play on a lousy machine, or what?
Organization: University of Washington
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 20:56:58 GMT

I'm not sure if I'm ignorant or if I play on a lousy machine.  Everyone talks
about bear kicks as if they are simple to get.  However, I've only been able 
to get bear kicks twice... every other time the lane channelling device clicks
(rather loudly) over so that the ball drops down and lights "Thing Flips."
Are there any special tricks to getting bear kicks, or am I just playing a 
beat-up machine.

Another note:  I am having problems with the left "Thing Flips" light channel.
About 15% of the time the ball will bounce gracefully off of the metal divider
between the "Thing Flips" and "2 Bear Kicks" lights into the left out channel.
Does this happen often on other machines?

And what does it take to get thing to flip?  I have shot up the lit ramp five 
or six times in a row without a single flip.  (And the only reason I stopped
was because of the before mentioned out lane bounce.)

On a side note, what causes the flippers, on rare occasion, to snap("click
click") in time with the Addams Family theme after losing a ball?

Just a few ignorant questions from a guy who considers 100M to be a good
score on such a lousy machine ;P

Travis Lauricella <medic@u.washington.edu>

Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
From: oday@lobster.gsfc.nasa.gov  (Orin Day)
Subject: Re: Quick Pinball Vote
Reply-To: oday@lobster.gsfc.nasa.gov  (Orin Day)
Organization: Goddard Space Flight Center
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 21:38:25 GMT


I'd say:

5) Gilligan (Sorry Skipper)
4) Haunted House
3) Whirlwind
2) Cyclone
1) T.A.F.

There were a couple of EM machines I played as a kid that
could almost have made this list, but I can't remember their
names.  Oh well.

--
*********** "The NeXT is dead!  Long live the NeXT!" *************
Orin Day, Code 664.1                    oday@lobster.gsfc.nasa.gov
Hughes STX/NASA       GSFC Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics
******* "Think that this is NASA's opinion?  NO, NO, NO!!!" ******
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
From: lopez@aristotle.ils.nwu.edu (Chris &)
Subject: Re: My Top 5
Organization: The Institute for the Learning Sciences
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 22:17:58 GMT

v026ltr5@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Monty) writes:
: In article <Bs4xIs.9LH@news.udel.edu>,
: moody@brahms.udel.edu (John David Moody) writes...
: >3.  Earthshaker
: >It is too bad that it is difficult to find these in arcades, because this
: >is also quite good.  It doesn't have the shot variety of TAF, but it is
: >not overly complex, and does not have a lot of "major" shots which tend
: >to inflate scores.
: 
: I loved this game, too. But it did seem to break a lot. Almost
: every Earthshaker machine I've seen has had SOMETHING not working
: correctly. Also, when you get the machine to shake, its not uncommon
: for the machine to tilt itself, which is most annoying. Have
: others experienced this or is it just me?


I have seen several Earthshakers that would tilt themselves during multiball.
Others wouldn't tilt themselves but if you happened to give them a good bump
to save a ball just before the shaker kicked in you lost.  (The combination
tilted).  The solution I liked best was the place where they took out the
tilt mechanisms entirely but placed the machine such that it was impossible
to move it more than an inch in either direction.  If you want to move the
machine farther and risk slamming your hand into a wall or another machine
be my guest.

The biggest problem I found with the Earthshaker machines was that the top
flipper coil would quickly deteriorate to the point that you could not put the
ball up the right ramp after a kickout from the 5 hole.  There just was not 
enough power.  A new coil would fix it for a couple days (the machine got 
heavy use) but then die out.  Putting in the same coil as you use on the lower 
flippers solves this problem.  Why Williams went with the smaller coil to 
begin with I don't know.

Chris Lopez


P.S. Many people seem to like Dr. Dude.  Anyone know where one is in the
chicago area?  Preferably one reachable via the L.  (Coming out of Evanston,
Ugh)

Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
From: hartman@symcom.math.uiuc.edu (Christopher Hartman)
Subject: Re: Quick Pinball Vote
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 01:55:12 GMT
Keywords: 2-ball multi-ball, million plus ;^)

jerryc@tekig7.PEN.TEK.COM (Jerry C Carathers) writes:

>Well fellow pinheads, how about us generating a mid-year impromtu vote for our
>top five favorite pinballs of all time. I know, I know, we have kosher ways of
>doing this on a semi-annual basis, but a little informal discussion is fine on
>such a low traffic group, IMHO.

[Jerry's list deleted]

I'll have to go with:
	#5 High Speed
	#4 Terminator 2
	#3 Earthshaker
	#2 Comet	<Wow! a non-multiball machine.  Maybe just
because it was the first game I could play forever, when I was in about
7th grade...>

And of course, the standard:
	#1 The Addams Family
(BTW, for anyone in the Champaign-Urbana area, there is one at the R&R
Sports Grill that is in good shape and one can always get a high score.
I don't know how often they reset them, but I go in about once a week
and get Grand Champ with such lousy games as ~200 million.  (my best is
much better, but nowhere near the billion+ scores I have seen.  I guess
that's because I only play for about an hour a week...))
(A second note for those of you in this area, are there any other new
pins around?  The only ones I know of are the previously mentioned TAF
(right next to a Funhouse in good condition) and a HORRIBLE Bride of
Pinbot at Space Port (that dinky little arcade on Green Street))
(and of course, T2 at the student union)
--
Chris Hartman hartman@symcom.math.uiuc.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
From: smith@panther.adelphi.edu (Jim Smith)
Subject: Re: Lure of the Silverball
Organization: Adelphi University Swirbul Library
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 15:15:32 GMT

In article <1992Jul28.010346.7989@cbfsb.cb.att.com> yyz@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (donald.w.coons) writes:

>For those interested here is the address of AMR publishing, I got my copy
>of Lure of the Silverball thru them. 

>AMR Publishing Company
>P.O. Box 3007
>Arlington WA 98223
>(206) 659-6434

>They do take orders over the phone with credit card, and deliver to my house
>was less than a week. Hope this helps

>Don Coons
>dwc@wnb3b2.att.com


And the price on that, folks is:  $14.95 + shipping.
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
From: mpalmer@encore.com (Mike Palmer)
Subject: Re: HELP! Flakey operation - Questions
Organization: Encore Computer Corporation
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 12:09:11 GMT

victim@eskimo.celestial.com (Tony Garton) writes:


>this problem sounds like flipper coil diodes (again) to me.  Might even
>be the batteries again too!!!

How does one test coil diodes?  My fluke DVM sees a short due to the low
coil impedance, so can't meassure the diode.  Do I have to disconnect it
to test it?


Regards,	
Mike palmer    				Telephone: (305) 797-2326 (W)
email: mpalmer@encore.com               	   (305) 746-3146 (H)
From: gleeson@mundil.cs.mu.OZ.AU (Martin Joseph GLEESON)
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
Subject: Re: Judgment Day
Keywords: No sleep last nite...
Date: 29 Jul 92 23:38:43 GMT
Organization: Computer Science, University of Melbourne, Australia

In <6329@tekig7.PEN.TEK.COM> jerryc@tekig7.PEN.TEK.COM (Jerry C Carathers) writes:
>In article <1992Jul28.172258.14768@ncsu.edu+ bcasper@eos.ncsu.edu writes:
>+Golly Gee, Jerry!  I Suuure are proud of yew!  Yew really are Mr. Pinball.

Anyone who has as much time, money, blood, sweat, etc, etc invested in
pinball as Jerry does **really** does deserve to be called Mr. Pinball.

>+Say, Jerry...  No hard feelings or anything, but + Who Cares <.  Most of
>+the people who read this group would be happy to own any _1_ of your mahcines.
>+Why must you spend so much time _bragging_ about _all_ of them.
>+Call me critical, but for the past I don't know how many months, I've watched
>+this go on, and like a puss filled infection, it's swelled in my brain.
>+Granted, I got outta bed on a pretty sore foot this morning, but the one nerve
>+I had left has just been grated upon.

Is this _really_ Brian Casper speaking??? If so, I guess you really did wake
up on the wrong side of the bed this morning...
  
>+Somebody get me a valium.
I think you need something a _little_ stronger than a vailum.....

[Jerry]
>I realize that there is a fine line between bragging and sharing the joy of a
>new acquisition. If my posts have reflected a boastful attitude, please
>accept my apologies. That was never the intent.

I'm sure that few of us managed to read an intent that wasn't there.

>I tend to get very excited when I buy my new toys and the first thing I do is
>rattle off my excitement to those who I feel can relate.

We can! We can! (relate)

>Once again, I'm sorry and I'll keep my mouth shut if my posts are that
>offensive.

Please don't be sorry for something you didn't do, don't keep your mouth
shut. Where else will I get all these wonderful stories about your awesome
TAF (and the rest) to keep the guys at the arcade enthralled?

Vote [1] Jerry for Pres. in '92 :-) :-):-):-):-):-)

Martin.
----------------------=============***O***=============-------------------------
Martin J. Gleeson   | Computer Science, Melbourne Uni, Oz |    ...  __o    Outta
gleeson@cs.mu.oz.au |  E Pluribus Unix  |  BIKE  IT   !!  |  ...   -\<,       my
" We gladly feast on those who would subdue us." - Addams |  ....(_)/(_)..  way!
 "I can't give you brains, but I can give you a diploma." - The Wizard of Oz
----------------------=============***O***=============-------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
From: sao@athena.mit.edu (Andy Oakland)
Subject: Here comes the FAQ
Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 15:11:50 GMT

I've been seeing a lot of FAQ-type questions recently, so I'm reposting
the FAQ a little early this month.  It will be showing up in a couple
of postings.

And as for that guy who claimed Black Knight was the first multiball
machine...Tain't so!  Balls-A-Poppin', an EM back in the late 50's
(I don't have my reference books with me, so I can't provide more details
right now) was the first pinball to have multiball as an intentional
design feature!

Of course, early EM and pre-electric machines _all_ featured "multiball,"
of a sort:  Since you pumped the balls up yourself, you could launch as
many as you wanted at once!  I still remember being bewildered when I
encountered my first machine that recycled a single ball.  "Just ONE
ball?  What a gyp!"

	:Andy Oakland
	sao@athena.mit.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
From: victim@eskimo.celestial.com (Tony Garton)
Subject: Re: HELP!  Flakey operation - Questions
Organization: =>ESKIMO NORTH (206) 367-3837 SEATTLE, WA.<=
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 02:03:39 GMT


this problem sounds like flipper coil diodes (again) to me.  Might even
be the batteries again too!!!