From: knudsen@cbnewsd.cb.att.com (michael.j.knudsen)
Subject: Gottlieb FLIP-A-CARD (EM)?
Organization: AT&T
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 15:37:06 GMT

I just acquired a Gottlieb 3/1970 FLIP-A-CARD E-M pin.
Would like to hear from anyone else with opinions or experience
on this one.

It's a single-player, and fairly simple by normal Gottlieb card-game
standards.  The theme is a couple of college girls killing time in
their dorm room while waiting for a boyfriend to call, unable to
concentrate on the term paper in the typewriter.  One is in curlers
strumming a guitar, while the other is flipping cards into a trash can,
trying to get a straight or whatever.

Your object is to spot the entire suit of Clubs by hitting targets
and rollovers (a throwback to '50s, even '40s).  Fun part is a
kickout hole that randomly spots a card.  I mean randomly!
When you land in the saucer, a modified stepper unit under the playfield
resets and twangs a hidden spinner target whose rotations advance
the spot indicator.  When it stops, you get that card and the ball kicks out.

Funny Rube Goldberg contraption, complete with R-C timing network to tell
when the spinner has stopped twirling.  Why Gottlieb didn't just
put the spinner up on the playfield and let you shoot thru it I dunno,
but this gadgetry almost justifies the exorbitant price I paid for this pin.
Must be a thrill to see and hear it in action.

Good points (I don't have it playing yet):
* Playfield is symmetrical mostly, but lower half is canted slightly,
  so the flippers and slingshot bumpers are at different distances
  from the bottom.  Pretty advanced for 1970?
* The random spotter just described
* Cards made are spotted on the backglass as well as the playfield
  (this is the only pin I have with backglass spotting)
  Playfield target lights go out as you make them, while their
  backglass conterparts turn on -- nice, and very Gottlieb.
* Good speller skill plugner shot, with center King rollover
  worth extra score.
* College alumnae may feel surge of nostalgia at the theme,
  and pay me enough for the machine once it's cleaned up.
* Odd, transitional technical features:
	-- ball-in-play indicator is backlighted rules card;
	   ball count is not spotted on glass.  Onlookers can see
	   how you're doing with the cards, but not how many balls
	   you have left (hey, that's YOUR business :-)
	-- xylophone chimes, not gong bells (I prefer gongs, tho)
	-- scoring is still only x1 (no phony zeros)
	-- insides are coppper-plated, not yet chrome
	-- real Decagon score drums (10 flat faces)
	-- mini-stepper (relay type) for random spotter
	   (I didn't realize how early these little steppers appeared)

Bad points:
* Play is one-dimensional.  You don't get anything for completing
  parts of the sequence (e.g., making all the face cards should light
  something up).  You must spot the whole 13 cards to light up
  three various Special (replay) rolloevers.
* Making targets does not increase the value of other targets,
  unlike most Gottlieb games of any era.
* Too much purple in the artwork.  But not dark and ugly like some later
  Williams games aimed at young women.  However, under its own
  illumination in a dark room, a pin's color scheme often looks much better
  than in the harsh glare of room lights.  Williams' GULFSTREAM got some
  snide remarks for its green & lavender playfield, but it was
  just luscious in the dark.  [Hey Joe, you still have it?]

Comments?  --mike k
-- 
"Starbase, this is 1702: Suspect exceeded speed-o'-light, over!"
"OK buddy -- slow to impulse!"
	knudsen@ihlpl.att.com