From: knudsen@cbnewsd.cb.att.com (michael.j.knudsen)
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball
Subject: BLACKWATER 100
Date: 9 Apr 92 16:01:12 GMT
Article-I.D.: cbnewsd.1992Apr9.160112.5126
Organization: AT&T

As part of a lousy deal on FLIP-A-CARD, I got a great buy on
a Bally BLACKWATER 100 in very good shape, with maybe a few problems.

I'd like to hear anyone's opinions and experiences with this game,
and of course any tips for playing strategies.

It's based on dirt-bike motocross racing, sort of Banzai Run without
the Baby PacMan extra pintable in the head :-)
Instead, it has a 3-D playfield with all sorts of banked ramps
including one that feeds the ball right up under your left nostril,
with a 5th flipper in the front left corner to knock the ball over to
the right front corner for extra points.  I mean right up against
the lockdown bar -- you need trifocals to play this one!

It's a bi-level game (like Black Knight & family), plus the extra side ramps
and brodie slopes and such.  I used to do it in the dirt (till I gave it
up for windsurfing) and I can tell whoever designed this game either
rode dirt or consulted with someone who did.

This game always starts off with 3-ball multiball.  You plunger up
three balls, which come to rest against a starting gate at the upper right,
accompanied by revving 2-stroke engine sounds, every decibel as obnoxious
as the real thing -- excellent sampled sound by Bally.
After you shoot the 3rd ball, a red-yellow-green countdown starting
light sequence occurs, and you punch an extra flipper button to drop
the gate and release all three balls.  The sooner you hit this after
the green light, the more bonus points you get -- if you jump the gun,
the alphanumerics show "TOO EARLY" and you get zip.
Nice carryover from real racing.

Purists may frown at freebie multiball every time, but you often wish
you had only one "rider" to contend with, as you try to do something useful
with all 3 at once.  Reflexes and timing required make HIGH SPEED
feel like a '50s woodrail.  Well, maybe not quite...
Meanwhile there's this country-western banjo tune
going on, and spoken "whoo-hah" every time you pull off a good shot.
Doesn't seem to be much *helpful* speech directions, like "He's
going after yellow-belly" or "Now shoot the 3-Ball."

I played the game a while before the guy said I could have it for what
turned out to be $300!  Its only problem seems to be losing track of its
balls sometimes and putting up a 4th ball normally reserved for when
you lock some balls in various saucers (yes, it has "honest" multiball
as well).  Then you end up with two in the plunger on the next go-round,
which takes some fancy timing to knock one up into the starting gate.

Also the sound cut out on me during one game, but resumed on the next game.
Others have recently complained about this in other pins -- probably
have to jiggle some connectors.

This will be my first S-S Bally (won't pick it up for a couple weeks),
and my most modern machine, being dated 1988.  Was this just before
Williams bought out Bally's pin division?  Any comments?
-- 
"Starbase, this is 1702: Suspect exceeded speed-o'-light, over!"
"OK buddy -- slow to impulse!"
	knudsen@ihlpl.att.com
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball