The Aussie Pinball Arcade
Aussie Pinball Forums => General Discussion => General Pinball Discussion => Topic started by: pinball god on February 19, 2009, 10:38:35 PM
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Apart from the obvious when looking at Stern's last few attempts at making pinball (CSI & 24 in particular) causng little interest in new players let alone die hards. I reckon I know why pinball is dying/dead with the kids.
Did some business in Sunshine Melb and visited Intencity amusements at the same complex. I knew they had a SWEP1 and Congo from my last visit but hey were both 'out of order'. This time they were both working. Jeezzzz were they both a pile of shit. I own a SWEP1 and now know what a good condition one looks like and plays. This machine looked like it was pulled out from the tip. The playfield was nearly black from all the dirt. The screen needed degaussing, out of focus, mot lights dead, light sabre smashed, wotto missing, one sling dead, plastics as dirty as the playfield etc etc. Played miserably.
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So let's see, do I put a buck in this or in a video machine that's clean and vibrant? I think its a no brainer. The operators contribute to the death IMO. BTW Congo was in no better condition.
I just picked commenting on the SWEP1 as I know it real well to be able to make the comparison
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To be honest - I think they also find it boring !!! !!!
As insanely cool as we all think some pinballs are ( and they are *)*) , the idea of hitting a ball with flippers doesnt really excite youth of today when they have grown/ are growing up with todays game platforms
We play the older pinballs for memories from our youth and when we play the newer ones we understand that there is a set of rules to follow to play the game properly, THEY see every pinball as 1 ball, 2 flippers rinse repeat - no matter how deep the rules are an dtherefore BOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRING (((
I know when we got to Surfers for holidays and go to Grundy's / Time Zone I am the lone soldier playing the pins and I watch the kids, mine included , playing evey STUPID game in there apart from pinballs !!!
I have tried to get my kids interested - no chance.
( And I agree with you totally re the stupid latest titles - who wants to play those cornball games )
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it excited me :D
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So true,I recently asked my teenage daughter why she doesn`t play pinball and she told me "it`s boring all you do is try and stop the ball going down the middle"then off she goes to play the Wii...
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So true,I recently asked my teenage daughter why she doesn`t play pinball and she told me "it`s boring all you do is try and stop the ball going down the middle"then off she goes to play the Wii...
I had to pull my son off the Pinballs every night. Then we bought a Wii. We were not going to buy a strictly games console - we wanted something of educational value. Now he LOVES the Wii. But he still loves the pinnies. He has gone off the 48 in 1 entirely.
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My kids enjoy the pins, and they do understand that there is more to it than just stopping the ball draining. I'd say for them Dirty Harry is easiest to understand because it tells you what to do both on the DMD and by voice prompt. Their enjoyment of pinball doesn't stop them from playing the Wii or Nintendo DS but it does add another option. It will be interesting to see what holds their attention on Saturday at the Bushfire Meet and Greet.
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It's all about exposure. I have a rule with my girls - I'll get them exposed to anything reasonable - ie swimming, piano, singing, pinball, etc, and if they like it they keep doing it for as long as it interests them. They go to singing class every week enthusiastically, they love swimming, they both are learning (and loving) piano - and they both understand and enjoy a game of pinball from time to time.
But with the chances of exposure to a working game virtually nil "in the wild", kids will not get to understand the challenge and excitement of the silver ball. My girls will probably love the game, so too my nephews. But my mate's two boys play a single ball, and walk away. They'd rather get on the PC and have a battle with some unknown guy in another country than exercise real skill with a real ball on a real table...
All we can do is show our young ones, and maybe they will keep it alive into the next generation.
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Kids love pinball. Whenever the relos kids come over they bash away for hours at them. My wife met up with a freind recently and her kids loved them as well. Ever think kids maybe over video and looking for something new? I have kids simply amazed by my machines, most hadnt played a pin before.
Agree with lazy OPs putting kids off them. At my local superstrike there is TSPP, filthy, missing a flipper rubber, and other rubbers about to fall off. Kids wont put money in that a second time.
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Kids love pinball. Whenever the relos kids come over they bash away for hours at them. My wife met up with a freind recently and her kids loved them as well. Ever think kids maybe over video and looking for something new? I have kids simply amazed by my machines, most hadnt played a pin before.
Agree with lazy OPs putting kids off them. At my local superstrike there is TSPP, filthy, missing a flipper rubber, and other rubbers about to fall off. Kids wont put money in that a second time.
lazy ?!
totally incompetant I think.. *%*
how long does it take to give just the easy parts of most playfields a quick MR sheen if they visit it once a month for the loot. 5 mins ?
you could give an on route pinny 20 mins of love a month and it would play fine IMO.
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that's my point, if the machine played & looked as it should I'm sure the kids would give it a go and put in a few bucks. If it were me, I wouldn't even consider putting in a dollar, but then consider playing a game where the flipper chatters, sling is dead, missing rubbers. The game plays crap and you'd have to then form an opinion that pinabll is crap as you don't know any better.
I played a CV at a cinema complex and the flippers had no rubbers, there was playfield scrapnel all over the place. I played it purely to see if it was playable. It wasn't!!
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True, true and true. The problem is operators are not pinball enthusiasts. It's just revenue for them. They wouldn't have a brain in their head to think that if the pin looked great they would make ten times the money.
When we were kids, a parlour, bowling alley was full of pins, then the video games came later so pinball was already entrenched as a love. Today, the videogames come first and pinball is just a novelty to kids.
Stern has not evolved to look fresh to a younger generation. LCD would have made a world of difference, But GS doesn't want to know, "its too expensive" so he is doomed to his own chosen destiny. Sadly we all go down with him.
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I know I'm in the minority, but I think Doc has a major point. I think pinball does have to go down some kind of Pin2000 path. Maybe not duplicate it but somehow incorporate the screen with some of the features we love in the 90's machines. You could have a true video mode rather than more than often lame DMD ones, put in a trap door or draw bridge that would look very realistic with the screen graphics and the mechs incorporated.
I think people have to look at other areas in life where the traditionalists hold onto the past and then find what they love disappears. I live next to a golf course and the old farts insisted on old fashion values and then were amazed new memberships went down. I can't see young people wanting to wear long socks and tailored shorts etc etc. Now surprise surprise, the golf course is sold coz the land is worth too much and the don't have the dosh to warrant keeping it.
I think pinball has gone down this path as well. I can tell you (sorry Nino) that if pinnies didn't have DMD's, lots of gimmicks, major rule sheets, I don't think a 60's machine could keep my interest this long. I look at them now and its like watching the America's Cup.
Happy to take some flack over my comments
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I am more interested in the of maintaining/restoring supplies of the pre DMD games. Guess when us old guys die-out no one will care, and it wont be profitable to supply parts for them.
My 2 sons like pinball, but they certainly dont share the same passion. I can hope they will keep a few of my machines after I kick it, but its unlikely.
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To me it is primarily about gameplay, so I don't mind what era (although I have naturally gravitated to SS and DMD) as long as the gameplay is there. To me the graphics and even sound are secondary, but worthwhile if they add to it. Pinball is both fun and engaging because of the challenge to keep the ball alive, and then the challenge to do something useful with the ball while it is alive. Having nothing useful to do or very limited options makes for a more boring game. Games like EBD and Mousin' Around! are even more challenging because you can lose the ball almost straight away, and that's it.
My guess is that my kids will enjoy the pins more as they get good enough to keep the ball alive a bit longer. Then they will know the feeling of that 'one good ball' that gets them to the free game score or even a high score.
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For me, when I was a young chap, I was lucky enough to be exposed to both pinballs & video games. Back then, I mostly spent my hard earned money (sweeping the games room for $1.00 each morning of 20c (marked) coins) I mostly played the video games. Sure I lasted about 2 min per one but I enjoyed them. The older dad's etc mostly played the pinnies with a beer or six and I would sit there watching them play. I guess back then I learned a few lessons, firstly you could get a lot more play time from your 20c ie 5 balls which lasted a lot longer than a quick game of moon patrol or scramble. So I started playing the pinnies, I remember Hulk, Fandango, FJ Holden amongst others. My fav from that time was Hyperball. It just blew me away, lots of fun and moving stuff!
When I got older, computer games started to come out - although nothing like today. I can remember being swept up with Leasure Suit Larry, Space Quest, Street Rod which kids today would not even download for their mobile phones. Around that time a lot of DMD's were coming out. I remember playing T2 at the Cinemas at Knox, Elvira, Getaway and these had me hooked. I had no interest in the Street Fighter an similar games which were out around that time. BUT I do remember being able to find a pinny / arcade machine at just about every milkbar, shopping center and spending every hard earned cent.
I don't know the reason kids today don't like them....I would love to see a come back of some new quality machines!
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I don't know the reason kids today don't like them....I would love to see a come back of some new quality machines!
kids dont dislike pinball, they just dont know about it
How cool and smart would it be to site a new movie themed pin at the theatres, whilst the movie was newly playing. How many kids could you get into pinball by having a couple of the latest Harry Potter pins (based on the next movie) on location at the cinema for the movie's release. Kids would eat it up like any other merchanise, but because pinball is new to them it may spark a pinball craze/fad. Video games are old, they are all kids know, give them the new thrill of pinball, with a flashy LCD display for cinematics/mini games and you may get em hooked.
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steve ritchie called it well. stern f'd pinball by not evolving it. it hasn't grown up from 20 years ago. p2k was an opportunity but williams couldn't see it and that's all she wrote. bloody sad. in 100 years time not a single machine will be left.
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steve ritchie called it well. stern f'd pinball by not evolving it. it hasn't grown up from 20 years ago. p2k was an opportunity but williams couldn't see it and that's all she wrote. bloody sad. in 100 years time not a single machine will be left.
Is all well said..... pinball died with STERN, they had a concept right from the start to emulate what was working already. STERN havent changed one bit since. technology of pinball has NOT evolved with Stern. And yet if you look over the last 90 years its been one steady progression from bagatelle to pinball. But through those years competition made innovation. Stern are bloody lazy and as such the formula they started with will be their downfall. Ive posted this SO many times...but cabinets got bigger as technology allowed for pinballs to be made smaller....OK.. this is from a design angle...but DMD's are just not good to look at - the balance is all wrong..ratios of cabinet to backbox is shocking..man these things are clumsy and ugly.
Take one look at a 30's pin...Ok.. its boring cos the innovations hadnt arrived yet, but for cabinet to backbox ratio - these actually please the eye..it just looks right..nicely balanced.
i pray that the chinese take up pinball manufacture cos i see it as the only way forward.
What is pinball?? 2 flippers and at least 1 silverball bounced around a 3D graphic..
Take that formula and let the mind go....... yep - its endless, with todays technology you could have changing graphics for where the ball hits - explosions etc, a build by game play movie on the BG ... but what have we got??
A red LED display....... FFS.. they were cool in 1982! Not 2009!
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Kids are bored with pinball because pinballs dont die. These days they have to kill something in a game to be satisfied. sad, but true.
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reminds me.........still looking fwd to see what becomes of homepin: http://www.homepin.com/ (http://www.homepin.com/)
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Kids are bored with pinball because pinballs dont die. These days they have to kill something in a game to be satisfied. sad, but true.
Very good point - my son liked the "Street Fighter 2" pinball because you have to defeat each character.
Don't forget these guys ;
http://www.classicplayfields.com/photosmp.html
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One of the saddest things I recall reading, think it was on :tumble: where some guy posted that he got annoyed that some party guest's kids were playing his games! Crikey! These things were made for a commercial setting, and if they can't handle a few party kids, then I don't know what they can handle. Made be sad that these wonderful toys were being denied by some collectors to be used they way they were intended.
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One of the saddest things I recall reading, think it was on :tumble: where some guy posted that he got annoyed that some party guest's kids were playing his games! Crikey! These things were made for a commercial setting, and if they can't handle a few party kids, then I don't know what they can handle. Made be sad that these wonderful toys were being denied by some collectors to be used they way they were intended.
I love the kids bashing away, but one kid gave me the shits last year. He would constantly push the flipper buttons, I tried to coach him a bit, but he didnt get it. He is my sister-in-laws son so I just walked away, at least I didnt have hear my poor pin being tortured.......funny it survived anyway.
%.%
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One of the saddest things I recall reading, think it was on :tumble: where some guy posted that he got annoyed that some party guest's kids were playing his games! Crikey! These things were made for a commercial setting, and if they can't handle a few party kids, then I don't know what they can handle. Made be sad that these wonderful toys were being denied by some collectors to be used they way they were intended.
I love the kids bashing away, but one kid gave me the shits last year. He would constantly push the flipper buttons, I tried to coach him a bit, but he didnt get it. He is my sister-in-laws son so I just walked away, at least I didnt have hear my poor pin being tortured.......funny it survived anyway.
%.%
That's not torture - just a poor playing style! They are built to take it, and if they don't it's called maintenance. I don't think you want to get too precious about them - maybe don't let them put drinks on the glass.
My eldest son is out in the shed now playing Mousin' Around! (yep, he still wants more even after yesterday) while I catch up on the forum.
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steve ritchie called it well. stern f'd pinball by not evolving it. it hasn't grown up from 20 years ago. p2k was an opportunity but williams couldn't see it and that's all she wrote. bloody sad. in 100 years time not a single machine will be left.
Is all well said..... pinball died with STERN, they had a concept right from the start to emulate what was working already. STERN havent changed one bit since. technology of pinball has NOT evolved with Stern. And yet if you look over the last 90 years its been one steady progression from bagatelle to pinball. But through those years competition made innovation. Stern are bloody lazy and as such the formula they started with will be their downfall. Ive posted this SO many times...but cabinets got bigger as technology allowed for pinballs to be made smaller....OK.. this is from a design angle...but DMD's are just not good to look at - the balance is all wrong..ratios of cabinet to backbox is shocking..man these things are clumsy and ugly.
Take one look at a 30's pin...Ok.. its boring cos the innovations hadnt arrived yet, but for cabinet to backbox ratio - these actually please the eye..it just looks right..nicely balanced.
i pray that the chinese take up pinball manufacture cos i see it as the only way forward.
What is pinball?? 2 flippers and at least 1 silverball bounced around a 3D graphic..
Take that formula and let the mind go....... yep - its endless, with todays technology you could have changing graphics for where the ball hits - explosions etc, a build by game play movie on the BG ... but what have we got??
A red LED display....... FFS.. they were cool in 1982! Not 2009!
Agree to the max. I don't know what you're talking about when you mentioned the 30's pins. Do you have a pic of one? I'm also hoping Nucore get their system up and running so maybe people like CI - Nug and homepinball and others could maybe develop what SWEP1 and RFM really didn't achieve.
I look at the P2000 games as prototypes that weren't fully developed when released
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I did notice yesterday at the Bushfire Meet, that kids were playing together and enjoying each other's company (as kids do), but they were playing Daytona mostly rather than pins. I think that was because the adults were playing it and they like the "simulation" of sitting in the driver's seat. Maybe they were a little young to play the pins. My son loved the pinballs, but he was on the hunt for a Scared Stiff, or a CV. Neither was there unfortunately, but he still played some of the pins - especially the Addams, and he had a go at Safecracker. I think Access to Pins will be the big problem in the future. There are no more arcades, so the kids have to depend on home collections to start their interest. I'm lucky, my son is always around them. If I didn't have pins, he would be stuck playing Wii and playstation instead.
Part of the future will depend on how much access to pinball the kids have. Where can they play them ?
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I did notice yesterday at the Bushfire Meet, that kids were playing together and enjoying each other's company (as kids do), but they were playing Daytona mostly rather than pins. I think that was because the adults were playing it and they like the "simulation" of sitting in the driver's seat. Maybe they were a little young to play the pins. My son loved the pinballs, but he was on the hunt for a Scared Stiff, or a CV. Neither was there unfortunately, but he still played some of the pins - especially the Addams, and he had a go at Safecracker. I think Access to Pins will be the big problem in the future. There are no more arcades, so the kids have to depend on home collections to start their interest. I'm lucky, my son is always around them. If I didn't have pins, he would be stuck playing Wii and playstation instead.
Part of the future will depend on how much access to pinball the kids have. Where can they play them ?
My kids did give the vids a good going over, but they also had a bash at more than a few pins.
Youngest daughter's favourites: Junkyard and NBA Fastbreak, special mention to Safecracker and Roadshow
Eldest son's favourites: TSPP, NBA Fastbreak and Bugs Bunny (also got the same list from youngest son)
Unfortunately I didn't get around to playing the Fastbreak so will have to play it another time to see if I concur with their rating of it.
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yeah where can you play them... i walked into timezone in liverpool on friday (for the first time in many many years) in the hope of playing pins that i havent played before and nothing but vids (mostly light gun games and of course fighters). And then of course there was a "dance" machine that a few kids were having a go on... Needless to say, i didnt spend a cent and walked away shaking my head... very dissapointing
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yeah where can you play them... i walked into timezone in liverpool on friday (for the first time in many many years) in the hope of playing pins that i havent played before and nothing but vids (mostly light gun games and of course fighters). And then of course there was a "dance" machine that a few kids were having a go on... Needless to say, i didnt spend a cent and walked away shaking my head... very dissapointing
What you didn't have a dance?? My favourite I saw at intencity the other day was....wait for it......bet you wouldn't think it would be made for the arcades....but yes it was and people play it.....the one....the only.......DEAL OR NO DEAL.
Yep people put money in it so they can get a couple of tickets and win a rubber thing to put on the end of a pencil or something. Now tell me things haven't got bad, the economic crisis is nothing, Mr Rudd should hand out cash and put the proviso that it has to be spent on playing pins
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I had 14 kids at my house today, all under the age of 10, most of them around 5 for my Daughters 5th birthday party.
All my pinball machines copped a flogging, and funny enough the 60 in 1 cocktail table laid quite for most of the day!
When the kids were not on them, the dads made up the spots pretty quickly.
I think exposure is the key, in Bendigo, the most we have are three pinballs at the Movie theatre.
Cheers Angelo
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My about-to-be teenage daughter is running a pinball comp on both my machines for her birthday party. She has prizes ready for the winners. There is a certain retro cool thing happening.
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Having my 5yrold son's birthday party here this weekend and the pins will be on for entertainment. Be interesting to see how pinball goes over with the little ones. Not to mention the yummy mumies. &&
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I had 14 kids at my house today, all under the age of 10, most of them around 5 for my Daughters 5th birthday party.
All my pinball machines copped a flogging
Alright! That's what I like to read Angelo! @@*
... the most we have are three pinballs at the Movie theatre.
Well you're lucky then, none at our major cinema complexes at all. Reminds me - I had my first and only game (Time Warp) and then stumbled across an AFM at the local cinema when it still used to have them. Six months later I had an AFM, and soon after the breeding in earnest started! Without the exposure I would not have got back into DMD's, at least for a long time. Shows what exposure does I guess.
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For me, when I was a young chap, I was lucky enough to be exposed to both pinballs & video games. Back then, I mostly spent my hard earned money (sweeping the games room for $1.00 each morning of 20c (marked) coins) I mostly played the video games. Sure I lasted about 2 min per one but I enjoyed them. The older dad's etc mostly played the pinnies with a beer or six and I would sit there watching them play. I guess back then I learned a few lessons, firstly you could get a lot more play time from your 20c ie 5 balls which lasted a lot longer than a quick game of moon patrol or scramble. So I started playing the pinnies, I remember Hulk, Fandango, FJ Holden amongst others. My fav from that time was Hyperball. It just blew me away, lots of fun and moving stuff!
When I got older, computer games started to come out - although nothing like today. I can remember being swept up with Leasure Suit Larry, Space Quest, Street Rod which kids today would not even download for their mobile phones. Around that time a lot of DMD's were coming out. I remember playing T2 at the Cinemas at Knox, Elvira, Getaway and these had me hooked. I had no interest in the Street Fighter an similar games which were out around that time. BUT I do remember being able to find a pinny / arcade machine at just about every milkbar, shopping center and spending every hard earned cent.
I don't know the reason kids today don't like them....I would love to see a come back of some new quality machines!
This post brings back some memories *%*
Larry Laffer, Roger Wilco, Sonny Bonds, gotta love those old Sierra quests, I too grew up around computer games, but now just find them too repeditave.
We had some friends around the other day and I turned the pins on for them, a couple of the kids got it, but I cant stand the constant bang bang bang of a kid continually pushing the ball (even after while it is going down into the trough) Its not like it will hurt the machine just the noise *!@
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We had some friends around the other day and I turned the pins on for them, a couple of the kids got it, but I cant stand the constant bang bang bang of a kid continually pushing the ball (even after while it is going down into the trough) Its not like it will hurt the machine just the noise *!@
Hmmm, turning into an old man....
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For me, when I was a young chap, I was lucky enough to be exposed to both pinballs & video games. Back then, I mostly spent my hard earned money (sweeping the games room for $1.00 each morning of 20c (marked) coins) I mostly played the video games. Sure I lasted about 2 min per one but I enjoyed them. The older dad's etc mostly played the pinnies with a beer or six and I would sit there watching them play. I guess back then I learned a few lessons, firstly you could get a lot more play time from your 20c ie 5 balls which lasted a lot longer than a quick game of moon patrol or scramble. So I started playing the pinnies, I remember Hulk, Fandango, FJ Holden amongst others. My fav from that time was Hyperball. It just blew me away, lots of fun and moving stuff!
When I got older, computer games started to come out - although nothing like today. I can remember being swept up with Leasure Suit Larry, Space Quest, Street Rod which kids today would not even download for their mobile phones. Around that time a lot of DMD's were coming out. I remember playing T2 at the Cinemas at Knox, Elvira, Getaway and these had me hooked. I had no interest in the Street Fighter an similar games which were out around that time. BUT I do remember being able to find a pinny / arcade machine at just about every milkbar, shopping center and spending every hard earned cent.
I don't know the reason kids today don't like them....I would love to see a come back of some new quality machines!
This post brings back some memories *%*
Larry Laffer, Roger Wilco, Sonny Bonds, gotta love those old Sierra quests, I too grew up around computer games, but now just find them too repeditave.
We had some friends around the other day and I turned the pins on for them, a couple of the kids got it, but I cant stand the constant bang bang bang of a kid continually pushing the ball (even after while it is going down into the trough) Its not like it will hurt the machine just the noise *!@
The scary thing is I still remember the telephone number Larry rings for the escort service (555-6969)! Oh and don't forget 'Ken Sent Me'.....!!
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Ahh the memories, Gold game! but would probaly look very lame by todays standard.
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I remember when growing up perhaps 10-12 years of age going out to the backyard, grabbing a piece of wood and making my own pinball machine using nails, rubber bands and pegs as flippers. These days when our kids want to be creative they jump on the PS3 / xbox 360 and use a level builder to create a new map for their game.
Whilst I can imagine kids enjoy playing pinballs I fear it does not have the same appeal as it did to the older generation.
Pict
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I remember when growing up perhaps 10-12 years of age going out to the backyard, grabbing a piece of wood and making my own pinball machine using nails, rubber bands and pegs as flippers. These days when our kids want to be creative they jump on the PS3 / xbox 360 and use a level builder to create a new map for their game.
Whilst I can imagine kids enjoy playing pinballs I fear it does not have the same appeal as it did to the older generation.
Pict
I recall doing exactly the same thing when I was a child. Great memories.
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For me, when I was a young chap, I was lucky enough to be exposed to both pinballs & video games. Back then, I mostly spent my hard earned money (sweeping the games room for $1.00 each morning of 20c (marked) coins) I mostly played the video games. Sure I lasted about 2 min per one but I enjoyed them. The older dad's etc mostly played the pinnies with a beer or six and I would sit there watching them play. I guess back then I learned a few lessons, firstly you could get a lot more play time from your 20c ie 5 balls which lasted a lot longer than a quick game of moon patrol or scramble. So I started playing the pinnies, I remember Hulk, Fandango, FJ Holden amongst others. My fav from that time was Hyperball. It just blew me away, lots of fun and moving stuff!
When I got older, computer games started to come out - although nothing like today. I can remember being swept up with Leasure Suit Larry, Space Quest, Street Rod which kids today would not even download for their mobile phones. Around that time a lot of DMD's were coming out. I remember playing T2 at the Cinemas at Knox, Elvira, Getaway and these had me hooked. I had no interest in the Street Fighter an similar games which were out around that time. BUT I do remember being able to find a pinny / arcade machine at just about every milkbar, shopping center and spending every hard earned cent.
I don't know the reason kids today don't like them....I would love to see a come back of some new quality machines!
This post brings back some memories *%*
Larry Laffer, Roger Wilco, Sonny Bonds, gotta love those old Sierra quests, I too grew up around computer games, but now just find them too repeditave.
We had some friends around the other day and I turned the pins on for them, a couple of the kids got it, but I cant stand the constant bang bang bang of a kid continually pushing the ball (even after while it is going down into the trough) Its not like it will hurt the machine just the noise *!@
The scary thing is I still remember the telephone number Larry rings for the escort service (555-6969)! Oh and don't forget 'Ken Sent Me'.....!!
I've still got a lot of these games still in the box near mint. Slowly off loading on ebay so I can use the wardrobe for clothes of all things
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I remember when growing up perhaps 10-12 years of age going out to the backyard, grabbing a piece of wood and making my own pinball machine using nails, rubber bands and pegs as flippers. These days when our kids want to be creative they jump on the PS3 / xbox 360 and use a level builder to create a new map for their game.
Whilst I can imagine kids enjoy playing pinballs I fear it does not have the same appeal as it did to the older generation.
Pict
I recall doing exactly the same thing when I was a child. Great memories.
Yeah, I think we all did that if we are of a certain age.
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Just had my twin Daughters birthday aged 10-the thought of the kids and there friends banging my flippers together when the balls no where near them scares the crap out of me, I closed the door and said just look they don't work!! am I being unfair??
Peter
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Just had my twin Daughters birthday aged 10-the thought of the kids and there friends banging my flippers together when the balls no where near them scares the crap out of me, I closed the door and said just look they don't work!! am I being unfair??
Peter
I guess it depends on how much work you have put into them and if they are restored to like new or not. But they are built tough - I reckon it is too easy to be precious about them when they are designed to be played. Just keep the drinks away from them I say.
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Just had my twin Daughters birthday aged 10-the thought of the kids and there friends banging my flippers together when the balls no where near them scares the crap out of me, I closed the door and said just look they don't work!! am I being unfair??
Peter
I guess it depends on how much work you have put into them and if they are restored to like new or not. But they are built tough - I reckon it is too easy to be precious about them when they are designed to be played. Just keep the drinks away from them I say.
I concur.
These machines have seen X100 of what these kids can dish out. They also need to start playing the pins by working out what the buttons do.
Just keep liquids away from the machines = good point.
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August is the boys 12th birthday-maybe time to show the kids the pinballs hey?? But not the GORGAR-to much time and $$$$ into that one..
Peter
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My 7 yr old son helps me with the restores - he has his own Super mario pin that he enjoys playing and showing off to anyone that comes round, He detests anything with a 2"flipper though as they are too hard to play. I like showing him how they work, i can see his mind absorbing all the information without him even knowing it.
He now has a small circuit board with various components on it that will be the CPU of his own pin he is designing ( yeh i know it will never work - but hey! Its his invention!)
He has designed his own Ben 10 playfield with bumpers etc on it - all on paper, so early design stages.
To him - its all in the theme, Ben 10, Spiderman ( or rather the evil enemies). Modern Dr Who etc.
No pins being made with any of these themes, so its hard to get a REAL interest in one and so PS2 and Nintendo DS take over.
...So kids not playing pinball?? Right back in Sterns court im afraid
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All my kids play my pinballs as they respect them and have been bought up with them-but it's there friends I'm worried about.. :D
Peter
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August is the boys 12th birthday-maybe time to show the kids the pinballs hey?? But not the GORGAR-to much time and $$$$ into that one..
Peter
Umm, yep. Dont be scared Pete they can't hurt them :lol
My 3 yr old son has the hang of it, waits for the ball to come down before flipping, can catch a ball on the flipper too.
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Bunch of 20 or so here this afternoon, most seemed to enjoy having a bash.
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BTW I saw a listing on ebay recently and the pinball for auction had one wooden flipper!!! I don't think that'll add to the pinball movement. Why would someone go to the trouble to do this when the cost of a flipper bat is stuff all.
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Back in the 80's dad and I had a good collection of EMs but we didnt know where to get parts after Hankin shutdown. We used make stuff and improvise alot.
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CSI? 24? what's next, a "Gordon Ramsey" pin??? actually, come to think of it, that's actually be fun to play, being sworn at everytime you lose a shot hahahahaha.
Maybe a Britney Spears or Madonna pin will be next, maybe they'll be popular, but not enjoyable.....kinda like their music really hahahahaha.
MM.
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14 4-5 year old boys at my sons birthday party today. They gave the pins a true hiding, and they took to them like ducks on water. Consider the attention span of a 5yrold boy :D, and they we mesmerised today. I say kids love them, but just dont get exposure to them.
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14 4-5 year old boys at my sons birthday party today. They gave the pins a true hiding, and they took to them like ducks on water. Consider the attention span of a 5yrold boy :D, and they we mesmerised today. I say kids love them, but just dont get exposure to them.
And I'm hoping you were loving the attention the games were getting Sinbad!
I love it when kids come over and their eyes light up and they start bashing the balls around. (Although I do try and show them how to play without just flip flip flip - "Now wait for the ball...")
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14 4-5 year old boys at my sons birthday party today. They gave the pins a true hiding, and they took to them like ducks on water. Consider the attention span of a 5yrold boy :D, and they we mesmerised today. I say kids love them, but just dont get exposure to them.
And I'm hoping you were loving the attention the games were getting Sinbad!
I love it when kids come over and their eyes light up and they start bashing the balls around. (Although I do try and show them how to play without just flip flip flip - "Now wait for the ball...")
Mate I just relaxed and let em have fun. I did coach a couple of kids who were constantly flipping, but it was all good. I did turn Elektra off because the left top flipper stopped working. My son said when it happened he felt a surging feeling through the left flippers. Looks like I better pull the top flipper apart and investigate.
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Well at least one kid thought it was 'awesome' that we had a couple of pinball machines.
And no breakdowns so I reckon I have got the little niggles out for now.
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I'm probally worried to much but the thought of constent flip flip does scare me...
Peter
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I'm probally worried to much but the thought of constent flip flip does scare me...
Peter
Nah, doesn't hurt them.
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I'm probally worried to much but the thought of constent flip flip does scare me...
Peter
the thing you should be worried about is the flipper being held for a long time that will destroy the coil sooner or later flipping constantly wont do anything
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I'm probally worried to much but the thought of constent flip flip does scare me...
Peter
the thing you should be worried about is the flipper being held for a long time that will destroy the coil sooner or later flipping constantly wont do anything
Not really as long as your EOS switches are properly adjusted
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That Cannes working properly Spot? has it stopped burning coils?
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My 18 year old nephew was down from QLD at xmas and had a few games on the pinnie i asked him before he started if he had played before and he gave me a stupid look and said of course.
After a few balls i told him that he had never played one before and he sheepishly admitted that i was right.
Although he enjoyed it he wasnt over inmpressed ,my own kids play it but mostly when a friend is over.
Maybe the pinnie will end with our generation?
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That would be a crying shame. On the plus side prices will crash and I will be able to buy heaps of em!! !*!
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That would be a crying shame. On the plus side prices will crash and I will be able to buy heaps of em!! !*!
If the prices crash you would wonder if the parts suppliers would shut shop? Machines have to be sought-after to create demand for spares.
My concern for pinballs longevity is the amount of power they consume. Who knows in 20 years time we maybe limited to what we can run?
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My concern for pinballs longevity is the amount of power they consume. Who knows in 20 years time we maybe limited to what we can run?
Has anyone measured how much power they consume (both in attract mode and while being played)?
We tend to turn ours on when we want to play and back off when we finish.
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Valid concern. I have similar concerns over my 2-stroke motorcycles except reguarding polution controls.
It would be a good enough reason to bung solar panels on the roof of your shed!
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power consumption seems to be (by new digital meters installed by power company) attract 0.2kw
playing 0.3kw..... i thought was pretty good, (was the first thing i checked when the power man left &&)
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I am bunging solar panels on the roof of the shed! Not myself, getting a company in to do it.
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Im shocking with our power i can turn on all my machines for no reason and walk off and forget i even turned em on. ^&^
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Back on topic #@#
I had my Son's 5th Birthday Today. We had kids and teenagers from the age of 10 to 23 -around 15 in total. Setup was Medusa, Paragon, a Soccar Table (Foosball) and Wii.
Soccar table had doubles going for most of the afternoon
Medusa was completely thrashed
Paragon was played less than Medusa - which REALLY surprised me
Wii - Whats a Wii ??? Basically, just the younger kids played Wii for less than 30 minutes.
All machines were on from 12:30 PM until my last game at 9:30 PM.
Kids play Pinball..
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Well i just bought a Wii for the kids and it has totally taken over as their favourite game...Pinballs dont even get mentioned !!!. Im hoping that the kids are just going through a phase?
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Well i just bought a Wii for the kids and it has totally taken over as their favourite game...Pinballs dont even get mentioned !!!. Im hoping that the kids are just going through a phase?
The novelty factor will wear off and they will end up playing both.
What you really need is a new pin :)
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Well i just bought a Wii for the kids and it has totally taken over as their favourite game...Pinballs dont even get mentioned !!!. Im hoping that the kids are just going through a phase?
A phase. My son played Bowling on Wii for about a month straight. My wife uses it for "Wii Fit" %.%
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Mario Kart online is what i usually play on the Wii these days. That game just rocks.
If you are in a race with someone called "FAR Q MATE" you are racing me &&
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Had my daughter's 16th Bday party at home last Friday night . 30 15-16 yr olds were there .. I think almost all of em had a least one game of pinball , a lot played many games .. only had 2 EM pins setup (due to space limitations) .. Blue Chip (which had over 150 plays) and Spanish eyes (which had almost 150 plays) .
The teens loved them and several asked me where they could get one. One guy commented he played pinball on his PC but it was so much better playing the real thing !