The Aussie Pinball Arcade
Aussie Pinball Forums => General Discussion => Sunday pinball questionnaire => Topic started by: Strangeways on April 09, 2013, 10:48:29 AM
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Oops - This one slipped through the cracks - My apologies. Do this questionnaire anytime, Ghali !
1. Earliest pinball memory?
2. All time favorite pin? Why?
3. Favorite pinball manufacture?
4. Favorite game in your collection? Why?
5. How long have you been collecting?
6. First game and how did you find it?
7. Do you still have it?
8. What are you currently working on?
9. Most wanted game to add to your collection?
10. Best all time bargain game added to your collection?
11. Worst ever miss – tell us about the one that got away!
12. Worst ever purchase – tell us about the game you wished you never bought
13. Describe your collection
14. Describe your gamesroom
15. Do you have other games other than pinball?
16. Where can you see the hobby in 10 years?
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Thank you Nino, and no problems!
So here it is. Excerpts of my personnel pinball journey.
1. Earliest pinball memory?
I come from a family of table tennis players, champions infact. (My brother played for the state, my sister represented the country!) I never really got into it myself, I was the little brother that got dragged along to the tournaments most weekends of the year.
A common venue was the Victorian table tennis center in Albert Park (Pre MSAC days) I didn't mind this venue because there was a pinball machine that others rarely played. it was 20c a game, 5 ball games, The game was a Hankin FJ.
2. All time favorite pin? Why?
I've been sitting here pondering this question for quite some time, I don't know why, because the answer is definitive and has been so for a long, long time.
Overlord GORGAR is the only one I'd dare award a title with such honor.
Why? Well....Looong, unfinished story. Lord Gorgs & I, we got history. We go way back. I'll fill you in as best I can.
GORGAR ruined my life. He still taunts me to this very day. We first met sometime in the mid eighties in Geelong, at "The Golden Cue" I was playing Wonderboy when these evil sounds started to overcome me. "boom, boom.....boom, boom...G O R G A R ...ME....GOT....YOU!" The volume wasn't overly loud of anything, but I couldn't escape it. I tried ignoring it & couldn't. He'd already infiltrated my juvenile mind.
9 - 10 months and MANY coins later, we'd had countless 'disagreements'. He ALWAYS won. There was simply no possible reasoning with him.
We decided that we didn't want to see each other any longer.
That's how things basically remained between us for the next 25 years or so, the couple of times we made eye contact, we both just looked the other way and pretended not to see each other. Clearly though, deep down in my soul, he was always there. I just wouldn't let him out of his box.
It must have been sometime around mid '09, I was at a friends house when I felt it. My heart started pounding. Then I heard it, clear as day.....G O R G A R!......ME...GOT...YOU.
THAT CHEEKY BASTARD!....He'd somehow gotten himself a lead role in a video game. I know for sure, he did this with the sole purpose of taunting me once more.
I decided to hunt him down, in the flesh....
Continuing to this very day, ever since then, our re-newed feuding rivalry has grown more and more intense, ruthless & unforgiving.
I therefore pledge before you: I WILL NOT GIVE UP THIS FIGHT....I WILL NEVER SURRENDER.....THIS WILL CONTINUE TO THE BITTER END. !*!
FYI: Most people call me Ghali, this evolved into Pin-Ghali then The Great Pin-Ghali. Recently someone started calling me GORGHALI !*!
3. Favorite pinball manufacture?
Easily WMS/BALLY
From Sys6 through to P2K. No one came close.
4. Favorite game in your collection? Why?
*NB In the interests of fair competition, entry to GORGAR has been declined*
This answer changes all time, but at the moment T2 is clearly victorious.
There's plenty or reasons for this.
- Brilliant playfield design & ruleset
- Still today, it challenges me
- Big rewards for good play
- Easy to understand, Hard to master
5. How long have you been collecting?
Around 5 years.
And my god!, I developed an uncontrollable dependency almost instantly, seriously man, I got a problem.
6. First game and how did you find it?
Lord GORGAR. I saw him advertised on Ebay and phoned the seller to organize an inspection. 3hrs later, I vividly recall turning around and looking at in the back of the panel van and said:
"Hey Gorgs....Who's got who now muthafkr!!!!"
7. Do you still have it?
DER!! In fact, I now have 2, 1 original & 1 upgraded.
8. What are you currently working on?
Erm...I'm currently working on multiple machines. (Told ya I have a problem)
Notably there's two tables currently being concentrated on. Twilight Zone and Black Hole
9. Most wanted game to add to your collection?
AFM. Hands down.
10. Best all time bargain game added to your collection?
Hmmmm. I pretty much never pay the 'going rate' for my machines. I only buy the ones that I consider to be a bargain.
I picked up my TZ about 9 months ago for $3k....BARGAIN!
11. Worst ever miss – tell us about the one that got away!
About 18 months ago, I put in a max bid of $3223.23 on a nice Indiana Jones. It sold for $3241.00. I have still not forgiven myself.
12. Worst ever purchase – tell us about the game you wished you never bought
Can't decide on one so I'll hit ya with two.
Williams - Hurricane....I still don't know why the hell I bought it. Never enjoyed it. Wanna buy it?? <.>
Zaccaria - Winter Sports....Good example of it. Plays really slow, really stupid ruleset & god awful sounds.
13. Describe your collection
Ok...I'll list the entire collection by manufacturer,
Could be in any one of these queue working, not working, on location, in workshop
ZACCARIA:
Space Shuttle
Winter Sports
BALLY / STERN (Classic)
Mystic
Space Invaders
Lightning
GOTTLIEB
Black Hole
Countdown
HANKIN
Howzat
DATA EAST & SEGA
Tommy
Star Wars 25th Anniversery
Tales From The Crypt
Jurassic Park
Twister
CHICAGO COIN
Sports Star
WILLIAMS (Inc WMS/BALLY)
Time Warp
Gorgar (X2)
Twilight Zone
Fish Tales
Space Shuttle
Revenge From Mars (X2)
Police Force
Hurricane
The Addams Family
Pinbot
The Machine: Bride Of Pinbot (X2)
Jackbot
Terminator 2
Creature FTBL
Theatre Of Magic
WILLIAMS (EM)
Apollo
Big Strike (Add a Ball)
Space Mission
Rancho
14. Describe your gamesroom
Which one? :D I have a few spots of pin goodness. I'll describe the one I call YFY Are-K'd
YFY Are-K'd (Damn straight we are!) Is a massive brick warehouse with pitched tin roof privately rented by myself and two other people. Located in Northcote VIC
Technically it's 2 warehouses. One big building with a brick wall separating the front and back warehouses.
In the back half is my pinball workshop, general storage of all my shit, and an office. I share this half with a mechanic and his workshop.
However, for this description, we'll only worry about the front warehouse.
I share this half with Chucky, who lives there and Ruby the dog.
Entering the door through the left hand wall. Hard left is the dunny, always need to know where that is. Straight ahead is a small kitchenette. On your direct right is the 'Pool Room' with 3/4 pool table and two single player pinball machines.
To the left of here is Chucky's residence. Nevermind about being quiet, you wont wake him!
Left of here again (facing in same direction as when you walk in) will find you in the Are-K'd. You'll see a huge horseshoe shape couch and behind that is 'The Bar' ($4 Asahi's) 3 group Ranchillo coffee machine, Pie Warmer. Fridge & Freezer generally stocked with bargain priced goodies.
OK..Now against the right hand wall is a row of pinball machines, rotated fairly regularly. In the space between the pinballs and the couch is a collection on arcade machines.
15. Do you have other games other than pinball?
Sure do!
ORIGINAL TABLETOPS
Space Invaders (X2)
Donkey Kong
Frogger
ORIGINAL STAND-UP
Galaga
Gyrus
DRIVING GAMES
Chase H.Q.
Taito Space Race
2 seater Indy 500
SHOOTERS
Big Buck Hunter - Call Of The Wild
16. Where can you see the hobby in 10 years?
Unfortunately, I don't think it'll be much more or less than it currently stands. You'll be here. I'll be here. People will come, people will go. Sadly, I can't see much of the next generation giving two shits.
For sure, there will always be the ones that do will find the passion, but most of us grew up with pinball pretty much EVERYWHERE.
"The Twilight Zone??...Yeah yeah, I've the app of it on my itable" said Rodney
Got to your local timezone. Who's playing on the one or two pinball machines? More than likely, some old prick like me!
If I produce spawn some day (I'm 35, still plenty of time) They will love their pinball, or they're out on the street!! #@#
......If anyone actually made it this far, Thanks heaps for joining me!
I've been typing this out for about ages now and I'm way past due for a few games.
$#$
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That was a great read, thanks for taking the time to share your stories ^^^
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entertaining read,pingahli
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Nice read Ghali. Gorgar speak.
I like your summary of the hobby. Great to see a large diverse collection, you have a bit of everything.
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Good read, thanks mate.
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excellent read! thanks Ghali!
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^^^ I love reading these questionnaires. Nice mix up of toys
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6. First game and how did you find it?
Lord GORGAR. I saw him advertised on Ebay and phoned the seller to organize an inspection. 3hrs later, I vividly recall turning around and looking at in the back of the panel van and said:
"Hey Gorgs....Who's got who now muthafkr!!!!"
Great read!! Laughed at the above quote.
Fantastic collection of machines and i hope to be able to rattle off a list like that when i am 5 years in!
After such a great questionaire think i will do mine next sunday! *%*
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Fantastic and very entertaining read Ghali . I think I counted 38 ? pinnies in your collection which is amazing in 5 years .
You , my friend, are SERIOUSLY ADDICTED :lol
I also see you have a Black Hole . I bought a project one a month or so ago and can't wait to get it up and running . *%*
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Great read, ghali ^^^
Did you ever play the pinballs in the seedy 24 hour cafe in High St Northcote ?
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Thanks for all your kind comments guys. Really appreciate it!
Great read, ghali ^^^
Did you ever play the pinballs in the seedy 24 hour cafe in High St Northcote ?
Nah mate, cant say I did. How long ago are you talking?? I worked in High St for a few years & can't believe I didnt know of this place.
Just last week though, me and a couple of mate went out at 6am of as freezing morning to play a machine we'd just been told about. It's in Nicholson St Fitzroy at a 24hr Foodworks...And it's outdoors! Tis a Gottlieb Shaq Attack
Fantastic and very entertaining read Ghali . I think I counted 38 ? pinnies in your collection which is amazing in 5 years .
You , my friend, are SERIOUSLY ADDICTED :lol
I also see you have a Black Hole . I bought a project one a month or so ago and can't wait to get it up and running . *%*
Hahaha!! Good thing my missus loves her pinball! I often get asked "How many is enough?" to which I normally reply "All of them"
Can't wait to get my Black Hole going either, It's in the workshop at the moment, it's in pretty good nick. This is the first Gottlieb I've worked on and I'll tell ya what, I've learned pretty fast that they're a bit of a pain in the ass!
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My Father owner the 24 hour cafe "Fiorentino" - where all the cabbies used to have their 3:00 AM coffee breaks. It was the only 24 hour 7 day a week cafe in the area around the 70's. It was sold in 1999, but it was well known as a "hang out" that was full of Bingo, pinballs, Billiard tables etc..
Thats where I spent a lot of my youth learning Bingo repair as at one time there was around a dozen of them against the side wall.
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Ahhh...long before my time! I was born in '77 and didn't move to Melb until '02
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Now Sunday questionaire makes sense with answers like these.
how far away is the are-K'd ( what sort of dyslexia is this?????? funny though) from your house? I'm sure if I set one up my wife would recommend I just sleep there instead of at home! (she usually says "have fun cuddling up to that machine" every time a new one arrives at home). At least when the little ghali's (ghalettes?) arrive you'll have somewhere to:
1. Bond with them
2. Escape from them
3. Lock them up when they need punishmet/rewarding
4. Hide the evidence of new machines (women do it all the time with new dresses "This old thing- had it for ages")
5. Meet fellow dads and share the pain/joy/advice
#*# #*#
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Now Sunday questionaire makes sense with answers like these.
how far away is the are-K'd ( what sort of dyslexia is this?????? funny though) from your house? I'm sure if I set one up my wife would recommend I just sleep there instead of at home! (she usually says "have fun cuddling up to that machine" every time a new one arrives at home). At least when the little ghali's (ghalettes?) arrive you'll have somewhere to:
1. Bond with them
2. Escape from them
3. Lock them up when they need punishmet/rewarding
4. Hide the evidence of new machines (women do it all the time with new dresses "This old thing- had it for ages")
5. Meet fellow dads and share the pain/joy/advice
#*# #*#
Whats wrong with the way i spell are-k'd? I speak england good!
I live in Reservoir, warehouse is on Northcote, 10-15 mins drive depending on traffic. Saying that, I couldn't call myself a pinhead if I didn't have a few table set up at home!!...I have 3 in my kitchen!
A few points to note...
#1. I often do spend the night there.
#2. I regularly cuddle my machines
#3. Don't need to hide new machines because
A. She loves them.
B. I pay ze bills!
C. She's wouldn't dare give me the ultimatum as she already knows the answer. I've dared her to try it in the past.
#4. If in the future, Spawn of Ghali's arrive, I do hope they like the boobie pictures plastered throughout the warehouse.
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Great stuff ^^^
You must have been hanging out at golden cue around the same time as me, you are a year older, I can't remember much except the big wall of pins and vids, and smoke filled haze across the pool room. Plenty of dodgy looking guys hanging around
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Whats wrong with the way i spell are-k'd? I speak england good!
I live in Reservoir, warehouse is on Northcote, 10-15 mins drive depending on traffic. Saying that, I couldn't call myself a pinhead if I didn't have a few table set up at home!!...I have 3 in my kitchen!
I grew up in Reservoir, and there were several locations that Dad had games in - Delfino's and Top Room in Edwards St. Along High St there were several other haunts and coffee shops.
There's a warehouse full of pins in Nothcote ! && &&
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Great read and welcome aboard.