Message #137699

[ghali]

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?    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.