How hard do you ‘nudge’ somebody else’s games?

[Pop Bumper Pete]

I visited another pinball collector over the weekend. He had a nice collection of machines. Nothing newer than 1995, one dated back to early 70’s.

I was invited to play, but I played poorly.

My host told me to give the games a bit of a nudge.

[elkor-alish]

I would nudge about the same as I do my own machines and I don't slam mine.
Even if you did knock your own around a bit, it's just polite to take it easy on someone elses I think.

[pinnies4me]

Play like you would at home.

[Strangeways]

Play like you would at home.

+1

Play them as if they were your own, but that does not mean beating the crap out of them. Whatever you dish out, is nothing compared to what players did while they were in operation. Having said that, I've seen "players" treating games badly if things are not going there way. I find that disrespectful.

You can adjust the tilt to prevent bad players from pushing your games around too hard.

[Caveoftreasures]

One thing i see alot of people doing when they play pinball (which is totally not required at all) is really bad slapping of the flipper buttons/or just hard slapping of the pinball.  After seeing this done by quite a few people when i visited Sydney last, it left me saying no wonder alot of sited machines have bad hand wear marks all around the flippers.  A good thing about having machines sitting closely and side by side, is that slappers cant get a big swing for a big slap, leaving them to play normally. 

Its also annoying because there is a constant amount of loud slapping which puts you off your game when playing nearby. The other annoying thing is people yelling loudly when playing a pinny, another pain. I like to hear the machines audio, not people yelling and slapping the shit out of your machine. I should put up a sign, "No slappers or yellers allowed".lol     There should be some sort of pinball finishing school for the masses.

Question -How do u nudge someone elses pinball machine, I say carefully and always ask first incase people dont like that etc. Respectful and gentle with someone elses machines. And u dont know what the tilt settings are like either, so best to always check first !

[indazone gav]

I have upmost respect for other peoples property and would never eat or drink over their machines. I am careful not to damage anything in any way. I will always wash my hands after eating before I play and I am not a slapper etc...that said, I will nudge a pin as much as I need to make a save. If I am too agresive then I will tilt and learn the limits of the particular game. Thats what Tilts are for and if someone doesn't like their pins nudged they can make it more sensitive. Easy

[pinballheaven]

I find it is generally people who don't own their own pinball machines that can cause the most problems. My son had his girlfriend's family over, and her father around my own age wanted to play the pinnys. Fair enough he liked my Gorgars, phoenix, Flash etc so lit them up and let him go, well!!! this bloke went from mild mannered Clark kent to SUPERMAN in five seconds!! I let him go thinking he would settle down but in the end I actually said take it easy on the machines because if you keep doing that to them I will do exactly the same to you(not exactly in those words) and he knew straight away I was pissed.
I just could not believe that a bloke you struggle to get two words out of normally was "out of control" when playing the pins!

So you never klnow do you?

Jeff

[Olivia_jason]

One thing i see alot of people doing when they play pinball (which is totally not required at all) is really bad slapping of the flipper buttons/or just hard slapping of the pinball.  After seeing this done by quite a few people when i visited Sydney last, it left me saying no wonder alot of sited machines have bad hand wear marks all around the flippers.  A good thing about having machines sitting closely and side by side, is that slappers cant get a big swing for a big slap, leaving them to play normally. 

Its also annoying because there is a constant amount of loud slapping which puts you off your game when playing nearby. The other annoying thing is people yelling loudly when playing a pinny, another pain. I like to hear the machines audio, not people yelling and slapping the shit out of your machine. I should put up a sign, "No slappers or yellers allowed".lol     There should be some sort of pinball finishing school for the masses.

Question -How do u nudge someone elses pinball machine, I say carefully and always ask first incase people dont like that etc. Respectful and gentle with someone elses machines. And u dont know what the tilt settings are like either, so best to always check first !

mate i agree. our shop pin is slap buy these yahhoo's who think they are pinball wizards lol. you see the wife having ago or the kid and the dad jumps in saying ill show you how its done and he starts slapping the buttons, lucky it not every one but its often enough you can almost predict a guy who is going to slap the buttons. as soon as he says he a is a pinball wizard from way back he will slap the buttons ahaha. its worst when they have a ring on. i dont nudge machine but people should always be respectfull to other people property

[andtan]

Should definitely treat someone else’s pin with respect, and I'd certainly ask before giving it a nudge.

That brings me to my question, what's the opinion on launching the ball with the shooter? Should you pull it back and let it fly, or hit it the shooter rod with the palm of your hand?

I had a mate over the other day and I cringed every time he launched a ball using the 'palm' method

[solar value]

A little while after I rediscovered pinball I was invited by Marco (pinfan) to check out his collection. Now, the last time I had played pinball was in the arcades as a kid. He gave me a game on his Black Knight and I totally forgot where I was, I was playing like I was back in the arcade. I don't know exactly what I was doing but I was obviously being a bit hard on the flipper buttons. He watched for a while and then said really quietly: "yeah, I'm pretty gentle with my machines." I thought that was a really cool way to handle it, not referring to what I was doing but pointing out what he did when he played. I got the message and quietened down. After that, I changed my technique, now I try to push the buttons only as hard as is required. After all, if you are slapping the game your hand won't be ready for the next shot if the ball comes back at you quickly.

[The pinballist formally known as Dean Morgan]

Bash the crap out of them, especially if his collection is better than yours 

[Olivia_jason]

Should definitely treat someone else’s pin with respect, and I'd certainly ask before giving it a nudge.

That brings me to my question, what's the opinion on launching the ball with the shooter? Should you pull it back and let it fly, or hit it the shooter rod with the palm of your hand?

I had a mate over the other day and I cringed every time he launched a ball using the 'palm' method

i dont know what you mean??? do you mean he doesnt pull the shooter out he just punches it??? wow

i slowly pull the shooter to the limit and let it fly nice and smoothly however again in the shop i do see some people hang off the shooter with all their weight lol, i only wish it would let go so they fall on their asses ahahaha

[Pop Bumper Pete]

That brings me to my question, what's the opinion on launching the ball with the shooter? Should you pull it back and let it fly, or hit it the shooter rod with the palm of your hand?

maybe install late 70's Bally shooter rods, they have a pointed end

@OJ, this launching method moves the ball into play faster, it is just another 'show off ' technic, just like slapping the flipper buttons

[elkor-alish]

A little while after I rediscovered pinball I was invited by Marco (pinfan) to check out his collection. Now, the last time I had played pinball was in the arcades as a kid. He gave me a game on his Black Knight and I totally forgot where I was, I was playing like I was back in the arcade. I don't know exactly what I was doing but I was obviously being a bit hard on the flipper buttons. He watched for a while and then said really quietly: "yeah, I'm pretty gentle with my machines." I thought that was a really cool way to handle it, not referring to what I was doing but pointing out what he did when he played. I got the message and quietened down. After that, I changed my technique, now I try to push the buttons only as hard as is required. After all, if you are slapping the game your hand won't be ready for the next shot if the ball comes back at you quickly.

Yeah that really is a cool way to handle it but just as cool that after you remembered where you were you took it easy.

[Replay]

Should definitely treat someone else’s pin with respect, and I'd certainly ask before giving it a nudge.

That brings me to my question, what's the opinion on launching the ball with the shooter? Should you pull it back and let it fly, or hit it the shooter rod with the palm of your hand?

I had a mate over the other day and I cringed every time he launched a ball using the 'palm' method

funny you should mention that, I had a mate who would always launch the ball by hitting the plunger with his hand,
he was excactly the same back in the day at the pinnie parlours,
One day he came to visit and check out my latest pin(at the time) CFTBL, he went off for a game and I didnt
even think of it at the time.. but it had the plunger with outward spike on it. Heard this almight "F%$^"....

and to this day he has never slapped the plunger again... true story