What's the point of bumpers?

[Pop Bumper Pete]

I'm just here to have some fun

[Marty Machine]

I guess it's tradition, not having bumpers would be like not having ramps, kickers or flippers....theyre' kind of a 'must have' as part of the pinball formula.

However, i've NEVER understood why the pop bumpers increase your score with each hit....it's not like YOU have any control of them, so why be rewarded with points for something you didnt do?

Scoring should increase ONLY when you hit targets and achieve certain goals of the game, lighting up segments & jackpots etc.

If anything, bumpers should decrease your score, as it's the time when the pinny is playing with the ball, not you...kind of a pinball versus player battle.
The score decrement feature is something i've written into several of my own game concepts over the years, so if stern decides to now steal my idea, you know who did it first!! ;-)

I'm in the process of updating certain bally roms to include the decrease feature too.

MM

[swinks]

I agree with you Marty, would be cool to have a negative scoring feature so you try to avoid the area while it is popping away you watch your score drop.

[Marty Machine]

I agree with you Marty, would be cool to have a negative scoring feature so you try to avoid the area while it is popping away you watch your score drop.

Then the real skill comes out ;-)

[pinball god]

just looking at my small collection and reading a few previous posts and I can see a possible correlation in the use or poor use of pops. Agree stern don't use them well recently at least but I have swep1 and Tom and as mentioned totan all have poor use of pops.....mr popaduik designer. Tz, funhouse both cause havoc in game play..... designer Mr Lawler.

Maybe if we look at the designers, we may get a feel as to who knew how to use these best and who just put them in because they're always found on a pinball.

Just a theory. Mr Gomez in the tilt movie explained that pops add to the randomness of a game and then made rfm......... what's random about the ball coming out from these pops?

So I must take a look at the stern designers and see if my theory is correct. Steve Ritchie in t2 positioned the pops well I reckon to give you a bit of a spell from flipping like crazy when you really cane the game.

[GORGAR 1]

I also use them on my Sterns to hopefully bounce the ball back up through the top lanes to increase my X bonus :-)

Peter

[pinball god]

I also use them on my Sterns to hopefully bounce the ball back up through the top lanes to increase my X bonus :-)

Peter

yep agree Peter, but I still think the best use for pops is to add that uncertainty/danger of being in that area. Most good players steer clear of shots to such bumpers and areas that cause the ball to hit the sling kickers as now the ball is out of your control. So a good use of pops, I think, is where you cause a lot of mayhem for the pro player.

Shoot a ball in to 'Dead end' pops of a tz and see how comfortable and confident you feel about not draining the ball  

[Freiherr]

Newer machines also have under playfield magnets which can also add randomness and fast flung balls. IM, Avengers and ST to name a few.

[pinball god]

Newer machines also have under playfield magnets which can also add randomness and fast flung balls. IM, Avengers and ST to name a few.

excellent point forgot about this, but as a player, do you have a say in whether to risk a shot through the magnets to achieve a reward like good points or are they a bit like sewp1 where you feel a bit ripped off playing well and then a magnet just drains your ball. I haven't really played the games you have mentioned

[Freiherr]

Newer machines also have under playfield magnets which can also add randomness and fast flung balls. IM, Avengers and ST to name a few.

excellent point forgot about this, but as a player, do you have a say in whether to risk a shot through the magnets to achieve a reward like good points or are they a bit like sewp1 where you feel a bit ripped off playing well and then a magnet just drains your ball. I haven't really played the games you have mentioned

I actually get a rush or high playing the games with magnets. They are good during multiball when there is a lot going on and your mind is on strategies and balls flying everywhere when a magnet fires a ball at a rapid rate. The late Stern pop bumper area is a relief sometines during multiball as it gives you a bit of a break from too much action. Loosing a ball from a magnet during multi ball is no great loss as you may get it back if timer is running or you still have some balls in play.

[Retropin]

Newer machines also have under playfield magnets which can also add randomness and fast flung balls. IM, Avengers and ST to name a few.

excellent point forgot about this, but as a player, do you have a say in whether to risk a shot through the magnets to achieve a reward like good points or are they a bit like sewp1 where you feel a bit ripped off playing well and then a magnet just drains your ball. I haven't really played the games you have mentioned

You cant nudge a machine to keep the ball in the magnet area... I think you DMD guys need to get lessons on a real machine and learn how to prolong a game on an EM

[GORGAR 1]

Newer machines also have under playfield magnets which can also add randomness and fast flung balls. IM, Avengers and ST to name a few.

excellent point forgot about this, but as a player, do you have a say in whether to risk a shot through the magnets to achieve a reward like good points or are they a bit like sewp1 where you feel a bit ripped off playing well and then a magnet just drains your ball. I haven't really played the games you have mentioned

I actually get a rush or high playing the games with magnets. They are good during multiball when there is a lot going on and your mind is on strategies and balls flying everywhere when a magnet fires a ball at a rapid rate. The late Stern pop bumper area is a relief sometines during multiball as it gives you a bit of a break from too much action. Loosing a ball from a magnet during multi ball is no great loss as you may get it back if timer is running or you still have some balls in play.

I agree the magnets on Metallica are so random and with the new code the sparky magnet is awesome :-) I've had it flung all over the place including down the guts as my reflexes aren't quick enough. The Stern pop setup is great for MB as they give you time to get ready for fast action as they let the balls down one at a time.
So that's it Stern has the best pop setup :-)

Peter

[pinball god]

Newer machines also have under playfield magnets which can also add randomness and fast flung balls. IM, Avengers and ST to name a few.

excellent point forgot about this, but as a player, do you have a say in whether to risk a shot through the magnets to achieve a reward like good points or are they a bit like sewp1 where you feel a bit ripped off playing well and then a magnet just drains your ball. I haven't really played the games you have mentioned

I actually get a rush or high playing the games with magnets. They are good during multiball when there is a lot going on and your mind is on strategies and balls flying everywhere when a magnet fires a ball at a rapid rate. The late Stern pop bumper area is a relief sometines during multiball as it gives you a bit of a break from too much action. Loosing a ball from a magnet during multi ball is no great loss as you may get it back if timer is running or you still have some balls in play.

I agree the magnets on Metallica are so random and with the new code the sparky magnet is awesome :-) I've had it flung all over the place including down the guts as my reflexes aren't quick enough. The Stern pop setup is great for MB as they give you time to get ready for fast action as they let the balls down one at a time.
So that's it Stern has the best pop setup :-)

Peter

you win Peter, but your slow reflexes is from the beers while playing mate 

[GORGAR 1]

Newer machines also have under playfield magnets which can also add randomness and fast flung balls. IM, Avengers and ST to name a few.

excellent point forgot about this, but as a player, do you have a say in whether to risk a shot through the magnets to achieve a reward like good points or are they a bit like sewp1 where you feel a bit ripped off playing well and then a magnet just drains your ball. I haven't really played the games you have mentioned

I actually get a rush or high playing the games with magnets. They are good during multiball when there is a lot going on and your mind is on strategies and balls flying everywhere when a magnet fires a ball at a rapid rate. The late Stern pop bumper area is a relief sometines during multiball as it gives you a bit of a break from too much action. Loosing a ball from a magnet during multi ball is no great loss as you may get it back if timer is running or you still have some balls in play.

I agree the magnets on Metallica are so random and with the new code the sparky magnet is awesome :-) I've had it flung all over the place including down the guts as my reflexes aren't quick enough. The Stern pop setup is great for MB as they give you time to get ready for fast action as they let the balls down one at a time.
So that's it Stern has the best pop setup :-)

Peter

you win Peter, but your slow reflexes is from the beers while playing mate 

Your right mate every meet I go to once I start drinking my game play goes to absolute shit lol

No beer = fairly decent play

Beer= shit play

Lol Peter.

[pinball god]