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From: chip@t4test.UUCP (Chip Rosenthal)
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Carzy Flipper Fingers
Message-ID: <617@t4test.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 2-Jun-84 22:00:37 EDT
Article-I.D.: t4test.617
Posted: Sat Jun  2 22:00:37 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 5-Jun-84 19:35:42 EDT
Organization: Intel, Santa Clara, Ca.
Lines: 173

I recently read a newspaper article which called pinball the next trend
in arcade games.  I read with interest, but dismissed the article as
simplay fluff journalism.  (How often does the "living" section of your
nespaper have articles on the latest arcade game craze?  They certainly
are dime a dozen.)  However, I had an experience recently which suggested
that there might be something to that article.  I walked into an arcade
to find one room full of pinball machines.  Oh, the wonder of it all!!
(BTW, for you Silicon Valley types, the place is on El Camino in
Mountain View between Bailey and El Monte.)

In celebration of this, I thought maybe we could start a pinball
best/worst list.  I will nominate myself as moderator.  Please mail
responses to me, and I will summarize.

To begin, I would like to offer a few definations.  First of all, lets
settle upon what we are talking about.  Pinball is a game centered
around the movement of a metal ball, and the player is usually allowed
many chances each turn to effect the movement of the ball.  I am so
specific here to rule out such games as "Baby Pac Man" (half pinball,
half video) and the old baseball games (only one chance per turn to
effect (i.e. hit) the ball).

As long as I am getting arbitrary, allow me to break pinball machines
into some catagories.  Possibly the best way to make this division is
chronological.  However, I don't think this is practical.  After all,
do you know when your favorite machine was manufactured?  Instead, I
will divide the machines into three areas:  electronic, mechanical, and
antique.  Electronic machines are typified by digital scoring
mechanisms.  Antique machines are typified by manual ball loading (i.e.
the machine has two plungers, one to load the ball and one to shoot
it).  Mechanical machines fall into the middle.

If anybody takes strong exception to my definations, or would like to
expand upon them, please send me mail.  I will modify the above as
required.

Now, nominations for the catagory of.....

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Best Mechanical Machine -- Gold Strike (Gottlieb)
---- ---------- -------    ---- ------  --------

  This has to be one of the world's most successful pinball designs,
  after all Gottlieb produced this machine under at least three
  different names.  First there was "El Dorado".  Later, "Gold Strike"
  was released.  Gottlieb later released an electronic machine with a
  space theme which had a playfield extremely similar to "Gold
  Strike."  I don't remember the name, but it wasn't worth
  remembering.

  "Gold Strike" was a classic.  If you were good at it, one dime got
  you through an entire afternoon.  If you weren't, it ate your change
  very quickly.  There was nothing fancy to it; lots and lots of
  targets to hit.  If you got them all down, then they all reset and
  you hit the lit ones for up to ten free balls.  (Where legal, you
  could sometimes get free games.)  When you got the WOW lit up, the
  adrenelin really got pumping.

  I remember back in school there was one guy who was superb on this
  machine.  He would play it with his hands and feet.  His gentle
  nudges on the legs of the machine sometimes resulted in the most
  incredible saves.  You could spend an afternoon just watching this
  guy play.


Best Electronic Machine -- Black Knight (Williams)
---- ---------- -------    ----- ------  --------

  One thing happened in the transition from mechanical games to
  electronic games--machines became stingy with free balls.  You no
  longer could rack up free balls, but only got a "shoot again."  I've
  found "Black Knight" to be one machine which would still give you
  some good playing time for your quarter.  It has a full array of
  features:  voice synthesis, multi-ball, magna-save, multi-level and
  tilt warning.  However, these added to the quality of the game rather
  than simply exist as gimicks.

  There are several things to shoot for on this machine.  There are
  four banks of three targets, which when knocked down enough light up
  the free ball and later the special.  There was a trap up at the top,
  which would hold balls which would be released at once.  The
  magna-save by no means provided a sure way of keeping the ball in
  play.  Quick fingers and prudent judgement were needed to use this
  effectively.  All in all, a very exciting and challenging game.


Worst Electronic Machine -- Xenon (Bally)
----- ---------- -------    -----  -----

  This machine has more sexual innuendoes stuffed into it than a full
  season of "Three's Company."  Starting with the picture on the back
  glass with the woman with outstretched hands.  The worst part of this
  machine is the voice synthesis.  The problem isn't the quality of the
  synthesis, but what the machine says.  When you start the game a male
  voice invites you to "enter Xenon."  Throughout the game a throaty
  female voice goads you to get into the hole.  When the ball bounced
  of half of the bumpers the machine would say, "bang" in a male
  voice.  The other half makes it say "bang" in a female voice.  When
  the ball starts bouncing around very quickly you hear a stream of
  sounds which resemble a pair of computers in heat.

  By the way, it was a pretty boring game too.  Little skill; lots of
  luck.  Your typical quarter eater.


Best Mechanical Manufacturer -- Gottlieb
---- ---------- ------------    --------

  My second favorite mechanical machine is "Dimension", another 
  Gottlieb machine.  These machines are similar in character.  They
  have lots of targets, which when knocked down, present the chance
  for lots of free balls.  There is lots of room for finesse and
  physical movement and finesse in these machines.  But watch out for
  the tilt, it is a killer.


Best Electronic Manufacturer -- Williams
---- ---------- ------------    --------

  Williams did more for introducing technology to pinball than any
  other manufacturer.  In most instances, they have been successful at
  making this technology an integral part of the game and fun, rather
  than just a gimmick.  "Gorgar" and "Firepower", both predecessors to
  "Black Knight", introduced many ideas which were quite revolutionary
  at the time.  All of these machines are still today a challenge.


Worst Mechanical Manufacturer -- Bally
----- ---------- ------------    -----

  I've never met a Bally machine I didn't hate.


Worst Electronic Manufacturer -- Bally
----- ---------- ------------    -----

  Ditto.


Widest Machines (Consolation Catagory) -- Atari
------ --------  ----------- --------     -----

  You would think that the folks who revolutionized the arcade industry
  would have had some effect on pinball.  While they might have been
  the first to be electronic, Williams did a much better job.  As a
  consolation, I will grant that Atari made the widest pinball
  machines.  Their machines were neither especially good nor bad, just
  wide.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary:

Best Mechanical Machine:	Gold Strike (Gottlieb)
Best Mechanical Manufacturer:	Gottlieb
Worst Mechanical Manufacturer:	Bally

Best Electronic Machine:	Black Knight (Williams)
Worst Electronic Machine:	Xenon (Bally)
Best Eleectonic Manufacturer:	Williams
Worst Electronic Manufacturer:	Bally

Widest Machines:		Atari


Your turn folks.....


-- 
Chip Rosenthal, Intel/Santa Clara
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