Charming Pinball Museum saved after raising over $200k in donations

The Pinball Museum is a unique little business located in Las Vegas, full of old pinball machines and arcade games. Many of the games still cost a quarter -- substantially less than they did at the time they were in operation (when a quarter was worth far more than today!)

Unlike other retro gaming businesses which charge high admission fees and $1 per game (often turned onto a "hard" setting, as well), the Pinball Museum is a nonprofit. It seeks just to pay the bills and keep the doors open.

It's also known as the "Pinball Hall of Fame".

The selection of games is excellent, and they even have some pinball machines which were very obscure, even in their time. Even if you're not a pinball guy, the '70s and '80s video games there are also worth the visit.

Most of the machines are in decent-to-good condition. A few don't work very well, and some of them have controllers which are on the verge of breaking, but for the most part they seek to maintain everything in operational condition.

I'm a big fan. At one point it looked like they were going under, after some asshole vandals broke in and destroyed everything, but it ultimately survived.

Unfortunately, COVID sent the Pinball Museum into a tailspin, and it almost went out of business.

However, between an anonymous donor who gave $79,000, and a GoFundme which has raised $140k, it will not only survive, but will actually be moving to a bigger location!

This is good to hear, as the current location is in a strip mall in a seedy area, just east of the strip. The new location will be near the airport, and right by the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign.

The move was approved by the county in 2019, but never happened. Now it's becoming reality, thanks to the donations.

Here's an article about the recent donations: https://news3lv.com/news/local/las-v...sive-donations

The owner claims he donates any excess money beyond paying the bills to the Salvation Army -- a move I feel was a mistake, since he wasn't left with any reserves for fiascos such as COVID or the vandalism. Maybe he's learned his lesson this time.

In any case, I'm glad the place survived. The guy really runs it for the love of the game, and not to make money.

By contrast, an obnoxious bar called Insert Coins opened up in 2011, which was supposedly a bar/nightclub with an '80s video game theme. I was incredibly disappointed. The games were half out of service, the games were all set to the soul-crushing "difficult" level (something very uncommon when the games were popular in the '80s), there was an obnoxious cover charge to get in during prime nights, and the drinks were expensive. Had potential, but they basically cooked the fun out of the entire thing. It was after I went to Insert Coins (which failed after 4 years) that I appreciated the Pinball Museum even more.

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Originally Posted by Dan Druff

Most of the machines are in decent-to-good condition.

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"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w-H2kYJlPA&t=1650s"
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/to...7#post-6091777
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/to...5#post-6087256
http://tiltforums.com/t/feedback-on-pin-masters/397/3 (see point #3)
http://tiltforums.com/t/feedback-on-pin-masters/397/5
http://tiltforums.com/t/feedback-on-pin-masters/397/7
http://tiltforums.com/t/feedback-on-pin-masters/397/33
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/to...9#post-6098807
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/to...7#post-6091679
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/to...5#post-6086124
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/to...y#post-6078773
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/to...3#post-6082955
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/to...7#post-6092718

Both Places were and are Great Dan.
I would spend 20 to 40 dollars a time at Insert Coins as I hustled downtown.
I spent plenty of quarters at the Pinball HOF as well.
I didn't like the bar and table side service at Insert Coins but still being able to play those classic games was a blessing for my nostalgia.
Both places had an issue with the buttons on the Track and Field game but that's ok.
You should see how the real pros destroy that game!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7We8AUOA040

If I ever make it to Vegas this is definitely on the bucket list.

Anyone going through OKC while hitting OK casinos might want to check out a place called Cactus Jack's

We used to use an electric toothbrush to cheat on that Track and Field game. Good times

This is good news I must say as I always like to visit the pinball museum, hey hey.

Pinball Circus is their true gem. 2 prototypes made. Supposedly created at the same time as Indiana Jones 1994 which got way better reviews and was cheaper to produce, so they shitcanned Pinball Circus.

BUMP

Big oopsie here.

According to Vital Vegas, the Dream Hotel, slated to open in 2023, owns 8 feet of the land where the new Pinball Museum was built.

https://twitter.com/VitalVegas/statu...09969361002501



This has kicked off a legal battle.

The place can't catch a break.

I love game rooms.
Been going to them since the early 80's.
They never survive though.
Always go out of business in one way or another.

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Originally Posted by Dan Druff

BUMP

Big oopsie here.

According to Vital Vegas, the Dream Hotel, slated to open in 2023, owns 8 feet of the land where the new Pinball Museum was built.

https://twitter.com/VitalVegas/statu...09969361002501



This has kicked off a legal battle.

The place can't catch a break.

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https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/to...-#post-6363620
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/to...-#post-6363689
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/to...-#post-6363831
https://tinyurl.com/2j2z7amh

Yeah I see their grand opening was yesterday.

Hope the new place works out, and they get this legal matter fixed. Presumably the owner is going to blame the survey company, so hopefully the survey company will fork over some money to the owners of Dream, who will relinquish the land, and that will be that.

It could get ugly though.

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Originally Posted by Dan Druff

Yeah I see their grand opening was yesterday.

Hope the new place works out, and they get this legal matter fixed. Presumably the owner is going to blame the survey company, so hopefully the survey company will fork over some money to the owners of Dream, who will relinquish the land, and that will be that.

It could get ugly though.

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I wonder how often grand openings are held for things that could get ugly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoqOLSNWKwM

This is from awhile back.
I didn't play long as I got tired after spending about 5 bucks for some reason.
The Dragon's Lair Cabinet fooled me lol.
I have that game for the PC and PS3.
IMO Dragon's Lair 2 is a better game.
Space Ace is very difficult as they made it that way to try to appease the players.

I didn't play any good pinball games.
The Batman Pinball game was way overpriced.
The next two I played because it was 5 balls for 75 cents.
I messed up thinking the Tron Pinball game was the first movie... got uninterested with that version.
I went to this place many more times when it was on Trop.
Since they moved to the Strip and the Construction in that area keeps me away.
The entrance setup is not very good.

Nice pics Monet, thanks for posting. There are four different Batman pinballs. Batman '66 (2016), which you played at the PHOF (Lyman programmed the software for this). Then there was the fun Batman pinball from Data East which was made in 1991 (the first one of the four). In 1995 the wide body Batman Forever (Tommy Lee Jones,Jim Carrey, etc.) pinball came out from Sega (Jim Carrey would call out "You're as blind as a bat !!") and it was a lot of fun, but there was a design issue with the flipper coils so operators and owners would swap out the factory flipper coils for ones which wouldn't overheat (making the flippers weak) as easily (I think they would put in Williams flipper coils) so that the long shots on the game could be made. In 2008, Batman the Dark Knight came out (Batman '66's design is based on this one's design and it too was programmed by Lyman).

I forgot to comment on Space Ace and the Dragon's Lair games. I was more of a freestyle player and never got good at these because it seemed like it was all rote memorization rather than just pure eye-hand coordination. But I see the appeal and I vividly recall the amazing graphics.

I saw the game with the metal balls that shoot fully auto at knockdown targets. I only saw it once briefly as a kid but it left a lasting impression. It was at the pinball arcade but unfortunately out of commission.

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Originally Posted by accountinquestion

I saw the game with the metal balls that shoot fully auto at knockdown targets. I only saw it once briefly as a kid but it left a lasting impression. It was at the pinball arcade but unfortunately out of commission.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RCmw74L1vQ

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Originally Posted by tableplay

I forgot to comment on Space Ace and the Dragon's Lair games. I was more of a freestyle player and never got good at these because it seemed like it was all rote memorization rather than just pure eye-hand coordination. But I see the appeal and I vividly recall the amazing graphics.

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I always hated Dragon's Lair for that reason. It looked great but it was such an absurd quarter muncher. I don't think I ever passed more than one or two screens.

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Originally Posted by tableplay

Quote:

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Originally Posted by accountinquestion

I saw the game with the metal balls that shoot fully auto at knockdown targets. I only saw it once briefly as a kid but it left a lasting impression. It was at the pinball arcade but unfortunately out of commission.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RCmw74L1vQ

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Thank you for the link Tableplay. :)

It wasn't fully auto. I only got to play it once maybe twice and it left the skating rink. I seem to recall there was a clone made by another manufacturer.

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Originally Posted by smurgerburger

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Originally Posted by tableplay

I forgot to comment on Space Ace and the Dragon's Lair games. I was more of a freestyle player and never got good at these because it seemed like it was all rote memorization rather than just pure eye-hand coordination. But I see the appeal and I vividly recall the amazing graphics.

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I always hated Dragon's Lair for that reason. It looked great but it was such an absurd quarter muncher. I don't think I ever passed more than one or two screens.

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Due to the success of the Dragons Lair I and II series and Space Ace coin-op disc games from Cinematronics, Atari decided to get into the laser disc coin-op game market and I remember seeing this jet fighter laser disc game (based on the Firefox Clint Eastwood movie I guess) in the arcade back when it was new (the big difference was Atari made free form laser disc games - not the memorize-the-move that gets you to the next animation screen Dragons Lair type game). Unfortunately, the other laser disc coin-op games that Atari made were ones that I never encountered at the arcade - probably because I was too busy playing pinball all the time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDa2b9UVFOE

Quote:

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Originally Posted by smurgerburger

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tableplay

I forgot to comment on Space Ace and the Dragon's Lair games. I was more of a freestyle player and never got good at these because it seemed like it was all rote memorization rather than just pure eye-hand coordination. But I see the appeal and I vividly recall the amazing graphics.

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I always hated Dragon's Lair for that reason. It looked great but it was such an absurd quarter muncher. I don't think I ever passed more than one or two screens.

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It's obvious that you guys were just casual players of the game.
I may have been a hair above a casual player but nowhere near the professional level.
It is well documented that the pros made fun of Dragons Lair I and II and demanded a more difficult challenge.
Hence the reason that Space Ace was made.
It's well documented.
Although Space Ace was a commercial success it never reached the same success as Dragons Lair.
Most likely because the casual player or ploppie found it too difficult and cost too many quarters.

Interesting Note...
I lived in Glendale Arizona for a few months back in the early 90's because I had family over there.
A nearby Arcade had Free Dragons Lair and Free Dragons Lair II.
I'm not sure why and I never asked any questions but I played the heck out of them.
Easy Way to learn all the moves.
I still don't understand why they allowed that game to be free.
Probably had the same mentality as me in life.
Fuck It!
I'll show these Fuckers... I'll give this shit away for Free!

Once I had Dragon's Lair II down pat I used to go over to the Metrocenter Mall and play at the Castle's and Coasters Arcade playing Dragon's Lair II.
At that time I could beat the game on one or two credits.
Thanks to the owner who let everyone play those two games for free, whom I never met.
Fun!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tableplay

I always hated Dragon's Lair for that reason. It looked great but it was such an absurd quarter muncher. I don't think I ever passed more than one or two screens.

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Due to the success of the Dragons Lair I and II series and Space Ace coin-op disc games from Cinematronics, Atari decided to get into the laser disc coin-op game market and I remember seeing this jet fighter laser disc game (based on the Firefox Clint Eastwood movie I guess) in the arcade back when it was new (the big difference was Atari made free form laser disc games - not the memorize-the-move that gets you to the next animation screen Dragons Lair type game). Unfortunately, the other laser disc coin-op games that Atari made were ones that I never encountered at the arcade - probably because I was too busy playing pinball all the time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDa2b9UVFOE[/QUOTE]

Can't believe I never seen that game.
I was right in the heart of 1983 and the Arcade Craze too.
Thanks for the information and YouTube Link.
I always enjoyed that movie and would of liked to have played the video game version of it.
I suppose Afterburner was the closest I got.
I think that may have been the first flight simulator game that actually rolled you around while playing.
Good Times.

I see some similarities in the two games.
Funny how After Burner I and II were released in the same year.
I guess they knew they were going to have a major success with the first one that they made the second one at the same time?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84qaXESXdT4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65weTx0haog

Dragon's Lair Pro...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsk9CFfrYMY

Monet,

Sure it's easy after you've had a bunch of free plays lol.

If you're paying a quarter per game it's terrible because it's all trial -and-error. Because your on screen character is not actually reacting to your inputs you really have no way of knowing what the "right" timing is.

I never saw Space Age as far as I can remember.

Dragon's Lair II Time Warp is by far the more enjoyable game in my opinion.
It really picks up during this Beethoven Scene.
But the Alice in Wonderland/Queen of Hearts scene is just as enjoyable.
I might have to crack this game out again.
The difficult part to this game is collecting all the treasures.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lg1zUO1sr6M

This Fucking Guy is way more of an addict compared to myself...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhjEAVQLsNk

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Originally Posted by smurgerburger

Monet,

Sure it's easy after you've had a bunch of free plays lol.

If you're paying a quarter per game it's terrible because it's all trial -and-error. Because your on screen character is not actually reacting to your inputs you really have no way of knowing what the "right" timing is.

I never saw Space Age as far as I can remember.

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True but not for the pros.
They cracked both versions of the game lickety split from the jump.
Something about the timing.
They claimed that the game gave you way too much time to make the correct decision.
For ploppies like you and me, yes, we had to have many run throughs.

That's why they made Space Ace much more difficult.
Giving the player much less time to make their reaction/decision.
I'm serious.
The Pros were complaining to the creators about how easy Dragon' Lair I and II were so Don got all pissed off and made Space Ace.
The pro players were goofing on him and his Dragon Lair Game(s) lol lol lol.

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Originally Posted by tableplay

Quote:

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Originally Posted by smurgerburger

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tableplay

I forgot to comment on Space Ace and the Dragon's Lair games. I was more of a freestyle player and never got good at these because it seemed like it was all rote memorization rather than just pure eye-hand coordination. But I see the appeal and I vividly recall the amazing graphics.

---

I always hated Dragon's Lair for that reason. It looked great but it was such an absurd quarter muncher. I don't think I ever passed more than one or two screens.

---

Due to the success of the Dragons Lair I and II series and Space Ace coin-op disc games from Cinematronics, Atari decided to get into the laser disc coin-op game market and I remember seeing this jet fighter laser disc game (based on the Firefox Clint Eastwood movie I guess) in the arcade back when it was new (the big difference was Atari made free form laser disc games - not the memorize-the-move that gets you to the next animation screen Dragons Lair type game). Unfortunately, the other laser disc coin-op games that Atari made were ones that I never encountered at the arcade - probably because I was too busy playing pinball all the time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDa2b9UVFOE

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Thank you for the link Tableplay. I didn't even know this existed. It seems to me that maybe these aren't available on the emulators because a laserdisc based game is a whole different beast? Most all arcade games you can download and play on MAME. (I'm sure you know this but for those who missed it.)

I should clarify that the pros were goofing on the difficulty of the two games and not the artwork or the game itself.
Dragon's Lair is still celebrated as having the best artwork in any game even made today.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by monet

play at the Castle's and Coasters Arcade playing Dragon's Lair II.
At that time I could beat the game on one or two credits.
Thanks to the owner who let everyone play those two games for free, whom I never met.
Fun!

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Yes unfortunately Monet, the Dragons Lair I had exposure to was not set on free play. I could not afford to get good at the game on the 50 cents that I came in with in my pocket, whatever quarters I hustled in the stuck coin chutes, and the revenue from selling racked up pinball machine credits (those got spent on hot tamales candy from the arcade vending machine back when Ferrera Pan still owned the rights to that candy for the most part). No problem on the Firefox link, glad you enjoyed it.

Now on to Castles and Coasters. I loved the round circle configuration they had the pinball machines in. I loved that the place was absolutely fuck-ton loaded with pinball machines. I think back then they had about 30 machines IIRC. I didn't live in the area but I went to the pinball tournaments/shows at the Safari Hotel (Scottsdale) back then (The Pinball Show and Wild West Pinball Fest) and we hit some of the local arcades in the area (the other place we hit was Video Roundup in Scottsdale) during those trips.

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Originally Posted by smurgerburger

Monet,

Sure it's easy after you've had a bunch of free plays lol.

If you're paying a quarter per game it's terrible because it's all trial -and-error. Because your on screen character is not actually reacting to your inputs you really have no way of knowing what the "right" timing is.

I never saw Space Age as far as I can remember.

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Space Ace had insane graphics - I think I only tried it a couple of times.
Too bad that it didn't have the success that the 1st two games had (I mistakenly thought all three games were a success but Monet straightened me out - Space Ace was just too hard for the casual players;since I wasn't good at the Dragon's Lair games I had no idea back then that Space Ace was more difficult).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by accountinquestion

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tableplay

Quote:

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Originally Posted by smurgerburger

I always hated Dragon's Lair for that reason. It looked great but it was such an absurd quarter muncher. I don't think I ever passed more than one or two screens.

---

Due to the success of the Dragons Lair I and II series and Space Ace coin-op disc games from Cinematronics, Atari decided to get into the laser disc coin-op game market and I remember seeing this jet fighter laser disc game (based on the Firefox Clint Eastwood movie I guess) in the arcade back when it was new (the big difference was Atari made free form laser disc games - not the memorize-the-move that gets you to the next animation screen Dragons Lair type game). Unfortunately, the other laser disc coin-op games that Atari made were ones that I never encountered at the arcade - probably because I was too busy playing pinball all the time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDa2b9UVFOE

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Thank you for the link Tableplay. I didn't even know this existed. It seems to me that maybe these aren't available on the emulators because a laserdisc based game is a whole different beast? Most all arcade games you can download and play on MAME. (I'm sure you know this but for those who missed it.)

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No problem. I don't know why they aren't available on emulators, but your guess is probably correct. There may be laser disc emulators out there, but to build an emulator for such a small library of games (maybe 30 or 40 coin-op/arcade laser disc games in total) seems unlikely. Whereas MAME and pinMAME are justified since several thousand standard video games were made.

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Originally Posted by tableplay

Space Ace had insane graphics - I think I only tried it a couple of times.
Too bad that it didn't have the success that the 1st two games had (I mistakenly thought all three games were a success but Monet straightened me out - Space Ace was just too hard for the casual players;since I wasn't good at the Dragon's Lair games I had no idea back then that Space Ace was more difficult).

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Space Ace was a commercial success.
Just not near what the original Dragon's Lair was.
Heck, Dragon's Lair II couldn't touch the original either even though I like the gameplay and storyline better.
They made Dragon's Lair II easier with the left, right, up, down, sword flashes unlike its predecessor.
And they didn't put in the 5 random levels that change the patterns.
I should state that it is difficult to find the original games these days as the Laser Discs had issues and broke and could not be repaired.
Most originals are going to be in private collections if they exist at all.
It is hard to compare people playing it today versus the larger amount of players playing it back in the 80s and 90s.
The Free Play Video had really good information about the original gameplay.
But we don't have videos of all those pros back in the mid 80s and 90s killing these games.

I should also add that the group of pros that caused the high quality (but, as I just learned, revenue dud) Space Ace game to get made, were probably the same sort that caused Atari's Marble Madness II to get made. Recall that Marble Madness was a huge success for Atari, but the fiendishly hard quarter-eater and super rare Marble Madness II was a commercial failure. I sucked at both games. The only video games from that era that I was average at were Donkey Kong, Xevious, Defender, Ghosts and Goblins and Crazy Climber (I probably forgot a couple, but whatever). Being a pinball specialist had its bad side I guess.

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Originally Posted by tableplay

I should also add that the group of pros that caused the high quality (but, as I just learned, revenue dud) Space Ace game to get made, were probably the same sort that caused Atari's Marble Madness II to get made. Recall that Marble Madness was a huge success for Atari, but the much more difficult and super rare Marble Madness II was a commercial failure and it was fiendishly hard. I sucked at both games.

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Those were both Fun Games... I'm pretty sure Space Ace made money though?
I know they had a budget of 2.5 Million to create the game.
I know that it was a commercial success in North America but nowhere near the success of Dragon's Lair.
A bit of bad timing as it came out during the crash of the Video Game Rooms.
I can't find any numbers on profit but they did release versions to home gaming so you know it made some dough.

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Originally Posted by monet

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tableplay

I should also add that the group of pros that caused the high quality (but, as I just learned, revenue dud) Space Ace game to get made, were probably the same sort that caused Atari's Marble Madness II to get made. Recall that Marble Madness was a huge success for Atari, but the much more difficult and super rare Marble Madness II was a commercial failure and it was fiendishly hard. I sucked at both games.

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Those were both Fun Games... I'm pretty sure Space Ace made money though?
I know they had a budget of 2.5 Million to create the game.
I know that it was a commercial success in North America but nowhere near the success of Dragon's Lair.
A bit of bad timing as it came out during the crash of the Video Game Rooms.
I can't find any numbers on profit but they did release versions to home gaming so you know it made some dough.

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What is certain is that it was a high quality game just like the other two. And we both saw it in different arcades so distribution wasn't a problem. So maybe it made a profit. However Marble Madness II is a different story - very few were made and it was insanely difficult (I played it at an arcade/pinball show - never saw it on location). Atari could not have made money on it.

Now you had mentioned how the pros back then were killing it with very little footage. I can remember seeing all sorts of crazy shit back then. Some guys would hunt the Pterodactyls in Joust instead of playing it the regular way. Then you had super mother fuckers who would let the whole Defender planet turn mutant and then hunt the saucers. Other fuckers would get into the super far levels of Berzerk and Frenzy. People getting through the invisible levels of Tempest, Robotron superstars getting through the ultra-crowded levels and so on. No social media clips of this and no fanfare. All in a day's work.

I forgot to answer your Afterburner question. Yes I agree that they had pretty much figured out they had a hit on their hands with the 1st one. So with the whole programming team in tact, I suppose they just let the momentum carry them into the second one right after.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tableplay

What is certain is that it was a high quality game just like the other two. And we both saw it in different arcades so distribution wasn't a problem. So maybe it made a profit. However Marble Madness II is a different story - very few were made and it was insanely difficult (I played it at an arcade/pinball show - never saw it on location). Atari could not have made money on it.

Now you had mentioned how the pros back then were killing it with very little footage. I can remember seeing all sorts of crazy shit back then. Some guys would hunt the Pterodactyls in Joust instead of playing it the regular way. Then you had super mother fuckers who would let the whole Defender planet turn mutant and then hunt the saucers. Other fuckers would get into the super far levels of Berzerk and Frenzy. People getting through the invisible levels of Tempest, Robotron superstars getting through the ultra-crowded levels and so on. No social media clips of this and no fanfare. All in a day's work.

I forgot to answer your Afterburner question. Yes I agree that they had pretty much figured out they had a hit on their hands with the 1st one. So with the whole programming team in tact, I suppose they just let the momentum carry them into the second one right after.

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Stern Goes Berzerk!
Robotron 2084!!
Defender!!!

You are geeking me out!!
Those were great days.

I would play Phoenix and get smashed but I watched a couple players who could crush that game on one quarter.
I want to go back to 1980 and run through this life again.
No changes.
Just a replay.
Thanks.

2 Years ago Daz Cole made this post about Robotron 2084.
Video Games and Arcades were awesome!
Players taping up there fingers was a real thing!!
Track and Field anyone... Hello!
I still miss that time period.
Williams was the Shit!!

Insert Coins made a go of it for four years at Downtown Las Vegas.
I remember when they opened and me and my pal was leaving the El Cortel.
Of course I went immediately back to the El Cortel and bought a couple rolls of quarters.
That place had a very close 80's vibe or at least the arcade area.
Not the bar and lounge area where you could rent home consoles.
Anyways... still a great place to pop in and out of since I was downtown anyways.
I knew it would never last but surprised it made it as long as it did.

The intro to Robotron 2084 is amazing and I like the fact that you have to read it.
And all those flashing, changing colors!
Those guys knew what they were doing.

I was really bad at Robotron but it didn't stop me from begging my dad for quarters while he drank beer at the corner bar.
In those days, they didn't care if you brought your child into the bar with you lol.

Daz Cole, 2 years ago
I spent a whole summer getting good at this until I could 'clock' it which means after 9,999,975 the score would roll over to zero. Also after Wave 255 it would go back to the very first screen. I got so good that I would have a crowd watching me but then the arcade manager would switch the machine off, and increase the difficulty setting which made me get better and better. It got so I needed to tape my fingers up because I got blisters on my 2nd fingers and then the skin would come off! MAME is great to play it again years later but it's not the same without those large joysticks! Happy memories (I'm over 50 now)!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l800GL6NQPY

You get me geeked up and I start learning.
Turns out that Robotron 2084 was based on Orwell's 1984.
Fun Fact.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbLRmD2rGew

This is what happened to us 80's kids lol lol lol.
You end up in some dark corner somewhere trying to score 100 Million Points for your 5th time on the 35th year anniversary of Robotron 2084 lol.
Kind of Sad, Kind of Funny, 100% Crazy but I can relate.
Oh and he is doing it on the original 1982 Yellow ROMset which has a fatal flaw that can reset the game back to zero lol.

Around the 7 minute mark he says...
I'm gonna turn my fans on cause I'm gonna do some serious sweating here.
This game can get pretty intense!
LOL Hilarious!
No Shit lol.
Around 45/50 years old.
Overweight and trying to flip the scoreboard 10 times for his 5th time!

LOL... 3 part 7 hour videos totaling 21 hours of gameplay???
Is that correct lol?
I skimmed through the 3 videos and he didn't change his shirt and I couldn't find any bathroom breaks but I'm sure he took a few.
But it does look like he played 21 hours straight for the most part.
I thought I was obsessed and OCD lol... this guy got me beat!
Sad enough to do this but how much more sad is it that I am watching him do it lol?
He should of let people comment.
I don't like turning off comments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccltMtkFBSI

You call it Stargate.
I call it Defender.
But it is really Defender II.
I never seen any girls playing this game though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUH2ZyPqDjo

Quote:

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Originally Posted by monet

2 Years ago Daz Cole made this post about Robotron 2084.
Video Games and Arcades were awesome!
Players taping up there fingers was a real thing!!
Track and Field anyone... Hello!
I still miss that time period.
Williams was the Shit!!

Insert Coins made a go of it for four years at Downtown Las Vegas.
I remember when they opened and me and my pal was leaving the El Cortel.
Of course I went immediately back to the El Cortel and bought a couple rolls of quarters.
That place had a very close 80's vibe or at least the arcade area.
Not the bar and lounge area where you could rent home consoles.
Anyways... still a great place to pop in and out of since I was downtown anyways.
I knew it would never last but surprised it made it as long as it did.

The intro to Robotron 2084 is amazing and I like the fact that you have to read it.
And all those flashing, changing colors!
Those guys knew what they were doing.

I was really bad at Robotron but it didn't stop me from begging my dad for quarters while he drank beer at the corner bar.
In those days, they didn't care if you brought your child into the bar with you lol.

Daz Cole, 2 years ago
I spent a whole summer getting good at this until I could 'clock' it which means after 9,999,975 the score would roll over to zero. Also after Wave 255 it would go back to the very first screen. I got so good that I would have a crowd watching me but then the arcade manager would switch the machine off, and increase the difficulty setting which made me get better and better. It got so I needed to tape my fingers up because I got blisters on my 2nd fingers and then the skin would come off! MAME is great to play it again years later but it's not the same without those large joysticks! Happy memories (I'm over 50 now)!

---

Thanks for the links and info Monet. The expert Robotron Youtube video you linked to made me remember that the robots themselves aren't lethal just the bullets and obstacles - it had been so long that I had forgotten that fact. I went into a pool hall to play pinball when I was young and I remember getting chased out (no adult with me) because they wouldn't allow people less than 18 years old to be in the pool hall without an adult (it's possible that I am misremembering and that it was just you couldn't play pinball in there if you were younger than 18. Too long ago). IIRC, this was circa 1979 and I was chased for about a half a block. Different times - if you got out of line an adult would just kick your ass. I'm glad the dude got tired of chasing me. I also got robbed at knife point walking home from an arcade but luckily I only had a dime on me - this was about 1980.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by monet

You call it Stargate.
I call it Defender.
But it is really Defender II.
I never seen any girls playing this game though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUH2ZyPqDjo

---

Eugene Jarvis is a genius and Robotron,Defender and Defender II were amazing. He did some amazing pinball work also. He created the company Raw Thrills which makes the very popular Big Buck Hunter game you would see everywhere.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tableplay

Thanks for the links and info Monet. The expert Robotron Youtube video you linked to made me remember that the robots themselves aren't lethal just the bullets and obstacles - it had been so long that I had forgotten that fact.

---

https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/w...84-9727124.php

I'm not sure about that.
In that first video I think the guy was playing a different version and was using a cheat if he got down to one life.
The second video where the guy is playing 21 hours straight seems to die whenever he runs into any enemy.
But I could be wrong as I am unsure.
It's pretty amazing these guys using one quarter and playing for 20 some odd hours though.
I found an article about Dan Gomez back in 2014.
He played 28 hours, 53 minutes and 51 seconds!
He scored 125,010,125 points - 25 million more than the next ranked contender, Ken House.
But I think he had some of his family members jump in and take a few turns when he ran to the bathroom.
I'm unsure about that and the rules of the one quarter 24 hour Robotron 2084 Challenge.
The guy named smoke4659 in that YouTube Video I linked played for 21 hours and scored 101.25 Million.
So I think he could beat that 25 hour score if he wanted to.
I don't think he ever moved from the machine lol.
It's funny to see all the 40 and 50 year olds posting up world records on these arcade games now.
The guy playing Tempest and setting the world record was pretty darn good at it.
I guess if you are in Richardson, TX you can visit Free Play as they are trying to keep the dream alive.
Don't get me started on Cyberball 2072!!
This place needs the original 4 player Tecmo Bowl.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WneXyu9mnDs

You have to be careful because buying shit can make you lose your mind.
I'm about to get out of all my RC Airplane stuff again because I realize it is a never ending money pit.
I forgot I learned that lesson about 5 years ago.
Anyways... look at this nut lol.
He bought one video game and lost his mind and now has 26 in his garage.
Anytime I hear the word "hobby" I Fucking run now because all it means is money out.
Just incase I never mentioned it, my first video game I ever played was Breakout and it was all downhill from there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFZ2ftTJuUE

I still hear “Intruder Alert” when I think about early 80’s video games.

From Berserk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIXYRahWG6A

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by monet

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tableplay

Thanks for the links and info Monet. The expert Robotron Youtube video you linked to made me remember that the robots themselves aren't lethal just the bullets and obstacles - it had been so long that I had forgotten that fact.

---

https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/w...84-9727124.php

I'm not sure about that.
In that first video I think the guy was playing a different version and was using a cheat if he got down to one life.
The second video where the guy is playing 21 hours straight seems to die whenever he runs into any enemy.
But I could be wrong as I am unsure.
It's pretty amazing these guys using one quarter and playing for 20 some odd hours though.
I found an article about Dan Gomez back in 2014.
He played 28 hours, 53 minutes and 51 seconds!
He scored 125,010,125 points - 25 million more than the next ranked contender, Ken House.
But I think he had some of his family members jump in and take a few turns when he ran to the bathroom.
I'm unsure about that and the rules of the one quarter 24 hour Robotron 2084 Challenge.
The guy named smoke4659 in that YouTube Video I linked played for 21 hours and scored 101.25 Million.
So I think he could beat that 25 hour score if he wanted to.
I don't think he ever moved from the machine lol.
It's funny to see all the 40 and 50 year olds posting up world records on these arcade games now.
The guy playing Tempest and setting the world record was pretty darn good at it.
I guess if you are in Richardson, TX you can visit Free Play as they are trying to keep the dream alive.
Don't get me started on Cyberball 2072!!
This place needs the original 4 player Tecmo Bowl.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WneXyu9mnDs

---

Don't forget this. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0923752/

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tableplay

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by accountinquestion

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tableplay

Due to the success of the Dragons Lair I and II series and Space Ace coin-op disc games from Cinematronics, Atari decided to get into the laser disc coin-op game market and I remember seeing this jet fighter laser disc game (based on the Firefox Clint Eastwood movie I guess) in the arcade back when it was new (the big difference was Atari made free form laser disc games - not the memorize-the-move that gets you to the next animation screen Dragons Lair type game). Unfortunately, the other laser disc coin-op games that Atari made were ones that I never encountered at the arcade - probably because I was too busy playing pinball all the time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDa2b9UVFOE

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Thank you for the link Tableplay. I didn't even know this existed. It seems to me that maybe these aren't available on the emulators because a laserdisc based game is a whole different beast? Most all arcade games you can download and play on MAME. (I'm sure you know this but for those who missed it.)

---

No problem. I don't know why they aren't available on emulators, but your guess is probably correct. There may be laser disc emulators out there, but to build an emulator for such a small library of games (maybe 30 or 40 coin-op/arcade laser disc games in total) seems unlikely. Whereas MAME and pinMAME are justified since several thousand standard video games were made.

---

It might explain why you so rarely see these games. Laserdisc players have far more moving parts than a bunch of computer chips.

There was also a game similar but you scrolled over what looked like an actual overhead picture. It wasn't first-person at all. Just total top-down view where you had to shoot stuff coming from the top of screen but there was also bombing of the things under the jets. This was one of those games I recall only seeing at one place.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by monet

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tableplay

Thanks for the links and info Monet. The expert Robotron Youtube video you linked to made me remember that the robots themselves aren't lethal just the bullets and obstacles - it had been so long that I had forgotten that fact.

---

https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/w...84-9727124.php

I'm not sure about that.
In that first video I think the guy was playing a different version and was using a cheat if he got down to one life.
The second video where the guy is playing 21 hours straight seems to die whenever he runs into any enemy.
But I could be wrong as I am unsure.
It's pretty amazing these guys using one quarter and playing for 20 some odd hours though.
I found an article about Dan Gomez back in 2014.
He played 28 hours, 53 minutes and 51 seconds!
He scored 125,010,125 points - 25 million more than the next ranked contender, Ken House.
But I think he had some of his family members jump in and take a few turns when he ran to the bathroom.
I'm unsure about that and the rules of the one quarter 24 hour Robotron 2084 Challenge.
The guy named smoke4659 in that YouTube Video I linked played for 21 hours and scored 101.25 Million.
So I think he could beat that 25 hour score if he wanted to.
I don't think he ever moved from the machine lol.
It's funny to see all the 40 and 50 year olds posting up world records on these arcade games now.
The guy playing Tempest and setting the world record was pretty darn good at it.
I guess if you are in Richardson, TX you can visit Free Play as they are trying to keep the dream alive.
Don't get me started on Cyberball 2072!!
This place needs the original 4 player Tecmo Bowl.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WneXyu9mnDs

---

Confirmed Monet - the Gomez video clearly shows that you can die if you touch a robot. I guess there are different versions. The ones I encountered in the wild were the same as the Gomez software version.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Boz

I still hear “Intruder Alert” when I think about early 80’s video games.

From Berserk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIXYRahWG6A

---

Berzerk was the bomb. I always died when I got to the level with the white robots that shot superfast bullets.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tableplay

Confirmed Monet - the Gomez video clearly shows that you can die if you touch a robot. I guess there are different versions. The ones I encountered in the wild were the same as the Gomez software version.

---

I messed up posting that first video link.
I don't think that guy is playing an arcade version.
It looks like that's a MAME Version and set to a lower difficulty.
MAME is the same gameplay but like I say he has the difficulty set lower which is why he was going through the Hulks.
I was highlighting that YouTube comment for the most part.
Trying to showcase how insane it was back in the 80s and how pro players could play for hours on end with one quarter.

Also, I'm sure you notice but in the beginning of the smoke4659 video he goes into the settings to confirm the difficulty level is set to number 5.
Is smoke4659 and Gomez the same person?
Looks similar but unsure.
I went back and watched some more and it does look like Gomez.
He sure is addicted to Robotron 2084 lol.

In the 21 hour video he talked about how the difficulty level was set to 3 for the red or blue or tie dye versions.
Something like that.
He has a practice session video of 44 hours where he totaled up 180 Million+ lol.
What really impresses me is how long he can wear those headphones without ear pain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVr4...index=1&t=196s

I thought I was stuck in the 80s.
These bastards built their own time machine lol.
Ken House rolling over 100 Million.
I think Ken was the first to prove that you get an extra man for everything that you score points for after 99,975,000 points.
You want to geek out some more about Robotron 2084?
These guys talk about it in 2014 on a forum.
Turns out the MAME Version has a pause button.
I got to let this go.
Too much time spent on researching Robotron for me.

http://www.classicarcadegaming.com/f...p?topic=5738.0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9XoHI7iJKA

Monet, you are at heart a decent old dude.

Please don’t let your anger take away from your knowledge of the 80’s and 90’s we all (ok some of us) appreciate. Your contributions are incredible.

Or Fuck you, you fat piece of shit.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by The Boz

Monet, you are at heart a decent old dude.

---

I think most of us are "decent," but for some our "internet personae" gets in the way from seeing what we're really like.

Few people are truly evil.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MisterV

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Boz

Monet, you are at heart a decent old dude.

---

I think most of us are "decent," but for some our "internet personae" gets in the way from seeing what we're really like.

Few people are truly evil.

---

100% agree V. Everyone I have meet or communicated with in “real” life are decent people.

And I can’t say anyone I have debated with on these forums is someone I wouldn’t sit down and have a soda or a beer with.

Even those who seem crazy or obsessed. And I’m sure a few consider me the same.

Ok tableplay, I missed it the first time but I went back and watched the intro to that 21 hour Robotron Video.
And of course the first thing he said was him introducing himself as David Gomez.
Good Catch.
So basically he is just breaking his own World Record over and over again.
Nothing like wasting 100,000 hours or more of your life on one video game.
I get it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by monet

Nothing like wasting 100,000 hours or more of your life on one video game.
I get it.

---

I basically did the same thing with pinball, so I can relate. I see that Larry Demar (one of Robotron's programmers and of course the programmer for the The Addams Family Pinball which sold over 20000 units -- and also Larry created multi-strike video poker through his company L.E.D. gaming) signed Gomez' Robotron cabiniet. Thanks again for the all the insightful info and links.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by monet

I think Ken was the first to prove that you get an extra man for everything that you score points for after 99,975,000 points.

---

IIRC they pulled the same shit on Defender - I forgot the point threshold, but I think you get an extra man for every score (10 points is the minimum IIRC) after that threshold on Defender.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Boz

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MisterV

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Boz

Monet, you are at heart a decent old dude.

---

I think most of us are "decent," but for some our "internet personae" gets in the way from seeing what we're really like.

Few people are truly evil.

---

100% agree V. Everyone I have meet or communicated with in “real” life are decent people.

And I can’t say anyone I have debated with on these forums is someone I wouldn’t sit down and have a soda or a beer with.

Even those who seem crazy or obsessed. And I’m sure a few consider me the same.

---

Most people are largely driven by self-interest. A handful of people are "good" people and actually spend effort at own personal loss for the betterment of others. There are probably about as many "bad" people as their are good.

Regardless - there is absolutely no way you can tell much about a person after hanging out and having a beer with them.

You'd probably be tricked by my wiley ways and think I was an "ok guy".

To prove my point I'm going to be a nice guy until the end of the Summer.

I'm going to go to this place sometime in June, if I can find time. I will post a report with pictures if I go.

If anyone I've met before is interested in going with me, let me know and we can meet up there. Must appreciate '80s era video games though. I was the perfect age to have been into all of this stuff (8 in 1980, 17 in 1989).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dan Druff

I'm going to go to this place sometime in June, if I can find time. I will post a report with pictures if I go.

If anyone I've met before is interested in going with me, let me know and we can meet up there. Must appreciate '80s era video games though. I was the perfect age to have been into all of this stuff (8 in 1980, 17 in 1989).

---

Make sure you don't spin your body around or they may kick you out -- it's a safety issue.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tableplay

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dan Druff

I'm going to go to this place sometime in June, if I can find time. I will post a report with pictures if I go.

If anyone I've met before is interested in going with me, let me know and we can meet up there. Must appreciate '80s era video games though. I was the perfect age to have been into all of this stuff (8 in 1980, 17 in 1989).

---

Make sure you don't spin your body around or they may kick you out -- it's a safety issue.

---

What do you mean? Like you're playing pinball with flair? Like you do a little jig when the balls goes up? Something else?

Want to learn how to beat Texas Hold'Em and get on the World Poker Tour???

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94EaR9JlcVU

Something must be wrong with the recorded audio.
I don't like the way this knocker sounds.
I want that old school sound from pinball games in the 60s through the late 80s I guess.
I dunno but I know when I hear it because it is the greatest sound in the world.
This machine probably makes that sound in person but it doesn't translate well from youtube.
When you hit a Royal Flush on Video Poker it should make that Pinball Knocker Sound, in my opinion that is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eBshMSmu7Q

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by accountinquestion

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tableplay

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dan Druff

I'm going to go to this place sometime in June, if I can find time. I will post a report with pictures if I go.

If anyone I've met before is interested in going with me, let me know and we can meet up there. Must appreciate '80s era video games though. I was the perfect age to have been into all of this stuff (8 in 1980, 17 in 1989).

---

Make sure you don't spin your body around or they may kick you out -- it's a safety issue.

---

What do you mean? Like you're playing pinball with flair? Like you do a little jig when the balls goes up? Something else?

---

I mean that an autistic kid was thrown out of the Pinball Hall of Fame because he was spinning around to deal with his autism. The reason given for the '86 was because it was a safety issue. I even posted the youtube video about it in this very thread.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by monet

Something must be wrong with the recorded audio.
I don't like the way this knocker sounds.
I want that old school sound from pinball games in the 60s through the late 80s I guess.
I dunno but I know when I hear it because it is the greatest sound in the world.
This machine probably makes that sound in person but it doesn't translate well from youtube.
When you hit a Royal Flush on Video Poker it should make that Pinball Knocker Sound, in my opinion that is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eBshMSmu7Q

---

The pinball knocker sound (which is the sound the game makes when you get a replay/free game by beating a given scoring threshold(s) or scoring a special) is probably virtual on World Poker Tour Monet - that is, there is no physical knocker on the game. Physical knockers were done away with by the early 2000s if I remember correctly. On World Poker Tour, the knocker is a software-generated sound, but I think they have mods available to install a physical knocker if one desires.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tableplay

The pinball knocker sound (which is the sound the game makes when you get a replay/free game by beating a given scoring threshold(s) or scoring a special) is probably virtual on World Poker Tour Monet - that is, there is no physical knocker on the game. Physical knockers were done away with by the early 2000s if I remember correctly. On World Poker Tour, the knocker is a software-generated sound, but I think they have mods available to install a physical knocker if one desires.

---

Before I posted this Knocker I was looking up Knockers on YouTube.
I found many of the MoDs you are talking about but I couldn't find one video with the sound I know you know what I am talking about.
The wood sounded different on these youtube videos like the would was balsa or lighter wood.
That sound that I want to hear is that wonderful crack when you earn a free game.
I dunno if it is hitting Oak or something else but it's the best sound in the world.
The two video sounds are horrible for me.
Come on tableplay... this is your area of expertise.
Help me learn!
Actually I learned that it is called a knocker... I didn't know that till today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81AmlwE-c60

I'm pretty sure the audio doesn't pick up the sound and effect very well.
This guy says this one is the best and it is very loud but he states that the video probably doesn't pick it up very well and doesn't do it justice.
That's what I sort of figured.
Love that sound though.
You know what I'm talkin' bout!
You have to love it more than I do!

Launch Ball Button... I don't like it!
I do notice that knocker is hitting a metal plate instead of wood.
That is probably better but unsure so waiting for your educational response.
Damn I love the sound of that crack that I have in my memory.
I'm going to have to go out and find it so I can personally enjoy it once again.
But nothing can bring back that experience when I hear that sound in a bar while my pops is getting drunk on Old Milwaukee.
It really did taste as great as it's name.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8YJ-hUbW8A

You guys remember this game??
One of the best in my opinion.
Especially when you are a little kid at the bar.

I was watching another video that showed you the guts while playing and it is pretty amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6szPc3NfuRY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jer8rc6UFUQ

Quote:

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Originally Posted by monet

I do notice that knocker is hitting a metal plate instead of wood.

---

Yes. So here is a fellow repairing a '73 Bally Circus knocker (and chimes) which has the traditional knocker sound (since it is an electromechanical game) we both enjoy. You can see the knocker in detail in this video. This will produce the original sound you heard in the bar with your father when an electromechanical machine pops a replay. I'm pretty sure you're correct about youtube not really being able to capture the sound. But regardless, the knocker in the link below will produce the traditional sound once installed back into the Bally Circus. I probably should have gotten into the tech stuff instead of only playing them all these years, but there we are. Below this I have linked a picture from a pinside.com forum knocker repair thread (https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/to...-1#post-594013) which shows a knocker in its installed position
"https://youtu.be/NuJ8VSVH9gw?t=126"

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tableplay

Yes. So here is a fellow repairing a '73 Bally Circus knocker (and chimes) which has the traditional knocker sound (since it is an electromechanical game) we both enjoy. You can see the knocker in detail in this video. This will produce the original sound you heard in the bar with your father when an electromechanical machine pops a replay. I'm pretty sure you're correct about youtube not really being able to capture the sound. But regardless, the knocker in the link below will produce the traditional sound once installed back into the Bally Circus. I probably should have gotten into the tech stuff instead of only playing them all these years, but there we are. Below this I have linked a picture from a pinside.com forum knocker repair thread (https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/to...-1#post-594013) which shows a knocker in its installed position

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Thanks.
Cool Link to Pinside.
I really love that strong pop crack sound.
Nothing like it.