Alley Passing (Shatzing the Inlane) on Pin*Bot

[Clawhammer]

I've tried and been able to alley pass on some other TPA tables but haven't had a use for it. On Pin*Bot, alley passing seems particularly easy and it is the best way, in my opinion, to get to the Sun! From a trap on the right flipper, let the ball roll to the tip of the flipper and then hit it into the left inlane to light the advance planet target on the right. Also works for collecting the EB if you time it so the EB light is on the left outlane before you flip with the right, thereby moving it to the left inlane as you alley pass. Try it out!

For those unfamiliar, here's a video of alley passes being performed on a real FH by the master, Neil Shatz (the derivative of the eponymous "shatzing the inlane"): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Akp3F_FzRIw

 

[Slam23]

Thanks for sharing this, I didn't know where that particular term came from. I am also getting my inlane passing up to speed on this table. It requires some skill and a lot of cojones to flip that late. A bit too early and you drain down the middle because of a ricochet from the slingshot corner, too late and it dribbles off from the flipper. So there's some risk involved.
Another strategy that let's you build up planets fairly quickly is aiming ramp shots from the right flipper slightly to the left to try and graze some of the targets in the bank at the left. Takes more time but it's less risky and you build up the solar value.

 

[jcasetnl]

I've tried and been able to alley pass on some other TPA tables but haven't had a use for it. On Pin*Bot, alley passing seems particularly easy and it is the best way, in my opinion, to get to the Sun! From a trap on the right flipper, let the ball roll to the tip of the flipper and then hit it into the left inlane to light the advance planet target on the right. Also works for collecting the EB if you time it so the EB light is on the left outlane before you flip with the right, thereby moving it to the left inlane as you alley pass. Try it out!

For those unfamiliar, here's a video of alley passes being performed on a real FH by the master, Neil Shatz (the derivative of the eponymous "shatzing the inlane"): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Akp3F_FzRIw

I've tried and been able to alley pass on some other TPA tables but haven't had a use for it. On Pin*Bot, alley passing seems particularly easy and it is the best way, in my opinion, to get to the Sun! From a trap on the right flipper, let the ball roll to the tip of the flipper and then hit it into the left inlane to light the advance planet target on the right. Also works for collecting the EB if you time it so the EB light is on the left outlane before you flip with the right, thereby moving it to the left inlane as you alley pass. Try it out!

For those unfamiliar, here's a video of alley passes being performed on a real FH by the master, Neil Shatz (the derivative of the eponymous "shatzing the inlane"): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Akp3F_FzRIw

Hi, I'm the guy who recorded Neil doing his thing. There's a better vid of Neil doing several different skills. Search youtube for "neil shatz skills" if you're interested.

You're correct: Alley passes are less useful on newer games, not to mention more dangerous because it can sometimes result in an "alley drain" (also known as a shatz-drain, shatzing the outlane), which is when the ball goes up the inlane too far and out the outlane. They still have their uses on modern games but it's far more situational.

For example, on Tron there is a mode called CLU. You have to hit all the CLU shots before the timer runs out. However, you can also spot a target by completing the C-L-U inlanes. If I just have one CLU left and two out of three lanes completed, I might alley pass to try and get the last one if time is running out. It's a desperation move, but very cool when it pays off.

They're most useful on games of the alpha-numeric display era (Pinbot, Cyclone, Fun House, et) and earlier. On electro-mechanical games that permit them, they can be extremely useful, almost game-breaking. Older games have riskier inlanes and things like bonus advances and extra balls are collected there. The alley pass is the best way to light or collect them.

On High Speed, some competition players will ignore the whole game and just focus on the Light Freeway inlanes and collect freeways. They alley pass to light freeway and then collect. Rinse Repeat.

They're not as dangerous as they look. They're mainly risky trying to do one if you haven't done one in awhile because it's not a skill you use all the time. The main thing is to flip the flipper quick. Don't flip and leave leave the flipper up. If you brick it, you might get a lucky bounce off the lowered flipper instead of an insta-drain off the sling post.

 

[Sumez]

If you can do it on White Water, it would be a huge advantage in working towards river class 6. I've never been able to pull it off consistently. Guess I gotta practice with the glass off (I just can't stand those high pitched sounds)

 

[Zaphod77]

there are much less risky ways to light river letters in whitewater. the upper playfield will feed that inlane for you if you shoot no way out. And on some, cradling the lost mine kickout is safe (like on the TPA version)

But yeah it's a legit shot on Pinbot.

ALso, on many premiere games it's very safe, because the inlane rubbers will stop the ball from getting out, and it's valuable because the ramp either feeds below the rollover or unlights it. Getting slide advances on surf n safari is a good example of a reason to shatz the inlane.

 

[Zaphod77]

Btw, shatzing the left inlane on demolition man will give you a huxley bonus of 10 million, as the ball rolls up it and into the saucer. only way to get the bonus.

 

[superballs]

Figuring out the alley pass on PinBot was gamechanging, I instantly went from sucking hard at that table to being pretty confident in playing it.