[RANT] This is the worst table in TPA

[Advalle]

RBION is a rather complex table which will take you a very long time to figure out, you havent figured it out after achieving the wizard goals. It took me a long time to achieve Atlantis. For the longest time I would only acumulate a few letters per game. That was what pulled me into it.

However if you are looking for the quick entertainment that is easy to learn, scared stiff is a good choice, big shot is unbelievable, creature of the black lagoon is super fun to understand the rules. But RBION is an enigma, is complex and has many hidden attributes, and That is when i start giving credit to Pat Lawlor, I think he meant this table to be complex and complicated, just as Ripleys travels where, hidden, enigmatic complicated, maybe Im giving too much credit to Lawlor, maybe Im not, I think he knows a thing or two about designing a table.

So, next time if you want to enjoy RBION you need to approach it as Ripley approached his journeys: complex, cryptic, and very very long. Because when you find that rare score, shot or jackpot in the game that was so hidden from everyone else, then you will get the same feeling Ripleys did when he found the odd in the strangest corners of the world.

And THAT is the appeal of the table. Not the colors nor the music fellows, RBION is a master piece, im done with my post after much inspiration,hehe.

 

[Fritti]

First play: "man what is this mess"
Tenth play: "hmm, I see. Some of these RIPLEY letters are actually collectable"
Twentieth play: "right, so I just need one more letter for atlantis!"
Thirtieth play: "nice, third super jackpot. Maybe I'll get Frog Frenzy!"
Fourtieth play: "one gem left for 2 x but first I'll collect the last ripley letter so I can have 2 x and atlantis at the same time!"

This table really, really, grew on me. Believe it or not! But yes, it did take some time... keep at it and have fun!

 

[Matt McIrvin]

Since I dislike it aesthetically, I haven't really played Ripley enough to assess its gameplay fairly.

But aside from that, my personal least favorite is probably Harley-Davidson, where the gameplay is what bothers me, not the looks.

 

[shutyertrap]

First play: "man what is this mess"
Tenth play: "hmm, I see. Some of these RIPLEY letters are actually collectable"
Twentieth play: "right, so I just need one more letter for atlantis!"
Thirtieth play: "nice, third super jackpot. Maybe I'll get Frog Frenzy!"
Fourtieth play: "one gem left for 2 x but first I'll collect the last ripley letter so I can have 2 x and atlantis at the same time!"

This table really, really, grew on me. Believe it or not! But yes, it did take some time... keep at it and have fun!

That is exactly my experience, to a tee. Though by my 40th play I think I was still only on 3rd step!

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

That is exactly my experience, to a tee. Though by my 40th play I think I was still only on 3rd step!

Don't feel bad. Atlantis took me four months and probably close to 500 full games (not counting ones I quit early in disgust).

 

[Advalle]

I recommend playing the Ripley's pinball machine in Ripley's (Florida).

I want that rug, where does one get that rug?

 

[Jeff Strong]

I want that rug, where does one get that rug?

Ha...a quick Google search turns up nothing, so it might be one-of-a-kind (well, maybe at least for each Ripley's location).

 

[Fungi]

I want that rug, where does one get that rug?

Well....... It doesn't look like it's nailed down.

 

[netizen]

Since I dislike it aesthetically, I haven't really played Ripley enough to assess its gameplay fairly.

But aside from that, my personal least favorite is probably Harley-Davidson, where the gameplay is what bothers me, not the looks.

Yeah Ripley's is ugly, and Harley Davidson looks and feels clunky, but they both have their individual charms.

HD, like MM, is a multiball fiends dream come true once you get the lay out and rule set figured out. Or is it more of it just being one of those days, can't really be sure sometimes with TPA

Whereas, as some already mentioned, Ripley's has all sorts of layers and hidden things that aren't quite as they appear on the first few 100 plays. I'm still trying to find my way to Atlantis, but lately Elvira and various Monsters have managed to keep me fairly distracted from world travel.

 

[Advalle]

Well....... It doesn't look like it's nailed down.

Lol

 

[Fritti]

I may or may not have played a lot more than I suggested in my post

 

[Kaoru]

ok lets talk about the gameplay.. a cluttered mess of a playfield with a useless ball save.. thanks. then we have tons of random modes that are completely worthless... WOW u managed to drop the ball in a hard to reach place.. BOZO time... BIG POINT time.... 100,000 ... no.. no.. no... next prize hold bonus **** YOU MR RIPLEY.

road trip is like an anti-award.. basically here's 20 seconds where you can not advance at all and the prizes are crap.. have fun.... no.

Haha, I so know where you're coming from. I too hated this table at first and it just frustrated the heck out of me... and I too wrote many angry rants in the threads below.

And I agree, those so called "big points" or bonuses are pretty useless and not really worth anything. But when it comes to strategies it's probably the best table to play so far on TPA. I couldn't really see it when I was just going for wizard goals and trophies... but once I got them I loosened up, played it with less determination and found much more joy in the game. The result being that I reach Atlantis in almost every game at least once.

It's a table that is VERY hard to get into... and it certainly isn't very inviting because of its looks and sounds (Ugh, the IDOL!!!). But once it clicks you see that it's actually awesome. It just takes a lot of time to get to that point, and probably more time than people are willing to give. And I can't really blame them because I remember how it was when I was still one of them.

 

[Fungi]

Way back in the good ol' days, when there were only 4 tables, I played this until I got to Atlantis. Now with 18 tables to choose from currently, it gets ignored everyday.

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

Way back in the good ol' days, when there were only 4 tables, I played this until I got to Atlantis. Now with 18 tables to choose from currently, it gets ignored everyday.

I have a feeling once Twilight Zone comes out, a lot more players will be ignoring RBION. Why play the poor man's TZ when you can play the real thing?

 

[superballs]

I see the OP's point, Ripley's is probably still one of my least favourite tables, though I've put some nice sessions in and it is starting to grow on me. I usually go to it when i feel everything else has been played to death. That's when you go at it. Play Ripley when you're bored of the other tables or they are just feeling kinda m'eh. It's strange how a couple good sessions on it then are not only really enjoyable, but then you can put it down and enjoy the quicker games after.

It kind of reminds me of Pearl Jam's No Code album. I had it for almost 13 years without really listening to it all that much...but then when i was tired of the rest of their albums i went and gave it a fresh spin. Not only was it a breath of fresh air, but i also realized that having matured musically helped me appreciate it a whole lot more than i did when i first got it in 1995 (6?).

 

[bavelb]

RBION is the table with the most complex, deepest ruleset with an almost infinite amount of combination of modes to stack. You haven't lived untill you tried to go for a 2 x playfield into multiball into super jackpot into Frog Frenzy . It's my favourite untill TZ is released I think and together with TOTAN I put the most time into those 2.

I think the only problem I have with it is, once you mastered the tables shots and bounces a bit, you get so many extra balls that a session tends to take a loooong time. Oh and it's ugly and gaudylooking, but thats how it's meant to be.

 

[Squid]

I never wanted to mention this but, the only reason I figured out this table was due to the fact that I was laid up for about a month. I hated this table at first. Where I was at the internet was too wonky for BF3, I grew tired of threading the needle for a ToM high score, I can't groove on BH, I won't play TotAN so, I dug into Ripley's. It's quite rewarding when you figure it out but, get ready for an endurance/patience test.

You haven't lived until you started a Ripoff, then moved into a Frog Frenzy, worked through that back to the (4-ball) Ripoff just to continue to another Frog Frenzy. (I set odd wizard goals for myself)

 

[neglectoid]

squid, do you have anyway to record your games? i'd love to watch you play. i wouldn't even care if you had to point a camera at your tv.

 

[shutyertrap]

There's a couple of people who's games I'd like to watch. Wish that was a feature built into the PS3.

 

[Squid]

Mr. neglectoid, your wish may soon be granted. Certain friends and family have been twisting my arm into getting a better phone (one that works). I keep hearing about an S3. Tech stuff isn't my milieu so, I'm still on the fence about it. I don't even have a PC.

Would an S3 be able to accomplish this task without using a PC?