Shaking the table - is it really helping that much?

[yespage]

I was playing pinball next to a guy who apparently thought that shaking his table (Eight Ball Deluxe) to point that my table was moving was helping him. His scores weren't all too good. He seemed to shake the table when it was on the bumpers up top for some reason.

I can understand nudging will help (I don't nudge at all, except if a ball gets stuck), is it necessary to put the pinball table on vibrate when playing IRL?

 

[Fungi]

Ever thought it was the table that was shaking him? Hmmmmmm?

 

[Stuzz]

Some theories (or are they hypotheses) state that nudging the table while the ball is in the bumpers will keep the ball in them for a longer period of time.

In practice I think this has been dunked. But either way, sometimes it's comforting to at least think that you're actively, rather than passively, doing all you can to improve your score.

 

[Kolchak357]

My buddy like to shake the pin when it's in the bumpers. I only do this if it's a pin where a ball can roll through the bumper area with little to no action. And that's if I can get away with it. I don't mess with pins with a touchy tilt.

 

[DA5ID]

On the Pirates of the Carribean machine there is a shot to the spinning disc where shaking the table (forward and backward) definitely keeps the ball alive longer so you can achieve a timed lock. All the top players in my area have this down to a science so they do not get a tilt warning. I think it works with the bumpers too.

 

[trunchbull]

I don't totally buy nudging in the bumpers (really, the force of the bumpers is way, way stronger than any force you could exert on the table without tilting) but heck yeah, nudging is amazingly helpful and learning how to do it is an art in its own right.

 

[WxManBookie]

Nudging in the pops on newer machines is probably worthless from a pure physics aspect, given the speed of the ball alone is enough to provide "action". I can see doing it in a "super pops" mode to gain a few extra points. Nudging in the pop bumpers on an old EM early SS where the playfields are "floaty" is ABSOLUTELY a skill that can be used to direct the ball into nearby targets, or even back-up into an upper playfield area/scoop (think Hot Tip for example).

Forward nudging to get the ball away from the outlane areas or off the top of a slingshot to get the ball out back into the playfield is also proved skillful.

Side nudging for a ball nearly resting on the inlane/outland post/bracket is a skillful move to get the ball into the inland.

For a ball headed SDTM, a perfectly timed side nudge and a flipper slap on the same side can sometimes save a ball headed for certain death and is a skillful play.

A forward nudge gyration can serve to get extra "spins" on spiral cups... Diner, CTFBL, Mustang, PotC, Taxi, etc...

That all being said, "shaking" the machine serves no purpose or than risking tilt and unpredictable ball movement.

 

[invitro]

Some theories (or are they hypotheses) state that nudging the table while the ball is in the bumpers will keep the ball in them for a longer period of time.

FWIW, I remember nudging while the ball was among bumpers for the opposite reason: to try to get it to fall out, perhaps when a timer was counting down.

I also remember people either wanting the ability to make the bumpers stop activating when both flippers were pressed, or praising this ability on some table. But I can't think of any table with this feature. This has been bothering me for about 20 years now... I don't know why I have this memory, which must be faulty in some way .

 

[Fungi]

FWIW, I remember nudging while the ball was among bumpers for the opposite reason: to try to get it to fall out, perhaps when a timer was counting down.

I also remember people either wanting the ability to make the bumpers stop activating when both flippers were pressed, or praising this ability on some table. But I can't think of any table with this feature. This has been bothering me for about 20 years now... I don't know why I have this memory, which must be faulty in some way .

That feature is on ProPinball's Timeshock.

 

[Tarek Oberdieck]

That feature is on ProPinball's Timeshock.

Yes, that's a timeshock feature and very useful during explorations or other timing modes. Happened to me too that I press both flippers in TPA when the ball is in the bumpers after a few timeshock games and wondered that it does not work. Another great feature for explorations is the ability to bypass the lock by catching the ball with the right flipper and flip with the left to turn off the lock light.

 

[Stuzz]

That feature is on ProPinball's Timeshock.

It's also on The Wizard of Oz

 

[vikingerik]

Another great feature for explorations is the ability to bypass the lock by catching the ball with the right flipper and flip with the left to turn off the lock light.

The lock is always turned off during explorations. But yes, that does help to start an exploration if you would rather do that than time travel.

Although I think that's not good strategy in Timeshock. Just take the lock whenever it's lit. You want to play Time Machine Frenzy a lot, it's better score/risk than explorations, even including the progress towards End of Time.

 

[Tarek Oberdieck]

The lock is always turned off during explorations. But yes, that does help to start an exploration if you would rather do that than time travel.

That's what I mean, useful to start an exploration. Maybe I do not hit the spot with my english sometimes.

Although I think that's not good strategy in Timeshock. Just take the lock whenever it's lit. You want to play Time Machine Frenzy a lot, it's better score/risk than explorations, even including the progress towards End of Time.

I always try to reach The Dawn of Time and The End of Time at least once at the start of a game. Otherwise it's difficult to get all possible EBs. Unless you're a good video mode master at level 3 and 4. I'm not...

 

[k88dad]

For EBD, specifically, one reason to nudge the ball on the bumpers is to complete the A-B rollover sequence above them. Lane change with the flipper had just been invented (that was Firepower) and EBD did not have it.