This game is a drainer

[yuriijos]

Almost makes playing it not fun. Can't do anything right on this table as the out lanes are magnets. Like the pin but if I can't keep the ball in play what fun is there. Anybody else have this problem? Even a left flipper shot for the right ramp if not hit exactly makes the ball drain down the left outlane. Frustrating!!

 

[gooche77]

Make peace with it.

Champion Pub also has hideous drainage issues and its still fun to play like Trek. Make sure you're playing slow and aiming shots with ball control. Generous nudging helps for those sdtms and stay away from those outlanes!

 

[Fungi]

Yep. Every time I play, it seems to me more work than it is fun. I only played it because I like the franchise and was trying to convince myself I like the table. When it comes right down to it, the more new tables I get, the more I ignore STTNG. Heck, I still play ToM and that was a launch table.

 

[Jeff Strong]

Heh, it's actually one of the most realistic pins in TPA. Most real machines do drain on bricked ramped shots, not just STTNG, although it's brutal outlanes are among the most infamous.

As Data says, "Had you propelled the ball along the proper trajectory, you would have been rewarded."

 

[nuclearkevin]

I agree with Yurrijos. STTNG is brutal and demands perfection because it is loaded with death shots. Too bad, because it is a great game and has so much to offer. I think most people first trying this game will never experience much more than frustration and then give up on it. I saw it happen when my nephews tried playing.

Some of the skilled players here say they do no want the tables too easy and I understand that. Personally, I feel that STTNG difficulty level is too high on TPA for most players trying this table out.

Its a shame, because it is one of the best designed tables in my opinion and really is a lot of fun to take on a good run through the final frontier a few times. I don't know how many players new to this table will get to do that before giving up for good.

 

[Kolchak357]

Probably the only pin on TPA I find harder than the real thing. No, I'm not kidding.

 

[nuclearkevin]

I agree with Kolchak357 100%. Yes, I played the real STTNG table... a lot... Twilight Zone, on the other hand, is easier on TPA than the real thing in my opinion.

 

[ksmmspt]

Probably the only pin on TPA I find harder than the real thing. No, I'm not kidding.

That's a tough one for me. I own a STTNG and it is a brutal machine! The real machine has so many unknowns that occur with errant shots. I can see your point especially when you miss the beta ramp shot. In TPA and in real life, a drain is a very high possibility....probably more so in TPA. But for some reason, I've only been able to score 10 billion in real life vs. 14 on TPA. I do have my tilt settings at home to be very difficult compared to TPA. But it is so rewarding to hit certain shots on this table and to have a big game. Probably why I like it so much.

 

[superballs]

It is a drainer, but it's such a great drainer. Having a good run on it is very rewarding, and getting through the various missions is really fun.

I've nearly seen the wizard mode on this one. It lured me in and I'm starting to bust it open, though I'm not interested in the borg multiball exploit for super scores.

 

[Kolchak357]

I'm not interested in the borg multiball exploit for super scores.

I would try it, but that darn lock shot on the far right seems nearly impossible for me to hit. Anyone have a tip for hitting this on iOS? From a trap on the left flipper I hit it maybe one out of ten.

 

[TripleT]

I wish the cannons were semi transparent so you could have a chance at nudging to avoid drains.

IRL I imagine you can at least maneuver your head to get a little better visibility.

But once the ball disappears behind the cannons, I usually just wait for it to drain. It's for this reason that I haven't played this table too much.

 

[Baron Rubik]

Started playing this table this last week, and have gotten hooked the past couple of days, despite backing the KS, and playing the real table back when it was young, I just didn't play the TPA version much before this week.

Managed to get my first multiple 'final frontier' in one game during my dinner today. Still can't get warp 9.9 though.
Practice is giving constant improvement though which always feels rewarding in a table.

This week I've learned...
Rolling shots - shoot them high on the flipper - middle of the table shots are safer.
The left column of the beta quadrant (right) ramp is instant drain so from left flipper - always shoot early or on time for mission hole (never late), and if shooting beta quadrant from left flipper - always shoot on time or late.
Plunge - go for warp 4 every time, scoring outweighs the others.
Cannon's - with event cam on, find playfield markers against the leading edge of the moving cannon for successful shots - once you do, you'll hit them 80% successful.
Pay attention to roll over's and always keep the left free when the ball is up there.
Don't feel pressurised to make risky shots - your score will increase by not taking risks - this table really pushes you to feel pressurised - don't let it have command. Stall kickout shots to outlanes by shooting early and high (thus without force) to give you an easy recatch on the same flipper, and a controlled, timed shot once controlled.
Try to avoid balls contacting the tops of the trapezoidal slings, but if they do, a well timed diagonal nudge, up & right for Rh sling, up & left for left sling can save you, but it has to be exactly as the ball is clear of the top of the sling, and has to be travelling diagonally. Otherwise you'll just help bounce the ball into the outlane.

I'm really enjoying this table now - I can see me playing this a lot more going forwards.

TPA's version of Whirlwind seems a lot more cruel to me for drains than STTNG.
Got my a$$ kicked by this in TPA last night, so much so that I fired up the PBHOF version on XBox360 and was amazed as I scored 4 times my best compared to the TPA version with its killer slings.

 

[Zaphod77]

I still do respectably on Whirlwind, and find ST:TNG tougher.

That said, it was a LOT easier on PHoF.

And in real life, the outlanes can be monsters on Whirlwind depending on machine, even though there's nothing about the design that suggest they should be that evil. So i think it's pretty fair.

 

[yuriijos]

I keep trying to play this table because it has so much to offer but nothing but outlane drains. I can't even complete one wizard goal. I give up.

 

[Pinballwiz45b]

heh, it's actually one of the most realistic pins in tpa. Most real machines do drain on bricked ramped shots, not just sttng, although it's brutal outlanes are among the most infamous.

As data says, "had you propelled the ball along the proper trajectory---"

"Thank you Mr. Data!"

 

[Kolchak357]

Played about ten games last night. I'm really starting to hate this pin. I can't hit that darn lock shot. I suck!

 

[vikingerik]

Aim later than you think for the lock. The angle of the shot relative to the flipper is a bit weird, it's not nearly as smooth as orbit shots in games like TZ/AFM/MB. But an early shot is death off the ramp standup, while a late shot usually caroms upward and is saveable.

Also try playing with different camera angles, that made a difference for me too.

 

[Kolchak357]

Aim later than you think for the lock. The angle of the shot relative to the flipper is a bit weird, it's not nearly as smooth as orbit shots in games like TZ/AFM/MB. But an early shot is death off the ramp standup, while a late shot usually caroms upward and is saveable.

Also try playing with different camera angles, that made a difference for me too.

I'm very familiar with that death shot off the ramp standup. It's becoming a bad habit for me. I've been using the lowest camera view as I usually find that the easiest for late (tip of the flipper) shots. I'll give it another go tonight. Thanks

 

[Dascoyne]

I must've spent a fortune in virtual quarters learning this table. I need a break. I'll have to take a stroll around my mental arcade before I revisit the game. Hmm ... maybe a few rounds of Soul Calibur.

 

[pezpunk]

My high score on TPA's STTNG is 108 Billion. The one in my basement? I top out around 17 billion. TPA got the drain-monster aspect exactly right in my opinion. The real version ABSOLUTELY punishes you for missing shots or slapping the ball around without purpose. It can be very frustrating for casual unfocused gameplay. But on the other hand, more than almost any other table, it rewards skill rather than luck.

By the way here's mine!

more pics:
http://www.theoverprivileged.com/pinball/