Top 3 Showdown: Farsight's Official Pre-1980 Poll

[Crawley]

Pick one from Genie, Big Shot, Fish Tales, and BSD (others may, and almost certainly will, disagree).

BK2K doesn't really get in there because it's easy to keep the ball in the upper playfield and spam loops.

I'd agree with these too although for me I would swap out ST:NG for BSD. I still can't get a handle on playing ST:NG well after all this time. I'd also add Firepower due to the table speed. I find it so easy to lose control of the ball(s) and can't regain control before they're shooting down the outlanes. I'd also add Ripley's. The table play is not bad, particularly when you identify all the dangerous shots. But the complex rule set and difficulty completing all the goals is challenging.

 

[Crawley]

The original Black Knight is a draining monster for me, most of the time I lose the ball at the left outlane. No ball save at the beginning is strange, was it meant that way, a hard table for hardcore players?

I don't think that feature came out till years later - mainly the 90s tables and beyond. Think that feature was pretty rare in tables before that decade. Anyone know what the first table to use it was?

 

[ThePinballFan]

I don't think that feature came out till years later - mainly the 90s tables and beyond. Think that feature was pretty rare in tables before that decade. Anyone know what the first table to use it was?

A good Question, I would like this to know too.

Edit, I was on some sites now, they said it was T2 from 1991, any confirmation?

 

[kinggo]

I don't think that feature came out till years later - mainly the 90s tables and beyond. Think that feature was pretty rare in tables before that decade. Anyone know what the first table to use it was?

well, not that much later. I think Laser Cue was the first one and it is from 1984. By the 90's we already had a multiball savers.

 

[EldarOfSuburbia]

T2 had it, for sure, so does Party Zone (though it's "hidden" and score-based). I seem to recall some SS tables would give you the ball back if you scored 0 on a ball, can't be sure any of those are in TPA though.

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

A good Question, I would like this to know too.

Edit, I was on some sites now, they said it was T2 from 1991, any confirmation?

What, the timed ball save after the plunge?

Terminator 2, from 1991. It was invented because of T2's skill shot; the ball would fall down from hitting the target bank into the center drain an unacceptably large percentage of the time, even with the center post there. The designers didn't want to change the skill shot, so they made the machine autofire the ball back in.

The ball save didn't become a "standard feature" until a few years later. Addams Family (1992) doesn't have one, and Twilight Zone (1993) has one but it's turned off by default. But by the time you get to Theatre of Magic, Attack from Mars, and Arabian Nights practically every machine has one.

 

[Pinballwiz45b]

What, the timed ball save after the plunge?

Terminator 2, from 1991. It was invented because of T2's skill shot; the ball would fall down from hitting the target bank into the center drain an unacceptably large percentage of the time, even with the center post there. The designers didn't want to change the skill shot, so they made the machine autofire the ball back in.

The ball save didn't become a "standard feature" until a few years later. Addams Family (1992) doesn't have one, and Twilight Zone (1993) has one but it's turned off by default. But by the time you get to Theatre of Magic, Attack from Mars, and Arabian Nights practically every machine has one.

Stern games didn't start doing theirs for a while; I'm not sure which game started having it featured by default.

 

[RobbW]

Other than heretic, who here is really "desperate" for it?

LOL, hey, I was willing to add kick in $100 for Paragon licensing costs so count me in. In all seriousness, it was my favorite table as a kid. It was go to school, ride my bike over to Family Fun Arcade in Granada Hills, and play play play. Hell, I even took home a free Superman soundtrack double LP for getting the high score during a tournament circa the early 80's.

Off topic but that was an awesome arcade for pinball. They had two long aisles of nothing but pins, prob about 30 of them if I had to guess, and was one of the few arcades in the valley that had more pins than video games. They constantly played Zeppelin over the speakers in there, and the people that gave change looked like various cast members from Boogie Nights.

RobbW

 

[EldarOfSuburbia]

There are no additional licensing costs for Paragon... unless Paul Faris (the playfield and backglass artist) is charging for use of his image or his wife's, which are the models for the characters in the game.

 

[JJH516]

LOL, hey, I was willing to add kick in $100 for Paragon licensing costs so count me in.

There's a lot of people desperate for it, which is why I was a little taken back about the defensive nature of his response. It's not a bad thing to say that, I'm desperate for a LOT of tables, like Dr. Who!

 

[Jeff Strong]

There's a lot of people desperate for it, which is why I was a little taken back about the defensive nature of his response. It's not a bad thing to say that, I'm desperate for a LOT of tables, like Dr. Who!

I'm not being defensive. I'm just asking a question as I really haven't seen that many "desperate" paragon people in this thread lately. It seems like more people are passionate for Xenon, as the poll suggests.

 

[JJH516]

I'm not being defensive. I'm just asking a question as I really haven't seen that many "desperate" paragon people in this thread lately. It seems like more people are passionate for Xenon, as the poll suggests.

I don't see anyone having "Vote Xenon!" in their signatures or asking the poll to be closed any time Xenon is leading. Like I said, it's not a bad thing.

I'm still surprised there hasn't been a late push for Paragon, though. I'm fully expecting one tomorrow.

 

[Pinballwiz45b]

To be honest, Xenon would just bore me out. It's just basically a one-shot game.

Paragon, on the other hand, will more likely give me a real challenge. Shots can be challenging, too

 

[Reagan Dow]

What, the timed ball save after the plunge?

Terminator 2, from 1991. It was invented because of T2's skill shot; the ball would fall down from hitting the target bank into the center drain an unacceptably large percentage of the time, even with the center post there. The designers didn't want to change the skill shot, so they made the machine autofire the ball back in.

The ball save didn't become a "standard feature" until a few years later. Addams Family (1992) doesn't have one, and Twilight Zone (1993) has one but it's turned off by default. But by the time you get to Theatre of Magic, Attack from Mars, and Arabian Nights practically every machine has one.

If you have a chance would you mind sending the link with the rules for outlane ball save for party zone? I've yet to get one

 

[Reagan Dow]

I'm not being defensive. I'm just asking a question as I really haven't seen that many "desperate" paragon people in this thread lately. It seems like more people are passionate for Xenon, as the poll suggests.

Jeff: I just read something on another thread that basically said FS probably will NOT give us any true EM's do to the fact that they have had a less then stellar poll response. If I recall correctly, not this many people voted for the poll last year that had cyclone and Diner in it. (Correct me if I'm wrong) I distinctly remember that it was a pain in the next to sign up on this page just to vote and I finally gave out. I'm by no means a (total) moron when it comes to computers but I remember being annoyed at the process. I've also seen some random response on FS FB page alluding to the same thing. While I'm so happy to be on here and talk with people that actually know a ting or two I understand where they are coming from.

I buy the $8 pro table each and every month and way back when, when one was able to purchase a season pass on iOS I still chose to buy individual table packs or season pass I chose to buy them all one at a time to SUPPORT something I really loved and had faith in. Given the number of requests I see daily I know their are MANY users looking for older tables, including EM's. Please pass this on as I for one, would be ver disappointed,if we aren't tossed a bone every now and again. I'd be happy to pay MORE money for a great EM.

 

[MontanaFrank]

I'm not being defensive. I'm just asking a question as I really haven't seen that many "desperate" paragon people in this thread lately. It seems like more people are passionate for Xenon, as the poll suggests.

I've been quiet because you can only beat a bush so many times before the birds start to attack.

I want Paragon very bad; however, it seems if you keep pushing it then some members get a little cranky. I still think Xenon is a LEWD table that should be the base game along with Elvira "Scared Stiff" in non-family mode. I am not sure there is any other tables in TPA that have non-family modes in the pro settings, but that would be the third game in the original Pinball After Dark base pack.

Then Paragon should be done for TPA because it is not a lewd table and Xenon would be the first lascivious table in TPA.

It is one table I won't play because I don't want to look at this image.(click image) I want to look at breasts and bodies that are sensually clad. Like both Elvira tables and POTO.



This is my last pitch for Paragon. I've know this for years that hormones will beat sensibility all the time. Look at all the unexpected pregnancies to prove my point.

Edit: I am no Chasity Pariah but I've shown that image to my cousins and they would not want their kids to see that image. They are okay with Elvira and barely POTO. I just don't want any children who are not ready to see this image to see it....The End

 

[Bowflex]

Stern games didn't start doing theirs for a while; I'm not sure which game started having it featured by default.

Yeah that is not in the early stern games after sega. Started around '04 or '05 i believe

 

[k88dad]

Other than heretic, who here is really "desperate" for it?

Seriously?

 

[switch3flip]

The nicest way I can state my opinion is Xenon sucks and Paragon rules.

 

[Jeff Strong]

Seriously?

Uhhh yes seriously. Reading back through the last couple pages, I just haven't seen much "desperation" lately. Sure there was some early fanaticism, but there was from the Xenon crowd too (just look at the satirical anti-paragon thread that was made and all the anti-"whining" posts), but let's not bring all that back up. I just thought the word desperation seemed a bit strong, but like the dude said, it's not a bad thing, although the word passionate seems more fitting. Anyway, back on topic.