Why is LITZ mode timed??

[Kemetman72]

I mean that is the wizard mode isn't it? Just curious as to why LITZ is timed.

 

[Espy]

The most typical wizard modes are timed. With the tradeoff that all balls lost are immediately launched back into play. Think of it liked a timed invincibility mode. You can't die, and scores are very inflated, so the aim is to get as many points as you can in the process, taking advantage of not needing to take too much care of the balls.

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

Because nowhere else in TZ can you get half-a-billion points in 45 seconds.

Any wizard mode that has an "everything is lit" feature is limited either by a timer (as in TZ's Lost in the Zone), a multiball (as in ST:TNG's Final Frontier), or a hard scoring limit (AFM's Rule the Universe). Otherwise scoring would become extremely unbalanced.

The only wizard mode that I can think of off the top of my head that doesn't have any the above limits is AC/DC's Encore, but Encore is essentially a-game-within-a-game (it even gets its own set of 3 balls!) and scoring in Encore is kept pretty well in check compared to most wizard modes.

 

[vikingerik]

Because nowhere else in TZ can you get half-a-billion points in 45 seconds.

Well, Collect Bonus.

Any wizard mode that has an "everything is lit" feature is limited either by a timer (as in TZ's Lost in the Zone), a multiball (as in ST:TNG's Final Frontier), or a hard scoring limit (AFM's Rule the Universe). Otherwise scoring would become extremely unbalanced.

AFM itself shows what happens otherwise. The wizard mode enables sort of an "everything is lit" feature in Victory Laps, which isn't limited in any of those ways. And it does become unbalanced after a while of raising the Laps value, coming to dominate the normal scoring from other multiballs. The same shot can collect a 100M multiball jackpot and a 500M Victory Lap.

I wonder if the operator menu in TZ lets you change the LITZ time? Payback Time in Terminator 2 can be customized, up to 99 seconds.

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

Well, Collect Bonus.

Sure, the Collect Bonus shot is instantaneous, but it takes more than 45 seconds to build up that bonus.

AFM itself shows what happens otherwise. The wizard mode enables sort of an "everything is lit" feature in Victory Laps, which isn't limited in any of those ways. And it does become unbalanced after a while of raising the Laps value, coming to dominate the normal scoring from other multiballs. The same shot can collect a 100M multiball jackpot and a 500M Victory Lap.

I wonder if the operator menu in TZ lets you change the LITZ time? Payback Time in Terminator 2 can be customized, up to 99 seconds.

Forgot about Victory Laps in AFM.

I am 99% certain LITZ's timer can't be changed, as it is tied into the physical clock on the playfield.

 

[Espy]

Sure, the Collect Bonus shot is instantaneous, but it takes more than 45 seconds to build up that bonus.


Forgot about Victory Laps in AFM.

I am 99% certain LITZ's timer can't be changed, as it is tied into the physical clock on the playfield.

All these little playfield toy details that you need a keen eye to notice... I only yesterday spotted the coffin that opens up when you activate the mummy mode in MB.

 

[Kemetman72]

OK thanks for the explanation. I only have 3 Wizard Modes all the way beaten. Taxi is pretty hard. Some games (even with nudging) aren't a walk in the park. The ones I hate like Black Knight always screws me on 3 ball multi-ball. 2 balls go down the drain! I guess you just have to practice and make sure you hit your shots. I swear on AFM when the ball returns on the left ramp it has a little hop on the ball. Yeah Scared Stiff's Wizard Mode is nothing to write home about, but for some odd reason I love the Elvira themed tables. Maybe they should've made a third one Scared Hard! or Scared even Stiffer. I keep trying though on the skillshot for Funhouse, but that's definitely a plunger issue. Imagine the Addam's Family skillshot with the plunger as it is now!