Star Wars: Start Video Mode
Unless there’s a code update planned before then… 
What are the rules for bonus with two minute drill? If it’s on bonus count when two minutes is up do you get those points?
This is an interesting format, although… if the goal is to bring a big tournament out into the spotlight, it’s interesting that the choice is to ‘complete goals’ instead of raw score. Aren’t the goals going to require pretty deep rules knowledge which casual observers would not necessarily know about?
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A question: most game shows and contests have a rule that excludes “employees of the sponsoring organizations and their affiliates” from participating. Will this have a like-minded rule that prevents employees of Stern and Raw Thrills from participating? If not, why not? Much as I like these people, it would be “bad optics” if such an individual were to win. The people who sponsor game shows and contests give up their rights to win for the good of the events; the PCH site calls it “contest integrity.” People who are helping to physically run the event [TDs, scorekeepers, techs] are a somewhat different matter in pinball, since they are volunteers, not paid employees, although as has been discussed on this board before, not everyone thinks they should always participate either.
Here’s a paraphrased version of the Wheel of Fortune rule; Publishers Clearing House has something similar:
Participant is not eligible to be a contestant … if Participant works for, or is related to, anyone who works for < the company, parent company and subsidiaries thereof >, prize suppliers, or any affiliated < companies >.
As a former employee of multiple nationally-known companies, I know I was ineligible to enter anything they sponsored.
Not looking to screw anybody over, just sayin’ fair is fair …
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Hands off the game at two minutes, you get the current end of ball bonus counted once all the balls drain that are in play. The score the display shows at the start of the ‘next ball’ is what you get.
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The idea here is that it’s relatively easy to explain ONE GOAL within a machine at any given time.
If players are trying to start Toy Box multiball, you can set that up by explaining what that rule is, how players make progress through it, and how they start it once it’s lit.
Normal pinball today doesn’t allow you to focus on anything specific because a player can do “ANYTHING” at any given time, so for Aerosmith you’re making progress towards both Toy Box AND Elevator multiball, while completing progress towards shot multipliers during playing a song mode in which you choose to Crank it Up, or not, and then for specific song modes there’s the potential for Super features that a player can cash in on following that mode . . and . . . . [gun to head, pull the trigger]
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What are you even talking about? The rules against sweepstakes and game shows are in place to avoid rigging, not winning in-house per se. I say allow them to play if they want and allow them to win if they do. This is a sport. Not a lottery.
Where do you draw the line Bob? IFPA is a sponsor of PAPA, as is Tilt Amusements . . . should that exclude Zach, myself and Trent from participating at Pinburgh and the PAPA WC?
If Stern is a sponsor of IFPA (which they are), should KME, LFS and now ZAC be ineligible to participate in any official IFPA related events?
Right now pinball continues to be at a place that NOBODY CARES. These perceived “bad optics” are such a pointless argument to make based on the current environment of how events even exist today.
I can’t wait to win “my own” World Championship, and the awkward interviews I’ll have to deal with for all the millions of people that don’t care . . . bring it on!
[or go start up the Manufacturer’s Division again . . . Pacak could use a hand] 
INDISC is affiliated with PAPA through the PAPA Circuit. IFPA is a PAPA sponsor. Stern is an IFPA sponsor (as is Raw Thrills). Through these relationships, unfortunately as a member of INDISC staff Bob Matthews is ineligible to compete
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Guess I’ll just have to do the commentary.
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Yeah, I know, but this feels like an attempt to become more like the “bigger brother” Big Buck Hunter event it’s tied to … which does have the no-employees rule.
For now, we’re fine letting everybody play, but at some point, if the idea is to go “bigger time,” that will need to change. I’d be interested to know at what stage in the BBH championship growth process the no employees rule was put in place.
Well, I registered. I have no idea what I’m getting myself into here, but I’m going to see how this all goes.
Will we get to see the objectives ahead of time, or will they be specific to your matchup?
Hate to break it to you . . .but it’s still “For now” 
When Ray Ray can keep picking HIS OWN PERSONAL TRON every round during the finals of a PAPA Circuit event, we have a long way to go before having to worry about anything.
Let’s get to the “bigger time” . . . then I’ll worry about the long blacklist I have to make with people that are no longer able to compete.
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Worst case it’ll make a good Pinball Podcast segment!
Here’s the current objective list as it sits right now:
Star Wars:
- Start Tie Fighter Multiball
- Start Hyperspace Multiball
- Start Video Mode
- Reach Jedi Training - Jedi Level
- Two Minute Drill (most points after 2 minutes)
Ghostbusters:
- Capture 20 ghosts
- Start Storage Facility Multiball
- Collect Super Jackpot
- Complete 2 modes
- Two Minute Drill (most points after 2 minutes)
Aerosmith:
- Start Toy Box Multiball (player chooses what level)
- Star Love in the Elevator Multiball
- Light one of the 2X multiplier shots (player choice)
- Collect Extra Ball award
- Two Minute Drill (most points after 2 minutes)
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Thanks!
Oh, and there are no “good” Pinball Podcast segments. We aim for passable.
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Just FYI . . . as part of the Stern/Raw Thrills partnership, our weekly show “Buckin’ Around” on Twitch will be showing Big Buck Hunter Pro Pinball tonight.
https://www.twitch.tv/bigbuckhd
The guys will be talking about the Heads-Up Championship. Zach was supposed to attend but he’s heading to Alaska. I was going to try and attend but I’m stuck at work trying to get our next new game to production. If there’s anybody in the Chicagoland suburb area that would be interested in repping the IFPA and talking about the tournament, and playing some BBH Pinball against the Buckin’ Around boys, email me! They go live in about 2 hours.
I still just don’t like the idea of only starting a multiball being the entire objective. There needs to be something to do within the multiball for it to be any fun. That’s like if a home run was worth 0 runs. What’s the point of the buildup without the excitement of multiball play? It should be “Collect X jackpots in Tie Fighter Multiball” or “Score a 2x Jackpot in Toy Box Multiball.”
I just couldn’t disagree more
The buildup is approaching the objective. When a player fist pumps on Addams Family or Attack From Mars when you see them START the multiball (it happens often if you watch streaming footage) . . . that is definitely a “moment”.
The moment is easily defined, easily shown to be complete to the viewer.
The idea of having to count the number of jackpots hit during these multiballs is very challenging, easily missed, and should a player not reach the number required, now they are left having to reach another multiball in the hopes of reaching that objective. This draws the match out far too long.
I would say STARTING the multiball is the thwack of the bat smashing the baseball deep into the outfield. The “fun” you’re talking about is waiting to see if that thwack was simply a long fly ball out, or maybe the ball went foul, etc. To me there’s definitely anticipation is seeing if that long fly ball is actually a home run, but the excitement to me is in the BOOM (when you THINK it’s a home run right off contact).
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I see what you’re getting at, but the reason tournament players are so excited about starting a multiball is because it’s an opportunity to score big points for an extended period of time and lengthen the time of the ball… and it’s fun.
I DO see how the moment is instantly defined and see how counting X jackpots could be somewhat taxing. Although, as discussed before, this format almost requires two commentators - one for each game. I can’t imagine it being too big of a stretch for each of them to count to, say, 3 jackpots.
I also have faith that you can make this work! Seems like everything you touch turns to gold! Just putting in my $0.02.
In jest, I guess next time I’m watching MLB I’ll change the channel at each crack of the bat and guess what happens next!
For fun I am going to run through the Ghostbusters challenges this weekend. I know times are not comparable, and I will be using a premium not a pro, but hey it is fun. I will probably put up a form link later if anyone wants to compare.
What setting do you plan to use. Specifically, I think the mode setting (time out and continue) might matter. I also assume since you are running this it will have zero ball save (note that might make some challenges easier)