Pinball Nirvana Marks 2 Year Anniversary

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tiltjlp

PN co-founder
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Favorite Pinball Machine
Flying Trapeze 1934
To celebrate the 2nd anniversary of Pinball Nirvana, which began life as The Magic Of Flipperless, and then morphed into Flipperless.com, I have updated Genco’s 1941 Seven Up, released in 2003 by Nissananimal, tiltjlp, and Russ Jensen, and Ballyhoo, from 1932. New to this version of Seven Up is an EM Reel scoring display, adjustable plunger speed, a new backglass image, a new Gold Swirl ball image, tilting, and ball number display on the backglass as well as on the left side of the screen. Gameplay hasn’t changed, except that tilting ends the game, so you need to be careful.

Seven Up, which was probably the last new production pin prior to the US entering WWII, has one of the deepest rule sets you’re likely to encounter. To fully understand just how Seven Up works, read the documentation included with the release zip, or check out the Table Information. As you’ll discover, Seven Up is as much about winning credits as it is scoring points. Your first goal will be to light all seven bumpers in order, since only lit bumpers score points, just as the A, B, C, D rollovers don’t score unless their bumpers are lit. You’ll know how well you’re doing by the sound of the knockers adding to your credit total.

Nudging can be very useful, but the bumpers are extremely reactive, so learning when to nudge is important, or you’ll rob yourself of both points and credits. Learning the rules comes in handy, since the backglass lights will inform you of the progress, or lack of progress, that you are making. While Seven Up is flipperless, with the bumpers as lively as they are, and the deep rule set, flippered players might find Seven Up as challenging as any modern game. True, you won’t find ramps, targets, or looping shots, but lighting the bumpers in sequence can be tougher than any ramp shot could ever hope to be.

The adjustable speed plunger can work to your advantage, if you use it along with the nudging. But as you’ll see after a few games, you have to choose wisely when and where to nudge, or the ball can and does control the action. So if you think flipperless is boring, I challenge you to try a game or two of Seven Up, and see how easily you rack up those precious credits. I’ll be interested to hear how many games it took you to finally light all seven bumpers.

Ballyhoo, which was made by Patrick & tiltjlp in December of 2004, has several new features too. I have added EM Reel scoring, adjustable plunger speed, a Gold Swirl ball image, and tilting, which luckily loses the player only the ball in play, and not the entire game. I have also replaced several sounds, and removed the High Score routine, which I didn’t feel belonged on this table.

As you can find out in Table Information, Ballyhoo was made in 1932, launching the Bally Pinball Company, and was named for the cover of a popular magazine of the time. Ballyhoo, which was offered either as a 1 cent, 7 ball or a 5 cent, 10 ball game, sold over 75,00 units. Raymond T. Moloney founded and incorporated Bally Manufacturing Company on January 10, 1932. Patrick & tiltjlp hope you enjoy both updates.

In addition, Pinball Nirvana’s Front Page features three articles by Russ Jensen about Pin Pioneer Harry Williams. The three articles, gently edited by tiltjlp cover most of Harry Williams’ long and glorious career as a designer and producer of creative and innovative pinball games. Discover what fueled the heart and mind of a true PinGame icon. We also celebrate the start of our 3rd year with a new poll, asking how much your first pin cost you to play, and also a new quiz, testing your guessing skills about Ohio pinball companies from the past.

I have continued to expand our Image Gallery, with close to 800 flipperless and even early flippered EMs, many with the ideal flat perspective needed for creating your next Visual Pinball project. Now that I have completed adding all these images, I will continue scanning and adding lots of unique and rare trade stimulators. Ranging from as early as the late 1880s, you’ll find that just as with pinball, trade stimulators often mimicked one another is search of themes that would lure players to risk their money on sure bets for the bar-keep or store owner.

Last, I’d like to thank JonPurpleHaze for co-founding our dream site, and allowing me free reign to manage PN the way I wish. But more importantly, I must thank our members and ever our guests. For without an audience, Pinball Nirvana would be a very lonely playground. Hopefully the next two years will find us cooperating in ways we only argue about now, with a new Future Pinball to experiment with, and a renewed interest in and about pinball in all it’s many forms.

For PN and JPH, tiltjlp
 

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In my opinion, every incarnation of pinball has had there pluses. The flipperless pins require skill and provide the anticipation of hoping the ball gets over the pin or strike the pin to go left or right. Getting the high score is quite a challenge. I'm looking forward to playing this pin.

I enjoyed your last pin, the one with the aircraft theme. Keep up the good work.
 
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday dear Flipperless Nirvana
Happy Birthday to you

What a great way to celebrate............ Playing Pinball.

Keep up the great work guys.

RH
 
Thanks guys. Nice little ditty Rocky. gocism, I'm glad you enjoyed Airway, and you should find Seven Up quite a challenge. I agree that any form of pinball is a plus. I've got a lot more flipperless planned, and the best part is that I have owners of the actual games testing them for me, so I don't have to guess how they should play.

John
 
You might have updated 7 up but it's still frustratingly hard to beat :banghead:

And scoring is difficult, which is important in a tournament table.

Thanks for the upgrade!

DS
 
Happy birthday, Pinball Nirvana !

I don't post here often ( reason is , I concentrate on vpm ), sorry, but regulary have a look here.

Keep up your nice work.

Thanks.
 
Last, I’d like to thank JonPurpleHaze for co-founding our dream site, and allowing me free reign to manage PN the way I wish.

I've enjoyed working on Pinball Nirvana with you tiltjlp but am not sure about the free reign part... :p Thank You for Seven Up, I'll check it out as soon as I install VP on this computer!

One other thing that needs to be mentioned, I satarted working on The Magic of Flipperless in February 03 and it opened up on 4/1/03, we are over 2yrs. old...... :D
 
davidsss said:
You might have updated 7 up but it's still frustratingly hard to beat :banghead:

And scoring is difficult, which is important in a tournament table.

Thanks for the upgrade!

DS

Yeah, it's one of the hardest tables to beat, especially lighting all seven bumpers in order. I think in over 500 games I've only lit all seven maybe a half dozen times. And to think there are no targets, just those friggin' bumpers. Glad you like it.

John
 
JonPurpleHaze said:
Last, I’d like to thank JonPurpleHaze for co-founding our dream site, and allowing me free reign to manage PN the way I wish.

I've enjoyed working on Pinball Nirvana with you tiltjlp but am not sure about the free reign part... :p Thank You for Seven Up, I'll check it out as soon as I install VP on this computer!

One other thing that needs to be mentioned, I satarted working on The Magic of Flipperless in February 03 and it opened up on 4/1/03, we are over 2yrs. old...... :D

Well, a lot freer reign than I expected when we started out. And I think you've only said NO twice. After you sent me that opening announcement I remembered it was April Fools Day, but for some reason, our Join Dates say June 2003. That's what threw me off.

And Yogi, I wish someone would make a flipperless VPM table so we could host it for you. You might be a VPM guy but you've got a flipperless heart buddy. :p

John
 
Sounds like I'm having a bit more success than you in lighting all 7 bumpers, but it is really hard.

Also, in the tournament you are looking for score, whereas the tabnle is designed for accumulating replays without necessarilly adding to the score which makes it quite a challenge.

DS
 
I'm going to see if Sunspot wants to use my update for the tounrey and see how folks do when there's tilting. I think that's made it a lot tougher table, since the game ends if you tilt. That makes those seven bumpers even rougher to light.

John
 
yogiholzer said:
Happy birthday, Pinball Nirvana !

I don't post here often ( reason is , I concentrate on vpm ), sorry, but regulary have a look here.

Keep up your nice work.

Thanks.

Aaaarrrgh, I've always wanted to borrow yer pirate flag...

:bandana:
 
Ah, ok, I see.

Now give it back, please !

It's confusing if someone else uses your avatar.

What are your special interests in using ? I like to know.

Can't you make a different one on your own ?

Here you can read the story of Klaus Störtebecker, a pirate from
my home town. Just needs translation. http://www.hamburgs-geschichte.de/1401klaus.html
 
yogiholzer said:
Ah, ok, I see.

Now give it back, please !

It's confusing if someone else uses your avatar.

What are your special interests in using ? I like to know.

Can't you make a different one on your own ?

Here you can read the story of Klaus Störtebecker, a pirate from
my home town. Just needs translation. http://www.hamburgs-geschichte.de/1401klaus.html

Ahoy,
Thanks for the link, I've always loved pirate related books, movies and games!

One of my favorite games was Uncharted Waters New Horizons by Koei made for Sega and the pc, here is a link to some information:
http://www.geocities.com/scalylizard.geo/newhorizons/index.html

Here is a pirate translator page for you:
http://www.talklikeapirateday.com/translate/index.php

Shiver me timbers!
:)
 
Thanks !

Shiver me timbers ?
The pirate translator can't translate back to normal, nor in german.

Did you read and/or translate and understand the text in link ?

Here is some more:
http://www.uebersteiger.de/16/ks1.htm
Der Ãœbersteiger is a critical fanzine of FC St. Pauli, Hamburg ( not only football or soccer, but also other sports ). Don't be afraid to see the main page and more. But all in german. Also here:
http://www.blinde-kuh.de/piraten/index.htm

This in english: http://beej.us/pirates/

Maybe you have some fun there.
 
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