Catapult Issue?

[Flake]

I'm not sure if this is something present on the original but I thought i'd ask.


When the ball shoots out of the catapult area, sometimes it won't make it all the way around, sometimes it will drop down the peasant ramp, or even fall back down into the catapult area again.


I haven't looked at the solenoid yet, just curious if this is a standard MM issue. I could see it not working well if the ball was sitting oddly.

[Lloyd Olson]

Two thoughts come to mind.

You can loosen all the places where the wireform fastens down and aim it better.

And if need be in the CGC settings ( hold the escape button down to get into them, 5 seconds or so ) you can make the catapult coil stronger in there.

Thank you,
LTG : )

[Flake]

Thanks Lloyd! The coil settings were going to be my first stop. It's possible the wareroom was loosened when I put on plastic protectors. Didn't even think of that!

[Pinballhog]

Mine will shoot right most of the time but there are about 2 times out of 10 the ball will hit the back left tower on the castle and fall back down the ramp.

[Lloyd Olson]

There is a bolt on a hex post holding the catapult wireform by the left tower. Loosen it and move the wireform to aim the ball away from the rear tower.

LTG : )

[Pinballhog]

Yeah I did that and it helped a lot when I first got the game. What it is doing now is bouncing out of the ramp and hitting it.  Again it is not every time.  I might try to make a few more adjustments to it.

[Lloyd Olson]

You may need to raise or lower it a little. Washers work good.

LTG : )

[Cam]

Lloyd
Please work with Stern to ensure adequate testing/QA of each game to eliminate the need for these types of adjustments... I'm in for nearly $12k and still need to buy and install a dozen protectors... I am much more interested in playing pinball than fiddling with the table
Many thanks

[Flake]

Lloyd
Please work with Stern to ensure adequate testing/QA of each game to eliminate the need for these types of adjustments... I'm in for nearly $12k and still need to buy and install a dozen protectors... I am much more interested in playing pinball than fiddling with the table
Many thanks

To be fair, Stern's QA has nothing to do with you needing to buy and install protectors. That's your choice.

[PPS]

Lloyd
Please work with Stern to ensure adequate testing/QA of each game to eliminate the need for these types of adjustments... I'm in for nearly $12k and still need to buy and install a dozen protectors... I am much more interested in playing pinball than fiddling with the table
Many thanks

Not sure how protectors have anything to do with Stern or anything else - there is WOOD and there is PLASTIC, both which are being hit by a metal ball. No amount of QA will fix that, it is more about physics. Most home use does not need any of these protectors, and of course there is always on ANY game from ANY manufacturer that a ball will hit something in the wrong way and bend, dent, break, wear away, or otherwise damage it. This has been pinball since the beginning.

[rand]

Were did we all get lost in translation here ..?
Cam is asking the same question many of us are asking ..."QC" Quality Control ..
Make sure it plays well before Boxing ..
Cam also "Just asked" or stated about the Protectors ...I think he will as many others will ,, Buy and put them on himself ..
Cams forums suggests nothing about Stern putting anything on , Just ...QC ...
He has a Valid point ..Nice to see a Remake of 1 of the best dam games Design ...But 10K-12K Canadian... Ya  should work Flawlessly put of the box ..
Bought My AMG ....didn't take it back to Mercedes for Tweaking ..
This is My 1st NIB Pin ..and I don't want to be chastised by the better half On a 10K Recreational Item ...That has issues..??

[Lloyd Olson]

Bought My AMG ....didn't take it back to Mercedes for Tweaking ..

Your Mercedes dealer did the tweaking. Car dealers go through them and make adjustments and corrections so you don't get out on the road and kill yourself.

Stern is tops in quality control. And the games then go to CGC for more of the same.

Then they get put in a truck and bounced around the country to you. Things can happen beyond anyone's control.

And from what I've seen in tech support so far. With 100+ games out there, the problems have been few and far between.

PPS/CGC/ with Stern assembling, are doing a good job to deliver you the best pin they can.

LTG : )

[Wickerman]

"adequate testing/QA of each game to eliminate the need for these types of adjustments"

Speaking in terms of bending catapults, adding washers etc.....at least that's what I got out of that post. OF COURSE we ALL know that protectors are up to the consumer...but bending things and adding washers and taking apart and disconnecting this and that seems "a little" excessive. You PPL/CGC etc. need to remember that you are getting a lot of BRAND NEW pinball owners with this title. Not everyone is a tech. And not everyone will feel comfortable ripping apart and bending their $8500 NIB machine...AND not everyone is going to like Tech Support that is a 1 liner in a forum. Just saying.

[Lloyd Olson]

You can loosen the wireform and aim it better.

Or in CGC settings make the catapult coil strength one notch stronger.

LTG : )

[Cam]

Lloyd/Rick
My point was misunderstood and perhaps less than clear.  To be clear I do not expect to have to install washers, spacers, fiddle with flipper alignment, fiddle with aiming ramps and catapults and so forth.  I expect each and every game to be sufficiently tested to avoid these issues.  I will install protectors as there has been at least one report of cracking on playfield edges without protectors.


And my thanks to others that have weighed in sharing this same concern...


Yes indeed Rick things wear and break over time as has been my experience over the last 11 years of pinball ownership, but NIB should simply work.
Thx