Pro Pinball

This is the third forum on which I've stated my preference for FJ.

And as I was told elsewhere (probably by Erik), reduce the table angle a bit from default, and the backhand shot into the boiler becomes easier which really helps with scores.

We also had a question from past discussions, which we've never had answered. We wondered if FJ was a rushed implementation? It's so simple compared to the other tables, we just wondered if Cunning had to push it out the door. Now maybe we'll have chance to finally hear the answer.

I've never thought FJ was difficult compared to the other games, I don't understand where that impression comes from. BRUSA seemed the easiest I guess, but I've always been better at FJ than TS, probably because I've played it more. But I can't agree that because the physics are more realistic, or flipper sweet spots are different, that it's a more difficult game OOB.

BRUSA is easiest, because you mostly don't need to win anything. It doesn't matter if you fail or don't even try every city mode and challenge and duel. You still reach the Big Race. Really Big Race does require you to win Big Race, Passenger Frenzy, and Police Chase Frenzy, but three multiballs still represent less work than Timeshock's eight monoball timed explorations.

FJ is easy or hard depending on how you play. Going for the adventures is hard for the same reason as Timeshock, single ball modes with very specific shot requirements. But just pounding the boiler awards over and over is very easy and showers you with frenzies and drain protections and extra balls.

I had never considered that FJ was a rush job, I just thought that it was a simpler ruleset by design.

We can only speculate whether it's simpler by design or not. That's why we wonder, and only the devs can answer the question. Facts are, FJ came out last, it's remarkably simpler than the previous releases (not just in table layout but rules), sales were down, no other games came out afterword, then BRUSA H2H went away...Cunning were clearly under the gun, so there's no telling whether they needed to push FJ out the door, or if FJ was exactly what they had originally intended.

So I'm hoping for an answer from Ade or Champie or someone who knows. If it was pushed out early, then that indicates FJ Ultra might include a bit of redesign rather than just modernization.

I would also like to know, if there comes a time when the PP tables are build as real life version, would FJ even possible (contraption scoop). Are there real tables with something like this out there?

I have a feeling the contraptions mechanism isn't possible in the real world. Someone once said the same thing about the Timeshock crystal.

I don't think there's anything impossible about the contraptions mechanism. Cirqus Voltaire has a bumper that lifts up out of the playfield. Several games such as Terminator 2 have a cannon that rotates 180° and includes a kicker. The only impossible bit might be fitting all five inside the cabinet.

Timeshock's crystal is fine. It just skimps a bit on graphics, it looks the same from any direction of the six-way symmetry. It wouldn't actually need to have any more than one exit wireform, rotating into place as needed. But then the program would need a full 360° of rendered views rather than 60°.