[FSPA] Swinging from a vine to Mighty Mikes ...

[J. Bell]

Man... All this back and forth over seven machines... Roland - thank you so much for making the 7th machine a working reality!

Yes, having a less than ideal number of machines last season sucked.  Yes, sometimes they malfunction and/or spit balls straight down the middle.  Yes, having a Ghostbusters machine there just play with our emotions for a few weeks wasn't that much fun either....

But, and that's a Sir Mix-a-Lot sized BUT...  Mike's still has pretty amazing bar food, cheap beer, a great staff and even better - it now has 7 machines.   I've never been an operator, let alone own a machine or know the stresses that come with the job (happy to take working donations though).  But I appreciate that someone is willing to provide this many machines (in above average working condition) that I can play on a weekly basis.  It's like being a fat kid at Krispy Kreme donuts when that hot sign turns on... We're talking Wilford Brimley level Diabeetus week after week.

So thanks Roland for keeping us on our toes and Mario and Bob for keeping Roland on his.

In the immortal words of Rodney King... Can't we all just get along!!!

Now if Edan would stop playing like He sold his soul to the devil, now that might make more of a difference....

Back to your regularly scheduled programing and I'll see you all tonight...

Seven Machines!!!!
J.



Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 10, 2017, at 6:38 PM, Bob K Mertz via FSPA <fspa at fspazone.org<mailto:fspa at fspazone.org>> wrote:

Apologies, I never got the email from Mario that you're talking about.... Not sure if the list failed to send it to me or what the scenario was but because of that I thought your reply was directed at me....

As I said, I appreciate your efforts and I'm stoked about having 7 machines... It's far more than I was ever expecting.

On July 10, 2017 6:21:41 PM EDT, Roland Joyal via FSPA <fspa at fspazone.org<mailto:fspa at fspazone.org>> wrote:
Bob, was not attacking, was stating the facts to DEFEND the "attacks" (not yours, as reply was supposed to be to Mario, as well as to his post a couple weeks ago stating the account feels like I am neglecting it (in favor of other ones), and I ask him and everybody to take it off line  (and what other accounts is he even talking about that I have that he implied get better treatment???)   Mighty Mikes gets the most attention. It is NOT neglected at all. Period.  Ok, so there were circumstances that one game, Avatar did not come in on time (low attendance that season being one of them) as I had planned, but it wasn't the end of the world and was certainly NOT just cause for Mario to attack and publicly suggest leaving the place to look for another one and ruining all my hard work and my investment of $.  That is patently wrong.  And you did not say anything about maintenance, but Mario did in his other posts, and that also is untrue and unfounded.  As far as a temporary machine, we are not going to move a machine in temporary for what was supposed to be a one week issue.  And if GB is there, where would you put it?  You can't just do things in someone's, and it's not my bar, plus there is the landlord to deal with.  If it was my pincade, then great, bring a hundred games in!

Even though I am friends with Mike, he is still in control and i don't want the pinball aspect to be a burden, there is always politics in anything we do.  I just got permission to place the additional machine for reasons we are just starting to make changes in that room and will eliminate the darts and make it 100% pinball/dining, so again, you are not privy to everything behind the scenes.  I have discussed that with league managers only, as appropriate.  So you are just going to have to trust that we are working for everyone's best interests, but if I can't convince someone of that, then I do not know what to tell you Bob.  But what I will tell you is that It is VERY demoralizing to hear Mario's comments and proposed actions in his multiple posts in the last couple months, especially when the comments are egregiously unfounded, as I spend a LOT of time and money purchasing and maintaining games and trying to rotate them, and everything else pinball related.  I am so busy with pinball I don't even have time to actually enjoy it by playing in a structured league.  And again, if anyone has a problem with a game or situation, please take it to the managers or me direct.

  Thank you

-----Original Message-----
From: Bob K Mertz via FSPA <fspa at fspazone.org<mailto:fspa at fspazone.org>>
To: FSPA main discussion list <fspa at fspazone.org<mailto:fspa at fspazone.org>>
Cc: Bob K Mertz <lists at bibleboy.org<mailto:lists at bibleboy.org>>
Sent: Mon, Jul 10, 2017 5:06 pm
Subject: Re: [FSPA] Swinging from a vine to Mighty Mikes ...

I can certainly appreciate that machines break.... But we were down a machine for an entire season while being promised one was coming. I didn't even mention the GB issue... I replied initially to thank you for doing more for MM but instead you want to start attacking me? You say the frustrations were unfounded but yet you had multiple people expressing the same frustrations.... And people have mentioned helping you move machines and i believe someone even brought up that they'd be happy to place one of their machines but you completely ignored that email and instead decided to jump all over Mario. Also, I personally never once said anything about the machines not being maintained.... I even brought that up in the previous thread and gave you credit for that but, again, you ignored it and continued complaining because we were trying to address our frustrations. I also never complained about the breakdowns because I understand that these things happen - it was just frustrating when they happened while already being a machine down..... I like MM and I appreciate your work and effort but it's absolutely frustrating that no one can bring up a concern without you feeling completely attacked and, as in this case, I can't even thank you for an improvement and going above and beyond without you taking offense and trying to convince us that we were never frustrated.

On July 10, 2017 4:41:46 PM EDT, Roland Joyal via FSPA <fspa at fspazone.org<mailto:fspa at fspazone.org>> wrote:
Unfounded. The Stern GB issue was not my fault, as it would be obvious to any reasonable person that I was losing money having it sit there not operational for a few weeks, so it is in the operator's interest to have it running ASAP.  And there have been soooo many machines rotated in and out, I lose track.  And the maintenance on the machines was never neglected as the managers and I have said and doucumented.  It's pinball, a game will go down at any time.  Anyone in the hobby or business knows that.  IE: All 3 flippers on a brand new Dialed In at VUK have broken down within less than a couple weeks.  And if you want to buy a machine from my location then we can rotate even more, so pony up the bucks and lets start rotating more, as it is obvious I do not control which machines customers buy or how often they buy.  Consider the location lucky that they are rotated at all, much less the large number that actually has been rotated.  I should not have to, but aparrantly I do, remind you this is not the 1970's with tons of public pinball accounts to swap games with every year.  You also may not be privy to power issues or limitations with the lease or with the landlord owners desires, etc, so a person does not have an entitlement to a certain number of games in life.  I was happy to have not one, but two pinballs, working even half way decent, a Scared Stiff and NBA Fastreak, at my local bowling alley many years ago, and dropped many bucks in them regularly.  I was grateful.  Apparently some people's memory of Johns Place and all the serious issues between power and maintenance has faded quickly.  Amusement operators do not want to operate pinball, and locations do not want pinball ...it makes little money per sq foot of leased space because casual public pinball is dead.  And no way would I ever pull a machine from an account that has one machine to put temporarily in an account that already has 5 or more games just temporarily waiting for GB to be up and running (which was an unknown time period simply due to Stern's customer service) so it is not fair to consider that neglect either.   -Roland

-----Original Message-----
From: Mario via FSPA <fspa at fspazone.org<mailto:fspa at fspazone.org>>
To: FSPA main discussion list <fspa at fspazone.org<mailto:fspa at fspazone.org>>
Cc: Mario <thisismario007 at aol.com<mailto:thisismario007 at aol.com>>
Sent: Mon, Jul 10, 2017 3:54 pm
Subject: Re: [FSPA] Swinging from a vine to Mighty Mikes ...

The forgotten branch of FSPA is how it feels sometimes in there.  Glad to see we are getting some variety AND a 7th game.  I FEEL YOUNG AGAIN!!

Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 10, 2017, at 3:44 PM, Bob K Mertz via FSPA <fspa at fspazone.org<mailto:fspa at fspazone.org>> wrote:

I was referring to the frustrations we had being down a machine for a season and machines being stale for quite a while.... There was a thread here a short while ago.... I'm just glad to finally have different machines and enough to cover a breakdown and not be stacked up on each other.

On July 10, 2017 3:38:46 PM EDT, The Bob via FSPA <fspa at fspazone.org<mailto:fspa at fspazone.org>> wrote:
Not exactly a forgotten branch.  I'd still play there if it was smoke free and wasn't so far from my house. :)

Good luck with the Magna save!

On Mon, Jul 10, 2017 at 2:36 PM, Roland Joyal via FSPA <fspa at fspazone.org<mailto:fspa at fspazone.org>> wrote:
Not sure what "forgotten branch of FSPA" means since machines are well maintained as reported by league mangers, and there has been many machines rotated in and out, but OK, glad you are enjoying the variety.  Not saying Jungle Lord is 100% since I have only owned it for less than 24 hours, but seemed close enough to be played tonight if anyone so desires.  -Roland


-----Original Message-----
From: Bob K Mertz via FSPA <fspa at fspazone.org<mailto:fspa at fspazone.org>>
To: FSPA main discussion list <fspa at fspazone.org<mailto:fspa at fspazone.org>>
Cc: Bob K Mertz <lists at bibleboy.org<mailto:lists at bibleboy.org>>
Sent: Mon, Jul 10, 2017 1:36 pm
Subject: Re: [FSPA] Swinging from a vine to Mighty Mikes ...

Thanks for the variety! I'm starting to feel like I'm no longer playing at the forgotten branch of the FSPA.
...... Now if you could only find a machine that everyone is good at except Edan things will be complete :)

On July 10, 2017 1:30:09 AM EDT, Roland Joyal via FSPA <fspa at fspazone.org<mailto:fspa at fspazone.org>> wrote:
... Jungle Lord makes an appearance.  It's after 1 AM and spent the last 7 + hours getting the game ready for prime time, including fixing several hacks and issues, so hopefully it plays OK for Monday's league at Mighty Mikes.  Let Edan/Joe know if not.  Keep in mind it is a 35 year old game so it is not going to play like a newer SS game.

Jungle Lord is a great early 80's pin with 2 levels/ramps, 4 flippers, Magna-Save buttons, TONS of drop targets, 2 ball Multiball, a super sexy back glass, and a VERY sophisticated rule sheet (for the time period) w/cool strategy and features (as Mr. Blonder will tell you).   And just TRY and get the ever-changing background sound to get to it's limit!  (I had a super long ball, 10X bonus (but fell just short of the default highest score), and as soon as I thought the pitch was as high as it can go, it then changes to something lower/different and gets more intense.  Gotta luv the 80's technology ;)   I will point out that in certain conditions there is a bug in the s/w or design where if there is a ball in the right saucer, and there is another ball on the play field, the second ball can hang up next to the locked ball, and it won't time out and kick the ball out (and no ball search for this era game).

So now Mighty Milke's has 7 Pins, and you can't beat the variety of games.  The league has a mid 70's EM, an early 80's SS, a late 80's SS, a mid 90's WPC, a mid 90's WPC-95, an early 2010 decade Stern and a 2017' new Stern pin. Don't know how long Jungle Lord will stay, as most of the games are for sale, but for now and the foreseeable future, it is there.  Things will be arranged differently in the next few weeks in the pinball room if or when it gets painted, so JL's final resting place may will be different.

-Roland
   .

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Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.
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