How acurate/consistent are the ball shooters?

[johntofva]

I have four pachinkos, and they all are pretty accurate. If yours has such a wide range, I would have to assume that it was tampered with in the parlor.

The attraction to pachinko for me is the fast pace of the action on the machine. Mine are the Maturi type which means there is a lot to keep up with. You get 16 shoots to maximise your winnings. With in those shoots you have to: 1. Hit the "16" slot to double your winnings. 2. Hit the start pocket. 3. Try to line up 4 or more in a row on the bottom slots. And hoping the whole time that you hit a bonus round. That is only "16" shoots in the fast pace action of pachinko..........Which is about 7 seconds......For me, I love pachinko. There is nothing like it. Except for HALO.......

[dishpan]

I believe that the inaccuracies of the shooter are designed into the system. Every machine that I've played is the same way, with minor variations.

I think that Pachinko's are mechanical/electrical/electronic/digital marvels of engineering, with healthy dollops of artistic bent from the design and marketing departments. There is a lot to these machines to study and reflect upon. Not all of it is static, as much hands-on time is required to extract all the nuances designed into the machine.

Pachinko's being Japanese, are just like them. Very subtle, yet full of meaning, requiring a lifetime of patience.

[arbycoffee]

. . .Pachinko's are mechanical/electrical/electronic/digital marvels of engineering, with healthy dollops of artistic bent from the design and marketing departments . . .

That is a mouthful and not over stated at all.

it is like the whizz bang shake box of my childhood

[websherpa]

That is a mouthful it is like the whizz bang shake box of my childhood

Oh, and see I married mine.

[johntofva]

Well stated dishpan.....

[azlew]

Jon this is an interesting message thread and thanks for posting your observation.

I think input from Rupan would be very interesting. We had a discussion once before along somewhat simular lines. It was about the stop button on the shooter that many or most pachinkos have that allows you to shoot just one ball at a time. Rupan could clear up for us .

[jweaver]

I must admit that the biggest surprise to me was that the 'shooter' was electric/automatic.

I actually expected a 'spring' much like a Pinball machine.. To me, this would make more sense, as you would get a 'feel' for the machine.. Of course, I have little experience in Pachinko and most people might disagree, but I find that the way that the shooter works makes me feel 'detatched' from the experience.

Jon

[Lddrizzt]

I must admit that the biggest surprise to me was that the 'shooter' was electric/automatic.

I actually expected a 'spring' much like a Pinball machine.. To me, this would make more sense, as you would get a 'feel' for the machine.. Of course, I have little experience in Pachinko and most people might disagree, but I find that the way that the shooter works makes me feel 'detatched' from the experience.

Jon

Jon,
The only way you are gonna get a pachinko with a spring shooter is to get one of the older flipper type machines. This might meet your needs in being one with the machine.

[jweaver]

Even the 'stop button' gives the same results.. If I get the power at a given level and then release the balls one at a time, I still get the same 'inconsistency'

To stress, this isn't a problems.. Its just and observation..

Jon

[hanabi]

Even the 'stop button' gives the same results.. If I get the power at a given level and then release the balls one at a time, I still get the same 'inconsistency'

To stress, this isn't a problems.. Its just and observation..

Jon

Perhaps the Consistency you strive for is in fact the 'inconsistency'

I find it's better to just play for the Fun Factor - and perhaps when you've done that for a few months - you might find the answers you're looking for?

Remember the Path to True Enlightenment cannot be travelled in One Day

Good Luck Jon - and keep us posted

[ocpachinko]

Such eloquence here, to which I can only add that I often like to play a fixed amount of balls (say, a tray) and see how I do. I win, I lose, I break even. It's a bit more like being in a parlor--I guess that's why I'm not so much a cyclic mod person.

This is the kind of thread that I love in this forum...

[dattia]

............

Good for you!!!

[arbycoffee]

Though mine saved my change for later useage

[websherpa]

Though mine saved my change for later useage

Oh mine does that too! I have to beg to get some back to spend on pachis. I'm not complaining, without mine I wouldn't have a pension.

[arbycoffee]

Cool Beaners & Weinies

[vespacar]

If it was that easy to get the sweet spot on the shooter there would lots of happy players and lots of poor parlor owners. It's not just the shooter that counts though, depending on how the nails are bent, and that is the biggest factor that I find. Once I got the nails set so the machine will pay fairly often I found it way more enjoyable. Having said that though, it took me a while adjusting the nails to get my star wars where I like it.

Even from what you read on this thread, the appeal of pachinko and playing means different things to different people. How many people would go to vegas if they did'nt win (or at least have the feeling they might win) playing the slot machines. So once you take the appeal of gambling away from the machines you'll have to look for other things. For me it's the appeal of going through fever and trying to find out the different ways that I can get the machine to pay out. Star wars it would be shooting down the tie fighters and getting to shoot down darth vader etc. I love getting hints from other players who have already gotten to stages that you have not, so I can give it a try myself.

In the end it is a entertainment device, some like it and some don't, and that is what life is about, enjoy it and don't waste time on things you don't get!!

Cheers,
James

[dishpan]

I actually expected a 'spring' much like a Pinball machine.. To me, this would make more sense, as you would get a 'feel' for the machine.. Of course, I have little experience in Pachinko and most people might disagree, but but i find the way that the shooter works makes me feel 'detatched' from the experience.

For me the opposite is true.

The modern automatic knob frees me up to query the subtleties of the modern game and to figure out the surprizes planted within the machine. It is still important to be conscious of the knob position and ball path, but my mind is free to wander. It is much like driving and steering a car. To an experienced driver, it all happens smoothly and automatically. You are free to sight-see while still being very aware of the road. A novice is too focused on the mechanics of staying on the road and out of someones trunk to fully appreciate the experience of driving.

I have an older Pachinko with a spring loaded lever which provides for great control over the ball path. But it's like golfing, it looks simple but requires practice, skill and concentration, to be concistent. However, it puts the focus onto the mechanical element of shooting the targets for prizes. This may be more like a N.A. pinball machine and when I'm in the mood for it, I love to play with it. The closest modern equivalent that I've found are the Taiyo/Maturi Apollo and Penguin games which John has describled. Once again, when in the mood, I love playing these games as well.

The modern pachinkos are gaming machines foremost. By necessity, sucessful ones are designed to keep your interest and entertain you while picking your pocket. Half of the mystery is to figure out what the machine does, when and why. How can the player improve their odds of winning. What events trigger other events. When should they "aim" for the bigger payout pockets so that they can win enough balls to play a little bit longer before they run out off balls and have to move on? When should they move on from the smaller payouts to go for the starter pocket and the big prize? What is the best strategy to "win".

While playing a modern pachinko, video Dejapachi, LED/LCD type, Arrepachi, Wing type, or some other hybrid machine, I am concious of "aiming" the balls but my focus is on other apects of the game. What is the video screen doing? What little clues or items of interest are appearing; and why; and when. What sounds am I hearing, and why? Some of the newest digital games have a wonderful sound track, with lots of subtle nuances layered below the main music. What are the symbols and individual lights trying to tell me? What is the best ball path for attacking a particular game? Why does the ball go where it does? Should I tweak a particular nail to make the play easier, or harder? Which way should it be bent? Sometimes a nail far away has a great bearing on how the balls behave at another location. My mind does this at the same time that it is listening to the pitter patter, clicking and clacking of the balls against the glass. Much like rain or hail on a house window, or roof. Or watching the coals glow in a camp fire. Studying a Japanese sand garden. Ants going about their business. Facinating stuff. You have to look for these within yourself. You can't get it out of a book or have someone teach it to you.

Because of the financial necessity to ensnare and trap a player, most machines are designed to show them something new every now and again to keep them coming back. I've played some of my machines for a long time, thinking that I know everything about it, and it then goes and shows me something new. Sometimes subtly, sometimes profoundly.

And here you thought Pachinko was another cheap pinball alternative. Who said this was just a simple game. Little did you know that you were embarking on a long road of exploration and appreciation. Growing from novice to apprentice, lay person, adept, master, Pachipuro, Kungushi, to who knows what.

I find simularities to the ancient game of GO. On one level it is a simple game with black and white stones. On another, it is vastly more complex than a game of Chess. Pachinkos are also simple to play but hard to master.

What works for me is variety. Pachinkos are like children, and dogs. Each one is precious and unique. I've got too many machines and not enough children. I can move freely from one pachinko to another whenever the mood strikes. This way I am constantly exploring each without getting bored with any particular one. Practicing cell swapping was the solution for me. A few main cases because of cost and room, and a whole lot of game cells that can be swapped within a couple of minutes.

I have one loving wife (no swapping here), but I have many mysterious Japanese mistresses. All of my games are female of course! They are lovely, charming, entertaining and comforting, but you'll never figure them out completely.

I hope that this rambling makes sense and that it helps. A lot of people never get past step one on the road to a life long commitment. Works for Pachi's and wives too.

[luckydog]

here's my sweet spot on my We Sky. I can hit those 6 nails most of the time.

after that it's all up to the pachi gods I have adjusted the nails and get a lot of balls in the center pocket when hitting in that area.

I just had 4 fever rounds and 4 challenge rounds, I had to shut it off to take a break

[dattia]

I like reading your posts Dishpan

[dishpan]

Is that because my wife has taught me how to "say the right things", or because I've learned how to use the Red snipe Button?