Attn: Xiaou2 and other IJ owners/previous owners...

[Jeff AMN]

Ok, I've made up my mind 99% of the way and I am going to get an IJ (Williams). The 1% holding back is whether or not the game has good staying power, because if I get the game, I don't want to part with it for a loooooong time (my game room is downstairs, not not fun moving pins in or out). I've played the game a handful of times, but only on location so it's tough to judge. I really do like it, however. Just a few questions that I'd like to ask of people who have owned the game for a significant amount of time...

- How well does the game hold up generally over time?
- Is the game tough to complete?
- Is it tough to maintain?
- Is this game intimidating to the non-pinhead player?
- Any general things I should be concerned about with the game or machine itself?

Thanks, I'm hoping to get a couple of my B listers sold soon so I can fund the purchase.

Note: I don't need comments about the game's price or whether or not I'd be better off buying 2-3 B list games. I have enough games now and am ready to downsize the collection a bit and roll that new cash into an A list game.

[koolmoecraig]

Great game all around.  Just did a complete restoration on mine.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=84634.0

Jim, what do you mean by disgusting DMD animations?  I think they are all very well done.

I think the video modes are great as well.

[Jeff AMN]

Yeah, that restoration is nuts, man. I'd love to do that, but I shudder to think what the final bill was on that for you. I guess if you do it over time it wouldn't feel so bad. Congrats on a gorgeous machine.

[Pinball Wizard]

I personally like the game. There is too much requirement to pay attention to the display at certain points but it plays really well otherwise.

[Xiaou2]

How well does the game hold up generally over time?

 - Mine is being restored.   Before that, I was playing almost every night after
work for at least an hour...  for about 2 months.    If its on location, at a show,
or at a friends house... I always enjoy playing it over some other titles.

Is the game tough to complete?

 - For me, Im only an average player... and Ive yet to complete it.
 It has 12 modes, and I wonder if I could ever complete it fully.
I usually struggle to get 3 modes completed decently in a game.

Is it tough to maintain?

 Its relatively durable game.   The only things Ive seen need attention on them
are the flippers, and re-adjustment of the Path of Adventure.

 If/When you get it, get the proper rebuilt kits, and do that Immediately.
IF the flipper coils are not the correct strength, or the flippers not adjusted
properly..  you can not flow up each of the ramps properly... which is key to the
game playing as designed.

 If the Path of Adventure isnt centered well.. then you can not get the ball to
go where you need it to go when its in travel.


Is this game intimidating to the non-pinhead player?

 - One of my non-pin/arcade playing friends fell in love with this game the
1st game.  I had a hard time getting him off the machine so others could play.

Any general things I should be concerned about with the game or machine itself?

 - Cleaning and or replacing faulty Opto's.   They also make a replacment
board for the ball trough which is tougher. The original PCB is known to get
damaged from vibrations due to its design.

 - The ball catch sometimes bounces a ball back out.  Easy fix.
 - Get a clear-plastic protector kit.  Some of the plastics are easy to break
without them.  Luckily, there are still a large number of IJ plastic sets
available.

 - Idol Ruins are thin. Usually cracked, but held on well enough anyways.
There is a replacement, but very expensive.  There are ways to repair the
things too.  Epoxy putty would probably be an easy fix.

 Heres a site which details the various probs with solutions, and even many
nice mods installed.

 http://www.edcheung.com/album/album06/Pinball/ij.htm

-----

 From another site:

Year made: - August, 1993
Designer: - Mark Ritchie
Model number: - 50017
Production run: - 12,716 units
Playfield toys: - Everything but a kitchen sink! Golden Mayan Idol locks pinballs!

Interesting facts:
# It is the first pinball machine to use crystal-clear DCS sound technology
# The game has four multiball modes: 3-ball regular multiball, Quick multiball (2-ball), "Well of Souls" multiball (6-ball), "Eternal Life" wizard mode (6-ball).
# All 12 modes are scenes from all 3 movies.
# Has original movie quotes delivered by movie cast
# Features custom-recorded speech by actor John Rhys-Davies ("Sallah"). He delivered custom speech for the game (yells JACKPOT! etc...).
# Has an interactive, player-controlled Mini Playfield
# It is prominently played and on display at Industrial Lights&Magic campus cafeteria
# Original movie score composed by John Williams is used throughout the game
# It has 3 video modes, more than any other pinball machine (save Star Trek TNG).
# One of the modes ("Well of Souls") has 6 pinballs simultaneously on the playfield!
# Pinball Wizard mode? - Yes. Called "Eternal Life" and comes on after all 12 modes are completed.

[Flake]

Clunky playfield, stupid toys, disgusting DMD animations, and annoying ass video modes.

What's NOT to love about this title?

(seriously - it sux)

I suppose the next thing you were going to say is that Jack O Trades (or whatever the name was) you recently acquired is the far superior game? 

Please....

[koolmoecraig]

Oh well, enjoy that clunky playfield and balls bouncing off poorly placed drop targets and going straight down the middle.

I have an Attack From Mars and Indiana Jones.  Balls going straight down the middle are a constant problem on AFM and those targets are twice as far away than on Indy.  The problem is the AFM targets are straight on.  The targets on IJ are at an angle.  I never have any issue with the ball going straight down the middle on IJ.

You never answered what you meant by "disgusting animations"?  There's nothing sexual and all the other animations are done very well.  Are you speaking of the "Choose Wisely" mode?  When you pick the wrong grail and the Nazi melts?  That's too hard core for you?  Jeeesh.

[Xiaou2]

I agree.  Not very often to get a ball to go right down the center from the drop targets
on Indiana.

 The game you played must have been poorly leveled and or the flippers in disparate
need of rebuild / adjustment.

 As for the DMD.. Not sure what your expecting.  Its a DMD!  Not a color LCD.  You
barely get to look at, unless you are watching someone else play... or are playing a
video mode.

 The modes themselves are cool.

 - Choose the correct Cup / Shuffle game
 - Move and Shoot the baddies with your gun game
 - The mine cart ride. Steer cart to freedom. Dont turn into boarded up passages.

 The mine cart is awesome.  Very difficult cause its very fast.

 Shooting the baddies section is fun, but seems a little too cheap.  Too easy for the
baddies to win.   The shell game with the cup is decent.  Really have to focus to
keep from losing it.

 Not many Pins have decent backbox games.   This one has 3, and it has all the other
mode animations.

 

[koolmoecraig]

I'll try a 4th time...

What do you mean by disgusting animations?

[ChadTower]

The DMD games are exactly what I don't like about IJ.  If I wanted to play a two button monochrome game I'd spend $1 on a gen 1 Game Boy. 

[Xiaou2]

Its called Variety.

 I like it.  A break in the action... a change of pace, a fun little romp.  The mine cart for example,
is a great part of the movie experience...and its equally great to have that experience put into
the pinball game.  In not other way could you get that experience with a pinball alone.

 The old knights quote to 'choose wisely' is worth the shell game pit stop.
And the shoot out.. its fun, even though its a little clunky.

 Its funny how people complain about something extra.  If this was your 1st gen Mp3 player,
and it had a few mini games on it... would you complain then?

 Sure... its not a full color hi-res, super deep "mini-game".  But if it was... would it really make
a difference?

 If your complaining about low res gfx... then do you put a game like Robotron down too...
or Asteroids?
 

 As for "Chilled Monkey Brains"...its a Classic scene in the movie... and a Great one.  You must be
one of those guys who watches nothing but G-rated or Disney movies.  Maybe thats why
you are so unhinged here.

[ChadTower]

Its funny how people complain about something extra.  If this was your 1st gen Mp3 player,
and it had a few mini games on it... would you complain then?

If the games were required to get at the main function of the mp3 player than yes I would be annoyed as hell.  These games aren't a nice extra feature.  You can't play the game without them.  They stop the pinball game dead so you can play a gameboy game on a $4000 piece of commercial equipment.  You can't compare them to Robotron or Asteroids - those are the height of technology at the time when they came out and the primary function of the machine.

Keep in mind I don't really like the DMDs in general if they affect gameplay in any way.  As pure info, fine, but the moment it intrudes into the flow of the game I have no use for it anymore. 

[Jeff AMN]

Well, for me, the point is moot because I just agreed to buy one. I'll be road tripping about 7 hours to grab it. I can't wait.

[ChadTower]

Nice.    Hope the price was good enough to make it a worthwhile drive.

[Jeff AMN]

It was, and it'll be a little bit of a project...just like I like 'em.

[JonProphet]

Where are the pictures.

IJ is tough..... I'm struggling with the mode saucer. I can hit that ---smurfette--- and it pops out more times than not. I've modified it slightly, but still don't get it to stick like it should.

The ramps.... are more narrow and hence, harder to hit. Its definately a shooter's game. Ball control and accuracy are a must.

-JD-

[shardian]

The DMD games are exactly what I don't like about IJ.  If I wanted to play a two button monochrome game I'd spend $1 on a gen 1 Game Boy. 

POTC doesn't have video mode. My wife HATES that fact.

[Jeff AMN]

Where are the pictures.

IJ is tough..... I'm struggling with the mode saucer. I can hit that ---smurfette--- and it pops out more times than not. I've modified it slightly, but still don't get it to stick like it should.

The ramps.... are more narrow and hence, harder to hit. Its definately a shooter's game. Ball control and accuracy are a must.

-JD-

I'm not picking it up until Saturday, but I'll get pictures up of it. I'm just hoping I can play it the day I unload it. It might need a bit of work, but we'll see.

[koolmoecraig]

The DMD games are exactly what I don't like about IJ.  If I wanted to play a two button monochrome game I'd spend $1 on a gen 1 Game Boy. 

Those monochrome games have the ability to make people like Jim turn their heads in disgust upon viewing. 

The crystal clear depictions of depravity and horror in full monochrome 128 x 32 resolution are gross and disgusting.  Not only that but to actually try and depict scenes from the movie from which the pinball license is based on is despicable in it's own right.

If you think those animations are gross, imagine actually watching an Indiana Jones movie!?  You might as well be watching Faces of Death!