mac49uk
Site Supporter
Jeez. This not a warranty or manufacturing fault type of issue?
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Dungeons & Dragons by Stern
- Thread starter Replay
- Start date
The Mylar is only on the early production model s not sure about the scoop vuk but it’s a pretty simple job to remove the plastic the part that puts the ball on the ramp and bend the deflection plate I would have thought stern will send out a modified one in time
there's no mylar at the vuk or fizmo scoop on any of the runs and the deflector is installed faulty on all models, stern have now acknowledged the issue but only after lots of american playfields are busted at the scoop, see a few of the different playfields below.
You can forgive code issues, but this is a bit of a joke, given you have to bend it yourself!
Surely they would have seen this on the test models.
Always reminds me on that scene in Elf where they ship the book, even knowing there are two blank pages and the story doesn’t make sense.
Good to hear this game plays well though and I am not surprised people are loving it, it looks great!
Surely they would have seen this on the test models.
Always reminds me on that scene in Elf where they ship the book, even knowing there are two blank pages and the story doesn’t make sense.
Good to hear this game plays well though and I am not surprised people are loving it, it looks great!
Is this Rush scoop issues all over again?
There's 3 other issues to be aware of for new owners:-
1. The early run of this there was an issue with the wire harness of the dragon that was forcing node board 10 to fail, this was fixed in the second batch and the earlier runs were given a fix kit. I contacted Stern about this before the international containers were here to see if uk needed the fix kit or we were good to go? Kyle at stern informed me that all the international shipments had the fixed wire harnesses and im pleased to report after checking mine that they have fixed the issue.
2.The magnet that traps the ball underneath the cube is overheating after about an hours play and will actually turn itself off. If you leave it 15 minutes it will cool down and is usable again. Pinmonk is working on a mod for this that keeps it cool so it doesn't turn off.
3.Depending on how anal you are about it the shield is positioned slightly wrong from factory, you can make the right lane shot from the shield 100% of the time but the left lane shot is about 10%, this can be fixed with realigning the shield mech underneath the playfield.
1. The early run of this there was an issue with the wire harness of the dragon that was forcing node board 10 to fail, this was fixed in the second batch and the earlier runs were given a fix kit. I contacted Stern about this before the international containers were here to see if uk needed the fix kit or we were good to go? Kyle at stern informed me that all the international shipments had the fixed wire harnesses and im pleased to report after checking mine that they have fixed the issue.
2.The magnet that traps the ball underneath the cube is overheating after about an hours play and will actually turn itself off. If you leave it 15 minutes it will cool down and is usable again. Pinmonk is working on a mod for this that keeps it cool so it doesn't turn off.
3.Depending on how anal you are about it the shield is positioned slightly wrong from factory, you can make the right lane shot from the shield 100% of the time but the left lane shot is about 10%, this can be fixed with realigning the shield mech underneath the playfield.
So a third party is releasing a fix for a core feature of the game that doesn’t work correctly from the factory? Wow.
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2011
- Messages
- 3,716
Reeks of awe no? Most probably a CPU fan that bolts on.
mac49uk
Site Supporter
Is this kind of normal? D&D is my first machine and this is kind of worrying. Or maybe not? Simple fixes? Do they tend to keep ironing out these kinks as the machines go through production?
I should have just gone for a more traditional midlife crisis purchase and got a harley and a mistress!
I should have just gone for a more traditional midlife crisis purchase and got a harley and a mistress!
There are things that get missed, pinball involves tinkering whether they’re new or old. At least it’s known about early and can be sorted before any damage occursIs this kind of normal? D&D is my first machine and this is kind of worrying. Or maybe not? Simple fixes? Do they tend to keep ironing out these kinks as the machines go through production?
I should have just gone for a more traditional midlife crisis purchase and got a harley and a mistress!
mac49uk
Site Supporter
Fair enough! I have a picked up a 1980s blackout so I am keen to get to grips with old and new, maintenance etc. Thanks for the response. 
This shouldn’t happen but it does, as they rush these games out too fast. There are only a handful of Dungeons and Dragons here so far and yet in a few days the next Stern will be announced.
In opinion they are saturating the market as they have a new and larger factory. But it looks like their testing and QA are getting worse.
In opinion they are saturating the market as they have a new and larger factory. But it looks like their testing and QA are getting worse.
Is this kind of normal? D&D is my first machine and this is kind of worrying. Or maybe not? Simple fixes? Do they tend to keep ironing out these kinks as the machines go through production?
I should have just gone for a more traditional midlife crisis purchase and got a harley and a mistress!
A mistress sounds like a lot of work and more expensive!
mac49uk
Site Supporter
Oh yeah, F that! I already have a wife and daughter, I don't need anymore women in my life (other than my pinballs - they listen to me, entertain me, care for me... they are still expensive but I feel like I at least get my money's worth there!)
mac49uk
Site Supporter
Had a blast at Tilt (Birmingham).
Very cool. The Dragon Multiball is chaos - not sure what the strategy is there other than to just hammer away... I am sure there must be one though.
I certainly can't see how the extra two balls there on the Premium makes it better... maybe balanced out by the way the balls are shot out by the dragon.
Very cool though, can see how the character progression thing will make this enjoyable. Just starting to get the flow of the table and I think it is a good one.
Well worth a trip out to play!
Very cool. The Dragon Multiball is chaos - not sure what the strategy is there other than to just hammer away... I am sure there must be one though.
I certainly can't see how the extra two balls there on the Premium makes it better... maybe balanced out by the way the balls are shot out by the dragon.
Very cool though, can see how the character progression thing will make this enjoyable. Just starting to get the flow of the table and I think it is a good one.
Well worth a trip out to play!
Asiapinball
Site Supporter
Funland have theirs. But it has issues. When you get a multiball it continues with one ball in play. And I also got a ball locked up somewhere near the top and it giant kick out another ball. Not sure it was a physical lock or the ball just got lost as I don't know the rules yet.
PBR has one and that gave out some crazy multiballs. Almost too easy to get a multiball.
Jib
Site Supporter
Got my pro yesterday and played about 30 games already. Thought I'd share some thoughts for those who are interested.
It's not as flowy as my other games, I'm not comboing shots together a lot. The ball gets stopped going in the vuk, sauce and cube grab. I don't often use a shot that flows into another shot to get the ball to another flipper, I use the Fizmo saucer a lot to get the ball to the upper flipper. I wouldn't call it flowy but it's not clunky either, it's just more thinking out your path to get to the shots you need which often stalls the ball.
Dragon mech is under used and I think I'd feel that even more so on the prem as it's one of the upgrades. I'm never going for Dragon MB on purpose because it doesn't really serve a purpose imo. The cube blocks your view of the ball coming down to the upper flipper, making the timing hard when it loops round to it on a shot where the magnet doesn't grab the ball.
The feeling of going on a campaign and having a story is great, although I'm sure over time I'll be double flipping to skip storytime.
I've only played on saved progress so far and only 1 character. To me the saved progress and the layout/ stall balls gives the game a relaxed, less frantic playing feel. It's not super frustrating if you drain because you can just pick up where you left off. Some times that can then be less rewarding when you do well as you've more battled through the campaign than had that one great game but it's a nice change.
Overall so far I'd say it's a good game but nothing super wowing me atm. Everyone likes different things though so to some it could be great. It's also still super early to give a real opinion, I didn't like UXM much at all until I'd played about 100 games, then after 200 I loved it, so some games take time for me to get a fair opinion.
It's not as flowy as my other games, I'm not comboing shots together a lot. The ball gets stopped going in the vuk, sauce and cube grab. I don't often use a shot that flows into another shot to get the ball to another flipper, I use the Fizmo saucer a lot to get the ball to the upper flipper. I wouldn't call it flowy but it's not clunky either, it's just more thinking out your path to get to the shots you need which often stalls the ball.
Dragon mech is under used and I think I'd feel that even more so on the prem as it's one of the upgrades. I'm never going for Dragon MB on purpose because it doesn't really serve a purpose imo. The cube blocks your view of the ball coming down to the upper flipper, making the timing hard when it loops round to it on a shot where the magnet doesn't grab the ball.
The feeling of going on a campaign and having a story is great, although I'm sure over time I'll be double flipping to skip storytime.
I've only played on saved progress so far and only 1 character. To me the saved progress and the layout/ stall balls gives the game a relaxed, less frantic playing feel. It's not super frustrating if you drain because you can just pick up where you left off. Some times that can then be less rewarding when you do well as you've more battled through the campaign than had that one great game but it's a nice change.
Overall so far I'd say it's a good game but nothing super wowing me atm. Everyone likes different things though so to some it could be great. It's also still super early to give a real opinion, I didn't like UXM much at all until I'd played about 100 games, then after 200 I loved it, so some games take time for me to get a fair opinion.
Devil-Mish
Site Supporter
Good write up @Jib. I'm curious to know how replayable it feels. Does a one-shot feel more pinbally in terms of scoring and stuff but then you'd rather play other games that do flow better?
With venom after you finished it you almost immediately want to go again in my opinion, I wonder if it being as story heavy as it is, if people will feel the same as with most video games once you've gone once you might not be keen to redo it all again.
Still got 2 more endings and bosses that are yet to be coded so definitely worth seeing how that changes the game in time.
Also news the Elizabeth Gieske is staying on D&D is a big plus!
Jib
Site Supporter
I wonder this too, far too early to tell atm, it's new I want to keep playing. I want to level the other characters that I haven't even touched yet so still plenty to do and more to come.
For me it won't be a huge problem if it's low replayability in the end as I rotate most my games in and out anyway and plenty only last 300-500 games here.
I heard there's going to be multiple dragons too?
Jib
Site Supporter
Double Dragon?
For me Brian Eddy games, at least his classic ones don't really scream flow to me. His games are more mode based and with a focus on a big bash mech, i.e. The castle, the UFO saucer and now the dragon. Yes you've got the fan layout orbits and ramps but I wouldn't say you chain shots from one into another in the way you described.
D&D just nicked the layout of Labryinth for me, which definitely isn't a flow monster either. I think you'd much enjoy Metallica Remake over this, that and Elwin games.
Jib
Site Supporter
That’s fortunate as that’s exactly what I have on order!
I don’t want it to sound like I’m not enjoying D&D, I am and I think it’s a good game as it is with even more code to come. I just don’t think it will end up being top tier for me personally. I thought a balanced first impression was better than just saying I’m enjoying it and leaving it at that because I bought it.
Better than Stranger Things?