Captain America - First Impressions

[ShoryukenToTheChin]

My Captain America Guide is available on MarvelPinball.com Now!

[UranusIsBroken]

Am I the only one who thinks Captain America has the most boring Wizard Mode Part 1 - Hit the stuff in the middle. Part 2 - hit the stuff in the middle Part 3 - Hit the stuff in the middle Part 4 - Hit anything.

No...you're correct. This game pretty much boils down to hitting the captive balls and the Cosmic Cube. Rinse, repeat.

[rapierdwit]

Hypno74 taking on the wizard mode:

http://youtu.be/-idczYFM9mU

Am I the only one who thinks Captain America has the most boring Wizard Mode Part 1 - Hit the stuff in the middle. Part 2 - hit the stuff in the middle Part 3 - Hit the stuff in the middle Part 4 - Hit anything.

[Gegliosch]

This table is awesome. The rule sheet is very detailed, the dot matrix and flashing lights make it easy to spot where to shoot and the table isn't as messy as some other ones. Oh, and I love the animations.

I also like how forgiving the table is, as I'm a player that can aim, but has a very short attention span :P
Some tables simply frustrate me with the amount of patience they require. I played it 2 times to get a feeling for the table, looked up the rules and everything was clear immediately, big props to that. It took me about 1 more hour to beat the wizard mode on my first ball... then I got excited and flushed the other two and an extra ball down the toilet - short attention span, remember? ^^
It's nice to have some easier tables for the casual player, it increases motivation for the difficult ones.

[Womble]

Sparring Mission

I've been testing the exploitability. In terms of scoring efficiency, there's not much there. It's a very easy mode to start and it's reasonably safe to grind, but I think it's more efficient to finish the mode and tackle more lucrative offerings.

Problem 1: the penalty shots are disabled after 1 hit. This makes it quite hard to actually fail the mission (unless you drain). The only sinkhole that remains after a hit is the Howler hole, and if you hit that more than once you get zero points.

Problem 2: the mode total is reduced according to your misses and (I think) previous attempts on the mode during the round. You get 14 million for 5 hits on Red Skull without misses or prior mode attempts.


Supply Drop

Went back and tested the timing of this too. Like you, can't get it to light on "SOLDIER ..." after all, at least not all the time. It will light on bumper hits, but then it will also light on many other hits (ramps, howler targets etc.). FWIW, a single letter of "SOLDIER ..." appears to require 3 bumper hits.

[UranusIsBroken]

I don't think it's a mistake. I think it's a risk/reward proposition. There are extra points to be had, at the expense of potentially failing the missing. I hit as many of the holes as I can without failing, then complete the mode.

I agree on the bug thread. Post the bugs, then have cracker or soli post when they're being addressed, and when they've been completed. It would be nice to at least get an acknowledgement stating they're either aware a problem exists, or that what's being reported as a bug was intentionally programmed into the game.

Keep us in the loop, you know?

[rapierdwit]

Just a quick poll - Am I the only one who thinks that the scoring on Red Skull Sparring is a glitch/mistake? Huge points for hitting the Red Skull pummels you holes and little points for doing what you are supposed to? It would make sense if they were reversed, which I what I think they are supposed to be.

I REALLY wish Zen proper would allow the U.S. branch to post up what changes are made in the updates. For instance, I am not playing Agents until the Tanker Glitch is fixed. Other tables have smaller problems I would like to see addressed. I wish Solitude or Crackervizzo would start a Bug Report thread that they could forward on to Zen in Budapest. At least we would know they are aware of the problems and/or issues. And, in turn, they could let us know if they have fixed something/tweaked something. Like, not resetting the mission progress on Iron Man if you drain during Ultimo Just nail the mission hole and give it another shot! Ok, just dreaming now.

[rapierdwit]

I think the key to major points on this table is the Howler (whose name escapes me) that give 30x hole/target bonuses. With him active, hitting the Red Skull target (A total gimme shot) is worth about 250,000 per hit. Have it active during the Castle Minigame and you are getting millions per target and I really want to start Red Skull Sparring with it active and make the WRONG shots (ie-the holes). Unless I am reading the pop-up scores wrong, you can get 500,000 a shot hitting them before the 30x multiplier so, they would be worth 15 million per hit, so you could net 75m LOSING Red Skull Sparring. Let me know if anyone manages to test this.

Hmmm, go figure, it doesn't work...I guess it is only 30x unless we don't feel like it...

[Womble]

Hypno74 taking on the wizard mode:

http://youtu.be/-idczYFM9mU

[UranusIsBroken]

I put enough time into this table that I felt I can chime in. First off, I THINK if you make the skillshot and then hit the ramp to get Bucky too quickly, the first shot does not count. I now hold the ball until the table finishes it flashing and lights the ramp. But, I currently use the rest of Wombles strategy.
My biggest "problems" on this table is: Hitting the Captain hole (I need to find/practice the shot to hit it), hitting the multipliers (Is there a shot for these or is it just random deflections?)
I think the key to major points on this table is the Howler (whose name escapes me) that give 30x hole/target bonuses. With him active, hitting the Red Skull target (A total gimme shot) is worth about 250,000 per hit. Have it active during the Castle Minigame and you are getting millions per target and I really want to start Red Skull Sparring with it active and make the WRONG shots (ie-the holes). Unless I am reading the pop-up scores wrong, you can get 500,000 a shot hitting them before the 30x multiplier so, they would be worth 15 million per hit, so you could net 75m LOSING Red Skull Sparring. Let me know if anyone manages to test this.

Jacques Dernier. 30x scoring on targets. Makes the Human Torch glitch seem like a joke. I wonder if they're including these things on purpose?

Edit: By the way..those "wrong" shots...give you 888,777 points, on a regular basis. Keep hiting them all until Cap is down to one star, then complete the mission. You're not maximizing your scoring opportunities on that mission, regardless of Jacques Dernier, unless you take the hits too.

[rapierdwit]

I suggest a new strategy, R2; let the Wookie win. i.e.

- get the Bucky ball saver at the start

- then get both Kickbacks

- then go only for the main missions (i.e. Captain's Hole and Mine Entrance Hole.)

- I never shoot for the other Howlers. If I accidentally start a Howlers mission, I let it time out. The reason for this is that I always want Bucky; he gives me a 30% chance of ball save on any drain. Priceless!

Thoughts?

I put enough time into this table that I felt I can chime in. First off, I THINK if you make the skillshot and then hit the ramp to get Bucky too quickly, the first shot does not count. I now hold the ball until the table finishes it flashing and lights the ramp. But, I currently use the rest of Wombles strategy.
My biggest "problems" on this table is: Hitting the Captain hole (I need to find/practice the shot to hit it), hitting the multipliers (Is there a shot for these or is it just random deflections?)
I think the key to major points on this table is the Howler (whose name escapes me) that give 30x hole/target bonuses. With him active, hitting the Red Skull target (A total gimme shot) is worth about 250,000 per hit. Have it active during the Castle Minigame and you are getting millions per target and I really want to start Red Skull Sparring with it active and make the WRONG shots (ie-the holes). Unless I am reading the pop-up scores wrong, you can get 500,000 a shot hitting them before the 30x multiplier so, they would be worth 15 million per hit, so you could net 75m LOSING Red Skull Sparring. Let me know if anyone manages to test this.

[ShoryukenToTheChin]

Again, is anyone aware of an audio cue or any other type of cue that would indicate when the supply drop minigame is available? I find it hard to keep my eye on that area of the table for the sole purpose of seeing if that's lit. The black and red doesn't stick out nearly as well as the regular colored lamps.

Nah I notice no audio cue for it, I just randomly see it blinking sometimes but most of the time I never hit it in time. Its got like some 10 second timer to hit it.

[UranusIsBroken]

Again, is anyone aware of an audio cue or any other type of cue that would indicate when the supply drop minigame is available? I find it hard to keep my eye on that area of the table for the sole purpose of seeing if that's lit. The black and red doesn't stick out nearly as well as the regular colored lamps.

[ShoryukenToTheChin]

1 (parachute) - Extra Ammo = Awards Extra Ball
2 (moneybag) - Resupply = Awards 10 million points
3 (soldier) - Regroup = Awards Howling Commando
4 (map) - Assault Plan = Starts ASSAULT mission
5 (jetpack) - New Intel Report = Starts Red Skull multiball
6 (marked road) - Secure Supply Lines = Lights Bonus Held
7 (first aid) - Medical Pack = Lights ball saver for 35 seconds
8 (cosmic cube) - Tactical Support = Unlocks Cosmic Cube




A few of you need glasses.

*Bows Down at the Feet of Blue*

Thanks so much for this!

[blue]

1 (parachute) - Extra Ammo = Awards Extra Ball
2 (moneybag) - Resupply = Awards 10 million points
3 (soldier) - Regroup = Awards Howling Commando
4 (map) - Assault Plan = Starts ASSAULT mission
5 (jetpack) - New Intel Report = Starts Red Skull multiball
6 (marked road) - Secure Supply Lines = Lights Bonus Held
7 (first aid) - Medical Pack = Lights ball saver for 35 seconds
8 (cosmic cube) - Tactical Support = Unlocks Cosmic Cube

Doesnt the Bottle look more like a pair of boots?

A few of you need glasses.