Is Ninja Gaiden working right?

[Metalzoic]

Is it supposed to launch the balls STDM or is the Vita version just screwy?

Unless I make the spider jump skill-shot it tries to drain the ball straight down the middle where it cannot be contacted by either flipper. Normally not a big deal because I've found that if you nudge up as soon a the ball hits the playfield then 95% of the time you can save it.

Problem is that it happens during multiball too. It will launch balls straight down the drain unless you nudge, problem is you can only nudge once or twice before tilting so you can't always save all the balls.

Is this how yours plays? Is it the same on PS3? Is this the way it's supposed to play or did the change to the Zen 2 engine mess this tables physics up a bit?




Also, anyone have a link to a good guide for this table. Not a "playing tips" guide, but just an explanation of the shots and rules?

Word.

[caper_26]

Sadly, NGS2 got ruined by ZP2. I played yesterday, and had 3 in a rown STDM from the launch (PS3). Also, I have not been able to hit the lock light even once. It is really sad because that table was really awesome in ZP1. Now the whole game becomes a task of keepin the ball from going STDM on every shot. Oh yeah, if you hit upper left sinkhole, if you don't hit it with upper left playfield flipper, the ball will go straight down the right outlane everytime.

Some rules are:
1 - Missions; there are 2 ways to light mission ramp (right ramp). First is hit "Shadowless footsteps reverse scoop" or whatever it is called. It is lower than the right ramp. When hit with correct power, ball will actually lob (in the air) to left inlane saucer. This lights the mission ramp (right ramp). Second way to light it is by hitting the leftmost ramp, out of combo, and use the jumpers. I think that needs to be done 3 times or so. (been a while). If you hit that leftmost ramp in combo, it returns the ball and bypasses the jumper machanism.

2 - Multiball. There are few multiballs on this table. First, the easiest, is hit a 4 or 5 hit combo on the ramps or Alexei orbit. Combo must be started with left or right ramp though. This starts 2 ball multi. If you quickly hit another ramp, a 3rd ball will launch. Increase jackpot with ramp shots, be careful, since you MUST collect it with an upper left or right sinkhole before getting down to one ball. Keep all 3 alive yields higher jackpot increases per ramp. Another Multiball: SLASH. Hitting certain ramps out of combo lights a letter of SLASH. Once spelled, hit ball to upper right playfield, by either hitting upper left sinkhole, and using uppler left flipper to hit ball around the playfieild to the Ninja that slices the ball, OR, upper right sinkhole, OR, using jumper mechanisms. You need to slice 3 balls for multiball. Once started, increase jackpots (I think). Collect by hitting Genshin with upper playfield right flipper cross shot. If you get down to one ball, jackpot is halved. Last but least (yep) Alexei multiball. It is impossible now. Hit orbits out of combo 6 times to light lock behind Gensin's foot. Hit the ball with that upper left flipper to start a big scoring multiball. Good luck with that.

3 - test Of valor - hit the target between right orbit and right ramp entrance 2 times in quick succession to start. Read DMD for the mission (random). It will either be Double Combo (ramps); 5 hit bumper combo; Glowing light target; Shadowless footsteps. (I think that is all). I believe 3 successful test completions earns extra ball.

4 - Kickbacks: Hit the target just left of center near the upper left sinkhole targets. Ninja stars will begin flashing for about 10 seconds. Hit left or right orbit to activate the opposite kickback. Good luck hitting left orbit with an aimed shot.

That should be enough to get you started.

[shogun00]

NGS2 has always been a hard table even on ZP1.

From my experience, doing a light launch will prevent the ball from going SDTM on ZP2. During the multiball, raise both flippers up. This will make the gap between the flippers very small and usually the balls will bounce off the flipper tips.

[Metalzoic]

I don't mind the table being hard, but I'm not a fan of balls launching auto launching right down the drain. I'll try the both flippers up trick to see if it helps.

And thanks for all the rules info caper. There were a few things there I wasn't clear on so that helps.

It is impossible now. Hit orbits out of combo 6 times to light lock behind Gensin's foot. Hit the ball with that upper left flipper to start a big scoring multiball. Good luck with that.

That Genshin multiball I can do, it's the Slash multiball that I haven't been able to pull off even once yet.

First is hit "Shadowless footsteps reverse scoop" or whatever it is called. It is lower than the right ramp. When hit with correct power, ball will actually lob (in the air) to left inlane saucer.

Is it based off of luck for this shot to complete or do you have to make a different shot first? Because most of the time making this shot sends the ball into the slingshot or post instead of the saucer. I'm guessing this shot just has loose physics to it since it sometimes seems that you have to make this shot 10 times for every time it actually works.

[Metalzoic]

Well no luck on the both flippers up trick, at least during normal launch, ramp-combo multiball and Alexi multiball (still haven't pulled off a Slash MB). Flippers up and the ball still goes STDM and can't be hit by either flipper without a nudge.

Really, really irritating.

Hey Zen guys were you already aware of this issue and is this on the fix list? I don't mind a difficult or challenging table (in fact I prefer it), but being punished simply for putting a ball in play is a bit broken. Any word you can give us?

[Metalzoic]

Wow. Is this place really this dead?

So there are no giudes for this table here and google searching didn't find me anything but basic info that's already in the in-game table guide.

Anyone know of a detailed rules guide for this table anywhere?

[shogun00]

So there are no giudes for this table here and google searching didn't find me anything but basic info that's already in the in-game table guide.

STTC made a guide for the table, but Zen hasn't published it yet.

[Metalzoic]

That's good to know, thanks Shogun. There are several little things on this table that I'm not sure about.

[iCub]

I get SDTM issues when launching on the PS3 with this table too; I hope it is on Zen's "To Fix" list.

Actually, though this table looks beautiful, I find it rather dull to play. Often it isn't clear what you are supposed to do so it ends up just being a ball bash around. Missions seem too hard to start and the lack of any voice acting means I am too often distracted by reading the DMD. Consequently, it doesn't get much play time in my household. It is such a pity, as the source material is interesting and the visuals and sound effects are great. I am sure with a few tweaks it could be made more fun; they managed it with Earth Defence...

[ER777]

These are the three things I think could be done to make this table play a little better in ZP2, in order of priority. I think their goal should be to mimic how these things were in ZP1 since there was no problem then.

1- Tweak the ball auto-launch speed to it doesn't head STDM.
2- Slightly tweak the sinkhole behind Genshin's foot so its a little easier to hit.
3- Very slightly tweak the lower left ramp entrance to be a little more forgiving.

I would only stress to the Zen devs that these should be subtle changes (not like when people say 6 easy ramp shots is maybe a little too easy to start Mail mulitball on PvZ and their response is to up it to 14!). I would hate to see them totally nerf this table.

[shogun00]

2- Slightly tweak the sinkhole behind Genshin's foot so its a little easier to hit.
3- Very slightly tweak the lower left ramp entrance to be a little more forgiving.

These two seem to be collision related with the "posts" at the entrances. They just need to tweak the collision detection around those posts and we should be all set.

[caper_26]

I still havent hit the sinkhole for Alexei multiball yet.. not once.

[ER777]

These two seem to be collision related with the "posts" at the entrances. They just need to tweak the collision detection around those posts and we should be all set.

I agree 100%

I still havent hit the sinkhole for Alexei multiball yet.. not once.

I hit it once by luck but that was it.

[Ty-24-]

hit Alexei hole 1 time

i'm a newbie at pinball and accidentally activated Alexei multiball lol