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TIP Number of Plays means nothing

BMHouze

Well-Known Member
Mar 11, 2014
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Delhi Ontario
# of plays only truly shows the amount of play on the current CPU.
If you start having power on issues, game freezing, resets.
Then suddenly a new CPU and I am 'minty'
Look at everything, don't assume low plays means anything other than less use if the CPU board.
 

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GUARD

Active Member
Sep 17, 2016
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I find "number of plays" hilarious.....couldn't tell you the number of any one of my games.
 

Smokezz

Active Member
Apr 29, 2019
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Kingsville, ON
It also means nothing if someone gets annoyed at a shitty ball 1, and restarts a lot. Or they maintain their game properly.

You can have a game with 1000 plays and it's in terrible condition. Or a game with 15000 plays in stunning condition.
 
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pinballjah

Well-Known Member
Jan 25, 2017
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Toronto
So the entire CPU board was replaced and this caused the number of plays to reset to zero? Or just a certain chip on the CPU board? Thanks.
 

Smokezz

Active Member
Apr 29, 2019
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Kingsville, ON
So the entire CPU board was replaced and this caused the number of plays to reset to zero? Or just a certain chip on the CPU board? Thanks.
Pretty sure it takes the entire board. There are some that claim they know how to reset the number of plays though. And really, it's only a matter of time before someone figures out how to do it. The Spike2 system is just an embedded Linux system, someone if they want to will figure out how to do it.
 

pinballjah

Well-Known Member
Jan 25, 2017
1,364
481
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Toronto
Pretty sure it takes the entire board. There are some that claim they know how to reset the number of plays though. And really, it's only a matter of time before someone figures out how to do it. The Spike2 system is just an embedded Linux system, someone if they want to will figure out how to do it.
I think Pinball Browser had the capability but it was turned off by the writer of the software. I have a friend that makes modifications to the Stern sd files and he doesn't use PB as it has some limitations.
 

BMHouze

Well-Known Member
Mar 11, 2014
1,173
235
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Delhi Ontario
I was having statup issues and the game would occasionally freeze.
Stern suggested a new CPU
Works great now.
New CPU had no play
 

Smokezz

Active Member
Apr 29, 2019
219
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Kingsville, ON
I’m one of those 1 ball hit start again guys

Me too. Have you noticed the Elwin games troll you when you do it? LOL

Godzilla:
King of the restarts.
I'm not sure what happened folks, but it appears that we've gone back in time to ball 1.

Jurassic Park:
Uhhh, you can't do that.
Seriously.

I haven't heard what the others do, but I bet they all have something.
 
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Murphelman

Well-Known Member
Jul 19, 2017
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Ottawa
www.twitch.tv
# of plays are for people who want to stare at their games rather than play them. They are toys to be played not museum pieces to be displayed to "look but don't touch"

I play my games quite a bit, I stream them, I restart them sometimes too. I also maintain them more than regularly.

They are dialed in and play great and always have. If someone moans about # of plays I tell them to kick rocks
 
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Smokezz

Active Member
Apr 29, 2019
219
144
43
53
Kingsville, ON
I think Pinball Browser had the capability but it was turned off by the writer of the software. I have a friend that makes modifications to the Stern sd files and he doesn't use PB as it has some limitations.
I doubt it ever had that ability. The number of plays is stored on the CPU board, not the SD card or else it would be super trivial to reset.
 

dos.reboot

Well-Known Member
Nov 19, 2012
437
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Windsor. ON.
Me too. Have you noticed the Elwin games troll you when you do it? LOL

Godzilla:
King of the restarts.
I'm not sure what happened folks, but it appears that we've gone back in time to ball 1.

Jurassic Park:
Uhhh, you can't do that.
Seriously.

I haven't heard what the others do, but I bet they all have something.
Yeah those bring a smile every time.
I like the other JP one where the lady just screams "Ahhhhhhhhhh"
 

roar

Well-Known Member
Oct 22, 2015
645
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Waterdown
When I first get a game and it is new and fresh I don't restart... but once I get to a point where I've got expectations on how far I feel like I need to progress to achieve whatever goal it is I'm looking to achieve I restart after the first ball most of the time. I think total balls played is a far better metric for buyers to ask about, but whatever.

I have come to the realization that number of plays is really meaningful to a lot of people so I try not to complain about it any more. It is just one of those things I need to live with regardless of how I feel or else it will drive me crazy :).
 

MrMikeman

Well-Known Member
Nov 25, 2019
792
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Ottawa
I have come to the realization that number of plays is really meaningful to a lot of people so I try not to complain about it any more. It is just one of those things I need to live with regardless of how I feel or else it will drive me crazy :).

Education is everything. These numbers can be reset (At least on Stern). Ppl that care about played games obviously haven't figured this out yet. Instead of just nodding along with their incorrect belief, it's important to explain things. Then if they still want to bury their heads in the sand then that's up to them, you've tried to help :)

JJP I think is the only manufacturer which can't be reset. I believe games played are stored on the security dongle. Changing out the PC won't help. Obviously changing the dongle will wipe out games played but JJP doesn't hand those out or sell them. I think you have to return your old one if it fails IOT obtain a replacement.
 

roar

Well-Known Member
Oct 22, 2015
645
345
63
49
Waterdown
Education is everything. These numbers can be reset (At least on Stern). Ppl that care about played games obviously haven't figured this out yet. Instead of just nodding along with their incorrect belief, it's important to explain things. Then if they still want to bury their heads in the sand then that's up to them, you've tried to help :)

JJP I think is the only manufacturer which can't be reset. I believe games played are stored on the security dongle. Changing out the PC won't help. Obviously changing the dongle will wipe out games played but JJP doesn't hand those out or sell them. I think you have to return your old one if it fails IOT obtain a replacement.
I'm done trying MrMikeman, the juice isn't worth the squeeze for me and it gets me riled up :). These are just two camps who aren't going to see eye-to-eye and education hasn't helped in my experience. If someone thinks the earth is flat, so be it, not on me to convince them otherwise, it is what it is :).
 
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Smokezz

Active Member
Apr 29, 2019
219
144
43
53
Kingsville, ON
Education is everything. These numbers can be reset (At least on Stern). Ppl that care about played games obviously haven't figured this out yet. Instead of just nodding along with their incorrect belief, it's important to explain things. Then if they still want to bury their heads in the sand then that's up to them, you've tried to help :)

JJP I think is the only manufacturer which can't be reset. I believe games played are stored on the security dongle. Changing out the PC won't help. Obviously changing the dongle will wipe out games played but JJP doesn't hand those out or sell them. I think you have to return your old one if it fails IOT obtain a replacement.
JJP is also Linux. If someone REALLY wants to figure out how to reset it, they will. It's just a matter of time. There are always exploits if someone wants to take the time and has the expertise.