Play Meter

five cents a pop. Figure
that the average time to play is about
three minutes, which means a
maximum of twenty games an hour
or $5 an hour. Take the same game
and put it on free play and let's say
players are hitting it once every four
times. You're losing five games an
hour, or $1.25 , which might not
sound like a lot. But if vou're open
ten hours, it's suddenly $12 .50 a day
and if you're open seven days a
week, you're losing $~7.50 on that
single pin and that doesn't takei nto
account those multiple free games
that players can rack up , further
taking away from your poterytial
earnings.
Unfortunately, a step such as this
isn't going to be the easiest to take on
the location level. But there may be
· ways to slowly bring the change.
Some of you may already be doing it
on the newer games by offering only
two or even one limit for a free play
on score. You may even be settina
your game conservatively so the
programming makes hitting a special
on the field more difficult These are
two alternatives. Only they're stop
gap measures for what ultimately
must be taken: a total change over to
extra ball play.
I suppose that for me this solution
isn't too difficult to env1s1on only
because the majority of my pinball
playing, first in Wis.c onsin when I was
in college and then in New York City,
has been for ·extra ball. So I've never
really missed free play and I don't
think, over the long haul, other
players will miss it either, if the games
offer enough to compensate. This is
especially true for those who have
primarily played video and are used
to the concept of "extended play" as
the reward for "beating" the game.
One manufacturer alone can't
achieve this changeover, nor one
distributor or one operator. It is
going to take a total industry effort to
slowly wean players off the idea of
getting free plays. It is the only
sensible direction for the future-in
fact, it is the future of pinball if it is to
compete in the marketplace and
draw the earnings that operators are
demanding.
The result will also tax the
creativity and ingenuity of designers
and programmers to totally think
through games so players get value
for what they're . paying for. It will
mean going to the field and talking,
talking, talking to players for input. ·
Sometimes I wonder just how often
this is done and whether anyone is
paying any attention to the desires
·and hopes players have for present
and future .equipmenL After all, they
are the ultimate decision makers.
On another front, something that
I've found distressing is the recent
advertising I've seen for a pinball
conversion kit that is anything but ·
"G" rated. I don't know if you had a
chance, or even knew about the
small booth off on the side of the
second floor at the past AMOA
show, but on display was a reworked
Bally Playboy complete with the
promise of graphic pictures on the
playfield which were quickly
censored at the show. Well, now the
company has resurfaced to sell their
product and the concern from this
corner is that a package such as this
might get into the wrong hands (an
over-industrious operator who puts
it in the wrong location), but even
more so, whether there's a place in
the amusement game business for
something like this. I don't believe
there is. For the home market, fine
and dandy and it would be a
conversation piece, but out on the
street it can only spell trouble and
further foster an image of the
industry that too many harbor and
has helped keep pinbaln n particular
always on the defensive for most of
its existence.
ARTIC
International Inc.
P.C. Boards
Game Parts
Speed-up KitS
We can supply you r
need for:
. • Quality M erchandise
• Fast Delivery
• Dependable Service
ARTIC INTERNATIONAL, INC.
550 ROUTE 22
BRIDGEWATER, N.J. 08807
Phone: 201-231-0800
Telex: 642311 ARTIC N BCH
PLAY METER, july 1, 1981
61