Spiderman

[Dropshot]

I have been using the shot multiplier (2x for all spiders, 3x completing a mode) on the right ramp. I haven't had a huge game yet, and actually have only had it at 2x when I had the best outcome. If you could get it up to 5x or 7x those Battle Royale jackpots would be huge. I know they are progressive but not sure what they start at, or makes them grow. The best I had was 79 mil. I think the right ramp, prior to BR is the way to go, anything after I guess left orbital would be the most lucrative. People talk about building the spinner value (by hitting the light lock stand-up) and always hitting the left orbital for the multiplier but considering the spinner starts so low and only builds 12.5K a shot it takes a good, long ball to make the orbital worth anything.

What is the strategy when going this route?

Get a multiball and just shoot the light lock stand-up?

[Soundcard]

i think 3x is the biggest you can get the shot multipliers. i dont think they stack any higher.

[eric]

Yes, max shot multiplier is 3x and the only way to get a 3x multiplier is to complete a mode then hit whichever shot you want to multiply. Muliple 2x multipliers won't advance a shot to 3x.

Also, the only shot that advances the value of the spinner is the light lock target, which is a pretty risky shot. I generally try to complete 1 mode (hopefully Bonesaw since it's easy and safe) and put the 3x on the left orbit, then start Doc Oc multiball, then start Black Suit, trap a ball or two on the left flipper and go to town on the spinner. Spinner strat is good for consistent 100-200 million point games, but it would take forever to put up a GC level score doing only the spinner.

[Dropshot]

Yeah, I figured out that building the spinner isn't where the X is worth it. 3x jackpots is nice but 3x Battle Royale super jackpots are even nicer! So is beating Super Hero and then getting Battle Royale again during the same ball, getting a 344 mil bonus, ending with 140 spiders, 81 combos and a GC of 1.898 billion and somehow Fred was able to put up initials with an 11 way combo!

[Opto]

You are an animal dropshot. AN----I----MAL.

[FHF]

That game was totally insane. Completing Super hero took like 500 shots, and I'm still not sure exactly what finished it?! Sandman, Spider sense, the outlane, who knows?! Then to get battle royal again with all the multipliers. Just ridiculous.

[deathsave]

spider sense completes super hero. and yeah, it's a ton of shots to get there.

[Dropshot]

The flippers went dead with the final spider sense shot. Starting off I must have hit ever shot at 2-4 times. The jackpots stopped at this point, but either the red or the white spidey inserts were light. Each time you hit a shot it switched, so I made all the shots turn white and nothing happened. I then hit them all to make them all red. The playfield went blank except the 3-bank stand-up on the right. Hit all 3 stand-ups and sandman lit up. Hit that 10 times or so for 4 mil. Didn't seem to advance anything so I kept hitting the 3 bank. Collected spider sense, didn't seem to do much, hit the 3 bank to light spider sense, collect, did it again and the third time I got spider sense the flippers went dead. Got a fresh ball with everything at 2x.

[PirateMike]

collect a bonus with drain?

[Dropshot]

No, the ball drains and you get a fresh ball, still on the same ball. So the bonus continues and when that ball was all said and done the bonus was 344 mil.

[Dropshot]

One thing I did that might help for the long run, is I never tried to stack multiball. I was always shooting for Green Goblin and Venom, GG is the hardest one to finish I think just because it takes so many shots. When I got Ock I would go for GG, Venom and Sandman and get the light lock to the second lock. That way when I drained to one ball I could start black suit multiball and shoot for GG, Venom, Sandman and get Ock 1 shot away from starting. This method will allow you to basically beat the game (minus the modes) completely during multiball and limit your risk of draining.

That's 3 games now that I no longer try to stack multiballs. Spiderman, Lord of the Rings, and Attack From Mars. Can anyone think of or know any others that it might be smarter not to stack multiballs in order to make it easier to progress and beat the game?

[eric]

I think it depends on the strategy you're using. If you're playing the spinner strat then it's totally worth stacking the multiballs as you'll be maximizing the value of the left orbit. If playing to beat the game, I personally use Doc Ock exclusively to help take the risky villan shots. It's just not worth going for Blacksuit since light lock is such a risky shot. Deflections from missed shots will eventually light Blacksuit lock and I'll always pick it up when it's lit, but I never shoot for it outright. Definitely agree though, in this case it's best to hold off on starting Blacksuit until you're down to one ball.

Also, I think you might be confusing modes (Bonesaw, Rescue, MJ, etc.) with villans. You cannot start a multiball then stack a mode. You have to start the mode first then the multiball. Villans can be started at any time.

[Dropshot]

Yeah, modes have to start before multiballs. I'm not sold on the spinner strat, I really don't think it's worth it. It takes way to long to get it even close to worth it, and even then if you spent your time elsewhere you would have a much higher score.

[Dropshot]

Also, with the fact the the multipliers and spinner value reset after each ball, all that work and 1 mistake you'll have to start all over again. I guess part of the reason I don't like the spinner strat is it can ruin some games, ToM is finally kind of becoming playable again for me. It hasn't been for 2 years.

[FHF]

Just realized that right before you put up that 1.9 bil we were discussing strategy and I was saying something similar to the spinner strategy. Basically my plan was to get both ramps at x2 and then wail away on the ramp combos for big boints. Ironically, I did in fact get the combo champion. I also had like 60 million.

Still like the ramps for a tournament machine that is super tilty though. I bet it's good for at least 200-300 mil.

[Dropshot]

And a boring game.

[eric]

Yes, boring but much safer than playing the game through.

[Dropshot]

That game is safe, I played it again the other day and got to Super Hero again, bombed it but I think the strategy of getting MB and only going for the villains works and is the way to go.

Tournaments with post and rubbers removed, I would just go for ock, left orbital, venom (upper flipper), ock......all day long.

[caylegeorge]

[Dropshot]

Does the 10 mil to the spinner need a good spinner on it? The one down the street spins maybe 5 times with a clean hit, which makes bonesaw a little harder to complete if the ball won't stay in the pop bumbers.

I will have to give it a try, I have been just shooting Venom, Ock, spinner, repeat. Then once I get a multiball I have been going for green goblin and sandman, not really focusing on jackpots. I also never trap, except during BR, maybe I should start doing that more. The right flipper is kinda janky and hard to hit the left ramp, which makes Venom and New Goblin a little trickier to beat but not to bad. That might be why I am always hitting either orbital to get to the upper flipper for Venom. Bonesaw and New Goblin should be the easiest of the modes to complete too.

To beat Super Hero and correct me if I am wrong but I believe it is make every shot then shoot Sandman, Venom and Ock light up hit them, shoot sandman and then Venom and Ock again. Then turn all the white arrows to red. 3 bank stand-up,to light spider sense then collect and then the 4th time it finishes it? I think that is it, or it is at least close to accurate.

I got 1 billion again today going with this strategy and I would say consistently get 3-400 mil and usually just a few shots from SH. When you are going for stacked MB and 2x 3x on Ock and left orbital are you also attempting to get to SH or just concentrating on stacking the MB's again? I guess eventually you would get there in time but if you are cradling it would take a long time to get GG and Venom assuming you are just letting the ball fall to the lower flipper, catching and shooting the spinner over and over again. I suppose you could just take the 10 minutes to hit right orbital venom, right orbital venom....or have a right flipper that works and it might change everything....