[Sticky] Give us suggestions

[Dropshot]

I guess this is more of a suggestion for portlandpinballmap.com but would there be any way to have a section to add pictures? I think it would be great to be able to show a picture of the machines (where they are set up, how they are set up) as well as a bar picture too. Kinda get a vibe of the place without really going there. It would be a good appeal for those who have never been there or out of towners to kinda scope out the scene or if they are in town visiting the can get a feel for where they might want to play. Perfect example of differences would be Clinton Street vs Green Dragon.

[ROM]

Thanks. Yeah, that's a good idea. We'll look into that. We're trying to reprogram some of the methods for inputting data to the map. And maybe we add an "add an image" feature for each location. And hopefully people won't submit pictures of their nuts. I don't know if there would be any way to filter the images, without it being another load of work on my end (not that having to moderate the images would be too big of a deal).

Most of the pictures would, I'm guessing, be cell phone shots... which might not turn out so great.

[Dropshot]

we could just make it a point to bring an actual camera. Start taking pictures at tourney's, meetings, if you know the place doesn't have a photo. Maybe even just get the places with 3/4+ and have a search by photos only. Then they could at lest get a feel for the major spots to play.

[ROM]

An actual camera, you say...

Anyway, we are processing your suggestion. Thank you.

[PatC]

Another way might be, on those pages, to just pull flickr photos with certain tags... you could add #cff or #ppm or something to the photos and the place name.

That'd be a pretty low-overhead way to implement it (since you wouldn't have to upload or store any of the pictures).

Of course, you might end up with pictures of people's butts or other irrelevancy or whatnot, but that's a risk either way.

[ROM]

Yeah, how about a sticky in the machines section where people can put in the contact info for each operator, and which locations they operate at?

I have a fair amount of operator information (like, where their machines are), but it's still pretty incomplete.

I am hungry right now, and need to go eat. But I will put something up soon. And hopefully people will help to populate it!

[Dropshot]

Steve you bitch more than anyone else. Get used to the machines the way they are. Other players have to play the same machine. Quality and Ricochet will make sure there machines are perfect for you but as for everyone else, who knows. Just because we list the problems doesn't mean they will be fixed or give a damn. MFP is run by Glenn, same guy as Ship.

[Isaac]

How about assigning operators to each of the machines in the database? Then you could add a "Forward to Operator" button below the comments field, or just do it automatically as people change it. Granted, every machine wouldn't be accounted for, but it would clean things up a little bit.

[Dropshot]

That's fine and would work on our part but the main problem lies with the operators. Mike along with Jeri/Trish, and Logan (QW) seem to do a good job of checking the board for fixes. Cashbox has been doing an alright job if the bar calls them to let them know of any problems or when a tourney is coming to come out and put in a little extra effort. However, most operators aren't going to come out and field a call from one person calling or check emails or message boards. We can try our best to set something up but there is only so much we can do when they will only put in so much time on the machines as well. We aren't going to get most operators to replace GI lights, worn rubbers etc... They want to make money, spending even the few dollars and the hourly pay to whoever fixes it isnt necessarily worth the effort to make the extra 4 dollars, or worth the trouble if the machine is still making good money as is.

[ROM]

I agree with dropshot. We already assign operators to locations in the database. But, as dropshot suggested, getting the operators to make use of the site is another matter. We have some in town who are into it, and would probably appreciate using the site to search for their machines. But we stopped short of implementing this service on the site because it was such a struggle to get them (the other operators) to be responsive to the idea. And we didn't feel like using really incomplete operator data. I was hoping the site would be a one-stop source for them getting updates about their machines. But, in reality, it would just be one more place for them to look for info (on top of bar owners, people calling, the message board, etc.). Plus, they would also need to go in and delete the condition comments on the site after fixes are made.

I dunno - each operator has their own methods...

[Dropshot]

I agree with pretty much everything you said. I think a star rating on PPM would be awesome!

[Opto]

[Opto]

Oh - and the star/rating idea is an excellent one. If it's not too tough to implement, I think it would be a fantastic new way to search the portland pinball map. A dropdown menu, that allowed you to sort by 4+ star, or 3+ star locations would be sweet.

[ROM]

AFM is 2/4 because it had good rubber and was fairly floaty? What exactly was so wacked out about it? Not being steep enough doesn't seem like that big of a deal.

White Water had some GI out? I didn't notice.

Is WSJ your abbreviation for World Cup Soccer? That machine had a problem with the free kick hole. The flippers weren't activating the kick. So you'd have to wait for it to time out so it could kick it straight into the goalie. That right there was the biggest issue that I noticed on any of the machines.

/perspectives

[Opto]

I'll agree that the AFM there is super weird - I'd probably give it a 3/5. That Whitewaters been is leaning to one side, doesn't register whirlpool shots most of the time, stuck switches adding scoring - I could go 3/5 as well.

I vote for a 5 star rating system - most of Ricochet and Qualities machines (especially when they're first put out) being a good benchmark for a 5.

[revtest]

Never good enough for you needy bitches is it! I'm still a firm believer in simpler is better to many things to update and they stop getting updated. the same goes for the op's the simpler we can make it for them to find whats wrong with their games the better but like MWM has said when you have over 400 machines (of all kinds) to service you can only do so much and still be profitable! we have it better here than anywhere else in the world thanks to the expanded efforts of all willing to help and we can all help by doing the littlest things like reporting to the locations about service issues and letting them know if they are not happy with the opp that they use they have options for change! as far as Steve goes I think you need to take game set up as a challenge I once GC'd a machine that had no ball! . To me if a place has 1 pinball it has 1 star if 4 pinball's 4 stars if I go in and it sucks I don't go back until someone can convince me its gotten better. I'll take a fellow ballers word over a star rating any day! If I were an op I would just set all my locations to 10 stars !

[revtest]

You guys are pussies that attack plays great its fast as shit not floaty! just cause you cant death save it and rule the uni 10 times! That attack is set just how the one in the tourny bank at NW show was last year- tilty as fuck - fast as hell - bouncy as my balls - with huge out lanes start practicing Steve-o

[Dropshot]

I like the AFM, the only problem I have with it is the center ramp seems to 'catch' the ball and it rarely makes it all the way up, which is a semi major issue considering you need it to start your locks, get a jackpot during MB, time reset for 5-way combo and most importantly your annihilation super jackpots (which if done right can exceed 2,3,4,5 billion a shot).

[revtest]

I'll give you that and that just started happening in the last week and a half. I did ask him about that we will see if anything gets done with it.

[Opto]

We need a sign to put up at the next big Slabtown even that reads.

"These machines have been set to "Tilty as fuck and bouncy as Revs balls - you've been warned".