Orbitor 1 - What are your thoughts - worth owning?

[bigskip]

I have passed 4 of these up in the past year. Prices from $450 to $1700 and every time I turn around I find another one. My first thought is - that would be kind of cool and different. Then I thing what the HECK am I thinking - that wouldn't hold my interest long. Then I pass on it and two month later I find another one and go through the same process. Just can't pull the trigger on one - smart or dumb?

I know price matters, I know it would be a hard sell, I know it isn't a normal pinball machine but I have played them and I think it is cool and different.

Normally we have between 15 and 25 machines set up to play most of the time so not a big or small collection. Is it worth taking up the space or just something odd?

[Chris Hibler]

In a collection that large, yes.
When I had mine at CP Pinball, a LOT of people played the game. I
enjoy playing mine periodically. It's always something different.
--
Chris Hibler - CARGPB #31
http://www.Team-EM.com
http://webpages.charter.net/chibler/Pinball/index.htm
http://www.PinWiki.com - The Place to go for Pinball Repair Info

[llabrevlis]

> Chris Hibler - CARGPB #31http://www.Team-EM.comhttp://webpages.charter.net/chibler/Pinball/index.htmhttp://www.PinWiki.com- The Place to go for Pinball Repair Info

Fits well in a medium to well sized collection, always of great
interest to anyone who hasn't seen it before, and it's a nice change
from the ordinary.

[seymour.shabow]

I've owned it thrice, once way back when (90s) and had 2 a couple years ago.

Yes, it is neat, and different; and you CAN learn to shoot it
effectively, just like any other game. However, the novelty does wear
off. If you have a lot of different people over, great game to have as
they'll play it and remember it.

If you have a lot of games where some lie fallow for a long time, also
good to have, if you afford room for it.

One thing to know about the stock software vs. the mod - the stock
software has a minimum timed game feature. The least amount of time you
get for a game is 90 seconds (settable to 120, 160, or 180). So, the
stock software often the last ball of the game you drain and keep
getting "shoot pinball again" with a ball launched. (which you can't see
it's out of sight).

The custom software completely eliminates the minimum time requirement,
making it a 3 or 5 ball and done game. If I ever get to having what
amounts to limitless space, I'd get a game back but I'd never use
anything but the custom software. (Available on IPDB and John Wart Jr
should have it in his library as well).

There's also a version of the software that adds freeplay which was
never a factory option on early bally/stern games.

[bigskip]

Next part of the question: Am I better off paying $600 to $750 for one with some minor out hole damage (don't know if that machine has speech) or paying $1500 for a super nice one with speech and no out hole damage?

Or do I just wait and keep looking for a nice one under $1000 with speech.

No real rush for the machine - but right now I have two that I could pick up - one fairly cheap but with out hole damage and the other one really nice and priced accordingly.

[seymour.shabow]

Perfect outhole vs. blown out.

Speech is pretty much a non issue as you can retrofit a speech board
into a machine that doesn't have it.

[cody chunn]

Sounds like you were going to get one anyway and wanted reassurances...

But in my opinion, nope, not worth it. For the same price you can get a good
game with re-playability instead of a novelty that will become a place
holder after three games.

There's a reason it comes up for sale so often. People are getting rid of
them for something better, and there's a lot of something betters out there,
IMO. Like almost everything else.

-cody

"bigskip" wrote in message
news:112990c0-a239-4771...@googlegroups.com...

[bigskip]

On Friday, October 5, 2012 10:53:02 PM UTC-4, bigskip wrote:

I am really "on the fence" with this idea. I actually passed on a decent one last year with an extra playfield (and both playfields had good out holes). Could have bought that one for $500 cash and still couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger.

We have a Slugfest in the collection already and I pretty much figure this would be like Slugfest (just sits until people come over then gets played to death). I just really am not sure what to think.

I love the idea of something different but yet we already have a dozen or more machines finished and folded up we don't have room to have in the gameroom. Stuff we don't want to sell but just don't have room for. So how do you justify space for something like Orbitor 1 but I also think it is cool because it is so different than a "normal pinball".

This one has been driving me crazy for months now and figured I would just toss it out to everyone to get some thoughts on it!

Thanks Guys! Keep it coming!

[timne...@gmail.com]

On Friday, October 5, 2012 10:53:02 PM UTC-4, bigskip wrote:

Since you're in no rush, I'd say perhaps your best bet might be to wait for
another good buy to come along where you know you wouldn't get hurt
when or if you sold/traded it off.

[bigskip]

On Friday, October 5, 2012 10:53:02 PM UTC-4, bigskip wrote:

I am kind of at the point of "another good buy" on this right now. The one guy I have been talking to about the Orbitor with chip at out hole is willing to work a trade with me on a regular pinball machine. I want to be fair with him but fair with me also so I am trying to figure out what value machine would be a fair trade for a decent Orbitor with some minor damage around out hole.

I feel like he is trying to be fair with his price but yet he doesn't want to give the machine away. At the same time I really hate to trade a machine I can sell fairly easy for something like the Orbitor which I know has a limited appeal.

My thought is this might give me a better chance to decide if I want a really nice one or if I really don't "need" one in the collection. But once I have one with out hole damage - how hard will that be to sell and what can I get for it?

[seymour.shabow]

The problem with O1's with chipped outholes is that it just gets worse.
AFAIK you can fix the outhole, but it won't be a clear repair.
(What's needed to protect it is a funnel type thing, that would have to
recess slightly into the outhole to make it flush).

Orbitor one's are not difficult to sell at all as lots of people want to
own a novelty machine. Like I said in my other response, if you have
the space for it, do it. I myself can't justify the space when I have
so many other machines' I'd actually play regularly instead.

On a sort of related trivia note, it drives me crazy when websites,
magazines and books claim that O1's frenetic action is due to magnets
under the playfield. ARGH!!! They're spinning bumpers, one clockwise
and the other counterclockwise (although I forget which is which in the
playfield)

That reminds me of another thing to check out on an o1 - the spinner
bumper, if it's really hard rubber (most are over time) the action will
not be as good. I think Captain Neo was trying to see about
replacements getting made but I sold my 2 before I'd heard anything
about that.

[Matt Rasmussen]

Nobody wants them, I played a few games at the local pinball place and
while it's entertaining it doesn't last.


--
Matt Rasmussen
This USENET post sent from http://rgparchive.com

[Gott Lieb?]

I would buy a big ball bowler instead. :)

Jim

--
Gott Lieb?

[bigskip]

On Friday, October 5, 2012 10:53:02 PM UTC-4, bigskip wrote:

Jim,

HELP!!! This one really has me thinking a lot. I know I have to get over Orbitor or just buy one but this will be one of the hardest machine I have ever bought regardless of the price.

Does Lloyd still have all those Ball Bowlers? Still keep thinking about those also! But the SPACE!!! - I just don't know. Want to buy a dozen pins back?

[Beechwood]

I remember playing it as a kid on location. Hated it.

I played it again at Expo '08 and loved it.

If you have a decent size collection, I would get say get one. It is
not going to get the repeated play of the others, but it is nice to have
the variety.

Its like sushi... its great to have once in a while, but not every day.


--
Beechwood

Joel
HIOP
"Hey, Its Only Pinball!!"

[nwojedi]

I love O1. It's so unique and everyone that comes over that's never seen
one, is completely amazed by it. Way unique and way ahead of it's time.
Love unique games and this one is on top of the charts in that
department. If you have room for 15 games, it's definitely worth
owning. You can never have to much diversity in a collection.


--
nwojedi

* C a p t a i n N e o *
Pinball 'Playfield restoration' (http://www.playfieldrestoration.com)
service :D

[hugh]

If anyone has one of these for sale around the MD, VA or NCarea let me
know, I'd like to find one for sale.

I think it is a really unique, fun game to play.

Hugh


--
hugh

[Terry Cumming]

> HELP!!! This one really has me thinking a lot. I know I have to get over Orbitor or just buy one but this will be one of the hardest machine I have ever bought regardless of the price.

You are over-thinking this. Just buy it and play it and have fun with it, then sell it when you are bored. As others point out it is popular and easy to sell.

I enjoyed mine for several years because it requires different flipper tactics than any other game.

Terry Cumming

[roc-noc]

I'm looking for a Collector Quality O1 in the Chicago area. No outhole
damage. I have passed on a number of them with chipped outholes.

Tom


--
roc-noc

[Frank Furhter]

Not worth owning long.

[Big12bus]

Just fix the out hole with clear fiber glass resin.

Bill

[Big12bus]

Fun game and worth owning. Maybe not long term but definitely get it.

Bill

[dothedoo]

Found a machine for $500 with a spare playfield, both with no outhole
damage and you couldn't pull the trigger?

I call that a sign.

Bill Stahly

[Aeneas - www.flippers.be]

It's a great machine. Had one for a few years now.
Needs to be in a collection. Always popular when you get guests over (pinball and non-pinball players).
Yes there's skill involved and you can learn to play it.
If you don't often get visitors over and play on your own, then better pass, there are more fun games to fill the room.

Aeneas.
-- http://www.flippers.be

[nwojedi]

a sign of stupidity? that extra playfield is worth over $500 by
itself. I would pay $500 for a new bowl in a second.

--
nwojedi

* C a p t a i n N e o *
Pinball 'Playfield restoration' (http://www.playfieldrestoration.com)
service :D

[Frank Furhter]

nwojedi wrote:
> dothedoo;2004745 Wrote:
>> Found a machine for $500 with a spare playfield, both with no outhole
>> damage and you couldn't pull the trigger?
>>
>> I call that a sign.
>>
>> Bill Stahly
>
> a sign of stupidity? that extra playfield is worth over $500 by
> itself. I would pay $500 for a new bowl in a second.
>
>

Like a gumball machine shaped like a pin game, the novelty quickly wares
thin and folks move on. Novelty, yes, collectable and playable over and
over again, not even close.

[stevenp]

bigskip;2004008 Wrote:
> I am really "on the fence" with this idea. I actually passed on a
> decent one last year with an extra playfield (and both playfields had
> good out holes). Could have bought that one for $500 cash and still
> couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger.
>

Can you put me in touch with this seller?


--
stevenp

[bigskip]

I could make all of this into a very long story but for now I have to give everyone the short version.

Basically the one I "passed on" was more like I lost track of. I sold the guy an EM arcade machine and he told me he had the Orbitor & an extra playfield. He wasn't ready to sell at the time but told me I could have it for $500 once he got it dug out. Then I actually lost track of his contact info. So in a way - I didn't actually pass on it but it passed me by.

The one I have a deal in the works on right now is on the high side of my price range but I still think I want it. I was really hoping I would be able to hook up with the $500 guy at some point but almost a year has passed and I have had no luck. So now it is time to decide if I want to spend serious money for an Orbitor.

[Frank Furhter]

You don't. Its like the child you wish you had, willing to go through
adoption for the ideal one, and then find out it is not better and
likely worse than the one you have right in front of you. Enjoy the
machine you have, the one you just finished and can tweek and fine tune.
This unless you have to polish a turd. Seriously, its a fun game for
1-2 rounds and then it loses its luster very quicly. Leave the child to
die in the hands of a much more appreciative family, one in another
land, another time, the land of the lost.