Alright, folks, let’s talk about my little adventure with the 1980 Williams Black Knight pinball machine. I’ve always been into these old-school games, and the Black Knight, man, it’s a classic! So I finally got my hands on one, and let me tell you, figuring out the rules was a trip.
Getting Started
First, I tried to find some solid info on how the game actually works. I found some old rulesheets floating around, but they were kinda confusing. One was by this guy, Ray Johnson, and it was based on some earlier notes by Larry DeMar. I gotta say it wasn’t super clear, but it gave me some basic ideas, like locking balls on the upper playfield.
Digging Deeper
Then I found some kind of installation manual, it was an original, in a blue cover. It had some setup stuff and pointed me to a bigger Williams Solid State Flipper Maintenance Manual. Honestly, it was too much technical stuff for me, I just wanted to play the game!
Virtual Testing
Next, I stumbled upon some virtual versions of the table. You know, the ones where you can play the game on your computer. They were cool, and they let me get a feel for the layout and some of the shots. There were these names, Destruk, Leo, and Jolo, who seemed to have worked on these virtual tables. I tried them and it was fun, but not like the real machine.
Community Insights
I also found some forums and websites dedicated to pinball. People were sharing their high scores, photos, and videos of their Black Knight machines. It was cool to see other people were still into this game. There were even some discussions about the history of the machine and how it was made. It was fun to dive into that, but what I really needed was a straightforward guide to playing the game.
Putting It All Together
So, after all that research, I started playing the actual machine. I experimented, trying different shots, seeing what lit up, and figuring out how to score points. It was a lot of trial and error, but slowly, I started to understand the rules. I figured out how to lock balls, how to get multiball, and how to activate different features on the playfield.
Honestly, the best way to learn was just by playing. Reading those old documents and playing the virtual tables gave me a little head start, but nothing beats getting your hands on the flippers and figuring it out for yourself.
- First step: Looked up info online. Found some confusing rulesheets.
- Next: Checked out a technical manual. Too complicated for me!
- Then: Tried virtual versions of the game. Helped a bit with the layout.
- After that: Found online communities. Cool, but not exactly what I needed.
- Finally: Played the real machine, learned by doing!
It was a fun journey, and now I can actually enjoy playing Black Knight without being totally lost. It’s a challenging game, but that’s what makes it so rewarding when you finally nail a good score.
So yeah, that’s my story of figuring out the 1980 Williams Black Knight. It wasn’t easy, but it was definitely worth it. If you’re into pinball, give it a shot! Just be prepared to spend some time figuring things out. It’s all part of the fun!