In this post I want to go deep with my favorite Bally electromechanical flipper game: Capersville
Bally Capersville was released in December 1966. It was designed by Ted Zale with artwork by Jerry K. Kelley. At the time Capersville was Bally's highest production electromechanical game, since Bally restarted it's pinball production in the late 50's, with 5120 units. The impressive production figure was surpassed in 1973 by Monte Carlo with 5254 units. Despite the high production figures, Capersville is a very hard to find game today, or at least hard to find here in Canada.
Capersville is a 3 ball multiball game. It was the Multiball follow up to 1963 Bally Star-Jet, being a 3 ball multi-ball game and incorporated the 4 step free ball escape assembly used in 1964 Bally Mad World. The grandmother of Bally Multiball games is Balls-A-Poppin.
Capersville combines gameplay elements of Star-Jet, with the two captive ball saucers at the top of the playfield and the 4 step free ball escape device of Mad World.
As a side note the same captive ball saucer configuration was used for 1970 Bally Big Valley, another EM multiball game.
I think Capersville is the EM flipper pin game with the most features, or at least the most complex features ever released. Later I will focus on one feature: the 4 deep caper feature.
Capersville's artwork by Jerry K. Kelley is inspired by Jean-Luc Godard's 1965 film Alphaville:
The plot follows agent Lemmy Caution, on a mission to Alphaville. The mission: to repatriate or eliminate the architect of the Alphaville society. Alphaville is a technocratic society where everyone is controlled by the central computer Alpha 60. Everyone has a serial number and everyone must behave within the parameters of Alpha 60's logic. People who cannot adapt become outcasts in the society and are pressured to commit suicide or simply executed. People who do comply with alpha 60, but who for one reason or another act illogically, are executed publicly.
For the rest of the story, you have to watch the film.
Béatrice, séductrice d'ordre 3. In front of an AMI Continental. Notice the serial number on the left shoulder.
Personally I love the movie. It's filmed like someone who draws building plans, or EM schematics, on the back of an envelope. Quick and dirty. A science-fiction dystopia. It's a noteworthy example of the French New Wave film movement and I find the film to have a powerful message in context to today's society. "Sauvez ceux qui pleurent" agent Dickson said.
In both the style and in the theme, we can see art elements that are picked up by Jerry Kelley from the film and it's many movie posters:
Pointy people: (A Jerry K. Kelley art style purloined by Christian Marche)
This one might be debatable, but the influence is definitely there... Alphaville was released May 5th 1965, Capersville was released December 1966 BUT Kelley's first pinball offering with pointy people art was Williams Pot-O-Gold released June 30th 1965. When was Pot-O-Gold's artwork conceived? I do not know... but it's less than two months apart:
The central element of the backglass but with inverted roles and hats....
Lemmy Caution (Eddie Constantine) with hat and trench-coat.
Tapered big block letters. Vertical instead of horizontal letters on the backglass art
The rest of the Capersville's art alludes to themes of spying (concealed guns, decoders) and science fiction themes of the submarine ship and "Zap" of the code zapper.
The very name: Capersville, a caper by definition: "an activity or escapade, typically one that is illicit or ridiculous"
As a side note: I have a theory to the purple female character in the background of the backglass art that looks like she is doing a backflip is the main character one the backglass of The Wiggler, the multiball follow up to Capersville, but this theory could be expanded into a whole other post. One day maybe...
The 4 deep Caper feature:
But first an explanation of how the multiball gameplay of Capersville works:
Capersville is a 3 ball multiball game. That means that up to 3 balls can be in play simultaneously.
There are two ways to achieve the multiball:
By way of the two top captive ball saucers
OR
By way of the 4 deep caper.
However, the 3 ball multiball is only possible with the top captive ball saucers, and the captive ball saucers can lock balls only if there is no ball in the 4 deep caper alley.
So you lock a ball in one of the captive saucers. The machine feeds another ball to the shooter lane to play.
The second ball can be locked in the second captive ball saucer and a third ball is fed to the shooter lane to play.
Hitting the white mushroom bumper frees the captive balls from the saucers.
At any point if you hit the mushroom bumper it releases the locked balls in the saucers. Doesn't matter if there's one or two locked balls. Doesn't matter if it's the left or the right captive ball saucer. Doesn't matter if you are already in a multiball. Hitting the white mushroom bumper releases locked ball(s) and a 2 or 3 ball multiball is initiated.
Now Capersville has a very brutal layout and the multiball will quickly become a multidrain but once in a while, you get a really good multiball and when that happens it's sublime.
If during a 3 ball multiball you lock a ball in one of the top saucers or in the 4 deep caper alley, that ball is locked and you now have a 2 ball multiball.
If you have a 2 ball multiball and you lock a ball it does not release the third ball to the shooter lane. Locking a ball in one of the top saucers or in the 4 deep caper alley during a 2 ball multiball ends the multiball.
Now for the 4 deep caper alley:
The gate to the 4 deep caper is open only if there are no locked balls in the top saucers and no ball in the alley.
Once you shoot a ball into the alley, the gate at the entrance of the alley closes and a small diverter closes just in case a second ball somehow makes it into the entrance to the alley it is diverted to the shooter lane.
As long as there is a ball in the 4 deep caper alley, balls cannot be locked into the top saucers. If a ball makes it into one of the top saucers it is automatically kicked out. There can be only one ball in the 4 deep caper alley.
It is called the 4 deep caper because to release the ball, you have to hit the mushroom bumper 4 times. Each time, the ball progresses deeper in the alley until it is finally released to the shooter lane.
The rollover switch for when the ball is released by the 4 deep.
The ball in the 4 deep caper carries over from player to player and from game to game.
Some might argue the 4 deep caper does not lead to a multiball since the ball is returned to the shooter lane, not directly into play. I can't be bothered... To me it's a multiball.
As another side note, a 3 step free ball escape assembly was used in Bally Four Million B.C. for the "Tar Pit". The unit works the exact same way but with 3 steps instead of 4. With 4MBC you can still lock a ball in "The Volcano" even if you have a ball trapped in the Tar Pit. Furthermore, after 3 steps the ball is released to the playfield instead of the shooter lane.
How does the 4 deep caper feature work:
First a diagram from the Bally parts catalogue
Here's how it looks inside the machine
The 4 step free ball escape assembly (every time I type "free ball" Free Bird starts playing in my head)
A series of asymmetrical "horse shoes" each with an off centre pivot. The "horse shoes" are linked to an arm by way of a second pivot point. The arm is connected to the solenoid plunger. When the solenoid is energized, it pulls the arm. The arm rocks the horse shoes, allowing the ball to go down the alley one step at a time. At the other end of the mechanism there is a spring that pulls the arm to its rest position when the solenoid isn't pulling.
A closeup of the diverter unit called the 2nd Ball trap solenoid in the schematic.
The Free Ball gate relay (... knows I can't change...) that opens and closes the gate, drives the light indicating the gate is open and energizes the 2nd ball trap solenoid.
So how does it works?
To better understand, we have to see Capersville as having 2 modes: Normal mode and 4 deep caper mode.
Normal mode is when there is no ball in the 4 deep caper alley. Balls can be locked in the top saucers. The white mushroom bumper in this mode ejects the balls from the captive saucers.
The 4 deep caper mode is when there is a ball in the 4 deep caper alley. The white mushroom bumper in this mode advances the ball through the alley and balls cannot be locked in the top left and right saucers.
What toggles the game between both modes is the Captive Ball interlock relay.
When a ball enters the alley it rolls over a rollover switch that momentarily energized the trip coil locking the relay . The game is now in 4 deep caper mode.
As the ball exits the alley it rolls over another rollover switch that momentarily energizes the latch coil. The actuator is released and the game goes back to normal mode.
The ball advance solenoid is energized momentarily by the white mushroom bumper relay by way of the captive ball interlock relay.
The white mushroom bumper relay is energized by the white mushroom bumper switch. The w.m.b. relay has a hold in circuit, keeping the relay energized until the normally closed score motor 10C switch is momentarily opened. Pretty simple.
I think we have gotten to the bottom of the 4 deep caper of Capersville. If you have the chance to play Capersville, I strongly recommend it. It's a very difficult game so it's not for everyone. Now go play some pinball. Enjoy!
Maybe it's cabin fever from self isolating, but lately I've been playing this game a lot. Maybe it's from recently repairing and playing a Gottlieb contemporary of Spark Plugs... Chinatown. Games from that ear have their distinctive feel to them.
I just have this... I wouldn't say fixation, but interest for electro-mechanical horse racing games lately (not the pure mechanical ones tho).
I have Spark Plugs on the "B side" of the basement arcade. In normal times, I never think about this game, but these are not normal times.
Spark plugs has inverted impulse flippers. I like those. They give a whole other dimension to the flipper thing, you need to time your shots and flip wisely. Also, you can play the game one handed for ease of beverage consumption.
I just love seeing those cardboard nags advance step by step every time their respective pop bumper (or rollover) is hit.
Spark Plugs and Sea Jockeys share the distinction of having Win, Place and Show selections. Selections are pseudo randomised as the game starts during the reset cycle. Selections are changed with top center rollover also. Your selections need to cross the finish line in order to keep playing and win replays.
I really like the 3 selection feature, it adds a bit of a challenge once you get the first horse across the finish line, you want to keep playing and win more replays.
Win selection across the finish line scores 2 replays.
Place selection second across the finish line scores an additional 3 replays.
Show selection across the finish line third scores and additional 20 replays.
For a grand total of 25 replays.
All other horses crossing the finish line at any time during the game ends game.
25 Replays! That's not much compared to the bingo machines of the same era. However, I heard rumors that back in the day those horsey games were used for betting. Patrons would put money on on a horse with someone playing the game. Off game betting? That's possible...
The machine does have panel score display, but these scores are useless really.
The machine doesn't have a mechanical replay display. But the colored dots at the top of the backglass are backlit panels displaying the number of replays. On the underside of the cabinet. There's a knock off button.
I've had this game for a long time, since 2013... I was a different dude then... I was married, more hair, less beard and a lot less coin operated devices. Time flies! This game is rough cosmetically! But it works great, I've gone over this game a couple of times over the years.
Williams produced a bunch of horsey games in the early to mid 50's
Is it cabin fever, in these confined times, that drove me to re rubber Delta Queen?
Rubbers for Delta Queen
Why do I keep this game? Why do I keep playing Delta Queen? It's one of Bally's weakest pinball offerings of the 70's.
I didn't just re rubber the game... I freshened up the lamps too. Even did the ones under the top arch.
I have to admit it plays way better. As for looking better... it has more lights.
Freshened up Delta Queen
I'm grateful to be holed up at home with no kids, lots of beer and lots of pinball. But it does feel strange not to be able to go visit friends for public health reasons. Gives me lots of time to play and appreciate my games, instead of just repairing them.
Gratuitous shot of the Gameroom
Although I enjoy a bit of work / maintenance too.
Pinball repair vision
Playing bingo too.
3 in green scores 36: I'll take that
There should be a law for pinball repair... sorta like Murphy's Law but applied to pinball repair, it should go like this:
After repairing a pinball machine, and test playing it extensively, problems will reveal themselves once the playfield glass is re-installed.
Day five consisted of test and tune. Play, observe, fix, adjust and repeat.
Fun Fact: Front door is from a 1951 Gottlieb Globe Trotter
Here is a list of problems that was found during test play:
Changed a few more lamp sockets that fell apart shortly after being relamped.
Cleaned and lubricated the pivots on the slingshots, flippers and outhole flap.
"1" hole wouldn't register: Switch gapped too close would close and trip relay at reset due to vibration. Readjusted.
"I' dead bumper not lit: "I" trip relay would tip during reset from mechanical interference of shutter opening and closing. Moving a few wires solved this
"W" switch wouldn't register: Broken wire on the switch lug.
"8" hole would count up to infinity when capturing ball and trip relay wouldn't trip: cold solder on the coil's lug. Reflowed and good to go.
Stock trip bank coil lug picture, Not from Chinatown
21 light panel wouldn't light due to trip relay not tripping: again, cold solder on one the coil lug. Reflowed.
Gong... 21!
Game not resetting properly from time to time:
Some of the wiper fingers on the 100 000 point unit were a bit too worn out.
100 000 points unit
Causing the fingers to catch on one of the contact pads and the wiper not resetting completely to zero. The zero on the 100 000 unit closes a switch that allows the reset sequence to continue.
100 000 points unit at 0 closing switch
I found some good wiper fingers in my parts stash and swapped out the worn out ones.
Worn out wiper fingers. the tip isn't supposed to have a flat spot
Gameplay rules:
5 balls per play
C or A rollovers light pop bumpers
Completing C-H-I-N-A not in sequence lights the center top rollover to score replays.
Completing C-H-I-N-A-T-O-W-N, again not in sequence lights the bottom center rollover to score replays.
T-O-W-N
Any number hole combination that adds up to 21 scores 1 replay.
Trap holes... It's a trap
1-2-3-4-5 trap holes score 1 replay
5-6-7-8-9 trap holes score 1 replay
No out hole so the balls are played until every ball is trapped by the numbered holes.
Tilt ends game.
The chrome triangular flap at the bottom of the playfiels between the flippers is to evacuate ball(s) during game reset if game was previously tilted with free (non trapped) balls in play.
Personal Impressions:
Owning similar Williams games from the same era (Spark Plugs and Four Corners), I don't find Chinatown as fun as it's Williams counterparts. Maybe the comparison isn't fair, however. It doesn't have that "one more game" appeal. I did find myself wanting to play the game from time to time but I'm not sure if it was more for testing purposes than actual want to play.
The obvious gameplay objective is to score 21 and that feature is pretty cool. The machine adds up the trap hole values for you on the right side of the backglass under "Points". Maybe the 21 feature was a "skill game" kind of thing. Hitting a perfect 5 ball 21 would get you a beer or a cigar at the bar?
The real question:
Is it a gambling machine?
The flippers are anemic, they feel almost vestigial. The bottom slingshots, like in a late pre flipper game, or a later Bally Queens game makes the game lively. Makes you want to nudge the game to reveal the full power of those slingshots.
Slingshot
There is no out hole. In a game of skill, you have to risk losing the ball. With Chinatown, you bat around the ball until it is trapped by one of the numbered holes.
Hidden behind the flippers, handle to lift up the playfield carved in the wood apron.
It doesn't have a knock off button, but the credit unit reset coil has a special adjustment to fully reset to zero, so it's a bit of a clever work around. However, the credit unit only goes up to 26.
What do you think: Gambling machine or not? Or maybe light gambling?
I have the back door for the head. But my basement ceiling isn't high enough to reinstall it
