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POST TIME
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The UK is unusual in the pinball markets around the world because in this country the game is legally deemed to be a game of chance. That might seem a trivial, if somewhat strange definition but in fact by deciding it is chance-based and not skill-based, the game is treated in similar ways to gaming machines such as slot (fruit) machines for legislative purposes. You may think that there is an obvious difference between slot machines and pinball machines - slot machines pay out - but the free game you can win from a pinball machine has a monetary value (the price of one game) and so can be treated in the same way. Gaming machines are tightly regulated and taxed, so a way was needed to make pinball very clearly a game of skill. The resulting solution first appeared on the game X-Files from Sega and although it was never adopted at Williams, it has continued to be used at Sega - and then Stern - until The Sopranos in 2005. It is called the UK All-Skill system and consists of two extra up-posts added to the game - one at the top of each outlane and shown arrowed below- and a large centre up-post between the flippers.
The posts are player-controlled using extra flipper buttons installed on the cabinet sides.
Pressing the left button raises the left up-post, the right button controlls the right one, while pressing both raises the centre post. The posts only raise for around half a second but can be re-raised as soon as they fall by repeatedly pressing the appropriate button.
The idea behind installing these extra posts is to always give the player a physical way to stop the ball from draining. If a ball does drain it is because the player didn't react quickly enough to raise the appropriate post. So, it now becomes a game of skill and not chance. While accepting their necessity, many pinball players frown at the use of these extra posts as they make the game too easy and stop the comparison of scores with other players around the world. Of course, adding this system to a regular pinball game is not a trivial job and not inexpensive either. The playfield has to be drilled to accept the posts, the cabinet needs the extra flipper buttons, the posts, solenoids and extra wiring need to be installed and the software needs to include the appropriate code to enable or disable the system. The large centre post also needs a decal to reproduce the missing playfield artwork. This all increases the price of new games in the UK. Although the system is required to meet the legal definition of a skill game, in practice many operators disable the posts when the games are on location. Apart from increasing ball time, when they are used on a ToPS tournament game it is possible for one player to play the game while their friends operate the posts, creating an unfair advantage over someone playing alone. The system is, ironically, more useful to home game owners as the posts add an extra dimension to the game and allow less skilled players the chance to play for a reasonable time. Experienced players can simply resist the temptation to reach for those extra buttons. Regardless of the pros and cons, from NASCAR onwards, the new siderail design ruled out the extra flipper buttons required and Stern stopped fitting the system to UK games. In addiditon, changes to UK legislation in 2005 meant a game which only awarded the opportunity to play again would no longer be classified as a gaming device and the system would not be needed.
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