Sources
OPDB and IPDB and Flipcommons Catalog contributed to this record.
Conflicts resolved (1 field)
- gameplay_feature
- IPDB Kick-Out Holes ×3 used IPDB Passive Bumpers ×5 used IPDB Pop Bumpers ×2 used IPDB Flippers ×2 used
Sources agree (9 fields)
- display_type
- backglass-lights OPDB, Flipcommons Catalog
- technology_generation
- electromechanical OPDB, IPDB, Flipcommons Catalog
- player_count
- 1 OPDB, IPDB, Flipcommons Catalog
- month
- 2 OPDB, IPDB, Flipcommons Catalog
- year
- 1951 OPDB, IPDB, Flipcommons Catalog
- opdb_id
- GRB6P-MDEed OPDB, Flipcommons Catalog
- name
- Thing OPDB, Flipcommons Catalog
- credit
- Roy Parker — Art IPDB, Flipcommons Catalog
- ipdb_id
- 2531 IPDB, Flipcommons Catalog
Single source (9 fields)
- opdb.images
- OPDB [{"type":"backglass","urls":{"large":"https://img.opdb.org/0cf1937b-1fbd-4ff3-988d-fc7814368d5e-large.jpg","small":"https://img.opdb.org/0cf1937b-1fbd-4ff3-988d-fc7814368d5e-small.jpg","medium":"https://img.opdb.org/0cf1937b-1fbd-4ff3-988d-fc7814368d5e-medium.jpg"},"sizes":{"large":{"width":792,"height":867},"small":{"width":228,"height":250},"medium":{"width":584,"height":640}},"title":null,"primary":true},{"type":"playfield","urls":{"large":"https://img.opdb.org/f014ed79-a1e0-4dde-9ce4-ef42be30a948-large.jpg","small":"https://img.opdb.org/f014ed79-a1e0-4dde-9ce4-ef42be30a948-small.jpg","medium":"https://img.opdb.org/f014ed79-a1e0-4dde-9ce4-ef42be30a948-medium.jpg"},"sizes":{"large":{"width":696,"height":1080},"small":{"width":161,"height":250},"medium":{"width":412,"height":640}},"title":null,"primary":true}] used
- ipdb.corporate_entity_name
- IPDB Chicago Coin Machine Manufacturing Company used
- ipdb.image_urls
- IPDB ["https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/Overall_view.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/Playfield.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-1.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-2.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-3.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-4.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-5.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-6.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-7.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-8.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-9.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-10.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-11.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-12.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-13.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-14.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-15.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-16.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-17.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-18.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-29.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-28.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-20.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-27.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-25.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-21.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-22.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-19.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-36.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-37.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-38.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-39.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-34.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-44.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-45.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-46.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-47.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-48.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-43.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-A19.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-A22.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-A21.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-A20.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-23.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-A25.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-24.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-A27.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-26.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-A28.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-A29.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-42.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-41.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-40.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-30.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-31.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-32.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-35.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-33.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-B19.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-B20.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-49.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-50.jpg","https://www.ipdb.org/images/2531/image-51.jpg"] used
- ipdb.notes
- IPDB The schematic diagram is dated 21 Mar '51 but sample games began shipping to distributors in February 1951 per Billboard Feb-24-1951 page 65. Phil Harris released a song called "The Thing" in October 1950 which became a novelty hit for many weeks. It's the story of someone who finds a box on the beach and is vehemently shunned by anyone to whom he tries to show its contents. The actual contents of the box were never identified, as far as we know, but NBC-TV had a Christmas 1950 promotion to give it a different meaning, suggesting it represented the seasonal desire to help the needy. Harris was slated to appear on numerous TV shows during the month prior to Christmas Eve, to provide a clue as to the song's meaning. used
- ipdb.notable_features
- IPDB Flippers (2), Pop bumpers (2), Passive bumpers (5), Kick-out holes (3), Blocking gate between flippers. Sound: 2 bells, knocker. The five T-H-I-N-G bumpers are lit at start of play, and each goes dark when hit. Hitting all five bumpers in any order causes the knocker to operate three times in sequence, the bumpers then reset, and the Thing Score in the lower playfield advances one time. Hitting either side rollover will complete the T-H-I-N-G bumpers, which then repeats the above actions (three knocks, reset, increment Thing Score). The three knocks occur in a certain cadence as determined by the spacing of the teeth on a cam in the motor. One cycle of the motor, or 50,000 points, takes only one-quarter turn. Hence, this cam has twelve teeth on its perimeter to account for all four cycles. The top cam of the motor has only one tooth on its entire perimeter and its purpose is to kick the center kick-out hole (inside the playfield box). When a ball drops into the hole, the motor runs and gives 50,000 points until the top cam operates its kick switch. Depending on where that cam happens to be positioned, the hole gives one through four cycles (50K through 200K) as a Mystery Score. Each 50,000-point cycle runs the knocker sequence. Therefore, at its optimal condition, the hole awards 200,000 points and four knocker sequences (twelve knocks). Each Mystery Score awarded will also increment the Thing Score, but only once, regardless of the number of cycles that occurred. The T and G are the only pop bumpers and are marked with the "Boom Boom Boom" text on the playfield, but they do not operate the knocker sequence. Incidentally, neither of them have an end-of-stroke switch. The two side rollovers light briefly for special when the player�s score is at specific thresholds as set by the operator on the score unit. The "liberal" setting turns on the specials at 2,000,000 points, turns them off at 2,100,000 points, turns then on again at 3,000,000 points, and turns them off again at 3,100,000 points. We do not know the "conservative" setting point values. The V-shaped blocking gate between the flippers, in its raised position, allows balls to pass under it and drain. A large playfield insert marked "Keep Out Of Here" will light to warn the player when the gate is open and the flipper gap is present. Only when it is in a lowered position does it block the balls, routing them to either flipper. A rollover at the top of the shooter lane lowers the blocking gate each time the ball is shot into play. The gate remains lowered until two multiples of 100,000 are reached in the player�s score for the ball in play. For instance, when the first ball is shot into play, the player�s score is zero, and when the score reaches 200,000 points, the gate will raise. If the second ball is shot into play with the player�s score at 390,000 points, the rollover again drops the gate, but the gate will raise once the score reaches 400,000 points, a difference of only 110,000 points (not 200,000). Thus, the starting score for each ball will determine how many points will raise the gate. This may be an operator-adjustable feature; our information is incomplete on that. The two passive bumpers in the lower playfield light for 100,000 points when the 10,000 unit is at 50,000 and/or 100,000, depending upon an operator adjustment. The "conservative" setting makes the bumpers light only at each 50,000 point level. Regardless of the setting, the bumpers stay on once the blocking gate rises to open the flipper gap. Replays can be earned from high scores, from the Thing Score, and from the side rollover specials. The knocker does not sound when replays are awarded. used
- ipdb_rating
- IPDB 8.5 used
- corporate_entity
- Flipcommons Catalog chicago-coin-machine-manufacturing-company used
- title
- Flipcommons Catalog thing used
- slug
- Flipcommons Catalog thing used