The IDEAS.md question (2026-10-16): "Can you search for the benchmark for story based vs trick
(short series of shots) vs individual toy based scoring?" Part of
the chain review's step 6 (S1; plans/story-review-chain.md, retired 2026-10-25, in git history - see README.md).
No published numbers. No rulesheet archive, forum or designer interview found gives a
percentage of score by source (story/modes vs combos vs toys) for a real machine. Rulesheets give
the values per shot, not the split of a game. The split has to be worked out per machine, which is
what our own simulation does (tools/sim/scoring.py).
What the designers and players agree on (qualitative):
- The path the game wants is the best-scoring path. Players call a game balanced when they
never have to ask "are we playing for fun or score?": the most efficient scoring is playing the
modes and reaching the wizard modes (Tron, Addams Family, STTNG, Metallica, Iron Man named as
good examples). "If you are ever timing out a mode, that means they didn't make it worth enough
points." (Tilt Forums thread)
- One repeatable shot that dominates is the classic imbalance (Star Wars' ramps, Earthshaker,
Police Force, Hurricane), dull in competition - but good for new players: Star Wars' ramps
that pay more each time teach a beginner what to do. (Bowen Kerins,
2014)
- Several viable routes are the mark of the best rules (Addams Family: multiball, modes or
the side shots), with risk/reward shots that pay off when made (same source).
tools/sim/scoring.py, 2,000 games per skill (2026-10-18, after the cube chain lost its pedestal step):
| Skill |
Story (tests, locks, multiballs, jackpots) |
Shots (each single shot's flat value: majors, drops, standups, Drp1) |
Toys (pops, slings, lanes and lane sets) |
| Beginner |
54% |
32% |
14% |
| Average |
68% |
25% |
7% |
| Expert |
85% |
13% |
2% |
- Point 1 holds: the story pays most, more so the better the player.
- The "trick" third of the question isn't measured: the simulation scores single shots and has
no category for a short series of shots (the ramp combo, the sling combo in docs/scoring.md 2
aren't in it). To answer story vs trick vs toy, the sim needs a combo model first (TODO.md).
- Point 2 is on our side for beginners: a beginner gets a third of their score from plain
shots, so "just shoot what's lit" is rewarded even before the story clicks - the beginner
friendliness the difficulty setting aims for. No single shot dominates (the toy table spreads
every chapter over 4-8 shots).
- Watch: the expert's 85% story share leaves tricks little weight; point 3 (several routes)
would argue for a combo route that stays worth it for an expert. Not a fork yet: no cabinet data.
- The targets (55-75% story for an average game, toys at most 15%) stay the owner's call
(docs/scoring.md section 8); this search found nothing that argues for moving them.
- Real shares need cabinet audits (
docs/scoring.md section 7, step 4).