MIB tips for left and right hand lanes

[jwt129]

Rode today and the first drop down boy in the left lane was scoring points! The second drop down boy in the left lane must still be on vacation.
The EYES in the second story window in the Run For The Bug Section, that are easily shot from the right lane will score once and only once, no singing of the gun on this target at this time. Hey since they have not worked for what seems like forever, some is better than nothing.

Would have loved to meet you. Got in my first ride of 2010 late at the Halloween event. Was bemused to get 995,900. Oh well. Ditto on the good news about the first left drop down bug. I was also real happy that the fire hydrant worked as it hasn't on our last 2 trips. Baby carriage also seemed ok. Will do more rigorous testing all week if I can pry my wife away from Wizarding World.

 

[jwt129]

I was very surprised that a ride that has been around this long really does make changes. Perhaps the software has settings where it is easy to change the point values for a sensor. For the example I found this week, Frank now appears to be a repeater worth 8795 points for at least the first 2 shots (I may have transposed some digits, but it is a number under 10,000). A year ago in September 2009, Frank was worth exactly 30,000 points per hit for as many times as you could hit him (including the first hit). I confirmed this multiple times last year on multiple days. One time I even had a score of 408,XXX after the training area and Frank alone. I think I did count 10 hits on Frank that time and I had gotten just over 100,000 in the training area. Another possible example - The "tick-tock" alien on the lower right wall (inside of the right hand/inside track) was worth 7800 points on the first shot yesterday and I don't remember it being worth so much in the past. Now it's my preferred target when on the outside track. Have others noticed point value changes that aren't just sensors breaking and getting repaired? I'll post some more comments and questions after our trip.

 

[MIB999999]

IMO:
They have modified the game from what it was on the day it opened. I believe that while those that ride with us are amazed at our scores. Those in the booth and those that determine the overall experience for the ride, are not amused by those of us that get all 9's.

I believe they have lessened point values to make it so not as many can max out. Maxing out from the right track, is tough now, and in the past the right track was the easiest to max out on. Exhaust port sweet spots are smaller and sometimes on the side, sometimes dead on, In the old days the whole lit up exhaust port area gave you points. Is it wear and tear, less sensors in the exhaust port?

While i find it frustrating, it also serves to keep me alert and move from a non-scoring target, to continue to max out.

 

[donaldduck352]

After reading this thread for over 3yrs,I have yet to max out!!

I still beat everyone on the ride,but the 999,999 has been untouchable to me so far!!

 

[bubba's mom]

When we were there Columbus weekend (w/ no kids), we were a car of 4 (me, DH, BIL & SIL) vs another car of 4.

At the end, the other car's avg score was 43,000.

Ours was 430,000.

 

[jwt129]

IMO:
They have modified the game from what it was on the day it opened. I believe that while those that ride with us are amazed at our scores. Those in the booth and those that determine the overall experience for the ride, are not amused by those of us that get all 9's.

I believe they have lessened point values to make it so not as many can max out. Maxing out from the right track, is tough now, and in the past the right track was the easiest to max out on. Exhaust port sweet spots are smaller and sometimes on the side, sometimes dead on, In the old days the whole lit up exhaust port area gave you points. Is it wear and tear, less sensors in the exhaust port?

While i find it frustrating, it also serves to keep me alert and move from a non-scoring target, to continue to max out.

Ditto your comments on the right track. Last year when Frank was at 30k and the sensors in the ambush were working, it was pretty easy to max. I can only do it now if I get a lot of points on the opposition exhaust port.

I like your theory about fewer sensors in the exhaust ports. If they originally had sensors on the front and on the sides, they could have taken out some of them over the years. I was told 2 years ago by a ride operator that the sensors in the BIG bug had been cannibalized to replace sensors in other parts of the ride. I don't know if that's true, but it does seem possible. It also seems like a very bad change as the "story" of the ride and true rookie guest enjoyment would be better if the sensors in the Big Bug were still there and functioning. Everybody would get a better score and be happier. It would also make it a strategic decision whether or not to go for the bonus.

If it used to be a lot easier to hit the exhaust ports more consistently from the front and the sides, many of the cars now only having some of their sensors could explain that. I have experienced cars where they only seem to score from the side.

If the ride decision makers think they need to make it tougher on the "Best of the Best" to make it more fun for more guests, I think they are wrong. Maybe they have survey data saying that guests are frustrated when they see someone else get 999,999, but my experiences were pretty positive with "Rookies" asking how I did it and then wanting to try it themselves. If a guest is going to be mad that someone else got 999,999, they are still going to be mad even if it is only 750,000. Personally, I'd prefer it work more consistently. I suspect most of the changes are due to maintenance issues versus ride "tuning" but Frank does seem to be an example of tuning. It's fine with me if they want to mess with the point values, but I wish all the sensors would at least be in place and work at some point value. It's a really GREAT ride and worth maintaining properly. I think MIB is MUCH better than the Buzz Lightyear ride or even Toy Story Mania.

Has anyone ever found a target changed to 30,000 or 15,350 that used to be worth less?

 

[CPA_ESQ.]

going down this weekend and will give these tips a try

Thanks for posting them - and I will let you all know how I make out

 

[MIB999999]

The drop down boy in the right hand lane is working as well.

 

[MIB999999]

got my best with 2 guns today. 999,999 on gun one and 648,800 on gun 2. This was done with all cars running and occupied. I had the ADA car back row all to myself

 

[phamton]

Congratulations! I haven't been able to get that high on the second gun since the sensors stopped working on the big, big bug.

 

[MIB999999]

in the ambush on the right track, the sensors that use to be dead ahead in the venitian blind window behind the head of the alien spinning in the barrel are gone. I can see any sensors on the ringleader and it does not unflod fast enough before you spin to get a good shot any way. The ambush area on the right side is a dry well as far as points go at this point in time. Will be there 1/15 and or 1/16 to stay in top form.

 

[cigar95]

A question for our major experts here, several of whom are still (and recently) active in the thread - the original instructions were written way back in 2001, and I know that a lot has changed since then. How much of those instructions are still valid?

I think that the drop-down guys were one major change since the original tips, along with things breaking down or being replaced or re-adjusted.

A basic question - if I'm looking for a sensor, what do they look like? Are they easy for someone who isn't intimately familiar with the ride to see? In the heat of the battle, it's hard to remember the instructions, so maybe it's best to just know how to find the sensors on the fly.

Any chance we can edit or update the original posts with the latest tips? (I visit USF about every third year, and re-reading the whole thread takes longer each time.)

My best is a measly 435k or so - it would be cool to break 500k on my visit at the end of the month.

 

[phamton]

Some of the sensors, you can see and others are hidden. On the ones you can see, it looks like a computer chip, silver square with several dots on it. The chip is about 3" by 3 ".

 

[cigar95]

Thanks, Bev.

 

[MIB999999]

A question for our major experts here, several of whom are still (and recently) active in the thread - the original instructions were written way back in 2001, and I know that a lot has changed since then. How much of those instructions are still valid?

I think that the drop-down guys were one major change since the original tips, along with things breaking down or being replaced or re-adjusted.

A basic question - if I'm looking for a sensor, what do they look like? Are they easy for someone who isn't intimately familiar with the ride to see? In the heat of the battle, it's hard to remember the instructions, so maybe it's best to just know how to find the sensors on the fly.

Any chance we can edit or update the original posts with the latest tips? (I visit USF about every third year, and re-reading the whole thread takes longer each time.)

My best is a measly 435k or so - it would be cool to break 500k on my visit at the end of the month.

I went back and re read the handbook, with the info provided and some practice you can score 999,999. The ride has not been remodeled. The drop down boys were mentioned in the original as something to shoot. If you have used the handbook and can hit 999,999 then your self imposed pressure will be gone and you can explore alternative targets and find other possibilities in case some sensors are not working. The hand book is just as current today as the day it was started as a method to get 999,999 that works.

 

[MIB999999]

You do not read the whole thread to understand and implement the handbook. I find i vary my target selection based on where i am sitting in the car, who is blocking my shot sitting next to me, ect. Since most of my targets are not ignored or on the second floor, i have lots of options. I can tell when someone has read a handbook by the number of dots on a good target.

 

[cigar95]

Well, I should follow up on last week's visit. Although still a piker, I was able to improve my best score to 473k, and a few other scores in the 350-370 range.

Interestingly, my last two runs I had 60k and 58k in the training run, which puts me right up there with the big guys according to the handbook, even though I wasn't really confident I was firing at the right guys.

In the Crash Site and Ambush areas, I am getting better at spotting targets in the windows. And I used to shoot the eyes before the scan just once each, now I paid attention and benefited from multiple hits.

I had a lot of trouble with four-stalks - as I couldn't really see anything that looked like a sensor between the two eyes. And I never did manage to see Frank, no matter where I sat.

Also didn't have a lot of luck with the exhaust ports - I think I got maybe two or three hits per run, whereas in past visits I seemed to be able to "lock on" much better. Can we hit the port on *any* car in view, or are we restricted to the ones that we are paired with? Late in the game, I tried firing at some that were just coming out of the scan.

Considering that I only visit about every three years, and get maybe 6-8 runs through the ride in that time, I suppose 473k isn't bad. But this is my favorite attraction anywhere, and I'd love to get a lot better.

 

[MIB999999]

Four stalks after the training area now gets you nothing!!

frank is sitting on the news stand on the wall on the right side of the right track. The sensor is on the buckle / bow on his collar. Due to the car rotation he is very hard to hit multiple times.

cigar95: next time you are down, put out the word and maybe it will work with someones schedule to meet up with you.

I have a suggestion for those that want to see how those that max out do it. If you really want to know, do not do single riders. ride together, student DO NOT SHOOT! sit, watch, remember and learn.

When i was first starting out, i quickly realized you can not learn while you are shooting. Ride and watch once or twice and then go single riders and implement what you have just learned and make it a habit.

 

[cigar95]

Four stalks after the training area now gets you nothing!!

Thanks for the feedback - maybe I got my terminology wrong.

At the very beginning of the crash site, there's an alien with four eyes. I think I remember that the instructions say to hit him between the front pair of eyes and keep him popping up and down. But I didn't see anything there that looked like a sensor.

If they would just put this attraction in at Universal Hollywood, I'd be all over it. But with the movies now being a decade old, that's probably not happening.

Coming back to USF will probably be another three years, if the patterns hold. I might be able to swing a one-day visit next February and just focus on MIB training. (Now that I know that WWoHP isn't anything I need to see again, no need for a park-hopper.)

 

[MIB999999]

we are talking about the same alien. Look close, right between the front set of eyes, dead center and slightly forward and you will see a slightly darker round area about the size of a nickel. that is the sensor.