Why don't Stern and Farsight team up to release their new tables on TPA?

[vikingerik]

While I deeply respect the fact that Stern keeps pinball alive and that they didnt't give up I have to say that I don't miss their tables. I don't exactly like them much, neither Ripleys nor HD. And IRL I recently played Iron Man, Tron, Spider Man, Elvis and X-Men, 30 to 50 games on each and they somehow don't make me so hooked up like tables from 20 years ago. They have everything, lights, ramps, loops, a ton of things on a playfield with more complex rules then late 80's and early 90's machines but still, to me they are somehow shallow.

This. I just can't get into most Sterns. I think a big part of it is the audiovisual package. Williams games have the most bombastic productions for things like multiball and jackpots and wizard modes. "Don'ttouchthedoor donttouchthedoor donttouchthedoor" ... "Joust Damsel MULTIBALL MADNESS!" ... "From Transylvania Square Garden, please welcome THE MONSTERS OF ROCK!" Stern games just don't have the same emotion, exuberance, joyous revelry. LOTR is the big giant exception, TSPP comes close, and a few others like POTC and Sopranos are acceptable.

But pretty much every Stern since about 2007 feels like a bland regurgitation of the licenses. With such tight licensor constraints, there's no room for Stern games to go BIG. Spider-Man and Dark Knight were where this really became noticeable. Fine pinballing with lots of speed and things to do. But so hollow in the multimedia department. Curbstomping a villain should POUND you with IMPACT - "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" But instead you just get some flat movie line and the screen says "1 more for multiball". Zzz.

Anyway, getting back to topic, I'd certainly buy and play new Stern games on TPA. But they've got a long way to go to replace Twilight Zone and Monster Bash.

 

[Baramos]

Revival of the 70s home pinball machines?

Actually Stern was/is trying to do that with smaller tables called "The Pin", they only have it in the Avengers and Transformers. They're about half price (2500). From what I understand the actual playfield is the same size but everything else has been made smaller. The only problem is that they made it hard to service them yourself by bolting down the playfield and a lot of people were returning them due to the fact that inevitably something goes wrong with them (after only a week in some cases) and I don't think Stern is making any money off of them.

Digital versions would probably make them more money in the long run.

 

[kinggo]

Anyway, getting back to topic, I'd certainly buy and play new Stern games on TPA. But they've got a long way to go to replace Twilight Zone and Monster Bash.

This. After all, I'm an addict. But yes, licenced tables are not exactly my favourites. There are some that I like but licenced theme is not a guarantee for a good game nor it is something that will make me play the game just because of the name of something that I like in some different form.

 

[Bowflex]

I have heard rumors of Big Juicy Melons possibly going into production. It is an EM game I believe. I do enjoy EM games but to a point I would prefer the early SS games to make a comeback. I do enjoy their primitive bells and whistles and artwork. The addictive table designs of early 80's from Bally, Williams, as well as Stern and Gottlieb would be very welcome.

 

[kinggo]

The only problem is that they made it hard to service them yourself by bolting down the playfield

Not that I have one, but as far as I know, bottom can be removed so it's like servicing a car And the whole thing is much lighter than the real thing so one can lay it on a side. But The Pin is serviceable just like the big brother is.

 

[brakel]

Not that I have one, but as far as I know, bootom can be removed so it's like servicing a car And the whole thing is much lighter than the real thing so one can lay it on a side. But The Pin is serviceable just like the big brother is.

Bootom?

 

[kinggo]

Fixed.
And if Stern is willing to supply spares.

 

[Daniel Osborne]

John popaduik posted this on Facebook....
Imagine what would happen if real life pinball designers were allowed to make digital tables?

 

[Jim O'Brien]

Think the only thing holding them back aside from technical things is the heavy licensing fees, a lot of new machines are all licensed themes.

 

[Kolchak357]

John popaduik posted this on Facebook....
Imagine what would happen if real life pinball designers were allowed to make digital tables?

Could this be a hint?

 

[Bowflex]

Could this be a hint?

Jpop said it was just a musing, not a tease.

 

[kinggo]

Think the only thing holding them back aside from technical things is the heavy licensing fees, a lot of new machines are all licensed themes.

does anyone have idea how much is licence cost in the price of a machine? I know that there's no exact number because it depends on the number of produced machines and that licence for X is not the same as licence for Y even if we are taliking about the same number of machines. But is it up to 5%, 10%......... more?
I have to say that I was never fan of lincenced tables. I mean, there are some great ones but the licence itself is not a guarantee for a good and fun table and the first thing that I think of when I see licenced table is "meh....not another one". OK, my approach to a licenced table is quite negative even before first game but yet, Stern insists only on licenced games.

 

[Kemetman72]

I was hoping for T3 when we were going for T2 now there's probably no chance of that. Simpson's Pinball Party all the way! After The Addam's Family of course.

 

[invitro]

My current hometown has literally zero pinball machines. Well I think there's a broken Party Zone but I don't consider that pinball. But my town -is- one of the large auction locations, so I get to play lots of machines for free one day every three months. The auction rarely has any of the great Golden Age WMS machines. It does always have several Sterns from 2000-present. This is where I played X-Men, Avengers, and AC/DC.

And they are the most boring machines I've ever played. Seriously. They have ZERO creativity. A small computer program could've designed these machines. They are akin to tables like Lethal Weapon (Data East 1992) and I am sure they will be remembered as such once they are no longer new; the money went for the license, and the rest of the design is just an average of recent tables.

After like five plays on these duds, I never want to play them again. If I will not play them as real machines for free, do you think I'd pay $5 to play them on computer? No way. I would buy Every Single One of the tables WMS made in the 1990s before these three... even Popeye, even Flintstones. And I've bought every TPA table; well, ok, through season passes, and for competition purposes I would probably buy even X-Men if Farsight made it. But I would be holding my nose. And I doubt my opinion is rare.

I really feel sadness and pity sometimes for people who started playing pinball since about 2005 (or whenever the 1990s WMS machines started getting rare).

 

[Kolchak357]

I'm just happy there is a company still making pins. I've played just about all of the newer Stern pins and enjoy a lot of them. AC/DC, Spider-man, Tron, POTC, LOTR, TSPP are all fun to play. If you would rather play Popeye than LOTR than maybe you are judging more by nostalgia than actual gameplay. I have great memories of playing classic pins with my friends that modern Stern pins can never replace, but it won't stop me from trying and enjoying a more modern pin.
I always wonder what Williams pins would look like today if they were still making pins. Bet the quality wouldn't be as good as it was in the early 90's. Most companies cut corners to turn a profit and stay alive.
It's a bummer that you can't find your favorites to play anymore. I really like Gottlieb EMs, so I know how you feel. At least TPA has a ton of classic Wlilliams/Bally pins to keep the fun alive for you.

 

[invitro]

I maybe shouldn't have been so harsh on Stern. It's mainly that I love the 1990s WMSs so much and the difference between them and the Sterns I've played seems so very large.

I will say that I only said I'd put Popeye ahead of X-Men, Avengers, and AC/DC. I haven't played LOTR, I don't think I've ever seen one, maybe once at an auction. The same for Spider-Man, POTC, TSPP, and Tron... I may have seen each of them maybe once. I think I played Tron once but wasn't impressed. I played RBioN and Elvis a lot in 2006-2008 but they paled in comparison to the MM that was between them at the arcade. I will try any table once, even five times, if it's working and clean, and I hope that I will able to give LOTR and TSPP a shot some day and even Metallica. (I don't think I will give Star Trek a chance as it looks like a Sears toy version of STTNG.) And I hope that I will get to try Wizard of Oz some day although I haven't seen much that indicates it's any better than the Sterns.

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

...This is where I played X-Men, Avengers, and AC/DC.

And they are the most boring machines I've ever played. Seriously. They have ZERO creativity. A small computer program could've designed these machines. They are akin to tables like Lethal Weapon (Data East 1992) and I am sure they will be remembered as such once they are no longer new; the money went for the license, and the rest of the design is just an average of recent tables.

I'll join you in hating on X-Men and Avengers, but AC/DC ranks up there with Lord of the Rings and The Simpsons' Pinball Party. It looks simple, because Ritchie wanted it to be a fast "flow" machine and you can't do that if you've got everything and the kitchen sink on the playfield. And you can play it that way if you want and have a grand old time.

Or you can look a little deeper and discover Lyman's layer-upon-layer-upon-layer-cake of a ruleset, and suddenly a whole world of strategic play opens up before you. Do I go to the lower playfield right away or do I risk another bell shot to get 2X scoring first? Do I go with Thunderstruck because it's next in the Album Multiball rotation for song bonus or do I give up those potential points and go with a less deadly song? I've been playing Highway to Hell for a while and jacked the song shot scoring up, do I stay with it or is it time to change the song? And so on and so forth...

Plus, the ability to choose the mode you want and play for as long as you want is very refreshing. I wouldn't want every machine this way, but it's nice to be free from the tyranny of the "X shots in Y seconds" timed modes for a change.

Read here (For Those About to Rock: AC/DC Premium/LE v1.65 Ruleset) and then give AC/DC another try. I think you'll like it better.

 

[foxystyle]

I wonder why is Austin Powers pinball underrated? Is the table so boring or is it just because of table's theme people dislike for some reason.

 

[Kolchak357]

I wonder why is Austin Powers pinball underrated? Is the table so boring or is it just because of table's theme people dislike for some reason.

I've played it several times. The shots and layout are fine. And I enjoyed playing it, but the callouts and music get repetitive and annoying very quickly. I like the Austin Powers movies and it still got on my nerves. If you bump into one play it. It's worth playing for sure, but it's the kind of pin I'd never want to own.

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

I've played it several times. The shots and layout are fine. And I enjoyed playing it, but the callouts and music get repetitive and annoying very quickly. I like the Austin Powers movies and it still got on my nerves. If you bump into one play it. It's worth playing for sure, but it's the kind of pin I'd never want to own.

That and it's hideous. It makes RBION look like a paragon of good taste by comparison.