Predator Pinball at Michigan Pinball Expo

I'm going to be over there during the expo getting pics/video (yes, more video than pics), does anyone have any pressing questions you want me to ask while I'm over there?

#55 12 years ago

WBP

ThePostmaster

Inactive member

Hermantown, MN

13y 52,800 2,383 4 8

I'll be there also! Can't wait to see it!

#56 12 years ago

BAM

Blakesell

Inactive member

Postmaster, ya gotta find me, we'll play a game or 2, put your user name to the test!

Don't worry, I'm no A list player, you'll be able to defend your good username.

#57 12 years ago

WBP

ThePostmaster

Inactive member

Hermantown, MN

13y 52,800 2,383 4 8

Blakesell,

I'll be wearing my Pinside Blue shirt. I'm in the Pinbrawl, we're team Collector's Connection. We'll be in the lowest bracket, this is our first tournament.

#58 12 years ago

CDG

gambit3113

Pinside+ Frequent

You can call the machine SKIT*B for all I care. Just make a good pin for a fair price, and I am happy.

#59 12 years ago

CBM

spfxted

Pinside member

#60 12 years ago

BAM

Blakesell

Inactive member

I'll find anyone wearing a pinside shirt, I didn't see anyone with that at the Ohio show.

reminder to self.. buy pinside shirt.

#61 12 years ago

SCO

scooter

Pinside member

Louisville, KY

15y 96,900 3,615 1 205

Quoted from Blakesell:
I'll find anyone wearing a pinside shirt, I didn't see anyone with that at the Ohio show.

reminder to self.. buy pinside shirt.

Good idea! I wore mine at the Louisville arcade expo.

#62 12 years ago

RGR

Pinside member

what I like about this game and the team is that they have not led us on for 3-6-9 months. They are telling us about the game just before its released...

#63 12 years ago

CDG

gambit3113

Pinside+ Frequent

Quoted from RGR:
what I like about this game and the team is that they have not led us on for 3-6-9 months. They are telling us about the game just before its released...

They announced it and started giving updates last June. That is 9 months.

#64 12 years ago

RGR

Pinside member

ok I take it back then...

#65 12 years ago

WIT

SkitBPinball

Inactive member

Quoted from gambit3113:
They announced it and started giving updates last June. That is 9 months.

Foiled, again...

Quoted from BMore-Pinball:
Looks fine on the sides, terrible on the front, ok on the back

Is this a common thought so far? Interested in the feedback on this potential issue.

Quoted from gambit3113:
You can call the machine SKIT*B for all I care. Just make a good pin for a fair price, and I am happy.

As per gambit's request, the name of the game is now Skit-B.*

Quoted from ThePostmaster:
I'll be there also! Can't wait to see it!

We'll have to get some games in, as well.

*Neither true nor funny. Apologies, everyone.

#66 12 years ago

WIT

SkitBPinball

Inactive member

Here you go, guys. Keep in mind that this is still in extremely early stages of testing, but here's a quick video showing off the whitewood in action. As always, we are looking forward to hearing your thoughts and comments on what we have so far!

#67 12 years ago

CBM

spfxted

Pinside member

Looks GREAT!!

#68 12 years ago

BAM

Blakesell

Inactive member

Still counting down the days! Just a week to go on that MI expo!

#69 12 years ago

MVM

markmon

Inactive member

Hillsboro, OR

13y 98,300 13,010 21 81

Man that looks awesome. Love some of the rules. Hunt is creative. I hope you give an option to reverse the logic on that orbit post. I'd rather hold or hit the flipper to divert and do nothing to get full orbit. How many of these do you plan to build?

#70 12 years ago

AJA

Drano

Pinside member

Mississauga, ON

12y 110K 3,840 14 60

Quoted from markmon:
How many of these do you plan to build?

I think I saw 200 somewhere???

#71 12 years ago

TDA

The_Dude_Abides

Pinside Moderator

Northern California, CA

14y 137K 9,468 151

Simply put that looks bad ass! Thanks for posting the video for us looks like it is really coming together and has some unique features to it. Not sure if you have said yet but how many do you all plan on making?

#72 12 years ago

MAK

teachp8

Inactive member

13y 57,800 146 2 97

Loving the hunt feature and think it would be awesome in an arcade - for those of us who remember such things!

#73 12 years ago

RDH

rommy

Pinside member

Springdale, AR

12y 79,150 3,706 16 15

That vid is incredible! From earlier stuff I was thinking this would be like an EM with a ramp, but wow. impressive

#74 12 years ago

WLC

BMore-Pinball

Pinside member

12y 122K 4,981 33

looking great, really looking forward to final product and a possible preorder!!

this interests me much more than WOZ - would rather hear Arhnoldddd over and over again than woz music

#75 12 years ago

CDG

gambit3113

Pinside+ Frequent

I am in. Let's do this.

#76 12 years ago

JDS

swinks

Swinks Pinball

12y 136K 10,561

Looks awesome guys, love the hunt mode especially the multiball add on, as well as the loop post - great built in variety / control.

Are the plastic ramps custom made or something from another machine?

Great work guys.

#77 12 years ago

WIT

SkitBPinball

Inactive member

Quoted from spfxted:
Looks GREAT!!

Thanks! We are extremely grateful for the amount of feedback we have gotten from you guys here at Pinside.

Quoted from markmon:
I hope you give an option to reverse the logic on that orbit post.

I don't really see an issue with adding something like that. Whatever feels more natural, I suppose.

Quoted from markmon:
How many of these do you plan to build?

Quoted from The_Dude_Abides:
how many do you all plan on making?

Quoted from Drano:
I think I saw 200 somewhere???

You would be right. We will be shooting for 200 games to be produced, but will go to 250 if the demand is high enough. There will be no more than 250 made, when all is said and done.

Quoted from teachp8:
Loving the hunt feature and think it would be awesome in an arcade - for those of us who remember such things!

I do remember, and I shed a single tear for the glory days. I have to agree with you, too, that the Hunt feature would work extremely well in a nice, dark arcade.

Quoted from rommy:
That vid is incredible! From earlier stuff I was thinking this would be like an EM with a ramp, but wow. impressive

This cracked me right up. The idea behind this project began as a small conversation in my basement one night about what we were going to do with an old FirePower machine in bad shape. Originally, we were going to retheme a FirePower into a Predator, and what was the only thing we were going to add? You guessed it, one single ramp! My, how the project has grown...

Quoted from BMore-Pinball:
looking great, really looking forward to final product and a possible preorder!!

Pre-orders will be taken at the Expo here in Michigan next weekend, and will go live on the website shortly after that. I'll personally throw a post up here on Pinside to give you guys first chance before going live with pre-orders on the website. Small gesture for the excitement and critique we've received over here!

#78 12 years ago

WIT

SkitBPinball

Inactive member

Quoted from swinks:
Looks awesome guys, love the hunt mode especially the multiball add on, as well as the loop post - great built in variety / control.

This is exactly what we were shooting for, thank you! There are a couple other minor things added to a few things in the game that work somewhat the same way. Bonus points for "backhanding" a hard shot? You bet!

Quoted from swinks:
Are the plastic ramps custom made or something from another machine?

Ramps are custom made right here in my shop. The ramps on the prototype in the video are somewhat crude, as they aren't exactly the final molds we will be using on the production machines. The ramps in the prototype were custom-formed to our spec, but when we got them on the machine they certainly needed some modification, so we literally put them through band saws and table grinders to get proper use out of them.

#79 12 years ago

RIK

Rick471

Pinside member

Albuquerque, NM

13y 54,150 1,077 4 6

Is there going to be something in place of that large rubber ring above the left pop bumper?

It seems like alot of real estate is going unused there??

#80 12 years ago

RDH

rommy

Pinside member

Springdale, AR

12y 79,150 3,706 16 15

OP
Quoted from SkitBPinball:
This cracked me right up. The idea behind this project began as a small conversation in my basement one night about what we were going to do with an old FirePower machine in bad shape

Did you ever post anything showing an old Firepower? It sounds so familiar it would be wierd if it was coincidence. Firepower is the first pin I ever put a quarter into back at the Fort Smith, Arkansas central mall arcade. Still brings back memories everytime I hear it. I am really glad you did not go with the firepower plus a ramp layout though . What you guys have accomplished in your basement is an achievement. And y'all are gonna sell it to us?!?! total bonus. I'll take mine with shaker motor and glue gun please.

#81 12 years ago

DRM

Honch

Pinside member

12y 79,300 5,073

With all these great new pins coming out, my desire for a NIB is at an alltime high.

#82 12 years ago

6S3NC3

Pinside member

15y 74,400 1,288 26

Looks great. If you guys could design a pinball that glowed in the "hunt" mode that would be awsome.

#83 12 years ago

CBM

spfxted

Pinside member

And the Big Question...drum roll....How Much?
Who's yer pal...who's yer buddy....

#84 12 years ago

WIT

SkitBPinball

Inactive member

Quoted from Rick471:
Is there going to be something in place of that large rubber ring above the left pop bumper?

Without giving away too much, yes. Just don't expect like a giant Predator toy or anything like that; expect something a little more...'visually useful'?

Quoted from rommy:
Did you ever post anything showing an old Firepower? It sounds so familiar it would be wierd if it was coincidence.

Nope, it never even got off the ground. I researched a few things on how to redo the sound effects and all that, then looked into arduinos and such to control the solenoids, then it just got to be more and more and more until we just gave up on the idea and started discussing making it a "real" pin. I actually just sold that FirePower a few months ago, which is strange because we've since started another retheme project to waste time while we are waiting on contractors and such.

#85 12 years ago

WIT

SkitBPinball

Inactive member

Quoted from 6S3NC3:
Looks great. If you guys could design a pinball that glowed in the "hunt" mode that would be awsome.

Powerballs will likely glow in the hunt mode, but we don't have any Powerballs around here to try them with. Either way, we can't really just go around throwing Powerballs into our production games, but if you have a Powerball, feel free to drop it into a Predator and see what happens We did toy with the idea of red balls for a short time, but out of hunt mode it made the game look cheap and they played kinda funny.

Quoted from spfxted:
And the Big Question...drum roll....How Much?
Who's yer pal...who's yer buddy....

They are looking like they will come in around $4750 or so, but for you, buddy, $4750

#86 12 years ago

RIK

Rick471

Pinside member

Albuquerque, NM

13y 54,150 1,077 4 6

OP
Quoted from SkitBPinball:
They are looking like they will come in around $4750 or so, but for you, buddy, $4750

In for 1! Serious!

#87 12 years ago

CBM

spfxted

Pinside member

Great! It will be a good test to see how many will be taken by Pinside Members.

#88 12 years ago

CDG

gambit3113

Pinside+ Frequent

Can I call number 13? Dibs if so.

#89 12 years ago

CBM

spfxted

Pinside member

No problem! He's my buddy...just tell em' you know me.

#90 12 years ago

W_G

Wise_Guy

Blocked

13y 372

I will grab 1 also! would love #42 short for 420 lol....

#91 12 years ago

WIT

SkitBPinball

Inactive member

Quoted from gambit3113:
Can I call number 13? Dibs if so.

I'll talk to the R&D guy here who has his heart set on #13. Out of 250 possible numbers to call, you jumped at one of only two numbers we were hoping to reserve

When pre-orders open up, you will be able to claim a number you prefer, as long as it hasn't been called for yet. It's also a first-come, first-served basis, if that helps.

#92 12 years ago

CRZ

mnpinball

19y 124K 4,239 10

Excellent looking game and I am very interested.
Is there any thoughts of some better GI lighting as it looks a bit dark ?

As a first game out of the gate you guys are doing an impressive job.

What boards and what mechs are being used ? WMS ?

#93 12 years ago

RGR

Pinside member

I bet this game for 1/2 the price will be better than ACDC....

#94 12 years ago

WIT

SkitBPinball

Inactive member

Quoted from mnpinball:
Excellent looking game and I am very interested.
Is there any thoughts of some better GI lighting as it looks a bit dark ?

That's going to come down to one of those "it will work itself out in testing" kind of situations. Currently, there are only 3 people in the world who have played the game, so it is going to be hard to judge something like that until we get more people playing it in more situations. In the whitewood video, there is absolutely zero lighting sources outside of the game itself, which was in a basement at 4AM. Not exactly the target lighting conditions to test in, but I'm sure that played at least a small part in that.

Quoted from mnpinball:
What boards and what mechs are being used? WMS?

The brains of the machine are driven by a P-ROC, and the power-driver boards come from the same manufacturer as the P-ROC, along with another board to drive the lamp matrix. We are working on getting some bigger companies from within the industry to get onboard with manufacturing parts for us, but if not they will have to be made in-house. We're not opposed to having parts made for us specifically, but we would certainly rather have our assemblies manufactured by someone we already know within the pinball community. The next few months will be interesting, for sure.

#95 12 years ago

RGR

Pinside member

So will this game be in Seattle in June or PHOF in vegas???

#96 12 years ago

???

Shoot_Again

Pinside member

Vancouver, WA

12y 83,400 8,453 2

Looking great. Really love the siderail lighting for your semi blackout huntmode. Great idea.

Very intersted and might want one as it gets closer to completion.

#97 12 years ago

RGR

Pinside member