This is it in a nutshell. The whole "think of pinball!!" argument is just the false rationalization.

Ted! Since you aren't delivering me a pinball today, I need you to make a public service announcement about the sad plight of pinball, complete with Sarah McLachlan music and sad puppies that make people cry. Maybe, just maybe, if we can get thousands of people to pledge hundreds of dollars a month to me, I can save all the pinball machines. I'll open a wonderful facility to the public and let them play every machine for free. I'll even bake cookies.

"For just a small donation of only $5,000 a month, you will receive a picture of the pinball machine that you sponsor. Your name will be included on the Free Play card, and you will receive email updates on the current high scores, as well as the used rubber rings after we give them a relaxing day in our pinball spa. Please, help us save the pinball machines from terrible lives of being locked in some collector's basement."

(Oh crap, it looks like I went back into sassy mode. I told you all I'm irrational.)

If you open a PayPal Donation thingy, we can all put some money in for you. I'll start with $20. You deserve it!

Anyway, This test of faith reinforces the Predator community.

To those not convinced by limited numbers; I don't even understand your point. There could be valid reasons to question our sanity to join Skit-B. But not this one. Predator was an open project, announced in public forums. Even some lousy French heard about it. Everyone had a chance, and you may still have one. There was/is a waiting list, but it is not many pages-long. So aiming at a production figure of 250 was reasonable. Changing this number would ruin trust.

As the Dude mentioned, a production of 250 is already a formidable challenge. If this game is really good one, the next one will be even better. And its production might be larger scale.

So rejoy, so many exciting projects in the pipeline. I wish they all succeed. No need for sterile controversy.

I don't mind this as a discussion, as I like back and forth debate.

First, I don't really understand the whole argument "I will never buy a $5K pin, but they should be unlimited anyway" - to what end? If you won't buy one anyway why do you care? - --- unless you further argue that with unlimited numbers the market will get saturated and HOU sellers will be competing wt hundreds of others as well as the unlimited NIB being made to meet the demand, which will drag the price of resale pins. The argument wants Skit-B to take the extra risk and the pre order people to talk the risk if it turns out to be no good, but the late buyers who wait to see if its good take no risk.

This also is why I don't buy the argument that Sten started charging more money for LE pins, which drove up the price of A list pins which further drove up the price of Stern LE and further drove people like JPOP to sell pins for $16K which is bad for the hobbie because people can't afford $7K for The Avengers LE etc... My reply, is no one is forcing you to buy A listers like AFM or $7K NIB pins. There are still pins like T2 or BOP or South Park for $2K.

anyone wants a Predator pin get on the list. Already just 5% down Payment and people are dropping out. That just about will cover shipping maybe not even shipping. Once people are going to have to come up with the other 95% there will be open slots or slots for sale whatever the case may be.

I would say, someone like Blondetall or Ted or myself, can get Predator, it's not even a sure fire hit, but we can spend $5k on the potential. It may be like Tron LE or it may be like Avatar LE it's a risk. We could accept the risk, or of we want a sure thing, get a nice CFTBL or TZ or IJ or SM or IM or Tron pro etc.... Probably there are 20+ pins that could be in this price range, we could get one already or we can wait on a Predator and take a chance. It might not be very good, it might never even be made, I have no idea, it's a risk - reward situation.

It's the journey.....

(I'm first in line if this is SkitB's #2...) image.jpg

I'm In!!! But no number yet, got the email from Kevin a few days ago and sent the down payment. OK since I have some skin in the game, I have some question from the folks who have an inside line with Kevin or other Predator pinball folks; is the playfield basic layout now set in stone? In other words is the white wood video actually showing the final layout or not? 2nd question is the DMD animation only beta or is the final product still going to be clips from the movie? I maybe in the minority but I wish there were less movie clips and more actual programmed animation..sorry if these questions sound ignorant but I never seen footage from the design phase from a pinball before.....thanks!

All clips.

White wood is "very close to gold" with what was assumed to be only a couple minor post adjustments. No one has seen any trace of the toys, though they are all stated to be active parts of the game.

Movie clips, because they didnt feel that them creating animation for a DMD from scratch would match the style of the artwork and game. Next big update due in April, hopefully with more artwork and details.

Hopefully some of the toys are shown in the april update. If I remember right, there was also a molded skull shown at one point, but not much explanation with it.

They said the molded skull was going to be an interactive toy; perhaps a ball lock?

What a conversation ! How dare the people that buy these machines want them to have value. The very folks that spend their money and are bringing back pinball.
Sorry PM but your quarters are not doing it. It's their buying and selling. And the industry knows it and has an obligation to them.
Nothing worse than a non customer telling the sellers how to run their business

Maybe. A bash toy maybe. Couldn't really tell much from the picture, and it was a while ago. The problem with the predator thread is it's got so many posts in it that it's like going through War and Peace to find stuff of substance.

violin-steve-buscemi.gif

You get sick too easy. Take two aspirin and call me in the morning.

Agree totally here. I was basing my opinion, as stated, on the current playfield layout and video of proto gameplay. The playfield layout doesn't seem to be very inspired imo. Will that be changed completely at this stage? I doubt it. Will they add stuff to make more interesting shots/interactions? Possible.

Layout ain't doing to much for me at the minute,but then again y could argue afm and others have basic layouts and that is prob my favourite.Have every faith these guys will pull it off.I'm just hating those bumper and target position at the min,but hopefully I'll be wrong

I generally try to stay out of threads like these (like the PREDATOR VS ??? threads, etc), for fear that people won't want to voice their real opinions with a developer in the room, but damn, I gotta sound off and hand it to John for this post. Pay attention, folks. This is where pinball is headed, and is why it is on the rebound.

*Stats a slow clap*

Amen to that boys! That's why I'm on both trains.....choo choo

(I'm still waiting for Plungemaster to come back and tell me all the wrong assumptions I made.)

heh heh....you said assumptions..heh heh heh heh heh

(I'm also still waiting for Ted to deliver my pinball machine at work. I'm still serving Skit-B Kool-Aid, I'll save you a glass.)

Oh, I'm already on my second glass...
(I was in the parking lot yesterday, but couldn't find you)