Quoted from jar155:If someone is saying that SMVE plays the same (or heaven forbid, better) than the original, I would seriously question their pinball assessments.
The VE does NOT play as well. The ramps aren't as smooth as the original. They reject more shots and the ball comes around more slowly when returning to the flippers. This isn't due to setup or differences from game to game. There's a noticeable difference between a VE and an original that is an obvious step down in feel. The flippers are better on the original too. The VEs feel like they're a touch less snappy. I've played originals and Black editions that have been fresh out of the box or several thousand plays down the road, and any of them play better than all of the VE's I've played, which have also ranged from personal collections to fresh out of the box at a show to a location. I know both versions of the game very well.
VE Pros:
- Better art
- Better magnet core
- Less mileage
- Better bar lockdown (face it guys, the latches are better)
- Additional music
- Awesome side armor
- Protector on Sandman
Original Pros:
- Smoother ramps
- Better flippers
- Better callouts
- Better build quality
The VE has more bullet points, but they're cosmetic or part of the trim. Where it counts, the original plays faster and smoother.
Pinside is getting ridiculous. Nobody wants to be honest anymore. They want to put ego and pride above truth. Everybody is worried about the resale value of their games or the value of their collection that they're unwilling to objectively measure what they have or what they want. It's childish.
It's not hard to do. I have a fantastic condition AFM. Do I have any problem admitting that the remake is better in many ways? Nope. If you're going to spend what it costs for a high-quality AFM, might as well get the remake. It plays the same (middle shot is a little harder to hit), and it has meaningful upgrades. It's a better value.
Being dishonest or accusing people of lying is doing no good to anybody.
Pinball as an industry might be better with all this new blood and more money in the mix, but man, I really miss the days of talking about pinball without all the personal politics and skewed agendas.
As for AC/DC Premium VE, we just need to see on a few things. We need to see if it plays as well, that's the most important part. There is going to be a difference of opinion on the replaceable window. That has both pros and cons to it (seam vs. no seam, clearcoat vs. no clearcoat, easier to shop out vs. awful to shop out, zero chance of clouding vs. uncertainty), but who knows what will be better over time yet? The art is a big whatever. The shadow drummer really doesn't matter. It won't be noticed by 99% of people who play. The VE has the better lockbar system. The original has better speakers.
If the VE plays just as well as the original, that would be great. It's obvious that there weren't enough premiums to go around, so getting more into the market is great. I just hope it plays the same. That's all that really matters in the long run.
I don't what your trying to say, but I'm not arguing your with your experience. What I am saying is that EVERY game plays a little different, and until you have both machines side by side, completely setup exactly like each other its almost impossible to tell the difference. As I am sure you know there are hundreds of little tweaks one can make on these games, and every one of them can have a an positive or negative effect on game play. I have a pretty decent collection with multiple manufacturers, and every one of them plays differently. When I go to my buddies house and play his WOZ, MMR, LOTR, and Met they all play differently. Doesn't make one better than the other. Their just different.