That's crazy if the xeno swallows the ball! I always assumed the tongue would grab the ball off the magnet, but then spit it back out at you. Actually eating the ball and coming out elsewhere would be incredible. Fingers crossed

Yes, the Stern distributor in the UK always had the UK games fitted with outlane up-posts (2nd flipper button controlled) and sometimes centre posts (2nd flipper button controlled). I had a UK issue Playboy with them. If you go through the software on the Whitestar games, one of the options is "UK up posts enabled".

I'm not sure as to why this was done .. Whether it was just his preference, or whether it was to comply with some law. Dunno. Maybe one of our UK friends can fill us in.

rd

so the left saucer like creature black lagoon from monster bash the right vent like congo, the reverse wire form like sopranos meadowlands, and the plunge like The shadow?

Shit I don't blame them there

There look to be an insane amount of shots in this game, pretty innovative layout.

One thing I'm trying to figure out, the Xeno head that was posted before, was that the actual size? Because it looks smaller in the playfield layout, even with the pin being a wide body.

That one shot looks like POTC Jack the Monkey, no?

got my t-shirt ready!

il_570xN.596393225_9j2z_(resized).jpg

Looks awesome! I am sure that they have thought of this already, but if they removed the protective post in front of the upper right flipper they could add another shot from the upper left flipper that would be opened up when holding the upper right flipper up. Think twilight zone.

I think all we're seeing in the CAD is some of the mech, not the model. We're not seeing any of the other models.

The xeno head model that sits around the mech is the same size one that's been shown before, and yes, it will 'eat' the ball. What you don't see yet on the CAD is the mini-subway that will take the ball behind the backboard, to be ejected back into play onto the upper corner of the right platform, to drop onto the end of the habitrail and down to the return. In front of the backboard re-entry is where the Space Jockey will stand as a large upright plastic, so it should look like the ball is emerging from behind his turret. The LV-426 area is also the most natural place for him to be.

The centre mini-post is a deliberate design choice. The flipper gap isn't any wider than standard, but there's a lot of lateral movement on this game which means more outlane drain potential. The post balances things pretty well, and you can't knock the satisfaction of a successful save with it.

The hypersleep chamber is a physical three-ball lock, the 'fourth' ball drawn on the CAD is a visual indicator of how the dispenser works, dropping the foremost ball onto the level below while holding the others back.

What am I missing,where's the drawing ? I went to the one posted 5 hours ago but the drawing isn't there.

#6277

Someone flagged it as NSFW so you have to click the 'unhide' button to see it.

So has there been any word as to when these will go into production. I ask cause the layout looks awesome and could possibly be my next purchase if its sooner rather than later.

Ahhh...ALIEN!!! I've never been so excited to play a machine as this!!! So glad I got it in early....

I hear it's tomorrow

Yeah I wasn't logged in when I first tried to look at it,thanks

That's what I heard yesterday

Andrew says he hopes it will be August. But bear in mind that production date has continually slid backwards every couple of months. My bet is October.

It WAS yesterday, I think they're playing the damn thing overseas and not sharing....give it up!!!

An Alien Christmas, it shall be!!!

Thanks Aurich, for bringing several pages of info for all to chew on!

With the last CAD file, my lightbulb went off, my Geiger counter went crazy, and I finally see the final vision.!!

In seeing everything placed, I can see the difficulties of the art alone, as its purpose could only be to support
all the other parts on the playfield.

I can't see more Aliens on the playfield, when the focus for that is the toys. I cant see the actors, as the game immerses one as an equal on the mission, and the support will come from the playfield screen....why fight it?
Everything now seems to fit perfectly in space, and with lighting support, the game will be played as if one is in space battling aliens, to the same effect that one is battling zombies in TWD!

In Short, it now appears clear, and haunting....a Pin with a mission, a battle greater then just points.

Bravo! Its looking like an amazing experience!

(Now for some acid blood Mods, to burn through the playfield!)

Now THAT's an idea. Program it in the LCD on the playfield, so the acid appears to eat away at the playfield (actually video on the LCD) and you see the pinball mechanics underneath! That would be amazing!!!

Here is a quick photoshop job of the CAD with playfield superimposed. Man this game is going to be fun! You can really see how the art will beautifully complement the playfield's elements and toys.

Alien-Playfield_(resized).jpg

this is the game I am most excited about currently (by a long shot!)

Me too .

So if it's not clear EalaDubhSidhe is Dave Sanders, the playfield designer for Alien, so anything he says is more accurate than anything I say.

Scroll up and read his post again if you didn't pay attention to it. https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/alien-pinball-official-game-thread/page/127#post-3171466

--

The maturity level of this forum is fine for the most part, but there are a handful of people who just can't handle it ...

I normally don't want to speak to this stuff, it's not my job, but to keep expectations reasonable, I'm not seeing it going into production in August. We're making really solid progress, but there's still a lot to do to have a polished game that could be built. We want to get this one right. That would be rushing too much I feel.

October is Expo. I personally would want to have the game there, so I would hope it's ready by then to show at least. Hell I'd be happy to reveal the game at Expo, to me it's still the premier show in terms of who comes, and from where. There are shows that are better for playing pinball, better tournaments, bigger collections and venues. But I don't think any other show brings so many hardcore pinheads from around the world to one spot. With so many awesome homebrew games, new games, prototypes, etc. I consider it the place to be still.

This is all my personal opinion, not anything official from Heighway, but I can't see August, and would love to aim for Expo.

It's been a really interesting experience watching a pin grow from the inside, but I'm also learning why it takes as long as it does. I could tell some stories, though of course I can't. Trust me though, there's a reason it always seems to take longer than people think. Or more like a thousand reasons. It's really hard to estimate, because at any point in time one of those thousand things will take longer than expected. And then everything that depended on that is slowed down too. It's just the nature of putting together such a complex beast.

We'll just keep reporting our progress as we can, and hopefully more people will get to see video of prototypes in action. There's a real game finally appearing though.

Here's the CAD again, we'll see if horny pinsiders can from keep lusting over it so they have to mark it NSFW.

53756097182a1dabdfca55ff129808ae22aaff58.png

Wow! Agreed. That is an outstanding idea and it would be a cool special effect. Imagining a shotgun sound and the spray of green acid spattered across the screen. It could even be used as a quick flash transition or to reveal information for the player underneath as the acid eats through.

Even if the video programming work making such an idea come to fruition makes the pin delayed further, it would be worth it having such an immersive mind blowing effect IMO. Mixed with a little smoke in the visual and a caustic acid baking sound when it's happening to varying degrees around the LCD, just nuts.

Of course people are going to see that on the big mirrored back box LCD, and what circuitry guts are behind that location to be revealed?

Still, that effect (the way I imagine it) would be mezmerizing and pull me towards the pin from across the room if I were on location and noticed it, not that a wailing klaxon siren with a loud foreboding count down and bright yellow revolving beacons cascading light all over the place wouldn't do the same.

Nice to hear the Space Jockey will indeed be represented!

Turret? Or navigation device? Even Giger's nickname for this creature he designed for the original movie was "The Pilot."

I recognize that username from vpforums. Assuming it's the same guy, Dave is a very respected guy in the virtual pinball world. Awesome to see someone making the jump from visual pinball to real pinball design.

That upper flipper and top left ramp placement are very well designed.
That shot is gonna feel awesome. Good good good!

And then I...

jizzed_in_my_pants_(resized).jpg

Excited to play this game. Might not have the same immersion when played on location (VS in home) because games in a bar have their music/sounds often drowned out by talk/bar music, etc. Hopefully Whysnow (graciously) puts this one at Schwoeglers!

No shit....This is my "Ghostbusters".....reaching out to Heighway today. Damn you Aurich!

Are there still LE's available?

http://www.notjusttoyz.com/aliens-hicks-vs-battle-damaged-blue-warrior-alien-action-figure-2-pack/?

Thanks for the explanation! This playfield layout & overall game design is truly shaping up to be something special. Every time there's another update, the happier I get that I placed my LE order!

I haven't seen the video so I'm still trying to grasp some areas of the CAD drawing. Do you care to describe the path of the ball once it is launched from the shooter rail? Or if that really is a standup target at the top of the LT ramp, or what it's purpose might be? I keep staring at this layout & those are the only areas that are still hard to make out.

I'm just happy to hear the Xenomorph will be eating pinballs, unlike a certain infamous dragon that shall not be named

The launch ramp habitrail simply pops the ball onto the right platform, to be deposited in the right inlane.

The left ramp target, as well as being a legitimate shot, acts as a deflector to angle the ball down the left platform without requiring a large drop-off (which the ramp isn't really long or high enough for). This let's the hypersleep exit and lock function connect to the same platform without causing a break in the ramp flow.

There is an "acid burn" scene in the video, about 54 seconds in...."it's going to eat through the god damn hull!!!"

Xenomorph eating balls then exiting through a tunnel ?!?....This thing is sick.....

Found some Alien bling to twist around the front leg of the pin. Or maybe crawling over the back box between the revolving beacons. Wanted this for Halloween because we're always out and leave a bowl out for the tots. Availability November though , it would have been guarding the Halloween bowl and the little tots would have to reach through it's fingers to grab a handful.

http://www.entertainmentearth.com/prodinfo.asp?number=NC51355#.V0i27pJ77ZQ

Aliens Facehugger 1 Scale Foam Life-Size Prop Replica:

• Released due to popular demand.
• Features a bendable tail!
• Measures nearly 3 1/2-feet!
• Features hand-painted foam.
As seen in the 1986 horror classic Aliens, this full-sized replica measures nearly 3 1/2 feet long and has a bendable tail, so you can pose it anywhere... waiting to drop on unsuspecting prey from above, even attached to your face! The Life Size Facehugger is made of detailed, hand-painted foam - perfect for costuming or decoration!

Life_Size_FaceHugger_(resized).jpg

Wow! This thing really is interactive!!

How does one get ones balls under the glass? Sounds like a Pinball Oympics event ...

rd

Hi Dave, so it plunges and just drops down to the flipper like TOTAN or TOM?

If so I'm not a fan of that tbh, always seems a bit of a pointless way to get the ball in play. Xeno sounds very cool though.

Skill shots quickly become routine in any game. I prefer the real estate be used for more regular gameplay features (in this case the vent lane) than just ball launching. Many games these days have additional skill shots that send the ball around the orbit to the flippers for a ramp skill shots anyway so this kind of launch just makes that a possibility every time. And whose to say this game won't have a launch skill shot selection like Champion Pub in addition to shootable ones.

This layout offers plenty of multiple skill shot opportunities at different levels. For instance, from the delivery to the right flipper, shoot for the xeno (easy, regular points), airlock (medium, points plus instant mode start), or orbit to the upper flipper immediately followed by the ramp (hard, big points plus instant lock).

Not sure, but it can't be pretty, that's for sure....

Maybe because it's Jager night, but seeing the underside of facehugger w her holding it....My mind is starting to wander....

Keep in mind that we're using a launch button (and using it as an in game feature too, ala MM Troll Bombs) so there was never going to be a "plunge" skillshot. Same launch power each time.

And I'm fine with that. The skill shots are going to be shots, using the flippers.

HR Giger man, it's not the Jager, he did that stuff entirely on purpose. Have another drink and ponder the shape of the xeno's head.

Think I shall.....

Speaking of xeno heads, has anyone seen the xeno they added to Mortal Kombat X? What the hell did they do to his head?

He's clearly yawning there at how BLOODY TIRESOME the MK franchise has become. It's the fighting series equivalent of one of those godawful indy-game FPSes on Steam Greenlight, that consist of a bunch of pre-bought Unity models chucked into the same map without any shits given as to whether they all belong there together.