Not to turn this into a modular war vs P3, but that will prove to be a much better MODULAR system than Heighway. Whether they ultimately produce better games is a completely different story, which is completely unknown at this point. But for modularity, P3's model is Nintendo. Their playfields swap in under a minute (I know Heighway swaps quickly as well), their playfields are small (as compared to Heighway's full playfield) and they are targeting $1500-2000 for a game (as opposed to ~$4500 for Heighway). Not only are people going to have somewhat of a storage space issue with multiple Heighway playfields, but how many people are going to be able to justify $9000-18,000 worth of playfields sitting around not set up? I love the modular concept and plan to go that route with both Heighway and P3, but I don't see myself anywhere less than a 2 playfield to cabinet ratio with Heighway games. P3 on the other hand, with the smaller storage issue, lower price, and the ability to load mini-games, is much more prepared to exercise the modular concept. That's the basis of the P3 philosophy, it's more of a "by the way" in Heighway's direction. It doesn't make one system better than the other, they just have different primary focuses.

Justify? Justify?? Who does that anymore?

If you take the playfield and the computer out of a Heighway pin... what exactly are you leaving behind?

A wooden cabinet, speakers, some mounting hardware, and maybe a sub-$100 LCD display?

I really don't understand the whole debate with swapping out playfields.

It's an option. You don't have to do it. For some this will be a great option. Others will just want to have the games side by side like we currently do. Cheap option if you want to swap out either for the cost saving or the space saving. It's a no brainer for me.

You brought up Nintendo. Do you apply the same argument to owning dozens of Nintendo games when the console can only play one game at a time?

The 3-minute turnaround time to swap a highway playfield is about how long it takes to swap a disc on a game console and boot to a point where you're actively playing. The $9000–1800 worth of playfields are your game library and you could play several of them in one evening with just one cabinet in your house.

You aren't wrong, but you are comparing phone technology and a project like Kodi to the code effort that Heighway is able to put forward. Just the raw number of code hours aren't even in the same ballpark.

BTW, Kodi is awesome.

I hope you can leave the software installed for multiple games. That part wasn't covered in the 3 minute video cause they swapped a full throttle with a full throttle. So, having a hard drive big enough to hold 10 games and have the software either auto switch (detect playfield) or simple menu would be nice.

Your phone probably cost something like 3-4x as much as the entire PC in one of these games.

Kodi is derived from XBMC and had years of development. Literally over a decade. Let's not undersell the effort of those who worked on kodi. Couldn't agree more that there's no need to compare them at all.

I would be happy to show you the next time you are over in madison.

Question for Heighway:

Full Throttle LE owner here. Do I need the new CPU/Computer upgrade if I want to use code updates past 1.41?

Or: will I be able to install future code versions (which I truly hope will come in 2017 - I would need to be able to disable the shaker during the skill shot for example, it tears my cabinet up right now) with the current stock hardware?

Thank you for any information.

Houston Arcade Show Peeps:

My Full Throttle will be in the tournament this year. Anyone that wants a look under the hood etc just let me know.

There is a lot of information available. Like here http://www.pinballnews.com/games/fullthrottle/index11.html

You can disable the shaker motor from within the menu.

I think the cabinets are robust enough to handle the shaker. I have not seen any problem with my cabinet proving otherwise.

Both my flippers were torn apart, both coils dropped from the playfield into the cabinet below.
I would like to be able to run the shaker during game play, but avoid the huge vibration during the skill shot ^engine rev^

But more important- will I be able to keep my processor and still be able to use future code updates? Since we are talking about new architecture here.

I was told at expo that there will be no need to update the CPU on FullT for future code updates.

The talk about swapping in a new CPU is in relation to swapping in Aliens only, which has some greater needs for the real time rendering/upgraded processing.

I was also told that they have a list of tweaks/changes for the next FullT code drop but it is all hands on deck for Aliens currently.

Thank you, good news for me.

How did Aliens play at expo? Not really interested in all this CPU talk as I don't own a Full Throttle. Did it shoot well?

I agree. Would any of the team be able to share some tidbits about the rulset of the pin?

Did it ever get established as to whether or not the 27" is included in the LE price of 8150?

I don't think it is. Would love a final final description of the LE game. Love this theme but a bit confused as what I would get if I bought an LE. Hopefully Andrew can chime in and explain the final LE schematic / price.

The big screen is included in the Cointaker LE that is $8400 and includes shipping.

I dont understand why there is so much confusion...

currently this is what comes with the LE stock from Heighway.
http://www.heighwaypinball.com/alien/
Until Heighway announces differently ( i.e. Light blades in cabinets) this is the matrix

Cointaker may have a different configuration but that is their deal not Heighways

In addition if you click BUY you can see pricing that is directly from Heighway.
Go to the store and you can see the price of extras such as fiber opt ramps and the 27" screen price

--Jeff

look a few pages back in this thread or search from the front page...the programmers themselves have explained rules.

Nobody I know has multiple game systems set up in a row for multiple people to play at the same time in a party/social situation. And even if they did, video games cost $60.

Most people that have rows of pinball machines it's partly for their own variety, and partly for multiple people to enjoy and not wait in line. I'm not saying the swappable thing is bad, I will own Alien and Full Throttle with only 1 cabinet. I'm just saying the storage space for full size playfields and the economics of $4500 don't really support the argument for tons of cabinetless games sitting around. I just don't see loads of people having what many people spend on an entire collection, sitting in storage boxes. If I own 6 Heighway games in the future, you can be sure they won't all be running out of 1 cabinet.

Has production started?

Especially if it's from the Dialed in cooperation

I was just refuting the point that stored playfields are being wasted. You could quite conceivable play several of them in an evening.

But you're absolutely right, in the context of having many people playing your games at once, the fact that you can't play all of them at once is a downside.

However this is only true for pinheads that would otherwise have had room for more games. The most common reason for not expanding a collection, when polled on Pinside, is space.

Remember that this is all just optional. A pinhead that has room for five games, owns three including a Heighway game, and wants to buy a fourth game, they can choose rationally between a HP playfield kit that isn't playable simultaneously, spent more on another full game, or buy something else. If HP games weren't modular then the only option would be the more expensive full game. HP is offering more options and there is no downside to that.

I really wonder if someone, who has no space for 5 pins, can even afford 5 pins.

I think the swap idea is cool, but pins are way to expensive to use this feature.

I wonder if a company some day comes up with this idea:

Make a fantastic and gameplaywise awesome layout. With good looking but generetic grafix. Than this game could be any theme, only the layout would be the same.

They can offer different themes/games. They could also sell toys, that would replace the generetic placeholder toys, for every theme they are making a game for.

You than could buy different games on the same pin.

For example, they make a great layout. And pick james bond as a theme. They make code so that it is a complete game, and people that have the pin at home, could buy and download that james bond code/game. Like i said, the toys in game have placeholders, but can be easily swapped with james bond toys, offered by that pincompany. (Off course, third parties can come up with mods also)

Ok, than you have a great james bond themed pin. But than it goes along....

The company codes a totaly new game, for example, munsters of the sea. On that same layout and pin. Again, if you have the pin, you can buy this game online and play it. If you like it, you can again buy toys for that theme, so you change your bond toys, or the generetic toys by sea munsters etc etc etc.

This way 1 single pin could have a ton of games. All the same layout, but different rules, you can adjust the toys if you like. You can go crazy with mods on all themes the company offers.

You also can only buy the gamecode and leave the machine wih the generetic toys. Easely switching inbetween themes/games.

Keep it semi open source, so modders could make their own game, en when people start playing this free code, others can come up with toys for that theme.

For operators it also could be fantastic, cause on location you dont have 1 game, but many more, but it takes only 1 pinspot in the room. And people that are gonne play can pick the theme they like.

Hope people understand what i meant. But i think that could be a great idea to have multiple themes-games in 1 machine.

Every pinhead living in a major city might disagree strongly

Interesting ideas but the fact of having the same layout would kill it for me. That's the reason for having different machines!

Yeah, but than you forget what we were discussing; having no room for more pins but still wanting more games.

So, it is swapping the playfield and code like heighway is doing it. But like i tried to explain, you could also only swap the code. This will make a differance of thousands and thousands of dollars for people that do like to have multiple games, but dont have the room or the money.

You only have to buy 1 pinmachine. And every next game is only a code DLC package online, for maybe a few hundred dollar each new game.

And it is not like you have 1 machine, so lay out, and hundreds of games. But maybe 5 every machine. And than they build a new one with a different lay out. And again code 5 different games for that machine.

Off course this needs seconds thoughts, but i think that could be a great platform for home users AND on location.

Imagine on location, in a pub somewhere. Players can chose to play james bond, terminator or harry potter? On 1 pinmachine. How is that not awesome? Would also generate more income for operators i think.

Plus..... i think many would agree that the code makes the game. I am pretty sure you can make totaly different games on the same layout. That it would not feel your are playing the same layout and game. I think it can be done.

Look at what DP did with bride of pinbot..... same layout, different and fun game, and that has not even a new theme.

Pinball has been around for how many years?

How many times has swappable playfields been attempted? Did it ever work?

I just think if it were a truly viable platform that Stern or others would have attempted it. It seems good in theory but a playfield is HUGE and just tucking it away in a box doesn't seem like a viable option.

I want more people to share their thoughts on Alien and less about swapping stuff in and out. So, how was the game?

Pinball became mainly a home hobby over the last 15 years. Now many people are running out of space. Swapping playfields may be the best way to continue to sell more NIB games to the many people that are out of space.

Has anyone seen what the playfield in box looks like when it's stored under the pin? I'm just not seeing how that would look good in someone's game room. I get why the concept seems to make sense. I just don't think it's very practical. Time will tell. Still hoping to hear from people who played Alien. How was it?

I would imagine the box for a playfield swap is about 1.5 feet tall. I believe a lot of people in the hobby have plenty of space to stack 5 or 6 of that size. I notice you are listed in London where space is of a premium. Have you ever seen typical middle class American single family houses? They tend to be more house than most people need and with typical 8 foot ceilings you could stack 4 or 5 playfields in one spot if the boxes are 1.5 feet tall.

No doubt more room in American homes. I'd love to see a photo of how the playfields store / look like stacked. Did they ever release one?

I doubt they have shipped any playfields alone since Alien is not available yet. It would be nice if Heighway would finalize the packing and storage information and make it public.

Hahahaha!!

IMG20161029170414 (resized).jpg
IMG20161029170353 (resized).jpg
IMG20161029170430 (resized).jpg
IMG20161029170341 (resized).jpg

Here's a screenshot from the 0:16 mark of the swap video, but maybe there are some still photos out there, too?

IMG_0541 (resized).PNG

I think everyone here has forgotten that the home market was never the target for the swappable concept. It's meant for operators with games on location to change a theme quickly and keep a location fresh without the hassle of having to transport a full cabinet around. If it works for home, great, but don't bitch about it if it doesn't work for you, just buy another cabinet !

Swappable PF's is a beautiful thing, easy to trade and move, space issues, cheaper etc. I hope JJP and Stern implement this soon, its better for collectors and operators plus if you don't like it then buy the whole thing but its nice to have the option, I don't see how anyone could be against the option at least.

Which would basically make us the Neo-Geo.

Man, what's with all the crap talk about the swappable play field? Worried about how the BOX will look under a row of pins or A pin? MAN you guys nit pick! Who gives a crap about how the box looks under the play field. You look at the pins not the floor! I'm really hoping I can buy Alien someday and I also hope they come out with some other awesome themes because I for one LOVE the idea that I can buy another pin but pay 60% of the cost of the new game! I think it's great! As far as play field storage is concerned since that looks like all this thread is talking about now....I would just put the play field under the pin (it has those rails all the way down so it can sit on them nicely) and then I'd just throw a nice sheet over it.....WHAT??? There, no ugly box problem!! haha!

As far as game play....I love how it plays! Not a big FLOW game, but it's not designed that way. I love the modes and I think for a prototype game, it was awesome! The left ramp shot got stuck a couple times, but they are fixing that....it's a proto after all. My favorite mode is the ambush...player has the tracker and it shows where aliens are coming from and you have to make the shots to kill them....VERY cool!

Keep up the great work Highway Team!!!

Brian

See above

Hello new user that has to make the same point 3 posts in a row. I think we get it, you're not a fan of storing playfields under the machine. But that horse has left the barn, that is what the Heighway system is.

Ok, you can continue repeating yourself now.