This is really easy. Make the adjustments that are needed and have been detailed here from the initial shipments, drop our price $600 (for the fiber optic removal), put on the DARKER green powder coated LE amour (match JointheCircus example), and ship them out. This shouldn't take long at all to pull off and IMO keep to a end of year delivery for at least the first batch of LEs and I feel most LE guys (myself included) would be happy.

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I like this quote that a fellow pinball friend said the other day about Alien while we were playing "Its like an evil WOZ", lol.

Of al the posters on this thread MK, you're the one I most would love to see to finally get your pin. It seem like you've been here since day one. I sincerely hope that all early buyers get their pins (LE or standard) because once you have it in your home, I know it's going to give you the feeling of "water under the bridge" and you'll forget about the headaches once you hit the start button on this game. I hate hearing about pinsiders waiting for refunds and no communication and I blame the Predator fiasco for this. I think once you get your game you will be happy with the wait. MK knows what I'm talking about after finally getting the chance to play the pin.

I had mine for about a week and I LOVE IT! It's just a blast to play and it's the one I turn on when I go downstairs in the mood to play some pins. I know I'm in the newlywed phase, but I just got SW in the week before and I do play it a lot, but not as much as Alien. I can't explain it, but the playfield shots just seem so different than any other pin in my collection. Now if I can only hit the hypersleep shot more consistently!

Like I said before, I backed out of my LE order and changed it to the SE with Cointakers when I had the chance. Now since I have the pin, I kinda wondered what the LE offers now only because of what the extras would look like on it. When I first get a pin and start playing it, after a couple of weeks I start thinking about mods I can do for it once I feel it's going to be a keeper for me (side art, color dmd, etc). Ofcourse, the Alien standard already comes with the goodies, just stretching a point. Still, I don't regret my decision. Also, I never entertained the idea of switching out playfields on my pin because I knew nothing could replace the Alien theme to me.

Happy Halloween Pinsiders!

the only reason people are waiting for refunds and/or communication is because the new investors are still there. if Andrew had closed shop, nobody would be waiting for anything today. but to blame HP's poor customer service on Predator?? now that's a stretch.

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I agree with Indypin & MK... early adopters need their LE's before x-mas... people who requested refunds need to get their money back..and previous customers need the proper support so the games operate perfect! Until then, i think the new HP owners are as solid as a soup sandwich and won't be owning an ALIEN until convinced otherwise... (and dammit, i want an ALIEN pin)

Well that truck loaded up with the 20 games for CT left the HP warehouse a little over a month ago. Haven't heard anything about another North America bound shipment since, and I'm sure CT would be announcing if another container was on it's way. They really must do better than shipping one container (20 games) to North America every month. They're really not even meeting that goal right now.

They NEED to take care of the people that supported them early on and are sitting with broken games, missing parts, or non functioning parts due to code surpassing current hardware.

I love the game, but I dont care how cool it is when they cant even return a phone call or email to confirm a timeline for game replacement as they had committed to. If they dont support the people that bought in years ago or helped them display early units then they are not going to support others in the future.

It's starting to look more and more like they are in serious financial trouble. So all those games that got "paid in full" years ago...that money is long gone, yet they still need to make and ship those games...which costs money. And I really don't understand them not getting parts out to people who need them...how hard is that? What are we really talking about...maybe 10 or less people total who need parts? And Aurich never got his game for doing all the artwork...WTH???

If they are not in financial trouble then what...they're just inept? That's not much better.

Likely a combination of "making pinball is hard" and the run on the bank for refunds was far more than they expected.

As stated earlier, the company Andrew was running was over, and everyone would have lost, had these guys not stepped in. So all we can do is hope for the best and they pull through this difficult time. At least Alien is a game people can get excited about and has the potential to sell.

Spoke with Morgan today. He reassured me on my LE purchase. It has been 13 months now. We did not discuss details as I did not want to nag him. But his reassurance that they are going as hard as they can to meet the many demands left me with a positive impression. It's interesting that this is how I always feel when I speak with them, including when talking with Andrew. I will continue to be patient even though I agree with many of the digruntled folks on here. Wouldn't it be great to have an LE by Christmas, but not holding my breath...

Last update was a month ago, not an incredible amount of time between updates, given they have to build these things and ramp production.

If they were going to tank...could have saved a lot of hassle by just shutting down several months ago. Instead, quality games are going out ( stating as fact after playing it last night).

Unfortunately, 1 day of waiting in real time feels like a month in Pinball time. If the game was shit or non existent, then hopeless. The end product rocks, so the journey continues.....we all lose if they don’t make it....even those that received games. Let’s hope a good update is provided soon......

All of us ( including me) speculating on best/ worse case scenarios has zero impact on what actually happens. I’ll lament not having one for a bit, then realize it’s only Pinball at the end of the day. Easier said than done on occasion.

I’ve enjoyed playing one, Gave my take, and more anxious than ever to get mine. But for now, time to just wait....all we can really do.....

Friend distributor received his replacement playfield. He installed it this week and I did some testplaying.

Am unable to play a full game as it freezes constantly. Have to switch it off on to have it working again.

Firmware is 102. Shaker is not there but turned off anyway.

Any ideas ? Below is a picture when it is frozen.

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I had fully paid with LE number 2 reserved. I bailed after going back and forth and not getting emails answered. They told me it can take up to 6 weeks, but they would try to refund sooner.

Still no refund and I'm surely pissed. I want to support Heighway, but I'm starting to think I will never deal with them again once this is finished.

Thanks for the kind thoughts....it will happen!!! ( my # is 212 to match my TRONLE, and suspect our order dates were very close, Hank)....

Okay...I finally figured out my launch button light issue. It wasn't working at all...in testing or game play. I fiddled with the bulb and it starting working in test mode so I figured I was all set. Wrong...it still didn't light up during a game

So I looked again at test mode...there are TWO launch buttons is test mode...normal and auxiliary. Mine was lighting on auxiliary but not normal. So I swapped the wiring on it. There was a spare pair of wires the same color as the connected launch button wires. I swapped them and now my button lights up in both (normal) test and during games! They had connected the auxiliary wires at the factory. Why there are auxiliary wires in the first place I do not know.

So I got this email after sending several emails. We are at about 4 weeks from my last and final request. So if I do not get a refund in 3 to 4 weeks from now, they will have lied.

Hi Henry,

So sorry for the lack of a response. We are aware of your request for a refund. We will try to process your refund as soon as we possibly can, this process can take up to 60 days to complete but we will endeavour to get this completed for you as soon as possible.

Thank you for your time and I hope to be in contact again soon. If you have any additional queries or questions please feel free to contact me.

Morgan Potter | Customer Services Executive

There’s also wiring in place for dual switch flippers, currently, only one switch there....we can hope!!! Good get!!!

i was contacted by andrew in may that my le was ready to ship and wanted full payment. isent them payment and i am still waiting. i am still sticking it out but need my pin very soon.

Sorry that you had to struggle with this, but I'm glad you figured it out.

There are extra lamps/switches/solenoid outputs on the cabinet, since it was designed for kits. Never knowing for sure what a future title might need, we added many placeholders.

so after almost 2 weeks, my last two issues remain a mystery. The 10 lights remain out (they never worked - 2A11 through 2A21) and after checking recently, the sockets are infact getting power and the LED bulbs do work in other sockets. The embedded PF monitor still has the right overlay distortion that is helped but not resolved by turning off. I checked VGA today and that connection has the same issue. I'm thinking it's CPU related or the monitor itself is faulty.

Again - I have a path forward here but someone who likes to resolve issues where possible (I've fixed the other problems the machine had) it's just interesting that these two remaining a problem. Still enjoying the machine though. Just wonder what it's like have those 10 lights on ; )

Try hooking the video cable up to a seperate monitor when the issue is present to test

Yes thats how those lights work, as mentioned the din trace on the pcb, daisy chain to probably the whole board and if one part screws up the board goes out. As mentioned try reflowing all the soder joints and that might do it, I wish they would post schematics for the boards so you could check coninuity between each lamp easily.

I also had a lightboard die on my Alien the other day, have to see if I can get it working... sigh...

sorry to hear! Good idea regarding the video output. That would clearly isolate it to CPU or Monitor.

What color are the auxiliary wires you switched too.
I have an additional set of purple and yellow wires. And I have a set of black and red wires I have not tried yet.
It originally had a purple and yellow wired connected so I switched out those for another set that is purple and yellow and I got nothing.

that's great guys - love seeing these things get fixed based on input of others.

I can confirm it's the monitor itself. I plugged the alien feed to my external monitor and the feed is fine. Place the same feed back to the PF LCD and it's messed up. Def the LCD.

Lmk if you have luck with your lights

Take whatever he said and throw that thing in the barrel...light it on fire....and drop kick it as it amounts to absolutely zilch!! I was promised much more thats similar to you multiple times as well as an insane amount of people on here and nothing ever came of it. They spew lies like candy on Halloween and dont even twitch. Definition of insanity with them. They're out of parts, guaranteed! No more in their inventory. And no new cash flow (games still sitting unsold), to fund more parts...especially LE's (which is why they dropped the fiber optic ramps I bet). This company is toast, if nothing happens (meaning no crap on a ship this way) by Christmas then that says everything.

yup, well I haven't been in as long as a lot of other people. only since January this year, but I'm jumping ship. still no news as to what they are doing as far as the optics and the other thing they took out, unless I missed it somewhere in the thread. I also didn't want to have to deal with the issues you guys are dealing with, since it was going to a public location. Wish everyone here the best and hope you get what you paid for. Hope I get my 2k back, but if not lesson learned.

I am also on the edge...I really want it, but every gun is firing off saying bail! I'd love to jump over to the big lebowski as it looks sooo darn good but its also in the same boat lol. So maybe Tron then.....price on that is only going up the longer I wait.

pretty sure that's the next vault.

Whew...major speculation there...that’s been spinning for years....

Dont want to sidetrack this thread much getting into it, but look at the price of the Tron LE. Its gone way up recently since Tron legacy is getting a cult following now that they killed the franchise officially now. Heck at auction Trons fetch upwards to $8-9k pros and $10+ LEs instantly, its insane! Great game and is probably why they fetch that as these barcade goers flock to Tron first as they're familiar with it more. Just my 2 cents. Plus with the different variations depending on when you got the pin also makes some insane collector items, like the first generation 1 versions with a certain art and toy package vs the later variations.

Now they’ve proven they can make a great machine ( minor issues all new games face), this is possibly the worst time to bail.....quality product heals a lot of time wounds.....we don’t know what is going on...none of us..just my 2 cents...

Plenty of TronVE threads to address your questions.....the LE’s will not be reproduced, period, and have commanded a premium because of it. A VE will have to have great features, but come in at a competitive price point...going to be tough, as nib has continually raised, even w way inferior games...

Back on track......don’t give up yet...machine kicks royal ass, and speculation on here can really turn negative...quick....

you mean they can make a "few" great machines lol as they've only made what? 40? in 4-5 years? lol. What good are these "great machines" if they aren't made.....lol. Ive paid for what? thus far nothing with nothing confirmed..so what good is it at this point? Also what good is time heal wounds when they cant even produce enough product right now to support those they promised long ago? True we dont know "really" whats going on behind the curtain (which is a another issue), so we have to read between the lines here and use what we've learned in life and other business dealings on what kind of return on investment this truly is and what is the risk assessment we are looking at being this big of a cash drop. So as a small business owner and a degree in business, I can tell you from my experience in these dealings that the risk is insanely high and they are showing all the signs of "robbing peter to pay Paul" to stay afloat which is going to catch up soon, so long term I dont see this being supported and these currently coming out the door with simple problems, I foresee bigger issues and a lack of parts down the road as well. So yeah, investment wise...atleast in 1 way....it could be a good thing if you grab 1 that has no issues and hold onto it so when they go belly up down the road, you have a insane rare and sought after game since its atlease a great game!

I agree. Don't give up. Heighway must know they have something here. The game is incredible. It's a shame, the rest of the pinball community doesn't know what their missing too.

Because they're enjoying their games they ordered and received in a week and product support if any parts break lol.

Prepare for being disappointed. I am in the 'fourth promise cycle' now, already been disappointed 3 times. Draw your conclusion.

Oh boy, the dreaded word 'try' which usually means ( meta-language ) someone is telling you in advance they are going to fail.

Just say 'will' instead.

It killed me to pull out of this one as I had LE 2 and was in at 7700. I paid in 2015 and they have had funds for years. I think they should gladly refund me as they can sell it for more.

I can say I am beyond dissatisfied and quite upset that people are not supporting us to get our refunds.

The reason the pinball community doesn't know what is going on is entirely Heighway Pinball's doing. Morgan's blanket response that they are working hard to build games and to return refunds in 60 days does not sit well with me, nor inspire confidence. They'd be better off explaining what the specific issues are preventing games from being built and shipped. And if they don't start communicating more and with better info to their existing and potential customers .... it's going to be game over, man!

There are totally people here supporting you, and all who want it, to get their refunds. The no communication is bullshit and so far EVERY machine out of the box has had problems from simple to complex. They should be updating people every week. They should be getting parts for people waiting. I really wanted this machine...but not like this!

The game really is something special. It would be a very sad day if heighway doesn't pull through.

Tough knowing that after four years and a management takeover following Andrew's absconding with the funds - that Alien pinball is 100% designed, in production and whenever it arrives, apparently FANTASTIC! Accurate communications from HP has been practically non-existent and the culmination of old lies plus new lies has left everyone in disbelief. HP appears to be in serious trouble.

However, if you only have a deposit on the game and it is not being returned anyways, might as well ride it out. If they do build and ship your game, it will be very much worth it to pay the balance and accept your game. So far every problem has been minor with exception of a few parts and a monitor that failed. There are three issues which might cause one pause, if deciding to route the game - Xeno tongue stuck in extended position during game play, phantom game resets and lack of a user manual with schematics. All of those could be quickly to overcome with the proper attention by HP. If you are fully prepaid, accepting the game after being told it has arrived is an easy choice. If your game is broken and you are awaiting parts - HP needs to get you those parts ASAP and follow up to see if you have any questions and ensure you are 100% satisfied!!

I missed that part entirely....when was Andrew Heighway accused of embezzling money?