Wait fir it....

LED strips like Pinstadium don't look ideal on games that have long plastic ramp returns or a lot of plastics underneath the strips. I hate that glare effect from the LED strips on ramp returns or seeing the reflection on plastics.

I don't get super bright games being played in the dark? I hate that. My room is lit...not super bright but there is lighting. I like to be able to see what I'm doing. If you are going to play in complete darkness (weird) then the lights should all be dimmer and a more even brightness (no major "hot spots"). But that's just me.

so the illuminated blades came in but no instructions. If anyone can take pics of theirs (Specifically where the two power wires go from the metal box go) would be appreciated.

My game room's lights are all on a dimmer, I tend to set the lighting pretty low, but never totally dark. Agree that the Pinstadium lights look pretty awful on Alien, this is a modern game that's supposed to be dark, that much bright light is overkill and looks bad against the ramp returns. I think Pinstadium lights look best on making 90s era DMD games that were underlighted pop, not sure I see the value in putting them in a new game.

Exactly. My Baywatch and Big Hurt are totally different looking games with proper, even ,warm white LED strips along the sides.

Trying not to get too off topic but they are fantastic on WOZ and that's pretty new. I'm still longing for the day I get to see / play an Alien.

Dang. That's too bad. More and more, this is just going in my rear view mirror. Bought NIB GotPro and a nice CFTBL within 2 months of each other this year already. Scared Stiff or MBr will prolly be next.

Between the three, that's about....$16k or so. That could have gone to Alien - if it ever becomes a reality.

HP, you need to get it together. This title, for me at least, is in danger of going "Could have been...." stale.

So no LEs headed to Cointaker? No news?

Does anyone have a list of working Alien games in location in the states?

Now that is a great sight Aliens Invade SA

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IMO unless they're revealing a new machine, they should stay away.

There've been a lot of costs since the takeover.

Until they have a new product to announce and sell, they're wise to avoid expensive, disruptive travel & show attendance.

Better they focus all resources on satisfying the victims of the previous regime, any new Alien orders via distributors, and development of the new machine.

Well said. They would just face an onslaught of angry US preorder costumers at TPF, who are looking for definitive answers that they are obviously reluctant to give.

I just got an email from Cointaker asking me to pay off my LE, and that a container is on the way.

Anyone else get contacted by them?

Why not pay off when game is actually in their warehouse?

Yeah screw that...I wouldn;t pay a goddamn ting till it's in their hands.

Or at least when there is proof it's at the dock....

Any dates on the container shipment? No email from CT yet for me

They are incredible on new games, so I have to disagree with a poster above. I have one on Dialed in LE and a Houdini. Definitely amazing improvement. I play with lights off, but even with them on, every person who has come over to play says they are afraid to get even one set because then they will have to have them on every game. The reason they aren’t so good on alien is because there is no gi integration yet and the reflection off the left ramp plastic. That being said, it’s still way better than playing with the lights on. It’s Alien. It’s suppose to be dark and creepy. Your comment on the brightness is ridiculous as you can adjust both white and color from 100% to 0% as you see fit. For alien, I just put it at like 25 percent for both. To keep it mostly dark but light enough to see the art and ball better.

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Yep, still a totally F ed up situation. No Cointaker container yet, no surprise.

People getting parts with no instructions? No surprise.

Myself being a first responder order and deposit without jack shit, no surprise.

Honestly, why they thought they could revive this thing the way Andrew left it is beyond me. especially after I'm grabbing my ankles waiting for the "newbies" to get their pin

At this point, I would rather eat my deposit than pay the remaining balance due for some half ass deal, especially after I'm grabbing my ankles waiting for the "newbies" to get their pin.

I don't care wtf it plays like. They have a LONG ways to go before they can even think about announcing game #2? Is that a joke?

The ongoing BS is amazing and hard to take.

How can anyone possibly down vote this given the fact HP still owes refunds. Some people are clueless.

Because Cointaker is not Heighway, Lol. Ask for a tracking number and pay the rest of your bill when your game is arriving at their shop. Bunch of babies in here getting all worked up with mass hysteria.

The refunds have 0 to do with new people paying for their machine when it’s on its way and it’s time to pay for the game. Jesus Christ.

Look at the photo below and you will see what happens when you pay off the rest of your bill when she calls you....

Are you ready? I don’t want you to get triggered...

Tada! An alien appears in your game room a few weeks later.

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Why are you being such a dick about it?

Cointaker are not Heighway, but Cointaker are dealing with Heighway.

If they're asking for payment to be made in full, I don't see how it impacts them to wait until the machines actually arrive? What if they turn up broken? What if they don't turn up at all? In those situations the Cointaker customers who had paid the balance of their order in full - because they were asked to - would be at the mercy of Heighway (via Cointaker) as to when replacement pins would be shipped again.

Given how delicate cashflow appears to be at Heighway I'm not sure I'd want to gamble on them replacing 15+ LE pins (allegedly the number on this mythical boat) in a reasonable amount of time.

Hopefully this boat actually exists and these pins are on it, and arrive safely. In the absence of any proof whatsoever I'd advise caution.

Perhaps, it is because I don’t appreciate being called clueless. Obviously Cointaker has their own policies regarding payment. If you didn’t like that policy you shouldn’t have ordered one. I have had 0 issue with them including getting a totally fucked Alien machine back up to running order and now again needed a new play field. Perhaps that’s because I am kind to the distributor and ask for help when I need it, I speak to them with appreciation and as an adult instead of getting pissed off and yelling or denying payment etc.

If you were that worried about CT screwing you then you should have never ordered a new money LE from them. If you are old money, pick your bone with Heighway because if not for CT, no one in the US would have one coming ever, and they don’t decide when HW makes old money games.

Once again, heighway is not CT. You catch more bees with honey than vinegar.

Cointaker may be a great company but are being made to look like a set of clowns by Heighway pinball with all the lies that are being said but if they are happy to pass the lies on to customers that makes them as bad I don’t know why cointaker put up with the endless lies and don’t just terminate Heighway as a distributor it must be just as much hassle for them as you guys
The last few jjp and chg shipments that came to the UK pinball heaven posted the tracking no of the ship so you could see where it was on it’s trip also pics of it being loaded and unloaded at this end a deposit is paid to secure it them payment in full when in the UK and scheduled for delivery I think that is the correct way to go
Heighway said that people would see there Le by December it’s now March and still only speculation that’s why people don’t want to pay in full
Be interesting to see if it comes with the shaker motor as promised

It's been awhile, so I just wanted to post something on behalf of the Alien dev team... we're continuing to improve the code, with better audio, better video, better lighting, better score balancing, and an overall better software experience heading your way, as we work on Alien software v1.2.

Thanks for continuing to support Alien! We hope you love the game now, and love it even more as it matures.

Cointaker is, unfortunately, being dragged further into this HP disaster with every misrepresentation they parrot. I will NEVER buy a Heighway product, ever, after Andrews bs with me, and find myself as a consumer, questioning CT. Never a good place for a distributor to be.

Have dealt with CT for years, never an issue. This however is a HUGE issue for ‘original money’ buyers getting what they paid for years, YEARS(!!) ago.

Now if CT is helping with QC issues, more should let us know. That would seriously be a redeeming trait for CT. I’m hoping that’s the case.

Does the code currently allow correct 4 player scoring?

When you have an alien avatar in the Alien thread don't expect a fair and balanced thought process

Ummm... yes, AFAIK. Do you have some reason to believe it doesn't do so?

I didn't get a date yet. However, I was somewhat pro-active in contacting them about the LE. I called them a few weeks back just to ask about how things were going and they told me to email them a color (black, blue, or green). If you have a down payment on one, I'd call them on Monday and just ask about if one of these that's being shipped is earmarked for you. Here's the email they sent me (it also contained an invoice with my remaining balance):

"Balance is now due as they are getting ready to ship the container,
Please make payment arrangements."

My patience meter is on zero now.

I'm launching emails every day until i get a reply from these guys.

And will bombard them here until we get some answers.

Hunh. She called and I paid at the end of last June...

Still no Alien in my game room.

I'm not complaining, but there isn't exactly a direct relationship between payment and delivery a couple weeks later.

So I have a broken Alien SE that came from cointaker. The shipment of LE’s is supposed to be here by next week or the week after. I was told they have 45 of them coming.

I guess its who complains the loudest.

They jumped into the situation to make a buck. Just like Jpop and the Zombie "Cointaker edition".

No problem, good for them but the guys that took over Heighway just need to ship the F ing pins that people paid for in a somewhat FAIR manner if they want a company in the future. Or NOT.

Pay last June? I paid 4 years ago.

I really don't even want the pin until they get their shit together. Does anybody really think that Cointaker can head out overseas to make sure they deliver on their promises and service what they have? The service is GARBAGE and the QC is spotty. The whole thing is a cluster F.

Heighway pinball is being short sighted here and it will cost them big time.

I have had a deposit for 4 yrs and they can take that $$$ and shove it up their asses as far as I'm concerned. I'm not gonna be held hostage by them or Cointaker.

Sorry, only 3 1/2 years ago as I posted and supported this effort from page 1 of this thread.

Yes.

Can you provide some details?

Yes. The game that Andrew lied about and conned Clay into buying for the last VFW showcase (which arrived after the showcase as Andrew lied about when he shipped it) has flaky scoring for player 4 during the 1st ball. Then, the code runs away during the 2nd ball and the game eventually locks up. Basically, we put a sign on the bottom arch stating only play a 1-3 player game.

Which code version is this?

I have no idea. For reference, let's call it "v 100". Whatever we could get via the silent treatment from Heighway Pinball. So, basically nothing.
This is notwithstanding the new computer that recently arrived, without the necessary cables nine months later.
Also keep in mind the POS sold the machine with no Alein head mechanism.

Alright, I realize that you or Clay have had a lousy experience. I'm very sorry for that, but unfortunately that's out of my control. However, if you or any other owners or players have problems with scorekeeping on 4 player games with current software (v1.1), please feel free to DM me with details, as I'd certainly want to diagnose that and get it fixed.

The fact pinball heaven is not selling them says a lot

It’s a Shame as the game actually looks really good

Interest in Alien in the UK is pretty much zero. Which is ridiculous considering they are made here. They only have themselves to blame though- good luck with a 2nd game, I can't see anyone pre ordering after this shambles.

Isn't it a lot more expensive here in the UK? (for some unknown reason)

Yes, I completely agree. This whole situation has been handled poorly. Game number 3 is in development but no way in hell are we making any announcement until everything that's wrong with the Alien fiasco is fixed. And we can and will fix it.

Will anyone buy game number 3? Right now, I'd say not a chance. Or at least not in any significant number. We have to fix this, rebuild our reputation. Start over. And it all starts with making sure our games are reliable and backed up with a solid support structure.

To be frank, Andrew was only ever a half decent salesman (much like David Brent from The Office...in fact EXACTLY like David Brent from The Office.) Completely hopeless at managing a company and we've been dealing with the shit storm he left behind.

We've all come so close to losing our jobs so many times over the past few years, and many have quit. Those that remain, are completely committed to making this work. It would be very easy for us to just say "fuck it" and close the doors and move on, but we're not doing that. We have a plan and there is a future for this company.

If it helps (and it helps me), open your window right now, stick your head out and scream: "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore".

Communication is key. Posts like this help to reassure people even though ultimately you haven't given any concrete details of shipments, etc. When there is radio silence, and emails go unanswered for weeks (or don't get answered at all), that's when your customers lose faith, and start telling anyone who will listen of their bad experience. When there is enough negativity swirling around you end up in a situation which can quickly become unrecoverable.

No one wants new Heighway to fail, but there are a number of people who have money down who deserve to know where they stand, even if it its the cold, hard truth of "we don't have an update for you right now, but we are committed to making you whole, please bear with us", etc. In the absence of any updates people start to speculate, and fear the worst.

Hey SLAMT1LT...maybe you could explain how people with money in the game for years and years are being treated like horse shit and new blood is getting preference on the pins being shipped ? Makes the rest of us very nervous we will be treated the same if we were to suport your company and buy ALIEN. Also, I think peeps just want their pin already, screaming takes too long!