Quoted from CrazyLevi:I had bigger fish to fry, like trying to figure out once and for all if me or Alien Guy has more class!
Classy pinsiders
That should be an achievement
Quoted from CrazyLevi:I had bigger fish to fry, like trying to figure out once and for all if me or Alien Guy has more class!
Classy pinsiders
That should be an achievement
Quoted from epotech:Sorry NDA.
If the company no longer exists does that still count?
Quoted from EalaDubhSidhe:Remember when the investors made their first announcement, and I said that outside of them, I as the game's designer had the most to lose? That wasn't hyperbole. I hope Aurich does get his machine, because he knows what I'm talking about. I wish I was in a better position to give my side of the story, but I can't because right now I'm a focal point in between two parties, I have to remain neutral, and I've got to let things play out between them first.
I have zero inside information but I hope your story isn't something like you've been living in a empty pinball factory for 3 years and no salary.
You're a talented designer, I'm sure there's other opportunity for you out there.
Quoted from EalaDubhSidhe:Remember when the investors made their first announcement, and I said that outside of them, I as the game's designer had the most to lose? That wasn't hyperbole. I hope Aurich does get his machine, because he knows what I'm talking about. I wish I was in a better position to give my side of the story, but I can't because right now I'm a focal point in between two parties, I have to remain neutral, and I've got to let things play out between them first.
Can we discuss this statement?
When you say - "I'm a focal point in between two parties, I have to remain neutral, and I've got to let things play out between them first." I will assume Heighway is one of those parties. Are you at liberty to say who the other is?
Quoted from epotech:Sorry NDA.
Sorry but that's bullshit. I have no problem being proven wrong on anything and in the past I have owned up to my mistakes. But to tell me I'm wrong with no explanation?
Quoted from CrazyLevi:You just called me a bald dick for absolutely no good reason.
Thanks for the lessons in class. I'm leaving it at that.
Well enough was enough - if you don't understand the reason, I can't help you. I guess you're just programmed that way which is unfortunate. We'll have to agree to disagree. I'm just done trying.
Quoted from CrazyLevi:I'm pulling an NDA from now on when I don't feel like explaining anything.
Great idea, I'm going to try that on my wife.
"I'd love to tell you why I didn't come home last night but I can't because of an NDA."
Quoted from EalaDubhSidhe:Remember when the investors made their first announcement, and I said that outside of them, I as the game's designer had the most to lose? That wasn't hyperbole. I hope Aurich does get his machine, because he knows what I'm talking about. I wish I was in a better position to give my side of the story, but I can't because right now I'm a focal point in between two parties, I have to remain neutral, and I've got to let things play out between them first.
Sorry Dave, not being rude as I know for a fact you've likely been hard done by here but there's a few people including myself who are losing plenty here as early investors who had no say in matters atall and were never ever listened to at any single point despite the fact that we were generally relatively successful business people who just maybe had experience and ideas that would of been useful.
And far more importantly what about those who worked hard and saved up for ages to pay for this and now get nothing atall , who unlike the investors and employees just wanted to buy something nice as a treat - not as an 'earner' . An investor or even an employee to a certain degree accepts this risk, but the buyers have been properly ripped off.
I'm not under any NDA but I've been very reluctant since yesterday (when I learnt the news first hand) to post anything public about this, but I've decided my money's 100% burnt anyway and no one can legally go for me, plus I'm now extremely annoyed / bitter which is a bad combination of course so ask me stuff if you like I don't care anymore .
Quoted from epotech:Wrong
I get (got) monthly production numbers for this title.
I don't.
I still did not see any official announcement about this fiasco, but what about the promises from the new owners that they would not give this up ? Were they not succesfull businessmen ? I have had some conversations with one of the new guys and he assured me I would get my moneys worth. Again, if this is true, then they even fooled all their employees as I heared several of the team say these people are for real and we will not be let down, just hang in there.
Even if I would have gotten my machines, what good would it be if the company folds ? No spare parts, no service, no nothing.
I sure hope that this is not going down the drain like this.
Quoted from simon:so ask me stuff if you like I don't care anymore .
Quoted from simon:...when I learnt the news first hand
Can you give more details on "the news" you've heard first hand?
Quoted from SunKing:Can you give more details on "the news" you've heard first hand?
Insolvency company in the U.K. Contacted me yesterday in writing, official paperwork attached etc, using an email address that HP have for me so must of passed to said insolvency company - with no courtesy contact made to pre warn me what was happening. One of many reasons I'm annoyed, I knew nothing till yesterday .
Directors Meeting was last week I think it said, decision made to go into voluntary liquidation. No one contacted me, oddly enough.
Meeting at office of insolvency company on the 4th May for I think stakeholders to agree / disagree the liquidation. Undecided whether to bother going or not.
Quoted from simon:Undecided whether to bother going or not.
Go!...so you can keep us in the loop....
Quoted from ronaldvg:I still did not see any official announcement about this fiasco, but what about the promises from the new owners that they would not give this up ? Were they not succesfull businessmen ? I have had some conversations with one of the new guys and he assured me I would get my moneys worth. Again, if this is true, then they even fooled all their employees as I heared several of the team say these people are for real and we will not be let down, just hang in there.
Even if I would have gotten my machines, what good would it be if the company folds ? No spare parts, no service, no nothing.
I sure hope that this is not going down the drain like this.
It appears they are better salesmen than businessmen.
Quoted from pascal-pinball:a dealer in The Netherlands is selling his demo-Alien pinball ... now I know why...
To be fair, he had it up for sale prior to this announcement. I know this for sure as I was the one who informed me on the situation this evening .... and his add was already up. His alien was staying with me for tweaking and ironing out the hardware issues.
Toss yet another new pinball company on the ash heap of history. Writing was on the wall for anyone paying attention for well over a year. I feel so bad for everyone who paid these clowns money & aren't going to get an thing in return. I was in the same boat before I jumped ship & got my full refund.
Quoted from robotron:good bye 6500
God damn this makes me upset. Right when all the dirt starting coming out last May, the thought of losing $8K gave me serious panic attacks. The minute the new owners stepped in, I hounded them daily until I got my refund. Others who waited weren't so lucky. I feel for all of you guys.
Is there any chance at this point of completed games getting in the hands of at least paid in full customers? Could a court or someone still at Heighway say in the insolvency "these games go to customers that have paid in full"? I hope so.
Quoted from PanzerFreak:Is there any chance of completed games getting in the hands of at least paid in full customers?
Quoted from simon:Directors Meeting was last week I think it said, decision made to go into voluntary liquidation. No one contacted me, oddly enough.
Meeting at office of insolvency company on the 4th May for I think stakeholders to agree / disagree the liquidation. Undecided whether to bother going or not.
The representative of the liquidation firm met with the office employees to outline the process and give the official termination notices last Friday. The insolvency becomes official on Friday May 4th, giving a time scale of... two weeks. >_<
Quoted from PanzerFreak:I really hope something can be done for customers with money tied up over there.
Yes, of course....but don't know about their laws there. I hope people get something....
Completely speculative, but is there anyway another pinball manufacturer can buy the IP and license from this mess? It'd be an awful shame to see this title sink with Heighway Pinball!
Well, in some respects its good to finally stick a fork in this shitshow. It's the last of the old pre pays to go down.
Everybody can just move on now and close this ugly chapter in the book of pinball failure.
It sucks that good people got hurt and a lot of us lost $$$.
Have a drink or three and just "bury the dead, all they do is stink up the joint" Coughlin's law.
Quoted from iceman44:Well, in some respects its good to finally stick a fork in this shitshow. It's the last of the old pre pays to go down.
Everybody can just move on now and close this ugly chapter in the book of pinball failure.
It sucks that good people got hurt and a lot of us lost $$$.
Have a drink or three and just "bury the dead, all they do is stink up the joint" Coughlin's law.
Dutch Pinball isn't a slam dunk just yet... I really hope they succeed.
I guess we'll see if UK bankruptcy court can move any more quickly than US bankruptcy court (how long has the Skit-B fiasco been sitting on the docket in Michigan?)
Quoted from iceman44:Well, in some respects its good to finally stick a fork in this shitshow. It's the last of the old pre pays to go down.
Everybody can just move on now and close this ugly chapter in the book of pinball failure.
It sucks that good people got hurt and a lot of us lost $$$.
Have a drink or three and just "bury the dead, all they do is stink up the joint" Coughlin's law.
One less pinball manufacturer - yes. Last of prepay companies - no, I still see DP and deeproot holding onto payments.
Quoted from jeffspinballpalace:One less pinball manufacturer - yes. Last of prepay companies - no, I still see DP and deeproot holding onto payments.
Wait, deeproot was/is taking money already?!? Maybe I'm imagining things, but I thought their business model was going to be pay when it's ready to ship?
Quoted from snakesnsparklers:Dutch Pinball isn't a slam dunk just yet... I really hope they succeed.
Ahhh yes, forgot about the Dutchies. Didn't they get some investor recently?
Deeproot has deep investor $$. No pre pay
Quoted from fosaisu:Wait, deeproot was/is taking money already?!? Maybe I'm imagining things, but I thought their business model was going to be pay when it's ready to ship?
You can up the amount of money in limbo with them to increase your 'benefits'.
Quoted from iceman44:Ahhh yes, forgot about the Dutchies. Didn't they get some investor recently?
Deeproot has deep investor $$. No pre pay
DP things aren't going well according to distributor communications. But at least they're not out of it yet
Quoted from Shapeshifter:$12000 anyone?
Yikes, for a game that won't be repairable anytime soon.....
I'm not saying pay $12,000 for the game (if anyone wants to offer me $12,000 for mine please let me know lol) but I don't think the repair thing is really as dire as it sounds. Boards can be duplicated (there's already some efforts around this), we've already seen one 3D printed gear (I love that we can do that now!), I don't think fixing existing games is really the problem. If you can get ahold of one there's always a way.
What a sorry end to the saga, but I'm at least hopeful that whatever 100 odd machines are out there can be kept alive and it goes down as a rare game that has real code and is actually playable. As much as I have a ton of mixed feelings about it all, I'd like it if people got a chance to play it at shows or visiting collections and it didn't fade away after all this time and effort.
Well, I always wanted the game more than my money back. Price you pay for the dice you roll.
I wonder what price smiling Andrew Heighway has to pay. Probably bad enough just being him for the rest of his idiot life.
$1500 gone forever. Should have bought lottery tickets - better odds.
Think its time to drain this thread...
Quoted from TimeBandit:Well, I always wanted the game more than my money back. Price you pay for the dice you roll.
I wonder what price smiling Andrew Heighway has to pay. Probably bad enough just being him for the rest of his idiot life.
A price so high he was able to start a new company and begin bankrolling new suckers ...
Quoted from Aurich:I'd like it if people got a chance to play it at shows.
reportedly there will be one at the Golden State Pinball Festival in Lodi, CA.
in not 2, but 3 weeks. May 18-20, 2018.
Quoted from drypaint:The Flipper Room will have a booth at the show with a host of pinball art, framing, TFR merch, and... our Alien pinball machine for y'all to enjoy.
Quoted from epotech:Sorry NDA.
Put it this way - a blind man could see with his cane that it was no where near 70 machines.
Quoted from Aurich:I'd like it if people got a chance to play it at shows or visiting collections and it didn't fade away after all this time and effort.
Come play an Alien at the Michigan Pinball Show Ann Arbor VFW & Pinball Museum. Info here: http://vfwpinball.com/?p=128
This is a really sad albeit likely development. A lot of good people lost much time and coin over this. It's a truly magnificent theme too- I hope not lost to pinball now
It's a great PF design, and of all the great people affected by this I hope Dave Sanders gets adequately recompensed. What a designer! IMO he is to pinball design what Zombie Yeti is to artwork, and I hope he gets snapped up by another pinball company, and paid properly this time.
Quoted from Rdoyle1978:A price so high he was able to start a new company and begin bankrolling new suckers ...
Or buy a house maybe
Quoted from Pinballs:This is a really sad albeit likely development. A lot of good people lost much time and coin over this. It's a truly magnificent theme too- I hope not lost to pinball now
It's a great PF design, and of all the great people affected by this I hope Dave Sanders gets adequately recompensed. What a designer! IMO he is to pinball design what Zombie Yeti is to artwork, and I hope he gets snapped up by another pinball company, and paid properly this time.
Yes Dave very talented I'm sure will get work from this at some point, he deserves it. Got other designs tucked away as well as I recall?
Big mention to ex heighway tekky Romain too, very very clever guy.
Had some good people to be fair
Quoted from NeilMcRae:Put it this way - a blind man could see with his cane that it was no where near 70 machines.
Probably around 20-30 and as for the NDA not worth a wank.
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