(Topic ID: 106728)

ALIEN PINBALL - Game Over, Man, Game Over

By HeighwayPinball

9 years ago


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#21401 5 years ago

Long time ago wasn't there a feature announced whereby admins might cap your negatives. Maybe it locked the post to more input. Anybody remember that? Anyways, I am glad this idea went by the wayside. Looks like the home team is winning.

I see recent estimates of a total 100 FT and 70 Alien shipped, Andrew's downvotes have surpassed games shipped, and this pic is proof.

#21402 5 years ago
Quoted from jeffspinballpalace:

Long time ago wasn't there a feature announced whereby admins might cap your negatives. Maybe it locked the post to more input. Anybody remember that? Anyways, I am glad this idea went by the wayside. Looks like the home team is winning.

Bangerjay cracks me up.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/alien-pinball-official-game-thread/page/426#post-4364220

#21403 5 years ago
Quoted from Evilive69:

That would be a great point to bring up on May 4th. Because if they did sell a containers worth of games to themselves then there ought to be a ton of money in Heighways bank account. Which should be used to pay back the people that didn't get their games.

I will not be surprised if we were to discover that Pinball Brothers is the largest creditor of Heighway Pinball. Unless the liquidation company is willing to view claims from a group of customers as one claim.

#21404 5 years ago
Quoted from TimeBandit:

Mine has blue trim. Keep an eye out for it.
Business folding is one thing, but selling these games now is criminal. Literally. What’s Interpol’s number?

Seems very dodgy. Is this confirmed or conjecture?

#21405 5 years ago

I think you need a little music with your pic!

Is this the Team at Heighway?

#21406 5 years ago
Quoted from MrBally:

C'mon; he apologized. Didn't offer any financial restitution though. Maybe tomorrow.
Do you hate his fcukin' guts or is it just me?

I don't hate him but it's takes a real asshole to apologize and threaten the same people the apology was intended for within the apology itself.

As far as I can tell, Andrew used people as a piggy bank, told customers what he needed to in order to keep his company afloat and then bailed when things got to a breaking point.

To me, that lack of care for your fellow human being is worthy of some name calling and frankly, if 'ol Hydrofoil for brains can't accept that without threatening legal action... he, in my own personal opinion, is a little B.

#21407 5 years ago

Send your money now folks !

#21408 5 years ago
Quoted from benheck:

A lot of people hear a lot of things.
But they don't SAY anything to stay in the good graces of pinball companies they want to be buddy-buddy with.

I'm sure this is true but just to play devil's advocate here... didn't you just do this right in this thread (I think)?

You stated Spooky's new machine "has issues" but when somebody else asked you to elaborate you stayed mum (unless I missed the answer).

No offense... your post simply reminded me of your previous statement. And I'm sure this is related only to gameplay/layout gripes, etc...

16
#21409 5 years ago
Quoted from Manic:

I'm sure this is true but just to play devil's advocate here... didn't you just do this right in this thread (I think)?
You stated Spooky's new machine "has issues" but when somebody else asked you to elaborate you stayed mum (unless I missed the answer).
No offense... your post simply reminded me of your previous statement. And I'm sure this is related only to gameplay/layout gripes, etc...

I'd just say that concerns raised (and then shot down) in the ACNC thread line up very much with my own thoughts on the game. Granted I have an extra level of bias seeing as ACNC got pushed back into my game's slot, dooming it to an Elvira-3-like oblivion.

My game was better, and we'll probably never see it.

15
#21410 5 years ago
Quoted from AndrewH:

Statement From Andrew Heighway
I am truly sorry to hear about the turn of events announced today.
In June 2017 I sold my controlling stake in Heighway Pinball Limited – including its commitments and liabilities - to a group of investors who claimed to want to put significant funds into the company, achieve mass production and deliver part-paid and fully-paid games to customers, as well as new machine sales.
Throughout the five years that I ran the company, we developed and sold games up until the time of my departure. This was never a ponzi scheme, as some have suggested. A mix of technical problems, supplier quality problems and unrealistic timeframes resulted in delays that financially crippled the company. We were all committed to delivering games to all paying customers. I personally apologise for the unrealistic timeframes.
There have been suggestions that I stole or diverted company funds for my own ventures. These are very serious accusations and never once have I been interviewed by the police for any alleged wrongdoings. The company’s accountants have never suggested any wrongdoings by me. It can be proven that the company owed me significant monies and not the other way round. I would therefore advise people to refrain from making any libellous or slanderous statements about me – as I will defend myself and my integrity.
I very much regret that the company’s owners have closed the company without honouring its commitments to all paying customers and I wish everyone the best in pursuing their claims against the investors or via the insolvency practitioners.
This situation has appalled me and I am extremely sorry for the anguish that it will inevitably cause.
Andrew Heighway

Great to see that he's still answering his critics.

Since he's here, perhaps he could address a few concerns, seemingly common misconceptions, and clarify some of his above post.

Was the company sold for more than a token sum? If so, how was this value arrived at and agreed on at the time of sale, given that despite his claims 8 or 9 months earlier and continually thereafter, the machine was nowhere near production ready, there was no production line, and it would take many months of additional collective work by the team to reach a semi acceptable state? Add to that the significant liabilities, lack of tangible assets, questionable intangible assets, considerable debt, record of legal action against him or the company and further outstanding claims. What representations and assurances did he give to to the purchasing party or parties?

If it was a token sum, that would imply that the company was indeed worthless, and that the product, such as it was at that stage, very likely was too. Why would the acquiring party consider it a valueless proposition? Why would he be so keen to be shod of both ownership and legal responsibility if not being financially compensated? When he showed me round the warehouse 9 months prior to the sale, he told me that the following week he'd begin hiring 30 line workers to achieve mass production before the end of the year, as the machine was ready for customers - completely dismissing my concerns about reliability and further testing, as one of his engineers was staring at the floor shaking his head. How does he account for these massive discrepancies?

Perhaps not the police (yet). However, why were verdicts handed down against him by tribunals, why were there out of court settlements, why was there outstanding legal action against him for non payment (some of which was then taken care of by the new owners)? Virtually everyone I spoke to who claimed to have known him before he started the company said that he had a reputation for trying to avoid paying for product delivered or services rendered. This has been posted about by people with (claimed) direct experience recently. Is all of it untrue, or unfairly attributed? If so, how does he account for this extraordinary sleight against his character, and how did he become what would be the victim of fraud, sharp practice or slander by others claiming the same of him, so consistently?

If he can't refute all that, then are people not right to question what else he might have done? Given his well documented shenanigans with regard to refunds, and inconsistency with the fact that he repeated ad nauseum that customers' deposits towards machines did not fund development and could be refunded at any time, yet the accounts that he registered with Companies House appeared bone dry, it seems right that they should regard his assertions of no wrong-doing and no Ponzi with extreme suspicion. Many people have come out now claiming that he committed fraud against them personally in one to one interactions. Are they all wrong? Presumably they must be conspiring against him together, given how similar and conversant the pictures are that they paint.

It's good to know that he was so charitable in letting pass the apparently significant monies the company owed to him; where he was sole director from inception to sale. He has been alleged by some of his former colleagues and employees to have purchased NIB games with company money, and that some of these quickly found a way into his home, never returning to company premises. Did he either reimburse the company, or formally work out a deal whereby he received these instead of remuneration? Hopefully he remembered to pay the VAT once they passed into his direct possession, if they did? But maybe this is all untrue again? Made up by jilted employees for reasons best known only to themselves? Perhaps the latter are also responsible for the allegations that some staff spent long periods of work days being diverted to service machines which he owned, rather than on FTh / Alien where they were needed. If so, they must have fertile imaginations.

Quoted from Davidus56:

He promised me my games “at the front of the line” if I sent him payment in full. After I wrote a scathing post here, he asked to call me to discuss. He went into a lengthy narrative blaming everyone else, the pinball gods and whoever else he could lasso in for the failings of Heighway. I listened patiently. Then he offered me the pole position in a new venture he was undertaking provided I would sign a non disclosure agreement. I advised him of the old Star Trek line from ‘Scotty’ saying, “fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me”. So, to Andrew, Thanks, but no thanks, and good riddance.

A number of claims have been made against him with regard to attempted or purportedly successfully prosecuted advanced payment fraud, unscrupulous & misleading solicitation for investment, and other similar things. However, this poster's claim is particularly astonishing. According to the post, and apparently others who have acknowledged similar pitches privately, he was attempting to shake down or divert the company's customers into a new, unrelated venture. If he feels that the company owed him, or he was entitled to pay or compensation he claims not to have received, was this his way of seeking to redress the balance? Is that fair or ethical? Maybe another tick in the totally untrue column? If there is some substance, was this the hydrofoil thing that he would later claim was just a hobby? Despite having apparently purchased a 30 metre, 65 ton hydrofoil 15 months before his departure. Could people not be forgiven for thinking that, at best, his eye was off the ball? That's a pretty large distraction.

---

That should be enough for now, but since so many of his posts here and prognostications generally have proved to be verifiably false, is there any reason to think he's telling the truth this time? If there is, is this not likely be a case of the little boy who cried wolf?

#21411 5 years ago
Quoted from benheck:

I'd just say that concerns raised (and then shot down) in the ACNC thread line up very much with my own thoughts on the game. Granted I have an extra level of bias seeing as ACNC got pushed back into my game's slot, dooming it to an Elvira-3-like oblivion.
My game was better, and we'll probably never see it.

Um... 610f7927adbf26b8509b24dc049f101d--meme-facepalm-smiley-faces (resized).jpg610f7927adbf26b8509b24dc049f101d--meme-facepalm-smiley-faces (resized).jpg

I would love to see you do another game ben. Sucks it did not work out for 2nd game.

#21412 5 years ago
Quoted from AndrewH:

I would therefore advise people to refrain from making any libellous or slanderous statements about me – as I will defend myself and my integrity.

What integrity is there to defend?

p.s. I hope your hydrofoil sinks and predatory fish bite off your vagina.

#21413 5 years ago
Quoted from benheck:

My game was better, and we'll probably never see it.

No chance at all of it being made as a one-off private project?

#21414 5 years ago
Quoted from benheck:

My game was better, and we'll probably never see it.

Hey Ben, call American Pinball.

#21415 5 years ago
Quoted from Ericpinballfan:

Hey Ben, call American Pinball.

Did it on retainer so the design is owned by Spooky.

-1
#21416 5 years ago
Quoted from Olaa:

Gametime!
Thank you http://www.retroarcade.se
He always keeps his promises.</blockquote/>

when your game breaks and you can't get parts you won't be smirking staring at your brick.

#21417 5 years ago
Quoted from benheck:

Did it on retainer so the design is owned by Spooky.

Aww, shucks.
Well, we can only hope one day.
At this rate,it will take spooky a year to catch up on TNA and Acnc.

#21418 5 years ago
Quoted from Ericpinballfan:

Aww, shucks.
Well, we can only hope one day.
At this rate,it will take spooky a year to catch up on TNA and Acnc.

Its gonna be years finishing acnc and tna if i had to guess

#21419 5 years ago

Ben,
Don't you think it's a bit unprofessional to say that 'spooky game has issues' in a thread about a Heighway going under. Loosing hundreds of 1000s of customers money.

When the issue you are talking about seems to be the fact that some people are complaining about the way ACNC shoots? Aren't they 2 separate things completely?

I am sure you agree it a reckless thing to say. When most people won't be able to make the distinction. I didn't even make the connection until I went into the Alice Cooper thread.

I understand your frustration. Maybe there should be a separate thread about moderation instead of having it here.

#21420 5 years ago
Quoted from bigd1979:

Its gonna be years finishing acnc and tna if i had to guess

I was being pessimistic, and polite.
It could technically take spooky 3 years to finish building TNA. But that isnt a bad thing. Machine is selling well. Great game, played it several times now.

#21421 5 years ago
Quoted from AndrewH:

To the many people I know here - I wish you all well and nothing but the best.
Andrew

Oh yeah? As you literally lied and stole thousands of dollars? Have fun on your dumb old boat

#21422 5 years ago

Oh yeah? As you literally lied and stole thousands of dollars? Have fun on your Dumb old boat

20
#21423 5 years ago
Quoted from FalconPunch:

Ben,
Don't you think it's a bit unprofessional to say that 'spooky game has issues' in a thread about a Heighway going under. Loosing hundreds of 1000s of customers money.
When the issue you are talking about seems to be the fact that some people are complaining about the way ACNC shoots? Aren't they 2 separate things completely?
I am sure you agree it a reckless thing to say. When most people won't be able to make the distinction. I didn't even make the connection until I went into the Alice Cooper thread.
I understand your frustration. Maybe there should be a separate thread about moderation instead of having it here.

His point is about the climate on Pinside and moderation standards.

He's in a position to know about problems (in his opinion) with ACNC and obviously disagrees with concerns being dismissed about this or other games. ALL machines either in developmemt or in past or present production have issues.

He's not shitting on ACNC or Spooky. Just being rather more open than is generally the case.

As for his claim about his game being better. Well, he was the designer. He probably would think that.

I have an ACNC on order. My second attempt at NIB after Alien (thankfully aborted). I'm not concerned by Ben saying stuff like that, or there being issues. I'm concerned by concerns being dismissed, and an air of hostility towards enquiry. An echo chamber is the last thing that will help Spooky, or their customers, as they seek to grow and improve.

#21424 5 years ago
Quoted from rubberducks:

His point is about the climate on Pinside and moderation standards.
He's in a position to know about problems (in his opinion) with ACNC and obviously disagrees with concerns being dismissed about this or other games. ALL machines either in developmemt or in past or present production have issues.
He's not shitting on ACNC or Spooky. Just being rather more open than is generally the case.
As for his claim about his game being better. Well, he was the designer. He probably would think that.
I have an ACNC on order. My second attempt at NIB after Alien (thankfully aborted). I'm not concerned by Ben saying stuff like that, or there being issues. I'm concerned by concerns being dismissed, and an air of hostility towards enquiry. An echo chamber is the last thing that will help Spooky, or their customers, as they seek to grow and improve.

AMEN! More honest discussions less fighting and moderation. We all love pinball so let’s duscuss the good and the bad.

#21425 5 years ago
Quoted from hansj66:

He basically said that he couldn't give us a machine for free as a form of compensation, but that we might be able to strike a deal if we were interested in a machine.
He was fishing for an offer in the ballpark full LE price.

Than he seems to be a real asshole.
I’m so sorry for all people who lost their money. I hope that noone is impacted by the Predator and Alien desaster, like I would if I haven’t cancel my preorder after my lessons learned with KK.

#21426 5 years ago
Quoted from FalconPunch:

Ben,
Don't you think it's a bit unprofessional to say that 'spooky game has issues' in a thread about a Heighway going under. Loosing hundreds of 1000s of customers money.
When the issue you are talking about seems to be the fact that some people are complaining about the way ACNC shoots? Aren't they 2 separate things completely?
I am sure you agree it a reckless thing to say. When most people won't be able to make the distinction. I didn't even make the connection until I went into the Alice Cooper thread.
I understand your frustration. Maybe there should be a separate thread about moderation instead of having it here.

No. This is how proper forums with a truly global membership operate. The dissemination of pertinent information for the greater good of the community without fear, favour or pandering to commercial interests through biased moderation techniques.

Living on the other side of the world like yourself I am relying on those who are close to the ground to get that information out there so that I can assess the information given and form a reasonable conclusion and I would like to feel that on pinside that can be reciprocated relating to any of our local wannabe startups without being censured by white knighters or moderated into silence.

Most people on pinside are intelligent enough to distinguish between Ben's concerns and the main theme even if the issues are raised in the same thread.

Remember this isn't the geographically parochial Aussie Arcade where the 15 active members there are inherently servile and the purple circle leadership are mentally defective bogans.

#21427 5 years ago
Quoted from rubberducks:

His point is about the climate on Pinside and moderation standards.
He's in a position to know about problems (in his opinion) with ACNC and obviously disagrees with concerns being dismissed about this or other games. ALL machines either in developmemt or in past or present production have issues.
He's not shitting on ACNC or Spooky. Just being rather more open than is generally the case.
As for his claim about his game being better. Well, he was the designer. He probably would think that.
I have an ACNC on order. My second attempt at NIB after Alien (thankfully aborted). I'm not concerned by Ben saying stuff like that, or there being issues. I'm concerned by concerns being dismissed, and an air of hostility towards enquiry. An echo chamber is the last thing that will help Spooky, or their customers, as they seek to grow and improve.

Well then he should list the problems.I have no issues with people being open. You guys have misunderstood what I've said.
Don't leave it ambiguous so that people might think he is talking about financial issues.

It's like a friend saying 'hey I've got a secret.... But I can't tell you'.
Just tell me. Or say nothing. Otherwise it's just annoying.

28
#21428 5 years ago

As an Alien owner, I must admit one thing that brings me down. I noticed on Pinside several forums opened up about owners threads on different pins. I love looking at those threads and looking at the adjustments, mods, gameplay talks, code updates and expanded gameplay additions, along with pics of other Pinsiders pins sitting in their man cave/gameroom.

Thanks to Andrew and company, this owners thread turned into a shit show and will never turn into a fantastic owners thread like the rest of them. How can you screw up such a perfect license like the Alien franchise??? If it’s true about the new owners reselling the container of Alien pins to other buyers already paid for by other customers, then they are worse than Andrew IMO and should be charged somehow in a civil or legal court. As an owner, it just pisses me off knowing I can’t get into a fan club with other owners because they didn’t receive their pins as promised.

After reading thru the forum, I thought about selling my Alien pin and I went downstairs to play it for maybe the last time. Didn’t boot at first, so I had to turn it off and on again and played about 5 games. I can’t help it, I LOVE playing this pin and I just can’t part with it. I got to loader battle and the shots and lights show just got me pumped. I even got my favorite multiball hypersleep, which is one of my favorite shots in the game. Will it go down in value? Should I sell it now while it’s still working to help finance purchasing the Aerosmith or Iron Maiden pin I’ve been lustfully looking at lately? Will it become the next King Kong or BBB of the new pinball era in terms of collectibility and rarity? I asked this question several times to my pinball buddies getting various answers. Most tell me to sell it.

I can’t say if I will sell any pin in my collection at any certain time, regardless how much I love it within the first few months of ownership. Alien is no different. But, I know if it comes to selling Alien it will be because of parts breaking and unable to buy or fix it properly and because of the gameplay getting boring to me. I haven’t felt and loved playing a pin this way since I first bought my MM and STLE.

My wife who, God love her, never got into the pinball hobby but wants to make me happy, was told by me about this fiasco. The woman wouldn’t know Captain America from a xenomorph, but she gave me the best answer. She said Larry, it’s already paid and not hurting anyone sitting in the basement, so if you enjoy it keep it and sell it if you get bored with it.

I love that woman.

#21429 5 years ago

Your wife is a treasure.

#21430 5 years ago
Quoted from EalaDubhSidhe:

Your wife is a treasure.

Indeed she is, and I wouldn't sell your Aliens any time soon Indypin.

#21431 5 years ago
Quoted from Rum-Z:

Indeed she is, and I wouldn't sell your Aliens any time soon Indypin.

Dont sell your Alien. Like you said, you love playing it. It sucks the way things went down, but if you enjoy it, keep it and play it. I have one and also worried about parts and repairs, but there is enough of us, that we should be a able to keep them running. We can always start a new thread "Keeping Alien Alive" and start fresh.

#21432 5 years ago

What if... this Pinball Brothers company emerges and manufactures an Alien v2 taking into account all the bad comments about Alien? e.g. reliability, glued on parts, the cabinet/glass design, etc. That would be my worst fear if I owned it as the original would tonk in value.

Whatever you decide to do is a gamble but if you're enjoying it then you only have yourself to please.

#21433 5 years ago
Quoted from GAP:

Dont sell your Alien. Like you said, you love playing it. It sucks the way things went down, but if you enjoy it, keep it and play it. I have one and also worried about parts and repairs, but there is enough of us, that we should be a able to keep them running. We can always start a new thread "Keeping Alien Alive" and start fresh.

If the community can keep alive arcade machines and pinballs from 1979, a license from 1979 should be no trouble.

#21434 5 years ago
Quoted from Indypin:

As an Alien owner, I must admit one thing that brings me down. I noticed on Pinside several forums opened up about owners threads on different pins. I love looking at those threads and looking at the adjustments, mods, gameplay talks, code updates and expanded gameplay additions, along with pics of other Pinsiders pins sitting in their man cave/gameroom.
Thanks to Andrew and company, this owners thread turned into a shit show and will never turn into a fantastic owners thread like the rest of them. How can you screw up such a perfect license like the Alien franchise??? If it’s true about the new owners reselling the container of Alien pins to other buyers already paid for by other customers, then they are worse than Andrew IMO and should be charged somehow in a civil or legal court. As an owner, it just pisses me off knowing I can’t get into a fan club with other owners because they didn’t receive their pins as promised.
After reading thru the forum, I thought about selling my Alien pin and I went downstairs to play it for maybe the last time. Didn’t boot at first, so I had to turn it off and on again and played about 5 games. I can’t help it, I LOVE playing this pin and I just can’t part with it. I got to loader battle and the shots and lights show just got me pumped. I even got my favorite multiball hypersleep, which is one of my favorite shots in the game. Will it go down in value? Should I sell it now while it’s still working to help finance purchasing the Aerosmith or Iron Maiden pin I’ve been lustfully looking at lately? Will it become the next King Kong or BBB of the new pinball era in terms of collectibility and rarity? I asked this question several times to my pinball buddies getting various answers. Most tell me to sell it.
I can’t say if I will sell any pin in my collection at any certain time, regardless how much I love it within the first few months of ownership. Alien is no different. But, I know if it comes to selling Alien it will be because of parts breaking and unable to buy or fix it properly and because of the gameplay getting boring to me. I haven’t felt and loved playing a pin this way since I first bought my MM and STLE.
My wife who, God love her, never got into the pinball hobby but wants to make me happy, was told by me about this fiasco. The woman wouldn’t know Captain America from a xenomorph, but she gave me the best answer. She said Larry, it’s already paid and not hurting anyone sitting in the basement, so if you enjoy it keep it and sell it if you get bored with it.
I love that woman.

Cool you got a machine! Is Heighway actually fulfilling preorders?

10
#21435 5 years ago
Quoted from FalconPunch:

Ben,
Don't you think it's a bit unprofessional to say that 'spooky game has issues' in a thread about a Heighway going under. Loosing hundreds of 1000s of customers money.

I wanted to give an example of "dissent being shouted down" and since I'm closely following the ACNC thread it was the most recent one I could remember.

#21436 5 years ago
Quoted from rubberducks:

Great to see that he's still answering his critics.
Since he's here, perhaps he could address a few concerns, seemingly common misconceptions, and clarify some of his above post.
Was the company sold for more than a token sum? If so, how was this value arrived at and agreed on at the time of sale, given that despite his claims 8 or 9 months earlier and continually thereafter, the machine was nowhere near production ready, there was no production line, and it would take many months of additional collective work by the team to reach a semi acceptable state? Add to that the significant liabilities, lack of tangible assets, questionable intangible assets, considerable debt, record of legal action against him or the company and further outstanding claims. What representations and assurances did he give to to the purchasing party or parties?
If it was a token sum, that would imply that the company was indeed worthless, and that the product, such as it was at that stage, very likely was too. Why would the acquiring party consider it a valueless proposition? Why would he be so keen to be shod of both ownership and legal responsibility if not being financially compensated? When he showed me round the warehouse 9 months prior to the sale, he told me that the following week he'd begin hiring 30 line workers to achieve mass production before the end of the year, as the machine was ready for customers - completely dismissing my concerns about reliability and further testing, as one of his engineers was staring at the floor shaking his head. How does he account for these massive discrepancies?
Perhaps not the police (yet). However, why were verdicts handed down against him by tribunals, why were there out of court settlements, why was there outstanding legal action against him for non payment (some of which was then taken care of by the new owners)? Virtually everyone I spoke to who claimed to have known him before he started the company said that he had a reputation for trying to avoid paying for product delivered or services rendered. This has been posted about by people with (claimed) direct experience recently. Is all of it untrue, or unfairly attributed? If so, how does he account for this extraordinary sleight against his character, and how did he become what would be the victim of fraud, sharp practice or slander by others claiming the same of him, so consistently?
If he can't refute all that, then are people not right to question what else he might have done? Given his well documented shenanigans with regard to refunds, and inconsistency with the fact that he repeated ad nauseum that customers' deposits towards machines did not fund development and could be refunded at any time, yet the accounts that he registered with Companies House appeared bone dry, it seems right that they should regard his assertions of no wrong-doing and no Ponzi with extreme suspicion. Many people have come out now claiming that he committed fraud against them personally in one to one interactions. Are they all wrong? Presumably they must be conspiring against him together, given how similar and conversant the pictures are that they paint.
It's good to know that he was so charitable in letting pass the apparently significant monies the company owed to him; where he was sole director from inception to sale. He has been alleged by some of his former colleagues and employees to have purchased NIB games with company money, and that some of these quickly found a way into his home, never returning to company premises. Did he either reimburse the company, or formally work out a deal whereby he received these instead of remuneration? Hopefully he remembered to pay the VAT once they passed into his direct possession, if they did? But maybe this is all untrue again? Made up by jilted employees for reasons best known only to themselves? Perhaps the latter are also responsible for the allegations that some staff spent long periods of work days being diverted to service machines which he owned, rather than on FTh / Alien where they were needed. If so, they must have fertile imaginations.

A number of claims have been made against him with regard to attempted or purportedly successfully prosecuted advanced payment fraud, unscrupulous & misleading solicitation for investment, and other similar things. However, this poster's claim is particularly astonishing. According to the post, and apparently others who have acknowledged similar pitches privately, he was attempting to shake down or divert the company's customers into a new, unrelated venture. If he feels that the company owed him, or he was entitled to pay or compensation he claims not to have received, was this his way of seeking to redress the balance? Is that fair or ethical? Maybe another tick in the totally untrue column? If there is some substance, was this the hydrofoil thing that he would later claim was just a hobby? Despite having apparently purchased a 30 metre, 65 ton hydrofoil 15 months before his departure. Could people not be forgiven for thinking that, at best, his eye was off the ball? That's a pretty large distraction.
---
That should be enough for now, but since so many of his posts here and prognostications generally have proved to be verifiably false, is there any reason to think he's telling the truth this time? If there is, is this not likely be a case of the little boy who cried wolf?

Good job capturing many of the pertinent concerns, Ducks.

#21437 5 years ago

There is a difference between shouting down people who are actually in a position to know something and are raising concerns (like Ben with ACNC), and people who have no inside knowledge whatsoever, or claiming inside knowledge and having none (or not willing to disclose). Most of the negativity and warnings that went on in this thread were of the latter variety.

If you go back and read some of the earlier posts with an unbiased eye, the only evidence of anything negative that was ever provided was Mr. 68's info about Andrew having other failed companies, and I was one of the people who defended Heighway. Do I regret that? No. Many successful businessmen have business failures in their past, it is part of the entrepreneurial process. This was not a JPop or Predator situation, they had already created, shipped and sold Full Throttle, which for me was a solid indication that the company had the ability to get Alien out the door. Obviously, in hindsight, that was overly optimistic.

I feel for the people who have lost cash on pre-orders. Any company taking pre-order money and then spending it on anything other than building that person's machine are engaging in fraudulent behavior in my opinion. There should've been a separate fund where all that money was kept and never touched, so if things went bad all of that could've went back to the customer. To me that is a fundamental of running an ethical business, I guess others had different opinions. If no customer's had been out their pre-order cash, this would just be a "that's too bad" situation rather than the emotionally loaded one it is now.

One thing I have found disturbing about these latest forum posts are people throwing around the blame to other members in the community. Cheerleaders, trolls, it is all opinion and noise. Let's put the blame where it belongs, on the individuals who were making the money decisions at Heighway pinball and not on moderators, Heighway employees or regular members of the community, that just makes things worse imo.

#21438 5 years ago

Safe spaces.

#21439 5 years ago

Posted this here for search engines to find.

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Capture 2 (resized).PNGCapture 2 (resized).PNG

#21440 5 years ago
Quoted from Robert__:

Yes fredrik from örebro sweden
Why dont you ask daniel ??

I will for Sure ask him when we meet in our pinballclub next time.

23
#21441 5 years ago
Quoted from paul_8788:

There is a difference between shouting down people who are actually in a position to know something and are raising concerns (like Ben with ACNC), and people who have no inside knowledge whatsoever, or claiming inside knowledge and having none (or not willing to disclose). Most of the negativity and warnings that went on in this thread were of the latter variety.
If you go back and read some of the earlier posts with an unbiased eye, the only evidence of anything negative that was ever provided was Mr. 68's info about Andrew having other failed companies, and I was one of the people who defended Heighway. Do I regret that? No. Many successful businessmen have business failures in their past, it is part of the entrepreneurial process. This was not a JPop or Predator situation, they had already created, shipped and sold Full Throttle, which for me was a solid indication that the company had the ability to get Alien out the door. Obviously, in hindsight, that was overly optimistic.
I feel for the people who have lost cash on pre-orders. Any company taking pre-order money and then spending it on anything other than building that person's machine are engaging in fraudulent behavior in my opinion. There should've been a separate fund where all that money was kept and never touched, so if things went bad all of that could've went back to the customer. To me that is a fundamental of running an ethical business, I guess others had different opinions. If no customer's had been out their pre-order cash, this would just be a "that's too bad" situation rather than the emotionally loaded one it is now.
One thing I have found disturbing about these latest forum posts are people throwing around the blame to other members in the community. Cheerleaders, trolls, it is all opinion and noise. Let's put the blame where it belongs, on the individuals who were making the money decisions at Heighway pinball and not on moderators, Heighway employees or regular members of the community, that just makes things worse imo.

Good post and I agree with much. I will disagree with your assessment of Andrew's history however.
Andrew was 0-8 with his ventures when I posted that information. During my back and forth with Andrew at that time, I pointed out his 100% failure rating. Andrew being Andrew, he danced around my comment and got his usual slew of thumbs up.
Knowing what you now know, what advice might you pass along to a potential Hydrofoil investor?

I would also like to point out there was another who came forward with solid information that was quickly dismissed or ignored. I’m going from memory but I recall Rubberducks traveling to the Heighway factory for a prearranged tour with Andrew. RD was a concerned pre-order man investigating on behalf of himself and others with skin in the game. Reading between the lines, I recall his report as dismal and pessimistic. He did his best not to be inflammatory but factual with what he had witnessed and honestly perceived. It passed with barely a mention.

BTW. I take Rubberducks very seriously with whatever he posts on pinside.

Look, we all make mistakes in life. It’s human nature especially among decent, trusting people. I will be in a courtroom with John Popadiuk very soon for example. I’m riding out my anger and embarrassment from that faux pas so don’t think you’re alone.

Again, my condolences to all. Please know that each one of you would be a welcomed and respected guest in my home or to have drinks with at a show.

-1
#21442 5 years ago

Derelicte ship onforward to all out war

5148736A-E47D-4285-B6DF-242D555C59FB (resized).jpeg5148736A-E47D-4285-B6DF-242D555C59FB (resized).jpeg

#21443 5 years ago
Quoted from Mr68:

Good post and I agree with much. I will disagree with your assessment of Andrew's history however.
Andrew was 0-8 with his ventures when I posted that information. During my back and forth with Andrew at that time, I pointed out his 100% failure rating. Andrew being Andrew, he danced around my comment and got his usual slew of thumbs up.
Knowing what you now know, what advice might you pass along to a potential Hydrofoil investor?

I am not sure what assessment you refer to. All I stated that he had a list of failed companies. I know good people who have had failures before they succeeded, so wasn't ready to burn him at the stake for that. I had no knowledge, and saw no evidence that he had a history of taking customers' money and not providing them with a product. Now that history is pretty clear, so any potential Hydrofoil investor would be directed to this thread obviously.

Quoted from Mr68:

Look, we all make mistakes in life. It’s human nature especially among decent, trusting people. I will be in a courtroom with John Popadiuk very soon for example. I’m riding out my anger and embarrassment from that faux pas so don’t think you’re alone.

I definitely appreciate the sentiment, but speaking for just myself, no anger or embarrassment. I stand by what I said given the info I had at the time. I just hope after this, Popadiuk and Predator that this whole pre-order model of financing pinball companies is finally dead.

#21444 5 years ago

Thanks fellas! BTW Gap, keep making your YouTube videos. Love them

16
#21445 5 years ago

I am a fully paid Alien LE owner, #18. Even paid the extra for the large screen, back when that was an option. I'll likely never see my game, so life lesson for me here. The warning signs were out there, as many Pinsiders pointed out, but this is a "must have" theme for me as it is for many others so I kept holding out hope beyond hope that it would somehow come to pass. And when the new owners took over, held my breath for a while again hoping for the best as I'd much prefer to have the game than a refund, even if the game still has bugs in it! Ah well, looks like it's never going to happen now. But, for those you with the game like #Indypin, you should thoroughly enjoy your game. No ill will here just because I ended up screwed - heck, I wish I was in the club with you! I hold out little hope at this point that through the receivership process some remuneration will come the early adopter's way. I guess it could happen, just doesn't look promising. But what a great pin this should have been for a far greater number of pinball enthusiasts, folks. Just a damn shame.....

#21446 5 years ago
Quoted from Gooch:

The warning signs were out there, as many Pinsiders pointed out, but this is a "must have" theme for me as it is for many others so I kept holding out hope beyond hope that it would somehow come to pass

I used to be swayed by the “must have theme” only to be disappointed at best, almost ripped off for $8500 at worst.

Here’s the best thing to do when tempted by a theme you love. Just watch your $10 Blu-Ray. DONE.

(Also consider buying a projector or huge TV to enjoy your “favorite theme” ...much cheaper than a pinball machine and you’ll enjoy it more)

#21447 5 years ago
Quoted from Rarehero:

I used to be swayed by the “must have theme” only to be disappointed at best, almost ripped off for $8500 at worst.

Well I'll admit I got a little caught up in the theme on this one...and that I got SUPER LUCKY to even get one. But I certainly wasn't disappointed in the final product. The company yes...but the game itself is great.

16
#21448 5 years ago

I feel like I should have just unlocked some kind of pinside secret achievement by being the 200th person to down vote a post.

#21449 5 years ago

While the fan is loaded with shit, it is somewhat hard to have a discussion about technical details, parts and experiences for those who actually received Alien here. Do we have a thread for that anywhere?
I need to do some plunger adjustments and would like to hear if others had similar experiences. The plunger will fail getting the ball out one of two times. Coil adjustments doesn't make a difference.
Also I would love to gather all technical info we have on the machine, parts etc.. and finally I really hope code 1.2 makes it out. Anyone with insight regarding that?

15
#21450 5 years ago
Quoted from Rarehero:

I used to be swayed by the “must have theme” only to be disappointed at best, almost ripped off for $8500 at worst.
Here’s the best thing to do when tempted by a theme you love. Just watch your $10 Blu-Ray. DONE.
(Also consider buying a projector or huge TV to enjoy your “favorite theme” ...much cheaper than a pinball machine and you’ll enjoy it more)

The pinball market has a nostalgia problem. Redneck idiots can write the name of an 80's movie on a plywood cabinet and walk away with a cool half-million, tax free!

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