New PF ?!?

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it seems that there is a new magnet on the left and I'm not sure if the LCD is still there, it seems to be a OCB Board.

This is a Williams cabinet with the beams on the sides.

No more huge boards, it has been redesigned as well.

This is the SAME pin layout (without the LCD?) , not a new pin !

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That magnet was there at the first playfield draft, that wasn't produced for final series.
A second hole in the playfield in front of the Egg-Bumpers was visible.
In my opinion this is an old schematic.

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I didn't say its insourmountable. I implied it isn't feasible from a cost perspective.

It can run the same game code? Sure, if there is an interface layer between the two. I'm a software engineer, and no, there is no just hooking up a p-roc board to the existing computer and it magically working.

Removing the io boards and expecting p-roc to interface with the existing lighting/switches is a bit far fetched. The only thing you have done is gotten away from the problematic usb connection. You still have a number of failure points like the terrible switches.

This of course ignores that there isn't enough incentive to redesign this game which was why I said it wasn't feasible in the first place. You need a company that has the funds to buy out pinball brothers, buy the license from fox, have the facilities or the funds to build them, and the funds to redesign the game and put all the parts back in production.

To date with remakes we have seen BBB which sunk Gene Cunningham and required multiple people to bail out the limited production, using a lot of pre-existing parts. We have seen Chicago Coin which has remade games where a lot of it was already existing and overtime they have introduced changes. So, no let's put this stupid question to bed because after over a year of idiotic, unfounded, bullshit rumors we still haven't seen this game remade in any form let it go.

I didn't infer it works by magic. I'm saying the PROC platform uses a PC controller - and that's exactly what you have in your alien already Literally just changing the driver hardware from the HWP IO boards to the PROC drivers and rewriting the HAL and drivers to talk PROC. The game code has always had abstraction from the hardware.

The switches aren't the problem.. It's the fubar'd power driver and bus designs on the IO boards. Physical interfaces (USB ports) are easily reworked. That's a common failure point in games, but it's not the fundamentally broke portions of the game that cause disco lights, inadvertent cutoff, and serviceability issues.

They'd probably just use one software guy (Brian).. maybe two (the original was done with just two). They need the competent engineer to do the boards (another job done by one person). The rest I don't know which way you are going.. buyout? It's the PBros that kept the assets for a reason.. its the PBros that have been shopping the concept since HWP imploded. It's the PBros that are the money guys to start with.

You're lumping all projects together without looking at how they are different. Gene was a garage operation. Chicago Gaming has been very successful because they run like a legitimate company. PBros are not hobbyists with dreams of granduer of starting a pinball company in their backyard.

Looks like the LCD is in this schematic, just a different configuration. Old or new, it would be nice to hear Dave Sanders' opinion.

Dude, you have a whole lot of enthusiasm and very little touch with reality.

The switches sink into their sockets and stop detecting the ball. They do this on full throttle as well. Its a terrible design.

Software guys are not cheap. We get paid well. PBbros don't have money. They have been teasing various ideas for two years now.

Lumping together? No, I am talking about remakes. There is a reason there are so few and yet everyone says the demand is so high. We have two examples and only two for a reason. PBbros don't have the money. They couldn't keep alien in production, they don't have the funds to restart it. They need an angel investor and after 2 years none have surfaced.

So, instead of dirtying up this thread with another rehash take it to one of the rumor threads.

It's right here, on the other speculative thread.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/is-cgc-going-to-manufacture-alien-pinball/page/18#post-5980281

To those owners who have Alien, I know you will be biased, but would the subtraction of the playfield screen matter much?

Of course, then the whole atmosphere would be gone.
The screen is a must have!

It is a central feature of the game for me, strange they would remove it before the other one. I rarely look at the larger screen as it takes away from the game. But if a remake happens, another LCD under the glass somewhere will be a future modification.

Pretty much what i figured. Just watching streams i cant imagine this pin without it.

Me too .. only look on the screen on the playfield while playing !
A great idea.
If they build Alien .. great. I am still happy that I have an original LE and will keep it even the new ones will cost 5K shipped .

Pinballbrothers are , as far as I know, 5 persons incl. a german investor and his wive. They might have connections to get fresh money for this project.
The 25% tax will help them actually.

Owner here, lol...pf screen is one of the best features on the game imho...I use it all the time when playing.

Much easier than looking up...backbox brings the effect into the room...win/ win.

Hope they make another version, but doubtful. Wouldn't mind having both..

I think you are missing the key point that PBros ARE the money guys.

They didn't keep Alien in production because HWP the company was FUBAR - not because PBros didn't have money. They crafted the scheme to move the assets to their entity and charge back to the remaining HWP to dump the liabilities while holding onto the real assets. PBros didn't run out of money. HWP ran out of money and PBros restructured the company to protect the assets and give HWP a very short runway. HWP choked out and PBros were setup to let HWP slough off and die.

And pinball software guys are cheap - they are mostly passion people. They aren't making the money they would be in tech.

Gee, thanks.

And PB was so smart w so much money, and so involved in actually making games that they let Heighway tank, so they could hord the assets, not be able to support the current small community, and sell pieced together LE's out of the remaining parts from the trailers that were also part of the liquidation?

Brilliant (James Bond stuff). PB got what they could when the company was over and did the best they could with it. Remember the "PB" branded I/O boards? Ahh....part of their scheme too. Nonsense. They've been fishing for $$$....surely don't have it......have they even produced an entire scratch build game? The titles escape me.

Please take this to the speculation thread as dung suggested (where it belongs). You've lost any merit w me calling the games in need of a total do over, calling the cabinets cardboard, and comparing to JPop. Disrespectful to the game itself, the people that put in selfless time on it, then have it fall short before it crossed the line for whatever reason - that would be money and proper management, period. They had no $$$ to put the right people in place, underestimated the demand for this title, and folded. That's it.

I wonder why a company w such an amazing business model STILL puts out games w shit playfields and can justify it? How can this happen? (I digress)

If someone makes a rev, great (won't be PB). More Aliens for more Pinheads...I'm all for it.

An opinion - you have. Anything else is net zero. You've definitely taken a step back, sadly.....(that's just my opinion)

Joe, you are priceless, and your selfless approach to this day in helping the community is amazing. Some things money can't buy.

He is right though - in the true tech industry they can make bank due to subscription practices and cornering shares of the market by acquiring companies w vertical knowledge, then wrapping a skin around it and making it their own ( some of that product is crap too, btw. Difference is, there is MONEY there to re-develop). Pinball doesn't even come on a basnks radar as an asset.

I appreciate the people that DO things for this small hobby, not speculate and judge w hindsight. You, my friend, are one of those people.....

Where you do you come up with any of those things from what I said?

Sorry you don't like hearing something other than sunshine about your favorite project - but that's what happened at the end. You can hate on PBros for their choices - but that's what happened. I'm not praising them, I'm pointing out what happened.

This statement ignores the reorg that happened *before* HWP was allowed to burn up. That's why all this stuff was in PBros' hands and not liquidated by a defunk HWP. Sorry you didn't digest what was happening.

Again you twist and say things I didn't say. I didn't say it was 'in need of a total do over' - stop making crap up. I said it needed an overhaul - as in fixing the stuff that needed fixing! And yes.. that garbage cabinet is one of the things that needs changing. MDF panels that break... sections routed way too thin (like the edge above the side inserts. The what... like 6 different keyed locks? The head is straight up home brew and the sides of the cabinet are vunerable... and the MDF sucks. Sorry you don't like your baby being called ugly - doesn't make it not.

Disrespectful? I think you're overly defensive. Joe seems fine when I talk to him face to face about the game... and was right there as we setup his game. We speak honestly about the game and the journey. I love his game... but HWP was a shitshow.. no qualms about it... and it starts and largely ends with Andrew.

I don't hate on PB , grateful they did try to do things to finish the game, provided some parts. Yes the game is a favorite of mine...not my "baby" but a game that has no factory to support it, so extra attention is required.

Was a week 1 adopter, and didn't miss much, including the Skype calls near the end. I just don't name drop to validate my existence.

Your information and insight on game shortcomings are worthless here, and belong in the speculation thread(s). We've heard, lived with them for a long time.

Why the passion on this speculation? Just curious.

I only bring it up when some people try to discredit me and attack me when they are the ones without a clue of what I know or what I've done.

Well good to see that's how you handle people you don't want to face what they have to say. Run away to private threads/sites if you want to be able to control what views are allowed.

Why the interest? Simply the information being released. PBros have been seen shopping this around for along time... based on their actions of late it sounds like they are trying to draw attention to it. Curious to see if they can make a legit game. I want to see Alien in a reliable form and I want more people to get to play it.

As we all do....

The money guys that couldn't afford to keep heighway in business. The money guys that are floating ideas to change the cabinet. Change the pf to a standard width. IE do whatever they can to cut costs, because they cannot afford to build it. Just stop, great enthusiasm, but talking out of your ass. It's been years now, take this shit out of this thread. Go talk in one of the multiple rumor threads, which by the way I know you do.

All you are doing is coming across as another impassioned pinhead with 0 knowledge but a need to run their mouth. That is fine, but when people come in here to read about the actual game that exists they have dig through post after post of this drivel. It gets really old. How about we stick to the game that exists and you can go play in fantasy land elsewhere.

A million pounds in the hole

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/10822960/filing-history

Just wishful thinking?

This coming from the guy who just tried to tell us he knows exactly the motivation of individuals you've never said a word to based on absolutely nothing.. and actually flies counter to the known history. Who is the one talking out of their ass here?

You've repeatedly made statements that are just bullshit and try to run me off? Whatever... dung is a good name for this.

Scroll back dude.. I wasn't the one who brought it up.

I am going to edit this out. Otherwise this is just going to go back and forth ad nauseum. Do wish pinside would allow people who owned the game to be the only ones to post in the club threads. Would fix a lot of this. Not saying discussion is bad, just take it to a different thread.

Tid bits, some from what will go into my "Xeno Head" post chapter bit ... as soon as I get some larger blocks of free time...

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Servo saver and geometry changes... preliminary tests. This is developed and in the game some time since this vid. Just need to collate for the in depth post, and write stuff and things...

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Counterweight, just because that jaw is so heavy and unbalanced...

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Really happy with the result. The servo horn can now go to wherever it likes if the jaw is under resistance or jammed under the tounge.

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What was this magnet supposed to do?

Chestburster... hold. I recall something about Andrew wanting some falic looking chestburster to rise up out of the playfield from behind the target... in a somewhat cringeworthy way?

Dave wrote sometihing, that the second magnet should block balls through the lane to the egg-bumpers.
It wasn't realized because the assemblie was so big that it colides with the playfield rails in the cab.

Andrew wanted a plastic 'torso' on the reverso ramp that the ball passes through and acts as the burst. I HATED that idea because I knew EXACTLY what it would look more like.

My preferred option would have been artwork on the playfield of a dead trooper sprawled on his back, and a single drop target with a chestburster decal popping up from the stomach area.

Fun to hear these stories!!!!

Is there some trick to getting the jaw to close like that upon its "rest" setting during the game?
My game the mouth is always open significantly when powered up but I can close it totally when its off.

The jaw opens completely when it sticks it tongue out to collect the ball but I would prefer it if there was a way to close it after its done, Would look better and the xeno would need less dental work from airballs.

Sounds like a problem with the weak servo drive for the Jaw.
Often the gear break apart because it's made of plastic.
Search here some pages before, there's a solution how to fix that and change the servo drive or improve the entire assembly.

This was a part of the reason I modified the jaw operation so drastically. Now my jaw opens well far enough to clear the tounge, but also still closes all the way. It always bugged me how the "closed" mouth needed to hang half open for it all to work. Now it works as I believe it aught to have worked in production.

Scream 1:02

Ambush 1:30

**Also need to install Averells Mod in Scoop 2:30 for the times there's one more ball in there. It only hesitated because I have the power attenuated (maybe one too far) so just enough for two balls, since I know 3 never come out again anyway until the mod is done. It doesn't happen too often, but still needs to be done for siting, certainly.

At 2:30 the balls get stuck in the Airlock, didn't you improve that part of the game?
Got the same issue until I put in a part of plastic to prevent that the ball will roll back the small support ramp.
That's the reason two or more balls make problems while playing ambush mission.

But your Xeno works very well.

Yes I meant to say I need to install Averells Xeno drain mod!!!

That is with just the two balls. When three get in there it is Game Over Man, Game Over Lol

Implementing your little plastic mod part in the scoop is on the to do list there!

That's good and it really works, even when three balls are in the scoop.

Yeah I'll put the power back up once I know 3 balls will stack and not fire randomly sideways hard, possibly damaging things. That's why power is low. 3 balls in there, glass off, until your mod is done anyway. Soon! . Like within 2 weeks, onsite. But if not finished will just be there for a show. It is close by, no drama either way. This scoop is high priority so will be done, and convection ducts, and flipper coil cooling ( which is where my choice to use a fan).

These are the two plastic pieces cut for my baffles. Need to set up a strip heater to fold them, then move the PC so I can install them, and also cut headbox holes...

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Interesting ideas... I have modified my BB same way like Bally/Williams did. Just waiting for some spare parts and new belt driven beacons, then I will complete and mount the BB again.
Now preparing all plastics for protectors that have direct contact with the balls... 14-15 overall.

Can the back box LCD monitor/system be added to an SE that doesn’t have it, and look totally “factory?”

Looks pretty cool. I went with the metal gear and housing servo, and she's been pretty rock solid (thank you to the RC helicopter community!!). Did you happen to look at the only known unsolved problem w the Xeno (Herg mentioned several times)....on rare occasions, the tongue will not retract fully to static state, causing the cycle to appear like it's binding (confuses itself)?

I've thought about it, just haven't spent the time to sort a reliable spring tensioner (light)bto ensure it seats proper. Possibly could sit on top of the guide to keep the gears engaged (something it doesn't do incredibly well either). Mine does it on rare occasion (similiar to Woz hall effect sensor getting slightly off, or the spinning house of need of occational recalibration).

Great job on diving in!!!! My brain is somewhat toast for a bit....

Hello guys,

Mirco from Playfield-Protectors Germany enhanced the protector set for the ALIEN pinball machine.
You now can get 14 pieces to protect the most endangered parts against wear and tear.

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This is the entire set of fourteen protectors: https://playfield-protectors.com/Home/Details/gro65pZeZ0KK9roxZIUzDA?categoryid=23&category=Plastiks%20Protektoren&name=Alien%20%28Limited%20Edition%29%20%7C%202017

Order until Monday BLACK FRIDAY WEEK 15%

regards
Averell

Back on the Xeno jaw, is this the correct resting position? Closes more during breathing.

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Does this set have included the 3-piece set that was aleady produced with the airball deflector?
Can't tell in their picture if the airlock deflector is there.

That’s how mine is too, Just minus a few teeth I need to fix,
It goes up and down fine during breathing and hissing but I’d prefer if it could be closed until needed

Should ask Mirco for that information, Slingshots left and right are in and the normal airlock plastic, seems airball is missing.

Does anyone have a source for the square xeno targets please (Freeplay have been out of stock for ages)...ta.

This is the other main reason for modding. I solved this for my game Mechanically/Physically, with the servo saver. If this should occur now, the servo can operate to it's desired position and the jaw can remain stuck under tongue without frying the servo or servo board. Mine was dead on arrival when I got this game and jaw jammed on targets at full drop. By the way, the servo saver also solves this situation where the jaw gets stuck on the switches and blows the jaw servo equipment.

I have also seen before the tongue get stuck pressing the tongue magnet against the inside of the jaw (fault). This can jam the servo when it wants to open. This potential situation also covered as the servo saver is Bi-directional.

So, solved, but in a more retro-active way. Since the presumed code? tongue issue is not the only way the jaw could become jammed, I went for a redundant system (the servo saver), which only ever comes into play if something goes wrong, like a switch fails, or the bug happens. In this way it is just a "physical protection" mechanism. The extra jaw travel comes from a longer horn. That longer horn in following, requires the cushion of the saver, and the assistance of the counterweight. The whole three becomes a system that works together now, to operate well, and be protected from malfunction or mech misadventure.

Except for the new holes and a slot in the Xeno main frame, this modification is entirely reversible back to stock Heighway configuration (but, why would I want to?).