I take nothing personally.

Also, if you're not a fan enough to recognize certain things that's fine too.

#1. Wasn't comparing the two

#2. It's a HUD display. This is obvious and has been pointedly stated by Ritchie. I play mine all the time. I am not clamoring for clip art of Chris Pine or Simon Peg on the playfield or slings.

the ST playfield (as well as GOT, which looks to me like it was done by the same person) is just awful. it's overly reliant on bevel/emboss, shadow, and other stock filters. the shapes are too large and the lines are too thick. it looks like a 2002 rave flyer made by a kid with a pirated copy of photoshop. very little detail, unless you count a stock photoshop gradient fill as detail. GOT has a lot of the same problems, with the added issue of tons of cheesy clip art of generic swords and gears. They both look terrible compared to their contemporary competitors and compared to great playfields of the past.

Already disputed this above...not doing it again.

i don't really buy "it's a HUD" as an excuse for bad design in the first place, but also it does nothing to explain why GoT is guilty of all the same sins.

edit: sorry, Aurich, i'll stop distracting from your thread now!

edit 2: Kirk, we are in agreement that it's a great pin! the playfield art blows, though.

I've owned ST too. Love the pin hate the PF art. Sorry back on topic

An excuse implies a mistake. It was designed to be that way.

And I don't give a rat's ass about GOT's playfield.

I may not be. I've seen each movie like 20 times though Some more.

Look closely

10pt bevel and emboss on the "console" area look like total garbage.

The more you stare at it the more amateurish it looks.

Maybe having no photoshop experience (and I have very little) makes it easier to look at.

Edit* No knock on the gameplay though. Love me some st

these are not random planets

The planet with the ring is Calpamos
The moons that surround the planet include LV 426 and LV 223 and an additional

--Jeff

It does imo, and is one of the reasons I canceled my LE order amongst others, cab is gorgeous though, but I wouldn't expect Captain Kirk or Jean Luc to agree with me.

Hopefully somebody can overlay the shot map here so we can get a better idea of what's going on.

Perhaps if you had more experience it wouldn't bother you so.

You missed the point.

It ok though...

The more experience you have with ps the more shitty it looks. I'm glad I'm not a pro!

Wow dude.

No, I didn't miss the point....just exploiting your self-admitted lack of Photoshop experience.

Now...back to Aliens.......

take it to the basement...seriously

I just said...back to Aliens.

Seriously.

I think this playfield looks awesome. Congratulations Aurich for having the courage to present your own vision. It's obvious that you have put a lot of thought into the design. I was really enjoying the explanation of the details before the full playfield was posted - please continue with this, I would really like to learn more about the decisions you made and the background to some of the other elements. I have seen the movies but I am not a diehard fan so it fear that some of the detail will be lost on me otherwise.

Just sayin.....

--Jeff
LE # LV223

i think it is hard to really pass judgement on this until we see it with plastics and slings and ramps and pops and mechs, which will really fill it out and make it seem more dense.

Yes. But The center zone above planets is free. So if people really does not like it, nothing will cover or hide ( like upper zone)
Anyway i respect aurich work, it's just impossible to please everybody.

I really like the gridlines in the middle section. I like how some of the squares have a different tone, looks cool. So many little details, love the little ships everywhere. I like the overall concept of having the motion tracker up close by the flippers, makes it feel like the alien is almost on top of you, and then having the more expansive feeling of space as you get further away. Great design, it's got its own style, unlike anything we've seen in pinball before, well done!

It would be no fun if every game was done by the same artist, with the same style, same color schemes, etc. I love the look of some of the classics but that's what makes them classic. I want new games to look different and some effort in making things look cool. I don't want Alien to look like the old Bally Space Invaders. That would look so out of place on a modern machine. I can think of a few things that could be better but good enough for me.

And some people don't care for the grid and the fact that some squares are different tones. Which is why you have to let go of the idea of pleasing everyone!

As someone who has had a few hours to digest this, and an LE owner, I really like it. Also let's keep it real, I looked at GOT and it was a total pig's breakfast. This is a lot more calculated and thought out, and is only 1/3 of what will make the machine.

Good work Aurich and more power to HP.

Are the grid lines a reference to something in the movies? I didn't notice them when I first looked at the picture.

I still don't know what the red puddle is but if it's gonna be mostly covered, oh well.

I hope there is a motion tracker mode. Maybe make certain shots that are lit.

Of course there is!

Dunno, but some details on the playfield remind me of great 80/90s pinball art....really dig that somehow.

I'm curious as to how the inserts will light...like the multiplier inserts for example, will the pf ink be dark enough to block the light so we just see the numbers lit? I think the black in the mode inserts will do the job and block the light nicely. It's difficult to make an insert a different "shape".

Edit: I'd also like the crosshairs in the target inserts red instead of white too. White will get lost.

Question: The Alien at the top, it is semi-transparent with stars overlapping. To me, it sorta looks like it is being beamed up via a transporter. What exactly is going on with that. Or is it supposed to be a mirage in some kind of planetary aurora borealis or outlining some kind of alien constellation? The confusion I have is the entire playfield feels like a collage. So, it is difficult to define where things start or end...

OK, here's a quick and nasty mock-up. Best I could do with the very low-res shot map. At least it gives you an general idea of where things will go.

Edit: this is lined-up better:

full-playfield_+_shot_map_(resized).jpg

Reminds me a bit of the first Hobbit playfield reveal.

I too was hoping for more of an HR Giger look for the background.

It needs stretched vertically. It's way off at the top, but gives a good idea of it anyways.

OK fixed.

Looks great Aurich, congrats!

Maybe aurich wanted to make them look like the sega master system game cases?

As we all know, Alien is a film about a heroic and brave catstronaut named Jones.

After the frankly scandalous decision not to feature Jones on the cabinet or back glass, this PF reveal was a massive disappointment.

#wheresthecat

Just curious Aurich, did you have the chance to make your own art/ illustrations besides the inserts and such, i mean; for example is that upper alien drawn by you (it's got this cool cartoon ink feel to it), or is that one also part of the delivered art package?

For not being hand drawn and having to work within the constraints of a license I think it looks pretty damn good! I would be happy to have one in my collection. Really like what I've seen of the game so far.

One thing that sticks out in the playfield art/layout mock-up is the empty black about mid LCD down to the scanner. Sure seems like that area could be used for something interesting even if not too close to the screen.

I've seen it. I wouldnt worry

I would think those inserts are a tribute to the "I" in the Heighway Pinball take on how they are using it as you see on their side art graphic for the SE.

Besides, if you know Giger's art at all it has always been very organic, and shall we say perhaps, a little risque?

That being said I'm surprised no one has commented on the elephant in the room.

f2213ca5be40e4aa2574241ada622fd8e373afec[1]_(resized).png

464299_(resized).jpg

Gigeresque_(resized).jpg

There's an elephant?

this looks pretty good. color scheme is fantastic. at first some of the art looked kinda cut and paste or sticker-like but after aurich explained it I like it.

Uh, that's not Heighway Pinball's "take" on it. That's the Aliens "I". Was this a failed joke post?

This may be a weird question, and I have no artistic background at all, but what is with the squares on the playfield? Is it something to do with the movies?

alien_(resized).PNG

Holy shit I was drinking. Nothing like green tea out of a nostril.

Good. I wasn't.

Game is looking promising. Might end up my first NIB.

I have quite enjoyed reading everyone's comments on the playfield art reveal. I think it is fair to say that everyone who enjoyed the movies had their own vision of what they wanted the game to look like, however, this vision is the one that belongs to Heighway and Aurich and I think it looks pretty decent. They are the craftsmen and just like when we don't like the ending of a movie we need to accept it and move on.

I am sure Aurich will give much of the criticism some of the merit it may deserve but I wish people would not attack (the art or the artist) because it does not suit their own personal vision. Some people need to learn the importance of "it isn't what you say but how you say it".

Nice job Aurich - really looking forward to seeing the final version installed in a game in my basement.

Uh, no not a joke post. I read somewhere a long time ago that the Heighway team were discussing changing the way the letter "I" looked in Alien for the pin. And they did. The letter "I" from the Aliens title is being used in the "I" of the Alien title. Google the two movie titles (Alien and Aliens) and you can see the difference for yourself. Clever thing, combining the different movie fonts because the pin combines the two movies. And that "I" looks exactly like what we are seeing in the inserts.