So when did the LE jump in price from $7850 to $8050? Why the price increase? Will we see this upward trend in pricing continue as the game gets closer to production? I was visiting heighway's site to pre-order after Aurich's awesome post above but now I am a bit put off by a price increase with no new significant information about the game revealed. What gives guys?

UGHHH! I hate to get on a soapbox, but here goes. What has changed about this game? There has been no significant reveal of any changes to a game that was supposed to have been in production 3 months ago. Don't get me wrong. I get it. Motion Picture IP holders are hard to work with. You can stop drilling that into my head now. My beef is that the price is creeping up on a game that has had ZERO visually revealed! So, should I expect a new price increase every time that a feature of this game is verbally described to me?

I don't believe I said anyone was forcing me to jump in now!

After further review of the order form, it looks like the price that is listed on the order form at the time of purchase is what the game will cost. In other words, those people who have already ordered will get there games for $200 less that anyone who orders today. So, with that in mind, it would seem that I am being forced to pre-order now if I don't want the the price to creep even higher.

I really wish that pinball companies would just stop all of this pre-order before the full reveal crap. Don't start selling the product before you have a final design and price. Nearly every one of them says that they don't like the pre-order model but then they all resort to it anyway. It is nothing more than lip service.

At the very least, it would be nice to get a heads up that there is an impending price increase. Just strikes me as a little underhanded to raise the price and not even mention it beforehand.

Then don't jump into the debate! I don't necessarily have an issue with the price increase. Other manufacturers have increased the price of their offerings as they get further along in the development process or as certain milestones are reached. Usually the increase is announced before it happens. This $200 increase just seems arbitrary. As far as I can tell Alien has not reached any milestones from the consumer perspective: Game announced with initial shot layout and pre-orders taken at initial price- lots of hyperbole about the game design thrown around on Internet forums and game expos - arbitrary price increase! See? no milestones.

Is there a reason why you chose not to announce the price increase before implementing it? I understand the fluctuation in currency exchange but, from my perspective, the bottom line is that the game just went up $200 without notice. Is the price on the sales order form the final price of the machine or will orders already taken be subject to the $200 increase (and presumably any further price increases)?

My bad. I thought this was a forum thread. Guess I didn't realize I was in a PM discussion between you and Aurich.

Any guesstimate on when we might see an artwork reveal? Last I read, Andrew stated a September/October build date with first games shipping in late October. Is this still the timeline you guys are operating on? Lastly, will Nordman be in the credits for the game?

tious

I dig ambition! No worries either way for me and I certainly am not trying to stir anything up. Just a little excited to see some of your graphic work. You guys are obviously oozing passion for this project. Let it flow for however long it takes to make it right!

I anxiously watched hoping he was going to swap in the Alien playfield. But alas, no easter egg

Forbidden Planet or Blade Runner would be instant purchases for me!

Sorta like Cirqus Voltaire?

Simply not true.

http://www.motoamerica.com/2015-schedule

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/another-reasons-why-having-motoamerica-races-supporting-motogp-in-2015-is-a-very-good-thing-motogp-races-in-the-usa-drew-251735-fans-in-2014/

Please don't count me in that majority. The movie ephemera is my favorite part of the design. This playfield is obviously a love letter to the franchise. I wouldn't change a thing.

Okay. Here is my suggestion: Don't change a thing! Playfield is perfect, as is!

I don't find it to be overly dramatic at all. This thread has nearly spiraled into a cesspool of absolute bullshit! If it were not for Aurich's posts and those of the few people who have seen the video this thread would rival some of the very worst on Pinside. I get that people are frustrated with the delays and not being shown concrete imagery, but it is what it is. I also get being frustrated with having to wade through every worn out meme on the internet to find something meaningful in this thread. FWIW, I am not one of those that is particularly upset with waiting to see the complete game. I come from a time when the anticipation of something was part of the excitement for it (read: before the internet) and I often lament that the experience of anticipation is something that is now lost to the ever connected world of instant gratification.

I think it is cash or kill...you don't need both. You need the space in either scenario

On May 12th, Andrew posted this:

So, hopefully, just a little over two months, give or take, depending on approval!

I would also like an answer to this. IIRC, I believe the FT standards shipped first. I would like to see the Alien LE's go out first. I would imagine that most of the pre-orders are for the LE. It would only make sense for the people with money tied up in the game get theirs first, especially given the lengthy delays.

Thanks Andrew! Another example of how Heighway is doing it right!

I read that as just being for the Stern factory tour.

I see what you did there. Weller would be proud.

So, what happened at the reveal? Were the games completely DOA? I was expecting some actually meaningful video or at least some decent pics of the game from the event. Is Heighway still under the thumb of Fox and unable to release anything more than what we have seen? Heighway is knocking on the door for payment. I need to see more than a flyer and a marketing video. When will we see some actual straight-up, gameplay video with no added marketing hype or cutaways to movie scenes or 15 cuts a second to cray cutaway shots of the "balls eye view"?

And another thing....If I could just offer a bit of constructive criticism, the rotating airlock/queen seems completely out of sorts in the game. Its scale is completely off next to the giant Alien head. Does it actually do anything but turn? In an earlier version of the game there was a 2nd (3rd?) lcd here. Aurich mentioned in an earlier post that it was abandoned because there was nothing meaningful to do with it. This Airlock toy seems to be suffering the same fate for me. Is the 2" tall queen supposed to evoke fear when revealed? Wouldn't the player have been better served by just showing a cutaway scene of the movie on the 27" monitor? Aurich is the person who got me jazzed up about the game and all of the suspenseful, foreboding atmosphere that Heighway was cooking up for the game. This toy robs it of much of that for me. Giant, ball eating Alien head: check. Creepy Alien egg pop bumper: check. 2" scale model queen: eh, not samuch. I am not a huge fan of the hairpin ramp and I could be wrong but I seem to recall Nordman's original design did not have this but instead a more flowy ramp. Makes me feel like that real estate was given up for this toy.

Maybe, Depends on what kind If a 2" Alien ran up to you on the street, would you be frightened? Maybe I am being a bit harsh in my criticism and I probably should reserve judgment before seeing better pics/video. The scale of the airlock toy next to that of the Alien head just makes it seem out of place to me.

lol..that certainly is true. The White Russian could crush the Dude's car on my TBL. Point taken...i'll shut up now.

Any timeline on when we will get to see the fibre optic ramps and the production airlock toy? Also, is there any chance to see the game played in a more controlled environment where the lighting and sound can be more easily observed?

NO! Just like everything else about the LE- no public disclosure of images or video.