(Topic ID: 183206)

American Pinball Houdini thread

By lllvjr

7 years ago


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Topic index (key posts)

41 key posts have been marked in this topic, showing the first 10 items.

Display key post list sorted by: Post date | Keypost summary | User name

Post #145 Houdini Pinball initial flyer Posted by HighProtein (7 years ago)

Post #184 Initial reveal at TPF Posted by SilverballNut (7 years ago)

Post #190 Introductory Price of Houdini Posted by 1iblind (7 years ago)

Post #198 Initial Pictures of Machine Posted by lllvjr (7 years ago)

Post #229 Playfield Close-Up Pics Posted by bigd1979 (7 years ago)

Post #284 Machine feature details Posted by rosh (6 years ago)

Post #312 More feature details Posted by rosh (6 years ago)

Post #385 Double switch lane picture Posted by pinballrockstar (6 years ago)

Post #420 Pinball show appearance schedule for Houdini Posted by rosh (6 years ago)

Post #434 Houdini pics from Allentown show Posted by PinballSTAR (6 years ago)


Topic indices are generated from key posts and maintained by Pinside Editors. For more information, or to become an editor yourself read this post!

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#581 6 years ago
Quoted from rosh:

Things are quite busy. We have two shows this week so I have been squeezing in some new stuff and working through code issues. We have been adding staff to engineering and production teams, and are in the process of getting the factory re-worked. We have some more prototype games being finished and will soon start on a set of sample games. It is still our goal to have machines rolling off the line by end of year. That is obviously a huge challenge and an aggressive goal, but as the head coach of my favorite football team likes to say "if folks aren't laughing at your goals, they are not big enough!".
As far as how many games per day, there is an old saying in business forecasting, "give a date or give a number, never give both".
Hopefully I will see some of you in Atlanta this weekend. Joe Balcer will be up at the NWPinball show as well.

Finally a new pinball company leader that isn't overpromising. I applaud your candor and the frequent updates without over committing. Very refreshing. I'm looking forward to playing the game somewhere so I can decide whether to buy one. I know you're not getting to Pinfest in MA. Other than the NW show, any other options this year?

#584 6 years ago
Quoted from rosh:

Waiting to hear from Jolly, distribution guy, what the second half of the year will look like. Pretty confident we will be at expo.

Awesome.

6 months later
#1602 6 years ago
Quoted from rosh:

One would have thought Star Wars would be a 'home run' based on license alone, but your point is valid. I tend to think that what is more important is the other extreme, that it is not a theme where a large chunk of collectors/operators would say "ugh, no way", since that shrinks the size on market vs locking in a small segment of it. Not sure how many games sell just due to theme, I suspect depending on the title, it can be a decent amount. but without a good machine behind it overall sales are going to struggle -- plenty of examples of a popular theme that fall flat due to playfield design, rules/programming or overall theme integration, and sometimes it can just be one these that misses to have a big impact on sales -- I'm sure some here an name recent examples. But even a great shooting game with great rules, but with a relatively unpopular theme is not going to do great -- again some recent examples exist. With Houdini, we had an unlicensed but a very recognizable theme, so not like we have to explain what it is, what the story is about. What we don't get with it, are assets to work with, images, video, music, call outs, etc, so there are always trade offs.

100% agree. Pinball history is littered with games that failed to take advantage of a great license. There are two markets today - operators and collectors - who have different needs.

Operators benefit more from brand-recognized licenses and collectors, while they value brand-name themes, “may” place more value in theme integration, regardless of whether the theme is from a movie, band, etc.

There are lots of exceptions and opinions, but it’s also clear that a killer theme can also lead to high expectations that don’t materialize, as is the case with Star Wars.

F14 is an example of a unique game with excellent theme integration even though the Top Gun license didn’t materialize. As a collector, I’d prefer to NOT have Tom Cruise on my machine, but I bet the operators at the time would have preferred it.

I’m excited about Houdini (and have an order in for one) because the theme integration, unique approach to artwork, and meticulous approach to game layout and design seems like a home run to me. I have TOM and Hokus Pokus, so this is a theme trifecta for my collection. Can’t wait to get my hands on one!

1 week later
#1690 6 years ago

Exciting. Congrats to the American Pinball team. Tremendous accomplishment!

4 weeks later
#1906 6 years ago
Quoted from ZMeny:

Had to add a little razzle dazzle to Houdini
- Pin Stadium Lights
- Trough Lighting
- Scoop Lighting
- Purple Titan sling silicones

I’m curious about why you added the Pinstadium lights. My basement arcade is intentionally dim, but with rare exception (F14 is an example), I haven’t found that even my older games are lacking light.

Obviously, there’s a market for Pinstadium, since it has some big fans and is selling well. I am surprised to see it on a brand new machine, though.

Did you find that the built in lighting lacked pop or parts of the playfield were difficult to see? No judgement, just interested.

1 month later
#2404 6 years ago
Quoted from PinMonk:

Hole on the far right, the shooter lane, and likely the saucer by the stage. That's just in the limited time I spent playing it. There may be other likely wear points. I wish they weren't dragging their feet getting him a playfield.

Yeah, the folks at American Pinball have some screwy priorities. (Sarcasm)

1 week later
#2606 6 years ago
Quoted from VividPsychosis:

Just figured I would add these photos for those that don’t think there is a need or would see much of a difference in a dark game room with pinstadium a on Houdini. Actually, to be perfectly honest, my kit had a bad powerplug and when playing with a league member and the pinstadium turned off, his first comment while playing was, man this game is super dark what happened to all the GI! Lol on Houdini, it’s especially noticeable between the flippers in the middle lower portion of the game.
Once you play with a kit, it is extremely hard to play on a game without em. I actually remember at TPF thinking all the games were terribly lit. Lol.

Played on machines with this mod for the first time at TPF and cannot understand the hype. I have a dimly lit arcade and add a few spots to my pins, but PS seems like overkill, IMHO. I don’t begrudge anyone for doing what makes them happy, so no judgement here.

4 weeks later
#3213 5 years ago

REALLY happy with this code update. I had found the game flow to be a bit clunky up to the first release. While there is still work to do (others have mentioned), the pin plays much better now. Thanks, Josh!

#3290 5 years ago
Quoted from PinMonk:

His name is NOT Pingod, note. Perhaps he's tired of being berated by the machine for having "no skill"?
Seems like a weird request on a pinball machine, I agree.

Love the machine, hate that callout. Frequent and not clever or humorous.

#3292 5 years ago
Quoted from BarryJ:

On it's way...

As an additional purchase or included in the machine? Are they being sent to those who already have machines?

#3294 5 years ago
Quoted from PinMonk:

I think they're recording more callouts to switch it up. But even if they aren't, I'd be fine with only calling something bitchy out occasionally and leaving some misses silent. I also made the suggestion to put in some encouraging callouts when you make the shot. There's nothing now. Even Satan will congratulate you when you make a skill shot or a sweep the targets in Iron Maiden. If he can do it, anyone can.

Totally agree that hitting the shot should have a callout or something more noticeable on the playfield.

2 weeks later
#3648 5 years ago
Quoted from Ilushka85:

barryj i submitted a ticket online for support and have not heard back from anyone. Also with the cabs being smaller is there a way to at least recenter the lock down bar mechanism so it is offset properly for the smaller width?

I asked the same question, as the gap in my machine is significant. Barry's response was the same as what Josh posted - gently bang it to the center.

It's not a perfect solution and I think that AP should correct for this by adding the hard plastic bumpers that vireland said came installed on AfMr's.

That said, it only took one firm whack from my palm to center the lockbar. Not sure whether I have to do that every time I replace the lockbar. Either way, it's not tragic.

I really enjoy the game and suspect that the small QC issues will be resolved over time. In addition to the lockbar, a free-floating screw was bouncing around the playfield (no scratching/damage) upon unboxing and the LED reflector came off after the first few games. In the future, a real manual and not a photocopied partial manual would be great and the speakers are really bad, but can be improved with the subwoofer. All of these things are minor nits, especially because of some of the smart decisions AP made in designing the game.

Offsetting the legs in front and back is incredibly smart, the machine is super-solid, and the artwork is just incredible. I really like the glass guides that prevent nicking and MDF shards like the small ones I have on my WOZRR. The gameplay gets better and better with Josh's releases, so overall I'm happy with the purchase and play. Yes, some shots are tight, but I'm no rockstar player and I can hit most of the shots reliably now that there are a 300 plays on the machine...just took some practice.

They're expensive toys and we want them be both perfect and customized for each of our wants/needs/desires, which is largely impossible. I'd encourage anyone that's on the fence about this game to go ahead, pull the trigger, and don't read too much into the small stuff posted on Pinside!

#3665 5 years ago
Quoted from BarryJ:

Didn't receive the ticket.. Will look into it.
We are in the process of having rubber inserts made for the inside of the lock down trim.

Quoted from BarryJ:

Knocker will be available shortly...

Barry - I had asked about the knocker and have the same question about the rubber inserts. Is AP planning to send these items to early customers that received machines without them or are you just adding these items to new machines off the line. I'd just like my expectations set either way. If the answer is no, I'll move on...Thanks.

#3681 5 years ago
Quoted from rosh:

Assuming we move forward with engineering a Knocker for the machine, it will be an add-on, not something included and we would be selling them via our website to those who might want it.
Not 100% sure on the rubber pieces, my best guess is we would send them out to distributors who would then get them to those who they sold games to.

Thanks to you and Josh for the response. Totally reasonable.

#3682 5 years ago

Is AP or a distributor bringing glass and shakers to Pintasic in New England?

3 weeks later
#4226 5 years ago

While playing, got a blue screen and the pin rebooted. Don’t remember exactly what was going on - talking with a friend while playing. I’ll send the log files to AP, but I’m curious if anyone’s had this experience.

#4235 5 years ago
Quoted from rosh:

I have only had one other report of a crash/reboot since the last code went out. Please send me the logs [email protected]

I'm using the latest code. Will send. Thanks.

4 months later
#6659 5 years ago
Quoted from mcbPalisade:

My deal is to learn and I'm learning. The names people use to settle arguments in their heads include troll, liberal (in western CO anyway), hyperbolic and others I'm forgetting right now. I also think I see some of those "false 'Yelp-like' reviews" on Pinside. What are those called?
I agree that putting stuff on ignore mode is useful but talking about it isn't.
Back to the regularly scheduled program, keep flipping!

You’re right, people should have thicker skin and accept constructive criticism!

It’s kind of like my saying that your Pinremote product had the aesthetic of a hacked-together Radio Shack remote from 1982 or that your logo and the graphics shown on the sample screenshot are amateurish, at best.

No doubt, you’ll appreciate that feedback since it’s offered up altruistically and only to help further your next attempt at a product.

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