To bring new, younger kids you need to target them with video game themes. I played Pacman and I did not like it but my 13 year old son loved it.

Halo could be an interesting theme.

Goonies was never a big hit with me. I just asked my teens if they have never heard of the movie.

I would play a Goonies pin in a hearbeat =) Just the boobie traps alone could make some great shots/toys. My kids are 3 and 4. I can't wait another year or two when I will be able to sit with them and share such a great movie.

goonies never say die

Would love a goonies pin, but one pin won't save pinball no matter how awesome it may be.

2 words: More LaBoufy

But seriously.. It cannot compete with consoles like the 360 and ps3. There has been very little advancement in technology in pins in the past decade whereas gaming consoles have gone from crappy 32 bit ps1 to the amazing 360. A technological leap forward is a must.

I thought they were Boodie traps?

It's being done. Just like you said. The only differance is they are using a more popular movie...Wizard of OZ.

Will it save pinball? No. pinball doesn't need to be saved. Pinball is doing just fine. Remember it's worldwide not just USA. Take a look at the prices pinball machines are going for....you think it needs help? I don't. As long as there are people willing to pay those prices, pinball will be just fine.

I can't be the only person who has no love for the Goonies...

Lets talk numbers.....Its simple - its not always what you want, but if you want to attract a shit ton of people lets say they don't necessarily play pinball and you want new non-pinball people...and your number is say around 10 million new partially interested players - make a World of Warcraft Pinball machine, team up with blizzard - make it interactive, make it wifi, make stats trackable online, make it awesome.

They are already gamers, and they are mostly hardcore fans - make a pin and they will come, make it awesome and they might stay.

These people are willing to pay monthly subscriptions to play a game - they wont be afraid to drop some coins in a pinball machine.

If you can connect the pin to the already huge online stuff by adding gold and weapons etc by playing the pin - that would be the next level.

I can hear it now "Yo, how did you get that sword of a thousand truths? oh, I beat this level playing the Wow pin over at funspot and thats the only way you can get that achievment." "Holy crap where at, I need to go play it"

Gary or Jack - you can thank me later, just convince Blizzard and your good to go.

Just remember to have it ready by blizzcon 2012 - where you will debut it for the millions of fans

Halo will follow

You can pay me with a NIB pin

side note: I think bringing ideas back from the past like WoZ or Goonies or Monty Python - is great for us that experienced that but will not attract new younger pinheads - and when we are all dead and gone, thats who will make the pinworld live on.

I've never play World of Warcraft, but I would not be interested on that theme either, I would prefer a Gears of War Theme instead. that games averages 2.5 million online at any given time.

"Now go away you english pig dogs before I taunt you a second time". "Your mother was a hampster and your father smelled of eldeberries". "Run away". "Are you suggesting that coconuts migrate", "What else floats...very small rocks". "What is your favorite color...blue...okay you may pass"

Sorry, I just couldn't resist.

Couldn't they do what Stern did with the Family Guy/Shrek pin? They use the same PF for more than one machine and just change the artwork and audio. That way they can release 6 machines a year instead of 3, thus more themes to choose from.

Its not really about interesting us, we are already pinheads - its about getting new non pinball people interested, thats what no one has been able to do, thats why pinball is slowly dying.

Love the monty python... lol

Like I said it might not be what we want.

From a business perspective I'll take 10 million + people over 2.5 million

MMO tieins would seriously drive players to pins... MMO players will do anything to get exclusive ingame items

I was thinking the other night while watching The Hunt for the Red October, A submarine themed pin would be awsome! Not based on any movies. Could have some cool toys on it like a battle ship that sinks, kinda like POTC. Have a big radar insert in the middle of the playfield like would see on a sub or battle ship that flash during certain modes. Make the playfield and everything inside look like its underwater. Just and Idea, what do you guys think.

Price is also a barrier. Having a second maker might help a little but their first outing is definitely doing nothing to lower prices. More makers, new themes, lower pricing is what is going to bring in new people. It's really hard to bring a new player into the fold when you tell them that new pin is going to cost them $7500. Its a lot easier at the $4500 range. I like the way JJ is planning to keep their rulesets consistent for normal/LE versions. Give people the option to buy the lower priced version with less bling but they don't suffer with a gimped game.

Maybe JJ's next will be Alice in Wonderland ??

Neither do I. That movie is so overrated. How about a Call of Duty pin?

I love the idea of online leaderboards.

Are there any that do this now? I wonder if there would be a way to prevent cheating it.

No - maybe Woz will but the theme really doesnt fit for this type of online stuff.
I would love to login online to the pins leader board look at all the stats - how many multiballs I had
how long I played, my best accomplisments - how I rank with other players, what gear I collected, what achievements I unlocked, my skill level etc.

Unless they had a way to incorporate that leaderboard into the Pin though, its kinda goofy. Who wants to go over to a computer to check out their pin stats. Now find a way to incorporate a LCD without trashing up the looks of the pin so you can see the leaderboard right there, then you might have something.

The real problem with any type of online leaderboard is going to be cheating though. It's not like it would be hard to do and there is no real way to stop it. Even any type of built in protection could be circumvented on your own machine. So you get to compare your stats to others but just like any other online leaderboard, you don't know if the stats your comparing to are legit.

A local leaderboard is probably a lot more feasible. Take it beyond just high scores but show achievements, best ball stats, target stats, etc. Would bring in a while new level of competition other than just high scores.

YES, YES, YES!!!

Wanted to tie two posts together..."who likes beer" and "an idea to help pinball??"

I particularly like the small print!

DSC03700.JPG DSC03701.JPG

That is hilarious

correct

I could see that. I have friends that play with spouse, they would come. Those are really good ideas. Really you just need to be able to plug a flash drive in to save you info and transfer it. The problem there is the ability to put a virus on a pin.