I go for opening on Saturday and stay until the early afternoon and if late 70's/early 80's Bally's are your thing then you're in luck! Last couple of years I've been able to walk between Fathom, Centaur, Medusa, EBD, Nitro Groundshaker, Viking, Flash Gordon, Xenon, etc etc etc with no wait at all. If someone happens to be playing one of them I just jump on another one. I could literally spend my entire day walking between those games... I don't cause there are way too many other games to get your hands on but man, that is my favourite row.

Last year the wait for Dialed In was about 3 or 4 deep and I didn't bother waiting to play it, I got a couple of games in on Aerosmith but that one was pretty busy, other "A" list titles you could still play without waiting like BBB, MM, AFM, CCC, played them all without having to wait.

I've been to the last 2 Sundays and going again this year. Sure we had to wait to play Dialed In, and The Hobbit, the year before, plus the latest Sterns, but the wait for the other machines was very short. I am looking forward to trying out Alien, and getting some time in on other machines.

checking to see if there are any out of state folks that are high octane beer drinkers. I will be in the parking lot from time to time and if you bring some of your states high octane stuff, we can meet up and do a little beer tasting. I will have some killer limited release hard to find Michigan beers with me.

He brings good stuff!

you better be joining me!!!! Find some good stuff down there and bring it with you.

I admit that i was only looking closely at the EM pin game lists?
So you now have almost 450 games set up to play,
as last year, if i remember correctly, you were at about 400?

Or maybe I am mis-remembering
and last year was about 360 games (EM, S/S, DMD pins, plus Arcades and bowlers etc)
and now you will be at around 400??

This is a great idea! Heck maybe even throw some barrel proof whisky sampling into the equation, although you do still need to be able to stand after, and no ralphing on the games (maybe newer Sterns is okay)

Let me know what you want. If its not bud light, i dont know it! Haha

only thing I will be bringing with me are bourbon barrel aged beers that are anywhere from 12-15%. These are some arse kickers!!!!

Amkoepfer-not sure what Ohio has for some good beers. Will have to do some checking.

Don't forget there's 2 other buildings besides the main building with games in them

Personally I enjoy the mods.
Always good to see what they can look like before you buy. Gets the ideas going.
Sorry I missed some of the multiball mods I read about later.
I was far too busy playing Alien Poker.

I would like to thank Gary from Abel Electronics. He is a JJP distributor and provided the JJP games in the past. I talked to him earlier this year and he is going to be there but uncertain as to which games he will have. I'm sure if you contact him prior to the show he can bring you a game or invisiglass.

As soon as I find out what he's bringing I'll post.

Don't forget to take care of the Orange Shirt Volunteers, we get thirsty too!!!

Last year the showcase was advertised as having 350 games, this year it is 400. The number went above 350 last year as vendors and guests brought machines.

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No love for the red shirts????

Red shirts are expendable.

Yep, I think I'll stay home this year, or just ride a mini-bike around the compound.

you can come and drink beers with me in the parking lot

Okay maybe the mini bike parade should stop at Bax1 trunk between laps!! Kinda like this...

If whisky can stored here I am game as well. We can poor some of your beer in it if you want a mixer.

As for the lines, I have played the A list titles so that really isn’t a concern. We are going for the high quality older machines (early 90’s and before) that you either can’t find at shows or the quality leaves a lot to be desired. I did get a ticket to the EM tournament so that doesn’t sound like a bad idea whysnow...

I can bring a twelver of DKML that keeps getting pushed aside in my cellar, at 14% one can be horrible at pinball in no time and thus get in more games.

Just keep following his advice, how can you go wrong?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will be at the EM tourney...with all those games waiting in the main building it does almost feel like your being penalized for playing well...but in the spirit of good sportsmanship I will get there early and start doing shots and chase it with KBS. That way I can still say I gave it my best...

Put clay on the handle bars and see how many others you can get on there and have a how many clowns you can get on a mini bike contest

I could never take a dive in the tournament. Although I've never won one and I'm mediocre at best the tournaments are my favorite part.I don't mind losing but I play to WIN like my life depends on it.i enjoy the friendly competition and playing a few games with people I don't know it's a whole different feeling I get than free ranging through the entire collection and what I enjoy most.still hoping on a Saturday tournament. You guys feel free to take a dive I won't be mad at you but I rather get you drunk and beat you fair and square.

Maybe on the Ruttman Grasshopper.

I just finished up my last dkml I think. That stuff is true to the name. For those that don't know it is dick kicker malt liquor. feeeewww that stuff is potent. I will probably have 17 and 18 kbs as well. probably just a few bottles.

I've got a ton of dragonmilk reserve 4-pk's that I will probably never drink and would like to unload

I can bring the following with me if people are interested in purchasing them:
dragonmilk reserve (I have one 4-pk of each) - $25 per 4-pk
- salted caramel
- raspberry lemon
- mocha mint
- coffee & chocolate

DKML - $30 for the 4-pk

KBS (2017) - $40 for the 4-pk

bell's black note 2017 - $15 per bottle (I have 3)

We need to meet up. That is my motto!

Look for my crappy white Jeep. I'm bringing some Boss Tweed if I don't kill it all by then, what an awesome beer.

For those that don't know. The dragons milk flavors are made once and then done. DKML was a one time run. KBS for 2017 was nice and boozy with some good coffee notes. black note is just tasty. Some good prices on these too. The KBS was what we had to pay for it. for some reason 17 was hard to find out by us and stores where selling them 10 bucks a bottle and would only let you get 2.

Boss Tweed is some tasty stuff. A bar by me had a throw down between old nation and oddside. Old Nation brought strawberry tart and creamsicle M43. Can't wait for them to can that stuff.

Wow, hadn't heard of that one but man i haven't had a creamsicle in years. Not sure if Old Nation is distributing outside of MI yet, out of state guests would be wise to score some M43 at least while here. Boss Tweed better yet. A triple NEIPA is releasing in cans this week at the brewery, but I missed the sale on tickets to go get some. So many great beers here.

didn't know they had another round of boss tweed coming out again. I missed out on the release a few months ago at my local honey hole. I do have a growler of your mom on French toast that I am about to crack open. that stuff is amazing.

Can we please stop with the BS "There are always lines for all the good games at VFW" talk? It has already been debunked. While the VFW may suck at communication, they have made it clear that there are no issues with butt-to-butt play as there will always be a machine available to play. As D. Gottlieb & Co. used gauged production; the VFW Showcase gauges visitor levels and limits ticket sales so you don't have the lines and zero pins to play without a wait.

I was there Sat. 10 to 4 and never had to wait more than a few minutes on ANY game including the A listers.

Hit your local Krogers, they all got shipments in the last week in my area.
Didn't bite on the French Toast but know where I can get it so will have to get some.

No waiting on nearly any game at the VFW as I recall, just not an issue.

You guys think those are good you outta check out Miller Lite; I drank 16 of them the other night and besides my couch being a bit wet when I woke up, it was great!

Lmfao...okay I will have to try that.

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I have been two years now. Both times were butt to butt and packed for all the A listers, esp thta back little room with games like SC TZ Etc... you are either blind or not paying attention if you think otherwise. VFW is a great playing collection but outside of the early times on friday and sat at open, attendees should expect a line to play the popular games.

The high life

I think you're in the minority here.

I never really waited for anything. Even the brand new stuff like dialed in, Hobbit and Aerosmith last year had lines 3-5 people deep and I attended Saturday all day.

VFW is awesome for not having long wait times

Just got my 2 tickets for Friday - the GF wants to come back (brave girl). Last year was our 1st year and we had a blast. So happy you guys have BBB as I really liked it but only played it a few times - want to get more games on it to see if it is one I want to buy when remake is done.

Last year Friday was great for playing. Only real wait was for DI and that was not too bad. All the others we could get on pretty quickly with little or no wait. Also really love all the color DMDs - was going back and forth between LED and LCD for my TZ and seeing your TZ solidified it for me (and also makes me want to get TFTC back from my Ex as I love that LED DMD on it).

Looking forward to May and that good grub (I think we made 3 trips outside to chow)! Was first there last year and plan to get that front row parking spot again this year! Cheers!

I've been going for the last couple years now and the only time I've ever had to wait more than one person is in the small back room and on Wizard of Oz and Dialed In and a couple of the other brand new games that other people brought that weren't part of Clay's collection.

That is like every other show... 3-5 people all waiting to play the A listers and in tight aisles that mean nuts to butts when walking through. I mean... the frottering is a bonus and all, but those are lines and what people should expect.

VFW has limited ticket sales (what is it 1.5 people per game?) which means the good games always have lines at normal times and many ems and older stuff are completely open. Density is good, esp on Friday early.

We get it whysnow you don't like clay or the vfw so please take your negativity elsewhere some of us really enjoy it and are glad clay even goes through the trouble of opening the doors to the vfw and sharing his collection so once again thx clay

There was only one guy that kept rubbing my ass on the way by I guess I know who it was now Whysnow you could of at the least bought me a drink.

That is not true at all. I love the VFW and have always said nice things about it. Everyone should check it out at least once!

Clay has his issues but he puts on one hell of a show and maintains an amazing collection. there is nothing wrong with being honest about 400 games with 500+ people means the A listers will have lines and the aisles are tight, while older games often have no line at all.

I suppose for me the A listers are not why I am there and so I am not doing any waiting. I can play most of those games elsewhere. The early SS tables, Zacarria's and the older EM's you can't play on location elsewhere are what I tend to be playing.

We are going to be friends haha