ANNOUNCEMENT

Classic Playfield Reproductions
"CENTAUR COLOR" PLAYFIELDS and Optional Matching BACKGLASS - Now Taking Orders

This release may be divisive, as for some it will be 'treading on holy ground'. However, it was a personal dream of mine since we began in 2004 to produce an alternate version of Bally Centaur that was in full color. I recall we even offered the concept as an informal preorder way back in 2006 or so, which collected many names. The project was canned in the final analysis, due to the monumental task of trying to create and merge a stack of new films into the original Bally film set... it was going to take a ton of razorblading and rubylith film work, with no final preview of what the finished layout would look like until it was actually silkscreened. With all the bigger playfield projects and runs breathing down our neck at the time, focus had to turn away from the niche-dreams, and onto more practical production to keep us afloat. So Centaur Color was ignored and forgotten.

Here we are 14 years later, and so much has changed. Digital printing has opened up the doors to digital layouts - so no more need to do physical analog film work. After working with (and printing) the Paul Faris color masterpiece of Space Invaders, I got kickstarted into thinking about Centaur Color again. Took a couple months to really chew on the layout, starting with the master blackline from the original Bally film. Using the Faris color palette from Space Invaders, plus some more custom colors, work began on building all the new layers. Revision after revision, things could be previewed by doing master prints to MDF sample panels, printed in actual final inks, to see the ongoing results. Once deemed final, a single print was made to an actual Centaur whitewood, and clearcoated. So now we have a working prototype, with artwork masters standing by - so it's time to show it to the hobby.

So we have a small batch of Centaur whitewoods sitting ready. Centaur Color is up for taking orders on our site. Each paid order will invoke one of those whitewoods to become a Centaur Color custom playfield. If we end up with whitewoods left over, they will simply become standard Centaur playfields later on. So no big deal, or waste of resources. If these whitewoods sell out, then we'll simply make more whitewoods later. The goal being, both versions will be periodically available across time - but Centaur Color will be limited to only a few whitewoods at a time. Unlike standard Centaurs, we won't print Centaur Color playfields unless they are paid for. Centaur Color is going to be a one-at-a-time custom playfield, for only those who buy them. We'll only take orders periodically, when allocated whitewoods are poised and ready - while supplies last, each time.

So take a look at the extensive photo gallery (don't forget to Zoom), plus our close-up video looking over the entire playfield surface. Both are found on the Centaur Color page at our web site. I'll add some pix below, just to mirror a few here.

Would love to hear opinions on this playfield. Stunning or sacrilege? We have no doubt opinions are going to vary wildly on this. With customisation being the rage right now, considering people are breaking norms to turn (examples) Addams Family or Twilight Zone into black & white... some guys are going to love to create rare and individual games, which stand out among the normies. So in 2050, who are going to be the owners of rare Centaur Color machines, with the cool backstory about "that time in 2020" when these playfields and backglasses were available... we shall see

KEVIN
Classic Playfield Reproductions
http://www.classicplayfields.com

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Hey all, popping in the next day to see the discussions.

Wow. Yup - quite divisive. This was as niche as I expected. Those few who like it, like it. Those who don't - seem to revel in the moment to say why. Wow, some people like to be snide. But hey, I asked for it. No big deal.

Much to my surprise, not a few, but MANY have sold overnight. So I guess at some point in the future, we will be seeing Centaur Color games. I guess that depends if those owners are willing to come back here with their pictures and face the critiques. Ahhhh, social media

Just a word on this. I didn't realise people aren't seeing everything in the pictures. All of it IS colored.

The only places left white were actual "white things" like original white words, claws, fingernails, eyes, studs, wool, poles, etc.

Everything else is a multitude of offwhite/greytone shading or solid grey-palette colors. Like the mountains, staircases, and of course the main motorcycle wheel in the middle of the playfield (It's made up of 4 different tones). Even the main bug-eye woman (and her arm holding the orb) is a pale fleshtone. But it's likely my fault, shooting the pix in the blazing sun outdoors. Because the Centaur dudes are not neon green! He's Pantone 370 ...

Rest assured - 98% of the layout is colorized. White is left as only a highlight color, where applicable - so it "pops". This was a key part of the whole plan.

Anyway, I'll duck outta here. I don't want to get into a back-n forth. Like somebody else mentioned - this was something I wanted personally. It's true. "I got mine" and it's going onto my office wall until I find another Centaur someday. I knew others would want to make color games out there, so why not make them public. So here we are. Yes, this is treading on iconic holy ground. But that was kinda the whole point.

Thanks for all the opinions - really. Feelings not hurt. This is a touchy concept, and was expected.

KEVIN

So I guess I *WILL* have to pop back in. So screw it, I'll go balls deep too. You seem to have a chip on your shoulder or something. Repeated posting. Most have given their general opinions - and that's fine. One and done. You take it further here, into a direct attack on me. Hope it feels satisfying. You got your dig. Yum yum yum, that must have tasted good when you hit "Send Post"

Maybe you need to know a little more about fictional characters like these. I did a ton of research into the looks of these characters - did you? I could easily say back to you - "anyone who sees a green centaur and immediately thinks Shrek has no eye for art or color". Dude, the whole decision for green skin came from the world of comics, D&D and such - which I based on traditional Orcs. They are either green, or brown. The layout already was brown-laden with all the roots, leather, rocks, etc. The centaurs needed to show up - as they are one of the main features of the playfield. So green or brown?... I chose green. I don't regret it.

So you can go through the gamut... you tell me what a centaur *should* be colored - purple? blue? red? orange? yellow? pink? snow white?

Like I said, I think the blazing sun pix are not helping here. As much as outdoor pix make the playfield pop... it's too bad you are seeing "lime green" and thinking "Shrek" ... that's fun and all, and you get to create a meme for people to pile on... great work... but you're reducing a researched and intentional decision into your imagined construct of a dumb, fumbling mistake of a color choice. That's on you. Your opinion. But it's not reality.

So think Shrek (an ogre, not an orc) if you want to. Those who know this genre of characters in the comic and D&D world, know full well what green skinned orcs look like. I decided to use that for the basis of what the centaur's skin would look like. My choice. Pantone 370C. You may not like it, and that's fine.

So post pix of Shrek all day long. If you had any idea about this genre of characters, you would be posting pix like these:

OK... NOW I'm outta here

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