Brooklyn, NY
I'll be interviewing him tomorrow for a magazine. If you have any questions you'd like asked, let me know and I'll try to get them in. (Esp. if they involve Ghostbusters).
(Topic ID: 157397)
Linked Games
Ghostbusters (Pro)
Stern, 2016
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Is there a game he would wish to revisit?
Since his nickname is DR flash, how fast is he at designing compared to other designers?
What is his favorite toy in pinball?
Axl
Can you ask him if he has (or plans to) add any "Easter Eggs" into GB Pro or BGLE/Prem?
I had a flintstones for a long time that had some fun hidden Easter eggs. Including one of him telling his wife he loves her.
What new innovations he sees emerging (and not just LCD, more stuff that effects playing)?
Which game he likes the most?
How long is the design process, and what are the key steps?
Brampton, ON
I've always been curious about his years as a designer during the Gottlieb days. Looking through some of his "lost" designs is pretty fun. While not necessarily a question, I'd like to hear what some of his best unused designs were.
Additionally, some of his lost designs were complex enough to really keep up with the competition at the time, but Gottlieb chose to discard them for budget reasons, and went with much cheaper, easily forgotten titles. Had they kept up with the competition and produced the more complex games Trudeau had designed, do you think, that in hindsight, that it would've changed the tides in their favor for Gottlieb at the time?
Does he have an Alien Star pinball in his personal collection and if or if not, what's his top score on that game? Any other interesting tidbits or thoughts on Alien Star he'd like to offer? What are his top 5 favorite pinball machines he's created?
1. How did the work of genius that is TX-Sector come to fruit?
2. What can he say about his designs for the 2 International Concepts cocktail pins?
3. Is the pin underneath one of John's designs? It's a Hot Fire Birds by German manufacturer NSM. Looking at the playfield (underside as well), it looks like it has been made inhouse by Gottlieb, though.
Quoted from Guinnesstime:flip_(resized).jpg
Flipper gap? You get used to it after a while.
If he could own any five machines from other designers (not designed by him), which five would he own?
Did he work with the original Gottlieb family, and what was that like? If so, were they involved in his designs?
What are his favorite three or five musical bands?, (not including the ones he has been a part of)
What is his favorite pizza made in a wood-fired outdoor oven?
Does he miss any part of designing exercise equipment?
I'd like to know how you decide on making a 2-flipper game vs. a 3+ flipper game.
Is it a layout that dictates it or do you have an idea from the get go?
How many designs have you scribbled on napkins at lunch?
What were the reason(s) why the production run for Gottlieb Touchdown was about half the number of other titles that came before and after it?
my questions have been covered but looking forward to the story, please update with what questions were asked and where can read / listen to the results.
Quoted from scp:I'll be interviewing him tomorrow for a magazine. If you have any questions you'd like asked, let me know and I'll try to get them in. (Esp. if they involve Ghostbusters).
What magazine?
Woolloongabba
Quoted from cosmokramer:Does he know where the KISS code is?
Shocked it took until post 24..
Thank you for asking. I have a few questions regarding Ghostbusters.
The magnetic slings are a first for a pinball machine. How do the magnetic slings enhance gameplay on the premium and LE?
On the premium and LE the Slimer toy is said to be offer additional ranges of motion over the version in the pro. How does each version of the toy differ between the models?
In regards to licensing was it challenging to receive approval from all of the actors?
There are a lot of rumors regarding an official Stern add-on for the game where plastic placeholders in the outlanes currently reside. Can you comment on the add-on?
Just spoke to John. Was a great chat and he was very open and excited to chat all-things-pin. Snuck several of the question suggestions in, and will paste story when it's online early next week. Hope y'all enjoy it. May dig into interview and put a few select tidbits here prior to the story going online as well...
Wood or Steel coasters... oh wait... I know the answer already as we went to Kennywood together last year.... 
Apologies if these things have been reported elsewhere, but confirmed the following re: proton beams:
John says:
"We developed proton beams for the game, but unfortunately due to budget constraints, they've been left off the games. They looked pretty cool, but we had to draw the line somewhere or else we'd be giving people $10,000 pinball machines and they wouldn't like that... It was an image that moved out from the side of the board. Of course, you didn't want to cross the streams. You would control them a little in or out and once you did cross the streams, it would go into a different mode altogether. Nothing much was developed past the rudimentary stages because we knew they weren't going to go into the game."
Quoted from scp:Apologies if these things have been reported elsewhere, but confirmed the following re: proton beams:
John says:
"We developed proton beams for the game, but unfortunately due to budget constraints, they've been left off the games. They looked pretty cool, but we had to draw the line somewhere or else we'd be giving people $10,000 pinball machines and they wouldn't like that... It was an image that moved out from the side of the board. Of course, you didn't want to cross the streams. You would control them a little in or out and once you did cross the streams, it would go into a different mode altogether. Nothing much was developed past the rudimentary stages because we knew they weren't going to go into the game."
Very interesting. Did John say if there some type of proton beam toy coming as an add on for the game?
will all the playfield still come with the holes for the proton beam as that may suggest that it might be still possible?
Quoted from scp:Also confirmed an Easter egg that appears a few times in the new game is John's recently passed black cat. See if you can spot it.
Nice! I love when designers (especially JT) include little personal tidbits into their creations. Adds a nice real life element into games. If you're reading this , thanks JT!
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