Do you have some first hand experience you could kindly share with us on what is really happening? I found CGC fantastic to deal with. CGC resolved our issue quickly and we are very happy. I know of many AFMr owners that are happy with CGC and very few that are not.

Really, man? Everytime someone posts a comment about an issue they're having, you just write something unrealistically positive to discredit them? Maybe you're on the CGC payroll (I personally am convinced you are), or maybe you're just such a fanboy that you'll take a bullet for them.

Either way, it's not your place to tell anyone that they should just be happy with what they have, when they've just spent $8000 on a game.

Maybe your game is great. But don't assume that is everyone's experience and opinion.

And it's utterly insulting to say that any of us with an issue are sabotaging the success of pinball. I've bought 4 new games in one year, had countless argumeiwith my wife about it, and I have introduced numerous friends to the hobby that have resulted in more sales. If anything, I love this hobby as much if not more, because I know that when a company does right by it's customers, it's succeeds!

Maybe mention that to the guys at the CGC cooler tomorrow morning!

I agree with @mschonbrun. We are on a forum and everyone has the right to express themselves. Vote with your wallet dude. That can work both ways. If lots of people agree with you it forces the company to change or they go broke. If not many people agree with you, the company does not have to deal with you any more and prospers even further. No more wasted time on people that cannot resolve their issues. Constantly looking for an argument is not in the good spirits of Pinside.

Do you have any playfield issues? Any of the planking, chipping, wrong colors, mystery rubout marks?

He's either on the payroll or has family that has a stake in the company.

In fairness, he's been like this going back to the diffuser garbage with MMR.

You only paid 8K for a product which is clearly defective, but Happy Flipping!

No, I do not. That is why I asked if you personally have any.

This is not about voting with your wallet! This is before that. This is about discussing this issue with people who have these issues to try to bring about a resolution. We already have lots of people that agree with us and most of them are not on Pinside! If you have a nice perfect beautiful flawless game, Good For You! I am happy for you. Flip on! Have fun.

Sorry switch 62 c channel I believe it read. If I do a factory reset is there an option to put the machine back to home use? The volume and free play I know have to be Changed after a factory reset but is there anything else? I noticed a factory adjustment option, is that what I’m looking for after factory reset?

Then this is not about how good CGC is in handling your situation.

Damien,

I replied to a comment, a positive one about pinball. And I replied with how I feel. Which is a true statement, it is how I feel. And it’s 100% my own right to love pinball. I consider myself very fortunate to be able to relive a cherished part of my childhood in my own home. This is an absolute gift to be able to play whenever I want and to play the very games that I dropped quarters in as a kid. Life could be very different and I think it would be a colder and sadder place without pinball in it. That’s my perspective. And that perspective is irrespective of CGC or any other pinball manufacturer. I post in the threads where I own games, and where I can help with technical solutions. I enjoy helping folks, and I enjoy having people over to experience pinball and remember how much fun it is to escape into a world under glass.

You get to have your own opinion of pinball, and your game. But you do not get to accuse me of anything; that is just not OK. We are strangers, and hopefully friends with a common hobby that would share our collections with each other since every pinball person that I have met in person has been a wonderful person. I have no doubt I would feel the same about you should we one day meet.

What is clear is that we have different opinions about our games, and that is fine by me. We do not have to agree and I hope you get some resolution on your games and get to a good place with them. It should be a joyful hobby and I hope that nobody here would want to disagree with that. Looking at your game and seeing nothing but flaws has to suck.

For the record: I have chipping at the mothership hole, the outhole of MMR and behind the castle on MMR. So please do not think that I somehow got a different level of game. I didn’t. I’m just choosing to be OK with it and not allow it to take away from MY enjoyment of it. And I am sorry if somehow wishing that folks didn’t dwell on such things as offensive; i’ll certainly take that feedback and never post things along those lines again. But I’m not going to stop helping folks debug and troubleshoot, and I’m going to help people connect with CGC to get resolution on their issues since Pinside is not where CGC does support. And I do that for me, not for anyone else. It makes me happy to help folks. Period. End of story.

And as for working for CGC? I do not work for them. You can take a few minutes and do a little Internet sleuthing to see who I am, and what I do for a living. My location is accurate, and my handle is based on my last name. I work in software development, and I’ve never worked on a pinball machine other than my own I’m sorry if you don’t believe that, but that is the truth and I have nothing to hide.

Yours in pinball,
Marc

AFMLE owners, I have a fully restored original and thinking about a LE version,are you guys happy with your games ? Also do all LE,s come with green trim ?
Can i get chrome or stainless?

Wow. I'm at a complete and utter loss for words!! Someone needs to record their conversation with them and post it up.

Do you have a AFMr that has issues and lodged a ticket?

LEs are available in Green, Black or Stainless. They were built to order, so, it depends on what was ordered at the time. You’re near me and I’d be happy to show you my game if you’re ever up for coming down to the South Bay.

Marc

It's ok we still love you Marc....

OK, that crosses the line. This agression will not stand, man!

Why would you care about that? Do you work for CGC?

I have had my LE for about 2 months. I had shooter lane issue and fixed it. Had the popper issue where it took multiple times for ball to pop up. Fixed that. No flipper issues. I did do the PIC 2 chip installation. I have talked to Doug multiple times. The latest was about the chipping I have on right and left of hole of ufo ship. His basic take over the phone was this will happen over time and if you want to protect your machine get cliffys. I told him I already had them on order. I told him that in future they should consider putting cliffys on all the machines. He stated that the purists wouldn't like that. I said to him that put cliffys on so many machines (maybe 80%) and leave the rest without for the purists. He stated that it would too much of a logistical problem for distributors/sellers. I think it is BS. When I told him that a full set of cliffys was $110 and he thought that was a lot. I don't think 1.5% of price of machine to protect is too much, but they should do that for us. In regards for having a wrong colored play field, that should be an automatic replacement. Too me, that is a DEFECT in manufacturing. As of now, probably wouldn't buy another chicago gaming machine unless people on this forum state that there defective playfields are replaced. My star wars LE has had zero problems and I don't see any chipping. Having incomplete code is not ideal, but it is of greater importance not to have a defective machine. I feel like stern is trying to make improvements in their coding staff and are very responsive to defects according to a lot of posts i have read. Maybe I would consider Jersey Jack for next machine.

I do not care to help you at all, you are only on this thread to cause issues and you do not like anyone calling out your BS.

It's a fantastic hobby, albeit an expensive-ass one! I'd much rather us be chatting about how awesome it is to reach RTU, and how close we might have come to completing it a second time.

Let me clarify things, since my recent posts in this thread probably just sound like complaints. I also own an MMR LE, and I've had so much fun with it, I could drone on and on. I've owned it for about a year, and it was the first machine I ever owned. Had some minor issues with the flippers out of the box, but LTG provided incredible support and I learned a lot about my machine quickly.

Even my wife, who would put pinball so low on her list of interests, enjoys this game and actually completed Royal Madness for the first time the other day, and it was pretty awesome to hear her talk about it.

I had so much fun with it, that when I saw the shooter lane starting to get chewed up, I just emailed Cliffy and got the set ordered. As I was installing it, I noticed every single edge of the game was chipped. Abd I said nothing! I put the protectors on, and went back to battling for the kingdom. And I enjoyed it so much, that I ordered an AFM LE!

But when the game started chipping after less than 100 plays, I was shocked. When I realized there were a bunch of people that had this problem (and inevitably all of us that don't put on Cliffys), I felt like something should be said.

The worst part of this, far worse than the chipping itself, is how poorly CGC has handled this. Look at the content in most messages now posted in this thread. It's predominantly related to unhappy customers that have received unsatisfactory service.

I'm hoping that CGC steps up and tries to resolve these issues. I wanted to buy every one of their remakes. But what I've been reading lately is troubling, and will be the reason I don't spend more money with them should they not make an attempt to sort these people out.

A new company? No.

Hmm - better ask all those with scratched playfields because of crap cliffies and cheap balls how their dialed in’s are getting on!

They’ve made them all so will depend what your dealer has available the green rocks though! once you sort the shooter lane issue (which hopefully is fixed in production) the game is superb. Install full set of cliffys (order them now as cliff has a backlog!)

Neil

If nothing else, this thread provides a bit of inside information for prospective buyers.

It would seem if the problem is inexpensive to remedy, CGC/PPS will be by your side. If the issue is anything which requires CGC/PPS to dig into their pockets, well, then you may not like their response.

Which seems to confirm that, print aside, they have the worst in-practice warranty of the "big three" currently.

So I took a good look at my playfield and the only thing that mine has is dimples which I expect and are normal in my view. My game was made late November and spend three weeks being shipped to the UK I got it 23rd December.

After this many plays and balls.

total games played

balls played

Total time playing

shooter lane

shooter lane

SOL Hole

SOL Hole

Other side of SOL Hole

Force Field

Force Field

Saucer Hole and Drop Target
Saucer Hole and Drop target

Lock Ball Hole.
Lock Ball Hole

I don't see any huge wear, I don't see any chipping. The lock ball hole looks like that might be a problem in the future. I've got cliffies for the game and was recommended to put them on by original AFM owners.

Cheers,
Neil.

A re-make should be as least as good as an original.

The ribbed playfields are common as many Stern playfields have these so it's bad luck if you get one.

Chipping - Spooky seem to be the only company that has got their playfields at a level where this is not happening.

Wrong color playfields.

Surely by law that is such a clear manufacturing defect that an automatic replacement should be a given?

in Europe there is but it lies with whomever sold you it. I used it to get my GB playfield swapped after it started to Ghost.

Neil

one question I have, how do you take a bulb out?

One of the bulbs on my right slingshot is out but damned if I can figure out how to swap it out.

I have my TNA on order instead of a MMr. I was going to get a MMr from their february batch but nah. Plus, Spooky is doing what CGC claimed they were going to do, high quality pins. Not so excited about MBr anymore at all, and glad I don't have to spend the money on it.

Ok figured it out just need to order a replacement now!

I didn't ask for your help, nor do I need it and that wasn't the question in first place.

Will fit the Cliffies of the original AFM into the AFMR or need i other ones ?

My understanding is you need the afmr.

When you message him tell them it’s an AFMr. There are some subtle differences so he makes a specific set for the newer machines.

Where do I get target stickers?

Also, CGC has top-spot on Pinside's top 100, both LEs, even for MMr so they must be doing something right or people would vote them down I think no? Maybe Doug and Rick are looking at that and rightfully assume they are doing a fantastic job... I know I would... but does not mean there is no room for improvement or getting complacent. MMr's score actually went up over 9, better than the original on both... and I do think Spooky's quality playfield on TNA is putting pressure on CGC to raise the bar if they want to be known as the best quality out there.

http://www.pinballdecals.com/PartsByGamePages/AFM_Page.html

ebay.com link: ATTACK FROM MARS Pinball Target Cushioned Decals

My play field has the correct orange color and I can see the woodgrain if I lean over and put my face close to the glass. I don't notice it when playing.

I'm thinking of getting those... do they protect the targets from damage too?

I can't speak to AFMr's targets as I don't own the game, but I install target decals on my other games for improving aesthetics - not protection.

You are on this thread just to cause issues for CGC. That is not in the good spirit of Pinside. Most people that have an AFMr love it.

You are extremely vocal about CGC and how they have treated you. I cannot see many "unhappy customers" on this thread, just you and one other that are constantly doing your best to derail CGC and this thread. You are doing your best to use this forum to get what you want from CGC. This is not in the good spirit of Pinside.

Good spirit of Pinside? How was sending a diffuser kit to the MMR victims in the "good spirit of pinside"?

At 8K a pop, CGC had better make it right. I cannot stress enough how important it is to pay with a credit card when purchasing any NIB, preferably AMEX.

You'd make a great dictator

Recently, there have been a lot of disgruntled customers on this thread, and as a result, many potential customers that have cold feet. Not just two of us

If you receive a product that is defective, it's in your best interest to contact the manufacturer. That goes for any product, especially one that costs as much as a small car.

Feel free to check out my other Pinside posts. For the most part, I'm posting excitedly about my games.

You'll also see that I had a plethora of issues with my Dialed In, but was quickly sorted out by Jack and his team. They actually did way more than they had to. I'm not only happy with my game and experience, I'll also be buying their next standard body (Toy Story).

I'm giving CGC the benefit of the doubt. I'm awaiting a reply from them to see what they plan to do about these issues. I want them to do right. I want them to succeed. I want to be a happy customer and buy all of their remakes.

Thanks for the compliment! If I was a dictator, there would be pinball machines everywhere!

You are doing your best to put pressure on CGC through Pinside to get what you want. Encouraging owners to complain to CGC so ultimately you get what you want. No I do not work for CGC, I am a happy owner of a AFMrLE. There are plenty of us. There are not "a lot" of disgruntled customers, that is just what you keep saying.

There are certainly "enough" disgruntled customers and it is greatly upsetting the folks at CGC who can't control what is posted here.

Hey CGC, fix the damn machines under your discretionary warranty and all of the negativity that you have managed to generate goes away.

My game has none of the playfield issues (any issues really) that some people are having and I consider myself fortunate. It seems like its coming out of the later runs (I've had mine for six months and a ton of plays on it). If I were CGC, I would work to make these right as some people have legitimate gripes (like the off color and prominent wood grain). They need to step back before dismissing the complaints and ask themselves if they would be happy if it was their brand new 8k game? I really doubt they would and if that's the case, action needs to be taken to make it right. The sales of game three depends on it.

Guess it just shows how much luck is involved. I've played almost 400 games in the 2 months I've owned it and love it. I had the shooter lane issue, left popper taking numerous attempts to eject the ball and after close inspection chipping under the mother ship, but nowhere else.
CGC gave me fixes for popper and left popper, and did so very quickly and effectively, and I'm grateful for the support recieved. I've fitted the full set of Cliffys with the exception of the SOL, I did try to fit it with the existing protector, but even after slightly bending, it affected the way the game played, so took it off. The existing one seems to do the job anyway and looks better.
All my issues are small, and to be honest as a newbie, I have learnt so much through the small fixes and taking bits off to fit cliffy's.
But....... I wouldn't be happy if the wrong colour paint had been used or I had major playfield issues, those that do - I hope you get them sorted to your satisfaction.

So how many 'nude' playfields are out there. They should be replaced asap. 1,2,???.

Doug took care of the PIC2.0 issue for us, even as the 2nd owner, which was appreciated given their outdated stance on second owner in-warranty support. But if I was a first owner and had the nude color screening error across the playfield that they said was "normal" and wouldn't swap out, I'd be pissed. That, plus the warranty thing makes a no-go for us on the next machine unless things change, despite the fact that we LOVE the AfMr overall.