There are no targets or inserts specific to the minor villains and most are already dedicated to other characters or features from the show. So how on earth are they going to integrate them into the game?

I'm frustrated, but at the same time I believe them when they say they are dedicated to it being a great game.

Thanks Doc.... but you can be arrested If you ask them what I have in mind regarding their lies.

Weird....I’m not that angry after listening to it. Being hard to code only means it will take more time, and hopefully create a landmark pin. I’m in for the long haul anyway....hopefully this latest drop adds some fun as the bat journey continues...

Oh definitely! Hopefully, they go that route, but I guess they don't really have any other option at this point. My concern is keeping track of the six minor villains as they are completed. I constantly lose my place on IM, usually after starting a new ball and seeing all mode inserts unlit, but 4 or 5 Marks lit. I sometimes have to flail a bit until I figure out which mode(s) I'm missing. I could see the same thing on BM66, at least in my case.

Frolic....you said it better than I....

I came up with a suggestion for that a while back reposted it on the previous page, merge minor villains into the villain vision - have the active villain/s taunting us during play.

Villain vision was a big advertised feature so why not use it for all villains.

Those beautiful screens.....

Watching the stream, there seems to have been only one Batman question and no follow up.

Batman 66 owner:
"What is status, how are you going to communicate with us about status?"

George didn't really offer much of an answer. Anyone who has a Batman game on the floor can get the new code. There will be a release this week (next week?) that will probably be called .80. It will complete the major villains, add continue episodes, add a lot of speech and some polish. (I thought it was absolutely tone deaf to not acknowledge that those of us not at Expo would like to see the code too)

There was no comment on other timeframes or anything else coming. George reiterated that this is a game he and Lyman want to own and they don't want anything less than a complete game. Contrary to popular belief, Lyman is NOT working on anything else. This has been substantially challenging. They think of a new feature, try it, iterate. He said Zach will provide updates and they will be as specific as they can (and then he listed all the things they won't tell us). He did finish with a big Mea Culpa on two week comment and said he never should have said it.

However, there was no follow up questions on anything he said, no push for on details of release, what's planned, how long they are going to be given to "finish" - in short, no one pushed to get any real info on status and plans.

I was a programmer - I know programming is hard and there are unique challenges to coding this game - but this was a BS, marketing fluff answer. I am really pissed at myself for not flying out to be at the session. Even more pissed that we didn't really get any new information.

It's clear Stern has NO CONCEPT of how upset Batman 66 owners are.

(No questions or comments on QC issues, SW node board failures, lack of substantive communication and many of the other issues that have been discussed on Pinside either).

April said she would have a usb stick with new code mailed to my home address....I said sure. Would hope that it’s on the site before in my mailbox though.....( maybe a “ batstick” however...would be cool)

When you make the riddler shot and go to select a minor villian they can mark which have been completed or playfield on the select screen. Plus instant info would be useful if minor villian info was accessible.

Hopefully some pinsiders play the new code there, and post initial impressions....

Matt????

At least the new left ramp will be finished, powdered, installed, and screaming before final code drop. Pretty confident in that statement now.....

So could this have been a 31st anniversary pin and it would still be pre 1.0 code? Crazy and embarrassing for Stern if that's the case.

If they are so stuck on what to incorporate in the game, maybe we should start an ideas thread and help jumpstart the process.

Gary did make a reference to anniversary stuff being years late when answering a question about the 30th Anniversary Kickstarter book.

Anyone worried Stern will just end up giving a couple more bs updates and move onto other games? They have done it in the past.

This whole seminar was like you going to the boss and threatening to quit if you don't get more benefits and pay, and him convincing you that you will have a great future with the company as long as you hang tough.

And you leave smiling with no more than you started with.

This does worry me - I feel they can only sink so much time into the game before they have to move on. I think it will come down to how much code they can reuse for other games.

I ain't smiling. And after this pathetic Expo showing from Stern with no actual code drops I think my great pinball future will be with JJP moving forward.

I just played the new JJP pirates and have to say the features are amazing on this one. So much stuff to do. If I was Stern I would be very concerned about losong a lot of future Stern LE/Premium buyers to JJP games.

Exactly! Same here, though probably CGC for me until JJP hits on a theme I like. Historically, I've only owned TOTAN from the great 90s games. I just got MMR and love it, so I think CGC will be in my immediate future.

Clearly the new Stern marketing guy either hasn't got game or hasn't got enough empowerment. From what I've heard from afar, they really dropped the ball on this one. There were probably ways to sugar coat the BM66 code problem a little a few months ago, but instead they let the problem fester and our anticipation build up instead. It was probably a good idea for them to not reveal a new game.

Aren't you guys supposed to be watching JJP stream?

Well, I'm sure their plan looked good on paper, but there is only so much BS people can take.

If they were wise, the newest code would be up on the site TOMORROW ....

No code drop. No new machine unveiling. BS scripted and uninformative answers. And next code will only be 0.8(something)?? Jesus Christ this company is pathetic. JJP just made you (Stern) look like a bunch of homebrew fools. Huge props to Jack for an incredible looking Pirates. JJP is pinball's future. Eat s**t Stern.

I suspect they want all Expo attendees out of Chicago before pre-order owners evaluate the code in home environments. Judging by what I've read in this thread this evening, I'm not expecting any improvements besides a few extra call outs and video clips. I certainly don't want to spend additional play time locking up the same four villains that I'm sick and tired of locking up this past year, and that seems to be the highlight of an entire third-of-a-year of coding by the master coder himself. Why else would the update not already be up for download? I hope I'm wrong but I think we're in the process of being served a shit sandwich, which is probably why they didn't introduce a new game this weekend.

Anything less than a 1.00 code drop is a huge hot s**t sandwich. Put your bibs on kids.

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Wow. The POTC code is only 20% done and seems to have more to do then all the current Stern games combined.

Gary was bragging that Stern essentially does 12 models of games every year.
Maybe JJP has it right - do one game a year but do it right. POTC ships 1Q18 with all features/rules complete.

Will there ever be a Batman 66 game that actually ships with complete code?

I don't like the POTC theme and probably won't buy one. But without a software miracle and a demonstrated commitment from Stern that deep and challenging code is important, Batman 66 may be my last Stern game purchase. Stern may be the market leader, but 2017 marks a turning point - Stern is officially in catch up mode now.

Hahahahahaha!

Catch up mode now? Really? Was it really a question since WOZ?

Doc, do you know if it is L.E. just to 250 that Davy Jones?

You’re probably right.....man, I want this game to be amazing to play, as well as look at.

Predictions were spot on...no code, and JJP steals the show w ( what appears to be) an amazing game. No way I was buying DI....POTC, another story.....

I was sort of thinking the same thing. There is a TON of competition for MY money.

Best way to keep my money in their pocket is to make sure i'm a happy customer. Doesn't matter what is going on behind the scenes, all I care about is my enjoyment of a high priced toy.

Yep, I'm one of em.

Wasn't about to buy DI but POTC looks great and that will be my next pin. I'm off the Stern Nib train for now.

Collectors edition is davy jones art. 200 games

One is mine.....

Thank you Doc!

Ditto

Yes, because WOZ was one game in 4+ years.

JJPOTC becomes the second feature rich code complete at release game for JJP in two years with a clear implication that things are going to speed up.

Stern's presentation was all about barcodes and markets they wanted to serve, no acknowledgement they understood their customers.

JJP's presentation was all about how we plan to succeed by striving for excellence and listening to our customers followed by a new game reveal that was far more than the flashing box of lights that Stern revealed as Batman 66 last year.

I was never really sure JJP was going to be a long term serious contender as much as I wanted to see them succeed. Now I'm pretty confident they are in a position to suck a boatload of new pinball money from Stern for years to come.

I understand your position.

Let's give this thread back to people hoping for Lyman to get their code to 1.00 over a year since a game's release....

Agreed....I still love my BM66LE, and maybe this event will encourage those involved to make this game what it can be....in short order!!!

I really, really want Batman to be the game George says he and Lyman want it to be. But Stern blew a golden opportunity tonight to give me confidence that will actually happen anytime in the foreseeable future, if at all.

On to happier Batman 66 topics - any update on the ramp project?

The problem with this normally good thought of preserving a club thread is that all of us big dollar LE/SLE BM66 owners who bought back in Aug-Oct last year (and were lied to) constitute the bulk of this club thread and just got shafted without lubricant by Stern, and as a result have lost hope in Stern/Lyman getting to 1.00 anytime soon, if ever. So, now many of us are saying what we're thinking, which is sending our pinball dollars elsewhere in the future and that's pretty much got to be JJP or CGC. Talk about Stern lowering expectations at Expo. I used to be one of the most positive folks in this thread six months ago, but I'm probably going to have to resign my membership if this forthcoming code update is a weak, as I now expect it to be. I suspect that I'll be in good company.

Sadly, I think this whole project kind of sums up the difference between this game and what JJP are producing. We purchased a game for the same price as JJP POTC LE, or more, and we are left to engineer the ramp so that it works properly. And 12 months later we will still be at pre-release code.

Ive been as patient as possible on this game, but after seeing POTC, i think im ready to give up. Powder coated ramp, 1.35 code (in 5 years) and it wont even come to 50% of POTC.

Ha!!!! Remember, Matt said his “ available” time to knock these out would be just post expo....

I’ll be sending him the list I have, and bugging him (....) to bring these to market. Think I’m going to let him pick my sparkle red and purple as he knows what I’m looking for, colorwise.

The Proto ramp is still playing amazing......yes, next week should bring some good batramp news!!!....

Goes back to the “theme” card......BM66 still miles ahead of POTC for me in that department (yes, a CE commitment here). BM66 will still be a game I’ll thoroughly enjoy, and believe it will be an absolute blast.

There is no excusing what went down tonight, however. Now, more than ever, Gomez and Team need to simple slow the wheels, and finish this title!!! ( think I said this earlier....apologies....going to knock off in a bit).

I enjoy my Batman66 a lot too, and a lot!

Btw, I recommend 100% The MOD Couple/Yelobird, I got today my mounting plate and it looks very nice, the shipping to Canada was extremely fast! Very well packaged, two thumbs up the customer service provided by Yelobird! I just have to buy now the Batmobile or/and maybe a Villain vehicle

Also, yesterday stopped by in Hallmark and got the Batcopter, very nice indeed!($38.99 CDN) just have to find the right and best spot to put it.

Regards

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Wow, he can't help himself from lying.

You have to care to be embarrassed. Stern does not care, or this would already be done. It's been a YEAR and we're still on alpha code.

They already have moved on. Back in about Feb/Mar, despite what Gomez says. You don't move .10 in 140 days if you're on it full time. I feel bad for Lyman, I really do. He's in a no-win situation Gomez made.