Quoted from Manimal:I can't go into specifics, but I do spend a bit of time each week or two with a couple of the Stern coders due to other mutual activities we are involved in. Some of you already suspect this based on the emails I got after a previous few posts. I try very hard to stay away from asking any specifics about games out of courtesy to them, as they are prohibited from saying much, and I do not want to put anyone into an uncomfortable position. But, in a general conversation, we have talked in great length about the length of time it takes to code a game, and the steps they have to go through. Again, I cannot go into specifics, but there are a few things to take into consideration when making the kind of assumptions outlined above.
SPIKE is a newer system for the folks at Stern, and on top of that, they added a completely new engine to run all of the video for the LCD. The programmers are still learning the new system, and it takes a lot of time to code to something you have not seen before. There is a lot of trial and error, and they make mistakes and refinements along the way. With both BM66 and SW, there is a lot of video and audio to work with, and I am told the number of lines of code to run pins like SW and BM66 is over 10 times the number of lines that exist in the older DMD games. In fact, I know the code was taking up enough room that they had to start being selective on what video and audio was included in the initial load. I also know for a fact (because I have been there) that a lot of the engineering and code staff work a lot of very long days and short nights to get this code and these games out the door. Lyman is not working on Elvira...there may be some others that are, but he is not yet. His sole focus is BM66. Again, I try very hard to stay away from trying to garner some inside knowledge...I don't want to take advantage of the relationship, but it kills me when people think they know a fact, simply based on their own opinion. Gomez screwed up with his remark and he has publicly stated he would love to have it back. But that doesn't brand him a liar, and he has also said time and time again that Lyman was solely focused on BM66, yet people still choose to believe what they decide to be the truth based on no real fact.
Yes this all sucks, and yes I was led to believe earlier that code was going to come more often, but no one intentionally lied. It was a simple case of someone at the top changing their mind and making the decision to take this out to a more developed code before a release goes out. I want the code as bad as the next guy, but making assumptions is not going to get it to us any quicker. I am sure it will be great when it is finished, and we need to keep in mind the long hours these guys put in. All you need to do is spend 20 minutes talking to guys like Gomez, Dwight, Steve Ritchie, etc, and you see their eyes light up and they ooze passion for everything pinball. They are a very good bunch of folks that take pride in what they love to do, and it shows. Don't blame them all for decisions made by a management team. None of them want a legacy of bad games with unfinished code. I probably said more than I should have, but I see these guys all of the time in their offices at 10pm and beyond without an exaggeration.