anyone wanting to trade into a Creech? I could arrange for transport to expo
https://pinside.com/pinball/market/ad/24917

That event is the official (in Expo viewpoint) meet-up for people on Pinside, r.g.p, and whatever else. I'll be in the designated room but can dispense info about off-premises meet-ups if I have it.
.................Dave Marston

Many of the People I spoke to Won't be there in time for a Thursday meet up. So I was asked to do as I have done the last 3 years and organized the Pinside Meet and Greet. Last year we had it at the hotel, and the hotel got mad at us due to the pizza so I decided to take it back off the grounds again

JJ

Ask 'em what the corkage charge is for 2 lg deepdish pep/sauage..

Welp... Bus (ambulance) has checked in full this year. Then again It did last year and only one showed up for the ride, so if you want, you can wait out front at 11 am Friday and if someone does not show up you can have their seat.

Use Uber; first ride is free.

Speaking of Expo and Flight, I flew over the Westin Wheeling/North Shore earlier today.

Westin_Wheeling_September_15_2015.png

We've got room if you need a ride. PM me. Also, if you decide you go w/2 queens.... Let me know. I have a friend that couldn't get a room.

I'm not sure if it's already come up in this thread, but with Jared's new job with Stern, will that be affecting whether he does any live broadcasts this year? Will there be any live video?

that' a great question. Since it's "public" knowledge, as in pinball news will be reporting the goings-on via text, images and sound recordings, I can't imagine they would care, but you never know. Pretty sure he was already at Stern when he was broadcasting pintastic.

Also, will he be allowed in the Day One Pinball manufacturing facility?

If he signs an NDA Jared can visit my hotel room.

_{Hmm, that didn't come out sounding quite right ...}

what happens at expo, stays at expo

wait a minute, no it doesn't!

Lol thanks for posting that. At least I am not the only disturbed one that read that wrong as well.

currently having to clean Pepsi off my monitor, thanks for that.......

when do we have to get our pre orders in to pick up at the pinball life party?

From Pinball Life's website:

We continue to optimize our checkout process so wait times to "shop" should not exceed 30 minutes. Pre-ordering will save you the most time and make the time you spend with us the most enjoyable! E-mail your parts list to [email protected] stating that your list is an Expo Pre-Order and we’ll have your order ready to go when you arrive. Spend your time playing pinball, eating, and drinking! PLEASE EMAIL YOUR PARTS LIST BY FRIDAY, 10/9/15. After Friday 10/9, we will be prepping for the open house so we won't be able to fill pre-orders, but you can bring your list with you and "Take a Number" to get your order filled.

All sales during the open house are cash-and-carry.

This is key.. if you don't have cash you better hope the ATM at the Jewel next door isn't empty.

To bad its not in Colorado I would bring one of my Extra ATMS out =)

Anyone comingto EXPO from Chapaign/Urbana area and able to pick up a game for me in the next week or 2 and transport it up for expo?

I will pay your gas money and some adult beverages.

No problem, Jared, totally understandable.

I WOULD STRONGLY URGE *ALL* manufacturers to make sure their seminars are broadcast. Don't rely on someone else, have a crew member or supporter handle it. Ask Jared for tips. The global audience will outnumber the people in that room many times over. To put all the effort and expense into coming to expo to do a seminar, and then not broadcast is bad business and a huge missed opportunity. Last year Jared demonstrated the power of the live feeds and turning those seminars into *GLOBAL EVENTS*.

Have to say I'm in the not attending Expo 31 camp. Will be the first Expo I've missed in 10+ years. Everyone going have fun and post some pics.

I have mixed feelings about the live feed thing. We at Pintastic spent a lot of money to fly Jared in this year to live stream all the seminars. I think he told me the total viewers over the whole show was 152 people. I'm not sure it's worth the expense moving forward.

You can't just look at the live stats. I never watch any of the things live myself. But I will go back and watch the archives. Like the PNW talk with JJP. That was good. I didn't watch live, checked it out the next day or so. They also then gave the same talk at other shows, and I'd already seen it, so didn't bother again.

Also, no offense to Pintastic, but you were a new show without a lot of draw from outside your local region. You can't really take stats from your first year and apply them to something like Expo, which has an international attendance. People are going to want to see what's in store for Dutch Pinball, Heighway, JJP etc.

I think video taping and posting up the videos up on the Internet after the show is a better alternative for some shows. I agree expo needs to have the live stream or they will be just another show. Let's hope Expo promoters find someone to fill in for Jared from hear on out.

Yea I wouldn't care if it's live or not, but archived in case you missed something would be nice. Not everyone can see every single seminar with everything else going no.

I would be willing to help. I can setup a camera or two and Walk away. Or loan out a couple of my cameras.

I have a
Go Pro Hero 4
Contour Roam 2
and a Point and shoot that Shoot Video As well
Also an Ipad air 2 Of that helps too?

My Plan was to try and setup a Live video Stern off of GOT if I can get Stern to let me.

JJ

Anyone streaming - please make sure you get good AUDIO - it's so key and often a bit more important than seeing stuff since typically it's a few men on stage speaking and not a whole lot else

To be fair, Expo breaks more "news" than any other show.

2014 we had:

Big Lebowski unveiled
Hobbit unveiled
Pinball Circus unveiled
Alien announced

So there is a lot more interest, than just listening to speakers talk pinball. That's why I also think it fair to put the onus on the manufacturers, since they are the ones with news to break and machines to sell.

I was part of the live audience last year, and it was exciting, at times hundreds of us watching. Jared was asking our questions, it was interactive, and tons of news broke.

I think for new products is where the focus on live should be, anything else can be recorded and posted later.

I was one of those people watching! I agree with you.

The live streaming last year at Expo was awesome! It was so great to watch from another country and feel like you were part of the action. It really was a highlight of the pinball year for me and I have been looking forward to Expo ever since. I really hope that someone can cover the seminars this year. I'm sure if someone stepped forward and contacted the Expo organisers to be the official broadcaster many of us who won't be able to make it would be willing to donate a little cash to cover any costs (like we did last year with Jared).

I seem to recall there were more than 300 people watching live at times (JJP seminar for example) last year.

I'd recommend against this. Seems like it should be kept "guerrilla" with dealing with the organizers. That being said, I'd reach out to the various speakers directly.

Well, I don't mind how it gets done as long as it happens. I seem to recall that Jared offered to cover the last Texas Pinball Festival live but the organisers already had someone else lined up (Arcade Repair Tips, I believe?). In that case, the seminars took a week or so to be posted so it was less than ideal, it is certainly much more exciting watching a live stream with live chat and being part of the action. That's why I was thinking it should be official, so that there's no risk of it being shut down.

Oh, one other thing, if someone does step forward, and a thread is made for "Expo 2015 live streams" on here, it would also be cool if Robin made one of those tabs at the top of the home page to link to it. You know, where they currently have the "Barenaked Ladies", "FAQ", "Do you love Pinside?", etc. buttons.

I seem to recall seeing a graph Robin made of number of page views and each year during Expo there is a huge spike, so it would be great to have that feature to celebrate the buzz which happens on Pinside each year at Expo time.

I would urge anyone wanting to do this reach out to Rob or Mike. They are good guys and are open to growing expo.

Andrew

This has probably been asked before, but is the banquet worth the $30? I'm deciding whether or not to go to it and don't really know what it's like and whether or not it's worth it.

It is cheaper in the package than individually.

It is a great time. Speaker hasn't been announced yet, it is usually pretty good. Last one was Nolan Bushnel, before that Cameron, Year before Python.

I don't always have the chance to go. When I can I am always glad I did !

LTG : )

I think you omitted Michael Stroll in there.

I've had my hotel for a while, but just booked my flights finally. I should get into Wheeling around Midnight on Wed, and I'm flying back to LA at 3pm on Sat.

I'll be at Terry's party on Friday, I'll be on the Heighway panel Thursday night, at the afterparty (assuming such a beast exists!) and I hope to be partying with as many people as possible Friday night.

I wonder if I can find the Pinside badge JJ gave me last year, I think I kept it ...

Either way I'll be easy to spot, I'm wearing a different Alien themed shirt every day of Expo.

Right on I will look for you & be sure to say hello , will be arriving with Pinfatale Wednesday morning ....... counting the days

We may be on the same flight. American?

Don't worry if you didn't will be opening thread later this week for Printing ones if anyone needs =)

Haha yup! We should coordinate.

Just booked my hotel! So excited. This is my first expo, and 3rd pinball convention. Spent the day at replay, was awesome, spend the entire weekend working the Cleveland show, it was a blast, and now I'm coming to expo. I couldn't be more excited!

Would recommend you contact Martin at Pinball News to let him know you won't be doing it this year and see if he's interested. He's already been hosting audio from the seminars for years. Might be willing to take it on if it's not too difficult.

FWIW, the UStream you recorded of our seminar last year has been priceless for sharing with prospective developers.

Cool! I'll have to remember to bring this one with me to wear while I'm there! Say hi if you see me! image.jpeg

Another flyover of the Westin Wheeling by me. Photo taken yesterday (September 23, 2015). White object about dead center is the Pinball Expo site.
In the lower right you can see the site of the now defunct Illinois Pinball show that Gene, Gene the Dancing Machine used to host at the Executive Inn in front of the Palwaukee/Chicago Executive Airport.

Last week's flight was a flyover of the area as I was on a non-stop with my driver/pilot to San Diego. Yesterday I was on a quick flight to Chicago with my pilot where later my driver (me) eventually took me to Madison. I did stop at Pooley's and played Hilton's TWD. Unfortunately, we could not meet up as he was not feeling good so we had to cancel a meeting there.

IMAG8995.jpg

Flights booked, hotel booked. Going into Chicago Tuesday night for work. Staying at the Ritz Tuesday / Wednesday night and then onto the Westin Thursday - Saturday. Super excited. There's a pinside get together on Thursday night, right?