When Pat Lawlor returned after his long sabbatical from pinball, I was skeptical he could live up to everyone's expectations. Even though some folks are still on-the-fence regarding the theme, it's arguably one of the most impressive games ever made. The flow, rules, and tech in Dialed In are awesome...it's the total package. Even though Pat lead the effort, JJP deserves credit for giving Pat the environment/freedom to do great work.

I think Brian has the same opportunity, however I'm a bit more skeptical that Stern will provide the same opportunities as JJP. We will see...definitely nice to see Brian return to pinball.

snaroff

Yep. I think JJP still has room to grow to nail build quality (https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/dialing-in-dialed-in-le-96), however they nailed the important stuff. No doubt. After Dialing In my Dialed In, the game shoots fast & furious.

The other JJP design point that I love (and this comes from Jack directly), is designing a game that appeals to both casual & serious players. That's a tough task, and they nailed in for DI. From my perspective, the degree of difficulty is just perfect...with plenty of software nobs to help compensate if necessary.

By contrast, Star Wars is really only for very serious players. Sure, a casual player can flip the ball for awhile, however the rules and brutal speed make it frustrating. I appreciate Star Wars and admire what SR and DS achieved, but it's a ball buster for sure.

snaroff

Hey John,

I did close the outlanes and it helped, but it's still a super hard game (for me). I agree the software is amazing, but I'm not sure it's fun. Some really subtle/ornate use of timers. Can't imagine playing it without hearing it (in an arcade, for example I really have a love/hate with Star Wars. Love SR's work, so it isn't going anywhere. One day I'm sure I'll learn to universally love it...or not?

DI's theme isn't horrendous! It's a Simcity vibe and all the modes are cool/fun. The only other Lawlor game I've owned is TZ...love it. It shoots nothing like DI.
Talk about butter flow...nothing more buttery than DI...

Guess we'll have to agree to disagree!

snaroff

Agreed, but not all modern pinball suffers from this. The Star Wars ruleset is the most dramatic example "rules gone wild".

For me, pins like Paragon/Centaur/Fathom provide that same breath of fresh air from the tech/complexity of "modern" pinball. I'm sure the TNA lighting/audio really spices things up, which is why I'd love to own one eventually. As you know, they are tough to get at the moment...

snaroff

Pinball service has always been an issue for home buyers, yet the home market is thriving. No doubt there is a limit to how many companies/pins the market can support...but that limit hasn't been reached yet.

Stern still builds a quality product, though they've had speed bumps over the years and quality isn't what it use to be. Nevertheless, these machines are over engineered for home use. If they are properly cared for, they are usually very reliable (once you get past the NIB punch list...).

snaroff

Yep, and a side benefit of reigning in the rules is shipping complete rules in a more timely fashion. More complexity using == more time.

I'm not hoping for another AFM/MM clone. One thing most Stern games lack is humor. My hope is Eddy brings us some humor...! Miss me...ha/ha!

snaroff

I agree the "static world under glass" is unimpressive, however the "dynamic world under glass" is much cooler.

Most glaring example is the pathetic Tie Fighter toy/spring...kind of sad!

OTOH, the hyperdrive is awesome...playing hyperdrive MB with multiple balls flying around while you play a 3rd ball on the PF is just incredible. Puts a huge smile on my face! The lighting and choreography is also pretty stunning.

snaroff