Quoted from T-800:Thanks Josh. My point exactly. We showed up at Expo this year with essentially a complete game (minus background music) that literally hundreds of people got to play and enjoy. We don't need 2-more years to develop the game - the design is ready. In reality we have a 6 month plan to build games - order parts, get playfields made, establish manufacturing process, quality control standards, etc. The reality is we don't have $500K sitting around to buy the parts to build the games. If we did we'd be building games right now. I think that's the biggest difference between Riot Pinball and many of these others - we're ready to start building, just need the financial backing.
I think you can argue the pre-order concept until you are blue in the face (and it has been in the DP thread). I agree that you need to know that those pre-ordering are serious and a deposit of a $1000 isn't a bad idea - separates out the tire kickers. But where I get hung up is the next phase - as you noted, you are ready to build games, you just don't have the financial backing. The customers shouldn't have to take on that financial risk. If you believe in your product (which you obviously do), then it's up to you to secure the funds through a traditional loan, build the game at your risk and then say - "Hey guys, games are done, boxed up and ready to ship, who wants one?!"
Nate shied away from using the term in his recent podcast, but pre-orders are asking customers to basically gamble with thousands of dollars. If a company goes belly-up there is little chance the pre-order money will ever be refunded. There is no legal binding contract, just a 'handshake' through PayPal or some other online payment method.
Obviously its not as cut and dry as that, but you get my point. And don't get me wrong, I want all independent/small build pinball companies to survive (well, maybe not VD). I just think this pre-order system the pinball world has created is really flawed. Again, my opinion, and people can do what they want with their money.
I really truly like what I see in WOOLY and is one game I'd like to own in the future once I get a chance to see it in person and play. Guess that may or may not happen based on if you hit your pre-orders or not. Would love to see it at the 2015 Pinball Showdown in Denver.
