I can't believe that you would actually play that card as some kind of excuse.

Are you saying that if he *was* an actual customer Barry wouldn't have been "sick"?

It's a well known fact that you cannot criticize a boutique manufacturer unless you have skin in the game, because... pinball

A few years ago, on my 43rd birthday I was home sick with both taps running.
My phone rings, it's a very important client. I took the call, emailed over the paper work he needed and closed a large deal.
Even though I was extremely sick I still took care of my client.
Why, because of my clients, I have a home and a good life.
That's why.
Any,ANY excuse is just that.

My wife ended up in the ER recently, had to have surgery. Some people on Pinside knew about it before my friends even did, because I was answering their PMs from the hospital.

When you make a commitment to someone you owe them communication. Whether you take their money or not.

If I say I'll be somewhere I'll be there. And if I can't because I get sick or anything else you'll know it, because I'll let you know ahead of time.

That's just how I deal with personal stuff, you add business on top of that? Double down man. FFS. Come on Barry, the guy straight up told you he'd post his trip to Pinside. You knew this was going to be public. So instead of standing up one guy you made your whole company look like shit to a whole bunch of your customers, who by the way are already pissed that you're so silent on the whole "hey can we get our money back like you promised?" topic.

TBL still looks like an awesome game, but the company making it looks like a joke. And what I don't understand is Barry has time to send personal PMs to people explaining what's going on, but can't take the time to email everyone else the same information. From what I hear there's light at the end of the tunnel. And yet almost no one knows this.

So glad I got off this crazy train. Pre-ordering games is just insanity.

These new companies keep doing the same things. They all look like pros when it comes to designing games and creating prototypes.

Then it becomes time to build, manufacture, and actually run a business. And then they're shown to be amateurs.

Aurich this is the first I'm hearing of your wife's health problems, I'm sorry! I hope everything's ok.

As for Barry. OP have you gotten any kind of apology? "Dear ______, I just wanted to apologize for the inconvenience today; I wasn't feeling well. Hopefully you understand, -Barry"....there. That took thirty seconds. It was weak, and devoid of any substantive information, but it's better than nothing.

This could've been a suave PR opportunity and instead another gaffe. Oh well, I'm sure everything's right as rain.

Except spooky.
They are doing it right and need to be supported for doing so.

What a total F job! Letting the "empty building" slide, no F ing way.

Pugsly has it right with that little clip, these guys are a joke

They make Jpop look like a saint

Time for some answers. Clearly they are broke and even if they get the PayPal cash, who knows?

Amen brother, this is done.

Phil said he had to pay Barry's bills and salary because he was "broke".

SkitB will get done long before these broke dick MFer's

Yep, and it seems Andrew Heighway is on the level as well. Why so difficult to simply respond with a post or email to the customers. Man that's annoying.

I love Andrew, this has the Dbag smell all over it.

Why would anybody send more money into these fools? Jpop is bad enough and he's here in the States, but lining up to send money after the Phil debacle is insanity.

People like this are turning this hobby into a complete joke. It's supposed to be fun and the SkitB's, Jpops and DP's are F ing it up.

When PPS can't even COPY a F ing old game and get it out the door you know its in trouble.

I really wish spooky's game had the same appeal to me as some of the others. I would love to buy one. Although the simple fact that it actually exists outside prototype level definitely is appealing.

What about the game play doesn't appeal?

Thank god for stern,jjp,spooky,and wizbang.
And hopefully riot.

Totally agree, thanks to the guys above for the pinball that we love!

I respect others trying and lord knows I've supported them all, but good lord, get a clue on how to act and communicate with people as a normal human being.

I don't have really anything negative to say about game play (I haven't personally played one), but the theme itself doesn't particularly appeal to me. I'm at the point with my collection where I'm going to have to really love both the theme and the game itself to move something out to bring a new one in. I'm basically out of room and happy with what I have.

Yup. Don't poop where you eat.

Those saying we need to support those doing it right like Spooky are correct.

You know what? From what I hear DP isn't broke, and is still planning on making their manufacturing deadline. FFS guys, just say that! Say something positive. Why let your rep suffer, even if you're working in the meantime? A little tiny time to keep people informed would buy you so much good will. And that's when people buy games, it's just good business sense.

The irony is they need Phil. Barry might be a smart dude, and Jaap might be a manufacturing genius. But you both suck ass at PR. You had someone who was great at it. It fell apart, messily. Find a damn replacement!

All good! She's doing great. Who the hell needs a gall bladder anyways? Screw that organ!

Youre in rare form, my friend!

Glad shes doing better! Mines long gone too!

I havent kept up....After the Phil Meltdown, was there any positive, reassuring info coming from DP?

t-shirts?

My wife went through the same thing about 5 years ago. She's much better off without it. No long-term issues afterwards either like medication or anything.

Dutch Pinball will be at the Dutch Pinball Open EXPO 2015 in November, and production of The Big Lebowski is scheduled to start soon!

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/dpo-expo-2015-announced

I can understand still being in on this if you TBL is absolutely your favorite theme imaginable, but if you're throwing thousands of dollars down it should be because you believe in the company. Anyone can come up with a popular license to make into a pin... so what? Really, building a prototype machine is not THAT costly and should be done on the company's dime. There shouldn't be a need to take in millions of dollars until you are gearing up for production. What's the reasoning behind giving some guys with no experience, questionable business practices and foreign immunity the financing to start their own company? Back the companies you believe in and many popular themes will emerge in the future from those companies. There's no reason to give the power and control to a bunch of f'n amateurs that can't stand by their word.

Man at Expo the DP guys were the belles of the ball, if they piss everything away now it will give new meaning to the word MUNSONED!

image-287.jpg

Nice King Pin reference - which is sort of a poor mans Big Lebowski (movie)

And this is probably what enfuriates me the most. They stole the show with 2 hot chicks and a presidential suite with white russians on the house. And a game with good potential I must admit.

DP is one of reasons WOOLY did not get a sufficient number of preorders (which, as promised, have been refunded in full in due time). I know preorder is now a dirty word (thanks to JPop, JJP, Predator and now DP to name a few) but it could have funded a great project. It did not.

So yes, I am bitter.

To the OP: a few years ago, I was visiting the East Coast and asked Jack if I could visit JJP. I quickly got a very polite negative answer (at that time production had not started). No fuss, no harm done, no time wasted and it was probably a smart move from Jack not to show an empty facility.

This. Wooly got shafted because of the poor management of these other knuckle heads.

Re: tour, yeah Barry couldve been upfront. It's called managing expectations. A simple email explaining that at this time manufacruing hasn't ramped up but that the OP can visit their offices and take a tour there and check out the game, would've been good. Behind this, Barry couldve taken this chance to get some word out on what's happening in therms to progress and generate some positive press.

Wonder how many more weeks will go by before folks even get word on their deposits with some sort of official update.

Click you heels together three times and repeat after me. "There's no more pre-orders, there's no more pre-orders...."

You hit the nail on the head. One of the biggest failings of DP, JPop, Skit-B, and PPS has been the inability to manage customer expectations. They always over-promise and under-deliver.

Dreaming of 6 Months ago, wish we could turn back time:

Snuck into the factory last night. There were all these trucks loading these strange watermelon like pods. Everyone was chanting in monotone "We are from Holland. isn't that wierd."

Thats what we do here in holland though every year on the 29th of Jan, midnight melon collecting, we're all weird..

Just saying........

image.jpg

So if a 'non-client' called and ask to stop over for no real business reason..would you have said yes?

I'll field this one!

No.

But then I wouldn't agree to meet up with him weeks in advance...then confirm later on..., and then duck him for no apparent reason. I'd probably send an email the day of or day before and say "hate to do this but I have various fluids leaking out of me from multiple orifices and need to cancel."

Regardless of someones definition of what is a "customer", "client" or "non-client". I can say as a business man myself, that a party with interest in my product, who is willing to come to me to discuss what I am selling as a potential buyer is of the up-most importance to me and I take very seriously. Many companies pay good money for "leads" for far less motivated prospects.

A shame if no good reason is given.

I don't know what it is about WOOLY people constantly bashing TBL. They're not related guys. I was in on TBL for a bit. I have 5 other friends who got in too. None of them (or me) had any interest in WOOLY. Scott is doing this thing, and I'm super impressed by what he's accomplished. But they're utterly different, and being into one has nothing to do with the other.

Let it go, it's just not a good look to have this sour grapes attitude. It's going to turn people off, not recruit them to your cause.

Let WOOLY stand on its own merits.

Oh, also, I did hear that Barry was legit sick. So fine. And maybe he got ill and forgot about the visit. Okay, it happens. you apologize later. But he answered the other call. And that's the nail in the coffin for me. You're not passed out ill, you're able to respond to something you think might make you money. So you can take care of the guy you committed to with at least a "can't make it man, sorry" response.

I haven't had to do this in about 15 years but someone want to clue me in on the WOOLY acronym?

Wooly mammoth game?

Wizard of Oz Latent Yak?

Wrath of Olympus

Wrath of Olympus. Its a boutique game with a prototype shown at expo.

Nice vid - but I'm guessing they don't have license to TOOL's 46&2.

Huh. Not sure where the "Y" comes from but that's cool.

I think Latent Yak would be a great game.

Licensing, schmisensing. Never been an issue in the pinball world.

Awesome - can someone bang out a TOOL pin for me please???

W rath O f O L Y mpus: WOOLY