Um, street games might get dirtier faster for having metal on metal contact (magic pin dust...) but in a home environment who the heck would replate ramps due to a miniscule ball travel line?

Its just getting weird if that is a concern. I have a Black Knight and Star Trek TNG that have probably a bajillion plays (no lie!). The Black knight ramps have ball travel marks, but so what? It never occurred to me to replate them when I did my PF swap. Shine them up and move on.

My TNG habitrails still look new, but I have not got out the microscope...

edit: and changing out balls is the cheapest and easiest part of owning every pin (aside from maybe Apollo 13? ), aside from wiping it with a rag now and then.

Hmm the runtime on Unforgiven is 6:27 and the runtime on Welcome Home (Sanitarium) is 6:27... just saying. Even better Blackened is 6:41. ROM hackers, get ready to start your engines 8^).

Yeah I gues that was my question. I was reading all the comments thinking metal was better for some other reason than the look and I just wasn't getting it.

I think it's a great look on this pin. I actually wish they did more with the laser cutting on them. I mean simplicity can be nice as well but I wish it had more like Elvis.

I think the ramps on AC/DC look great and play fast. And I really like them now that someone came out with the train track decal.

Again I wasn't trying stir anything up. I was just wonder if people on a whole want metal ramps over plastic. And no I have no plan to start a poll on the topic.

Chris

Here are two more premium/LE playfield pics that were not posted before. They clearly show that the coffin ball lock will have color changing lighting.

Metallica_Detail-9_webready.jpg Metallica_Detail-11_webready.jpg

Yeah I hear you. I bought a routed Elvis and the ramps were a mess so I had them all replated. Probably excessive.

I have a diner that has yellow ramp that has chipping but I'm not sure if the value is there to replate.

Chris

You can also see that the dead end target has something to do with the fuel meter. It says 'start' and the plastic over there shows a flaming engine piston.

My guess is that you hit fuel targets to build the fuel meter. Then you hit the dead end target (maybe after you combo the left orbit?) and it starts a hurry up to collect the value you've built up, as the fuel meter decreases.

is it me or that tomb insert in front of the hammer look foggy? (second pic)

Could be - or could be one color and red optos.

The features chart said there will be 6 color changing inserts...so - I'm guessing the 5 "arrow" shots ...and one more - so, yeah, could be the Coffin.

Not a fan of the band, but excited that Stern is stepping back from the abyss with hand drawn art and custom mechanical toys.

Metallica may not be for me, but if this is what future Sterns are going to be like, maybe the next title!

My only complaint would be so minor but I am shocked only one song from AJFA of course ONE. Now it is a fantastic song and one if not my favorite Lars drumming sequence, you know what I am talking about of your a fan. But leaving out Blackened is tough for me to swallow, this song they open there shows with a lot. I am nitpicking and I was shocked how oldschool the picks were and how only two songs from the new stuff made it.

Oh and people who get mad about Trujillo being features instead of Burton and Newstead is laughable. He has been in the band for years now and is pretty talented and lends himself well as a cartoon . Move on guys one is dead and one quit the band basically. Stop bitching and accept the fact that you want this and your making silly futile excuses.

Bring on Tallica pin cannot wait.

I don't want to get too excited about this game, but this appears to be dead on correct. Hard to see how this layout could miss. Add to that the fact that Lyman is involved with the code--this has all the pedigree to be a very solid title.

I'm having ACDC Deja vu! Maybe wait til the 2nd run????

^Meh, I waited till the third run and I think my ACDC window has the 'cloudy' on it. It's always a crapshoot.

Stern always puts out the distant pics first. Keeps us guessing. They could easily take HD close ups.

I learned gave ACDC crap when I saw pics.

Angry? No, I'm laughing. You guys are falling for the oldest trick in the book. If you were to re-read my post the point is that all the hype is over a couple of pics and speculation. Stern was called out through a consensus of operators and collectors that their product was inferior. They add a toy or two and now everyone's willing to pay 50% more happily. I could care less if my pin was a rainbow with glitter theme. It's all about ruleset and gameplay ( see ACDC band haters that ended up liking the pin. Not a Bash toy and a "theme" to gain interest from Metallica fanboys instead of delivering an affordable consistent product that operators and players can rely on (TBD). I'm not angry I'm flabbergasted at the hype over NOTHING but a polarizing theme. Yeah they might have sold 200 LE's to Metallica fans wanting to decorate their house but it doesn't help ops profit (better for the whole industry). LE's

....read a press release for revenue, as this is the business of a radio station.

When is the last time you heard someone on the radio say the word pinball? And this wasn't a "press release", which i think you mean "ad copy". But don't worry about educating yourself or getting anything right, much less the facts. You just keep pissing on everything. <edited>

_{Post edited by The_Dude_Abides : Personal attack edited.}

Lighten up Francis

Why are you even here? Do you offer anything constructive to the board, the hobby, the discussion, or anything of the subject of pinball? Or are you just here to play Rent a Cop and pretend that someone cares?

You got me.

Holy crap, I go out of town for 36 hours and teekee gets retired? What happened?

Man, I really can't believe this pin is now un-obtainable. I wasn't going to buy it till I got a chance to play it but this insane run on them has gotten me caught up with the hype . . . plus I am a huge fan of how this machine looks and I don't own any fan layouts.

I've talked myself into buying one of these; now if only I can find one . . .

Let's hope the head and teeth are not metal. If it is the balls will get little devits and destroy the playfield pretty quick.

Yeah, I'm curious.

I can understand being banned for this or that (even then what the heck happened?) but what the heck does retirement mean on this site? Who/what/when/where/how/why?

He must have requested to be erased.

That's a shame. I know he had a few people who he had disagreements with here but I enjoyed his posts.

Not requested just shut down. His ft thread was getting crapped on so he started another one a d that upset the mods. He was told nothing

I see. Thanks for the information. I hate leaving for trips out of the country (even for just a day it seems) because I fall behind on my pinside gossip.

....

Back on topic .....

The track list intrigues me that only 1 song came from AJFA (where is Blackened, aJfA, Shortest Straw)..... possibility of a secret track or two being held back? Wiz mode track?

I mean, with AC/DC we got the live versions of the songs ...

Exactly. Gameplay looks like other fan favorites (no pun intended)...art and toys look great....and Lyman's programming it. Highly likely chance of Metallica being PURE WIN.

I guarantee you wouldn't have seen this pre-sale madness if the art was terrible, the layout looked suspect, toys were lame, and someone other than Lyman was programming it.

He really get retired?

Who is the voice of Sparky? Is he going to tawnt you and give you crap? I hope so.

Brenden Small, from Adult Swim. He did Home Movies. He is an awesome voice guy.

Well these pics totally have me stoked...the Pro isn't missing enough to make me go Premium....with limited funds I might be able to make a NIB pro fly...super exited

Is this the guy? He's a seriously talented Guitar player, has an album and is the producer of several cool shows. Wow. What do they have planned for sparky! This isn't going to be cheap voice call outs. Nothing like hitting Rudy in the face.

Okay, maybe "Metallica meets John Mayer."

I've been pretty vocal about Stern's work with the super hero stuff, but I admit you have to give them props for this, the PF is beautiful and packed with shots, toys, lights and art...I'm not even a Metallica fan. This is pin would not have rolled out of Stern's assembly line if that wasn't for JJP's heat....so thank you too Jack....Pinball wins.

Agreed on all points. I really thought I would have little to no interest in this game but I find myself now looking (granted a little late) to snag an LE.

Question: does anyone know if it is going to be the full version of the songs like ACDC or more GnR's style? Some of those songs are pretty darn long . . . if it is the full version this game will need to have, by far, the longest ball time of any Borg game (BBH, Tron, IM, XMen are all pretty brutal games; I can't think of any games Borg has done with SM or FGY esq ball times).

LOL...I work with the guy taking the picture w/ James.

I have noticed the mods have been a bit tougher around here lately. With all the new members flooding into pinside I suppose that is a good thing . . . we all benefit from keeping the trolls away. I never viewed teekee as a troll, but clearly don't know the whole story.

I hope you are able to find one as it will give me a good excuse to drive the 45 min. down I-10 and play some pinball.

Question for those of you that are better at analyzing the shot maps of games from pictures:

Does Metallica look like it has open ramps and shots or do the shots look tight and cramped in? I ask because, while I really enjoy the theme, I think the shots in Avengers are too tight (I'm just not a good enough player to enjoy Avengers to its full potential).

Does Metallica look like it has open shots or are there just too many shots jammed into the fan? So hard to tell from the photos?

Thanks in advance.

It is a short hop skip and a jump. Next time we have a sizable get together I'll let you know; pinball is growing fast in LC.

^I'm curious to see how that back left ramp works as well, that looks like you gotta thread a needle to hit the ramp with how steep/narrow it is. Outside of that, everything looks good (except the snakes mouth, I have a feeling that will be like my TZ where I brick out 99% of the time ).

The drops look like they will be a huge risk/reward type shot, where if you brick or hit the first drop it will come screaming back to the flippers (and hopefully not the slings).

The Sparky shot might also be pretty tough, looking at the pics it looks like the target is tucked in there tight, and with that being a full PF shot it could get interesting.

Picked up a nice Funhouse for $500 in Lake Charles a couple of years ago.
Lake Charles was my old sales route when I was in outside sales.
Was just there last weekend for some gambling.

Gary can you put some decent Balls in this one please !

I would also like a Shaker and polished chrome and Laser Etched top rails for the LE
and get rid of the yellow flip buttons on the LE , Blehh

Colour DMD and LED Backlit Translight

Don't want much hey !

On the second picture down...is that a BIG bulb sticking out of the shade?

That's one heck of a deal. Congrats!

There is a Fun House and a White Water at an attorney's house here in LC that are literally being used as a coat rack or something to just toss junk on. I made him an offer to buy them, even though I don't have an interest in either title really, and he just said he didn't plan to sell them.

LC use to have a couple nice arcades in the 90's that are now gone (that's where the above referenced individual got the FH and White Water). I'm guessing there are other machines locked up in storage around here.