I paid up a while ago. Was told end of July, but who knows! It ships when it ships, right?

Yeah, I'm at the point where I might just cancel, or at the very least tell my distrib to put a hold on shipping mine until there's a code update to see if the game has improved its fun factor. Just went to a local place to play GBLE a few more times, and it's just not fun in its current form...and throw in all the possible defects the game might arrive with, do I really want to bother? Might be best to wait a year and get one then, or just buy a used one locally....or just skip it, I don't need another game lol

There has been tons of code talk.

It's deep-ish in the sense that it has a lot of content and things to keep you busy - unfortunately as it stands the code makes it very punishing, repetitive and difficult to advance through the modes, as you have to spell GHOST to start Slimer, then defeat Slimer to light a mode, then hit the shot to start a mode - then complete complete the mode to advance to the next. If you drain or time out, you have to go through that entire process to start the same mode again, rather than advancing to the next like all other games. Due to this mode logic, I find the game to be repetitive and not very fun, and have put my Premium order on hold until it's resolved with an update.

Zero chance, but they might change it to be less punishing/repetitive. Example - an option allowing the mode to continue into the next ball if drained, or an option disabling completion requirements.

Not sure I follow. The way it is now you're currently stuck in one mode for most of the game. The modes are still timed. Having it continue after a drain would continue your timer. And it would be nice if it timed out, you're done with it and on to the next.

Exactly, that would be brilliant! A wizard reward or something to reward the skill
of completion, but don't punish the player with repetition for not completing.

But what if you didn't get that unless you completed modes? Sort of like how you don't get elf gifts in LOTR unless you complete modes. LOTR doesn't force you to play the same mode over and over until you complete. That's what I'm advocating. Prize for completion (wizard access, multipliers, etc), move on with the story if you don't. Or, an option in the settings for completion/no completion. Just SOMETHING - as it stands it's just too unbalanced in terms of design/content. I'm not the only one who doesn't think the current rules are fun - there are plenty of posts from others about it - although I'm the one singled out for the opinion. There's a reason the 100's of mode based pins in existence don't make you repeat modes until you "cycle" back around. You want the player to feel like they're advancing and seeing new content, animation, and humor. Currently that's locked out from anyone except the best of players, and even they can barely advance.

Yeah, only the more expensive versions should have the shitty playfields

I played that one. Also saw another Prem on location in Portland with ghosting inserts. I've cancelled my order. I'm out!!!

They key word is "looks"

If anyone in the US wants one now, hit me up. I've got one that I don't need anymore.

Yup! I'm out.

Seeing two new Premiums with ghosting was the final straw.

It's an indication of poor quality. I have many Sterns that have had many years of play, and the shooter lanes look pretty good. A game with a couple plays should not have the shooter lane chewed up already.

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Plenty of Premiums going out the door...amazing you don't have your LE yet.

We can't tell due to the potato quality pics

This is what happens when you just build and ship, with no real world testing.

No reason a game shouldn't work well and play well. Stern used to real world test their games. They'd put them out on location before release and make changes and adjustments based on ball traps, defects, damage, player feedback, etc. they'd make these changes before mass production. Now, they go into production before testing, and owners become the Guinea pigs. That's why Slimer's mech was redesigned after release. That's why the bracket by the captive ball was changed. That's why there's now a new protector for the Ecto Goggles. Not to mention the playfield clearcoat issues! Product testing is essential to any product, especially a complex mechanical one.

They're thrilled to have customers like you who will fork over $7k for untested, unfinished games.

They're selling more games and making more money now than ever....yet the quality of their games of yesteryear was way higher - and collectors were complaining about the quality BACK THEN! what's next, games with cardboard cabinets? "oh it's a small market, we should be lucky!"

My Iron Man's targets have a bend forward ...they were like this from the factory and I've never had one airball off those targets. Has anyone tried to get their GB targets to bend more like this ?

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Back in 2010, Stern was trying to make games cheaper to make to accomplish 3 things: More profit per machine, ease of operation for operators, and easier rules for location players to understand. Lonnie and Lyman worked together on Iron Man to create a "formula" that would then be used on a bunch of games - if you look at IM, Avatar, Big Buck Hunter & Rolling Stones...they essentially have the same rules and even somewhat similar design theory. Easy to understand, fast for quick ball times, and some nuance for good players. This allowed them to keep cranking out games with one designer and one in-house programmer. Lyman took the extra step with Iron Man and Tron to give them that extra little polish we all love.

Once George (Transformers) and Steve (ACDC) came back, formula design was out the door again in an attempt to make games deep again...Lonnie and Lyman were on their own and the formula code was out the door.

LOL...minor.

Hey man, if it wasn't for GB being terrible and you needing room for one, I wouldn't have your Hobbit! Thanks, GB!!!

It has sold incredibly well. People
love the theme and art so much, they've ignored the QC, design flaws, and code issues. I jumped ship and know a couple of others that did as well...but we're definitely a minority.

I follow pinball. I find pinball interesting. I don't plan on buying one unless I see evidence that future production runs have taken care of all the physical kinks & the code is finished. If the code merely squashes the bugs and moves on, I'm not interested. If there's a massive update that fundamentally changes how the rules gel & fleshes out the audio package with more humor from the movie - I might be interested again. Based on how Stern rolls, I don't expect any of this to happen. If there's a great code update in a few years, at that point I'll consider a used Pro.