Increasingly, Pinside has become overrun with negativity. It's really too bad.

I love Pinball. I'm a Player, collector, Show attendee etc etc. I've been collecting pins since the late 90s, playing since the mid 80s. Outside of a TINY cadre of local pinheads, I don't know ANYBODY who is as crazy about pinball as I am... So, why is it such an unpleasant experience to visit Pinside??!

My theory is that it's become a haven for FORUM enthusiasts, not pinball enthusiasts. This is less and less a place where pinheads connect and discuss pinball, and more and more a place where argumentative forum addicts hurl insults at each other for the tiny dopamine hits it provides... Yuck.

I'm REALLY looking forward to playing GOTG. It's a new Pinball machine based on a license I really enjoy. Remember that time when early code got better?? Ya, me too. I watched the stream with the latest code, and expected dyslexic ESL students screaming nonsense... The audio sounds TOTALLY FINE to me. I don't get it. Over the coming weeks and months it will get refined, and it will improve.

Yup, Lonnie is not Lyman. TWD is a personal Fav... But I also REALLY enjoy Aerosmith. Not everything needs to be Citizen Cane.

As for the TNA chirping going on here... I don't even know what to say?! That game is the spirit of Pinball. If you don't like it... You DO NOT LIKE PINBALL! Some will call that a ridiculously subjective, and hyperbolic statement... It's not. It's a reality check. If you don't like TNA, it's because you care more about "Toys", "Value" (Whatever the F$#K That' supposed to mean), insert some arbitrary metric that has zero to do with PLAYING Pinball. That game is a BLAST. It was made by a dedicated community member, FOR people who LOVE playing pinball. Zero artifice. Pure Pinball Fun!!

Also... "Rape" means "Rape". It's not a synonym with a different meaning. It's a really terrible word to use to describe a pinball strategy. If we are to be a community at all, then this kind of nonsense just can't be tolerated. Don't argue this point to uphold your Forum Bravado... It just sucks. This is a time to say, "Ya, my bad. I'll retire that word. Thanks for the input", not "F$%K you, you oversensitive snowflake".

Well, There you go. I'm adding to the noise.

I look forward to playing a GOTG soon. Borg is my absolute fav designer, and I think Lonnie did a great Job with Aerosmith. Some early feedback from people who have ACTUALLY played the pin is that it's really fun. I've said it before... Isn't "FUN" what this is supposed to be about??!!

Peace, Out!

Very sorry for the thread derail, but I do feel it's important to confront things like this to make our hobby more inclusive.

There is plenty to be offended by in the world. I don't go looking for things... A couple popped up right here in this thread!!

Look, I'm not trying to impose MY rules... I'm talking about basic human decency.

I used to use the word "Fa##ot". I never meant anything homophobic by it. This was 30-35 years ago!! To me, it meant "Loser", or "Jerk", or "Wimp". I never had a problem with Homosexuals. Then I found out how terrible that word was to the Gay community... so, I stopped using it. My language evolved.

Rape is similar. DCFAN you just listed a bunch of definitions for Rape... that all mean Rape!!! Were you arguing with me, or proving my point?

Come up with an argument for why using the word "Rape" in a pinball context is cool. Try it out on your daughter, or a female coworker... See how cool they think it is. If you're REALLY good at hitting spinners, and repeating orbits, would you want all your friends to call you "The Rapist"?? It's just not a good word.

Totally done talking about that.

As for opinions. Everybody has one. Agreed. I do tend to believe that the focus on "Build Quality", "Value", "Clear Coat Dimples", "Ghosting" etc etc etc is about focusing on everything BUT Pinball. It's all noise.

You don't like a machine? Don't buy it. Simple. Why rant for 74 pages about WHY it doesn't meet your expectations. Go play a machine you like.

I'm going to take my own advice.

Give me a break. Do you really think I “Slighted” people with Dyslexia and people for whom English is a second language?! I just think they’d be a bad choice for dialogue reading if you’re in a hurry. There is still room for humour. I thought.

I have no issue with opinions.

My issue is with vendettas and broken record bashing.

I don’t wish to derail this thread any more than it already has though.

Perhaps I’ll start a new thread about it, and we can have a civilized discourse there?!

I’m genuinely excited to play a GOTG. It’s new pinball... I think that’s what I care about most.