This is where it depends how much material is being added to the new code. The assets would all need to be reviewed for sure, but the code itself would be meaningless typically. The code is just bunch of logic and alphanumeric gobbleteegook that the licensor would not understand. But it's all gonna hinge on how long they have had the assets done and in for review. I would imagine if they did intent for a Halloween release, most of that stuff is already in the bag hopefully and if anything they are doing final code polish to prepare its release

This code has been in the works now since July? So perhaps they even have it all done and ready to go....

I know. I didnt mean to come across like that!!! Hell I can barely figure out the current haha.

Its really the first time ive been in the "major code update" arena and pumped. No offense hopefully!!!

That reminds me of the frequent pinsider who was always bellyaching about “no final Wizard mode!” in XMen - then one day let it slip he had only ever completed 2 of the 7 Villain modes (you’d need to complete all 7 villains and also all 8 hero modes plus both of the current massive mini Wizard modes to get to a final “I’ve done it all” Wizard mode)

One of the great days on Pinside when that came out.

rd

And i hope whomever that was is still very embarrassed to this day haha.

Thank you J_Striker !

Cheers,

Chris

Ok Ill not be that guy haha!!

I finally watched Halloween Ends…

2DD768CB-8A67-45A3-B864-D1A5EF72BF74 (resized).png

Received mine last week, apart from the wrong decal being fitted everything has worked out of the box apart from the sub sounding terrible.
I tried tweaking it but no improvement.
Anyway today I had a good look inside and a look at the amp connections for polarity error but all good then turned my attention to the sub. One screw with the braid was hanging out, had to hold the spike nut thing underneath to help tighten up and noticed the speaker suspension surround was jammed tight against the cab and grill. Slightly being pushed through cab hole also, that cone cannot move and produce sweet bass notes.

Is there supposed to be a spacer fitted?

FBBEE276-3A46-4494-A330-4A1E8E3870C2 (resized).png

Absolute trash.

I'm glad spooky based this on 78.

Would be like someone basing a Toy Story Pin off of Toy Story 4.......that would be moronic.

This is not true. Code updates that involve licensor assets are subject to their approval, but a code update that simply fixes things or adjusts things is regularly done without licensor involvement.

For example, the end-game crashes seen earlier on this page, or the issues around extra ball settings, can and should be corrected without licensor involvement.

Sure. But it is stupid to patch something small when a major Update is coming. Also a waste of time.

You should know this as well.

Just got my CE #957 yesterday. One thing I noticed with the game is that it doesn't have a playfield lift support to hold the playfield? or am I not seeing it? I also placed 7 new balls in it and they are coated now in white? Is this wax from the playfield? The sub is making parts of the cabinet rattle, fix for this without drilling holes? Some of the paint on the ball rails in the sanitarium upper playfield are already peeled. I asked for the backbox to be signed and it wasn't

Other than these few things that i'm noticing the game plays well. I am noticing a little bit of modes not interacting well, i'm sure this is a code issue and will be sorted out? Seems like some of the shots are garbled together and don't flow well. When in Alice and Bob stacked mode and in the upper playfield if the ball gets held on the magnetic shoot on the left the game just stalls and doesn't do anything...

The shooter seems weak especially if the ball gets drained and the machine tries to shoot it, it looks like ED. I didn't see a setting to increase the shooter...

Look forward to seeing how the game improves.

This coming code update includes new AV assets and animations. I understand that licensors do not need to review lines of actual code and I understand that my original statement was not accurate because I said “all code update”

huh? What does this have to do with what Bowen said?

I haven't seen a prop rod on a game since system 11.

Tons of 90s games have them, but since moving to the 'sled' model (not sure who did this first - Stern? JJP? Pin2K? ) they don't seem to be included

None of my bally/Williams or data east from the 90s have them so I assumed that it was pretty much done at that point.

Bowen is being cheeky. He knows that there is Licensor Property in the impending Code Update. We all know that as Spooky hired on new animators to finish the game.

He's hinting that code could/should be patched, piecemeal, while the Update is being finalized.

Reads like Sour Grapes to me.

Hm, not how I read it at all, which is why I was confused. I'm reading that more like a general statement, not something specific to a particular release. Oh well, whatever. Where's the code!

It should be. Bugs should be fixed more often than feature updates are released.

Kit was made for R&M.

https://pinnovators.myshopify.com/collections/rick-morty/products/spooky-speaker-spacer-kit

Thanks but they should have fitted that as standard, I could tell straight away it didn’t sound right.
Will order one here in the UK for £10.

I had to turn my sub WAY down from factory setting. It sounds great now.

Interesting development.

56BBDCE1-3366-4C23-949B-1F10989220EC (resized).png

I’m sure people are disappointed the new code won’t be out by the end of the month, but if it’s gonna bring some major changes and updates… I’m ok with the wait

At least they told us - So... Fawzma is out?

No.

No - he's probably just overwhelmed with whatever the new game is, and HWN/UM are falling behind where they wanted to be. Not really unusual, but sucks for us! This new guy is going to take some time to get familiar with the code, not accidentally break stuff, etc. etc! Best of luck to him and everybody at Spooky

This does make me curious how you know the new code update includes AV assets and animations! Has there been a public posting about this?

As for bug fixes (other post), if there are readily available bug fixes, it is not a waste of time to make them available as soon as possible. This is a huge benefit of downloadable code, compared to EPROM code! I hope all these things get fixed well.

Helluva job stepping in at this stage and taking over coding duties on this classic. First, you must be a MASSIVE Halloween fan. Second, you need to have the creative genius to create an immersive and 'spooky' gameplay experience.

A coder with 22 years' experience means diddly squat, unless they have creative flair.

This is the world of entertainment; expectations are sky high.

I'm not being cheeky at all. I don't work for Spooky so I have absolutely no information about anything. The statement was that a licensor must approve all code updates, and that isn't true.

I'm not Hinting At Anything.

And yes, in my opinion, if there are known bugs in a game and there are fixes available, they can and should be patched as soon as possible.

rotordave do you know this new coder?

Couldn't resist.

20221027_163940 (resized).jpg

Last I heard Fawzma alone was tasked with HWN/UM for the next year. I don’t believe he is coding the next Spooky game and I can only assuming that that the new guy is being brought on to assist Fawzma.

Yes, Spooky has hired a new animation to studio for HWN UM. Some of their work can be seen in the newest UM update. The programming is far from complete and Spooky has said in this thread that new animations, video, the final wiz mode and additional polish will be added over the course of this coming year.

Yes I do. It was on my recommendation that they contacted Matt and ultimately took him on board.

Matt is a wiz with C++ and Csharp or whatever it is (I ain’t no coder lol) and is an avid pinballer, owning 5 pins currently and playing competitively at my NZ events. In fact, he just played for 3 days straight at last weekends Southern Hemisphere Champs at my place.

I have been working with Matt for a while on my own new pin down here. Hence I know his work and skills.

Danni and I will assist him down here with code testing and rules ideas for all the titles he does going forward. Including HW and UM.

So rest assured Spooky fans!

Your code is in good hands.

rd

Well, cool. Spooky must have a larger team than I thought. Not sure how staffing works in pinball - are all these guys full time?

3 days a week is standard in the pinball industry unless their contract is set to 5. Extra days can also be earned.

Kinda irks me that we hear of the delay second-hand through a Pinside member and not from someone from Spooky posting on here.

The post is from their FB page.

RM

Facebook is typically where we announce things first. That said, things tend to jump over hear pretty quickly. In this case it was posted here within 3-minutes.

Good to know about Facebook, I'll need to start using it more. Thanks.

The less anyone uses Facebook, the better.

Unfortunately, it’s a necessary evil for most businesses and events these days.

rd

Agreed. There is no news I need to have first that would convince me to use Facebook. I can wait the short time for it to show up here.

Delete

Anyone else run into an unlimited ball save bug during House Attack multiball?

I did on one of the first couple plays on my new machine, but haven't experienced it again since that one time.

Halloween ruined, lets just cancel the holiday

Keep in mind just because you (and me?! Sigh..) spend much of your day on Pinside does not make it a major release outlet. Pinside is nobody’s “official” press release vector, and should not be.