Torrance, CA
Hey guys, this is a positive thread. It's got real information for buyers and people who are interested in the games. Maybe we can leave the personal stuff alone? 
(Topic ID: 99628)
Linked Games
Alien (Heighway Pinball)
Heighway Pinball, 2017-
Full Throttle
Heighway Pinball, 2015
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Breda, Holland
I wonder, when highway did their first announcement, the plan was to bring out 3 new pins a year.
When everything is in full flow, is that still the plan? Cause i cant believe it. Cause looking at all the other companies, making a pin is a very slow proces.
I wish it was true, but i dont think it is realistic.
Quoted from Plungemaster:I wonder, when highway did their first announcement, the plan was to bring out 3 new pins a year.
When everything is in full flow, is that still the plan? Cause i cant believe it. Cause looking at all the other companies, making a pin is a very slow proces.
I wish it was true, but i dont think it is realistic.
It's a fair question.
I'll answer it this way - the hardest pin for any manufacturer to make is the first one - by a long long way.
It becomes a 'selection process' whereby you lose some suppliers along the way, and have to find new ones by necessity. In some cases you massively overspend on parts and in other cases, the quality just isn't there.
I'll give you an example. We have a bent end stop for our flipper mechanisms. Manufacturer couldn't bend it to spec and delivered us 2 parts welded together. We took one look at it and said "this will never last 50 games". Manufacturer was adamant it was fine - until we broke the piece in half with our fingers. We told them that the part had to be stamped - as per our specifications. How long to get the stamp tool made? 4 weeks. This is just for ONE part.
You quickly get to understand who your best suppliers are, and who the ones are that could let you down.
The secret is to stockpile standard parts, and get the prices as cheap as possible, and to custom-build the game-specific parts to order - or at least in manageable batches.
Also - we have invested heavily in new equipment - that we will reveal soon - which means that we will make many of our parts and assemblies in house.
Controlling the supply chain is one of the things that can make or break your business.
Do I still think we can achieve 3 games a year? Absolutely - once we reach the point that allows us to do so. We can reach this point within 6 months.
Quoted from HeighwayPinball:Also - we have invested heavily in new equipment - that we will reveal soon - which means that we will make many of our parts and assemblies in house.
Yeah, the new equipment is very cool. 
Toronto, ON
Sydney
Sounds like you guys need a 3D printer to make your own plastic models. I see some of them can now print in colour. No need to paint! Get a 2D industrial colour printer to make the flat acrylic play-field parts.
Interesting thread on suppliers. The Boeing 787 had years of delays because of supply problems and went way over budget by billions of dollars. They thought outsourcing would fix things. Clearly it didn't.
Do it in house. You get the quality, time and costs down once the initial development is done.
On another note, get a wire-bending machine to make wire ramps. Plastic ramps are ok but the wire ones make a pinball machine look amazing. The don't break or discolour, they're easier to see through and they just look better.
Leicester
Quoted from voodle:Sounds like you guys need a 3D printer to make your own plastic models. I see some of them can now print in colour. No need to paint!
Not suitable for models that interact (hit) by the ball. Hugely expensive to do a run on it/
Get a 2D industrial colour printer to make the flat acrylic play-field parts.
You need to get the registration spot on and then you need a laser cutter to cut them out properly.
Interesting thread on suppliers. The Boeing 787 had years of delays because of supply problems and went way over budget by billions of dollars. They thought outsourcing would fix things. Clearly it didn't.
Do it in house. You get the quality, time and costs down once the initial development is done.And if you screw them up you get to pay again to put them right, pay the labour, maintainence etc. there's a good reason Boeing outsourced the parts in the first place. The key is in selecting your contractor and having a decent contract.
On another note, get a wire-bending machine to make wire ramps. Plastic ramps are ok but the wire ones make a pinball machine look amazing. The don't break or discolour, they're easier to see through and they just look better.
A 3D wire bender is enourmously expensive, you need to bend a minimum of 2 wires per habitrail, then weld them together (requiring an expensive jig) and then plate them. Once again your screwup here will not only cost time but money.
So, in recap. everybody thinks manufacturing is piss simple. It's not. Making it yourself involves huge amounts of investment in machinery, skilled labour, time & space. If, for any reason, something goes wrong it will end up cost 3x what it should (original run, replacement run + what should have been made in the replacement time).
Quoted from voodle:On another note, get a wire-bending machine to make wire ramps. Plastic ramps are ok but the wire ones make a pinball machine look amazing. The don't break or discolour, they're easier to see through and they just look better.
Believe it or not that's the most important thing for me on a pinball machine.
Great updates by the way, keep them coming
Manufacturing is a dog. In house production in my experience makes life easier in the long run. However you need to pick the things that are critical as to make everything in house for a pinball machine would be overwhelming.
Question will there be an option for operators to buy an "operators kit" which would include one of each replaceable assembly so as heighway parts are on hand to do site fixes asap? To make the most of highways modularity.
1 week later
Quoted from BackFlipper:I don't know about anyone else, but I could really use a big update here. Anything???
I talked to Andrew over the weekend and he indicated he was going to post some kind of small update about when the next big update was coming, which I believe was also soon.
I can tell you this: getting to see the inside of the 'sausage factory' definitely gives me more understanding about how the pace of things can be so fitful. You can make a lot of progress in a short space of time and feel great, and then have some small part out of your control get delayed and see how that can suddenly lock up the rest.
I'm primarily a digital guy. I've worked on some huge multi-million dollar projects in my time, with their own share of delays and "what's wrong now?" moments. But when you're digital you're at least not dealing with the real world of manufacturing! 
Quoted from Aurich:I talked to Andrew over the weekend and he indicated he was going to post some kind of small update about when the next big update was coming
Noooo! Don't lead him down pinball's 'announcement about an update about an update' path!
Quoted from Aurich:I talked to Andrew over the weekend and he indicated he was going to post some kind of small update about when the next big update was coming, which I believe was also soon.
I can tell you this: getting to see the inside of the 'sausage factory' definitely gives me more understanding about how the pace of things can be so fitful. You can make a lot of progress in a short space of time and feel great, and then have some small part out of your control get delayed and see how that can suddenly lock up the rest.
I'm primarily a digital guy. I've worked on some huge multi-million dollar projects in my time, with their own share of delays and "what's wrong now?" moments. But when you're digital you're at least not dealing with the real world of manufacturing!
I get it - totally. Believe me, I am Andrew's biggest fan. I ordered both games on Day #1. I am in for Full Throttle LE #3 (paid in full) and Alien LE #3 (partially paid). That means I am still waiting for FT standards to get done and have not heard one single thing about the LE's other than Andrew still plans on making them. I don't believe there has ever been an update that included anything about FTLE. That's why I (personally) could really use something here. I will remain patient for the time being.
Hi guys,
A long overdue update here.
We are expecting the first 10 SEs to be built by the end of this week, and the next 10 by the end of next week.
The big delay was having to scrap the first 20 sets of ball guides because the quality wasn't good enough, and the supplier put their hands up and said "that's the best we can do" So ... that meant having to find another supplier at short notice. This would normally add another 4-6 weeks on top, but we got the new sets turned around in only 2 weeks - and they look great. A polished stainless steel finish on guides for a change!
Without guides, its impossible to fully build up playfields, but that's happening now.
Once the build on the first 10 games is finished, they'll be programmed and tested for a week. IF there are no glitches, then the first 10 will ship out approximately 2 weeks from now ... with the next 10 a week later.
Then will come the next 40 games - which will include LEs. This extra time will allow us to finish work on the fibre optic wiring and the shaker motors.
In the meantime, we hope to announce our participation at a major U.S. show coming soon. We are trying to get 2 x production Full Throttles there in time.
We are planning an update, with photos and a new YouTube video, this Friday.
This update will include news of some MAJOR new machinery arriving at the factory (3 pieces, one of which is arriving and being installed tomorrow)
Thanks for reading and sorry again for the delay in this update.
Quoted from Blackjacker:Noooo! Don't lead him down pinball's 'announcement about an update about an update' path!
As you can see above that's what I was referring to. I think that counts as genuine substance, no?
Quoted from Aurich:As you can see above that's what I was referring to. I think that counts as genuine substance, no?
You mean ...Another Contest?... 
Can't wait to play this game! Please bring to IAAPA and Free Play Florida!! I'll help tend the game while Brian plays in the tournament.
Quoted from iceman44:Thanks for the update Andrew. When are we going to get an Alien update? What are projecting now for that pin to be on the production line.
Awesome that Full Throttles are about to start shipping.
The approvals process is very complicated with FOX, and has caused us significant delays. We have a lot of material with them in the pipeline. I do believe we can start showing elements to you soon - within weeks, maybe sooner
I can tell you that all departments are making significant progress.
We are fully committed to trying to have prototypes to show at the UK Pinball Party in August
Quoted from HeighwayPinball:The approvals process is very complicated with FOX
This is why I let the more diplomatic Andrew make all the updates!
Quoted from HeighwayPinball:The approvals process is very complicated with FOX, and has caused us significant delays. We have a lot of material with them in the pipeline. I do believe we can start showing elements to you soon - within weeks, maybe sooner
I can tell you that all departments are making significant progress.
We are fully committed to trying to have prototypes to show at the UK Pinball Party in August
Looks like a field trip across the pond can be justified!!!...
Quoted from DCfoodfreak:No word about second screen option or the promised fiber and shaker upgrade for the standards : (
Love the game and supporting them but it's another tough preorder ride.
Huh? The second screen option has already been demonstrated in a video, not sure what you mean. Do you mean a price for customers or something? Not being actually in on the game I don't know if that part has been made clear. The second screen option is real though.
As for the other part:
Quoted from HeighwayPinball:Then will come the next 40 games - which will include LEs. This extra time will allow us to finish work on the fibre optic wiring and the shaker motors.
So I wouldn't put that as "no word". Sounds like it's not ready though.
Not trying to minimize the pain of waiting, it sucks. Just saying I don't think there's been radio silence on those particular matters. As far as details of upgrading though I don't know a thing.
Quoted from Aurich:As you can see above that's what I was referring to. I think that counts as genuine substance, no?
Yep, genuine substance. I appreciate it. I know Andrew is working very hard, but these are some tenuous times in pinball. A couple of paragraphs go a long way. Thanks Aurich and Andrew!
Glad to hear we're almost there. Can't wait to get my game. Will be posting to Pinside as soon as it shows up. Will be nice to share some good news.
Quoted from DCfoodfreak:Great Aurich so will my game have the second screen? Already told I can't have the fiber and shaker from the factory.
Honestly have zero clue, sorry man, I was just trying to point out that the topics had been discussed. Sounds like you've already had direct communication, so I'll stay out of it.
All pre-orders are not equal. Manufacturing and QA are enormous with Pinball. That really cannot be overstated. Heighway has proven they are a legitimate manufacturer and have been pretty good about information - at least that they are head down in actual manufacturing with the pictures to prove it. People should be careful to not throw everyone in the same "pre-order bucket" or create an un-win-able scenario for a manufacturer where they are forum eviscerated for either giving out projected dates or being silent on the matter all together....that no matter what they do, they lose unless pinballs are on a truck. If Heighway or another genuine start up were to release games that had legitimate product wide issues, it would sink them overnight. Dates are soft goals, but a quality pinball is the target. I am skeptical by nature, but nothing I have see thus far from Heighway indicates they are doing anything but ensuring that the pinball machines they release are of top working order. (I am Alien LE #88 for what its worth).
Quoted from zeddex:People should be careful to not throw everyone in the same "pre-order bucket" o
Yeah, I just had a bad day and the frustration hit. Was bummed also I could not have the shaker and Lighting done factory. I have faith and its being backed up. It will come and in the end this is the game I had the most fun with at Expo so it will all be good. Hopefully pre ordering helped the company and I will buy Alien when they are sitting ready to ship.
Quoted from DCfoodfreak:Yeah, I just had a bad day and the frustration hit. Was bummed also I could not have the shaker and Lighting done factory. I have faith and its being backed up. It will come and in the end this is the game I had the most fun with at Expo so it will all be good. Hopefully pre ordering helped the company and I will buy Alien when they are sitting ready to ship.
I'm in on full throttle LE #2 and Alien LE #2. Andrew has always been honest and Heighway has my full support. I'm hoping to get my game by July, but will understand if its August. I know it's soon. On Alien I'm hopeful this gets finished by Halloween, but really want it to be at my house by x-mas.
Quoted from zeddex:All pre-orders are not equal. Manufacturing and QA are enormous with Pinball. That really cannot be overstated. Heighway has proven they are a legitimate manufacturer and have been pretty good about information - at least that they are head down in actual manufacturing with the pictures to prove it. People should be careful to not throw everyone in the same "pre-order bucket" or create an un-win-able scenario for a manufacturer where they are forum eviscerated for either giving out projected dates or being silent on the matter all together....that no matter what they do, they lose unless pinballs are on a truck. If Heighway or another genuine start up were to release games that had legitimate product wide issues, it would sink them overnight. Dates are soft goals, but a quality pinball is the target. I am skeptical by nature, but nothing I have see thus far from Heighway indicates they are doing anything but ensuring that the pinball machines they release are of top working order. (I am Alien LE #88 for what its worth).
Agree completely ( Alien212LE, btw)....I truly don't believe I'm being naive in stating that a manufacturer ( they ARE a manufacturer....built things already) would use a preorder model to help gauge interest, and see nothing wrong with that. It would take more than " thumbs up" to convince me to spend substantial money creating a new title.
If I was asked to pay in full upfront, big chunks, no factory, etc. obvious questions would arise.....but no way my deposit is " paying Peter from Paul" ...just not enough money.
Pretty evident that Heighway has invested substantial funds that didn't come from preorders...and are a legitimate company ( just lucky for us they have a passion for our small hobby).
I have the utmost confidence in this endeavor , and am excited to be a small part of it.....mark
Quoted from DCfoodfreak:Was bummed also I could not have the shaker and Lighting done factory. I have faith and its being backed up.
You can, just buy the LE.. 
Quoted from hank527:but really want it to be at my house by x-mas.
That's where I'm at as well....very content w that timeframe, and want the game as awesome as possible BEFORE it is shipped to me...
Quoted from DCfoodfreak:Don't want to pay for for le status or different cab. Personally I find Le buyers to be ultimate suckers and I have been there . Enjoy that ride, not for me.
Hmmm..I don't have all LE's but very happy with them.....don't think I fit in the " Ultimate Sucker" crowd ( who ever that might be)....see from above you've had a tough day...no worries...
Quoted from DCfoodfreak:Personally I find Le buyers to be ultimate suckers
Way to criticize a huge group of Pinsider's with one post! 
Quoted from RobT:Way to criticize a huge group of Pinsider's with one post!
Well, he did call you the ULTIMATE sucker, so just think of yourself as the LE model.
I like the Heighway model. Standard or LE, no weird middle ground. No gameplay features removed, no random missing spinners or anything. Just eye candy stuff. ALIEN LE will have different art than the Standard, and it will be the only way to get it. Doesn't ruin the Standard game or anything though, it's just for fun.
JJP basically does the same thing. But they're pricier than Heighway.
I own a Stern LE (Metallica) and I don't feel like a sucker. I think it's bad ass, and everyone who sees it appreciates it. I haven't regretted getting it over a Premium even once.
Quoted from DCfoodfreak:Le buyers to be ultimate suckers
Getting so tired of this.
Singapore
Quoted from TimeBandit:Getting so tired of this.
he has a point.
Why to buy Audi when you can buy Fiat and save some money?
Quoted from singapore_pin:he has a point.
Why to buy Audi when you can buy Fiat and save some money?
Ask the Ferrari buyer.
Quoted from zeddex:All pre-orders are not equal. Manufacturing and QA are enormous with Pinball. That really cannot be overstated. Heighway has proven they are a legitimate manufacturer and have been pretty good about information - at least that they are head down in actual manufacturing with the pictures to prove it.
Even though its been delayed, it has been a different experience than others. Andrew has always responded to questions, he's posted updates here on Pinside, and the main thing is he's been clear about what exactly has been causing the delays.
I'm sure it isn't good that he's got huge costs like factory and large staff and no product going out the door to generate money, but that he is not crowd funded (besides nominal deposits to hold your spot) gave me confidence. He's collecting the balance of my Full Throttle when he's actually built it and shipping it to me. So there is huge reason to get these games out the door, and once games start going out the money taps are turned on.
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