That makes sense.

Thanks.

Gotcha.

This is obviously setting up to be a long-playing game with so many modes and such. Obviously, closing the right outlane escape will shorten time (at Expo, I was able to bump it into the shooter lane about 6 times in a row on the same ball), but I still have to wonder if we could get a pause game function a'la TZ home rom.

I need some time to digest it all, but I just wanted to say this up front:

New playfield art is SO much better. JP did a kickass job fixing the empty, moody, dark and boring art. This is what it needed. Color and vibrancy and scale and impact.

Well done. And credit due to Jack and team for listening to feedback and responding, the product is better for it.

I think I read that somewhere. Or you can at least get a red Smaug and swap it out. If I still had my preorder, that's what I was going to do.

I agree with you - too much gold.

Alex, does the gold Smaug color change much due to the light behind it?

wow that new PF look incredible.
nice going JJP.

not sure about the gold smaug, guess i have to see gameplay.

I am in for a Smaug SE, but the golden Smaug is ugly, the red one looks way better.

But everything else here looks awesome. Great work JJP Team!!!!!
After seeing the new pictures, the look of this pin just screams: Play me!!!

The new playfield art is definetely a success!

HUGE improvement. Very impressive!

Love the book LCD, I figured that was coming but the ARTWORK is now AWESOME, times 1000 better, that was the worst part of the pin before, no color, and made me depressed.

Even though I dropped out, I never doubted Jack and JJP would make it work.

It just came down to a numbers game and I really like TBL

It is confirmed that SE owners can get a red Smaug.

However, I do not know before what date you have to confirm that.

And btw, that's how you do a freaking APRON!

Great job guys.

Love the new playfield and all of the improvements. With Smaug being so prominent on the new playfield, I'm wondering if I need the Smaug Edition artwork on the sides too. Thanks JJP for all of the choices but I'm not sure what direction to go.

For me, it is hard to argue with a big freakin' dragon on the side. I will arrange my pins so that this pin will be on the end and the artwork visible.

Wow. What an improvement! VUK wireforms look so much better. Love the new playfield.

The bottom arch as currently displayed is the final one.

--Ted

JJP deserves a huge pat on the back. Only a month after EXPO and a TON of criticism and feedback they address the lions-share of the concern with revisions and updates. Bravo!

The new playfield looks magnificent, the colors and contrast are much more dynamic and enjoyable. The art package overall has taken a giant leap forward. The wireform VUKS... yes... thank you!

Its so gratifying to see JJP take the heat and come out swinging with a revised version based on the desires of their customers... and in record time. Keep it up!!!

I dunno what's going on here. Looks thrown together since expo, not surprised as it hasn't been that long. You can kinda tell they don't know where to put shit, has a home brew look to it. I'm guessing they'll get it figured out at some point as why else would you keep not showing the "production model".

PF art is definitely best part about this update.

Huge improvement over the old design! The playfield art is so much more vibrant and colorful than before. Kudos to JJP for listening to the customers and making these changes so quickly! Also like the new Smaug a lot better as well. Much better than staring at a grey rock I think they'd be wise just to make Smaug in Red and ditch the gold model though. The gold is just too much... Also like the look of the apron and glad they incorporated an LCD for the book.-I just hope it integrates into gameplay vs. just being eye candy like the crystal ball. Something similar to the TV in TSPP would be ideal.

I agree that the playfield art is definitely best part about this update, so apparently no other major changes, the four underground traps has dual function ?, targets and tunnels ?, the smaug interacts with balls ?, I hope more information

I am very happy about the added flashers. That was number one on my wish list! I still think the layout is good and still it has improved with this update, the changes to the bag end entrance part are great.

Yeah I like the playfield art, im not a big fan of the lcd covering the pops and Im disappointed there is no body for smaug. Im still on the fence and may be canceling soon. I do think Jack has done a good job of trying to address what everyone wanted but Im not sure its gonna be enough. If I stay in Id like to know if I go with the gold smaug could I also order a red one to change out if I get tired of the gold?

The ball flow has changed with the pops and an open drop out. Thats a core design change.

Wow a lot of changes made in a short period of time.
Glad i kept my order and switched to TH SE.. agree, though that reg Smaug head might be better look over all (is that pictured above? or was that just the lighting making his head look red?)
At first was shocked to see all the pf art changes but the improved contrast and brighter colors/larger Smaug are better..
Now JJP should just stop paying attention to further criticism and just work on getting the game out… soon!

Alex, does the following update of the playfield impact the way Beowulf is used:

- Closed entrance to shooter lane from outlane

I believe they are exclusive but i'm not sure. I haven't played the layout yet.

I really would like to know if anybody would want the golden smaug over the red one? Perhaps nobody would care if JJP just would ditch this.

Yeah, I'm thinking that's the right idea.

Hey Alex,

I love the changes so far. Just curious, when Jack said new shots, was he referring to the bag end change, or is their something different with the Smaug area planned as well?

Can't say I also haven't played it so I don't know. I'm a code jockey

So there is a new way for the ball to fall in or out of the pops to the main playfield? Very nice change.

10-4, thanks!

The shot through into the pops is what he's referring too instead of stand up targets blocking them

An early idea for the diverter was to dress it up as the tail. We weren't happy with any of the experiments, so the ramp diverter is now a gate (aka portcullis).

So, first impression after processing the new PF art.

Sorry to say but the old art now looks like......you know
Man, not only do the colors pop out, is the color scheme much much better, but also everything comes out more detailed. And the new apron art, love it!

Also like the open space between the pops and bag end. Gives room for new shots and rules.

Very very well done JJP team.

What is a 10 point target? Something like rbion?

Any videos coming.

Looks Great.

New PF artwork looks 100x better.

It looks like there is another hole to the right of the VUK at Smaug. Any idea what this is for?

Could just be a place to run wires underneath I guess. It would be cool if this is where the missing scale in Smaug's armor was and this was the shot you had to make from the right flipper. Of course, that would require the drops revealed the hole instead of having a standup behind them. In the pics it looks like the stand ups are still there.

image.jpg

Anyone notice how bright the drop targets are now with decals and gold targets over the old black beforeimage-971.jpgimage-241.jpg

I don't think it will be a shot. In a few of those pics, you can see the hole and the gold pile is covering it up. I think it's just needed for the Smaug set up on the play field.

I believe that is for the subway. The ball drops down into that hole after coming off of the divertor to the left of Smaugs head.

Out of curiosity with Mr. Balcer gone, who is leading the design and making these game changes? Maybe it's common knowledge and I'm out of the loop...

I think opening up the pops is great on any game. I don't care as much for one way in and one way out.

Very nice!
Fantastic improvement when compared to the original version (the side by side comparison is cruel for the old one).
Great reaction from JJP.

The hole that is covered by the gold pile is where the ball falls into once the magnet drops it off the ramp. The other hole more to the left is behind the "W" drop down target and feeds into the VUK.

Looks A LOT better now!

It's been a group effort.

Cool, is this where Smaug steals your ball? Sorry if I am out of loop on this, but does the subway just lead to the ball trough?