Hobbit update: There is NO update. Start a new thread when there actually is some info (which "might" be in December at this rate if we're lucky).

Is the lamp in the water for GI lighting?

obviously you havent got the answer chief.

i guess no one knows.

the production line wasnt exactly brimming with workers in the factory pics i seen. maybe it was knock off time or something : P

Where is this update? Man with the last update we were promised lots of updates to come and not hearing anything. Would be ok if the owners didn't have to put all those funds down up front

You are correct. I have no idea how many workers JJP has.

He likes it more than lamp.

Nuff said. (?)

No one knows exactly how many workers there are, but there are two theories that I find interesting.

One: The illegal aliens that are the grunt workforce, are not shown in the pics, by request of the temp service they work for. They don't want their faces shown in the pics, as many of them are not only illegals, but also have open warrants. The working conditions and pay, are also not up to code.

Two: The game assembly is completed after hours by the Munchkins. Though the original Munchkins from the movie are almost all dead, their children have teamed up with many of the recently laid off Keebler elves, to form a formidable workfarce, that completes and packs up the games.

I'm going with #2

Tom

Well since it's a JJP game, that lamp will be handy adding GI lighting to the game. Should come as a package set and be included with Hobbit, if he's going to try and go with the light up post option again.

Hobbit whitewood.jpg

Anybody has a prediction on how the 2 targets are going be utilized in de red boxes?

Those are targets...bump the ball into them when draining?

seems like a re hash

Side posts: think of toto or no place like home from WOZ there will be rollovers or stand ups down there most likely & this will assist in redirecting the ball

yes, but the left side has a kickback right there, which means there isn't going to be room for a pop bumper there, so HTF are you going to be able to hit that target?

Body English...bump that machine just as the ball reaches the wall.

Isn't that borderline close to doing a deathsave at that point?

Look how they face if you hit them it takes you to the drain not away

That's the point. It's basically a physical nudge/code ball save, a la WOZ Toto and "No place like home" outlane modes.

Maybe magnets will help hitting the targets.....

Magnet to hold ball during multiball?

Possibility of re-entering the playfield as in 007's GoldenEye after bump-hitting a target??
- That would be awesome!!

That would be a neat concept, a "legal" death save. Wouldn't need to bump it nearly as hard.

I wonder if that would cut down on actual forceful death save attempts?

I love thrust magnets

I heard that Jack will be speaking about The Hobbit at TPF this evening. Any update on if he said anything new?

Maybe on here if they post it:

http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/secret-texas-pinball-festival-updates/page/3

Hmmm no news yet, nothing new mentioned on TPF. Don't mind. The longer the wait, the greater the fantasy and the bigger the suprise.........I hope

Update from Jack:

I'm at DFW heading back to NJ via Atlanta.

The hour we had was very short. We got to stream a video of the Hobbit dashboard and animations but there was basically no wifi in that room.

I did say that I played one of the white wood Hobbits this past week at our Midwest Campus. The shots felt great, Joe and his Team are doing a great job with this game. It has a lot of strategy and shots and the game is more go than stop and go even with two magnets, diverters, under playfield action, Smaug interacting with the ball on both ends.

The art package from Jeff Busch, JP DeWin, and Matt Reisterer is awesome.

I've said it before, The Hobbit uses all of the 17 unused drivers that WOZ did not need so there is a lot going on.

We had a lot of fun at TPF, great show, great people, great games. It was nice to meet so many people for the first time and we appreciate the warm reception.....

so basicly no update now for over two months

This hobbit pin is gonne blow everybody away i think.

I hope it does and somehow in the future i can afford one. I simply cant wait to see it in full.

We've already seen a teaser video of the Hobbit dashboard. That's not new as far as I know. So it sounds like there was almost nothing new revealed at TPF and hence, nothing of substance to talk about? I guess it's not surprising given how things went with WOZ but I really am a bit perplexed. It just seems like nobody is managing this project to a timeline. We've been told a whitewood video is coming for months now ... and it's still not ready?

So what do we know do far?

....2 magnets
....under pf subways
....smug will interact with his mouth and tail
....4 flippers

Kick back
.....at least 3 ramps
.....player controlled deverter

What else?

I will surprised if any amount of significant production on The Hobbit is accomplished by 2Q 2015 and I have no plan to preorder. But if this pin is as cool as I think it will be, I will have no problem paying a premium to get one once available. Not trying to be a troll, but just can't imagine this pin shipping anytime this year. Hoping a big update proves me wrong.

sounds awesome. just paid mine in full Friday.
I owned WoZ for a month. I'm hoping TH stays a LOT longer.
the dashboard is a radical improvement over WoZ IMHO. I couldn't care less about the cabinet side art. the playfield is what matters to me and the artwork surrounding the LCD. Hope they fix or adjust Bilbo in the top center - it just looks weird to me.
Ready for a major update from JJP!

Smug will also look down his nose at you

^^^^^^^^^ lol ^^^^^^^^^^^^

Not expecting anything and sure not feel entitled to 'must get an update' just because I almost paid the game in front.

Just happy with all updates that are coming how small or big they are

The longer the wait, the sweeter the taste... Don't mind waiting for it to arrive, as long as JJP is able to up the ante in relation to WOZ.

Ordered mine not long ago and did manage to get a low number. Very pleased with that.

And finally, Jack is committed by contract to deliver those machines corresponding the release of Hobbit 3. Why wouldn't he be able to deliver majority of the machines by the end of Dec, if they have already a flippin' whitewood?!?
It's still 9 months to go guys! I wouldn't be surprised!

A little (but important) detail: the distributer told me that ALL his hobbit orders (low to high numbers) will be delivered at the same time... That would not fit a situation where JJP will start making machines just from the moment the Hobbit comes out!
- Just my thought...

Who told you this? There was speculation that he was contractually obligated but I have never heard Jack or anyone else from JJP state this. If the game isn't ready .. they aren't going to ship, period. I hate to point out recent history for you ... but the time between being shown the WOZ whitewood and the first games shipping was what, more than 2 years? I'm sure JJP will improve over the timeline that there was for WOZ ... but I still think it's pretty optimistic to think December is realistic at this point.

JJP got many passes on slipped dates due to the groundbreaking work his team was doing and the many many unknowns involved in creating a company and pinball from the ground up. Those unknowns are knowns now. Any slip to projected dates this time around will be met with much less understanding I'm sure. I do expect a finished machine unveiled with the final movie as promised with a solid idea of and delivery schedule for the LEs. This is getting to be a more and more competitive business (thankfully) and JJP better perform or they won't make it.

You will see things move along much quicker on hobbit. The foundation is built. The hard work is done. Most of the vendors are in place. Jack is a smart business man. He knows what's a stake.

I really hope so and it should be that way. I am a JJP fan and really want to see them succeed long term. Jack needs to be careful as he seems to consistently over promise things (e.g 90 daysish fix for lights by end of this month...) and then not quite deliver. I have had nothing but great customer service from them but a bit more realism in updates would go down well to starting to build back trust. I will probably pick up a hobbit but not until after I can see one.

Been saying this for quite a while, and no doubt right on, round two with the TH has to move smoothly with the foundation built and vendors in place. I'm betting it will.

I don't want to sound mean but we are roughly 16 months into development and only 8 months from when games are supposed to start shipping. We are not "seeing" things move quickly at all. We hear there is a white wood that is in some degree playable but I honestly thought JJP would be further along than that by now.

I love how people don't complain about Stern not actually giving us updates.

Stern doesn't start asking for payment 18 months in advance, Stern has a history of consistently producing new titles on a predictable timeline, and Stern can safely be assumed to be on solid financial footing.

Quite the opposite is my experience.