For the price overall underwhelming.
(Topic ID: 106410)
Linked Games
The Hobbit
Jersey Jack, 2016
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Quoted from ek77:For the price overall underwhelming.
As is your grammar and sentence structure.
Kernersville, NC
I got a little giddy when jack cranked the music to 50 and people's faces went wow lol
The music in this game rocks.
Quoted from mattsmith:First reaction, based on the pics alone the game looks good but visually doesn't seem to come together well. You have what looks like a random dragon that doesn't convincely look like it is apart of the landscape of the game, a horse shoe looking ramp in the center and a book which hides the entire river that the barrels are floating down. The book to me looks like a useless item on the playfield and I'm sure will be the first thing to be replaced with a mod. The color of the targets below the book just don't seem to balance well with the rest of the game either.
The drop targets are interesting but I don't get overly excited about shooting drop targets as a large part of the game, which, seem to take up a good portion of the playfield and I am assuming plays a large part of the game. Talking heads have also been done before.
I do think the LCD screen, sound and modes will bring a lot of value to the game.
Also I have read many of the sculpt comments and I really feel the sculpts look slightly above average but not anything I would brag about.
Overall, at first glance, the game looks good but I think WoZ and TBL look better. I think WoZ and TBL have more innovation in their game as well. With TH it looks like a lot of targets and shots. Maybe that type of game just doesn't do it for me. The game looks flat, the toys don't blend in well or in the case of the book don't lend anything to the game. I feel the theme could have been better represented. There really isn't anything that pops for me when I look at the table.
I do have a Hobbit Pre-Order. I do feel it's going to be a good game but there is a lot of other things I can spend 8K on. I'm hoping some videos will raise my level of excitement of the game. I could be completely wrong about how I feel about it after playing it.
That's one of the best posts regarding what we've seen on Hobbit yet imo.
Quoted from Pinchroma:As is your grammar and sentence structure.
Once again I see you can't defend the game so you attack the person you are a joke.
Quoted from solarvalue:Also concerned about the book. So many cool things in these movies: the werebear, the rock giant things, huge talking eagles, even the round door at Bag End and yet they decided to go with a book that appears to do nothing?
Totally agree so many cool creatures and moments from the films to pull from and we get a book that blocks everything on the back right. . . . LAME
I was also really looking forward to the apron design and some more Smaug interactions with the ball.
In another post it mentions that Smaugs tail will be present on the divertor so that may make him feel more grounded and in place, that is good to read.
What are peoples thoughts that have played and seen it in person?
I had thought JJP might be bringing a playable whitewood only so was pleasantly surprised to see a game with artwork, video, etc. Wonderful presentation.
My guess, and that's all it is, is the game presented last night will be tweaked and changed at least some over time especially as JJP receives positive and critical input. The book seems underwhelming to some and will be curious to see if that changes or stays the same. Wish the licensee allowed more flexibility with Smaug, but sounds like nothing can be done there. Still, to me overall the game sounds, looks, and seems quite promising and I still am quite excited by it overall!
Quoted from ls1chris:i still feel this is still an early mock-up just done for the expo, and i think we will see lots of "attention to detail" prior to the game starting production.
I hope Jack chimes in on some of these things before I bail on this machine. I would think this is close to complete since they are two months away from release.
Quoted from Kcpinballfan:<blockquote cite="#1972341"
i still feel this is still an early mock-up just done for the expo, and i think we will see lots of "attention to detail" prior to the game starting production.
I hope Jack chimes in on some of these things before I bail on this machine. I would think this is close to complete since they are two months away from release.
What you see is what you get.
Quoted from ek77:What you see is what you get.
Not quite, Keith mentioned in the presentation that the ramps will have some kind of artwork and/or etching. Who knows what else.
Overall, I'm pretty happy with what's been shown but I hope the book is just a "placeholder" for something better.
I don't care so much about character toys as these are easy to add. As others have said, it would be nice to have a mountain or something around Smaug to fill out that corner. If JJP doesn't do it, someone else probably will (I'm looking at you Modfather 
, so also not a big deal.
Comparatively speaking, I still think The Hobbit is packing a good value for the $$ in the NIB market. But, with way TBL is looking they now have competition.
I'm definitely still in. Since JJP offers a refund if I'm not happy with the way the final game turns out, I don't see a downside to waiting until everything in the game is revealed.
Quoted from Jvspin:Not quite, Keith mentioned in the presentation that the ramps will have some kind of artwork and/or etching. Who knows what else.
Overall, I'm pretty happy with what's been shown but I hope the book is just a "placeholder" for something better.
I don't care so much about character toys as these are easy to add. As others have said, it would be nice to have a mountain or something around Smaug to fill out that corner. If JJP doesn't do it, someone else probably will (I'm looking at you Modfather
Comparatively speaking, I still think The Hobbit is packing a good value for the $$ in the NIB market. But, with way TBL is looking they now have competition.
I'm definitely still in. Since JJP offers a refund if I'm not happy with the way the final game turns out, I don't see a downside to waiting until everything in the game is revealed.
That's the mindset I have right now. I'm sticking with my preorder for now and hope that JJP takes some of the constructive criticism mentioned in all of these Hobbit reaction threads and uses it change some things on the game.
Kortrijk
Helsinki
Quoted from Nepi23:I really like the WOZ layout. To me WOZ is the better game of these two!
I think am with you here but it still a bit early. I was planning on a TH but I am not so sure now. It just looks a bit too sparse though I do like the music and the video. I think this may have worked better as non wide body, there is too much blank PF with just the pop ups. It may work well in practice, I need to see some more game play for but right now TBL is looking really interesting.
Quoted from PanzerFreak:That's the mindset I have right now. I'm sticking with my preorder for now and hope that JJP takes some of the constructive criticism mentioned in all of these Hobbit reaction threads and uses it change some things on the game.
I suspect Jack and the team may be chuckling with the knowledge that many of the things people are complaining about have already been taken care of. If WOZ is any example, Jack likes to hold back a surprise or two.
Quoted from Jvspin:If WOZ is any example, Jack likes to hold back a surprise or two.
What surprises on WOZ are you referring to? I think your journey was much different than mine. I recall folks doing the EXACT same type of crazy speculating about cameras and incredible toys ... and it never materialized. Unless you were excited by the topper and lack of interaction? Or several other things that never changed like folks were hoping.
Honestly ... I hope I'm wrong and several things are being held back, but this is serioiusly Deja Vu all over again (especially with the announcement of another LE.) It's almost surreal to me. I'm so glad I'm not in right now.
Quoted from clg:I think am with you here but it still a bit early. I was planning on a TH but I am not so sure now. It just looks a bit too sparse though I do like the music and the video. I think this may have worked better as non wide body, there is too much blank PF with just the pop ups. It may work well in practice, I need to see some more game play for but right now TBL is looking really interesting.
* Big and Wide open
* lots of Drops
* Only thing missing is *danger* -- like a few pop bumpers out there...
And you'd have something equating to the upper PF to Black Hole -- which is a great upper PF layout.
I just wish some company would have the guts to go back and put 1 or 2 or 3 pops back onto the upper PF without a baby-gate in front of it.
-mof
Unknown City
Quoted from Jvspin:I suspect Jack and the team may be chuckling with the knowledge that many of the things people are complaining about have already been taken care of. If WOZ is any example, Jack likes to hold back a surprise or two.
I hope you are right. A "LCD-book" that you turn pages on by hitting the SWITCH MODE targets, or a LCD window, or door, in a Bag End model.
Quoted from Zebulon-74:I hope you are right. A "LCD-book" that you turn pages on by hitting the SWITCH MODE targets, or a LCD window, or door, in a Bag End model.
Please let this be in the game!
--Luke
Quoted from CraZ4Pin:I'm so glad I'm not in right now.
Me too. Otherwise, people interested in having a substantive dialogue on TH would be subjected to your puling for the next three years.
Quoted from CraZ4Pin:What surprises on WOZ are you referring to?
The video crystal ball was a surprise as was the wood apron and headphone jack.
Sorry to say that I have to agree with HunchbackHodler and mattsmith. Very underwhelmed and disappointed at this point. I loved that during development of WOZ there were tons of status updates on the build of the game and photos of the toys/mechs...seemed like a new teaser was coming out nearly every couple weeks from Jersey Jack....which is why I got in early on TH....thought that I would enjoy reading about the latest developments/viewing build photos every few weeks from the time of initial offer to game release. Then the first let down arrived when I realized next to no info/photos was being released. I figured this was a small price to pay for what was for sure to be amazing new innovation that simply could not be revealed because it was evidently so "mind blowing" that nothing could be revealed too early for danger of letting Stern see too much too soon....or due to licensing possibly. I had never seen so many cool features/toys on a Pin as with WOZ - the crystal ball with action filled interior, spinning dorothy house with witch's legs, and the list went on and on. I was sure Hobbit would be loaded with even more. Then the reveal at long last......and we have........A dragon head that is not really interactive at all, an empty looking play field, next to no other toys, and a ...wait for it.....book. 
Quoted from lllvjr:Sneak through... Just realized it by accident when playing. I shook the ball back to the shooter lane.. Awesome sneak back
image-350.jpg 157 KB
That's quite a liberal use of the word awesome.
Quoted from mof:* Big and Wide open
* lots of Drops
* Only thing missing is *danger* -- like a few pop bumpers out there...
And you'd have something equating to the upper PF to Black Hole -- which is a great upper PF layout.
I just wish some company would have the guts to go back and put 1 or 2 or 3 pops back onto the upper PF without a baby-gate in front of it.
-mof
Like WOZ? That right exposed pop bumper is brutal.
Quoted from Pimp77:Like WOZ? That right exposed pop bumper is brutal.
Glad to hear it!
So if there is 1 dangerous pop in WoZ -- that's 1 more than we're used to seeing in recent years...
=)
-mof
Quoted from mof:Glad to hear it!
So if there is 1 dangerous pop in WoZ -- that's 1 more than we're used to seeing in recent years...
=)
-mof
Definitely a dangerous pop on WOZ. I feel like WOZ really lifted the bar in a lot of ways and JJP talked about WOZ being their worst game and they would all get better. I don't seen that with TH. It could get better but it is not there yet. I have only seen limited video so far. JJP would be wise to get some good gameplay video out as I suspect it will look a lot better with a good recording.
I got the sense people were really excited about this pin and maybe the expectations were too high but there seem to be quite a few underwhelmed people now. That is me so far.
Quoted from RobT:Any game play vids of Hobbit yet?
Anyone?
Can someone say if there was no video allowed, or is it just linked elsewhere?
-mof
Quoted from ek77:That's quite a liberal use of the word awesome.
Ur more awesome
Someone just made a new thread. Good.
WE NEED MOAR THREADS!
-mof
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/hobbit-expo-gamplay-videos-post-here-please
This game with all the drop targets looks like a 70s EM got busy with a 90s DMD in the back room when no one was looking.
Quoted from ek77:This game with all the drop targets looks like a 70s EM got busy with a 90s DMD in the back room when no one was looking.
Hah! You say that like it's a BAD thing!
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