Do the back legs seem mounted even further down from the front legs than normal?
(Topic ID: 172723)
Linked Games
Thunderbirds
Homepin, 2018
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Quoted from spfxted:Whoa! Look how high up those back legs are...
The Playfield pitch in that picture looks pretty extreme. I imagine it's set steep for some testing or setup reason.
Looking at this game, the Playfield, the toys, the artwork and the speakers in The Amazing folding out speaker panel are exceptionally done I'm impressed.
I really hope to play this game at one of the shows coming up. And I hope some of the games make it to the American Market.
Shepparton
Quoted from Toads:When do they start building full production machines?
Calgary, AB
Quoted from pinballinreno:I really hope to play this game at one of the shows coming up. And I hope some of the games make it to the American Market.
I have heard there will be one set up at the Nitro Pinball booth at the Northwest Pinball and Arcade Show in Tacoma this June.
Quoted from JoshODBrown:I have heard there will be one set up at the Nitro Pinball booth at the Northwest Pinball and Arcade Show in Tacoma this June.
Quoted from mrWol64:Already started this month.
When will we see pics of the final pins?
Quoted from Toads:When will we see pics of the final pins?
Quoted from Warzard:The pin looks great. Hope to see final pictures of production
Have a look in this forum from post 2247. ,.. or chk the Homepin Facebook page,.. the pictures posted are the prod machines and the prod build line,..
Quoted from mrWol64:Have a look in this forum from post 2247. ,.. or chk the Homepin Facebook page,.. the pictures posted are the prod machines and the prod build line,..
They are final "test" machines not final production machines going to customers.
Sheeeeet! I thought these were the FINAL machines for the people who pre ordered.
Well that just sucks for them.
Quoted from Toads:They are final "test" machines not final production machines going to customers.
There is no external difference to shape, colour, size or fitout from these machines pictured to the ones that are currently (yes, TODAY) in production as finished machines that will be heading to customers as they are finished. The differences are all internal to improve circuit board connectors, polish up mechanisms with minor changes and similar things.
A pinball machine is a very complex machine as I'm sure most here would agree. If one single part is missing the machine cannot be built.
Just this morning one of those missing parts arrived and we can now complete that part of the build. Here they are (stainless rails) being unpacked:
Quoted from Homepin:There is no external difference to shape, colour, size or fitout from these machines pictured to the ones that are currently (yes, TODAY) in production as finished machines that will be heading to customers as they are finished. The differences are all internal to improve circuit board connectors, polish up mechanisms with minor changes and similar things.
A pinball machine is a very complex machine as I'm sure most here would agree. If one single part is missing the machine cannot be built.
Just this morning one of those missing parts arrived and we can now complete that part of the build. Here they are (stainless rails) being unpacked:
Well if that's the case, the two metal conduit saddles on the plastic ramp look ridiculous.
Quoted from Toads:Well if that's the case, the two metal conduit saddles on the plastic ramp look ridiculous.
They are formed stainless steel supports not "conduit saddles".
If that's all you can find to pick on then I'm happy.
Quoted from Toads:They are final "test" machines not final production machines going to customers.
1 week later
Facebook Post:
"I have great hopes for our China sales - mainly with our next machine which will target this market. The picture shows one of the Homepin staff showing his Grandson how to play TAG. The kid was enthralled by the whole mechanical thing as well as the flashing lights. Like most kids, he has only ever seen video games, never a mechanical machine like a pinball."
Another from yesterday:
"I mentioned in a previous post that TAG has 83 separate printed circuit boards. We are busy making a large batch of every one of them. Shown here are the flipper button illumination, GI rollover post illumination and Thunderbird 2 ramp controller boards."
F290EEEA-557E-4809-9834-BA7AA446691E (resized).jpeg
Villejuif
Quoted from PinSinner:"I have great hopes for our China sales - mainly with our next machine which will target this market.
Just curious, Mike: what is the price (including delivery) in P.R. China? I visit Nanjing quite often... got to convince someone here to buy this pin!!
Quoted from Shapeshifter:If Homepin cracks the Chinese market - well, wow, that will be the start of a new phase of pinball.
I am thinking too little too late for HOMEPIN, he wants to take China by storm but after reading this, well?
If his machine was available as expected it might have had a chance.
This was posted on December 1st 2017 so I dare say the strong hold has begun as STERN are showing in quite a few trade shows over there. At least we know why GS was visiting Mike at one stage.
" Stern Pinball, has appointed Guangzhou Stern Electronic Technology as its exclusive importer and distributor for China.
The firm has joined with a group of Chinese companies experienced in gaming operations, marketing, and distribution to form GSET. The companies began the relationship by distributing Stern Pinball’s titles including Star Wars, Ghostbusters, Batman, Aerosmith, WWE WrestleMania, Metallica and AC/DC.
GSET will also be distributing Stern’s newest title, Guardians of the Galaxy and will be adding personnel to the team to facilitate sales of Stern Pinball machines to the commercial and consumer markets.
“We selected GSET as our exclusive importer and distributor because of its various related businesses, financial strength, knowledge of our industry, and passion for Stern Pinball products,” said Gary Stern, chairman and CEO of Stern Pinball.
“We are very pleased to have the opportunity to represent Stern Pinball and serve the Chinese market,” said Aaron Wong, CEO of GSET. "
Ambler, PA
Quoted from PinballSTAR:Unfortunately not - couldn't get one here in time with production just starting.
Will you have a TAG at the York show?
Mike said no machines will be at US shows this year. Probably have to wait for next year shows.
Quoted from ultimategameroom:Will you have a TAG at the York show?
Nitro will have TWO Tag pinballs at this show next month:
(we air freighted them out a few days ago so they will arrive this week).
Quoted from oldskool1969:I am thinking too little too late for HOMEPIN, he wants to take China by storm but after reading this, well?
If his machine was available as expected it might have had a chance.
This was posted on December 1st 2017 so I dare say the strong hold has begun as STERN are showing in quite a few trade shows over there. At least we know why GS was visiting Mike at one stage.
" Stern Pinball, has appointed Guangzhou Stern Electronic Technology as its exclusive importer and distributor for China.
The firm has joined with a group of Chinese companies experienced in gaming operations, marketing, and distribution to form GSET. The companies began the relationship by distributing Stern Pinball’s titles including Star Wars, Ghostbusters, Batman, Aerosmith, WWE WrestleMania, Metallica and AC/DC.
GSET will also be distributing Stern’s newest title, Guardians of the Galaxy and will be adding personnel to the team to facilitate sales of Stern Pinball machines to the commercial and consumer markets.
“We selected GSET as our exclusive importer and distributor because of its various related businesses, financial strength, knowledge of our industry, and passion for Stern Pinball products,” said Gary Stern, chairman and CEO of Stern Pinball.
“We are very pleased to have the opportunity to represent Stern Pinball and serve the Chinese market,” said Aaron Wong, CEO of GSET. "
http://www.globalamusementsandplay.c...ove-with-gset/
1. China is a HUGE market.
2. If Homepin produces games with themes tailored to Chinese culture they can address a large segment of it that nobody else can address.
3. Importing a US made game vs a Homepin locally produced one is going to cost a whole bunch more.
Any level of success in China would make Stern’s current operation look like a 2 guys in a garage in terms of units produced. Not sure how well Homepin is positioned to scale up either but that we be a good problem to have I guess.
I’d say the real threat is if pinball takes off in China a zillion knockoff competitors may spring up. But either way more pinball = good. 
Excellent. Glad to see the plan changed
Quoted from Homepin:Nitro will have TWO Tag pinballs at this show next month:
http://www.nwpinballshow.com/
(we air freighted them out a few days ago so they will arrive this week).
I wonder how much of possible prospective sales could be in China. Mostly to work they probably need a majority of sales to be there.
Quoted from Fytr:2. If Homepin produces games with themes tailored to Chinese culture they can address a large segment of it that nobody else can address.
'The Great Wall'. U.S. version would be 'Trump'. 
Quoted from Fytr:If Homepin produces games with themes tailored to Chinese culture they can address a large segment of it that nobody else can address.
Imagine if they made a game based on the Wolf Warrior franchise. Wolf Warrior 2 was a 2017 patriotic action film and the highest grossing Chinese film of all time. It made around US$850 million at the box office. As a point of comparison, the Last Jedi made around $40 million in China. A Wolf Warrior 3 film has been planned.
Chinese box office sales surpassed those of the US for the first time this year.
china-v-n-america-box-office-2014-2020 (resized).jpg
China is an absolutely massive market with a rapidly growing middle class which is becoming increasingly wealthy. China has the largest middle class population in the world (around 109 million people compared to 90 million in the US) and that represents only 10% of the Chinese population.
Quoted from solarvalue:China has the largest middle class population in the world (around 109 million people compared to 90 million in the US) and that represents only 10% of the Chinese population.
And that 2015 figure is probably already outdated - statisticians predict it would double by 2022.
I am currently in China and can attest that this middle class is growing fast... Remember though that, given the lower cost of living here, to qualify for middle class standards, you don't need a huge salary. Unsure if you would stomach a $4800 Stern pro purchase then!?
Pinball is completely new to the Chinese. You will have to put in a lot of effort to educate them so they understand the game. Reminds me of the “ isn’t it time for a simpler pin” thread.
Not sure what themes are going to fly in China... maybe hello kitty?, Doraemon?, maybe “ how to play pinball “ ?, maybe Supreme (every third thing in China says supreme on it)
Quoted from BobLangelius:Pinball is completely new to the Chinese. You will have to put in a lot of effort to educate them so they understand the game. Reminds me of the “ isn’t it time for a simpler pin” thread.
Not sure what themes are going to fly in China... maybe hello kitty?, Doraemon?, maybe “ how to play pinball “ ?, maybe Supreme (every third thing in China says supreme on it)
A video game game conversion would be a good place to start.
According to one article I read, China’s games market (PC and mobile games) will grow from $27 billion in 2017 to $35 billion in domestic revenue by 2021. Those are huge numbers. It would be good to see even a small fraction of this market exposed to Pinball. The challenge is getting it into the hands of the people.
Since machines will be shown at the Northwest p\Pinball Show, does that signal they will be sold in the United States?
I would think yes. Homepin has always stated that the US is not their TARGET market for TAG, but I don't think they ever said they won't be selling any here.
Quoted from scott_freeman:Since machines will be shown at the Northwest p\Pinball Show, does that signal they will be sold in the United States?
Let me please TRY to clear up this complete nonsense once and for all.
I said, right from day one, that the sales aim of Homepin was to concentrate on markets OTHER THAN the USA.
I also said the reason for this was that I didn't want to go head-to-head with JJP, Stern etc and that Homepin would concentrate on "other markets". This was one of the reasons that Thunderbirds was deliberately chosen as our first pinball machine theme. It appeals to people in MANY countries outside the USA.
Our next machine (in design right now) is targeted ONLY at the China market so the same reasoning applies.
Homepin is a very small business of under 20 staff. We make arcade machines and a wide range of replacement PCBs for pinball machines and this is the main part of the Homepin business along with a lot of OEM design and assembly work from several companies (not in the arcade business). Manufacturing pinball machines is currently very much a sideline. Maybe our priorities will change in the future, who knows?
Homepin is NOT putting all of our eggs in the one basket so new pinball manufacture (currently) will stay second fiddle to our core business for now.
We simply do not have the capacity to produce 50 machines a month and don't particularly wish to (please see my talk in the UK soon for the reasons, I'm sure someone will record it).
We have appointed a worldwide distributor, Highway Games. The owner is someone I have personally known for many years and trust. They have (in turn) appointed several agents that they know and trust, a few in the USA, many in other countries.
Nitro Pinball Canada is a very active promoter of pinball and the owner, Tommy, is someone whom I personally like and trust very much. It is Tommy who has decided to bring these machines to the show in the USA at his own (very considerable - airfreight) expense.
So I guess the answer is YES! These machines will be available in the USA. How many will be available and when is probably a better question, as we most certainly will not be pumping out hundreds of them any time soon.
We will be taking things VERY slowly and see what develops. We are not trying in any way whatsoever to compete with Stern, JJP, Spooky or anyone else. Sadly some excited people in the USA can't seem to see that there are actually countries other than the USA, and that a small business like Homepin can exist very happily supplying a very small percentage of this 'other' market. This is where some get their nose out of joint but it is a simple fact and in no way is it meant to suggest that we don't want to sell to the USA or anywhere for that matter.
Talk of "why would Homepin ignore the largest pinball market in the world" really makes me laugh. For the answer, please see the paragraph above.
So please don't think that Homepin is ignoring the USA market, it's more a matter of us not being in a position to supply it to the level that some would like.
A recent update from Facebook: (IMO - What a great idea!)
“Not sure if this is a first for pinball? We are screen printing the entire underside of the playfield with information such as placement (and name) of switches, lamp, PCBs and mechanisms. Also information about which wires are running through particular holes etc.
This helps us for assembling the machine and I hope it will help people in the future when servicing.”
63D62B27-88AE-4457-8F0A-592BB76A112F (resized).jpegFB04B149-784F-4DE9-92DE-86CD15D2F82F (resized).jpegQuoted from PinSinner:A recent update from Facebook: (IMO - What a great idea!)
“Not sure if this is a first for pinball? We are screen printing the entire underside of the playfield with information such as placement (and name) of switches, lamp, PCBs and mechanisms. Also information about which wires are running through particular holes etc.
This helps us for assembling the machine and I hope it will help people in the future when servicing.”
Wow! That's really nice!
Great job.
That was done on some 80s Ballys and some Sys11s as well. The Banzai Run I’m currently shopping up has it.
rd
Also later model GTB's, should have wire colours too if you ask my opinion.
If you are going to go that far, go further than others and do something different.
Stargate did it too. Nice touch, though.
Cost of this is absolutely minimal. Given the price of machines these days, it should be done on all of them.
Quoted from Homepin:We will be taking things VERY slowly and see what develops. We are not trying in any way whatsoever to compete with Stern, JJP, Spooky or anyone else. Sadly some excited people in the USA can't seem to see that there are actually countries other than the USA, and that a small business like Homepin can exist very happily supplying a very small percentage of this 'other' market. This is where some get their nose out of joint but it is a simple fact and in no way is it meant to suggest that we don't want to sell to the USA or anywhere for that matter.
Talk of "why would Homepin ignore the largest pinball market in the world" really makes me laugh. For the answer, please see the paragraph above.
So please don't think that Homepin is ignoring the USA market, it's more a matter of us not being in a position to supply it to the level that some would like.
Well said. I still want to play this machine.
Quoted from ultimategameroom:Will you have a TAG at the York show?
I would say that's a GO by then ! : )
Because he needs all the help he can get I guess to keep the pre-orderers happy.
Good luck with that. 
I noticed a few of the once loyal pre-order Aussies want refunds due to the delays and Homepin has refused, gotta look after the pre-orderers.
my advice would be to seriously upgrade the spray booth so you can spray multiple cabinets at a time
positive is love the screening of the parts locations on the playfield - that is nice
that pong table is very cool
Quoted from oldskool1969:Because he needs all the help he can get I guess to keep the pre-orderers happy.
Good luck with that.
Need to refresh your history my friend
Quoted from swinks:my advice would be to seriously upgrade the spray booth so you can spray multiple cabinets at a time
We can currently paint more than 30 cabinets per day BUT struggle to assemble 2 machines a day. (we are a VERY small factory and have limited staff).
Painting is the LEAST of our assembly holdups, it doesn't even show as an issue on my radar.
I thought you built in PRC as you insisted labour was cheaper? so why don't you just hire more staff?
Would you re consider your stance on manufacturing in Australia after all the CHALLENGES you have faced?
Those poor pre-orderers are not very happy with HOMEPIN and you can't really blame them, hey Mike?
What about those awaiting shipment to distribute here in Australia, hate to think how they must be feeling.
I got excited seeing some finished machines and realised that it was STILL prototype stuff.
Why did you start re posting on Pinside again? you going to STAY this time and not throw you're bike in the bush?
So many questions that need answering.
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