Hot Wheels
American Pinball, 2020Absolutely terrible! Kaneda is 1000% right! How does this company continue to blow it with themes. The sad thing is the layout is not bad, but the execution of this theme is just wrong. And that back box!!! OMG!!! So friggin ugly, I would never let one of their games exist in my line up.
I think the backglass looks sharp. The monitor offset doesn't bother me.
But...despite the fact that I'm seriously artistic ignorant, I think it would have been really neat to just grab the missing backglass art (where the monitor is at) and use the display to 'fill in' that missing artwork for when the high scores were shown (i.e. the orange track loop continues thru the display). Almost an illusion that makes the display disappear. Might be tough color matching tho.
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Quoted from mbwalker:I think the backglass looks sharp. The monitor offset doesn't bother me.
But...despite the fact that I'm seriously artistic ignorant, I think it would have been really neat to just grab the missing backglass art (where the monitor is at) and use the display to 'fill in' that missing artwork for when the high scores were shown (i.e. the orange track loop continues thru the display). Almost an illusion that makes the display disappear. Might be tough color matching tho.
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That's a pretty brilliant idea!
Quoted from mbwalker:I think the backglass looks sharp. The monitor offset doesn't bother me.
But...despite the fact that I'm seriously artistic ignorant, I think it would have been really neat to just grab the missing backglass art (where the monitor is at) and use the display to 'fill in' that missing artwork for when the high scores were shown (i.e. the orange track loop continues thru the display). Almost an illusion that makes the display disappear. Might be tough color matching tho.
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Didn't they do this on Houdini?
Quoted from cooked71:Didn't they do this on Houdini?
I was actually going to mention that but didn't feel like typing. 
Yep, part of the glass is the audience w/a curtain on the sides of the monitor opening. Then the curtain 'extends' onto the screen and open/closes during game play.
Quoted from Tuna_Delight:Not saying it's right, but in AP's defense, their past games' graphics were pretty basic upon initial reveal as well. They subsequently improved a lot as code was developed further.
Now whether they improved enough is a different matter ...
The core issue of font selection, font size and placement, color choices, and general UI art direction are a problem across all AP games. ALL of them. Like I said, the UI reeks of "programmer art" that you would use as a placeholder in a commercial game and replace with the real thing later, only they don't do that. It's tragic, given their clear aspirations to quality evidenced in the mechanical construction of the machines.
Quoted from mbwalker:I was actually going to mention that but didn't feel like typing.
Yep, part of the glass is the audience w/a curtain on the sides of the monitor opening. Then the curtain 'extends' onto the screen and open/closes during game play.
Thought so. Possible they could do it on Hotwheels. Especially given the screen placement.
Quoted from mbwalker:I was actually going to mention that but didn't feel like typing.
Yep, part of the glass is the audience w/a curtain on the sides of the monitor opening. Then the curtain 'extends' onto the screen and open/closes during game play.
I liked the idea what Quetzal Pinball did with Captain Nemo and the playfield display.
capt_nemo (resized).jpgQuoted from jellikit:I liked the idea what Quetzal Pinball did with Captain Nemo and the playfield display.[quoted image]
Exactly like that. I'll have to look that pin up - never heard of it.
Quoted from mbwalker:Exactly like that. I'll have to look that pin up - never heard of it.
It is very cool, I nearly got on the order list, but couldn't pull the trigger. It looked great and I loved the theme.
https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2017/03/01/captain-nemo-in-depth-review/
Quoted from mbwalker:I think the backglass looks sharp. The monitor offset doesn't bother me.
But...despite the fact that I'm seriously artistic ignorant, I think it would have been really neat to just grab the missing backglass art (where the monitor is at) and use the display to 'fill in' that missing artwork for when the high scores were shown (i.e. the orange track loop continues thru the display). Almost an illusion that makes the display disappear. Might be tough color matching tho.
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I just noticed that the display IS part of the art package. It’s like a Jumbotron display in the art. See how it’s attached to that metal structure with the lights?
Quoted from Rarehero:I just noticed that the display IS part of the art package. It’s like a Jumbotron display in the art. See how it’s attached to that metal structure with the lights?
I noticed that too, but thought it was rather odd. Only thing I could think of was they were trying to replicate the jumbo screens at the race tracks.
Quoted from mbwalker:I think the backglass looks sharp. The monitor offset doesn't bother me.
But...despite the fact that I'm seriously artistic ignorant, I think it would have been really neat to just grab the missing backglass art (where the monitor is at) and use the display to 'fill in' that missing artwork for when the high scores were shown (i.e. the orange track loop continues thru the display). Almost an illusion that makes the display disappear. Might be tough color matching tho.
[quoted image]
So i just saw this on FB. Either they fixed it, or bad initial pic. Much better..
FB_IMG_1583980876793 (resized).jpgQuoted from Roostking:So i just saw this on FB. Either they fixed it, or bad initial pic. Much better..[quoted image]
That is an improvement.
Quoted from Roostking:So i just saw this on FB. Either they fixed it, or bad initial pic. Much better..[quoted image]
I think it looks cool the way it’s integrated into the art.
Quoted from Coindork:I think it looks cool the way it’s integrated into the art.
I loved what they did with the screen on Houdini. If it's anything like that I think it's an improvement over just plopping the screen in the middle. I have zero artistic sensibilities, though. In fact I think I might be font-blind as I never have any idea what people are talking about with all these 'H's and stuff.
Critiqueing all this display stuff is pointless. Everything is pretty much a placeholder at the moment. Since when has screen graphics been set in stone after a stern reveal? Oktoberfest is completely different than a year ago when it came out. Placement makes sense to me since the side area would have been dead space. Glad they are always trying something different keepin it fresh.
Quoted from Viggin900:Critiqueing all this display stuff is pointless. Everything is pretty much a placeholder at the moment. Since when has screen graphics been set in stone after a stern reveal? Oktoberfest is completely different than a year ago when it came out. Placement makes sense to me since the side area would have been dead space. Glad they are always trying something different keepin it fresh.
Don't confuse 'not done yet' with 'shit, we gotta change this because it wasn't good enough'
i would 100% buy this for my basement if I had an 8 yr old son
but as a 51 yr old, it holds zero interest for me except for location play
I actually like the Houdini and Oktoberfest themes better
Quoted from o-din:I'm spending that much money, I'm going big. My next door neighbor had one of these in his garage.
The coincidence is one of the kids from the neighborhood I haven't see since the 70s that used to hang out there just stopped into my work.
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you lived next door to bruce wayne!?! damn!
Quoted from BMore-Pinball:i would 100% buy this for my basement if I had an 8 yr old son
Make one!
It's fun.
This absolutely looks like a Stern with crappy theme. Nothing sculpted, just flat plastics everywhere. They took quite a few steps back from Houdini and Oktoberfest in that regard.
For the love of God, that spinning car has to stop...forever.
Quoted from pipes:For the love of God, that spinning car has to stop...forever.
Didn't Hotwheels have a helicopter they could have used? I mean a spinning car, what?
Quoted from pipes:This absolutely looks like a Stern with crappy theme. Nothing sculpted, just flat plastics everywhere. They took quite a few steps back from Houdini and Oktoberfest in that regard.
For the love of God, that spinning car has to stop...forever.
Yeah....
Though API games feel very sturdy, and I like the feel of the flippers a bit more so than Stern.
Definitely a different approach by them.
Quoted from Bublehead:I’m sure the modders are all over that spinning car thing... I know I would be doing something with that rotational movement other than spinning that car around...
A giant spinning hot wheels car wheel would be a lot less distracting and more on-brand, but I'd rather have nothing there. It's visually annoying.
EDIT: Actually, just remove the spinning car and motor that drives it and put in a nice cartoony fat-needled tachometer to show the RPMs. That would be on-brand and not annoying to have in your field of view, even if it does duplicate some of the indication on the playfield.
Quoted from Viggin900:Everything is pretty much a placeholder at the moment.
A placeholder until the economy recovers?
Quoted from PinMonk:A giant spinning hot wheels car wheel would be a lot less distracting and more on-brand, but I'd rather have nothing there. It's visually annoying.
EDIT: Actually, just remove the spinning car and motor that drives it and put in a nice cartoony fat-needled tachometer to show the RPMs. That would be on brand and not annoying to have in your field of view, even if it does duplicate some of the indication on the playfield.
Exactly what I was thinking.
Who doesn't like seeing a rev counter of speedometer?
That spinning car is one of the worst toys I can remember!
Quoted from PinMonk:EDIT: Actually, just remove the spinning car and motor that drives it and put in a nice cartoony fat-needled tachometer to show the RPMs. That would be on-brand and not annoying to have in your field of view, even if it does duplicate some of the indication on the playfield.
I think this is pretty much on point.
Quoted from Shapeshifter:Exactly what I was thinking.
Who doesn't like seeing a rev counter of speedometer?
That spinning car is one of the worst toys I can remember!
Now if it were only on fire...!
I was thinking last night, I wouldn't mind the offset display, if say, there were some sort of LED cycling around the car on the right, like flames, that would maybe lightup during multiball.
That would be an interesting touch. With the option to turn off of course.
Quoted from Coindork:I think this is pretty much on point.
Given that you're eliminating a MOTOR, it is probably also cheaper, too. Seems like a win/win for AP and whoever the customers for this are.
Quoted from wesman:I wonder if API will officially announce the game after the first dozen or so games have been delivered....
I hope they get some games on location quick so people can see and play them. And want to buy them.
Reveal not happening at TPF ( and maybe MGC ? ) could hurt things. Not a lot of AP games on location. Most people get exposed to them at shows.
LTG : )
The more I look at this the more I dont understand. The Hot Wheels city animation videos are weird and not something I want to watch and play. Id play this but Ill be curious to see how many sell.
Quoted from LTG:I hope they get some games on location quick so people can see and play them. And want to buy them.
Reveal not happening at TPF ( and maybe MGC ? ) could hurt things. Not a lot of AP games on location. Most people get exposed to them at shows.
LTG : )
OR it could be a blessing in disguise.
Quoted from DanDanDAN:OR it could be a blessing in disguise.
Just keep dropping those little nuggets, lol.
Quoted from DanDanDAN:OR it could be a blessing in disguise.
Vishnu works in mysterious ways.
Quoted from PinMonk:Vishnu works in mysterious ways.
namaste!
Quoted from DanDanDAN:OR it could be a blessing in disguise.
Well DarnDarnDarn.
Time will tell.
I hope all the manufacturers' rumored reveals for TPF that won't happen. Still somehow, someway, the word, pictures, videos, and games get out. So none of them get hurt by the virus closings.
LTG : )
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