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Hot Wheels
American Pinball, 2020
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Quoted from drfrightner:Here some other possibilities
Some like it hot Pinball
Hot Fuzz
Hot Stuff
Hot Shots
Could even be a Billy Idol Pinball “Hot in the City”
Or could just be Hot Wheels.
LOL
Personally I can’t wait to see it!
Just so it's not.....Backdraft 2! 
Quoted from Rdoyle1978:Fascinating, the response to this idea. I’m disappointed that the amazing ideas shown in Houdini and Oktoberfest aren’t taken seriously enough to carry this (still unrevealed!) Third title.
I agree. Way too much cynicism for the dynamic and interesting approaches and build quality that AP has had with two games. Stern is predictable, and I've yet to play a Spooky title that feels fun.
So aside from JJP, AP has done some interesting things their own way, and deserve less backlash and more credit.
Quoted from PinMonk:Looks like he already has it on his linkedin as he started last month at JJP. Jack is lucky to have him.
Hopefully I don't have to bother him much for Guns N Roses!
Interesting.
Barry was always great to deal with on my end!
Josh has also always been stellar.
And even though I haven't had direct contact, Dan seems pretty cool too.
Quoted from DanDanDAN:Signs point to YES!
Hmm.
SpaceX. Hollywood. Or....intergalactic time travel as an alien god? 
Quoted from DanDanDAN:I do seem pretty cool don't I?
You seem pretty.....groovy, for sure!
Quoted from DanDanDAN:why not all three?
All hail Prez. DanDan! 
Go big or go home and sleep it off..! 
I posted about that a week or so ago. The small version, not the $400 model, is still around. I think so anyway!
Quoted from Yelobird:Sorry but thats not really the Pinside way. lol Tear it down, speculate, condemn it before release Then play it and its all good again.
And condemn it again, even if you enjoyed playing it!
Quoted from pipes:Do you consider Oktoberfest to be a ‘great game’? If so, then why did it sell so poorly?
It's a solid game with some layout, sound, and artwork issues. The execution for AP has been solid to okay, but not excellent.
Also, AP should have directly enticed the thousaaaaaands of breweries in this country to buy their game. They seemingly didn't. They could have directly worked with breweries to make code, help with offers and rewards, etc. This could have been a standard game to see at a few hundred spots across the country, easily.
Yet....I doubt more than 20 breweries, if that, own this game or have even heard of it.
Total misfire in marketing. Not as much the theme, more in it's lack of target market awareness.
Quoted from DanDanDAN:Actually they do.
Yeah, I never quite understand that attitude. Successful people...and...people that have money, seem to sometimes be as frugal and more obsessed with failure and the loss of it, than the common Joe.
Wealthy people don't become OR stay wealthy, due to being money ignorant. That's somethin' us poor dumb dumbs excel at.
Quoted from Rdoyle1978:MOST wealthy people start wealthy. Them, and the few that break through keep the wealth the way you described.
But inherited wealth started somewhere....
Gates and Bezos started out as plebes.
Rockefeller and Carnegie were regular people as well.
Still scratching my head at how pinball companies present their games in this weird half ass leak, not leaked kinda way. I'm not saying that fairly cringeworthy stage presentations are any better, but as many people have advised, Nintendo Direct styled, controlled and descriptive videos presented prior to a stage presence or leaks would be amazing!
Game looks filled with joy and vibrancy!
No monkey's seen yet, but GORILLA as an insert..!
That lavender font on the LCD, eesh...AP can never let go of shitty florescent type fonts.
Definitely seems to be less in the game, design/mech wise, but maybe less busy and more 80's style is an improvement over their 2 prior games.
Inserts look fun and playful!
Definitely excited to see more!
Quoted from LTG:AP didn't leak it. People at the industry show did.
Maybe AP should have timed their reveal to the public sooner, or at the same time.
LTG : )
Oh, I know API didn't post these directly, but they are dumb dumbs...(sorry to get so fresh) and should definitely grasp that bringing and having a game in the open air at a trade show, will indeed be the public's, in person and online, view of their game. Their so well kept secret.
Just always baffles me how each new game is revealed by these companies, in a seemingly new and unprofessional way. You'd think they might have a marketing team, or sumthin'..... 
Quoted from BMore-Pinball:link to video
May just be me, but the car spinning around is really distracting.
Looks like it may be a fun game, but it's just not a theme i want to put in my basement
https://www.facebook.com/KnappArcade/videos/534173290561435/?v=534173290561435&external_log_id=783694640f976e06ab5b7c7125324320&q=hot%20wheels%20pinball
That's like the Whirly Dirly of nausea right there.... Focusing entirely on that is a bit much frankly. 
Quoted from Palmer:That voice work is, um, interesting.
Guessing it's from a Hot Wheels show.
Quoted from delt31:Don't be a dick and add the kittens and puppies comment at the end. It's a sleazy move but you acknowledged the mistake and you apologized. Just end it there.
And "reading all this crap" (as you so nicely put it) IS the purpose of the thread.... It's not inserting your BS selling techniques to shill for your business. As a reminder - hearing from the community about their thoughts regarding the game is the point of pinside.
Gotta echo these sentiments.
I know Zach has been getting shelled a lot on here, and the TPN thread. Some of it over the top and harsh for sure. But...if a customer was irked by something, being dismissive isn't a reassuring route to take. The puppies and kittens comment is more negating than acknowledging someone, a customer at that, felt wronged.
Side note...
Just had a thought how groovy it would have been, to maybe have had a transparent apron, and have an entire orange LOOP of track go around the game, and the ball be able to access that for lap times. Would have really made the game add standout and echoed the theme.
Quoted from PinMonk:Jump in about a minute thirty.
Weird that Mariah Carey did the stream there..... 
Such a baffling way to "reveal" a game, at a tradeshow, with ZERO connection to their other target market, Pinside/the pinball buying public.
Nuts that they used the game music from Oktoberfest...oh wait, seems that was blaring for some reason, and Hot Wheels was barely audible. Great move API. 
And like you said, their typography is still atrocious. I always hated working in fonts and graphic design, but man I can tell right away this is NOT how you display fonts. Hyper florescent colors, minimal stroke usage, lack of drop shadows, etc. "EPIC" looks solid though!
I hope it's fun to shoot, looks it, and that it has the nice solid build quality that API has been known for thus far!
Quoted from PinMonk:$650 less than Houdini list. So about 10% less price, 40% less stuff on the machine.
Yeah, Houdini listed at $6995 and then Oktoberfest at $7395.
Nice to see they're flexible in pricing and design types. I'm assuming they're sticking with the one style format still.
Quoted from Fifty:I'm a little disappointed with the start of multiball from the video. Remember when starting a multiball was fun? Remember the build up before you heard SHOWTIME!!! Remember the beacon lights rotating and filling up the arcade! Maybe it's just me, but multiball just seems to be handed out freely and regularly now. I understand the reasons why, but man I miss the spectacle that use to proceed one!
/nitpik
Artwork and game look pretty nice though. Hopefully I'll get to play one someday.
Played Adam's Family last night, and am always still poopin' my pants with glee and near seizures at the multiball..!!! Love it!
Quoted from PinMonk:I would personally have a Houdini again at some point. Demanding but fun game. But I can't see any operator bringing in AP games in any number the way they do not support them.
How isn't AP supporting them? Do you mean regarding code or customer service? Barry was always great, but is gone now.....
Quoted from PinMonk:Barry was 100% awesome, always there to help. Breaking the operator audits, then leaving them broken for 6 months or more because it's "not a priority" is ridiculous. That's homebrew-level stuff. That actually happened on Houdini and is the reason the operator I work with canned the machine on the route and sent it on.
Contrast that with Stern on Iron Maiden when it had a 24/7 location-killing problem. When the lockup bug happened on week one, a version with the daily maintenance reboot workaround was out within about a week. It didn't FIX the lockup, but it prevented the machine from locking up. Stern experience with operator support on display.
No idea who is setting priorities at AP, but whoever it is has them wrong if they want operator support.
Interesting. I'm definitely not familiar with routing games. So these were code based issues I presume?
Quoted from PinMonk:Yeah. It happened in code. Code progress was fine for about a year, then a major code update broke the audits completely (it rebooted when you tried to clear them). Fixing that was not an "AP priority."
Personally their direction from day one has seemed offbase, and without a director or team leader in charge that is capable enough of molding their brand. They have talent, but also really one team of talent, but beyond that they definitely need outside guidance.
They have so many attributes that are worthy though, sadly....
Quoted from kermit24:This is a result of poor management and the company not being led by a pinball person.
That's the drift I get, and I hope they bring in someone with experience as a lead, sooner rather than later.
Quoted from pipes:If there was ever going to be pinball in a Chuck E. Cheese (since Shrek), this is it.
And ideally....that's what they're targeting.
I really don't understand why they didn't innovate here. Imagine actual Hot Wheels collectors entering the fray, in a system where for a higher price tier of $3, you're guaranteed a 50/50 shot at an exclusive Hot Wheels car that either is dispensed on site or is printed out/scanned one time use code for online redemption.
Quoted from TreyBo69:The photos suffer because it's someone uploading a compressed version of the photo to somewhere like Facebook, which recompresses it, which is downloaded and reuploaded to pinside while being recompressed yet again.
Exactly! Was just going to write the same thing!
So umm...one day later, and STILL no official announcement, photos or video from API?!?!
Guys, get your shit together over there.... Ugh.
Hell, even Stern plugged away with their Stranger Things clip a day or so after a leak.
Quoted from Yelobird:And its been a day or So, so what are you saying. lol
Well, we know API isn't pumping press out today....
And Stern acted as if that Stranger Things leak didn't exist. Which to a large part of their target market it didn't, and another large part of it, it did. So Stern isn't necessarily the high water mark for brand execution, but in pinball they sure are. Marketing in general for pinball is so sporadic, and not really great at engendering new customers.
Quoted from jwilson:So the game looks like it might be fun, but I have to speak up about the screen. Look at this screen capture:
[quoted image]
The numbers are unreadable. This has been somewhat typical for AP games - using multiple fonts, with too many colours and not enough contrast. I didn't really comment on the previous games but now it's game 3 and this stuff is still happening.
Please guys, look at how Alien and Dialed In do it. Spooky has been good as well with ACNC and now R&M. Those are the gold standard. Lots of reference games to look at. No reason for this to continue.
Their font and color usage is ponderously heinous. Who is doing that work for them?
Anyone have a stream link?
Quoted from pipes:Must be the same guy that's responsible for what's on the Oktoberfest screen. Same issues all over again. They just don't learn.
And the same person that wiped their hot pink florescent ass all over my Houdini screen.
Like, c'mon guys...there are definitely Houdini's and Oktoberfest games still to sell. Hire some young hungry punk, get them to overhaul the UI in a few weeks, and pimp that shit out the damn door already!!!
Quoted from Chitownpinball:Looks fun to shoot, like all the american pins. The theme is just so so, like all the american pins. Id throw a quarter in it, like all the american pins.
The only fail is that they didnt incorporate a mech to shoot a car around inside that backbox. You could change the car out for any hotwheels. Woulda been so dope. Missed opportunity, especially with the offset monitor.
Oh well, when will we see another interactive backbox?
Agreed. With all that right side free, something ala Banzai Run could have been initiated. Instead of building up, API stripped this shit.....down. Kinda sucks to see, frankly.
Quoted from Number41:I had a blast creating the Amy Pinn artwork as a freelancer...but my full-time day job is as a lead User Interface designer...hmmm.
Have you ever advised them that their typography work is for....well, shit?
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 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 Viggin900:Did you watch the video? They say it is simplified. Which it is. This is the second time I heard complaints about the outlanes? No one appears to be having trouble making the shots? Doesn't look difficult to me.
That right ramp and right outlane look super smooth. Maybe the left lane isn't as much, but still...two repeatable shots is more than Houdini and Oktoberfest. Dude loops the right ramp three times in a row
Quoted from kvan99:I like their work on the stop animation visuals
You like that work.....because it's not theirs. It's from the Hot Wheels branded Youtube show.
You're familiar with their animation work from Houdini and Oktoberfest................... 
Quoted from Manic:Ah c'mon be nice
Except for the nausea inducing spinning car it looks pretty good. They had to work with the license and I think they represented it decently. A different toy would have been preferable but it looks fast and fun to shoot. It's not too late for them to change/modify the car from the feedback they've been so happily given. Repeatedly...
I'm still not sure who it's marketed for but I gotta trust they did their homework on this.
.
I was just thinking how the Houdini pops are some of the best ever, visually, in a game. Hot Wheels isn't approaching anything novel, at all.
I was being legitimately serious, as there are many API haters out there, and I've never seen so much praise for their 2 existing games, as I have since the non release, non announced yet announced, Hot Wheels game.
And if they'd done their homework, Oktoberfest would never have been created. (Personally, I like the theme!)
Quoted from LTG:They might be traveling back from the AMOA show too.
LTG : )
Maybe they're waiting till an official press release is made.
I do wonder what their thoughts are on this game.
Quoted from LTG:Premiers. Not live. Some people in that video aren't with AP anymore.
LTG : )
Yeah, seems that way. Live intro with a tour from the Fall.
Quoted from Yelobird:As noted in that old video, my money is on they don't have the parts or cabinets to build any of the production games for release so they are not rushing to hype it until they can answer the question of When. For the price I actually like it. Simple and a straight shooter. Might not have been a bad decision to try a game keeping things simple with most of the animation art already provided by Hot Wheels. Won't be for everyone but I think it would do well in the redemption type game areas they seemed to be interested in with that last pirate player. Look forward to playing it.
Interesting to see a brief tour of the smaller older facility.
Definitely noted that as well, currently outsourced cabs and decals, so Kaneda's rumor makes sense.
This being possibly a reskin, and there supposedly being two games that were ready to show a tee TPF leads the mind to wonder if this is more a Pro style game, and the other game that might exist....more along the fuller produced prior 2 games.
Definitely an interesting video, and I'm glad Todd and the gang made the trip.
Much smaller working space than I imagined even. Oktoberfest looked really solid, (I've played it a bunch, and still was taken aback.)
The energy there seemed awkward/uncomfortable in some ways all around. I genuinely do wonder how cultural differences impact this company on all sides.
Quoted from Yelobird:I wouldn't read to much into this old video. They are a small company with a tight nit team that works well together. As they really had nothing New to unveil or talk about in the video there really wasn't much to talk about? They are an informal no frills company just making pinball machines the best they can with the resources they have. Touring a mini 8k sq foot area after hours is not exactly a Show Content thrill. Honestly you can tour that old facility in 2 minutes. They outgrew that space the day they moved in. Todd is awesome but with little exciting to introduce or have fun with your not going to get a very in depth undercover news break through. Don't think they were afraid of any question, they didn't have anything at that time to ask though.
I wouldn't dismiss the weird vibe in that video so quickly.
Quite the opposite via my eyes. I think there's a lot that can be looked at there.
Dan...seemed really, uncomfortable in some of those situations. Just an observation. And since this was shot, he's left the company, as well as Barry, who is also in the video.
Their company President leaps out of frame and doesn't really talk to anyone. He did the same in the facebook stream that came up for Hot Wheels. If he's more from a traditional Indian family, that definitely guides some behavior.
Two games out, one ticket redemption being worked on, and I only saw one line worker there.
Pinball is all about nepotism, it's present in every company, and that makes sense. But I wonder why the guy doing graphic design work isn't an outside hire. It's obviously an assumption that he's related, but judging by his quality of work, he doesn't have much professional experience or pinball experience. Hence their GUI is poor, and as we've seen with Hot Wheels, will continue to be. Get that guy training, a partner, or give him a different non creative job.
Also, I always still wonder what facilitated Joe Balcer heading there. Did Lawlor push him out? Did API offer him complete freedom and more money?
There'd so much a weird hodgepodge that makes up API, and this video clearly demonstrates that in some ways.
Obviously we all have opinions, and they're just that, but this video had a distinct feel about it, and it wasn't for lack of work in that building.
Quoted from DanDanDAN:I can tend to use colorful language and it can be challenging to not say something stupid when on camera, also I was biting my tongue alot.
No.doubt. I'd imagine all around that's a weird space to be in. At least you got some time in, came out unscathed, and a different experience for sure!
You got some guns on ya man..! Keep those reps up.
Quoted from Yelobird:Still think your trying to read WAY to much into a simple video.
Why did Joe end up there. He simply was offered a career opportunity he felt was right for him.
Why was the President out of the video. He unlike most pinball people has NO interest in some false celebrity motive. He's a really nice guy and simply a quiet individual that see's it as a business.
Dan uncomfortable. As an awesome guy and salesman (he dam well better be!!!! lol) he had nothing to Sell. As this was unscripted he didn't have much of anything to promote which is what he does.
Only one line worker. They Were Closed!!! After hours doing a private tour with pinball fans and Todds team. Most line workers do Not appreciate being videoed.
Graphic designer is related Just because he May be the same ethnicity? Ahhh, no.
Dan and Barry. Can't answer that but they are both great guys with a valuable talent. My Guess is they were offered a better opportunity for them and their family and I see nothing uncomfortable in that decision.
Just a Total wish/suggestion. IF they sat down and listed the 10 things people disliked about Houdini and Fixed them they already have their answer. That game was a Home Run they just need to do it right. They Have the ability to make that a Top 10 game and I believe the market would give it a second chance. 250 LE total over hauled (animations top to bottom) and watch the money pour in!
I want to try to read up on Dhavel more than I have. He HAS to be a combination of figurehead like Gary or Jack, as well as their investors. As such, even if he's introverted, he DOES need to be somewhat assertive and sell. Otherwise, why did he get into this business??? That's what I truly want to know, as that guidance from him, is steering the semi half arsed direction of API, and really something we all wish to see, is API succeed.
Nirmal is Dhavel's nephew, if I'm not mistaken. Couldn't find much info on their animator, Ish Raneses, but if he's not family or a friend of the family......was he hired on his skillset...???? If so, man I wish I lived in Chicago or had pursued Graphic Design rather than bungling illustration.
Let's be genuine here Dave, we'll never truly know why people were hired or left the company. That shit is NDA'd out the arse. And that's fine, but pretending things aren't imbalanced, not guided correctly or wise decisions aren't being made at API isn't righting that ship. Armchair internet quarterbacking isn't either, but seeing their output, future output, and the overall queerness of that environment, to me, makes more sense as to their lack of success, more than it doesn't.
We are both entirely fine, and possibly accurate, in our mutually oppositional views, of course.
Quoted from LTG:Have you seen him at a show ?
I have. TPF and Expo. Salt of the earth. Great guy. Very approachable at a show. Pride in what he does and American Pinball. Great to talk to. Very open a friendly to people.
LTG : )
I know I watched him at the beginning of one or two of their game announcements. Seems nice, and is obviously a very bright and driven guy. I wrote a letter to him before buying Houdini even.
I'm just saying if he's somewhat traditional in background, there are definitely cultural differences in how things and the way people conduct themselves personally and professionally. I think as Americans, we always project our own sense of culture out there, and behavior, but thankfully....thankfully, the entire globe hasn't, yet anyway, become homogenized to our way of life.
I wish most cultures didn't attempt nearly full Westernization. But global $$$$$$.
Then again, I was watching some info on China's "Wet Markets", and yeesh...that's sumthin'.
Quoted from DanDanDAN:Dhaval and Nirmal are cousins.
Mukesh is Nirmal's father and Dhaval's uncle.
Ish is not related
So Mukesh owns the main tech company, and Dhaval runs API, yes...?
Daaaaaamn Dan, I guess my 1% of being accurate in anything from my posts, is now gone! I did recognize you accurately at least. 
Still wondering how Ish got that position. If he's the person accountable for florescent and fairly poor font usage...... 
Quoted from DanDanDAN:20 years ago I was built like a Greek God, now I am built like a Greek .
At least you're not built like a Greek....Shithouse.
ancient-toilets-dion-greece (resized).jpgIt's....OFFICIAL!!!
https://twitter.com/americanpinbal1/status/1239979598001168387?s=09
Screenshot_20200317-143022_Twitter (resized).jpgScreenshot_20200317-143034_Twitter (resized).jpgQuoted from Atari_Daze:It is rather bigly!
Yeah, I still don't understand their approach, at all.....
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