Quoted from rai:

ST reminds me somewhat of SM with the 3rd flipper and deep rules. The rules do need to be overhauled. I mean there is a lot of meat on the rules, but needs to be put together better. Hopefully they are working on this. Just the fact that so much is fleshed out on ST rules so far is promising to me, if they could make some side quests like SM has as well as (IMO) let the missions continue 1-2-3 deep rather than having to constantly hit the mode start to continue along, maybe have the mode start shot only if you want to change the mode. This one rule change IMO would do wonders for the ST game.
I will have both ST and IM and maybe Met (not sure) but you can't go wrong with either.

Quoted from Rarehero:

Of course it was...but from the first few VE reports, it seems like the playfields/clearcoat is improved. When I had IM, the playfield had that slightly 'wood ribbed' look to it that Sterns used to have sometimes. I bought an extra extra-cleared playfield - and it still had that ribbed look. If these new playfields are all glassy smooth, that would be great!

Quoted from CrazyLevi:

I could see how people aren't very good players, and whose mpression of a game is influenced primarily by how "bright" a game is could feel this way.
Skilled players learn to work with the drains on the far superior, better flowing STTNG, but certainly ST is better for beginner players. [hint: don't miss, don't flail, and learn to control the ball, and the "monster drains" aren't much of an issue.]
What I don't understand is how someone who is that impressed by light shows and brightness would prefer the do-nothing Vengeance ship (IT SHAKES!!!!) to the borg ship, which actually shoots the ball at you in three dimensional fashion.
It just goes to show there's a game for everyone! That's why pinball is so fabulous.