(Topic ID: 238792)

Alien Pinball - CONFIRMED!!! - Pinball Brothers Remake

By pcprogrammer

5 years ago


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Topic Stats

  • 4,090 posts
  • 435 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 1 year ago by brado426
  • Topic is favorited by 127 Pinsiders

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“Will Chicago Gaming manufacture Alien pinball?”

  • Yes, I believe it will happen 133 votes
    34%
  • No way, not a chance 253 votes
    66%

(386 votes)

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There are 4,090 posts in this topic. You are on page 18 of 82.
#851 4 years ago
Quoted from gliebig:

Any truth to the CGC rumor?

Yes they are being produced as we speak!

They are tired of making money cranking out old Williams games and it’s all Alien from now on!

#852 4 years ago
Quoted from CrazyLevi:

Yes they are being produced as we speak!
They are tired of making money cranking out old Williams games and it’s all Alien from now on!

#853 4 years ago
Quoted from manadams:

Saw that delt31 put his Alien up for sale, maybe a sign that we will see a remake in 2020?

Nah....he moves alot of games....all good...nothing to see here....

#854 4 years ago
Quoted from manadams:

Saw that delt31 put his Alien up for sale, maybe a sign that we will see a remake in 2020?

Quoted from MK6PIN:

Nah....he moves a lot of games....all good...nothing to see here.

So delt31 chooses not to stay with the hand he's been dealt?

#855 4 years ago
Quoted from PinballManiac40:

Easy. No one knows anything.

Iceman does!

#856 4 years ago

He may know some of what is happening, but obviously what should have happened hasn't since pinball is hard.

#857 4 years ago
Quoted from Mr68:

Would someone be kind enough to bring me up to speed?

And please be cryptic

#858 4 years ago

Is it shipping yet?

#859 4 years ago

You talking about the same Iceman that lost $500 and a bottle of nice tequila betting Alien would be reproduced in 2019?

4 weeks later
#860 4 years ago

Roumor has it the new Aliens is a Mark Ritchie game ? ...

Hotwheels is a non starter. AP could do well if this is their licenced theme

#861 4 years ago
Quoted from fosaisu:

You talking about the same Iceman that lost $500 and a bottle of nice tequila betting Alien would be reproduced in 2019?

Yep that’s me!

Timing was off but thats ok.

The Alien invasion is coming soon

Yes pinball is hard.

6 months later
#862 3 years ago
Quoted from iceman44:

Yep that’s me!
Timing was off but thats ok.
The Alien invasion is coming soon
Yes pinball is hard.

So when are these Aliens invading?? Any updates

#863 3 years ago
Quoted from Manny65:

So when are these Aliens invading?? Any updates

Ice was spot on as always!

‘Rona is a hoax, and also these are rolling off the line by the dozens.

Thanks for the scoops Ice!

#864 3 years ago

Holy shit that's funny

1 month later
#865 3 years ago

New Alien/Kaneda rumors. Anyone care to share their thoughts on this?

21
#866 3 years ago
Quoted from pcprogrammer:

New Alien/Kaneda rumors. Anyone care to share their thoughts on this?

It would explain a lot about his inability to interact properly with humans.

#867 3 years ago
Quoted from Blackjacker:

It would explain a lot about his inability to interact properly with humans.

#868 3 years ago
Quoted from pcprogrammer:

New Alien/Kaneda rumors. Anyone care to share their thoughts on this?

So you want rumors on top of rumors?

#869 3 years ago
Quoted from Blackjacker:

It would explain a lot about his inability to interact properly with humans.

....it would, indeed.

#870 3 years ago

With deeproot finally announcing, it would be funny if the pinball bros (if the company still exists??) would give some sign of life so people start saving their pinball money for a new alien and disrupt deeproots sales..

#871 3 years ago

There was definitely a revamp planned, but after repeated attempts it looks like the chances of it becoming a reality are fading

-6
#872 3 years ago

The Alien pin is outdated. Great theme and maybe great table but its outdated.

#873 3 years ago
Quoted from dgpinball:

There was definitely a revamp planned, but after repeated attempts it looks like the chances of it becoming a reality are fading

Aligns perfectly with DR's release scedule and scheme ....

#874 3 years ago
Quoted from Makakka:

The Alien pin is outdated. Great theme and maybe great table but its outdated.

That’s pretty much BS

#875 3 years ago
Quoted from Makakka:

The Alien pin is outdated. Great theme and maybe great table but its outdated.

I’d have to disagree based on Ninja Turtles being used as a theme. Pretty much throws “outdated theme fear” out the window.

#876 3 years ago
Quoted from Blackjacker:

It would explain a lot about his inability to interact properly with humans.

I don't care where people stand on Kaneda, funny is funny and that right there is funny.

2 months later
#877 3 years ago

Are they teasing us or will this see the light of day (soon)?

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#878 3 years ago

I hadn't even noticed this, just looked at their FB page and they are posting a ton of alien pics. Nothing that actually shows a machine though.

#879 3 years ago
Quoted from ausretrogamer:

Are they teasing us or will this see the light of day (soon)?
[quoted image]

Might have to start making some room for another pin

Quoted from pcprogrammer:

Are they trolling us?

LMAO

#880 3 years ago

Quit talking and start chalking. No one should care until we see games roll off an assembly line. I mean, if there's one lesson to learn from deerpoot...

#881 3 years ago
Quoted from Manny65:

Might have to start making some room for another pin

LMAO

Does someone have any info on this? I haven't been paying close attention to anything pinball the last year or so. GNR release caught my attention briefly. I thought Alien pinball was dead in the water.

#882 3 years ago
Quoted from yancy:

Quit talking and start chalking. No one should care until we see games roll off an assembly line. I mean, if there's one lesson to learn from deerpoot...

Couldn't agree more. They've got to prove themselves, show some credibility and long term commitment ... hopefully they've learnt from their previous attempt and equally I hope potential buyers have learnt and proceed cautiously.

Quoted from pcprogrammer:

Does someone have any info on this? I haven't been paying close attention to anything pinball the last year or so. GNR release caught my attention briefly. I thought Alien pinball was dead in the water.

Looks like just teasing (aka generating some interest in the market), so who knows what's planned (if anything) ...

#883 3 years ago
Quoted from Manny65:

Couldn't agree more. They've got to prove themselves, show some credibility and long term commitment ... hopefully they've learnt from their previous attempt and equally I hope potential buyers have learnt and proceed cautiously.

Looks like just teasing (aka generating some interest in the market), so who knows what's planned (if anything) ...

Agreed..must remember it was Heighway, not PB that attempted to get Alien out in production form (PB was only part of the puzzle).

CGC (per Lloyd) directly stated they had no interest in remaking.

The "new proto" has been circulating for around 2 years - W/B wide body, side art, no center screen, etc....probably just gauging interest, but need a legit manufacturer w deep pockets to make it happen.

JJP almost tanked, then an investment group apparently jumped in.

Heighway was not that fortunate. I look at my original invoice on my LE from Heighway....they would still be selling them if he could have got it across the line.

The problems w early Aliens is they were built from crap to try and fill an empty $$$ tank

The final run was relatively trouble free, and bugs would have been long worked out if he could have kept the company afloat. Didn't happen...is what it is

Looks like an effort to gauge interest. That's about it.

#884 3 years ago

Alien v Predator wouldn't have been very apealing for me, compared to Alien/Aliens.

Like so many franchises, the 4 or 5 mediocre follow ups make mockery of the great iconic original story and its faithful sequel.

Alien 3 onward, and the prequels/mash-ups, they really kinda sucked imho and I'm being nice. AvP particularly would have been a non starter for me (kill 2 stories/worlds in one swoop good work) where Aliens was a must!. OG Predator though, would have been cool too!!

Not being Alien/Aliens remake wouldn't matter though for me really anyway as I'm lucky enough to already have the game.

#885 3 years ago
Quoted from MK6PIN:

Agreed..must remember it was Heighway, not PB that attempted to get Alien out in production form (PB was only part of the puzzle).
CGC (per Lloyd) directly stated they had no interest in remaking.
The "new proto" has been circulating for around 2 years - W/B wide body, side art, no center screen, etc....probably just gauging interest, but need a legit manufacturer w deep pockets to make it happen.
JJP almost tanked, then an investment group apparently jumped in.
Heighway was not that fortunate. I look at my original invoice on my LE from Heighway....they would still be selling them if he could have got it across the line.
The problems w early Aliens is they were built from crap to try and fill an empty $$$ tank
The final run was relatively trouble free, and bugs would have been long worked out if he could have kept the company afloat. Didn't happen...is what it is
Looks like an effort to gauge interest. That's about it.

JJP burned too much and couldn't afford to run things at the levels needed to get to the black. The money was the bridge to span them until they had the titles and volumes. They made mistakes, but for the most part were running as a business you'd expect.

HWP was cheating everyone trying to bubblegum his way to a final release. It was a house of cards. HWP was closer to a JPOP then anything like a JJP. HWP tried to rob peter to pay paul, etc.

One company would have failed due to lack of success... the other failed due to bad leadership.

#886 3 years ago
Quoted from yancy:

Quit talking and start chalking. No one should care until we see games roll off an assembly line. I mean, if there's one lesson to learn from deerpoot...

Chalk up

#887 3 years ago
Quoted from flynnibus:

JJP burned too much and couldn't afford to run things at the levels needed to get to the black. The money was the bridge to span them until they had the titles and volumes. They made mistakes, but for the most part were running as a business you'd expect.
HWP was cheating everyone trying to bubblegum his way to a final release. It was a house of cards. HWP was closer to a JPOP then anything like a JJP. HWP tried to rob peter to pay paul, etc.
One company would have failed due to lack of success... the other failed due to bad leadership.

Nah, they both fail in similiar fashion, imho. People were circling JJP's building back in the day w the "WTF" and people were in deep. The game came out virtually unplayable, w monsterous problems. They were chewing their share of bubble gum as well. Had to lose crazy $$$ getting the game right. They were fortunate, staying the course.

In their defense, they stuck it out, found the $$$ and some great people, to right the ship (to current state).

Heighway was circled, but mostly dark stateside. Hell, the US team (one of the best assembled) didn't even know what was going on. A much, much different audience, however. No one knew what was really happening. When they ran out of money, no where near the avenues of relief. No bridge for them, so the scramble turned into deception and desperation. Truth is - how many pinball machines are actually made overseas as opposed to the US? Can't imagine Andrew's trips to the bank or wherever he tried to find the funding.

I'll never defend them, and was terrible what happened to all the people that didn't get paid, deposits lost, etc.

One got the bridge and lived, the other did not and tanked. A Jpop pie in the sky comparison doesn't apply.....stick him w Kevin.

This is a story of $$$, or lack thereof, pure and simple.

#888 3 years ago

Would love this to be true but one things for sure. I will never give any money down on any pinball machine again. I got it back on Alien and lost a little with Kevin the fuckface on Predator but that was enough. Pinball Brothers? never heard of them. Would much rather Stern made an Alien pin. Then a Predator pin. Then a Robocop and Mad Max etc. But most likey I'm gonna have to deal with Zeppelin then some 80's cartoon and more Marvel superhero crap. What a shame. The iconic line up of games I could and should have. Where's Blade Runner, I ask u, where? Oh wait we did just get GnR, HotWheels and AIQ

MV5BNzQzMzJhZTEtOWM4NS00MTdhLTg0YjgtMjM4MDRkZjUwZDBlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjU0OTQ0OTY@._V1_UY1200_CR88,0,630,1200_AL_ (resized).jpgMV5BNzQzMzJhZTEtOWM4NS00MTdhLTg0YjgtMjM4MDRkZjUwZDBlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjU0OTQ0OTY@._V1_UY1200_CR88,0,630,1200_AL_ (resized).jpg

#889 3 years ago

New Alien has been in development 2 years now. A radical new design last I heard.

And Blade Runner has been done ; )

#890 3 years ago

I know that much of that two years' work has been to reduce as much unnecessary build cost as possible. There has been talk of the design being streamlined to fit into a standard body cabinet, but they would have had to simplify a considerable amount out to make that happen. The old design relies heavily on cross-playfield angles that intersect with each other, and layers overlaid over each other. Out of all the designs that were ever on the cards at Heighway, Alien was the most geometrically complex, and current owners like it like that. Weighing that up with the costs that a redesign would require, I can't judge which way PB would ultimately go with this.

And honestly, aside from the recent teasers they've kept the development of this iteration very much to themselves. I honestly have no idea what it looks like now. Which was the right call to make; one less source to leak. Kaneda could ask me multiple times "what's going on with Alien" and I'd reply truthfully "you know as much as I do".

#891 3 years ago
Quoted from EalaDubhSidhe:

There has been talk of the design being streamlined to fit into a standard body cabinet, but they would have had to simplify a considerable amount out to make that happen.

Good. I think the Heighway game looks great but I'm over sculpted toys and magnets all that jazz. Streamlined and fast sounds perfect for this theme. As long as the modes are the same and even then I would care if they were new, just want an Alien pin in the house.

Quoted from SLAMT1LT:

And Blade Runner has been done ; )

What? I see ur winking but not sure why.

#892 3 years ago

There is a new teaser image on their FB page today.

#893 3 years ago
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#894 3 years ago

So is that the actual playfield schematic? Are they really removing the playfield screen? That seems dumb

#895 3 years ago
Quoted from MK6PIN:

Nah, they both fail in similiar fashion, imho. People were circling JJP's building back in the day w the "WTF" and people were in deep. The game came out virtually unplayable, w monsterous problems. They were chewing their share of bubble gum as well. Had to lose crazy $$$ getting the game right. They were fortunate, staying the course.

Not my recollection. Besides the lighting board revisions (try, try, try again..) and the limited Mirco playfield issues it wasn't a basketcase at all. 'unplayable'?? Never. Lighting boards being out.. yes.

Quoted from MK6PIN:

Heighway was circled, but mostly dark stateside. Hell, the US team (one of the best assembled) didn't even know what was going on. A much, much different audience, however. No one knew what was really happening. When they ran out of money, no where near the avenues of relief. No bridge for them, so the scramble turned into deception and desperation. Truth is - how many pinball machines are actually made overseas as opposed to the US?

The problems had little to do with being in the UK - and everything to do with bad leadership choices. From bad choices to try to do stuff in house that didn't need to be, to the scamming of his employees, to the labor law issues, to the unqualified engineers, to the mishandling of relationships, to the deception, the lies, etc etc etc. The US team were compartmentalized and weren't 'feet on the street' to see what was happening behind what they were told. So they were held at arms length and weren't able to end-around what Andrew was doing. Alien is an example of bad engineering combined with horrible leadership at both the project and corporate level, lies, and consequences of things running the ship into the rocks. The bank account didn't sink Alien - Andrew and the sum of their output did. The game woefully needs an overhaul.. and hopefully this new release will go in and fix those things.

Quoted from MK6PIN:

This is a story of $$$, or lack thereof, pure and simple.

No way - listen to the insiders. From his manipulation to try force people to work for free, from his decisions to build a factory first, from his decisions to bring stuff inhouse that they really couldn't do anyways, from the decisions to not properly staff to QA and hire the right engineers, to the mishandling of the licensing, to the lying to is employees, to the lying to the customers, to the fraud to try to sell games to get cash now... These were all things Andrew poisoned the company with.

There is a reason the money folks intervened and basically took the assets away from HWP - instead of just putting more money in and letting it ride.

#896 3 years ago
Quoted from Rdoyle1978:

So is that the actual playfield schematic? Are they really removing the playfield screen? That seems dumb

There's still a big rectangle there for the screen... but maybe its no longer a big housing?

That looks like the APC targets on the (reversed) left side and the flipper near the saucer on the lower third of that diagram

#897 3 years ago
Quoted from flynnibus:

Not my recollection. Besides the lighting board revisions (try, try, try again..) and the limited Mirco playfield issues it wasn't a basketcase at all. 'unplayable'?? Never. Lighting boards being out.. yes.

Your recollection fails you. Playfields were actually fine back then (hmm), but there were many issues beyond the lightboards....this is not a JJP bash post, I love the company, especially after they got staffed proper. But acting like they didn't have near death blows getting things going is just silly.

Heighway's failure had everything to do with naive leadership and poor choices. Nothing $$$ couldn't have fixed. Andrew had the passion and vision for Alien as the strongest of any other manufacturer. There were some geniuses on the team. They had made the Bacardi build, and picked a woeful first title. If he had picked Alien first, I suspect this story could have had a very happy ending. He was a desperate businessman, and took desperate measures...none that can be condoned or excused. Money never matters until you don't have it.

I know (knew) many insiders in the camps, believe it or not, and yes, if the game was made over here w better visibility, it could have killed. I'll simply pose the question of geography to anyone (it's already been answered) - How many people are going to buy this VE if it's not made by an established company in the states? For better or worse, just sort of is what it is.

The final build of Alien is not "woefully in need of an overhaul". Far from it, and plays as reliably as any of my other games. Facinating shot geometry, and an A/V package that hasn't been approached by any other pin I've seen. You cannot be in tune to the game with that statement. While the connectivity issues and minor things could have been handled better (serial lighting, power woes, sound familiar?), a company with proper funding could have hired the personnel needed to work the issues out.

Anyway...all irrevelant chatter. This thread lives in my "TRON VE" catagory, but will be fun (maybe) to watch things unfold.

Out of this one for awhile.....must enjoy the time off while I have it.......

#898 3 years ago
Quoted from MK6PIN:

Your recollection fails you. Playfields were actually fine back then (hmm), but there were many issues beyond the lightboards....this is not a JJP bash post, I love the company, especially after they got staffed proper. But acting like they didn't have near death blows getting things going is just silly.

They had playfield issues... the notorious delamination in the pops area. But it was a short lived problem. What other things are you trying to point to?

Quoted from MK6PIN:

Heighway's failure had everything to do with naive leadership and poor choices. Nothing $$$ couldn't have fixed

Money doesn't change leadership - that's why the problems are ultimately rooted and unsolvable until Andrew was not part of the picture. 'Nothing $$$ couldn't have fixed'? Sounds like the deeproot strategy with jpop

Quoted from MK6PIN:

The final build of Alien is not "woefully in need of an overhaul". Far from it, and plays as reliably as any of my other games. Facinating shot geometry, and an A/V package that hasn't been approached by any other pin I've seen. You cannot be in tune to the game with that statement.

I was right here when our friends did much of the work documenting and sourcing parts. I've had my hands inside 7 different alien games... including 2 that were the 'late builds'. There are still 2 of those in our close circle. I've been close associates with the lead programmer for 25 years. I think I'm qualified to make my statement.

From the plastics, to the xeno, to the IO boards, to the lights, to the cardboard cabinet... the game needed an overhaul before anyone should have attempted to build it again.

#899 3 years ago
Quoted from flynnibus:

They had playfield issues... the notorious delamination in the pops area. But it was a short lived problem. What other things are you trying to point to?

Money doesn't change leadership - that's why the problems are ultimately rooted and unsolvable until Andrew was not part of the picture. 'Nothing $$$ couldn't have fixed'? Sounds like the deeproot strategy with jpop

I was right here when our friends did much of the work documenting and sourcing parts. I've had my hands inside 7 different alien games... including 2 that were the 'late builds'. There are still 2 of those in our close circle. I've been close associates with the lead programmer for 25 years. I think I'm qualified to make my statement.
From the plastics, to the xeno, to the IO boards, to the lights, to the cardboard cabinet... the game needed an overhaul before anyone should have attempted to build it again.

Who was the lead developer? Ferret ? He’s a frickin wizard

29
#900 3 years ago

This is what I can tell from the schematic alone. You're looking at the underside of the playfield, so the image will be flipped. Those big square areas will be the new circuit boards. Ignoring those and focusing on the positions of the t-nuts and the mechs...

The game is still a widebody, all four flippers are in the same places, and all the shots are intact. The drop targets on the right are still there, the scoop on the left is still there. I can't see the pops area so I don't know what's been done there. But there looks to have been a little shifting and refining so that all the revised mechs can fit, as well as the chief difference...

...They've put the second magnet back.

During development of the original, this was intended to snatch the ball out of the right orbit, and drop it into the chestburster area as a feed to the upper right flipper. It got dropped because the playfield sat directly onto the interior rails of the cabinet, and no mechs could clash with that space. We spent ages trying to come up with a decent workaround that would do the same thing, and eventually had to drop it altogether as a matter of cost - we were overthinking it and making any potential 'solution' way too expensive. But now that they've gone back to what looks like Bally/Williams cabinet interior standards, the edge restriction has been removed, and that magnet can go back in.

So what you're seeing here with the revision is pretty much the same game, minus the playfield screen expense, but with even more flow than the original actually has.

This has got me genuinely excited to see what else they've done, and I *DESIGNED* that original.

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