Weren't there also alot of problems with the playfield display not sitting fully level? Cracked displays, balls hopping, etc.? I could see it not only being about cost, but also less maintenance and problem support.
(Topic ID: 238792)
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Alien (Heighway Pinball)
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Quoted from nwpinball:Weren't there also alot of problems with the playfield display not sitting fully level? Cracked displays, balls hopping, etc.? I could see it not only being about cost, but also less maintenance and problem support.
maybe the first runs, but towards the end I dont think there were any issues, mine doesnt.
For the company to decrease the total loss overall.
At the same time they feed us with an old design that was nearly finished, but they sell it as a brandnew idea?
Bend, OR
My playfield LCD display is fine, and a playfield window no big deal. Shoulda kept that one for sure. It must save lot of money to remove the huge LCD and playfield one. I'd bet buyers would pay $1000 more for the playfield LCD, so that is an unfortunate decision. The LCD screen in the playfield is awesome! I completely disagree with others who say it isn't helpful, even necessary to the atmosphere. However, I'd bet there will be some way to implement at least a small LCD somewhere under glass. The larger LCD on the backglass is extremely cool, but not necessary. There may be a way to hack that as well, with the old backglass. But...it's looking otherwise like the same game to me. Even the induction switches have remained, which is great imo. People criticize the old cabinet, but after owning it for a few weeks now, I love it. It fits the Alien "feel" of a heavy industrial machine, and the illuminated side art is beautiful. As to the art, there are critics but I'm not one of them. Aurich did a great job. I'm a huge fan of H.R. Giger's art and it is there: in the video, the xeno, the facehuggers, etc. The big variable that will be most important here is continued software development and support. Will that be offered to the original owners? So...did my Alien LE just drop in value? Who cares, it's an awesome game and deserves a larger group of owners. Btw, the rank on Pinside is ridiculous. It is easily a top 20 game, for me a top 10, easily better than the two JJPOTCs I've owned. But I've learned over the years not to pay much attention to the list.
I wonder if there will be a budget no screen version as well as screen option. The screen tied into gameplay modes is very important to me.
Quoted from Royale-W-Cheese:Modders are ready to pounce . Bring it on.
I'm looking forward to the pictures of owners cutting holes in the playfield with the jigsaw
What a waste of ressources... if they use the same motherboard, there are four ports for monitors.... do they plug in only one of them for the airlock screen?
Quoted from Yesh23:What were the original price of the machines when they sold years ago?
I think around 9k for the LE?
I recall $6500 for the standard at EXPO in 2015. then the prices went up, options changed, etc.
Quoted from Oneangrymo:I think around 9k for the LE?
It would be crazy if we find out tomorrow that DeepRoot is making it, and the video feed that went to the playfield display is now going to the Pinbar.
I'm going to guess 8k.
Quoted from Yesh23:What does everyone think the new price point will be?
Quoted from Yesh23:What does everyone think the new price point will be?
i'm guessing Big Lebowski range, maybe a touch cheaper but not much
Quoted from Yesh23:What were the original price of the machines when they sold years ago?
I had my LE on order w Heighway direct for $7500.00 back then. The suspense and reveals were outstanding...the rest? Well, turns out you actually have to make these games and stay with them...that part never made it in the updates...
Very interested to see this happen. Great game if it comes in more reliable. Amazing shooter and integration.
Quoted from cait001:i'm guessing Big Lebowski range, maybe a touch cheaper but not much
Yeah, I'd bet it's $10.5K or more. I don't know how many they'll sell at that price but in Europe they may still do okay because of the tariff on US games.
Quoted from cait001:that upper left ramp shot seems tight! How do owners find it?
If the geometry is like the original, it's not that bad... easier than the Whirlwind Millions Plus ramp.
Quoted from bobukcat:Yeah, I'd bet it's $10.5K or more. I don't know how many they'll sell at that price but in Europe they may still do okay because of the tariff on US games.
Ouch, that price might not work for me since they've stripped out features.
Quoted from Hazoff:I think it looks great. Couldn't care less about a PF monitor.
Agreed!!!!
Quoted from Indypin:I just have to say one thing about all this. Alien is the one pin I REALLY enjoy playing the most. Mine has been really reliable (small adjustment on the ball launch and I just got a broken switch on the right ramp) and I still feel like I just battled a bunch of aliens after playing a game. It's that intense. Mr. Thiel did an excellent job on the sound and kudos to everybody else involved. I know I sound like a broken record because I said this before, but when a pin comes together like Alien did you can't help but gush about it.
I hope this company goes thru with the manufacturing of this pin. Heck, I like the idea of possibly having to order some parts from this company in case I need to, maybe a spare facehugger or two if they do it. I never could understand why Chicago Gaming wouldn't sell the toppers for MB, MM and AFM and haven't rigged up somehow to work with the Williams' electronics. They could have made some good money.
I put some mods on my pin and I have MK6pin's apron coming in a week or two. Cant wait for the hypersleep chamber mod to come out being made by one of our pinsiders and he confirmed his company will start making them once he finishes up with various other topper designs. I really want to max my pin out because it's a keeper for me and, to me, money well spent. Anything to immerse me more in the gameplay, which is already off the hooks.
You secure that shit Hudson!
Some of you remember the shitshow I went through getting my refund back from Andrew. It was made public here the night before his big reveal.
Anyway, I’d get one of these. Ahem, only after they’ve been made available for sale. Preorders suck donkey balls and speculating is for the market...not when buying a pin. 
Quoted from Royale-W-Cheese:Modders are ready to pounce . Bring it on.
Playfields with display windows are still sitting stagnant at Mirco, after all. Question is how much updating would be required to upgrade the playfield to LE (PF display) if it turns out possible, and will the display assets remain the same enough so that the PF display would still work as intended in the new machines.
Common code or not will be the clincher. Either two different code builds for each version, or the same code build for both with option settings to suit which physical game version it is applied to. The later would seem to be the most sensible and cost effective, keeping one lot of code updated rather than two lots. Alot hinges on whether the code is shared between versions or not.
Quoted from locke987:I'm looking forward to the pictures of owners cutting holes in the playfield with the jigsaw
No doubt this will happen somewhere Lol ... and so emphasise how Most would Really Want the Playfield Display instead of the gutted out version... Mirco may soon become sold out of their never to be made again Heighway Alien Playfield stocks .... 
Quoted from pcprogrammer:Ouch, that price might not work for me since they've stripped out features.
That’s like when jjp made YBR Woz more money but took out the cool monkey ball mover.
I’m hoping $7500 plus shipping.
Also hoping they make various tier one with PF display for extra charge.
Quoted from dts:Add at least couple of thousand to that. The quality is like a JJP LE. If it is $7500, that would be the best deal in pinball.
Best deal imo is/was AFM remake at $6K
Guisborough
Quoted from razorsedge:Playfields with display windows are still sitting stagnant at Mirco, after all. Question is how much updating would be required to upgrade the playfield to LE (PF display) if it turns out possible, and will the display assets remain the same enough so that the PF display would still work as intended in the new machines.
Common code or not will be the clincher. Either two different code builds for each version, or the same code build for both with option settings to suit which physical game version it is applied to. The later would seem to be the most sensible and cost effective, keeping one lot of code updated rather than two lots. Alot hinges on whether the code is shared between versions or not.No doubt this will happen somewhere Lol ... and so emphasise how Most would Really Want the Playfield Display instead of the gutted out version... Mirco may soon become sold out of their never to be made again Heighway Alien Playfield stocks ....
Why do you assume everyone wants an LCD in the playfield just because that's what you prefer?
Quoted from razorsedge:Playfields with display windows are still sitting stagnant at Mirco, after all. Question is how much updating would be required to upgrade the playfield to LE (PF display) if it turns out possible, and will the display assets remain the same enough so that the PF display would still work as intended in the new machines.
Common code or not will be the clincher. Either two different code builds for each version, or the same code build for both with option settings to suit which physical game version it is applied to. The later would seem to be the most sensible and cost effective, keeping one lot of code updated rather than two lots. Alot hinges on whether the code is shared between versions or not.No doubt this will happen somewhere Lol ... and so emphasise how Most would Really Want the Playfield Display instead of the gutted out version... Mirco may soon become sold out of their never to be made again Heighway Alien Playfield stocks ....
What type of code would be needed? Seems that second display was nothing more then a mirror splitter of the primary screen. Personally never seen a value added having it but looked nice.
Quoted from rai:Best deal imo is/was AFM remake at $6K
I hate (ok I love) pointing this out, but that game actually cost about $6,800 after tax/shipping, and of course the color DMD which I think we can assume almost everybody got.
The $6,000 MSRP was a complete mirage.
And this Alien Resurrection will be $12K or so (or whatever Lebowski is going for now). THey know the people who REALLY want it will pay up, so why would they go the bargain basement route? THe last thing they want to do is have to build thousands of these. Better to sell a few hundred to the I'll-sell-my-daughter-for-this crowd.
Quoted from Yelobird:What type of code would be needed? Seems that second display was nothing more then a mirror splitter of the primary screen. Personally never seen a value added having it but looked nice.
Helps with playing the game. You see what to do in the modes quickly, and it creates a cool motion detector graphic on the playfield, as well as ambient light. Necessary, no. Just cool. I'm still in line for a remake, so I'll compare them side by side and see which I ultimately prefer.
Hedared
Quoted from dts:Helps with playing the game. You see what to do in the modes quickly, and it creates a cool motion detector graphic on the playfield, as well as ambient light. Necessary, no. Just cool. I'm still in line for a remake, so I'll compare them side by side and see which I ultimately prefer.
Understood as I have the game just looking at this New option as a more reliable alternative. Just felt while nice the screen was basically redundant. I really like their revision of weapons vs screen personally. Hope this goes well.
Quoted from CrazyLevi:I hate (ok I love) pointing this out, but that game actually cost about $6,800 after tax/shipping, and of course the color DMD which I think we can assume almost everybody got.
The $6,000 MSRP was a complete mirage.
And this Alien Resurrection will be $12K or so (or whatever Lebowski is going for now). THey know the people who REALLY want it will pay up, so why would they go the bargain basement route? THe last thing they want to do is sell thousands of these. Better to sell a few hundred to the I'll-sell-my-daughter-for-this crowd.
My gut on this...... the game won’t cost 12.5.
Follow the signs
$12 is a no go. They need to offer a basic model at $7.5 or so, then do the Spooky add a feature to bling it out if you want.
Topping out with all the trimmings at $10.5 or so.
I'll pay $9.5 tops.
Message from the Freeeek Kingdom.
Quoted from dts:My playfield LCD display is fine, and a playfield window no big deal. Shoulda kept that one for sure. It must save lot of money to remove the huge LCD and playfield one. I'd bet buyers would pay $1000 more for the playfield LCD, so that is an unfortunate decision. The LCD screen in the playfield is awesome! I completely disagree with others who say it isn't helpful, even necessary to the atmosphere. However, I'd bet there will be some way to implement at least a small LCD somewhere under glass. The larger LCD on the backglass is extremely cool, but not necessary. There may be a way to hack that as well, with the old backglass. But...it's looking otherwise like the same game to me. Even the induction switches have remained, which is great imo. People criticize the old cabinet, but after owning it for a few weeks now, I love it. It fits the Alien "feel" of a heavy industrial machine, and the illuminated side art is beautiful. As to the art, there are critics but I'm not one of them. Aurich did a great job. I'm a huge fan of H.R. Giger's art and it is there: in the video, the xeno, the facehuggers, etc. The big variable that will be most important here is continued software development and support. Will that be offered to the original owners? So...did my Alien LE just drop in value? Who cares, it's an awesome game and deserves a larger group of owners. Btw, the rank on Pinside is ridiculous. It is easily a top 20 game, for me a top 10, easily better than the two JJPOTCs I've owned. But I've learned over the years not to pay much attention to the list.
It’s a top 5 game
And the only game I’d never sell
Quoted from iceman44:I think you guys are gonna be disappointed on the pricing
Much higher than you think
But it’s finally here!!!
Gotta give it to you you were right the whole time thank goodnesss u didn’t accept my bet
Quoted from Oneangrymo:Gotta give it to you you were right the whole time thank goodnesss u didn’t accept my bet
Lol. 2 yrs later. Just glad I didn’t sell my Alien in the process
Get ready. Cointaker coming with it
Canmore, AB
Quoted from iceman44:I think you guys are gonna be disappointed on the pricing
Much higher than you think
But it’s finally here!!!
Yeah, I agree. I think the price is gonna be in Big Lebowski territory.
QSS
Quoted from razorsedge:Common code or not will be the clincher. Either two different code builds for each version, or the same code build for both with option settings to suit which physical game version it is applied to. The later would seem to be the most sensible and cost effective, keeping one lot of code updated rather than two lots. Alot hinges on whether the code is shared between versions or not.
Packaging is the least of their software worries for what you are talking about.. the code can easily branch internally or be built separately. That's just grunt work. The real extra work is in living with the extra validation and troubleshooting of everything being done in two different environments with different constraints. It's that ongoing overhead that drives the software cost up over time. As your common game code advances, you still have to validate all work on both environments. That's the kind of stuff developers hate.
There is no money in PBros investing in supporting the old game's code... especially if they've redone the hardware. But it would be interesting if they sold new code for the old games.. that could maybe make it worthwhile.. but you still have that dog of old hardware. Maybe they built with upgrades in mind... to make in place hardware swaps possible.. or maybe they just focus on selling new games. Really depends on how much they committed to that concept early on...
The problem with all of these concepts is the market is finite and limited. Can you charge enough to make it worth it? Is the goodwill worth the opportunity cost and expense? Those are business decisions they would have to make and live with. It's a hard sell to say "make 200 games work...and it will only ever be 200 games..' vs investing in something you hope will sell 500+ games and have much more upside.
I'll enter the office pool with a bet at 8500k base model... trimmed upwards of 10k.
Second guess is 7800 base model.
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