Boulder, CO
Quoted from Dan1733:I hope stern only gets a couple hundred out and this becomes the new BBB. Will be interesting to revisit the agony of hundreds of outraged hobbyists.
Take a deep breath before holding it on that one.
(Topic ID: 322628)
Linked Games
James Bond 007 (60th LE)
Stern, 2023
Topic Gallery
Quoted from snaroff:The LCD on the PF doesn't display any film footage? That's bizarre. What does it display?
According to the podcast, the programmer says its purpose is to display gameplay objectives, kind of like a power point presentation. Here is an actual working example.
CCE09D41-F501-4C6A-A0EF-9AAA5705A64C (resized).png
London
Quoted from Pinball-Wiz:Stern has ruined the magic. I remember when threads were about exciting new layouts, trying to figure out what a toy does, and comparing it to other machines. Not it's ALL ABOUT THE PRICE.
Who has made it all about the price? STERN.
I think JJP were first to go nuts on pricing putting the price of GNR up for no reason at all, then Spooky also recently.
I'd say the number of pinball buyers has made it all about the price... its supply and demand. Economics 101. Also hasn't helped that the price of materials that stern use have all more than doubled in the last couple of years, Stern having to jack the price up between Mando and GZ because of material costs.
Neil.
Quoted from galore2112:Same with me. I bought my first pinball machine around 2000 but didn’t join this forum until last year. Not sure why people assume that pinside years = years in this hobby.
Many people assume newbie accounts are fake and all held by the same troll.
Quoted from NeilMcRae:I'm going to hack mine so it displays some of the epic outrage quotes from this ridiculous thread.
It would be funny... can you hack an insider connected machine though? I know this is a joke, but I do want to know for kicks. Has someone gotten custom code up on one yet?
Quoted from ASAC_Schrader:Just to clarify I’ve been in the hobby for 20 years. I am just new to pinside. I just like to play pinball and will likely just go back to doing that.
You do not need to justify yourself to any good people here. Learn to drain threads and ignore Pinsiders. There are plenty of goid people in owners threads, tech help threads. These hype threads can be quite toxic especially when discussions become about money.
Quoted from NeilMcRae:I'm going to hack mine so it displays some of the epic outrage quotes from this ridiculous thread.
Ha ha ha. Best comnent on this thread so far!
Quoted from Pinball-Wiz:all I know is this- I have become disenfranchised with a hobby I have active
Hobby is more than NIB and Stern.
Playing, fixing, and people in community are great.
Consider a break or avoiding what you find toxic.
I can't wait for mine to delivered. Im looking forward to it. Its looks like a blast, and I love keith's designs.
I would bet that if the game was 12k new, they all would have sold out immediately and the flippers and vendors who play the market price game would be getting 20K today even before we saw the game play. No one would be crying about the price or how they feel cheated that Stern wants to make money and made a rare collectible, and charged so it was worth doing.
The supreme games comes to mind that Stern charged 7k ish for a game that has sold for crazy money now.And that's a reskin.
This is a Keith Elwin, limited to 500 game that is going to be a blast to play.How much should Stern have charged knowing they put in all the investment of coding, licence fees, designer fees, ect and only making 500 of them?
I personally totally expected 20k, I would have liked to see 12-15 but that was only hopeful thinking.
Quoted from NeilMcRae:What total fucking rubbish. You mean like every OTHER LE game. I’ve seen more of this game than the last two Stern LE’s I bought and don’t forget the Ultraman/Halloween shitshow where I had to put down a grand to get a game and decided to toss it because the game sucked from the highest level ever. Go take your fake bullshit somewhere else. There is nothing different about Stern’s approach here you lays your moneys you takes your choices. Honestly.
If Bond turns out to be half the game (at 2X+ the $) as Halloween you should be thankful. Your bullshit on this point isn’t fake.
Quoted from kklank:It’s funny how the “outrage” for the price of the LE jumping dramatically has completely stop and in some ways accepted.
Well done Stern. Smart marketing.
When the 13k Venom comes out, it'll be back. And even worse...
Quoted from BrianJ1337:I’m actually blaming the reseller market. Stern sees people are making money weeks after launching every single time. Why wouldn’t they eventually start charging more? The price of goods has gone up across the board for every single thing from necessities to luxury goods pinball is no different. Does it suck? Absolutely.
This is the same logic that people used to defend TS4 pricing!It’s bullshit when JJP did it and it’s bullshit when Stern does it
Quoted from BrianJ1337:My groceries cost way more than they did last year as well but I’m not blaming my supermarket.
Of course you aren't. Stern doesn't equal the supermarket. They equal the producer, and yes.... we all blame the producers.
Quoted from ASAC_Schrader:Does this Hardy gentleman honestly think that Stern intentionally set out to do this. That they sat in the board room and discussed that they should say it's exclusive to the 60th and then later make it available for the other games. That Stern is actually out to do this? OR maybe it was a marketing mistake? It has to be the latter. If you go back and listen to earlier Gomez interviews he specifically said that the 60th topper is the official Bond topper and will be available for the other games. Stern is not immune to making mistakes, get over it people. But I am coming to realize I will just get down voted for speaking common sense. Flame on
Also, does Hardy ever do positive videos or is he just another one of those overly negative pinball people that seem to be everywhere.
Defending your purchase. I get it. But Stern the victim here? Honest mistakes made? Decades of watching Stern made ‘honest mistakes.’
9B63B377-0C03-4E6A-B367-EC7334FE36D2.gifQuoted from demandecan55:Well yeah, no Bond video assets is crazy. The Beatles had video assets. And to say "Exclusive 007 Topper" on a video titled "James Bond 007 60th Anniversary limited Edition Game Features" - boy does that suck
I really don't know how that can be misinterpreted - EXCLUSIVE TOPPER on their "Game Features"
I do wish this was a positive thread but Stern keeps the bad PR up each day it seems. I mentioned this earlier, but articles with Gomez interviewed a while back mentioned it would have video assets. Gomez never corrected that. It is really scummy. And I like Gomez, he can be really open and honest (Like how he said we could see a Goldfinger Edition day one). But this 60th stuff is really... really scummy
is everyone going to lose their shit when the games share the same armor?
This may be related to how tough it is getting things approved.
why does everyone assume approvals are the issue here? They made 3 other bond games...those all look better than this on the whole.
I would like to say they tried to do something innovative, but I just don't see it. You could drop that pf in any other theme or game and not know the difference. The entire package just doesn't cut it.
Quoted from Zablon:why does everyone assume approvals are the issue here? They made 3 other bond games...those all look better than this on the whole.
I would like to say they tried to do something innovative, but I just don't see it. You could drop that pf in any other theme or game and not know the difference. The entire package just doesn't cut it.
Innovative =cheap.
Quoted from Vino:Hobby is more than NIB and Stern.
Playing, fixing, and people in community are great.
Consider a break or avoiding what you find toxic.
Exactly this..
Well said and I agree with you.
Quoted from NeilMcRae:the hype threads are shitshows. full of morons who have no intention of buying the game but want to say a million reasons why not. or you have the other half who are trying to gaslight you with their version of history. The club threads is where to go - they are awesome with friendly pinball owners and former owners working together for the good of the hobby. Notable epic club theads: Batman 66, stranger things, Godzilla, Elvira, 007 - all awesome. There are some cooks that occasionally appear but you'll figure that out and add them to ignore.
Yet here you are insulting people, when most of us are insulting the machine and some even insulted BY the machine.
Real classy dude. Why dont you leave this thread and wait for the owners thread. NOT.REAL.HARD
Quoted from snaroff:The LCD on the PF doesn't display any film footage? That's bizarre. What does it display?
Service menu. Hard to navigate settings using 4 score reels.
Quoted from ASAC_Schrader:I’m starting to regret my decision to create a pinside account, this place is toxic. Can’t say anything positive or be excited about a game without getting a slew of down votes and belittled to death.
You've dished more downvotes lately than anyone else I've seen. Wait for the owners thread if you want rainbows and unicorns.
Quoted from Bublehead:I used to chat on the internet using IRC chat and your ID or “handle” had a finite character length of 9 characters max. This is the exact reason my “handle” is spelled with only one “B” (ok, yeah spelled with 2 “B” ’s instead of three, let’s get all “technical”, gosh!) and everyone asks me why my handle is misspelled. It isn’t and wasn’t because, well, see the beginning sentence. This gives me a neat little ice breaker story to tell people when they meet me and call me “Booblehead” and I correct them and tell them it’s pronounced “bubble-head”. So those who know me will call me a bubble headed booby instead of a booble-headed bobby. But all of that just gets you to back to the fact I’m called a bubble head for a reason, and that reason was I was a submarine sailor in the US Navy and we are “unkindly”called bubbleheads by the sailors in the surface fleet, or as we liked to unkindly call them- “targets”.
Nice story. How long have you been into Michael Buble?
Didn't realize that a pinball topper had the power of giving so many people a slice of humble pie. Buyers are worried about what it might do to their machines' value. Flippers are a subcategory of buyers who are REALLY worried about what it might do the the value of a game that they only intended to flip. Stern seems to have slipped up for sure. They could definitely stand to be brought down a couple of notches. It all seems good from the vantage point of the "other side of the tracks" of the pin hobby.
And it's a great thing that people don't see these things as investments. 
Quoted from NeilMcRae:LOL - Rolex absolutely control the grey market, they created it deliberately by limiting supply. which gives them an order book thats rammed. They are doing exactly_ the same thing in real terms as Stern by limiting demand (they are also reducing the number of channels you can buy through too). But they are also in a much more mature market place with many competitors. If you've been into watches that long you'll know that pre 2018 they for 10 years the massively increased prices. All the watch analysts are predicting 20-30 reduction in grey market because Rolex are saying they are going to increase production but I some how doubt it.
Neil.
But it's NOT the same in any way... You can still get a watch at an extremely fair (and low price) compared to resale directly from the source they control- the Authorized Dealers. I don't know how you could say Rolex is controlling the resale market by offering watches at tens of thousands less at MSRP (MONEY to their pocket). If you are saying they are limiting production, that's somewhat ridiculous like saying Stern has limited production over the past year on Godzillas... it's DEMAND and they can't produce enough. But, what has stern done? RAISED PRICES ABOVE AND BEYOND the grey market... Rolex has done no such thing. How many skilled watch builders do you think that hand make watches are available above and beyond what they have historically had? They can't just hire temp workers like Stern.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm on the watch forums too and I know that's a theory... but it makes ZERO sense. 10 years ago I walked into a Rolex dealer and purchased a highly desirable piece from the case.. and they moved inventory just like Stern did 10 years ago... steady. Now that demand is up... one has taken advantage of the market and is bleeding it dry (STERN) the other has maintained a good normal course of business with decent incremental price increases (Rolex).
Quoted from Flips365:I'm confused about the complaints. Can someone explain? I don't make much money, yet I bought both the LE and the 60th? I've been a James Bond fan forever. I'm not crazy about Bond or Stern. I'm serious about wanting to know why the price is such a big deal.
Sorry I'm really confused about this post
You don't make a lot of money yet you just bought $30,000 of pinball machines
Your a James Bond fan but you're not crazy about Bond or stern.
I don't think it's logically possible to explain to you why the price is such a big deal.
Quoted from Mr68:Imagine if Stern were to announce a DLC fee.
8DE96E27-2F81-4B45-BD35-AF6910B9ECD4.gifHonestly the most toxic mf'ers in this whole thread are people who bought this game. 
Y'all could take more lessons from MK6PIN about how to be chill.
Quoted from BMore-Pinball:Sorry I'm really confused about this post
You don't make a lot of money yet you just bought $30,000 of pinball machines
Your a James Bond fan but you're not crazy about Bond or stern.
I don't think it's logically possible to explain to you why the price is such a big deal.
It seems like there is a small group of Stern defenders that will counter-point anything that's said in negative light about Stern, regardless of how ridiculous it is. I think some of them work at Stern personally. The theory that the guys that work in our hobby aren't on this forum is somewhat short-sighted IMO.
Quoted from BMore-Pinball:Sorry I'm really confused about this post
You don't make a lot of money yet you just bought $30,000 of pinball machines
Your a James Bond fan but you're not crazy about Bond or stern.
I don't think it's logically possible to explain to you why the price is such a big deal.
The guy has worked hard, saved his/her money and bought 2 pinball machines. Price is the last issue as he/she wants the games new.
Quoted from pinballaddicted:The guy has worked hard, saved his/her money and bought 2 pinball machines. Price is the last issue as he/she wants the games new.
yes, because he works hard, he doesn't care about the price of pinball!! LMAO
Sydney
Quoted from Pinball-Wiz:yes, because he works hard, he doesn't care about the price of pinball!! LMAO
I did not say that.. I just said price was last in his/her considerations about buying the machine.
That is a polite answer.
Quoted from Pinball-Wiz:I remember when threads were about exciting new layouts
Every single super LE is the same. Everyone complains about what it isn’t. This has always been the case. Every hype thread devolves into a troll war.
Quoted from metallik:Service menu. Hard to navigate settings using 4 score reels.
THAT is an amazing point and true, lol ( wasn't even thinking about it)
Will certainly be counting on more of course, but not really looking for huge video clips on this one ( I already have games which do very well in that department).
Quoted from cooked71:To be fair, the Stern settings menu is only marginally more advanced.
Too funny ( but true)
DLC is coming. You know it.
These guys have a huge ecosystem of games and pin heads.
Selling widgets/devices is fine. Making annuity revenue streams from those devices is where it’s at.
Stern isn’t Apple obviously but same concept
Quoted from Roostking:Yet here you are insulting people, when most of us are insulting the machine and some even insulted BY the machine.
Real classy dude. Why dont you leave this thread and wait for the owners thread. NOT.REAL.HARD
Stern bom x2 apparently (proof please Neil) so all games have to double in price, makes total sense now! The now toxic defence of Stern is quite comical by the buyers but also natural to be fair. I had a pig of a girlfriend once but she could suck a golf ball through a hose so i stuck with for a while. Until she stole my hot tub actually, long story....
What the guys buying forget is how close some of us might have been to pulling the trigger which exasperated how gutted we are about this sh1t show so we also need to vent to our sympathetic brethren, if you bought one great for you, but stop defending how sh1t and greedy Stern have clearly become, passion has been eclipsed by the boardroom and we have a right to be pissed.
I cancelled my Gomez premium order due to the fledgling code, but with Elwin 60th and Gomez hyping it and the 25 films all Bonds fomo etc was actually set to go for it myself as a huge bond fan. Then the reveal....
Stern on the topper:
https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/embed-test/8d1b69e8-3095-4796-a9cd-3629ed8dea8d
Quoted from chuckwurt:Every single super LE is the same. Everyone complains about what it isn’t. This has always been the case. Every hype thread devolves into a troll war.
Yepper....sort of the standard I suppose...
Seems some newer posters just cant seem to get out of their own way in this one ....possibly just perception on my part...
Guess we knew it would be a hellish week...." the thrill is gone" in this thread for sure...
Yeah. I wish they shipped games faster so owners threads could start, and actual interesting conversations about the game could continue faster.
Quoted from chuckwurt:Yeah. I wish they shipped games faster so owners threads could start, and actual interesting conversations about the game could continue faster.
Exactly....think this one is going to be an interesting dive...anxious to get started!!
Quoted from iceman44:DLC is coming. You know it.
These guys have a huge ecosystem of games and pin heads.
Selling widgets/devices is fine. Making annuity revenue streams from those devices is where it’s at.
Stern isn’t Apple obviously but same concept
100% it is coming, not sure how anyone could imagine otherwise. IC would be a questionable move, from the folks high up, if there weren't a way to turn it into another cash flow mechanism.
Quoted from JonCrox:I cancelled my Gomez premium order due to the fledgling code, but with Elwin 60th and Gomez hyping it and the 25 films all Bonds fomo etc was actually set to go for it myself as a huge bond fan. Then the reveal....
Ditto. Cancelled my Premium after playing it, hoping the 60th anniversary Elwin would justify "paying up" for.
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