Correct, I’m thinking the licensor excuse is a crock.

https://jamesbond.fandom.com/wiki/Dikko_Henderson_(Charles_Gray)

Completely agree, and to add to this Mr. Henderson wasn't even close to a major character in YOLT, certainly not insert worthy. Bond meets him at his house, makes sure it's him by whacking his fake wooden leg with his cane, and then he's dead with a knife to the back in about in minute. They should have went with something like Blofeld Lives, Blofeld Returns, or Blofeld Again.

The only way this makes any sense is if the Blofeld that escaped at the end of YOLT decided to get plastic surgery to look like Mr. Henderson.

Jeez everyone is getting deep in to code and I’m still just trying to get the shots figured out

It is all a bit confusing how Stern did this

Blofeld is in several Bond movies but since he needed to be in the villain tree they should have used an Alias like number one, Ernst Blofeld etc..

Charles Gray played the two roles in Diamonds but nothing in you only live twice. I think they simply mixed up Henderson with Blofeld.

Little history on Blofeld being main villain.

https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Ernst_Stavro_Blofeld_(007)

Charles gray played blofeld in diamonds

Charles gray played Henderson in you only live twice (an ally not a villain)

They should have just had his Rocky horror picture show character in the bond game. Makes as much sense as how they have it set up now.

Yeah your correct, just highlights how confusing it it.

Villain tree for you only
Live twice should be no. 1 and then Blofeld for diamonds. Problem solved. Mode for yolt they all refer to each other by number so it would work.

I think you misunderstood what I was trying to say.

The problem is Stern labeled the last insert Mr Henderson, but it's not Mr Henderson, it's Blofeld from Diamonds are Forever. He is the more villain in Diamonds and that insert is the Diamonds villain mode.

The clip they use is appropriate because it's Blofeld's satellite doing evil Blofeld tasks. Probably would have been better to use a clip with more Blofeld footage, but the space stuff is cool too.

So the question is why did they label it as aka Mr Henderson? Was it meant as a joke because the actor who played Blofeld in DAF was the same actor as Mr Henderson in YOLT? Did they just not want to put Blofeld as the villain twice in a row? Who knows? Whatever the reason the licensor thought it was ok.

In my opinion, they should have just called it Blofeld 2.0 because it's the "new and improved" Blofeld that has recovered from significant bobsled injuries from the previous film, On Your Majesty's Secret Service.

Why can't they put in stacking by allowing a mode to continue without showing the assets during multiball? Can't they keep the shots lit and continue to award points with text on the screen showing progress? Seems like an easy fix.

Worked for Batman'66. They just abandoned the abandoned already "every two weeks" that was really every two months and shut off updates for 6 months.

Of course, that was Lyman on code, so it turned out great in the end. This one, well, that's not a guarantee.

Yes and yes. They thought they were being cheeky by calling him "aka Mr. Henderson" but instead it is confusing. I agree that he should have been labeled "Blofeld Returns" or maybe the other suggestion of "Number One" for the Blofeld in YOLT with "Blofeld" used for the one in DAF. Either way would have been much better than the way it was done.

Good thing they didn't use "aka Blofeld" for Professor Dent since that actor, Anthony Dawson, played Blofeld in From Russia with Love and Thunderball.

Yes. This. I dont see how the licensor would be okay with having an ally name/character featured on the villian ramp. I get that its the same actor but they really shouldve been more creative with keeping him identified as the villian.. unless they are planning a Mr. Henderson ally/mode shot at some point?

Oh, that could be a fun twist! He's villain OR ally depending on the mode/shot/movie.

May well be. I cannot believe a licensor would let this pass.

With all the angst here, what Stern game has ever been left on a non playable code? None I can think of. It's always going to make some unhappy when 1.0 arrives, but it is still a playable game. Be patient, cant imagine this will be the first game left completely unfinished.

Back to the code, there's a couple things I don't see in the assets folder that I hope get included at some point: the downtown Vegas car chase from Diamonds are Forever & the golf match from Goldfinger.

"If that's his original ball I'm Arnold Palmer" would be a good callout for a ball save.

Well, all too often the "licensor" knows less about the property than some random fan does.

I ran into this when working on a Star Trek game. The Star Trek "expert" in Paramount's Licensing Department was wrong on stuff more times than I could count. It got to the point that every time we wanted approval for something, we would provide an episode and timestamp for it. This was just to prevent him from saying we were wrong and having to go back and forth on it three times.

Another good choice for the ball save would be "If at first you don't succeed, Mr. Wint?" "Try, Try again, Mr. Kidd."

I was hoping we get some of Pussy’s aerial team footage crop dusting Fort Knox. Or the scene at the end on board the private jet.

There is a ton of stuff not used that I hope they add.

Unfinished happens with Stern. It's not unheard of.

Their Indy doesn't even have the namesake mode in the game. Crystal Skull does nothing.
Wheel of Fortune is famously unfinished.
I'm sure there are other examples that have slipped my mind.

Stranger Things, they just cut the video mode the mystery scoop had been promising for months at the 11th hour and called the game done. So the video mode, at least, is unfinished and not in the game. (hoping they circle back and finish this if they re-run as Gomez hinted, though)

And even "finished" Stern games can still be mediocre play experiences. Until Bond is done, there'll just lots of opinions - NO ONE knows for sure where this ends up. However, this is a pretty ignominious start for the code, for sure. And, two updates have done nothing to change my mind that the wrong lead is on this grail license for Gomez.

That may be because Bird One multiball incorrectly lights the Diamonds are Forever insert, but should light You Only Live Twice. This should also be corrected.

But, those games you listed are all great players, WOF maybe not, some love it tho. I'm sure we are a long way from completion and can't imagine the team letting a Gomez design look like hell. Just my .02, but I'm generally an optimistic person

Stern Indy is a "great player"? That's stretching it. It's repetitive and boring. I've never seen anyone call it a great player.

Aside from the slap in the face removing the video mode instead of finishing the game, STh is a fun game.

I thought the movie title inserts just got lit randomly at the start of each ball. I don't think they actually get activated by the modes that get started (though it seems like they should).

I would have thought that you'd "complete" a movie by playing it's villain, henchman, and woman modes (and maybe it's Q and Spectre weapon too), but that doesn't seem to be the case.

.

Keith Elwin called in to clean up team Gomez mess:

772235B6-C9CF-4416-AC50-77CB4F1E0AAF (resized).jpeg

Ya, you're tight on that, but like wof, some people love it for the theme. But, I'll still stay on the optimistic side,

I still haven't figured out how they work (or how they're supposed to work), but I do know my 8-year-old now-James-Bond-crazy son noticed the Bird One DAF/YOLT discrepancy, since we just watched the six movies. I posted about it (and the Mr Henderson confusion) several pages back, knowing Stern often watches these threads. Didn't get corrected in the latest release, maybe next time.

"If I'm curt with you, it's because time is a factor. So, pretty please, with sugar on top - finish the f***ing code."

Even STTNG can pause modes when multiball starts and continue them when it finishes (Q's Mission is the only mission that can stack with mb. Now that I type this, I realize Q is a character in both STTNG and Bond, whoah). Let's just hope this is temporary and mb + mode stacking gets worked out.
"Q, we don't have time for your games..."

What in GG's history of developed titles would lead you to believe that GG needs Elwin's help?

Does anyone know what determines which villain is selected for the villain mode?
Is it random?

Gomez turned in a fine design. I think he meant call in Rick Naegele to rescue the software side of Bond that's floundering. Sometimes Elwin/Naegele are borged into one thing due to how closely they work together. I've done it myself.

Changes on pop hits

Was scanning through settings today and noticed a couple options that I can't seem to remember seeing or anyone mention:

Hunted By Helicopter Timer
Aston Martin Timer
Underwater Power Pack Timer
Little Nellie Timer

Not sure if they were added with new code but they sound interesting.

Anyone else’s premium booting as le after update?

The music in the game feels like it could be way better, especially with all those great John Barry tracks that could be utilised. Is anybody working on an alternate music mix for Bond yet?

Several of those correspond to q gadgets that are not coded yet.

There is supposed to be 10 tracks but not sure all are in game yet.

Played the last 2 hours with .84 code.

Stacking is missing and multiball stops any mode which is very frustrating when you were about to complete a mode.
Great songs are missing
I hope they put a ton of different clips and audio for each mode to have variety and not always the same clips in the same order.
James bond callouts, one liners are really missing in that game

But the shots and the strategy to put yourself in a better position to hit certain shots is incredible. The fact that the pin has a lot of flow also helps achieve that.

Pop bumpers switch which henchmen or villain you will play when you activate them. Villain is 3 shots but if by mistake you hit 2 shots and then end up touching the pops the henchmen and villain will change and that last and 3 shot on the villain ramp will activate the blinking villain.

Code is far from done and I really want more music in the game and the jukebox. Gomez said stacking modes is next and more to come.

Now if you are a James Bond fan and a pinball fan and are not having a blast playing this game already like it is………i'm sorry but you are dead inside.

Mine's been doing that since it came out of the box. I figured that would be one of the things they'd have corrected in the update but apparently not. Same code, right?

<rubs hands together with an evil laugh, anticipating selling it later as a "Secret LE!">

Variety of missions tied to each villain would be cool as each movie has so many good moments.

Yes needs more Bond callouts and one liners for sure.

10 tracks? I heard 6. Where did you hear 10?.. and why is it taking so long to add even a few more?

Munsters?

Gomez himself said that on multiple podcasts. I think he said to expect 4 of the 6 theme songs two obvious missing would be Goldfinger and Thunderball The rest i would assume are the 6 John berry tracks likely one from each of the 6 movies. That would add up to 10.

I’d give the podcast a good listen if you have t watched.

Gomez also says they literally have access to all video content which has me Scratching my head on a couple of the choices but I’m sure more is coming.

Of all the Q footage they choose a casino with Tiffany case rambling on about talking to James and avoiding the slammer. Odd!

Agree, there is really nothing better from diamonds?

Really don’t like this mode. At all!

I just want to hear Pussy Galore say her name.

How is this not in the code?