The platform as a building block seems interesting, yes. That really isn't in question at the moment. The theme is what everyone is scratching their head about.

I don't know the history of those titles and his role outside of game designer, but can say each of those have a clear contigious thread of design that is cohesive in style and theme. This doesn't have any of that, from a jumble of art styles, incongruity in the types of stories.

I agree with the positives in each of those games but can't make the same connections with what's shown here, Lawlor may have had a hand in each of those, but it would seem that the support team around him resolved all of them into very cohesive designs. This doesn't have that.

I was fortunate enough to play this today. I had a VERY skeptical reaction to the theme as I listened to pat talk about it ... and looking at the comic, BUT the theme is really Sim City 2000 and the phone is just the display indicator over the scoop. The art design is a strange mix of styles (some cartoonish, some sims/sim city style CG) BUT the layout was a lot of fun to play. It feels less cramped than it should and doesn't seem to suffer from one side being much less useful than the other (like monopoly does). You'd have to really own it to know for sure. These are all impressions from a single play so you should probably take them with a grain of salt.

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She can block shots from the left ramp.

I agree. I was very disappointed in the theme and based on the pics though it would be a dud, but after playing enjoyed it more then the previous JJP games. People might want to hold off judgment until playing. Pat was watching us play and giving some pointers. His enjoyment and excitement about the game felt really genuine.

Agree, I'd like to see something more comic and wacky but not sure how to resolve that within what's available here.

Maybe I'll get it once I have had time to play. I think for the reveal they would have been far better off just showing the game and explaining the core plot. I think what dissapointed me the most was that I was left confused about what it was supposed to be. I see a cell phone, bob the builder, future city, einstein theatre, a spider man insert, wizard blocks inserts, drones doing package delivery and I'm left wondering what the heck ties all these things together. If they could have explained some of the story/plot that ties these things together instead of fiddle with the cell phone play gimmick then it would have probably been better recieved.

Also pricing... i was really hoping they would undercut stern since since being a standard body with no licensing to pay for.

You guys getting to play it sure got it good right now. Get those high scores while you can on it because I'll be trying to get mine on 11/5.

Also, I'm sure a lot of the hate will dissipate tomorrow as they dig deeper into the game with the behind the scenes thing they're doing to explain it all in more detail. Tomorrow's presentation should be just as exciting, and should clear up a good bit of doubts.

If you say so... I'm struggling to find anything about the game other than a handful of small grainy pics, so I'll save my opinion until I get my hands on it, but so far it looks fun to me. People seem to be more happy with the rethemed BDK than Dialed In which has a lot more thought into it... to each their own. It's a good example why licensing works... it's comfortable.

For most people, that's not a possibility. They either have to blow $9k on faith or find one to play on location...and what operator is going to spend $9k on this game?

This sums up my feelings perfectly.

JJP posted high-res photos, and a number of photos showed up in the other JJP threads too.

so I can call my girlfriend while I am at work and say "Hey, could you put the pinball machine on the phone, I want to play a game"?

No thanks

The negatives you've stated could be applie to some of the older games as well if you only saw grainy footage and some pictures. Funhouse would just look like another amusement park them but cramped and with a giant head. No Good Gofers would look like a Caddyshack ripoff. Addams Family would just be another movie tie-in.

I agree the parts don't look like a whole right now but I'm going to reserve judgement till I get to play it and see it in person. It could be a really fun pin with a unique and fully realized theme. Still hate the title though.

Also can you imagine how much you can f#vk with a unsuspecting person on location? You hook your phone to it without the person knowing, then you can stand behind them and make them feel like the freaking game is possessed.

This makes me think you haven't been in the hobby long or haven't looked into the history.

Well luckely no weird shape cabinet and it looks like good old fun.
I am interested,will buy this if it plays well.
I think the cell phone theme will grow on ya

Another pic. I played the game and watched others play it. Not one person I saw needed to use his/her personal phone at all

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ok, phone a side. the mick on a stick, no!

I bet this one plays good. I look forward to playing it. I'm over the widebodies.

I like a nice streamlined game with a lot of shots.

Name is horrible. "Dialed in". Ugh. In an attempt to be cute with a pinball term used in a creative way, they out-clever'd themselves!

Everything else looks great and what I would expect from a PL pin from the Williams days. A couple of Quantum City cabinet decals and a back glass overlay and I'm in!

Yea but u get so much more game and features for the money compared to stern..... just look at this list ....much eaiser to justify the price imo . Thats not to mention the much better quality. So le to le jjp offers much much more for 500 less. Still to much tho 52f972cd-2bbd-45e8-94fc-3cddbce48214 (resized).jpg

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It's strange how the reaction to this pin differs completely by country - on the German forum people are impressed and interested.

The theme is strange, but if it plays well and it looks like it does, who cares?

It is something cool and different. I only played 2 games. You can tell someone put ACTUAL thought into this game. Dont bash it til u flip it. Trust me on that

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Nearly every person in this thread has a smartphone and uses it for banking, shopping, communicating with loved ones, taking photos etc.
You carry these things with you everywhere and flip out if it gets lost or broken. Cell phones are my business, I deal with y'all every damn day. You are ADDICTED to these things. You grab your keys, your wallet, your phone. You take it on the shitter, you use it as an alarm clock, you document your favorite memories on it.
Sure, you might hate your dependency on your phone, but hardly any of you used a smartphone for any amount of time and said "This is too much, I am happy with my Nokia bar phone."
Admit you love your phone and admit you love this theme.

Except the guy that has accepted this theme. It's perfect. And Pat knows how to lay out a playfield.

I think the current available pics do represent the aesthetic enough to support my decisions and opinion about the theme. I would expect it to play well. I'm sure tomorrow's discussion will reveal more reasons for some of these decisions and possibly connect them more, however I would compare our current knowledge and insight and response to what most people off the street would experience. Even explained, it simply doesn't read well as cohesive design and will be as confusing and off putting for the same response to a majority. The response here supports that.

I don't disagree with the wait and see approach, however it won't change how I feel about the creative direction. Good creative direction should read visually and this doesn't. Any of those other titles mentioned read accurately at first glance. The game play enhances but each start on a more solid footing.

Even if you don't know anything about the movie Ghostbusters, you can see there's a stylistic thread and cohesive collection of thematically tied events represented by the imagery that makes sense at a glance. that's my take. I look forward to more info, but don't expect it to transform my view of this machine.

Yeah, spec wise it sounds absolutely amazing and I agree you get more from a JJP game than a typical stern. But until recently Stern could offer a really fun game for thousands less. I feel batman VE went way off the rails pricing wise and it would have been a great opportunity to strike with a notability lower price.

Sorry but when your talking nearly 10k for a pin +/- 500 is basically the same price. Heck 8,500 at least would have had a psychological impression of being significantly less. Anywhere in 7k (even 7900) and it would have made Sterns pricing look absolutely absurd and suck all the wind from their sails.

**Special Features**

Owner adjustable outlane posts.

Wow! What a feature!

I would like to see non-owner adjustable outlane posts.

When Pat mentioned that I was then expecting something like Black Hole to be revealed with a big lower playfield (or something). I imagine now it's still just an empty cabinet ...

Whoever does Maiden will probably f%$k that up too

This almost went to Michael Jackson levels of fantasyland... Pat Lawlor is the MAN but good god what a horrible idea. Like someone else mentioned above, it somehow seems old and dated, even though it has tons more tech in it than anything Stern's doing... and the Stern stuff still seems fairly fresh.

I mean it with no disrespect to Pat who's arguably the greatest ever, but this kind of stuff makes you appreciate Steve Ritchie even more.

This is going to destroy any chance of anybody ever doing an unlicensed theme, ever again. Gary will use this as an example until the day he's dead, impossible for anybody to successfully pitch an unlicensed them if this bombs.

I wish the best for JJP their first two games were great, but I think Jack's about to learn what Gary already has: Sometimes games bomb and you lose a ton of money.

Multiple Subway Shots?
5 Magnets ?
3D interactive projected Image?
Flying Drones?
Hidden Trapdoor?

Sounds interesting.

What is UNDER the hood?
I had expected a second playfield or something like that ..

I'd picture a whole lot of solenoids. pathways, and maybe some crazy shit we've never seen before.

A game that costs at least $9,000 is unlikely to be a location game. Sure it is possible but certainly less than what you would see with a standard pro version that costs the operator $5,000.

Therefore it is a must to have a theme that grabs people and makes them want to buy the game for their home. At least Batman 66 has an established theme going for it.

For those who say, "Give it a chance."

My response is, "Where are we going to play it so we can give it a chance?"

Can't tell if Sarcasm...

Maybe at select locations?

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Interesting to re-visit the leak of 1 year ago.

Title was correct.
There are 5 magnets, not 4.
Criss Cross ramps - correct.
3 flippers - correct.
Lit inserts move towards player - have to stop them. Correct.
Robot arm on p/f? No, just on backbox.
Cell phone on game calls you to tell you what shots to hit. Correct.

No wonder it got removed ASAP.

So, on that basis I believe they have Muppets and Toy Story licences.

Oh, agree, change title to Quantum City.

Dialed In, sounds 1930's....

I guess I love it as much as I love my car keys, and my wallet. Good point.

Adjustable with a cell phone!

Layout looks super fun, playfield is packed and overall different than any other game around.
Those complaining are the same that destroyed IM when it was announced and then begged for the vault edition when it was too late.
I'm sure that the gameplay will be cool and the sales will decent
Kudos to JJP and Pat for having the balls of trying something new!

Jack, if you are reading this the price is such a letdown! Priced few hundred bucks cheaper than the Hobbit -as a token of appreciation towards the supporters and against the trend- would have given this pin a warmer acceptance and give customers a reason to believe that JJP is different and not greed driven.
Moreover I would have never expected JJP to follow Stern and JPOP on the collector edition usd 12,500 crap. Another shoot in the foot.

This might be quriky and fun in a roadshow kind of way and worth taking a chance on....... in the $4k-$4500 range. I know inflation is driving pricing up and things are more expensive to produce these days but I just can't see this selling much at all. I wish JJP luck as I still have a mind to pick up a JJP game at some point in the future. Looking forward to JJP #4!

I hope all the optimism is right and it's as fun as his other games... the shots and everything look fine, but there's actually an annoying cell phone ringing during gameplay... cheesy voices that rank right up there with the hick from Stern's 'blue' period... I just don't see it happening with this one.

I think my first clue that something was awry was when he seemed elated, in a strangely condescending way that you could adjust the volume without opening the front door... That was about the time he stopped getting charitable applause...

Hopefully it plays well. Hard to believe price increases in a standard body unless we're getting a ton more in the game that's a widebody which would be strange. Oh well off to title #4. Maybe he just should have made it a new Junkyard version rather than so much tech stuff. JPOP games like more like the style I enjoy at first glance.

I'm really surprised by the negative reaction on here. Lots of new features, looks to be several interactive toys, original theme, classic Pat Lawlor quirkiness and nice Youssi artwork. Seems to be complete on reveal and they have 6 at the show. Looking forward to gameplay videos and reviews from people who have played it.

However, the price is steep, seems like they only have collector's and limited editions, standard to come?

I'll reserve judgement. Whilst I'd prefer Quantum City as a title, I'm guessing Dave & Busters and kids would be much more taken in by the title as is.

Not keen on cabinet art.

Backglass looks great.

Playfield layout looks excellent. Not keen on ugly phone screen.

Will have to see more of 'Sim City' animations, but it's clearly intentional.

New platform seems great.

Return of Red & Ted in all but name seems a bit weird.

Price ... announcing a CLE at $12.5k with no details. Terrible idea. It may put WOZ ECLE to shame ... but if it's not ready then don't announce it.

There will obviously be standards minus invisiglass, shiny powdercoats etc. If they pull that in at $7500 I'm sure it will sell extremely well.

If $9k is entry? That's foolish and smacks of Steresque greed. This game should not cost more than WOZ or Hobbit.

I dont think Keith has ever looked excited.

I agree with a lot that is being said. I am still scractching my head over stating that the 9k USD version is limited to 6999
I appreciate that honesty, but at the same time i feel like i would rather be lied to and you say its limited to 1000 and then change it. Horrible i know

I took some video.
The flow on the game are great. The shots are very satisfying. More than Woz, More than The Hobbit, and i have both.
Doesn't make a better game, but that is 1 upside.

Pat said to me that the game was only 20% complete code wise, they have plenty more to come.

Don't think it screams out 'run out and buy me now', and announcing that there will be 7000 units pretty much allows customers to just sit back and watch it evolve.