Maybe he was just being pessimistic and talking about the likely production delays and schedule based on JJP 1 and 2 ?

I kid, I kid. I am honestly looking forward to this. To be up front though, I am very much hoping for funhouse/earthshaker "accessable" Lawlor, moreso than lost in the deep woods Lawlor.

I think the game NEEDs some sort of easy hook/goal to entice new players, kids etc. Then by all means throw insane depth after that if you want. WoZ and Hobbit both obviously have much depth, but little in the way of "hey that's neat" easy goals (see MM/AFM castle and saucer destruction for gold standard examples of that).

Looking forward to the reveal...

Not a bad idea but it can backfire if it is too easy or repetitive. For example Addams Family was pretty cool to hit the SHOW TIME multiball when it first came out... but after repeat visits it annoys to no end.

I'm with you, but there are some great games with bad themes. If the theme is an instant turnoff, though, it's a harder sell with so many good titles that have the complete package.

I went to Jersey Jacks open house 2 weeks ago and Jack had a q and a part of his tour. He wouldnt reveal title of course, but he said it is a laugh out loud machine that you will know Pat designed just by looking at it. He also said they currently plan on building it in March of 2017 and they have started stock piling parts to make it. I am pulling for him because his machines are beautifull and well built. I am very hopefull in Jacks production schedules improving and quicker release of new titles.

This game... Or some upcoming game, needs to tie into an app on your phone.

Imagine getting an alert: "Hey BOB, pinhead JEK just beat your Grand Champion score on Dialed-In at Bill's Barcade on Broadway."

Followed up with a location or operator customized message: "If you can beat JEK within the next 5 days Bill's Barcade will give you a --FREE SODA AND FRIES--"

Or how about this one: "Hey PAT, come back to Bill's Barcade and get a free game on Dialed-In. Offer expires in 7 days."

Or maybe even: "Player JEK has invited you to compete 1v1 at Bill's Barcade on 10/1/16 @ 8:00pm. Do you accept this challenge?"

---Insert Meme Guy Accepting Challenge Here---

Pinball manufacturers need to try and start winning the hearts and minds of people who have not only grown up with the internet, but social media also. The only way to do that is by integrating peoples phones into the games somehow. This also would give operators new marketing avenues and potential for revenue growth. Could Pat Lawlor and Jersey Jack be the first to successfully explore this? I guess we'll find out soon enough!

You missed what matters most: text message maintenance alerts for operators. If the game doesn't work none of that matters (still important but not paramount). Send a message when a major switch has a problem such as the ball trough, kicker, or a limit switch for a motor or mechanism. If the new system is smart enough to see a broken coil connection or detect an open diode, send a message about that. Likewise send a message about missing, low, or irregular power supply voltages. Endless possibilities for a notifications system that, if used well, can increase reliability by several factors and save a tremendous amount of time/effort troubleshooting difficult problems. THAT would be revolutionary.

100% agreed; I don't mean an easy to get to wizard mode or anything, just something "easy" but interesting for new players to do.

Heck, an opportunity on The Hobbit for this would be to have an easy to access mode where all four pop-ups raise and you have to hit them down. You get all four down, you clear the mode. Easy to understand. Reasonably rewarding (I accomplished something! Yay).

You could then have a harder version of the mode later in the game where if you don't clear them in X seconds, they start to raise back up (one by one) making it harder to finish. With the right audio cues that is more challening but still easy to understand.

For all I know, these modes are already in The Hobbbit, but buried somewhere. To me it seems like all chaos all the time, which has some razzle dazzle but is low down on the scale of feeling you accomplished anything.

Yeah that would be amazing!

I thought JJP said internet connectivity was coming soon or did I imagine that? It would be so nice if I could open an app and see how a game was doing, any errors, how much place etc.

I like the idea of them starting building #3 in March, I wonder if they will put some out to test for a while before production like they did with TH?

Whatever they do they gotta not compete directly against star wars

Pat Lawlor humor.... Wonder if a futuristic robot apocalypse can be funny...

star wars would be a horrible pn choice. itd have all the same problems got had. horrible art and some odd third party voice acting

I actually never tire of three of my favorite pinball call outs from that machine:

" SHOWTIME"
"50 MILLION"
"WHO SAYS YOU CANT TAKE IT WITH YOU!!!"

Or how about this one... These are home use games, so kiss my ass...do you accept this challenge???

Very cool ideas here and I could see this appeal to location players.

Awesome idea...also how about on the app where you could report a broken flipper or other problem and the op could check the app at his leasure to check on his route machines.

The targets raising back up is a fantastic idea...i like it!

That would be pretty funny on location. A bank of games that all keep increasing their volume in response to the next game over increasing the volume until it becomes deafening.

10 Days to big reveal!!! Or will it be the 14th, 12 days?
Best of Pat lower pin, all molded into one.
Revenge of Rudy, Funhouse madness!

Thursday, October 13th!

Can't wait.

This is effectively the reveal of TAF 2.0. It will be interesting how far pinball will go from this point on with all the new innovations that are needed for this day and age...

"KILLER APP" (with a pseudo mark of "KILLER APPLICATION") was filed at the beginning of 2014 to JJP. "DIALED IN" didn't happen until almost a year later, in 2015. So, either one is the pin and one is the phone app that interfaces with it, or they changed the name of the pin. I like "KILLER APP" better as a pin name, given a choice of the two.

But the filings show it's been worked on for at least two and a half years, so that's a good sign what they'll show at expo could be fairly complete.

I was under the impression that, "Dialed In" was the patented name of the technology used on the game.

"DIALED IN is computer software for games and for interfacing with pinball and arcade game machines..."

Source: http://www.trademarkia.com/dialed-in-86507109.html

Me too....I think it will be a robot apocalypse theme (with humor - i.e. not like terminator)

I'm leaning on it being a disaster theme with humor. Pat's Pterible Pterodactyl Pals Phreakout Philly.

LTG : )

Where did this idea come from, any sources? Not pointing you out in particular just wondering where Pat/JJP said anything about this robot theme others have been repeating.

The leaked text a while ago said there is a phone on the playfield that calls you and tell you what shots to make
Criss cross ramps.
A robot arm that blocks shots
4 magnets throwing Ball around

Nothing really giving it away but I guess the robot arm and mobile phone is what people are trying to draw a story around.

Then that's a damn shame, there's humor in Terminator.

Ok... Who are you?

You seem to always have inside info to leak about JJP that they don't want leaked and you defend Stern at every possible angle...

I think that was more important back when the market was for operators trying to lure in location players. The "hook" now is a marketable theme, and then they slap on a deep/complex/long ruleset so you don't get bored. There's not so much of that theatrical showmanship that there used to be, where the pin entices you with reasons to play - I mean, you've already bought it, anyways. But finding that right learning curve is really hard. TAF was popular because it was simple, which doesn't go so well in the home environment but that didn't matter when it came out, because the people who bought it to put in their living room were the minority, and the majority were people with quarters who had to be not only reeled in but given a reason to play again and not use their money to buy a handful of banana Runts instead.

Mmmmm, Strawberry Runts were the best...
..

It's terrible being an adult and knowing that I could, theoretically, purchase Runts in bulk.

Banana runts are the best!!!

Names are not patented.

Look at my profile before you go too crazy. I have a WoZ. A Hobbit is on my wishlist. I'm an equal opportunity pinhead, not a Stern-only fanatic. Nothing I've posted is secret (well, at least nothing about JJP3), and can be found with a simple trademark search.

Let's just wait and see ! Pinball is getting ridiculous, Writing a letter to Stern why I deserve to buy a limited edition game ?
I'm sorry, Fuck Stern , Fuck Jack, money hungry prices, .Pinside you don't like my comments than ban me , Im.going back to restoring wedge heads, Ballys,

Pinball is gonna sink like the titantic,

Interesting for a guy who has in his wishlist BBB, the Hobbit, TBL and Kingpin!

Well...that escalated quickly

FYI ... Jack posted on Saturday that there will be some (new) announcements coming on what JJP will be doing at the Expo in additional to the reveal at the fireside chat. Maybe a reveal party??? I noticed that nothing is scheduled after the JJP fireside chat. Originally it was the Alien reveal (that got moved to Friday), then it was just a "TBD" placeholder, now nothing. Hmmm - my mind is speculating. Stay tuned ...

That's the beauty of this hobby, NIB prices to high, collect cheaper pins. The prices in Canada are simply out of control, add a couple grand on to what you guys have to pay now, the used market is equally ridiculous but people are buying pins, I'm on a system 80's kick and its a nice low stress, low priced fun place to be, that being said I have an Aliens LE paid in full so there's something for everyone but I would never criticize a company for trying to get top dollar nor the person willing to pay it, if you have the cash to buy BM66 SLE then good for you, I love the way its cool to charge double what alot of these 90's dmds were just a few years back even though we bought them cheap but when Stern or other companies try to profit on this peak market for pinball they are bastards.

You're right. Names are trademarked.

However, the technology is patented.

It wouldn't be wrong by saying that the machine is using, "Dialed In Technology."

Victor Ireland is a fucking legend! Use your Googles!!!!

Yea Vic's oldschool, good guy from RGP. No need for interrogations Hilton it's amazing what all one can learn from public filings...

just asking whom he was. I obviously dont hide behind a screen name. Not sure why it is so hard for some people to just say whom they are (esp when they seem to have inside info). I would not even know where/how/why to randomly search public filings.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_Designs

thanks. cool stuff!

I agree Mr. Whysnow. I hate when someone named Victor Ireland hides behind a screen name like vireland.

I have never heard of him before and not exactly obvious handle = name.

It was a simple question and given his recent post history, worth asking.

It's super creepy when you try to vet other hobbyists.

No, I obviously don't hide behind a screen name. When you start posting as "Hilton" then you can say the same thing.

now back to our regular scheduled topic

9 days and counting!!!