Damn rather harsh but appreciate the no bs.

I hope to flip it this week and will repeat back. I really want to begin supporting this company as I think they're a bunch of really talented and hard working folks who listen to the forum.

I told my local locations that I wanted to see Oktoberfest in their lineup; I enjoyed the two games I played at TPF, but it didn't convince me to take one home.

Wow, impressive. Way beyond the quality of a topper you can buy!

Stumbled across these on the world-wide internet. Food for thought AP (it's not too late for some more cut & paste is it?)

Just sayin'.

Oktoberfest 1 (resized).jpgOktoberfest 5 (resized).jpgOktoberfest 3 (resized).jpgOktoberfest 6 (resized).jpgOktoberfest 8 (resized).jpgOktoberfest 7 (resized).jpgOktoberfest 10 (resized).jpgOktoberfest 2 (resized).jpg

dup

A must Buy with this art package...

my son will agree... not sure about my wife !?

Yeah, didn’t mean to sound harsh but I was really hoping to add one of these to the collection, just really fell short of my expectations all across the board.

Played this again last night with a code update. Very impressed with code being as early as it is. Looks like they removed the monkey stine with code update !?!? What's up with monkeys disappearing. I know they took them out of the art and the bumper cars.

Really liking everything about this game!

Didn't mean to sound harsh? Come on! "...a musical cluster f@#$& and felt like 10lbs of shit in a 5 lb bag" - If you're going to be a prick at least own it.

LOL, really if that was trying not to sound harsh I'm curious what their un-moderated opinion would be.

castrated monkey will be back, but when you have family friendly turned off. In addition the monkey is on the backglass still, if you look for him, he also appears in the bumper cars on the display during that mode and he also can be found in duck hunt, if you keep you eyes open. Oh, and he will also be appearing in one of the mini-wizard modes.

So you didn't like it?

It’s not being a dick it’s called an honest opinion, shit I even said it’s a great theme that fell short. Have you played it? Listened to the music? There is a musical disconnect, not sure if it’s the rock mixed in or what.

Tired of the biased fan boy opinions, the game just didn’t feel good. Houdini shoots better.

I would have to share that privately...lol

A simple fix that would be quite a large improvement would be to just get rid of the generic rock music and go 100% traditional Bavarian music because that aspect is actually quite pleasing and fits.

Not liking it and articulating why is fine, but I disagree with your assertion that the people that like it are just "fan boys."

Your opinion is biased, that is why it is an opinion.

2nd time playing the game since the first reveal. I still think the art package and LCD animations are just plain bad.. no way around it.

The actual gameplay though I think is VERY good. I really like the unique layout and it's really fun to shoot (not frustrating like Houdini) .. although seems like a bit of a long player. It's a real shame otherwise, I think if this game was under a different theme a lot more people would be much more excited about it. I hope it does well enough.

My wife says those are perfect. I agree.

It's not your honest opinion that is questionable; that's what most of us are here to share. It's your claim that you weren't trying to be harsh that's absurd. "There is a musical disconnect" - that's a perfectly appropriate critique. Telling someone that their product is "a musical cluster f@#$& and felt like 10lbs of shit in a 5 lb bag" is simply a prickish thing to say. Again, that may be your opinion, but don't pretend your a nice guy looking to give constructive criticism.

For folks who say that Oktoberfest plays long... it does, but there are lots of tweaks to control that if you wish. Remove the center post between the flippers, and in Settings, make outlane saves harder (affects the behavior of the standup targets above each outlane), and reduce ball savers (initial launch ball saver and each multiball saver are individually adjustable). And of course tighten tilt.

I’ve read here about 50 times that the music isnt widely accepted as good. It was confimed after I played it. Make it all Bavarian polka or Rock but don’t blend them. Doesn’t work.

PF felt cluttered, couple shots tough to hit because of what I felt was bad visibility and and to move around while on the buttons to see what I was trying to hit.

There you go, i sugar coated it into a more pleasing critique.

Looking forward to playing Oktoberfest!

Given last week's pre-reveal hype, I expected Willy Wonka to knock it down my wishlist, but hasn't happened yet.

I have a new idea for my topper now. I'm going to just get a big ipad pro, mount it to the top, and load up pics like these and just rotate them as i'm playing!

I don't mind "long ball times". Can always tweak it like you said.

I may be in the minority but I think the music is killer. Matt Kern is an amazing composer. Now the animations... not so much but I've already beat the horse dead.

Funny how opinions vary. I was expecting the worst on the animations after following this thread but walked away neutral at the moment. They could easily be cleaned up a bit but the material in general was fine for me.

was joking, my wife is cool

I put considerable time on the game a couple weeks ago at the Ohio show. At that point it was running prototype software (game would reboot with a tilt). My quick takeaways:

Art - Evaluating the playfield art from pictures it looks incredibly busy without much cohesion. In person the art just worked for me. It's not great, but I had no issue with it either.

Music - I found the music to be fairly well integrated. In this game it worked.

Display - This was very hit or miss. The main screen animation is helpful in presenting all the status info you need in one screen (very similar in style to the main screen of WONKA). The mode screens were good as well. The one thing I couldn't stand was the cut to the fuzzy video of an Oktoberfest celebration from far away. It just doesn't fit with any of the other animations at all.

Rules - My initial impression of the rules was extremely favorable. I found the tent modes well thought-out and extremely varied. I also liked the steins and their rules. The one-handed mode was more difficult than I expected it to be, but I really enjoyed it.

Layout - This is where the game for me just shines. I just LOVED shooting the game. I could hit all the shots and the shots felt rewarding, the layout was varied, the magnets are integrated very well. I love unique, non-fan style layouts and this one was a huge winner for me in this regard.

Takeaway - This is the first new game I have played in several years where I simply had fun and for me, fun is what pinball is all about.

I don't generally have a problem with your prickishness; I was just pointing out how absurd it was for you to say you weren't trying to be harsh, that's all.

Hey - no worries.

I do hope the game evolves, I dig the theme and want it to be a winner.

Pipes you're joking right or are you just dead inside at this point?

I find it difficult to see the captive ball shot from a normal playing position, but I find all the rest of the shots to be easily visible. Which shots do you feel are hard to see? (At this point I wouldn't really expect physical game changes that would affect this, but I'm curious.) (Also: I'm 6' tall, so YMMV based on your height, as with all pins.)

I’m about same height 5’11”

Captive ball and shots off the upper right flipper had a hard time seeing what to shoot at without moving a bit off center to the right. Basically upper left part of PF.

10 lbs of shit in a 5 lb bag. Lol

I thought you were talking about Kaneda?

(Jk Chris)

pretty much sums up gliebigs feelings on any of my insight as well.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/alice-coopers-nightmare-castle-club-enter-at-own-risk/page/6#post-4932375

Octoberfest: review

This is the most honest review of the game you'll ever get. American Pinball is not going to stay in business if they keep making this odd ball themes because in a pincade, 90% of the players like Ghostbusters, a game here most people hate. People are drawn into the theme, not the features most of the time. A good exception is Dialed In, that game makes money, because from the naked eye its looks like a normal pinball game, but it looks like so much more fun!!!

Octoberfest is the most confusing theme I've ever seen... at first glance it looks like a BEER theme, but no wait its a carnival, its a party, no wait its I have no clue. Who would drink beer and ride a roller coaster? If you're trying to make a BEER themed pinball game, then make it an all out assault on BEER, make the topper something that holds a keg, with lines inside the machine so you can POUR a drink while playing. Make it a game every single bar and man cave would want, and market the game that way.

This is a game I'm thinking might sell 100 to 150 copies because of the theme itself. Now I'm hearing they will consider Robin Hood, NO WAY no ONE wants to play Robin Hood. American Pinball has shown the ability to produce a really beautiful game, they need to re-focus here on CHEAPER licenses like Halloween, Friday the 13th, Bill and Ted, something along those lines, a cheaper license so when they announce 750 copies not a copy more BOOM they sell out in 10 minutes.

How do you market Octoberfest, not to mention you're playing the game in April. Bad name, bad theme, and I think an overall financial disaster. The playfield is a cluttered mess while the game and all the mechs are fun, unique and different.

Now the good... they learned from Houdini, they made a game that is a lot of fun here. If they could step up the CGI graphics, license something interesting, these guys could be real players. These guys have the potential for a breakout but they need some better advice. Whomever is giving these guys advice isn't thinking for the hear and now or the long term.

I don't want to pay 7400 bucks for a confusing theme, a game that won't be collectable long term, just because the game is FUN, INTERESTING, DIFFERENT, because long term all games get boring. People buy and sell these games long term based on the theme.

The game is fun, its different, love what they did with the rails, just overall I think its the second best new game created this year... behind Wonka.

So yeah I think honestly its one of the most original and fun games probably released in several years, but the theme is terrible. Buy today for 7400 and 1 year from now sell for 5800.

I was tempted to buy one, because the game really is that much fun to play, but like all pinballs after a while you get bored of it... then you fall back on the THEME to find a buyer.

American Pinball could be the next BIG PLAYER but they will need to start looking at themes they could produce 500 to 1000 copies not games that might sell 200 copies. I think Octoberfest is a wasted game because at the box office its not going to produce a profit.

With all that being said Octoberfest won't ever sell itself, they will need to show the game to sell any, and most games usually just sell themselves.

American Pinball created one of the most fun games, I've ever seen, but the theme is going to kill them long term. Just my opinion.

I would say at this point American Pinball need to turn the corner, license something that appeals to 500 to 1000 buyers, take what they've learned from these first two games, and go after this industry. Because despite everything I said I think these guys have the most potential for a breakout.

One thing all companies need to understand is you must learn from your competition, and how many original themes have survived? How many times has Stern done an original theme? Jersey Jack a new company has made 5 games, with two more coming... 1 original theme 6 licensed.

Stern like everything is licensed but the new Black Knight.

Alien a company that failed, but people are paying 10k to get that game, not because the game because honestly the game is average its the theme.

American Pinball has the potential for a massive breakout but man they have to license something.

DrF, you have been busy today--trashing both BK3 and O-Fest (at least I'm guessing you trashed it--I didn't make the mistake of reading all of it like I did the BK3 review). I'll bet Wonka gets a 10 from you, tho...

you lost me at Alien being an average game. Or maybe it was the first sentence of your post. Not sure haha

now back to making that awesome POTC mod!

Nah - I think Kaneda's review may be more honest (albeit misguided too) actually. You're BOTH wacked when it comes to not appreciating the beauty of Oktoberfest's theme though.

See my Post #2604 above for the only improvement AP needs to make to sell more Oktoberfest games.

Now go buy a Willy Wonka. Good day Sir!

In trying to get the cliff notes of that diatribe by Dr one thing I can say is Alien kicks ass all the way around, you are out of your mind that it’s “average”

It’s as good as any pin I’ve ever owned or played. Period

But this is about Oktoberfest and I love the layout and like the different theme

When these games start shipping to homes and people get to experience it much more I
Predict this game will pick up in sales and be a sleeper

Wrong! I'm not trashing the game, I said clear as day if you read it, this game is FUN, its a lot of fun. I think everyone agrees the playfield is a cluttered mess but the rest of the game is SUPER FUN! I want these guys to succeed and I think I mentioned that multiple times. In order for them to do that they need to start getting themes that will SELL.

When this game ends up selling about 150 to 200 copies will you say that is a success of failure. How do you judge that? Was Big Lebowski a success or failure if they only sold 17 games. Its both...

Its a success because I think they made one of the best 10 pinball games in history. On the other hand its a failure because they took orders, didn't deliver, and went out of business. So which is it to you?

American Pinball made a really fun game, but if it doesn't sell is it a failure or a success? The only real success is making money or selling games.

People hate Ghostbusters for some reason, but that game is probably the biggest selling game in Stern history.

So success or failure... it made them a lot of money so its a SUCCESS!

When Octoberfest doesn't sell but people like the game, success or failure? American Pinball has the tools to be successful they need to license something that is my main point. I wouldn't call that trashing them I'd call that being honest.

We would disagree, they missed on a lot of stuff. The main Alien head is badly sculpted, a pinball shooter coming out of his mouth with a magnet on the end looks ridiculous. No attempt to add toys to add to the theme such as a couple aliens on the grids, or ripley in her robot mech, there was several opportunities missed there.

The game plays kind of clunky, shooting the ball is pointless.

I do however like the way they incorporated the movie assets, I like the screen in the playfield, I like the side art of the game showing the logo, there are things to like and things not to like.

The game to me seems like we're going for the GOLF but just ran out of money.

I like effort but not the final product.

Alien to me can be drastically improved if someone decided to pick up that license.

No one is debating whether sugar-coating is needed. It's saying one thing in one post "cluster F@#$ and shit" and another in another post "didn't mean to be harsh" - that just struck me as funny. Like your posts, first you say the "criticism [is] mild and subdued" in one post, then brutal and not worthy of sugar-coating in the next. See? Just own it if you're being brutal.

Ayce will probably get it...I can't imagine anyone here is buying it for their home, though.

I can’t even respond to the Alien comments. I don’t have time to write a book BUT it is coming back out as PB brothers picked up the license again and has been reworked with mechs, etc and will be all Bally parts and cab

It is a phenomenally immersive pin, with great code and totally COMPLETE other than how they over engineered it

My AlienLE plays flawless though. Best sound and video on a pinball machine and it’s not even close

Thank you David Thiel!

Ohhh, yeah, I missed the sarcasm. We need a sarcasm font. In any event, we are on the same page now.