I didn't go that far... The image was from a friends Facebook... I think it fit this thread perfectly... Just a little too risqué lol

..and you had to read "all" the comics before coming to that conclusion?

One needs to research thoroughly before passing comment.

Actually, it was funny .. There was a Monster Bash themed strip, a Predator theme strip and a T2 based strip as well as Zombie Adventureland so some real pinball tie in there. Never seen any horse c**ks on a pinball though. Oh yeah, there is one machine now I think of it ....

rd.

"Woah Nellie"? : p

From john's Twitter feed. Seems like he embraces the similarities from topps to his artwork.

image-770.jpg

I saw that and thought the same thing.

Don't think that's got any massive danglers on it?

However, Google "IPDB big dick" and you'll see some.

rd.

IPB brought the repro backglass to TPF 2 years ago. Have seen it in real life.

Oh, and look up Woah Nellie on urbandictionary. Might be an american thing.

I saw that. Nuts that he would post that. It even looks like the letter is gently telling him to change the art because it infringes. Seems to me like he just doesn't care.

At this point I don't want anything to delay the game anymore than it is, so I'll take Mars Attacks, Robbie and Godzilla.

John is honestly, one of my favorite designers and I seriously thought of getting in on one of these projects. In the end I did not, because while he is a proven pinball designer, he is unproven as a business person from a production perspective. Creativity and supply chain/production logistics are not synonymous. I really hope he can rebound and these pins come out with more projects behind them.

Kind of a dick move for John to tweet a photo of the guy's full name and address. I'm sure Cody Miller in Jacksonville would agree.

I'm guessing it's safe to say he's not using advanced photo/watermark tracking software to protect the NDA.

Or maybe it's a trap.

I'll take frickin' Norbit on the backglass if I can get my game...

So Jpop won't refund deposits unless there is a newcomer to take the spot and then doesn't respond to people interested in getting on a standby list. WTF?

His ego is going to fuck over a lot of people if he can't right this ship and burying his head in the sand while depositors ask for explanations is not getting the job done. Pathetic.

He's got three days left to do a December reveal of game play video... misses his dates again I bet.... Probably got scared from the adobe video release... Wtf

Can't imagine how the MG reveal could have gone any worse. Seems to have confirmed the worst concerns everyone had of the state of the game and his ability to get it done.

There was no "lebowski" moment of plugging the game in and walking away and letting everyone go nuts over it.

And look at the loooooooooooooong road all the other new manufacturers have had FROM that point of showing a playable prototype at a show. Even Spooky, who we all cheer for getting things done, took a good 6+ months from announcing the final game and taking orders to shipping the first customer's game. Everyone else is way behind that.

QUESTION FOR ***PAID UP*** MAGIC GIRL OWNERS

Admittedly I have not read every post on this thread (viewed about 75%) because I can't keep up with a 100+ posts a day but I was hoping paid up MG owners could help me understand the consensus within that group.

No doubt about it nearly all of us are frustrated with the time to market, but even though most other owners have not had an opportunity to play the proto as I have, what are your thoughts after seeing (on the blog) the final playfield (in entirety), backglass (although he's still hiding a feature in the BG), cabinet, final plastics set exclusive of ramps, and various screenshots of the animated LCD?

Now before I offend anyone, I think non owners who participate in this thread have every right to participate and add value..potentially more than some of us owners. I also realize RAZA owners have the same concerns as MG owners. The reason I want to single out only the paid up MG owners with my question is because it's assumed that MG will be released before RAZA and considering funds from all three machines are commingled it inherently means there is less risk in MG as RAZA funds will subsidize MG so while all of us face significant risks owners of MG, RAZA, and AIW all have different risk profiles. Also, the reason I say paid up MG owners is because anyone who hasn't had to put out a dime towards MG, as much as I appreciate your insights, can't possibly have a fraction of the concerns of a paid up owner. I'm envious as hell of those of you with a free option on MG, I wish I was you - you're the smart ones, but you don't have the same vested interest as the original 17-25.

So those who are paid up MG owners, what are your current thoughts?

Disclaimer: I'm in on both MG and RAZA

I sent him this book because I thought he'd dig it.
The letter says thanks for the interview, it also let him know that
I now operate a World Cup Soccer in an arcade and to keep up the good work.

The letter does not gently tell him to change the art or anything else.

Multiball1,
Since you have actually seen and played the MG Proto could you share some thoughts on it? Also since you have been to JPOP's lair what are your thoughts on what you have seen of RAZA?
TY

At one time I really admired John, but he's seriously pissed me off right now.

I wonder what the verdict will be if he does deliver some great pins but in 2017 or 2018. Will all be forgotten and looked back on with nostalgia about how we waited 6-7 years for the pins?

This hole journey has turned into a complete dibocal

HaHAHa!
I saw that and instantly thought to myself,,,
I really don't care if a few pinball people around the world
have my name and mailing address and thought,
well hell, maybe someone will send me something neat someday!

It's around the Christmas Season so...
<---- Send Cody cool pinball stickers and stuff

Check out page 26, post 1298 in this thread. (From November)
Granted it was before any of the artwork or LCD had been released.
Hope it helps.

Challenge Accepted!

Seriously though,. I think these kind of things keep him going. I know he appreciates them, and I have gotten cool things from him as well in return.

As I have said in the past, I think he is sincere in getting the games built, but definitely was overwhelmed by the task.

Chris

I'm not sure if there is anyone here that doubts that at all.

Most of the issues in this thread can be addressed by some transparency and responding to customers.

Heck, most of the issues could have been addressed by an actual "lebowski" reveal.

I wonder what the odds are that come expo 2015, we'll still be wondering and debating whether there will be a MG shown there for the first time ala Lebowski?

At this time, the odds of another reveal at this years expo without playable games is larger than having something resembling a production ready MG to show off.

I am happy to be proven wrong, but even the diehard faithful are losing their patience...

Thank you for the clarification. I could only read bits and pieces of it, but obviously I drew the wrong inferences from the text. I apologize for stating something that wasn't true, regardless of whatever disclaimers I used.

And I will add to it that, for all I know, he has worked up enough changes in the art that he feels confident that it doesn't infringe, and feels it is completely legal. I maintain that it only matters if he is prepared to fight it legally in court should topps take issue with his game. Intentions don't mean much if lawyers get involved, so taking licensing risks is only worth it if it can be easily changed (kahlua on TBL) or you have the wherewithal to fight it.

It still seems pretty brazen to post a pic of the book on his facebook page, but it makes more sense with a 100% positive letter and intent behind the gift. I was definitely wrong about the letter, and again I apologize.

And WCS might be my favorite game, so I am with you there.

Not with me it won't be! I'm in the same boat. Used to really admire the guy. Now I think he's a flake and I'm getting beyond pissed.
I don't care how great the games are or if they shoot off fireworks when you get a jackpot.
This is no way to treat customers that supported him and his fledgling pinball company.
I don't care if you are a multi-million dollar business owner, a six figure doctor or lawyer, or a comfortably middle class steel worker like myself. This is way too much money of other people's to be jacking around with. Like many have said, all he needs to do is communicate. You know, like we were promised in the beginning. We are going to be part of the entire process. I see how that was all bullshit now.
I don't want to see more of the same damn art work in different colors. We should be seeing pictures of the machines being built.
Zeroware will never see another sale to me, even if he was clearing out pins for 3 grand a piece.

To me it seems pretty clear at this point that John just likes to do the fun stuff. He likes coming up with themes, layouts and artwork over and over again. That's all stuff that any enthusiast would enjoy doing, probably even for free. He doesn't actually like building games and running a business. That's the un-fun part of pinball manufacturing and money gets spent. Why get to the hard stuff when you can keep coming up with whimsical ideas and people send in more money? Otherwise, who would even have artwork done on 3 machines before the playfield for the first one is finalized?

OK do we know the number of MGs sold? I have heard the original plus 4 prototypes make 17 and there will be no more. I have also heard 22, 25 and 50.

I hear before Christmas they changed the eyes on the alien art work for raza again... Now it doesn't look exactly like the alien from mars attacks lol... Guess he got the clue... Changed the eyes but everything else stayed the same.. I hear it looks Chinese now

There are at least 18, because I have #18 paid in full.

I showed a friend the adobe video. He is in on MG, RAZA too I believe, and he was pissed.

That's the first he had even seen MG (aside from the small art bits and pieces online) and he has been in since day one. He went to Expo, he has called him to see how it's coming along, and he has been left entirely in the dark.

He jokingly tried to sell me his non-existent Magic Girl about a month ago (which I declined).

So, I can't speak for him, but I'd assume his thoughts are very much in line with the general public's, except a little worse since he is out so much money (as you kind of stated in your post).

I totally agree with both of you. I dont care if the pin serves beer like the Trilogy pin,(ok this might be the exception) His voicemail box has been full for two weeks maybe longer, I have sent three emails about this refund letter he said he would send me with no response. Chris with COintakers even responded to the email and sent John an email urging him to take action, no response. This whole thing is a cluster F..K that could be avoided with a couple simple things.

1. communicate, basic 101 in any business ( and as he has put it time and time again" im always available just call me" not true..
2. Dont bite off more than you can chew.. too late hes making like 5 pins at once
3. Once the cart is headed in the wrong direction, humble yourself and get help or ask for it.

Like many have said he enjoys the easy part of pinball making and thats all he has to show for it basically...
Or all he is willing to show his customers that are bank rolling this project

In one of those adobe videos he talked about being a steward for pinball, with the knowledge passed down to him. I would suggest that ultimately the making pinball taught to him was a BUSINESS. It was about producing machines that would earn on location for the operators, and who would in turn buy the next release (and hopefully throw the old ones into the landfill), which was scheduled to be produced in the factory on a tight time table, under very tight project management and costs analysis.

I doubt any of his mentors would have taught him to take "as long as it takes" with no regard to cash burn, costs, customers, and anything else.

Option exists at his discretion to produce up to 50, so you can be sure that providing it's not a dud all 50 will be produced. I know 25 have already been paid in full and the remaining 25 machines already have a waiting list for them.

This is the consistent concern, as something isn't right... MG has little priority over his other games, and no one, even fully paid customers are allowed to glimpse the full game, or even the full set of artwork, which contains no trade secrets.

I'n still rooting for Stern or JJP take up production of Zidware games, but based on their response to WOOLY production, I think they are both still caught up in their own proprietary games unless the manufacturing run is as big as MMr, which is unfortunate for the hobby. JPop's history of changing things may be the ultimate deal breaker for outsourcing the manufacturing, so we hope to someone else step in to right the ship.

I missed that there was a second video if you scroll down on the adobe page:

http://inspire.adobe.com/2014/12/18/zombies_yetis_pinball.html

Some stills from video 2.

Untitled-15.jpgUntitled-16.jpgUntitled-17.jpgUntitled-18.jpgUntitled-20.jpgUntitled-21.jpgUntitled-22.jpgUntitled-23.jpgUntitled-25.jpgUntitled-26.jpgUntitled-27.jpgUntitled-28.jpg

What is even more important regarding the above is the fact that per Ben Heck, he had already been working on what became AMH for quite some time (I can't remember for sure what he said...but I am pretty sure it was more than 6 months) before Spooky even announced that game.

I know Ben reads this thread occasionally so maybe he can chime in?

yeah I'm not even talking about development time. I'm talking from the point the game was called as "finished", promotional video and flyer made, orders and money taken.

They got from that point to customer delivery in about 6 months. All I'm saying is it doesn't appear John is anywhere near that "finished" point, and who knows how long production would take after that.

Can we not kidnap JPop and force him to design games at Stern or JJP?
It friggin pains me to look at how awesomely cool the pics are, knowing I'll probably never get one of these in my place for all of the previously mentioned concerns/reasons.

Sort of not surprising why he isn't working at JJP or stern (may not be his choice)

The option to include additional games was definitely NOT in the contract I signed.