My guess $30k
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Quoted from Redeyes:That's a lot of hours..
Yep its assembler old 6809 programming
Quoted from zombieyeti:Hello all - I'm the artist on JPOPs 'recent' machines - I haven't heard for him in a few weeks and started doing some diggin which led me here - can someone summarize what is going on? thanks in advance!
Well first of all your artwork is fantastic, is your artwork for the games finished
Last I heard jpop offered his designs with a royalty of $125 per machine to the larger manufacturers
The problem was who was going to supply the money for the already paid games.
Crickets???
Quoted from benheck:Here's something to consider - maybe the best "least worst" option with Zidware is he ditches 2 games and rolls everyone into whatever game is most finished?
All other problem aside, software is the deal-breaker in this scenario. Even assuming final hardware, you're talking 80k for a programmer to spend a year making a game people want to play. TIMES THREE GAMES. (and that's not even considering art / sound / dots)
"Oh but someone will program because they love pinball". BS. As the world's leading authority in Hobbies Becoming Jobs, no matter how much you love something, if it consumes a disproportionate amount of your time, you're going to want cash for it to make it worth your while.
What probably happens with John, is he finds somebody willing to code "for the experience" (free) But when that person realizes the soul-sucking hell that coding really is, they ask for money, and that's when John balks. (see also: other Zidware jobs)
If he was just making ONE game (which should have been his goal originally) these one-time costs would be lower. Instead of finding coding/art for RAZA and AIW, he just needs it for MG.
RAZA/AIW buyers get MG instead of nothing.
Could that be an acceptable solution?
I would open it up open source, setup a forum, charge a membership fee or a license fee for the game design, people work on code, art etc John gets the parts sourced and people assy their own custom game for the shared cost, like a kit car
I would help with the project and offer assistance and would pay $1000 for a license to use the designs, bit like pinmame or futurepin
The question is did he ever really receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in the first place?
Meaning he may of only sold $200k of games and spent that on expenses
So nobody can sue John?
You have to pay more for the game?
John gets to keep your money?
You have to wait 4 years?
If the licensee had experience manufacturing pinball it wouldn't take them 4 years to complete them.
My suggestion is all the buyers and creditors get together and appoint a team to take this train wreck over.
Sounds like the Bumper Action mess all over again
Company sells business as a going concern and says they took over all the orders and liabilities
In the meantime stripped the Company of it's assets.
Quoted from zombieyeti:I appreciate that - That's been my fear on this whole ride. I'm soooo with you on that - if this arrangement meant I was still under Zidware/Jpop I'd run for the hills. At the end of the day I try to align myself with earnest people who want to make stuff for the right reasons (ie buyers) & creators who think beyond - so this has been a nightmare in my eyes.
And at the risk of pissing any goodwill i have out the window - I will say I do honestly think John NEVER intended to screw anyone over - he's just an idiot - and he knows it.
So if your weren't paid in full for your art creations then John can't license out your artwork.
Your art is fantastic, how about we do some prints id buy one
Exactly what the Bumper Action buyers did, all got together and formed a group on a private forum, shared costs and information,
The problem is, you have no legal right to go after pinstasia regardless of what promise is made.
By law you must go after the company you paid, with the bumper mess bumper 3 sent out letters that they took over all liabilities and your money was transferred and safe.
When bumper 3 were taken to court the judge said you didn't pay this company
They should file bankruptcy and the ip goes to the highest bidder, then people get back so many cents in the dollar, they can even offer special pricing to zidware customers whoever the new owners will be.
The bankruptcy lawyer will undo this licensee agreement
Its a simple business fail , he said himself he is a failed businessman
Like Kevin he will not be charged for anything, zidware will hide behind his LLC company
Also he is probably a creditor as well as the IRS and will get a % from the sale of assets
Normally it costs 1 million dollars to design a game to get it to production
If people are owed a million dollars pintasia should pay them out and start again
Everyone made whole and then take the license and make the games with or without John
As long as people are made whole, I am sure they won't mind.
My guess is John keeps what he received
John gets paid a consulting fee
Someone else makes people whole, remember no matter what John owns the trademark and copyrights and regardless will get paid again on wages or royalties.
Quoted from pinmanguy:What did they have to do with this?
Nothing just trying to buy or invest in anyone involved in making a pinball and doesn't like signing NDAs
Exactly its called derivative art, you are using the Williams art and making something similar and Williams will protect the copyright.
For those interested most of the designers were on a monthly retainer normally $5,000 to $6,250
+ a royalty per game sold if sold over a specified number.
This info comes straight from Williams internal memo's
Quoted from wcbrandes:Oh and here I thought it was a depiction of Ben who flew down to Australia (note Ferris wheel spinning opposite direction) for a mere 1600.00 return. Stepping out of his 5 night, 300 per night Hotel room with glue gun in hand, to tack down the layover on the play field! Note: see how skinny Ben is getting because couldn't afford to eat with the mere 1k extra charge to do this! Disclaimer: I do not know what Ben looks like in person
I think you have been sniffing too much glue yourself?
As long as people are not suing John he will do what he pleases until a court liquidation happens which can take years.
Quoted from Richthofen:It's easy to spend $100K if you need to get an injection mold made for a ramp. Tooling costs are hella expensive for something like that.
No they are not $3000 to $5000 max for vacuum form tool
I heard he sold the business to himself and is starting again, new company no debt, you know all the debt left with the old company
Quoted from benheck:Where did you hear such a thing?
Don't say I didn't warn you!
Quoted from pinmanguy:If this were in Australia one of the current affairs programs would have loved this story, they love going after people who's taken money.
Crap, they didn't care about the bumper action mess
Cameron worked for Williams not John, made Johns game better, Cameron would be welcome at any pinball show
Quoted from Coyote:God, I'd love to talk to him again. I haven't heard a word from him or Ted since WMS went under.
WMS didn't go under they just decided they were loosing 20 million a year making pinball, didn't make financial sense
Pretty sure he went back to Williams recently working on slots, since left and I think he works for general motors or similiar
Quoted from Whysnow:I was told one recently changed hands privately for 16k.
Most are selling for $22-$23k all day long
The original price was $16k
Does a house designer, wire up a house or paint it no
If Jpop was so crap of a designer why did Williams keep him,
A game design team with lead designer Jpop designed the games, I am sure he had a vision for art, and hired someone who could turn his vision into reality.
He is helping MG owners like me, and he never not replies to my emails
Quoted from frolic:Dude, you realize there are 100+ other jpop customer's who's money paid for YOUR mg to be completed, and don't get response from John in any way?
But hey, it's all about you I guess. Glad you are getting the great service.
Not my money, I bought mine from an original owner/buyer who made enough to get his money back and buy a new Stern
Quoted from frolic:Well then I'm glad jpop is giving such great service to the secondary market. Maybe you can ask him to respond to his actual customers.
Happy to
So you bought a mg or owed money
Quoted from pinballrockstar:John,is my machine ready?
I want to pick it up,paid you 3 years ago.
But you didn't pay your balance?
Quoted from CNKay:Really? you like your broke ass POS. That's pretty funny!
Know a guy selling one if your interested.
Its better than a kingpin or wizard blocks
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