Quoted from TecumsehPlissken:Keep the faith!!
I have FAITH + 1
(Topic ID: 92436)
Linked Games
Alice in Wonderland
Gottlieb, 1948-
Houdini
American Pinball, 2017
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Magic Girl
Zidware Pinball USA, 2017
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Retro Atomic Zombie Adventureland
Zidware Pinball USA, 2012
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Quoted from Concretehardt:I promise you he has more than that but I guess he isn't ready to show it yet
Yes, much more, it's worth the wait.
Quoted from frolic:I wish faith had nothing to do with it. Would be much better with deadlines met and products delivered.
Deadlines are for companies that have:
-big overhead
-time limits on licenses
-a primary goal of profit.
JPOP is making custom pinball machines,
therefor the "deadline" is dictated by to me more so by:
the flow of creativity
how long it takes to make playfields (couldn't just have a pre-existing maker do them)
making cabinets (new style)
coding from scratch?
building a team from scratch?
basically developing it all from scratch.
My only critique would be more updates and to sell merch more when possible.
Quoted from BloodyCactus:the angle of those cabs is crazy. do not like the shape of the cab. i wonder if its so steep to house some hugeass toy in the back? anyway.. hmm
The playfields won't be mega steep in them...
2 months later
Quoted from applejuice:Totally agree. Wcs, Tom, Totan, cv, swep1 - how many auto launchers on those games?. I believe it's cv only. Best rule set in that list?
To me an autolauncher is essential for a modern game as it opens up all sorts of code / rule possibilities. Take it away and you limit yourself unnecessarily. I know this is why a lot of proc people are retrofitting manual shooter compatible autolauncher mechs to their rewrites/customisations
The primary reason auto-launch was created quite possible was for the game to earn more,
because if you can just sit on a ball and say drink a beer then the game isn't earning.
One of my customers pointed that out about one of my non-auto launch games on route
that it's a great bar game due to this! well, for him, not my earnings hahaha.
Auto launch can make a game more non-stop which is fun for some but not everyone haha.
1 week later
Quoted from Sjsilver: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.
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.
Quoted from ChrisVW: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.
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 
Quoted from limelime20:Talking about the buyer's in a negative light here is in bad taste IMO, they had faith in a guy with 20+
year's reputation designing some of the top pinball machines of all time.
Without the pre-order buyer's/investor's , MG, Raza, etc would never of had a chance.
The buyer's should be applauded in their support, patience, and loyalty up to this point,
especially considering what has been shown and communicated (or not) lately.
Think how you would feel if you had as much as these buyer's have on the line...
Let's support them for once, and hope they get their well deserved games.
I applaud anyone that does what they believe in and supports what they believe in
and those that have the guts and conviction to help make things happen
like fund pinball machines via pre-order.
2 weeks later
Quoted from TigerLaw:My guess is he pays himself around 100k-125k per year in his personal salary...that is a half million over 4-5 years in and of itself. Of course, perhaps he is paying himself less...we don't know.
Guessing and Theorizing and $1.5 buys you a coca cola...
Quoted from RobT:4 years later and the PF artwork isn't done?
Intellectually bankrupt statement, it's obviously complete by now.
Quoted from boo32:The warranty is only for one year and voiding the warranty just means that you would have pay for replacement parts. He never said he was designing games to be used on route. I have a feeling that you would be able to get a waiver to take it to a show or two since it would be good advertising for him. If you don't care about the warranty or can wait a year, it doesn't have any impact.
Last time that I talked with him he said there will not be coin operation code in these games.
I really doubt anyone would route one of these hahaha.
1 week later
1 month later
1 week later
1 week later
Quoted from BMore-Pinball:Communication is king in business.
It is key in general.
1 week later
Quoted from ChadH:Just posted to Facebook.
Careful with those ramps, Eugene.
image.jpg (Click image to enlarge)
One thing that makes no sense,
if it's a home use edition, hence must just have free play on,
why is the special insert so important and big?
Quoted from Rarehero:Does Jpop see any of this or realize his buyers are talking this way!?!? How can he remain silent?! He's either evil or insane. Jpop, if you're reading this - You must break your silence and address the situation! That is the ONLY thing that can fix this! If you stay quiet, your reputation is forever destroyed....and remember, YOU did it to yourself. No one else.
How many in this thread are actually buyers?
How many here would actually buy or be able to afford one of these games if/when they came out?
How would him addressing "Pinside", the digital court of pinball universal opinion do any good?
Quoted from Rarehero:He should be addressing his buyers, first and foremost. The fact that they're looking into legal action is telling. As far as Pinside goes - this is the most popular pinball forum, no? The Internet is forever. Does Jpop want to be forever known as an evil douchelord who stole tons of money and flaked on delivering a game? If not, he's gotta come clean. His actions (inactions?) and silence is destroying him.
Bingo, his accountability is to the buyers First and Only.
Moderating the levels of people's Feelz on the Internets isn't anyone's job or duty.
Quoted from jeffgoldstein2:It is tied with the Predator thread.
Skit-B and Zidware are not the same things...
Quoted from rai:And isn't John stealing Magna flippers from TZ? etc..
Yes, the exact art and playfield and mechs, sure, lol, ok...
Quoted from jeffgoldstein2:The point is that they are both depressing threads on pinside. I never said they are the same.
One was a full on scam,
the other is a to be determined end of the road result.
3 weeks later
Quoted from vid1900:And of course, there is nothing wrong with collecting a salary.
No Damnit!
Everyone must work for free!
For the common good of pinball!
Fast, don't eat and just work on pinball for free!
Quoted from s1500:I wonder with Stern's KISS pin announcement that there's going to be jimmies rustled. A tongue reveal!
nope
2 weeks later
Quoted from pinballrockstar:Lol,did you just call me an armchair quarterback?
I think you guys will pull it off,everybody is just so damn mad and fingerpointing at this stage,give it a couple of days..every armchair quarterback on pinside will calm down in a while.
MG's faith lies in your hands and thus ours,but people like to scream a bit when they just lost their ass and have a fight all weekend with their wives,you dig?
I myself am pretty happy my wife did not murder me over the weekend,(i admit i kept myself away from overhangs and dangerous edges when the wife was around)I will never , ever hear the end of this from her.(which is way worse than not owning a zidware pinball)
New wedding vows by pinsider wives should include:
HER: I promise not to get violent or vengeful at pinball money spent, be it pre-order, mods, etc...
Quoted from frolic:I would think all of John's failed deals (JJP/Stern/Partec/anyone else) could be revisited. John is impossible to work with, and probably unwilling or unable to pay what needed to be paid.
Hmm... yeah,
Stern and JJP would just love to make a Zidware game even if the numbers were right?
1 week later
Quoted from KeithinMI:My $0.38 worth (that would be $0.02 worth adjusted for inflation using the latest CPI).
LOL, the CP-LIE haha!
Quoted from vid1900:Pinball Circus cost $1.5 Million to prototype in 1993 dollars - that would be $2.4 Million today.
More.
*My Only possible regret was to not have asked a hardball question or two
towards the end of my interview with JPOP last year.*
-I missed my flight to do the interview (not a huge deal but since I did miss it, I had a little more time...)
-I don't know if it could have saved anyone any possible grief to know more of
the current progress/projection of "progress"/% done of magic girl/financials roughly of how it was doing/etc...
-He was quite up-beat, he seemed truly into the process and dedicated to it.
Part 1...
Part 2...
Quoted from Pinterest:I second that.
So - I have no desire to read 300+ pages to figure this out - can anyone please tell me in no more than 5 words per line and 5 lines total what this thread is about?
Thanks!
The Journey Isn't The Reward.
1 week later
I've listened to this interview quite a few times,
http://www.pinballnews.com/shows/expo2013/johnpopadiuk.mp3
it stuck out 33:43 when he said "Originally we were a little more of egyptian theme,
the egyptian box of wonder... and we changed... We Literally Spent A Long Time With This Egyptian Theme,
we had a pyramid, and all into the garbage it went...
I myself wonder, how much time we spent on this???
1 week later
Quoted from toyotaboy:Umm, has anyone visited the AIW blog lately? He really is continuing to work on it (and this is the 3rd title with the first 2 unfinished??). What is his rationalization? AIW is the most likely title he can license to another company because RAZA and MG are originals? Or is this to make himself look competent in front of the judge?
http://www.pinballinventor.org/feed_aiw.html
AIW_blog_JPOP.jpg
This leads me to thinking...
or
Quoted from frolic:Since Jack is currently also getting beat up on Pinside for not shipping Hobbit, it serves him to contribute to the narrative that Pinside destroys pinball dreams.
Not every company gets skewered on Pinside, only the ones that take money in advance and are slow to deliver, or don't deliver at all.
Earlier in Jack's post he comments about the privilege of us pre-buyers who put money into this, but then attacks us as do nothings. Jpop customers are JJP customers, the kinds of people that drop tens of thousands on new pinball. So I don't get the sense of saying that.
Nobody is getting "beat up" really, the game wasn't "done" by the time the movie came out, so...
All companies get just desert on this site and nobody has been really given a lot unjust heat overall.
Is Jack saying "The journey of being overly anxious is the reward for pre-order pinball"?.
Quoted from emkay:» YouTube video
Pre-Order Pinball oh yeah,
what's up ya'll, what's up?
get up a get get get get down,
pre-order is da joke in ya town!
2 weeks later
Quoted from ForceFlow:The snake head can be used as a center post to bounce the ball.
The layout does take some getting used to, though.
Yup, the active snake shall be added, the flow at this point is getting there and it's fun!
4 weeks later
Quoted from ChadH:John says "we" a lot in his latest updates. Who is "we"?
It's a mystery mystery mystery... .. .
2 weeks later
Makes me think...
He might as well have re-themed something instead that already worked and added new art and a mech or two...
Quoted from frolic:He might as well have worked as a Subway sandwich artist the last 5 years.
Nahhhhhh, bad call, as he wouldn't have been able to handle that fast paced/deadline based environment...
2 weeks later
At around 30 minutes in, he explains the ponzi scheme nature of having future games fund the original ones...
They should make a drinking game based around how many times he says the word "Trying".
Frankly, the word trying is an excuse. I "tried" to do my homework, I "tried" to cut the yard,
I "tried" to wake up on time, I "tried", I "tried", I "tried", I "tried", I "tried", I "tried", I "tried"...
Quoted from wcbrandes:Interview........It's everyone's fault but mine! Interview finished
Look man, it's the blame of the Sun and the Moon and ...
1 week later
Quoted from iceman44:I feel like I get robbed a whole lot more by the government, filing my return on the 15th and I need to stroke out another 100k for 2014.
I delayed taking the "theft and casualty" loss with John until this year, didn't move the needle on a 350k total tax due bill
No way! Taxation as theft, no...
Quoted from lowepg:lots of talk....
When Kulek showed up in public....
Someone BRAVELY took a picture of him... from behind.
That showed him!
Well, there is no such thing as pinball paparazzi at the moment...
2 weeks later
2 months later
Quoted from ForceFlow:No changes on his linkedin page.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpopadiuk
1 skill says "FUTURISM"... .. .
8 months later
Quoted from Haymaker:New pics just added on American pinballs Facebook page
Yep, 26 Cabinets! Yes!
It would be totally fascinating to see 16 playfields in the games!
What are the odds that a working MG will be at expo?
Quoted from Mitch:If they make MG is it only gonna be for the original pre order people or will they be mass producing it for everyone.
Flip a coin, if it's made it's a 50/50 shot at these options.
So, American Pinball updated/added content to their site!
http://www.american-pinball.com
LEARN ABOUT US AND OUR MAGICAL PINBALL FACTORY
OUR SPECIAL POWERS
American Pinball provides amusement game design and high quality manufacturing services all Made In Chicago, USA. Being a gaming company, we understand the commitment required to design and produce games that will satisfy feel excitement of all age group and hobbyists. Quality control is our main focus and we have developed a strong reputation for lean manufacturing. American pinball having 15000 SqFt facility with dedicated design-development, engineering, manufacturing & testing area. At American Pinball, we believe in quality parts and products, so when you see game made by us you can see difference.
DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT
American Pinball provide complete end-to-end game design & development solutions, taking care of your IP across its lifetime.
Our services include:
Game Theme Selection, IP, Licensing
Artwork direction from concept to final product
Game design from concept and documentation to realization and white wood prototype.
Graphics development across multiple platforms giving your games ultimate market flexibility
Agile project management delivering your games on time and to budget
Ongoing live game management, development services and software support.
Game hosting from design to daily operation with best PR/ advertisement campaign.
Game BOM monetization programs to help ensure your games’ profitability
Social media retention strategies to keep customer updated with latest news and upcoming launching events.
MANUFACTURING
American Pinball provides comprehensive manufacturing & testing services to meet customer satisfaction.
From initial game parts consultation to our proofs and material check points, we understand customer needs and deliver smooth production experience, engineering assistance, value analysis, quality control assurance, product safety testing.
SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
American Pinball provides integrated, turnkey solutions that ensure a continuous supply of parts and materials, reduced inventory, cost savings, asset visibility, enhanced forecasting capabilities and materials sustainment. Our systems keep you prepared, functional and efficient everywhere. We don’t just push supplies out the door, we create end-to-end procurement, transportation, delivery and sustainment infrastructures that can be controlled. We provide end-to-end management of your supply chain.
I just called the Venetian hotel in Las Vegas and nothing Pinball or Houdini related is on the schedule they said.
Quoted from flynnibus:The original notes issued by them claim the game was to be revealed on the EVE of the tradeshow
" The unveiling will take place September 26th at the Venetian Las Vegas hotel on the eve of G2E, The Global Gaming Expo"
Company's use hotel rooms and meeting rooms all the time for 'whisper suites' or other private meeting spaces off the convention floor when a big show is in town. Cheaper than the convention floor and in an environment you can control easier.
I called this morning and no public Pinball event unveiling was scheduled though...
Quoted from Fulltilt:Probably worth more than Zidware bucks.
Are Zidware bucks transferable to Zinga dollars?
I know a few have listened to the interview that I did with John at Zidware in 2014 before EXPO,
but more people haven't than have. So instead of the part 1 and 2 youtube videos,
I put them both together and uploaded it today...
If you want to listen to it on MP3 here are the audio files as well.
http://www.904pinballzine.com/JohnPopadiukJRpart1/JohnPopadiukJrInterviewPartOne.MP3
http://www.904pinballzine.com/JohnPopadiukJRpart2/JohnPopadiukJrInterviewPartTwo.MP3
The tale to do this interview was for months I'd talked with him here and there on facebook.
I knew that eventually I'd want to interview him and that I'd be in Chicago.
So he asked for the questions, I sent them and he approved of them.
Then I was working in Chicago that week.
I went to Stern during the week and played Walking Dead Pro
before it came out and they knew in house that it'd be a hit.
I did my 2nd interview with George Gomez Jr but first in person
)
Here is footage driving up to the old factory as well...
This interview ended up happening the last day of my trip.
I typically always did video interviews when in person,
when I talked to him that morning he didn't approve of video,
so I had to run to radio shack, get an mp3 recorder and test test 123 on the way there.
That's why the funny did it record part is at the end of the interview.
I don't really know of anything else I can add to this tale,
I ended up missing my flight which wasn't a big deal,
but I wish I'd spent more time to do another part or two
of the interview and investigate the games and their states of progress.
It's just kinda wild that this interview happened about 2 years ago,
EXPO empty cabinet happened, Pintasia went down and then now American-Pinball is going on...
Thanks for reading/listening.
Quoted from spfxted:While listening to jpoop I threw up in my mouth a little...
That was not my intention behind posting this today though...
Quoted from iceman44:"Not like a quick cash grab and let's soak everybody"
"Making what people want"
"Very kind of squeaky and mushy".
"A lot of people i met will buy games and leave them in the box"
"Friends are buying and just want to be in the crowd, support the business because you want to support pinball"
Again, great and timely interview pre Expo.
What a Dick he is!!!!!!
You get it, that there are many sound bites that can be grabbed from this interview,
heck, I'll let them use them in Houdini if they'd like at no charge!
Ball lock call out "Leave Them In The Box!"
Ball drain call out "Making what people want!"
This interview reaaally puts things into perspective and context to me back then but even more so now.
2 weeks later
Quoted from bounoun:You just gotta love JPOP and his tricks. First empty cabinets. Now non working playfields with flashy art. What next ? A virtuapin cabinet with MG ?
Nope! As that implies functional whitewood development and engineering completion...
3 weeks later
Quoted from Tsskinne:Hey guys, I meant to post the link in this thread when the podcast released and just forgot. Anyway hopefully it is relevant and interesting to many of you impacted and I'm guessing many more just invested in this thread. The fact that the game Space Mission X existed probably blew my mind more than anything. Was I just late to the party on that one or was this really unknown? Jim is beyond a stand up guy, and thanks a ton for taking the time to do the show Jim. Anyway if you have any follow up questions for Jim feel free to reach out to the show and we will be happy to do some more follow up.
Yeah, I saw a few games there like this with EM reels on them as well...
2 weeks later
Quoted from benheck:They haven't given up on MG, new PF's are being made (old ones had a host of problems)
Next question: Is MG using the Zidware boards, and do enough exist to build 25 games? If there aren't enough of them, can more be bought from the vendor? If there are enough, is the code shippable? If code isn't shippable, can the programmer be convinced to finish it?
All those stars have to align for MG to have a shot in 2017. If they have to create new boards (as they do for Houdini) it's gonna be YEARS.
Also, why in the blue blazes did John hire a programmer in ENGLAND? Horrible exchange rate for US (before Brexit close to 1.50) and it costs a bloody fortune to ship ANYTHING there, let alone giant pinball PF's. Spooky and I have issues even over 70 miles.
Maybe he was banking on sending 3d printing docs of the whole game to England to print a whole mock up there?
1 month later
3 weeks later
What if there was a Zidware store online this whole time selling art/shirts/prototype parts?
Would it still be funding the operation or possibly refunds at this rate?
1 week later
Quoted from ChrisVW:This phenomenon spilled over into and subsequently ruined Neo Geo AES collecting for me. Once carts started trading for pinball prices, why even bother. I'd rather have pinball.
Fuck AES! MVS 4 LIFE!
Quoted from Pinballlew:I think Kingpin is pretty far along, the few times I have played it at Pin a go go and Ca xtreme it seems pretty code complete. Don't really know about King Kong.
Kingpin was to me pretty much done there is build up to a final mode with a maze mode then a final boss (which I beat once at National Pinball museum).
Quoted from snakesnsparklers:I don't foresee these games appreciating.
#NotAppreciatingByChristmas ?
Quoted from wizard_mode:It would be awesome if John Popaduik would appear on this thread and just explain stuff.
He did like 3 public talks and 2 recorded interviews in the past 5 years, really not likely (seeing as it hasn't happened by now).
He'll most likely ride off into the metaphorical sunset...
Quoted from Kneissl:Jpop Cashed out his reputation, and the Magic Girl scraps are the last bits of any value that will come out of the Popadiuk pinball mind.
But was it like he was ever going to be hired again by another pinball company again?
Quoted from TigerLaw:had the Zidware project never happened at all - I could easily have seen him doing a one off game at JJP like Lawlor.
Absolutely Debatable...
Also...
The World May Never Know...
Quoted from Mr68:I'm bored. We need another interesting (and funny) Kman video.
Ditto
Quoted from spinal:Look at the label on box: "MG # Special JK"
Does anyone know what this means?
Special, Just Kidding...
1 week later
Quoted from luvthatapex2:This should be moved to the American Pinball Houdini thread.
Why not haha, it's still from the genesis of JPOP's mind originally...
Quoted from Fulltilt:Fried with cocktail sauce, lots of horseradish.
Mmmm, horseradish...
Sorry to derail the talk about mustard and stuff...
Here's a quick video about the Zidware shirt JPOP game me after interviewing him in 2014...
Quoted from mgpasman:First time I see someone publish a video showing a picture
Back to dialog about food
P.s... most of the internet doesn't visit pinside.
2 weeks later
Quoted from toyotaboy:More website updates, looks like a parts section is coming soon?
http://www.zidware.com/inventor/index.html
This is for real?
Zidware isn't done?
What's the next offered title?
1 week later
Shit man...
This COULD have been the week/weekend of Star Wars pinball announcement,
but nawww we get Magic Girl shill news hahahahahahaha.
JPOP wins news worthiness of the week in the Universe of pinball?
Come on pinball universe!
2 months later
1 month later
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11 months later
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3 years later
Around 8 years ago I did the only in house interview at Zidware.
He wouldn't let me video tape him or anything there.
So I had to run to Radio Shack (R.I.P.) and get a nice little voice recorder.
He also had me sign a NDA (L O F'N L).
To me all buyers really should have visited him before paying in full...
All of life is moral hazard, especially in boutique pinball.
Who the hell actually thought it'd work out knowing what they knew as things went on?
2 months later
6 months later
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