Rivesville, WV
I volunteer to be in the test group! My working JP would love to test this mod out!
(Topic ID: 66098)
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Jurassic Park
Data East, 1993
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Quoted from futurepinhead:I'm totally kidding with him Jared in case you think I'm serious. I've known him awhile now.
Everybody knows this will be one of the best and the most needed mods of all time. Several have started but Jim here is the only one who has stuck with it through all of the obstacles.
MY BAD home skillet!!!! 
Quoted from winteriscoming:I reached out to a few people to join the initial pilot group and will be working with them over the coming weeks to make sure there aren't any issues that need to be addressed before selling more. I'd like to get their t-rexes out the door next week,
Great news. It must feel pretty good to see this coming to fruition.
Alright, latex teeth aren't going to work out. It takes way too long to cure and undergoes too much stress in the de-molding process with the current molds for me to consistently get a usable piece. I also don't have good molds for latex use. If I had plaster molds I probably could have used latex a little better. I really don't want to make new molds at this point.
I can cast and de-mold the silicone in 20 minutes or less. The latex seems to need longer than 24 hours and I'm too impatient to wait that long for something that might not even turn out right.
Quoted from winteriscoming:I really don't want to make new molds at this point.
I don't blame you at all. I think that teeth made out of any material would be better than no teeth.
Quoted from Aurich:Can you tint the silicone before molding it?
I can and do.
That's not the issue. The issue is that teeth and gums have to be the same color and I haven't had success painting the silicone in a way that will last. Further experimentation would require a setup that I don't have and I don't think the payoff of having different colored gums is worth it at this point.
As it stands, the gums and teeth will be tinted initally and will remain the same color.
I may do a couple other experiments, but no guarantees.
There isn't much gum exposed. How does it look with of white gums?
I'm sure you'd like to sell a totally finished product, but you could release it, as is with one color gum/teeth combo and the end user can color the gums how they wish. When that color wears off, they can reapply it.
....Just thinking out loud....
also thinking out loud....
http://www.smooth-on.com/Silicone-Rubber-an/c2_1115_1198/index.html
Tell me when to stop thinking!
Still say just leave the gums white. Problem with latex is that it ages poorly.
Glad that this isn't being released just yet. I got my jp to play last night. She is dirty, rusty, and ugly, and still not all there, but still got to play a ball with the glass on.
Quoted from winteriscoming:I reached out to a few people to join the initial pilot group and will be working with them over the coming weeks to make sure there aren't any issues that need to be addressed before selling more.
Who are the testers? I suggest picking some people that are not so vocal in this thread as their opinions will carry more weight than fanboy#1 et al.
I can vouch for KingPin Games as a good person to use as a test pilot. He has been in the business for his entire life, is a distributor of games, and has lots of experience on lots of games so he brings a valued and level headed person whose opinions and feedback can be trusted.
Quoted from Whysnow:Who are the testers? I suggest picking some people that are not so vocal in this thread as their opinions will carry more weight than fanboy#1 et al.
I can vouch for Kingpin Games as a good person to use as a test pilot. He has been in the business for his entire life, is a distributor of games, and has lots of experience on lots of games so he brings a valued and level headed person whose opinions and feedback can be trusted.
i appreciate the support. i would love to test one of these as i have 3 parties coming up in the next 30 days and the pinballs will be getting played a lot.
Quoted from Whysnow:Who are the testers? I suggest picking some people that are not so vocal in this thread as their opinions will carry more weight than fanboy#1 et al.
I'm not even sure how many of these I'll end up making, so I'd rather vocal fans get priority. What other method am I supposed to use to gauge interest without making an open call and getting a number of pms to sift through from people I've never heard of?
At any rate, the first three people are already lined up.
Quoted from KingPinGames:i would love to test one of these as i have 3 parties coming up in the next 30 days and the pinballs will be getting played a lot.
Sorry, just doing three for right now and have three people committed.
I'm keeping the initial group small so that it's easier to manage direct communication and address any issues.
no issues here. i will get one once they are made available. i am a patient person.
keep up the great work, maybe i will send you the heads from roadshow next so you can make them ultra realistic (and extremely creepy). not trying to derail this thread with "what could be next (if anything) kind of talk, just letting you know that i appreciate your talent.
Looks Great. All of your works shows. Good luck with the testing.
I'd be a vocal supporter, but you do not want to hear me sing!
Looks fantastic and the strong attention to detail is much appreciated! I am looking forward to hearing about the test results as well.
I think I'm going to settle on a cost of $400 shipped (in the US only). The time it takes to produce one is much longer than I had originally anticipated. Sorry if this is cost-prohibitive for anyone who's interested, but that's what I have to charge to make it worth my time. Honestly, if I get through the pilot group and no one else is interested at this price, then I'm fine with that. I just won't make any more. I guess I'll start a list of interested people at this time. Please PM me that you want to be on the list, even if you already have. I can't guarantee how long it will take before the initial pilot run is finished, but I will begin producing more after that. I will probably produce them at a slow rate... maybe a few a month. I will not be selling unpainted ones until interest in painted ones subsides (or I get tired of painting them).
Here's a vid and a couple more pics. I'll try to get some pics with a DSLR tomorrow.
I realized I'm calling this finished, but haven't made a tongue decal. I'll see what I can put together. I don't think you end up seeing inside the mouth that well, but it might be a nice addition.
IMG_20141213_165208.jpg
IMG_20141213_165218.jpg
By the way, I installed the glass to test some more and confirm it actually works with the glass on (i.e. check that it's not too tall) and am happy to report that there are no issues except that I suck at this game and barely hit the t-rex...
I'm pretty happy with the pickup success rate. Assuming that my game is representative of the norm (might not be a good assumption), there's a bit of a range for what triggers the center switch. It doesn't seem to happen much, but there are times when the t-rex is a little too off center and ends up grabbing the ball with the side of its mouth and dropping it. It's been so long since I played that I don't recall this happening with the stock t-rex, but I can't imagine the stock t-rex behaving any differently if it picked up while slightly off-center.
looks amazing. can't wait to get on the list. with the new code being worked on, and now this, i am so happy that i have a Jurassic Park again (it was the first NIB game that we bought as a company when we were still running a route, so it has A LOT of sentimental value to me... can't believe that was 20 years ago, can't believe that i am 34 now and still have the same butterflies when i see the dinosaur (original or you awesome redo) come down and eat the ball.
Grand slam in my books
Edited previous post and updated with price.... and there's a waiting list now, so hop on and be patient. 
Quoted from winteriscoming:I think I'm going to settle on a cost of $400 shipped (in the US only). The time it takes to produce one is much longer than I had originally anticipated. Sorry if this is cost-prohibitive for anyone whose interested, but that's what I have to charge to make it worth my time.
For this level of custom work it's a solid price. I don't know what people were hoping for, or willing to pay, but you're doing it right, congrats on making it to the finish line, and with such a kick ass result too. Good luck!
Fredericton, NB
Quoted from Rush1169:Id like to see a picture of the whole playfield, if you don't mind.
I'll get better pics taken tomorrow with a DSLR and will get some whole pf pics. My wife is better at using it than I am. Right now I'm just taking them with my phone. I posted some pf pics a few posts back (edit: just checked and didn't post a full pf shot). The current "finished" one is really just the same t-rex with smaller eyes and a clearcoat.
By the way, it ends up looking a lot glossier in the photos than in real-life. The idea is that most of it is matte, while a few choice areas are glossy, such as nostrils, mouth and around the eyes.
I want to thank everyone who has been supportive of this project so far.
I appreciate everyone who has given advice of various kinds both publicly here in the forum and privately. I also appreciate the various generous offers for help, ranging from financial to technical. I especially appreciate all the positive feedback. This has been a tough project to get through and everyone's enthusiasm has been a great motivator.
I look forward to getting some of these out the door and into the hands (and games) of others soon.
Thanks,
Jim
Quick question... that black bib in front of the T-Rex, is that part of the original game or part of this mod? Mine does not have that.
Quoted from ChadH:Quick question... that black bib in front of the T-Rex, is that part of the original game or part of this mod? Mine does not have that.
That came on my stock T-rex along with a plastic double washer. I can't remember if it was installed in front or in back of the front piece on the stock one, but my intention is for it to be installed in the front on this one. If you're missing it, there's probably some kind of sheet of black rubber you could buy and cut one out.
By the way, I think that's what Ian Malcolm is referring to when he asks if someone has gone around lifting up the dinosaurs' skirts. 
Quoted from winteriscoming:If you're missing it, there's probably some kind of sheet of black rubber you could buy and cut one out.
OK, yep... I can probably make one easily enough. Would be great if someone could scan one or take a nice picture of a removed one laying flat on a table with a measurement.
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