Quoted from MrMikeman:

I have no idea how Spooky does the numbering. I don't believe it's necessarily sequential but also, what do I know.

Quoted from RussMyers:

I'm hoping Spooky finds a way to include this:[quoted image]

Quoted from gorditas:

Via plane, train, and automobile (bus too at the airport) I made the trek from my home in Michigan to Benton, WI and back to visit the Spooky factory yesterday. I own one Spooky game (Scooby CE) and have owned 11 machines in the last 4 years. I’ve owned a Gottlieb DMD, several Sterns, one JJP, one Williams, and 3 CGC games. (Current games are MMr, MBr, Star Wars Premium, IJTPA, Scooby CE, and Wonka LE) I’m a hobbyist who likes to play and work on my pinball machines. I have no connection to the industry otherwise. My job makes it possible to fly for free on my off days, so it just cost me a rental car to visit. I contacted Morgan about scheduling a tour, and she set it up. I’m sure you can too, I just recommend waiting until warmer weather, unless you have a lot of experience driving on snow-covered country roads, made even more perilous in a crappy Kia rental car. I had never driven a Kia, and don’t recommend it, but my teenage experience driving a 1985 Ford Tempo in rural Indiana really paid off.
I had two main reasons for visiting the factory: I was interested in Looney Tunes, and wanted to see and play one in person before ordering. The second reason was to get a first-hand look at how the Spooky crew has, is, and I believe will continue to do what many have said isn’t possible: manufacturing complex, creative, high-quality machines with predominately locally sourced components in small town America. In many ways, it felt like I went back in time to visit Fender’s Corona factory, or 225 Parsons in Kalamazoo back in the 1950’s. We need more of that type of thing to return today in far more sectors than pinball.
Looney Tunes first impressions:
1. It is NOT too orange! I joked that I meant to bring some “01” stickers to put on the ramps, but it honestly looks great in person. The powder coat is not only metallic, but has a subtle gradient effect to it. As I told the Spooky crew, my Scooby powder coating is the best I’ve seen outside of the custom work I’ve had done locally. I was glad to hear that the powder coating was done by another business in the same industrial park. It honestly seems like the whole town is invested in Spooky.
2. The game is fun, flowy, and fast, without being overly brutal. There are a lot of satisfying shots and returns. All four flippers felt like they had a purpose, and more than one shot each. I was able to go from ramp to ramp, much like I can on Wonka. The video integration was terrific, and the callouts, music, and sound effects were top notch. Even knowing that the voices weren’t from the original cartoons, I couldn’t tell: every character sounded like they should, and the music and sound effects were perfect.
3. I only played a few games (and watched Luke P. play a couple while he talked through things), but there were tons of episodes (and requisite characters) already in the game. Yosemite Sam is indeed on a plastic, and I got the impression that they want to include him as much as they are allowed. When I say “allowed” I mean by PR people swayed by the pearl clutching that small but loud segments of the population with no actual experience with the mechanical device often employed by Sam complain about. That class of object wasn't controversial until the past few decades, I have relatives that used to take them to show-and tell. Educate the ignorant people who blame inanimate objects, don’t blame Spooky for the boundaries they have to work within. The code seems pretty far along already, and with the polish and depth that I’ve seen Scooby grow into, I’m very confident that this will become an even more amazing game.
4. I liked the game enough that I ordered one from the distributor I used for Scooby. I mentioned what number my Scooby was, and Morgan instantly said, “you must have gotten it from _____.” I asked her about what game slots they had available direct, and they would have been just after the slot I ended up getting. She suggested that I give the distributor the sale. There was a respect and care for the distributors, customers, and employees in all of the conversations I had that was refreshing to see.
5. The playfield on Looney Tunes was designed to give another mounting point for the ball launch mechanism that has had some (not on my machine) issues on Scooby. But during the tour, I saw a completely different mechanism mounted and tested that should eliminate the problem entirely, as it has fewer moving parts and a direct shot. It looks a lot more like the launch assembly on my Indy than the fork style on Scooby and other games. It is my understanding that this new ball-launch mech will be going on production machines. (Pictured below) I believe that the small subset of people with problems on Scooby has been because of the manufacturing tolerances on the mechanism that is an aftermarket B/W design, and produced by a supplier. If I run into problems on my Scooby, I am confident that the fix is washers/shims on the original mechanism. In much the same way, I believe the early Warden board problems can be chalked up to bad components. Transistors and other IC’s have to be sourced outside the US, and were difficult to get a couple of years ago. By and large, I think they have better supply now. The PCB room was actually quite impressive, the work being done there is absolutely top notch. They are capable of production AND repair in house.
6. Speaking of the playfield, it looks incredible. The colors and finish are second to none. Many of the new Brand-X playfields I’ve seen as of late vary between orange peel and planked: I didn’t see a single playfield at the factory that wasn’t glass smooth. Bader is still making the playfields, as well as the cabinets. Once again, a small company in the Midwest is supplying a very high-quality product. I saw my first butter cabinet: if a particular Spooky game is a dream theme for you, and can have a full visibility place in your collection, get it. The best way that I can describe it is a cabinet made of playfields: it is that glossy and rich. The playfield inserts are RGB and very interactive with the modes. I had no problem identifying shots, and started getting combos rather quickly. I’m sure that further gameplay videos will show this. I can confirm why Bug was able to slide save so easily: in true Acme fashion, the prototype game is on skates!
7. The sculpts and metal work were really nice. The ramps were very cool, with really fun ball paths. The apron has integrated lighting, recessed behind the apron. The apron was getting some minor tweaks before going into final production. (Bare apron was test fitted on TCM in a photo below) Their metal is designed, cut, and bent in house. It was impressive.
Those are my thoughts; I don’t have much more to say or share. I speak only for myself, not on behalf of Spooky or any other company. It is possible that I misunderstood or misconstrued things I saw or heard, these are merely my opinions, and are worth what you have paid for them. My flight to Madison was delayed an hour, so the visit was really compressed to get back in time (1.5 hour drive each way) for the last flight of the night. I’m not affiliated with Spooky in any way, I don’t have any “inside information” on what is coming, and I received only a tour and some stickers. I have been there and done that, but I forgot to buy a T-shirt. I guess I will have to get that next time. Yes, I’d like to go back: I like hanging out with people who work hard and are proud of what they do. Spooky didn’t ask me to write this. I’m not a “shill” or an “apologist.” I have nothing to sell. I would emphatically tell some of you to pick up the phone or send an e-mail when you have a legitimate problem before typing an unhinged rant on Pinside about how Spooky ruined your life: every person at Spooky cares about what they are producing. The company isn’t run by venture capital douche-bags that don’t care about anything beyond next quarter, let alone pinball. They have clearly and quickly learned how to produce great machines, all while keeping jobs in middle America. Many of their themes are not for me, but I’ll give serious thought to every future theme that does interest me.[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]

Quoted from waletboy:

Anybody notice the Rick and Morty in the pictures?

Quoted from gorditas:

Via plane, train, and automobile (bus too at the airport) I made the trek from my home in Michigan to Benton, WI and back to visit the Spooky factory yesterday. I own one Spooky game (Scooby CE) and have owned 11 machines in the last 4 years. I’ve owned a Gottlieb DMD, several Sterns, one JJP, one Williams, and 3 CGC games. (Current games are MMr, MBr, Star Wars Premium, IJTPA, Scooby CE, and Wonka LE) I’m a hobbyist who likes to play and work on my pinball machines. I have no connection to the industry otherwise. My job makes it possible to fly for free on my off days, so it just cost me a rental car to visit. I contacted Morgan about scheduling a tour, and she set it up. I’m sure you can too, I just recommend waiting until warmer weather, unless you have a lot of experience driving on snow-covered country roads, made even more perilous in a crappy Kia rental car. I had never driven a Kia, and don’t recommend it, but my teenage experience driving a 1985 Ford Tempo in rural Indiana really paid off.
I had two main reasons for visiting the factory: I was interested in Looney Tunes, and wanted to see and play one in person before ordering. The second reason was to get a first-hand look at how the Spooky crew has, is, and I believe will continue to do what many have said isn’t possible: manufacturing complex, creative, high-quality machines with predominately locally sourced components in small town America. In many ways, it felt like I went back in time to visit Fender’s Corona factory, or 225 Parsons in Kalamazoo back in the 1950’s. We need more of that type of thing to return today in far more sectors than pinball.
Looney Tunes first impressions:
1. It is NOT too orange! I joked that I meant to bring some “01” stickers to put on the ramps, but it honestly looks great in person. The powder coat is not only metallic, but has a subtle gradient effect to it. As I told the Spooky crew, my Scooby powder coating is the best I’ve seen outside of the custom work I’ve had done locally. I was glad to hear that the powder coating was done by another business in the same industrial park. It honestly seems like the whole town is invested in Spooky.
2. The game is fun, flowy, and fast, without being overly brutal. There are a lot of satisfying shots and returns. All four flippers felt like they had a purpose, and more than one shot each. I was able to go from ramp to ramp, much like I can on Wonka. The video integration was terrific, and the callouts, music, and sound effects were top notch. Even knowing that the voices weren’t from the original cartoons, I couldn’t tell: every character sounded like they should, and the music and sound effects were perfect.
3. I only played a few games (and watched Luke P. play a couple while he talked through things), but there were tons of episodes (and requisite characters) already in the game. Yosemite Sam is indeed on a plastic, and I got the impression that they want to include him as much as they are allowed. When I say “allowed” I mean by PR people swayed by the pearl clutching that small but loud segments of the population with no actual experience with the mechanical device often employed by Sam complain about. That class of object wasn't controversial until the past few decades, I have relatives that used to take them to show-and tell. Educate the ignorant people who blame inanimate objects, don’t blame Spooky for the boundaries they have to work within. The code seems pretty far along already, and with the polish and depth that I’ve seen Scooby grow into, I’m very confident that this will become an even more amazing game.
4. I liked the game enough that I ordered one from the distributor I used for Scooby. I mentioned what number my Scooby was, and Morgan instantly said, “you must have gotten it from _____.” I asked her about what game slots they had available direct, and they would have been just after the slot I ended up getting. She suggested that I give the distributor the sale. There was a respect and care for the distributors, customers, and employees in all of the conversations I had that was refreshing to see.
5. The playfield on Looney Tunes was designed to give another mounting point for the ball launch mechanism that has had some (not on my machine) issues on Scooby. But during the tour, I saw a completely different mechanism mounted and tested that should eliminate the problem entirely, as it has fewer moving parts and a direct shot. It looks a lot more like the launch assembly on my Indy than the fork style on Scooby and other games. It is my understanding that this new ball-launch mech will be going on production machines. (Pictured below) I believe that the small subset of people with problems on Scooby has been because of the manufacturing tolerances on the mechanism that is an aftermarket B/W design, and produced by a supplier. If I run into problems on my Scooby, I am confident that the fix is washers/shims on the original mechanism. In much the same way, I believe the early Warden board problems can be chalked up to bad components. Transistors and other IC’s have to be sourced outside the US, and were difficult to get a couple of years ago. By and large, I think they have better supply now. The PCB room was actually quite impressive, the work being done there is absolutely top notch. They are capable of production AND repair in house.
6. Speaking of the playfield, it looks incredible. The colors and finish are second to none. Many of the new Brand-X playfields I’ve seen as of late vary between orange peel and planked: I didn’t see a single playfield at the factory that wasn’t glass smooth. Bader is still making the playfields, as well as the cabinets. Once again, a small company in the Midwest is supplying a very high-quality product. I saw my first butter cabinet: if a particular Spooky game is a dream theme for you, and can have a full visibility place in your collection, get it. The best way that I can describe it is a cabinet made of playfields: it is that glossy and rich. The playfield inserts are RGB and very interactive with the modes. I had no problem identifying shots, and started getting combos rather quickly. I’m sure that further gameplay videos will show this. I can confirm why Bug was able to slide save so easily: in true Acme fashion, the prototype game is on skates!
7. The sculpts and metal work were really nice. The ramps were very cool, with really fun ball paths. The apron has integrated lighting, recessed behind the apron. The apron was getting some minor tweaks before going into final production. (Bare apron was test fitted on TCM in a photo below) Their metal is designed, cut, and bent in house. It was impressive.
Those are my thoughts; I don’t have much more to say or share. I speak only for myself, not on behalf of Spooky or any other company. It is possible that I misunderstood or misconstrued things I saw or heard, these are merely my opinions, and are worth what you have paid for them. My flight to Madison was delayed an hour, so the visit was really compressed to get back in time (1.5 hour drive each way) for the last flight of the night. I’m not affiliated with Spooky in any way, I don’t have any “inside information” on what is coming, and I received only a tour and some stickers. I have been there and done that, but I forgot to buy a T-shirt. I guess I will have to get that next time. Yes, I’d like to go back: I like hanging out with people who work hard and are proud of what they do. Spooky didn’t ask me to write this. I’m not a “shill” or an “apologist.” I have nothing to sell. I would emphatically tell some of you to pick up the phone or send an e-mail when you have a legitimate problem before typing an unhinged rant on Pinside about how Spooky ruined your life: every person at Spooky cares about what they are producing. The company isn’t run by venture capital douche-bags that don’t care about anything beyond next quarter, let alone pinball. They have clearly and quickly learned how to produce great machines, all while keeping jobs in middle America. Many of their themes are not for me, but I’ll give serious thought to every future theme that does interest me.[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]

Quoted from waletboy:

Anybody notice the Rick and Morty in the pictures?

Quoted from jrcmlc:

I would hate to get in the way, but at the same time I really want to pickup my LT from you guys in person and just dialog a little. SpookyLuke SpookyBug and the rest of the @spookycrew that I don't remember the names of: Good work folks.

Quoted from lpeters82:

We're getting the Rick & Morty ready for a future episode of Bugs Scream & Stream.

We love when people come and pick up machines in person.

Quoted from waletboy:

I got to play a Rick and Morty at Pintastic New England last year and loved it. Wish I lived locally and could pick up a pinball machine personally! Would love to see the place!

Quoted from lpeters82:

I actually just officially purchased the "Prototype #1" Rick & Morty myself. I'm debating if I should keep it as the true prototype with all it's flaws update some things like the computer, so it can actually be updated the the newest code.

Quoted from waletboy:

I got to play a Rick and Morty at Pintastic New England last year and loved it.

Quoted from lpeters82:

I actually just officially purchased the "Prototype #1" Rick & Morty myself. I'm debating if I should keep it as the true prototype with all it's flaws update some things like the computer, so it can actually be updated the the newest code.

Quoted from PanzerKraken:It was a SE
This is the example of one of the few SE's that got made that was for international shipment. Kind of gives you an idea of what the games look like without the colorful ramps and rails, plastics, and less sculpts, etc.[quoted image]

Quoted from jfh:

Speaking of museum- does Spooky have one of every produced title set up and/or set aside somewhere?

Quoted from BKPitmaster:

How about a Rick and Morty aftermarket topper to do that masterpiece justice?

Quoted from jrcmlc:

Thanks for posting all this and thanks to Spooky for letting all the pics out, that's extremely transparent especially the wall of 3d printers (someone that has more than me LOL) considering some of the snarky comments about 3d printed parts and the insinuation that they are "less than" somehow.
For some reason that's exactly what I expected Spooky's facility to look like, give or take...and while I haven't read the posts below this one yet, I am sure some people will be critical of things pictured but to me, as someone who has built everything they have from nothing, sometimes doing way more with way less space/help/resources than the "big guys", I DIG seeing you get all that done in that small of a space, in a pole building, training the locals which I'm sure are not what we would call "skilled workers" to do things the right way and be able to produce such a cool product that is competitive in the market.
I would hate to get in the way, but at the same time I really want to pickup my LT from you guys in person and just dialog a little. SpookyLuke SpookyBug and the rest of the @spookycrew that I don't remember the names of: Good work folks.

Quoted from SpookyLuke:

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/EULqLeU3yyuB2Jb5/?mibextid=wWqvZr
Here is a link to a live shop tour we did awhile back for anyone who might be interested on more behind the scenes stuff.

Quoted from SpookyLuke:

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/EULqLeU3yyuB2Jb5/?mibextid=wWqvZr
Here is a link to a live shop tour we did awhile back for anyone who might be interested on more behind the scenes stuff.

Quoted from PinSpinner:

They were shipping Scooby’s in this video. Near the end of the tour, Bug stated that, at that point, they were shipping 7 machines a day. Since Scooby was likely the only machine being made, that put them at 35 machines per week at a five day work week. Right now, they are shipping three different titles and so who knows what the divide is between them but if they are moving at the same pace now as then, maybe 12 machines per week of each title? From the looks of it on the video, they were quite busy assembling those Scooby’s. Since they are taking their time with these comparatively speaking, I still think that the 7 games per week output is reasonable. Still puts the first 100 out by the end of March-ish. I really hope that this is somewhere in the ballpark as the hype grows everyday and I am super excited to get this machine in the lineup!

Quoted from pinmister:

I can add shaker if it makes a difference, art blades I can add, action button-so does the side button work instead as I prefer that anyway, TNT plunger-after playing Elvira Blood edition-I may be done with custom shooter rods-they feel funky to me, plastic protectors sometimes look off-I did not care for TNA 2.0 with them, speaker lights are distracting to me with reflection and if given the choice I would leave them off. -Sounds like I am talking myself into a Standard

Quoted from PinSpinner:

They were shipping Scooby’s in this video. Near the end of the tour, Bug stated that, at that point, they were shipping 7 machines a day. Since Scooby was likely the only machine being made, that put them at 35 machines per week at a five day work week. Right now, they are shipping three different titles and so who knows what the divide is between them but if they are moving at the same pace now as then, maybe 12 machines per week of each title? From the looks of it on the video, they were quite busy assembling those Scooby’s. Since they are taking their time with these comparatively speaking, I still think that the 7 games per week output is reasonable. Still puts the first 100 out by the end of March-ish. I really hope that this is somewhere in the ballpark as the hype grows everyday and I am super excited to get this machine in the lineup!

Quoted from Deez:

I preordered a Scooby BSE because I preferred the simple cab art

Quoted from pinmister:

I agree and had the same thoughts. I do like the simple cab and that picture of Scooby with the black rails is actually really cool to me. The thing about the standards is they may end up being more rare with limited numbers after production has ended. I do want to support Spooky but want to make sure I make a good choice. I still am interested in TCM as well and am on the fence. At this point it really does not matter as I would be waiting months anyway. This will hopefully give me the opportunity to play in person and make a decision.
I have to say I am really impressed with Spooky right now in terms of customer service, ingenuity, originality, and their passion for pinball really shows. I also have to say this thread is fun and reminds me of my childhood with lots of flashbacks. Now I just need to eat a bowl of sugar cereal to reminisce all of my Saturday mornings binge watching Warner Bros.

Quoted from gorditas:

They have clearly and quickly learned how to produce great machines

Quoted from pinmister:

Great write up and you look like a well dressed reputable man with good judgement.
Did anyone notice the guns on Luke. Holy cow Batman looks like we have a contender here. Need to have Banger Jay and Centerflank set up pinball Olympics at MGC with an arm wrestling table booth.
Anyone that can beat Luke in an arm wrestling compition gets a free Looney Tunes or TCM
[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]

Quoted from SpookyBug:

or we won't hear the end of it all day

Quoted from digitaldocc:

Are guns being censored from this game by WB?

Quoted from Nameim:

Is there a good picture posted somewhere of the entire populated playfield?

Quoted from Deez:

There's no reason to preorder a standard if that's the route you want to go because they're made last. You're better off waiting and then ordering towards the end of the run. There's also a strong possibility as evidenced by history that you'll be able to get a lightly used CE for a similar or less price than an SE before your SE would even arrive.
I preordered a Scooby BSE because I preferred the simple cab art and still haven't received the game and have had multiple opportunities to buy used CEs for less than I paid for my BSE. It didn't make sense to jump ship since I already sent a deposit and prefer the mystery machine art.
At this point there's actually a strong possibility I receive my TCM before my Scooby.
Also, something to consider is if you want to support spooky fully then you should preorder to do them a solid.

Quoted from Wariodolby:

Spooky be the first to twitch a full day of factory work!
Even just the building of one pin.
Would be the most interesting live pinball broadcast ever!

Quoted from Sengaya:

how os it possible to know when its the end of the run? i hoping to grab a late CE in 2025...

Quoted from jfh:

What’s the estimate for when the first games will be shipped?
Are TCM and LT both in the line at the same time or will you alternate between titles?

Quoted from SpookyLuke:

Scooby, TCM, and LT all on the line at the same time. Scooby still rolling out every day. Great time to grab a Scooby CE from us right now with a short wait before BSE Standards go on the line soon. TCM and LT going up on the line every day now. I suspect end of next week we will have fully assembled games of each we are play testing. Sculpts will be last thing to come in so when they come in games will ship. All goes to plan 3 weeks you should see games leaving our dock. Pretty typical timeline for us. This has been an incredibly smooth game transition for us so far. Not to jinx it. I think these are going to be really solid builds. We are really just trying everything we can to maximize quality out of the gate. That's the top priority right now above all for everyone here.

Quoted from SpookyLuke:

Scooby, TCM, and LT all on the line at the same time. Scooby still rolling out every day. Great time to grab a Scooby CE from us right now with a short wait before BSE Standards go on the line soon. TCM and LT going up on the line every day now. I suspect end of next week we will have fully assembled games of each we are play testing. Sculpts will be last thing to come in so when they come in games will ship. All goes to plan 3 weeks you should see games leaving our dock. Pretty typical timeline for us. This has been an incredibly smooth game transition for us so far. Not to jinx it. I think these are going to be really solid builds. We are really just trying everything we can to maximize quality out of the gate. That's the top priority right now above all for everyone here.

Quoted from SpookyLuke:

Scooby, TCM, and LT all on the line at the same time. Scooby still rolling out every day. Great time to grab a Scooby CE from us right now with a short wait before BSE Standards go on the line soon. TCM and LT going up on the line every day now. I suspect end of next week we will have fully assembled games of each we are play testing. Sculpts will be last thing to come in so when they come in games will ship. All goes to plan 3 weeks you should see games leaving our dock. Pretty typical timeline for us. This has been an incredibly smooth game transition for us so far. Not to jinx it. I think these are going to be really solid builds. We are really just trying everything we can to maximize quality out of the gate. That's the top priority right now above all for everyone here.

Quoted from Indypin:

Just curious and just asking.
Unless I misread your post, but are you adding more sculpts to LT? Would love to see a Daffy, Bugs and a Marvin the Martian in there besides the flat plastics. No harm in asking, right?
Got Scooby (my first Spooky pin) and I love it, but it kicks my butt even though I suck at pinball. Ordered the topper for Scooby and already paid in full for Bugs and gang. Saw that picture of the 2 sitting together and it sold me, but I was pretty much hooked once I saw the initial photos of the pin.

Quoted from SpookyLuke:

No I only mean that we are waiting for the production supply of sculpts that you have already seen to arrive so that we can install them in the games. I'd love to do more but we reached (and passed as usual) the bill of materials for the game! I'll tell ya what if everybody hops on board and we sell all 888 units by the end of the year we will get a bonus sculpt made and mail to everyone who bought one. Would be cool to see! Could be pretty fun maybe we could give some options then have people vote on which one.

Quoted from PinSpinner:

Foghorn Leghorn!!