Going! Bestest show ever.

Someone asked me today if there were photos of the pinball machines we get at MGC each year. I forgot to snap photos in 2015 but I got some in 2014 and 2013.

If you would like similar photos for 2016, let me know and I'll see what I can do.

MGC 2014:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mnhotrods/albums/72157643921094475

MGC 2013:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mnhotrods/albums/72157633080001031

Tom Taylors 2013:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mnhotrods/albums/72157633080005671

There hasn't been an official announcement but a few of us have been working on a Silent Auction, to be held during the After Party at MGC, to help fund food, beverage and other special stuff for the After Party. We have some great donations so far, but we could use a lot more.

Our goal is to raise money to improve the After Party, and with your help, we can do that. If you have a relationship with a vendor that could donate their product, or a gift certificate for their product, ping them and see what they can do. And don't be worried that we might have pinged them already. The more visibility vendors have to the auction, the better chance we have at getting more donations.

The After Party was designed to give back to the many volunteers, and contributors that bring their games to MGC to share with others. Without them, MGC would not be the great show that it is. If you are a company selling product for pinball enthusiasts, if you sell pinball mods on the side, or if you know a guy that knows a guy that works for one of those companies, give a shout out for the silent auction. We can use all the help we can get.

FYI - I've been going to MGC since 2013. The show has been an absolute blast to attend for me and my friends, so I wanted to give back. Dan suggested that we could improve the After Party by doing a silent auction and using the money to get some additional food and maybe do some special stuff. I took the ball late but with the help of others, we have good start.

Are you selling pinball mods? The Silent Auction is the least expensive way to get your products, and your company out in front of the 10,000+ people that attend MGC. You don't have to be a big company to contribute. Every contribution helps.

I'll start a thread soon for the MGC Silent Auction and provide a link here. In that thread, we will track donations for the auction.

Creating your Pinside name badge is easy peasy. Select your Pinside name in the upper right corner of your browser and scroll down to your Pinside Badge. Upload the Avatar image you want to use, select the format, and select print to download a PDF file of your badge.

https://pinside.com/pinball/my-pinside

pinside-badge_(resized).PNG

UPDATE: JJ from GameExchange was printing everyone's name badge for TPF, and handing them out at the Pinside Meet-N-Greet there.

The thread is up for the MGC Silent Auction. Please spread the good word.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/midwest-gaming-classic-april-9th-10th-silent-auction

MGC is going to be spectacular this year. Nice work!

I'm sure everybody knows these guys, but as a newbie, I'm still coming up to speed. I put together some more detail for the special guests attending MGC this year....

MGC SPECIAL GUESTS 2016:

Barry Oursler – Game designer for unk Yard (1996), Dirty Harry (1995), Jack-Bot (1995), WHO Dunnit (1995), Popeye (1994), Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1993), Doctor Who (1992), Hurricane (1991), Bad Cats (1989), Police Force (1989), Cyclone (1988), Jokerz! (1988), Fire! (1987), Space Station (1987), Grand Lizard (1986), Pin-Bot, (1986), Comet (1985), Space Shuttle (1984), Star Light (1984), Joust (1983), Defender (1982), Cosmic Gunfight (1982), Jungle Lord (1981), Solar Fire (1981), Scorpion (1980), Gorgar (1979), Laser Ball (1979), Phoenix (1978)

Steve Ritchie – Game designer for Game of Thrones (2015), Star Trek (2013), AC/DC (2012), 24 (2009), Spider-Man (2007), World Poker Tour (2006), Elvis (2004), Terminator 3 (2003), No Fear (1995), Star Trek: STTNG (1993), Terminator 2 (1991), Rollergames (1990), Black Knight 2000 (1989), F-14 Tomcat (1987), High Speed (1986), The Getaway: High Speed II (1992), Black Knight (1981), Hyperball (1981), Firepower (1980), Flash (1979), Superman (1979), Stellar Wars (1979), Airborne Avenger (1977)

Mark Ritchie – Game designer for Indiana Jones (1993), Fish Tales (1992), Diner (1990), Big Guns (1987), Kingpin (1986), Road Kings (1986), Firepower II (1983), Police Force (1989), Taxi (1988), Sorcerer (1985),

John Trudeau – Game designer for Ghostbusters (2016), WWE Wrestlemania (2015), Mustang (2014), Congo (1995), Flintstones (1994), Judge Dredd (1993), Creature from the Black Lagoon (1992), Black Rose (1992), Bugs Bunny (1991), Bride of PinBot (1991), Robo-War (1988), TX-Sector (1988), Monte Carlo (1987), Hollywood Heat (1986), Victory (1987), Sping Break (1987), Genesis (1986), Raven (1986), Gold Wings (1986), Ice Fever (1985), Rock (1985), Rocky (1982), Deadly Weapon (1980)

Dennis Nordman – Game designer for Whoa Nellie (2015), Wheel of Fortune (2007), Pirates of the Caribbean (2006), Scared Stiff (1996), Indianapolis 500 (1995), Demolition Man (1994), White Water (1993), The Party Zone (1991), Dr Dude (1990), Elvira and the Party Monsters (1989), Blackwater 100 (1988), Party Animal 1987), Special Force (1986)

John Borg – Game designer for KISS (2015), The Walking Dead (2014), Metallica (2013), X-Men (2012), Tron (2011), Iron Man (2010), Avatar 2010), Buck Hunter (2010)Austin Powers (2001), Indiana Jones (2008), Lost in Space (1998), Twister (1996), Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1995), Guns N’ Roses (1994), Jurassic Park (1993), Last Action Hero (1993), Tales from the Crypt (1993)

Jim Patla - Game designer for Centaur (1981), Space Invaders (1980), Viking (1979), Rolling Stones (1979), KISS (1979), Silver Ball Mania (1978), Playboy (1978), Mati Hari (1978), Time Zone (1973), Monte Carlo (1972), Twin Win (1971), Odds & Evens (1971)

Joe Balcer – Game designer for Wizard of Oz (2013), Simpson Party Pinball (2003), Godzilla (1998), Star Wars (1997), Starship Troopers (1997), Apollo 13 (1995), Baywatch (1995)

Tim Seckel – Game designer for WWF Royal Rumble (1994), Maverick (1994), Last Action Hero (1993), Rocky & Bullwinkle (1993), Hook (1992), Total Recall (1990)

Greg Freres – Art designer for Whoa Nellie (2015), Star Trek (2013), Medieval Madness (1997), Star Trek: STTNG (1993), Elvira and the Party Monsters (1989), Scared Stiff (1996), No Fear (1995), The Party Zone (1991), Dr Dude (1990), Escape from the Lost World (1987), Strange Science (1986), Black Pyramid (1984), BMX (1982), Vector (1981), Fathom (1980), Skateball (1980), Rolling Stones (1979)

Pat McMahon – Art designer for Tales of the Aravian Nights (1996), Junk Yard (1996), Dirty Harry (1995), Popeye (1994), The Pinball Circus (1994), Fish Tales (1992), Truck Stop (1988), Party Animal (1987)

Dave Chrisensen – Art designer for Fireball II (1980), Future Spa (1979), Nitro Groundshaker (1978), Mati Hari (1978), Six Million Dollar Man (1978), Voltan (1978), Dolly Parton (1978), Bobby Orr Power Play (1977), Capt Fantastic (1975), Wizard (1974), Twin Win (1971), Fireball (1971), Monte Carlo (1972), Odds & Evens (1971)

Jeremy Packer (Zombie Yeti) - Ghostbusters (2016)

Eugene Jarvis – Sound for High Speed (1986), Space Shuttle (1984), Firepower (1980), Gorgar (1979), Laser Ball (1979), Superman (1979) / Software designer for F14 Tomcat (1987), Space Shuttle (1980), Laser Ball (1979), Superman (1979), Airborne Avenger (1977)

Tanio Klyce – Software designer for KISS (2015), Mustang (2014), Star Trek (2013)

Gary Stern – CEO for Stern
Gerry Stellenberg – Multimorphic / P-ROC / P3 Pinball Machine
Butch Peel – Jersey Jack Pinball
Eric Meunier - Jersey Jack
Gary Flower – Author “Pinball: The Lure of the Silver Ball”
Jim Schelberg – PinGame Journal
Don Caldwell
Mark Bakula

A few pics from the After Party. Two of the crowd gathered to hear Dan Loosen thank everyone for making MGC a great show. Two pics of the tables filled with bid sheets for the Silent Auction before auction start. Thanks out to Garret Petterson, Bradly Lutz and others that helped with the auction during the After Party. Thanks out to all the vendors, mod makers, Pinsiders, and creative people who contributed to the auction.

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