So you are saying. $150 x 1000 LE,S
$150,000 and $300 for MMr standards that aren't made yet. Come on?

If that's the case. I bet the software is cracked in no time and it pops up "free" pirated on the internet within a week of release.

More like $50. I don't think there is a market for $300 or even $100 software updates, MMr or not.

If there is.... Wait until Stern realizes this. Paying for new code or worse....
Micro transactions for new game code or features anyone?

I think JJP beat them to this awhile back (redemption timed mode for extra cash $$$). Cost includes the dongle required.

Just wait for Lawlor's new game. I have a feeling micro transactions using your phone may be in the works.

Pinball DLC would be horrible for the hobby unless it cut the initial cost of a NIB game more than 1/2 what they cost now

Simple economics. We used to use this on cheap customers to make them think they were getting a deal.

You figure out what you need to charge somebody then tell them it will be twice that and then give them a 50% discount. Win win for everyone.

Spot on!!!!!
Stern got in on the mod market!!!!!KISS topper for 400 anyone!!??Take the topper ,forget about the code.Dont look over there,look over here.
This whole color DMD(with redrawn graphics)is a smokescreen for the tearing issue that never got completely solved.Cant fix the tearing???Redraw the whole thing and package it as a color upgrade.

The tearing will be fixed in the update you can download from the internet for free when available. That update will address a few things.

LTG : )

If that's the case....I'll sell a standard my spot!

Someone please PM me a link to the torrent when available.

It'll do you no good without the security chip.

It'll do just fine if the software is decrypted

Security is only perception.

If the whole update situation had of been handled better I would have already paid a reasonable price to download. I want to support software development, but I'm losing that motivation in this case.

If it was quick and a good price every LE customer would pay and download straight away. No one would bother waiting for dodgy release.

Then they could install the security requirements in the standards and still make their cash.

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Good Morning Mr. Phelps,
Brick Rartlett of PPS has.......
........................................
........................................
Good luck, Jim.

I know some here (LTG, Vid?) will remember when Midway introduced Ms. Pac Man. It instantly made the original Pac Man, which was making big money for ops, look like a B&W teevee. It used the same main logic board with different program chips (which all ops had figured out how to duplicate by then, copyright notices be damned) and an expansion board that that had a few new program chips with another seeming odd chip with "MMI" inked on. There was also one of these on the main logic board's memory circuit as well, IIRC. All of us ops thought that was a chip made for Midway Manufacturing Inc./MMI even though the company name was Midway Manufacturing Company-A Bally Company.

Eventually some ops, including the one I worked for, realized MMI was Monolithic Memory Inc. and the IC's were Programmable Logic Arrays (PAL's) which programming devices (truly a "burner" if there ever was one) were difficult to get. Some of us ops did figure it out quickly (a graduate EE friend of mine helped us with that) and the CONversion to Ms. Pac Man began without Bally Midway or Namco making a penny.

For an amusement game manufacturer, they were not very amused. US Marshalls began CONfiscating machines on location as well as busting the doors down at operator offices/warehouses. There were huge fines and a few went to jail over this. The op I worked for smartly set up a remote location to perform the CONversions and store/rotate/ship the machines from. That place was never discovered. We did have a shitload of the machines CONfiscated. I had to give a deposition or three myself. Fortunately, nothing happened to me. Actually, a positive came from it in that Bally Midwest, the distributing arm of Bally in the Detroit area hired me. Whodafcukknew????

Nintendo was even less amused over the "Crazy Kong" and "Monkey Kong" knock-offs of their Donkey Kong machines.

The ops who did this are long-gone so no need to report this post to Eliott Ness.

That update drop yet?

Damn the crickets are loud.....

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The $50 bill is the new $20 bill, and in pinball talk next week means next year.

Anybody else notice original MM price is creeping back up?One of my pinball buddies who buys and sells constantly has informed me that this is the case.Anybody else experiencing this?

I actually prefer the new hardware so far. Last night when I was installing mantis protectors on my MMR it was apparent that removing some of the mechs is so much easier on MMR than dealing with a huge wire loom. 3 screws and one plug and bam the mech was out. Sure MMR has had its bumps in the road but I'd still take a brand new medieval madness over a 20 year old game with hacks and wear or a hep one for thousands more.

FOR FCK SAKE CGC, RELEASE THE COLOR ALREADY!!!!!!!!

#WHERESTHECOLORCGC

They are waiting for all the games to be delivered and then charge us a rediculous price

If they're waiting for all the games to be delivered. We're all going to be waiting a long time.

Sad to say but at this point you may be on to something. I could see some people wanting to cancel their orders if the color code update is too pricy. As for me personally I think the game is the tits and glad I bought one

I'm sorry that many of you are upset about not having color but some of us still don't have an LE!

There's nothing to be gained by releasing the color update or announcing the price any time soon.

There's nothing to be gained by announcing game #2 anytime soon.

The learning curve around here is very, very slow.

It almost seems at this point like it's going to be used to rejuvenate the interest in MMR standards once all of the LEs are delivered

This would be logical but might be giving CGC too much credit. They really seem to be bumbling about at this point.

If CGC was smart at this point, they would reverse course and give the color update for free to all LE and future standard owners. Generate some good will towards the company to make up for all of the blunders (clear coat chipping, thin black ink/diffusers, constant delays, etc.).

I know that is never going to happen. I think it will be quite the opposite, and my hunch is the color update is going to be ridiculously overpriced...especially now that it needs to be shipped with a special security chip.

Clear coat chipping???

It was happening by the slings. I think the issue is fixed now, but it was happening on early machines.

The clear wasn't having issues so much as the sling was repeatedly bashing the playfield and damaging it.

(which has long since been fixed)

Oh it has. I'm just saying it wasn't the clear, the clear is absolutely lovely. I had this issue, it's fixed, and no one notices unless I tell them

Did they fix the playfields that were already damaged? I have heard they won't do squat for anybody on any playfield issues except send out a kit that costs them probably no more than $5 to make.

Talked to my distributor today. He spoke with CGC. Apparently the only hold up is due to how they are going to encrypt the code so you have to pay. And it doesn't get out there for everyone to download.

But otherwise no other word on when or how much.

So really nothing new.

Please please please somebody decrypt the shit out of the colorized display code. I don't have an MMr but it'd feel good to see that

......and the wait just got longer

If it makes you feel better to think another post about wanting their encryption defeated is delaying their progress, go ahead and think that

The funny thing is, they're going through all of this trouble to prevent a few people from getting it for free. They should be looking at the amount of money they will be losing, because people don't want to go through this BS again.

Considering the entire MMR platform is a "protection dongle" since no original MMs can run the new code, it's insane to consider how much time and resources they've spent trying to further protect it - from people who have already paid them for an MMR.

"After extensive security code testing the team has identified a few security bugs. We have called the ORKIN man and we hope to get these bugs fixed ASAP and post the MMr colour code update along with a few extra security measures... Thanks for your support and patience. We know you will be screwed!!! ‪#‎ibentoverformmrpinball"

The longer they wait, the more disinclined people are going to be to pay ... and it WILL get cracked. If it's not easy or feasible to do a firmware based hack, then a cheap hardware based one would almost certainly do the job.

If all this time has been spent on security measures, resulting in the delay, they're absolutely stupid.

Seriously, just flippin release it at this point, for free, and include it on all
future games. They'll probably make more by selling more MMr's factory colorized than all the money, time, and good will wasted by encrypting it (which will probably be broken by somebody in 2 seconds)

They can't do that without revising their stated agreement with the graphics studio responsible - they apparently took the job at a reduced price in return for a cut. But the huge delay is going result in fewer purchases of the upgrade, whether people will abstain or pirate it, and fewer new purchases of the machine.

Also I still don't know how they haven't delivered all the LEs ... assume there has to be some kind of issue between them and Stern. Maybe a falling out over who's responsible for the QC issues.

I think they forget how many engineers are pinball people, who would love a challenge to hack their color dmd encryption

Give them a cut of machine sales.

Bingo...it's just a clusterfuck at this point, it's best to look at this long term. Giving the update out for free accomplishes:

- Customer satisfaction
.... which turns into customer loyalty & good word of mouth
.........which = more sales for MMr & future games

-Makes the current product better, which will = more sales

So you really think any of these things would offset the hundreds of thousands of dollars they will lose by giving away the update for free?

Nope.

#1, no way it cost that much
#2, someone will crack it - and then it'll be free "the wrong way"