I just got my MMR yesterday and it has the washout on the inserts as well. I submitted a ticket through CGC and we shall see what happens.

image_(resized).jpeg

When my buddy decided to sell his AC/DC BIBLE with the clear window he got top dollar for it and it sold pretty fast.

How do you open a ticket with CGC? Who do you contact?
Maybe I should get a hold of somebody now before my game ships to save the hassle??

http://www.chicago-gaming.com/ Left side, Support - Help Desk.

You should call them though, don't open a ticket if you don't have a game yet.

LTG : )

Hopefully that is my saving grace for waiting this long! Maybe they will realize the mistake and correct it before shipping my machine? Fingers crossed....
Ps...thanks Lloyd.

Let us know how this goes/what they say. I haven't gotten mine yet either but I'd like to know so I can do the same thing

I also have the somewhat washed out lettering. Game #447 Oct, 2015. Doesn't bother me a great deal because I dont think CGC is going to do anything about it and might as well not dwell on it or else I'd get more pissed. But, maybe they can offer the color for the dmd at a discount (cause I don't think they will be offering it for free) for those who have issues, ie; slingshot damage, 2 plus year wait, washed out inserts, etc.

2 plus year wait....I think just about everyone is on that boat.

^^^^^^^^ That's the point! Free color!

And coin mechs!

Ahhhhh...forgot that one....plus all the others I forgot.

I have opened a ticket as well on my MMR for the thin ink on the inserts.

MMR_Inserts_(resized).jpg

Hopefully this will help compare a few games

This is a 1997 original MM with LED's behind the inserts

Even fully lit the black ink is easily readable

I took a few pics both with the room lights on and off
Hope these help

image_(resized).jpeg

image_(resized).jpeg

image_(resized).jpeg

image_(resized).jpeg

image_(resized).jpeg

image_(resized).jpeg

image_(resized).jpeg

I feel a bit bad for them as they're going to have to take a hit righting the obvious QC issue here. And it is obvious people - I've asked my friends to read the inserts from standing position and got responses like "Duck of Barbie".

The solution has to be legitimate. If they offer stickers or discounts saying "It's the brightness of the LED's" - I'll go ballistic.

You don't let playfields with inserts you can hardly read leave your factory.

In not out for blood, not at all, I just want a complete product. The game freaking rocks other than this issue.

Also, don't know we can compare things to the original as he original had more frosted inserts. We can however compare it to the earlier MMR playfields that didn't have washed out copy.

Has anyone gotten any response from CGC on this issue?

My ticket has only been posted for 24 hours Im sure it will be another 6 months-2 years before I get a reply. Lol just kidding or at least I hope I am lol

I would think an acceptable outcome would be to send a new unpopulated playfield to each that complained since that is what Stern and JJP seem to do when a playfield is defective but playable. Would that be acceptable to you?

I agree. It would be nice to see more pics from early run MMR customers. My inserts are also faded black. #621 here.

Ditto

Everyone with this issue should open a ticket. Maybe if enough people complain they will right the issue. It is indeed a manufacturer defect and should be covered under the warranty as it is written, which was a big selling point for them in the first place.

There has to be a bit of a give and take any time you're talking about such a logistical thing.

I've looked at the warranty numerous times and "defects in material and workmanship" ARE covered. Financially-speaking it would be the smart move on their part to give the affected customers an option:

1) Return the machine for a full playfield swap. The customer would pay to package & ship both ways (via their warranty), but CGC incurs the material & labor costs - plus they get to sell the defective playfield at a big discount down the road and possibly make some money back.

P.S. I doubt many owners would choose this option - as it's one hell of a hassle.

OR

2) They ship a new playfield to the customers whose machines have the defect (of course they verify). They pay for shipping and handling of the playfield BUT provide no labor for a swap. The kicker would be CGC would let the customer keep the defective playfield and let them do the swap on their own time. It would EASILY be the cheaper option for them (not having to pay labor is everything).

Stickers or discounts would just piss-off current customers and deter anyone who was thinking about buying into the CGC eco-system from now to eternity. Personally I'm ready to throw down $8K for AFM if they show us some support. If they don't...they should know the pinball community is small and word travels fast.

At the end of the day they are FREAKING GENIUSES to license and create these rare and proven designs. Obviously they have more pins in the mix than just MMR and AFM - how CGC & PPS is perceived in the community will be their rising or downfall.

EDIT: If they really wanted to do it right - they would ship populated playfields and have us return the old ones. That would be the best win-win scenario.

Also if anyone on this thread has a early run with good insert color please post it for a comparison example to CGC

Nveld posted an example on post #70. Here is a comparison again. His and my personal one.

8b3f7c6059c50c48df5c782e1d5673931679d3fd_(resized).jpg
8696bc704e404b9a9f6e1bb70784b1ad3ff6fbfd_(resized).jpg

Here is a couple of pics I had in my phone. #405 delivered in September.

20151129_191653_(resized).jpg

20151129_191545_(resized).jpg

I just received #615 and my inserts are also difficult to read.

As much as I think discussing it here is good for dialogue and comparison I think that as many folks with this issue as possible should make sure tickets are properly filed with CGC and this same discussion also happens on the PPS forum. I have already started a topic on the PPS forum page. They need to know that is is an issue that needs to be resolved and not brushed under the rug. We all paid for a perfect "manufacture defect free" MMRLE as well as invested in their product for over 2 years and put up with a ton of stress during that time. If they can't resolve this issue properly it will speak volumes about their future customer support and in fact hurt them a great deal and I would assume that all of us with this issue have our pitchforks at the ready. I really want to see them do well the game itself is amazing and I hope they get things on track and keep these games around for years to come with good customer support

THAT is how it's supposed to look. Cannot believe they didn't catch that.

I could not agree more. Well said.

This photo is from their own website, http://www.chicago-gaming.com/mmr.php

mmr-playfield-large_(resized).jpg

Definitely darker

Their left troll flap is twisted like mine. Originals were like that too. Is everyone else's?

The Duke of Bourbion, Loro Bowarp Hurtz, Ser Psyiko, The Earl of Eco.....that's what I can see.

That was suggested for the early folks with the tomahawk damage. In the end they got a package of custom slingshot plungers. Expect similar in this instance. I'm thinking a MMr Limited Edition Sharpie with a sheet of mylar will be the response to all tickets, after everyone has settled down a bit...

Haha - Oh Lord, that would be a nightmare...not when it affects 80% of the playfield inserts. That's the real issue.

How they handle this is very important. If handled poorly, no will buy a machine from them sight unseen. It would be a bargain for CGC if they sent owners an unpopulated playfield IMO.

I'd be fine with all of that as long as they also included the cost of somebody to disassemble the entire playfield and apply said new decals or re-darken the inserts and then clearcoat over it all as many times as it takes to get it as smooth as glass again. Aside from that I think they're best bet would be to send customers affected by this issue new unpopulated playfields and allow us to switch it over at our convenience without any send back clause

Communication is hard once the check clears.

what's their cost on a new PF? I'm sure it's peanuts compared to the roughly $8,000,000 in LE sales. Even @ 20% profit that's a cool $2,000,000

Hopefully they get this fixed before I recieve mine! I'll probably be one of the last to recieve it since I'm 40ish back on black trim at jjp but my guess is that won't happen because I'm sure they have all the playfields ready and waiting to be installed.

Standard PF's are the same as LE's so they will be making more for a while

Very Good Point, but the LE's received extra clear, right?

I think standards do too now

If I remember right, the playfields and cabinets were done by Churchill which somebody said are the same people as CGC. So if that was true they are basically done in house and don't need to out source them. Shouldn't be much trouble to make as many as they need.

How this got beyond in house quality control is beyond me.

These should have gone through CGC QC twice and Stern QC as well. Wtf?

I have had a ticket opened for 24 days with no response so I wouldn't be expecting a quick reply if you have just opened a ticket.
Either they are flat out with tickets, understaffed or simply don't care.

Dunno man. A lot of questions about QC were raised long ago, but those that brought it up were told to shut up.

Is your ticket in regards to the playfield issue or something else?

Do the smeary inserts only effect games from the newest batch or has this been going on for awhile? I guess it is at least since Sept based on pic above - so that is at least four months. What is the count of games out the door? Guessing maybe 300 but haven't heard anything.