Disagree with all your points except this one. I do actually think that having the LCD in the playfield is a much better place to put it for the player, but the problem is the attractiveness.

We're not in the EM era any more where a simple static artwork backbox would be enough to draw attention. Look around the world today, big flashy signs and branding is everywhere. Kids are being bombarded with marketing constantly on the internet, and so on and so on. The reason why WoZ still draws crowds of people standing to watch it is due to that huge screen in the back box.

In the UK the type of arcades I see now are full of redemption games, and coincidently all of the modern ones have either huge LCD displays or a ton of flashing lights all over them, it's almost an assault on the senses. Same with bandits and slot machines. This is where the Heighway games are going to flop on route unfortunately. Without that attention grabbing "thing" no one is going to walk up to it and sink coins.

This. Pinball 2000 was the ultimate system - both a major advancement in gameplay technology and the scoring is right where the player is looking. Not to mention it's just cool as f**k. I would have loved to have seen the advances the system would have made beyond RFM and SWE1.

Even for haters of the video targets would have enjoyed the technology in a simpler form. For example, a standard play field but where the scoring just magically appears in mid air. How cool would it have been to launch the ball up to a spinner or pop bumper and see the points you score magically flash right above it.

That's exactly the kinda thing I was thinking about. So many possibilities with the pepper's ghost illusion.

And yeah I've never had a problem seeing the back of the playfields either. Guess it depends how many bulbs are out. These days that would never be an issue with the LED's.

I really don't know why nobody else has developed a similar system. It cannot be a patent issue because the illusion is very old, and it's used everywhere from theme parks to theatres to museums.