You guys are reading way too much into this stuff. All reviews are subjective based on what people prefer in games. That does not make them biased. SDTM is never going to give terrible reviews that torch games because they are positive guys that seem to enjoy pinball. If you want someone to just destroy a game this is not the show for you. This is largely why the industry folks have given them access. Being a mostly positive force for pinball is not a bad thing. If you want drama there is plenty of other places to find it.

I tend to review games in a similar way. They are all fun and there's things i enjoy about all of them.

He sure did a pretty fine job of destroying Iron Maiden the band and wasnt bashful about it lmao. I wonder if he hung out with the band and was friends with all of them if he would have said those things? I think not probably lol.

I don't want anyone to destroy a game unless it deserves to be destroyed. Then i want to hear them say "this game just isn't very good". I would just say this game sucks personally but someone who is nicer than me i guess could just say....this game just isnt very good and its not for me i guess.

Anyway im done talking about and i think i got my point across. Im not trying to be controversial and i like Zach and Greg and their show too. I hope they aren't mad at me for my opinion but they certainly have that right to be in they choose to do so. Im just being real and i believe in being up front about things. I have never been and never will be any other way.

Lol that's hilarious. You effed up selling IMDN and you're going to miss that game Zach!

I will never forgive Zach for selling Maiden. I can no longer take the show seriously. Maybe if they do a Bad Cats review I can watch again.

seems a little harsh no? I felt the same way Zach did and sold mine for the same reason. For non IMDN fans, the music is absolute torture after awhile. I thought Zachs review was great b/c it captured exactly how I felt (great gameplay, terrrible theme).

His Houdini review was the exact opposite. Better than ToM? The game is a complete bust so I completely disagree with him (similar to how you feel regarding his IMDN review)

Key difference is I wouldn't stop watching the show b/c of his Houdini review - that's just sounds short sighted. I think chuckwurt said it best about respect. I respect these two guys and value their input even if that means a review doesn't match mine. I just move along.

My opinion is a person can have biases but also control for them.

In the examples being discussed, do I think there's a risk when you are friends with industry insiders that you'll be biased in their favor? A definite "yes" from me.

Can someone control those biases and keep them out of their content? I say "yes" to that as well. I feel journalists do this all the time. You can like someone and still speak truth to them.

The real issue, in my view, is the PERCEPTION of bias. You cannot easily control this. So if you are unbiased towards someone, or biased but controlling it, as long as people know you are friends with them that perception is going to exist, and that compromises the perception of the reviewer.

This is all hard in a hobby this small. Putting on my podcasting hat, I see two courses of action. You either keep the industry at arms length, avoid the perception of bias, and accept the negatives that come with it (access is harder). This is what Tony and I do, but understand it is much easier for a less popular entity like us than it is for bigger players (we have less to lose). Option #2 would be to accept being chummy, sponsors, and the like, understanding that the perception of bias is being accepted along with all that, and then (if choosing to be professional about it) controlling for bias and hoping your audience sees through the perception and recognizes the product has remained pure.

Not worth-less-than-the-box sucks, but there are games they've reviewed I feel did not deserve a passing grade and definitely weren't worth the asking price. My subjective opinion. And I make no claim they passed them because of bias. They're merely wrong on the evaluation of the games, but I can't fix that!

I was being sarcastic. Yes if you absolutely don’t like Iron Maiden music that can ruin the gameplay experience. I do agree with Who-Dey on the other topic about bias. I will continue to watch the show. I started watching SDTM last summer when I got back into pinball. Matter of fact my Aerosmith pro celebrates it one year anniversary tomorrow. It was my first stern pinball/ nib game.

got it!!! glad to hear!!! I mention it mainly b/c I believe some people truly did get offended by the IMDN review and did stop watching (or at least Zach said he got a ton of hate mail). So ridiculous.

I heard that people had pitchforks and torches outside of Zachs house and they had to call the National Guard in. Heard that he had to sell his house and move also because of it.

Yeah thats gonna be an interesting review but that's not the one that im the most interested in. When is the TNA review though?

My biggest concern with the show going forward is not the reviews, it's Zach's impersonations that are becoming more prevalent, especially on the TWIP podcast. It took me a while to figure out that he was doing Donald Trump. And don't even get me started on Greg's German. They are going to need Jeff on the show to keep them in check.

I get it and i totally understand. I would NEVER own a country music pin i don't care if it was the greatest game that has ever been made. If you cant get past the music then theres no way you are going to be able to own it.

Any artist, manufacturer, or producer of any kind of product who can't accept constructive criticism and not take that out on the reviewer is not going to make it very far in the world, or at least they will be miserable about it. As long as the reviewer is thoughtful and at least somewhat respectful there is no reason they can't be friends or at least friendly with the reviewer. Perfect example, chuckwurt LOVES GOT and no matter how many times I tell him I hate it and think it's awful we remain friends.

People arguing about pinball reviews, and I'm not necessarily talking about SDTM, is one of the more ridiculous things on Pinside. Opinions are like a-holes, everybody has one.

Excellent news! I envision a rocky horror picture show type vibe lol. We need a peewee secret word for the audience to yell out. Lolol

Or so you think. Haha

Well, at least we are if you need help fixing something that's not an E.M.

Nobody is arguing. We are just discussing unbiased and biased reviews. If it was an argument i would be mad and calling them sell outs and stuff like that. There is nothing like that going on at all. Just a civil discussion is all.

Love bad cats pity it doesn't have a multiball. Of course Zach and Greg can do an unbiased review to question their intergedy is a slight on your own character not theirs. The better you know someone the more honest you can be any criticisms you have would just be worded more politely.

I know Zach fairly well and thats why i can be so honest with him and i didn't criticize him at all. Its obvious that you are trying to start shit though but im not going to argue with you so move along.

Just because you re-post your assumption over and over doesn't make it any more correct

Look, i cant say what id like to say to you because i will just get moderated if i do so you may as well just move along because you're not getting any argument out of me.

If you can't say anything without being moderated you're got bigger problems than me.

That's certainly possible. I'm just glad that my grammar problems aren't as bad as yours.

Agreed

You do know that altering a quote is a Pinside violation of the rules right?

Are you guys ever going to make a shirt with a picture of Greg on it with his Raven claws out?

Give the arguements a rest guys. Go play some pinball or drink some beer or something. Or do both - that's why they invented pingulps.

I tried avoiding it but he wouldn't let up and then he altered my quote so not much i can do. I made it clear to him that i wasn't going to argue with him but he wouldn't let it go.

No I didn't but it's still true. Why did you assume I was talking about you anyway other people shared your opinion. I just gave my opinion and you got personal. I think you are just an attention seeker.

Have a beer and play a pin - you'll feel better.

Both you Pinheads.

Like an episode of Hee-Haw

I wonder how many people in here are saying "what the hell is Hee Haw?" lmao

It's a trade off guys. True I'll die first, but I was able to figure out LW3 was a piece of garbage 25 years ago and have avoided it since!

Now there's an unbiased review if i ever saw one! Man that was harsh!!

Would that be a C, D, or a big fat F?

Is there a G?

Buy a Vowel

Love Hate with Iron Maiden huh... some do, some don't... I know the feeling!

-Hobbit Owner

Woah! Be very very quiet...you almost woke up the whodey with that post.

Do it Fast Greg, that machine like most at Zaks house won't hang around more than 4 days....lol Impressive looking machine. I will keep an eye out when that hits the auction block!

IMDN and BM66 lasted one week, id say Fathom will last about 1 day.

I heard he's already shopping it for a WNBJM...