Sheesh, you're bailing Indy even later than me!

Hey Pinsiders,

Just wanted to make a quick mention that I'll be at TPF (for my first time!??!!) and exhibiting my work at the Pinside booth. You may know my illustrations from a few pinball projects I've done over the years:

http://elephanteater.com/10761

...but Robin and I will be releasing a NEW PINSIDE shirt at TPF this weekend:

PinsideClaytorTshirtMock (resized).jpg

...and I'll be on hand with other stuff like shirts, posters, books, original artwork, etc. It'll look something like this:

table (resized).jpg

Regardless of whether or not you want a pinside shirt (I honestly don't care if you buy something or not), I WOULD sincerely like to put a few avatars with some IRL faces. So, please swing by the Pinside booth and introduce yourself. Looking forward to meeting a few of you in Texas this weekend!

Safe travels everyone!
Ryan Claytor
Elephant Eater Comics
www.ElephantEater.com

If anyone going to TPF wants to buy any of my Batman66 mods (parachute van, mini bat signal for playfield, bat signal ceiling projector, or bat logo speaker grill emblems) and avoid shipping costs let me know and I'll bring it with me to the show.

We are at the Hyatt now , anytime can meet over at the Embassy suites , just let me know.

Myself and two friends are getting in around midnight (12:05am is scheduled arrival) tomorrow as well if you want to split a cab/uber/lyft

The south Houston caravan will be departing tomorrow morning at about 8. Our group should get there about 1PM

While InfiniteLives makes a good point, Pickle is correct.

I am both excited and sad. Excited that I'm at least going to get to participate. Sad that I can't just be at the show all weekend long like prior years. It's a bitter pill to live so close and yet be taken away from the show due to things that are entirely beyond my control, just for me to sit at a desk for 8 hours doing next to nothing. I'll try and make that my last whinge about it..

I will take a parachute van plus I still owe you a Batbeer from Expo.

Sounds like a plan. PM me your contact info.
Thanks

I still have jack shit to do friday night... Besides cidercade and didnt get weekend passes...

Staying on base at jrb in fort worth...

Heading out at 6am and hopefully arrive at Cidercade by 5PM for the fun to begin, then to unload games, can't wait even with the 11 hour drive.

Party on Wayne!!!
Will get there around 6pm....see ya then!

Here at Winstar performing the annual pre-TPF ritual with all of the traitors...

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Is that the pac man slots with the "Bonus" round where you play a level of pac-man?

Will anyone be live streaming seminars this year?

Or live streaming other stuff from the show?

Please...

Tournament is being steamed. Quite a few A listers coming this year which shows the prestige the show and tournament are getting now. I'm excited to get to see Robert, Gagno, Karl D, Bowen K, Steven B, Johnny M, etc compete in person. I left Colin out on purpose of that list as I've seen enough of him playing. He keeps kicking my butt all the time so I'm used to watching him play...

Here is the link to the standings which also shows a link to the twitch stream - https://www.neverdrains.com/tpf2018/playerIndex.php

Here are the top 10 players coming this year. Pretty stacked so should be exciting to watch! Yes, I was bored at work and pulled all the players and their rankings to see whom was coming.

players (resized).jpg

Could be... Haven't played it.

I'm suddenly glad that I decided not to play this year. Jesus. Christ.

Good luck, man.

We are flying in tomorrow afternoon from Seattle and I can help folks setting up tomorrow night or Friday during the day. Can't wait for the fun to begin!

There is a plan in place to stream the seminars on twitch, as long as the network permits.

Last year the network did not permit. This year we are hopefully going to have a hardwired connection.

Why are there suddenly all these top tier players coming? Seems odd but hey...makes for good watching. I'll keep my fingers crossed that there's no SNAFUS, or else we'll never hear the bloody end of it after many of those guys swore to never come back... =|

well that didn't work when we tried to get Frax to never come back , so..............................................

Well; it entirely depends on if they are Fat-Man-Friendly(TM)

Because it's TPF, derrr...
I think next year will be even bigger with more p-sport than socializing.
But hey, The show is what you make it right? So for me TPF will always be about bringing games and socializing with friends and pinheads. As long a we don't have a hostel takeover of event staff - I'm happy to support the show.

Go hit up barcadia on 7th. 1 crappy pin, 15 or so vintage arcade and cold beer

-Jeff

Timing request

If possible, do TPF one week later in the future, you will avoid a bunch of spring break conflicts and I would get to come

Maybe all the top guys are coming because we aren't on the same weekend as pinburg?

I'll add that to the list. I'm bringing the camera to get some footage for the twitch channel.

I have no plan to see the presentations, but would love to watch them later.

Couple reasons IMHO

- on stern circuit so it's worth good points
- last 2 years went smooth for a pinball tournament.
- pretty good payout at 2 grand for first with 700 for 4th. Payouts for top 16.
- addition of classics tournament
- with Colin' s playing success and him being TD there's probable more confidence in the tournament as well.

The rumor was that TPF ?always? coincides with Spring Break of the area schools.
Unsure if there is truth to that rumor; but it made sense to me.

Any word on if vaping is allowed at TPF????

Is vaping allowed at cidercade I forgot to ask

I've already like said this a million times in this thread but what the hell:

+1

Vaping isn't allowed indoors almost anywhere in D/FW at this point. You'll have to go outside to vape at Cidercade and TPF both.

Bars in Richardson are about the only place you can still smoke or vape inside, AFAIK.

*edit* Oh, and I also want to say as a vaper myself... There's going to be thousands of people in and out of the hall. Show some courtesy for everyone else and just expect to go outside. You certainly won't see me in the hall chucking huge clouds of Earl Grey (Yeah, you read that right.), because that's just rude. Nobody else has to be subjected to all the weird damn smells we can conjure...and even barring that, you never know what people are allergic to and how these stupid things are formulated. I haven't seen any evidence that vape fog (specifically peanut based flavors...I've seen plenty of PB&J juices..) can cause food allergy reactions, but...... other chemicals can irritate sensitive individuals. It's just not a good idea, even if it isn't banned. It's one thing to walk into a bar and go "Oh yeah it's probably gonna be smoky in there" but for most public venues....just gotta get over the fact it's not the 1960's anymore.

*Edit 2* Bloody poop. There MAY be an area inside-ish that you can vape...Cidercade added a rear patio recently, I didn't even think to ask if it would be okay there! But honestly, they have tables and stuff right out front and the place isn't massive. It's really easy to walk outside! ^_^

I'll be arriving early friday morning can't wait for my 1st TPF

Those Pac Man slots are made by Ainsworth, an Australian Company being acquired by Novomatic of Austria. The Americas division of Novomatic is headed by a former long-time Bally guy who worked there during the golden era of pinball.

What are some things to go to around TPF when not at the show ?

If you were into the teevee show Dallas, you can tour the Southfork Ranch. Or just drive by to see it. On the east edge of Plano. Without looking it up, I recall the town is Preston, still part of the Plano municipal area.

Also consider touring the Bureau of Printing & Engraving facility on the Northwest edge of Fort Worth. Limited hours and tour slots.
The Sante Fe Railroad museum in Fort Worth is pretty cool.

I really enjoyed the 6'th floor book depository museum in Dallas. Cool place if you are into history.

For all the the out-of-towners.. Things to do on Friday:

JFK 6th Floor Museum. If you have never been, it's well worth it.
https://www.jfk.org/

Cowboy Fans. At&T Stadium tour in Arlington.
http://attstadium.com/tours

Best 80's TV show with J.R. Ewing - Southfork Ranch tour.
http://www.southforkranch.com/

Need some sunlight, Dallas Arboretum
http://www.dallasarboretum.org/

Feeling political.. George Bush Library
https://www.georgewbushlibrary.smu.edu/Home.aspx

Of course, the main attraction is eating BBQ:

Hutchins BBQ in Frisco and McKinney (my favorite)
http://hutchinsbbq.com/

Pecan Lodge in downtown Dallas - Deep Ellum
http://pecanlodge.com/

Hard Eight in The Colony
https://hardeightbbq.com/location/the-colony/

Lockhart Smokehouse
https://www.lockhartsmokehouse.com/plano-directions.html

No vaping in dfw.... Man i love our south texas culture.

Less hippy, more common sense.

A couple of things close to the hotel..

Shops at Legacy (food and shopping) And Legacy West - Plano
https://legacywest.com/

Top Golf in The Colony
https://topgolf.com/us/the-colony/

Cowboys Headquarters in Frisco
https://www.thestarinfrisco.com/

Pinstack in Plano
http://pinstackbowl.com/locations/plano-texas/

Anyone have a roll of stretch wrap for wrapping games I can buy?

I have a few games to wrap up that are being transported to various places and it would be great if someone can hook it up. Pls message me.

Looks like Duffman had puppies there, Whysnow.

7 to be precise

Preston is a road that runs N/S on the west side of Plano/Richardson/Dallas/Frisco. If it WAS at some point a city, it's long since been incorporated, because I've been here my entire life (36 years) and never heard of such a thing.

Guess Austin isn't South then. Pretty sure you can't vape anywhere indoors there either. lol.

I usually get mine from U-Haul, man. Almost all of the local U-Haul stores around here carry it.. One roll will do a bunch of games. At least 5 or 6 at minimum. If you can't find any and you need it before the end of the show, I'm sure I can grab some on the way up to Frisco friday morning and you can just pay me back?

Who wants vaping allowed in public places? It’s no different than cigarette smoke. Cancerous and gross.

You can keep that stuff down there in the “sparkling city by the sea”.

I respect anyone's right to inhale chemicals into their lungs as the next person, but I will admit to a personal dislike of vaping. The odors of just about any scented products like vapes etc give me a pretty bad headache. I try hard to avoid the vapers outside the doors etc.

After a long and enjoyable flight from Brisbane, through Auckland, and on to SAN Francisco (hells bells this an expensive and fun town) finally get to do the 3 1/2 hours to DFW on Thursday,.. United have had us arriving at 4:30 PM, then 6:30 PM, and now it’s 2:04 PM, so a very early start to the day.... but I can’t wait.

So,.. if you see a couple of Aussie sounding old farts, and one has a Pinbot tee shirt,.. shout out,.. and no,. I’m not bringing supplies of Australian spreads or meats,.. to be honest WW2.3 has almost broken out occasionally in our part of the world over Vegemite being evil in a jar, or gods blessing to mankind. Roo on the other hand,.. makes a very nice burger, so the jerky shouldn’t cause complaints.

Looking fwd to TPF kicking off,.. I’ll be lined up with the “enthusiastic but rubbish” players

Don't forget to eat at Bone Daddy's. You won't be disappointed with the food....or the scenery!