1st off, Great show, had a blast! It's getting bigger every year! I had others come with me this year where in the past I was alone.

My 2 cents: I agree on the flow, I also think that the black walls (curtains?) around many of the vendors hurt the flow and I feel like I was always missing something, like in a maze. Maybe that works for other types of conferences, but I just felt some places seemed hidden.
I would say, do like Allentown, have the vendors circle the room with the freeplay in the center or the back, get rid of the walls. I like the tournament in the back or in the hallways seemed like a good suggestion also.

I assume the Delorean guy paid for his spots & can put whatever he wants in them.

Sunday Breakdown: Left for more than an hour figuring the mad rush would be down to a minimum (it wasn't). Biggest thing I saw was they allowed 2 pickup trucks to basically block the big garage doors for people who were loading 3-4 games each. You couldn't go through them and not everything fits through a regular door. They were there for quite awhile blocking the exits. At minimum it should be only 1 space at at time if at all.

I talked to a nice woman who was guarding the glass doorways . I asked if she knew the promoter in charge she said yes. I simply told her that letting 2 large trucks to basically clog the exit ramp was creating a big mess. My suggestion is nothing backs in until 1 hour after the seminar . A modern pin going thru that 36” door with a lip barely fits. I agree with blocking the glass doors it’s a conference center not a warehouse like Allentown .

This was my first show that I’ve been to, and I’m absolutely hooked. There were so many games, and it was great getting to play ones that I likely would’ve never had the chance to (i.e., Big Lebowski). There were so many talented folks there, whether it was restoration skill, programming, mods, players, designers, actors...just amazing...and they all love pinball! It was great meeting all of the fellow pinheads and making new friends. Thanks to Ed for organizing it...and all of the vendors and exhibitors, for that matter. Thanks to JJ from game exchange for his meet/greet...it was great to see Pinside avatars and put real faces to them. Just an awesome time all around...can’t wait until the next show I get to attend!!

There was another set of dual doors to get machines out if needed. I have an em and the head is too wide to go through the man door at load out. The other way out was great.

If you are at the back looking at the loadout area, take a left and go to the end of the hallway. Go through the double doors on the left, take a right down a small hallway and double doors to the side of the venue near the driveway to the loading dock.

This year was the first year I used it and it was way easier for me with one machine.

If anyone cares, here's my take for 2019...

Tournaments being moved to give more room on main floor -- Good.

TBH, I skipped the tournaments this year, so I can't speak to how things were in tourney room, but a couple folks said it was cramped.

I did some volunteering this year. DO IT PEOPLE! Work the doors, work the floor, enter tourney scores...whatever. Karma. It's the right thing to do -- and it's a great way to see and meet people!

Anyone wondering... "If I exhibit, how many games will be played on my machine?" Well, my NIB Deadpool Pro got 555 plays and I'm pretty sure it was never idle. Def worth the demo discount.

Main room layout could have been better. Live and learn. I don't envy Kim's job trying to map it out.

If you're going to move a pin on its legs, Pinball Skates from Marco are da bomb! https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/PBS

All for now. Maybe more after I read the 100 new posts!

Great time, y'all!

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My MBr got 548 plays. For those that want an estimate for future consideration.

My Gottlieb 2001 EM received 478 plays over the course of the weekend.

Thanks to everyone that came out and played and/or purchased games at our FUN!/Marco/Stern booth and an even bigger THANK YOU to the 25 demo buyers that purchased the 32 brand new Stern games we had in the booth.
In addition to those we brought an addition 12 pieces from our store for everyone to enjoy. Everything was played non-stop. Unfortunately our Theatre Of Magic that was working PERFECTLY one Wednesday, died during setup Friday, trunk motor gearbox crapped out .

Pat Priest, Butch Patrick and John Davies were all great special guests and very personable with the crowd.

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I wonder who won best in show? That totan was amazing. But there were a few that was great as well.

Kevin Moore’s TOTAN.

Probably about the same as octo games... 350+. Probably 350-425 would be my guess

I have to agree on O'Fest...really a well put together and thought out machine...I see it in my future.

Had to leave before the 2020 dates were announced. Does anyone know when TPF will occur next year?

I don’t know if it’s posted yet, but the TPF website will have them. I don’t remember all of them. Kevin won best arcade game with the Computer Space as well.

I’ve heard March 27-29th.

Looks great Chris.

Kevin Moores TOTAN was Best in Show, Lonnie Payne's Bally Harley Davidson was best 90's, Ron Pennington's Stern Galaxy was best 80's. I am not sure on the rest.

Just a few short videos from TPF:

I had never played a Bally HD. That thing was beautiful and played so nice.

This was my favorite game of the show... Well right up there with Oktoberfest. Thanks AvidListener for bringing it.

Great row of games over there. Also loved playing the King if Diamonds next to it.

My annual TPF wrap-up/ .02offering;

I've been coming since the last Grapevine basement show and every year it gets better. I don't come for the tournaments, the lectures or for the VIP guests. I come to meet people and play their games. Every year I meet more and different characters and get to visit again with old pals. And the game selection this year was beyond ridiculous. I took a lot of pictures, most of them poor, but here's a rogues gallery of the things I loved the most about this years' show. As always, a HUGE thanks to Ed and crew, all of the volunteers and the hobbyists and business folk that bring all the wonderful games I show up to play.

Now forgive me, but I have to start with my own contribution. This was the 2015 Best in Show winner and I am grateful it gets a nice up front viewing each year I bring it. Over 450 plays with just a few flubs.
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Meanwhile my brother was attempting to break my high score on Space Invaders and my EBD. Haven't pulled the audits on them yet but they seemed to be played constantly.
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This was the nicest most tricked out Iron Maiden you are likely to ever see or play. The wife and I fell in love with the game at the Houston show last year and this one played like a dream. B E A -utiful machine.
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Yeah, it is pretty. Yes, it plays. No I didn't.
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Seriously, the nicest Seawitch you will ever play. Now I have to listen to the Beatles because I can't stand to hear a clip of a song and then not the rest. Great music, decent machine.
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One of the best rows in the show! Best in Show winner TOTAN, TBL and a very fine Diner and Whitewater. Seriously, that TOTAN was amazing.
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@bingopodcast and @ryanclaytor brought their new publication along with Nick's amazing and award winning Multi-Bingo. Learned a ton about the game I am building and bingo machines in general.
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Spooky was there as usual with their latest machine. There were three of them on the floor in total and the lines were always long!
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Three more amazing restorations by a master. All played like they were factory fresh or better.
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Special nostalgia shout out - First EM I ever owned was Duotron, the 2 player version of Magnatron. Fun game and a great memory throwback.
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I remember playing this one in the wild. Yes, I am old.
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I gotta say Octoberfest was pretty cool. Fun game with entertaining modes.
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Pinball aside, its fun now and then to take a break with old friends from the arcade days. Stunt Cycle and Death Race are two of my favorites and having them together in one room really brought back the memories. Thanks to whoever brought these games and shared them. I played them both a bunch!
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The first pinball game I recall playing was an old Bally El Toro. The second was Doodle Bug. Seeing this at the show really took me back. Waaaaay back. Just up from it was a Bally Black Pyramid. I sold mine a number of years ago and have missed it ever since. Thanks for bringing these.
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This is the nicest Galaxy you will ever see. And if you did not see inside of it, trust me, you missed half the show. A real piece of art. Next to it was a nice sample of Dracula and the Spinal Tap that gets better every year.
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Glad you enjoyed them. The Galaxy restore was done by my dad. The Dracula is mine and I hope to one day make it look as good as the Galaxy does

Jeff Bolich's Tri Zone was Best 70's solid state and my Xenon was 1st runner up 80's behind Ron's Galaxy.
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Those were both fantastic! That Tri-Zone was awesome to see. Also you could hear that Xenon over every machine at the show

It would be cool if that sort of thing were projected high on the walls in the main room. It would take pretty bright projectors to work well though.

that's where we stayed last year, loved it.

The pro that I won in the raffle had about 550 plays. I would imagine the premiums had more. I didn't play the pro all weekend, just the premium.

Thanks to Ed and crew for a great show. Thanks to the folks at Retrocade that help me get the machine packed as I had nothing with me. Also thanks to Kelly for tracking down Brett for shipping at the last minute. Pleasure to meet all of you.

Great show! See you all next year.

Both were sweet, but I actually like your Xenon better!! It was great to play on it with you and @bluespin!!!

You suck, you lucky dog!!! Congrats! It must've been an incredible feeling to hear your name called.

Pretty crazy to think the game is going all the way to Boston. Just goes to show the distance people will travel to go to TPF.

Funny you say that. I added two more speakers inside the cabinet (Xenon already has two) and powered them with a small amp. Good thing too, the game's volume was turned all the way up and the show was louder than ever this year. You would've barely heard it standing right in front of it. I had the amp turned up 1/3-1/2 during peak times.

I wanted to make sure everyone could hear the reverb effects I added.

Did you get to hear the attract mode music I added? It was a track Suzanne Ciani created while just messing around with a Moog.
I had a pair of speakers, amp and sub under the game just for this. Unfortunately, the game had to be idle for a couple of minutes before it would play the music, which didn't happen very often.

That was the first game he ever bought, 16 years ago. Every year he talked about restoring it and how fun it is to play. I'm glad he finally got to realize his dream.

Bill I want to thank you and Jeff for both bringing such nice well maintained games every year. I always look forward to seeing what you two brought to the show.

My son probably put 50 of those ganes on there! Lol

That Galaxy was incredible. So was the Taxi he restored a couple years ago. Couldn't take your eyes off either one of them.

You never see a Dracula at a show that's set up properly, until now. It played well, which was very refreshing. I look forward to seeing it's return to TPF once restored.

Now......do you have a Stern Magic?

My LOTR won best 00’s. This was my first year exhibiting and it was super fun! The game had a few flipper issues but by the end of the show everything was fixed and working great. Hope everyone got to play it!

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We don’t have a Magic but would love to find a good restore candidate. Love the artwork on that one. My brother has a Stars and Meteor that will get restored someday I hope. I hope to have my Evel Kneival there next year, but it won’t be to the level of he Galaxy. I don’t have the time to devote to the restores like those retired folks

LOL

I'd love to play a nice Evel. I have a CPR field and plastics for mine, but it's going to need a lot of cabinet work so it's back-burnered for now.

Lots of possibilities I could bring next year:
Gamatron
Meteor
Counterforce (I don't know about this one, may not be reliable enough)
Freefall
Power Play
Phoenix
Catacomb
Cosmic Gunfight (maybe, also needs lots of cabinet work)
Captain Hook
Cyclopes (I need a backglass)

Thank you for the nice words, and it was great meeting you and your wife!

That is a gorgeous machine! Those are real bells, not speakers, right? I wish I could make you a worthy offer, but I hope you don't sell it so we can all see and play it again next year.

Did anyone see a TRON?

I didnt see a tron pinball but there was a vid game!

Man, that brought back really happy memories!

Yes, all the mechs are stock 1968 parts. I didn't change any of the hardware, just the art and the cabinet.
(Rebuild kits were used on the pops and flippers.)

My Munsters Pro got 551 plays . Even Marylin Munster herself ( Pat Priest) played my game

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It seems like Everybody was at TPF this year . Around noon on Sunday even this Crime Fighter showed up.

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Your on the hook for Catacomb and Freefall cause we are doing the Stern ROW!!!...There I said it....I said it...said it....it......

Cyclopes needs a glass from Resto and get it here too.

Thanks for asking..

That was a sweet example. Nice work.

Were any of the Joker Poker EMs for sale? Price?

Do what I can.

Probably not gonna happen if you expect the other two.