Quoted from chewbaccadog:I was going to head up last night but got bogged down with work. The one game I absolutely want to play is JJ POC. Are there any of these on the floor available? Last year I was there for the release but it was a scene and a half and I didn't get near one.
There are 3-4 in the main vendor hall to play.
Thanks to whoever left the note on my WW last night. I dont know how long it was broke but I had it fixed some time around 11:30. The common wire for the coil broke off the lug. Soldered it back on and all is good. last year the right one did the same thing.
Quoted from vbittnv:Was just there this morning.... not sure if I really agree. Lots of EM, lots off , and a bunch not working. Perhaps Im spoiled in chicago with all of the great barcades, but paying $30 for today so far was 100% not worth it for me.
Games I came to play
Godzilla. Off
Dark knight off
Totan: one ball missing error
And twd premium.. not there but was pictured yesterday.
does anyone know if they moved the walking dead premium that was in the free room yesterday? Was it sold and removed?
Hope the main room is better tonight.
I brought Godzilla, and the totan, actually that whole row of games. I walk by them all the time to make sure they stay running. Having a ball get stuck in some unusual places, but if someone text me, I go straight to it to get it back up. I didn't take all the time to drive four hours and set up a dozen machines to have them turned off. Totan gave me a coil issue last night, and to save time and with it being dark in the room, I ran it over to rob and had it back up in about twenty minutes.
My phone number is on each of my games, so if they are off. Call me, I'll get it back up
Quoted from romulusx:Hey,is anybody steaming Pat Lawlor’s Dialing it In seminar at 4 pm today?
Please, someone ask Pat about his insistence on moving the headphone and volume connector to people's knees on the cabinets when they were just fine in the door. Worst change, ever. When I asked Jack about it, he shrugged and said Pat gets what he wants. I'd like to know the thought process behind it because the connector move makes no sense at all.
Quoted from vbittnv:Was just there this morning.... not sure if I really agree. Lots of EM, lots off , and a bunch not working. Perhaps Im spoiled in chicago with all of the great barcades, but paying $30 for today so far was 100% not worth it for me.
Games I came to play
Godzilla. Off
Dark knight off
Totan: one ball missing error
And twd premium.. not there but was pictured yesterday.
does anyone know if they moved the walking dead premium that was in the free room yesterday? Was it sold and removed?
Hope the main room is better tonight.
I agree on this. Last night, by 10:30pm about 25% of the games in the free play room were shut off. Some of these machine were piles of crap and barely worked to begin with. You know you are in trouble when there are multiple Sinbads and Night Riders. If it wasn't for 2 rows of Berk's machines, it would have been a disaster. Don't get me wrong, there were some really fantastic games in there too. The arcade games in the Free Play room were not much better. Tried to play Jungle King, no left or right movement from the joystick. Tried to play frogger, the joystick was garbage again. Many of those too were turned off. I don't see how the free play room is going to survive the crowds today and saturday. The arcade room(new room/old seminar room) had some more pinballs around the outer perimeter that seemed to be all in working order. There is two big rows of arcade games in there that no one was playing, well except for Jay Brand. I walked up to to a Super Punch Out, again, the joystick was all fucked up and half the movements didn't work. That was enough for me.
The vendor's room, that is the crown jewel of the show. It was a real good mix of vendors and lot's of new games in there on Free Play. It was nice to see Mayfair Amusements there. Got to play Thunderbirds from Homepin, what a hunk of shit(Sorry @GAP). The flippers felt like I was playing something from a 70's Williams EM. The "accoutrements" on the playfield looked like cheap shit from China(it is cheap shit from China). A couple of vendors won't let you touch the machines unless you intend to buy, but hey, it's their investments.
Overall the vibe seemed pretty damn cool. I got to play lots of pinball and buy a few needed parts for my $19 Groupon entry ticket. The tournaments were packed as usual. It was my only day/night free for Expo this year. I will be heading over to the Pinball Life Party in about an hour. I know there is good shit to play there and get to see if Jay Brand is sober. That will be my Expo weekend.
Little late but I put an extra ticket for the Pinball life show on the table with all the flyers if anyone needs it.
Quoted from ViolinSteve:I'll be there in 24 hours. Look out for Violent Steve!!!
Seriously. Look out.
Quoted from vdojaq:Got to play Thunderbirds from Homepin, what a hunk of shit
Thunderturds.
My son and I played one long, long game on it and I have absolutely no desire to ever play one again.
Quoted from lancestorm:Violent or Violin ... Steve?
Violin during the day, violent at night?
Exactly. It’s a sight to see.
Quoted from vdojaq:I agree on this. Last night, by 10:30pm about 25% of the games in the free play room were shut off. Some of these machine were piles of crap and barely worked to begin with.
Future thought, at our show we have a desk you can report broken games to where staff fill out a repair ticket and they get queued up for people to work on them and/or to notify the owner. This is super helpful for keeping the games on the floor running. Things break, no matter how much prep you do, but if you have a system in place for dealing with, you have a lot happier attendees (and happier game owners too, it's embarrassing to have your game on the floor broken!).
Quoted from vdojaq:I agree on this. Last night, by 10:30pm about 25% of the games in the free play room were shut off. Some of these machine were piles of crap and barely worked to begin with. You know you are in trouble when there are multiple Sinbads and Night Riders. If it wasn't for 2 rows of Berk's machines, it would have been a disaster. Don't get me wrong, there were some really fantastic games in there too. The arcade games in the Free Play room were not much better. Tried to play Jungle King, no left or right movement from the joystick. Tried to play frogger, the joystick was garbage again. Many of those too were turned off. I don't see how the free play room is going to survive the crowds today and saturday. The arcade room(new room/old seminar room) had some more pinballs around the outer perimeter that seemed to be all in working order. There is two big rows of arcade games in there that no one was playing, well except for Jay Brand. I walked up to to a Super Punch Out, again, the joystick was all fucked up and half the movements didn't work. That was enough for me.
The vendor's room, that is the crown jewel of the show. It was a real good mix of vendors and lot's of new games in there on Free Play. It was nice to see Mayfair Amusements there. Got to play Thunderbirds from Homepin, what a hunk of shit(Sorry @GAP). The flippers felt like I was playing something from a 70's Williams EM. The "accoutrements" on the playfield looked like cheap shit from China(it is cheap shit from China). A couple of vendors won't let you touch the machines unless you intend to buy, but hey, it's their investments.
Overall the vibe seemed pretty damn cool. I got to play lots of pinball and buy a few needed parts for my $19 Groupon entry ticket. The tournaments were packed as usual. It was my only day/night free for Expo this year. I will be heading over to the Pinball Life Party in about an hour. I know there is good shit to play there and get to see if Jay Brand is sober. That will be my Expo weekend.
Agree on this as well. Lots of broken games...but I did see people actively working on them and trying to get them running again. So its not like the are down for the count the entire weekend. Still managed to find some stuff to play and enjoyed myself. Wanted to check out the vendor hall, but closed until this evening. I plan on going back with my son a little later so that he can check things out.
Quoted from nwpinball:Future thought, at our show we have a desk you can report broken games to where staff fill out a repair ticket and they get queued up for people to work on them and/or to notify the owner. This is super helpful for keeping the games on the floor running. Things break, no matter how much prep you do, but if you have a system in place for dealing with, you have a lot happier attendees (and happier game owners too, it's embarrassing to have your game on the floor broken!).
Agreed...As I found the broken stuff it was difficult to find someone to notify. Especially as the free play area started to fill up with people. Texting the number on the card is probably the best option at this point.
The professional goon squad from WGN hit expo yesterday morning. It's interesting. https://www.facebook.com/vgiovannone/videos/10156803655040984/?l=1683806264299303153
(You don't have to have a fb account to view the video. Also much longer than the stuff on WGN's page.)
I thought the JJ Potc played like a dream seemed much better than the one at Level 257. It was great to play the DI since the one at Level 257 was removed. I spoke to Jack about that though. CGC needed more MBr s. it was very popular.
The vendors hall was were is was happening for me. Unfortunately my wife ran out of gas so we left before 10.
Quoted from TheKorn:The professional goon squad from WGN hit expo yesterday morning. It's interesting. https://www.facebook.com/vgiovannone/videos/10156803655040984/?l=1683806264299303153
"Pinball export... expo"
Also why did she say it was 24 hours? That implies it's only here for a day.
Thanks for posting that.
WGN news report for the fellow FxBx-less:
https://wgntv.com/2018/10/18/around-town-visits-the-34th-annual-pinball-expo/
Quoted from ccbiggsoo7:nowhere near the crowd texas had, I think we have a new champion
oh so not many people ? wow I was at TPF and loved it
Quoted from ccbiggsoo7:nowhere near the crowd texas had, I think we have a new champion
So you compared it to the Thursay TPF is not even open?
Quoted from BillySastard:Thunderturds.
My son and I played one long, long game on it and I have absolutely no desire to ever play one again.
Do you think it's salvagable with better software, or is the core hardware design just crap?
Quoted from BoJo:So you compared it to the Thursay TPF is not even open?
got my days mixed up, thought it was sat. that happens when you work 7 days a week! 
Quoted from nwpinball:Future thought, at our show we have a desk you can report broken games to where staff fill out a repair ticket and they get queued up for people to work on them and/or to notify the owner. This is super helpful for keeping the games on the floor running. Things break, no matter how much prep you do, but if you have a system in place for dealing with, you have a lot happier attendees (and happier game owners too, it's embarrassing to have your game on the floor broken!).
An app would be even cooler. Show schedule, event reminders/notifications, and a report screen for games that are down.
Quoted from nwpinball:Future thought, at our show we have a desk you can report broken games to where staff fill out a repair ticket and they get queued up for people to work on them and/or to notify the owner. This is super helpful for keeping the games on the floor running. Things break, no matter how much prep you do, but if you have a system in place for dealing with, you have a lot happier attendees (and happier game owners too, it's embarrassing to have your game on the floor broken!).
I tried to get into the secondary room to check on/work on/clean the game I brought (doors were wide open) , but I was told I couldn't get in until 6:00pm. I did my part.
If you find it's not working, play something else, or find me and I'll give you the keys so you can fix it. 
Had a blast at the pinball Life open house, the two pinball olympics games were hard to play without laughing your ass off..
A playboy in a giant metal/plastic box with two industrial blowers blowing ping pong balls at you.. hard hat and goggles provided for you..
The other was a pinball suspended by four cables, and a hanging sling you lay down in..
The creativity of the team here is really amazing, custom stools made from pinball legs and tron cabinet decals.. chairs made from wood and pinball legs.. A giant human size home made 3 stand up switch target bank that controlled a big LED display on the wall that flashed really bright colors and lit the whole room..and of course Scott Danesi’s Museum of incomplete and malformed pinball parts..
Free Soda/Water, Drink tickets for Beers, Ice Cream, and Cake..
Great times! Thanks to pinball Life.
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Was there last night from 6-11ish.
I will say the last thing I’m gonna do is bitch about games not working, since I didn’t bring anything. I get that we paid for it, but if people didn’t bring games, the show would be terrible, and for the most part pointless to go to except for new reveals.
Thanks to those who did-played a lot of games I’ve never played before.
Quoted from knockerlover:This Varkon is bad ass..
[quoted image]
That belongs to my friends! I get to play that wicked cool thing every time I visit them! great people, the Cincy Pinball Group
Quoted from PinBackpacker:Getting ready for the deeproot seminar and just saw JPop in the hall. should be interesting...
Is it being streamed by anyone
Quoted from PinBackpacker:Getting ready for the deeproot seminar and just saw JPop in the hall. should be interesting...
I googled J-Pop for an image and got this:
Right appearance?
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Valparaiso, IN
Melbourne
Someone turn that camera around.