The winners of the Best in Show shouldn't be a tease for your podcast.

Exactly this.

All winners with pictures and runners up will be listed on Pintastic's website over the next the coming weeks:

https://pintasticnewengland.com/

Best Antique (pre 1960) - Gypsy Queen (Frank)
Best 60’s - Trade Winds (Dave M.)
Best 70’s Electro-Mechanical - Jungle Princess (Roger)
Best 70’s Solid State - Bally Playboy (Ryan)
Best Early 80’s (1980-85) - Black Knight (Benjamin M.)
Best Late 80’s (1986-89) - Black Knight 2000 (Ryan)
Best 90’s - X Files (Benjamin M.)
Best Modern (2000-present) - Roller Coaster Tycoon (the one with the cool coaster on top) (Ryan)
Best Custom Design - Metriod (Mark S.)

Thanks for posting a list not looking to listen to a whole podcast just to get an answer.

Chill.

I never realized that stating my opinion on a forum wasn't Chill... good to know

As Deadpool would say...winner winner chimichanga dinner..

The people who run the show and the awards should be happy that people care about them and want to know who won, rather than being disappointed that some people don't quite care enough to dive into the podcast to find out.

It's Pinside - expect an 85% disagreement ratio.
Only opinions that matter are the thread writer's - don't ya know that?

Can't argue with that list though, especially Tradewinds and BK2K (best copy I've ever played x 9).

I can’t wait to play the Adams family that’s been restored and going to my local pinball arcade. It was at the show in free play.

Dave simply stated that the winners would be posted on the Pintastic web site in the coming weeks. But he also mentions the winners in his podcast. Please dont read into this to much guys we are all still recovering here and enjoying our 4th of July holiday.

I would go big and bold and do same with price.

Ryan had the coolest topper design and function yet. Add to that the beautiful Bk2K and playboy....dude went all out on those pins making them look and play fantastic!

Triple Crown winner. I close my eyes and still see those pink playboy displays. That game was amazing!

Hey folks! I am the team lead that records all the seminars. I'm also the guy that was walking around in the Wonka costume haha. You only get 1 shot at it and there was nothing to lose. I'm starting to edit and upload the seminars to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1hsYk9HhlG9AxvS2IgaUkA?view_as=subscriber

I hope you folks had a blast this year and I think it was our biggest and best yet honestly. On my end I had some snafu's but not like in prior years. Got a few q's for you folks if you don't mind answering for staff to gain insight from (we care a lot and I hope it shows)!

1) What did you like best about the show this year and what didn't you like?
2) Did you purchase a Willy Wonka CE package and did you think you got a good value? If not, why not?
3) Did you attend any of the seminars? What did you think of the guests and quality (i.e. was the panel interesting, funny/boring, etc)?
4) Did you visit the SNHPC room?
5) Did you compete in the Silverball Rumble and if you did, what did you think of the tournament?
6) Did you bring a game to the show? Was it for sale? Did you sell your game? What was your experience like registering before, at and after the show?
7) What was your experience like in the Free Play Room? Did you encounter games down and did you like the variety of games in free play?
8 ) Did you purchase a Limited Edition Pass and was it the first time you purchased an LE pass? Did you think you got good value from this ticket package?
9) Do you think you got good value from the EBL (Extra Ball Lounge)?
10) Are you planning to attend Pintastic 2020 and if so, how far are you traveling?

If you don't want to post this information on Pinside for whatever reason you can also help us out with this information by sending a message at https://pintasticnewengland.com/contact/

1) What did you like best about the show this year and what didn't you like? Loved the game selection, didn’t like the smaller amount of vendors.
2) Did you purchase a Willy Wonka CE package and did you think you got a good value? If not, why not? Nope, just not interested in the movie.
3) Did you attend any of the seminars? What did you think of the guests and quality (i.e. was the panel interesting, funny/boring, etc)? I tried to but was having so much fun that I kept missing them.
4) Did you visit the SNHPC room? Everyday.
5) Did you compete in the Silverball Rumble and if you did, what did you think of the tournament? I did, could use a larger space or a few more games to lower the wait times.
6) Did you bring a game to the show? Was it for sale? Did you sell your game? What was your experience like registering before, at and after the show? Brought four games, all for sale. Sold three at the show, sold the fourth two days after. Registering was good, web site needs some more tweaking to make it really work.
7) What was your experience like in the Free Play Room? Did you encounter games down and did you like the variety of games in free play? I did encounter games that were down but I thought it was a small percentage overall.
8 ) Did you purchase a Limited Edition Pass and was it the first time you purchased an LE pass? Did you think you got good value from this ticket package? I did not, I bought one last year but they sold out too fast this year or I would have.
9) Do you think you got good value from the EBL (Extra Ball Lounge)? Sure, I got to go in after 8pm and check out the goods.
10) Are you attending Pintastic 2020 and if so, how far are you traveling? The whole family is going (and volunteering) and it’s about 60 miles.

1) Basically happy with everything, no real complaints.
2) No
3)Nope
4) Yes, excellent selection of great condition games.
5) Nope
6) No (Besides logistical issues on my part, I only attend one day so it wouldn't be physically possible for me to leave it for the entire show as is now required)
7) Good Experience...Yes, dumb luck, first four games I chose to play at opening on Friday were not functioning. Appeared to be a row shut off all day Friday on back wall? Did observe repair staff working their butts off all day. Decent variety, but spent more time in vendor hall playing newer titles.
8 )Nope, zero interest.
9) N/A (And zero interest)
10) Hell Yea, 1.5hr drive time (one way)

1) What did you like best about the show this year and what didn't you like?
- liked freeplay selection. Best it has been or damn close to it. I wish the auction happened this year and the flea market was larger (I’m spoiled in the fact I was there when automated had their boneyard truck, whish something like that happened again)
2) Did you purchase a Willy Wonka CE package and did you think you got a good value? If not, why not?
- no. Don’t care much for willy wonka.
3) Did you attend any of the seminars? What did you think of the guests and quality (i.e. was the panel interesting, funny/boring, etc)?
- yes and I always enjoy the content.
4) Did you visit the SNHPC room?
-yes that room rocked
5) Did you compete in the Silverball Rumble and if you did, what did you think of the tournament?
-no. I should have manned up and tried it out.
6) Did you bring a game to the show? Was it for sale? Did you sell your game? What was your experience like registering before, at and after the show?
No. With it being much closer to my house in 2020, I plan to bring some games.
7) What was your experience like in the Free Play Room? Did you encounter games down and did you like the variety of games in free play?
- some were down but that’s life. Liked selection a lot. All games I played were playing well. Maybe 5% of games I played had issues.
8 ) Did you purchase a Limited Edition Pass and was it the first time you purchased an LE pass? Did you think you got good value from this ticket package?
-no I only stay Friday/ Saturday so I get pro package.
9) Do you think you got good value from the EBL (Extra Ball Lounge)?
-first time buying a pass that granted me access. Yeah it was cool in there. A lot of great games and people.
10) Are you planning to attend Pintastic 2020 and if so, how far are you traveling?
-yes. It will be about 30 min from me now!

But when you bring a game that has a push button wired in parallel (Bobby Orr), and purposely make a custom pricing card with explicit instructions to simply push the button if it is out of credits (in bright yellow mind you - cause well, there needed to be some black and gold on the game for obvious reasons) - and people simply don't read it....well....

Several times I came around to find my game turned off and it turns out it was for that very reason. I'd turn it back on, load the game up with 30 credits and walk away.

It was however mildly amusing to open the coin door when it sold and find $1.50 in quarters in the cabinet though :>

Yes...I know I could have done a few other things....but honestly it worked just fine for me at home for months and I made this foolish assumption people could read...

(

I was only there for 2 hours early Friday. I got to play a few games I had not played before - Wonka, Oktoberfest, Deadpool, BKSOR.

I could not get near the tournament. I was in the free play at noon when it opened (probably getting killed on a brutal playing Pharaoh). By the time I got over there the line was across the entire vendor room. Too bad I always like to play a round or two.

Ran into many people I know, said hello out in the flea market. So for only two hours I got a lot done. Happy to drop a few $ on beer glasses and t-shirt to support the effort.

The only complaint I have was I got to play Thunderbirds.

1. Loved all the opportunities to hang with the pinball community. Not a huge fan of the venue.
2. Yes and yes! Was fun to meet the actors.
3. No, too busy playing games! Looking forward to the recordings
4. Daily
5. Yes. Didn’t care much for the format. Wait times for games were too long and there should be more opps for average local players to compete. Maybe try adding b/c divisions so it isn’t just a competition for the top 100 players.
6. No
7. Had a blast
8. Yes and sort of. I was disappointed by the mid day game selection in the extra ball lounge which was the primary reason for the purchase at that tier.
9. Not really. It felt like there were fewer games at all times than last year.
10. Yes! About an hour

1) I had fun catching up with everyone and meeting a few new folks. That's probably one of the main reasons I continue to go to shows these days. One downside was the confusion about the lack of game cards, but that was explained earlier. More seating probably would've been beneficial--just a few chairs scattered around to sit down and rest my feet for a few minutes would've been great.
2) No, I wasn't that interested.
3) Yes, I attended 6 of the seminars and found them enjoyable. I wanted to see a couple more, but got sidetracked by other things. I don't think I heard any PA announcements this year.
4) Yes, but it was somewhat crowded and stuffy, and half the games were reserved for tournaments, so I didn't stay too long.
5) No, I generally don't compete in tournaments. Partly because I'm not a terrific/competitive player, and partly because it kills the whole day. If there was a short casual tournament that was only a couple hours, I might consider participating. Maybe offer something like that to people who aren't participating in the larger tournaments?
6) Yes, I brought a game, but it wasn't for sale (even though I got a couple of tempting offers). I bought another game and left it on free play. Registering wasn't a problem. The change in ownership process was a bit different. It's good that games are being monitored more closely, but it was a bit of a surprise that the original owner needed to confirm the sale, though it made sense. It took a few hours before the new game card was printed.
7) The selection was pretty good this year. A handful of games were down for most of the show, but otherwise, games that did go down were addressed fairly quickly. I used the QR code for reporting issues a handful of times, which was fairly easy. I liked seeing a handful of arcade games there, and there were a couple of my favorites I haven't seen in years.
8 ) No, I generally bring games for free play for the most part as my ticket in.
9) I noticed that the players in the EBL were a bit better than average for the most part, so it generally took a lot longer for a game to free up, even though there were fewer people in the room.
10) Probably, and about 3 hours; the new location at Boxborough is about 45 minutes further than Sturbridge.

1. LIKED: Good selection of games in free play. Low number of non-working games. DISLIKED: Very high attendance meant longer lines than ever.
2. No, every copy of Wonka I played shot like crap. Totally lost interest.
3. Yes, Granner's and Ritchie's. Both informative and entertaining.
4. Yes, nice hidden jewel in an otherwise crowded freeplay offering.
5. No, lines are too long.
6. No. Some day.
7. Best selection in a while, great to see games stay much longer than prior years. Very few games down. About 5-8 games had weak flippers at show open on Friday. Every player I encountered was respectful of those in line behind them.
8. No.
9. N/A
10. Yes, I'm pretty much the same distance to both locations (50 mins).

We didn't have any PA announcements, having found it futile in past years.

Tournaments for the casual or time-pressed player were conducted by SNHPC in their room!
.................David Marston

We will have a megaphone next year for some announcements.

what about a texting alert you could sign up for. Submit your number and if you’d like you’d receive updates and seminar starting times etc..,

We have discussed such a service. Looks like we need to handle the low-tech aspects, and the high-tech systems we already have partly done, before we move on to another software-based system. I think you'll like what we have in store for you.
.................David Marston

Hopefully the new place has a boost for Sprint so I don't have to go to the parking lot to check my phone. Or maybe I just get rid of crappy Sprint...

Oh, I didn't see specifics or rules posted for that. I assumed they were long form tournaments like in the vendor hall.

From personal experience (Greg poverelli yelling into one at rock fantasy) these aren’t very effective and are more just annoying, especially in a big room. I’d try to get at
Least a one speaker PA on a pole. I may have one you can use!

That idea is similar to a suggestion by @flynnibus in a thread for another show. I saved his idea as food for thought. He proposed an as-is sale zone with an attendant, and the show charges a fee for showing it. He also suggested that the working games could be used for back-fill of the main Free Play area. The fee needs to be high enough to discourage someone from bringing a truck full of non-working games and just dumping them. We need to establish Flea Market operations at Boxboro before adding on something like this, but I'm keeping it in the idea file.
.................David Marston

Yes, played Thunderbirds in A-Town... horrible ...My, "semi horrible" game here was Wonka....very slow and uninteresting game. The "artwork" beer glasses were actually a draw to the show for me, grabbed a few.

I can vouch for that, especially after our game on your SM.

haha, let's do a rematch at the next show

The drawback to this is they need to be at a deafening level to be heard over all the pins. For anyone near one of the speakers, this has been an issue. For anyone that is working the entire show right under one of them it is downright painful.

I love the texting idea. Just pop it to everyone’s phone if they sign up for it.

We have done the full PA system for years and it never worked well. Some people could here it and some areas could not. Vendors that were near the speakers complained about the noise. The mega phone would only be used to announce seminars and tournament winners. Other than that we will be using signage.

We will be looking into the texting service but how often are you looking at your phone during pinball time?

Not much, if at all. But if I know that I signed up for a tournament with text alerts, I'd be checking between balls/games periodically.

Depends on service too, mine sucked.
-Mike

I never had a problem with service during the show but I was constantly using the phone. With three machines in the free play room I was monitoring messages from potential buyers and getting texts about issues with the machines, entering scores into Pindigo, posting photos of the show to social media, checking to see if friends had arrived, checking in with the wife and kids, checking the seminar schedule on my phone...

1) What did you like best about the show this year and what didn't you like?

Honestly, very few complaints. This was better than last year’s show. My biggest complaint, if this is one at all would be this year - Wonka felt shoved down our throats.

2) Did you purchase a Willy Wonka CE package and did you think you got a good value? If not, why not?

I did not. No interest. I love the idea of celebrity guests at a show like this - just wouldn’t want to meet the ones that were here.

3) Did you attend any of the seminars? What did you think of the guests and quality (i.e. was the panel interesting, funny/boring, etc)?

I ran into the Wonka one for free pizza. After the cringy jokes, I escaped.

4) Did you visit the SNHPC room?

I did! Love those guys, they know how to party.

5) Did you compete in the Silverball Rumble and if you did, what did you think of the tournament?

It’s a Stern Pro Circuit event - those games need to be set up WAY harder. Lines were far too long, big name players were complaining.

6) Did you bring a game to the show? Was it for sale? Did you sell your game? What was your experience like registering before, at and after the show?

I did not bring a game. Certainly not opposed to doing so, but the “texting system” is a burden, and the cards need to change.

7) What was your experience like in the Free Play Room? Did you encounter games down and did you like the variety of games in free play?

Oh, we all encountered games down. Very few B/W DMD titles, which many were let down by, but I’m a Sega guy, so for me, best Freeplay room yet.

8 ) Did you purchase a Limited Edition Pass and was it the first time you purchased an LE pass? Did you think you got good value from this ticket package?

I was LE this year and the year before. It will probably be my last LE year. The EBL was lackluster, the swag was good but not amazing - it did not feel worth the price tag.

9) Do you think you got good value from the EBL (Extra Ball Lounge)?

Definitely not. Last year’s was better.

10) Are you planning to attend Pintastic 2020 and if so, how far are you traveling?

I am. I’ll probably do Friday & Sunday next year, and will skip Thursday & Sunday. The biggest reason I’m going back to the show, is simply to see people in the community. My drive went from 25 minutes to about 90 with summer traffic.

Please explain why last years EBL was better than this year? We had the same amount of games and more after 9PM than any previous years. Yes the selection rotated but that is how you keep things fresh. The LE tickets sold out in April so I think we are doing something right lol.

And I’m sure they’ll sell out earlier and earlier every year. Pinball people are mad.

The game selection was better last year.

No need to jump on me man - nothing but praise overall.

********************************

RANT - and I’m gonna regret this.

The amount of bureaucracy and double standards here are fahcking stupid.

Step 1. Ask paying customers to fill out a survey with their honest opinion.

Step 2. They comply, so that show organizers can get different points of view.

Step 3. SQUASH PATRONS BENEATH FEET - PRESENT STATISTICS - QUESTION MORALITY OF SHOW GOERS - MAKE THEM FEEL SMALL - HULK SMASH!!!!

I’ve never been asked to survey about Allentown. Why? They aren’t reinventing the wheel, they know their show is good and there aren’t 8 million people updating us, asking us, telling us, informing us, promoting upon us, blah blah blah blah blah.

Seriously, you have a show promoter who is trying to actual data regarding customer satisfaction and what people are looking for, and your complaining? You seem pretty fragile if this makes you feel “small”

Either that, or you’re still bent out of shape because the shows moving another 30 min away from your house. Geez.

I don’t care about the show moving at this point, I’ve been through the five stages.

I give out clientele feedback to management at my job - we don’t question the client and present them facts that make them seem like an asshole.

Haha. That’s funny.

Wait...I need to recap. So you:

-have a problem with people promoting a new game heavily;

- don’t like the celebrities Gabe and his team chose to have at the show (which are main characters from the film, with the foremost being deceased so he couldn’t attend);

- the only seminar you attended was to get free food, and then mock the jokes the presenter was making;

- Games in the tournament were not set up correctly;

- didn’t bring a game, yet the ticketing and texting systems suck;

- think the EBL sucked and was overpriced, and the swag was just ok;

After all that positivity, I’m surprised you think you need help looking like an ass from Gabe or anyone else. I’m sorry you drove that whole 1/2 hour to be extremely disappointed.

I drove 6 hours each way with traffic, stayed with a great and hospitable Pinsider Friday and Saturday, and had a blast.

There’s always room for improvement with anything in life. Great show for Gabe, Dave and the rest of the crew. I’m happy to support it every year.

If I responded to this how I wanted to - I’d get banned from Pinside.

Don’t spin my words, I had a wonderful time, as I aforementioned.

Please do. I didn’t spin anything. I quoted your corresponding posts. Just pointing out that you first said you had no complaints, followed by 10 complaints or slights to the show in a row.

And it would be “as aforementioned”, not “as I aforementioned.”

I will respond with this, instead of what I wish to say:

Life is too short. This is a fact - I actually went up to the96stang and shook his hand at the show. Mentioned that life is too short, we have so many mutual friends - whatever is behind this - there’s no reason, we should be friends.

You are presently my only aggressor in this hobby. I don’t even know you other than one conversation.

My time is valuable. I have my opinion. I gave my opinion.

You quote that I was “extremely disappointed,” by the show. That is a lie.

You are twisting my words Colson. You are defaming my character.

*******************************

Do not lie about me. Do not lie in my direction. Do not look at me. Do not manipulate my words. Do not antagonize me. Do not think about me.

I will follow suit in regards to you.