Look we get it. You started this thread to convince yourself there is no issue affecting your 8k purchase. I understand the motivation.
This is easier than going after the company or simply having to live with it.

Problem is the company THEMSELVES acknowledged the issue and promised a solution. After a month or so the "solution" was to dim the LED's with a sheet of plastic to minimize the poor printing on the inserts. The people stuck with the "lighter printed" inserts let out a collective groan at this half-assed solution but had to live with it. Most didn't want to threaten a lawsuit, test their CC return policy (as it took years to get the thing,etc)... they just wanted to get the SAME quality the earlier buyers got (what a concept).

You can't change the history. And simply proving that cameras don't photograph LED's well at all doesn't re-write history either.

It's not the end of the world. The effect can be minimized. I'd simply let it go at this point and we all learned a lot about the companies involved and their willingness to ship a PF that does not match their earlier production but "falls in the range of acceptance". Corporate weasel-speak to save themselves $$ from re-printing a batch of playfields.

The fact that they took all this bad press, came up with a somewhat ridiculous "solution" to save a buck, and now finally are STILL
shipping the same "bad" batch of PF's speaks volumes. It makes you wonder what they could rationalize in their next re-make. Remember that before MMr... we never even had the term "faded insert". I don't think this term was even in the pinball lexicon. Who could have predicted it? The earlier ones were done as well as the originals. Topdog will tell you that repeatedly

So I'd let it go... I wasn't going to say any more as my attempts to get people to demand the same product others got was just causing bad feelings. People can decide for themselves how pronounced the issue is and if it even bothers them.

Or even any Stern game? Heck in 28 years of pin playing, collecting and tinkering I'd never even heard of the the term "faded insert". Had anybody? All kinds of other issues but never this.

You seem to want to make this "original vs repro". It's not. It's "earlier repro vs current repro".

After the sling issue was fixed people RAVED about the machine (myself included)... then came the bad batch of PF's and some unhappy owners...finally came the company's acknowledgment and THEN came the solution... the plastic sheet. Do a little digging and some research. It's no secret.

What truly bugs me is that they are STILL using the "bad" batch of PF's. In the unboxing thread the latest people to get the game said they still have the issue. I doubt if they would make this up and it may or may not bother them.

Just enjoy the game. It's a classic where everything just kind of "comes together". I'm happy it was re-made and even though the company's attitude towards a hiccup in the production really steams me - I realize I should let it go myself. I seemed to have entered "endless repeat mode" which I seem to do now and then

So enjoy the game my friend!

Thanks. For everyone's sanity I'll try to quit writing the same post over and over.

Please don't make stuff up because you're frustrated. I bought MM NIB for about $3650 and they sold out. Later when indeed things weren't selling both NGG and CV went on closeout so I grabbed them for $1700 and $2100. Both titles got a lukewarm reception when they were released. NGG because of it's retro stylings (among other things) and CV because of all the initial ball hang ups and non-interruptible
animations. WMS later put out a plastic set to eliminate the problems and the code got a fantastic update that fixed the animations and added a wizard mode.

I know you probably weren't into pins way back then but don't make me rehash all this... makes me feel old.

Also Metallic was around back then also so he knows what he's talking about. He has no axe to grind with MMr... just companies that use shady tactics on 8k customers.

Go enjoy your game... you're lucky to have one 20 years later in any case.

People getting their MMr's months ago pointed out their inserts were semi-transparent - you apparently missed it. So to answer your final question - the issue started for customers months ago.

And the ONLY reason the bad ink is again being talked about is that the company is apparently STILL shipping PF's they know are substandard. We didn't know this until the guys that just recently got their machines reported it. Metallik didn't report this or myself... the customers that just got their machines posted about it. Think they are just making it up?

And I know you read these recent comments by the new owners - so they must be trolls too? In fact the only genuine troll was "Topgun" and happily he got booted. Ironically he was the only guy that claimed to have jet black text like the earlier MMr's (and every other machine in existence.)

If you got the "bad" inserts - be angry at the company. If you DIDN'T - why would you keep posting here and not be happily playing?

Damn you just got me to repeat the whole sad episode all over again... are you sure YOU'RE not the troll? lol 'Cuz you're sure getting your money's worth out of me

I'm sorry to hear that. I know you (and quite a few others) have been waiting for a long time. Hopefully one day they'll get through these misprints and we'll start hearing that they are back to normal.

But why should THIS group of buyers take it on the chin? Who would have thought this company (either one) would turn out to be so friggin' AWFUL. What a way to treat your customers.

Yeah not only that but the brighter the LED I put in my MM (and every other machine) the darker the text would look because of the contrast. None of this "washing out" crap. That's actually what Metallik's pic proves.

The issue is pretty straightforward. I don't get why one guy is trying now months later to muddy the waters... "I THINK mine is as good as an original. But maybe not"... "here's some shit pictures to try to make myself feel better" Jesus work it out in your head and let others decide what course of action they want to take.

It's like some confused stream of consciousness that he's just making up as he goes along. In the meantime new owners are checking in each day and stating they still are getting the lighter castle inserts. It's damned irritating.

-edit: I shouldn't get pissed at the OP. My original assessment of his motivation for this thread was correct. He just wants to feel better about his purchase and that's 100% understandable.

That puts the irritation back where it belongs... the two companies involved. You shouldn't have to get defensive, demand pics, ignore other owners observations, whatever to feel good about an 8k purchase. Especially one that was headed in the right direction just a short time ago... but maybe somehow they did print 1500 of these PF's without ever checking them along the way. Very strange business model but what do I know? They must know what they're doing right?

It makes me wonder what new term PPS will add to our vocabulary in the next remake. In the last twenty years I had never heard the term "faded insert". Now we have it. They have left their semi-transparent mark on the hobby and history!

Ok I agree... not very funny. I will NOT be here all week folks!

Vid with all due respect... those are NOT machines with "regular wear". Those pics are some of the worse you could ever find of blown out,
100,000 game neglected machines. It's a testament to their popularity that they got THAT kinda play.

The REAL question is... who would ever play Congo that much?

I mean I like the volcano shot as much as the next guy but really now...

And it's not a debate about the newer CC being better... I would hope it would be.

But if LED's + newer clear = grey ink inserts then all new Sterns, etc would have the same washed out look as this "new batch" of MMr's...
and would probably come with their own plastic sheet.

The first batch of these MMr's looked great... there were some registration issues in the sense that the lower inlane and outlane switches were off center from the PF art but other than that... nobody complained. Quite the opposite reaction actually.

Well I suppose we'll have to check in on newer Sterns,etc on location in 20 or 30 years. I suspect they won't look *terribly* different from these. Hopefully a little better though.

I can tell you the MM that was at the bowling alley near me for 15 years (alley shut down now) never remotely looked like that MM pic (that we've all seen before). In fact I think that pic was originally touted as "most blown out MM ever".

In fact if that IS a "normal" MM routed game these days... then surely you have pics of the more neglected ones out there??

Now THERE'S a challenge for ya... and I'm sure you'll have some fine examples. Hey I sound like the OP now - demanding pics from others

Yeah but that's a style choice. Looking at my WMS machines most have straight black ink on the inserts and they are jet black with LED's.
You saw Metallik's pic correct?

That's the way the MMr's castle inserts looked originally also. Looked great.

Vid if you don't mind me asking... what part of the country do you service, work out of, etc?? Sounds like you cover a damn large area.

lol I don't think Vid rolls that way though...

OMG you are indeed priceless... where's your stand up gig these days