Thanks, kim.

Well it seems a bit more info is coming out. If gene indeed owns a piece that PPS would have to buy to remake BBB I would see that as merely an additional cost. Could be time, could be money - but with a chapter 11 rumor to top it off it feels like $$ could make BBB happen.

Being an owner - these pinheads don't normally buy shallow, novelty games. So, even though it seems from a few to be enthusiasm for the title, i don't think people would buy BBB if given a choice between that and a solid WPC95 game. It's just the rarity that gets it into high end collections.

I mean I would LOVE King Kong to be remade- but as soon as it was not rare it would be more 'meh' to me unless I really liked the title. But in this case I do...so consider this a request for making King Kong

If Gene did indeed file for bankruptcy, wouldn't him selling the Capcom rights almost be a foregone conclusion?

My guess is it's a "personal" bankruptcy and possibly Illinois Pinball (probable owner of Capcom rights) is a separate entity if he set everything up correctly.

My guess is he would own the rights personally to ensure their safety. Bad things can happen to corporations.

So..no, bankruptcy would not mean selling the rights is a foregone conclusion. On the other hand in bankruptcy different things happen-reading the filing would probably shed more light. It should be public. Probably best to not post links here though. Just google it up for yourself.

If he did sell the rights ... Say to me for $20,000...the game would not get remade. I am just using that as a for instance. Anyone who wanted it to NOT get remade might be able to pony up a relatively small amount and get it secured. Very interesting to speculate

Nope. BBB is as good or better than most WPC95s. The only ones I'd say are definitely better are AFM, MM and SC. MB, CV, SS and CC (stock) are about equivalent. BBB is much more fun than CP, Congo and JY, but then again there's a lot of Data East titles that are better than those..

BBB has a lot going for it, and yes, you can play through it quickly because you can start modes even during multiballs. Set it hard and it'd a fun, quick game instead of the slogfest MM can be when set too easy.

Congo smokes BBB by a mile.

Indeed. There are more than a few people that I could call out on that issue, but it's not worth it.

It's an asset, so yes, it would pretty much be required unless he worked out some type of deal with the creditors where he wouldn't have to do that. Then again, I don't know the specifics of the Bankruptcy. Are we talking about him personally filing bankruptcy, or his company?

Edit: didn't see this post. Agreed:

I'd be in if it sold in the $2-3K range. Game play leaves a lot to be desired on BBB IMO. I'd be buying it based purely on its artistic merits.

I own a BBB and owned a Congo for over two years, and have played both over a thousand times each. You are very, very wrong.

That's exactly the way I understood the situation.

Regardless, I would not be in for any BBB remake.

I'm in at $6500 most I can go.... So I'm in for resale in a few years.

This.

I still love going back and watching your DVD Al.... probably in a great part due to my somehow not finding the cash at the time and jumping on board. I could have been making that uber cool road trip too... with my own bag of Combos.

- Don

Why buy at 8K? Obviously, the real ones will drop to 2-3K after the new one comes out. I'll just pick up one of those then.

I don't think there are as many BBB fans out there as MM. Too few played in the wild. You'd be rolling the dice for 8K. 6K will likely spark a lot more interest but I still think it'll be more limited than MMr.

They won't listen to me either Al.

You would think that they would know who you are.

Kim and I were talking about you the other day and your awesome contribution to the BBB project.

You guys recorded pinball history in the making!

"I own a BBB and owned a Congo for over two years, and have played both over a thousand times each. You are very, very wrong."

Hmmm. I have them next to each other. Congo is better. Maybe you should revisit? I am never very very wrong. A little wrong maybe.

LOL hey if you like Congo that's cool. I loved the music (put a sub in it... the diamond hunt tune rocks). Just got tired of the rules and the underplayfield toy. BBB is more varied, love the 2bank multiball, and backhanding the ramp during the tube hurryup mode.

TZ just wiped its butt with BBB.

This looks like a good time for a Bacon joke...

image-918.jpg

Bbb is just not that fun. Beautifull, true, decend gameplay for locations. But as a home pin?

Meh.

That's nice. TZ is a good game. TZ also isn't a WPC95.

Damn, you got me, but BBB is a donkey compared to pretty much any WPC or WPC95 game, its artwork is unreal but the gameplay still is

edit- I wouldnt even trade my Centaur for a BBB, $ wise yes Im stupid, gameplay wise Centaur wipes its rear end as well with the BBB

Congo game play blows BBB away. Congo is very well balanced scoring wise. you can play multiballs, "amy", gray, mysteries via zinj saucer or maps ala ramp/saucer. plus video modes galore that are random.

BBB= shoot ramp and drops over and over....lol

many people who comment negatively on game play of machines don't have their games properly set up to enjoy the challenge, or haven't played game X and game Y enough each to compare fairly.
it is of course, opinion thow..

I have a BBB, Congo and a Centaur. I love them all.
But TZ?... not so much... Sent it packing years ago and have never missed it.

Opinions guys, we all got em.

Kim

That video told me enough. Cool sounds great art but looks extremely clunky shooting wise. I know just a video go play it but it just looked sort of boring. 8000 no way it's not that exciting honestly.

Thank you very much for the history lesson awarner for some of us new to the hobbie everything is rumor nice to hear the truth for once.

Spot on Kim, same here - sold TZ six months after I bought it - and the last three un-played months till I found time to bother putting it on ebay.....

For those that have formed opinions of BBB from picture and videos - kudos to you, way more perception than I have, I'm obviously too limited in imagination and actually need to *play* a game to form an opinion. Makes it more expensive than the lucky ones who can do so from videos.

Having lived with BBB since 2007, I have yet to find it boring....sure some rule tweaking (like having to complete a mode to progress) would be worthwhile to make it harder to reach Big Bang - oh, but what a wizard mode Big Bang is!! One of the best ever, and starting it with the game dark but for the black light - nothing like it.

Yes and don't get me wrong. BBB is a top ten pin for me. But remember I am a newb to the hobby as well. I have only played TZ once.

Edit- and like kim said - i love Congo , definite top ten for me. Lots of people don't feel that way. To me it, like AFM or AC/DC , represent evrything good and cool in pinball.

Didn't Gene break his back building those machines? Great job on them but seriously would he want to do that again? But hey if he gives the nod count me in.

AFM for sure!! I'd be on the prepay list for that too...In fact honestly if pressed between the two I would choose AFM. The flow and gameplay is more my taste anyway.

IN

For what?

So are you saying there is in fact some quagmire that will likely prevent BBB ?

What is TOG ?

Is it possible for a remake? Sure, anything is possible. Is it probable, the answer is a huge no. The remake is such a long shot to happen I don't even know where to begin nor do I wish too.

Like Al, Gene has been nothing but kind to me and I don't wish to be negative. That said its no secret there is a lot of industry bad blood and burned bridges here. Nobody wants to touch this project and with good reason.

Kim

TOG is Fred Fyfe. TOG was his handle and it stood for "The Other Guy". - I'll let Al (awarner) fill in the details as he is the best informed.

Kim

Here's my take. If someone came up to me today and offered me a BBB for $10K, with the caveat that I couldn't sell it, I'd probably buy it. I really like the game, and it would be very cool to own something so rare. If however, PPS were to remake the game at $8K, I doubt I'd buy one. Once the game exists in much larger quantities, it loses much of its allure. Does that make any sense?

Yes. But it is the only alien bar themed dmd right?

The winner of day post. - 18

image-742.jpg

Kim is so right. There was a time when everyone hated Gene. He wasn't making parts, he hadn't inventoried parts, stuff was drying up and all fingers were pointing at him (right or wrong).

He says he's making BBB. Again the bad guy. He'll never make it, it'll be a piece of crap, etc. It was suppose to take 6 months and actually takes over 2 years. Fumes for the fire.

Releases an excellent product at a loss (partially caused by himself, but at a loss nonetheless). He's finally the darling of the pinball world and rightfully so.

The loss causes lots of problems and when people try and help, he makes poor choices that burn bridges. The problem is, there is no recovery possible at this stage. If anyone would want to take on the project they would be walking into lawsuits and bankruptcies and such. Like I said before, if you want a BBB, buy the next one you can find at any price. There will be no $8K BBBs unless one gets caught in a fire and you are buying the charred remains!

"Croc Cruncher" for $200

Watching Gene's talk at Expo at the time was absolutely convincing that he was committed to making BBB. That was sincerity and desire. Yes, he lost a ton of money but he did what he promised to do.

Of course it makes sense, and the same thing will apply to MMr (but to a lesser degree).

I mean I personally do not agree with your conclusion (i.e., I would most certainly still buy a BBBr at $8k) but the idea of the pin losing some of it's allure/mystique goes without saying since there would be so many of them available.