(Topic ID: 46005)

Predator Updates

By The_Dude_Abides

11 years ago


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  • 4 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 9 years ago by Xerico
  • Topic is favorited by 57 Pinsiders

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29
#1 11 years ago

6/4/15

Quoted from Xerico:

The following is Mr. Kulek’s attorney contact information:
The Law Firm PLLC
Jon T. Emaus, Managing Partner
8163 Grand River Rd.
Ste. 300
Brighton, MI 48114
810-227-1700
search terms: Skit-B Kevin Kulek Attorney Lawyer Refunds Civil Lawsuit

**EDIT** 4/17/2015
This project has failed because Skit-B failed to get the license from Fox. Now some have received credit card charge-backs but no one else has been refunded by Kevin. There are multiple threads that have much discussion on the state of refunds and action being taken to receive refunds. If you purchased through PayPal with a credit card contact your credit card company at once and dispute the charge.

_________________________________________________________________________________
This thread will be solely dedicated to information regarding the Predator pinball machine by Skit-B. If you want an easy way to find the thread click on the favorite tab in the right corner and it will be added to your favorites.

To get on the wait list email kevin@skitbpinball dot com and request to be put on. Skit-B's website is http://www.skitbpinball.com
Below is part of the update provided by Skit-B about six months ago.

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

First off, there was a brand new video posted to the website (www.skitbpinball.com) tonight that shows off some of the fancier features of how the game works both in the gameplay and behind the scenes. I hope you guys enjoy it, just keep in mind that it is a bit lengthy (closing in on 20 minutes, total) and there are some quotes in the sound clips that are slightly NSFW that can be heard in the video.
Game information: 100% custom game based on the P-ROC hardware available at http://www.pinballcontrollers.com. Game is officially licensed to carry the Predator brand and has a giant list of sound and voice clips cut from the movie itself. There is a vulgarity switch in the settings menu to turn off all swearing, if you have a family-friendly game room and aim to keep it that way.
Industry information: There will be no more than 250 machines produced, to which all pre-orders have been filled. We will keep a running waiting list for those interesting in the case of someone backing out of their order for whatever reason. Marco Specialties has signed on to provide all the parts for the game, Matt Reisterer from BackAlleyCreations will be making the playfield toys, and CoinTaker Amusements will be providing all the lighting for the machine. Pinball Inc. will be custom producing the ramps for the machine, and it will come stock with an all new sound system provided by Flipper Fidelity.
We are bringing the game to the Chicago Pinball Expo this month, as well, so if you're in the area or on the fence about going, just come see us and have a blast at one of the best pinball shows in the country.
Price range still hasn't moved from the projected $5000 range, either, and I will certainly let everyone know immediately if that has to change for some reason.

LOOKS LIKE THEY REMOVED THE VIDEO LINKS SORRY.
Links to video of the game at different stages:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/NnxxD9pmGbM?autoplay=1&rel=0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xRxZIsxejDY


#2 11 years ago

Regarding 'Easter Eggs' being in the pin:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

I haven't talked about it here yet, but it is one of a few Easter Eggs we put in there, so it only happens under a certain drain circumstance. If you do happen to get the call-out, remember to hit both flipper buttons right away to hear the second part, "It's cuzza the echo..." Another one you can spot in the video is while Tracking mode is starting up, Billy says, "The only way outta here is that valley that leads to the east..." Hitting both flippers immediately after that will add the second part of it, "...and I wouldn't wish that on a broke-d*ck-dog." There are a few more, but they are too offensive to post up here, and I want to leave a few for others to find on their own.

#3 11 years ago

Preliminary playfield art (first one was touched up by Pinsider Jonnyo so may vary from the actual art as of now):

Predator_Playfield_Art.jpgPredator_Playfield_Art.jpg Predator_Playfield_Art_2.jpgPredator_Playfield_Art_2.jpg // Error: Image 87923 not found // Predator_Art_8.jpgPredator_Art_8.jpg

#4 11 years ago

When asked about cpu and hard drive their answer was:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

Single board computer with SD storage (no hard drive). Anything with moving parts is bad in the computer-world, if you ask me.

An update regarding modes 7 months ago:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

1. Balanced scoring issues across a few of the modes. Each mode, when completed properly, awards points within a 15-30M window of one another. This doesn't exactly apply to Unload or Reveal, which are more dependent on how they are played and how long they are active for their scores. As a refresher to newcomers to this thread, Unload is a mode which lasts 30 seconds with all 4 balls out on the field with unlimited ballsave and all shots on the field are worth their initial value +1,000,000pts. If played well, this mode usually nets between 95-145M. Novices seem to average closer to 50 or 60M or so. Reveal is handled a little differently now, which I will get into in a second.
2. Completing H-U-N-T inlanes and outlanes now adds four hunt attempts instead of one. One just simply wasn't enough. Game now starts with 4 attempts available at outset, as well, which I'm admittedly worried about but doesn't seem to have posed any balance issues just yet.
3. Hunt Multiball has been revamped in both scoring and playstyle. Previously, it would select a random shot and light it for 5 seconds then change to another shot. This required a level of control that I simply do not possess, and caused a lot of other players to become a little disappointed when they achieved the Hunt Multiball and didn't see much of a score increase afterwards. After the revamp, Hunt Multiball now selects a random shot (out of the two ramps or two loops, for a total of four possible), waits 5 seconds and selects another, leaving the first one lit, as well. This process is repeated until all four shots are lit or a successful shot is made on a lit ramp or loop, at which point it resets. The player is rewarded for making the shots it selects first by decreasing the value of the shot based on how many have been made lit. In short, if you hit the first shot before it adds another one, you earn a big 40M, but if you wait until all four are lit, nailing one nets you a quick 10M. Can you control the madness? Your scores will definitely show it.
4. Mystery is now lit after making 8 collective shots on the loops (4 left and 4 right, 2 left and 6 right, etc) instead of one of each shot.
5. Showdown Wizard Mode is now worth quite a bit more points overall, and the sounds have been balanced better to be louder and more obnoxious. Your wives will thank me at 2am.

Additions:
1. Mystery now has a 1-in-5 chance of starting Quick Multiball; a simple, two-ball mode in which all major shots on the field are worth 10M apiece. This mode is also stackable with the standard Multiball and Hunt Multiball modes, but not Showdown, Unload or Reveal.
2. If you remember the old Reveal mode, then you are one of the few. Originally, the mode would pick a random shot and, when the shot was made, pick another random shot and ended after six shots were made. As a player, I'll admit that this mode was just very boring and...blah. That being said, it has been completely scrapped and has been totally redone. Reveal is now something of an add-a-ball mode in which the Jungle Hole, Left Eject and Right Eject are lit as the active shots. A ball is added to play when the mode starts, and once for the first time either of the ejects are hit, for a potential of 4 balls in play at a time. Each of the three shots are worth the same point value, which increases when another ball is added and decreases when a ball is lost. Mode is over when the player loses all but one ball. Ballsave is active for 9 seconds after each ball is added, and if you have already lost one of the added balls when you add another, you get both of them back. Of course, this mode stacks with Hunt Multiball and standard Multiball, but does not stack with Unload or Showdown.
3. Login is now operating as intended. Login is optional, of course, let's just get that out of the way. Instantiate the Login screen by holding the Login button (located where most games have a buy-in button under Start) while you press start. If you're not yet in the list, you simply select new user and enter your initials as if you had just gotten a high score. If you are in the list already, just page over to your initials with the flipper buttons and press start or ball launch. Repeat this process for any or all other players who wish to log their stats. The entire process seems to take about 2 seconds per person, and the novice players around here are just as quick on the process as the veteran players. The next video will cover this system very in-depth.
4. Stat tracking is coming along very nicely, as well, but is not quite finished yet. When outside of normal play (i.e. not in the middle of a game), you can hold the Login button and press the Ball Launch button to instantiate the stats screen. Once you do that, you are presented with a similar screen as if you were logging in, only no new users are allowed here, obviously. Page to your initials and press start or ball launch again to view your stats. The stats screen shows every little bit of information the game collects about you and how you play in a series of screens which pans vertically. Here you can see how many multiballs you've gotten, how many jackpots and super jackpots you've collected, and how many times you've reached the Showdown wizard mode, along with all the little details right down to how many left ramps, right loops, center drains, etc that you've ever had whilst logged in, along with how many Wizard Points you've achieved and much, much more.
5. Added the ability to check two different users' stats side-by-side. While checking your own stats as denoted above, simply press the ball launch button again to select another user's initials to add them to the stats screen. After selecting the other user, the stats will be presented the same way as before, in the vertically scrolling manner, except there will be a line through the horizontal center of the display which divides the first user and the second user. This way, you can directly compare blunders and achievements against a friend. I would like to note that, of the 15 or so regulars that play Predator here, I'm currently leading in a few departments
6. Mini wizard mode has entered final testing. This is another mode I am quickly falling in love with. Mode is accessed "passively" by making a number of shots during regular play. When the requisite has been fulfilled, the mode starts immediately, regardless of what is going on, making this stackable with any and all other multiball modes in the machine, including Unload, Reveal and even Showdown, not to mention standard multiball, quick multiball and hunt multiball. I won't give away the meat of the mode at this point, though I can say that the mode appears to be pretty straight forward at first, but only a real fan who has watched the movie a few times will truly figure out and understand how to get the most out of this mode.

#5 11 years ago

Regarding shipping of the pin:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

We have a couple of contracts in the works to keep shipping costs as low as possible, and we are certainly willing to help in any way we can, but at the end of the day shipping cost simply has to be up to the buyer. In the US it shouldn't be too bad--usually a couple hundred bucks--especially if you're close to the eastern US region. We have our pre-order list grouped by country so all the folks from a certain country can get together to drive down shipping costs; perhaps that might be an idea for different regions of the US, as well?

#6 11 years ago

Preliminary talk of TOYS on the playfield with a picture of a prototype of one of them:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

The two (of the proposed 4 total) that we have been talking about are the swinging skinned bodies and the Predator's claw. On the right side of the left ramp there will be two skinned bodies hanging upside down in the "jungle" that swing and sway when you enter/exit the left ramp. From what we've talked about and what I've seen, they are very graphic and very real-looking. Should add a lot of emotional depth to the jungle area. On the left ramp itself you've seen the diverter that diverts the ball off the ramp for locking purposes. This will be converted into a life-like Predator claw that will appear to sort of steal the ball off of its path and pull it under the ramp. The other two, well... Let's just say they are going to fit the theme very well

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

All of the toys will be interactive, but a some will be more interactive than others. The skull is probably the least interactive directly (no balls in the eyes like CSI, BOP, whatever else), but the finished game couldn't function without it. That's all I'm gonna say

Predator_Skull.jpgPredator_Skull.jpg

#7 11 years ago

Regarding the cabinet decals:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

The cabinet art is applied with vinyl decals. We talked with the proprietor of a local vinyl shop here and showed him our old prototype cabinet (the one from Allentown) and voiced all of our concerns. After some lengthy explanations as to why certain things happen (peeling, fading, etc.), we were comfortable enough to let him give our newest prototype a shot and we are not disappointed in the least. We've left sun-lamps on it for a few days straight in very tight spots (like an 8 inch square on the side) and there is absolutely zero signs of fade. We've also held a hairdryer against the corners (read:problem areas) with no peeling issues. For those of you who saw the game on the Chicago Expo floor, you could see the cabinet looked as professional as any other game in the hall.

When asked if the price of the machine is still set at $4750 four months ago:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

That's still the projection, yes.

3 weeks ago in response to MrPinball price guide has Predator priced at $5000:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

I got the new MrPinball price guide a few days ago. No big deal until Aaron went searching through it this morning. If we can stay the course for $4750, you guys are getting a deal!

Confirming that the song Long Tall Sally is still in the game for Super Jackpot in multi-ball:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

That's because I suck and didn't get the Super Jackpot in either of the videos. It's still there, but it does come from a Super Jackpot. When the super is achieved, the music changes to Long Tall Sally and is supposed to stay playing after the multiball has ended.

How musical scores will be implemented:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

Yep, all modes and multiballs have their own independent music track now. Really adds an overall depth to the feel of the game, which I'm sure will be heightened once the mode background animations are done and implemented.

#8 11 years ago

Regarding PLAYFIELD & BACKBOX LIGHTING 2 months ago:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

There have been a few interesting advancements with the lighting that I can share. The UV flood lights that sit above the playfield are going to be interspersed with colored LEDs that can change color with the software. That means we can flood the playfield any color we want whenever we want. Not to say we're going to do it often, but it gives us a lot of room to play with some neat new effects that haven't really been possible with other games in the past. This also will allow the floods to cover the entire field in white light while during normal gameplay, maximizing visibility in every corner and cranny of the playfield without having to add more and more conventional GI housings in the really tight spaces and, of course, the dead center of the playfield where most light generally dithers out. Also toying with a few other effectual ideas that you may see in the next video.
We also set in motion just this week to get custom backbox lighting done as part of the CoinTaker package. If any of you have seen this mods done to newer Stern games, you can tell immediately that they add a ton of character and artistic depth to the look of the games they're on.

Power Supply information provided 2 months ago:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

New power supply going in. No more giant transformer in the bottom of the cab with huge amounts of wires coming out. Power supply works with American, European and Australian voltage inputs. Pretty fancy for a power supply, to be sure.

Regarding Arnold's war cry in the movie and a hint to what you hear when the wizard mode begins:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

When we first watched Predator to get ideas for the pin and it got to the war cry, everyone in the room looked at each other and collectively said "wizard mode!

When asked if there will be an indicator of how many hunts you have left at a given time:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

In short, yes. We're working on coming up with something a little different for that, as well as ways to indicate how many party members you've eliminated towards Killing Spree.

When asked if there was a concern with the ramp cracking from the ball dropping onto it from the VUK:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

Many have expressed concern with this from the very start, but we haven't seen anything at all to make us believe that this will happen. That being said, we aren't going to take a blind risk on it, so there will likely be some sort of addition to the ramp to prevent it from becoming a potential issue.

Regarding how the post diverter will work on outlane shots:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

Holding the flipper you made the shot with will drop the post. As you can see in the video, the post only stays down for a fraction of a second, meaning you need to make a clean shot on the orbit for it to go all the way around. It's a fairly simple mechanic, but it's very satisfying when it's done for some reason.

#9 11 years ago

Pictures of a toy provided by Matt from Back Alley Creations & Pinsider Whysnow (thanks!):

pred_body_back.jpgpred_body_back.jpg pred_body_front.jpgpred_body_front.jpg pred_body_side.jpgpred_body_side.jpg Predator_Playfield_Toy.jpgPredator_Playfield_Toy.jpg

#10 11 years ago

Regarding the stage of production the project was at 1 month ago:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

Jon pretty much nailed it for you guys. We're extremely close to having what we would call the "release candidate" of the machine, then we're just waiting on art and approvals. This means we will have quite a bit to show in the next month or so, which is likely to coincide closely with the timing of the Texas Pinball Festival, which we are trying very hard to make it to. While I'm on the subject of shows and public appearances, we have a tentative list of upcoming shows we will be going to. Hopefully some of these are close to you guys, as we are trying to make something of a Continental tour with the completed game while poor Sulkie Stevie and his team are left in the mitten state pounding out production games.

Texas Pinball Festival: 3-15-2013
Michigan Pinball Expo: 4-4-2013
Rocky Mountain Expo: 4-26-2013
Allentown Pinfest: 5-3-2013
Northwest Pinball Expo: 6-6-2013
Pacific Pinball Expo: 2013
Chicago Flip-Out: 10-16-2013
Southern Pinball Festival: 2013
It seems like everyone is understanding that any ballpark we throw out isn't set in stone, so I feel pretty comfortable thinking out loud in our little corner of the forums here. As I said a second ago, we are very close to our release candidate, which, to a programmer or engineer, means damn near done. Now we just have to wait for the business end to catch up, along with legal stuffs in the interim. Art finished, art approvals, toys finalized, parts lists confirmed, suppliers stocked, the list goes on. The silver lining to all of those clouds is that we've had tons of time to balance test and bug test the crap out of this game in our controlled environment.

Response from Skit-B regarding updates provided by Pinsiders kvan99 and playboywillis 1 week ago:

Quoted from kvan99:

1. 250 units only!
2. P-roc boards, separate power supply board. No more messing with V-regs and rectifiers.
3. Hand drawn art..(this alone sold me) Are you listening Stern?
4. Silk screened artwork and Clear coats between paint then UV paint and again top coat.
5. Pin-led LED DMD..no high voltage circuit.
6. Updatable software via memory stick or usb port.
7. Interactive toys on the PF.
8. Hook up for shaker motor, prewired and preprogrammed!
9. Rumor of a cool topper!!!
10. Mood changing lighting/ UV lights for the fluorescent paint..all LEDs through out.
11. sound system by Flipper Fidelity.
12. No freaking ponies.

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

1. Yes, only 250.
2. Don't forget the card-pc that will be running it, as well.
3. Sadly, I don't think anyone is listening just yet...
4. Playfield will not be silk-screened. There is just too much detail in the art to use the old-school approach, so we have to go a very different direction. Small update on this: The playfield artwork will NOT be any sort of overlay as previously mentioned. We have experienced some infamous delamination, and that is not acceptable. Playfields will be clearcoated for decades of dependability.
5. LED displays, yes, but not likely Pin-led. Working with Vishay right now.
6. Software updates will be in the form of new micro-SD cards if needed. There will be web options for software-savvy types, as well.
7. All toys will be interactive in one way or another. And no 'toy-bashing.'
8. Yes, shaker motor will be coded and wired, but will not be included.
9. We've seen so many cool topper ideas. We may include one, but right now we haven't decided. It will mostly depend on cost.
10. Yes, all LEDs throughout provided by CoinTaker lighting.
11. Yep.
12. Sadly, no ponies

Quoted from playboywillis:

l help a little but im on my phone with no time to go back.
A skull toy picture. Other toys will be hqnging bodies and Predator claw.
Power supply will support u.s. europe and aus power from go.
I believe 7 modes with wiz and mini.
Stackable hunt multipliers which no one outside makers really understand how they fit into modes.
Led lights
Cigars sold separately
Login system with goals that will remember you
NO VOICE ACTORS
Game release will be accompanied by additional plastics for purchase.
Every major actor and basically every quote included
Visuals will be scenes from movie. No cartoony dmd
Easter egg quotes with button presses
All i got for now.

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

1. Toys are about finished, as well. I have some pretty cool stuff here that I've been dying to show off, but the protos that I've got will be going through some minor changes before they're added to the game, so I have to refrain. It should be noted that there's more to the skull than you've seen
2. Yes, the power supply is universal with very little modification. If by "modification," I mean you simply hook the power cord into it a different way. Very cool, for sure.
3. If you're counting the mini, that would make it 8
4. "Hunting" is a pretty standalone feature, but you can access it anytime, including during modes, and using it correctly will lead to a multiball mode. Anyone who has experience with stackable multiballs can immediately see the immense worth of something like this.
5. Yep again. I'll note here that if someone prefers retro lighting, you can specify when your order comes up and we'll do the game in retro, non-colored lighting. UV stays though, obviously.
6. Sold separately, but highly recommended.
7. Also saves all of your own personal audits and playstyle info.
8. No voice actors. Most of you have seen the movie enough to know that there are already PLENTY of call-outs to make a great sound package for this pin.
9. We're doing everything we can to make sure that any and all parts that go into the game can be acquired from online stores like any other parts, including plastics and playfields. Of course there will be a goodie-bag with some extra plastics and such in case of breakage from general use.
10. All characters are represented on the table.
11. Yes. Again, there is plenty of content from the source material to make a very full pin from.
12. There are many, many different ways to find easter eggs in Predator, not just button inputs

#11 11 years ago

Update from Skit-B yesterday:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

Skinned body toy: Prototype toy in testing position. The newest (final, I'm thinking) will be here on Saturday with some other cool stuff. He will interact with the ball by way of the left ramp, but has a tendency to shake and sway with general nudging and pop-bumper-action that I really dig. Also, plastics will obviously play a large part in his appearance on the final game.

DMD/Software: The software in the game is our newest batch. A handful of major changes since it was in Chicago along with a TON of minor changes for balance control and debugging. Most notable difference in the software that you'll see immediately is the new DMD action. Literally every animation has been redone with lots of added effects, fonts, instructions... Lots of jazz on-screen now, but I don't believe it is distracting or disorienting at all. Many new animations have been added in, as well, in situations that didn't have an animation before. All of these things have been optimized for the new 16-color LED display, also. Also, lots of new sounds and call outs have been added to this build. The infamous "ain't got time to bleed" is finally present, along with some other good ones that hadn't been implemented yet.

Hardware: Outside of the clear ramps, if you haven't had a chance to see them yet, not a lot of change on the hardware side of this prototype. We couldn't get some things in line quickly enough to have our newest one available for play, so we brought "old faithful" from the Chicago expo. We actually had to sprint to reassemble it before the show, so if it blows up, uhh, it's Aaron's fault.

Company stuff: We have a few big announcements to make on Saturday during our seminar / fireside. All good news, stay tuned!

Artwork: Thank you for all of the responses! Two quick things, here. First, the artwork is not finalized, but, as you can see, is VERY close. Secondly, we are getting a lot of input, reactions and feedback both here at the expo and here on PinSide, and it's fantastic. How any other company can make major decisions about this kind of stuff without consulting the fan base is beyond me. While we surely can't make changes for everyone, we most certainly take all comments seriously. Keep the comments coming, but keep them constructive. Also, "this is awesome" messages are always helpful

#12 11 years ago

Pictures provided by Pinsider Tweedlefuzz of a new toy going into the pin:

Pedator_Toy_3.jpgPedator_Toy_3.jpg Predator_Toy_2.jpgPredator_Toy_2.jpg Predator_Toy_1.jpgPredator_Toy_1.jpg

#13 11 years ago

A video of pingame journal chatting to Skit-B fellas on 4/7/13 provided by Pinsider swinks:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/ofZ5YFEaKSI?autoplay=1&rel=0

#14 11 years ago

When asked about seeing an unmasked Predator in the art somewhere:
We're working on doing something cool with that. No promises, but it is looking promising

When asked about a topper for the pin:
GrueLurks posted about this a few pages ago. It is a pretty intense topper, for sure. Won't come with the game stock, but the creator said he would make one for whoever wanted one. No idea on price. I can get more info, if you'd like. I know I will be ordering one for mine, though. BackAlleyMatt is also working on something that's not quite a topper, but incredibly cool, as well.

Will they be at Allentown with new build?
Man, I hope so. It will definitely be a feat to pull off, but right now it's looking about 50/50 either way. Can't wait to get back to Allentown to hang out with all of you guys again!

When asked about notation for the inserts:
Yes, most inserts will have notations on them for what they indicate. Some are either too dynamic or self-explanatory, but the ones on the HUD will definitely have some notes. I've made a crude pic here to denote what they are.

Predator_hud.jpgPredator_hud.jpg

#15 11 years ago

Update regarding the skull in the playfield art:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

Here's a full size scan view of the preliminary artwork. Not to the extreme res that we need, of course, but it is large enough for those of you who weren't at expo to get a nice look at. You can see a lot of it is sort of "patch-worked" on there, which obviously won't be on the final product.
http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/6101/1303049canonprint.jpg
Adjustments are happening very quickly. I woke up to this on my phone this morning:

Predator_Skull.jpgPredator_Skull.jpg

#16 11 years ago

Update regarding what will be altered on the Playfield art:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

I personally liked the red skull a lot, as I thought the art could use a bit more color in that area and, looking at the stills from the show itself, the skulls he pulls are exactly that color. I do agree, though, that in practice, the coloring does look a little "off."

It's not widely known to anyone who wasn't at the expo that we brought some finishing artists on board recently, and this is the turnaround we're quickly becoming accustomed to. The two recently-added artists were on hand at the show on Saturday and heard lots of comments and suggestions right there at the booth. So the longest it could have taken to get this redone skull is about two days.

With that in mind, I urge you to take a look at the playfield posted above and voice all concerns now. We have to send this out to get a proper print on a real playfield very soon! Some things to note, first:

The skull is obviously being addressed.
Detail is going to be added to the huts up top.
Empty space, even in the upper center, won't be seen due to population.
UV layer isn't being shown yet.
Anna will likely be added shortly.
Dutch will be moving down to accommodate the light-lock insert position.
There will likely be much more foliage by the end of the project.

#17 11 years ago

A cool mock up of how the pin currently may look like at this point was provided by Pinsider luvthatapex2:

Here is another screen cap of a VP table made from the latest updates - Predator holding skull, insert lettering and skull ramp to give you an idea of what it might look like lit up. Not sure if there will be a hanging guy on each bumper, if not I can take 2 off

Predator-VP.jpgPredator-VP.jpg

1 week later
#18 11 years ago

Regarding a new payment plan in the works original option 1/2 before your machine is next to be built & 1/2 after still stands:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

Is the new payment plan optional to the original pay plan?:
Yes, optional. We know that a lot of people on-board really like the idea that we started with.

How does it help people get their games easier is it for those that have trouble saving?:
In short, yes. I know I would be one of those guys if I were on board for a NIB.

Will deposits it still be refundable?:
Yep, same as the holding deposit. If you needed to withdraw, everything would be refunded less any fees we'd incurred (credit card percentages, etc).

Regarding how diverse pay plan may be:
This is the tricky part. It would be nightmarish to just open the door to "whatever whenever," so a number would have to be placed on it.

Regarding intrigue in pay plan with original plan still being an option:
We get a lot of emails from pre-owners wondering when their game is due because they have an opportunity to score another game in the interim and they want to make sure it's a viable choice, financially. Putting out $1250 or something a few times could be a lot easier to work around than $2500 twice, and would allow someone the chance to grab up a good game deal when they can without worrying about when Predator is going to land.

If this can raise capital for Skit-B to stay on or under budget then Pinsider navajas would be all for it:
That's the idea, here. We are still on-budget as we stand (woo!), but now we're moving into the realm of manufacturing parts for the tables and it is unimaginably cheaper and easier to make these things happen if you can do all of any particular part at once.

Shows Skit-B will be confirmed for this year:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

Confirmed for 2013, not only will we be attending Allentown's PinFest, but the Northwest Pinball and Arcade Show, as well.

#19 11 years ago

Email Regarding Payment Plan options for buyers:

We have added a few minor "incentives" to working towards your game early. Please keep in mind that all of these options are completely optional and voluntary, and any deposit made through this system will go directly and 100% towards your machine!

Level 1: By sending a $250 deposit, your machine will arrive with an autographed flyer for the game tucked neatly inside!

Level 2: With a deposit of $1000 or more, you will find a sexy, limited Skit-B Pinball t-shirt inside that will only ever be available to pre-owners who have chosen this option or higher. Of course, you will find the autographed flyer, as well!

Level 3: $2250 will cover half the projected value of the final machine. Along with the two other incentives above, your Predator will ship with a very limited edition poster to proudly adorn your game room wall!

Level 4: $4500. This will cover the entire projected value of the final machine. If you were to choose this option, not only will you find ALL of the above-mentioned goodies nestled safely inside your game, but when you stand the head up for the first time you will see the translite brightly adorned with the signatures of the designers. There will be no other translites ever signed in the same fashion, showing that you were truly one of the earliest and most dedicated adopters of the revival of pinball!

If you would like to take advantage of this opportunity, please point your web browsers to the address below and use the drop-down menu to select a level. If you have any questions, concerns or comments, as always, feel free to email me directly at kevin at skitbpinball.com Thank you all for being a part of this monumental undertaking!

<Address Edited>

#20 11 years ago

Kevin sent a follow up email to clarify the payment plan options:

In response to some of the questions I have gotten the most regarding yesterday's deposit schedule email, I have made a short list of clarifications below.

Once again, I would like to reiterate that this option is 100% voluntary and optional. Also, if you feel the need to withdraw for any reason, ALL of your deposits are refundable (less any fees we have incurred) once your spot in line has been taken by a waitlister.

There has been some discussion as to when these options expire, and I'm happy to say that they simply do not expire. This system may be used at any time to add towards your machine at any increment you like. Whichever level you've met or exceeded when build time comes is the level you're assigned. To clarify further, if you'd like to break your Predator down into smaller denominations, you can simply use the option for lower levels multiple times at whatever time increments you choose. If you have reached the level 4 total by the time your game is to be built, then you will receive the level 4 incentive package, even if it has taken a few months to do so. This should have been much more clear in the initial email, and I apologize for any confusion.

Another common question is the availability of an extra translite. Extra translites will certainly be made available if you'd like to simply use the autographed translite as art in your game room or for protection.

If you would like to take advantage of this opportunity, I will share the web address below, once more. Again, thank you all for being a part of this project! Exciting times are certainly ahead!
<Address Edited>

#21 11 years ago

When asked if Stern shaker motor would work with Predator:

#22 11 years ago

Some impressions and info from Pinsider Whridlsoncestood:

Quoted from Whridlsoncestood:

Just spent a few hours with Kevin and Aaron. Everyone is going to be thrilled with UV artwork. I promised not to repeat too much. Game is pulling together nicely.
All the plastics are going to be stacked jungle theme. Even some for covering parts of the ramps but not enough to hid and shots or flipper lanes. Jungle plastics covering the claw on the ramp so when you go to lock a ball the jungle comes out and eats it.
Another cool feature being woked on is they are trying to put a back panel on the back of the playfield. It's going to have info on it to keep tack of progress info like hunts and which characters collected.
It's all I can remember for now. Time to dive home. Kevin and Aaron I was great hanging out and talking with you guys again.

1 week later
#23 11 years ago

Before and after pictures of adjustments made to the playfield art (Arnold's left shoulder & big skull):

image.jpgimage.jpg image.jpgimage.jpg

3 weeks later
#24 11 years ago

Thanks to Pinsider Tweedlefuzz for the link to a video of Skit-B's NW presentation.
http://www.ustream.tv/user/NWPinballArcadeShow

Picture of toy that will lock balls on left ramp:

Pred.jpgPred.jpg

3 weeks later
#25 10 years ago

Pictures provided by Matt of Back Alley Creations (BackAlleyMatt on Pinside) of toys in progress:

claw_2.jpgclaw_2.jpg pred_spine_part_1.jpgpred_spine_part_1.jpg pred_spine_part_2.jpgpred_spine_part_2.jpg

4 weeks later
#26 10 years ago

Kevin regarding T-Shirts and timeline for pins release:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

I'm here, I'm alive, and things are still on schedule. I wish I could get more into it right now. For those of you hoping for an updated build number, the emails are coming together currently so expect those soon. For those of you who are still waiting on tshirts, the very last of them will be in this week and will be going out as soon as they show up. For build timing, I can only assume here, but we expect initial units to be completed and shipping out BEFORE the Chicago expo this year. Based on projections of ~10 per week, minus the 15-20 drop outs we've had since the last time build orders were stated, figuring a ballpark for your game should be fairly accurate. Thanks for everything, guys. Back to work.

Kevin regarding easter eggs in the game:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

Currently, there are I think 7 easter eggs in the game. There are a few you can trigger with the login system by entering certain initials, a few in-game that you can get by hitting a button combination during specific callouts, a few that can be accessed by meeting some criteria during gameplay,and one or two from button sequences anytime (flipper codes). I think the most infamous we are somewhat familiar with is the "big p***y" comment, that only happens if you drain within two seconds of hitting the center targets. This is somewhat compounded by the fact that there is a secondary easter egg built into that one after the fact

1 week later
11
#27 10 years ago

I just noticed this flyer, posted by Den, which I think belongs in this thread too:

500px-Predator_Pinball.jpg500px-Predator_Pinball.jpg

Update: I was informed that this is not an official flyer. It is the work of the fantastic artist Godmachine, and someone (who?) altered it to its current state.

1 week later
#28 10 years ago

Below are portions of the email sent out by Skit-B today 8/15/2013. They also updated production numbers but that portion of the email has been edited out:

Over the last few months we have made lots of progress with
hardware and software tweaks. I assure you there are still some surprises in store! Of
course there have been many adjustments done to the game code to ensure
a fair and balanced final product, but there have been some major
additions, as well. Along with software changes, there has also been
some changes made to the physical aspects of the playfield, as well.
With hundreds of minute tweaks to post placements and ball guide
trajectories, many would be hard to notice, but some more significant
changes have been made, as well. Those of you who have played the game
will notice right away that many of the new shot-paths are much more
natural and feel less like there is something "in the way" of your
shots. New ramps are also more open at the base for better flow of
shots, while they are much, much tighter in their trails for a less
"sloppy" ramp ride on the way back down to their inlanes, where they
have been fixed to allow a clean drop onto the inlane switches as
originally intended. All of this new information will be made available
soon when the website is done and back online in its full form!

A few months ago, we opened the doors on an optional deposit
schedule to allow all of the pre-owners the chance to work towards
paying off their game early at their convenience with a few different
incentive options for doing so. Since many of you have chosen to use
this option in many different ways, we thought it would be nice to have
a reminder of how much you have placed towards your game, as well, so
the total that you have sent in will be denoted below, as well. On the
subject of the incentives, many of you have asked me to remind you
before these "run out." While they haven't expired just yet, we are
nearing very closely to "last call."

1 week later
#29 10 years ago

Picture of painted skull and spine (playfield toy) provided by Matt of Back Alley Creations Pinside handle BackAlleyMatt. Thanks for the picture!

image.jpgimage.jpg

1 month later
#30 10 years ago

Final paint job for skull and spine shared by Skit-B today 10/07/13.

Final_Paint_Skull_and_spine.jpgFinal_Paint_Skull_and_spine.jpg

#31 10 years ago

Great post to go over 100k karma!!!! Congrats!!!!

#32 10 years ago

A picture of something cool (mod) to go with the game that Matt from Back Alley Creations shared earlier today.

image.jpgimage.jpg

#33 10 years ago

Just a heads up Skit-B now has a new sub-forum thanks to Robin and the latest updates to the site.

http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/forum/skit-b-pinball

#34 10 years ago

Another picture of something cool to go with the game that Matt from Back Alley Creations shared earlier today.
image.jpgimage.jpg

1 week later
#35 10 years ago

Video posted by Skit-B on 10/28/13 showing the playfield and some of what to expect regarding the UV art layer then finishing off with some gameplay:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/lj-Pop41otk?autoplay=1&rel=0

2 weeks later
#36 10 years ago

Mode breakdown provided by SkitBPinball on 11/12/13:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

There are six standard modes and the wizard, so I guess we could call it seven modes in total. Here goes another long post?
By the magic of copy and paste, here's a quick refresher of the wizard mode:
Showdown Wizard Mode:
- Awarded by completing all HUD modes.
- Four ball
- Standalone
- All playfield shots are worth 25M and add 10M to Showdown Jackpot value that is collected at the Jungle Hole.
Going from left to right on the HUD, we have Camp, Runaway, Tracking, Unload, Traps and Reveal.
Camp:
This is the most "vanilla" of all the modes. Both ramps and both loops light for 20M apiece. Making those shots destroy the enemy camp, and completing the mode nets an extra 20M, making the mode worth 100M in total if completed. No special modifiers or flairs really apply to this mode, but if you use the super skill shot, this will almost assuredly be your first mode you play. That's important to note, because you always begin the game with Hunt stocks available and the shots that are lit for the camp mode are all potential Hunt shots.
Side Note: I ALWAYS use this mode to get some successful Hunts out of the way while quickly taking a nice score lead. Hunt + lit mode shot = 40M, so if you complete this mode and make three hunts, you will have Hunt MBall ready in one more successful shot and already be close to 200M score.
Runaway:
Chase Anna through the jungle. This is admittedly kind of a weird mode. Mode begins with a 30M countdown hurry-up shot to the left loop. Once the left loop is made (or the value drops to 10M), the active shot switches to the right loop, but this time it counts UP instead of down. The count-up will start from the value of the left-shot-score and begin counting up until it adds 30M. Once it peaks, you still have a few seconds to make the shot before the mode ends. If you hit both shots at max value, the value of the mode is a cool 90M for two calculated shots.
Side Note: Any time the ball is caught in an eject or a hole, or gets into the pops, the countdown or countup stops for a few seconds. As a personal aside, this mode ends with one of my favorite quotes in the game, which is Poncho saying "Maybe you'd better put her on a leash, agent man."
Tracking:
For this mode, you sort of change roles and become the Predator. This mode is played out completely in blacklight. Mode begins with the right eject lit, but you move the active shot to whichever shot you like by using the extra flipper buttons. If you get a good flow going, you can knock out all six shots in the time you're given, but it's tough. Shots start at 15M and grow by 5M for each success, making this potentially the most valuable mode at 165M total, but like I said, kinda tough.
Side Note: Mode starts with Billy saying "The only way outta here is that valley that leads to the east..." Hit both flipper buttons after the call out for a quick easter egg and have Billy finish the famous line (vulgarity must be on).
Copy and paste two, electric boogaloo:
Unload HUD Mode:
- Starts by shooting the Jungle Hole when Unload Mode is lit (fourth mode)
- Four ball
- Standalone
- Flipper hold coils are disabled and all balls are continuously launched back into play for 30 seconds. All switches score their normal value +1M. For every ball that drains, that value is decreased by 10% for the duration of the mode.
Traps:
Set the traps to catch the Predator. In this mode you alternate setting traps up high and down low by hitting ramps then holes. I think of it in phases. In first phase, you have to hit either ramp, and in second phase you have to hit a hole. The phases go back and forth with each successful shot. Successful shots are worth 15M each, with a 10M bonus for completing all six turns, making this mode worth 100M total.
Side note: If you somehow manage to sneak into the left eject during this mode, you'll find another easter egg and a small bonus. Another personal aside, there is another of my favorite quotes in this mode. "You really think this Boy Scout bullsh*t's gonna work?"
Copy and paste episode III: revenge of the sith:
Reveal HUD Mode:
- Starts by shooting the Jungle Hole when Reveal Mode is lit (sixth mode)
- Up to four ball
- Standalone
- When started, a second ball is added to play. Another ball is added when the left ramp is made, and yet another when the right eject is made. Right eject, left ramp and Jungle Hole are lit during this mode, and the values increase or decrease depending on how many balls are currently in play.

#37 10 years ago

Multiball breakdown by SkitBPinball on 11/12/13:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

Quick Multiball:
- Awarded from Mystery
- Two ball
- Stackable
- All major shots score 10M apiece

Standard Multiball:
- Achieved by lighting and activating ball locks.
- Three ball
- Stackable
- Ramps and loops score jackpots of 25M once apiece. When all jackpots are cleared, Jungle Hole lights for 100M Super Jackpot. After Super is achieved, lower right eject will relight jackpots.

Hunt Multiball:
- Activates upon fourth successful Hunt shot.
- Stackable
- Three ball
- Single shot lights for 40M. After 5 seconds, another shot is added, but value of those shots drops to 30M. After another 5 seconds, another shot is added and drops the value by 10M again. This process continues until 4 shots are lit and the value bottoms out at 10M. Process starts over when a lit shot is made.

Killing Spree Mini-Wizard Mode:
- Awarded by making all shots (left loop, left ramp, jungle hole, right ramp, right loop, right eject) three times each.
- Three ball
- Stackable
- Each playfield shot correlates with a team member. Shot value starts at 20M and goes up by 10M by eliminating the team in the proper sequence. When a shot is made out of sequence, the value resets back to 20M.

Showdown Wizard Mode:
- Awarded by completing all HUD modes.
- Four ball
- Standalone
- All playfield shots are worth 25M and add 10M to Showdown Jackpot value that is collected at the Jungle Hole.

Unload HUD Mode:
- Starts by shooting the Jungle Hole when Unload Mode is lit (fourth mode)
- Four ball
- Standalone
- Flipper hold coils are disabled and all balls are continuously launched back into play for 30 seconds. All switches score their normal value +1M. For every ball that drains, that value is decreased by 10% for the duration of the mode.

Reveal HUD Mode:
- Starts by shooting the Jungle Hole when Reveal Mode is lit (sixth mode)
- Up to four ball
- Standalone
- When started, a second ball is added to play. Another ball is added when the left ramp is made, and yet another when the right eject is made. Right eject, left ramp and Jungle Hole are lit during this mode, and the values increase or decrease depending on how many balls are currently in play.

#38 10 years ago

Picture and description of UV layer posted by SkitBPinball on 11/12/13:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

The UV is rockin'. Here is one of our test boards in extremely low-res. It's just a random square on the board, NOT indicative of placement or style.

Predator UV.jpgPredator UV.jpg

1 month later
#39 10 years ago

Updated picture of playfield posted by Skit-B on 12/16/13:

Predator Playfield.jpgPredator Playfield.jpg

1 week later
#40 10 years ago

Video of full playfield with UV layer 12/23/13 posted by Pinsider spfxted on his website http://www.thedeadlyspawn.com/pinball411/predator-pinball-skit-b/

2 weeks later
#41 10 years ago

Target release date provided by Skit-B on 1/7/2014:

Quoted from SkitBPinball:

I hope I don't regret saying this, but April 7th is our target release date.

1 month later
#42 10 years ago

Update regarding toy production with pictures posted by Matt of Back Alley Creations:

Quoted from BackAlleyMatt:

I know it's not a video of the game but on the plus side parts are just about all done.
All 250 bodies, skulls, spines and claws are all casted, deflashed and sanded. Now on to a huge bloody paint job

189013-i.jpeg189013-i.jpeg
189014-i.jpeg189014-i.jpeg
189015-i.jpeg189015-i.jpeg
Video provided by Matt of Back Alley Creations:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ky6Ikz6sCb8?autoplay=1&rel=0

1 week later
#43 10 years ago

Just what we have all been looking for video of the first complete Predator pinball machine:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/u9mSOUHVLCc?autoplay=1&rel=0

Please note that video below is not of the 'complete' version it was still a prototype at the time it was taken. The video was kindly shared to us by Pinsider CraZ4Pin:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/cJUIKz86DY0?autoplay=1&rel=0

#44 10 years ago

Email from Kevin to Pre-Owners with a few edits including payment information if you need that info please email Kevin directly:

Big news this evening, pre-owners! It has been a fun ride and one crazy experience after another, but the time has finally come that we can say, without reservation, the machine is now complete! We have all of the playfield toys installed in their final locations and working as they were meant to, as well as the UV playfield lighting going strong. The software is standing strong at the front of the pack in terms of playability, challenge, balance and, most importantly, longevity. The shots flow when you want them to and slow when you don't. It is truly the game we had envisioned at the beginning of this amazing adventure, and it turned out better than we would have ever imagined! Along with this huge announcement comes a few others that should help answer any remaining questions that have come up over the course of this project, but before we jump into any of that, have a look at our latest video showing off the very first completed game at the link below!

Alright, now we can go over some more great news!

Back Alley Creations has cooked up a stunning "topper" that is unlike any other in the history of pinball. If you love the R-Rated grittiness of Predator, this is an absolute must-have to show how bad ass this game is compared to any other. Check out the link below to get in on these early and make sure you have it on day one!

http://www.backalleycreations.com/bac%20predator%20pinball%20addons.html

As shown in the video above, the Glo-Balls from ModMyPin.com are an absolute perfect fit for this game. They naturally reflect huge amounts of UV light when in contact with black lights, even without "charging" them first. These will be available soon, so again, check out the link below to be certain to get some of these for when your game arrives! It should be noted that the Glo-Balls will be sold in sets of 4, and Predator is a 4-ball game.

http://www.modmypin.com

The time to settle on your apron engraving is now, and must be limited to 50 characters or less, including spaces. This space is used for your name and machine number by default, but a custom quote or saying can be substituted here if you wish.

Our warranty policies have been solidified, as well, including any circuit boards, displays or major mechanisms that may fail within the first 90 days of the machine being received. Due to the nature of our machine numbering system, this warranty will also easily transfer with the machine if you decide to sell to another collector within that time period.

As we move closer to the build date, our production schedule is becoming clearer. Most of you are already aware of your general place in the build order, so you can use that information to get an idea of how far away your game is based on a rate of approximately 40 machines going out per month of production, with production on track to be starting in early April of this year.

Another fantastic announcement we are happy to share is that throughout the life of the project we have been trying our best to keep the cost of the game under $5000 USD, and we have succeeded by $250, making the finalized cost of the machine only $4750 USD! Also, for those of you who have adopted the highest level of deposit incentives, we have decided that the standard translite installed in your game will not be autographed, but an EXTRA translite will be autographed and included at no extra cost. Also, since very few pre-owners have opted to use our lowest incentive option, the two lowest options have been combined.

Lastly, the last call for all of the pre-deposit incentives is now upon us. At this point in the project, much more significant deposits are necessary to move forward with our production schedule. As previously discussed, a deposit for roughly half the final cost of the machine is required when your machines are to be built. We have worked out that deposit amount to $2750 USD, which will combine with your initial $250 to make $3000 total towards your game. As always, these deposits are fully refundable if you choose to withdraw for any reason. Any deposits made following this email WILL go towards the incentive program, which will again be delimited below. Of course, if you have already deposited this amount or more, nothing will be required until it is time to pick up / ship your machine.

Thank you all for joining us on this incredible ride, and many thanks to all of the invaluable folks in the industry who made such a wonderful journey possible. Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to clear a spot in your game room and get ready for one of the most awesome pinball machines ever built!

-Kevin Kulek, Skit-B Pinball

Deposit Incentive Information:

Checks or money orders payable to:

Or use the electronic transfers page for credit/debit transfers or PayPal at:

Further deposit options:
Please keep in mind that all of these options are completely refundable, and any deposit made through this system will go directly and 100% towards your machine!

Level 1: By bringing your deposit to $3250 or more, you will find a sexy, limited Skit-B Pinball t-shirt inside that will only ever be available to pre-owners who have chosen this option or higher. Of course, you will find an autographed flyer, as well!

Level 2: By bringing your deposit to $4000 or more, along with the two other incentives above, a very limited edition poster will await to proudly adorn your game room wall!

Level 3: By bringing your deposit to $4750, this will cover the entire value of the final machine and not only will you find ALL of the above-mentioned goodies nestled safely inside your game, but also another translite brightly adorned with the signatures of the designers. There will be no other translites ever signed in the same fashion, showing that you were truly one of the earliest and most dedicated adopters of the revival of pinball!

1 week later
#45 10 years ago

Toys are complete video provided by Matt of Back Alley Creations (Pinside handle BackAlleyMatt):

http://www.youtube.com/embed/gYbh_jNON9Q?autoplay=1&rel=0

2 months later
2 weeks later
#47 10 years ago

Latest email by Skit-B $2750 additional deposit due by June 28, 2014:

Good evening, Skit-B Pinball pre-owners and waitlisters!

While we have been hard at work putting the final bit of polish on our game, many folks have pointed out that we haven't shown a good ol' fashioned gameplay video in quite some time. In response to this, we have released a very detailed video showcasing the most important facet of pinball: the gameplay! The video is fairly lengthy, weighing in just over half an hour long, so be sure to grab a coffee or whatnot and get comfortable before hitting the video link below.

The video above should answer any remaining questions about the game that you may have had, except for one: production schedule. After doing everything we possibly could to keep this process as comfortable as possible for all involved, we are frankly way overdue to get this proverbial show on the road. Producing products of this level of depth and involvement is a complex endeavor with many dependent factors, all of which must align to meet with any sort of success. It has become apparent that our hopes to be able to handle our production schedule in smaller blocks is unfortunately not congruent with maintaining the quality and pricing standards that we have set for this project, simply based on the nature of manufacturing. We apologize for any issues this may raise for some of you, and we look forward to helping everyone as best as we can while providing any assistance you may require as we go through this process.

As a message to pre-owners who already have an assigned game number and deposit in place to hold your game, if you have yet to meet or exceed a total of $3000 USD towards your machine, this total must be achieved by no later than Saturday, June 28th in order for us to reasonably continue and get these machines built on a schedule that is acceptable for everyone. For most of you, this will be easily handled by using the $2750 option either by mail at the address listed below, or through our PayPal deposits page at the link that follows. Please keep in mind that, at this point, if you choose to finish your balance off completely, the incentives previously discussed will still apply.

For the waitlisters recieving this message, please be advised that at this point in the project, if you receive correspondence from us informing you of an opportunity to move onto the pre-owners' list and get assigned a game, a deposit of $3000 USD will be required in order to acquire said position. This helps us maintain a dedicated pre-owners' list and will keep us steadily moving in the right direction.

What this all means for all of you anxious pinball fanatics is that following the date provided above, we can finally break out of the initial stages of our production cycle and get to assembling these awesome machines and getting them out to you in a matter of a few short months! Thank you all for being a part of this project, now let's get it done and go play some pinball!

-Kevin W. Kulek, Skit-B Pinball

2 months later
#48 9 years ago

Copy of Skit-B Interview posted in Community section direct link:
https://pinside.com/pinball/community/stories/the-dude-abides-with-kevin-from-skit-b-pinball

The Predator project came to my attention about 2 years ago. I was pretty surprised to hear about a pin being made with a theme based on such an old movie. It was a very nice surprise as Predator was one of my favorite movies as a youngster. After a bit of research I discovered that it was being developed by pinball enthusiasts working out of a basement. That got the 'root for the underdog' impulse I have going. Needless to say I have been following the project closely ever since learning about it. It has been a long ride but fortunately for many of us pinball addicts buying the pin the project is nearing completion. The anticipation to be playing this bad boy at home is growing stronger by the day. I'd like to thank Kevin over at Skit-B for making himself available to answer a few questions and wish him the best of luck during the home stretch.

What is the approximate timeline for people in the first batch of 15?

Approximate timeline for first batch of games is this fall, most likely some time in October/November range. Once we hit our stride 40 per month should be a reasonable pace for the rest of them.

Who is building these bad boys?

We have a crew of qualified pinheads that have been dying to get started over here. Well, two crews really. One for the playfield assembly and another for testing, boxing, and shipping.

What part of the Predator project have you enjoyed the most?

The part of the process I've had the most fun with was honestly the first time we had the machine running it's first attempt at multiball. There was no music or scoring working yet but the animations, sounds and balls flying around the table made it really feel like we were on the right path for sure.

What has been the most difficult aspect of the project?

The most difficult part of the process has been the personal discoveries along the way. When we first set out to do this we followed the philosophy that once the game is built and working the hard part would be over and we could just redo what we had done a few hundred times. Turns out, making the game was by far the easiest part of the whole process. Rolling with the punches during the learning process has been extremely difficult.

Can you explain Skit-B's warranty period and what is covered?

The warranty is pretty straight forward. If any boards, power supplies, or other major components are defective, they will simply be replaced.

Who are some of your favorite pinball designers and why?

My favorite pinball designer is Brian Eddy. In any machine he has worked on, every shot matters for lots of different reasons in many different situations. Not like in many recent titles where each shot only serves itself, in the form of hitting one thing repeatedly to start a mode, where you guessed it, you have to continue to hit that same shot repeatedly (to complete it). As far as layout design, I'd like to also give a nod to Mark Ritchie for having some really cool, out of the box layouts.

What is the best way for customers to get a hold of Skit-B with questions?

The best way for people to reach out to us for any reason is through the contact form on our website. Emailing me directly works to a good degree, but that is subject to how busy I am personally, at the time, and the website contact form bypasses me and goes strait to someone who is there only to answer emails and calls. Of course, if someone wants to get a hold of me directly for whatever reason, I'm still as reachable and accessible as ever.

Why isn't Predator anywhere on your website?

Our website admittedly has been on the backburner for quite some time, and could definitely use some updating. The sad truth is that any time I personally take to mess with the site is time I could be spending on the games, and paying a person to work on the site would feel wasteful at this exact moment. We are expecting a short downtime after the majority of parts are sorted, so hopefully I'll be able to get into it a bit at that time.

What kind of advice have you received from prominent members within the pinball community during the project?

Everyone has a story, and all knowledge is useful. I actively seek advice from anyone I come in contact with, and since I've gotten this deep into the industry I've met a ton of people with helpful experience. Most notably have been Marc & Paul from Marco Specialties, Paul Maletich from VirtuaPin, Terry DeZwarte from Pinball Life and Charlie Emery from Spooky Pinball. There are many more but I can comfortably say that without these people, what I do just wouldn't be possible. Experience means everything, and throughout this project I've learned a big one that I'd like to share as my own advice: Whatever aspect of the project seems to be the easiest will almost certainly give you the most trouble. If you say "I'll just...," give it more attention.

What is the biggest lesson you learned during the making of Predator?

The biggest lesson I've learned throughout this project has been that the tweaking process is quadruple the time investment from the design and initial build. Getting stuff working and getting stuff working right are two very different things, and requires very different kind of discipline to get right.

What are a few of your favorite pinball machines?

My top machines are (in no particular order): Attack From Mars, Star Trek TNG, Guns 'N' Roses, No Fear, and probably Tommy. The list changes greatly, and often can include some odd balls at times like Defender, X-Files, and Police Force.

1 month later
#49 9 years ago

Below is a letter sent to Pre-Order buyers in response to drama here. I am hoping to have some photos to share with you all in a few days that will be added to the interview and this thread:

Good afternoon, Pre-Owners.

It has come to my attention that due to a lack of communication on our end, many rumors have begun to circulate which have shaken the confidence of many involved in our project. While this situation is unfortunate, I can assure you all that there are multiple games being assembled as we speak and the project is certainly continuing as planned.

Being a firm believer in the fact that every cloud has a silver lining, I am happy to report that we now have added staff to our support department that is waiting to happily answer any questions or concerns you may have. While there are many of you with whom I speak to regularly and consider my friends, my personal email is often somewhat neglected in lieu of the myriad of other duties and responsibilities I have. Therefore, if you have any comments, questions or concerns that must be addressed with any sort of urgency, please don't hesitate to send them to our support team at http://www.skitbpinball.com/contact.html (edited direct email) for a much more expedited response.

I would like to take this opportunity to add that if ANY of you feel as though you have been neglected or ignored for ANY reason, I implore you to reach out at immediately to get these issues resolved. There are always variables involved with internet communication and, through those variables, there are always messages that get flagged by spam filters on either end or other such things, which certainly don't help matters of communication. So, again, if you feel as though you have been neglected or as though you have a personal situation that has been unfinished or ignored, please reach out to our support team to get those issues resolved as soon as possible.

Thank you for your unending support,
-Kevin Kulek, Skit-B Pinball

2 weeks later
11
#50 9 years ago

Picture shared by VirtuaPin on their FB page:

Predator Cabs.jpgPredator Cabs.jpg
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