Plunger should be the front end of a Plumbus!

Hmm - I guess to get in on one, have to join the Spooky club and then get in line the minute the email is sent. And hope you are in year 1 of the build.

Hoping the stream sucks so I can buy a spot in line for a reasonable premium. Not $6000

I was slow to make a decision to get the game. Over winter break I started to watch the series, and wrapping up season 2 I love it now. So sadly I’m on the outside looking in.

I desperately wanted to like St Things, but I’m not digging it.

Maybe TMNT will get my mind off of missing out on R&M.

Sadly it’s the reality of the situation. If you want a game in 2020, best way is to pay for a spot at this point. People are buying them, hence there is market demand.

The advantage (ignoring loosing a chunk of money) is that you have some control of when you can get a game. With just 10 games a week, with an 18 month build span, this has real value.

As controversial as this is, it’s capitalism at play.

I agree with you completely. The long patient approach is the way to go. Yah I’ve been collecting for just a couple years. I do understand the psychology of FOMO and how the used market works. And ultimately there will be a day when we can find some RAMs in the Bay Area used. The psychological component of not having a reservation, wanting a limited game, and looking for an option to grab a spot is where this capitalistic indiscretion comes from.

But then I guess what is the price where it’s not a big hit to you personally where it’s worth it to get in line earlier for a NIB machine on a theme you really want?

These $6000 asks for a $1500 reservation are insane. But with a $1K markup for an early spot for a NIB RAM - it’s palatable. If RAM is one of the lucky games that stands the test of time and holds its value, then you stand to loose this markup. A very small chance demand exceeds supply long term and it demands a premium. So this $1K may break even.

Anyway - my 2c.

Agree. It’s money spent. But because they live their life at home, they do retain value once you decide to sell them.

For guys with small collections, it’s desirable to turn them over once they become stale. If we had to throw them in the trash whenever we wanted a new title, not many would venture to build collections. The fact that someone can invest $40K in a modest collection and keep it fresh with minimal losses over time by selling and trading is compelling and helps keep collectors going.

So yah - it’s not horrible to “speculate” if a title will retain value, or plummet (like a BKSOR). People also make bets in the stock market. It’s not crazy to look at a title and make a guess if it will plummet or float.

Some selling BSE earlier reservations of $1500 for $4000-$5000. That is $2500-$3500 profit on that reservation.

You’d hope $500 or less would buy a spot. But it seems $1K for a spot is market markup at the moment.

Passion project from Scott and Charlie, coupled with rule design by one of the best players in the world Bowen. Scott also taking one of his passionate hobbies (music/sound) and owning this piece of the pin. I own a TNA, and have ~3000 plays on mine. If Scott can make "old school" pinball this fun, I'm truly excited for his take on RAM.

Hmm. I wouldn't bet against this project being phenomenal. Plus listening to the podcasts they have pretty much free reign using the content. Which may have more moments compared to any series I've seen. Coupled with complete custom call outs co-authored with the RAM creators.

So yah - right now you can call all this hype. But I would not bet against what appears to be overwhelming odds for it's success.

What’s “interior graphics”?

I think I’ll omit the knocker. My family doesn’t need to know about a new high score.

Yah - and there is no urgency to rush it. May as well make it the most ideal stream possible. Since they are sold out. And at this point they are just appeasing all the anxious some day to be owners.

It’s kind of a weird situation TBH.

Knockergate (tm pending)

Going to be a fun 18 months.

I think I need to completely forget about this pin. Else it will be the longest 18 months of my life. Really tough to buy a new toy and wait this long in a world of nearly instant gratification.

Much better to wake up one day to a Spooky email, and have a "oh yah, that's right!" sort of moment.

I swapped the fan right away on my TNA. Was a trivial effort and made the machine silent. Time well spent.

I’ll do the same For RAM if it shows up noisy again.

I know these are like $8K machines out the door, and I could wave my hands demanding forever free updates to this machine as R&M progresses as a show.

But this gets us back to that whole painful DLC discussion. Not that I’m a DLC fan, but if a subscription model is made it’s then contractural. Meaning they__have__ to staff and develop new code “forever”.

Hence I’m a fan of paid DLC if it gets developers assigned to my R&M machine forever. Because it adds more value to my $8K table over time, and it won’t go stale like most games after a year of ownership and 3,000 plays.

What’s $30-$40 bucks for a full pack update now and then?

Expecting lots of downvotes. But selfishly I see DLC as a way to guarantee and motivate significant new code for my $8K toy. And not win the lottery so to speak with a particularly motivated Lyman type.

It hasn’t been really done before, and in some sense it’s ground breaking and adds value. Also with a 18mo product cycle it makes a lot of sense for Spookie to make machines longer term profitable like a platform.

Ok downvote away.

It's my first post on the topic. Not sure what to rest from?

Anyway - As was mentioned, they will get busy on the next game, and we will have what we have at some point on R&M because they have to move on to make new money.

This is the way.

My only point was we could get years more out of a machine if it was profitable to continue to add content. Irrespective of the debate, that notion is hugely compelling to me as a customer.

Yah I listened. And it sounds great. If it's a Lyman like experience it's awesome. But ultimately time is expensive at some point, people have to move on. Unless coding is a night time hobby like it is for Lyman, and it's done out of passion instead of survival.

Anyway - as the moderator has noted, lets end it here. Sorry for the derail. Didn't mean to step on the latest Pinside killing mine.

Yah - I noticed his programming studio for R&M looks like it's in his bedroom. So no doubt we are in good hands.

Thanks for upholding the Pinside bully stuff. Hope you've found it fulfilling.

If it had the side effect of deflating his ego, I'd consider it.

You missed my point. And yes, your behavior is bullying and it should stop. Nice that you view this as your private pissing ground and could care less about opinions of fellow hobbyists.

You pay $8K for a finished game. Including complete code. Then the development stops once that commitment is fulfilled. You got the game you paid for. It's done. All the s/w engineers have moved on to make money on the next project.

The not so new idea is to have the s/w engineers continue beyond that point to make our games have fresh content. Increasing the value and enjoyment vs having them be stagnant objects.

I understand the situation the industry is in with Machines shipping code incomplete. Therefore we are all worried about how companies will draw the line between what's owed and what is bonus. That's all fine.

But if there is a point when a company has a title which greatly expands over time as a feature, I'm in.

I agree.

Stoked about the topper!

Pinside PTSD?

Both would be nice. Adding BT is a $5 usb dongle. Then have an optional jack.

I have a 7 and 11 year old. With swear mode off, I still assume there will be ample adult humor. It'll go over the head of my 7 year old. But the 11 year old will get it.

I'll have to play the game and see. I'm sure with swearing off, it's still ok for on location. So maybe it's tame enough. If not, it'll be a machine they can't play.

Wow, $1500 premium and not really a low spot. Maybe this is the current record.

And no stream yet!

Amazing

I somehow recall Scott mentioning the beacon was an off the shelf assembly. So would have nothing to do with it. Hopefully the new topper is silent like the psu fan.

SpaceX Starlink should come online this summer and undercut Xfinity with lower prices, lower latency, higher speed. Can’t wait to cut loose Xfinity forever.

My car is ready for delivery
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How difficult is the portal garage shot from upper flipper?

What does a Kruzman playfield cost? Sounds like a $1000+ process at least?

12 week leadtime, so only >160 may apply?

I guess most prefer the tighter moderation of the club threads.

Spooky is everything right in this hobby. Sucks to wake up and realize you missed out on an epic pin?

Really comes down to how much we love playing it, and how the code develops. Everything points towards epic.

Although we will see if the masses think the game is too brutal. I think it’s the perfect balance.

As a TNA owner, tough appeals to me. Pin of the year JP2 has some very very hard shots with the control room, helicopter, missile and upper right flipper side ramp. The right balance of tough can make a game epic.