So game impressions. Callouts, art and video are all top notch. It's like you're playing in the show. I can't wait to see what else they add, adventures, modes, etc. The shots are unnatural for me, an amateur player, but I think another hundred games or so and I should have the hang of it I probably played 40-50 games yesterday. Playfield looks very nice, whatever Spooky is doing it is working. There are plenty of "ooops, should not have tried that shot" things that will catch you out. I had a lot of drains, a lot. I don't know if I just suck that much but considering the videos I've seen of the game and the "good" scores people are posting I'm not doing too bad. I think I hit like 1.5m yesterday, finished a few adventures. Probably a game better for home use, IHMO, as you want to hear all of the audio and you're going to have to play a lot of games. The topper is... meh. I mean, can't knock it for free and interactive but it's flimsy and doesn't really come in to view when playing the game so it's more like an attract mode advertisement versus a part of the game. I don't think it will even fit in my room (I can't put my DE JP topper on but I can fit my JJP toppers) so I'm working on a replacement that will use the stock interactivity but is lower profile. The integrated playfield elements like the ball save timer and the magna save charge indicator are smart. The reject shots from the loops are really annoying but I think with some tweaking it might improve. I am wondering if anyone has tried waxing the ball guides because it seems like that might make it all slightly better. I'm sure most of it was my bad shooting but when you do hit the loop it feels awesome and if you hit it twice in a row you are a god. Personally, I feel ball launches like this are a bit of a waste of a good game element but I don't get to design games. I am 100% sure no one will be disappointed by the quality of the game, the obvious time and work that went in to it.. if anything, it might be too hard to love (Houdini) but no one will lose money selling this game so it doesn't matter. The unique elements (pop bumper, danesi lock, portal re-entry, etc) are successful in making it unlike any game I've played.
I believe we are going to do a plumbumper. I was worried the stock one was unique enough that you'd want to keep it but it just has a sticker on it, not a big loss and probably the best place for a plumbus to be placed. Going back in a bit to do some measurements to make sure everything will fit. I may have found someone local who is getting an early game that I can fit stuff on so that will help move development along. I also think there is a room for a "hovering ship" mod, one of the things I felt looks a bit under developed. The mounting and ship movement lack a bit of refinement that I think could be helped along by removing the spring and base. Will take a bit of engineering to make it still move while hovering but I think if the movement is lost it isn't a big deal. It doesn't function enough like AfM that you're missing anything IMO.