Haha! I was prepared to be roasted after that intro. Not bad at all.

I wish focus and enlightenment for all your games in the new year of pinball ahead.

pinmonk-sml2.png

There's still supposed to be a teaser this week AFAIK.

Not "reported" that I'm aware of. This week is still on. I would guess the tease is between Tues-Thurs. We'll see. It's only supposed to be a tease though, I'm not expecting much.

I think that had more to do with Stern's absurd pricing scheme and Gold/Platinum/Diamond scam, plus the fact that it was a very low-effort reskin of an old (though well regarded) solid state Stern pin. Oh, and they didn't even have full songs or videos. Just a lot of negatives with Beatles, so no comparison.

Rush is at least a full, new pin and not a reskin with (apparently) complete songs, so it's starting from a better place right out of the gate.

And where are the Beatles sales currently? Pretty sure they're not close to the 1964 stated limit yet because they're stuck with Golds only to sell, so they haven't made many more.

Meh. Fixed it on LZ, can fix it on Rush if need be.

LZ_Icarus_Mankini (resized).jpg

This is exactly the opposite reaction to the one I had. With the exception of the band members on the playfield that are just *okay*, I think the overall art packages are very good, and the LE package is fantastic.

The cab on the Premium looks lazy compared to the Pro and LE, but the total packages on all three are not terrible, and the LE is really great. Nothing as embarrassing as the LZ packages.

Lots of kind of purple, from Batman purple to deep purple, but here are some colors. Any of these with a metal flake should look pretty boss IRL.

RUSH-LE-teal.png

RUSH-LE-yellow.png

RUSH-LE-blue.png

RUSH-LE-purple.png

RUSH-LE-lightbluepearl.png

RUSH-LE-rust.png

RUSH-LE-orange.png

The Premium with some colored powdercoating options...
RUSH-PREM-white.pngRUSH-PREM-blue.pngRUSH-PREM-gray.pngRUSH-PREM-purple.pngRUSH-PREM-red.png

I was kind of unexpectedly partial to the icy gray.

EDIT: Went back and re-did the LEs with the guitar cutout I didn't pick up on the side rails. Made them overall darker colors so the guitar reads better.

I did a rust one, too, that I think matches the steampunk aesthetic really well.

RUSH-LE-rust.png

Yeah, I think it's closer to X-men, but the shots have been loosened up a bit (X-men has 4 shots from the right orbit to the center shot, Rush has 3) and the bottom area below the pop bumpers is re-arranged compared to X-men. But those are good changes, IMO. And no-crappy sight-blocking Ice bridge. I never found X-Men super-fun to play and with a little looser shot map, this should be better.

Oh, I didn't take it as nitpicking. I just COMPLETELY missed the cutout on the LE. I guess it just blended into the art for me. It does look much better with darker colors, though. Lighter colors don't pop on the LE armor.

Yeah, the LE needs dark colors for the guitar to pop. I actually like the rust one.

The Premium looks good with a pretty wide range of colors, though.

This may be true in the COVID economy, but Stern has had some LE clunkers pre-COVID that they had trouble selling through, most notably WWE LE. But Munsters LE was slower and there have been others. However in COVID wacky time with parts shortages leading to machine scarcity thrown in, the feeding frenzy has to do with the demand from flippers and the latent money built up from 2 years of general public's delayed vacations, eating out, etc that have given people more income to spend on home luxuries like pinball.

I remember being told from an veteran Stern insider that Stern was too unsure to bump Iron Maiden to 666 LEs because they weren't sure they would sell out. So, not that long ago, even 500 units of IRON MAIDEN (!) was not a sure sales smash guarantee.

Right. One less shot on each side of the center for Rush because the targets are gone.

But they allegedly like vegemite, so anything's possible.

Maybe they need to just acquire a taste for Rush...

You won't be able to preach compliance. As with vegemite, they will have to try it...a LOT...before they have a chance of liking it.

This is encouraging.

Remember, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

5,279,999 to go.

Pretty sure this is child abuse, at least in the US:

Ah, yes. I see them now, thanks. So, typical Borg slight remix of the same design of his he's been using (normal or mirrored) more than any other for like 10 years.

I was thinking of the times Borg has reused this basic layout (regular or mirrored) and came up with:

(left/right version is where the pop bumpers are, and designates regular or mirrored layout)
2008 Indiana Jones (Stern) - Left version (2 flipper)
2010 TRON - Right version (3 flipper)
2011 Xmen - Left Version (3 flipper)
2015 KISS - Left version (2 flipper)
2017 Aerosmith - Left Version (2 flipper - main PF)
2022 Rush - Left Version (3 flipper)

So I think TRON is the only one where he put the shot through the pop bumpers on the right. Is there any I missed?

Right, but I didn't include TMNT because it doesn't have the trademark X-Men/TRON pop bumper garden shoot through on the left or right. The pop bumpers are completely moved to the top of the PF.

No, but now I have. I did 7 options. Let me know if there's one you wanted to see that I didn't do.

RUSH-PRO-cornflower-blue.pngRUSH-PRO-burgundy.pngRUSH-PRO-orange.pngRUSH-PRO-red.pngRUSH-PRO-teal.pngRUSH-PRO-brown.pngRUSH-PROyellow.png

I called it teal. Since these are just color approximations, there is no powdercoat code. You'll just have to ask at your powdercoater.

T-molding might be more of a challenge, though. There aren't a lot of color choices in that.

But on the pro, I like that combination, too.

LE with some darker purples and reds and a blue...

RUSH-LE-dk-blue.png

RUSH-LE-dk-burgundy.png

RUSH-LE-purple1.png

RUSH-LE-purple2.png

RUSH-LE-purple3.png

Just put a spongy brain or brain target there to increase the theme integration beyond "stainless steel plate." Hit the brain enough times to enable time machine and dementia onset.

hemispheres-shot.jpg

I've never seen hoser spelled like that.

Rayday earned his wings today.

rayday_earned_wings (resized).jpg

Pretty sure it's just the same on-board Spike2 amplifier they've had for years, and it is underpowered for driving the upgraded speakers, so if you want to crank it, a small external amplifier is a good choice.

Same location as all Spike machines. Bottom right of the head.

Yeah, there are a lot of paths, but an external amplifier of some sort is central to all of them. The built in amp is just too wimpy.

Yeeess, that's what I said. The external sub has an amplifier. So, you chose a path adding an amplifier.

No wonder it's missing all the bells n whistles.

Some people can say even a well-regarded scotch sucks the first time they try it. But the ones that stick with it and keep trying it will discover layers and subtleties in a good scotch over time and come to love it.

They're not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame because they have terrible music and a creepy lead singer. The layers are there for you to discover and appreciate, but you have to spend the time.

An open attitude and time are what you need, but there is no guarantee you will like their music in the end. But having it attached to a pinball machine sure helps. I was not a KISS fan *at all* when I got the KISS LE because it was beautiful and fun, but after a year or two, I liked all but two songs on it. And the machine is long gone now, and I'm still not a fan per se, but I still enjoy those songs I liked from the pin when they come on the radio or a stream.

I was quoting the things the other person said back to contrast with the fact that they ARE in the RRHoF.

How dare you!

I'd just print a ladder on vinyl. It's been done on other pins (Iron Maiden comes to mind) very effectively and is reversible.

Here's the maiden one Tilt did:
https://www.tiltgraphicsinc.com/product-page/iron-maiden-ramp-decals-stone-stairs-mod

It looks great, but I haven't personally used it. I also haven't heard any complaints about it, so I'm assuming it's ok.

That wizardmod place has magnetic aprons that are pretty nice. They just snap over the top of the existing apron, covering the QR code.

I think they're in Europe, so shipping probably takes a week or two, but one possible solution. They have pretty much all the recent pins, but no Rush yet. Probably after release.

Seems like next week, but only to locations. Pros to homes probably the end of the month/first week of Feb?

Here's a couple more armor colors for RUSH LE people wanted to see:

RUSH-LE-dk-green.png

RUSH-LE-red.png

Vinyl for digitally mastered music is a gimmick, IMO. The digital recording bit depth of the sampling rate of the machine(s) used at the studio lops off the warmth that used to be transferred from the analog tapes to the analog vinyl.

Yeah, I liked that rust one.

So, Time Machine with moving reels and vintage type tubes, confirmed?

I think it's crazy that they've been holding on to RUSH wireform stock since March 31, 2021.

TMNT all over again. Duplication of design with the toppers/backglass is irritating.

But you can get that now if you hook the machine to insider connected w/o a topper.

Or how backed up production still is...

Costco has the wireless one on sale for $229.

https://www.costco.com/klipsch-r-12swi-wireless-powered-subwoofer.product.100803576.html

Iron Maiden Pro/Prem had at least the same amount of differences:

1. Sarcophagus lock
2. Motorized guardian tomb entrance on left ramp
3. Center ramp raise/lower
4. Hit detecting orb at lower target instead of flat target
5. RGB beacon in the upper right of the PF

Maiden also had a mode not available on the pro that was exclusive to the Prem/LE.

I think Stern is prioritizing money money money, so Prems next then home Pros last. Location Pros, LE, Premiums, Home Pros. I wouldn't be surprised if they're reducing the pro run size, too. Why wouldn't they? They're selling everything they make. "Why waste time with the lower profit pros once the location ones are out for visibility?" is their likely epiphany. And from a a purely profit-centric point of view, they're right.

Try printing on transparencies made for inkjet or laser (you need the one for each specific type).

You can get transparencies with the white backing already on.

Something like this (if you're using an inkjet):
https://www.amazon.com/WeLiu-Inkjet-Printers-Inches-Sheets/dp/B082TZVWG9