Smaug lives in a castle?!? I've read the book, not seen the movies, but I'm pretty sure he lives in the Lonely Mountain.

Where does it say that?

Yes he does live in the mountain where all the gold is located.

This must be a pre-production game. Looks awesome, the only thing I see that seems unfinished is the stainless steel ramps. The ramps could use some graphics or etching on the outsides, like the VUKs.

I too was hoping for a bit more. King of the dragons will still be the one residing over the damsel ramp on mmr.

He's not Rudy 'cause Rudy eats balls

I mean that in the cleanest and nicest of ways....

Is that book final and Does smaug interact with the ball at all? hoping we get more videos and pictures of this game in action.

Sorry, the price was in Abel's other thread, in the one I linked to he says if you order the LE now they'll convert it to Smaug:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/hobbit-preorders-thru-abel-electronics

I think that price is for the LE and not the Smaug Gold SE. Just my guess.

No ball interaction with the smaug toy, just speaking and lights

I'm not in the market so I'm not sweating it either way, but the way I read Abel's posts, he's saying currently $8k for the LE (I assumed that was tonight only based on Jack's posts about price increases, but who knows) and that if you order the LE now you can then shift to Smaug Edition for free. But probably best to clarify that with Abel before ordering!

really kind of lame and that book. . . . I just can't get over the placement of it and it just looks out of place. I have to see more pictures and video, but very underwhelmed by this reveal.

I think the sculpt looks great. The mix of Smaug, the gold and the rocks really looks sharp. Bummed that he doesn't 'interact' with the ball, but it still looks like a fantastic game. Wonder why they bothered taking up real estate with him. Seems like they could have made a talking Smaug topper or a figure inside the backglass 'on display' or something, then put another toy on the actual playfield.

Smaug looks like he needs more things around him to make it look more like a mountain, it looks very unfinished in my eyes. Looks like he just crawled out from under a rock. That book I hope is just a place holder. Are there supposed to be more plastics or something around smaug and the ramps?

Well, down here it's probably going to be 12k. Oh well, better get on the phone and order it. It is pretty cool, even though in that previous photo Smaug looks like a goat!

Is this funny or what, does the floating head Smaug remind anyone of another toy?

I think the Smaug looks rather good. I think if Matt could have placed some teeth in somehow it would have looked a bit better.

Whats in Smaugs mouth??? Lol looks like a flamethrower

Kind of looks a little like the dwarfs mounted his head to a mountain plaque like a deer.

I was hoping my 8000 dollars was going to get me an interactive smaug that actually interacted with gameplay? And the book?? Theres a dollar out of the 8000, hopefully they at least change that to an lcd book or something. Smaug should do so much more. He's cool, but not 8000 cool.

He can't do more. Licensor wouldn't allow it.

Letdown? Comon! I think Smaug looks pretty impressive. I've been looking at several games being played and the "turnaround" movement is very impressive. I'm actually glad Smaug doesn't do more. I mean, what would you have him do, come down to the playfield and eat the ball? Keeping it simple makes the thing serviceable and keeps money left over in the budget for stuff that really matters (like the four popups and the amazing drops).

smaug.jpg

I guess, but no one has a problem with that book?? You would think Stern lent it to them and said "use this, they will still buy it, we have been doing it for years".

Yeah, I'd *much* rather him do more! Like fire balls at me. Or better yet, real fire!

But seriously, Smaug is definitely a let down for me. Not necessarily a deal breaker, but definitely a let down.

Yes, the book looks ridiculous.

I'm not suggesting it. I'm telling you it. You obviously weren't paying attention. Jack even said that in his talk. You really are a joke and live up to the first 4 letters of your name.

Jeez. Switch meds lol.

I gotta tell you guys, im on the fence right now, and the back of Smaug, i understand it's supposed to be a mountain, but they need to redo it, it looks very out of place, bad really.

I think the hobbit looks pretty cool. It has elements from a bunch of other games like the pop up targets from MM and the smaug toy is like the joker from BDK. Looks like it will be a fun table.

The LCD and sound will make up for it

I was hoping Smaug would SOMEHOW interact, so that is a letdown.

But, if they give him some teeth, at least he will look cool.

smaug looks pretty good but i was hoping for more interaction with the ball like many others. i am really looking forward to see what jjp#3 will deliver.

I love drop target games and I think the 15 individually controlled drops with targets behind them is going to make for some great game play, especially with Keith programming.

I like way Smaug talks and with the lighting effects it looks pretty good to me.

Overall, I'm very excited about the game.

I am too! Its the drops and the pop ups habitrails etc. The fact Smaug is talking to you and following while breathing light i mean fire is very cool. Did you see under the playfield? I think we need to relax and wait for some good game play video because when you read what this machine does it is a whole different level. Keith mentioned taking different paths and over 30 modes etc. This thing is nuts to be honest and apparently with a ton of flow!

No, not even that. Rudy opens his mouth and you can shoot a ball inside it and he'll spit it out. Rudy is more advanced (and that was 24 years ago).

Well, he does: He looks at it and he talks to it...

Those underwhelmed with Smaug must have had very high expectations !?
I find it cool from the pictures I saw (not "wow" cool, but cool - some pictures seem good, others not). Waiting for good videos of its integration in the game.

I expected Smaug to fly around the playfield breathing fire and picking up pin balls. What a let down, I'm OUT!

It seems that the licensor has put too much restrictions on the game-planning. Those restrictions probably were not known, at the time when the Smaug-toy features were originally discussed/announced. That's why it is such a letdown now - people waited more from the toy - they expected to get some new invention, something new to pinball.

I have been waiting for TH, but it looks like TBL would win the race for me.

Blaming the licensor for the limitations of Smaug is Jack officially admitting its failures.

So, all it does is spin around like the Joker in Batman (BDK) and talk like the Skull from No Fear?... Good thing they kept that under wraps for so long, don't want someone to steal the design and idea

Smaug looks decent. But yeah, I was looking forward to the "different ways Smaug interacts with the ball". Turns out, he doesn't. So this highly innovative toy is nothing like JJP suggested it would be. Wtf? I don't care for lame excuses, bottom line is, they didn't get it done.

The Hobbit looked ok, but looked nothing like the big lebowski

What's that big black rod in Smaugs' mouth?

It must do something?!??

Come on the 24k gold coins are awesome!

Play both...I feel the opposite now. Maybe playing them will change opinions. I'm still sold on RGB lightshows. They are unparalleled.

Lighting?