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.

Pinchroma, can you confirm if the smaug area is sculpt complete/'fit and finished' or should we expect any additional attention in that area? Also, are there any thoughts about redoing the book? and last, can you or back alley provide mods to those areas after ship?

Well, if it is done... I think with some really cool mods to 'toy' up the back will pretty it up a lot. Won't add anything to the game play necessarily - nor should it - that I am sure will be fine. But those WOZ 75 version toy additions help the game and I was hoping the hobbit was going to carry that forward and not strip it away. Keeping my preorder as the mods are sure to follow. I hope Matt can do several other pieces like he did for WOZ.

Not looking for more bash toys - we already have 4 good ones. I am looking for toys for decoration. Like TRON light cycles did for TRON, figures for IM, etc. Good news is these are the best mod candidates.

One thing I would recommend on the Smaug toy itself is to have his 'collar' area be very dark, perhaps black just not the stone like look from the 'mountain' on the reverse side. This would make him stand out more, and less like he is attached to the back of a stone wall. Just my 2 cents

Also, toys aren't the end all but they have some areas in the back to cover that could really enhance the game even more.

Love the game, don't interpret my criticisms as dislikes. Definitely a solid buy for me.

I think that is just lighting, and is the red one. (could be wrong though). The LE is the only machine they have at the expo with a playfield. (as far as I know - not actually there)

Even if I had to buy 5 replaceable dentures I would have to swap out if they broke that would be fine for me. Just have something we can do to add teeth would be great

I guess JJP is worried that a ball out of control would hit and break them. I would like to have the ability to add them and take that risk if JJP doesn't. Also, it may have been that in the original JJP design Smaug would be a bash toy as well and that was shot down, and they didn't do another sculpt with teeth. JJP may also say that the talking mechanic didn't work with teeth - I think you can add them (not long teeth, but noticeable) and it not cause an issue.

I think what happened (if this is the finished product) is that the license killed all their good designs and crippled them so severely that they could not get the product built the way they, or we, wanted. It looks like they did the best they could with what they could get into the game (and it is still good just not great IMO), but I think JJP looks like they just said screw it, the license choked us too much. They have said it as nicely as they can, but it looks like the license actually screwed them over. Such a shame really

It looks like they just want to move on after getting kicked over and over and their ideas/designs having to be scraped.

(COULD BE WRONG - but this is what it looks like to me)

One of many...

Agreed. The code and play will be solid. Get the wow factor on looks inline

Heck line it up next to its brother WOZ and make sure it stacks up in esthetics. I like where the gameplay is going - I am just looking for the 'complete package' look

This isn't the final guys....wait until final before deciding what to do - especial those with LE preorders. I am going to hold on till I see the end product.

Here is my theory. I think what we saw at the expo isn't the current/latest build and isn't the current state of the project. I'll bet this is a machine that is a few months back (and has been stripped, and features removed due to patents, not ready to be demo'd, or due to licensing can't show. So JJP has to go dark on us until they can reveal at the end of the year.

Aurich, after playing it do you really get the feeling like this is JJP's best shot? The same company made the WOZ sitting next to it - so if it looks that far off the mark it must mean that it isn't finished. Also, let me put it another way, if you were JJP would you release the game the way it is now? I am sure they have the same answer.

I think Jack agrees and he hinted that he wasn't going to do partial reveals with Lawlor's pin - just show the finished. Also, again, I don't think they have 2 months to fix what we saw this weekend. It has to be farther along than that.

Regarding the Smaug SE cabinet art: the pattern that goes along the bottom edge (all the way around). I would recommend it have dwarven ruins (like the books dust cover) that say: The Hobbit Or There And Back Again Being the Record Of A Years Journey Made By Bilbo Baggins Of Hobbiton

Or something like that. But I guess they have bigger issues

I guess I just think Ruins on it would look great if possible.

I think the mood of most of the JJP fans is 'stunned and shocked'. And then followed by 'concern and doubt'. The back of the machine is so empty it is scary. The VUK covers aren't pretty at all either.

Holding my preorder for now to see if JJP make a diamond out of this. And wait till you see the code approach may not salvage it.

I am too, and I was thinking before Sterns reveal I would like to get TWD as my first Stern. I can't believe after the expo there would be more threads asking if people are going to abort the hobbit than giving praises and trying to buy preorders! Didn't see this coming at all.

You called it CraZPin - I'll give you that. But, JJP may get the last laugh - we'll see.

Interesting thing to add though: My son (11) is/was excited about getting the hobbit. I though I would let him see the video of the game (what little I could find) to get his response. I didn't say anything except "Check this out" and ran video. He watched the whole thing and didn't say anything (except one quick 'cool' when Smaug turned). After it was over there was no "That was awesome/amazing' or "Can't wait to play it", etc. rather he looked over and just said with a forced smile "are you still going to get it"?

Perhaps they can have some negative effect if you hit the right when you should be aiming left (or vice versa). They did say that the code would provide risk/reward behavior of play. Wonder what that means as far as shot/mode selection.

I'll take some steak knives

Are you high?

I don't know, but I think if I sold it in 30 years it would be worth more

The LE get the following over standard:

1. 2 barrel bumpers
2. 2 weapon-action sling shots
3. Invisiglass
4. Shaker motor
5. External headphone jack
6. Powder coated body armor and legs

Seems like a good deal for 500 bucks more.

I think it is perfectly fine to vent on these forums for JJP to hear what people think. When it is done (I would expect by the mid December) choose if you want to get it or not. But I think preorders should at least give JJP a chance to salvage the game.

If I don't like the hobbit I am going to get WOZ (as I don't have it). So I will be happy either way.

Perhaps some posters are drunk?

Wasn't talkin about you

Ripping off customers!? You don't have to buy it. I just don't get it

Ok, so they will likely keep the Smaug toy, but is there a chance that he would at least get some teeth?