No worries.... The POTD mods are on the menu. I just took a LOTR machine in on trade and I will be prototyping/making the more mods for this machine besides the POTD.

I am sad to say I am getting the LE for the lit side rails.

No need to be sad about that, they look cool. Off topic but how do you like your new BDK??

I think the LE is the way to go!

I like it. Crane is s great toy.

BDK is one of my favourites, you got the better end of that deal for sure
Watch the papa tutorial video on it.

What I want to know is: where did this idea of there being a "big reveal" from Stern on ST even come from?

Was there some type of announcement from Stern about this?

It seems to be some type of rumor that is being unduly hyped and hung onto by some people who may have their own reasons for this...

But if their was some type of official announcement from Stern, I would also bet that the "reveal" would simply be having a STLE at Expo.

Welcome back

I could be wrong but I believe it was posted by someone that spoke to someone at Stern maybe SR. I'm not sure about that though. Pretty much hearsay. That said, for the price tag I'm hoping there will be a reveal of something and that some of those toys on the Premium/LEs are pretty cool.

Don't make me pull out the Purple Monkey Dishwasher Video.

I will believe it when I see it.

Why? The software is 2 weeks old. How complete do you expect it to be? It says a great deal that people think its fun with the first version of the software... I would imagine many updates to come...

Exactly my point. My brother's friend's ex girlfriend's new boyfriend's dad heard it from his best friend who heard it from Steve Ritchie.

This probably all started with one single post on Pinside, and the torch was carried by others. I expect that they will have a STLE at EXPO but there won't be any major surprises.

Well there is still plenty in the model descriptions that we still have not seen for the Premium/LEs. So really the unveil of those features will be a bit of a surprise no?

Sure if you want to interpret it that way.

But that's not what other's are saying. They are expecting some "big reveal" as though there is going to be something on STLE that isn't even listed in the specs. Some boobs are going as far as saying that it will be an LCD!

I doubt they will even have a LE at expo, for sure a pro model though.

well I am a wishful boob.

If the LE's were supposedly going to start shipping mid October (I always thought that seemed optimistic...but maybe not since Pro's have been shipping) why wouldn't they have one at Expo?

Yeah -they'll have one at expo. I expect that's the big unveil. SHow off the ship moving and crashing, the LEDs, and the laser.
Anything on top of that will be a complete bonus in my eyes.

I don't think Stern announced anything. This is just what I heard here on Pinside. But I'll bet you that whatever happens at the Expo won't be good enough. It's the old classic setup to fail trick. LOL

I have never seen Stern bring anything to Expo much less seen Stern with any kind of booth. Marco & Trent always display the newest Sterns.

I don't remember Stern ever having a LE at expo.
Transformers Pro, X-Men Pro.
I could be wrong. Just what I remember from the past.

I don't think they ever did recently.

Yeah, that's what I remember to Keith. Although I am told Stern shares the booth with Marco.
Trent will usually have a game to play by the tournament row of the newest Stern.
I remember pro versions of Avatar, Transformers and XMen but never saw a LE or Premium model. It would be nice this year.

If I were Stern I would try to keep the hype and speculation of an LE front and center so people will continue to pay a huge premium for future LE's. That means transitioning to LCD with an LE version as a surprise gift to those who were willing to take the plunge. And limiting the LCD to just those LE's. Get them going for 5 figures.

I just don't see that happening. You'd lose a ton of Premium orders ( I guess up to 799) which are supposed to ship after the LE. Nice idea though.

People should stop with these lcd rumors. There is no foundation to it. At least on ST (and most likely the next few Sterns).

The LE's and Premiums share the same code. One can't have an LCD (or new system) without the other.

That being said....it's more likely they will be an EM than an LCD this time!.

Yeah, you missed my point entirely. Yes, the software will be updated, and yes it's incomplete at this point but the Final Wizard Mode is already in the game, and it's a terribly bland and recycled wizard mode. I'd be worried less if it wasn't there at all!

How often does Stern completely remove a wizard mode and replace it with something else entirely? I'd love to share your optimisim, but unfortunately I've had first hand experience with Stern LE code/rule problems and the lack of quality updates. This isn't a Lyman game, so my optimism shrinks even more.

I sincerely hope they do rip that wizard mode out and replace it with something creative and new. I don't have a ST on order, but I do have friends ordering one, and I already know the layout is nice, so if the software is really inventive and genius then I might like to have one some day.

And yes, PLEASE stop with the LCD rumors, prayers and hope. It's just silly. Stern does not have the staff or capabilities at this point to even begin to create color video content for a color LCD screen. I doubt you'll see a Stern LCD a year from now even. Until they see the LE orders on DMD's slack off, I don't see Stern moving to LCD...

They may be secretive, but they do always announce new hires. So I do believe we'd be able to catch wind of a new graphic team when that day comes. Today is not that day. Nor at expo.

Also, in another thread, there was talk about an ACDC being put on location running the new bus system as a test. And guess what, it's still a dmd. Time to get over the rumors.

JJP will have to be producing 3 titles a year and threaten a serious dent in Stern to really shake things up. Right now it looks like ST will easily outsell WOZ by a huge margin, and think of all the titles Stern has released since the WOZ announcement.

Curious. Since JJP has no Pro equivalent price point, it would be interesting to see if ST Premium/LE outsells WOZ/WOZLE. I'm assuming the bulk of Stern's sales remains, even with the new Premiums, from their Pro models.

I'm sure Stern would love to sh!tcan the Pro line, focus on the higher end stuff. That alone could be the reason for slow movement away from dmd and small steps forward. The good news for us is they still make very compelling Pro models.

Stern's main business is selling to operators so the pro models are key for locations at a reasonable price. The home market with LE editions is secondary.

I think the asecndence of the Premium/LE/home market over the pros will happen after Gary retires. He's still from the generation of routed machines and operators. That market most likely won't return to its glory days. It would appear Gary is grooming Gomez to take over for him.

JJP will have 2 to 3 titles in 2015 and from there on out......

Since we already know that Gary is all about the Op/pro market and the Le buyer is secondary, I wonder how its going to go when more JJP titles get out on route and the same results keep happening where they out earn the top Stern titles 2 to 1......

And it looks like "ST will easily outsell Woz by a huge margin".....how did you determine that little nugget of info, STLE won't even sell out the 799, until the price drops significantly?

Purple Monkey Dishwasher......Simpsons.

Stern already sold out of the 799, so I'm not sure what you are talking about there. And I'd also bet that all models (pro, premium, LE) of ST will eventually outsell WOZ. Remember, WOZ has been for sale for three years. ST for three weeks.

If stern didn't think he could sell out of LE's he wouldn't have priced it that way. Looking more like it was a good business decision in hindsight in spite of the armchair pinsider quarterbacks.

Many companies make most of their money from a small number of higher margin clients. I would think that Stern is starting to make the majority of their profit on the LE's, especially with increased LE volumes and prices. But like the airlines, you have to fill the Coach seats (Pro) to cover your overhead and then you make most of your money on 1st class (LE). I'd be surprised if Stern isn't rapidly approaching the point where the LE's are driving the majority of profits. I'm just speculating though.

I Like the Airline analogy. That fits. Though I'm sure the LE is more profitable, I wouldn't think it would the "majority of profits" from the game title lineup.

Who says "Stern sold out"........and yet they are/will be readily available in the distributors hands for a long time to come.........IF they did, good for them, bad for the distributors, I might add that the overseas market for LE's is DOA with that price increase based on what they already have to pay.......

And as Woz gets out there and production gets completed, I'd bet you that ST doesn't even come close to outselling Woz.....but we'll see, won't we, I might buy one a year or so down the road when the code is closer to being done and I sell my SM.....

It never ends!!!!!

It never will!!!!

Same thing goes for WOZ. Distributors have bought them up too.

The big difference though is that there is an end consumer that has already paid for those pins just waiting to be built and either delivered to consumer or put on route....most, the vast majority of Woz pins are already spoken for....

But hey, we shall see what happens, its a good thing for the consumer that we have choices now!

It's all good, I'm an unbiased consumer, I have Ac/dc premium showing up in about 5 minutes! It's all good Pappy, Woz next week.....gotta love this pinball thing

There are 2 assumptions here I simply don't agree with.

1. JJP can survive through 2015 on the high-end collector market (and some ops), and will generate enough profit to fund R&D for 2-3 titles a year.
2. WoZ out-earns Stern pins 2 to 1.

Let's see how WoZ is doing in a year, when there's nothing new from JJP to replace it yet.

Who cares don't you all ever get sick of this circular debate? Sorry for me it is tiresome the same jabs being exchanged back and forth by the same people.

See Bene posts as Op re #2. Just a fact

I realize some really hope for JJP failure. But if had to pick one to invest in it wouldn't be Stern. We will see soon enough. But hey I'm also unbiased here

WOZ with an LCD will still look new next year if Stern hasn't put one out yet!