I agree. I was pointing out that the knee-jerk reactions on those other titles were not all positive, as mentioned in the post I quoted.

People can definitely be a little over the top harsh. But it's always the same few that act like that. In the end if it plays good and has good code it will sell.

OK - so I slept on it a couple of nights, studied the pics a bit more, consulted with the wife, etc.

I still don't like the PF art.....but.....I also don't love the PF art on Tron and it's my favorite game of all time.

I actually like the cabinets and backglasses of all 3 games. I am going to hold out hope that the game is immersive like Tron is.

So....I'm in on an LE!

In the words of Han: "C'mon baby, don't let me down!"

An elegant weapon, for a more civilized age.

Wasn't that Lando?

I don't mind the art, it's basically what I expected. I am surprised by the themes and what feels like a big miss by Stern. I would have done clear and obvious themes for each of the 3 films. They kind seemed to have done it but only part way. Pro should be A New Hope, X-wing, trench run Death Star, Premium should be ESB, Snow Speeder, AT AT, Cloud City, LE Sarlacc Pit, Falcon under Construction Super Death Star, Endor. Guys would have lined up all three. I'll wait and see how close it plays to AC/DC.

Stern knows that even if Caravaggio himself did the art, the dozen most prolific posters on Pinside would trash it for weeks on end. "WTF is up with those European Asps???? Those are traditionally non-infestational", "Why is the art so dark?? This is going to look terrible next to my Xmen LE!"

Stern knows that even if a game had more ramps than Whitewater, the dozen most prolific posters on Pinside would trash it for weeks on end. Pinsiders who have never designed a game, and have no idea that different ramp construction materials allow the ball speed and flow to be controlled. "WTF is up with all the plastic ramps, and only one wireframe one????? Stern only cares about making a profit ! "

Stern knows that even if Brian Eddy was hired to design a game again, the dozen most prolific posters on Pinside would trash it for weeks on end. "WTF is up with the big empty playfield???? Stern cheaping out again!!!" , "I wish we could go back to full featured games like AFM".

So Stern has figured out that all they need to do is trickle out some grainy photos, shoot a quick teaser video, and post a few sentences on Facebook every week.

Pinside will keep the bitching going, and the thread at the top, for months all on it's own.

So just a recap of Steve Ritchie's return to stern:

- AC/DC: released, hate hate hate on art....top 10 pin

- Star Trek: released, hate here hate on art...hits the top 25, Dwight returns to stern and does his magic...almost top 10 pin (11)

- thrones: released: hate hate hate on art....top 35 pin; Ritchie + Sullivan combo from the get go and put together one of the best rulesets in all of pinball in which I consider the pro one of the best pins ever.

-Star Wars: released, hate hate hate on art. Ritchie + Sullivan together again...nuff said.

Bottom line:
Keep calm: Steve Ritchie is in control of the millineum falcon and Dwight is his Chewie

Just got in for a SWLE, if that's what its eventually called. Why no Yoda on the LE?

Looking at the pro...I think the horseshoe loop around the left ramp will make a big difference in the feel compared to ACDC (if that's the way those two lanes work). I think the left and right orbits being full orbit shots will make a big difference (looks like one-way lift gates above the pop lanes). I think the scoop shot on the right will feel different. I think the short plunge launch will make it feel different. I think the opportunity to immerse the player with the LCD above the 3-bank targets will make that shot feel different.

Looking at the premium...all of the above, plus no lower playfield and the hyper-ramp/loop will add to the differences.

This won't play like ACDC.

seal-soon-meme (resized).jpg

Just because it "is" the way it works time and time again, doesn't mean it "should" be the way it works?

Surely Stern controlling the narrative and release of info and letting those pinsiders trash whatever they do in the midst of a majority of positive impressions, is better than there current strategy of leaks allowing those pinsiders to trash it in the midst of a majority of disappointed reactions/impressions?

Maybe Stern will do a "Luci" on Star Wars and we will see a Yoda & Vader editions!?

So what you are saying is if a girl is not attractive, you should still have sex with her, I may like it??? Beauty attracts, and this pin isn't a beauty.

Can't disagree but I only have so much room. I have 3 now and could probable squeeze in a 4th. AC/DC is not leaving and with only room for 4 can't have two that are at all alike. If I had room for 5 or 6 I would jump on this.

I agree with all of it (although, as you know, I would have substituted "pro" with "LE/premium").

...and the crowd cheers...

I basically paid in full two months ago to guarantee myself an LE from a reputable dealer ($8K down "guaranteed" an LE).
Clarify : $8K down "guaranteed" a spot to buy the next LE from Stern ... not Star Wars in particular.

They are not allocated yet though ... I don't think they can do that formally until the 6th.

I had absolutely no inside knowledge that Star Wars was the next release, but given all of the Pinside chatter and various posts Steve Ritchie made on Facebook, I kind of determined that Star Wars was next. I was not going to miss this.

I cannot see myself not falling in love with this game . If I don't like it, I'll make sure I report that as I don't want to see others pissing away money on a dog. I doubt that will be the case though .

Yeah, well, that's just like your opinion, man.

Yes...beauty attracts, like The Hobbit did with you. It can also put you asleep once it begins to talk and perform, as The Hobbit did with me. And you sold yours for a reason...

I just really do hope that Stern has fixed the QC issues before pumping these out the door. If not, when the Death Star splits open so will the front of the cabinet, while in C3PO's voice you'll hear "Oh Dear..."

The more I think about it the more the exploding Death Star seems kinda silly. I would much rather just shoot the ball into a super tough shot that is the exhaust port and have the explosion on the LCD, how good could the effect possible be? Two pieces of plastic and a blinking light? The collapsing AT-AT someone mentioned earlier would be far cooler.

Unless you want the LE, you can decide after playing it. However, most modern Stern games have orbit shots, left/right ramps, and drops or standups on the left bank. Comparing this to ACDC, I think, is premature.

One shot to the left of the left ramp does something different than ACDC. One shot to the right of the left ramp does something different. The right orbit does something different. The right scoop does something different.

No dead end bell shot, no cannon load, no lower playfield. I think you'll be fine with both games in your collection.

If the Death Star on the Pro could spin (through modification), that would be cool.

Only sold it to get DI. That's the ONLY reason.

Understood. And now I know that Congo and EATPM are better than The Hobbit.

True. They're vastly superior.

Congo and EATPM are not being made anymore. Last time I checked. I can get TH anytime. Stop looking at my line up.

I'm guessing that the Death Star split coincides with something on one (or both) of the two screens. The combination of those two things could make it really cool.

Isn't it almost Sold Out already in pre-pre sale?

I think the screens make it cool, fire every LED in a massive flash, do the audio up right with a sub and it will be sweet. The plastic death star cracking like an egg will just look like bad special effects. The kind that make you go well that looks fake and takes you out of the moment. I just don't think they need it. I want it to be like this

DeathStar (resized).png

We all know how an "Exploding Castle" on the playfield turned out.... Exploding Death Star.... Time will tell.

What a hypocrite. It's okay for you to shit all over Dialed In before seeing or playing it, but not for others? You really are a piece of work.

Despite all the comments about so so art, unfinished codes, qc issues etc, I just think when a video is released, the LE's will sell fast and perception will shift fast!

And as with every game, code will be the defining factor and who knows when we will know what that will like when it's polished and finished

We have enough "pieces of work" to rival the Guggenheim methinks. (Myself included.)
Kaneda statue out front, Brokedad statue out back...
Brian Kelly middle finger obelisk just to the right of the Lionman(!) gift shop.
I can see it all now.

I would like to see the Death Star and playfield LCD combined for several scenes, green LED ring on the Death Star lights and pulses and the LCD can show Alderaan being blown up

It's really not, though. You wan't ugly? Look at 24, Elvis, World Poker Tour, Austin Powers, GOT...Stern is capable of TRUE UGLY. Sure, AC/DC is Photoshopped real photos, but it's stylistically cohesive throughout, has an appropriate color palette, the "poses" of the "characters" are energetic and exciting - and, at the end of the day, it "feels" like AC/DC. There's nothing offensive about it in terms of how it represents its theme.

For the record, I don't think SW is typical "Stern ugly" ....the art just looks very,very lazy and cheap. I think once lit up, it will be acceptable enough if it plays well.

Wonder if you could "Lose" before draining? Such as if you didn't destroy the Death Star in time so instead of it blowing, you perish, and game shuts down? My wife would hate that. I think it could be neat.

I wonder if there would be more or less "critiquing" of new pins if you didn't have to justify the cost of (possibly) several paychecks?

Excuse me, I watched a lot of DI stream and just don't like it

Have you seen any SW video. Wtf. I wouldn't expect you to understand the difference

I hate the theme dude. That's it. I hardly think it qualifies as shitting all over it

NOTHING like the non stop cry baby bashing you and others hit Stern with

Carry on hypocrite

the more I talk, look and think about the current playfield and art. The more I like and get excited for this game Cannot wait to see the spec sheet and gameplay!!!!

Yep, just ask the Iceman. Waiting list a mile long, will be sold out instantly, lol.

It's a Ritchie game. It's going to be fun and shoot good. When you have a big license like this it's hard to live up to it though. I think collectively most of us hoped for more then what we are seeing.

Lego UCS Falcon topper???

IMG_2264 (resized).JPG

Who cares. Marketing 101 - you can't please everyone, but you can drown them out. The detractors will always be there, the job of marketing is to make enough champions so that the detractors aren't the loudest voice heard.

Truth is... Stern's launches have been deployable... over and over. It's not like Stern has 10,000 distributors it needs to sync and arm with physical pieces, swag, training, ERP integration, etc. They can't even get their stock materials completed.. let alone organize a campaign that drives a narrative and reenforces THEIR points they want to be heard and soaked in. They've focused recently on getting 'mentions' and be able to talk about how much online media buzz they can create with how many pickups their story gets, etc. That shit is your social marketing team's job... not a replacement for actual product marketing and messaging.

Interesting....

Haven't been paying much attention lately as I've been wrapped up in work. Come to find out the game was announced (leaked?) day before yesterday. So yesterday I call my usual go to distributor - All LE editions are sold out.

What? Nobody even knows the pricing or unit distribution yet and LEs are sold out? Crazy...

I do machine service for a very high-end telescope company.

They sell telescopes that are up to ~$50,000

Every time they introduce a new model, the main telescope forum goes crazy with nonsense. Trolls that only post when it's time to bash them, posters who have never built a telescope giving their **expert** design opinions, posters who need to justify why their $1000 telescope "is all they need", conservative posters asking "Are they selling porn or telescopes???"....

I asked them why they don't ask the moderators to kill that noise, or why they don't at least post on the forum to answer those critics.

They said that if they simply answered all the critics and the mods removed the offending posts, the thread would die in a few days and be buried.

By letting the dumpster fire rage on for months, they get tons of free advertising, more clicks to their site, and interest from people who are suddenly considering a $10,000 telescope reasonable ("Honey, look, it's way cheaper than those $50,000 scopes.....it's science for the kids!")

Companies that stay in business for decades tend to know how to game the system.

36f60f9443743db5a25ef3dcb401d173 (resized).jpg

And the people commenting here have seen the photos and just don't like it. But of course, when you do it, it's different somehow.

Send me a pm. No need to clutter up this thread with your attacks on me

The distributors know how many LEs they are getting and the price.

Can't the anti stern vs anti jjp people leave one damn thread alone???

LOL those who live in glass houses the phone the mic on a stick man the oversize women the man holding a phone all over the game make DI Jacks least attractive game yet