Star Wars (LE)
Stern, 2017
Star Wars (Premium)
Stern, 2017
Star Wars (Pro)
Stern, 2017Quoted from pinchamp:Real gameplay video?? I mean like when someone actually plays and reviews the game from the frost plunge to the end of the 3rd ball... I am doubting it but would be great if we do.
Tim Sexton is going to be playing it, yes. It sounds like it's pre-recorded, but it will be actual gameplay.
Quoted from lapean111:Ign made that video. Pinball isn't exactly their forte.
Oh, I thought it was from a 70's porn. It sounded familiar...
Quoted from Aurich:Uh, you might want to put your glasses on, those aren't filter jobs.
LOL! no... your right... it must have taken their artist all day to hand paint each of those characters....
The rest of the character photos are available online, I'm not wasting all day finding them for you. These are traced in photoshop (or painter) with some filters to make them pretty. Don't buy the 'hand drawn' nonsense. This stuff was phoned in.
All Star Wars pinball machines have 2 LCD’s. Mounted on the playfield directly in the players view is a 4.25 inch LCD used as never before to give player instruction and feedback. In addition to score, status and instruction information, the backbox mounted larger LCD will display as many as 400 Star Wars video scenes. The player will decide to play as Hans, Leah, R2D2 or Luke. At the start of each ball the player will pick the award the player will earn for a successful skill shot, effecting strategy of good players to challenge them even on the Pro. The game will default select for the casual player, slow to make a choice. Unique player controlled LCD fight modes are played while the ball remains active on the playfield.
In all pinball machines, the game is on the playfield, and there is a lot of game on these playfields. In addition to the playfield LCD, all versions also have a 5-target drop bank, molded Death Star, molded interactive Tie Fighter, 16 multicolor LED’s to guide players, super speed loop, scoop delivering the ball to flippers, player selectable multiball, 16 missions, 9 multiball modes, changeable red-white-blue general illumination LED’s, and more.
Although designed with the same basic playfield layout as the Pro, the Star Wars LE and Premium have significantly increased features and devices. You have to see the Hyperdrive magnetic ball accelerator speeding multiballs around the all metal ramps. The LE/Premium Death Star explodes to release balls locked for multiball. Add to these Star Wars ships the LED lit Millennium Falcon (which is available as an accessory for the Pro). This game is exciting.
Each version has a distinct art package. All are great hand-drawn Star Wars art. The LE is themed Millennium Falcon, the Premium for The Dark Side. To add to the distinction, the LE comes with laser cut side armor and all 3 backglass versions. Stern Pinball will soon have available an accessory LED lit frame to fit these backglasses.
I have only described some of the Star Wars highlights. Please read the attached Features Matrix for more details. There is so much in this game, you have to play and study Star Wars pinball. Also attached is a press release and photos. Watch the fantastic LE/Premium play at http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/06/06/star-wars-pinball-revealed-first-gameplay-video-hi-res-screens?abthid=5936c311e5e0ff671700000c
We are beginning production of Star Wars Pro now, and games should be coming off our line in June. The LE will begin early in July, with some export Premiums in July also. Then we will continue production with more Premiums.
The Pro model price remains the same as our last Pro. LE and Premium prices will be higher- we will advise on this soon.
Quoted from Kiwipinhead:The player will decide to play as Hans, Leah, R2D2 or Luke.
I will be playing as R2D2 every time. 
How come no Chewbacca? Huge miss right there.
Not sure if this has been posted before, at the 8 minute mark they discuss rumors that the art would be photo shopped due to the license not allowing them to alter the appearance of the characters. Unsure if it's true but it makes sense.
Quoted from bobbyconover:I don't know if anyone has mentioned this yet, but it looks like the game begins with choosing a hero to play as, each with assorted benefits a la GOT. Pretty cool!
Good eye. I love that idea if you are correct. The board game feature on GoT (for lack of a better phrase) is a part of what makes that game so immersive.
Quoted from bigdaddy07:I will be playing as R2D2 every time.
How come no Chewbacca? Huge miss right there.
Seems too easy. They'd have to let you win.
Quoted from Tommy_Pins:Not sure if this has been posted before, at the 8 minute mark they discuss rumors that the art would be photo shopped due to the license not allowing them to alter the appearance of the characters. Unsure if it's true but it makes sense.
» YouTube video
It doesn't though. Why would Stern find themselves under restrictions that are clearly not applied to other mediums? I think Stern hides behind that excuse. We see wildly varying versions of Star Wars art that involves the original characters on lots of different products.
Quoted from Kiwipinhead:The Pro model price remains the same as our last Pro. LE and Premium prices will be higher- we will advise on this soon.
Let's cut corners but still charge more! Complete BS
Quoted from cscmtp:Let's cut corners but still charge more! Complete BS
I think they may have changed their mind as the Prem/LE prices are on the website now. I doubt they would increase them now.
Quoted from scarybeard:LOL! no... your right... it must have taken their artist all day to hand paint each of those characters....
The rest of the character photos are available online, I'm not wasting all day finding them for you. These are traced in photoshop (or painter) with some filters to make them pretty. Don't buy the 'hand drawn' nonsense. This stuff was phoned in.
Obviously it was all done over stock photos, but was still done by hand, not a "insert photo, click filter, done".
Quoted from pinchamp:The code scares the shit out of me. I took $1000+ loss on my GBLE
So you lost $1000 selling a used game? I think it's foolish to think you can buy any new game, play it for however long, then sell it and not expect to lose money. Especially when the game is still in production. An LE model may or may not hold value and there's never any guarantee you will get (all) your money back out of it. That's pinvestment talk.... The issue is compounded because of high prices here in Canada which very few are willing to pay.
Rob
Quoted from Damonator:I think they may have changed their mind as the Prem/LE prices are on the website now. I doubt they would increase them now.
No, the prices are higher. The cost to get an actual premium is $300 more than I could have gotten an AS premium for when they came out. Even if the MSRP doesn't go up, the price to the distributors and the street price went up.
Quoted from Aurich:Obviously it was all done over stock photos, but was still done by hand, not a "insert photo, click filter, done".
Light table trace job with some good inking afterwards.
Quoted from jar155:It doesn't though. Why would Stern find themselves under restrictions that are clearly not applied to other mediums? I think Stern hides behind that excuse. We see wildly varying versions of Star Wars art that involves the original characters on lots of different products.
Absolutely. I find it VERY hard to believe they would not be allowed to use artwork like they do on the comic covers. They just used filtered photos to save a very small amount of money.
My friends & family are well aware I like pinball & Star Wars
They often say "I can't believe YOU of all people don't have a Star Wars pinball machine"
I usually reply "There's a few to choose from but none really check all the necessary boxes"
Something tells me Stern's Star Wars will end up, in my own mind, as all the other Star Wars games.... good for a few rounds & then never ever again.
I am spoiled living by CP Pinball. Chuck has owned the DE, Sega & WMS Star Wars at one or more points over the years. After getting a few initial exploratory games under my belt though I'd walk right past them & never give them a 2nd thought... ever.
So I'm sure I will play a few rounds but it's doubtful I pile quarters into what so far seems to be a generic Star Wars overlay on a stripped down game. The more of this game, it's price & features I see the more it's guaranteed to never end up in my basement too.
Oh well, Aerosmith Pro DOES excite so I still love me some Stern pinball even if one of my dream themes fell a bit flat of my "love it gotta buy it" criteria
Quoted from jar155:It doesn't though. Why would Stern find themselves under restrictions that are clearly not applied to other mediums? I think Stern hides behind that excuse. We see wildly varying versions of Star Wars art that involves the original characters on lots of different products.
Do you have examples? I can see Disney not allowing other artists to do their interpretations of the characters on a licensed product. I can also see stern using this as an excuse.
Quoted from Pincrazy:Is the hyperdrive going to be a distraction?
I remember when I played the digital version of Black Rose, I thought the center ball return thing was distracting. When I played the real thing, I barely noticed it. I think in person it won't be a big deal.
Quoted from jar155:Light table trace job with some good inking afterwards.
More likely all digital, just done with a Wacom, and yes, I'm sure some filters, but there's no such thing as a "drawing filter" that will take a photo like that and generate that result.
I'm not gonna defend the art on the playfield, I don't really like it, but let's stick to the facts. TBL had a backglass that was filtered photos. This isn't that.
Quoted from Aurich:Obviously it was all done over stock photos, but was still done by hand, not a "insert photo, click filter, done".
Wait a minute... that's no filter. One pic is how I see @ 7:00 am while the other is how I see @ 4:20 pm
Quoted from Coolpinballdino:Found these at Walmart could be used as cool mods
Quoted from Aurich:More likely all digital, just done with a Wacom, and yes, I'm sure some filters, but there's no such thing as a "drawing filter" that will take a photo like that and generate that result.
I'm not gonna defend the art on the playfield, I don't really like it, but let's stick to the facts. TBL had a backglass that was filtered photos. This isn't that.
No, its not a 'one click' filter. But it IS a filter.
PHOTOSHOP > Filter > Stylize > find edges > Edit > Fade find edges > mode: Multiply > ~30% or so.
I use it all the time. Then fiddle with some levels, and some noise reduction, and you have something that looks more or less 'drawn' with a little touch up and brush strokes. Its 20 minutes of work vs a few days of work actually drawing and rendering real artwork Zombie Yetti style.
If Stern asked me to do the artwork as-is on the Star Wars table, I'd charge ~ $3,000 for a weeks photoshop work. If they produce 6,000 machines, thats $0.50 per machine to cover my art costs.
If stern approached me to do the Ghostbusters playfield as-is as completely original hand-drawn art, That would probably take up to 2 months costing anywhere between $15,000 - $20,000. For six thousand units that's $2.50 - $3.30 per machine to cover my costs. Now imagine you got a GOOD artist and not just me to work on it. lets say you add $10 - $20 per machine to get an artist like Stan Lee or J Scott Campbell to do your artwork. Peoples heads would explode.
...or we can just photoshop this playfield in a week and get it out the door.
Welp, just got quoted $7300 for premium and $5400 for pro and was told by my distro Stern mandated they raise them both. Premium is out for me. Are they just gonna raise them with every release? Eh, not a proper topic for this thread.
Anyways, looking forward to the gameplay stream, I'm sure it's gonna play like a dream... can't wait to play on location.
I REALLY hope this makes Stern a ton of money so they can afford to put some proper love into the BOM of their next release.
Quoted from frolic:I've been pondering it as well. Will need to see more of the game first. Still hard to judge from the little we've seen.
Quoted from Aurich:More likely all digital, just done with a Wacom, and yes, I'm sure some filters, but there's no such thing as a "drawing filter" that will take a photo like that and generate that result.
Of course if we wanted a Drew Struzan drawing filter today, machine learning puts it in our grasp. Though even if we had it, it wouldn't change that the artists using it likely wouldn't be able to build a masterful composition like Struzan...
Quoted from Aurich:Obviously it was all done over stock photos, but was still done by hand, not a "insert photo, click filter, done".
I am sure you are correct here, but it is not beyond the realm of possibility that cutting edge deep learning techniques like deep photo could accomplish this via style transfer.
Quoted from iceman44:When we start seeing balls flying around, HD movie clips, lots of modes and multi balls, sound etc. That's when it gets real.
All of the foreplay so far doesn't mean diddly squat to me. I'm in unless the above sucks.
I don't think it'll suck. Just like Game of Thrones, the focus will shift completely into how it plays once we see that. I expect it to be a real winner, but I wish we could have had nice art on top of it is all.
Quoted from imharrow:I am sure you are correct here, but it is not beyond the realm of possibility that cutting edge deep learning techniques like deep photo could accomplish this via style transfer.
Maybe. When I look at it I see a lot of nuance that a human eye did. Look how the light was brought around the edge of the sleeve on the gun arm to help define the dimensionality, that wasn't in the photo.
I'm not trying to call this a work of art. It's a trace job over a stock photo, a realllllly well known one that we all recognize right away. The composition doesn't interest me. The whole playfield style overall isn't doing it for me.
But it's not fair to just call it filtered photos, there's more going on with all of this than that.
Quoted from scarybeard:No, its not a 'one click' filter. But it IS a filter.
PHOTOSHOP > Filter > Stylize > find edges > Edit > Fade find edges > mode: Multiply > ~30% or so.
I hear you. I've got over 2 decades of Photoshop experience myself, there's always a trick. But I don't see it here. That's not a Find Edges job, there's too much nuance in the line work.
Anyways, I don't care. If I'm wrong and that's some slick filtering work, good for them. If it's all hand drawn, cool. I think the end result feels generic, because regardless of technique it's too familiar of an image.
Quoted from Kiwipinhead:The player will decide to play as Hans, Leah, R2D2 or Luke.
Too bad it was not Chewbacca instead of R2D2. R2D2 as a hero over Chewbacca? hmmm
Quoted from scarybeard:No, its not a 'one click' filter. But it IS a filter.
PHOTOSHOP > Filter > Stylize > find edges > Edit > Fade find edges > mode: Multiply > ~30% or so.
I use it all the time. Then fiddle with some levels, and some noise reduction, and you have something that looks more or less 'drawn' with a little touch up and brush strokes. Its 20 minutes of work vs a few days of work actually drawing and rendering real artwork Zombie Yetti style.
If Stern asked me to do the artwork as-is on the Star Wars table, I'd charge ~ $3,000 for a weeks photoshop work. If they produce 6,000 machines, thats $0.50 per machine to cover my art costs.
If stern approached me to do the Ghostbusters playfield as-is as completely original hand-drawn art, That would probably take up to 2 months costing anywhere between $15,000 - $20,000. For six thousand units that's $2.50 - $3.30 per machine to cover my costs. Now imagine you got a GOOD artist and not just me to work on it. lets say you add $10 - $20 per machine to get an artist like Stan Lee or J Scott Campbell to do your artwork. Peoples heads would explode.
...or we can just photoshop this playfield in a week and get it out the door.
Its true he say, We do the same sometimes....... wel my wife actualy because she makes my pinball machines.
This time ze renders the xwing and mileniumfalcon from 3 d wireframes to get the right angle and texture.
Quoted from iceman44:F it. Who am I fooling. LE it will be
Man you're an enabler. You're making me weak. I've bought lesser themes to me than Star Wars as LEs. Guess their license is the money printing machine they hoped it would be.
Quoted from PinballManiac40:Too bad it was not Chewbacca instead of R2D2. R2D2 as a hero over Chewbacca? hmmm
Well, R2 has been in every movie, and instrumental in helping the other characters get out of jams in all of them, unlike the other three... 
Quoted from Aurich:Maybe. When I look at it I see a lot of nuance that a human eye did. Look how the light was brought around the edge of the sleeve on the gun arm to help define the dimensionality, that wasn't in the photo.
I'm not trying to call this a work of art. It's a trace job over a stock photo, a realllllly well known one that we all recognize right away. The composition doesn't interest me. The whole playfield style overall isn't doing it for me.
But it's not fair to just call it filtered photos, there's more going on with all of this than that.I hear you. I've got over 2 decades of Photoshop experience myself, there's always a trick. But I don't see it here. That's not a Find Edges job, there's too much nuance in the line work.
Anyways, I don't care. If I'm wrong and that's some slick filtering work, good for them. If it's all hand drawn, cool. I think the end result feels generic, because regardless of technique it's too familiar of an image.
Fair enough. I don't want to come off as a jerk, I'm just passionate about art. I wish the 'good ol days' of pinball art were being embraced more like Ghostbusters. Say what you like about frustrating gameplay, that machine is gorgeous!
Quoted from Aurich:Maybe. When I look at it I see a lot of nuance that a human eye did. Look how the light was brought around the edge of the sleeve on the gun arm to help define the dimensionality, that wasn't in the photo.
I'm not trying to call this a work of art. It's a trace job over a stock photo, a realllllly well known one that we all recognize right away. The composition doesn't interest me. The whole playfield style overall isn't doing it for me.
But it's not fair to just call it filtered photos, there's more going on with all of this than that.I hear you. I've got over 2 decades of Photoshop experience myself, there's always a trick. But I don't see it here. That's not a Find Edges job, there's too much nuance in the line work.
Anyways, I don't care. If I'm wrong and that's some slick filtering work, good for them. If it's all hand drawn, cool. I think the end result feels generic, because regardless of technique it's too familiar of an image.
Quoted from frolic:Man you're an enabler. You're making me weak. I've bought lesser themes to me than Star Wars as LEs. Guess their license is the money printing machine they hoped it would be.
Frolic you of all - Mr buy Mustang and WWE LE...OF course you are in!
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