i consider most stern pros the winning model. In this case, i feel the pro really has nothing if it doesn't have the best feature on the premiums/le, the hyper space ramp/loop. first premium i will own on preorder, but i still want to see...cough cough...some video?

I'm personally a fan of the premium art work, cabinet and playfield.... so I ordered one. True story.

Get both. Swap out the guts in each game and sell the pro game in a premium cabinet. That will be the "true" LE!

Hold on!!
Its really time to start talking about the JAWS widebody stern coming out early 2018.
I dont expect gameplay video for it till its out.

I'm leaning towards the Pro based on cost, trying to figure out if I'm losing game-play by doing so. If the play is the exact same, and the Premium just has more flash with the cracking Deathstar and ball holding Hyperloop, I think I'm fine with the Pro. If game-play is different/lacking because of these 2 omissions, I'm not sure what to do.

Would love to see more info!

Yeah, we really need to see video to see what sort of interactivity is there. Maybe it's all just show. If there's a change to scoring or the rules, that really complicates the decision.

Stern just had a short testing video on a SW pro live on Facebook. There were callouts from the movies as well as custom callouts. Some sounded like the guy from GOT and some sounded like Yoda. There was no Death Star on the test models.

Overall I got the impression the game was a lot like Avatar in the "feel" department. Didn't seem to have a lot of music.

Please, no. That game is a dumpster fire.

In 1995

I tend to agree. It's hard to say though based on - again - a grainy video that was only 3 minutes long. Typically they'll post the live videos on their page so you can view them later, but this one isn't popping up.

I'm not into blowing designers, but I donl;t think there's anyway SR could produce something as bad as Avatar.

I wasn't speaking specifically about the design, but the over-all "feel" of the video. Again, it was crap footage, which is no longer on their page.

I don't even need to see video to know I don't want the hyper drive and really the cracking death star does nothing for me, mods will be plentiful for the Pro and it has the color changing GI, not into the wire form in front of the flippers either. Still the LE and Pre look great and if you want all that stuff its there, its nice to have options.

Pro seems like the way to go here.

Then there is truly no hope for you.

Gotta wait to see them in action. Pro looks like we're strictly paying for a theme. Premium offers a little more with hyper loop, but is it worth$2k? Probably not, but I'm not sure theme alone sells me the pro. We shall see.

$2k for a ball zipping around a loop above the pf with no interactivity to actual gameplay? No, not even close to worth it. I can tell you that right now.

Dude...it has "All new EZ Slide cabinet brackets for smooth and easy playfield access!!!!"

!!!!

so basically, you would be getting a HS (pro) vs a Getaway pin (premium/le)?

The more I see the playfield pictures, the more I am starting to agree with this. I hope the hyperdrive loop does more than we think, though. It also looks like it may block a lot of the inserts for the scoop.

I do like the return to shooter lane gate though.

And HS is 10 times the game getaway is!

I can't wait to see these cost cutters!! I'm sensing a PF peg situation all over again here.

Thats why i am eyeing di. I seriously think stern said. Its in the bag with star wars and while we are at it lets raise the price again.

I can't argue with that but still have no time for the hyper drive.

I'm looking at it too.

On the Permium/LE, anyone know what exactly that part of the hyperloop ramp on the top right of the playfield where it exits from behind the backboard (with the "V" shape) is? Could that be a lift-up type ball stop of some kind for a physical lock? That would be cool.

Or maybe there is a physical ball lock behind the backboard.

No physical ball locks. Hyper loop is used and can store multiple balls looping but that's it.

Shame.

Seems odd to have balls looping around the playfield repeatedly while you're trying to play the game.

A physical lock would be sweet... then shoot the balls through the loop when you start a "Death Star destruction" sequence. Or a "Death Star Destruction Multiball" sequence.

Or maybe have them also go in the opposite direction in the loop when you start an "escape from the Death Star" sequence.

This really summarizes the fans and detractors of Getaway. It is a big reason why people prefer High Speed or Getaway.

Fans of Getaway: it's quite the rush to see the ball speed around that loop!
Detractors of Getaway: why am I standing here doing nothing while watching the ball whiz around a loop?

We'll see if Star Wars is similar to Getaway or offers something different.

Think tortuga MB from POTC. That's what I think this will be.

Ball stalling during MB like the supercharger, or saucers in NF & T2(?).

Physical ball locks don't do anything for me.

Even in Getaway, the looping actually meant something in the rules. It's just not looping around with no consequence. And getting more than 1 ball in there was really cool!

Rob

The looping actually interests me. Seems like another challenge of gameplay to stay focused on ball in play while looping balls constantly circle. I'm excited to see it. Again, without it, what else is there to really see happen on playfield.

From what I can see, people aren't going to buy SW because it's loaded with toys. Its biggest selling features are the theme, a fast flowing Ritchie playfield and hopefully a good ruleset from Dwight.

Even if the premium and LE play a bit different you still get all these features on the Pro.

Feel like a fly on the wall during a meeting at Stern

Getaway is SO AWESOME - love it!!

Oh man. Did you see sw video on face? Star wars theme, luke in his xwing on lcd screen. Shots like no fear. The mini display was nice integrated, i really liked what i saw

pta-attorney (resized).jpg

Where is this new video? I couldn't find on on Stern's facebook page.

They didn't archive it. It was live and it was cut short suddenly. They didn't save the footage.

Sorry but nobody is even close to Stern right now. I've owned games from the 2 other players that have put atleast 2 games out so far and while Stern isn't perfect they have taken care of every issue I've had (some minor and a couple quite major).

My Hobbit was far from perfect but JJp took care of the issues I had so they deserve credit for standing behind their product too.

That being said they are still way behind the game as far as being able to announce a title and getting it out in a relatively short time frame. They also don't have anything even close to a pro level stern as far as it being worth operating a JJP.

Spooky you have to give them credit for what they have been able to do but they still feel very much like home brew design and AMH was flawed by Playfield design issues while RZ layout just did nothing for me.

All that being said none of the companies are perfect but there is still only one game in town that you can pick up a phone and have quite a few titles to choose from and have the game in home in less then a couple weeks.

October->June was only 9 months for JJPs Dialed In, and is a huge improvement over 2-3 years on the last two titles. If they can get the announce->release gap down to 4 months, they'll be competitive with Stern, and they're headed that direction.

that is blantantly false.

I can make a phone call right now and get 3 different JJP games and 2 different Spooky games in a couple weeks.

That is 5 games with 1 phone call. A few of them I could even get delivered today if I wanted to pay for it.

Valid point. Buts it's also true that in the same period of time that those companies made a couple of games, Stern has releases a dozen or more titles.

All three companies bring something different and valuable to the hobby. It's nice that we have options.

I don't even count Spooky games yet, they all look like class projects thus far, JJP has 3 games in what 8 years sorry man but you need to let this defense rest. I'm happy we have all these boutiques and start up companies too but Stern is still the only real pinball manufacturer, not saying that won't change I hope it does.

You really do live in your own little bubble, don't you?

IMG_6355 (resized).JPG

Meanwhile over at Stern...

pasted_image (resized).png

Lol really? They have come out with 3 games in what 6+ years???? How many games have Stern come out with in that time frame? Dude give it a rest it's not even close.

Oh man. Best video ever. Did you hear the background music, so well programmed. Omg. Love star wars.

IMG_1064 (resized).PNG