Quoted from TigerLaw:Do you think this was what they were testing out when they put the language on the manual about playfields ghosting being normal?
This was not as much as purely a "test" as it was a need to address present issues to consumers.
It is quite disappointing to see some enthusiasts continue to actively deny any types of problems even exist as "it has not happened to them" which remains equally typical presently, but the policy change is a direct indication as a "blanket" and is in direct written word, not some sort of speculative conjecture. Another direct example is cabinets, where Stern was forced to address cabinet splitting and "up the ante" for reinforcement. This is also not speculation. See the attached photos. The brackets should look very familiar from pinball history's past.
Overall the policy change (remember this is NOT a warranty) was more to find a way to get a work around to *potentially* not provide necessary replacements of pinball components such as playfields or cabinets and reduce public outcry, as necessary. It is part of changes of public marketing, just as was done with the introduction of SPIKE as a "better pinball operating system" and make people believe what they want to believe. It is manipulation, and if repeated enough times, it works.
Pick any collectible industry in the world and it applies, especially areas such as artwork.
I have discussed technical aspects of what is acceptable and what is not in other parts of the pinball world beyond these forums, and what constitutes correction in both areas of quality assurance and control of pinball components. The biggest problem is the original "safety net" of operators reporting problems has disappeared, and now manufacturer can try and do anything they want potentially hoping nobody will notice.
Superficial issues aside, sometimes owners simply are uninformed, but other times concerns are completely legitimate, but everyone gets lumped into the same category all the same. That is why it is called a "catch all" policy change.
In another five years, many might not know what a past industry "standard" was anyway.
"History becomes legend, legend becomes myth" methodology.
For the most part, this started back in the late 2000s and shows where we are today, just people we not around to see changes.
Just like when I hear the repeated statement over the last decade, "Nobody owned pinball machines before 1990."
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