So, just using a $15-20 Raspberry Pi Wifi dongle. That's some markup.

I don't think Stern is really set up to handle custom font work well. They messed up the kerning on Deadpool and it was screwed up for like a YEAR until they finally fixed it. It's not rocket science. Once you get your tool made it can spit out custom kerning tables for pretty much any font you want to dream up. Someone at Stern just has to WANT to.

I turned off the magnet grab today and it seems the game lets the magnet grab the ball to redirect it but doesn’t do the holding on the magnet. We’ll use that until stern fixes the code

app development, art, qr code reader, having to give everyone a raise, potato potatoe *shrug*

Perspective.

The app's pretty basic. Being super-generous, let's say it was $100k to develop. That's about $30/machine, fully amortized by the time Godzilla is done. So we're at about $50/machine with the app and wifi dongle. Dunno what they're using for QR reading, but would not be surprised if it was a basic webcam because QR codes are not complicated so a low res webcam is fine. Those Chinese "door lock" QR code readers would also do the job (see example below that looks a lot like what Stern's using in the videos). Whichever case, about $10 in quantity. So $60/machine.

No idea what art you're talking about that was any significant cost. Payroll raises are completely untethered from the online system.

There's also server fees for the data management of the system, but again, those are not crazy if they're using AWS and managing it themselves, and I'm sure the upcoming OP fees will more than cover it.
QR-door-lock-reader (resized).jpg

thank you !!! - we've got the lab being prepared - STAT!

Neil.

Damn, lucky! Now in the back of my mind I’m gonna be thinking of this when I see my vendor calling me to tell me my game is pushed back.

Never thought I'd be having a discussion about proper font kerning on Pinside, but here we are.....

Just wondering how we can persuade someone at Stern "to WANT to", because after all....

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kerning matters (resized).png

I tried to always have a font that matched the content of games I worked on, so I am intimately familiar with kerning tables. When I see monospaced text in some crap localization, it drives me bananas. Unfortunately, it's pretty common, still.

But yeah, if someone at Stern went all Steve Jobs and got onto fonts they could pretty quickly have some sweet tools to handle this stuff painlessly moving forward and get very legible theme-specific fonts on their pins. Wouldn't even have to drop acid first.

Sure AWS makes hosting like paying a credit card bill - but doesn't mean those services automatically configure and run themselves.. nor support it. That's Operational manpower you have to add now, either in-house or contracted. That's ongoing cost, on top of your cheap servers.

Then your app was never a one-time thing, it's a product you built, delivered 1.0, and now have to not just support, but continue to develop. This isn't a one developer sized task. So again, this is ongoing cost you will incur, in addition to your initial contracting or investing in building the app. Something that you would either contract out or hire people to do.

The QR reader isn't just the reader - but the Stern-specific node board they designed and implemented for the system. Plus the platform work put into the game... then going back and adding new content to 17 titles. Even just touching 17 releases is expensive timewise, let alone the actual feature development put into each one.

Just because you have some capacity of people on payroll doesn't mean costs are disassociated from functionality. Time is money - and time implementing this is time not spent elsewhere and capacity that likely didn't exist before... so is more than likely increasing your recurring payroll.

Any system that will be a foundation for other work and requires continually being updated to just operate in the continuously changing world of devices and services will represent a significant investment in initial time, capital, and ongoing costs too. And programmers aren't cheap.

I am curious if Stern will try to use connected as a payment system. i.e. buy credits on your phone, add credits to a machine by scanning a qrcode or via Internet push. Stern pays operator and takes a cut. Similar to payrange, but using the QR reader, or possibly just talking to the machine directly if they are connected to the Internet... similar to how the TouchTunes jukeboxes work. There's a few different ways they could work out the security concerns of someone commandeering your qr code(s). Earning additional credits by completing challenges/tasks would be an interesting reward system.

Okay, forget about one-time amortization. The AWS management will be *extremely* basic since the kind of data it's tracking is not complicated (even if they add operator error and revenue tracking - for an additional fee). If Stern's doing 3 games a year, you have a generous $300k to keep the pretty basic app fresh, and that's still about $50/a machine on a rolling amortization per year. Haven't seen the node board, so I can't comment on that, but I would be shocked if it adds $30/machine in quantity. How complicated does it need to be? Power and a USB or serial interface and that's it. Spitballing components and development, only about 20% of that price hike is actual costs.

I'm POSITIVE something like that has to be in the works. It's too lucrative not to be, and the hardware is now included with every machine they sell.

Stern insider talk is soooooooo boring. Can’t wait to see some more LE pics.

+1

Mike at Automated told me today LEs could be in at end of this week or early next week.

You keep suggesting AWS somehow makes their product self running? AWS is just a platform and set of tools. It's not sentient. It still takes Ops to monitor, update, do pushes, plan for the future, etc. They aren't going to give that task to the existing guy running cable and fixing the printers. This is a service that will require ongoing support and upkeep -- let alone their ongoing feature development. Both the backend and front-end need ongoing TLC just to stay safe and operational. They are either going to expand their staff capacity to support this or contract it out and pay for it.

Then eventually someone will want to spend time making this platform useful for both internal and external parties... so you'll get some basic data analyst, and maybe some business dev type trying to advance all those great 'possibilities' stern outlined. It's also something Stern will want to keep expanding, so you'll have development time spent on that. Stern already does a ton of work in house, so eventually you would probably bring that work in house even if you contracted it out to boot strap it for launch.

This is going to represent a significant ongoing opex for Stern to operate and advance. Opex that obviously needs to be supported with sales or service fees.

I'm just talking about the bump we got in retail vs the cost of that network/online bump. And analyzing what we got vs the sizable price jump, it's hard to see the size of the bump as much less than an opportunistic money grab because Stern knew people would excuse it due to the pandemic and "new hardware" (even if that new hardware is essentially pretty cheap).

Moving forward, when those features are added for ops or tournament players or other monetizing, I guarantee that Stern will have those costs covered 5 fold by fees to access those advanced services.

For sure - we were getting a price bump because of people paying stupid money for games and the usual increases anyway. The blaming it on IC is a matter of convenience to try to tie value to what is otherwise just price increases.

But please give me more Elwin games over more Borg rehashes. k thx bye

Talking with my Distributor and my LE should ship next week! Can’t wait.

I dont get your argument. Did they break even with the $300 bump for the hardware, sure and profited probably. Whats their app dev cost? all the developers and executives plus the janitor who cleans the area and increased support so an ongoing cost and probably millions already invested into the development (multiple years and these people arent cheap and all the QA and software lifecycle time I was a devops and full stack developer for almost 10 years). But this is the cost of a new stern game. You can come in here and bring this up but its not an option. Either customers use it and they support it or they give up. There is nothing to argue about here. Make your mods and profit off of it or dont.

Sorry if I'm overstepping but can we move all the non Godzilla specific discussion about Stern Insider Connected to its dedicated Topic?

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/stern-insider-connected

This topic really should remain focused on Godzilla specific information.

Got a few games on my friend's new Pro tonight. We set it up and connected it to his insider account. Pretty simple. The game is super fast. I can see putting a Pro into the collection at some point. Certainly early, but this one has the teeth to be Keith's best.

The company KMS Handels GmbH, the Stern Pinball Distributor for Germany, presents the latest Cornerstone from Stern Pinball
"Godzilla" in the pro version from the Designer Keith Elwin.
We will stream this mega-title from Stern Pinball on October 16th, 2020 from 5 p.m. Central European Time on the KMS Twitch channel under the following link:
https://www.twitch.tv/kms_germany
The stream will then also be published on the KMS YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVLzd10dTnKyQa76IjV74AQ
We look forward to sharing this new Stern Pinball game with you!

Box Godzilla PRO (resized).png

Picked up the latest issue of Life for some airplane reading.

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It's actually really referred to as typeface. Font is more specific. ie Myriad typeface variation is a "font" Myriad Bold italicized. Sorry, just had to split the atom on this one haha

Hmmm, learned something new today. Found this neat article that explains the differences well;

https://99designs.com/blog/tips/typeface-vs-font/

Thanks,
EV

So .79 code completely changes the way you get Godzilla MB. It no longer is about lighting locks and locking the ball. Instead you have to damage the building by hitting a combination of it and ramps. From what I can tell you have to hit 4 ramps and do 66% damage to the building with shots to it to start Godzilla MB.
(it never explicitly states it on the screen what all you need, just says hit ramps and building)

Not sure how I feel about it yet, but it definitely uses the magnet a lot less so should help with the overheating issue, but seems like treating the symptom and not the cause.

Saucer attack is kind of cool and noticed some more animations and backgrounds added.

i like that that timer now stop during magnet grab, that was a bit annoying to see time tick down

I agree, although the magnet doesn't seem to grab the ball nearly as much now.

Man do I hope someone fixes the sound on this pin and fast. Most importantly the main theme and multiball music needs to go. The Avengers style, superhero lame music sucks for this theme. Does Stern have to be so cheesy as to use "Godzilla" rock song. Only thing holding me back right now.

I mean how much better would it have been using this style.

I couldn't make it through the whole thing. It put me to sleep. Especially at 14:35 when it turns into a lullaby. I would have to turn the game off if it started playing music like that during multiball. I'll take BOC over that.

Didn't buy one, but got to play a few games at York so here is the unbiased review.

I was pleasantly surprised!

Easily the best game from Elwin.

It played smooth as butter.

I did not think that the magnet would be as cool as it was, but honestly it was a great toy and made shooting the pro really fun.

If Stern had put 3-d sculpts for the monsters and put a premium sticker on this, I think I would still have been impressed.

If the premium is like this, but better, I think this may be a legitimate top 5 GOAT game.

Played a pro at Next Level. Elwin delivers!
Looks great and shoots great. Only thing I would change on the pro is the plastic above the captive ball. I want to see the captive ball move.

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Yeah I was surprised when I learned there was a captive ball behind there, which is really cool because I can't recall any other game where a physical magnet also doubles as a captive ball bash target. Same plastics used on all game versions & the bridge will cover that area on the Premium. They could have put a minimal clear plastic there, but that's easy enough to change if you really wanted to on the Pro.

Any word on LE orders? Figured we would see some showing up very soon.

Woke up this morning wondering the same thing.

I wake up every morning since ordering and wonder this

Oooof that music
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I mean. Its been forever since we saw they were on the line. They should have all 1000 built and in boxes by now.

If Godzilla evolves like AIQ I don't think we will be seeing much change in regards to music or callouts. I have never been satisfied with the callouts and music of AIQ and thought much more would be added then ever was.

Not to mention an industry first magnet diverter! Can grab the ball from a handfull of different shots and place/sling/fling in a few as well.

Also I can't recall a rotating jump ramp that brings players from shooting a three bank to a Jump ramp into a bash toy that after a few registered shots magnetically grabs the ball and sends it down the way through the tailwhip shot path and towards the flippers. Also add a spinner to that mech and thats REALLY ANOTHER MECHANISM not in PINBALL!

Some folks just want a game that has a Ramp return made from drumsticks for (something Unique) I see that as cool but nothing special, I just don't like the layout on Erics game #2 he could have made the layout flow alot better and made some of his ideas used stand out more by utilizing them in a couple different ways that would've worked!

I'm hoping that they get rid of that New York guy callouts, that is the only thing I'm not a fan of. On the bright side if they do keep it, you can always switch it to Japanese and never have to hear it.... but I do like the deadpan callouts of the main announcer.

Me Too!!
We should take bets who will get the first LE and put pics up here..
I make a long shot bet it will be MEDIC7000 . i say longshot due to he almost never posts but he lives close to STERN headquarters / Most every other PIN owner i clicked due to liking of the name wound out being in Floriduh ,who knew so many bought an LE in Floriduh .

I'm in washington, so I'll be among the last

Without us what would the world be?

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FYI - You can play a Premium today if you head to Logan!

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Wow that Premium translight looks amazing.

I wish they had kept the Japanese like the Pro. Weird they took it off for the Prem and LE...