Stern is already raising prices $600/$1k/$1k on new releases beginning Sept. I think the frickin new tech is already being paid for and then some. Free dongles for every home.

I think it's for a bunch of different shit, much of which will be coming over the course of years. A constantly evolving development project much like any online gaming or social media platform. They didn't go through all this trouble for it to do "one thing" that will be revealed in a week.

I don't "think" I have any interest in whatever this stuff is gonna be, but then I'm a curmudgeon. People have been absolutely clamoring for Stern to "go online" for years so it's finally happening. Hopefully something come out of this project that makes people happy.

Mess is all relative I suppose. All in all it is a pretty robust protocol that can handle more than most people believe it can, though it really depends what one needs it for. Not sure I totally get where it would be used in this context though, so I was mainly just jumping in to stick up for it as someone that has a bit of experience with it in a non-consumer sense as well.

Well yes I think that may be my problem with this...

I cant think of a single reason I would want a pinball attached to the interwebs outside of tourneys (and I dont think that works)..

Sort of like JJP putting a camera in their games as a modern "feature".

Why the fuck would I want that? so I can see my chins after I play? thanks JJP.

You wouldn't, but you'd also be amazed at how many of us aren't fat asses like you. I mean...do you really need JJP to remind you how obese you are?

Hey, playing pins with your phone was a big hit, this could be too!!
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Speak for yourself.

No death knell here. We will be just fine and I am confident both platforms can coexist. You are spot on, Stern will be able to do some really cool things that we simply cannot without machine integration. As a fellow pinhead, I am truly excited about this. The replay value added to all of the past/present spike 2 games will be incredible.

I controlled a real batman 66 machine online once. It was almost as laggy as JJPs customer support.

I think there are some cool possibilities for
Location play.
- Competition mode where players pay their entry fee and can scan their QR code to play the games and keep track of scores, also sets the machines into a competition rule mode automatically
- Pay for games through the app, buy 20 games get 5 free on that location or operators games. Then I don’t need to pay for multiple games on a single machine to get your freebie/half price game.
- Pay for time based play at a location, pay for 1 hour at a location which is linked to your QR code
- Ghost mode, similar to Racing games you can load someone else’s game played on that machine and try to beat their score or get achievements before they do. See a timer counting down to how long you have to beat them. This would be cool if you load games remotely and could try playing against pro players like Elwin!

I feel like there are so many possibilities for this, good to see GG so excited about it!

It's the day of the announcement and I am already nervous with how this is going. There are some really easy lessons here and they kinda stumbled already.

A major one is do not add cost to those that do not want to participate. Also minimize the cost to those that do.

I know pinball is different but in gaming I do not think there has ever been a successful add on and everyone has tried. The golden rule is release it with the new engine, new hardware, pro version whatever but never release an add or expansion to existing hardware.

The QR code is doable if it was just a instruction card the operator had to print once for each pin. There is zero reason to have a screen or create a code in real time. Most TV apps just show you log in on your phone and enter a 6 digit number. That number could easily be displayed on the existing LCD.

Have you been to a pinball show?

These are really people that are just begging to have their picture taken and displayed on the big screen?

ooooh a camera. Nice "innovation".

That was some stupid shit also...

The very nature of pinball makes it infinitely repayable...that's why most of us fell in love with it as a game we wanted in our homes. Great pinball can be replayed forever and always be fun. If people need extra gimmicks to attain replayability, I mean...congrats? ...but if pinball was already lacking replayability for you, then you'll probably get bored of these gimmicks as well.

I'm curious to see what they use this platform for moving forward, Gomez sounds VERY enthused about it and I trust that guy more than just about anyone in the industry.

Even if it never is used for anything other than 'achievements', I think that'll be a fun thing to play with on location games. I love that your achievements will be tagged with the location of the game, I can roast my buddies if they're hitting up the easy spots in town.

and games cost $2/game to cover sterns and apples cut.

Can’t speak for them but you could reach out to me via [email protected] if you’d like to contribute your skills. We have some interesting things on the horizon.

Many, lot less fatties than their used to be thats for sure. Its only so long before the "sugars" take them out.

Well, I won't be buying any more Sterns. This is a huge turnoff. But I imagine Millenials and younger will dig it. They love anything connected to the internet.

I don’t think anybody holds a gun to your head and forces you to use it….

Gomez did say more features were coming though, so who knows!

Yawn!!!
Does absolutely nothing for me but I don’t do myspacebook either lol

Better late than never

Hell no I won't be using it.

This is like the time I suddenly noticed a bunch of late teens and young adults recreating outside only to realize they were still glued to their phones trying to catch Pokemon.

If you guys want to bring your phones to log into your stern app to scan a QR code to synch up before you push start go for it. Maybe you'll win a virtual participation trophy, or a Stern hat for your avatar.

Loot crates and micro transactions!

I hope new games come with a traditional plastic for the right window of the apron for those who don’t care about this & want to remove it.

ZY has already promised MORE art...

Gotcha, totally understand if this has no appeal to you— I was just pointing out that it’s not going to stop you from enjoying the parts of pinball you do consider worthwhile.

Not trying to be a smart-ass, just making the point that never buying another Stern because of this is a little extreme.

Think this will come with an open API? I know scorbit had that on their backlog.

This is all true, an on-screen challenge code would be much better. I don’t even know any normies that know how to use QR code’s anyway; must be a big city thing. I hate whipping out the scanner, personally, for anything.

At least on iPhones, you fire up camera and aim. Some restaurants have QR codes now instead of giving you menus.

I don't disagree with you. Luckily for me there's a big library off offline pins I will continue to enjoy and collect. We all play for different reasons. I enjoy pinball socially and to unplug.

I’ll continue to bet that the EULA was a CYA move and a CYA move alone.

I don't understand your whining about this ADDITIONAL feature. You can still play any online enabled game without logging in, without doing challenges, without achievements or leaderboards or whatever. It just sounds like this is a reason for you to be angry about mean old Stern Pinball doing things you dont like that dont even have to affect you at all.

I’ll throw a comment in-I don’t have much against it for new games…but i would prefer a gameplay experience that is not susceptible to additional inconvenience…i don’t want my pinball machine reminding me of updates, gradually degrading performance after said updates…and so on…if those things don’t happen like every game system, mobile phone, and PC i have owned…i’m ok with some features-just not degradation and aggravation.

I wonder if the system will pick up mods such as my Pinwoofer, say they are not authorized and then not allow me connectivity?

Nope, no way. The system can not detect the PinWoofer system any more than it can detect a drink in your cup holder.

I would venture this applies to any mod out there.

Besides, even if it could, which it can't, the manufacturer has no say in how you modify your own property.

I posted to Facebook / George Gomez that it was about time the finally release features first introduced by Multimorphic.

As you can image; the comment was promptly deleted after receiving a comment from Gomez himself. I don't know what that comment was because the whole thread was deleted... but apparently they aren't willing to admit this one was a reaction to competition pressure.

I'm glad they are finally thinking about innovation; even when it's to catch up to the competition.

Your logic is highly flawed. Firstly, an addition is not always an improvement. Try adding 50 pounds to your girlfriend. Secondly, we've already been alerted to the largest ever Stern price hike in the neighborhood of $600-$1000. This is what we get in exchange. So, as a collector it does affect me. Do you generally pay for discretionary things you don't like or want? That would be pretty stupid. Don't you think? Do you know anything about modern day BBH and Golden Tee machines? Do you really think that's a good direction for pinball to head in and a net positive for buyers/collectors?

Curious to see how there will be more art with the scanner installed than there was previously. I could see them putting some game specific art around the scanner but the scan module itself will still be most of the window space. I'm assuming the scan module is an off the shelf sealed unit and the "tub" portion needs to stay white to capture the QR code properly, so probably no art in that area.

Maybe they will be doing full wraps of art on the apron instead of just the windows and cards? That would be cool.

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ROTFL. P3 is not competition. They’re a spec on Stern’s buttcheek. P3 probably hasn’t sold 100 games since it launched, while Stern has probably sold 100k in that timespan. P3 is proof that this stuff doesn't move the needle or sell more games. Stern isn’t doing this because they need to. They’re doing it because they can.

This isn't something they just conjured up in the past 6 months. It's been well known for several years this was coming.

Rob

Will pros have metal aprons going forward to house the scanner? If so I’m gonna miss my plastic bounce lazarus balls.

First things first, my "logic" is that if there's a feature you don't like, don't use it. I certainly didn't say ALL additions are improvements but this one is. If you want to talk about price increases, that's another issue worth discussing. But a price increase was coming with or without this hardware, we'll see what it ends up being but if the increase is $400 or $500 for a Pro but $1000 for a Premium, then clearly there are other considerations than the new hardware.

Ok. Sure. Whatever you need to tell yourself.

I imagine this comes from the achievement/loot model of most video games now that seem to have some addictive aspects to them. Just another reason to put another quarter into a machine.

Pindigo is still my favorite. Scorbit has been underwhelming and paying for Pinquest was just ridiculous when a local group/club can be established with the same effect.

All you old-timers (80% of Stern's buyers) be forgettin' two important words:

L-I-F-E-S-T-Y-L-E

B-R-A-N-D

I’ll take “Things that Stern objectively isn’t” for $400.

I'm having zero interest in this and I work with IT stuff, programming, integrating systems and similar things. May change in the future when I see how it develops but for now a hard pass.

I’m holding judgement on whether it’s a good addition or not until we see more. How it works etc isnt what I think Stern messed up here. It’s the addition of it on every new machine with no choice to their customers.

People saying if you don’t use it don’t pay for it, assuming it has a monthly fee but the fact is you’re already paying for it if you buy any machine with it on. It could easily just have been left as a retrofit item and not added more cost to every Stern machine from Sept on.

If there is anything that can generate a ton of feedback its that dirty ol topic called CHANGE. Folks want change and innovation. Innovation and change are presented and people are angry.

The most successful pinball company of the last 20+ years has been working on this technology and platform for a significant period of time yet random internet folks already know its crap. Makes perfect sense.