** Stern's Typical Reveal Timeline, Anyone? **

I know we went through this with GOTG only last year, but do veteran Pinsiders have a better sense than I as to the timing of the reveal sequence?

Today there is a teaser trailer on Facebook, but how soon after will there be "leaked" images of the PF? I'm assuming Stern has all this publicity designed and there is nothing random about it.

Did the GOTG reveal begin with a teaser like this, too, and if so, how long after that did images of prototype machines appear from Stern?

Thanks.

** Speculations on Designer/Coder, Please **

I realize no announcement has been made re: layout design or code credit for Iron Maiden, but would Pinsiders care to speculate based on timing and whatever evidence there might be?

I did see S. Ritchie trash-talking Iron Maiden not long ago, so I'm assuming he hasn't designed this layout. Or has he? I mean, technically his pen has been sheathed since he designed SW, and that must have been eighteen months ago now. I am quietly hoping that G. Gomez was too busy with BM66 to have been involved here. (No offense.) My suspicion is that, to Stern, J. Borg is the go-to designer for music-themed pins, but was he available so soon after GOTG? I would think not. Honestly, the timing suggests Ritchie/Sheats - which would be stupendous - but Ritchie said publicly that even hearing Iron Maiden music peripherally is unpleasant.

And what coder might have been in line for this title? Did Sheats have enough time after BM66 to take this on? Or what about Dwight Sullivan?

With all due respect to the coders that brought us GOTG, I will be a lot less keen on Iron Maiden if coders other than Sheats or Sullivan are leading the charge here.

For the GOTG reveal last year, Stern made no mention of the coder right through the ship date. Early buyers had to discover this critical detail upon delivery of their pins. Not cool. Chris Franchi's art sold that pin, along with the assumption that a Borg layout would be backed up by solid code. People were mistaken/disappointed.

Say what?

For real?

Uber-champion Keith Elwin moonlights as a pin designer? I had no idea!

Is this his first outing? I've never heard of another design of his, so I'm assuming it is.

It stands to reason that an Elwin design would be hard, or hard enough to keep Keith interested and therefore very hard for the rest of us.

I will be very curious to see what a man who has played countless machines and won countless tournaments will design into his very own layout.

Thanks for cluing me in. I am quite surprised. Truly!

These are available elsewhere on Pinside, but I'm posting them here for readers who haven't yet seen them.

Could this be the foundation for Iron Maiden's layout?

Archer.layout (resized).jpg

I'm encouraged, frankly.

This layout looks dope.

I'm confused, though, by the "Borg" shot through the pops. Like, is that the left ramp? My gosh, a ramp shot through pops? That's hard! I *may* also see a "Warp Ramp" of sorts involving the third flipper and the inner loop. It also has no bash toys, which for me is a plus. Watching the gameplay clip, it's hard to make out the upper PF. It seems to be concentrated in the upper third of the table, leaving a big swath of space above the flippers, not unlike SW Pro. What I can't see is the purpose of the fourth, diminutive flipper, but hey, the more the merrier when it comes to flippers. My concern would be "Eddie." Where will he go and how intrusive will he be? Making him a bash toy would be disrespectful, I would think, and there for a no-no. At least we know he won't be a ball lock like Groot!

Stern should be counting its blessings that Elwin offered up his layout for a last-minute redesign after J. Trudeau had to step down, etc.

I care very little about the theme of this (or any) pin; I'm all about gameplay and rules. As long as G. Gomez doesn't insist on applying his own personal stamp to this project, I'm going to remain hopeful.

Still, there is the matter of coding, and trusting the rookie Naegele to do it for Elwin seems dicey.

J

I see your point; NGG and RBION have similar shots, although neither is a true ramp shot. Still, if this layout diagram is legit, this would have to be the first ramp entrance that splits the pops.

<snip>

Well, chances are good Stern won't bother - again - to disclose the coder in this case, as there is no celebrity factor to Mr. Naegele. Or not that I know of. Lyman Sheats' involvement, on the other hand, can sell a title as well as any designer.

I would love to know what Lyman and Borg are up to, or Ritchie for that matter.

If there is a reveal this morning, where will it go down?

Sternpinball.com?

Stern's Facebook page?

Dead Flip?

I foresee the "Congo" ramp shot has the potential to be a problem.

Every miss will have the ball in the pops, and a ball in the pops is an occupied/delayed ball. I don't particularly want to wait for my ball to escape the pops every time I miss my ramp shot. And that shot is *tight*.

Maybe Congo owners can speak to this.

My hunch is the launch ramp (center) will be articulated/hinged (a la TWD's Bicycle Girl), offering a shot underneath.

Who can recall how soon after the initial reveal of GOTG did we get the Premium/LE reveal?

Will it be days from now, accompanied by photos?

I can't find any info on the versions and their distinctions, one from the other.

Anyone know where I can see the stream from Twitch today as a video clip?

My feeble computer couldn't stream well at all, but I would still love to see gamaplay.

I'm searching on Twitch but see nothing.

Thanks.

Thank you!

This is helpful, Mac.

J

Street price for a Pro, anyone?

One distributor I emailed wrote to me saying $5.6K, but is that street price or lowest-publishable price? They are different.

Thanks.

Pros will ship to Europe beginning in two weeks?

Will they need two solid weeks to get them out?

Does that mean domestic orders will ship in one month from now?

And why is that? Is that jargon for a price increase? (Not trying to be smart here.)

** Archive of the Dead Flip Stream, Anyone? **

Does anyone know of any gameplay clips other than this thirty-second Instagram post?

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bg12rI0nC4p/

Thanks.

** Decoding the Matrix: Premium Features **

Does anyone want to take a shot at "motorized sarcophagus ball-lock mechanism"?

Like, the "sarcophagus" in the Pro is the Newton ball, yes? How could that be re-purposed as a lock? Something tells me the lock is elsewhere.

Or how about "motorized guardian reveals Pharaoh's Tomb entrance"? Where is the tomb entrance, BTW?

Or "interactive RGBeacon chase light"? Do these lights "chase" balls along ramps, across the PF? I'm lost.

Any/all stabs welcome.

Ah! You're way ahead of me!

Thanks.

I do see the motorized sarcophagus now, among others.

Cool!

No, but I'd like to.

Can you steer me that way?

Thanks.