Quoted from Chitownpinball:

Projection and pinball is a weird combination. I could see an above projector, but one in the apron seems odd to me.
First, what happens when the shaker goes off ir you nudge? Is that thing going to shake around and look terrible?
Also laser projection is not as great as you think. Just replacing or servicing that thing would be a nightmare. We have 10 laser projectors at work and weve swapped all but 1 out under warranty repair.
Interesting innovation, I await some video.

Quoted from Zablon:

You guys seem out of the loop on how small projectors are these days. We're not talking movie theaters here. We're talking the size of LED bulb, like what they have on watches and tablets. They aren't amazing, but they do the job, and keep in mind they don't have to throw the image all that far.
I anticipate either one on each side of the apron (L/R) or one center..which is more likely.

Quoted from DS_Nadine:

Guys, I just hopped out of a phone booth and came back from the future to tell you about pinsides reception of Stranger Things.
While the projection mapping is incredible and everyone is starving for new ideas, of course pinside agrees that "the Pro is the way to go".
Projection mapping does not alter the way the game shoots and is not that great if you set up the game on a tanning bed, like most of us do, anyways.
Have to go back to the future now and play some Bill & Ted pinball, bye!

Quoted from Zablon:

Lots of the old guys aren't going to get this. They complain if their playfield isn't lit up like the sun. They'll need night vision goggles to play this.

Quoted from PiperPinball:

It probably be LED projector.
Laser projectors are very expensive. We have a Digital Projection, 4k Laser in our movie room. True 4k, 7500 lumens. On a 182 inch audio transparent screen and its great but cost as much as a small car.[quoted image]

Quoted from Fytr:

First impressions...
The Good
The projector idea is very cool and I can't wait to see how well it works in person, and of course what kind of novel things they do with it.
The art seems fine for the theme. Could have been a hell of a lot worse.
Actual callouts and video from the series.
The (maybe) Bad
It feels like the giant screen blocks most of the back of the PF, giving me bit of a "Popeye" vibe. A bit claustrophobic. Have to play it in person to see if it's a real concern or not.
Having a giant video playing the middle of PF all the time might be off-putting.
The giant demogordon in the middle of the PF right in front of the flippers is a bit on the nose.
Kind of over basic fan layouts personally.
Overall I feel like they made this for casuals/new players. Easy shooting, easy to hit the monster in the middle, novel effects. Not sure how well it will be received by more experienced players, but there is always room on the pinball spectrum for a game like this. Hopefully it will bring newer players into the fold.
BTW I like the show well-enough and have watched all the episodes. I'm looking forward to playing this!

Quoted from DS_Nadine:

With the backboard magnet gone, the projector gone and the bashtoy being static,... what‘ll be left on the Pro? XD

Quoted from chuckwurt:

That would be incredible. My one thought is you can setup the disco mode and put your phone near the game.

Quoted from ScottyC:

Cammy has done something very similar with his TNA (trigger is the signal beacon).
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/total-nuclear-annihilation-cluball-welcome/page/117#post-5201767
Wouldn't be too hard to retrofit something like that on every pin, just wishing there was something turnkey from Stern.

Quoted from Sinistarrett:

Yep lets see the features matrix while you're at it!!

Quoted from mbrave77:

I only have a deadpool premium so far, but i cant play it in dark. Looks cooler, but i cant see the ball well.

Quoted from KozMckPinball:

The Brian Eddy interview about ST (?) is a Stern insider exclusive?

Quoted from KozMckPinball:

Never have seen a Stranger Things episode, just that kid in the Fios commercials. Is it basically one episode that continues on and on like 24, and kind of like a non-episodic X-Files?

Quoted from epthegeek:

You just have to sign up for the free insider thing; there's no money necessary for the podcast.

Quoted from chuckwurt:

No magnet on pro.

Quoted from chuckwurt:

In the code that on our game, nothing registers unless it goes in the mouth.

Quoted from sd_tom:

or maybe they were playing unreleased code

Quoted from chuckwurt:

Cool. They must have different code that what we’re playing. Good to know and hopefully simply bashing it can advance through the mode because currently the only thing that completes the mode is the mouth.

Quoted from Whysnow:

yes!
Also, if anyone has a chance to identify where the switch is to register the hits (but not hole shot) then please let me know.
Our game is on route and would be nice to know before I head down to look.

Quoted from pinlawyer:

When will LEs ship? Anyone?

Quoted from Shapeshifter:

AFM is possibly one of or the greatest game of all time.
Yes, they need to get some funny stuff in this game.
Hopefully custom Hooper call outs include some funny stuff!
Game is awesome for newbies - kind of like AFM - what happens if I get the wall down?

Quoted from Russell:

I agree, and this is why AFM should be above MM on the Pinside rankings.

Quoted from Zablon:

Tournament players like to hold the balls indefinitely to set up shots. Games need to integrate point penalties for ball cradling. Easy enough to do. No ball hits + flipper held X over 1 second = start penalties.

Quoted from kermit24:

There are lots of game adjustments that allow for exactly what you are saying.

Quoted from CrazyLevi:

Man this is a dumb idea. Like, even for pinside.
Hey you know what? For pro baseball we should make it that the batter isn’t allowed to hold his bat and needs to swing away at everything. It’s cheating otherwise. Nfl teams shouldn’t be allowed to huddle either. It’s dumb.
Dialed in throws a wrinkle into multiballs with the energy surge to the flippers. It’s cute but doing something like this all the time would ruin games and you wouldn’t see them in tournaments at all. Not sure how that helps anything.

Quoted from CrazyLevi:

Every time there’s a stream a bunch of people here who never play in big time tournaments lament how easy the game looks and how it will take hours to play in tournaments.
It’s simply not true. Bar league? Maybe but that’s bar league. Any real tournament with competent TDs the games will be setup appropriately
And if a game is too easy for you at home, you can do the same things. In my experience most home buyers WANT their games to be easy, because they think that’s what their kids, souses, and guests want.

Quoted from chuckwurt:

Dirty pool is possible the same way it is for AFM. Sneak a slow roller back there as the targets reset. If done I multiple times already but no dirty pool is in the code yet. Just sits there until ball search.

Quoted from cooked71:

This will be plastic on the pro and metal on the PreLE.[quoted image]

Quoted from KozMckPinball:

I wonder if there is a design consideration for the projector underneath it.

Quoted from DS_Nadine:

Since ypu didn‘t know about the arch and pinball browser...
...plz bear in mind that it‘s easy to fry your nodeboards if you just hook up additional lighting to an insert light.

Quoted from MikeS:

I haven't played it yet but have talked to several friends that have and the consensus seems to be that they really like how it shoots but the fatal flaw is how difficult the Demogorgan is to hit, and you can get locked into the mode of you can't hit it. One friend described it as the hardest shot in pinball and said that the Hole in One shot in NGG is easier.
I hope to get a chance to play it sometime in the next week to decide for myself.

Quoted from iceman44:

They were playing something more than .64 on the stream

Quoted from chuckwurt:

If that was the case on all games i would agree. Not sure why one like yours is a guarantee and others are impossible. I think somewhere in between would be good. Make the player think twice about shooting it, but not completely avoid it either.

Quoted from RipleYYY:

ok tanx Chuck
almost i know 1st mystery gift while in multiball will always be : add-a-ball

Quoted from PanzerFreak:

The main chapter LOTR modes are really well done thanks to great callouts, unique music, and DMD animations that change as shots are made. I think some of the charm that DMD animations offer are lost with video clips on today's games. LOTR also has the Gift of the Elves feature which is a reward system for completing modes and is represented by its own set of inserts on the playfield. Very few games have implemented a similar hook, next closest I can think of is Dialed In with the SIM card reward feature. The Gift of the Elves reward feature makes for some very addictive gameplay as it creates another layer of depth.
Finally, Keith Johnson layered LOTR multiballs with unique DMD animations, music, and multiple stages. A multiball like Fellowship of the Ring with several stages is far more fun to play in my opinion then just hitting random shots with "jackpot" callouts repeating over and over again. That's the issue with a mode like Telekinesis Multiball from Stranger Things, it's just static images of 11 with random jackpot callouts repeating over and over again. Overall Keith Johnson was able to tell the Lord of the Rings theme extremely well through his code work.

Quoted from taz:

Any thoughts to making a large Mind Flayer mod, perhaps to place at the back of the game?

Quoted from chuckwurt:

Agree. However in my case I set the game at crazy steep, crazy shallow and everything in between and it still misses high every time.

Quoted from Rarehero:

You don’t think Franchi is using a Wacom & Photoshop & painting over? Okaaaaaay.

Quoted from Looprunner:

Just a note on the code. I'm in no way versed on how pinball companies develop their software. However; I know a few things about software development. A lot of companies strive for their first release to be an MVP (Minimal Viable Product) delivery. If the develop in an Agile methodology this process allows them to deliver a workable solution and allow the stakeholders to help define the next release. This works a lot better than having a bunch of engineers and designers sitting in a conference room trying to capture everything they think the customer will need in the first release. Instead, you deliver a workable solution and let the stakeholders (customers) define where you go next. Again, I have no idea how pinball companies deliver software but I like that they delivered the first release in an MVP fashion. This allows the player to drive requirements for the next release.

Quoted from chuckwurt:

And the programming would seemingly never end. You have to stop supporting a game at some point.

Quoted from PanzerFreak:

It sounds like a nice idea on paper but I fear manufacturers would use it as a way to include less in a game upfront and then just charge more for add on content packs later.

Quoted from chuckwurt:

I just don’t think they have the manpower to pull that off. That would be a significant undertaking it seems.

Quoted from TheLaw:

Yeah yeah, we get it you work in software Everyone that works in software brings up this point here. People have had to wait literal years to get the code "done" on a game, Stern doen;t have the manpower to be working on extra shit the entire time that is happening.

Quoted from Metengo:

I am a GoT-Nerd and i would love to see the whole story in the pin. Will never happen, i know.
But it would have been nice when for example
first Multiball Blackwater Multiball
second Multiball Battle of bastards Multiball
third Multiball the long night Multiball
The pin would be less repititive and the player has a feeling of a complete story.
That is why i can´t decide to buy a GoT again.
Had one, sold it, missed it but after Season 8 i think too much is missing....
With STH it would be the same feeling for a STH-Nerd i believe.

Quoted from Rarehero:

These are already $6-$15k machines. They’re not $60 video games. Pinball code should never be seen as DLC, ever. These games should be tested and complete experiences at launch...Stern got into the habit of releasing incomplete games when updates didn’t need a ROM chip burned anymore...and unfortunately they’ve continued this & people keep buying, so they have no incentive to release finished games. Still - each game has proven it needs 2 to 3 more years to be finished. That’s not DLC or added content. That’s all shit that should have been there since day 1 for such an expensive product.

Quoted from delt31:

Just unboxed and my 5 year old played first.... He got the hole in one shot his first try! I think the toy is fine haha[quoted image]

Quoted from kpg:

Have you guys that are having a hard time getting your balls in the mouth (hehe) tried just simply adjusting the Flipper coil strength +/- in the Settings menu and experiment with that?

Quoted from dri:

The alleged "secret skillshot", has anyone found it yet? My guess is soft-plunging into the left saucer.

Quoted from flynnibus:

And frankly you've made no argument except "it shouldn't happen" and insisting Pinball is different, but no reason why it would be different. Consumers don't want dlc because it's an avenue to extract more money from them... but they prove over and over they will keep paying.
If it's games, photo apps, puzzles, camera apps, the list goes on and on.
Recurring revenue is the model all development wants... its inevitable that hardware-only companies will dip their toes in as well.... as they already have in so many other industries. Hell look at slots... they are almost exclusively a lease model.
Stern's lack of online connectivity is a hurdle to providing good controls over piracy... that barrier will fall too.
In case you haven't noticed... one of the biggest arcade games of the decade... golden tee is heavily dunked in micro transactions, dlc, and online requirements

Quoted from CrazyLevi:

I think they would react violently to paying for code updates.
I think people who own the latest ghostbusters and are whining incessantly about where’s our code will riot if another month goes by without one, but you can buy new code for a 6 year old game.
I think resources will be better spent (ie more profitable) for Stern (let’s just say stern, who else has resources to do this) than new code, which remains difficult and time consuming even though people here think it can be tossed off in a weekend.
Just a hunch. I don’t think it would work for anybody in pinball. Could be wrong.