Quoted from beelzeboob:I hate to use the old cliché, but you don't play the artwork. Yes, GOT playfield art is really bad, but it's still one of the most fun recent Sterns. ACDC's playfield art also sucks...but it's a blast to play.
That's a fact. They are both ugly as it gets. I give Ac/dc the nod only because of the color red!
Doesn't really matter much but I'd rather have GB, AS or MET artwork, and BM66 for that matter.
Quoted from Rarehero:Bad art costs the same as good art. Sometimes they're at the mercy of the licensor as to what assets they can use...sometimes they're at the mercy of a schedule...sometimes the artist just does a bad job and they don't have time to fix it before going into production. There are always a million reasons why something ends up the way it ends up...I don't think budget has anything to do with it.
As an artist, good art almost always costs more than bad art. Whether the currency is time or money, it costs more. Sure their hands can be tied by a licensor, but a good artist with enough time can make bad assets look pretty good.
Quoted from beelzeboob:I hate to use the old cliché, but you don't play the artwork. Yes, GOT playfield art is really bad, but it's still one of the most fun recent Sterns. ACDC's playfield art also sucks...but it's a blast to play.
I think ACDC is a good example of how to make bad assets work as a whole. Yes they are pretty bad, but the entire package looks good together. And, yes you don't play the artwork but not everybody views artwork the same way. Everyone is geared differently. I know a few people personally that do not want to own a GoT due to the ugly art. Some people could care less about the art and that is fine, but why not go the extra mile to make it look good and get everybody to buy it, not just the people that don't care about art.
Quoted from Rarehero:...but we have eyeballs and these are giant things we have to look at if we own them. To pay THAT much for something THAT big with horrible art, when there ARE options with great art...that's just something I cannot do.
...it's Photoshop, but it's stylistically cohesive with the whole package and "feels" like AC/DC. There's nothing offensive about it...in fact, I quite like the way AC/DC Premium looks. GOT doesn't "feel" like GOT. It's a mix of absolutely generic (playfield) with terrible Photoshop (translite/cabinet).
Fair enough. I would never want GB in my house for the way it looks. But I still think the cab and backglass on GOT LE is awesome and when it's lit up you can't see much of the playfield past the ridiculously bright lights. Perhaps it was designed that way? 
Quoted from beelzeboob:Fair enough. I would never want GB in my house for the way it looks. But I still think the cab and backglass on GOT LE is awesome and when it's lit up you can't see much of the playfield past the ridiculously bright lights. Perhaps it was designed that way?
I'll give you that GOT LE looks decent. Conceptually - still not my bag, but at least it's painted...it doesn't look terrible like the other versions.
Quoted from Gov:As an artist, good art almost always costs more than bad art. Whether the currency is time or money, it costs more. Sure their hands can be tied by a licensor, but a good artist with enough time can make bad assets look pretty good.
Sure, but I don't think a Stern game with poor art vs. good art had a different "art budget". They've generally used the same artists over the years...sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. For example - Kevin O'Connor did 24, one of the worst art packages of all time. He also did X-Men, one of Stern's better looking games. I can't imagine the reason 24 looks like shit is because they paid Kevin less than they did for X-Men.
Quoted from 0geist0:Wasn't this thread supposed to be about the cabinets splitting?
Stern's quality control / shipping department...
Quoted from Rarehero:.. GOT doesn't "feel" like GOT. It's a mix of absolutely generic (playfield) with terrible Photoshop (translite/cabinet).
Maybe i have not seen the same GoT than you, but the show i have seen is placed on a location called Westeros, a continent looking similar to the UK. And exactly this is the main element of the PF. Hmmm for me it feels like GoT. And in the show i have seen swords are more than a weapon they are expression of an attiitude. Oh and what do i see on my GoT PF? Swords. And at least the show i have seen it was the clash of the houses and what do i see on my GoT PF? Yes, you know...
So for me this pin IS GoT (but i have to say i also liked the PF of IJ4, maybe i am a map-man...).
And at least when Rory McCann shouts Blackwater Multiiiiiballllll i am part of GoT and i want to be Hand of the King and i want to be on the Iron Throne.
Ah and i changed the TL (yes that original TL was even as good as the TL of Genesis and co.)
Was just showing 3 new games from 3 different builders so people could compare and decide for themselves. Hope it helps people decide where they would like to spend their NIB money. The Spooky looks pretty good IMO. I feel sorry for myself and others that are getting you know what from Stern. It's a shame because they make some fun games JMO.
I guess yours was built Tuesday,Wednesday,or Thursday and we got the Monday or Friday batch. Yours looks great.
Quoted from Buzz:I guess yours was built Tuesday,Wednesday,or Thursday and we got the Monday or Friday batch. Yours looks great.
How can you say that without even seeing the other side? Looks like we got a little separation there. 
Nudging of any kind during gameplay is now prohibited by the manufacturer.
IKEA - Stern's new cabinet replacement program partner. The philosophy is, if you think you can do better then do it yourself.
They'll include a bottle of GB original insert glue with every NIB machine as a precautionary measure.
Quoted from PinRob:Here a nice looking one - not Stern but how Stern should be doing the corner
Nice, but no shot of seeing that on a Stern.
I skipped after the first page..........
Why are you posting here first?
Contact your distributor and try to work out the problem.
Then, when you're done with that nuisance, tell us how it all worked out.
Things happen. How the manufacturer deals with problems is what counts.
Quoted from pinmister:These machines can be made bulletproof with little investment and little effort. If Stern would realize that adding protection will reduce cost in the long run.
Stern is not making them to last. 
This may be of interest to enthusiasts in comparison to games built in the past.
Read to understand the relevance regarding this situation.
To my knowledge the heaviest pinball machine ever made, not counting games like Hercules or Bigfoot, is Caveman (Gottlieb, 1982) due to the extra CRT monitor offset in back of the game, extra video boards and panel, and significant amount of metal such as the specialized lockbar and controls. It exceeds of the weight of games like TZ, STTNG, RS, CV, GTB SS80s (HH, BH, MGoW, Volcano), upright pinball games, Pinball Circus, and even most intricate of complex EMs, and is well over 400 lbs.
I cannot remember the weight, but it somewhere in the 450-475? lb range (unboxed), and man is it is a beast to move.
The game that comes very close is Wico Af-Tor, with their monstrous all metal contruction of the cabinet and backbox, that never falls apart.
The Caveman cabinet never split, even today, even with glue delamination, and it was double seamed and fully miter jointed, metal braced, not just wood glued, which looks to be what is happening right now.
Tough stuff of the past.
I have even seen Caveman lightly dropped, and it turned out ok.
No pinball game was ever designed, however, to "last forever".
Most were designed to be in operation on routes only 3-5 years.
EMs almost never split, unless they get wet, except for the weak points on the back panel (particle board such on GTB EMs of the 1970s), or the bottom board (very thin plywood, not particle board) starts to finally fall apart due to the edges, but even then they have a reinforcement bar across two points to hold the mechanical board in place, if it does. The rest of cabinet on the corners, still stay together.
There is basically nothing in the bottom lower cabinet, and now hardly anything in the upper cabinet as well in modern games.
Modern Stern games are not even using a full crossbar, and relying on a particle board bottom to hold up weight (not a very good design).
Therefore, there is no added structural integrity.
Modern games do not even come close to ANY these weights (which I assume is why they do not use a crossbar), and most are under 250 lbs (unboxed, unpalleted, and/or uncrated).
The Spike system reduced entire game weight another 25-30 lbs, both from wiring, boards, and other basic game functions.
Essentially, back to the lighter EMs games of the 1960s, but usually lighter even with all the topside playfield features.
Lighter games mean more stress on joints, when games are moved or slid without support, only because it easier to move the games without proper leverage, and the cabinets have no direct reinforcement.
Anyone tried to move a particle board bookshelf without removing the books beforehand?
Now, you see what is starting to occur, at least from several directions of shearing force alone.
Another tough day at Stern, since people continue to disagree that there have been no reduction in quality or features, anyway.
My only recommendation is new owners start immediately stocking up on BLY/WMS leg bolt plates (that do not fail, but do get bolt stripped due to soft metal sometimes), and installing them when they get their "new" Stern games home, and break out the wood glue and corner clamps (or make some from scrap wood). It will be easier than "contacting your distributor for a new cabinet"?
These are some of the "basic game features" that were removed quite some time ago.
I cannot speak to the point, if an owner moves/installs a game improperly, without a dolly, thereby "dragging" or "pushing" the game across a floor, carelessly, or there is excessive nudging, which may be some (but certainly not all of concerns) the responses by Stern back to an owner. That increases the chance of immediate damage.
I installed proper leg plates on my MET PM in 2015, and have not had any problems, but I did it as soon as I removed it out of the box.
Granted, I do a lot of "bulletproofing" on my games.
Retrofitting games to prior direct industry standards used before 1999 is probably not the preferred option for new owners.
Best of fortune.
Quoted from doloe:Contact your distributor and try to work out the problem.
Then, when you're done with that nuisance, tell us how it all worked out.
Things happen. How the manufacturer deals with problems is what counts.
Dear Stern,
I purchased one of your brand new pinball machines because it is the theme of my dreams. I have since noticed not only was there a wire off under the playfield, but now there is a distinct line running down the corner of the cabinet and it looks as if it may have been dropped during assembly or shipping.
I'm holding you responsible and expect quick action. So either come get the machine and fix it or send me a new cabinet and pay to have someone come out and fix it. If I don't hear back in 24 hours, I'm starting a thread on pinside and all hell is sure to break loose!
Your faithful customer.
PS- Where's my Kiss code?!!!!
Quoted from Gov:Got home and checked my GB and sure enough there is a small split on the left side. Not too bad yet so should be an easy fix. Still plan on reinforcing everything before I play it too much more b/c I shake the $%^Y out of this game trying to save the ball
Quoted from arcademojo:Oh damn! Just check my MET PRO and has a small split at top of left side. Add me to the list. My LOTR looks great though.
Quoted from o-din:Lat's take a look at how Gottlieb did it in the 40s. When they were built to stand the abuse of a century, and carry 50 or more dollars in nickels at any one given time. (looks like there might be something living in there)
Considering the 1940s, the legs are more apt to split first (even with the support cross bolts) than the cabinet.
It is just the way they were built, because the cabinets were built like "old school" furniture.
Evident even from the photos, just due to age of components and weight of the game.
There is a lot of basic shear force on those bolts over 70 years, especially if over torqued.
Fear not owners, the wood leg damage can be fixed!
I love this short "fix it" article from a Gottlieb 1947 Lady Robin Hood.
Quoted from o-din:Lat's take a look at how Gottlieb did it in the 40s. When they were built to stand the abuse of a century, and carry 50 or more dollars in nickels at any one given time. (looks like there might be something living in there)
Gottlieb also pinned them which makes a huge difference.
Wonder if Stern pin as well as glue?
Quoted from stoptap:I think it would be useful to determine just how long this has been an issue. What is the date on that Met Pro ?
I think it was 2014 wood backbox. Game is on carpet with carpet sliders under all my games so the move easily.
i wonder if it would be worth it to hold off ordering a new game for the next month or two while this issue is hopefully resolved? It appears that not all recently built games are affected yet a good dozen or so games mentioned here have the issue.
Quoted from PanzerFreak:i wonder if it would be worth it to hold off ordering a new game for the next month or two while this issue is hopefully resolved? It appears that not all recently built games are affected yet a good dozen or so games mentioned here have the issue.
It's been reported relatively frequently since they moved away from CGC cabs.
They're not faulty, per se. It's not errant batches. Just cheapened to an extent where some will inevitably begin to separate.
Per the playfield problems, they will have been adequately warned before going in this direction.
It's just that a thread didn't blow up yet ...
Quoted from rubberducks:It's been reported relatively frequently since they moved away from CGC cabs.
They're not faulty, per se. It's not errant batches. Just cheapened to an extent where some will inevitably begin to separate.
Per the playfield problems, they will have been adequately warned before going in this direction.
It's just that a thread didn't blow up yet ...
Ugh, this sucks. Its possible that Ghostbuster LE owners were not affected as they were made first and could have used remaining CGC cabinets.
Glue some extra triangle wood in the corner with some extra screws and pant it black.
I think Stern is looking now wat's the problem.
Quoted from PanzerFreak:Ugh, this sucks. Its possible that Ghostbuster LE owners were not affected as they were made first and could have used remaining CGC cabinets.
No GBs had CGC cabinets, I don't think. They'd completely moved by the end of 2015 AFAIK.
Anyway, there were quite a few GB LE photos posted here and elsewhere with separation. I remember one in particular where the cab had separated so much it cracked the welding on the legs themselves (which I'd guess would have to be pretty poor quality too, given how light the cabs are).
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