He has just defended your (players) sword blow, the sword has been knocked loose in his grip. You are just about to de-sword him... that is my story and I am sticking to it.

It was the first thing I noticed when they revealed the artwork. At first, it didn't bother me too much, but everytime I look at it, it always catches my eye, especially as someone who likes to draw.

He just finished picking a booger with the sword and is in process of flinging it off . . . that is my story and I am sticking to it (along with the booger to the sword).

I love the look of the game but anyone who is an artist or is in the field can tell you his stuff is just not that good. Kiss was worse. I get that it's stylized but there are many things in the art that is just wrong.

Again ..love the package, but comes off a little sloppy to those that know what they are looking at. Sorry!!

It's definitely just some acute tendonitis in his thumb.

The f*cker is old... got to be in his 50’s now I’d say...

That one is way worse than the sword for me. It's a human face and its in the wrong spot, no way to overlook that. I guess technically its the arm that is too high but its still blatant.

Stern can be lazy, didn’t they put ramp flaps over Cat Woman’s head?
5E981140-C3D3-452A-BC3C-49AE1C3480EC (resized).jpeg

Yes and no.

I'm in the art department and I see a lot of little shortcomings (it's in wide areas not as meticulously crafted as with Franchi or Zombie Yeti)...
BUT Kevin O'Connor does a better job in terms of overall composition on the playfield.

And while that means he's not cluttering images all over the playfield (wich may look bare to you nowadays), that means he can go for a cohesive style and Color Palette and he's not repeating the same assets over and over again in one game.
Like for example in Beatles Gold the floating Heads on the side of the backbox, the artblades and the playfield (5 times alltogether).

At the Moment I'd tend to a Kevin O'Connor Playfield with ZY or Franchi Art on the Cab.

Edit:
That said I love everyones work, but as I said waaay earlier in this thread I'm happy for Kevin O'Conner that he get's moved out of the "photoshop clipart" corner he had to do for so long. He's a classic designer and very adaptive if you think that he makes kinda classical paintings and airbrush as well as Comic book art (TMNT Playfield).

so...
in addition to the poorly positioned sword, apparently the black knight is not one to strategize or formulate his attack plans

if you look at the back glass art, he also appears to have been suckered and is now surrounded by all of his enemies given the numerous trajectories that all of those flaming arrows are flying in towards him

Just got my first spike game, and was so disappointed in the diagnostic menu ran the dots test just for fun and its the same software from the 90's it runs a dot test but only on a part of the screen. JJ you ask for switch help and it will show you the location of the switch helps out when you have switch X stuck open and don't know what they call the shot... that was so lazy in my option but still a fun game to play.

Quick question from an inexperienced NIB Stern Buyer.
Usually i wait to see reviews come in before i commit to a Pin.

If all goes good i would buy a premium of this game, i love the theme and would be perfect for my collection.
If i wait till the Premiums roll out and then buy will i run the risk of missing out?

is preorder the way to go with stuff like this?

i am only a few months deep in this hobby and this will be my 3rd NIB machine i think.

I'm guessing it would be easier to rotate the fist counter clockwise a few degrees, as rotating the sword would get in the way of the title. But hey, if the game's fun it's all good.

Yeah, that's really laughable. - I suppose the diagnostics menu is taken over from the old days and runs in emulation?
(Wich actually would be nice if the emulation could run whole old games.)

Unless you want an LE I would say wait and see it, you can see if they will refund you pre-order deposit.

No reason to hurry... they will b made for years

From what I have seen, there is 0 chance of you missing out on a Premium or a Pro if you wait until the reviews are out. Maybe an LE, but not a premium or a Pro.

It is my understanding that they generally do a batch of Pros, then LEs, then the Premiums, then alternate between pros and premiums until demand dies down and they switch to something else. I would expect to be able to buy this NIB through the end of 2020 as a Premium or a Pro.

I doubt there will be Premiums out to customer before May.

Do not pre-order have I yes, this was my experience Pre-ordered a Metallica code was terrible for a long time, some features did not work, by the time the game was flushed out I was so irritated i just sold it for a small loss. Pre-Ordered Ghostbusters first run had spelling mistakes, playfield issues, and mechs that got updated later in production. Pre-Ordered WOZLE waited 9 years and gave up, pre-ordered Tron VERY VERY VERY happy but limited run.

Other experiances The pre-order on AC/DC the lower playfield was hazy and they just said good luck. Pre-order Hobbit fix after fix until the trolls worked, so its exciting to pre-order your in - first to play its your experience no endless watching and reading reviews that change your opinion but you have pain associated with it. All Said I am in on a pre-order again in the future because i don't learn.... But do as I say not as I pay.

I noticed this too. Currently in on a Prem but man, that will drive me bonkers. Maybe swap the Pro translite?

Nope. And in fact if it's any good it may be re-run with unique art, and by then, finalized code. If it's not successful, you'll be able to get a lightly used one for a discount. Waiting can be win-win on pro's and prem's.

Art is 100% subjective. Kevin O'Conner is a pinball legend. This is a not photorealistic documentary project. This art nails the look, feel, smell of an early 80s arcade. I love it. You are absolutely free to hate it, but thats not some baseline objective thing. I deal with art professionally. I damn near bought a KISS just for the art package. I could look at the Bally Flash Gordon machine all day long. Have a great Friday!!

Thats important.

Luckily those magical few that know what they are looking at make up probably 1% of pinheads. For the rest of us simpletons it looks amazing. I get what ur saying but if you get to into the minute details it would lose something in my opinion, I like the simplistic approach, it fits the theme and pinball in general.

Michael Angelo the hairstylist? Not familiar with his work.

Yep, he’s doing hair now art isn’t paying the bills any longer. Love the Breaking Bad pic, So want someone to make that pin.

Im back after 16 months away from pinside. My gift to Pinsiders.

https://soundcloud.com/fly-surf/new-black-knight-pinball-machine-2019

This amazing soundtrack gave me goosebumps. #Eargasim

SR is my fav designer. He will make sure this pin kicks ass like ACDC.

Dude, i said i love it. I am just responding to people saying the sword is crooked. If you are going to pick on stuff like that (which is clearly off) then I am just saying dont bother because its all off. For example, is the Black Knight on the backglass the same as the one on the playfield? The guy on the backglass is of average proportion - could be like 6-10 feet tall. The guy on the playfield is like 20 feet tall or has a head the size of a grapefruit.

BK small head (resized).jpg

bk normal head (resized).jpg

WHAT? METLE was amazing out of the box. Lyman built a great foundation and deliver one of the best pin rules sets ever.

How about depth perception.

Anyone notice that the shield is where his elbow should be?

Maybe his lower arm was cut off with that sword and the shield was attached to his stump?

Another thing I just can't un-see

bk (resized).jpg

Ok, this guy just sold 600 LE’s with this post.

Yeah but I did not like it - I am one of a few I know but to the point of play before you buy... you just don't know what game your going to like before you play it.

Kevin O'Connor isn't good with limbs in perspective. See Kiss. He also has trouble with nice silhouettes and avoiding tangents. This game would have looked better with Yeti or Donnie doing the art...but it seems like Steve doesn't like working w/ the "new" artists.

I love the look too! I think its great. I can appreciate the fact that he cant draw but can still be a great artist. I love the Paragon backglass despite the fact the dude on the lion is a circus freak. The art packages we have been seeing lately are awesome.

Maybe the Black Knight is like Colonel Sanders on the current KFC commercials or even Santa. He could be ubiquitous and played by more than one person, all shapes, sizes and ages. As Jagger said, "I shouted out Who killed the Kennedys? When after all It was you and me...Maybe the Black Knight represents just an evil adversary, I mean it is just a suit of flames isn't it?

Here. Fixed the arm/hand issues for the backglass.

pasted_image (resized).png

That actually was my first thought when I saw the missing arm lol

I know thats why I put a wink after that comment just joking with ya. My only point was pinball art tends to be great and ridiculous all at the same time. I like that. No offense intended. I mean someone thought this would be a great translite and I agree, terrible and great. Thats the ticket.

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Good advice thanks guys !

i have a new Attack From mars SE coming in next week or so. its not like i am starved for something new at the moment so i can wait !

Apparently KISS was supposed to look crappy on purpose? Like the original or something? I dunno.

I'd like to go on record as saying I like the artwork since his "imperfect" style is a throwback to the era of the original games. BK2K is better but that style is never coming back so this is a fine compromise.

Thanks for sharing your experience. based on your comments its worth it about 15% of the time haha

LOL

Clearly the shield attaches to The Black Knights forearm, like any good shield does.

cap (resized).jpg

Unless his forearm is broken at 90+ degrees in at least two different places, there is no way its hidden behind that tiny shield. If that shield is moved back to his head, I imagine it is about the size of his face. The scale is odd.

When you get your Black Knight pin, take the glass off, and look at the Black Knight bash toy straight on/same perspective to see how the left arm looks behind the shield. On the playfield, the toy shield is roughly the same size as the BR's face. No disrespect, but that's what I aim to do when I get mine, to see what all the fuss is about...

that was the proto machine. The final machine did not have that problem.

I cannot believe that I just read through 2 pages of art nitpicking.... PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESE can we all move on now....