(Topic ID: 297550)
Charlottesville, VA
"Jersey Jack Pinball (JJP) is the industry leader in quality..."
Lol, sure, and Stern is a "lifestyle brand".
Look for Steve to put on his sunglasses and post a video about how talk of JJP playfield issues is overblown. 
Seriously though, Steve's a super nice guy and I wish him the best. It'll be interesting to see what he comes up with when given a higher BOM.
Quoted from porkcarrot:What value did this whole thread serve that couldn't be had from a thread starting now with the official announcement? What did you gain from this?
5 days of something to pass the time as we wait for new pins to roll out?
Quoted from PismoArcade:Seriously though, Steve's a super nice guy and I wish him the best. It'll be interesting to see what he comes up with when given a higher BOM.
Given how barren his games have been lately, this is what I'm looking forward to the most. I marvel at his '90s games but can't draw a parallel between the old and new ones. I also like how Pat Lawlor paid homage to all his disaster games with Dialed In. It would be great to see something similar for Steve. A mashup of NF, HSII, RG and F14. Pure adrenaline with a ton of hardware. 
I love some of Steve's games. Not all of them, but a lot of them. I do get a bit tired of his games feeling super similar to one another. Not sure how he can join JJP with how long they take to make/manufacture games. Will he even be alive long enough to release more than.... one?
Quoted from dri:I also like how Pat Lawlor paid homage to all his disaster games with Dialed In. It would be great to see something similar for Steve. A mashup of NF, HSII, RG and F14. Pure adrenaline with a ton of hardware.
This WOULD be cool, but remember how JJP flippers feel. I'm not sure of that will translate.
Quoted from Beechwood:5 days of something to pass the time as we wait for new pins to roll out?
Now that is sad.
Quoted from RobT:So you don’t even bother to read the thread before you post in it?
Anyway it’s official now.
My source was correct. Again.
I don't understand the pushback about this....we hear all kinds of rumors on here but I guess rumors of employment is a bridge too far.
The fact that most people seem more interested in arguing about Kaneda or laughing at the press release seems to undermine the level of excitement a blockbuster announcement like this is supposed to stir up.
It just seems like a strange move to me. It addresses a "problem" I wasn't aware JJP had - lack of name/established pinball designers. And as many have pointed out, SR's layouts (let's face it we all know what to expect at this point) don't really seem to lend themselves to JJP mechanics. Most JJP fans have been trashing Steve for years, I would not say there was a groundswell of demand among the JJP faithful for this move.
I'm not sure who really gains most from this event. It's not really moving the needle, "need another established pinball designer" is about 22nd on the list of needs/issues most of us would list for JJP, and Stern seems to have plenty of fresh talent able to crank out games in Steve's absence and the resources to recruit or develop more young staffers.
Time will tell, but who really won this Monday?
Quoted from JoeJet:Done deal?
[quoted image]
Lol, damn, you could've waited one more minute before posting...I saw that after hitting enter.
He looks like someone's nutty uncle who got lost on the way to a dentist appointment.
Quoted from JoeJet:[quoted image]
Quoted from FlippinJB:Not sure if you can all see this (Facebook members or not) or if I've missed the boat, but...
https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=858860571682444
I'm sure he appreciated video taping the awkward first day at a new job experience most of use feel.
I'm not a huge Ritchie fan overall but do like some of his stuff. Hopefully he can come up with something great working with jjp as they have a higher bom and more freedom to do some different things. Maybe pat eric and Steve can even do something together ....
Three designers are present now. Production must increase dramatically for this to make business sense or the designer count would need to reduce. Pat retire? Different roles?
Lawlor has actually morphed into the real life Funhouse Rudy head. Actually, he kind of looks sick...is there more to this than meets the eye?
Quoted from Monk:I'm sure he appreciated video taping the awkward first day at a new job experience most of use feel.
I was really disappointed he didn't fly through the doors on a motorbike with smoke and lasers. Maybe drone footage of steve on a Kawasaki riding the two blocks from Stern over to JJP.
Where's the showmanship!?!
Quoted from DudeRegular:Three designers are present now. Production must increase dramatically for this to make business sense or the designer count would need to reduce. Pat retire? Different roles?
That's actually a great point. Not sure what this means, precisely.
I suspect JJP hired him with a very specific game(s) in mind… probably something Ritchie has wanted to build but couldn’t get Green-lighted at Stern.
Quoted from CrazyLevi:It just seems like a strange move to me. It addresses a "problem" I wasn't aware JJP had - lack of name/established pinball designers.
It addresses the problem that most JJP games play like shit?
Their two best playing games are Pat's so maybe the old school guys know best.
I hope this doesn't come across the wrong way, but they have three guys all around 70 or beyond in these videos and pictures and then the press release talks about technology and innovation. The history in the industry and their experience is huge, but these two things don't really go together.
Quoted from DudeRegular:I hope this doesn't come across the wrong way, but they have three guys all around 70 or beyond in these videos and pictures and then the press release talks about technology and innovation. The history in the industry and their experience is huge, but these two things don't really go together.
Ageism much?
Anyone can embrace technology, and anyone can innovate.
Quoted from AndHart120:Something I always wondered about….why does he always dress in solid black?
It's both slimming and badass!
Quoted from smalltownguy2:Agism much?
Anyone can embrace technology, and anyone can innovate.
But will they? Wonka wasn't very innovative. What did that game do that prior JJP or Stern games hadn't done already? LZ was pretty plain as well but that could be blamed on lack of BOM for innovations...
Quoted from Rdoyle1978:Isn’t that their latest game? Code on POTC (despite not technically being finished) and Wonka… and Dialed In .. and Hobbit… and WOZ are pretty damn solid. Hobbit had an update almost 2 years after it was released that changed the entire game, was really impressive.
I was a release buyer of DI. The code for Bob and multiballs is the weakest part of the game. There are also imbalances in scoring that should not appear in modern games. The coding is not great.
Gnr has base code that is not that exciting. Wonka is okay, about the same as DI. Pirates is maybe about the same but is in dire need of an update. They all lack climactic moments.
Lyman would fix the lack of excitement in future coding. Multiballs would feel like you've earned something, and jackpots would feel like... Well, jackpots. Even Munsters has more tension than any jjp machine.
I love their design and builds, but coding is their weak spot imho.
Quoted from Doctor6:This WOULD be cool, but remember how JJP flippers feel. I'm not sure of that will translate.
Ain't that the truth. 
Quoted from Puffdanny:Lmao **** was right...AGAIN!!!
Anyone can be right with enough guesses and covering every possibility. Sad.
Great day for JJP and Steve Ritchie. Look towards his next game even more now.
Quoted from smalltownguy2:Agism much?
Anyone can embrace technology, and anyone can innovate.
Not intended. My point intended to be more of a future of a company or industry. If it was your company would you hire more 70+ year old folks and bet your future on their production?
Quoted from CrazyLevi:It just seems like a strange move to me. It addresses a "problem" I wasn't aware JJP had - lack of name/established pinball designers.
Well, with as huge as pinball sales have gotten lately, I imagine they’d be doing this in conjunction with a plan to release multiple titles a year & boost their ability to make more games quicker.
It does seem like JJP is always slightly off from current trends. They started the company on the premise that buyers wanted widebody games…then tastes moved away from that. Then they snagged Hobbit thinking it would recreate the sales magic of LOTR, but then people didn’t really care about the Hobbit Trilogy. Then they thought Pat Lawlor was a brand that would move games…turns out NIB buyers don’t care about the designers that much, licensed themes sell games. POTC didn’t sell due to lack of assets…then Stern proved that didn’t matter with JP, TMNT, DP & AIQ. So, I guess JJP was ahead of the curve there lol. OK - so now this new move…does this mean by the time Steve’s game comes out, NIB sales drop like a rock?!?! 
Maybe Pat can’t get Toy story to work?
Steve’s sunglasses should ge included on his next title.
Now all they need is JPOP.
Quoted from SmallyBells:Steve’s sunglasses should be included on his next title.
download (resized).jpgQuoted from DudeRegular:I hope this doesn't come across the wrong way, but they have three guys all around 70 or beyond in these videos and pictures and then the press release talks about technology and innovation. The history in the industry and their experience is huge, but these two things don't really go together.
Okay, not intended. Got it.
Quoted from DudeRegular:Not intended. My point intended to be more of a future of a company or industry. If it was your company would you hire more 70+ year old folks and bet your future on their production?
Now that's just outright blatant ageism. I'm not going to dignify that statement with any kind of answer.
I’m not sure if this is a bold enough move for them to allure the elusive Jpop.
Quoted from SmallyBells:Maybe Pat can’t get Toy story to work?
Steve’s sunglasses should ge included on his next title.
Now all they need is JPOP.
Quoted from JodyG:Lawlor has actually morphed into the real life Funhouse Rudy head. Actually, he kind of looks sick...is there more to this than meets the eye?
Just looks like a normal old guy to me. Father time is undefeated.
Quoted from AndHart120:Something I always wondered about….why does he always dress in solid black?
I wear the black for the playfields beaten down
For the pooling and the chipping art abound
I wear it for the limited manufacturer’s warranty,
Why you’d think they’re laughing straight at you and me.
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