(Topic ID: 297550)

Steve Ritchie Leaving Stern for JJP?

By RobT

2 years ago


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  • 261 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 2 years ago by PinFever
  • Topic is favorited by 31 Pinsiders

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    #418 2 years ago
    Quoted from thechakapakuni:

    So it’s very clear now, BTTF is going to be JJP now.
    [quoted image]

    I would love this so much.

    -1
    #662 2 years ago
    Quoted from jimwe5t:

    No one has thought SR at Stern was best designer for years. He was good at one time, so not taking that away from him, with due respect. He hasn’t had any hits since ST, many years ago. Since then, SR has bombed out big time. Everything he’s done at Stern from Star Trek onward has been quite dismal, while all other designers games have been huge hits. Do they know how to work the Stern BOM better or had better IPs to work with???
    Personally like game play of BK, but there is not much in the game, except that fabulous topper. SW, again not much in the game. LZ more proof SR lost his step, with not much in the game. He saw GNR loaded with plastic (no mechs) to the hilt and drooled what he could do with some cheap plastics and cheap LEDs like GNR has and commented to Gary. Gary probably said, you’re more than welcome to head over to JJP and see where that gets you, with a release schedule of 1 game every 2 years. Pat’s next and Eric surely has a game ready too, so SR would have to wait 6 years for his release, even if JJP’s tiny output could do it even that fast.
    SR would have been far better off taking his talents to Spooky, where they are just getting better and better.

    Everyone keeps harping on open playfield and lack of toys but it’s easily his most fun shooter he’s designed, best soundtrack on any pin, amazing light show and the EM spinner is probably the best toy in pinball.

    Never understood why people that look at the open playfield automatically decide it won’t be fun. Those that say it isn’t apparently have never played it. It’s my top 3 hands down.

    #665 2 years ago

    What’s your favorite?

    #669 2 years ago
    Quoted from chuckwurt:

    I do love that the spinner is the focal point of the game, but not sure it can top some of the previous great toys like the MM castle.

    MM and AFM are my top 2 with LZ coming in third but the more I understand the rules the better I’m seeing it’s potential for solid tournament play

    -1
    #672 2 years ago
    Quoted from chuckwurt:

    At the end of the day, it’s just a spinner with a magnet underneath it, but it is unique and new.
    T. rex on JP is better, the ball locks on BBB are better. I even like the black knight toy better. The crane on Heist is another one that’s better.

    I’ve never had more fun in pinball than EM frenzy (well almost until they removed the seizure lights). All I’m saying is too many people obviously haven’t played it before judging.

    Definitely never thought the Dinosaur in JP improved the game in any way.

    #676 2 years ago
    Quoted from ctl723:

    I might be very out of the loop on this, but what's wrong with how JJP does flippers? Is it something fundamentally wrong that can't be addressed? Or more of a "there's nothing wrong, this is how we like it" situation?

    They feel “squishy” and soft to me compared to any stern. It’s kind of their schtick though.

    #830 2 years ago
    Quoted from Deaconblooze:

    I see this as good news for everyone.
    If Steve moves to JJP, he gets a chance to put out a flow monster with a higher BOM and some different code philosophies.
    Stern can give an opportunity to some fresh blood, maybe offering the community something new and unique at a reasonable price point.

    His last game (LZ) flows like a Mf but because it doesn’t have a bunch of toys people aren’t fans apparently. Easily one of his best games he’s ever designed IMO.

    #845 2 years ago
    Quoted from Av8:LZ is widely seen as bad game. Bad callouts and poor rules. The PF is just ok. Doesnt feel like SR. I love the band but the game falls short on so many levels. Its a 5 out of 10 at best. ACDC pro and le completely blow it away.
    SR should connect with JJP and take his designs to the next dimension, imo.

    I disagree wholeheartedly. The rule set is epic?! Playfield bare? Sure, but when you play the game with the EM spinner you see how the entire playfield and shots change.

    GNR is proof you can put all the lights and cool videos you want but when the game just isn’t fun it isn’t. Loading it up with toys doesn’t change that.

    #848 2 years ago
    Quoted from flynnibus:

    Led Zeppelin is the first example of a Lead Balloon in pinball.

    I’ve played every recent stern at least 100 games. It’s easily one of the best they’ve made in the last 5 years! Especially for tourney play.

    Don’t forget pinside actually had LZ ranked at #1 before the GnR fanboys raided the polls.

    All I know is I had a choice of getting GnE SE or a LZ premium and looking at the current threads I’m glad I went with LZ regardless of how little toys it has.

    #858 2 years ago
    Quoted from PanzerFreak:

    Hey thats your opinion on GNR, a ton of people love the game. GNR is a blast to play with very deep code and has some of the best light shows in pinball. JJP programmers actually took the time to create light shows synced to moments in all of the songs. That may be a first for pinball, it's a shame Stern hasn't done something similar considering these crazy prices.

    LZ light show also is synced really well to the music.. sure not nearly as many led’s as GNR but easily best light show on a stern for now. I am hoping they add back in the seizure lighting for the em multiball tho as it feels lacking now that they removed it.

    #925 2 years ago

    Can't we all just get along?

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    #929 2 years ago
    Quoted from CrazyLevi:

    Precisely!
    In a completely unrelated development, all the JJP nutswingers who used to think Steve sucks ass suddenly love him. and all the Stern superfans who used think he ruled now think he's a washed up hack.

    That's probably the most astute observation of the entire ordeal. Well said.

    I'm stoked to see what he does at JJP and their gameplay style I think he can do some real good work there.

    -1
    #962 2 years ago
    Quoted from PanzerFreak:

    Steve's ready and the shoes go well with GNR LE!
    [quoted image]

    Space jam confirmed!

    #1005 2 years ago
    Quoted from Bublehead:I am not talking "current" popularity... I am talking remembered by history. There is no way Axl Rose is as influential as Robert Plant, or Slash as Jimmy Page and to paraphrase Samuel L. Jackson they "ain't in the same fucking ball park. They ain't in the same league. They ain't even in the same fucking sport!"

    Facts.

    Led Zeppelin is poetry:

    I had a dream. Crazy dream
    Anything I wanted to know, any place I needed to go
    Hear my song. People won't you listen now? Sing along
    You don't know what you're missing now
    Any little song that you know
    Everything that's small has to grow
    And it has to grow!
    California sunlight, sweet Calcutta rain
    Honolulu Starbright - the song remains the same

    Guns and roses latest “hit”:

    Ha-oww
    Listen, motherfuckers, to the song that should be heard
    Back down in the gutter is more than you deserve
    Screaming fucking banshee, you know that's what you are
    Pussy full of maggots, isn't that absurd

    Dizzy little dreamer with your head down in the stars
    Fucking little schemer, got yourself inside the art
    Syphilitic priestess baby, I know who you are
    Parasitic demon sucking acid through your heart
    Absurd

    #1007 2 years ago
    Quoted from CrazyLevi:

    “Absurd” is embarrassing but not really fair. GNR are judged by their classic material just like zep!
    Classic GNR is one album, Appetite. Zep certainly has a much bigger catalog of classic material.
    And no way are gnr more popular. Even today a reunion zep show would pack stadiums, gnr are papering shows with radio contests and slashing prices days before the show to fill half a stadium these days.

    It was a cheap shot but at least we know LZ will never come out with a song as horrible. XD

    #1034 2 years ago

    I’m heavily biased on LZ obviously, it’s my first NIB and one of my favorite all time rock bands and Ritchie is probably my favorite designer.

    Compared to every new stern or JJP, LZ is definitely bare but I find something beautiful in it’s simplicity. Less is more so to speak, it’s like a throw back to the heyday of the 70’s, killer rock music and older pinball machines when they weren’t so loaded down with tons of toys and 20 habitrails all over the place.

    There’s something inviting to it for new players not so overwhelming and something special for serious players (flows like a mf at times).

    #1039 2 years ago

    Man that’s such a stretch on all of those. Even the stairway lawsuit was dismissed and that one wasn’t even close IMO.

    Were they influenced by guys like muddy waters? Absolutely, but their music is in a whole different dimension

    #1042 2 years ago
    Quoted from Flyfalcons:

    It's bare but the colors, lights, and tunes are great and most importantly, it has the Elwin-coined "kinetic satisfaction" when hitting your shots. I didn't care for it much at first but now that I've gotten better, I really like it. More than GNR, even.

    I’m still dying to play a GnR. I’ve played most JJP’s except WoZ and I LOVE them and GnR looks epic!

    #1053 2 years ago

    I’m over here eager for a new Pat Lawler game.

    #1059 2 years ago
    Quoted from PanzerFreak:

    *Rant post incoming, I apologize in advance lol.
    Steve's critical comments of Stern are pretty much confirmation from one of the top designers in pinball that Stern management has been limiting game creativity due to wanting to make maximum profit regardless of the high asking prices. Modern pinball machines are insanely priced, $6k - $10k+ is a crazy amount of money for a pinball machine of all things. At those prices there's no excuse for a game not to be loaded, to have multiple 3D molds, interactive mechs, full RGB lighting etc.
    The fall back stance for some is "All that stuff doesn't make a game fun". Ok, so by that analogy would you pay $50k for a base Mustang just cause it's fun to drive? Would you pay $50 for a pint of Ben and Jerry's simply because it taste good? Hell no you wouldn't lol. There lies the issue with Stern and it's not fun factor (they are a blast to play) but rather that their prices are not consistently justified by enough features, mechs, code, cabinet quality, etc. I wanted to say consistently as I don't know how Stern can price all of their games the same (the cornerstone games) while some clearly have more features, and code then others.
    It's being rumored that Stern is abought to raises prices from $500 - $1k+ based on model to match JJP pricing. Stern can of course do that but they are not matching the JJP feature set (mechs, full RGB lighting, variety of 3D molds), cabinet quality, and game hardware. Going back to the Mustang analogy it would be as if Ford suddenly raised the base price of a Mustang GT from $35k to $60k just because that's what GM charges for a Corvette...then not improving the base vehicle to make it comparable.

    I don’t think they should match JJP pricing and at the same time I think JJP needs to have better quality control.

    I still think it’s fair for JJP to ask for higher pricing on their machines compared to Stern as is.

    The asking prices are based off inflation and due to the cost of goods going up in general I think it’s happening in most industries at the moment. Maximizing profits is the nature of the business and the consumer usually pays the price one way or another.

    As someone who works in a creative field I understand what that can do to a person over time. Steve will encounter many of the same issues in his new spot (“how can we maximize profits?”), but he’ll have a much higher ceiling now to create under which is awesome and honestly I can’t wait to see what they’re going to do!

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