Agreed. I have one of the earlier alt. translites. Much better than the original IMHO. By the way, I like your taste in pins! We also have TZ next to STTNG and FH down the row. (IJ rounds out our 90s "Superpin" group.) Great stuff.

I've always wanted an IJ but the few times I've played it I've never been able to get into it. I had the same feeling about TZ before I owned it. I took a chance and bought TZ and don't regret it. I might have to do the same thing with IJ. My TZ and STTNG share an external sub woofer which really enhances the playing experience in my opinion. My problem is space. My wife won't let me fill up the basement with machines so I'm really limited to my little corner and right now I have nothing I want to sell but I'm going to re-arrange to make room for a 6th pin which will probably be:
1)ACDC
2)TOM
3)MB
4)IJ

Which ever one I can find at a good price I will be happy with

Superpins rock. Wizard of Oz is the closest to achieving what the Superpins accomplished 20 years ago.

As long as you get it at a good price, you aren't risking much. I had an interesting debate in another thread with a Pinsider who never wants to sell his machines. That's fine, of course. There is a lot to be said for being happy with what you have. I prefer to rotate the collection a bit each year. Anyway, that's my take on it. One reason is that I never really know how much I like a machine until I get it in my house and play it repeatedly over a few weeks. (That doesn't mean that I'd buy just anything. I have to have a pretty good idea that I might like something before tying up thousands of dollars.) Of course, if I had a local spot where I could play a wide variety of pins whenever I wanted, it might well be a different story, but the nearest such place is about four hours away, and I get there only once a year on average.

Like a lot of others, I am eager awaiting the new code for STLE and will decide then if it really is a keeper, at least for a few years. Very likely so, I think. It has a lot going for it.

Very true. I also have a WOZ, but it is in my "non-Williams section." Actually, I don't have enough space to group all four widebodies together in the same slot.

I recently traded my STTNG for STLE. I'm very happy. I love STTNG but it got old for me. The gameplay is slow compared to STLE.

Sometimes after a good game on STLE I am out of breath! The game is so fast and fun. Hitting that warp ramp 3 or 4 times in a row is a blast!

Agreed that the software still has room for improvement but I love the game.

If I had to sum up these machines in a single word, it would be:
STLE: Fast!
STTNG: Stuff! (as in, lots of it on the playfield)

Yeah, yeah, I know there's way more to it than that. But what single words would you use?

I really like the original translite. Then again I did fly all around the west coast to get all my autographs. I love the characters, and to see them all in the translite sets the mood for the game.

In my opinion, ST:TNG has a better "quest/mission" execution. Which is something I really enjoy. When I play I really feel the missions and the difference between them. In STLE all the missions feel the same. Also STTNG is a beautiful machine as well I love the video mode and the audio.

You hit the nail on the head. Bang for the buck, STTNG hands down.

I must be a minority... I love the original actor backglass.

It's funny because I like the actors themselves (big Patrick Stewart fan) and have watched every single episode of the series at least once, but for some reason it bugs me to have them up there on the backglass. I don't have a theory as to why, but I know I prefer seeing the ship, etc.

I LOVE IT TOOOO! lol

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Craig - the fix is to go get your translite at convention(s) with autographs... then you'll like the original better.
I only wish I could do that with the STLE BG.

I'm sure that's true!

Steve mentioned he had to use the widebody format to fit all the TNG components, especially the dual cannons. Also, there is no full shooter lane, only a catapult to launch the ball up and around the wire loop. The right outlane is where the standard shooter lane would normally be.

I always thought that TNG was still VERY fast for a widebody. SR's smooth flow is still felt on the ramps, especially the left Warp loop to upper R flipper to left ramp shot. It just feels so good...

ST Stern is still much faster overall, and missed shots are MUCH more forgiving than TNG. The outlanes aren't as murderous and I don't miss the cannons either.

I've owned STTNG for a little over a year now and I've played quite a few games on several different occasions of ST Pro.

ST Pro is a great game...probably a top 10 title to me.

STTNG is #1 all time to me. The theme integration is second to none. You just can't beat custom speech by the real actors! Great modes and a really fun wizard mode that is a thrill every time you get to it. Lots of great side objectives as well. Great art, toys.....you name it.

Honestly I'd pick up an AC/DC before I picked up a ST. Not saying it's better....but since I already have a STTNG I'd go for the extra variety. (In a small collection).

If you played a STTNG out of the box as with the ST, I bet you would be really surprised. Even playing HUO's, despite all the rebuilding and replacing you can do on routed ones, they just never seem to play the same. I've even noticed the same thing on my HUO LOTR LE compared to my friend's routed, but stripped, rebuilt and restored LOTR. Just still not the same.

It kinda is and isn't a WB though really. There is so much space taken up on the sides with the mechs and the targets, down low, the "play" area is more or less standard size. SR has noted he doesn't like the loss of power shots with any widebody, and it appears he tried to eliminate that with STTNG, while still taking advantage of having a bit more to play with for the orbits up high, allowing for more up the middle.

Nice use all in all with a WB pin - standard feel (not that I'm opposed to the other super pins, have owned them all and like them), but adding a ton of stuff in the areas that only take away from tough wide shots.

This is one of the things that makes STTNG such a truly immersive experience. The fact that they got virtually every major actor in the show to do custom voice work is simply incredible. It just goes to show how big their budgets were at the time. I wouldn't be surprised if STTNG was the most expensive machine ever built. In fact, I bet it was. Mechanically, it's certainly one of the most elaborate. The subway system alone is insane!

Fortunately, we do have the Karl Urban update coming. I'm very curious to see how they utilize him.

I don't think so myself. lots to it, but the under PF isn't as crazy as other superpins, other than the subway. I believe RS or Popeye would take that cake. The underneath mechs for RS are the worst. The cost of the heads alone would have been insane. Popeye for the crazy designed mechs and molds that even SR noted likely cost Williams a fortune to make.

???

They can't even be remotely close to STTNG. You are talking licensed theme vs. non licensed (HUGE right there) then custom voice work by ALL of the main characters!

I really don't think RS or Popeye would be in the same ballpark.

Talking about the most expensive machine to make, as in the physical side. The rant by SR about popeye he did a few years back on RGP has him noting something along those lines.

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