(Topic ID: 85390)
Linked Games
The Big Lebowski
Dutch Pinball, 2016
Topic Gallery
Vero Beach, FL
Achievers....DP was interviewed by Spinner magazine (I believe it's the Dutch Pinball leagues newsletter) I was able to get a copy of it and did a quick translation. Here it is. Its a little rough in translation, and the information is not new to us, but its a cool little article...
Everything indicates that this is the first chapter in a new book. A book of some kind that was written. Never before in the Netherlands. After the success of the BoP 2.0 men of Dutch Pinball venturing on a much bigger adventure: designing and producing their own pinball. Not in the U.S., but the development and production of The Big Lebowski Pinball take place in our little country.
As Spinner editors hope to publish a lot about how a dream come true. In early March 2014, the editors had a short interview with one of the men behind Dutch Pinball: NFV member Barry Driessen. Dutch Pinball team.
Can you briefly introduce our pillars? Barry: We work with a Dutch team with an international twist. One is an internationally known NFV member: Jean-Paul de Win (eg. known for his work for the Woz and the jubilee NFV). Also Koen Heltzel (software engineer) and Jules Reivers (sound design and music composer) are active members of the NFV and were also involved in the BoP 2.0 project. Jaap Nauta, which will operate as a project manager, I have known for a long time and has the flipper heart are also in the right place. Also with Roel Gommans, Freek van Haagen and Guus Fingskes I have more contact. International contributions come from Philip Weinberg and Scott Danesi.
The first time you talked about developing their own pinball machine, when was that? And who were there? In 2010, Koen and I already had ideas to build. Virtual pinball We’re both in IT. We had several ideas and then came TBL. We had seen the movie and thought it was a very appropriate theme: funny, good dialogues, beautiful quotes, interesting characters. Absurd story, but that just makes it really more suited to a theme. However, in 2010, came P-ROC, and went quickly to work with the BoP.
It was early 2013 when the idea came up again, partly in response to the lively discussion on Pinside about the fact that TBL would be. Such a nice theme I sat with Jaap in the pub and we were thinking aloud. Own pinball making: How should you address that? What do you have anyway? Why should we not? We were excited and went to work together to figure out how it was with the feasibility of such a plan. Again And those calculations looked pretty good ...
The step of an idea to investigate the possibilities to make it possible when playing that? Barry: That actually came soon after. Fortunately, our enthusiasm was really great, because otherwise we would have left it with an idea. We were soon discovered that much is involved in making a real pinball machine. If you look from the outside against it, but you do not realize that there really are thousands of parts. The theme licensing you should not underestimate. We are, of course, but a bunch of idealists from the Netherlands who are required to make a great film company business. Decision-making is about much hard drives, which takes time. And patience. Lots of patience.
You have chosen to first determine the theme and then thoroughly investigate before you began the actual design issues such as the playing field and the rules called production possibilities. Why? Barry: That set up a manufacturing facility is not easy, we were able to learn from the examples in JJP and Highway Pinball. Jaap came up with the idea of an existing factory to do the production. After some wandering, we ended up with ARA in Aalten. That is a machine factory, specializing in mechanics, electronics and control. Basically all the things you need to make. Pinball The deal was made quickly and we decided to continue to worry about pinball.
People even more excited a WCS factory It was a big surprise that you were behind the TBL project end of 2013. That you had carefully kept secret. Barry (laughing): Yeah, I had a lot of smoke screens built in preparation for the Pinball Expo in Chicago. We had chosen not to show that Dutch Pinball was behind. We did have a site set up, regular flyers and two young ladies to share it around. Also, we had advertised in the Pinball Expo magazine. We wanted to use the feedback to determine whether there was indeed sufficient basis for further puzzling. The reactions were very excited. Within a few weeks we had over 1,000 comments on our site. Hence our targets were exceeded by far.
What happened afterwards? On December 27 (69 days after Pinball Expo, also a reference to the movie), we came up with more information and the possibility to order (pre-sale). There, too, we have set our own targets achieved. Prompted us to proceed. With even more energy We are now fully in the phase of the design of the cabinet, translite and playing field. This week we have agreement with the factory on the implementation of certain parts (toys).
Wonderful to explain what you want and how you want it and then subsequently the effects look like. People Really remains incomparably better than digital. The next step is the release of the artwork of the Cabinet and trans lite. In addition, we aim to end the first quarter. Indeed, it is very fast. But we also have an ambitious timeline. We aim for delivery from second quarter 2015 ...
To be continued!
Thanks Burningman, more great news. I really like the way these guys are rolling so far. I dig their style.
Huge undertaking and I hope they hit it out of the park. 
I haven't read the full thread, but my primary concern with the playfield layout is the obfuscation / blind spot created in the upper-right corner. Otherwise it looks great, IMO.
Just curious ... trying to understand what was said in the article. It sounds to me like they're renting space (and machines?) at an existing manufacturing facility? Is that other folks understanding as well? It would make sense I guess how they're able to afford such expensive machines at this point in their startup. I just hope that doesn't introduce other complications (competing for time on a machine(s), being forced out of the location for some unforseen reason, etc.) If they aren't renting the space/machines then I'm curious how they managed to raise so much capital and procure the machines already.
Heerlen
Quoted from burningman:Achievers....DP was interviewed by Spinner magazine (I believe it's the Dutch Pinball leagues newsletter) I was able to get a copy of it and did a quick translation. Here it is. Its a little rough in translation..........
I am impressed by your translation, it's pretty much spot on!
Quoted from Tura67:I am impressed by your translation, it's pretty much spot on!
Well, if these guys keep up their current standards, TBL is the game that I expect it to be, and they pump out more killer games, I might have to learn Dutch.
seriously, Translate.com is a great tool. 
Quoted from rai:Has there been word on what the tax and shipping will add to US price?
Their local warehouse for the U.S is in Park Ridge, Illinois. So you can generally figure out your own shipping cost based on that starting location. There is no import tarif and you should only be paying taxes (I believe) if you actually live in Illinois (or pick your game up in Illinois.)
Quoted from CraZ4Pin:Their local warehouse for the U.S is in Park Ridge, Illinois. So you can generally figure out your own shipping cost based on that starting location. There is no import tarif and you should only be paying taxes (I believe) if you actually live in Illinois (or pick your game up in Illinois.)
So just local US shipping?
2 weeks later
I would not hate this, I'm sure there's a million other things to do with the center space.. but if it was a mirror under some plexiglass angled to show your own face back to you. Might be hard to do though give people are different heights and machines at different angles (maybe adjustments under playfield?). Anyway.. fits the part at least
1 week later
random thought while waiting for our next update. (these are the things I think about on the way to the office)
The more I think about it the more I convince myself that the ? on the left side wire form (box 4) has got to do with throwing the shil bag from the car. DP may have a flipper up there or a diverter that activates and throws the ball onto the playfield.
I think there are 5 sceens in the movie where the car is featured. So I am pretty sure they will be using it somewhere...
Quoted from burningman:Achievers....DP was interviewed by Spinner magazine (I believe it's the Dutch Pinball leagues newsletter) I was able to get a copy of it and did a quick translation. Here it is. Its a little rough in translation, and the information is not new to us, but its a cool little article...
Nice to see here the Spinner pop up, surprise surprise
I know this article quite well as I am in the redaction team of the Spinner 
. The Spinner is the clubmagazine of www.nfvpinball.nl and appears 4 times per year on print, we are approx 1100 pinball enthousiast (paying a yearly contributionfee) and claim to be the biggest club on this 
We have our own clubbuilding with approx 120 pinball machines.
Now for us being Dutch pinball enthousiats the Big Lebowski is big news and we will be following and documenting every step on it. As 1 of the founders is also in the redaction team this is not to difficult for me 
. Unfortunately I have to take my knowlegde with me to my grave 
but it is going to be a great pin 
And yes, to answer 1 of the questions : as described in the article DP is subcontracting the assembly of the pin to a local company specialized in making machines for third parties. This makes their investment a lot smaller and makes sure that experienced people are assembling the pins with proper machinery. So there startup time is expected to be a lot faster as JJP for instance (no new factory is to be build and skilled engineers are in place) and your money is thus more safe.
More news will follow in the next Spinner (due just prior to the summer holiday)
Old Spinners can be seen at http://www.nfvpinball.nl/vereniging/spinner/
Copy of the article
I imagine some of these folks are on order for the TBL pin:
Watched the movie again last week specifically with the game in mind. Something that crossed my mind was maybe having a purple Jesus pinball that is introduced into play at certain times. Sort of like (well, maybe exactly like) the powerball in TZ. The powerball is ceramic, so it could easily be colored purple. The ball could trigger a Jesus mode when recognized as being in play.
What a classic movie. I also re-watched it recently. There's so much potential here for a great game. I can hardly wait for the next update. Long live the Dude!
WTF...I just saw the pf drawing now. Blew my mind man! Didn't I say the Dutch dudes will knock it out of the park...bring on the nay sayers now.
TBL.jpgSo yes box #11 will drop to the upper right flipper and I think the rug area is box #1, there is a diverter there which only opens the lane to box #1 after certain condition is met for a jackpot or something.(?) And I agree with Eli there is going to be bowling pins either in the mini pf below (6) or at the center of the pf (3) which maybe a ramp that pops down after you knock down the pins. What I can't figure out is pf area #2, it could just be an interactive toy up there...not sure. Also I think area 4 or 8 may be cannon ala AC/DC....?
There are several possible options for bowling pins, (3) does seem most obvious though. I think someone mentioned previously that they could also be at (1). The ramp is fairly straight and the breakoff to the left could be a gutter ball if the desirable ramp shot isn't made. That would make sense if (4) is a ball lock area kind of like the ball return area in a bowling alley. But if (1) is the bowling toy, what the heck is (3)? Maybe his car as a bash toy......hard to say?
1 week later
It's hard to say what number could be what, based on this CAD layout. All that I can say is that it looks cool so far. It's an interesting use of an upper playfield from what I see. Does the upper playfield have ANOTHER playfield above it? Top that with the lower playfield and this could be the very first 4-level game!
Add to this the well-known TBL quotes and DP very well might knock this one out of the park...er, I mean bowling alley 
Quoted from JoelOmatik:It's hard to say what number could be what, based on this CAD layout.
Totally agree....just because its a box on the drawing doesn't mean it will be a box on the game. I went and looked back at the rug...
I think there will be modes based on the scissors, pot, Mr Lebowski's wheel chair, the white russian, maude and the condition sceen, jesus shining balls, the VW and the guy that has been following the dude, credence tape mode, and of course the nihilsts, the bowling alley, Walter and his gun, the car, the bridge, Donny's coffee can, etc...
Also, with the recent release on FB with the Dudes picture, I have to think that it will be some type of the art work on the game...(head/cabinet)....
tbl rug.jpg
500 likes.JPG 2 weeks later
Custom TBL topper...........
TBL topper.JPGQuoted from r6emperor:Check your inbox. A NSNL with the big reveal for what is in the playfield window. I like it...
Hell Yes!
God damnt!!!!! WHY DO I NOT MAKE MORE MONEY!>!>!>!>
This is gonna kill me not to get.....i may have to wear my wife down.
Southbourne
Very excited by the lower playfield reveal, looks great. I love the clip at the end of the pins going up and down in a wave pattern, could be great in attract mode. It also means that they won't have to shoehorn a bowling mechanic into the main playfield, which I personally think is a bonus.
Can't wait to find out more, couldn't be happier to be in on this one.
Hell yeah! I am so stoked. I think I was one of the first 10 to pre order. I think these guys are going to hit it out of the park. The playfield design is very slick and the mini playfield looks amazing. They also seem to have a flair for production value, more so than the competition. And the theme is tits! Unless they have technical issues, I predict a win.
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