Will this be added at the system level?

when is someone going to install tracking?

i.e. I walk up to a game, hold the left flipper button (or make a whole new button near start), and press start.
Game then allows me to enter my initials to sign in to my player profile. Game then tracks my stats and even allows progress to build up and achieve new things in the game over time. Could be things like unlocking new modes or challenges, free add-a-balls or EBs, etc... that I can cash in on a really good game where I am almost to wizard.

This seems like a no brainer and a big win for both home play and route play.

Do it on a game where more quests are coming and more content needed to keep a player coming back for more.

This idea was (in a more simple form) part of the only good thing that came out of Predator).

Tracking has been part of videogames for ever. Seems like a simple thing to implement and a large value add.

This would be phenomenal, I LOVE the idea of profile/stat tracking!

Frustrating, especially considering that the future of gaming is tied to esports and achievement-based gameplay. Stern would do well to start implementing these features now. If you aren’t moving forward, you’re falling behind... it’s been a while since we’ve seen any real disruption in the industry. And we very much are relying on stern to keep pinball alive.

The build out of co-op, here especially, is certainly a step in the right direction. Many of the rumors had pointed to this being internet-connected, but that now appears to be only a rumor (at least at launch). Anyone have more info there?

Edit: why yes I AM available for consulting

The whole NECA series look really good. I hadn't seen them before.

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this would be a great use of online connectivity. Id even be excited for just entering initials before you plunge your ball so the game can show me which player I am. some type of stern profile system would be cool.

Won't be as bad as having to turn off, move, and turn on the Star Wars multiplier between shots. One press, diverted.

LE buyers are worse players on average than pro buyers, so it works out for everyone.

Relax guys, I have years of data and crunched the numbers. Irrefutable science. Don't @ me.

Bride of Pinbot 2.0 does most of this.

I feel like these would be too tall to fit in a pinball machine. I think there like 6" - 7" tall. not sure though. They look great too. and theyre currently releasing more characters like April and Casey Jones.

isnt that main stat tracking (cool)

I want stat and acheivement/goals/unlockables
Bring that extra dimension of carry over progress between games.

As a route operator, this is a genius idea to try and get more people into and coming back to play.
As a home player, this will also get me cemented in a game for longer.

Honestly it is one of my most asked about things in pinball for like 7 years.
I keep hoping this is what JJP is hinting towards. I have asked Eric and KP and Joe, and anyone that will listen...lol about this idea

For real? When I watch location players, they usually don’t even know how to find the start button...then they chimp flip, drain, and move on.

Want to give a huge thanks to everyone who helped me. I was able to buy one of the remaining left LE's.

Yes I agree. This is definitely no Shadow, but I think the diverter would offer some additional benefit. Agree that the placement near one flipper would be better.

I've been playing PC games like Hades and Monster Train lately. They've perfected the three layers that make a game impossible to put down.

1. A satisfying 30-second gameplay loop
2. Accumulation of short-term power (with lots of random elements) during a 30 minute or one hour run
3. Drip feeding new options, mechanics, play styles based on milestones you've hit and implementing them into future runs

It's definitely got me thinking about how to integrate all of this into a pinball machine. #1 has been firmly in place for decades, #2 is hit or miss, and #3 is tricky because you'd certainly run into lots of folks who don't want to go to the trouble of slowly unlocking content that they paid for.

Route players come in all forms.

Definitely a dedicated % that love pinball and play almost religiously. Heck, there is a great local guy that plays the same game for 4 hours pretty much every sunday (when locations were open). Like clock work, he will be on his game and playing and having a a blast. He would love the tracking I suggest.

easy to make a setting for those people.

Just like in TNA, how players can cheat in settings to jump to final reactor.

as long as they don't go down the golden tee way and change ops + players extra for it.

The ramp is the hard part. Once you have ramps with crossover ability (aka, an open area between them), you can craft a plastic/nylon passive diverter that alternates the ball path based solely on the ball rolling over it.

That's not as fun as you controlling it. I used to have a shadow and it was a cool feature.

Ramps shouldn't be a problem if you can order the premium ramp from marco.

there is a distinct fear of that, esp with the whole family connection to raw thrills model

I think pinball world is quite different. Manufacturers need to use it as a free improvement to boost sales. Charging for it would flip things on their heads.

Adding online content is a great idea! The one issue I can see with it is online competition of any sort. What is to stop someone from playing with the glass off on their home machine? Using it to track an individual player's progress across plays and machines would work though. Another benefit I could see is being able to see how your machine plays compared to others across the globe by comparing average scores and other metrics.

Anyone noticed in one of Jack Dangers streams, that he mentioned: "Get the Prem/LE, there will be a >>secret<<!". (Stern marketing???)
I am afraid... will it be a UV- 300$ upgrade, or a cool online/co-op additional mode? What do i miss if i buy the Prem?

Sorry but this pisses me off. So much gambling with buying Sterns NIB!
You don't know what you are getting. Dimples, Cracks, unfinished/bad code, or a hidden costs secret- that every Pro buyer will miss.

Anyone heard about this secret?

game looks great. Must have for me. Hoping they did resolve playfield lottery

Just wait until all the games come out, all code is finished and all secrets have been revealed. Then get the one you want.

It was a comment in the chat from a viewer. Looks like more a rumour to me....

Mod gurus, what are the mods that is doable for this game? I would love to have Krang on my pro...

this was on the second stream, in the first stream HE mentioned it.

It looks like the Turtles toys are more like 6 inches, but yeah, if they're posed, then maybe more like 5 inches. If there's room, I was thinking I'd try and put each Turtle near their insert/shot

Maybe Stern could sell an RFID dongle for your keychain. You place it on the glass and an IR code pops on pinball screen. Scan this with the Stern App and boom, you're in the system from now on, just put the fob on the glass.

Or they could be really clever and sell a Stern watch with the RFID fob in the bracket and it'd log you in just by getting your hand near the flipper button.

I wouldn't be surprised if someone tried to fit a full sized turtle van in the game with the blimp or technodrome as a topper.

Had that blimp as a kid, don't think it'd make a great topper, but since the glider is on the playfield (at least on prem/le) it would kind of make sense i guess

Not so sure about logging into a pinball machine to be honest. Could be nice to get perks like free games if you played a certain number of games or unlock special content. Sounds all good if implemented well but that requires Stern to be continuing coding for a large number of games on top of just getting game code finished. I thought the Add A Ball feature on past games was bad for routing. Players would pay to complete a game, see all the features, and then lose interest in playing again. I remember pumping quarters in some arcade games back in the day doing just that. I still think it's a great feature, especially for the home environment.

I haven't seen a mystery shot in either stream which I like. I know the lair shot is an add a ball for at least one of the multiballs, but don't recall which. Nice since alot of recent Sterns default to mystery for aab.

Yeah Dwight’s AABs are usually pretty unique on how to earn them.

I feel like "Pict-o-pops" fills this role for Dwight.

Yeah I’m sure add a ball is an award there. Maybe one of the abilities of the turtles is an add a ball too.

raw thrills is linked to Play Mechanix, Inc and they used the Incredible Technologies, Inc. IT net dial system.
Stern tested Dial up system with Incredible Technologies, Inc.

The old Big Buck Hunter Network system is dead.

And with Incredible Technologies you need to pay not only for the Network, Per game fees there are also big yearly software update fees.

In most stern games games add an ball is very common

or just an player card like Incredible Technologies

Sorry, late into the game. I just saw the video. I couldn’t make it past the half way point, the background music is “Horrendous”!!! I was waiting for John Holmes and Amber Lynn to appear in the game.

Add-A-Ball is the first image that comes up on the pict-o-pops screen.

OK Rarehero we ordered one. we are testing your nostalgia hype in this thread... LOL (all good fun ). The whole package does look amazing and because I buy pinball machines as equipment for people to enjoy and have fun, its not about my taste, it's what the people like. Therefore, we are giving it a go... weeeeeeeeeee!

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The neca ones are awesome, but way too big. Trust me I have them, and they would look way out of place and oversized.
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Dude, the music is amazing in this game.

It is. Ordered a pro.

That case!

I had forgotten about a couple of those. The mouser looks awesome. Not sure I'd ever seen one before.