My post from other TBL thread.
Little report from factory visit:
#78 is the highest numbered finished boxed up game.
20 of them done, waiting for shipment.
Unfortunately all of them have to be depacked again as faults were detected on test samples of the latest batch of one of the boards, so they're checking all of them. Probably more of a pain in the arse than a major delay.
In my view it's highly unlikely any other companies in pinball would do this, or that any (save maybe for JJP - big maybe) would even detect a batch of PCBs with a minor fault after initial production, in the first place, before shipping them.
#92 is the highest number currently in production.
ARA are at a cadence of ~8 per week now. They've told DP that they think they can do up to 20 per week once they're fully up to speed. They're obviously picking up pace.
They have climate, wear and mechanical testing rigs set up in house. As the previous factory visit reported, all the bespoke PCBs can be designed, prototyped, tested and produced in-house ... which has to be a huge asset.
All machines are properly tested (technical and play) before they go out.
Still continually refining TBL in terms of assembly procedure, setup, and revising the odd part.
To put an end to the Pinside rumours, licensing is NOT an issue for TBL. The run of 300 has not yet been extended, because the contract with their manufacturing partner ARA is for 300, and it or a new one has to be negotiated. Nor are they quitting after TBL ... they're working on game #2 and have plenty more ideas. They wouldn't comment, but I feel like it may not be THAT long before we hear or see something, given the glint in their eyes. Guess it depends on how long they intend to produce TBL for.
Both Dutch Pinball and ARA seem very well organised, and far more professional than any other operations I've seen or heard of. I mean that both in the general sense, and that they are all professionals with expertise. Specific tasks are all delegated to those with the most relevant skills, experience and qualification, and the means and tools for them to do their jobs as well as possible are provided. That goes for everything from art, to code, to parts ordering, to software, to human resources. There's instruction and oversight at every stage of production, and protocol arranged to deal with failures. It's a typical example of studied, modern, lean production and management ... rather than the rather old fashioned, inefficient or chaotic garden shed like archetypes that tend to otherwise be associated with the industry.
They're happy to show anything in the production facility and have photos taken, no NDAs or no requests for keeping mum about anything. They happily answered any questions (save for timing or theme of game #2) all afternoon and night, including anything probing, inviting any scepticism or critique, including from customers who already had games and had parts fail ... indeed some of them left with bags of newly revised bits. Didn't seem like they wanted to brush anything under the rug or deflect. Nothing any of the staff said whilst I was there appeared optimistic or exaggerated (besides Jaap's personality 
) and all of them seemed like realists. On the face of what I saw, heard and their demeanour, I'd be far more confident about ordering a NIB machine from them than anyone else, and them then standing behind their product.
Some of the stuff they use is of immensely higher quality and greater expense than other manufacturers. Two things that really stood out most were the backglass and bowling mech. The glass is 5mm thick and looks like bullet proof glass. It's ridiculously heavy, so much so they had to change the plastic guide it sits in as it kept breaking, and extremely solid. Thickness is so it can be bottom lit with LEDs and diffuse light through the panel. The bowling mech - it's even bigger and more industrial looking than it seems in photos, and surely the most expensive toy there's ever been or perhaps will be in pinball. But talking of cost, Jaap talked quite a bit about bill of materials, and efficiency. I strongly suspect TBL isn't as unaffordably costly to DP as many would think (or I suspected). The whole enterprise seems to be put together with a view to sustainability. But at the same time, Jaap and Barry clearly don't need to do this or aren't counting on it making them squillions; love of pinball does really seem to be the primary motivation, rather than a PR soundbite.
Without exception, the staff were friendly and informed.
They're looking at offering a high resolution mode on the LCD - default and only choice is a simulated dot matrix at the moment. Was a conscious decision to go with the latter, but they realise some would prefer it without. I certainly would given how many movie clips there are. A lot of colour and contrast are lost, and with the playfield and lights being so colourful, I think the ability to disable dots would make it a lot more eye catching.
Plenty more code planned. Though no exact ETA for next update. Wifi is ready to go now.
The product's finish, fit, feel and construction screams high quality. Stern, Heighway and Spooky aren't in the same universe. JJP are a bit different but definitely on the same planet, however I don't think they have anything like such stringent quality control and production procedure, and from what I've observed there will be a lot more variance and simple assembly errors & issues, or damage incurred in build or transit.
Was my first time playing. Lit up, the playfield looks prettier than any other. Shots all feel REALLY smooth, and most if not easy are immediately intuitive ... there doesn't seem to be any weird or potentially badly calculated geometry, unlike a lot of recent modern machines. I feel like the game would work whether flat as a pancake or raked as steeply as possible. Flipper feel seems excellent, though they use SuperBands as stock, which whilst I know many like them, I hate and would have to change - wish they'd use Titan Silicon. Sound design is good, and the low paced music wasn't an issue at all for me (I felt it might be). I liked that there are plenty of increments in adjustments for things like slingshots ... competitors typically offer few, in the games they do allow it. I think it will really benefit from code expansions in future, as it does still feel like such a rich game isn't yet making as much use of all its features as it can.
Don't know if I'll end up with one or not yet, probably depends on how large the run is and European pricing, as the theme has never been a huge attention grabber for me (sorry fans). But I do await their future titles with far more anticipation than anything else ... that and installing my BoP 2.0 kit.
Custer, WI
München
being European this sounds great 
Oslo
Utrecht
Abbotsford, BC
