Given the choice of having 1 TBL arrive perfect, or one arrived smashed but working and then a 2nd arrive perfect, I'd choose the latter personally... basically a complete working machine for spares! Call me weird, but that would be a result in my book! Also DP sell another game, which I assume is paid for by the insurance?

The "Poor man's Lebowski."
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/gottlieb-s-the-big-lewboski-full-strikes-and-spares-conversion

Incredible! Thats awesome work!

He had to return the totaled game.

Ah, I missed that bit... so what happened to it, if anyone knows? Did it go back to DP so they can use it for parts? Did DP get paid from the insurance for the 2nd game they had to make?

Insurance gets the game.. and usually sells it to someone as salvage.

It wasn't quite that easy... And the smashed TBL did get returned. However, it was nice to put a couple hundred games on the cosmetically destroyed version while I waited for them to resolve the issue. It's such a masterpiece of a game. Now, sadly, the new one arrived and it's likely going up for sale to deal with a nightmare home expense I had come up... So, either way a blessing I guess...

What? Where you do you think the game went after steve picked it up?

That's what happens with high dollar shipping claims like these... the insurance providers pay out the claim, take back the damaged goods, and resell them on if they can. It's just like buying your totaled car back from insurance.

There are plenty of games that get sold in our hobby that come from this 'scratch and dent' supply chain. Shops get the salvage or returned games, fix them up, and sell them on.. or sometimes use a middle man to sell them on. It's all perfectly legit... its just not many realize these 'returned games' for Distributors or salvage games are sold again without really fully disclosing their true history.

When the stuff is smashed to have no residual value, or is small enough, they just skip it all and leave the damaged stuff where it was. But for high dollar stuff with residual value... it gets sold again, someone fixes it up or someone pieces it out, and they sell it on.

Sorry to hear that Nikomokin, sounds like a form of hell!! Pity your house insurance aren't picking up the tab for that!!

So would DP get paid the full cost for a 2nd game from the insurance company?

Noticed Hensbrooker left the Forum, his acidic wit will be missed.

I believe Cointaker & DHL came to agreement, and Cointaker (Steve @ Pinball Refinery) picked up to repair & restore. So they probably met in the middle... These shipping companies are a nightmare to deal with after something like this. So I think Cointaker compromised and helped me out, and Steve is restoring. I'm very thankful for both of their help. They definitely did not get the entire cost covered. Steve mentioned he may restore and pay to keep it.

Thanks. Not gonna lie, it's depressing to sell my collection right now... Wasn't the plan, but Covid has devastated the business and I'm trying to juggle it all. I have a good overhead and have lost 80-90% of my business at this point, much of which won't return soon if at all. So...effing blows. Never planned to sell these games... Especially my TBL, a true masterpiece.

I answered your question in the post I just made...it was definitely a compromise with Cointaker & DHL and Cointaker has been nothing but generous and helpful in a tough situation.

That has to suck big time! I feel myself very lucky to have not been hit by Covid financially at all, working for a company that sells oxygen, business has actually picked up!! I feel for everyone who's going through the ringer with this!!

So I take it DP ended up getting paid in full for 2 games due to the DHL f**k up...

NEW SDTM: The Big Lebowski Pinball Machine Review, Dude

wow take with a huge grain of salt, someone has put Stranger Things above this? I know subjective but damn

Same guy trying to sell you a Stranger Things......

Ahh, he is a distributor for Stern? You cant even put the two in the same category! Once code is tweaked on this thing I think it is up there with the best williams' Ballys' machines of all time and putting that Stranger Things in the same category?

Damn y’all I said TBL was nearly perfect! Tough crowd here in Dutch Land...oh and Stranger Things Prem/LE is great stuff...and it’s more reliable and has better code than TBL ALL DAY! Oh shit! I’m outta here!!! Hahaha

Well, it is ... strange. I'll give it that much Zach.

Otherwise, give me TBL's gameplay and overall vibe every day and twice on Sunday!

Sorry Zach, nothing personal but ST blows. They had one of the best themes out there to work with and it's about the least exciting thing I've played in ages. A real missed chance. Now, TBL surely needs some code updates but they are working on that right now and the rest of it is miles ahead

Agreed - the commentary in their review was really good but the rating is definitely not making sense or aligning with the high praise. This is already a top 10 game with current code - it’s as deep or deeper than any Bally Williams ever made as it sits.

Except bw games were never super deep. Stern raised thst bar starting eith tspp and lotr. Since then we have seen ever evolving rulesets.

Not sayong tbl is bad, but comparing it to bw which ceased to exist 2 decades ago is not a useful metric.

We’re exactly did you see DP say or mention this? Rumors on the forum don’t count.

I wish Stern had knocked Stranger Things out of the park cause we love the show but it’s just not that fun. TBL is simply stunning, has so many movie assets, and is just fun to play. I will agree it could use updated code but even in its current form I highly doubt it leaves our collection anytime soon.

Amateurs, Dude. (My guess at whomever designed Stranger Things; it's hot trash, especially compared to the Elwin tables right next to it. No one I know likes it in the slightest.)

Lebowski, on the other hand. Never seen one myself, but I know a few people who have played and they gush about it. I HOPE one winds up at @Blairally.

FYI only place I have heard anything (on Pinside....and from the pseudo voice of DP):

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/the-big-lebowski-official-club-thread/page/32#post-5933482

C´mon ..... the experience in the past showed every pinball manufacturer that it is better not to talk about software development than being to fast with the word ! As far as I know is one guy programming for DP and this not as a fulltime contractor. I am sure he will program if he has the time to and I am very sure that there will come more software.

"pseudo voice" reads not very friendly .... Ransh is a very nice and helpfull pinhead !
On Barrys place I never would talk about progress on programming because people like you will crucify him for each word.

So you sold your TBL, why are you still in this thread thinking about the software ?

Rumors for sure, but Rensh has mentioned it twice now and he has proven at least as reliable as DP for information, haha

No harm meant by pseudo voice - just that he does not work for DP and the message is not coming directly from DP.

FYI I will soon be back in the club with another new machine - helping those EAs out!

Welcome back than.

And in regard to the software, let me just say I know for sure its worked upon. And I am not offended if people want official news by the way. I have grown a thicker skin in several Pinside years after all

I have had enough other misery in 2019 to realize that this isn’t personal and at the end of the day, it’s just Pinball and an Internet forum . Allthough for me Pinball helped me to get out of a work burnout in 2019. The friends I made there and here made all the difference

I jus hope Barry will find the time soon for a NSN which is long overdue. Tracing parts, increasing production rate, finding a new DP HQ, etc takes his toll however .

For what it's worth, this thread would be a lot less interesting without you here. You are pretty much the only sources of facts here. Keep it coming! We all appreciate it.

Hi Rensh,

Any update on game enhancements - mechanical?
Things like a better upper flipper bushing, better way to connect the car’s rod shaft to the servo, etc?
Also the new games shipping with enhancements?

Thx

Thanks for any insights here?

A NSN is expected by the end of the week which will answer some of your questions

Just curious what does NSN stand for

New Shit Newsletter.

Origin:

Lol, Toooo funny yet fitting.

I like it!!

With all the pooling issues I have been reading about I am curious if any of the new owners have seen any playfield issues on their games? I believe JJP and DP use the same vendor.

Just an opinion (theory) but as TBL Playfields have sadly had 5 years to cure I think there good lol. Mine looks perfect as does my spare.

Has someone a contact to Scott Foreman ?
I am so impressed by his project that I am planning to do the same with my TBL.
I am in contact with a galvanic guy but he told me that copper changes color with the time. So I would like to ask Scott if his parts are clearcoated afterwards.

Cheers
Tom

They did knock it out of the park, just turned out to be a foul ball.

So to the other playfield issue threads - were these TBL playfields screen printed or digitally printed on years ago? Certainly the clearcoat has had plenty of time to cure!

I wonder how many playfields DP originally had ordered, I would assume enough to make the EA games. I wonder if once those are used if TBL playfields will have the same issues as JJP.. Hopefully not, time will tell I guess.

Exactly, I was curious if the original batch being 5 years old were screen or digitally printed.

I have no idea of the printing method used than. Can only confirm it are Mirco playfields. Think they have approx 300 pcs which were meant for the original first planned run.

Barry is aware of current issues with other manufacturers.

Finally! It arrived safe and sound. Now time for all of the mods. I'll post pics once it's done

6262105751.jpg

6262106051.jpg

6262106601.jpg

Nice, when did u pay in full?

Congrats! What mods do you have for it?

Cool - can you post details. Thx