In ! Maybe sort it by reconfirmed / outstanding? That way an out person doesn't have to fess up if they don't want to, they'll just be unconfirmed.

That's why I found Nate's point in recent podcast as poignant.. The run of this game is "not limited" but that doesn't mean it's unlimited. Given the contract manufacturing run of this game.. there will be an initial run.. it will be all pre-orders + <some unknown number> of inventory to sell on the spot.

After that.. the crystal ball gets fuzzy because they would have to re-hire the CM to tool back up, stock the parts for a fixed number.. spit them out.. then once again the CM would untool and move on to the next contract. So there's probably going to be a "minimum order to run the game" situation for sure.. and eventually you get to the point where the license has expired or they want to move to another game and it's done.

And I dunno about you, but my game is never entering secondary market.

Yeah let's hope no more missteps inciting mass refund requests from here on forward!

Whether you're in or out, it's bad for pinball to have all this funny stuff going on.

No funny stuff

From the poll that happened during the turmoil here's the #s.. Just for posterity.. Be interesting on how this list turns out now.

- 53 in
- 26 out
- 28 maybes

I hope DP publishes production #s in the end.. it will be interesting to see how many get made without making claims about the maximum # sold.

Predator is limited to 250.. seems like their could be less TBLs in the end (if predator finishes completely and all sell). But guessing more than RAZA(limit 100 or is it 130) and more than AMH(limit 150).

yeah.. I guess I'm feeling somewhere in the 200-400 unit range. I would be very impressed (and happy for them) if they broke 500. Stern LEs are usually in that number of units and so conceptually i have a hard time.. just from an overall market point of view, seeing them get up there / beyond. Hobbit hasn't sold all it's 1000 LEs right? MMR did initially, but then it seems like there are availabilities now.. so from an over all market.. 300 is probably a good target, 500 would be huge success, and 200 being low end.. feels about right to me

I think he's just removing them all together than tracking the outs (a few outs in this thread); that is probably the right way to do it to avoid unnecessary animosity.

Aren't Curtis_Playfield and Molly the same person, if so she's an out I believe per other thread. Id love to know ozno's status given his behavior on the other thread (soup nazi allegations that fell silent all of a sudden).

Glad to see a good number of people still in! Hopefully we get an update soon that can be exclusively forward looking and has some piles of parts ready for assembly

That's ok, we've come back past the poll total of the sums "ins" and "maybes" which was 81. So, it may have taken some new blood but made it. And from some of the comments, many of the people are out for reasons beyond some confidence shaking anyway.

I do have a remaining concern.. are Barry, Jaap, Koen going to be burned out on this movie after spending a year or two living and breathing TBL. What, what makes a man? Is it being prepared to do the right thing, whatever the cost?”

I imagine next update will be production oriented.. But a software update would be nice. In the form of some video or a sw mode tree (so we can get a sense of breadth vs depth). Are they doing anything with combos, etc. And given still trying to finish BOP2.0 and a small staff.. How far along will TBL be when the first games go out.

And even though I probably won't use it much, how are they approaching "family mode" .. Given the source material this is not as simple as normal game .

Spfxted.. Did you get that in a message today? I didn't but that prob isn't tailored to people already pre ordered.. Maybe sent to ex pre order people or other interested patties

Yeah that would be cool. I thought I read somewhere long time ago that each televison station makes their own "made for TV" and so there's not one official one, unfortunately.. Which is why you have both "this is what happens when you find a stranger in the alps" and "this is what happens when you when you feed a stoner scrambled eggs!"

Ok all the other stuff about the rug toy was in a different nsnl a week or two ago with the you tube video. Guess they have a few mailing lists going now. The fact they are looking at distributors is new though..makes sense since they are making surplus inventory.. Let it be stored with distributors, distributors may set up a game to play so people stopping by can give it a try etc.

So sounds like they could prob fill 2 containers worth between pre orders we know about plus some initial shipment for distributors.

I do expect them to not ship them individually cause that indeed would be $$$. Maybe we'll get some insights on the game plan once things are rolling.

Yeah its rough.. Dropping in to see what condition your condition was in eh?

Another round for everyone

You're out of your element blade runner

Its also called there is a white Russian on the playfield, and a key part of the movie... Hence there is no other drink for this thread, short of a sarsaparilla

That's more like it! I am the only one around here who gives a shit about the rules?

They are going to have family mode per their FAQ.
http://www.thebiglebowskipinball.com/faq

Will The Big Lebowski™ Pinball have a parental controls/adult mode?
Yes, and if you have kids, you’ll be glad it does!

Yeah they were clear none of this spot reselling business would happen for TBL. You want out, you get a full refund. I don't know why they other guys started that trend as it seems a pain in the ass for them to maintain buyers lists and all that.

Just wait till Q3 when there's more info about distribution / cash & carry model. By then games will be out there and you'll get real reviews of where final quality / code maturity is and decide better informed.

As far as people complaining about pre orders in general in the wake of predator. The people on this list already had a pretty good scare with Phil meltdown and since then much of the enthusiasm now tempered due to all the shenigans by nearly all the boutiques (spooky excused). At least thats how I feel personally.

I am hoping there's one or more NSNL here real soon that shows clear signs of production started , final sign off from universal for everything, and some fresh software clips showing where the state of that is. I am hoping then I'll return to unchecked enthusiasm

Metal cabinet protectors, nice. That looks like a new playfield too.. So pretty recent.

Shipments also likely to be burst-y as I imagine they will wait till they have a full container to ship.

Would guess less than that.. 8' wide, 40' long.. These would be packaged properly, not those reimport coffins stacked floor to ceiling either. Stern and JJP would know . Can easily see 2 containers heading this way and then Scott (plus help I hope!) Shipping them out to us. Or maybe as part of coin taker becoming a distro they will pitch in with the local shipping

Though, it is unlikely to be a trickle of games like JJP and AMH either.. Given they are going contract manufacturing.. It is more likely to me they front load all their hiccups and get a later start but once going things games rolling out regularly (closest to MMR trend.. But hopefully smoother than that)

You've been pretty quiet over there burningman since you became a company man

Yeah. I understand the no news till good news is an ethos.. Just has left me a little flat since the Phil meltdown if I'm being honest. This being said, I'm wearing my DP shirt today !

Yeah not the only one. Don't think they get little incremental updates (or even being upfront of setbacks if they are having any) go a long way to separate them from being unfairly lumped in with the other disasters in some peoples minds. Show us a stack of playfields, cabinets, parts on facebook.. Doesn't need any editorial.

So what balance do you think is right then cause you could say their apparent approach of not saying anything until it is substantial is exactly inline with not wanting to put out out stuff that can be misconstrued as you say.

I would say a pile of parts or cabs or playfields looks like progress to me.. If someone seriously said in response to that "oh but Kevin showed cabinets as well so that doesn't mean anything" they would get some severe eye rolls from me .

And in the climate of hurricane Kevin/jpop any of the remaining boutiques showing any levels of transparency (good or bad) above the minimum required before people are feeling restless helps distance themselves from the disasters.

We're prob arguing the same thing then. All I was stating was if they are super busy, the bare minimum that would keep me personally non-restless would be to take a photo of whatever they have going right now that looks like progress and shoot it to face book. I estimate this would take 2 minutes tops and I think would create a little positive energy/excitement around "entering production".

The hypothetical announcements would/will be great as we get going as well.. Though hopefully not getting to hypothetical phase 4 , as that in the current negative atmosphere would turn into a hypothetical shitshow on pinside (" we" collectively couldn't handle that kind of truth I fear).

*i can't say hypothetical enough as I've also lost faith with people's reading comprehension to read your post and not skip over your single use of hypothetical and your dates being in the future. communication is indeed a bit of a tight rope.

heh.. i'm going to confess something there.. I was just sitting at my desk in my house and I heard a big truck pull up and sounds of lift gates outside my house and all that and for a split micro-second I had the thought.. wow wonder if DP is just shipping games with no notice.. just like "bam here's your fucking update".. unfortunately, it was just the landscapers next door. Ah but let's hope soon!!

Also, its 4/20.. Is it just a USA pot holiday or international? I know it started here but caught on? If there was ever a date that cried out for some new shit!

I was just looking at eBay today to see if there was any other ones for folks (I too got one already). Slim pickins. Yeah the blue lid is peculiar.. Wondering if they used a Maxwell house of the same type lid?

Far fucking out man

Is the maxwel house lid from eBay too or something current that fits? Nice either way

RTR, when the true serial numbers arrive sometime soon, are you up for taking our #s(for those that feel like disclosing them) and sorting your list by them? Or that too much PIA?

#17 !!

And BTW nice job to DP on the Jackie treehorn graphic.. Nice touch.

Youve got a project this weekend RTR resorting the list

Wow would of thought #1 would stay in the Netherlands.

I don't think anyone ever talked about the games going to pintastic new england. In the past they have let us know if the games are planned for somewhere.

JG being a problem actor with the game came up some during Phil meltdown, so maybe the rumor you heard was old news.

This being said, if one or more of the actors has issues then, well, I hope DP leaves open a back door such that we can put the real audio clips in ourselves (i own both blueray and dvd.. i am not sure i have a VHS of it). Video clips may be harder to introduce later given whatever post processing is required for getting them on their screen but .. imagine something could be done. But yeah, hopefully Universal didn't lead them astray with promises of clips during pre-discussions that they can't deliver.

This and everybody elses challenges with license holders really shows how hard it is. At least Roger is on it!

You are the only person that's claimed publically to have money down for a post preorder machine as far as I know. So maybe coin taker is your special lady friend?

Is there a link to recording on the site? Would love to watch.

Update: these live reads are never recorded so there's no licensing to deal with

Hope things are ok!

Supposed to be coming off assembly line by end of month. Many of us have doubts about that, but hope springs eternal.

Dec 2013 after hinting at it during 2013 expo (so october) with viral marketing campaign. So under 2 years as long as games start shipping before end of year. As far as lateness, they are sitting today at 2 months late from their original target they set at announcement in December.

Yep I just scoured this thread but can sit down with the other one tomorrow

The serial numbers in this case mean something, as they are the actual number next in line when ordered.. So we've seen 190, reflecting 190 games.

So, here's my bet.. They will do a run of 300 games. So ~200 going to preorders and 100 of inventory for cash and carry. And whether or not there is a 2nd run prob depends on a lot

It really all depends on how quickly they can start getting games out. The 1 a week situation it seems like we are in now is going to #1 take forever and #2 encourage more people to do air freight which further slows getting to a full container.

They really need to hit 10 a week, so a full 40 game container once a month before it will feel like anything but torture to wait for container.

I plan on container shipping, because the price is so steep.. it erases the cost advantage of my preorder. That's a psychological wall I can't rationalize just yet.. but we'll see how long it takes to get to #17.

Yes, air is faster than boat. Not sure anyone is questioning that part . I was more saying if they can get production up such that a boatload is ready monthly, that pace will have the entire pre order run complete within 5 months (200ish games). At such a pace, I personally don't see large amounts of people paying the air freight premium. If they trickle out one at a time for another month or two, and containers only fill up once every 2-3 months.. more people will pull the trigger on air freight, which further exacerbates delays in filling a complete container.

I doubt DP is trying to do anything other than get production numbers way up; it makes sense for everyone.

On first post of this thread, rarehero is #56. Guess it's been so long, hard to remember

Hope there's container news soon !