Great honest post. Most important thing is build quality and quality components. I don’t get too hung up on theming. Theming is very subjective to the individual and much harder to rate IMO. I think some people are a bit tried of “ Dont say anything negative to those building new machines or they will quit building and we will have no new machines”. There may be a pinball resurgence but if prices keep going up at the same time quality is going down business for new machines could eventually go in the tank. So saying nothing will backfire IMO. Do I see some unreasonable expectations from some? Sure but most complaints seem to quite reasonable to me. I mean bad PFs being put into machines over and over. Give me a break. This stuff has to stop...

Seems like two camps when it comes to build quality. Those who played before the year 2005 are kind of disappointed by quality and those who started after 2005 are mostly OK with the quality as they just know the new standard for quality. Certainly not everyone will fall into these two groups but there is definitely a gap in the way of thinking about quality.

Thanks for your feedback. In the end I believe these discussions are a good thing for the community as a whole.

One likes to believe
In the freedom of pinball
But glittering prizes
And endless compromises
Shatter the illusion
Of integrity,…