Can't imagine what Zepplin topper will run....

The deeper the pockets, the easier it is to forget.

You know what I love about B/W games. They all:

Have the same artwork.
Have the some features.
Have the same toys.
Have (relatively speaking) the same code that implements all the features and toys.

So glad when I went to buy AFM I didn't have to check:

Does it actually have THE SAUCER, or is it a plastic?
Does the saucer ACTUALLY get hit with the solenoid when blowing it up?
Do all 4 martians ACTUALLY bounce up and down, or is that an extra feature with DLC?
The strobe kit actually CAME WITH the game upon release and wasn't released 3 months later.

I love that I can install a ColorDMD in my game, and that is that.
I love that I can install a PinSound board for various sound mixes or make my own.
I love that I can get a PinSound and a DMD board in tandem to replace the WPC A/V board if necessary.
I love that I can actually service my games without paying MORE now than I did 10 years ago to get the appropriate service rails when they were common on the Pros.
I love that they feel like fucking tanks whereas I feel like I will almost will flip a Stern just trying to perform slap-saves.
I love that I don't have to worry about node boards at $250 a pop.
I love that my inserts don't look like a hemorrhaging bag of Skittles.
I love that my decals don't fall off, my playfields and their artwork stay in one piece, and that inserts don't randomly ghost (shame on the IDC connectors though).

I'm sure there's more.

Free, but it's a mini Hindenburg with real fire that burns your game down if you miss a monthly DLC payment.

New pricing model: The topper will realistically catch on fire and go down in flames, just like the Hindenburgh! Powered by patented new disposable "fireworks in a can" .. each one is good for 5 uses and they're only $99.95 each!

great minds think alike

Great minds think alike!

Wow.

Damn.

For me the difference is the features of the pro/prem/le are all disclosed upfront. The Stranger Things UV and the JP topper are things being planned for the machines at release and not being disclosed until WELL after sales start, so it just feels a bit shady that they're not being honest with the customer about what's going in the game. Makes me ask "Why aren't they just disclosing it upfront?" and I don't trust sellers when I have to ask that question.

Great points!

We all vote with our wallets, I am very glad Stern is making great pinballs, so glad for SW, Maiden, EHOH, DP....) great pinball. Our community would be poorer without Stern making 3-4 new pins a year. No I am not buying every one or even a fraction of them but now and then I will gladly buy a pin like I did with SW premium last year.

But also I am in favor of buying the best (that I feel) so that can mean buying JJP, CGC and Spooky pins (when they also hit the mark). I see people buying MM royal for $10K without even batting an eye so money is not the issue it's the perception of getting a good deal for what you are paying.

If Stern goes into this pay now and pay later like Stranger Things (UV) or this topper people will need to decide if they want to buy it or not. Obviously both examples I just said are not essential because people bought Stranger Things before the UV was revealed and it's not essential much like a shaker either buy it or don't buy it. With JP it was already a big hit game before the topper, it still is a great game if you don't want to buy the topper no one is forcing you. As I said many people go without a shaker and that is something that is tied to the game code but not included and is optional.

I would be equally disappointed by a $600 topper with an exclusive mode even if they disclosed it on reveal day.

That big new screen we're all paying extra for has plenty of room to show J-U-R-A-S-S-I-C - P-A-R-K with or without a topper.

In this case owners of games can’t even get this “feature“ since it’s based off a topper which is so limited that it’s sold out already. Make the code available in game without a topper or at least make enough toppers so that it’s an option for owners.

Exactly

I keep seeing this, but is it true? Was there ever any online stock to begin with? Maybe the entire first batch went to distributors.

How do we know that extra code was planned from the start? There's nothing in any document or press release that said it was coming or would be part of the game down the road. For all we know, they brainstormed the past month on how to make more money during the pandemic (legit thing for any business to think about). They code an extra mode and bundle with this $239 topper they are ready to ship and up the price to $600. While I have zero intention of buying the topper at any price, I still don't see why everyone needs to go postal about it other than the typical Pinside mob mentality 'what can we all bitch about this week". LOL

Sold out according to their website with no indication of anything else. No mention of “sold through x distributors”

But Stern also took notice people said they were willing to buy games that cost 8K.

this, flipnout has some. they went to distributors

But...............................

What if we could sell a topper than says exactly that, add a couple lights, and charge more than our last topper?

Got to think like a greedy bitch.

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Maybe stern will address some of this. Pretty misleading showing it available to add to cart on the site then only having it available through distributers.

"Sold out" in ecommerce software just means zero currently for sale. There may have never been stock. You can add a webstore item with zero inventory, whether you have any on hand or not. Just hard for me to believe this "sold out" in the traditional sense that quickly.

Sight unseen in some cases.

Indeed. My freedom moment was when I realized someone was willing to pay me $500 for the topper on my fish tales, a game I paid $1500 for.

He asked me to pay for shipping but I was like, look bro, if you are willing to pay me $500 for a plastic fish I know you are willing to pay the $30 shipping. Sorry I have to stay firm on this one.

If you want your topper, you are gonna have to pay for it. If it seems dumb and expensive - which all toppers are - don’t suit up and enter the game. Seems pretty simple.

In light of all that’s going on the meltdown about this comes across as pretty petty and insignificant. Just. Don’t. Buy. It.

The big social uprising against these toppers just looks silly. Can’t wait for the move on.org petition.

Love it.

And this was like 5 years ago!

I wonder what a fish tales topper is going for these days.

I give zero Fs about the topper itself, wouldn't pay $100 for it, I just want allllll the modes.

And yeah, complaining about this while the country burns is petty. But pinball is my respite from 24/7 angst.

Too True. Can’t wait for tmnt playfield pics and people goin crazed.

$500. one just sold not long ago

I don't know if I've ever even played Daft Punk Multiball.

EDIT - redacted.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-8386773/Kristen-Bell-says-shes-raising-two-daughters-anti-racists.html

Thank god, I was getting worried.

Does it actually say that the mode won't be available without the topper?

To me it doesn't really specify. Like previously mentioned the letters could easily be displayed on the monitor.

I'm not saying this isn't what everyone seems to think it is but maybe we should just wait until we actually
see how it works?

I didn't find it to be anything overly special. It does seem to be something LE owners point to as a big difference maker though.

I’ll keep some fingers crossed but won’t hold my breath

Another bullshit move by Stern. First the Pro/Premium/LE model, then the Stranger Things UV add on that should have been included with the game, and now a single mode $600 DLC disguised as a few cheap pieces of plastic.

Wonder what they’ve removed from TMNT to sell at a massively inflated price down the line.

I played it a bunch, but Tron LE was my first NIB game so I had a ton of time on it and was pretty dialed on the side ramp, which is part of what qualifies it.

I just went to the Stern shop.

Added one to basket no problem at all.

Not buying it though!

Stern-Glide $199.99

Available at all distributors!

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Horrible

It always lets you add to cart. But when you checkout it says out of stock then updates your cart.

I have been trying to get a Munsters topper for some time now... same shit!!

Stern's shopping site is extremely weird. You can add whatever items you want to your cart. That means nothing until you click Check Out. At that moment you get taken to what looks like a standard Shopify sales site -- and at that moment it tells you which of the things in your cart are actually in stock.

I've only been active in the hobby for a few weeks, and I've already given up on shopping at Stern, because I have yet to find any part I was interested in that was actually in stock. Including toppers, art blades, shooters, etc. -- all of which you can merrily add to your cart but can't actually buy.

4 pages of bitching yet TMNT LE's are hard to come by even after the shit they pulled with Stranger Things. Were are really showing them.....

I'm in on a topper!

Spend all our monies on LEs for no reason.
Spend a ton of monies and toppers everyone agrees isnt worth it but hey why not.
Continue to live the Stern lifestyle and scoff at Stern for claiming they are a Lifestyle brand

I'm going to respectfully pass on the topper.

I was waiting for the topper. Now I am 600 closer to whatever it costs to buy GnR.

10% is not nickel and diming. Its nuts lol. I guess any Stern I will buy will be Deadpool and older.

You dont really understand Stern do you. 1. Strip games, charge more 2. Piss poor QC 3. Abandoned code 4. DLC. 5. Stern doesnt care and wont address any issues.

Don't know how to make memes, but that's Stern on the left and their customers on the right.

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