This was my first Pinball show and I had an absolute blast. the pros outweighed the cons by a million. The only bummer were the number of busted machines. I also really wish that Jersey Jack could line up a wall of those WOZ tables for everyone to play. Truck out 10 or 12 for the show. He wouldnt even have to give one away at the end. Just bring enough for everyone to get plenty of play in.

Great event! My first pinball show.

Worst moment: My wife scored 55 million on mustang to qualify for the womens tourney... but they lost her score somehow.

Best Moment: Getting good at hitting the top hole of Banzai Run!

It makes my heart drop to hear that your wife's score was lost.

Next year, I need for you to do two things.

#1. When you have a huge score like that, take a photo with your smartphone. If you do not have a smart phone, come get me or one of my main judges to take it for you.
#2. When that huge score does not show up on the standings, come get me personally and I will make sure that it gets corrected.

I look forward to your wife competing in the ladies event next year.

Marcus

I assure you, she complained to a bunch of people. God knows I heard about it.

at least your wife will even touch a pinball machine
you're light years ahead of me.

Fixed that for you...and you've already lost customers.

If you actually have to go out of your way to say that, perhaps you should stay home next year.

I was excited to see an opening for a game at the side mirror booth. I walked up to a game and fumbled around a few seconds trying to figure out why it didn't start. I realized vendors were watching me but not offering assistance. When I asked, I felt like I was treated like an idiot for assuming I could play their game. There wasn't a sign or anything to say it was off-limits. I walked away feeling scolded when I paid to go to an event with the understanding games would be on free play for the weekend. I later saw lots of others being turned away in the same fashion. When I mentioned this to Kim, she seemed surprised the machines were off. She said that the agreement was that a display game could be at the booth if it was clearly marked, maybe on an elevated platform or something. Later on during the event, I did see makeshift for display only signs on the machines...but I will never forget how this vendor made me feel.

This seems like a reasonable solution that should be utilized at all shows since this seems to be a common issue.

What's with the attitude Mr. Superior? Cool pinheads come in all ages, shapes and colors.

Best show yet. Once we figured out the line for load in, all seemed to go pretty smooth. We stayed across the street because of the free wi-fi and parking. Plus, being as my wife is one of those handicapped, overweight people, we usually just take the van to a H/C parking spot nearest the door, or if not available, I drop her off. Last year it was quite a hump to the show from the rooms and it appeared to be the same this year? But I guess from what some are saying it wasn't that bad at all. Plus, bfast and happy hour? We're there next year.

Can anyone say why we could only load out the back door? Would have been much faster and easier if we could have got out the side or front. And negotiating a machine at the transition from the door ramp to the sidewalk was a li'l tricky. Other than that, everyone was super polite to each other and helpful as could be.

I did not bring the Acrylic Pinball Machine to the show unfinished for exactly the reason that I felt more would have been disappointed than excited to see it unplayable.

Huh?

Looking at the layout to the hotel and the location of rooms, lobby, and show hall online, it appeared to be quite a ways, so thusly we stayed across the street.

It wasn't far at all, and I walked on a cane all weekend.

saw that.

get well soon... we need you hauling 1,000's of pounds of arcade & pin machines all over texas
also waiting on an invite to a home-cade cabaret party when it's ready.

I'll be fine but i appreciate the sentiment.

We just did the Big Smoke reunion tour in Galveston Tuesday .

AndI hear we are doing an April Birthday Extravaganza on the 26th Of April out at Dans Lone Star Pinball Museum out in Hockley where we will no doubt build a massive bonfire of arcade cabinets ( just to cook our marshmallows , you know)

Oh yeah , Dan has 200-300 pinball machines once you grow weary of the bonfire

Ed and I were just discussing the Home Pin row for next year. Brunswick Alive , Wico Big Top, Bally Fireball Home model, Brunswick Aspen , Bally EK Home Model, Bally Captain Fantastic and the dirt Brown Cowboy.

You know the kids would like those 3/4 size pins all in their own row

In related news, if anybody knows where I can get the home version EK or Captain Fantastic, let me know

Seems to me that if your games were not listed on the TPF list then why can't you bring some for display only? But then again you shouldn't get free weekend tickets if they are for display only too. Seems pretty logical to me. Those games had some neat mods on them and I enjoyed looking at them. The mirrors are a great product too. $70 for side mirrors were a great deal. No lost customer here.

We did not get free weekend tickets. Like all vendors we paid for the space. Thanks for the support. Can't win them all.

Wdpvideo, thank you for buying vendor space and for supporting the show!

Everybody else, the show was great and this is nitpicking because we cant find anything about the show to complain about. Quit whining or I won't let you play my Brunswick home models next year.

have one in the fam. needs a little work. single owner, HUO.
let me know if interested... i'll see if it's sellable.

cheers,
bb
capfan-pin2.jpg

i think they prefer being called "height challenged" or "fun sized"

Well of course it's HUO. Kinda hard to route those. Sure thing Brett, check it out

did i say HUO.... meant... heavily routed

You paid for the space you should be able to do what you want. Please come back next year.

Barry, you don't ever play the big ones you have, so now you want some 3/4 size machines to not play?! You can put one in place of that Midway multi machine you bought at the local truck stop. Brett, if Barry doesn't bite on the mini Captain Fantastic, I might be interested.

Disagree, not nitpicking.
He's free to do what he wants; I personally hope this demo stuff becomes unpopular.

As the great Gary Coleman said " Different Strokes for Different Folks"

Brett, don't listen to rccola777 he's just trying to snake me out of a Captain Fantastic...

Hmmm.....never thought about it, but my friend could have brought his home version EK. Plays great.

Does your friend want to sell the home version EK? That would complete my Bally home collection. I could bring them all to TPF next year

I think I am going to pull an rccola777 and start a bidding war for all these home models that pop up. It'll make Barry love me even more, and thoroughly confuse these home model owners. Then the general market will see an unexplainable bump in the home model market, and the speculators will get "Brunswick fever" as Aspen and Alive start climbing up the boston pinball price guide. And then PPB will take notice, and blow everyone away at Expo by announcing a 2017 remake of Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, chopping 30% off the current market for restored models. And there I will be, sitting in the dark, laughing maniacally, stroking a white cat in my lap.

If you'll excuse me, I have to go get fitted for an eye-patch.

I don't think so, he's a motorcycle and EK fan. There was a non-working one a state away for the low, low price of $500 a couple of weeks ago. I tried to bring them back to reality, but my efforts only insulted them.

In related news, there are about to be a whole lot fewer Houston collectors and former friends in the hobby if they don't quit trying to poach my home models and force me to go all Hulk Smash. On the plus side, Craigslist in Houston will be a lot less crowded

Ok Stephen, I up your bid by 10% (we haven't stated dollar amounts yet, so this will have to do). Can we use your plan and include Zizzle? I think I can get my hands on a few and beat the exponential increase in price your diabolical plan will surely create. We could even re-theme one for Calvin and Hobbes.

And Barry, I just found out that Brolyn has a couple EK home versions, but he's converting them to 60 in 1's (or maybe 19 in 1's, hell I never can remember). I think he had a freshly converted Tron upright that he picked up on the Northside.

LOL! Well, if I ever see another one I'll PM you and see if you still need it.

did someone say zizzle ?

IMG_3786.JPG

Ahhhh yes... I think that's Brad's Zizzle from TPF. Turning it into a virtual pin is the only respectable way a Zizzle should be played. In all seriousness, I reluctantly admit I have owned a Zizzle, and it was, well, awful.

Oh yeah, well then how do you explain that Olde English "Zizzle" tattoo on your bicep, Erich? Don't act like every time the Houston guys get together, you don't end up comparing it to Barry's "Brunswick" tattoo on his lower back.

At the time it seemed like a good idea. Barry and I were going for the "Wonder twins power... Activate!" angle, but we made a mistake and both got them done on our right arm, so we have to face opposite directions when we show people how clever we are.

It's still better than that " Wico Big Top" tramp stamp you guys talked me into . ( note to self: no more Jell-O shots at TPF)

I'm taking Barry's Jell-O shots. Donation for the official TPF Happy Hour Club.

Barry tells me that if he has something to drink, he really opens up and starts talking. I haven't seen it happen yet, but I can only hope it releases the "dark side" Barry stories! Maybe he'll finally tell us about the time he toured with the circus side show.