There's a launch party at Gestalt Haus in SF on 10-18.

Biased about what though? I don't hate stern, I have four sterns now, would not have an issue getting anything new that came out if I liked it. I already noted I put little care into theme. STTNG for me is one of the better machines I like, especially over any SW machines, but I can't stand the show (sucks balls ) and love the SW movies, so TWD theme has no bearing on the game for me. Again, I love the art, especially above the flippers, glad stern is going in this direction after how well MET art did over photoshop.

There is just that really low home run factor with sterns, so I guess if I am biased, it's based on that fact, and it is a fact. Many play very similar, sorry, but that is true, and that is not something I alone share in belief. But none the less, they have knocked some out of the park, some being top ten to me.

Again, I went into this open minded. I didn't like the PF layout in photos, but played with an open mind. Of all the new sterns I have played like this, fresh out of the box with basic incomplete rules, as we have come to expect, I have not walked away quicker than I did from TWD. Do with that what you will. I couldn't get enough ST instead.

Holy crap this place changed. They have pins now? When I lived in the city I went here all the time and they only had a pool table. Where did they find room for pins?

"couldn't get enough ST instead."

That explains it. People have different opinions and mine is that ST SUCKS BIG FAT HAIRY BALLS!

Sadly..I finally agree with Iceman

If you want an example of how to review a pin without throwing in useless troll comments and still do it without any BS, you can take a look at the review that GravitaR did here:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/stern-twd-pro-played-tonight-some-thoughts

That's an example of a credible review where he gives examples of things that he liked and didn't like, without using inflammatory language like you did just to get a rise out of people. You know, like saying "it sucks balls".

Yea well i get "sucks balls" is kinda derogatory but I see nothing wrong with "ST SUCKS BIG FAT HAIRY BALLS"

The 'big fat hairy" kinda softens it a bit.

Or makes it harder. Depending on what you are into...

STLE is a fun game. I still think the modes could be more interesting. The layout is great, though. Warp ramp and kick back are cool. Like the way the ship fires the ball back at you. Sounds and lights are amazing. Play the LE. hard to imagine anyone hating the LE.

I posted this mini rant in another thread, but thought I'd reiterate it here (with respect to the TWD's voice call outs).

The happy hillbilly voice is ridiculously bad. And it has NOTHING to do with the fact that the accent is from the south. I have no problem with the person doing the voice overs having a southern accent. Just have it fit the game! You have a darker themed game, great intense music, and then a completely out out place happy higher pitched voice. Completely doesn't fit the theme or the rest of the game.

VOs would sound so much better from someone with a deeper more serious sounding voice - southern or otherwise.

By way of comparison, in Star Wars, Darth Vader was as cool as he was because of the voice of James Earl Jones. Check out "The Real Voice of Darth Vader" on youtube. Darth voiced by the actor (David Prowse) is what TWD sounds like now. It could be so much better if done right!

Another good example is the voice of Julian McMahon as Dr. Doom in the Fantastic Four movies. He is a great actor, but his voice completely sucked balls as the voice of Dr. Doom. Not menacing at all.

Please Stern, get rid of the hillbilly voice. We don't want to think BBH when we are playing TWD!

Agreed. I wanted to go through the voice calls using pinball browser since I'm just learning how to use it, but I couldn't find ANY version for TWD on Sterns website.

Interesting, Stern makes for the most part very fast fun quick playing games which I enjoy but I didn't like TSPP at all or Family Guy etc.. Atomicboy I can see from your ratings that you prefer that style of game like TAF which I bought as it was a big game when I was a youth but sold it in 2 weeks, would I say it sucks balls no just to me anyway seemed childish, like trying to watch Goonies at 40 years old, not bad but not the same. STLE, TWDLE, Met Pre and so on just appeal more to me now. I think TBL is a great film but not interested in that pinball I would assume you are and that's great, point is pinball is highly selective and one mans MM is another's SST because you may not believe this but I had more or at least the same amount of fun with both those pins. One cost me 9000 and the other 1900 so its a strange hobby.

I really don't hate any pin, I always embellish and overstate my feelings. Tried to like ST, played the LE and pro. Xmen though does suck a lot hairier balls than ST

It's a really poor knock off of SM imo and for the "flow lovers", not even close to SM, then again I consider SM one of the top pins ever.

But does that have anything to do with loving Spiderman as a theme over ST cause its does for me, I thought Spiderman was a great pin but prefer my STLE as I'm a trekkie. No matter how much I tried to love SM I just couldn't get into it fully due to theme. Why does it seem like people don't want to admit that, Jesus I really enjoyed my Robocop as I love that movie but hardly a fantastically deep and flowing pin. Guy's who are into Zombies and love that program will find the good with in and those biased to both evilness and Stern when it comes to pinball will find the worst. Xmen is the best example as I can only surmise that those who love that pin are almost exclusively Xmen fans, if your not its pretty easy to dislike.

I've talked to many people that regard theme as "meaningless", and it's just about rules and shots. I suppose it's possible, but more likely they aren't tuned into reality

The theme, graphics, music, callouts, lightshow, shots, rules, etc. collectively create the full experience and people not willing to recognize that are most likely stubborn and/or deluding themselves. Or at the least missing out on the full pinball experience

A great game can overcome a bad theme for someone, but it's still has it's relevence. A perfect example: many people prefer Family Guy over Shrek (and some vice/versa). You could re-theme Medieval Madness to "Little Ponies" and it would NOT get the same love - although 4-8 year olds will like it more!

Exactly!!! I have found the games I keep and enjoy the most are not only good playing games(shots, rules, etc.) but the ones that have the sounds and added effects to keep me entertained. I love hearing Tron every time I play, same with Transformers. I dance half the time I am playing AC/DC and having kick ass game with music rocking. Addams Family Multiball call out is one of my favorites and while I've heard it 1000 times, still love it every time. The new Klingon multiball sequence in Star Trek is amazing, it gets me pumped!

Bottom line it DOES matter. To some more than others but it does mean a lot.

LOL.... I hope you enjoy your Dead walking pin

I own STLE and have TWDLE coming. Both are kick ass, and will compliment eachother well.

No one will be sucking balls while I'm around...

Except my wife. And my girlfriend.

Don't tell my wife.

What about your fiancé?

wrong on so many levels. Spider-mans balls are sticky and slow compared to STLE.

Well said.

Episode is on right now on AMC

Honestly, I don't have a preference. I like it all, flow, stop and go, good themes, bad themes, I just like playing and having fun with pinball. I do like different, innovation, and not the same old recipe if I'm paying big bucks though, and almost expect it. I just don’t see that happening much with new sterns, they are stuck in the same type of machine.

I just think the magnet/bash toy two ramps combo is so old. Software can save or make anything, we all know that. How knows, in 1.5 years when the first full almost done version comes out, maybe it’s a huge game. I’m not saying that can’t happen.

Best of luck to all the buy, I hope for your sake, as I do with anyone spending big bucks, it turns out to be a success for you in the end.

I agree with you, I guess I get a lot of innovation from the Pinball FX2 tables I play which I love, know its virtual but man the StarWars tables alone are fantastic. I remember posting a while back that with the introduction of LCD's that more video modes could be implemented and TWD with a gun on the side that every once and a while you had stop and shoot zombies would be a cool idea but most pinsiders did not share my view hence the same layout, I think it's risky for pinball companies and even boutiques to attempt to steer from the norm as we are already a very critical group. Anyway I'm with ya just play and have fun.

Something like the Baywatch layout re-themed for TWD would have been awesome. No bash toy, just lots of diverters and kickout holes. And make a ramp to go "over the fence" to get into the prison, like the lifeguard stand in Baywatch.

Easy now! Now that's funny

I love the ST theme. Had one on pre order and canceled

Don't really like the SM theme that much. The pin is awesome. Best flow ever, great call outs and sounds. If it had the STLE light show Spidey would be spreading sticky goo all over Captain Kirk!

I posted this in another thread. Thought I would throw it on here too.

I got to put about 4 games on a TWD today on location. Overall it is pretty fun. Both ramps flow really well, the right is much more difficult to hit than the left. A really cool thing I had not seen in the videos is this: Shoot the left orbit, it comes 3/4 way around and hits the far right pop bumper, which kicks it all the way back up the skill shot lane into the top rollovers. So you get this cool corkscrew motion of the ball. The one I played did this almost every time. Also, the Woodbury shot is a true, selectable skill shot, whereas the skillshot at the beginning of a ball is a bit of a luck fest. You can try to time the skillshot, but it is really dependent on how long the ball bounces around before it drops through one of the top rollover lanes. Multiballs are OK. The head in the barn on the one I played did not register hits every time. It had to be a solid direct hit and even then I think it failed to register a couple of times. I totally do not understand the "multi-kills". Whatever I was doing, which was mostly combos involving ramp shots, I was getting a lot of different multi-kill messages on the DMD. I did not have much problem with SDTM from the pops. In 4 games it did it like once or twice. With better software I feel this game could be a solid 8-8.5 in gameplay.

I just received mine yesterday. It is fun to play. Still learning the rules. shoots feel good. Overall i like it. The couple things that I would change would be the voices they are lame it sounds like a backwoods George w Bush. And the well zombie is way to big. And maybe some more intense music. But all things that can be changed.