I've found that majority of these people are the kind capable of having 45 minute discussions about "Dancing with the Stars," "The Amazing Race," "Toddlers in Tiaras," and anything "Kardashian."

Think about that the next time they call your hobby boring.

I hear you 100% as a Pinhead, but remember: there are many different kinds of birds on this planet/not everybody's going to like the same thing.

IE., I just looked it up and believe it or not, there are actually Crocheting Clubs.

(There's no Pinside emoticon for rolling on the ground in laughter, but if there was, I'd have inserted it here.)

But the really funny thing is, they probably look at us the same way we look at them.

Apologies in advance to any dual Pinball/Crochet Heads I may have offended.

There was girl (Abbey Normal) on RGP that was a big pinball fan that also loved to knit. I don't think she was the type to offend easily though...

Damn, I guess I'm old-ass shit then.

This statement right here helps to make perfect sense of your strong opinion. It is the exact reason why I ignore the Top 100 list on Pinside (and other sites) at all costs.

MOST people in the pinball hobby at least appreciate BOTH the new and the old. Those that don't, it's fine with me. I can still argue with those folks about why TOM and TOTAN are boring games, but I digress...

Anyone posting on Pinside should learn quickly that most people on this site (over 50%) are only interested in DMD and newer machines. That's fine, lots of fun DMD machines out there. (Just played a 'not mine' SST last night... That game rocks.)

Now, regarding the general population's rejection of "old technology". Teens and young adults these days rarely "get pinball" as a form of entertainment.

A friend of mine collects VHS horror movies. I don't get THAT, but he likes it and that's all that matters. The percentage of the population that would actually consider PLAYING a pinball well enough to understand that there are different goals in each game is actually quite low (certainly less than 5%).

I also wanted to mention that I have collected classic console video games for almost 20 years now. I still play them more often than I play 360 or PS3. I also think that it's great that there is still a strong following of the classic systems. This is due mostly to brand new DIY homebrew titles still being developed and released for the classic Atari and Nintendo consoles by both hobbyists and programmers each year. I actually support the argument that the classic console hobby has grown significantly in the last 5 years. Show attendance continues to steadily grow each year I attend show's like MGC.

And that's why pinball will eventually fade away, with the younger generation rejecting it. Like it or not, and I don't, that's just the way it is.

Of all the nephews, nieces, kids that I know and have come over, none will ever play pinball because they will never take the time to appreciate it.

It's "lame, nerdy, stupid and boring", the worst comment I get is "I never would have figured you as a pinball guy".

Now if I had a Golden Tee set up, it would be a different story.

The moral of the story is who cares what anybody else thinks, enjoy pinball while it lasts!

How can someone NOT be into pinball? Old or new, these machines are electronic MARVELS! EM's, SS's, W/E. Just the shear beauty of them blow me away. The artwork, the scoring, the DMD's, the lights and their random patterns, the sounds, the back glass and translates, they are just GORGEOUS!!!

THEN to actually play them and hit that brilliant silver ball around in there and become one with the machine!? For me, it's simply breath taking. No different than a Picasso. It's art on four legs.

In short, all I have to say is, Thank God for pinball!

Best summed up by my dad who is retired out of country. Came to visit and was in awe of the pins. We played and had a blast.
The next day I worked and i cam home to find it quiet. Go upstairs and on the big screen my son is rocking call of duty.
My dad literally yells at me"Holy Shit" This is like being in your own movie. He was blown away by the new video games and the old pinballs quickly lost their luster : (

The last time I checked, now days it's cool to be a Nerd. No longer a bad thing. At least in California.

i've got some bad news for the OP ... pinball is pretty nerdy!

doesn't bother me though

That's what they tell the nerds.

You say don't be a jerk but you say the fallowing.

When someone thinks that pinball is stupid or boring... coincidentally... I tend to start thinking that they are in fact... stupid and boring.

People are into lot's of stuff that I have no interest in. But, I take the time to hear about it and check it out because it is what they are interested in and sometimes it increases my interest in it once I've learned something about it. Plus, if someone is your friend, you should take some interest in what they like.

At the end of the day, I have pins for myself; no one else. I do enjoy it when other people take an interest, but realistically I understand that it's an unusual niche hobby. I certainly wouldn't spend thousands of dollars on pins to impress other people. Wrong hobby. Buy a sports car instead if you want to impress people with your stuff.

However, if people only like you for the stuff you have, then they aren't your friend anyway.

Like a new DMD game is real pinball. A bunch of repeating crap and same shots over and over....plus 30-40 minute ball times. Thank god he didn't take a DMD over there. They might of just burned it....LOL!!!!

That is because almost everyone is a Nerd in Silicon Valley. If you are in the Tech industry, you are a Nerd. So, its a complement, not an insult

Alright you jokers,

Here's the issue at hand. We have an ungrateful location that does not understand the true meaning of "enjoying" pinball. Here's what I'd consider with locations like this.

I bring in a fast game that is freshly waxed and set up PAPA A-division nasty. That's right...

No outlane posts on either side of the outlanes.
Whisper-tilt (tm).
Extra hard rules.
Lightning flippers.
Super steep angles to make sure that only a shot to the sweet spot of a ramp will make it all the way around.
Extra wide rubber posts by all shots that will accomodate them.
A camera with a 65" LCD screen to the side to show the spectacular gameplay about to take place. Direct feeds to the inter-webs with commentators (I volunteer) giving blow by blow updates of the action at hand.

and of course... no extra balls.

Set this game to $1.00 a play (to pay for the new LCD screen of course) and when the complaints start to come in... Tell them that this game is set to the height of modern pinball skills and they should stop playing like "old ass shit".

If you take my advice, please, do it with a smile.

Imma' gonna go gits a nice long session on my 1972 Bally Fireball now.

I used to work in Buffalo Grove, IL and was telling a co-worker how I was taking a few days off to go to the Pinball Expo a few blocks away at the Westin in Wheeling.

He looked at me sarcastically and asked, "Are you planning to go to a Star Trek convention next?" and laughed.

And... Where you?

No but he definitely thought I was a nerd for going to the Pinball Expo though.

lol

Should have issued a command to load Photon torpedoes.

You need to tell the person:
Don't knock it till u try it, u must not like games that are challenging and require more brain activity, and if pinball is truly a stupid hobby, why are sales and interest in pinball on the rise, the person must collect belly button lint.

My wife explains it with this simple mathematical expression.

money>brains

:-/

This is a very interesting thread. What's more interesting is that people are so willing to sling mud at those who don't enjoy or find the same excitement in our hobby. That's not how you get people interested in pinball...

I won't lie, the reason I got INTO pinball was because of modern tables. Had one of my first experiences with the hobby been on an older machine (Meteor for example), I'm nearly positive I would have never gotten to the point where I'm fixing to buy my own pin. Now that I appreciate the games (skill level, goals, rules, etc), I find that I am more inclined to try out and experience older machines.

Also, just because someone considers a hobby of yours nerdy/stupid/boring/lame doesn't mean that it is...It's always sad when someone enjoys something takes a comment like that to heart. To be completely honest, the only person's opinion I care about is my wife's - and the reason we're together is because she understands and accepts me and all of my nerdy little hobbies I have!

It's more than just "someone", its most people, but the fact that we enjoy it is all that matters

lol, I took time off to go to Pinball Hall Of Fame and then went to a Star Trek Convention to finish my autographs on my ST:TNG pin. lol

I didn't read the thread to see if anybody replied to this comment, but I actually play a lot of Magic: the Gathering and am currently selling some of my collection to get my first pin. Now what do you think of me/us/you?

Respectfully and completely disagree. What's fun is fun. And, unlike most video games, the challenge and fun of pinball is not so limited by technology. There are too many EM and SS games that are still addictive and will kick your butt. Two of the favorite games at my place have been Gold Strike and Mars Trek, both EMs. And not just popular with old people, but with many experienced and highly-ranked pinball players/hobbyists/fanatics.

I won't even address your silly music analogy, except to mention Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Metallica, Beatles, Hendrix, Cream....

Even though I've been playing since I was a kid in the early 70s, and have only gotten back into within the past few years after not playing for nearly 20, I can't get my two teenagers interested at all. I don't own a machine, but at arcades they were never interested, even in the newer DMDs. Heck, after awhile they stopped being interested in video arcade games, now that the consoles and phones have taken their place.

On the other hand, I think that catching up with the DMD era has lessened my appreciation for the E-Ms I was brought up on. A couple weeks ago I went to a new arcade featuring 10 mostly 70s E-Ms and a couple early 80s pins. It was $7 all you can play and I was completely bored within a half hour.

I guess the nice thing about the hobby is that most who play are really passionate about it, so when you congregate with them at a house party you feel like you've got a common language to talk about without being embarrassed.

It's a ridiculous argument. If you are a true technophile, pinball probably isn't your thing. 250-400lb. dedicated machines that need constant love & care to play properly are by definition dinosaurs.

Most pinball folks have an appreciation for all pinball (though they may prefer certain genre machines). For the small population of "DMD only" pinball enthusiasts, you are missing out on some great fun/artwork/etc. I only have 3 non-DMD machines, but they would be the last to leave my collection. Yes, there's an emotional connection for me (since I played them in high school), but they are every bit as fun when properly tweaked and restored.

Here an example of a fast/fun non-DMD pin:

This, sir, is the fundamental expression used to derive the Stern LE formula!

Omg I fell asleep trying to watch that video...

It makes me hope you did not have money in MtGox.

No matter how nerdy or odd our hobby may seem to outsiders, at least we aren't "furries". I work with one of those. Now that's a hobby that none of us understand.

Do any of you old farts know what the word "circlejerk" means? That's what this thread is. Everyone has the right to like whatever they want, who cares if that isn't the same thing you like. Personally, I think EM's are annoying from a sound perspective and boring from a gameplay perspective. Does that upset you? Bummer, but you're just going to have to live with that. I love pinball and just because I don't think "15 drop targets" is something to rant and rave about doesn't mean my opinion is worth less than yours (or the other way around).

Before you get your reply all whipped up, know that I said "old farts" specifically to highlight the point that I'm pretty young (27), and that if I'm into pinball, and several of my friends are into it, and damn near everyone who comes to my house at least likes the artwork on my pins, it shows that not all young people are "more interested in call of duty". I'm interested in all forms of gaming.

Disagree with me? Have a counter point? Save your breathe. You've got your opinion, I've got mine.

Difference is, yours is wrong.... That's my opinion.

Speak for yourself.

aliceandfurriesatdc1.jpg

Somehow, I'm not surprised…

Some what. When they are fixed up and look and play as nice as a new game they attract players. I have owned about every game from 1975 and newer and I can tell one thing. Most people gravitate to my Solid state games and EM's from 1976 to 1981. You ask the kids what they would actually ride there bike down to the corner store and put a quarter in....I rarely ever get an answer that is a DMD game. All my games are in pristine condition both older and newer.

Just Saturday night I was at a party and everyone was stuck on Joker Poker with 12 other DMD's ...though played not nearly the same. That night changed alot of people's minds on older games. I saw it right in front of my eye's.

I grew up seeing these in 7elevens so it was easy for me to fall back in love once I was old enough to buy one.

Today Pinball is only as good as the designers and the creative input that goes into them. That being said,not much has really changed. Pinball 2000 scared people right back to the old designs which is what we still see today.
The cabinets are still rectangle with sharp edges and a clunky looking backbox. Could you imagine if cars stayed the same as a 1976 oldsmobile in it's appearance on a car lot today?
No wonder kids by and large aren't interested. My 10 year old boy does get into it on occasion, and my 19 year old caught right on with my JM when he came to visit,but had to see it from a different perspective to get the attraction.
They have to understand Pinball is a totally different animal than video games, and there is in fact a skill factor,ruleset,objectives,etc.,and a lot of times that's just too much of a learning curve(as in the case of my 12 year old daughter) to give a damn.

Most of my friends don't even realize that new pinball machines are still made. They generally don't want to take the time to learn the rules to progress through a game. My wife says it is nerdy. But, she loves football and baseball, so I let it slide.

Hmmm alice is making me rethink my anti-furry opinion

Funny my wife is way more nerdy than I ever could even try to be.
But when we go out and have a brew and play once in awhile, so she is also the coolest chick I know!

From all my mates, i think i am the only one that likes pinball. I asked a mate to go to a pub, have some pints, and play some pinball, TAF.

He responded with, i am not a kid. I was shocked. How is pinball for kids, or childish? Has nothing to do with it, people just want to have fun.

My ant is 70 year old and plays games like call of duty. Who cares, if you have fun?

Thats awesome! She probably kicked my tail a time or two in a death match game.

Life is subjective. Can't expect everyone to understand your passions. That's like asking people to see why you love your wife or girlfriend. It's fine...

I'm a huge gamer in general - pinball, video games, board & card games, billiards - and so many people I come across see this shit as nerdy or immature and a complete waste of time. Especially among some of the older generation. It doesn't matter. I'm also a huge art fiend and some call my tastes pretentious and austere... Whatever~

Don't know if you've seen this, but it's a cool short piece on Pins & Needles…

https://www.youtube.com/embed/UPn20c9zkQQ?autoplay=1&rel=0

Pinball is both cool & nerdy…they aren't necessarily mutually exclusive

Got to play some Metallica with Molly when I was in LA…she's cool, nerdy, and a pretty damn good player!

If someone says that my hobby is stupid, than I tell them that their hobby is stupid.

Single player/turn-taking machines are getting boring and should be given a rest. Now, it's time for a change of pinball: Head-to-Head, a non-violent, fast-paced, and more competitive machine that put your pinball skills to a clean battle!!

This is a result of adults believe playing games (even with their children) is inherently "childish".
The reality is that many have lost the ability to have fun entirely.

Some women collect shoes, but at least you can wear them.
Some men collect cars, but at least you can drive them.
Some people collect baseball cards, but you can at least you can look at them.
Finally, some people collect pinball machines, but at least you can play them, and sell them for more than you bought them later.

Not many purchases appreciate, when you actually USE THEM.