(Topic ID: 156715)

Who's played Both Ghostbusters and Hobbit

By 3pinballs

7 years ago


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  • 225 posts
  • 98 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 7 years ago by Hazoff
  • Topic is favorited by 2 Pinsiders

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#92 7 years ago

The Hobbit cannot be properly judged until the game is played with more mature code. The games code has already greatly improved since 1.01 was released last week.

I thought the Hobbit was boring and slow until I finally played it on location last week and then when I saw the video below with the game running the latest code. The Hobbit is going to turn out to be a great game. My opinion of it has changed 180 degrees since I played it over a year ago. The amount of rules, audio effects and original music being put into the game is incredible and we really haven't seen anything yet.

Also, during the hour or so that some friends and I played the game on location (running .80x code at the time) we didn't encounter any issues with the left ramp divertor (worked perfectly) or with stuck balls at the pop ups. Keith Johnson did add a fix to the 1.01 code update that resolved stuck balls at the pop ups.

What surprised me the most about The Hobbit video below is all of the unique and cool gameplay elements Keith is programming into the game. The ball save mini game where you use the lockdown bar button is cool as is the ability to control how much power goes to the kickback along side a cool animation on the screen.

I'm now planning on buying both games after giving The Hobbit another chance.

If there's one knock against Ghosbusters its that their LE offering pales in comparison to The Hobbit LE and the Smaug SE edition. JJP is offering high quality hammered powder coated armor on the LE / SE model and invisiglass glass is included as well. The green paint job on GB LE is just that...green paint, it's not even a high quality metallic green powder coat that pops sadly.

Overall I think both GB and TH are going to be incredible games and I can't wait to get both.

#102 7 years ago

The Hobbit is wide open but there is actually a lot going on in the game. There are 4 pop up targets, 11 drop targets, Smaug, the two ramps with the interactive divertor, two magnets in the back, subway, windlance that interacts with button, and the mini LCD toy.

I do agree that the state of the code seems odd considering how long the game has been in development. However, I do think that player's and owners are in for a treat with what Keith has planned for the game.

#112 7 years ago

All I know is that without Keiths code work LOTR would suck and would not be the great game it is considered today. Once all of the modes are in TH, all of the custom callouts are in, and the modes themselves are polished I think TH will be an incredible pin.

All pins are just a fancy box of lights without code. Keith Johnson, Ted Estes, David Thiel and JP are putting a huge amount of effort into the code for TH. No one should be underestimating the quality of work those guys can pull off. The work those guys are putting into the game will bring the layout, toys and features alive in many unique and fun ways.

#130 7 years ago
Quoted from CaptainNeo:

yea, but do you have any clue why it popped up? do you know what it is advancing in the software when you do hit it?
everyone knows what to do with stuff in a machine when it comes to hitting it with the ball. Understanding how it effects the software and scoring is where knowledge comes into play.

The pops ups are no longer just being used randomly and now have meaning / purpose based on the games rules.

Keith Johnson is the Yoda of pinball programing, the grand master lets say, lol. He has another masterpiece ruleset in the oven for The Hobbit.

#135 7 years ago

I can't wait to get my GB premium and one day see it with the black Zombie Yeti proton stream armor, side art panels, the Ecto-1 topper, the rumored proton pack wand add ons, and a ColorDMD (once support is out). The game is going to incredible!

Even with all those add ons desribed above a decked out premium will be the same price if not less than a Hobbit LE / SE.

1 week later
#189 7 years ago
Quoted from Chambahz:

Are you guys nuts? Debating which pin is better?
It's personal preference.
Personally, I'm a Stern fan over JJP 7 days a week -but that's not the case for everyone else.
I have played both, and I expect WoZ owners will prefer Hobbit, and Stern owners will prefer GB.
No biggie either way.
Only thing I have to add is that I am dying to see Stern pins with a colour LCD.
Best of both worlds on my opinion.
To each their own. Enjoy!

WOZ owner here and I prefer GB over TH. Why? I find the toys on GB premium / LE to be far more interactive ,more unique and overall more fun then anything offered on TH. I still think TH looks cool but I just prefer GB.

2 weeks later
#195 7 years ago

I think my opinion about TH changes daily as today I'm thinking about buying one again lol. Why? The code is bringing the game alive in unique and interesting ways that you just can't find anywhere else. Keith, Ted and the crew are putting a bunch of unique coded rules into the game such as the lock down bar button interacting with animations on the screen, unique drop target rules, using the pop up targets in interesting ways, etc. Also, I don't think we've even seen anything yet in terms of just how fun TH will play as the code isn't complete yet. Just wait until there are rules that integrate the subway, magnets and ramp divertor in slick ways.

Ghostbusters code is fairly complete from what I've heard. The games core modes are there. I think the games looks awesome but I'm worried its code may will feel repetitive over time versus the rules in TH.

My main complaints about Ghostbusters are the linear way modes are played (always starting the same modes), and the lack of an LCD display. At $8k a Ghostbusters LE cost as much as the average Hobbit LE and for that price I think you get more value with The Hobbit. With The Hobbit LE / SE you are getting a high quality hammered powder coat, invisiglass, a shaker motor, a large 26" HD display, a minature LCD toy, and 100% color changing inserts. If you buy a Color DMD, invisiglass and Stern's higher quality armor set you are looking at nearly $1k more over The Hobbit's price...

I wish I had enough dough for both games! lol. Both TH and GB are unique and fun in there own ways.

#197 7 years ago
Quoted from Flato:

I'll agree Stern could ad some more uniqu stuff to the LE but the premium is the same game so you can easily compare the hobbit to ghostbuster premium which is 6700. Also I don't care about lcd, invisiglass shaker, powder if the game play is no good. I only have one game on the hobbit but I was surprised what a desert the middle playfield seemed like.

You really have to play more then 1 game on TH to get a feeling of the game. I played a few games on it over a year and didn't like it either at first. As the code has progressed I've started to enjoy it a lot more. The middle of the playfield really comes alive when the pop up mechs activate.

Also, with a GB premium I would end up buying a ColorDMD (the red DMD looks terrible and comes across as old), Stern's $250 side armor and a shaker motor. At that point I would be about $7500 into the game. For $500 more I could have a Hobbit LE with an actual large LCD display, true powder coated armor and all color changing inserts.

Ultimately when the code is completed for both games I think that Ghostbusters will be a very fun and deep game to play but that The Hobbit will be the only game out of the two that makes you feel like you are on a quest and unlocking unique things along the way.

#199 7 years ago
Quoted from CaptainNeo:

If you go by premium pricing. Even if you get the other crap that you don't need, like the color DMD ($400), shitty invisaglass ($150-300)and different colored powdercoated armor ($320 for a 9 piece set from Virtuapin.net) any color you want, your still not even close to the price of hobbit. Even if you pay on the higher side of premium like $6700-6800.

As I said above though for $500 more I could get a Hobbit LE with an actual high quality powder coat, HD display, and 100% color changing inserts. I think both games are great in their own way and wish I could get both. I can only afford 1 NIB game at the moment so that's why I keep flip flopping back and forth so much between the two.

11
#202 7 years ago
Quoted from CaptainNeo:

The LE is overblown price with an imaginary perceived value because of the "limited" edition status. Which in reality. There are plenty of games where the premiums are less run that the LE's that were run.
the powdercoat is the same on both. The black is also high quality, you are just getting a different color. Really nothing different. 100% color changing inserts is useless and confusing. WOZ is all color changing and it's a shit mess to sort out. Yes it's nice having some shots with controlled color changing, so you can double up jackpots and modes, but that's about it. And display. Meh. I don't get a hard on for color displays. I can't even glance at the DMD when i'm playing. Only time I even get to see animations, is when i'm watching someone else play. Until a year ago, I didn't even know there were clowns in Tommy's multiball. I"ve had the game for like 8 years.

"the powdercoat is the same on both" and "color changing inserts is useless and confusing"? WOW. The "powder coat" on Stern games is inferior to the high quality powder coat process that JJP uses. The slightly higher quality aftermarket armor Stern sells for their games should be included on at least their LE's. It's a slap in the face to LE owners for Stern to call a game an LE yet then offer laser etches side armor for the game for another $250...

Also, WOZ looks awesome with it's color changing inserts and would look far less impressive if it was just white LED's. "so you can double up jackpots and modes, but that's about it". I don't understand that comment...Keith does a lot more with color changing inserts in WOZ then just that. Color changing inserts can also change the entire mood of a game based on the mode playing and that alone makes the feature worthwhile.

Sure an 8 Track player can play music but I sure as hell wouldn't pay what a high quality DAC costs for one. Sames goes for a black and white console TV versus a new HD LCD. JJP's display blows the DMD out of the water, DMD's are just old at this point. At the end of the day these crazy NIB prices need to be backed up by tech, hardware, code, etc and overall I just think JJP does that better then Stern.

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#211 7 years ago
Quoted from CaptainNeo:

powdercoat is powdercoat. It's the same process in both. You can have rough or smooth types. Anyone that does powdercoating can vouch for this. It's not rocket science. You are not getting some big "Special' powdercoat on JJP games. If Stern used the same color they could do the exact same look and feel. Wouldn't cost them a penny more than the black.
as for your picture examples. Out of those 3. Sorry, but i'd be watching the beatles on the ed sullivan show compared to your other examples.

So with that mindset I guess all cars are painted the same way as well. A paint job from Maaco is the same as through a high end car paint shop. "Uh-oh, better get Maaco". No way!

Sterns powder coating process is inferior, sorry but it is and it shows when you have owned games from both companies. I can't find the thread but I remember reading a post where Pinchroma detailed the JJP powder coating process and how many more steps are involved in the powder coating process compared to Sterns.

Again, it shows when you have owned powder coated games from both companies. Sterns factory powder coat chips easier, lacks detail and overall doesn't look nearly as impressive as the powder coat you find on WOZ or TH.

Some companies are going to do a better job at things then others, that's normal. I'm sure there are things Stern does better then JJP but powder coating isn't one of them.

#220 7 years ago

Just finished playing both (again) about an hour ago. Honestly, both games are so different that I cannot say one is better then the other. Some people will like The Hobbit more, others GB but I think a majority of people will like both.

Overall I was very impressed with not only how The Hobbit looked (incredible LCD and animation work) but also played. When I play The Hobbit I get the same feeling I do when I play my WOZ at home and that is "this is a high end pinball machine". The game I played is running the latest code, version 1.10, and just like with the last code update the game is more fun with each update. Yes the playfield is open but in an instant it can be packed with the 4 pop ups going up and down. The pop up targets do not just meaninglessly go up and down both continue to get integrated with modes in interesting ways.

Keith is bringing the layout and mech / features in The Hobbit alive in unique ways that will give the game a lot of staying power. Also, out of the 6 games I played on The Hobbit I never had one issue. The Hobbit really made me feel like I was on a quest while playing the game. I think I'll be buying a Hobbit sooner rather then later.

As for Ghostbusters (pro) the game played great except for some frustrating ball drains. I did see a ball jump over one of the wire lane guides, that is extremely frustrating as there's simply no reason for it to occur. The code itself seems fairly complete at this point and the modes are fun to play. However, I do think the way modes are played (rather linear) hurts the game as you are always starting one of the same modes. I can see why Dwight makes you play the modes in a linear fashion though as you are essentially playing through the games story from start to finish.

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