First shots of Tron pIn:

[fizgig]

This is simply KICK-ASS!! I'm holding out for the LE version but i have a feeling this is going to be a huge success for STERN. Lots of people whined about Spider Man and Iron Man too, but those games are incredible. Its got a lot of tight shots, mode hole, flowing ramps and a third flipper!! C'mon, this is going to rock!

Posted over on RGP - looks legit.

http://www.parts4pinballs.com/images/products/L-IMG/TRON-PF.jpg

Also, looks like IM in alot of ways - let me know if i am just seeing things.

Looks cool but my concern is it will be similar to IM - thoughts anyone? Other than that looks sweet - wheres the blacklighting?

 

[vipe155]

What is it about Stern games that looks so cheap in comparison to older games? Is it build materials, or the process they use on the playfield art? (I am being completely serious about this question) I just wouldn't drop 4 thousand anything on one when they look worse than stuff made 20+ years ago.

Perhaps its the Photoshop artwork and not using an actual artist anymore for their stuff. I don't know.... Sorry if I offend anyone.

 

[pudluther]

What is it about Stern games that looks so cheap in comparison to older games? Is it build materials, or the process they use on the playfield art? (I am being completely serious about this question) I just wouldn't drop 4 thousand anything on one when they look worse than stuff made 20+ years ago.

Perhaps its the Photoshop artwork and not using an actual artist anymore for their stuff. I don't know.... Sorry if I offend anyone.

i wouldn't say they look "worse"....but they're most definitely different. today's STERN pins have that digital/photoshop/whatever-you-want-to-call-it look to them....the pins from yesteryear typically look like an artist hand painted each and every playfield.

i don't have a problem with it (for several reasons), but i understand why some do....it would never be a make/break thing for me, but whatever floats your boat.

personally, i'm very thankful for STERN....glad there's still a company out there making pins, no matter whether each and every one appeal to me. say what you want about the new STERN's, but at least it's something.....and let's face it, a lot of their pins are fun.....they just get banged on for not being a bally/williams.

 

[WadeLanham]

This could be interesting. Sure, they "could have done more", but it's a cool theme to classic video guys, it looks pretty neat in my opinion (and compared to the artwork on most Stern games), and the layout is almost the same as Funhouse which is a winner. I might really like this game! Hope one shows up near me.

Wade

 

[pudluther]

This could be interesting. Sure, they "could have done more", but it's a cool theme to classic video guys, it looks pretty neat in my opinion (and compared to the artwork on most Stern games), and the layout is almost the same as Funhouse which is a winner. I might really like this game! Hope one shows up near me.

Wade

more can ALWAYS be done.....but i agree with you, it looks like they've done enough to make TRON pinball = win.



glad you like it too.....your opinion seems to be looked up upon around here. not that that's a bad thing. hell, i read your posts, whenever i see them, as well. but it's cool to see some of the bigger posters here (and on other sites) actually giving this pin a chance.

i'm pre-ordering one (whether it's the pro or LE edition) no matter what. i WILL have this pin.

 

[MES]

I like the layout of the game. Looks like it will be fast and fun. That being said I am not super hot on the artwork. I can't really tell from the photos, but it looks a little sparse and has that photo shopped look to it. I think some strategic lighting choices would also help to give it a little more color. I know it's Tron and all and it is suppose to be blue and dark, but it feels a little flat and 2D if you know what I mean. I think a few well placed leds would look good on this game. Some of those plasma bumper cap mods would look nice replacing those Stern ones. Wanted to see more "grid" or "circuitry" artwork on the playfield.

Hope one lands near me. Looks like it will be fun to play. It doesn't look like my perfect image of a Tron pin, but it does look like they tried to make this game better than some of the recent releases and that is a step in the right direction.

 

[zfcamaro]

Maybe now people can stop posting, "I hope TRON Pinball gets made......"

 

[khabbi]

I'm surprised at all the haters, but then again not really. Some people are never satisfied and would bitch no matter what. It happens constantly on the pinball forums, so why not here?

This pin kicks ass, plain and simple, ESPECIALLY if you are a big fan of Tron and the 80's arcade machines. To me, the artwork kicks ass, and having characters here and there is just a necessity to making the game match with a story line. It is what it is. If that's all your focused on, the perhaps this isn't the machine for you (nor is a whole selection of pins that have the characters on the playfield like Spiderman, Iron man, Lord of the rings, etc.) I guess it just must be tough for you to play pinball when they look like that? Give me a break. A little too OCD perhaps?

The backglass is 3D and reminds me of the back of a EDOT (it's very similar), and the main characters I think are very well integrated onto that and not overdone. I think it absolutely kicks ass! What would you expect for the backglass? I don't think big pictures of the cycles would have worked, and this does give it a nice classic and modern look at the same time. I'm not sure why a Tron fan would dislike, but that's me.

As far as Neon, blacklight, and EL wires, etc., who's to say they aren't in the game, after all these are just early photos. And how difficult would it be to add it later anyways? Think about it, if Stern puts it in, it will cost you $300, if you add it, $50. I'd rather add it myself if it's not there. And we know Stern was doing something with the EL wire, so if it's not here and you want it, pony up for the LE version, most likely it will be on that one.

The cab art looks great, the cycles and colors are perfect and fits the theme. Why bitch about that??

THe playfield layout looks very exciting to me as a pinball player also, the ramps, 3rd flipper, spinning disc, and everything else tells me that I'm going to like this game. I love my Spiderman and Ironman, and this appears to be a nice mix, and more so towards a spiderman layout (Drop bank targets, side flipper/shot ramp, etc.). My thoughts now are that the game will be made or broke on the programming and how deep the ruleset is and how much they put into development, plain and simple.

Just my $.02. I've been waiting for a Tron pin for a long time, and I can't wait to get this in my collection (Pro or LE). I just need to start selling stuff now to pay for it!

 

[Deadly]

And Iron Man looked a lot like Austin Powers, Jurrasic Park resembled Whirwind and the list goes on and on and on. Completely an invalid point.

 

[jonathan1138]

Yes - agree. Spiderman was compared to AFM alot. I had an AFM and considered NOT getting SM because of the similarity.

Ended up doing it anyway, and glad i did - games were COMPLETELY different. Sure you have a left ramp / right ramp / orbits, center shot, etc but what game doesnt!

At the end by the way, i sold the AFM. SM is so much better (and a different game).

While Tron looks like Funhouse (its very blatant and surprising to me they were so bold), it will play differently of course. It boils down to software.

 

[cadillacman]

what a dissapointment. it looks like every other frickin game out there with BORRRRIng artwork for the most part..

Try again stern!

 

[Schusler]

I'm digging it! Are you guys hearing that the LE version is going to cost 6K+?

 

[mrgone]

i will reserve any opinion until i get to play it.
on another note,i cant wait to see what steve ritchie and lyman sheats come up with working together at stern.i think having jersey jack making pins might light a fire under sterns butt.

 

[cadillacman]

I'm digging it! Are you guys hearing that the LE version is going to cost 6K+?

for 6k, you better get 2 or 3 of these damn pins.

 

[pudluther]

what a dissapointment. it looks like every other frickin game out there with BORRRRIng artwork for the most part..

Try again stern!

what exactly did you want? what would have made you NOT bash the pin after seeing a grand total of one playfield pic?

 

[pudluther]

I'm digging it! Are you guys hearing that the LE version is going to cost 6K+?

i haven't heard that....sure hope it's not true. kinda got my heart set on an LE right now...

 

[cadillacman]

what exactly did you want? what would have made you NOT bash the pin after seeing a grand total of one playfield pic?

i dont know, something DIFFERENT for once. some glowing ramps mabye, el wire, neon, some cool led lights and some frickin playfield toys, stuff painted with blacklight reactive paint and blacklights inside, blacklight balls.. something.

its another kraptastic parts pile special from stern. Im trying not to pee in anyones corn flakes this morning, but man thats a big let down there.

i was expecting a ferarri and what stern is delivering is a ford fiesta basically.

 

[stevenp61]

You're gonna be disappointed one way or another. EL wire on the regular ("Pro") edition? No way. And I bet many people will grab Tron NIB as soon as they can. Problem is, the LE won't be released until later, and it may have the shiny stuff, EL wire, a moving non-functional toy or 2, etc. People will bitch because (a) they already bought the original version but want the LE, and don't want to double-dip, and/or (b) the LE is ridiculously priced. ($6k? Really?)

The people wetting their diapers over this game seem to be the Tron fanboys. Lots of people saying they'll buy it regardless, *love* the theme, and it's *gotta* play great, right? (I mean, being a blatant rip-off of the Funhouse layout means it'll be a good game, right? Except that it'll play like a recent cookie-cutter Stern and not like a classic WMS game. Ooops.)

And seriously, the pf artwork does suck ass. It is cheaper to hire a computer jock who can cut and paste images in Photoshop than to pay a real ARTIST to create artwork for a game. Stern knows this.

This isn't an 'early' photo that they'll be adding lots of stuff to before releasing. (Where DO you get this naive, blind optimism?) This is a production photo. You may get those other features/goodies you want on the LE version--for an extra $2k. Enjoy.

[BTW, I'm not a general Stern basher. I own a Stern game and a Sega too. But they actually have attractive artwork, a decent array of features, killer rules, etc. Stern has gone 'generic'/low-budget noticeably in the past couple of years, sadly, and I am not impressed.)

I'm surprised at all the haters, but then again not really. Some people are never satisfied and would bitch no matter what. It happens constantly on the pinball forums, so why not here?

This pin kicks ass, plain and simple, ESPECIALLY if you are a big fan of Tron and the 80's arcade machines. To me, the artwork kicks ass, and having characters here and there is just a necessity to making the game match with a story line. It is what it is. If that's all your focused on, the perhaps this isn't the machine for you (nor is a whole selection of pins that have the characters on the playfield like Spiderman, Iron man, Lord of the rings, etc.) I guess it just must be tough for you to play pinball when they look like that? Give me a break. A little too OCD perhaps?

The backglass is 3D and reminds me of the back of a EDOT (it's very similar), and the main characters I think are very well integrated onto that and not overdone. I think it absolutely kicks ass! What would you expect for the backglass? I don't think big pictures of the cycles would have worked, and this does give it a nice classic and modern look at the same time. I'm not sure why a Tron fan would dislike, but that's me.

As far as Neon, blacklight, and EL wires, etc., who's to say they aren't in the game, after all these are just early photos. And how difficult would it be to add it later anyways? Think about it, if Stern puts it in, it will cost you $300, if you add it, $50. I'd rather add it myself if it's not there. And we know Stern was doing something with the EL wire, so if it's not here and you want it, pony up for the LE version, most likely it will be on that one.

The cab art looks great, the cycles and colors are perfect and fits the theme. Why bitch about that??

THe playfield layout looks very exciting to me as a pinball player also, the ramps, 3rd flipper, spinning disc, and everything else tells me that I'm going to like this game. I love my Spiderman and Ironman, and this appears to be a nice mix, and more so towards a spiderman layout (Drop bank targets, side flipper/shot ramp, etc.). My thoughts now are that the game will be made or broke on the programming and how deep the ruleset is and how much they put into development, plain and simple.

Just my $.02. I've been waiting for a Tron pin for a long time, and I can't wait to get this in my collection (Pro or LE). I just need to start selling stuff now to pay for it!

 

[gweempose]

I was expecting a Ferarri, and what stern is delivering is a Ford Fiesta ...

And why exactly were you expecting a Ferarri? What has Stern done lately that would have possibly given you such high expectations? For me it was the exact opposite. I was expecting a Fiesta, and it looks like Stern may have delivered a Nissan Maxima. The game certainly looks a lot more exciting than anything Stern has released in a long time.

As far as the price of the LE, Mike over at Great American Pinball has already quoted people $5,700. At that price, you're getting pretty darn close to WOZ territory.

 

[stevenp61]

And why exactly were you expecting a Ferarri? What has Stern done lately that would have possibly given you such high expectations? For me it was the exact opposite. I was expecting a Fiesta, and it looks like Stern may have delivered a Nissan Maxima. The game certainly looks a lot more exciting than anything Stern has released in a long time.

As far as the price of the LE, Mike over at Great American Pinball has already quoted people $5,700. At that price, you're getting pretty darn close to WOZ territory.

Minus the 26" lcd screen, the high-quality interactive toys, the extra 2 flippers, the WMS components, the deep ruleset, the original artwork and music compositions, etc.