It's definitely a beautiful machine. Only time will tell how it plays ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD3gK23AUT4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD3gK23AUT4
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Why aren't we seeing LCD displays replace the static art in the head of pinball machines, or at a minimum the DMD? DMD is hard-core 80's style. It's time to update IMHO.
I agree 100%. LCD screens are dirt cheap these days. It's about time Stern entered the 21st century.Why aren't we seeing LCD displays replace the static art in the head of pinball machines, or at a minimum the DMD? DMD is hard-core 80's style. It's time to update IMHO.
I agree 100%. LCD screens are dirt cheap these days. It's about time Stern entered the 21st century.
I agree 100%. LCD screens are dirt cheap these days. It's about time Stern entered the 21st century.
IMO they've missed the window with this game.
There is a sequel coming up.unless there's an Avatar sequel coming out soon, IMO they've missed the window with this game.
From the looks of the machine, it looks like Stern is on auto-pilot, just cranking out a quick title without anything really innovative. Then again, unless there's an Avatar sequel coming out soon, IMO they've missed the window with this game.
There is a sequel coming up.
Per a discussion on RGP this morning it's become painfully clear that Stern has no plans of producing anything deep ruled or overly complex in the toy section and/or software end of pins anymore. For the avid pinhead the future pins won't be of much interest to us I'm afraid.
That's like saying Data East/Sega missed a window when they released their Star Wars pins in the 90's...some themes transcend "release date"
This is the right window for Avatar. They didn't know Avatar would be a hit or not. It would have been risky to get this game to market before the movie. Now - they KNOW it's a runaway hit, loved worldwide by a wide demographic. The theme has legs. The movie's being re-released next month w/ additional footage...there's going to be a big push of the film on 3D Blu-Ray....and a sequel is in the works. Releasing the game before anyone KNEW wtf Avatar was would have been the wrong thing to do. Now that it has a following, it makes sense.
Another benefit of releasing the game now is that they have full access to all the audio/video/story of the movie to incorporate into the game. Stern's IJ barely has ANYTHING from Crystal Skull (although that might be a plus...hehe) ...Batman (even though I like it) would benefit greatly from having more Dark Knight audio and DMD animation. Iron Man sorta lucked out...everything cool was in the trailer, and that's what Stern had to work with. Anyway - Stern hasn't had this much access to the material since LOTR...I'm really interested to see how the sound and DMD stuff turns out.
When it comes to movie themes, Stern usually only does franchises...titles that are popular regardless of the (possibly) shitty sequel. Spider-Man 3, Iron Man 2, and Indiana Jones 4 sucked balls....but that doesn't taint the games, as they have cool stuff from all the movies, and they're as timeless as you're going to get w/ movie themes....the characters have been around forever and transcend the "window" of the film's release. Spider-man 3 came out in '07...yet they're re-running the game NOW due to popular demand. Good game + "timeless" theme = window be damned.
While it would look cool....what does it REALLY add to pinball? Unless it's projected onto the playfield like P2K - it's really just a scoreboard.
You have to take into account that they have ONE GUY who does DMD art and animation. While on one hand using movie footage would be super easy and look better on an LCD - they'd still need lots of custom stuff like score and transition animation, custom art. There's a lot more to it than just switching display types.
The DMD is basically the big advertising banner to whoever happens to be looking at the game and not playing at that particular moment. When it first came out it added a huge "hey look at me" factor and it, and video modes, were two big reasons early 90s pinball was so big.
The dmd also offered the opportunity to add cool entertainment and information that helps the player learn the game, which in turn led to much deeper games.
It was new, different and effective - what we call "innovative".
Now it's 20 years old. Compared to other display methods, it's very antiquated. Not only is there no POP left in it, it's an albatross. People who played pinball in the 90s see yet another dmd game and think it's just more of the same. They shrug it off.
When you are a pinball hobbyist and have been around the games for a long time you eventually learn to look past the initial eye candy. But for the casual player scanning an arcade for something to play, that eye candy is the difference between playing or not playing.
Stern's hanging on by a thread...
Well, I disagree. The backglass is the advertising banner that gets you to notice the game from across the room. When you walk up to the game, the eye candy is what you see on the playfield. While I agree that a color display would be cool - it's not going to save pinball, sell more games, get more players, or re-open dead arcades. Stern's hanging on by a thread...there are some things I'll cut them some slack on.