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Dialed In. First impressions

Wizcat

Wizcat

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Joined
Sep 9, 2011
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Location
Lancashire
Alias
Paul G
Huge thanks to @chris b for his generosity once again, and for giving myself and a few other lucky locals the chance to see this before it takes residence at Tilt next week.

Getting a bit late now, so I'll just link a couple of videos and come back with more thoughts tomorrow. I'd love to hear what everyone else who has had chance to try this thought of this too


 
It's silky smooth and has some great (unique) shots. Looks great too.
 
In my view it's a very good game, I've played it about twenty times but still not sure if it's a great game yet but most of Pat Lawlors games I'm not a fan of so this one is his best from my POV - JJP's best by a mile. I can't see me buying one but close to the edge, maybe after next week a few more games :)


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I'll be honest those 2 small videos above gave me more of a tingle for a non licence game than the 1 and a half hours of starwars which I really wanted to like because of the theme. Loads more happening on the pf for a start. Keep the reviews coming please guys and girls...
 
I'd been fairly excited about this for a while. Probably ever since I heard Pat Lawlor was back, and JJP had given him the same 'do what you like' freedom that allowed Twilight Zone to be the masterpiece it is.

My first few games though, like TZ in fairness, I struggled to find the love. It's not immediately obvious what you should be doing. Jim pointed out to me that you need to hit 'bob the builder' (the moving standup) to charge the phone, then shoot under the phone to start a mode. Once in a mode the instructions are fairly clear. The rules for lighting lock shots are similarly not clear, but once in multiball then the screens show what you should be shooting for.

Each mode has you trying to make a number of shots, and if completed in time it tells you a SIM card is available, and blinks a letter in 'Dialed In'. You then need to shoot the scoop from the upper flipper to collect the SIM card. If you drain then you lose the chance to collect it. This sounds like quite a challenge towards the wizard mode, given that even on the best games we only saw two letters collected. There is also a 'big bang' standup target which (by design) is a fairly tight shot. Once hit though it awards big points and immediately completes the feature you were playing (such as completing the mode, or awarding all jackpots in multiball). Really liked the design of that shot though, because missing it quite often sends the ball straight back between the flippers. Very good risk/reward consequences!

I really loved a few features. The 'emoji overload' spams smiley faces onto the screens at an ever increasing rate until you make a shot. The 'selfie mode' was pretty funny, and there is also a feature where a scratchcard appears on screen and you have to wave your hand about to scratch the foil away.


Also loved the way you're 'under attack' in multiball. The game slowly starts lighting those two lines of inserts that point towards your flippers. If the lights reach your flippers before you get the chance to shoot back at them, it cripples your flipper. You can still flip, but the power is drastically reduced.

Looking forward to having the chance to spend a bit more time on it. There were a few good scores set last night (none of which were mine). Jim and Garry ended up battling it out for top score, and on the last game of the night Garry just pipped Jim's previous best with around 1.5M, and went home as the lucky winner of a signed translite!
 
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I'm very keen to play it!

What's the official code situation? Nearly done, or like WOZ; several more years of updates?!
 
T
Sgt GrizZ said:
Selfies, scratchcards, sim cards...... As features in a pinball!?! ..... Oh God I can feel my grumpy old man levels rising fast [emoji6]
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here's a hidden switch where the get to call a snap election if hit and a spinner that offers a vote for brexit:clap:
 
Is there some story going around that this is a proper lawlor game ? That he was given full flexibility to design a game properly ?

If so, I want to believe. We all want to believe in Addams Family 2 or Twilight Zone 2. 25 years later.

But when he was designing for Stern, was the story that they were improper lawlor games, that they were tepid, costs cut to the bone, cheapo toys and mechs, pound shop art ?
 
DRD said:
Is there some story going around that this is a proper lawlor game ? That he was given full flexibility to design a game properly ?

If so, I want to believe. We all want to believe in Addams Family 2 or Twilight Zone 2. 25 years later.

But when he was designing for Stern, was the story that they were improper lawlor games, that they were tepid, costs cut to the bone, cheapo toys and mechs, pound shop art ?
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From opinion I have read on Pinside from those who have played it a lot is.... it's good........... but if you are hoping it's up there with the Lawlor classics you gonna be disappointed.
 
Like the line in the x-files, I want to believe

But how many artists/ pop stars/ actor/ designer type folk hit their peak 30 years ago. Have produced pretty tepid stuff for the last 20 years ....

But then regained their powers. Maggie raised from the dead to be a strong and stable pm ? Gary Lineker to play for England again ? The Stone Roses to produce a Stellar record ?
 
I think its better than the other lawlor games. Software should be done given they had started work on it back before October, certainly felt done (and much more done) when I played it couple of weeks ago versus what the code had in October.
 
Neil McRae said:
I think its better than the other lawlor games. Software should be done given they had started work on it back before October, certainly felt done (and much more done) when I played it couple of weeks ago versus what the code had in October.
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Better than the other Lawlor games ? That's a big one Neil.

I haven't played it yet so I don't yet have an opinion.

But... better than TAF? TZ?

I guess that Dialed in has the benefit of modern technology over earlier Lawlor games but hey, the E-type Jag doesn't have electric windows ;-)


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Jonwolf said:
Better than the other Lawlor games ? That's a big one Neil.

I haven't played it yet so I don't yet have an opinion.

But... better than TAF? TZ?

I guess that Dialed in has the benefit of modern technology over earlier Lawlor games but hey, the E-type Jag doesn't have electric windows ;-)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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I think both those machines are over-rated especially TAF and like an E Type jag maybe back in the day it was good but now its out-performed by something described as a "Scooby"- but the great thing about the world is that we all have different opinions :D

Cheers,
Neil.
 
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Played this when it was at Phil's, definitely JJ's best game to date.
 
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Neil McRae said:
I think both those machines are over-rated especially TAF and like an E Type jag maybe back in the day it was good but now its out-performed by something described as a "Scooby"- but the great thing about the world is that we all have different opinions :D

Cheers,
Neil.
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Well I'll be down to TILT in two or three weeks - looking forward to seeing what the hype is all about.


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Be in Tilt next Saturday along with myself and JJ himself!

I like it, reminds me of whirlwind type (early Pat) games.

Phil
 
I went to Titl today for the U.K. public launch along with @Sam C , @I TiltAlot and other forum members.
I got to meet the man himself Jersey Jack who is so down to Earth and a great laugh.
I left with a huge grin on my face. It was so much fun, tested out the app to play using a mobile phone (to be fair, there is a slight lag which makes it a bit of challenge). I got through a fair few of the modes.
The machine itself looks stunning jam packed with toys and great lighting.
I only need to win lotto or sell some machines to buy one.
All of you who preordered won't be disappointed, a huge two thumbs up from me :thumbs::thumbs:

IMG_6236.JPG IMG_6237.JPG IMG_6239.JPG IMG_6241.JPG IMG_6244.JPG IMG_6246.JPG
 
I played it Friday, before the crowds arrived. Fantastic.
Best release from any company for a long time.
I can already see people thinking what they can sell to fund it
 
OK, I only had 6 games on it, so I have no idea about how deep it is, how good the code is. It seems immediately accessible to newcomers. In short, I agree with @Wayne J . Other folk at tilt spoke very positively about it too

I had never even considered a NIB before, but I am now down for a LE.

The current batman 66 is probably the fairest comparator game from Stern. I played this at swavesey. IMHO Dialed-in is better in every department. At Tilt you can see other modern sterns alongside it like GoT premium, Aerosmith, GB premium. I would take dialed-in over any of them

If you set aside the huge tv monitor in the backglass, it looks and feels like a mid 90s wpc game
  • Unthemed, giving the designer maximum flexibility to operate without needing consents of actors/ film companies/ bands etc
  • Proper cab and head decals, not dot matrix crap
  • Proper screen printed backglass
  • Proper playfield art, at least as good as the very best stern can do (metallica type, not the dot matrix photo shop crap)
  • It is from 3 key members of the design team that delivered top games in the golden age of pinball TAF, TZ, FH, WW - Designer, Artist, Software Guy
  • Proper playfield toys that required real investment in tooling
  • 5 ? Under pf magnets
  • 3 flippers - the best configuration in my opinion. So many new sterns are basic fan designs
  • The upper flipper lock shot is tough, a bit like WW
  • Left hand kicker, reset by three standups above it
  • Top quality ramp diverter mechanism - humanoid toy that drops its arm to act as the diverter
But then you add the upgrades
  • Huge HD tv screen in the backglass. HD images like sim city, that draw in onlookers
  • Mobile phone above the scoop (like the chair on TAF) that starts the modes, and visually tells you what to do
  • Mick on a stick moving target. But much more solid, a 3d toy bob the builder man, much better to look at
  • Properly designed and tooled ball lock mechanism that is a railway station. Not cheapo plastic crap
  • The speaker system seemed top notch, up there with the best stern does
  • The head design is really attractive with speakers at the very top
  • As the modes are software driven (on tv screen and mobile phone) it gives enormous flexibility for the programmer as he is no longer constrained by playfield inserts
  • No boards in the cabinet, they are in the head
  • Nice looking construction with sensible wiring loom under the pf. Nothing looked dangerously close to the mechs
  • Multi coloured leds under the pf inserts
  • Camera looking at you, taking snaps in the selfie mode. NOT my cup of tea, but onlookers seemed to like it
  • The callouts and the mobile phone tell you what to shoot for in the modes without taking your eyes off the pf
My only complaint would be that the pf immediately above the flippers and up to the camera is bare. They could have put in mm type troll targets, or timed drop targets. Something to use the space. But it therefore gives a game that will enable good players to get good scores

Whether it is reliable, whether the boards are ticking time bombs ... who the f@@@ knows ? But as of now this looks like the best new game I have played since Addams Family. It feels a bit like TZ, but is far more accessible

The new sterns all have good features. I have enjoyed playing all of them. But to me, they all have buts. I think JJ has just raised the bar here.
 
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the boards are pretty easy to replace the cpu is a standard thing as is the processor the driver board you could replace most of the parts on that if you are ok with a soldering iron the power supply is custom but seems to be pretty solid now after a few issues with sited woz pins also the after sales is a million times better than stern with you being in touch directly with the distributor
rather than you contact phil with a stern issue that always falls on deaf ears at stern and electrocoin the after sales service at jjp is second to none
 
I hope Dialled In will be a big success for JJP because they showed a lot of bravery in bringing it to market. When was the last non-licensed game from a major manufacturer ?
 
It's wonderful. Possibly the best game of the last 10 years. I drove over yesterday after going Friday for another go! It's not perfect, the phone play app is poor and often didn't work. The upper playfield is bobbins (I'd mod it with a return wireform) and bob needs to award more stuff.
The rest is really nice. even the under playfield magnets work properly and are far enough up to not throw it down the middle (unlike that p.o.s. Addams).

Went from this and played Aerosmith and that is brilliant to play. You really can't directly compare. DI is a typical Lawlor slower paced game, AS more free flowing.
 
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