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So where are these bloody machines?

johnwhitfield

johnwhitfield

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Jul 21, 2011
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John Whitfield
Think I've woken up in a bad mode as I just received an email from Skit-B which says there is major news but then refuses to say what it is? (For one min I was hoping it was going to be about shipping the first machine but alas it looks more like there are major problems)

Is there any other hobby that involves handing over large chunks of cash but then gets so little information from companies?

Predator - will it get made? Will it sink without trace? Will we ever know what the issues are?

Hobbit. Release date was July 2014. Oh no, now it HAS to be Dec 14 to tie in with the film. Now, ******** about them not being able to use film rights from the third movie until the DVD release. WTF. (Still managed to take the payments on time though didn't you guys....:mad:)

MMr - Shipping July 14. Rumours that a handful have now been made but why then wouldn't PPS post some pictures of them being boxed up etc. So I guess we're looking at July 15 now for UK machines.

TWD - sitting here waiting for some code to make playing enjoyable. (Will it come before the Star Trek code?)

Wrestlemainia. Is it actually out? Looking at Pinball Heaven's site it's not even listed on it yet. Does this mean no one in the UK has pre-ordered one? If so is that a first?

Full Throttle - Launch party in Jan. Has anyone actually now got a machine? (Seems Andy got some really good feedback at the EAG but since has slipped of the radar again)

AAAARRRRRAAAGGGGGHHHHHH!

Oh well, at least I got a T-shirt from Skit-B two/three years ago so have something to show for 3 grand. Wonder if it will become a collectors item?
 
I'm really sorry for all you Predator guys. :(
I just can't see it happening now. I hope you all get your money back at least. What a total **** up though. :( Such a shame. Seemed like the hard part was done. They had a fully working, completed prototype. It must be licencing issues. It can't be anything else.

Not sure where Andy H has gone. It's March today. I though Alien was due out in April but FT has still not surfaced as far as I am aware. It's all a bit quiet.

All the Jpop pre-order guys are all spitting feathers too today. He seems to have spent all their cash and doesn't even have a prototype! It's a bad time for pinball pre-orders alright.
 
I really can't see anyone getting a refund. I think the money is spent long ago. At this stage I'd be happy with them shipping a game with a black playfield, translight and cab and then leak the software out. That way we could customise the games and create 250 unique predators.
 
The email concerns a "major update". It's in the ****ing title. But at no time in the email is there any mention of what the update actually is, just that there is an "issue" that needs to be taken care of. I don't actually think it could be more vague if he was trying. Kevin seems like a nice guy who is having real problem bringing his machine to the market. I really want to keep supporting him but why not just tell us what the issue is so we can make a proper judgement. I suspect it's to do with licencing but who the hell knows?!?

There's been some nasty stuff on Pinside previously claiming it's all a scam which I really don't believe. I suspect it's far more to do with inexperience/naivety and the reality of trying to manufacture a machine - I wouldn't even have the first clue where to start.

There's some mention that there's no problem for people who want to get a refund but no firm commitments as to when that would happen.

All is not well in the magical kingdom......
 
johnwhitfield said:
Full Throttle - Launch party in Jan. Has anyone actually now got a machine? (Seems Andy got some really good feedback at the EAG but since has slipped of the radar again)
Click to expand...

There were pics on FB in last couple of weeks of loads of boxes of bits, Full Throttle figurines etc ....so looks like production is imminent. No way on earth Alien is coming in April seeing that the partially populated Whitewood has only just been assembled.
 
pictures of parts. :thumbs:

Anyone remember Wayno and the box marked MM in felt tip though? That took a while to get assembled:p

In this age of mass media I would have though the PR guys from these companies would be posting regular pics of the milestones as they are achieved to shout about their achievements. A wiring loom here or there would go a long way to keeping the natives happy and the pre-order money flowing in (or at least stop it flowing out).

Really hope that we get great news from Andy later this month, the first ever commercial pin from a UK company should be celebrated,

While I'm on a moan anyone else seen the pics of WOZ and the playfield chipping. I thought their new process was meant to be ensure this didn't happen. Not sure if it's a faulty batch of playfields but how angry would you be if this happened to your machine within 12 months (I know Stern have had similar issues but I thought there was meant to be extra clearcoat etc to prevent exactly this sort of stuff on WOZ)

img_f.pinside.com_201503_2278221_368805_i.jpg

img_f.pinside.com_201503_2278408_368837_i.jpg

img_f.pinside.com_201503_2278408_368838_i.jpg
 
Rusty Balls? think they would have to have spikes on them to do that much damage.
 
johnwhitfield said:
Rusty Balls? think they would have to have spikes on them to do that much damage.
Click to expand...

Have you never seen the balls that come with new in box Stern machines? If you actually put them in the machine, you could probably remove all of the artwork from your playfield within a day
 
cheer up John, at least your pupils safely made it to Syria

so the newer made games are breaking apart already. ok. can't say i'm that surprised but that's because i'm a cynic who thinks that things were made to a better standard in the 90s than they are 20 years later.
 
Wow. It is all kicking off on the Pinside Predator post. It is looking more and more likely that they never had the proper rights to do what they did. It did seem that they got everything a little too easy. I mean, look at how much trouble people have had in the past with getting actors voices & likenesses etc for licensed themes. Look at BTTF for Data East. Even Stern didn't use the real in people in many of their games. (Batman for example) But Skit B managed to get Arnie?? One of the biggest stars on the planet. It just seems a little fishy.
Look how much trouble Dutch Pinball had with TBL and how many changes they had to make. Seemingly Skit B had to make no changes to their custom artwork. None! Just seems a bit too easy doesn't it? The truth will out very soon I feel. I just hope nobody gets too burnt by this whole thing. :(:(:(
 
I'm wondering if they had the licence for the film but that's it. There is no way that "long Tall Sally" could be licenced without two separate deals, one with the record label and one with the publisher. Similarly would they have had the image rights for the actors?

It's really not looking good is it. Mind you apparently it's now all Martin Ayab's fault! ;) Not really sure how they've managed to drag him into it all. Martin - investigative journalist, digging up scandal in the pinball world

Tried to find an image of Bigfoot playing pinball but this was the closest I found....

forum_s3.pinside.com_201301_631144_70319.jpg
 
Well I hope if it falls through you guys get your cash back the situation sucks and as for the people who have paid for the hobbit they must be seriously ****ed


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The WOZ owner has already been given a new playfield. It was an early machine using a different PF to what they use now. Seems a bit odd posting the pics after the issue has been resolved.

Having to swap the playfield is a bit of a PITA though I can imagine it isn't a five minute job.
 
The whole thing is unreal, after all this time & drama, still no product. IMO you're just crazy or have more money than sense to put towards this and hold out for so long. It should not take 4-5 years to create this game and bring to market.

Of course everyone hopes you get the game, so do I, but its the shear fact you've have had to deal with all this stress for AGES and it's still going on. You're not going to tell me it's not been worrying / stressful like with crap communication and rumors flying about? Maybe if you're sitting on a bankroll of 50K +, whatever, not so bad, I suppose. I honestly don't believe your monies has been spent though.

I couldn't deal with it and wouldn't care if the game was Evil Dead Vs Flesh Gordon XxX Big Bang Bar remix.

They should've started out with an original game then went to licensed themes with money pulled in (if they were successful), It's not like anyone was going to rob the theme idea before they managed to put it out.

Heighways maybe a good example and he has/had the capital, what with a warehouse and employees.

Looking at their already planned next game "Experts of Dangerous", that is the most lol worthy undesirable theme, it looks like a downward spiral. Basically walk before you can run.
 
Just got another email from Kevin which now states that everything is going to be fine... "the project is not imploding or dying" WTF is actually happening? Meanwhile on Pinside, Martin apparently has a "responsibility" to save the pinball world. Who would have thought we knew such an international superstar. :)
 
Just got another email from Kevin which now states that everything is going to be fine...
Click to expand...

Nice, that should keep you sweet for another 6 months then...
 
i'm still only on page 23, 3 pages to go ...... haven't got to the bits about our Yub yet.

i didn't think the Experts of Dangerous was so bad as an idea, basically Revenge of the Crash Test Dummies.
and i just spent ten minutes searching for the video they made about it - but it's been taken down
 
@johnwhitfield fair play to you for staying with this so long but tbh mate, if it was me, I'd be looking to get my money out asap. Something is not right in the SkitB world and the longer it goes on the less chance you have of getting anything back, whether that be cash or a pin :(
 
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