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The Hobbit

Whta's the deal with the third film deadline? Does it have to be finished by then?

Hobbit 3 previews on Dec 11.

I only wish they more time to work on it, it's all a bit rush rush at the minute, they don't even have a prototype with the new playfield in yet.

More cosmetic changes coming too, Smaug will get teeth and tongue - the book LCD frame is still being worked on - smaller axes.
 
mark9 said:
Whta's the deal with the third film deadline? Does it have to be finished by then?

Hobbit 3 previews on Dec 11.

I only wish they more time to work on it, it's all a bit rush rush at the minute, they don't even have a prototype with the new playfield in yet.

More cosmetic changes coming too, Smaug will get teeth and tongue - the book LCD frame is still being worked on - smaller axes.
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Rush rush? Haven't they been making it for like 4 years lol
 
RudeDogg1 said:
Rush rush? Haven't they been making it for like 4 years lol
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That's what it feels like!

But they've only just finished shipping WOZ preorders, so TH would be on a backburner, just a few artwork shots and playfield layout diagrams over the last year to keep the deposits coming in.
 
Think I had my expectations set way too high on this one. Was originally hoping that the pop ups might be also be trap doors like a combination of MM meets TOM. Really thought Smaug would do far more. Are we about 3 weeks away from the cinema release? If so then presumably no more time to play around with it. Part of me wonders why they felt the need to have the Smaug "toy" if it doesn't really do anything. Why not just use the video footage to do this instead?
Still hoping to be proved wrong and fingers crossed I'll be gagging to get hold of a 2nd hand one in a couple of years time.

Wonder if I would have been more impressed if they had done "here it is" release like Stern. I suspect I would have been as then it would have been all about the stuff they included rather than stuff people speculated about that never transpired.
 
Well so much for releasing this to coincide with the film, the film's out now and JJP are now saying Feb/March estimated shipping.
 
A real shame in terms of marketing. Can't see there being much residual interest from the general public in the film 3 months+ after the cinema date. I know that there's still the DVD launch but now is the time they really needed it in the arcades etc.

Wonder if Stern will now bring their LOTR vault issue forward to Jan to totally **** into the mix
 
Pictures just out on pinside - it does look very good now. :)
 
Yep, looks very nice. I'm glad to see, despite all the **** JJP got, he's still the only new company this decade to actually mass produce new games, and good ones at that
 
Certainly added passion to pinball production, I hope he is around for the long haul and I look forward to having one of his machines under my roof at some point in the future.
 
Lots more colour on the playfield, makes all the difference :)

Although missed deadlines are annoying, I don't mind waiting if the delays mean that the finished product will be better :thumbs:
 
looking far better than two months ago. Still not sold on Smaug but the rest of it is vastly improved.
 
Where is this latest picture you are all commenting on, can someone plonk it here in this thread please?

Is the speed camera looking any better? What about the horrible big TV monitor that 'represents the book'?

I'm with everyone else in celebrating the arrival of JJP in pinball as it certainly breathed new life into Stern, and Jack is apparently happy to try new stuff and better materials. Looking forward to playing on Hobbit, and hoping its a belter. Unlike the steaming pile of turd that is WOZ.
 
cooldan said:
Where is this latest picture you are all commenting on, can someone plonk it here in this thread please?

Is the speed camera looking any better? What about the horrible big TV monitor that 'represents the book'?

I'm with everyone else in celebrating the arrival of JJP in pinball as it certainly breathed new life into Stern, and Jack is apparently happy to try new stuff and better materials. Looking forward to playing on Hobbit, and hoping its a belter. Unlike the steaming pile of turd that is WOZ.
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The book still looks sh*t imo.
 
Don't actually think much has changed, it's just the first time the new playfield artwork has been shown in the cab. Still more changes to come, Smaug head improvements and the book frame isn't finished yet.
 
Some more bits and bobs on the hobbit



Screen looks better to me than WOZ but I wonder how quickly the novelty would wear off


img_f.pinside.com_201502_2218194_355827_i.jpg

Fish tales U turn is looking better

Not sure what they've done with the pop bumpers as it looks like they've got rid of a barrel and a dwarf seems to have fallen overboard

Frame on the "book" still looks cheap.

Pinside is now talking about a late March release so I'm guessing not much will change on the playfield now
 
I see on Facebook they have posted pics of Smaug with new paint job or something .......if I had an order placed for this I'm sure I'd be thinking 'for the love of god stop tinkering with little details and RELEASE THE FRICKIN GAME ' ....... I mean the film is already a distant memory. Who gives a flying one if Smaug is a different shade of red or the pile of gold is now shinier !?! :cuckoo:

1969343_930377663647497_8526714410070659234_n.jpg
 
Thanks GrizZ you have cured me of my sleep
Apnea I will now get a whole nights sleep lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
GrizZ said:
I see on Facebook they have posted pics of Smaug with new paint job or something .......if I had an order placed for this I'm sure I'd be thinking 'for the love of god stop tinkering with little details and RELEASE THE FRICKIN GAME ' ....... I mean the film is already a distant memory. Who gives a flying one if Smaug is a different shade of red or the pile of gold is now shinier !?! :cuckoo:
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+1

if it was ready now we could see if it was fun to play, or boring like WOZ
 
JJP have really ****ed up on this one. For a machine that they initially claimed would be ready last July (and took large payments for on that basis) to not hit the film release date is really ****. Anyone else remember the claim that the release date had to be delayed as the licence insisted it came out with the film?
To not hit the month following is worse. To release it after Easter is getting to the pointless stage. At least with WOZ there was no real deadline to tie into but surely the whole point of the Hobbit was to hit it when there was still interest in the film.
The experience taught me not to go down the pre-payment route again and basically not to trust a word the man says. What ever happened to the "200 machine might go into a cinema chain" claim. Can't see many places wanting the theme after the film.
Still hoping it will be a good game but every month of delays must see potential customers buying different machines.
I know other companies also have delays but at least the theme for Predator was old to start with and MMr didn't require a pre-payment scheme (unless you bought from one specific vendor......)

For this game I've gone from excitement to almost total indifference. :(
 
It's taken them 3 years to realise $1.6mil is missing. I find that highly
Unlikely
 
GrizZ said:
Maybe Jack has had other things on his mind


http://www.vendingtimes.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=EB79A487112B48A296B38C81345C8C7F&nm=Vending Features&type=Publishing&mod=Publications::Article&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=1EB602ED40C24B2DB5D268607A09B2B1
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that's pretty funny. he'll pay it by waiting until a limited edition of something is sold out, then just release a 'new LE' version again.

i don't know exactly why i'm so anti-Jack these days, but it's mostly that '75th edition LE' WOZ stunt he pulled .... maybe also 'Pindemption (TM)' .... both the acts of a man who loves money rather than pinball ..... but he can win my everlasting adoration if he just releases a great game, late or not.

come on Jack, make Hobbit a fun fast pinball machine for god's sake
 
cooldan said:
that's pretty funny. he'll pay it by waiting until a limited edition of something is sold out, then just release a 'new LE' version again.

i don't know exactly why i'm so anti-Jack these days, but it's mostly that '75th edition LE' WOZ stunt he pulled .... maybe also 'Pindemption (TM)' .... both the acts of a man who loves money rather than pinball ..... but he can win my everlasting adoration if he just releases a great game, late or not.

come on Jack, make Hobbit a fun fast pinball machine for god's sake
Click to expand...

I have no problem with Pindemption - anything that encourages ops to buy and site a pin has got to be good. Like it or not redemption machines ARE a massive part of arcades now. Things have changed, this aint the 80s anymore Dan (@cooldan ), so ditch those stone washed denims, lose the bandana and stop trying to impress the ladies by strutting around west London in yr mirrored aviators quoting Top Gun :cool:;)

43099799-CNBC_Product_Placement_top.jpg
 
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