Foo Fighters Announced

[Chris P]

I got to play it yesterday, definitely a flow monster. I still really need to learn the rules, such as what the inlane targets actually do?.
It’s a lovely looking machine with a good amount of speed even if it hasn’t been leveled properly.
It was offline most of yesterday, lucky enough a spoke to John (owner) who put me in contact with his son Gabe who helped set it up to Insider Connected. An hour half later latest code downloaded and installed

 

[Punk Stig]

Double scoring on next shot

 

[Den - aka Wolfgang]

Got to have a few games yesterday. Enjoyed the captive ball and ball lock/upper pf action (to be honest, 90% is upper pf; looked very bare in mho, apart from the left/camper van ramp on the bottom left).

Wish I could've played it with the sound cranked, as couldn't hear callouts or music properly (the taunting from the piece of plastic/alien reminded me a bit of Sparky's callouts from MET)
Animations looked great and the playfield art looked nice if you are in to that style.

Would need to play in a darker room, but the lighting didn't seem to really change? Just very white the whole time (maybe that's because I didn't start any special modes/early code- did a bunch of cities and lighting didn't seem to change colour per mode/city or anything)

Enjoyed it and want to play more, but didn't blow me away. Felt like an Elwin game with the loopy wire forms, so I'm sure most will love it (I'm a bit weired in that the only Elwin game I enjoy is Iron Maiden, but I think I could love Godzilla if I had proper time on one, mainly because of the theme/great annimations)
Nice fast paced play.

One thing that did really bug me though; the cheap plastic inserts for the Alien guy and the camper van - I realise Stern need to take as much out as they can to justify the higher Premium/LE prices, but come on; it can't cost them much more to have the proper toys on there? - looked super cheap to me.
No doubt some nice Modders will bring out some nice moulded stuff to put on there, but why should you have to do that on a £8.5k pro?
Imagine if Metallica Pro just had a sh**y peice of plastic at the top instead of the Sparky toy.

 

[JustLikeMe]

Imagine if Metallica Pro just had a sh**y peice of plastic at the top instead of the Sparky toy.

I think if it had come out today, that’s exactly what Stern would have done.

 

[Den - aka Wolfgang]

I think if it had come out today, that’s exactly what Stern would have done.

I know, and that makes me sad

 

[Sgt GrizZ]

Got to have a few games yesterday. Enjoyed the captive ball and ball lock/upper pf action (to be honest, 90% is upper pf; looked very bare in mho, apart from the left/camper van ramp on the bottom left).

Wish I could've played it with the sound cranked, as couldn't hear callouts or music properly (the taunting from the piece of plastic/alien reminded me a bit of Sparky's callouts from MET)
Animations looked great and the playfield art looked nice if you are in to that style.

Would need to play in a darker room, but the lighting didn't seem to really change? Just very white the whole time (maybe that's because I didn't start any special modes/early code- did a bunch of cities and lighting didn't seem to change colour per mode/city or anything)

Enjoyed it and want to play more, but didn't blow me away. Felt like an Elwin game with the loopy wire forms, so I'm sure most will love it (I'm a bit weired in that the only Elwin game I enjoy is Iron Maiden, but I think I could love Godzilla if I had proper time on one, mainly because of the theme/great annimations)
Nice fast paced play.

One thing that did really bug me though; the cheap plastic inserts for the Alien guy and the camper van - I realise Stern need to take as much out as they can to justify the higher Premium/LE prices, but come on; it can't cost them much more to have the proper toys on there? - looked super cheap to me.
No doubt some nice Modders will bring out some nice moulded stuff to put on there, but why should you have to do that on a £8.5k pro?
Imagine if Metallica Pro just had a sh**y peice of plastic at the top instead of the Sparky toy.

I was a bit tempted by Pro after the initial reveal - but the more I look the more I just think …. I’m not seeing 8500 worth here Compare the amount of stuff that is on that Grand Prix / NASCAR that just went up. And that was Stern 2005. I know it’s a different pin world these days , code , screens etc …but I miss the old days of one model, loaded with features, or at least something on the playfield. Don’t start bigging up spinners and ramps as features

 

[Marcx]

I think I'll check out that funland- does anyone know how much the pins are set at? and do they have a bar or anything or is it just a straight up arcade? I bet I go though and FF is being played by some ultimate player on 30 minute credits

 

[Den - aka Wolfgang]

I think I'll check out that funland- does anyone know how much the pins are set at? and do they have a bar or anything or is it just a straight up arcade? I bet I go though and FF is being played by some ultimate player on 30 minute credits

You add credit to a (free) funland card - not sure how much a 1 credit works out, as it's so many funland credits per game, but what I will say, is I was playing FF with my wife and pretty much every game one of us got a match/free credit and also got a a free credit at one point for getting above a certain score threshold (which couldn't have been very hight, as i didn't know what I was doing).
Good value I'd say.

The venue itself; no bar (it's an arcade for kids)
If you love playing pinball with loud crashing/stomping from the DDR machine next to the pins and screaming kids all around you're in for a treat
Oh, no toilet there either (unless I'm mistaken), so Slim chickens a couple of doors down is your best bet if you need the loo.
If it wasn't so easy to get to from where I live in East London, I honestly wouldn't bother (hardly ever go there)

As a side note, played Bond again before we left (wasn't levelled very well- major drift to the right) and likely because it's not set up very steep, felt very slow and floaty compared FF , although it has it's charm (got a free game but let somone else play it, as didn't feel inspired to play again. Would like to play it in a better environment though)

 

[Den - aka Wolfgang]

I was a bit tempted by Pro after the initial reveal - but the more I look the more I just think …. I’m not seeing 8500 worth here Compare the amount of stuff that is on that Grand Prix / NASCAR that just went up. And that was Stern 2005. I know it’s a different pin world these days , code , screens etc …but I miss the old days of one model, loaded with features, or at least something on the playfield. Don’t start bigging up spinners and ramps as features

I really wish Stern would just make one machine, or have a "standard" which is no different playfield/toys wise than an "LE", but the LE has a signed backglass, exlusive topper (i mean, proper exclusive) and upgrades such as speaker lights, shaker, custom powder coated armour, custom shooter rod, exclusive art/mirror blades, special cabinet art, coin door etc etc.
Will never happen though of course.
It's tough, as I'd imagine some buyers probably justify purchases as they are helping to keep new pinball manufacturing alive (surely Stern and others would change their ways if everyone stopped putting up with it?)

Anyway, don't want to derail the thread apologies all.

Those getting a FF (whichever version) will enjoy it I reckon and look forward to seeing what J Danger is involved with, as he seems to have a knack for some cool stuff.

 

[Punk Stig]

I think I'll check out that funland- does anyone know how much the pins are set at? and do they have a bar or anything or is it just a straight up arcade? I bet I go though and FF is being played by some ultimate player on 30 minute credits

6 'credits' per game, you buy a card and credits at the venue, the more credits you buy the cheaper they are, £5= 25 credits, £25= 200 credits so, if you plan on going back in the future £25 is your best bet at £1.32 per game.
Buuuut- check on Groupon, they quite regularly offer half price credits which makes it very reasonable!

 

[Gonzo]

I was a bit tempted by Pro after the initial reveal - but the more I look the more I just think …. I’m not seeing 8500 worth here Compare the amount of stuff that is on that Grand Prix / NASCAR that just went up. And that was Stern 2005. I know it’s a different pin world these days , code , screens etc …but I miss the old days of one model, loaded with features, or at least something on the playfield. Don’t start bigging up spinners and ramps as features

Last night I played Hobbit for the first time and it was next to a James Bond. I only make the comparison because they are both supposed to have film footage and themed playfields and they were literally next to one another.

I have to say that it was a little embarrassing comparing the two assets and theme integration on either machine. It wasn't just the lack of movie footage and callouts that were the issue but the graphics on the cut-scenes were poor by comparison too (I know Foo Fighters has excellent animations and I'm just talking about Bond).
But when both pins were switched on and being played it was so abundantly clear that JJP had paid for the full license and Stern had cut costs . . . . and lots of them.

The lack of an actual ball-lock on Bond really looked like a cost cutting measure particularly when compared to the mech heavy JJP.

Worst of all was the fact that on the other side of Bond was a Stern 24 and it had far more mech's & moments going on. I'm not entirely sure that Stern can strip much more out of their games now.

 

[VeeMonroe]

You add credit to a (free) funland card - not sure how much a 1 credit works out, as it's so many funland credits per game, but what I will say, is I was playing FF with my wife and pretty much every game one of us got a match/free credit and also got a a free credit at one point for getting above a certain score threshold (which couldn't have been very hight, as i didn't know what I was doing).
Good value I'd say.

The venue itself; no bar (it's an arcade for kids)
If you love playing pinball with loud crashing/stomping from the DDR machine next to the pins and screaming kids all around you're in for a treat
Oh, no toilet there either (unless I'm mistaken), so Slim chickens a couple of doors down is your best bet if you need the loo.
If it wasn't so easy to get to from where I live in East London, I honestly wouldn't bother (hardly ever go there)

As a side note, played Bond again before we left (wasn't levelled very well- major drift to the right) and likely because it's not set up very steep, felt very slow and floaty compared FF , although it has it's charm (got a free game but let somone else play it, as didn't feel inspired to play again. Would like to play it in a better environment though)

This is a pretty good summary. I (used to) go to medical appointments regularly nearby and would pop in on my way back. It’s a small(ish), noisy arcade for kids in a famous open-plan shopping centre near Russell Square station with a bunch of pinball machines barely anyone plays sandwiched near some dance/hammer machines near the back.

Because it’s the Electrocoin showroom, they always have the newest Sterns, but they’re rarely levelled properly and not maintained well either. They’re usually clean, but there is usually a fault on at least one machine (missing spinners, sticky flippers). The low and unchanging replays on some machines mean that anyone who actually plays pinball can get endless games. They don’t fix that either. No toilets, as mentioned. I also go to Slim Chicken. @Neil McRae held a tournament there at one point and fixed all the levelling issues, but I suspect he also made the pins (temporarily) too difficult for their usual crowd.

They make no effort to make the pins accessible. The people at the desk when I’ve had to ask a question/report a fault know nothing about pinball (not even what a slingshot is) and the Inside Connected free game of the week programme is so badly explained that it has flummoxed two people off this forum now. Even if they stuck up a couple of Top Tip cards (or a cheap TV showing technique videos) near the machines, it would help. I’ve noticed that at least one teenager will wander over, look at the pins curiously and start playing most times I’m there (and then get fed up and wander off), evidently because seeing me playing (badly) makes them realise there’s a fun game in the box, so they give it a go.

That said, it’s a good place to try new Sterns and I bought Godzilla (my first NIB) as a result of playing the Pro that got flown in.

 

[Deleted member 2463]

It’s a good game but it’s not a Godzilla beater!

 

[Deleted member 2463]

Last night I played Hobbit for the first time and it was next to a James Bond. I only make the comparison because they are both supposed to have film footage and themed playfields and they were literally next to one another.

I have to say that it was a little embarrassing comparing the two assets and theme integration on either machine. It wasn't just the lack of movie footage and callouts that were the issue but the graphics on the cut-scenes were poor by comparison too (I know Foo Fighters has excellent animations and I'm just talking about Bond).
But when both pins were switched on and being played it was so abundantly clear that JJP had paid for the full license and Stern had cut costs . . . . and lots of them.

The lack of an actual ball-lock on Bond really looked like a cost cutting measure particularly when compared to the mech heavy JJP.

Worst of all was the fact that on the other side of Bond was a Stern 24 and it had far more mech's & moments going on. I'm not entirely sure that Stern can strip much more out of their games now.

View attachment 200624

does the hobbit still come with the nipple clips to shock you every couple of minutes so you don’t fall asleep?

 

[Gonzo]

does the hobbit still come with the nipple clips to shock you every couple of minutes so you don’t fall asleep?

Yes indeed, I believe they used the fasteners from Gary Sterns wallet.

 

[thejefu]

Would it kill Stern to make a playfield that wasn't a busy fever dream of red and purple.

They almost managed it with 007 until some bright spark said 'it needs 100 faces'.

Just one aesthetically succinct playfield for the tidy people out there.

 

[Jib]

The more streams I watch of FF the more I feel like it's going to be another Deadpool for me, everyone loves it and I'm like meh. Hope I'm wrong cos I've got a pro on order

 

[Gonzo]

The more streams I watch of FF the more I feel like it's going to be another Deadpool for me, everyone loves it and I'm like meh. Hope I'm wrong cos I've got a pro on order

I think Deadpool is the favourite game of 'The dangerous one' so I wouldn't be surprised if there was an influence.

 

[VeeMonroe]

The more streams I watch of FF the more I feel like it's going to be another Deadpool for me, everyone loves it and I'm like meh. Hope I'm wrong cos I've got a pro on order

It reminds me a lot of Godzilla, actually. Very fast and flowy with a lot of different shots/ramps/wire forms.

I’m extremely impressed by the theme integration, i.e. how they’ve got custom animations for everything and even the Insider Connected names are in a funky font. It’s a world away from the graphic design on Iron Maiden or A:IQ, as an example.

I think people who like flowy pins will like this one, and I think it’s part of Stern getting into their stride with a winning formula. There’s definitely a ‘Stern style’ now, which means more choice, but - also - possibly, less gameplay differentiation between pins (?).

 

[Jib]

I think Deadpool is the favourite game of 'The dangerous one' so I wouldn't be surprised if there was an influence.

I don't really mean how it plays. I more mean how people feel about Deadpool but I just didn't like it. I haven't heard anyone say anything bad about FF but I'm not sure the gameplay is my style and whether the code will keep me interested. No doubt it's going to be popular though

 

[Gonzo]

I don't really mean how it plays. I more mean how people feel about Deadpool but I just didn't like it. I haven't heard anyone say anything bad about FF but I'm not sure the gameplay is my style and whether the code will keep me interested. No doubt it's going to be popular though

Hopefully you'll enjoy it. It's always a gamble buying new games without playing them.

However, I think the designer will have poured a lot of love into this game and you might love it.

Sounds to me like he's influenced by Elwin and Deadpool happens to be his favourite game.

I'm in for a pro too and I'm quite optimistic.

 

[RetroHeed]

See FF Pro now straight in at #3 on pinside top 100. From what I have read and seen its gonna be superb.

 

[Colywobbles]

Pinside is a fickle place with its top 10 at the best of times and lots of new pins make it up there purely on the honeymoon period alone!
It takes a good year or more to settle into its more deserving rank and even then I take it all with a pinch of salt.
For me Foo has so much going for it and so much it doesn’t at the very same time. I’ve said this before it looks a great layout with great flow but at the same time really stripped out so the modders are going to have a field day on this one.
I am however still trying my best not to let the FOMO get to me but now I’ve committed on TNA a game I’ve played many times and love, I’m hoping this holds me back enough to see how it pans out and whether the next Elwin cornerstone overshadows Foo.

There’s only so much money you can justify spending on a NIB pin and for me Stern are starting to price themselves out of the market for the common man.
It’s sad times when stripped out pros are the only option left to most in this hobby now. Buyers like myself that love the bells and whistles of a LE now have to question themselves it worth even bothering as if you miss on an LE you may awsell wait till the 2nd batch arrives as we will have a true feel for it’s rank and hopefully will have played one.

Like the Indy quote says “Choose wisely.
Buying an LE now unplayed at £16k “is for braver folk than me now.
Just imagine going all in on Bond, Rush or LZ LEs. I feel I dodged a bullet there for sure

 

[VeeMonroe]

There’s only so much money you can justify spending on a NIB pin and for me Stern are starting to price themselves out of the market for the common man.
It’s sad times when stripped out pros are the only option left to most in this hobby now.

Yes. I looked at the Deadflip stream for the Pro. It is, basically, some wireforms with a few plastic stand ups and a computer game attached. It’s a credit to Stern that they have the artistic, coding and design talent to make this appealing to play.

Like the Indy quote says “Choose wisely.
Buying an LE now unplayed at £16k “is for braver folk than me now.
Just imagine going all in on Bond, Rush or LZ LEs. I feel I dodged a bullet there for sure

That’s why we bought a GZ Prem. I’d played GZ Pro forty times on location when I put the order in. It was only a couple of years ago and I paid less than £10k. It’s admittedly down to Brexit, but it’s now nearly £12k for the same pin.

 

[Sako-TRG]

Pinside is a fickle place with its top 10 at the best of times and lots of new pins make it up there purely on the honeymoon period alone!
It takes a good year or more to settle into its more deserving rank and even then I take it all with a pinch of salt.

Think they have this pegged though:
Bond @ # 76 and plummeting faster than a Germanwings Airbus A320

 

[VeeMonroe]

Think they have this pegged though:
Bond @ # 76 and plummeting faster than a Germanwings Airbus A320

Yes, my goodness, seeing Foo Fighters makes me realise just how badly the Bond license holder screwed up those pinball machines…

 

[Colywobbles]

Wrong thread

 

[Deleted member 2463]

I don't really mean how it plays. I more mean how people feel about Deadpool but I just didn't like it. I haven't heard anyone say anything bad about FF but I'm not sure the gameplay is my style and whether the code will keep me interested. No doubt it's going to be popular though

Ray day is on code you will be interested.

 

[M4carp]

Like the Indy quote says “Choose wisely.

 

[PAX]

The more gameplay I see the more I want one. Pro looks great, prem probably even better