Stern's NBA Preview: This ain't no Space Jam
Wolffy
(Not a location type game, so don't ask where.) I myself thought it was
a Space Jam clone by looking at the pictures but I couldn't have been
more wrong. It isn't so much a re-theme as a sorta redo. Think of how HS
and G:HS2 are kinda the same but yet different.
I do miss the really cool ball lock from Space Jam. Costed out in NBA is
the popper to the magnet where one of 2 coils could send the ball on
different habitrails. That was a cool gimmick. The ball lock on NBA just
feeds the jets. Space Jam also had more inserts, NBA cheapens up in this
area as well. The two spots in which this hurts the rules for the left
and right orbit and the approach to multiball.
NBA does do some things better. While Space Jam had the one ramp to the
basket, NBA triples that. You won't find 3D basketballs under the main
ramp spelling fire but you do get a tastefully done sequence of colors
that go from yellow to red. It is nice to see thought put into this area
of details. A flap on this ramp will feed the basket and be your 3-point
shout. The left ramp from Space Jam is your 2-point shot and the
All-Star (mode start) saucer ejects the ball by actually shooting Free
Throws! The diverter will direct the ball in the direction needed for
you to try to make as many of the same shot as possible. You get to
enter you initials as X-Point Champion, deja vu from BK2K's Loop Champion.
Software is sparse at the moment, background music, sound effects and
display effects are up and coming. The rules that are there so far are
amazingly solid. The Fastbreak hurry up plays perfectly in the speed
increasing orbits and the multiball requires you to make one of each of
the field goals to qualify for the jackpots. In terms of rule depth, you
should expect something along the lines of FT. Currently the spinning
disk is annoying as it appears on all the time, I suspect that will be
addressed as the software takes on life. The DMD currently only has text
so the rules are nicely spelled out for the player... hope that stays in
when the graphics are added (HINT, HINT!)
The game, amazingly simple, has an addictive quality to it. 24 and
Spiderman had an addictive quality to it for me as well so that is all a
good sign. I can see this being a great bar game as the balance of
pinball rules and eye candy seems to be present for the n00bs and decent
players (sorry 1337's this game isn't designed for you.) Despite the
minimal investment Stern still couldn't find someone who has more than
30 minutes experience of Photoshop to do the playfield art. There would
have been zero cost investment to add a little more color to attract the
kids and people like me who are suckers for things with color and
blinking lights.
Overall, for a game room I'll stick with my FB as that is the complete
basketball package and it does a great job at it. However if I find NBA
on location (and assuming Stern doesn't use this critical last segment
of development to make the game gay) I will be more than happy to coin
it up and put in some game time. If Stern had better planning and timing
and was able to get this game on location for the NBA playoffs
(currently concluding the first of four rounds) this could really help
their bottom line. It will be interesting to see how sales do pan out
for this title.
-wolffy
kirb
Thanks for the early review!
Kirb
Steven
to hear it's addicting. The most important thing in a pinball IMO.
TBK
~Ron R
TBK=The Biggest Kid
"Route-rat extraordinaire!"
apimo...@yahoo.com
> to make the game gay
To make the game "gay"? What's that mean (I'm over 14 years old)
Milt
I think it means adding in bright pink to the playfield art and then
making the game just FABULOUS!!
shlockdoc
I think he means a gerbil and a papertowel Tube added to the game
Wolffy
apimo...@yahoo.com wrote:
> To make the game "gay"? What's that mean (I'm over 14 years old)
I'm 35 so you have no excuse for not knowing urban slang! As others have
pointed out it simply means adding stuff that doesn't belong with the
theme... which sadly is a Stern trademark. I'm still waiting for the
explanation as to why the Pasta Chef from Disney's "Lady and the Tramp"
yells "Mama-mia Multiball" at the start of safe house multiball on 24.
--
-wolffy
"Hail! Hail! Rah! Rah! Rah!" - The Pharaoh
Milt
>
>
> apimo...@yahoo.com wrote:
>> To make the game "gay"? What's that mean (I'm over 14 years old)
>
> I'm 35 so you have no excuse for not knowing urban slang! As others have
> pointed out it simply means adding stuff that doesn't belong with the
> theme... which sadly is a Stern trademark. I'm still waiting for the
> explanation as to why the Pasta Chef from Disney's "Lady and the Tramp"
> yells "Mama-mia Multiball" at the start of safe house multiball on 24.
>
That's not urban slang, that's just lame. Basically, you are inferring
gay = bad.
frenchy
Stern people? (I didn't think there were enough left to do a full
game but maybe they can handle a re-do?)
Rare Hero
Stern's in house designer is John Borg....
Borg = Only pinball designer left.
YOU WILL BE ASSIMILATED!!!!
Greg
Hunty
Kyle Wren
>
>
>
>apimo...@yahoo.com wrote:
>> To make the game "gay"? What's that mean (I'm over 14 years old)
>
>I'm 35 so you have no excuse for not knowing urban slang! As others have
>pointed out it simply means adding stuff that doesn't belong with the
>theme... which sadly is a Stern trademark. I'm still waiting for the
>explanation as to why the Pasta Chef from Disney's "Lady and the Tramp"
>yells "Mama-mia Multiball" at the start of safe house multiball on 24.
Thanks for the nice review Wolffy! But more than that, thanks for not bowing to
political correctness run wild... :-)
--
Kyle Wren - CARGPB #27
In memory of Al Garber, CARGPB 33 1/3
Pinball News
No, he may (or may not) be implying it. You're inferring it.
Cheers,
Martin.
On Apr 30, 4:34 pm, Milt <theatreguynos...@miltsweb.com> wrote:
> Wolffy wrote:
Larry Scott
I agree; lousy adjective, Mike :p
Larry Scott
> political correctness run wild... :-)
It's not really a PC issue, it's just vague. I've honestly never
heard of 'gay' referring to 'adding stuff that doesn't belong' .. must
be a Chicago slang-thing? As he wrote it originally, one cannot infer
anything besides "gay=bad". And yes, it sounded like something I'd
hear in a middle-school hallway... "Oh that's *so* gay.." LOL
Now CV, maybe you'd have a leg to stand on...
Metahugh
I've heard that term many times before. To me it means something just
doesn't fit with what it's attached to. Like those ugly metal wings
on the back of Civics... yeah that's kind of gay. :)
I like simple games. If it would make them cheaper I'm all for it.
It doesn't have to be too complicated for me to enjoy it.
Hugh
TBK
Here is the term I'm sure was intended...most likely #1 or #2 or #4.
#3 doesn't apply due to the spelling, #5 is humorous (Edited slightly
from the Urban Dictionary)
1. ghey
Usurping the traditional term GAY to take the homosexual meaning out
and leaving in the lame.
That's so gay it's G-H-E-Y!
2. ghey
a derivation of gay meaning lame. meant to be non-offensive to
individuals of a homosexual persuasion.
"That coffee cup is broken. How ghey."
3. ghey
It means the same as "gay." This term began as a way to get around
videogame servers and other profanity filters. Gay is blocked, but
"ghey" is just fine.
"That movie was ghey."
4. ghey
postmodern redevelopment of the word "gay" - it now implies all the
formerly offensive stereotypes of uselessness / weakness then
associated with effeminate homosexual men in 1970's sitcoms, whilst
carrying with it no actual implied sexuality connotations.
"My computer is being ghey."
5. ghey
a way to take the guilt out of offending homosexuals by calling
something unfavorable gay.
Since verbally, the new spelling is virtually unnoticeable, this
rationale is rendered a waste of time, but as mentioned, it serves its
purpose in the mind of the homophobe-in-denial.
"that album was GAY as hell... no offense, (homosexual bystander), i
don't mean it in a bad way" ...
"I hope he thinks i said "ghey" instead of "gay", so he won't take me
for the idiot i am, since i can't think up a better adjective to put
in place of "bad"."
zr1...@sbcglobal.net
Gay originally meant happy and care free a while back but the queers
hijacked it. These people who are so tolerant need to be a little more
tolerant.
pinbal...@gmail.com
a pinball machine about roller coasters = awesome.
roller coaster tycoon = gay.
that game could have been awesome if some nippled troll wasn't telling
me what to do.
-c
Larry Scott
> here's a good definition:
>
> a pinball machine about roller coasters = awesome.
>
> roller coaster tycoon = gay.
>
> that game could have been awesome if some nippled troll wasn't telling
> me what to do.
I guess it's the fact I haven't heard an adult use 'gay' like that in
many years, while on the other hand I hear my 14yo niece and her
little girl friends say it all the time.. it's almost an instinctive
response to anything they encounter. Hearing a 30-something engineer
throw it out there was weird, and the fact he used it to describe
something obviously negative (Stern screwing up an otherwise
acceptable machine) didn't help. It's no big deal, just ... odd.
pinbal...@gmail.com
It seems it's a Midwest thing. If it were me 20 years ago i would be
dropping the R word as i grew up in Connecticut.
but RCT is definitely G word over R word.
To be offended by words is R word.
-c