Is Andrew Heighway in Trouble? Ex-Employee sent a note.

Prometheus

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Sep 29, 2016, 1:47:05 PM9/29/16

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I'm in on an Alien LE and voiced a few concerns on Pinside. Someone just PM"d me this. I don't know what to make of it. If I posted it on pinside it would be taken down immediately. Why would an ex-employee say all of this stuff? Think there is any truth to it?

"You Sir are quite correct to be concerned about HP...I worked for the idiot and found him to be the most egotistic, Patheic and down right uneducated ruddest person I have had the misfortune to meet. God bless the poor idiots that have ordered Alien, cause the will never see the game, just like FT, they have produced only 8 FT games in the past 2 months,,why?? because no supplier will touch him with a barge pole because he wont pay them and he has a considerable list of creditors who will never deal with him again,,yeah sure andrew will talk the talk and tell his customers that everything is rosie in the garden,, the fact it's not, he treats his employies with total comtempt, he wont pay them and when he does he payes them half and you have to beg for the rest,, why do you think 11 good people have left HP in the last 6 months with some employees taking him to a tribunal because of none payment of wages,,,the guys a fool. He absconded from the last premises he was in leaving the landlord 100k out of pocket and there was a remour he was moving the whole operation to the US because his credit ration is shite,,what would you expect from a failed businessman, not once but 8 times a failure.."Preditor Springs to Mind"

I hope this is all lies. Thoughts?

The_Black_Knight

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Sep 29, 2016, 2:47:27 PM9/29/16

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There are legitimate concerns.
This particular email is quite scathing, but for important reasons beyond the anger.

Be mindful and look to the past for answers.
Be careful what you pay in terms of deposits.
Remember this game title has still not even been revealed as a sample at Expo.

I will not tell people what to do, as some collectors are told even with a vast number of years of experience and connections in the industry they are "liars", even though we have a sixth sense for problems.

I have no interest in such drama, and do not care if people "downvote" me.

People need to make their own decisions in this hobby.
I will simply remit one of my own mantras:

"A pinball machine is not real, until it is in its box, and the steps of your home."

Best of Fortune.

Heighway Pinball

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Sep 29, 2016, 5:19:21 PM9/29/16

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This is quite pathetic really.

We have been going for 4.5 years.

We are about to release our second game and suddenly this sort of rubbish comes up?

There will always be ex employees with axes to grind. That's assuming this person is even an ex employee. Someone anonymous going around and spreading rubbish

I know of campaigns at the moment with people trying to bring down my company.

It's very sad

Heighway Pinball

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Sep 29, 2016, 5:22:28 PM9/29/16

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Prometheus - can you email me please?

and...@heighwaypinball.com

Thanks

bar...@comcast.net

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Sep 29, 2016, 8:33:45 PM9/29/16

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I have "no dog in the race" because I don't buy new pinball machines regardless of who makes them or what the title is but it seems like everyone wants to trash the little guys.

If it wasn't for JJP and some other smaller companies starting up Stern would still be putting out the junk they were selling 5 years ago. Competition is great for the hobby and I wish Heighway Pinball, Spooky, JJP and any others all the best. The more new companies & machines we have the better off the hobby is!

To Heighway - no one realizes the upfront cost of taking on something like this unless they have experienced it. Just like a few years back with JJP (and even to some extent today) if you were not hanging on by your fingernails I would be shocked. The upfront cost of designing & building a pinball machines for mas production has to be insane. Best of luck to you and your crew! Please don't let one post by one person concern or upset you. Most people realize there will always be a few people just looking to trash the new guy. Good Luck!

Question

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Sep 29, 2016, 9:05:53 PM9/29/16

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Andrew I agree these rumors suck. Someone told me last week that less than 100 Full Throttles have shipped. Is that true or false?

Heighway Pinball

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Sep 30, 2016, 8:08:31 AM9/30/16

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I appreciate the good nature of the question, but I can't reveal any production figures for market reasons, sorry.

I hope you understand why

Lawrence Marshall

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Sep 30, 2016, 9:15:36 AM9/30/16

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On Friday, September 30, 2016 at 7:08:31 AM UTC-5, Heighway Pinball wrote:
> I appreciate the good nature of the question, but I can't reveal any production figures for market reasons, sorry.
>
> I hope you understand why

So, you want us to believe that the email is untrue. In turn you refuse to answer us truthfully when posed a question?

Seems like we should be cautious when dealing with both you and whoever sent this email.

Heighway Pinball

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Sep 30, 2016, 1:43:49 PM9/30/16

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So you are saying that just because somebody posts negative comments about my company that I must release market-sensitive information to anyone who asks? You also seem to say that if I DON'T reveal this information then I am being dishonest or I have something to hide?

I don't see the logic. Stern doesn't reveal how many games they make. Are they dishonest too?

calv...@gmail.com

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Sep 30, 2016, 3:21:01 PM9/30/16

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On Friday, September 30, 2016 at 12:43:49 PM UTC-5, Heighway Pinball wrote:
> So you are saying that just because somebody posts negative comments about my company that I must release market-sensitive information to anyone who asks? You also seem to say that if I DON'T reveal this information then I am being dishonest or I have something to hide?
>
> I don't see the logic. Stern doesn't reveal how many games they make. Are they dishonest too?

Stern has a bit more of a track record

Question

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Sep 30, 2016, 4:08:38 PM9/30/16

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On Friday, September 30, 2016 at 12:43:49 PM UTC-5, Heighway Pinball wrote:
> So you are saying that just because somebody posts negative comments about my company that I must release market-sensitive information to anyone who asks? You also seem to say that if I DON'T reveal this information then I am being dishonest or I have something to hide?
>
> I don't see the logic. Stern doesn't reveal how many games they make. Are they dishonest too?

Ok, let me ask it a different way. Have you shipped MORE THAN 100 Full Throttles in the 4.5 years you've been in business? Be honest :)

Vem

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Sep 30, 2016, 4:36:57 PM9/30/16

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I think it would be best for Andrew to remove himself from this conversation. No good will come from it.

Question

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Sep 30, 2016, 4:50:20 PM9/30/16

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Here's the danger in giving Heighway a pass from these tough questions. Andrew sent out an email 3 weeks ago saying Alien production was starting in 2-3 weeks. In that email he noted that buyers would have to pay more because production was starting. In the latest report from his own factory it's clear that a fully working / fully functional Aliens prototype isn't even done yet. How can that be when he said 3 weeks ago that production was starting? We can't ask questions?

Shouldn't Andrew have a fully functional game and a finished prototype DONE before he asks for more money? People seem to forget that Aliens is very delayed and if Full Throttle didn't sell well, how does a company stay in business for 4.5 years, move into 3 different factories, travel to and from expos and shows, keep a staff PAID if no money is coming in? How?

An ex employee sends out a note saying things like wages weren't paid and we're suppose to take Andrew's word for it? Who are we suppose to believe? I don't see Stern, Dutch, Spooky or JJP dealing with such drama.

Vem

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Sep 30, 2016, 4:55:08 PM9/30/16

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Do you have money in Alien? I assume you don't and you are trying to start something from nothing. It's best to just watch it play out and find out that way, than to start speculating and screaming "fire!"

Question

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Sep 30, 2016, 4:58:14 PM9/30/16

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I have money down on an Alien LE. Someone shared me this thread. I wish to remain anonymous. I agree. Let's wait for this to play out. If Andrew is a man of his word than Aliens will be in people's homes by Thanksgiving. If pins don't ship in November then it's fair to say something is smoking, no? So let's let it go for 6 weeks. We'll know who's telling the truth by then. Fair?

phis...@hotmail.com

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Sep 30, 2016, 5:13:49 PM9/30/16

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- show quoted text -

Here's the danger in giving Heighway a pass from these tough questions. Andrew sent out an email 3 weeks ago saying Alien production was starting in 2-3 weeks. In that email he noted that buyers would have to pay more because production was starting. In the latest report from his own factory it's clear that a fully working / fully functional Aliens prototype isn't even done yet. How can that be when he said 3 weeks ago that production was starting? We can't ask questions?

Not with a new user ID you just created. Sock puppets don't get to ask the hard hitting questions. hth

-phish

flippy

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Sep 30, 2016, 5:14:15 PM9/30/16

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Question <joshgil...@gmail.com> wrote in
news:87de119c-3caa-460c...@googlegroups.com:

I want to know if he's sold more than 100.
I did not like the game (or theme).

I thought their original theme of Athens or Greek Gods
or whatever was better.

Vem

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Sep 30, 2016, 5:16:59 PM9/30/16

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Exactly this. We don't know that you have an LE on order. Not saying you don't, we just don't know. It's not fair to say if he doesn't hit the target exactly that something is wrong. If you have been in this hobby for any amount of time you know that deadlines/targets change. Doesn't mean the world is ending.

Question

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Sep 30, 2016, 5:51:29 PM9/30/16

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I see what you guys are saying. It was wrong for me to make these assumptions. I just want my game by December. I hope it arrives by then. Until then let's wait and see. No more speculation.

Lawrence Marshall

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Sep 30, 2016, 7:41:40 PM9/30/16

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On Friday, September 30, 2016 at 12:43:49 PM UTC-5, Heighway Pinball wrote:
> So you are saying that just because somebody posts negative comments about my company that I must release market-sensitive information to anyone who asks? You also seem to say that if I DON'T reveal this information then I am being dishonest or I have something to hide?
>
> I don't see the logic. Stern doesn't reveal how many games they make. Are they dishonest too?

You can't sit back and call someone dishonest without being honest yourself. You want to tell people what to think? Back it up then. Otherwise, best to not involve yourself at all because your credibility is nill just like the originator of that email.

fattdirk

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Sep 30, 2016, 9:08:32 PM9/30/16

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I played full throttle at the Ohio Pinball show and I was less than impressed. It was continuously breaking and seemed to have pretty poor reliability. I know people said that machines taken to shows take a lot of abuse but I would assume a commercial grade pinball would be designed exactly for the conditions the game wasn't standing up to.

txstargazer3

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Sep 30, 2016, 10:55:34 PM9/30/16

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On Friday, September 30, 2016 at 8:08:32 PM UTC-5, fattdirk wrote:
> I played full throttle at the Ohio Pinball show and I was less than impressed. It was continuously breaking and seemed to have pretty poor reliability. I know people said that machines taken to shows take a lot of abuse but I would assume a commercial grade pinball would be designed exactly for the conditions the game wasn't standing up to.

At the Texas Pinball Festival there were two games up and running very reliably throughout the show. I found the game lots of fun and found the rules very accessible with a good level of challenge. I have a FullT LE on order.

seymour.shabow

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Sep 30, 2016, 11:40:06 PM9/30/16

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Question wrote:
>
> I have money down on an Alien LE. Someone shared me this thread. I
> wish to remain anonymous. I agree. Let's wait for this to play
> out. If Andrew is a man of his word than Aliens will be in people's
> homes by Thanksgiving. If pins don't ship in November then it's fair
> to say something is smoking, no? So let's let it go for 6 weeks.
> We'll know who's telling the truth by then. Fair?

So your name isn't joshgilbert1976? That doesn't seem too anonymous.

Bob C

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Oct 1, 2016, 2:03:09 AM10/1/16

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Ok, time for everybody to un-bunch the panties folks

CubeSnake

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Oct 1, 2016, 1:09:50 PM10/1/16

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On Saturday, October 1, 2016 at 2:03:09 AM UTC-4, Bob C wrote:
> Ok, time for everybody to un-bunch the panties folks

Seriously, leave this shit to Pinside......

Frank Furhter

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Oct 3, 2016, 1:16:57 AM10/3/16

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Heighway Pinball wrote:
> So you are saying that just because somebody posts negative comments about my company that I must release market-sensitive information to anyone who asks? You also seem to say that if I DON'T reveal this information then I am being dishonest or I have something to hide?
>
> I don't see the logic. Stern doesn't reveal how many games they make. Are they dishonest too?
>

Stern doesn't feed trolls on RGP either. He says fuck you, ignores the
douche, focuses on taking 1% of the market douche bags for big dollars.
You do the same, and you win. The market is there, proven.

--
The Frankster, a playfield prankster
Once upon my crank her ballpark shrank.
http://PinWiki.com, Prep-H 4 pinballers.
CARGPB #42 (Free to join, sign up now!)
Dangling Team-EM Member (debauchery a-go-go)
Rule #1 of RGP, there are no rules or rulers.

CubeSnake

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Oct 3, 2016, 7:38:50 PM10/3/16

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The OP reeks of kaneda........

pinballtom264

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Oct 3, 2016, 8:34:16 PM10/3/16

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On Monday, October 3, 2016 at 7:38:50 PM UTC-4, CubeSnake wrote:
> The OP reeks of kaneda........

I agree zero history and only two posts

wolftownjeff

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Oct 3, 2016, 8:36:22 PM10/3/16

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The game played wonderfully at the York White
rose show last weekend. Great game.

John Robertson

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Oct 4, 2016, 12:13:43 AM10/4/16

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Anonymous posters aren't even worth reading...

John :-#(#

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(604)872-5757 or Fax 872-2010 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games)
www.flippers.com
"Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."

Tracelifter

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Oct 4, 2016, 11:14:19 AM10/4/16

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They are Anonymous.
They are legion.
They are coming for RGP.
Lock up yer white wimmins.
;)

Eric