open letter to a great designer
bigehrl
3 years ago, i walked into 7B, a popular bar in the east village of
manhattan, and sitting there was a shiny, new, spiderman pinball
machine. it was just put in that day. the bartender, who knew that i
only frequent the place because of my lifelong obsession with pinball,
even commented before i could put my first quarter into the slot,
saying "it even looks sexy!".. my dad used to always say to me, "the
anticipation is always greater than the participation".. well, my dad
never played SM.. it was the best feeling i've had in years. i was so
into that game, that i ran out days later, and bought one. a NIB SM
for my very 1st machine! i paid full retail, top-dollar. i got ripped
and i didn't care, i just wanted it at any cost... i had to explain to
my girlfriend who lives with me, exactly how a machine CAN fit in the
apt, and that i had already put a down payment on it without
consulting her, so 'no' wasn't an option anyway...
needless to say it was a huge hit with me, my friends, and most
importantly my boss (girlfriend). so much so, that i just had to
expand, and a few months later, bought my first used machine.. HSII..
ever hear of that one? it was toasted mechanically and electrically,
and after 3 months of 18-hour days of frustration , insomnia, and
teaching myself pinball circuitry and repair, i have one of the
fastest, cleanest, most impressive getaway's any of my pin-geek
friends has ever played..
well, now it's 3 years later, and i own 7 games in the same n.y.c.
apt... 4 of which were designed by either yourself , or your bro. me
and my girlfriend now host pinball parties regularly, as well as a
semi-annual tournament called 'pinferno'.. and without fail, all the
top players, including me, always reach for the getaway before
anything else..
so all i can really say is thank you.. your designs changed my life,
and perspective on gaming in general..
i know you realize how influential your work has been on the game over
the years, and i can appreciate you frustrations with the current
direction of it's manufacture..
so with that said, let me ask you... where's HSIII??? i mean, forget
gary stern.. what does anyone need stern for? they have a factory,
yes... and they have cash on the sidelines for production, sure.. but
what's would abbey road studios be if the beatles weren't inside it to
write the songs? stern refuses to market itself or it's games, no
wonder they are going to disappear. it's not the lack of pinball
players, it's the fact that most anyone under the age of 29 has
probably never seen a pinball machine, and barely heard of it.
stern has a position at their company called 'media contact'. so i
contacted the media contact to contact him about some media related
issues. he will remain nameless, unless you go on their site and look
up who the 'media contact' is. but when i brought up some ideas to
this person about promoting pinball in nyc, he said, sorry 'stern'
doesn't market or do media events, they rely on the vendors for
this... ha!!!!!!!!!! vendors for marketing??? give me a break!! i
proceeded to ask him why he is the 'media contact' then, if they don't
do that kind of stuff... needless to say, he wasn't super-pleased by
this of course.. but even as i pointed out that no vendor ever markets
and will lead to their downfall, he acknowledged this, and just
shrugged it off..
but it leads me to my point... 'stern' will fail eventually because it
refuses to market and just seems to not even care. what company that
actually cares about it's future and it's own existance doesn't market
themselves?? if you walk into a bar, there's a sign on the wall that
says 'absolute vodka', with a sexy looking chick, and a bright, eye-
catching lime. as a patron, your first reaction will be one of two
things. either, i'm not in the mood for vodka today, but now i know it
exists, or, i'll have an absolute and tonic because now i know it
exists. get it? even proctor and gamble advertises 'preparation H' on
TV. you might not need it right now, but you know it's out there.. so
one maybe you'll take them up on it.. hopefully not, of course..
can't SRP produce it's own games with you at the helm? surely you can
finance, or round up financing for a company to produce machines led
by your decision making, can't you? you have an oppurtunity here to
create a rebirth of a great american icon. it's really as if you have
zero barriers to entry with the games stern's producing as your only
competition. i realize the digital age has placed quite the speedbump
in your way, but if you think 'technics' has let the invention of the
CD or MP3 stop them from properly marketing and selling many, many
turntables, while simultaneously keeping the desire and demand for
them high, you would be incorrect..
maybe your tired of it. maybe you too don't care anymore. which i can
understand, seeing how you've kicked in more than your share already.
but you are so outspoken about this topic, and as a fan myself, from a
completely selfish point of view, i'm sure i speak for much of the
pinball community when i say..
"WE WANT MORE!"
(this is if course being yelled in the HSII 'SHIFT NOW!" voice, for
full effect and dramatics.)
sincerely-
jon ehrlich
Stavs
I am anxious to see the responses.
Joe S.
No barriers to entry? You're not in manufacturing, are you?
No offense meant, Jon. Your message was entertaining.
Bingovit
cause pinball needs some commercial.
But if we want pinball to stay alive that's were we kick in and
promote it in every way we can.
If we don't promote pinball, the chances of new pinball machines are a
lot smaller.
There's absolutely no way that Steve or any other designer could
create his own company, only the design costs a million, it's another
million till it reaches the production line.
so that's two million dollar you have to invest before you see
anything back(IF you have a company).
If you don't have a company you need to set up a construction site and
hire the right people, hire the building,...
In pinball his current state it would be financial suicide to start
such a venture. Sadly enough the truth is that when Stern closes his
doors, it will probably be the last pinball manufacturer ever!
No new machines anymore would be sad cause I'm always excited to play
the newest game!
Sam
You took the words right out of my mouth. Here's hoping that Stern's
last title will be a worthy send-off and not some cheap re-theme ala Shrek.
Sam
John In WI
>
> No barriers to entry? You're not in manufacturing, are you?
>
> No offense meant, Jon. Your message was entertaining.
If not a tad bit idealistic........
--
"Anything worth doing, is worth overdoing�
- Mick Jagger -
Adm56
really enjoyed his Topcast interview...but I hope he has the sense to
stay out of manufacturing. Freelance design seems to be the way to go
in this environment...I assume we are likely to see his Spider-man
design re-themed at some point if Stern stays afloat and the contracts
allow for it...I wish him (And Stern) luck with whatever he (they)
decide to do.
Great Lakes Modular
> finance, or round up financing for a company to produce machines led
> by your decision making, can't you? you have an oppurtunity here to
> create a rebirth of a great american icon. it's really as if you have
> zero barriers to entry with the games stern's producing as your only
> competition.
Steve made it pretty clear once before that he didn't think it was
feasible.
If you were (somehow) able to create a manufacturing company capable
of making pinball machines, I know a few designers that would be
willing
to jump on board (for the right price). But I don't know of any that
would
be willing to head up such a venture on their own.
Tony
www.greatlakesmodular.com - Re-Engineered Pinball Parts!
jar155
wrote:
Pinball needs to see a bit of a resurgence before new manufacturers
can join the game. The problem is, pinball needs people like Steve
putting out strong designs before there can be a resurgence. It's a
twisted catch-22 that pinball is in right now and it makes me think
that the end of new pinball is coming sooner than I would have
thought.
If somehow pinball could catch one more fully in Asia, India, or other
emerging markets, then there could be a turnaround in the industry. As
it is, the United States and Europe aren't doing enough volume in
sales to spur on growth. Stern needs to think long and hard about what
it's going to take to survive.
Lloyd Olson
You can't imagine the money bloodbath, that you are suggesting, would be.
LTG :)
"bigehrl" <jehrl...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:7e137b9f-48f8-48fb...@a26g2000yqn.googlegroups.com...
>
> can't SRP produce it's own games with you at the helm? surely you can
> finance, or round up financing for a company to produce machines led
> by your decision making, can't you?
>
> sincerely-
> jon ehrlich
Lloyd Olson
"Sam" <sam7...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:EZYdm.39495$PH1.13413@edtnps82...
Sam
Ouch! You don't even think BBH will make it out?
Sam
ldnayman
> No barriers to entry? �You're not in manufacturing, are you?
>
> No offense meant, Jon. �Your message was entertaining.
John's a sweetheart, but he clearly doesn't understand the
complexities of setting up a factory to produce pinball machines. It's
impossible!!!
Well except for that guy Herb who apparently has had no problem with
it, but you know, besides that.
It's also impossible to create a CFTBL Hologram. For some reason.
ldnayman
> I
>
> There's absolutely no way that Steve or any other designer could
> create his own company, only the design costs a million, it's another
> million till it reaches the production line.
> so that's two million dollar you have to invest before you see
> anything back(IF you have a company).
Did Herb spend $2 million getting his King of Diamonds repros off the
ground?
Lloyd Olson
"ldnayman" <ldna...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:0862c4f9-95b4-4755...@b14g2000yqd.googlegroups.com...
Well except for that guy Herb who apparently has had no problem with
it, but you know, besides that.
Too early to tell. After a year or two of successful sales, then we'll know.
It's also impossible to create a CFTBL Hologram. For some reason.
It might be. The new ones were turning red and stuff.
CornCob
corner with the "D" on the your hat. Write 1000 times, "I must not
predict Sterns death with NBA". ;)
OP: I met Steve at the UK pinball show this year for the first time.
We spoke in detail about pinball, designs and his time working with
other designers. He never said if he finally got reimbursed for his
handy work on Stern's 24 but he did say he wouldn't work for Gary
again. Doing it alone even with a factory is a tall order; look at
Gene Cunningham's efforts on BBB and while good, no other from him is
to follow. Then theres TPF, ok nothing good to say about them, just
they have publically announced their intentions even if unseen after
4+ years. Short of getting "Bill Gates" to admit to loving pinball
and investing his Windoze$$ into it, I can't see it happen.
Ping
On 4 Aug, 18:40, "Lloyd Olson" <l...@ssbilliards.com> wrote:
> NBA LTG :(
>
> "Sam" <sam72w...@gmail.com> wrote in message
ldnayman
�Doing it alone even with a factory is a tall order; look at
> Gene Cunningham's efforts on BBB and while good, no other from him is
Why is everyone ignoring Herb's King of Diamonds? It is about to enter
a production run as an actual consumer/operator product. It's a REAL
pinball machine. Simpler than a Stern or BBB but it's a pinball
machine.
Lloyd Olson
Pinball's don't earn, and if an op buys one, they are buying a new operating
system, ( new stuff to learn ) and no track record for the company to assure
parts and support down the road.
Maybe I'm missing something, but for an op in these times with limited
resources, it seems like a pretty big risk. And ops don't adapt to new stuff
well.
For the home collector I'd be worried. You can't sell nostalgia. I don't
know that it will sell enough there to be successful, in spite of the
economy. LTG :)
"ldnayman" <ldna...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:f73be988-c8aa-4b3e...@o32g2000yqm.googlegroups.com...
CornCob
I'm not and wish them well. Actually quite excited to by recent posts
but hey we've had plenty of let downs (cough... no names). When they
ship, get some time to market I'm sure they'll come up here time and
again.
Ping
(Do you remember Chicargo Flipper? http://tinyurl.com/lgqwrj )
ldnayman
> While I hope it is successful. Do you think any operators will buy it ?
I do, but that's not really the point I'm making. I have no idea if it
will be a success or not.
But everyone is saying Stern is the only game in town, and besides him
it's impossible for anyone to produce pinball machines.
Herb has proven that wrong, and not in a "niche" way like Gene did.
Lloyd Olson
"ldnayman" <ldna...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:d4e814e9-4b30-4c70...@d32g2000yqh.googlegroups.com...
ldnayman
> Thank you. �LTG :)
Are you considering buying a Herb game for location? My 8 ball says
no.
pinballjim
> Well except for that guy Herb who apparently has had no problem with
> it, but you know, besides that.
Where the heck are those machines? I got bored on one in 2006 and was
told production was imminent...
"11/2007 - Prototype hopefully to be sent for production of 100
numbered samples"
Hopefully, indeed.
Lloyd Olson
Were it say mid to late 1990's and things were still good, yes I would.
In today's market no.
If I can find the money, I would go after the current Stern pin NBA, or if
close, Buck Hunter. If not that direction, were I to fill in any from the
recent past, it would be Family Guy, or Indiana Jones.
Other than that, it would be switching over to redemption equipment. Older
games don't bring in players, and don't get played.
This is just for my location, I can't speak for other locations and how they
are operating. LTG :)
"ldnayman" <ldna...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:cffcbf31-b9eb-44ae...@26g2000yqk.googlegroups.com...
On Aug 4, 4:17?pm, "Lloyd Olson" <l...@ssbilliards.com> wrote:
> Thank you. ?LTG :)
seodude
Creating, funding, building new company is millions upon millions of
dollars.
Stern hiring an internet marketing dude like me(not actually me, just
an Internet Marketing Manager) and a decent ad budget to start is
probably a few hundred grand over a couple years.
You are not saving pinball unless you figure out how to market to
young people and they are on the internet and playing video games. In
fact I bet most young pinball fans are fans due to a PC or Console
Pinball game they played and not a real machine. Kids sit at home and
get online via PC or Xbox. If I were Stern all my ad budget would be
going online and towards Pinball trailers shown online.
If it isn't online it isn't cool. Look at Sternpinball.com. Not
cool. Not modern. Does a piss poor job of selling pinball. This is
criminal considering they have a monopoly. They are THE Authority.
Does that site make anyone here think they are the Pinball
authority?
Stern just needs to crawl out of the 20th century. It's a new world
and they are stuck in the old one.
Lloyd Olson
dragging it into this century is the way to go. LTG :)
"seodude" <jba...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:2df8eab3-8c85-4478...@g23g2000vbr.googlegroups.com...