Pinball has to be very very careful or you run the risk of losing what is the essential DNA or personality of its origins.
Pulling a ball shooter to launch a ball is old fashioned and unique to pinball. Pressing a button to launch a ball is just like any video game. So whilst button launch is fine (like ACDC and many others from times gone past) I like to see a pinball have both a shooter rod first and preferably both, but not a button launch only.
Screens built into playfields that track balls, why bother, boring. My eyes can track a ball fine.
Large LCD in the backbox like JJP, fine. DMD screens like Stern, fine.
LCD inbedded in a playfield, why bother. I want to play pinball, I don't want to watch a TV screen in a Playfield whilst I am trying to track balls.
Sterns games are not even close to being all the same to me at all.
Play ACDC, then X Men, then Star Trek then Mustang, then Metallica and The Walking Dead and they all play and feel differently. What Stern is doing now is working fine. What JJP is doing now is working fine.
But go a lot further than where we are now, and you risk losing the core base of pinball fans.
I want to see enhancements and improvements, but definately not "major changes" to pinball.
The JJP LCD is an enhancement for example. But there is no use having the worlds best colour LCD if the playfield shots and flow are lacking. I will swap a colourful LCD for a nice playfield layout any day of the week. I think WOZ is excellent. Has a bit of everything. But I worry about the hardware and screen longevity. It might run forever ?
I hope Gary Stern stays at the head of Stern because he is a purist. He won't allow it to go to far too quick in my opinion. Replace him with some younger new bloke and we might have Stern turning into a video game company. Pin2000 was something very different, and good to have in your collection because they are such a contrast, but I am glad all of pinball didn't go that way. When the Pin2000 games were turned off, they weren't a thing of beauty to look at. Looking at my X Men Pro whilst I am typing this, the ramps flow like rivers and the whole playfield is pure pinball artwork at its best. Just nice to look at even when turned off.
The next five years will be exciting for pinball. 95 percent of the boutique companies will fail.
Stern and JJP will be here and only the strongest and smartest will be here to tempt us with their merchandise.
I bet a lot more companies ask Stern to build their machines. I see a lot of popular remakes on the horizon.
Imagine buying a brand spanking new Twilightzone or a brand new Circus Voltaire or whatever tickles your fancy.
If the profit is there and the affordability is there for the consumer, who knows what might resurface.
But changing pinball too much won't get me spending my dollars on BNIB titles.
Half of the battle is finding a title or subject that interests you.
If u hate wrestling, and play the newest WWE offering from Stern, even though it might have a great playfield layout with very cool shots and great flow, it's not going to appeal if u hate wrestling. But if u love wrestling, then you like the feel of the game, then it's likely you will buy and add to your collection.
I loved the Transformers subject matter but didn't like the feel of the game so I didn't buy. But the next 5 titles I loved the subject matter and loved the feel of the games.
It all gets down to money as well. Some people are happy to splurge 6 or 7 grand or more, some will never spend this sort of money, regardless of income.
But watching someone walk into your games room and say WOW is what makes it worthwhile to me.
I am more than happy with where pinball is at right now. The only thing I fear is too much change.
