TAG - Thunderbirds Pinball - parts update thread

[Strangeways]

Nino, it is the same with all retail
Customers are demanding
I have to deal with it daily; why don't Imake this? Why have iI sold out? Why have i not sold out? I ddon'tlike yyour prices

To a degree they are all the same. Pinheads are either super impatient, or extremely patient. The two extremes are the norm. Managing expectations is the hardest issue to deal with day to day. That's why I don't post "daily" updates on resto threads. One person is happy, and the other 20 want to know why their game isn't being updated. I know exactly how Mike feels. Sometimes it is better just to pull the cover off the game when it is 100% done.

[swinks]

I agree with Pete and Nino but guess for those with money in TAG they would like a update as apparently it had to be released in 2015 (thought I read that somewhere a while back).

Looking forward to seeing it though lots of gadgets that could be incorporated.

How are you looking for a release (even just in pictures) in 2015 Mike?

[Pop Bumper Pete]

I agree with Pete and Nino but guess for those with money in TAG they would like a update as apparently it had to be release in 2015.

Looking forward to seeing it.

How are you looking for a release (even just in pictures) in 2015 Mike?

As a TAG buyer, I am not worried
It is only just over two years, and Mike has had to set up an entre factory an suplmy line

JJP took 3 1/2 years to produce WOZ

[Homepin]

I agree with Pete and Nino but guess for those with money in TAG they would like a update as apparently it had to be released in 2015 (thought I read that somewhere a while back).

Looking forward to seeing it though lots of gadgets that could be incorporated.

How are you looking for a release (even just in pictures) in 2015 Mike?

It is currently my intention to release cab art shortly but this is entirely in the hands of ITV.

Many don't realise that IP owners place some pretty strict caveats on releasing "a portion of a product" as they do not see how it can benefit them.

In any case - if I release cab art, so what? The barrage of questions will then be: "OK, let' see the playfield/backglass/east side widget (insert 200 things here)".

Please tell me how that helps me continue and complete this project? It doesn't!!! Not one bit.

[oldskool1969]

[/quote]

It is currently my intention to release cab art shortly but this is entirely in the hands of ITV.

[/quote]

At least I finally got a pinball related response, thank you.
Not interested in yours or any one else's manufacturing problems, thats all I needed. Some sort of progress going forward with the project was really good to hear.  It was appearing to be going stagnant.
Arcade machines are very where i.e.; not interesting to me or many others as a lot of people are doing them.
You TBAG machine is !
Wasn't that hard was it? SHEEEEESH!

[Homepin]

It is currently my intention to release cab art shortly but this is entirely in the hands of ITV.

[/quote]

At least I finally got a pinball related response, thank you.
Not interested in yours or any one else's manufacturing problems, thats all I needed. Some sort of progress going forward with the project was really good to hear.  It was appearing to be going stagnant.
Arcade machines are very where i.e.; not interesting to me or many others as a lot of people are doing them.
You TBAG machine is !
Wasn't that hard was it? SHEEEEESH!
[/quote]

The problem is that "some" will take this as gospel and start demanding a timeline to view.

In any case - you only want to look from a gossip point of view, there is NOTHING to be gained by showing anything from my perspective and certainly from ITV's perspective other than I have to pay ITV MONEY so that a few can pick whatever I show to pieces!!

Not a good deal for me at all.

I am moving forward with development steadily and surely so that we have a very solid base at the end of this NOT just a single title.

There are many other titles in the works or on the whiteboard and they will come to fruition quickly once we have overcome all of the initial hurdles.

[Pop Bumper Pete]

As long as TB2 feature prominently, I don't care
:)

[coon82]

It is currently my intention to release cab art shortly but this is entirely in the hands of ITV.

At least I finally got a pinball related response, thank you.
Not interested in yours or any one else's manufacturing problems, thats all I needed. Some sort of progress going forward with the project was really good to hear.  It was appearing to be going stagnant.
Arcade machines are very where i.e.; not interesting to me or many others as a lot of people are doing them.
You TBAG machine is !
Wasn't that hard was it? SHEEEEESH!
[/quote]

The problem is that "some" will take this as gospel and start demanding a timeline to view.

In any case - you only want to look from a gossip point of view, there is NOTHING to be gained by showing anything from my perspective and certainly from ITV's perspective other than I have to pay ITV MONEY so that a few can pick whatever I show to pieces!!

Not a good deal for me at all.

I am moving forward with development steadily and surely so that we have a very solid base at the end of this NOT just a single title.

There are many other titles in the works or on the whiteboard and they will come to fruition quickly once we have overcome all of the initial hurdles.
[/quote]

Hello Mike,

Out of interest do you plan to offer sales incentives to TAG buyers for titles to follow. Your plan of having many other titles in the pipeline sounds very exciting.

Cheers. Joe

[Homepin]

"Hello Mike,

Out of interest do you plan to offer sales incentives to TAG buyers for titles to follow. Your plan of having many other titles in the pipeline sounds very exciting.

Cheers. Joe"

***************************************************************

Thanks for your question.

With the restructure of Homepin we have brought on board sales people and an organizational person among many other changes.

The idea of "credits" towards the purchase of additional Homepin products has been put on the whiteboard - exactly how it might be implemented has not yet been finalised.

But yes, it is certainly something we have in the pipeline.

Once we have ploughed through all of the initial setup phase it might surprise some just how fast we will be able to produce new titles.

....and just to reply to a comment by another poster who "doesn't care about the problems setting up the factory" - that is the ENTIRE issue and the ENTIRE holdup my friend, no matter if you are interested in it or not - (if you take out about 6 weeks after Karen's passing).

[solar value]

I think the majority are just excited about the project - I know I am - and that makes it difficult to wait.

I, for one, have greatly enjoyed the Facebook updates of the development of the arcade machines even though I am not interested in arcades. It has been very interesting to see the progress. It is also good to know that there is diversity in the business and that the factory is pumping out product. This bodes well for the long-term viability of the company and that means more pinball.

While I am impatient, I actually like that very little has been shown very little of the Thunderbirds machine, this means that the machine will have a greater impact on release. I would however, be very interested to hear how the project is going: has the whitewood been finalised? How is the development of the hardware system progressing? Has the approval process of the art been difficult? Will production take place in the same facility as the arcade machines? How will they test the design before production? Will they be taking pre-production units to shows? It would be great if we could have some discussion of these types of questions if possible.

[Cow Corner]

I just want to see it and play it, if I like it and the price is right I will buy it without hesitation.
 

[pinnies4me]

I have very little interest in arcade, but have been seeing the updates and production of those as a real positive as part of the overall Homepin expansion into manufacturing. Guess the glass is usually half full for me.

[Pop Bumper Pete]

No interest in arcade either, but if he can build a solid arcade machine, he can build a solid pinball cabinet

Win

[Strangeways]

The arcade (lowboys) and the Hankin tables are well engineered with built in safety standards adhered to. They are no comparison with the cheap junk out there - and I've seen tables and lowboys for 30 years. I think the manufacturing "bugs" that may have been an issue for the pinballs have been ironed out with the arcade games.

I'm looking forward to TAG AND the other titles that sound like they will be released in quick succession.

[4_amusement_only]

Just goes to show the complexity of making a pinball machine vs an arcade machine. Both feats of engineering in themselves. It's good that Mike regularly speaks to our AA and AP communities at all. Good stuff Mike