Gottlieb EM vs SS Backglasses

[Boots]

Hi all

I just picked up a Gottlieb Cleopatra SS and whilst looking up some info on IPDB I noticed that the backglass was different for the EM version.

EM Version:
http://www.ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=4538&picno=28450

SS Version:
http://www.ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=532&picno=10868

This is also the case with Solar Ride.

EM Version:
http://www.ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=4538&picno=28450

SS Version:
http://www.ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=532&picno=10868


Personally I prefer the EM versions of both machines and I can't really understand why they were changed for the SS machines, seems like an added expense for nothing.
Seems to have been a similar situation with all of their EM - SS converts.

[Strangeways]

I agree completely. All they had to do was change the orientation of the score windows and remove the credit window.

[4_amusement_only]

Alvin G mentioned that the buyers who still preferred (and were buying) EM pinball machines during the cross over period of 77' -78' wanted EM machines to stand apart from their equivalent SS counterpart. Also the fear of confusing the players into thinking they were playing an SS rather than the EM version or vice versa.

Gottlieb understood the need to segregate both entities and changed the back glasses to suit.

[Strangeways]

Gottlieb also wanted a foot in both camps. Originally, they thought Electronic games would be too difficult to make and to service. That's why System 1 games have relays in them, in case the Electronic games failed after a few years and then the industry goes back to the EM format. The relays remained in the games right up to the system 3 format !

[Boots]

One of the main issues I have with the Cleopatra backglass change is that the artwork is not really interrupted on the EM but with the SS one of the score windows cuts into the lion.
When you look at the system 1 games the displays are in the same position from game to game, obviuously for some sort of standarisation and cost reduction, unfortunately this sometimes interfered with the artwork.
This must have been frustrating for the artist working on these machines.
The other manufacturers didn't seem too worried about having to move the score displays around.