Author Topic: Some history of Capcom / IPB's Big Bang Bar  (Read 4059 times)

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Offline swinks

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Some history of Capcom / IPB's Big Bang Bar
« on: November 01, 2016, 07:47:13 PM »
I listened to a podcast interview today with a guy that knows alot about the history of Big Bang Bar (BBB) from the Capcom days (14 built BBB's) to the Capcom closure through to Gene Cunningham (IPB) taking on building the additional 191 x BBB's = totaling  205 BBB's

It was a very interesting listen with alot of info that I never knew so worth a listen.

The Interview was on "Kaneda's Pinball Podcast", and generally Kaneda is a challenging podcast to listen to and personally only listen to a select few that sound like a good listen, but the guy detailing the history had lots of great facts, so worth a listen.

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=kaneda+pinball+podcast&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b&gfe_rd=cr&ei=h0YYWJ_dKsfN8gfI-oH4Dg

or search Kaneda's Pinball Podcast on iTunes
Listen to Episode 55: "Black Knight Talks BBB"

I pretty sure AP's Nick has one and Greg had one (hopefully still with the family) and would be cool to hear their story on top of this, maybe Nino knows the story behind Greg's.

Do you guys know how many actually made it to Aus?
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Offline Strangeways

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Re: Some history of Capcom / IPB's Big Bang Bar
« Reply #1 on: November 01, 2016, 10:08:11 PM »
Nick knows more about the BBB that Greg bought as I believe they bought theirs together.

I can tell you that Greg's machine ALWAYS had a cover over it. I never saw him play it, and it was never switched on while I was with him in his gamesroom - and I was in his games room a lot. Greg's game will be 100% remaining within the family.

Greg LOVED Capcom games and RTBB has a lot of Capcom parts not yet on the site (too many at this stage to list). But what made me laugh was Greg used to call Capcom games "CRAPcom"  %.%
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Offline pinnies4me

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Re: Some history of Capcom / IPB's Big Bang Bar
« Reply #2 on: November 02, 2016, 08:21:40 AM »
Thanks for the link Swinks. I don't usually listen to podcasts much, but did listen to that one last night. From what I know a lot of what the fellow said was right, with some glaring inconsistencies to things I understood, and several that I knew to be incorrect (for example, that games shipped early to Europe & Australia to beat the ROHS rules - they only shipped early to Europe). But worth a listen as it maps out quite a bit of history of BBB fairly well.

I certainly still have one - Greg and I shared a love for our "CRapcoms" - in fact it was the BBB buying process and wait that lead to us becoming close mates.

Here's an intro to my buying a game, and when I get a chance I'll add some more later.

I heard about this while it was first being suggested by Gene, and hardly paid attention as it seemed just a flight of fancy (and I recalled he had suggested remaking Breakshot years earlier that went nowhere). Sometime later I learned more about the game and realized I really wanted one! By then the spots were gone. However a buyer put his spot up for sale and I grabbed it. Gene approved the swap, then all hell broke loose because I had jumped the queue, leading to Gene stating that would not happen again, and if anyone wanted out he would refund them and provide the spot to someone else waiting.

More later...
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Offline pinnies4me

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Re: Some history of Capcom / IPB's Big Bang Bar
« Reply #3 on: November 02, 2016, 01:27:43 PM »


.....

One of the reasons BBB has a special place for me (aside from being maybe the coolest theme ever and amazing artwork!) was the friendship it helped foster with Greg. We discussed the progress many, many times, and helped each other "keep the faith" when no progress was seemingly happening.

When the games were released early to Europe, I think about 150 other owners breathed a sigh of relief to know these were really doing to be completed.

I still recall meeting up with Greg in Melbourne to collect our games. I organsied the shipping for both of our games by air. The US games were either being shipped or collected, and those shipped left a day early. They arrived amazingly quick (like the next day I think). Due to timing and time zones, I ended up being the first person outside the production team and Europe to play a game!!

The person talking on that podcast suggested that the loss Gene incurred bringing this game out ultimately lead to his bankruptcy. While I don't know all, I do know quite a bit of what went on much later, and suggest that the GFC followed by some deals with the wrong people did that, not BBB despite the loss he incurred a few years earlier. On that point, I will relate what Gene's wife said to me just after the game was released. I called them to thank them for seeing the project through. Gene was not there, so I spoke with his wife. I did comment on his integrity in shipping games at the agreed price, despite the loss on every game. I asked her how Gene was feeling given the loss. As close to word for word as a recall, this was her reply:

"Loss? What loss? I have never seen Gene happier than he is today. We haven't lost anything, Gene did what he set out to do - we won ......... the money? Small price for what Gene has achieved."

“If you wanna escape, go up to a pinball machine. There’s a magic button on the front that takes you to a world under the glass and makes the the rest of the universe disappear.”

Offline 4_amusement_only

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Re: Some history of Capcom / IPB's Big Bang Bar
« Reply #4 on: November 02, 2016, 02:27:56 PM »
It was an amazing project to complete under all the adversity he had against him. Couple this with an era of pinball popularity not what it is today, the man just willed himself to complete what he wanted to do and how he initially said he would. From many accounts (except for Wayne's) the game functioned and presented very very well. Cheers for the link. There is also that DVD from a few years back that details the story. I have a copy if anyone wants one.

Offline pinnies4me

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Re: Some history of Capcom / IPB's Big Bang Bar
« Reply #5 on: November 02, 2016, 04:39:20 PM »

From many accounts (except for Wayne's) the game functioned and presented very very well.


It took Nug and me maybe ten minutes to tweak a couple of things like the odd switch or two, but that was it - very little to complain about. It was presented as a collector would have expected for a collector type game. In almost ten years I have not had any faults at all. Not a single one I can recall, the build quality was exemplary.

I know someone who shall remain nameless that decided that a coil was physically upside-down which cause an electrical issue so that something would not work properly......
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Offline swinks

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Re: Some history of Capcom / IPB's Big Bang Bar
« Reply #6 on: November 02, 2016, 07:35:20 PM »
thanks for chiming in guys, great hearing about the history and development

Nick do you know how many actually came to Australia in total?

Now I would love to hear about the Kingpin game...
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Offline pinnies4me

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Re: Some history of Capcom / IPB's Big Bang Bar
« Reply #7 on: November 02, 2016, 07:59:08 PM »
thanks for chiming in guys, great hearing about the history and development

Nick do you know how many actually came to Australia in total?

Now I would love to hear about the Kingpin game...

In the initial lot, Greg, mine and I believe 2 others. I suspect there are another 4 or so now since imported.

The Kingpin whitewood I  built and the time I spent getting into the guts of things teĺls me it would be a very good game indeed.
“If you wanna escape, go up to a pinball machine. There’s a magic button on the front that takes you to a world under the glass and makes the the rest of the universe disappear.”