Wizard Of OZ Pinball

[Caveoftreasures]

FUTURE AUSSSIE ORDERS OF WOZ !
For interest, I contacted Jack from JJP to order another WOZ for a family member, organise the deposit etc.

Jack has referred me for any future Australian orders directly to the Australian Distributor, Bumper Action in Melbourne. I had David from Bumper contact me very quickly and efficiently, and they were great to deal with.

The price difference between ordering from the USA, which you cant do anymore is apx $1500 difference. At first i said WTF, but after using my brain, the prices advertised on the Jersey Jack Pinball site of $6500 (std model) or $7500 LE model, are not delivered. So, the $1500 covers ALL shipping and importing and customs costs from the USA to you in Australia. The prices I was given are to my door, and the $1500 is more than reasonable since I have imported large arcade items from the USA before, and the costs n paperwork n stress is a lot to deal with. By dealing with Bumper, its all HASSLE FREE. Well worth the difference of trying to go it alone, but if you dont order thru Bumper, u might end up with a USA machine, if JJP gets the early orders mucked up.

I am not sure what JJP are doing with Aussie customers who paid them a deposit directly early in the peace, before Bumper was made the Aussie Agent, so if u have ordered that way, maybe ask a few questions by email.

Bumper also passes on all the updated WOZ reports which is great as well.  

[Pop Bumper Pete]

I am not sure what JJP are doing with Aussie customers who paid them a deposit directly early in the peace, before Bumper was made the Aussie Agent, so if u have ordered that way, maybe ask a few questions by email.

I have been told 3rd hand that all the games will be coming through Bumper

If there is a JJP#2, I would get it through them, just to make things easier

[swinks]

Here is a photo of the proto-type cabinet - looks original and pretty good.

[Olivia_jason]

i cant say i like that, looks like some kid got a few wizard of oz pictures and cut them out and stuck them onto a pinball machine, it looks very amaturish and i could not see any pub or even arcade putting that into their line up. i thought the theme was sort of cool and old school but that proto just looks tacky and corny, to be politically incorect "GAY" that machine is about 30 years out of date, might fit into a child care center or something

[Pop Bumper Pete]

i cant say i like that, looks like some kid got a few wizard of oz pictures and cut them out and stuck them onto a pinball machine, it looks very amaturish and i could not see any pub or even arcade putting that into their line up. i thought the theme was sort of cool and old school but that proto just looks tacky and corny, to be politically incorect "GAY" that machine is about 30 years out of date, might fit into a child care center or something

Well, a person who has never made a pinball machine before, has already had 1000 people decide to buy one
From his payment plan, every one of those people has at least paid for half the machine

[Olivia_jason]

i cant say i like that, looks like some kid got a few wizard of oz pictures and cut them out and stuck them onto a pinball machine, it looks very amaturish and i could not see any pub or even arcade putting that into their line up. i thought the theme was sort of cool and old school but that proto just looks tacky and corny, to be politically incorect "GAY" that machine is about 30 years out of date, might fit into a child care center or something

Well, a person who has never made a pinball machine before, has already had 1000 people decide to buy one
From his payment plan, every one of those people has at least paid for half the machine

thats good i hope they succeed and he sells enough to fund another title, but if these guys want to appeal to a very select few they are going the right way about it.
 it wouldn't be something i would want to show off to my mates or would that inspire any one to get into pinball who wasn't a member of the Brady bunch, and hey i have fond memories of wizard of oz as the next person but man if you are going to do a theme like that make it look classic not tacky, well thats my rant on it lol and it may play really good, but I wonder will any regular punter who see's in a line up at an arcade just laugh and go to the bk2000 for game.
would i play it if i saw it in an arcade? yes in an arcade to what it plays like when no one is watching, would i play if it was in a pub? no i wouldn't want to get bashed. lol

[Caveoftreasures]

I find the machine actually looks dramatically better close up. The artwork i reckon is amazing, lots of really deep detail. The colours work together very well and its a widebody. The 26inch LCD screen/translite will blow people away.

I actually really like what they have done with it. It has a "magical" old school feel to it because WOZ is over 50 years old. The movie makes anyone feel good.
Who doesnt know the words to "follow the yellow brick road". I am not sure they have incorporated a yellow brick road into the machine or not, but i might look at adding some gold to the emerald legs (I will have both emerald and gold combined etc) and I reckon this machine will be a hit.  There are too many talented experts from the pinball past working on it and the JJP company is putting alot of money into it. It will succeed without a doubt.

And i bet the ladies will play this at the pub or a arcade because it has all the boxes ticked to be a fun machine. As soon as the first positive reviews come out on the machine, watch all the people sitting on the fence place orders. I reckon the audio will be a blast. I am hoping for really cool wicked witch noises etc.

The only thing i want to see improved/or more detail on, is the top of the headbox above the 26inch display, which looks abit dark/boring/unfinished. Not sure what that is about yet.

Lets see what happens next. More updates on the way.  

[swinks]

Quote from Caveoftreasures - "The only thing i want to see improved/or more detail on, is the top of the headbox above the 26inch display, which looks abit dark/boring/unfinished. Not sure what that is about yet"

Maybe some kick arse speakers....

I just think the lcd is going to give the game a whole new dimension, imagine the programming, filming etc for all the game interactions that have to be produced -  a massive job but you are right they are employing alot of well know masters to create this machine, and they have to make a good impression on the first machine.

[Olivia_jason]

i do think it will be interesting to see how it goes, im sure it will sell with in the pinball community only because we want to see pinball succeed, but will it bring new people to pinball? no its not edgy enough, but what i cant take away from them so i dont want to be seen completely negative on this machine, yes the lcd good idea . and it does take some smarts to make a machine, and esp being a new company i hope all the success . so that i think they need respect for. on the picture a few pages back of the hot-air balloon it was sort of dark and looked great.

[mildflame]

I thought the LCD Display would be an improvement but it dosn't make it look any better! the Backbox is definately not finished yet there is no way I would want a backbox with that layout! the speakers up top don't just look filthy but wouldn't sound to great, the sound should be coming from the action! The way they have incorperated the screen is odd, i thought they would have had a multi-layers BG and have a mostly transparent BG so that artwork wasn't left out during no power and It would also look like the backglass is moving not a screen. Theres nothing I can do but that picture has kinda spoilt my excitment

[Olivia_jason]

i agree with the lcd midflame, with the size of lcd's these days and cheap the entire backglass would look awesome as the lcd, but i wouldn't be surprised in future machine these guys might do that.
that would look great just having a background that moves, but im sure their is reason why they haven't put in this machine, if its something that hasn't been done before it is new ground so understandable

[Caveoftreasures]

mildflame is correct, the whole backbox will look completely blank/dead/ lifeless when the machine is off.

It needs a translite on top of the 26inch screen. Lets see what they come up with. (But i am still going to buy it, just incase it is SUPERB, and i dont want to missout on the LE version). I have ordered a std version as well for a family member incase the std version is better, like the 2nd release of a new car). 

[mildflame]

Another animated pic

[Pinprick]

Speaking as an artist myself, I feel that some of the these harsh armchair criticisms are uncharitable at best, ill considerered and philistine at worst.
Working within the constraints of licences and subject to approval by their holders, I'd like to see any artists (let alone untalented critics) do any better.
 
There have been plenty of "sucky" themes used by all the other makers (despite having the advantage of long experience)
Remember, WOZ is very popular in the US and we are a relatively small market for them.
As a placatory for some of us, rumour has it that JJP's next title will be quite a lot ballsier?
My overall view is that JJP have bravely bucked the trend toward lacklustre machines and are pioneers of innovation.
Try having a closer look at what they have achieved so far (on Pinball News) and perhaps think again.


Basically, give JJP a "fair suck of the saveloy" is my message.

PP  

[pinnies4me]

Speaking as an artist myself, I feel that some of the these harsh armchair criticisms are uncharitable at best, ill considerered and philistine at worst.
Working within the constraints of licences and subject to approval by their holders, I'd like to see any artists (let alone untalented critics) do any better.

Are the "armchair criticisms" and "untalented critics" you refer to those in this thread? If so, I think such comments on the thoughts of members in a pinball discussion forum are ill considered at best, and rude at worst.