If I was Stern, I would relook at things that have been done before that have worked, as well as investigate new ideas etc.
If I was Stern -
** I would send a email/questionaire to every person who has ever purchased a Brand New In Box Stern Pinball Machine (via their sales dealers) asking for suggestions/enhancements/innovations/ideas that people would like to see. (most businesses do this yearly I might add)
That may also include game titles/themes as well..
** I would look at/offer/investigate a widebody game or range.
** Relook at Larger DMD displays (like used on 1995 Sega Frankenstein and 95 model Batman Foever) If u have ever seen one of these in full motion, the graphics are stunning.
** Rethink the LE/Premium/Pro range..I feel personally the LE pricing is far too high, ($9170 LE incl shaker motor-oucchh ex delivery versus
$6420 PRO incl shaker ex delivery), making it a $2750 difference, and I feel that some of these features should be on a Pro model already... Gary said customers wanted more bells n whistles, but he missed the point, they didnt want to pay $2750 extra for it, thay just wanted the Stern games to have more features..more toys, more bling...but paying $2750 extra was never something any one in their wildest dreams thought they would have to pay extra to get extra basic features...this is silly..I think alot of people think this is wrong...I personally will not buy a LE on principle alone...
There should be one great Stern design, one playfield...then have a LE being seperated compared to a Pro model by glass material/backglass instead of a plastic translite, have the sidearmour metal work powdercoated, maybe a limited number of LE is OK, but differences shld be cosmetic, not major...OR keep it exactly the same way they are doing it, but the LE pricing shld be like the $8200 Premium pricing (and no more at all) and it should for $8200 now be the LE pricing tops, incl a shaker motor.....they would sell more, and not piss lots of people off.
** Look at linking pinball with world wide web for competition scoring, but be realistic and understand people will cheat n take glass off to get crazy scores, or add a webcamera to the translite area which activates when u go online via hitting tournament button etc, so people can see u playing etc, via a dial in website or something similar u can join n belong to/share scores n be part of a world wide web competition, held anytime, anywhere....
**Mirror blades could be a good std inclusion to bling machines up..
** add a jukebox song selector (like AC/DC) to each new title, but for Avengers for example, it includes the songs that were played/on the movie when the movie came out..use song selector when game not being played, or during gameplay if wanted....connect your Ipad or Iphone to a port to play your favourite songs also thru games speakers...and program could make game general illumination or inserts flash to music beat..get new younger generation interested..make the pinball machine more relevant.
** Companies like AMD (all Stern agents really) should carry a factory style lease/hire purchase/finance package..Finance simply sells more products/machines..Imagine a Ford/Holden dealership without a finance division...(not)
**Industry needs more advertising...its almost non existant in this Industry...Product placement of new Pinballs should be in places like Jetski shops, motor bike shops, smarter marketing needs to be adopted both here and the USA/other countries..I am amazed this is not even looked at, at all..bewildering to me..
** fifty other things I will think of and add later >>
