Boy oh boy, some here are so negative and down on me for reasons that completely escape me????? Tall poppy syndrome? I have no idea?
Swinks, it would be very shortsighted of Homepin to ONLY work and focus on a SINGLE project - I made it clear in the Pinheadz Podcast interview that we have done some "preliminary work" on our second title and I also explained why - did that explanation not make sense to you? It would be foolish to start building Thunderbirds and ONLY THEN start work on a second machine. This would add a very long time to the release of the second title as other startups have discovered.
We also have dedicated staff working on other arcade projects but I certainly won't bother to tell people about them as there will be those determined to "bring me down" for their own reasons.
I am not and have not "shifted" any blame for my situation to anyone else at all and, for the record, Sid WAS 100% responsible for the ball issue. Ask him yourself. This was (and still is) my strategy for "not doing everything myself". The balls were recalled promptly and in the correct, professional manner, via Homepin agents. I did not take out front page ads in newspapers because it really is not that much of an issue. SOME games magnetised the balls quickly NOT all and there are still many people happily using these balls today. There was (and still is to date) only ONE person who complained the balls were "flaking" - not one other person has EVER complained of this issue so I have to conclude it was something other than the ball flaking in their case. In the end, that buyer returned half of the balls purchased and I refunded in full including express post so that is the end of that matter with that buyer as far as I am concerned.
I have one report back from ball testing and I have considered its findings. We have a new (different) batch in Australia being tested currently. It is all a learning curve.
If anyone else has issues with the balls I imagine they would do what any other normal person with a retail purchase they are unhappy with would do - return it to the place of purchase to discuss the matter and ask for a refund should they want one. I fail to see what the issue is here, just people blowing things out of proportion for the sake of stirring trouble as far as I can see? Refunds have always been offered should people want them.
As far as "complying with the laws of the country in China" naturally I am doing everything by the book here as far as possible. I use those words carefully as there is no such thing in China as doing things 100% by the books - even large companies have to do many things that we in the west would find either unusual or certainly not normal business ethics or practices. That is a fact and the reality on the ground doing business in China. Those suggesting otherwise do not have a full idea of what happens here even if they may deal with China. Being on the ground, in my own factory I experience it daily, from the local policeman who arrives out of the blue to "sell me a security system" that I don't want or need but guess what - I will get burgled next week if I don't "buy his protection" - to the clerk behind the counter at the business registration office who demands 100rmb to "make sure the paperwork is done promptly".
This is REALITY, and FACT and just how business is done in China - like it or NOT! It is not made up fairy tales by a politically correct keyboard warrior on this site primarily to cause me trouble.
Also, for the record, I have not amended or deleted ANY posts either on AP or AA and the moderators haven't either. If you can't find a post or picture then it is probably down to the crappy search facilities NOT because of any perceived censorship. That is a nonsense statement.
To close I think it is pretty easy to see why I don't post here much - I really don't need the aggressive niggling and negativity by a few on here especially, and for no good reason that I can determine?
I have been open, honest and transparent about the actual reasons for project holdups and to those that refuse to see that I really hope you never have to deal with the issues I have had to in the past year. It has been devastating to me personally and also financially. Things can only improve from here.
