Even later with the answers...  I'll preface this by saying that I was more into arcade games as a kid and up until recently, but have taken an interest in pins probably only early this year.  I enjoy playing the games and love some of the themes.  I can see how people become passionate about the hobby.  On with the answers, such as they are .


1. Earliest pinball memory?

Nothing special here - no early awakening for me.  My interest has sort of grown out of my interest in all things arcade, which I've been into for a couple of years and really started doing something serious about mid-last year.  I think they sort of go hand in hand.

2. All time favorite pin? Why?

My first, when it arrives.  So it must be T2 then .  I do have a wish list, like everyone I guess.  But it's not based on any good or bad experience with any particular pin.  To some, there are good games and bad games and I don't know that I know the difference yet.  I haven't played one I thought was a stinker (I'm sure I'll know it when I do), but I think with more games under my belt I'll get a better idea of the good ones out there.

3. Favorite pinball manufacture?

No preference as yet.

4. Favorite game in your collection? Why?

T2, until Indy shows up, then it'll be a toss-up!

5. How long have you been collecting?

-3 days or so.  Hopefully start this week.

6. First game and how did you find it?

MartyJ's T2, found right here.  Although I had actually placed an order for my Indy before the T2 showed up.  I had always planned on having at least a couple.  I had lost a few EBay bidding wars and been looking around for a while.

7. Do you still have it?

Haven't had a chance to sell it yet

8. What are you currently working on?

Besides this questionnaire?  No pin projects.  Decided to get some "ready to go" pins after a couple of arcade projects have dominated my spare time in the last 12 months.  Trying to avoid divorce if possible

9. Most wanted game to add to your collection?

At this stage, I'd be interested in Fathom as a long term addition.  As I've said in a thread here, I love the art/theme/colours and by all accounts it is a great game.

10. Best all time bargain game added to your collection?

See above.

11. Worst ever miss – tell us about the one that got away!

I feel gutted every time I miss out on one, and there have been a few, whether the price was good or not.  If you've decided that you can pay $x at the time and miss out by a little bit, it feels terrible.  Usually results in me staying up late with too many bevvies, which feels really bad the next day.  But you get back in the saddle.

12. Worst ever purchase – tell us about the game you wished you never bought

T2 - just kidding.  The first stage is to acknowledge you have a problem isn't it?

13. Describe your collection

I'm going for the minimalist look at the moment.

14. Describe your gamesroom

Work in progress.  Half the garage is to be converted to house my mid-life crisis toys.  Planning on some carpet, maybe a mid-height partition up the middle and maybe a bar.  Still planning.

15. Do you have other games other than pinball?

Foosball table (technically it's my son's, but hey, close enough), a 4-player LAI TMNT cabinet which I've converted to MAME, but may one day take it back to its former glory, and a single driving cabinet which I'm installing a Model 2 emulator in to play SEGA racing games like Daytona, Rally, etc.  These are my current projects, just picked up a force feedback steering motor this morning.

16. Where can you see the hobby in 10 years?

Seems to be growing to me, I'm an example.  I think people are placing more importance on being happy at the moment since we all work so bloody hard.  You'd at least like to enjoy the time you spend away from work, and I think that things have become affordable both in arcade and pinball worlds, so we use it as a way to relax and take a bit of "me time".  I've also used it as a way of learning something new, the arcade projects have tought me a heap of stuff and I expect that 'll do the same with a pin or 2 in the future.  So I think that there are plenty of people who have the means to enjoy this stuff now, and with there being plenty of people willing to share knowledge and move machines around, the outloook is good from my point of view