Stern announces new KISS pinball

[Toads]

Kiss code 1.05 is out.
Get onto it guys.

Only update for the topper. Bugger.

[GORGAR 1]

Kiss code 1.05 is out.
Get onto it guys.

Only update for the topper. Bugger.

Cheers :) my topper arrives November so it'll be coded can't wait.

Also added a active sub woofer today wow what a difference :) spike has a jack so just plug it in and boom :)

[Strangeways]

Kiss code 1.05 is out.
Get onto it guys.

Only update for the topper. Bugger.

1.05 changes are for the topper support and validator.

[Strangeways]

Still no code update. How long has this title been in people's homes ? 

[GORGAR 1]

Still no code update. How long has this title been in people's homes ? 

8 months I think - comes down to the programmer unfortunately :( Lonnie made a mess of Star Trek and Dwight had to fix it now he's slow with Kiss whereas Lyman is code king look at The Walking Dead and I think Dwight is doing GoT.

[swinks]

and rumour is Dwight is also doing the soon to be released Ghostbusters

[Caveoftreasures]

Nino, or any person, can u pls list the songs that are on the latest KISS machine ?

I have had a quick play at Timezone but I couldn't hear a dam thing the arcade was that loud & I didn't get to find out if the KISS game had the jukebox/radio style deal that ACDC has.

Also, how is your KISS machine going Nino ?
Would be good to hear your thoughts after owning this game for apx 6 months now ?
Cheers.

[Strangeways]

Detroit Rock City
Rock and Roll All Nite
Shout It out Loud
Black Diamond
Hotter Than Hell
Lick It Up
I Love It Loud

My machine remains unplayed for 3-4 weeks. The promised code update prior to Christmas didn't eventuate, and I'm tired of playing the game with the music cutting out all the time. This was SUPPOSED to be part of the first code update, but it seems GOT needs it's fifth update and that is more important than finishing KISS.

I love the game. The artwork is amazing, but the game has very basic code, and key features don't seem to work. Rules don't work, so going after multiball 3-4 times a game to build a decent score is mundane. If the theme was not my favorite band of all time, I would have flipped it by now.

Based on this experience, I would never consider owning another new Stern (or recommending them to prospective buyers). How they can get away with this is beyond me. So yea, it is a GREAT LOOKING $11,500 ornament, and Stern have made a shitload out of KISS fans, so why bother updating the code on KISS when they "must have" serious problems with the NEWER GOT that no ones seems to want ?

It seems Stern are far more interested in redundant and overpriced toppers than actually selling a fully working and functional pinball machine.

I play Paragon to death now. Seems the code is done on this 37 year old game 

[Toads]

I totally agree with Nino's comments and my paragon is getting a good working out also.

[Caveoftreasures]

Stern has a fine line to work with.

They can sell pins fast & get the sales and the cashflow and do code updates
OR
They can release the game much later like JJP and have a lot of pissed off people who either pull out and get their $ back or stick with their purchase begrudgingly because the game is 12 or 24 months late.

As a consumer, I would rather go with pin now versus later and have code updated.

In a perfect world, Stern could employ more people but I am wondering just how many pinball code people are available to hire these days.

But I hear what you are saying. Code update for Kiss would be great. I am sure it's not too far away.

[pinsanity]

Stern have new code people from the next generation talent pool but they won't give them enough leeway to let them stretch their coding legs due to the stupid belief amongst the Stern faithful that every pin code wise has to be left in the hands of the old guard from the 1980's for them to consider buying one.

This dinosaur philosophy is one of the reasons why Stern is constantly being left behind in terms of new development and is always playing catchup with other companies regardless of whether they squeeze out another title 2-3 times a year versus one every three years.

Regarding JJP - every buyer including myself from the original 1000 LE preorderers knew from the outset there would be hiccups and delays. The difference between JJP and some of other current boutique "manufacturers" is that the former was not only approachable in terms of professionalism but kept everyone up to date with what was happening including unforeseen circumstances. And code update 6.04 for WOZ should be released in the next week or so.

A simple concept that some of these startups just cannot seem to grasp or will not accept is that an approachable personality goes a long way with those consumers who have the disposable income to purchase a NIB machine. Not everyone has the inclination or desire to truckle over some chestpuffing blowhard in fact the opposite usually rings true.

[GORGAR 1]

Stern has a fine line to work with.

They can sell pins fast & get the sales and the cashflow and do code updates
OR
They can release the game much later like JJP and have a lot of pissed off people who either pull out and get their $ back or stick with their purchase begrudgingly because the game is 12 or 24 months late.

As a consumer, I would rather go with pin now versus later and have code updated.

In a perfect world, Stern could employ more people but I am wondering just how many pinball code people are available to hire these days.

But I hear what you are saying. Code update for Kiss would be great. I am sure it's not too far away.

Just gotta be patient hey-there will be a big update soon. All pinball company's take years to finish there games, I read somewhere that some of the B/W clunkers aren't even finished. Better to have a regular choice :)

[pinball god]

Never bought nib but for me, I'd rather wait and get a good player than what I'm hearing. A bit like buying a star wars 1000 piece jig saw puzzle and missing the middle 100 pieces. I'm a star wars fan but that'd be pushing the friendship

[Strangeways]

I understand that we all want to draw comparisons on how everyone else produces their games. Drawing analogies with Bally Williams games puts things right in perspective. How many code updates did ST TNG need ? None. One of the deepest rule sets combined with engineering that was the pinnacle at that time. The game worked. It was only lazy technicians that could not fix the complex arrangement on this game.

But I digress..

I spent $11,500 on a game that has waited, since unboxing, for a code update to fix the sound / music. This is a music themed pinball. Imagine you bought a CD that kept skipping. You would take it back and have it replaced. You would not accept it and just "look" at the CD cover ?

Stern have had 6 months. What have they done for buyers of the KISS machine ? Spent time and money on a redundant over priced topper ? Released side armor and shooter knobs ?

What about finishing the game so we can enjoy it, rather than look at it ?

Before I bought my game, I knew it would be unfinished code - but what have they done ? Incorporated a Bill dispenser and a crappy topper ? What about fixing the sound issue ? Maybe a couple of updates (Like TWD - which vastly improved the game). Why are they spending so much time on GOT updates ? Every second week there's a update..

I love looking at my KISS LE - But that's all it is good for at the moment. Great sales pitch for buyers that considered the game and passed.

[GORGAR 1]

Never bought nib but for me, I'd rather wait and get a good player than what I'm hearing. A bit like buying a star wars 1000 piece jig saw puzzle and missing the middle 100 pieces. I'm a star wars fan but that'd be pushing the friendship

It's not that bad mate lol it's actually not to bad out of the box :) I mean I haven't got to the wizard mode yet lol there's super modes multiballs I think combos :) I agree there's inserts not coded but that'll happen but no where near as bad as Met & TWD and they are both two of the best games around. Having said that a big update will be nice. My advice just wait and when codes finished then buy it's no secret that Stern are slow coding lol