Alpha Software is Done

[Chuck]

Finished it a few days ago. Also migrated to the latest version of Linux to make sure it worked and with one simple coding change everything works great. I'm planning on running the Alpha test for at least a month. Assuming we don't find any horrible bugs beta testing will probably start in December if not early January. I always take a couple of weeks off in December to spend with my son and not much will get done during that time ;-)

I think we're realistically looking at February as a launch month. That may change so don't send me hate mail if we miss it ;-)  World-wide distribution is arranged.  Normally January/February are pretty crappy, see blizzards and boredom.  I think this year will be exciting =)

[pinnies4me]

The biggest of congratulations Chuck on this wonderful, pinball saving project. You must be very proud of the achievement. I am looking forward to seeing the system in action next year, and of course, working on the new "Coconut Island 2000 - the Volcano Strikes Back" game with you! 

[Creech]

Well done Chuck! Hope everything goes well for the launch next year and thanks for sharing the info with us.

[Strangeways]

Another milestone achieved and very soon many P2000 machines will have a new lease of life. Congrats to the team on their progress, and I eagerly await the release date 

All I have to do is find a P2000 game now 

Coconut Island with Nucore technology... Now there's an "angle" 

[Retropin]

certainly allows the thought of buying a P2K machine possible. After all a non working P2K machine is an expensive cabinet!


... Just a thought, but with Stern now outsourcing a lot of the design/ developement side, why not just drop in a ready made system?? Future of pinball??? I know which way id be thinking if i were Gary Stern

[Strangeways]

certainly allows the thought of buying a P2K machine possible. After all a non working P2K machine is an expensive cabinet!


... Just a thought, but with Stern now outsourcing a lot of the design/ developement side, why not just drop in a ready made system?? Future of pinball??? I know which way id be thinking if i were Gary Stern

Great thinking !

Expecting a call from Gary Stern, Chuck ?

[Retropin]

Any person that can be the sole provider of pinballs in the world is obviously a very shrewed business man.

With the Nucore system all R+D is already done ( very expensive if starting from scratch).

It allows Stern to take pinball to a new level as the Nucore system goes where no other has before it.

Its a case of determining game play - plug and go.
Whole new pinball on the market that will see it into the next decade at least.

And with the Nucore system and presentation at Expo, id hazard a guess that Gary Stern's brain is ticking away already.

We all know that Sterns concepts have become a little stagnant of late. GS would be well aware of this. It would provide a way forward for Stern, negates any issues with Wms rights and provides a whole new and exciting way forward for the pinball industry.

Hope you are listed in the phone book Chuck!

[Strangeways]

My brain is ticking over here....

Layoffs at Stern around the same time as Nucore development nears an end ?

Stern could use Nucore and the entire face of Pinball changes direction...

My head hurts 

[PinWiz]

That would be wonderful for stern to use Nucore but Gary Stern realizes that they are pulling in money right now with not coming out with new features. Stern sees it as play it safe. Using the Nucore system for P2K would be a gamble as it wasn't given a chance with Williams but still looks like a failure in the books. Lately Stern wouldn't even consider this kind of risk. I say we put some competition back in the market to force them to innovate and start the 2nd 3rd generation pinball company :) (I say 3rd generation as to refer to the major ups and downs of pinball where 1st is the original 100's of pinball companies, 2nd is post WWII where there was Bally, Williams, Data East early Sega, etc, and 3rd as Today's Stern category).

[Chuck]

We appreciate all of your support. As I sat here tonight looking at my dev machine with nothing to do it was almost surreal. I've spent nearly a year coding almost every single night on this project and it doesn't seem real that the software is basically done.

The other thing that is also weird is the timing of the pinball industry right now. I really REALLY hope stern stays in business and can weather this economic storm. The ex-stern employees aren't so positive about it though. So the last pinball manufacturer is on the ropes and in the same week we pretty much finish the Nucore software. Windows of opportunity sometimes open and they are usually open for a short time. This may be one of those windows and if it is I sure as hell won't let it just pass. I'll be happy when Nucore is out because we will save great machines and add new features to breathe life into them. But Nucore is also a platform that people could use to build new machines. I try not to get my hopes up but wouldn't that be cool...

[Pinball Fixers]

Congratulations Chuck on all your hard work on this project!

I agree that it is surreal when you finish a project that has taken up so much of your time for a long period of time... just feels like kinda weird!

I'm glad you are at this stage now, as I am about to embark on a Star Wars EP1 that has computer issues, along with a faulty monitor chassis. Currently, this pinball does not boot, but I have not had a chance to get any further with it. If it does turn out to be something serious with the PC, then maybe I will have to wait for your system to be available...

Again, great work mate! This is awesome!

[PinWiz]

Will Nucore be P2K specific or could I use it to develop a non-P2K pinball with it? I've got a really good idea I'm working on and this would cure a big issue with development (but it isn't a P2K design, but maybe a sequel ;))

[Chuck]

Theorectically you could develop a non-pin2k machine with it.  But for non-pin2k something like nuggy made would probably be easier.

[PinWiz]

True, but I am more leaning towards linux then Windows ;) Great job for such a great system though!!!

[ROLLERBALL]

Cant wait...Just got my RFM last night....