...to follow up on my post in the vids section, the eternal question... what would be a great pin...whether it be a prototype never released, or just a great theme never done...

I would have loved to see a great rock-based pin, like Led Zeppelin...

I think we are all sick and tired of movie-based pins...

Being a big fan of the Friday the 13th series, would have been great to see a Jason pin...

I also believe that a street-racer based pin would do a hell of a lot better than a Nascar pin, on a worldwide basis...I'm not a fan of those Honda Buzzbombs, but it is a popular theme...

Some great pins never thought about : Mickey Mouse, Asterix, Elvis Gratton ( Quebec Edition for Elvis Stern)   Speed ( Movie) Nifty Fifty ( 50s Design) may be some new releases of older games like Bowling Cards Pool etc.... Submariner ( U-Boat Battle) with a lifting and submerging U-Boat... etc

Hey.....Elvis Gratton is my idea!!!!

A bit as in videos, I've always dreamed about a changing playfield where the bumpers, kickers and targets would change completely during play, a bit like when a new level is attained on a video game, with completely different environment (that would be expensive to design and produce on a pin though!).

Sure, pinballs introduced the disappearing pop-bumper on the 1958 Williams Gusher, return gates (mostly Bally) in the 60s, moving ramps in early 1980s (especially Gottlieb, some on Williams such as RoadKings), a moving platform on Zaccaria Time Machine, and the dual/triple level games of the early 1980s...
And virtual targets via a projected video (Williams Pinball 2000: Revenge from Mars and Star Wars Episode 1).

But I would have loved to see & play a full playfield completely changing its targets and surroundings mechanically during the game!
Sure would add another variable to the current deep rules and wizard modes of today, but is limited to fixed targets and ramps!

Oh yes, speaking of modern games, I wish that the future video modes on DMDs would be much higher resolution than today's machine, probably backlit LCD technology, for more video/life-like resolution!


Happy Flipping and Gaming!
Cheers,
- Sylvain @ Ottawa

Transformers...the pinball!

 Tilt the machine, and it transforms into a big robot which in turn kicks YOUR a**!!!

...I can hear Stern knocking at my door...

Don't forget the Scottish pin !

But seriously... Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy... the movie is being made right now... I wouldn't be surprised if the pin followed...


" THE MEANING OF LIFE IS........ 42. "

oh yeah the scottish pin a great one would be the cheapest thing going and a tartan cabinet. you would have to lock the balls in the loch to get lochness multiball
and only one ball saver (its scottish), popbumpers would be pub brawl. would be a habitrail = high road and a visable tunnel = low road. and a guest appearence by Jackie Stewart "you have got to change those tires" also an easter egg when u hit both flippers at a match and get whats under the scottsman's kilt and get a chance to win an extra ball (maybe it wont be used as much( cant think of more right now.

How about these suggestions:

Background music: Bagpipes, and that ridiculous "I would walk five hundred miles" song...

1- Caber Toss video mode
 -  make it like Track and Field... tap the flipper buttons to make your lad run and hit the launch button at the right moment to toss your log.... a classic in the making!!!

2- The Highland Ramp shot
 - send the ball up the ramp 3 times and get the bagpipe bonus!!

3- Enter Loch Ness...
 -  here's a wink at the Haunted House/Black Hole design... Send your ball in the Loch Ness hole, and your ball is sent in a lower playfield which looks like a lake bottom! Hit targets and grab some points to raise the Jackpot. Nail the ball in a hole in the lower playfield and your ball is "Loch-ed". After 3 Loch-ed balls, Nessie awakens, and you get the Loch Ness Multiball. Re-Loch a ball in the lower playfield captures Nessie and gives the Jackpot.

4- The Kilt tilt
 -  tilt the machine a second time, and the machine yells at you: " well hello Mister Macho man... you think you can get away with pushin me arround, eh? Well let me tell YOU somethin, lad... Nobody pushes ME around and gets away with it... Fah queue!!!" ...the machine then plays the death march on bagpipes, and turns off for 10 seconds, making you lose your game.

5- Pub brawl!
 - Hit the pint-shaped targets to turn on the Pub... a plastic pub building on the playfield. Enter the pub when lit and the bumpers turn into "super bumpers",  worth extra points, and you get fight sounds when they activate. Enter the pub 3 times to get the "aw shyte, I'm hammered" multi-million bonus... and your flipper buttons are reversed for 15 seconds!!! You hit the left button and the right flipper goes up...

6- Sons of Scotland super shot!!!
 - Send the ball up the ramp when lit to collect all the sons of Scotland! Every character you get says a one-liner... Once all collected, you get the Great Scot! 5-ball Multiball!!!
Jackie Stewart: It's a grreat day forr a rrace!!!
                     He's got to change those tires!!!
Sean Connery: My name is Bond, James Bond.
                     You'll do your best? People always whine about their best!!!
William Wallace: They cannot take away...our frreedom!!!
Scotty on Star Trek:  She canna take much morre of it... she don't have the powerr!
                             Transporter is at full powerr!
Fat Bastard: Ohhhhhhhhhhh... frisky aren't we...
                 Get in my belly... I"m bigger than you, I'm higher on the food chain...
                 Sorry... I farted...


...I have no life...

hey I see it as a classic already would probably sell TZ just to get one. hmm it needs more.

with the tilt gives you fingers (as in flipping the bird) yeah they use 2 instead of one. never go into a pub and hold up ypur hand with 2 fingers as in 2 pints you will never get service.

you really need Saturday Night by The Bay City Rollers.
wife nag  mode it lights up right after the pub round is completed you have to make it home> the shot so she doesnt wake up as you come in the door, with the I'm hammered flipper reverse. cant forget about sheep they gotta be in there somwhere.

Personnally i don't like very much pins based on films or any commercial things.
An awesome pin is a pin designed by a master like Steve Ritchie. A pin that play fast, good electronics sounds ( like 80' Williams or Stern ) ( no music is better ), good background, great challenge. An awesome pin is a perfect mix between Firepower, Black Knight, Xenon, Flight 2000, High Speed.

- The ambiance and sounds of Firepower
- The design of a Xenon
- The background of Black Knight
- The gameplay of High Speed
- The sounds and electronics robot voices of Flight 2000

Yeah yeah, 80's pins rules !!!  

Now children, I want you to write a theme..
Awwww..
What I want for pinball.
Yes!..here was my chance...

The follow are a few pins that I think could have been, or could still be great.

Movie themes:
1. John Carpenter's The Thing. (I just love this movie!)
2. Alien. (potential for cool toys...think Godzilla but with better gameplay).
3. Total Recall. (object: get your a** to mars)

Music themes:
1. Headstones. (hard rocking, in your face Canadian punk)
2. Spinal Tap. (this pin goes to 11)

Comic book themes:
1. X-MEN. (use Magneto as the main villian and go crazy with the magnets)

Board game themes:
1. Battleship. (I've never played a Torpedo ally but I think the art is just way bad)

PC game themes:
1. Doom. (not for the kiddies)

Misc themes:
1. Hockey. (I NEED HOCKEY)
2. Space/Fantasy. (a classic theme that is due for an update)
3. Global warming or Grand Banks overfishing. (teach the kids a lesson while playing pinball)

Adam