Meh, I'm too busy looking at the ball to care about DMD animations, as long as they can be skipped I'm happy.

Quoted from jonny_eh

I'm too busy looking at the ball to care about DMD animations

I love it when people say this, it makes me laugh..  

You don't care about the DMD animations because they don't mean anything anymore.. at this point, why bother even putting them in games?  If all they're there for is to show you the scores, then just go back to alpha-numeric and be done with it.

The DMD animation on Spiderman, for example, what the (bleep) is that all about, you can't even tell what is supposed to be happening.

The Iron man ones are pretty good, the only ones that look terrible at the whiplash ones, although the starting sequence for the multiball is pretty good.  

There was a time that a lot of machines had DMD animation that added a lot to the entertainment value. There has been a definite decline in that over the last several years. It seems that Stern has found a low cost way to fill in the DMD void without eliminating it.

By the way I always thought WMS had a patent on video modes on DMD, but I have 2 DE machines, Tommy and GnR that have proven otherwise. Again, another feature eliminated. No biggie, but it still was added content.

Quoted from machine.slave

I love it when people say this, it makes me laugh..  

You don't care about the DMD animations because they don't mean anything anymore.. at this point, why bother even putting them in games?  If all they're there for is to show you the scores, then just go back to alpha-numeric and be done with it.

I do own a Sys 11. It's just as fun to play with or without a DMD. If Stern's next game didn't have a DMD, I'd still play it. I didn't by my SM to watch the DMD animations, and I bet no one else did either. And yet, it's still regarded as one of the best pins ever.

If the DMD really mattered, they would have upgraded it by now, but it just isn't worth the investment since people don't play pinball to see cool animations anymore.

If anything, the crappy low res 4 shades of one colour DMDs they're using now makes their games look really dated. Either they should scrap them or replace them with something newer.

Quoted Text

the crappy low res 4 shades of one colour DMDs they're using now makes their games look really dated  

Actually the newer Sterns use more than 4 shades (11, I think), which is part f the reason they able to play movie snippets.

Just out of curiosity Jon, have you played TSPP much? If so, do you think the DMD animations add much to the experience on that machine? Also, Family Guy, Shrek and several others.

With a few exceptions, I think WMS 90's DMD animation is WAY more entertaining than the latest Sterns. I really like tne flow od SM, but not the animation. And, for me it is the WHOLE package.

Quoted from wbradley

Actually the newer Sterns use more than 4 shades (11, I think), which is part f the reason they able to play movie snippets.

Just out of curiosity Jon, have you played TSPP much? If so, do you think the DMD animations add much to the experience on that machine? Also, Family Guy, Shrek and several others.

With a few exceptions, I think WMS 90's DMD animation is WAY more entertaining than the latest Sterns. I really like tne flow od SM, but not the animation. And, for me it is the WHOLE package.

Yes, I agree that the Stern movie clip animations suck, yet the games are still fun to play. Amazing! If I want cool graphics I'll turn on my 360.

I like original stuff on the DMDs like on TZ, JD, LOTR, FG, MM etc. It is entertaining when you are watching. The movie ports just don't do it for me since the resolution suxs.  Original stuff would make it so much better and unique then copying if from the movie.  I know it's for cost cutting but it still is a 5k machine.

My .02

Lance

Quoted Text

If I want cool graphics I'll turn on my 360.

Its more about giving the machine more of a personality/humour. Im not looking for HD graphics, that would detract from gameplay.

This past weekend some video artists and I shot some post apocolyptic videos and made them dot matrix-y, and they looked  better than some of the direct clips on some of the newer sterns. It was pretty cool, we played it behind my band as we played on saturday and Sunday. Were getting together next week to put together a website for the Ottawa pinball show and were using it as the title bar, as well as projecting some at the show. I'll post it here when i have the files for myself.

Quoted from MadTitan

This past weekend some video artists and I shot some post apocolyptic videos and made them dot matrix-y, and they looked  better than some of the direct clips on some of the newer sterns. It was pretty cool, we played it behind my band as we played on saturday and Sunday. Were getting together next week to put together a website for the Ottawa pinball show and were using it as the title bar, as well as projecting some at the show. I'll post it here when i have the files for myself.

Sounds cool, can't wait to see it!