Credit Dot Pinball: The Update Thread

[spiroagnew]

I'm creating this thread to begin a running log of updates to http://creditdotpinball.com. Instead of interjecting in threads with shameless plugs, I'll post them all here so they can be easily ignored if you so choose.

This article marks my 20th post on the site...exploring three translites created by Pinsider "Aurich" in the last six months. Many on here have them and can attest to their quality and execution.

MODS: A Trifecta of Transposing Translites
http://creditdotpinball.com/2014/05/10/mods-a-trifecta-of-transposing-translites/

 

[REVOLUTION]

*stickied*

Awesome writeup, Rob

Thanks for choosing us as your home

 

[spiroagnew]

Taking a look at the Gottlieb System 1 solid state platform...the good and mostly bad about this troubled era for poor Gottlieb.

FEATURE: Stumbling into Solid State! Gottlieb System 1
http://creditdotpinball.com/2014/05/14/feature-stumbling-into-solid-state-gottlieb-system-1/

Excerpt: "Once a mighty giant of the industry, the System 1 experiment was the first move in a convoluted series of events that knocked Gottlieb from its throne, and ultimately began its long, slow demise. History has not been kind to the System 1 platform, and those difficulties only quantified as time marched forward, and pinball machines marched from the confines of the arcade to the privacy of our homes."

 

[WARLOCK]

Always a good read Rob.
Thanks, and keep it up.

 

[spiroagnew]

Scored an interview with Nate Shivers of the Coast 2 Coast Pinball podcast.

PEOPLE: Nate Shivers of Coast 2 Coast Pinball
http://creditdotpinball.com/2014/05/16/people-nate-shivers-of-coast-2-coast-pinball/

 

[spiroagnew]

Had a chance to attend the Vintage Flipper World Showcase over the weekend. Had a great time. Pinball Mecca, for sure.

http://creditdotpinball.com/2014/05/19/news-vintage-flipper-world-showcase-in-review/

 

[DRANO]

Damn... that sounded like fun!
Too bad it was so close to Allentown and smack in the middle of a long weekend
Would've been a fun trip and definitely not all that far.

What's the pre-requisite for getting into the space when it is open?
I've heard there was some sort of funding drive that gained supporters preferred access? How does it work?

 

[Menace]

This event was all pre-sale tickets for access on the day(s) you wanted to attend, and a fixed number of tickets available per day. Anyone that donated to the kickstarter program for the VFW was given priority for ticket sales. Given the amount of work involved in getting the VFW off the ground, and the size and condition of the collection, this is an EXCELLENT idea.

Any attendee is guaranteed over 200 individual titles, all in top shape all under one roof and nobody has to bring a game with them to make this all happen. Then factor in a fixed number of tickets sold per day ensures it's not over crowded. It doesn't get ANY better than that.

If I wasn't in Chicago that weekend I would have been at this event. If Clay and the club ever decide to host another event, I am not missing it and I would encourage as big a group convoy from Ontario as possible.

D

 

[spiroagnew]

I'm a Kickstarter backer. There are a couple of us on the boards here. If we can agree upon a date, maybe the backers can get in touch with Clay/VFW folks, and arrange their complementary visit together...and maybe they'd let non-backers tag along if they pledged the original "site visit" donation level ($25) at the door? Just a thought, I'd be up for it.

 

[SquidVicious]

I'm a Kickstarter backer. There are a couple of us on the boards here. If we can agree upon a date, maybe the backers can get in touch with Clay/VFW folks, and arrange their complementary visit together...and maybe they'd let non-backers tag along if they pledged the original "site visit" donation level ($25) at the door? Just a thought, I'd be up for it.

Let me know when you are thinking there are a few of us backers that will be heading down just not sure on a date yet

Squid

 

[DRANO]

If they agree to that arrangement I'd be in.

 

[WARLOCK]

Ditto.

 

[Menace]

+1! I'm not on Pinside so I had no idea there was even a kickstarter or I would have donated for sure.

D

 

[spiroagnew]

Took a look a the muddled history of the reproduction of the White Water topper. I'm particularly proud of using the term "Pin-A-Go-Go-No-Show".

MODS: Foiled Again! The White Water Topper Reproduction
http://creditdotpinball.com/2014/05/22/mods-foiled-again-the-white-water-topper-reproduction/

EXCERPT: "You could easily file this next twisted tale of never-ending reproduction development in the same category as the Creature from the Black Lagoon speaker panel mod I wrote about earlier in the month. While the definitive Creech speaker panel is slowly making its way into the hands of collectors as you read this, the White Water reproduction topper foil is still surrounded by question marks and disappointment."

 

[pinball.customs]

A quick note on the WH20 topper -- without the original embossing die, it will be next to impossible to reproduce with 100% accuracy. And even with the die, you're subject to the embossing press, pressure settings, the person responsible for running it, the printing presses, the inks used and the pressmen running said press. I'd say the real crime is them trying to sell it for as much as they were. They should have simply said "Here it is, this is as close as we're going to get, yours for $100". $100 for a decal that cost them roughly $10 to make is still a heck of a profit, and is much more reasonable for the avg. collector with NO topper to swallow.

 

[Menace]

It's too bad Darrin Jacobs had so many issues with Gene @ IPB and all the court cases... I'm sure given time, and the NOS wh20 topper decal I gave him years ago he would have been able to get this much needed repro part done up correctly. Darrin in my books is a super stand up guy, and was a pioneer in the development of MANY of the repro decals, PF's and plastics that we see today.

D

 

[DRANO]

I grabbed a set of Phoenix arcades decals for AFM, FT and my WH2O and all were superb!
Darin knows his stuff. I was bummed he wasn't able to pursue the project any further.

 

[spiroagnew]

Did a quick feature on ALGAR, which I got to play for the first time at Clay's VFW last weekend.

FEATURED GAME: Williams ALGAR
http://creditdotpinball.com/2014/05/24/featured-game-williams-algar/

EXCERPT: "Gorgar was unleashed onto unsuspecting pinball players in December 1979, and talked his way to major success, using all seven of the words in his programmed vocabulary. Trying to expand the family, Williams went for a sequel of sorts, introducing Gorgar’s larger, uglier, mute brother Algar in October 1980. The similarities are difficult to ignore–-the title font, the poorly drawn mythical title character, the “-gar” suffix. Unfortunately for Williams, the no-speech widebody game was met with little interest."

 

[spiroagnew]

Looking at the history of Earthshaker's sinking institute...from the removal by Williams to the reintroduction by a guy in New Jersey.

MODS: That Sinking Feeling– Earthshaker’s Sinking Institute
http://creditdotpinball.com/2014/05/26/mods-that-sinking-feeling-earthshakers-sinking-institute/

EXCERPT: "He dropped his pencil, grabbed the closest bill of materials report and picked up a red felt-tipped pen. “This oughta do it,” he whispered to himself as a twisted smile crept across his lips. He slowly struck out a line reading “Sinking ES Institute” on the Earthshaker bill of materials, and beside it wrote in big letters “OVER BUDGET – REMOVE IMMEDIATELY”."

 

[Menace]

I've installed the ES sinking kit on a members fully restored ES a couple years ago, and everything to do with the kit was top shelf. If you think about what comes in the kit and what it does, the cost isn't really that out of line. Totally worth the investment.

D