Update 01.21.09

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Chuck
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Update 01.21.09

Post by Chuck »

Don is spending most of his time finishing the hardware since that's his baby. My spidey senses tell me I'll be assembling test boards very soon ;-)

I've tweaked some very small user interface issues. I did modify the way we were handling a timing subsystem that *could* result in a crash (although it would be a fairly rare one.) It should be bulletproof now. I've also tweaked the gameplay in the easter egg game. Although one of our alpha testers keep saying it's too hard ;-)

Talks continue for release. Hopefully more info on this soon. We had targeted February for release and its quickly approaching, I get the feeling that will slip. Our first priority has always been a very stable product and if that means additional testing so be it. I'll keep you posted on the status. There are a few shows coming up that we have been invited to and would really like to attend. But we will only attend if it doesn't delay our launch date further. If the code is wrapped up (likely) and the boards are in manufacturing (hopefully) we may have time.

Chuck
-on a side note go see Grand Turino. It's Clint Eastwood as an old Dirty Harry ;-)
applejuice
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Re: Update 01.21.09

Post by applejuice »

Any chance of an update on the journey for release? Or is it still top secret?
Jim

http://tournament.mypinballs.com

"All parts should go together without forcing. Remember the parts you are reassembling were disassembled by you. If you can’t get them together again, there must be a reason. Do not use a hammer." ~ IBM
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Chuck
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Re: Update 01.21.09

Post by Chuck »

applejuice wrote:Any chance of an update on the journey for release? Or is it still top secret?
It's not really a secret, I just don't want to announce what's happening until it's done. Details may change by the time the agreement is signed. Hopefully soon.
Gamer1st
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Re: Update 01.21.09

Post by Gamer1st »

I need some help!

I've been watching this system go through development for quite a while, and now another tax rebate season is upon me.

I'm either going to buy another pin, or pick up a PB2K playfield and this system with some of my rebate $.

Is there any way you can give me some kind of general price range for this system by now? I don't mean within $20.00 + or -. I'm talking within a range of a few hundred dollars or so.

I don't want to miss out on being able to pick up this system during the one time a year I'm able to afford it. But, if it's going to be another 6 months, or too far out of my price range, I'd like to know that as well. (I understand snags and other problems can pop up at any time, but hopefully there's some info you can give us by now. I'm not looking to hold you to any of it, I'd just like some general numbers).

Without any further info I'll end up playing it safe and get another machine for now, and wait on this till next year, (assuming I'll have any tax rebate $ this time next year to use).

I know you've been asked this a few hundred times already, I'm just hoping that things are far enough along now, to be able to get some answers to these questions with some kind of accuracy. Even if that accuracy has plenty of wiggle room involved.

Thanks,
Steve
djcharlie17
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Re: Update 01.21.09

Post by djcharlie17 »

I'd kinda like to know the ballpark range we're looking at here too Chuck... just so I can set aside the cash / save up / whatever.

I believe this will fall one of two ways... you charge for all your time, hard work, and efforts, and NUCORE runs $1,000,000 each... OR, you sell it at an affordable price, meaning you made about .03 cents an hour on this whole deal.

I've still got a SW ep. 1 playfield and chips that have never been used in my game! I can't wait to be able to switch out without all the hassles.

God speed on a smooth and easy "agreement" deal.

In the words of Leslie Neilson... "We just wanted to say good luck, we're all counting on you".

Chuck E.
applejuice
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Re: Update 01.21.09

Post by applejuice »

Chuck wrote: It's not really a secret, I just don't want to announce what's happening until it's done. Details may change by the time the agreement is signed. Hopefully soon.
No worries, just interested in hearing about the 'journey' sometime. If you publish it in a book then i'd buy one :)

And i'm in from release day one for the system itself (stating the obvious!)

Cheers,


Jim
mypinballs.com
Jim

http://tournament.mypinballs.com

"All parts should go together without forcing. Remember the parts you are reassembling were disassembled by you. If you can’t get them together again, there must be a reason. Do not use a hammer." ~ IBM
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Re: Update 01.21.09

Post by Chuck »

Charlie - I just did a rough calculation. We would have to sell just the software for a little less than 4k each and that would be selling a lot of copies too. That would be the aproximate amount to recoup our time investment.

Jim - I doubt most people outside the pinball world would believe the story ;-) It has definitely been interesting and a complete pain in our ass. We are already scheduled to talk at expo again this year so I'll probably save the complete story for our seminar. Don and I decided that we will write a condensed version once paperwork has been signed. If everything we are doing right now works the story does have a happy and very interesting ending.

The good news is it won't be near 4K. The bad news is I still don't want to say. Until the agreement is locked in stone I don't want to give a price that's too high or too low. We do know what we want to sell it for and will hopefully have all the legal stuff worked out very soon. The second we do I will announce the price. Almost everyone we have discussed the issue with thinks we are selling it for way too little (Williams thought we were going to sell it for 3x the price.) We discussed selling it for a high price with low volume but didn't like that idea. We decided to sell it for a low price and hopefully move lots of volume. Our goal is to make it as affordable as possible so we can put the solution in people's hands. Trust me I didn't want the legal side of it to take this long but we have to do it the right way. I already told Don when the paperwork is signed I'm driving to his house and we're going to party. Again, hopefully that will be very soon.
djcharlie17
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Re: Update 01.21.09

Post by djcharlie17 »

Obviously, we all know this is a labor of love, not profit Chuck...

Thanks for everything you and your team have done! We'll keep the faith on this if you will. :D
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