OK,
so we had a call to arms and got the OMFG contingency together to go up to Rocky's to check out BDK. OK, well 4 of us anyway...me, Spencer, Art, and Dan/ CNFuzzy.
Had a great time hanging with everyone, was there a LOT longer than planned. Pretty much spent the first THREE hours on the Batman pin. Didn't want to rush to any hasty conclusions or anything. I thought it was a nice pin. I should stop there probably, but I'll give you some more. Yeah, I love playing on most ANY new pin, so "nice" doesn't tell you much, huh? I guess overall I was a bit underwhelmed, but MOSTLY disappointed. Not at the PIN as much as that after I somewhat informed Rocky's to try to make sure they have the current code/ software loaded in it, I was hoping for at LEAST the previous update, version 2.1 . The current and mostly considered FINISHED code is version 2.2 . So what did it have? Version 0.7 . WTF? I'm pretty sure this is the original code the game was produced with, the way it left the factory. So, obviously Brady didn't take the effort to update it (or care) when they set it up, or Stern didn't bother to update it before they shipped it out. Either way it was disappointing right off the "bat" knowing the game we came to play wasn't the finished product.
So then played it for 3 hours anyway...because it's a Batman pin, and STILL the greatest pin ever made, Thomas... FU !
Well, actually, like I said was a bit underwhelmed. Not anything jaw dropping, lots of wasted toys and space and ideas that could have been better I thought. But to be fair it's pretty much running prototype software so not fair to give a final judgment just yet. Don't know how much the finished code will add, but I'm sure it will make things better, and add a lot more voices and effects. It IS a nice game, similar to IJ4 I think that I enjoy playing them both, but not sure if I need to rush out and buy one just yet... or ever. Will continue to play them and see if they grow on me a little, but I like games that slap me in the face and drop my jaw right off the bat and give me a challenge if it's going to be something I might actually consider buying. This isn't going to be one of those. but it's a nice game.
Best I can say for it right now. Seems like, well...it's a Stern. They're starting to all have a "Stern feel" and look to them, and simplicity. Not sure that I care for it, but glad I guess someone's still making new pins and at least trying. And glad Rocky's actually gives us a place to try them, even if it does kill our lungs. I hate the smoke, but realize we're at least fortunate to have SOMEPLACE that gets the new pins. Unfortunately BIG bummer is they got rid of Spiderman to make room for BDK. Oh, don't worry, WOF is STILL there...damn it! Leave THAT one, and get rid of Spiderman?
Funny story re: Rocky's staff... I asked the one guys if he could turn the volume on the game up, he said he'll leave a message for the tech that comes in, since he doesn't know how to do that and they don't have the technology? Huh? I told him there's FOUR of us over there that know what we're doing if they had the key and could open it up it's VERY simple. He said they have the keys for "emergencies" but can't go into the games to do anything technical. OK, great. I told him about the code not being updated and he looked at me like a deer in headlights...and thus explained a little more carefully and slowly what I was talking about. THEN it hit him and he said "OOOOh! THAT'S what somebody ELSE was telling me the other day but it went right over my head!". No kidding, not surprised. After I went back to join the boys and played some more the OTHER manager guy comes up and asks how we like the game and thoughts...so I kinda repeated what I told the other guy. He says" Oh...here." and pulls out the keys and cranks up the volume. WOW! I was pleasantly surprised he did that, and sure glad he did since NOW we could at least HEAR a lot that we were missing and it definitely made the game more enjoyable. I guess we just had to ask the right guy, or the guy with the friggin KEYS...who actually HAD the "technology". Told HIM about the code also, and it also kinda went over his head. He didn't understand how it wasn't "completed" if it was only 2 days old...then understood what we were telling him and THEN didn't understand why Stern ships out games that don't have finished code. Join the crowd. But it was nice to get some attention and felt for once they actually gave a little bit of a damn about us and trying to make us happy. Well, at least until they killed the power and kicked us out at 12:10am...right in the middle of Art's best ball ever...and multiball...on Family Guy. He actually overtook my high score on his last ball...so I guess since nobody saw his final score and his ball wasn't official...I WIN!
Or...maybe I TOLD them it was "time to kill the power...QUICK!".
Anyway, had a great time playing pin for the evening, and hanging with the guys. Looking forward to playing the BDK pin when they get it updated, at least I guess we can now see the differences and upgrades.
On a sidebar.... I blame myself for this. Had I not tangled with that Bane guy, he wouldn't have broken my back and had me out of action for the weekend. And of COURSE this is the weekend Robin decides to go out of town chasing young chicks in sexy outfits at Dragon con...good help is SO hard to find. So of COURSE this is a weekend the "shipment" comes in, and with nobody to protect it, the damn Joker runs rampant, and probably prevented the updated software from being loaded. Damn Joker. I HATE the Joker.