Pinball Expo 2010

[pinballwizard79]

Been there, done with that....Anyone else go?

Trip Pro's
1. GodFathers pizza on the way there
2. Dunkin Doughnuts on the way back
3. Texas De Brazil near the hotel
4. I got to listen to my Demonoid discology of every Beastie Boys album during my 12 hour drive (I still didn't hear every song)
5. The hotel was clean

Expo Pro's :-)
1. The VP forum dudes are really cool & did a great job on their machine & with their public relations plus they let people actually play their showcase
2. Chad Keller let people play his clean Pinbot & UBER restored Fun House which was VERY cool of him
3. There was the dopest GNR, Xenon, WW, T2 & Virtual pin @ the expo. I nearly dry humped em but since they were off limits all I ended up with was a bad case of blue balls
4. Good non corn syrup soda vendor

Cons
1. A fleet of pretty unplayable off limits Sterns (well $3 per play above & beyond the $20 daily expo fee, tourney players only). If Stern wants the home market why cant consumers play em?
2. I felt a boys club secret society pinball fraternity was present
3. Shutting down every game during the absolute peak playing time (Sat night 5pm-11pm) is ---smurfing--- EXTORTION & the #2 reason of my disappointment
4. No TZ, IJ, STTNG, SS, WW or any other good game for that matter was playable (all the hot sexy, fun, sought after or pretty machines were "no touchie") #1 disappointment
5. I needed wide body playfield glass & a backbox but all I could fine were common LED's, boards & plastic ramps
6. Half the machines were turned off in the exhibition hall (wtf srsly)

Overall I cant blame people for not letting us play their trophy machines, I sure wouldnt take a damn thing out of my basement. I also really appreciate everyone who brought a machine for the public to play, that took some serious nads & LOTS of dedication to the hobby. I think its really great Stern had machines out there for the tournament & its certainly good "face time" for them.

The thing is I thought this would be like the Mecca, like a "Hedonism pinball resort bender" of sorts. But alas there were more dudes than machines by far, no really good titles, tons of ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- turned off & I was there ONLY to play pinball & buy cool ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- rather than eat a banquet meal & listen to whatever those people talk about.

Dont let me steer anyone away from this event, they do a good job. I am not being a troll either, just voicing my opinion of the event. I am prob just really spoiled & had my expectations set too high. I would go again if it were not 6 hours away but right now I would rather just buy a new machine (or put the cash towards one) every year for the rest of my life & buy parts on ebay or pinballlife.com with that same money instead of spending the dough on this kind of trip. I saw a good half dozen pals from our STL pinball arcade & they all had the same thing to say "damn, if we leave now we could play pinball in 6 hours".

I am so gonna get flamed

Word

(Edited: I cant spell)

[Pinball Wizard]

I will agree with you that it isn't a big players' show. I honestly went last year for 2 reasons: 1)It was the 25th anniversary and 2) for the seminars. Despite what PinballJim said about "history of pinball" that isn't all of the seminars. I especially enjoy the ones about the new technologies. I really would have liked to go and seen NuCore and P-ROC as well as others but 12 hours each ways just doesn't cut it.


P.S. I went to GodFather's pizza 2 times last year, great pizza! The only reason I ended up there was because Domino's wouldn't deliver so I decided to find pizza on my own.

[justjoe]

I have to disagree. I had a blast! I was there from wed to sun.The only thing I did not see was the wide body glass. Here is some pics.

[Pinball Wizard]

Don't get me wrong, Pinball Expo is a blast, but you can't go there expecting to just play pinball and that's it. Expo is more than just playing pinball, it's about experiencing it.

[pinballwizard79]

JustJoe's last pic shows it very well... 16 people waiting to play pinball & 8 out of the 13 machines in that pic were turned off. FML I spent $500 & a 12 hour drive on that

Next year when the expo is going on I am taking that same $500 & spending $300 on a 3 hour & 40 minute flight to Vegas via SouthWest airlines. Then I will drop another $200 on a cheap hotel thats walking distance from the pinball hall of fame. PBJ are you with me? There will be a banquet from 5:00-5:15 @ at the Chinese takeout place lol

[pinballwizard79]

Don't get me wrong, Pinball Expo is a blast, but you can't go there expecting to just play pinball and that's it. Expo is more than just playing pinball, it's about experiencing it.

Now dont take this the wrong way but "Experiencing" what?

I went to a pinball convention to buy cool ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- & play pinball, instead I got a damn heat rash on my bolas walking around looking at machines I couldn't touch & listening to some guy talk about penis for a half hour on the PA system Friday night (true story) 

[Dazz]

I've heard really good things about the Texas Pinball Festival.  For 2011 it's going to be March 25-27, I'm planning on taking my VP cabinet.  I'm praying that I can come up with a name for the table and artwork before then.

[pinballwizard79]

Name it "awesome"

[yotsuya]

PinballWizard79, you get extra points from me because you called them bolas!

[ragnar]

Reading reading reading ... ciouldn't find it.

Where was this event?  What abotu next year?

[Pinball Wizard]

It was in Illinois.

http://www.pinballexpo.net/

[gShooter]

For playing, I love the Pinball Hall o Fame in Vegas.  Hardly anyone ever there, surprised it was still open last time I went.