THE MAACA DAILY NEWS! Your daily read about YOU,the members!

[World_of_Warships]

Know what? We did our very first pinball tournament today, Yippee! My gf liked TMNT and Stranger Things wayyy too much! We had never played any of those pins, so quite a treat!

A very odd year for obvious reasons, but the hobby has been there for us!

[cait001]

huzzah!

[Sparky]

So I took a roadtrip to go see Azatotht for the first time in a LONG time. Tempus fugit, and Covid sucks ass. But all in all everyone is in good spirits. Of course, the visit was way too short as usual, and I will have to remedy that.

One of the subjects we discussed is the accessibility of the hobby now VS 5-10 years ago. And no... this is not a "price-police" rant. We just both noted that demand is high, and has been further accentuated by the pandemic. People want home entertainment. Quite normal.

It reminds me of a situation with a pin I had for sale. I had it listed at 1800, and one gentleman contacted me, stating "firmly" that I was overpriced as he had seen that pin for 1200, called me greedy, and offered me 1600, including delivery 2 hrs away, and set-up. At first, I was pissed and turned him down flat. I ended up selling it for less and to a friend that was nothing but courteous. Politeness matters to me. A lot.

But... since then, I have seen the same pin in lesser condition for 2200-2400. My first reflex was to say in my head "HA! You should have bought it then, buddy!!!", but I immediately started feeling bad. The accessibility of machines is less and less. Unless you can restore a pin from top to bottom, it's rough.

But I get it.... this was inevitable. A-list WPC pins were all up in price. They all get snatched up. None for sale. So buyers aim the b-list pins. And THEY go up due to demand... so... System 11's get sought after. THEY go up... then the early SS pins start to go up.

Close the border, and it just boosts prices up. The nature of things.

But... there is a shining light. Many people were "solitary" with their collections. I get it. But then comes the pandemic, and you isolate. I get a lot of messages from people saying they want to have people over when all is done, which they never wanted to do in the past.

So... it is encouraging. Perceptions change.

Would be nice to see a bunch of new and old faces at Pincon 2021, wouldn't it?

[frosken]

...
One of the subjects we discussed is the accessibility of the hobby now VS 5-10 years ago. And no... this is not a "price-police" rant. We just both noted that demand is high, and has been further accentuated by the pandemic. People want home entertainment. Quite normal.

It reminds me of a situation with a pin I had for sale. I had it listed at 1800, and one gentleman contacted me, stating "firmly" that I was overpriced as he had seen that pin for 1200, called me greedy, and offered me 1600, including delivery 2 hrs away, and set-up. At first, I was pissed and turned him down flat. I ended up selling it for less and to a friend that was nothing but courteous. Politeness matters to me. A lot.

But... since then, I have seen the same pin in lesser condition for 2200-2400. My first reflex was to say in my head "HA! You should have bought it then, buddy!!!", but I immediately started feeling bad. The accessibility of machines is less and less. Unless you can restore a pin from top to bottom, it's rough.

But I get it.... this was inevitable. A-list WPC pins were all up in price. They all get snatched up. None for sale. So buyers aim the b-list pins. And THEY go up due to demand... so... System 11's get sought after. THEY go up... then the early SS pins start to go up.

Close the border, and it just boosts prices up. The nature of things.
...

The whole situation reminds me of a certain tragic event in 2001. I remember that the pinball market following these events started to significantly increase, as people were afraid to travel and decided to spend more in home entertainment than spending on tourism. The bump was significant, but as time went by, the market dropped a bit and then slowly increased...to the point where a huge jump happened about 8 years ago.

It's all about offer and demand...but sometimes, the market hits a specific cocktail where it doesn't make any sense. Hobby-wise, we've all seen this when a specific hobby is the "hot thing" to which pricing goes way up, and usually it crashes after the wave has gone by... think sports cards...

While it is cool to have numerous companies making machines nowadays, are there too many manufacturers for the current market? Will we see a bigger demise of the Pinball Manufacturers like we saw the disappearance of big box stores, card shops, and coming soon: micro-breweries?

The challenge I see is that while there is a market for specific classics (similar to cars), it's not ALL of them that are collectible. a 1973 Dodge Charger have some value...but a 1973 Ford Pinto, err...not so much... same for a 1987 Porsche 944...compared to a Chrysler K-car (Aries/Reliant anyone?) from the same year(s). It's the same with pinball machines...but lately, ANY machine is getting value...which is crazy (IMHO).

The big challenge today is that you can buy a NEW machine with more features, more rules than some machines that are 25 years old. While "I get it" for some A-list games, now the B and C list games are close in pricing to the new ones which boggles my mind. In addition, many lost their jobs over the past few months...cost of living has gone up (have you looked at your grocery bill as of late?) and yet they are overspending for pinball machines?

It's a crazy world we live in...and I can't wait to get over with the whole Covid crap so we can sort of come back to the "normal life"...or at least try...

Now...GAME ON!!!!

[jokker]

Well I've kinda opened up the coffin door again to see the world, so I should at least take a moment to say hello to all! Lots of familiar faces still haunting this place all these years

Hopefully everyone is generally doing well and for me things are pretty much the same. I did pick up a Dr. Who finally a couple months ago so that finally finishes that quest. I also have a bizarrely good condition Joust that I'm slowly picking away at to get up and running again.

[Sparky]

Well I've kinda opened up the coffin door again to see the world, so I should at least take a moment to say hello to all! Lots of familiar faces still haunting this place all these years

Hopefully everyone is generally doing well and for me things are pretty much the same. I did pick up a Dr. Who finally a couple months ago so that finally finishes that quest. I also have a bizarrely good condition Joust that I'm slowly picking away at to get up and running again.

Welcome back!!!!! I TOLD you, retirement is bullshit. LOL

[cait001]

I'm sorry did you say you're working on a Joust???? LOL well welcome back!

[jokker]

Welcome back!!!!! I TOLD you, retirement is bullshit. LOL

Thank you El Presidente,

Hahaha oh I'll never retire, just take long naps

[jokker]

I'm sorry did you say you're working on a Joust???? LOL well welcome back!

Yeah I came into possession of a Joust a few years ago and slowly tinker on it from time to time. It's a real pain in the ass to work on to be honest.

[frosken]

Well I've kinda opened up the coffin door again to see the world, so I should at least take a moment to say hello to all! Lots of familiar faces still haunting this place all these years

Hopefully everyone is generally doing well and for me things are pretty much the same. I did pick up a Dr. Who finally a couple months ago so that finally finishes that quest. I also have a bizarrely good condition Joust that I'm slowly picking away at to get up and running again.

Welcome back!!!!! I TOLD you, retirement is bullshit. LOL

Damn!!! That’s a name from the past! Welcome back!

I guess I’m not the only one un-retiring...

[jokker]

Hahaha thanks frosken,

Yeah for some of us I don't think it's possible to "stop" but just "rest" for awhile

Although probably moving to a smaller place in the next few years so I'll be thinning things out as time goes on. Although as it always seems to happen, you end up with some temporary visitors along the way.

[Sparky]

I am having a "farts in a bathtub" type of day.

For your intellectual viewing enjoyment.

[frosken]

I am having a "farts in a bathtub" type of day.

[Guard]

Its cool.....

[Azatotht]

Got told by my boss today that I was finally getting back to being paid 100% !

Been working 4 days a week since March.

This has been very hard on the hobby, have nothing left here but my MAME computers.

Cheers !

[Sparky]

Driving from my training class in St-Anselme, I had one of those moment where everything seems to be right in the world. I had the radio on a news channel, and that was quickly changed to a rock station.

Driving along a nice road, the sky diming yet glowing on the horizon of a copper and deep blue ocean, and Disturbed's The Sound of Silence humming out of he speakers. For a few precious minutes, all that was askew in the world seemed to fade away.

I try to enjoy these little bubbles of peace in these crazy times. Feels as good as playing a "God-mode" game of pinball with friends, where the ball seems to follow your every wish and command, and you feel elated, invincible..... alive.

Makes me look forward to the future. Borderland meeting / fart contest with the boys.... an MPL meeting with old friends...... a beer with Azatotht in his garage... a cold Coke zero with my feet in the warm pool and wet nuzzle from Otis at Shane's place, with a few games of pinball in between discussions.... fixing games at Pincon 2020-something... Spooning in Allentown after losing to Vic... LOL

Just looking ahead to the future like I did that copper-blue sky tonight. With admiration, hope, excitement, as if I was heading to Pitt street on a Friday night.

Soon. Very soon.

[Guard]

Lost me at spooning....

[Sparky]

LOL. To make a long story short, Azatotht, Splitskull and myself would travel to Allentown for the show. Room had 2 queen beds. So we would have a tourney. 3 games. Each pics a game. Winner gets one bed to himself. Other 2 have to share a bed.

I got robbed one year by a fucking Back To The Future pin, where I was winning, but apparently that stupid machine lets you actually steal another player's score. LOL. So I lost.

It is still funny, ten+ years later.

At least, I consoled myself with a Double-Down at KFC. LOL

[World_of_Warships]

.. when you need to explain what you meant by spooning..!