{"id":4280,"date":"2016-10-12T21:24:37","date_gmt":"2016-10-12T20:24:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pinballnews.com\/site\/?p=4280"},"modified":"2017-08-07T18:37:09","modified_gmt":"2017-08-07T17:37:09","slug":"pinball-expo-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pinballnews.com\/site\/2016\/10\/12\/pinball-expo-2016\/","title":{"rendered":"PINBALL EXPO 2016"},"content":{"rendered":"

This year’s Pinball Expo is looking as though it will be one of the most interesting ever, with a number of new game announcements or reveals, a packed schedule of seminars, and several on- & off-site events to keep attendees busy across the five days of the show.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We arrived at the Westin Chicago North Shore at lunchtime on Wednesday. The Windy City was certainly living up to its name, as clouds and rain blew through the city of Wheeling.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The venue for Pinball Expo 2016, the Westin Chicago North Shore<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Setting-up for the show had begun in the Vendor Hall, the Game Hall, and in the tournament area.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Vendor Hall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Show co-organiser Mike Pacak’s stand was the first to be populated, but other stands and boxes of products were arriving. There’s plenty of time yet though, as the 14,815.5 square feet hall doesn’t open to the public until 6pm on Thursday.<\/p>\n

\"As<\/a>
As usual, Mike Pacak’s stand is located next to the Vendor Hall’s entrance<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"More<\/a>
More stands were starting to be set-up too<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Each vendor’s area is marked out with tape, along with a name place for them to use.<\/p>\n

\"Tape<\/a>
Tape on the carpet defines each vendor’s space<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Some<\/a>
Some of the stands to arrive later<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Outside the Vendor Hall, a familiar pair of oversized pinballs was being put together.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Flintstones and Hercules<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the adjacent Game Hall, the free play pinballs were arriving and being assembled.<\/p>\n

\"Inside<\/a>
Inside the Game Hall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"More<\/a>
More machines in the Game Hall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Amy<\/a>
Amy loves ColorDMD<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The scene in the Game Hall at 3pm on Wednesday<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Just outside the Game Hall is an interesting exhibit which will form the subject of one of the seminars later this week.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
A pinball based on a lost Harry Williams design<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The schedule of events is posted next to the reception desk<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rob Anthony had established his little part of Pinball Expo with his Pinball Classics side room.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Pinball Classics room across from the Game Hall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the tournament area at the front of the building, the machines for the tournaments run by Trent Augenstein were set up and being prepared for the long days of competitive play ahead of them.<\/p>\n

\"Trent<\/a>
Trent puts up the tournament bracket poster<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The format is a repeat of last year’s multi-bye system which was well-received<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Some<\/a>
Some of the tournament machines<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Registration Desk for the show began at around 5pm on Wednesday, at which point guests who had pre-registered could collect their packs containing the show guide, tickets for the Stern Pinball factory tour, banquet tickets and their pre-printed name badges. Those who hadn’t pre-registered could sign up and pay for their show entry.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The line for the Registration Desk<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At 8pm on Wednesday the Bumper Blast party began in one of the many Westin halls. As co-organisers Rob Berk and Mike Pacak welcomed guests to Pinball Expo, a buffet meal was served<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Bumper Blast buffet meal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Rob<\/a>
Rob Berk tries the pasta<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The meal was free for Expo attendees and consisted of salad, pasta with meatballs and sauce, roast chicken, roast potatoes, bread sticks and rolls, and apple cobbler to finish. Soft drinks were also provided.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Bumper Blast dinner<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Mike<\/a>
Mike Pacak and Rob Berk<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Meanwhile, in a preparation room at the hotel, the Heighway Pinball team were setting up their Alien pinballs in preparation for the following day’s launch party at Twin Peaks.<\/p>\n

\"Andrew<\/a>
Andrew and Stefan set up Alien pinball<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Thursday morning’s events began at 9am when the yellow school buses arrived outside the Westin to transport guests to the Stern Pinball factory and the annual tour of the facility.<\/p>\n

\"Expo<\/a>
Expo guests board the first school bus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The line for the buses<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Unfortunately, because we had the temerity to question the $15,000 price tag for the new Batman 66 game, Pinball News was banned from the Stern factory. Since no photography or video recording is allowed at the factory any longer it is no real loss, but we decided not to try to sneak in after seeing what happened to another interloper.<\/p>\n

\"No<\/a>
No factory tour for you<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Those who were allowed in got to see the new Batman 66 games.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Batman 66 games<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The Batman 66 playfield<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Meanwhile, back at the hotel, we got on with setting up the seminars hall for the first seminar at 1pm. David Fix had produced a dozen large posters for the seminar hall and another six for the corridors outside.<\/p>\n

\"Putting<\/a>
Putting up David’s game posters<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We also built up the audio\/video system for the hall.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The first pieces of a lot of AV kit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We were not alone in setting things up, as the Jersey Jack Pinball crew arrived with seven machines for their seminar later today. We can’t show you anything more until their seminar begins at 8pm.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Jersey Jack Pinball crew setting up machines<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The seminars began at 1pm with Bruce Westfall and Scott Moehring.<\/p>\n

1:00pm<\/span> So… Can You Make Me a New Backglass? – Bruce Westfall & Scott Moehring<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Bruce<\/td>\nBruce is a professional screen printer who was brought into pinball by Scott and investigated who was making reproduction backglasses and plastics, and whether it was something he could get into.<\/p>\n

Now he has worked on more than a hundred artwork pieces through their company Outside Edge<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The first questions they ask when asked to reproduce a backglass are “Do you have the rights?” and then “Is it worth what it will cost?”.<\/p>\n

After that they need to assess the original art and then build the new art file. Bruce described how important it is for there to be a custodian of the artwork who ensures the quality and integrity of any reproductions.<\/p>\n

\"<\/a>
Bruce and Scott<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Scott then spoke about the problems they face trying to recreate something when you don’t have the original assets such as films or screens or the same type of ink or when the item they are trying to copy has shrunk over the years.<\/p>\n

Finally, the type of printing process has to be decided. Sometimes spot colours are needed to faithfully recreate the hues and saturations of the original, while at other times CYMK is used to give the graduations and subtleties required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Download<\/a><\/td>\n