MMR - Color DMD sneak peek

SWEEEEET!! What I hoped for. A superior MM game.

I don't blame Rick or whomever had to say there would be colored dots coming, because frankly I don't think a lot of people would have bought an MMR if they could never get a colordmd upgrade and were stuck with something that aesthetically didn't look as good as a modded original.

Yes the words "free upgrade" were thrown around way back when so that is something you'll have to navigate, especially in light of all the delays.

I suggest that any good will shown to MMR owners will come back ten fold on future remake releases now that you have shown that you can create a superior game.

#5 8 years ago

MSC

Flake

Pinside member

Dawsonville, GA

13y 62,650 452 11

Oh that's gonna be awesome.

-22

#6 8 years ago

TAM

tamoore

Pinside member

Grayling, MI

11y 123K 6,661 37 58

That's really cool.... $400 dollars would be cheap!

#7 8 years ago

???

hlazzer

Frozen

OP
Quoted from Doug_Duba:
Few people, outside of the Chicago Gaming team, have any detailed knowledge of what is being developed. No one, including myself, knows how the product will be priced. We ask that everyone allow us to finish the color upgrade and determine pricing before reacting.

what you want people to be rational????

#8 8 years ago

DYP

bobloblaw

Pinside member

Nashville, TN

11y 34,150 37 7

I love it. Not to break rank, but i would have no problem paying for that, as it clearly represents a good bit of work. My mmr will hopefully show up next week, so if you could just finish it up by then, that would be great (office space boss voice).

#9 8 years ago

KEN

Maken

Pinside member

10y 79,550 1,302 54

Looks great, no-brainer upgrade.

#10 8 years ago

HEY

indypinhead

Pinside member

12y 119K 6,376

Wow...

Looks awesome.

#11 8 years ago

KJS

Mudflaps

Pinside+ Frequent

Springfield, VA

12y 181K 8,720 5

-8

#12 8 years ago

???

hlazzer

Frozen

by the way it looks fantastic, but this is just one more step away from the "it will look and play just like the original" claims. I am not saying this is a bad thing (before people pull out the pitchforks)

#13 8 years ago

???

jgentry

Pinside member

10y 137K 5,246 1

Looks amazing and is exactly what I was hoping for. Just come color dots is not worth anything extra to me on this game. A completely upgraded system is though. I'll be interested to see how much it costs and decide if it's worth it at that point. Thanks for the update.

#14 8 years ago

OOD

spidey

Pinside+ Frequent

Plano, TX

12y 93,300 2,048 9

Drool

#15 8 years ago

TDK

thedarkknight77

Pinside member

12y 92,050 5,194 7 37

Quoted from hlazzer:
by the way it looks fantastic, but this is just one more step away from the "it will look and play just like the original" claims. I am not saying this is a bad thing (before people pull out the pitchforks)

That is why this is a mod and doesn't come with the game. Who wants "Original", when you can have that kind of update.

#16 8 years ago

MKY

Pdxmonkey

Pinside member

12y 170K 7,335

Pretty freaking cool

#17 8 years ago

BPB

Taygeta

Pinside member

12y 86,550 1,195

Amazing work the team did with the upgraded dots.

Sounds like a bunch of miscommunication. Hope MMR owners are happy with this option. I think it looks great and is well worth paying for. But I have no horse in this race and expect tons of bitching from those that do.

The tears will taste divine

#18 8 years ago

C F

frolic

Pinside+ Frequent

I will concede this upgrade is more than just colorized dots, so it is fair to pay for it, since it is beyond remaking the original.

There are ongoing PR issues though that affect this, that it is quite possible when Expo 2015 rolls around there are still people waiting who ordered their MMRs at expo 2013.

#19 8 years ago

RAD

rad

Pinside member

Boulder, CO

14y 81,550 1,404 21

Wow. Very nice. Very impressive.

#20 8 years ago

epthegeek

Pinside member

Wow. That's ... wow.

#21 8 years ago

GAC

Rarehero

Pinside member

Los Angeles, CA

12y 134K 23,267 22 119

Incredible work! Here are a few before-after screengrabs, as the movie flies by pretty quickly!

Dragon_Before.png

Dragon_After.png

MM_before.png

MM_after.png

Mob_Before.png

Mob_After.png

Peasants_Before.png

Peasants_After.png

#22 8 years ago

M-T

moto_cat

Pinside+ Frequent

10y 114K 1,335 2

I wonder if there will be different dot & resolution settings? This really kicked this game up a notch...

#23 8 years ago

SKN

Skins

Star Pinball Restoration

12y 101K 4,375 47

Thank you for the post and explanation and more importantly, addressing your customer base.

As for the video. Holy shit that's sweet. Up until now, I have been ambivalent to the remake, preferring the original. This is the equalizer and actually could compel me to seek out an mmr to own. Kudos.

#24 8 years ago

MKV

Nepi23

Pinside member

Helsinki

11y 70,800 1,929 7

I guess this sets the bar for future versions of color-DMD as well!

#25 8 years ago

OOD

spidey

Pinside+ Frequent

Plano, TX

12y 93,300 2,048 9

Funny how the fonts are still low res dots. Maybe that's to keep a touch of the old school flavor with it.

#26 8 years ago

PMD

PinballMikeD

Pinside+ Pro!

Jacksonville, FL

12y 84,800 3,261 2

Wow, that is impressive.

#27 8 years ago

TOM

tomdotcom

Pinside member

Kamloops, BC

15y 112K 6,199 2

That looks freakin awesome!

#28 8 years ago

C F

frolic

Pinside+ Frequent

Quoted from spidey:
Funny how the fonts are still low res dots. Maybe that's to keep a touch of the old school flavor with it.

I think its a good design choice.

#29 8 years ago

JTK

Captain_Kirk

Inactive member

10y 55,400 3,497

Simply amazing!

One has to wonder if ColorDMD will ever quadruple their dots and make 16-bit looking frames. I don't see why not. They have already pulled blood from stone, and their platform surely can handle it. It would just take me, methinks.

#30 8 years ago

epthegeek

Pinside member

Quoted from Nepi23:
I guess this sets the bar for future versions of color-DMD as well!

No, it really doesn't. ColorDMD just applies color to the existing display - it doesn't sub in new assets as this (apparently) does.

#31 8 years ago

HBS

herbertbsharp

Pinside+ Frequent

Ballston Spa, NY

12y 146K 6,124 21 24

holy crap! original MM just dropped $1k in value

#32 8 years ago

epthegeek

Pinside member

Quoted from spidey:
Funny how the fonts are still low res dots. Maybe that's to keep a touch of the old school flavor with it.

It is still a work in progress - I would assume they can replace the fonts with higher res versions just as they've done with the art so far. Maybe they won't, though.

#33 8 years ago

M-T

moto_cat

Pinside+ Frequent

10y 114K 1,335 2

Congrats to MMR owners , I hope this makes you feel good about your purchase. There's been a lot of negative shit slinging about this project...

#34 8 years ago

DUF

drinkduffbeers

Pinside member

15y 70,300 341

Colour dmd screen shots for comparison

image.jpg
image_1.jpg

#35 8 years ago

C F

frolic

Pinside+ Frequent

It's like we jumped from original black & white game boy to Super Nintendo.

#36 8 years ago

BOY

vid1900

Pinside member

Sana'a

12y 174K 40,645 18

So much for the argument that the original MM is somehow better.

Meet the new king !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#37 8 years ago

epthegeek

Pinside member

Quoted from Captain_Kirk:
Simply amazing!
One has to wonder if ColorDMD will ever quadruple their dots and make 16-bit looking frames. I don't see why not. They have already pulled blood from stone, and their platform surely can handle it. It would just take me, methinks.

This isn't just 4x dots - this is all re-drawn artwork that was done with 4x the dots. Rarehero's screenshots make that pretty clear.

#38 8 years ago

???

hlazzer

Frozen

Quoted from Nepi23:
I guess this sets the bar for future versions of color-DMD as well!

doubt it, colorDMD has to use the existing systems video output.

#39 8 years ago

DOG

pmWolf

Pinside Moderator

Union City, MI

13y 157K 4,527 59 112

Quoted from frolic:
It's like we jumped from original black & white game boy to Super Nintendo.

I was thinking Apple II to the Commodore Amiga...

#40 8 years ago

JTK

Captain_Kirk

Inactive member

10y 55,400 3,497

Quoted from epthegeek:
This isn't just 4x dots - this is all re-drawn artwork that was done with 4x the dots. Rarehero's screenshots make that pretty clear.

The video says "original artwork".

#41 8 years ago

OOD

spidey

Pinside+ Frequent

Plano, TX

12y 93,300 2,048 9

Teekee just shit his pants.

#42 8 years ago

MKV

Nepi23

Pinside member

Helsinki

11y 70,800 1,929 7

Quoted from epthegeek:
No, it really doesn't. ColorDMD just applies color to the existing display - it doesn't sub in new assets as this (apparently) does.

Yes, I meant that perhaps color-DMD should as well in the future bring in new assets as well. I guess then they should be licensed and they might have difficulties in receiving the license... In any case, this sets a new bar for color-DMD:s.

#43 8 years ago

BOY

vid1900

Pinside member

Sana'a

12y 174K 40,645 18

Quoted from Nepi23:
I guess this sets the bar for future versions of color-DMD as well!

Only if someone hacks it themselves.

Color DMD is not allowed to alter the actual frames.

#44 8 years ago

GAC

Rarehero

Pinside member

Los Angeles, CA

12y 134K 23,267 22 119

As for being a free vs. paid upgrade - I personally still think it should be free. I realize you have to pay the artists - and I'm ALL for artists getting paid...but I feel like you'll sell more MMr's (and future titles) if every MMr has access to this feature.

If all 1000 LE owners have the Color graphics installed for free - not only is that a nice gesture for those who have been patiently waiting for their orders, there will be a lot of positive word of mouth and exposure to other pinball fans (whether it be on location or in home collections)...and I truly believe this incredible color work will become a great advertisement to sell more machines.

If it's a paid upgrade, you can't assume everyone will buy it (price will determine purchase ratio, of course)...then only a fraction of the people will enjoy it or be exposed to it. Game sales may suffer.

I think if CGC and PPS can pay out of pocket for the artists' work and let it become a "added value" selling point - it will result in bigger profits down the line than collecting payments for upgrades would. *ALL* current owners will sing praises of the game and CGC/PPS's work and support...more games are sold - EVERYONE benefits.

#45 8 years ago

epthegeek

Pinside member

Quoted from Captain_Kirk:
The video says "original artwork".

They re-created all the frames of the original artwork at a higher resolution. It's not as if WMS had this stuff laying around at a higher resolution they could just use. The game company CGC hired basically used the original dots as a base to re-create every frame.

Edit: Funny aside, I've been considering doing the same thing with CCC for some time, I just don't have the artistic skills to pull off the redraw at a level I'm happy with, nor do I know any artists that would do it for free

#46 8 years ago

JTK

Captain_Kirk

Inactive member

10y 55,400 3,497

Quoted from epthegeek:
They re-created all the frames of the original artwork at a higher resolution. It's not as if WMS had this stuff laying around at a higher resolution they could just use. The game company CGC hired basically used the original dots as a base to re-create every frame.

You're right. I re-watched the video. I misread it as saying "same artwork".

#47 8 years ago

GAC

Rarehero

Pinside member

Los Angeles, CA

12y 134K 23,267 22 119

Quoted from frolic:
It's like we jumped from original black & white game boy to Super Nintendo.

I love it - I'm glad it's still "retro" ...it feels new and fresh while still feeling "pinball". I also like that the scores are still old dot sizes.

#48 8 years ago

???

hlazzer

Frozen