# SDTM Episode 103: Elvira House Of Horrors Pinball Machine Review (Stern Pinball, 2019)

**Source:** Straight Down the Middle  
**Type:** video  
**Published:** 2019-11-01  
**Duration:** 56m 17s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUGfXeCjW38

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## Analysis

Straight Down the Middle reviews Stern Pinball's Elvira's House of Horrors (Premium Edition, 2019), a Dennis Nordman-designed game with code by Lyman Sheets. Hosts praise the machine's art direction (B+ grade), solid shot layout and ramp design (A grade), and surprisingly deep ruleset (B+ grade) despite incomplete .85 code. They highlight innovative features like the motorized house, subway, and complex toy design, while noting the game's distant shot layout differs from typical Nordman designs.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Elvira's House of Horrors was designed by Dennis Nordman and programmed by Lyman Sheets — _Hosts confirm this during designer/coder credits segment_
- [HIGH] The game's code is at .85 version and still incomplete, with Batman 66 being worked on concurrently — _Greg states 'Lyman comes out... We have .8, mid-8s, .85 code or so. So we're a little ways to go'_
- [HIGH] The game has three different skill shots including a difficult back-door skill shot — _James's gameplay walkthrough details three skill shot options_
- [MEDIUM] The game features approximately 20-50 different B-list horror films as modes — _Wayne estimates '20, 30 different films' that players can complete for story progression_
- [MEDIUM] Elvira's House of Horrors has more innovative toys than Stern has released in a long time — _Greg claims 'I think there's more toys than Stern's had in a long time' with motorized house, subway, and crypt features_
- [MEDIUM] The layout and ramp design feel less like typical Dennis Nordman games and more similar to Richie designs — _Hosts note the distant shots and flowy ramps differ from Nordman's typical style, with one suggesting 'feels more ritzy than a Nordman'_
- [HIGH] Cassandra Peterson (Elvira) made an appearance at Pinball Expo, signing autographs for $40 and photos for $40 — _Greg recalls 'She was really sweet. Really sweet... Signing people's autographs for $40 taking pictures for another 40'_
- [MEDIUM] The game's current code depth is already deeper than many games on pinball's top 20 list despite being incomplete — _Wayne asserts 'the amount of code that is in here is probably already deeper than a lot of The Games that are on the top 20 list'_

### Notable Quotes

> "It doesn't feel like a Dennis Nordman game"
> — **Greg (co-host)**, Layout/Design section
> _Core critique that Elvira's distant shot layout differs from Nordman's typical design approach_

> "Pictures do not do it justice. You have to see it in person. And that house being lit up is one of the most gorgeous things I've ever seen in a pinball machine."
> — **Greg (co-host)**, Shots and Layout section
> _Emphasizes the motorized house lighting as a major aesthetic achievement that doesn't translate to photographs_

> "It takes like a classic 90s DMD, but compounds it. That makes it a 2020 game."
> — **Wayne (co-host)**, Rules and Code section
> _Describes how the game balances classic gameplay structure with modern ruleset depth_

> "The amount of code that is in here is probably already deeper than a lot of The Games that are on the top 20 list."
> — **Wayne (co-host)**, Rules and Code section
> _Claims the incomplete .85 code is already competitive with established deep-rule games_

> "I would have stuck with a Jurassic Park possibly, just to be able to get this game."
> — **Greg (co-host)**, Rules and Code section
> _Expresses desire to own the machine despite competing purchase priorities_

> "There's a ball save. There's a... Scared Stiff. Just like, almost like the spider spinner."
> — **Wayne (co-host)**, Rules and Code section
> _Compares Hand of Fate wheel mechanic to classic Scared Stiff spider spinner feature_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Stern Pinball | company | Manufacturer of Elvira's House of Horrors (2019); large pinball producer |
| Dennis Nordman | person | Designer of Elvira's House of Horrors; legendary pinball designer from Williams/Bally era (Whitewater, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indianapolis 500) |
| Lyman Sheets | person | Programmer of Elvira's House of Horrors code; also working on Batman 66; known for deep, complex rulesets |
| Greg Frears | person | Artist/designer for Elvira's House of Horrors cabinet artwork |
| Cassandra Peterson | person | Actress portraying Elvira; made appearance at Pinball Expo signing autographs; original Elvira character performer |
| Elvira's House of Horrors (Premium Edition) | game | Stern Pinball 2019 release; horror-themed machine featuring motorized house, multiple multiballs, deep ruleset in development |
| Batman 66 | game | Stern game being coded concurrently by Lyman Sheets; mentioned as near-completion reference point |
| Scared Stiff | game | Classic Williams 1996 Elvira game; referenced for comparison of spider spinner mechanic to modern Hand of Fate feature |
| Wayne | person | Co-host of Straight Down the Middle; provides rules analysis and game appreciation; uses character persona from Wayne's World comedy sketch |
| Greg | person | Co-host of Straight Down the Middle; focuses on technical playfield and design critique |
| James | person | Provides technical gameplay walkthrough and rules explanation of Elvira's House of Horrors |
| Zach Sharpe | person | Referenced in conversation as pinball community member/host; mentioned regarding Jurassic Park purchase decision |
| Whitewater | game | Classic Dennis Nordman design; referenced for shot layout comparison (dense shots vs. Elvira's distant layout) |
| Pirates of the Caribbean | game | Dennis Nordman design at Stern; referenced for layout comparison |
| Pinball Expo | event | Event where Elvira's House of Horrors was displayed (approximately 30 machines) and where Cassandra Peterson appeared |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Cabinet/Backglass Art Design, Playfield Layout and Ramp Design, Rules Complexity and Code Depth, Mechanical Toys and Innovation
- **Secondary:** Designer Philosophy and Style (Dennis Nordman comparison), Game Comparison (Scared Stiff, Batman 66, Williams/Bally classics)
- **Mentioned:** Licensing and IP (Cassandra Peterson involvement)

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.82) — Hosts express strong approval of the game's design, mechanics, and direction despite criticisms of incomplete code and distant shot layout deviating from typical Nordman games. Heavy praise for aesthetics and innovation tempered by recognition that the game is unfinished and expensive for pre-release code status.

### Signals

- **[sentiment_shift]** Initial perception that game lacks toys/innovation was incorrect; deeper play reveals substantial mechanical complexity that surprised skeptics (confidence: medium) — Wayne: 'a lot of people that haven't played this game would say there are no toys in there... there are i think there's more toys than Stern's had in a long time'
- **[design_philosophy]** Elvira's layout deviates from traditional Dennis Nordman design approach; features distant shots and flowy ramps more similar to Richie designs rather than dense Nordman layouts (confidence: high) — Greg: 'It doesn't feel like a Dennis Nordman game... It's a fun layout. It's very distant game. Like all your shots are far away.' Hosts suspect Stern may have influenced layout design.
- **[community_signal]** Greg Frears artwork credited; note from KB that Greg Frears/Zombie Yeti transition from Stern to Spooky appears relevant to Stern's visual design direction during this period (confidence: medium) — Greg Frears credited as artist on cabinet/backglass artwork; hosts praise quality of design work
- **[product_strategy]** Game features multiple mechanical innovations including subway, motorized crypt with rotating states, junk-in-trunk physical ball lock with smart kick-out logic, and complex house diverter (confidence: high) — James's technical walkthrough details: motorized house with state changes, subway for back-door access, junk-in-trunk that can re-lock balls, crypt that opens/closes dynamically
- **[product_strategy]** Motorized house feature with innovative lighting effects (possibly UV reactive or projection-based) represents significant innovation in Stern's recent output (confidence: high) — Greg: 'I'd give a nod to the lighting effects on that house as an innovation that I'm not sure we've seen in Pimpin' Pops.' Described as 'one of the most gorgeous things I've ever seen in a pinball machine.'
- **[product_concern]** Game sold at $9,000-$12,000 price point with code at only .85 version completion; hosts note unfinished state affects rating despite deep ruleset potential (confidence: high) — Wayne: 'I'm knocking it grade wise a bit because it's not finished and we're still, you're still paying 9,000, 10,000, $12,000 for it. And it's not finished.'
- **[product_strategy]** Lyman Sheets continuing code development; Batman 66 nearing completion; implies Elvira's House of Horrors code will receive ongoing updates (confidence: high) — Wayne: 'Lyman comes out. He will. Everyone knows what Lyman can do. Lyman, it might take a year. It might take two.'
- **[licensing_signal]** Cassandra Peterson involvement in game production; personal appearance at Pinball Expo indicates active IP/character participation (confidence: high) — Greg recalls Cassandra Peterson at Pinball Expo: 'She was really sweet... Signing people's autographs for $40 taking pictures for another 40'

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## Transcript

 The wait is over. A revolution in LED lighting for your pinball is finally here. Fully customizable, full spectrum lighting from PinStadium Lights. Order yours now at PennStadium.com. Let's kick this shit. Bismillah We will not let you go Let me go We will not let you go Let me go We will not let you go Never let me go Oh mama mia, mama mia Mama mia, let me go Beelzebub has a devil for a sack For me, for me, for me So you think you can stop me and spit in my eyes So you think you can lock me and leave me to die You are watching Cable 10, Aurora, Illinois Community Access Channel It's Wayne's World, Wayne's World, party time, excellent Welcome everybody to Wayne's World Here's your host, Wayne Campbell! Thanks for my... Oh, party! Yeah, out there, party! Oh, yeah! My name is Wayne Campbell. I'm the host of this wonderful program we call Wayne's World. And next to me is my best buddy, Garth. Party on, Wayne! Yeah, totally. Party on, Garth! Absolutely. What are we going to do this week? We're going to review a pinball machine. You ever heard of a pinball machine, Garth? Maybe a few times. A few times? What do you love about pinball machines? Yeah, sometimes I do a lot of thrusting. Whoa. Yeah. You got to nudge it. Whoa. You got to nudge it. Terrific, terrific, man. But this month is something special. Not just a pinball machine. Not just a person, but the babe of the month, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. Oh, totally Elvira. Yeah, for Elvira, I give a schwing. Schwing. Yeah, if Elvira was in the major league, she'd totally be Babe Ruth. if Elvira was a president, she'd totally be Baberham Lincoln. Yeah, totally. I knew what you were going to say there. Absolutely. So Elvira has these shows where she showcases B-list horror films. Yeah, B for babe. Yeah, totally. B? B-wing? Yeah, B, man. I thought she was a double D. Oh, okay. I see what you did there. Yeah, let's play on words, Wayne. I'm good, yeah. Yeah, so for you, Cassandra, Peterson, a.k.a. Elvira, you get our double show! Congratulations! Let's talk about the game itself. Then we're going to show these people a little overview, a little rules ensemble. I like to roll down the play field real smooth, Wayne. Why do you like to do that? It makes me feel good, Wayne. Absolutely. It gives you the tingles like when you climb the rope in gym class. maybe absolutely yeah so Stern Pinball developed this machine in 2019 with a premium model a limited edition model and a signature model the signature model you can get a piece of her couch signed how about that no way way yeah who designed this game Mr. Nordman himself Whitewater Mr. Deep Root how about it Greg Freres with the artwork? That's what she said. Absolutely. Greg Frares with the artwork. Not only that, Coder, Master God himself, Lyman Shee. Ahem! We're not worthy! We're not worthy! Yeah, that guy's a master, man. A lot of scary stuff in this game. Yeah. A lot of scary stuff in this thing. Like, like spiders. There's going to be spiders in this game. Are there skeletons in this game, Wayne? Uh, maybe. Because, I, I've got a boner. Oh. I see what you did there with the skeletons. More play on words, man. That's great. There's going to be all kinds of scary stuff. I'm thinking there could be really hairy werewolves. Oh, yeah. Really scary werewolves going to bite you. No, no, no. Pixie dust, man. Pixie dust. Pixie dust. Calm. Oh, Wayne. Calm yourself, man. Wayne. Yeah, absolutely. There's going to be all kinds of scary stuff. So beware. Beware. It's Halloween. Yes. Beware. There's also going to be really scary. Look out! They're going to speak up on you. They're going to fight you. They're going to eat your children right now. Calm down, man. Calm down. Pixie dust, man. Pixie dust. Pixie dust. Chill, bro. Help me. Calm down, man. Man. Awesome. My heart can't take it. Game on. Right? Absolutely. So let's show these people a little gameplay, a little overviewage. Yeah, move on, man. House of Horrors, Elvira by Stern Pinball. To do that, we get an outro. Hey Zach and Greg, this is James and I'm just going to do a brief walkthrough of my new Elvira House of Horrors pinball machine. This is the Alley model. starting from the left we have the junk in the trunk and the three stand-up targets on the left that open the trunk you shoot the three stand-up targets and the trunk will open and a left ramp shot will come around here and feed the trunk for a lock. Two locks will start the Junk in the Trunk multiball. You can also sneak a shot into this back entrance here and that will also count as a lock. And if you already have one ball locked that will start the multiball. Next we have the Left Orbit here. On Left orbit it can light for a jackpot drive me crazy which is the orbit mode or jumping time which is part of the gargoyle gargoyles gone wild mode which we'll get to later here is the left ramp You left ramp lights for jackpots. It also starts junk in the trunk if you have that lock lit. And unhappy hour, which is the ramp mode. And trailer bits, which is part of trailer trash, which will start after you've completed a mode. Next up, we're getting to the mansion. To the left of the main staircase, there's a drop target. and then there are three multi balls associated with that shot. The first is wild woman, then add a zombie, then attic attack. The first multiball you drop the drop target once and then you can get three locks to start that multiball. For add a zombie you need to drop the drop target each time you want to lock to start that multiball. Next we have the entrance to the mansion on either side there is a gargoyle shot then the center mansion shot which is used to start modes and qualify modes the ramp also raises for the cellar shot which is used in some of the modes right now. You can light for jackpot, extra ball, house party, which house party after you've played three modes the mansion will light for house party which is a mini wizard mode halfway through. And then there is trailer trash and that lights if you complete a mode trailer trash will light and you also get trailer bits on either of the ramps which add value and it's kind of a hurry up so you shoot the trailer bits and trailer trash and you can collect the same values that you collected in the mode again at the end is a bonus there's the mansion to the right of the mansion there is a stand-up target that is not used yet in the code and this is 0.85 behind that is the pop bumper area and the upper rollovers which right now I believe the rollovers give you bonus X and this pop bumper shot is makeable from the left flipper onto the right ramp goes up and around the deadhead crypt and back to the right flipper this lights for jackpot unhappy hour and trailer bits again now we'll get to the deadhead crypt there are two gargoyles on either side this is the last two there are four gargoyles all together deadhead crypt and this is a unique shot it has three different states right now the doors the crypt is closed so the first shot will open the crypt to reveal a scoop in this area. When you shoot the scoop you start a deadhead which will pop up on the screen and when you start the deadhead the crypt will change state again to a skull which you can kind of see you can see him peeking through which is a bash toy to defeat the deadhead and after you've defeated him he turns into a scoop again to complete that mode. To the right of that, the right orbit which has the beast booster spinner which is kind of cool it's an opto spinner works very well. The slates for a jackpot, drive me carzy which is the orbit mode and jump in time which is part of Gargoyles Gone Wild which is shown here. This meter builds up so every time you complete the four gargoyle shots you'll move up this meter until you get to Gargoyles Gone Wild which is just an extra scoring mode with a with a song that plays with it. On the right side three stand-up targets this This is the hand of fate. Completing this three bank of targets will light the left out lane. For the hand of fate wheel which spins it will be on the display. So when you drain here and it's lit on the display you'll get a wheel with several awards and you just watch and hit the action button to stop it and collect an award. There are points, there are multiball extends, and also a ball save as part of that award. We'll go over the in-lanes quick. Double trouble here is a playfield multiplier. The double trouble light is on both in-lanes. And the light is moved with the flipper buttons, and you light it by completing each of the three bank stand-ups. So if you complete the Hand of Fate and the Junk in the Trunk stand-ups, it will light the end lane and when you roll over it, you'll get a multiplier. The first one is 2x and if you're able to do it again before it times out, it will go to 4x. Something I didn't go over, this insert here is Gap of Angry, it's one of the mini wizard modes. You get there by building up the Freak Friar in the middle here, which is based on switch hits and it takes a long time to get there but I've done it several times. It will start a single ball wizard mode and if you complete a number of shots you start a multiball based on this and it's pretty cool. cleaner is the deadhead so as you play the different crypts deadhead family crypt you will get these lights and if you complete three there is a super headshot And here these four levels are as you complete the main haunt modes which you start at the mansion. Every one you complete you get a level. As of right now in the code if you complete two levels you get an extra ball and after four you start the director's cut wizard mode all right garth let's get into it first we're going to start out with art art yeah what do you think about the art on elvira i get a break here what do you think about the art on elvira house of horrors dang it's kind of hot i think it's hot yeah it's good what do you like about it like the cabinet back glass cabinet cabinet's best part of the game easily I'm still doing this just naturally back glass we need to grow our hair we should grow our hair out I would like to grow my hair out would you I don't want to die blonde you should totally go with that look man scare everyone away I'm not beyond that though yeah that's okay so you like the back glass I do like the back glass we're kind of focusing on the LE a little bit here there's a premium LE special accessible signature yeah Ellie's got the mirrored bag glass I love the Ellie cabinet art that's what I'm saying the cabinet art is by far she's laying there with the balls in her hands it's classic Elvira it's very strong with balls in her hand silver balls yes silver balls play field play field I'm a little mixed on it's a little I won't say barren no but something something's just slightly amiss i like the gradient artwork so how it goes i'm having a hard time not talking like this uh the gradient artwork where it goes from like purples to blues then to orange like yeah it slides i agree i also love the this feels like a bally williams game the artwork because if you look at like just even the inserts they have the the demo man remember demo man with the rings around the inserts yes right the circles they have that up each ramp up each orbit it's a very classic feel yes um i thought i would like the film reel on the ramps a little more yeah i like that i well i thought it would stand out more in photos i feel it stands out more than what it actually does on the game do you yeah i get that like it gets lost yeah it gets hard to see yeah i like elvira the back glass is her proportions a bit odd to me i agree looks i know it's like the cartoon feel but it's a bit different it is uh but i love the mirroring effect the side art on that cabinet, maybe some nice pinball. It's gorgeous. Oh, dude, the head. Sorry to interrupt you. The head, where she's freaking out. Yes. So here's the thing. We've got a strong cabinet. Oh, excellent. We've got a pretty good back glass. It's good. Strong. Does the play field really matter in this game because there is such a strong focal point on the house. Okay. You seem to overlook the art on the play field. Yeah, that's actually good. Maybe they're going for that. That makes sense. It does. Like, why do you really need a busy play field? Well, it's like the yard, if you will. Yeah. Because it's got the, back in the pops, it's got like the pool. Yeah. And your pop bumper caps are the pool. It's like, I see where they were going. Yeah. Now, it's not the most aesthetically. You've got that machine down at the bottom. Yeah. And that shows all your progress and everything. Yes, exactly. Meh. So, it's not the most aesthetically pleasing. It's not what you necessarily think in a play field. It's freaking pretty. I'm going to B+. I'm going to B+. Just that proportion of her on the back glass. Yeah, I'm grading. I'm not grading. It's totally Wayne grading. Wayne, I came in at a B+, too. Excellent. Party on, Wayne. Party on, Garth. So I'm going to B+. I think overall it's a gorgeous package in more ways than one. Especially straight down the middle. That's so stupid. That was dirty. This might be better than Wolfman. All right, so I'm going to be plus. Greg Freres did an excellent job. I like the coloring. The colors just pop. And on Ellie. That's what she said. It just pops. The colors on the powder coat. We got some hair there too Cassandra came over I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be blonde This point might be a little gray Grandma still likes the frank She's still hot though She is very hot She was very open at the expo Wasn't she? Really nice Signing people's autographs for $40 taking pictures for another 40. She was really sweet. Really sweet. I like her. Let's go to shots and layout. Nordman. Nordman made a lot of games that you love. Whitewater. Pirates of the Caribbean by Stern. Indianapolis 500. Nordman was there through the Bally Williams years. Do you not feel, though, that this is a different feeling Nordman game? Of course. Because I don't know if I would say, okay, you take Whitewater. It's shots everywhere. Hidden shots. You know you take Pirates of the Caribbean Same thing loaded with shots Not to say this game is not loaded with shots But it's distant It's a fan layout It's a very distant game Like all your shots are far away It's not like a whitewater It's not like a Nordman game You don't get the ramps like a Nordman usually does No that's what I'm saying It's very not Nordman Do you feel It's a fan layout It's hard because I think any designer that does a fan layout. Yeah, but you don't have to push the shots. I'm not saying it's a bad thing. I'm just saying for a Dennis Nordman, it's different. Do you think the Stern tweaked this at all? As in, like, it's insane. It's hard to believe that Nordman did those ramps. I do, too. Like, it just doesn't feel like a Nordman thing. But do the ramps not feel fantastic? Yeah, they're kind of flowy. You know, you want me to tell you what it feels more like is a Richie hand. Really? In a sense. Huh. Now, I'm not saying it's got the full flow. Maybe it feels more ritzy than an Ordman. Yeah, more ritzy than an Ordman. I'll say. I think it shoots impeccable. It does? When I looked at it overhead when I saw the promotional stuff, I thought, it's a fan layout. I like the house. The ramps look pedestrian. But then when I stepped up and I played it, they feel real solid. Everything in the material-wise feels really solid. 100% agree. Nothing feels like it's got any give. A plastic ramp, you would think it would be better. No, not at all. Nothing, nothing. It's very smooth. Everything hits very good. The gargoyles hit very well. When's the last time that Stern's had a subway? I mean, that's part of the layout. Yeah, it's been a while. It has been a while. Even the, like, especially when I saw that ramp right under the house, right? The ramp that lifts up. I thought, you know what? The ramp's got to be clunky. It's going to clunk around in that house. Yes. Yeah, because I thought Borg. It's my favorite show. So the way that Borg did on Munsters with the spot underneath it. Yeah, coming out of the ramp. Yeah, so I'm like, that solved all the clunkiness problems. So, like, when I thought Stern was going back to this. Iron Maiden. Exactly. But this isn't. There is no give. There's no flop. There's no bang. There's nothing on that ramp. I'm even, once it. But it's a shallow ramp. Yes. But what I love most about it, though, is when you hit it into that house with the ramp up. or down, you would think it would just go back there and kick it out. No. It diverts it almost like a freaking other orbit. It's so smooth. You hit it, it's coming out that left orbit. It does. It does. It does. It does. It's quick. It's my favorite shot. And don't forget, speaking of the house, skill shots. Oh. Yeah. Three different skill shots. You said that was like your favorite, the back door skill shot. Don't tell people my secrets, Wayne. Right in the back door. And it's a tough skill shot. It's got to kind of trickle and go right in the back hole. Aren't all backdoor shots tough, Wayne? No. Miss Bones, have you ever met her? I'm sorry. Dixie does. Dixie does. Wayne, don't scare me like that. Let's talk about also the lock shop. It's very medieval madness-like. It is. You've got the big house, almost like the big castle. Yes. And then you've got the, instead of through the castle, you've got a drop target. Once you hit that down, it loops up around a physical ball lock. Yes. I like that. And it is very fun, and it still feels rewarding to hit it. It's simple. Like if you're down and you haven't locked a ball and you're about to go to multiball, it's not bad. Boom, if you want to get in there, get in there. It's not bad, but it feels still satisfying. Yeah. And there are some, I've heard of some kick out, like it goes back there and it gets stuck or it goes back there and kicks out prematurely. I've heard of that. But for the most part, no, it works really well. The ones I played at Expo were not, like I didn't have any problems. Everything flowed very well. There's like 30 of them at Expo. Tell me though, like be completely honest. Like, because we discussed the Nordman layout and we discussed how it is. It feels different. Yeah, it doesn't feel like a Nordman. No, I'm not just saying a Nordman. It just feels different than any game really sitting on the market right now. Or that's came out in a while. The thing that rings to me is solid. Just solid. I was expecting, Greg, the ramps to be plastic. They don't feel like metal ramps without making the sound. But I'm just saying, maybe it's just the faraway shots. I don't know. What about the Crip Shot? That's pretty cool. I love the Crip Shot. You've got a couple of Bang Shot, and then you've got the ramp that goes up and around it. That's smooth, too. And it's a nice surprise when you've got to open the crypt. Oh, yeah. Shoot the fuck. Yep. It rotates. Then you're in there. I like it all. One of my favorite things I haven't seen Stern do in a long time. Whenever the junk in the trunk lifts up, you hit the left ramp. Oh! Inside. But where it drops it, it'll physical ball lock for you. But when it's ready to shoot out, it'll shoot out the back towards the pop bumpers. And you can accidentally lock a ball back in there. And it'll lock it. I love that. It is a cool... It's a bunch of hidden stuff. When you first lay eyes on the game, I think because everything is so far away, it looks empty. But it's not empty. When we first seen it, everybody was like, it looks a little bare. How much is that? But when you start shooting it, there's a lot of mechs in there that don't exist in... Absolutely. There's subways. There's house diverter. That house doesn't have to divert it just left. Left, right. Yep. Like I said, just going into the back door with the skill shot is nice. That's a cool thing to try. And we'll talk about a lot of that during innovation because I think it has a ton of innovation. It's just very quiet about it. It surprises you. It is. Which fits the theme. It is because it's very subtle. Yeah. Very subtle. It's not out in your face as a big bash toy shaking around and stuff. The house, and it is a game that, to me, pictures do not do it justice. No. You have to see it in person. And that house being lit up is one of the most gorgeous things I've ever seen in a pinball machine. It's more of an innovation thing, too. Yeah, we'll get into that. We'll talk about that. So I'm at, or Wayne is at a shots and layout in A or in A. Solid A, man. This thing shoots like a dream. It shoots like a dream. Some people might complain it's a little bit longer of a shooter. It does have long balls. A little bit longer. But I like Hobbit. I like Lord of the Rings. I like all of those kind of games. And when you have a rule set, as we're going to segue into, when you have a rule set by line and sheets and you have the diverse amount of things that you can do on this game, it calls for a little bit longer ball time. It calls for a little bit longer ball time. You know, it feels long, but it only feels long when you're playing with someone else. That is totally what she said. Oh, no. Plays long only when you're playing with somebody else. Keep it short. She did not say. No. So as we're segwaying into rules and code, Lyman Sheets, we're waiting. Batman 66 is now damn near complete. I mean, geez, what else does a man want to do? He'll continue to go back. And we have .8, mid-8s, .85 code or so. So we've got a little ways to go. How do you feel about the rules and code? Are you upset that it's not complete? Is there enough? No. Is there not enough? No. What's the deal? Dude, Lyman kills it. Lyman comes out. He will. Everyone knows what Lyman can do. Lyman, it might take a year. It might take two. It might take two. We're rating him now. We are rating him now. And I think he's still a B. Okay. That's solid for an entry game. It's solid. Because like you said, there's still a long way to go. There's a long way to go. There is. But it feels... I'm not going to name any names, Greg, but the amount of code that is in here, albeit needs a little tweaked. Needs some girth, if you will. But the amount of code that is in here is probably already deeper than a lot of games that are on the top 20 list. Some of it is. It is. It is. It's still... Is this game... No, hold up. Is this game right now not depth more than Scarestiff or Elvira Oh my God yeah Okay Easily easily Okay Very much so So this is just the starting point but we have to grade them right now I can see what Lyman's doing. Yes. Lyman has just a number of different movies that he can use as modes in this game. Those B-list movies. I love that you're playing through the movies, and you're essentially the storyline is something Elvira's going to sell her house, but all of these B-list movie characters are coming back to haunt her. She's got to rid them from the house, essentially. Then you've got the deadheads coming back. So you've got the modes in the individual films. I think there's like 40, 50 different films, 20, 30 different films that you can do. I think you try to get six different films to complete that task. But this is a task-oriented game like we see oftentimes on Valley Williams. And you guys know me. I'm a task-oriented player. I love that kind of stuff. So you have modes, you have the deadheads, you have to try to complete three deadheads. And these aren't modes, you just get three, you have to complete them all. You got the deadheads you have to complete. You got the wild women multiball. You've got the different multiballs. And then you've got the freak flyer down there where you're collecting the gargoyles. You hit the gargoyles enough, you'll start that like a super jackpot gargoyle thing. So much stuff going on you can see. It takes like a classic 90s DMD, but compounds it. That makes it a 2020 game. Exactly. So it keeps that essence of a 90s game, like the Gargoyles. But it's so much deeper because there's so much more to work towards. I completely agree. I couldn't have said it better. Beautiful. Beautiful, man. And I like the tribute. You guys have noticed this if you've played this game. The tribute to Bally Williams. You'll hear me continually go back to this because I think it's an important point and probably one that makes sense because Nordman was at home. It's in front of the ramps, very Medieval Madness-like. You have the three circles. You hit them three times. You're progressing, and then you start that little mini-mode. The orbits, they each have their own set of three circles. You hit it once. Boop. You progress. Hit another again. Boop. You progress. And then it goes into that hurry-up or whatever that little mini-mode is. That's on top of everything. Wayne did his homework. I did do my homework. Good job, Lee. I totally want this game. It will be mine. Oh, yes. You know, I want one, too. I told Zach, I said, if I wasn't getting my Jurassic Park Premium and it tanked all my pinball funds, I would have stuck with a Jurassic Park Pro, possibly, just to be able to get this game. Really? Yeah, because, I mean, it's fun. There is something magical about it. There is something. I don't know if it's where that Lyman is going to progress to, but there is something very satisfying. about this game to shoot. And it just feels, I don't know, man. The levels feel kind of Batman 66-ish. You have your modes, but you also have your villains or your sub-modes. You also have your multi-boles. Because Batman wasn't a super hard shooter either. No. It was all in Lyman's code. So I think that that's what this resonates. I completely agree. Man, why are we agreeing so much? One of the things I want to, I've got to pick out a couple more things. I'm going to poke out a couple things. I have to pick out a couple more things just to show where this code is going. In the left, the 36, 24, 36 stand-up targets, you hit those to open up your junk in the trunk. You hit those to open up your junk in the trunk. But you're also compiling items. So you get like a key. There might be a key in there, a lost key that opens up a hidden mode. There's all kinds of items. Those really aren't coded the best yet. Yeah. So it's almost like the gadgets on Batman. Yeah. We still have to see that. So a little knock off the score because we're going to have to – it's not coded fully. We don't know. The other thing is the hand of fate. Oh, my God. I love this, you guys. So the hand of fate – I'm geeking. This game is going to be mine. So the hand of fate is the right side stand-up targets, right? They have – you hit them enough and you'll light hand of fate. Hand of fate, I think, is in the end lanes. If you collect one, whenever you drain, the spinning wheel goes up. and there's awards on it. And you've got to stop the action button. There's a ball save. There's a... Scared snip. Just like, almost like the spider spinner. And I can only bet, if I know Lyman, you're going to try to... Because when you pick one, like a ball save or an extended multiball, when you pick one, it shows partially a picture behind it. So you can only assume you're going to try to get all the pieces to unveil what the picture is going into like a wizard mode or something. I like it. there's so much in this. So many wizard notes. So many. So I'm knocking it grade wise a bit because it's not finished and we're still, you're still paying 9,000, 10,000, $12,000 for it. And it's not finished. Um, but I'm at, let's see. Okay. A B plus. Yeah. And you're at a B. B plus and a B. B for boobie. moving on toys and innovation now a lot of people that haven't played this game would say there are no damn toys in there i think i heard i think i heard uh another set of reviewers that was like there's no toys in here there are i think there's more toys than stern's had in a long time i still look at the house as a toy i look at the ramp as a toy i look at the garage where the ball lock is as a toy i most The Crypt. Gargoyles is a toy. Junk in the truck. Look at the Crypt. The Crypt is a more complex toy because it's a multifaceted toy. I'm going to give Light Show a toy. Innovation kind of thing. And like you said. It's a character. The other left ramp. Ball up. Yeah. The Junk in the truck. You've got the lift ramp. You've got the Gvok. You've got a kick out. Now, people are going to be like, that's not a toy. Well. It is. I won't say it's reliable. A subway and a stern is kind of an innovation. Like, it's doing something different. And having toys and innovations wrapped in, I won't say that this is necessarily, like, the most innovative game. But I will say that it's got cool toys. I'd give a nod to the lighting effects on that house as an innovation that I'm not sure we've seen in Pimpin' Pops. The face on the ramp. It's almost like a UV reactive face. No, I think it's a projection. I can't tell. Well, there's eyes on the ramp, and the eyes look like the ones on Scared Stitch. Well, I've got to study it. So it's a whole face. So I can't tell whether it's shining underneath the ramp. Like, okay. No, it's a metal ramp. I don't think. Well, but listen though. You know like on Iron Maiden how it's etched out. It's not that. Okay. No. Then I think. It is a white skeleton face. Something, I think it's being projected. Really? I think it's a reactive type of paint that's on there. That when you shine it, it shines white on the skeleton face where it's supposed to in different ways. I think you're on crack. When you do the overview. Yeah. It's already been done. Pay super attention. Pay stupor attention. Oh, reviewing Walt Drew. Pay attention to the man behind the curtain. I'm going to A+. How about that? A+. Are you against it? Is the House in Elvira, House of Horrors not one of the greatest toys in pinball history? I agree. Do you disagree? What else? Because this is where I'm going to argue. I don't think it takes a complex toy. I don't think it takes anything like that, I think that it can take something as simple as this house to be amazing. There ain't no thing. What the hell's on that house that's simple? You've got a lock. You've got a diverter. You've got a ramp that goes up and down. You've got a turret that spins, Greg. The house topper spins. Oh, yes. Thank you. That's a toy. And the lighted rooms. The lighted rooms indicate modes. So you don't have to worry about what modes you're at on the plague field. Look at your windows. Your windows are going to indicate what mode you're on. I'm not going to lie to you, Wayne. We should film here every time. You like it? I do. All right. I'm going to A plus. You're an A. A plus. Prove it otherwise. Prove it otherwise. I think it's loaded. I like it. All right. So, so far, we're raving this game. Your mom was loaded when I met her. What was she loaded with? Mountain Dew and cigarettes? Whiskey. That's usually her go-to. It's awesome. Isn't that awesome? Music and call-outs. It took me by surprise. Music and call-outs. Who did this music and call-outs? I'm not sure. I don't think our boy Jerry did them. I don't think Jerry did them. I don't know. Maybe. Sorry, Jerry. I apologize, too, because I swear that when I was talking to Jerry, he said he did not do this one because he was busy with other projects. But at the same time, you were kind of... Oh, I'm saying... And you were so enamored with Jerry. I was. You were like... We're not worthy. We're not worthy. He's got me through the night. So true. So true. I was elated. Love that guy. Northwest Pinball Show shout out. What? So I don't know if he did them or not. What I can appreciate, Mr. Bone, is the Jump, Jive, and Wail licensed song. Very. The Shout. Very. Right? I love the Shout song. You've got vocals from Cassandra Peterson Avira herself. Vocals. is that not cool? I do I always like it when they get the real people Tim Kitchero, he's heating up he's on fire boom shakalaka the NBA Jam action so he was on Scared Stiff, he returns for the House of Horrors that's what's cool I think that if you wouldn't have brought Cassandra back, you wouldn't have brought him back if you wouldn't have done those nods to the original pin I just don't think it would have had the effect no it definitely would I think that that's nice, and I think that was really good on Stern's part. Black Knight tried to do some of that, and Black Knight did do a lot of throwback stuff with their things. Especially the music. Yeah, but I think that this achieved it a lot better. I don't know if it's because it's a little more iconic and easier to resonate with. Absolutely. I agree. But I'm glad that they took that nostalgic effect and feel. Even the main background score is very hypnotic. It's very good. It is very good. It's mysterious, but it's also fun and whimsical, too. It is Halloween. It is Elvira. She's scary, but she didn't take herself too seriously. No, it's B-list films and everything else, so it's just... There's nothing serious. I like physical lives. Now, I can't think off a hand. Sound effects that stand out to me? I can't really think about that. I don't know all things. But, I mean, if it's following suit the way that Stern's doing, it's not only is the code improving and stuff go along, but it seems like they're really upping their animations, video, sound effects, everything else with each update on games lately. Yeah. At least Elwin has been phenomenal about that with JP. And Lyman just continues to put more and more into his games. He's still going back with Batman and stuff like that. You guys are going to shit right now, but when you have Cassandra Peterson, when you have Tim Tim Kitzrow when you have licensed songs you get an A plus from me you're an A plus from me you're an A same thing very close display and animation this is phenomenal really in a sense because I just like the clips I'm glad that they went with the clips clips clips clips I love this like the clips okay both of them you like the clips both okay what is it about the clips the movie clips yeah the little movie clips there's little excerpts they actually have the film yes which is awesome not a living dead she pops up it's almost like she's hosting again it's still it's still like you're you're a part of her world and a part of her so you're talking about the movie clips or her clips or what both of them okay like her sort of dude they got freaking Cassandra Peterson to record video and audio just for this pinball machine. They didn't pull it from a film. And I know you don't like this, but I don't mind the floating heads. A lot of people don't like the floating heads. I don't. I don't mind them. I think it's very retro and it fits that era and everything that was going on. It's not that I don't like them. I'm fine with them. You lie. I don't like the location of them. I don't want them buzzing around on the screen. Give me them in the sidebar. Give me a little path in the sidebar where they're blocking some of my progression. But don't put, because sometimes, Greg, I look up there and I see, damn, like the ugly old lady deadhead. And she's like superimposed on the wild woman multiball. And it looks like she's got big tits and stuff. I'm like, no, no, no. No, I don't want that at all, man. No, I need the deadheads off. I don't know. And like the pop-up versus how they used to have, they might still have like the inner tubes. No, it just doesn't fit. Just a couple inches long. Chuck Ernst. A little tweak there. Just a little tweak there. Tweak it. Yeah, so. I don't think it's that bad. You give me actual movie clips. You give me Elvira. I'm at nay. I'm at. You're at nay as well. It's like I picked out these damn grades for you or something. Do you not remember? Nay. We're not worthy. We're getting so lost. All right, what are we on next? Oh, theme. Theme. Theme, theme, theme. Elvira. That was, yeah. I'm mixed. I'm very mixed on the Elvira as a theme. Because? Because I like spooky. I like dark. This is a stern. I like sexy Oh I like all of that Then you like me with long hair But I never really grew up with Elvira I remember watching some Elvira and I was a very big horror like I loved all that you were a very big horror when you were growing up I got around I got around the playground Wayne I'm just saying oh that's troubling but now that you threw me off horrors go ahead a house of them or dares theme so party on Wayne party on Garth where the fuck are you at man but yeah so like but I'm just not I won't say that I'm don't love it but like I'm not like a fan like Jurassic Park or Terminator or Indiana Jones or is that the new thing when you just you're not in love with it you're still ready to be plus yeah I'm just kind of like I'm complacent I'm complacent with a B plus is that where I came in at? yeah you came in at a B plus I'm in an A minus for me Elvira it's not like I'm a huge Elvira fan it's not like you know so you see where I'm saying but I respect her as part of a pinball character now not only that but I like the tribute to the horror films well I just respect her as in an era yes it totally integrates everything about that era. We've got the B-list horror films. We've got Her and Her Big Bosom. It's everything that I think of when I think of some of the best pinball machines like Scared Stiff. I love Scared Stiff. I love Elvira and the Party Monster. I'm going to A- or you're at a B+. Enjoyability. We're both at A-. A-. It's solid. It's one of those things, another one of those pins like that i just can't necessarily put my my finger on like jp i can sit there and i can yeah put your finger put your finger on it greg see what happens enjoyability a-minus um yeah but you know what i'm saying like i still have not been able to figure out if it's the shots if it's the code if it's just the aesthetics of the machine if that's what's nuts like yeah i can't i can't pinpoint this i can tell you what i like about Jurassic Park. I can tell you what I like about Deadpool. I can tell you what I like about Star Wars. I can tell you what I like about a lot of games. But this game is just weird. For me, I can put my finger on it. It's the integration. It's all the sum of its parts. It's the music. It's the visuals. It's the way it shoots so damn solid, flowy, and fun. It's, call me crazy, Greg, but on the LE, the drippy powder coat, the mirrored back glass it just is all one hell of a package and when i have it in my game room at some point like it just all fits it's the getting halfway through the damn house and she says you got halfway through the house you make me want to shout and then all of the the lighting goes up on look the code might not be there yet i don't give a shit like that is what pulls me in more more than jurassic park even more than jurassic park well and i can agree with that too an extent. And Jurassic Park's one of the best ever. And I'm not fully agree. I'm not saying it's better than Jurassic Park. What I'm saying is that I can understand where you're coming from and I can respect it because I think that's what makes Deadpool so popular is that the music is fun, the shots aren't hard. Art package. Yes, the art package, the code, the toys, everything on Deadpool. But it's not like this brutal game that just like kills you when you play it. You step up to it and you have fun. Even if you have a bad game, I walk away from Deadpool and I'm not mad. No. Same thing with Elvira. When I have a bad game on Elvira, I've walked away and I'm still just like, ah! You're like, that's the fun. Fun's good. And viewers, I know there are some of you out there that are like Greg and I. Okay, maybe the powder coat is not what gets you to buy the game. Maybe the back glass. Maybe the license song doesn't make you want to buy the game. But damn it, if you like the code and you like the way it shoots, those are the things that keep you coming back. Those are the things that put the damn bolts into the floor because it's integrated so well together. It's got perfection on a little bit of everything. I don't want to say it's bolted to the floor type game. No, I'm saying that's those little. I'm not saying this. I'm saying for people, these are the kind of things what solidifies things is bolted to the floor. Look at Walking Dead, dude. Greatest code ever. But it's not bolted to the floor because of the looks and the sounds or something like that. That's what I'm saying. This has got all the little check boxes that make you want to. We'll see what happens with code. But this is a game that if code is... Code's the only thing I'm waiting on. If that solidifies, what reason is there to get rid of it? Pretty true. I mean, for me, and for a lot of people out there, these little things, we get made fun of as collectors all the time. I don't give a shit about the art. I don't play the art. I don't give a shit about the mirror back. Oh, people lie. Go off, dude. Those are the things that I really like. When I go in my... Look, I'm not playing Deadpool. You're not playing Deadpool 23 hours of the day. No. But it still matters in the same manner. I'm telling you that that is why that Dialed In was not one of the best-selling games ever made. It's because that game had great code, great shooter, but it was not a great theme and not a great-looking pinball machine because of the theme. So people just don't want it sitting in their house. Like I said, I still think it's grossly underrated about themes and what keeps things like that in people's game rooms. Yeah, for me. No matter how good the game is. In summary, for me, this game was very surprising to me in a lot of ways. One of the most surprising things, which was so nice and surprising, was the way it shot. When you have a great shooting game like a Star Wars premium, I'll give you the pro, Star Wars, when you have something that I'm not expecting a wonderful shot because I don't see a lot of toys and stuff, but when it shoots great, all right, I'm listening. yes now to keep me coming back it's about the rules it's about the looks it's about the sounds it's about the visuals and elvira elvira house of horrors hits on all of those for me it just does so yeah it was very surprising to me that i enjoyed the way it shot so much what didn't surprise me is everything else and i in person it's everything i'd want it to be and i'm not even a big elvira fan what do you think about the people are like oh you've got to love elvira you'd be an old bastard that loves these horror... No! You know me. I don't give a shit about... Like, I like horror films, but I don't care about the old stuff. I don't care about Elvira. I didn't get her hand shook. I didn't, you know, take a picture. This game is, I think, this is the game I want this year. It's pricey, though. Tell the people. How much is it, Greg? Let's see if we can figure it out. Come on, Greg. How much is it? Okay, are you ready for this? I'm not, because I'm afraid you're going to say the wrong thing. $7,500. A little more than that. Is that not for the lowest model? It's a little more for the premium. For the LE, we're closer to $10. You're about $95 or so. Me! And then for the Signature Edition. Signature Edition came out, and they were so limited, so limited, that they didn't have a price. You had to call your distributor. Yep. You call the old distributor. I like it, though. Many of them went for about $15,000 plus. Yeah, I mean, it's on that level of Batman. Batman was amazing. I honestly, that sounds horrific. This is a studio release though. It is horrific, but let me tell you this. How many Batman Super LEs have you seen up for sale? Little to none. Exactly. LEs even. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. So that's my point. If this matures and Lyman does it, then it's still going to stick even with that price. Stern Pinball does these studio releases where you get something a little different. You don't get the pro model for the locations or anything. you get the premium le super le or in this case signature limited but i wanted a pro model in this there should have been a pro model i'm fine that there wasn't actually i'm not because i'm poor no because this is something a little and you know what's crazy man people think i'm nuts because i told them they were like i didn't get an le and sold to customers and i was upset i'm still freaking upset i'd like to have an le people like dude there's no gameplay differences on studio titles like this so premium is the same as le zach shoots the same it's just the package You like that. You like all that stuff, man. The mirrored back glass, the powder coat. Yeah. You like all that. That's important to you. Yeah, it is. And that's why I don't judge. When people tell people that they're wasting their money on stuff like that. I hate hearing that. I don't like hearing it. They're calling people idiots. Yeah, I don't think they're idiots, man. It's what somebody wants. A lot of people will pay. They only pay what they value it at. And that is value to some people. And I respect that. There's things that I splurge on. I don't splurge on anything. What are you splurging on? Sheets? Towels? Magazine cover? Oh, God! That has to be edited out. Jeez, that's an inverse swing. I knew it was going to be edited, but it has to be said. It has to be said. It has to be said. But you know what I'm saying? I don't judge people like that, man, because to each their own. You work hard for your money. You make your money. You buy it. It's yours if that's what's special to you. And I know that's special to you. It's not me. a hyperloop on a Star Wars is important to you. It's not me. That's totally different. Totally different because that's actually the feel of the game. A moving T-Rex is important to me. That's why I overpaid. It's really important to me, too. I went up the model. I like it. The art package was the most important thing. I paid more for something that was special to me. Don't judge people. Don't bother shit, man. If you like the stuff, buy it. If you don't, then don't buy it. Don't rip on people for buying what they like to buy. Never. Yeah, do you think a Prada bag or a jacket is worth a thousand? To me, no. But I'm not going to make fun of people who buy it. They want to spend their money on it. Exactly. All right. Cumulative grades. Dude, we like this game. I do. You're at surprise, surprise, puppy surprise. How many puppies are there inside? Do you remember that? Do you remember that? No. That was back in the 80s and 90s. It sounded super good. It was a toy. It was a toy. And then you opened it up, the stomach, and it had puppies. I don't know. You sound like some Dexter shit going on right now. Surprise, surprise. Surprise, surprise, puppy surprise. How many puppies are there inside? Four puppies. There could be three or four or five. We have three. Chrome it, brass it, black nickel it, candy chrome it, powder coat it. The possibilities are endless at pinballplating.com. Your pinball machine deserves the best. At Comet Pinball, you'll find the best variety of LED products with the best quality LEDs. And most importantly, at the best price. Your collection is begging for an upgrade. Order yours now at cometpinball.com. Check out Pin Graphics for the latest and greatest in pinball enhancements, power blades, blade skins, pin blades, and even more. Visit pingraphics.com now to see what's available for your pinball machine. You're at a B+. Tell me. B+. 3.6 GPA. I'm right above you. I'm right there. I'm an A-3.7. I know what you're all saying. B plus green. I know what you're saying. B plus green. But listen to me. Listen to me. They're listening. I want you to stop for a minute. I want you to take a moment. Stop. We're driving. I want you to ponder. Pull off to the side of the road. Don't hurt yourself. Pull off to the side of the road. Has Stern released really anything? We're going to close this down. Under a B plus lately. I sound repetitive. I can think of one. I'm not going to say it. I sound repetitive. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. I could be wrong. But for the most part. That game sounds really well, so I don't know what to say. Exactly. For the most part, though. It's not. So I get stuck at a B plus. I don't have anything to rip on some of these games. New games from these larger manufacturers are good Yes they are Alice Cooper is good Willie Walton is good Jurassic Park is good It takes a lot to achieve an A But they're not totally bombing this shit And hitting anywhere in the seas I'll show you guys how good This game is By rating it an A I'm going to show you by owning it Because I will own this game And the only thing The only thing in closing that is scarier than me Win Schilling this game for an A- is Greg Bone's mom. She's going to kiss! It's Wayne's World! Wayne's World! Party time! Follow my lead, fucknut. It's Wayne's World. Wayne's World. I got so happy. Doodle-a-doodle-a-doo. You keep stressing me out. Your most awesome host, Wayne Campbell. I'm here with my best buddy, Garth. Totally awesome, Wayne. It's party on, Wayne. Party on, Wayne. Fucking party on, Wayne. It's the epitome of the movie. Is it? Yes. Party on, Wayne. I know. I've got it now, man. It's ingrained in my noggin. Three, two, one. It's Wayne's World! Wayne's World! I'm getting two Wayne's Worlds!

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: b34130fb-2e11-4656-8b23-630cf4cfeafb*