claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.032
Slam Tilt Podcast 26: Eric Russell interview + Aerosmith reveal, Keith Elwin at Stern, tournament coverage.
Eric Russell CNY has a WPPR ranking of 292 as of the episode recording
high confidence · Ron Hallett stating: 'You are at 292 right now as we speak'
Keith Elwin announced his hiring as a designer at Stern Pinball starting March 1st via Facebook
high confidence · Hosts discussing: 'Keith Elwin, basically the best pinball player in the world, will now be designing games for Stern'
Aerosmith is priced at $5,200 for the Pro model
high confidence · Ron Hallett: 'Aerosmith for $5,200 I think they're saying now is a pretty good deal'
Aerosmith playfield design is similar to KISS, designed by the same designer
high confidence · Bruce: 'Aerosmith, or as many people are calling it, KISS 2.0, with a playfield that looks very similar to KISS, especially the pro looks like a carbon copy of KISS. I mean, almost exactly the same, which is, I mean, I know it's the same designer, but literally KISS was his last game'
Batman 66 Premium is viewed as overpriced relative to its gameplay quality
high confidence · Ron: 'Both [slow and long-playing]. If it was $5,200 compared to $5,200, I might enjoy it more'
Jersey Jack Pinball designer promoted through ranks working with Pat Waller on Dialed In!!
medium confidence · Ron discussing new designer: 'He's been at Jersey Jack for I believe four years. Pretty much near the beginning... he worked a lot with Pat Waller on Dialed In!! as like his understudy'
Aerosmith features no live-action animation, only cartoon art style similar to unreleased Archer game
high confidence · Bruce: 'No more DMD. We got the LCD screen... It almost looks like if you saw the Archer game that Keith was working on it almost looks like that kind of animation'
Eric Russell CNY owns 18 pinball machines across multiple rooms
high confidence · Listing by Eric: living room (Paragon, Future Spa), kitchen (Star Trek), garage (Flash Gordon, Judge Dredd, Diner, Getaway, Spider-Man, Last Action Hero), and back room (AC/DC, Metallica, Giant, No Fear, plus others mentioned)
“Keith Elwin, basically the best pinball player in the world, will now be designing games for Stern.”
Bruce Nightingale @ mid-episode — Major personnel move announcement; industry insider perspective on Keith Elwin's competitive standing and career pivot
“Aerosmith for $5,200 I think they're saying now is a pretty good deal... I like it for the pro. So for those who haven't seen it... it features a... on the premium it has an elevator that actually goes up to a very small like mini playfield.”
Ron Hallett @ news segment — First-hand impressions of Aerosmith from CES show, pricing, and mechanical feature description
“Batman was slow and long playing... Aerosmith was fun and enjoyable. So for $8,000 or for $5,200, what do you think I'm going to pick?”
Ron Hallett (recounting Tim Sexton's comments) @ Batman 66 discussion — Comparative game quality assessment and direct pricing/value criticism of Batman 66 Premium
“No more DMD. We got the LCD screen. Yes, it almost looks like if you saw the Archer game that Keith was working on it almost looks like that kind of animation.”
Bruce Nightingale @ Aerosmith discussion — Technical spec revelation (LCD vs DMD) and connection to Keith Elwin's prior Archer project work
“I want a Keith Elwin F. Sheats Jr. Pinball Machine. Wow, that's like mind-blowing. That's a mind-blowing possibility right there. I am the first demanding this.”
Ron Hallett @ Keith Elwin announcement discussion — Community enthusiasm about potential collaboration between legendary player Keith Elwin and designer Lyman Sheets
“The only one who did not attend of course was Steven Bowden going to New Jersey... Lyman F. Sheats Jr.. Where, pray tell, may he be playing? He's actually picked Massachusetts... he grew up in Massachusetts, you know, so he's going to be No. 7.”
Ron Hallett @ Circuit finals discussion — Notable tournament seeding and player geography; Lyman Sheets choosing home state competition
“The premium is really a pro. The pro is really, you know, the L, the LE is really the premium and the Super LE is really the LE. It really is. It really is.”
announcement: Stern officially announces Aerosmith pinball machine with Pro at $5,200, Premium with elevator feature, LCD screen, cartoon artwork
high · Hosts discuss Aerosmith announcement as 'one of the worst kept secrets in pinball' shown at CES with impressive booth display
personnel_signal: Keith Elwin hired as pinball designer at Stern Pinball starting March 1, transition from competitive play to design
high · Keith Elwin announced hiring via Facebook; described as 'basically the best pinball player in the world' and 'number one ranked in the world'
design_philosophy: Discussion of pop bumper drain design philosophy; Stern criticized for center drain risk vs Williams legacy approach; potential software-based 'slap save training mode' suggested as fix
medium · Eric Russell: 'Williams didn't do this... Stern going backwards again'; debate about whether feature should be standard option
product_concern: Batman 66 Premium plagued by translite flatness issues (creasing/warping), causing visual defects despite good decal quality
high · Ron: 'Stern still has not figured out how to lay a translate down flat on a piece of plastic... This Batman had a wibble or like a nice air, not air bubble, but like a crease'
market_signal: Batman 66 Premium perceived as overpriced relative to Aerosmith at similar price point; hosts suggest value mismatch
high · Ron: 'If it was $5,200 compared to $5,200 [like Aerosmith], I might enjoy it more... slow and long [gameplay]'
groq_whisper · $0.250
New York State Championships will have 16 competitors with registrations open until February 14th
high confidence · Ron: 'right now we have our 16 people... but with people still have until the 14th to tell me if they're coming in and we have some still that are not it are still uncommitted'
Tim Sexton (Tim Sexton) finished 5th at MAGFest circuit finals, Steven Bowden finished lower after bonus deduction
medium confidence · Ron: 'Tim Sexton finished 5th... Bowden took 45 points of the magical and poofed them right out the window'
Ron Hallett @ Batman 66 critique — Criticism of Stern's tier naming/positioning strategy; suggests pricing/feature mismatch
“Stern going backwards again... Williams didn't do this... Williams was the biggest seller in the late 80s, early 90s... Stern has this total opposite model.”
Eric Russell CNY @ Pop bumper design discussion — Historical comparison of design philosophy between Williams and Stern regarding pop bumper drain risks
competitive_signal: NY State Championships with 16 confirmed competitors, seeding confirmed through Feb 14 deadline, double-elimination bracket with notable matchups including Ron vs Alberto Santana
high · Eric Russell CNY seated #1, Tim Sexton #3, Levy Naiman #4, Steven Bowden #5; registrations ongoing
event_signal: MAGFest IFPA circuit finals completed; multiple state/regional finals scheduled February 11 (Illinois, NY, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania); Arcade Expo rescheduled due to facility renovations
high · Discussion of Tim Balls (5th place), Steven Bowden elimination, Lyman Sheets seeding #7 in Massachusetts choosing home state
design_innovation: Aerosmith uses LCD screen instead of DMD; artwork style described as cartoon similar to unreleased Keith Elwin Archer game concept
high · Bruce: 'No more DMD. We got the LCD screen... It almost looks like if you saw the Archer game that Keith was working on'
personnel_signal: Jersey Jack Pinball promoting internal designer after ~4 years at company; designer worked as understudy to Pat Waller on Dialed In; positioned for next game design
medium · Ron: 'He's been at Jersey Jack for I believe four years... he worked a lot with Pat Waller on Dialed In as like his understudy... I believe the next game is going to be designed by him'
rumor_hype: Community enthusiasm for potential Keith Elwin × Lyman Sheets pinball game collaboration; Ron declares himself 'first demanding' such a title
low · Ron: 'I want a Keith Elwin Lyman Sheets Pinball Machine... I am the first demanding this'
venue_signal: Eric Russell moving games between locations: Pinball Pool and 8-Ball going to Wizards Pinball (Mike Smith's shop) in North Syracuse for public play and sale
high · Eric: 'Got the 8-ball back over to Mike's shop and pinball pool is going to be going over there shortly... Mike Smith, he's got a nice collection going there... some of them are going up for sale soon'
sentiment_shift: Aerosmith generates positive initial reception vs Batman 66's mixed-to-negative reception; value perception critical to preference despite similar price point
high · Tim Sexton comparison: 'Batman was slow and long playing... Aerosmith was fun and enjoyable. So for $8,000 or for $5,200, what do you think I'm going to pick?'