STERN OF THE UNION ADDRESS – JANUARY 2021
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01/05/21

STERN OF THE UNION ADDRESS – JANUARY 2021

The Stern of the Union Address will be presented on the first Tuesday of every month (holiday and vacation excepted).  Without further ado my fellow pinheads:

Led Zeppelin:

In one of the most significant game launches to date, Stern Pinball rocked not only the pinball world, but the entire globe!  As an opening act, Led Zeppelin themselves dropped the teaser video across their official social media channels without anyone seeing it coming.  Their audience and platform of fans is absolutely massive with a combined reach of over 15 million dedicated and rabid followers. To date, the total views across channels on this video surpassed 200,000 just for a teaser video!  Without a press release at that time, rock radio stations and media outlets were picking up the news, reaching both domestic and foreign press as the anticipation kept building.

As the headliner, Led Zeppelin didn’t disappoint when they dropped the official game trailer across their channels and the hits kept racking up!  Since premiering, the game trailer video has amassed over 500,000 combined views making it one of the most viewed and popular pinball videos in history!  With it has been an overwhelming onslaught of press and media exposure notably from Blabbermouth, Fox News, Louder Sound, HYPEBEAST, Best Classic Bands, and Metal Injection to name a few.

Visit the official Led Zeppelin game page for full details on this pinball rock concert experience including the official game trailer, Pro model game features, Premium/LE model game features, and accessories trailer!



Led Zeppelin Premiere Livestream Replay:

Available for all Stern Insiders, watch the full replay of the reveal stream of Led Zeppelin with the design team and Jack Danger of Dead Flip right here! https://sternpinball.com/account/

Not an Insider? Not a problem! Sign up for FREE today at https://sternpinball.com/stern-insider/

Stern Insider Pinball Podcast:

Available now for all Stern Insiders, listen to this panel discussion with the Led Zeppelin team including lead game designer Steve Ritchie, lead software programmer Tim Sexton, lead mechanical engineer John Rotharmel, mechanical engineers Elliot Eismin and Robb Blakeman, and lead artist Stephen Jensen as they dive into their collaborative approach in bringing this iconic rock band to life in this pinball concert experience on episode 10 of the Stern Insider Pinball Podcast!

All episodes can be listened to here: https://sternpinball.com/account/

Led Zeppelin Livestreams:

Check out these additional streams of Led Zeppelin including an unboxing and interview with Steve Ritchie and Tim Sexton on MarcoTV, and this reveal gameplay video and a 400+ million game on Dead Flip!

IGN Unboxing – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Premium:

IGN unboxes a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Premium machine highlighting all the cool, goofy features of this radical game!  Check out this exclusive IGN pinball unboxing video. COWABUNGA!

Happy New Year All-Access Members:

Available to All-Access Insiders, check out these behind the scenes pictures from the Stern Factory!
Need All-Access? Register to become a Stern Insider today! https://sternpinball.com/stern-insider/

Stranger Things:

We heard it on the internet so it must be true!  Stranger things have occurred…

Star Wars Comic Art Pin Production and Star Wars Holiday Gift Guide:

Our new Star Wars Comic Art Pins are in full production just in time for the holidays!  Check out this video of the game on the line as well as being featured in the official Star Wars Holiday Gift Guide!

PlayStrongTM:

Do you have a PlayStrongTM pinball story to share with the world?  Send your inspirational message and pictures to Insider@sternpinball.com for a chance to be featured across Stern’s social media channels in addition to winning exclusive Stern swag and merchandise!  Check out these incredible #PlayStrong stories featuring actor/comedian (and script writer on our Deadpool game!) Brian Posehn, actress Riki Lindhome, Fluke Skywalker during his Project Pinball Charity ceremony donation, and a unique pinball campaign via Ray Ban!

Da Realist Sports Show:

Da Realist Sports Show had Stern’s Director of Marketing, Zach Sharpe, on the show discuss competitive pinball including the most recent TMNT Stern Heads-Up Pinball Invitational and more!  Listen to the full podcast interview here.

George Gomez Interview:

Check out this special interview with Stern’s Chief Creative Officer, George Gomez, on the Pinball Television YouTube channel here!

Gameroom of the Month:

Congrats to Dan Pelkey of Maine on being named the recipient of Gameroom of the Month!  Do you have a special home gameroom you want to share with the world?  Leave a photo comment on our Facebook post and you may be our next winner!  Not on social media?  Not a problem!  You can submit your incredible gameroom directly to Insider@sternpinball.com for your chance to win an exclusive Stern Swag Pack!

Pinball Rental Program:

Stay entertained by staying inside with the latest Stern Pinball machines!  Even if your local bar or arcade is temporarily unavailable, there are plenty of opportunities to play the newest Stern games.  Contact your local authorized Stern dealer for more information on renting your very own Stern pinball machine where available!  https://sternpinball.com/find-a-dealer/

Stern Army Updates:

The Stern Army continues to grow with members spreading the gospel of pinball across the globe.

Congratulations to the following Stern Army members on their promotion from Private First Class to Specialist:

  • Specialist Michael Hosier of California (Coin-Op Sacramento)
  • Specialist Lucas Bardin of Australia (General Public)
  • Specialist Will Long of Ohio (Cartridge Gaming)
  • Specialist Donavan Stepp of Colorado (1up Greenwood)

Congratulations to the following Stern Army members on their promotion from Private to Private First Class:

  • Private First Class Bryan Caudill of North Carolina (Boxcar Bar + Arcade)
  • Private First Class Michael Centini of Ohio (Vaporosity Retro Arcade
  • Private First Class Pete Hellsten of California (The Flipper Room)
  • Private First Class Lane Hill of Washington (Airport Tavern)
  • Private First Class Jared Neible of Indiana (High Score Saloon)
  • Private First Class John Monkus of Arizona (Pinpoint Fayetteville)
  • Private First Class Ian Thorley of Colorado (CO Bar)

For more information and to join the Stern Army, please reach out to SternArmy@sternpinball.com

Stern Insider All-Access:

Congrats to Marc from Florida, December’s Stern Insider All-Access winner!  Marc received a Led Zeppelin playfield autographed by lead game designer Steve Ritchie and lead game developer Tim Sexton!  Do you have All-Access?  To register and become a Stern Insider, please visit https://sternpinball.com/stern-insider/

IFPA Challenge Rankings (ICR):

In order to provide a competitive alternative in the current climate, the International Flipper Pinball Association (IFPA) announced the implementation of the IFPA Challenge Rankings (ICR) for all players leading to the inaugural IFPA Challenge Rankings Championship!  For full details, standings and prize information, please click here to learn more and connect with other players around the world!

Status of Code:

We are continuously working to update and improve software for our machines.  There are always code updates and bug fixes in various stages of development; we will release them upon update completion.  Here are some of the latest updates and the status of things in the works.  If you would like to join our mailing list for code updates, please send an e-mail to Code.Updates@sternpinball.com.  If you do encounter any bugs please feel free to provide information to bug.report@sternpinball.com

This Code-mas Holiday season Stern Pinball posted new code for the following SEVEN games!!!  Make sure you are up to date with the latest and Happy Holidays!

  • Avengers: Infinity Quest – For all Avengers owners, please make sure you are up to date with the most current code version (v0.95.0). Be on the lookout for a new code update later this month.
  • Stranger Things – For all Stranger Things owners, please make sure you have updated your game to the most current code version (v1.01.0). This code contains numerous game enhancements including a brand new Final Showdown Challenge mini-game, additional polish, adjustments, system updates and bug fixes.
  • TMNT – For all TMNT owners, please make sure you are up to date with the most current code version (v1.41.0). This code update includes numerous game enhancements including a new Half Shell Challenge mini-game, additional polish, game adjustments, system updates and bug fixes!
  • Iron Maiden – For all Iron Maiden owners, please make sure you are up to date with the most current code version (v1.08.0).  This code update includes numerous game enhancements, additional polish, game adjustments, bug fixes, system updates and the DJ Mixer feature!
  • Star Wars – For all Star Wars owners, please make sure you are up to date with the most current code version (v1.10.0). This code update includes numerous game enhancements, additional polish, game adjustments, bug fixes, system updates and the DJ Mixer feature!
  • Pabst Can Crusher – For all Pabst Can Crusher owners, please make sure you are up to date with the most current code version (v1.02.0) now including the DJ Mixer feature!
  • Primus – For all Primus owners, please make sure you are up to date with the most current code version (v1.04.0) now including the DJ Mixer feature!

Supreme Pinball:

Christie’s recently had a “Behind the Box: 1994-2020” auction with many items including a Supreme pinball machine.  Check out the full auction listing here, where the pinball machine sold for an astonishing amount of $81,250!

The Beatles:

While this sneak peek of Peter Jackson’s The Beatles: Get Back looks entertaining, it’s absolutely nothing compared to this iconic Beatles video!

Accessories:

Check out our Stern Shop for all accessories, collectibles, clothing and more including this month’s featured items, Stern pinball eGift card and the Stern Insider All-Access Membership!  Free domestic shipping on orders of $50 or more on all Stern merchandise and accessories.

All Stern Pinball accessories are also available to purchase from your local authorized dealer – https://sternpinball.com/find-a-dealer/

Stern Spotlight – Chuck Bleich:

“Hi, my name is Chuck Bleich, and I am the Manager of Electronic Engineering at Stern Pinball where I oversee the electrical and electronics used in the games. The Electrical /Electronic Engineering people function behind the scenes of the game creations and are little known. If you have been playing coin-op games then you have touched some of my creative work unknowingly as I have created the electronics behind many game features envisioned by the game designers. I have worked in pinball (most of my career), video, novelty, and slot machines. I am the guy behind the magic curtain that is unseen.

Many years ago, when I graduated college, I was looking for work in the ‘industrial controls’ field or animatronics. By chance I interviewed with a pinball company and was hired into the coin-op world by Williams Electronics and have ever since called it home. I had two goals of what I wanted to do with my career; one was to see direct results of my efforts and second was to put a smile on people’s faces. I think my goals have been accomplished over and over every year. My career has since spanned 42 years (still going strong!) and I continue to enjoy designing electronic systems.

I have done design work for all the great coin-op companies; Williams Electronic, Midway Games, WMS Gaming, and now Stern Pinball. Some of my major accomplishments include many of the Williams Pin Electronics systems, Midway Touchmaster, Williams video games (Defender, Robotron, StarGate), Will-Telco Payphone, WMS slot machines, novelty games and now Stern Pinball electronics.

Professionally, I have always been surrounded by and worked with very talented, creative, knowledgeable and energetic people/designers. Personally, I am not widely known but have been the ‘enabler’ to many of the greats in coin-op to bring their thoughts to reality. The people in the coin-op world that I have worked with are more family than co-workers.

I have always had the freedom to work, actually play, with every kind of electrical and electronic device. I am always looking and playing with new technology to understand how it might be used in pinball. Bringing new technology to the designer’s attention provides fuel for thought and helps them to accomplish the feature they are trying to conceive. The technology spans from very simple electrical designs, LEDs, switches, solenoids, motors, processors, displays, and sensors, to full system architectures. I have worked on pinball control architectures, video games architectures, intelligent pay phone systems and slot machines electronics. A fair amount of the work has involved keeping the companies going and functioning. I am also involved with regulatory requirements (UL, FCC, RoHS) and component selection, as well as assisting the factory with manufacturing methods and testing for vendors and factory. Daily tasks can be of the more mundane, however, I find each day is always filled with other tasks that are challenging and creative.

When I am not working, I am always looking for and investigating various electronics, trying to find creative ways to be used other than originally designed for. I also find time to enjoy taking hikes in the forests, camping, and watching science and technology shows – to the annoyance of my family. I pride myself on the ability to look at electronics and find new and different uses.

My advice to others is to just keep learning, enjoy what you do, look at the bright side of life and think out of the box. I hope you all have enjoyed my efforts and creations from behind-the-scenes.”

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END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT (EULA)

STERN PINBALL

END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT

This limited software license Agreement (“Agreement”) applies to your use of Stern Pinball Software pre-installed on a Stern Pinball Machine and any Authorized Updates made available to you. BY USING YOUR STERN PINBALL MACHINE, YOU AGREE TO THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT. If you do not agree to the terms of this Agreement, do not use your Stern Pinball Machine or any Authorized Updates. Please read this entire Agreement, which governs your use of the Stern Pinball Machine, Stern Pinball Software and all Authorized Updates. ADULT CONSENT TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT, YOU MUST BE AN ADULT OF THE LEGAL AGE OF MAJORITY IN YOUR COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE. YOU ARE LEGALLY AND FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL ACTIONS USING YOUR STERN PINBALL MACHINE AND SOFTWARE AND ACCESSING OR USING ANY ONLINE GAMING PLATFORM, INCLUDING THE ACTIONS OF ANYONE YOU ALLOW TO USE AND ACCESS TO YOUR MACHINE AND ANY ASSOCIATED ACCOUNT. YOU AFFIRM THAT YOU HAVE REACHED THE LEGAL AGE OF MAJORITY, UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT THIS AGREEMENT. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE LEGAL AGE OF MAJORITY, YOUR PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN MUST CONSENT TO THIS AGREEMENT. DEFINITIONS.
  1. “Stern Pinball Machine” means a Stern Pinball arcade game machine.
  2. “Stern Pinball Software” means software (including but not limited to firmware) pre-installed in the Stern Pinball Machine, including all Authorized Content and any Authorized Updates that Stern Pinball may make available to You from time to time.
  3. “Authorized Content” means all Stern Pinball and third-party owned software and content incorporated into or used with the Stern Pinball Software or otherwise embedded in or utilized by a Stern Pinball Machine, including but not limited to graphics, images, music, vocals and voices.
  4. “Authorized Update” means an update to the Stern Pinball Software distributed by Stern Pinball or otherwise made available by Stern Pinball, including for download on its web site.
  5. “Unauthorized Content” means all content, including but not limited to limited to graphics, images, music, vocals and voices, that does not comprise Authorized Content or an Authorized Update.
  6. “Unauthorized Software” means any software (including but not limited to firmware) not pre-installed by Stern Pinball on a Stern Pinball Machine or that does not comprise Authorized Content or Authorized Update.
  7. “You” means the purchaser or current owner of a Stern Pinball Machine.
LICENSE. Stern Pinball hereby grants You a nonexclusive, non-transferable, limited, and revocable right and license to use one copy of the Stern Pinball Software and Authorized Content and any Authorized Update solely for your personal use, or that of your patrons and customers if you are a commercial entity, for playing a single Stern Pinball Machine. The Stern Pinball Software, Authorized Content and Authorized Updates are licensed, not sold, to You, and no ownership rights are transferred by this Agreement. The Stern Pinball Software Authorized Content and Authorized Updates are protected by U.S. and international copyright. All rights not explicitly granted to you in this Agreement are reserved by Stern Pinball.
  1. As a condition to this Stern Pinball Software license, You agree that:
    1. You will not copy, reproduce, alter, replace, distribute, reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, display, perform, create derivative works based on, or otherwise modify the Stern Pinball hardware or Stern Pinball Software or any Authorized Update, in whole or in part; and will not commercially exploit any of the foregoing.
    2. You will not use or install any Unauthorized Content or Unauthorized Software. Use of Unauthorized Content or Unauthorized Software may result in your Stern Pinball Machine ceasing to work permanently and/or losing access to Stern Pinball’s online game network, either immediately or after a later installed Authorized Update.
    3. You will not create, develop, distribute or assist anyone else in creating, developing or distributing any Unauthorized Content or Unauthorized Software intended for use with a Stern Pinball Machine, whether to add to or modify the gameplay, any audio content (whether music, sound or voice), or any video content of any Stern Pinball Machine, or to gain advantage in any online or other game modes, or otherwise.
    4. You will not share any Stern Pinball Software, Authorized Content or Authorized Update with any other person or company and will not permit anyone else to access or copy any Stern Pinball Software or Authorized Content or Authorized Update installed on your Machine for any purpose.
    5. In view of the rights held by third-party owners of Authorized Content (e.g., music and video clips), Stern does not have the legal authority to give permission to stream the gameplay of Stern Pinball Machines.
    6. You will not attempt to defeat or circumvent any anti-piracy, security, and/or technical measures to control access to the Stern Pinball Software, features, functions or content, prevent unauthorized use, or otherwise prevent anyone from exceeding the limited license rights granted under this Agreement, “Security Measures”. Attempting to defeat or circumvent any Security Measure may result in your Stern Pinball Machine ceasing to work permanently either immediately or after a later installed Authorized Update.
    7. Stern Pinball may update the Stern Pinball Software from time to time without further notice to You, for example, to update any anti-piracy, security, and technical measure.
PRIVACY POLICY Your use of the Stern Pinball Machine, Stern Pinball Software and any Authorized Updates are subject to Stern Pinball’s Privacy Policy which can be found at https://sternpinball.com/privacy-policy/   WARRANTY EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN, THE STERN PINBALL SOFTWARE, AUTHORIZED CONTENT AND AUTHORIZED UPDATES ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT ALLOWABLE UNDER LAW, STERN PINBALL DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NONINFRINGEMENT. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, STERN PINBALL DOES NOT WARRANT THAT OPERATION OF THE STERN PINBALL MACHINE OR ANY ONLINE OR CONNECTED GAME NETWORK WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE. EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN DAMAGES STERN PINBALL IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES; ANY LOSS OF DATA, PRIVACY, CONFIDENTIALITY, OR PROFITS; OR ANY INABILITY TO USE THE STERN PINBALL MACHINE, STERN PINBALL SOFTWARE OR ANY AUTHORIZED UPDATE. THESE EXCLUSIONS APPLY EVEN IF STERN PINBALL HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF THESE DAMAGES, AND EVEN IF ANY REMEDY FAILS OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE. Some countries do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so this limitation or exclusion may not apply to You. These terms apply to the maximum extent permitted by law and unless prohibited by law. These terms do not change your rights under the laws of your country if those laws do not permit that change. TERRITORY AND CHOICE OF LAW This License is valid only in the country in which you purchased your Stern Pinball Machine. This License will be subject to and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois, U.S.A., regardless of conflict of laws principles. You agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in Cook County, Illinois, U.S.A. for the resolution of any dispute regarding this Agreement or the subject matter of this Agreement and to waive any jurisdictional, venue, or inconvenient forum objections to such courts. This Agreement may be updated by Stern Pinball from time to time with the current version posted at www.sternpinball.com/EULA. Your continued use of the Stern Pinball Software an Authorized Update after an updated Agreement has been posted constitutes your acceptance of all of its terms.
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