GTI "Game Time Magzine" interview on Feb. special column

By Jim Ke

After Football Beauty Contest and Harlem Circus, Taiwan Yuanmei has a new breakthrough in the research and development of LCD screen pinball bingo machines.  With high standard hardware, software, and animation design, Pinball Hunter, a whole new pinball bingo machine with a luxury and fashionable shape and 26-inch LCD screen will make its debut.

Strengthen the research and development to explore the global market

Pinball is a simple and globally popular game.  Because “there is a vast market demand for pinball in the whole world, especially in Latin America, China, Southeastern Asia, and many other countries and areas,” Taiwan Yuanmei, founded in 1986, decided to devote itself into this industry, starting its businesses with the production of pinball machine cabinets and accessories.  In 1993, it expanded its businesses into production, research, development, import, and export of pinball machines and related accessories.  Later on, in consideration of the great strides made in software technology, Taiwan Yuanmei set up Research and Development Department, which has focused on the conceptual design and visual upgrade of the pinball machines.

The public’s perception of pinball has been a simple-structured and cheap product with acrylic fabric boards and LEDs.  However, Taiwan Yuanmei’s research and development team has a very different idea about this typical arcade game.  “Although pinball is an old and traditional game, we believe that we can still do something to make a breakthrough.”  In order to change people’s stereotype about pinball, Taiwan Yuanmei has actively taken part into overseas expositions, trying to obtain new concepts for new pinball products from any kinds of games including gambling games and amusement games.  When Taiwan Yuanmei’s staff noticed that a lot of game machines such as slot machines are equipped with an LCD, an idea came out from their mind, “Why can’t we install LCDs into pinball machines?”

After several experiments, the first two pinball machines with a LCD screen, Football Beauty Contest and Harlem Circus, made their debut at the GTI Asia Taipei Expo 2008, catching many people’s eyes and reported by many media.

Exploring new concepts about Pinball

When seeing flashlights fall on Football Beauty Contest and Harlem Circus one after another, Taiwan Yuanmei’s research and development team thought that it was just a beginning when interviewed by the reporters.  “Even though Taiwan Yuanmei has devoted itself to the production of pinball for more than 20 years, we have still learned a lot from this experience and challenge.”  The company's staff pointed out that when they produced traditional pinball machines which were made of acrylic fabric boards, they didn’t need to consider animation, cabinets, shape, and the overall capital involved.  When starting to design new pinball machines with LCD, these elements must be considered very carefully.  “With this valuable experience, we are more confident of the next generation of LCD pinball machines.”

After 2008, Taiwan Yuanmei speeded up their research and development of new products. Led by Hung Ming-shang, Animation Director, and Lin Yi-qing, Software Engineer, the research and development team has been strengthened.  In 2011, the new generation of LCD pinball game, Pinball Hunter, will make its debut in the near future.  Taiwan Yuanmei stated, “If the former generation of LCD pinball machines can be described to be innovative, ‘Pinball Hunter’ will be a revolution in the history of pinball.”  The new product, equipped with an upright 26-inch screen with a 16:9 wide and XVGA 3D high solution screen, presents eye-catching graphics and will create a new trend for this traditional arcade game.

Not until the initial version of Pinball Hunter was displayed did Taiwan Yuanmei’s research and development team believe that the dream to break the public’s stereotype of pinball machines would be likely to come true.

Aim at the markets of China, Latin America, and Europe

Currently, China and Latin America have been the biggest pinball markets in the world. In order to attract players in these two areas, “The light pattern of Pinball Hunter features birds and beasts, including the peacock, monkey, rabbit, lion, panda, eagle, swallow, pigeon, and shark, the lucky symbol for the biggest prize.  All of them are familiar and favorite materials among Chinese games,” said Lin Yi-qing.  “There is a hunter with a beard and a pike in traditional Mexican clothing in the light-rewarding and bingo mode.  This is especially designed for the Latin American market,” continued Lin, “In order to meet the needs of Chinese people and Latin American people, we offer Chinese, English, and Spanish versions.”

After selecting and deciding the light patterns, one of the biggest problems was how to present these patterns clearly and sophisticatedly on the upright 26-inch wide screen. Under the leadership of Hung Ming-shang, the animation design team spent more than one year designing each animal’s shape and model.  So they are the heroes behind the scenes accomplishing this difficult task and challenge.

Hung admitted, “It’s really not an easy job because a small flaw will influence the fluidity of animation.”  He points to the mane of lion, “Look at the color of the mane.  It must be designed in an exquisite and accurate model so that the lion’s overwhelming manner can be presented.”  Although the standard seemed to be overcritical and difficult, Hung and his team still made it and presented an impressive and eye-catching effect.  It is believed that everyone who sees Pinball Hunter will be attracted by the lively, active, vivid, lifelike, and fluid animation.

Pinball Hunter coordinates quality and price

If someone asks, “Can pinball be the product of high quality and high style?” every member of Taiwan Yuanmei will respond to this question very positively, “Of course! Why not?”  After all, with the progress of technology, it’s time for pinball to be transformed.  “Someone must take the lead!” However, even though the quality and fineness of pinball are strengthened, the public will still think that pinball is a cheap and low-priced game product, so the high price of the new pinball product may have a great influence on the market’s acceptance.  When it comes to this problem, Taiwan Yuanmei, with more than 20 year’s experience in the field of pinball, pointed out, “We have taken this problem into consideration, and we have managed to lower the capital involved in ‘Pinball Hunter,’ so its price will not be astronomically higher than traditional pinball machines.”  “Pinball Hunter really gives buyers more bang for their bucks,” they continued.  With high-specification hardware, a luxury cabinet, and a 26-inch LCD, “Pinball Hunter” is ready to march into the vest markets of China, Latin America, Europe and even the rest of the world.

With the target of “the globally professional and number-1 pinball researcher and developer in Taiwan,” Taiwan Yuanmei has devoted itself into the research, development, and production of pinball for years.  And its Pinball Hunter allows people to feel a strong belief from Taiwan Yuanmei, which manages to give this traditional game a new life and more additional value.

Captions:

1.     Pinball Hunter has been equipped with high-standard software and hardware for animation display on the 26” extra large LCD to present amazing visual effects.

2.     Pictured is the company’s Executive Director of Graphic Design Ming-Shang Hong.

3.     Pictured is the company’s Software Engineer Yi-Cing Lin.

The symbols and scenes in the game of Pinball Hunter are themed with common Chinese birds and beasts.