It think it's about time I get started on my next pinball project. Many may remember me from my previous project:
Star Trek: The Mirror Universe ( Overview or Worklog here on Pinside )

I "finished" the project back in time for TPF'2014 and have since then been working on various mods at Pinball-Mods.com/oscom. While I've enjoyed building some products for people; I've been itching to get back into the homebrew Pinball Scene. When I was wrapping up ST:MU; I toyed with the idea of creating a completely new, one off game based on the Borderlands universe created by Gearbox Software, LLC. This past weekend - I convinced myself it was time to begin the task of creating this one of a kind pinball machine.

Many may be thinking I'll simply be re-theming and existing machine like I did on my previous project; but this isn't the plan. Having successfully "mirrored" the Bally Star Trek; I'm going to go in Full Pin Mode and design the table from scratch. Right now; I think I'm going to base my game platform off of Multimorphic's P3 platform - maybe even using Lexy LightSpeed as a development platform. I consider Gerry a good friend and have faith in his platform as the future of Pinball. As a result; I intend to reuse much of his platform as I can during this build.

While I wait for Lexy to start production; I'm going to start on concepting some key functions of the table. I'd like to come up with three or more "assemblies".

Anyone who has played Borderlands knows that game combines a First Person Shooter with some aspects of RPGs... specifically the game introduces "billions" of guns thru a loot system many of which are presented to the user as either Enemy kill drops or thru a "loot chest". As a result; I think Borderlands Pinball must have a Chest and that chest must provide "loot" in the form of a colored Pinball in either Green (uncommon), Blue ( rare ), Purple ( epic). This special pinball will increase the score by a multiplier until it's drained. The chest should open similar to the in-game chests:

#t=6

The second Assembly in my mind needs to be a Claptrap bash toy. He'd be toy which you hit repeatedly in a mode of the game for the shear joy of it.

#t=1

Unsure of the third assembly; I'm thinking the game needs to have an upper Playfield or a pin table like on LOTR's ?path of the dead? but haven't really settled on a third assembly.

I'm thinking the game needs a custom "gun" ball launcher similar to STNG or Indiana Jones - but that will come later in development phase after I get a P3 Platform to prototype against.

So; this marks my official announcement of my next project. This is a Fan driven table created by a Fan. What does that mean? Simply; I'm encouraging and expecting input from fellow Borderlands Fans and Pinheads as I develop this machine. Feel free to share your ideas - but remember I may choose to disregard your ideas. If I use your idea; it may be heavily modified to fit my "vision" of the machine. You shouldn't take my decision to mean it's and endorsement or rejection to you personally or professionally.

This project is currently a FAN based machine... while I may offer a P3 Kit or a full machine in the future - it would be done so only after I have acquired full licensing from Gearbox. Those discussions would happen only when I have a pseudo-finished project to show them - if I can even find a contact at the company. This machine should be consider fan-based-art which is covered under "Fair-Use" laws.

Participants in this discussion should consider thoughts/idea "public domain" and give me the right to use this in whatever form the machine takes in a royalty-free basis. Even if that's a one-off-machine for my personal use, a P3 Kit, or a full fledge machine... the latter two are pipedreams but should be mentioned as a possibly. You should not consider my use of your idea as a exchange for a future royalty. If you're expecting something in exchange for participating in this discussion; then please do not share it here.

With the ground rules given above; let's have some fun and build a kick ash machine.

If you have a particular set of skills and would like to help on this machine... please feel free to leave a comment or send a PM to me. I can see right away that I'm going to need another Fan to be my Mechanical Engineer. Going to need someone to help me design these prototype assemblies.

Concept:

Instead of a "score"; player collects money.
"skill tree" which activates features of the PlayField. Such as skills which increase ball save time, scoring multipliers, increase extra ball chance, ect. When ball drains; money is reduced similar to ingame money when the NewYou terminal is used. Maybe a skill that reduces NewU penalty.

One of the game modes; should be a "boss fight" where the player is attacking a boss. The wall scoops pop up to simulate a shield. As the ball hits the "shield" a hole opens in the scoop wall.. If the player can thread the needle and hit the lit target on the upper module; the player would get critical hits. Maybe a choice of "gun" here with sniper riffle would allow for instant kill.

I've been thinking about this as a feature. As I stated above:

When ball drains; money is reduced similar to ingame money when the NewYou terminal is used.

My biggest concerns with this and some of the other ideas... is how would it effect "tournament players"?
While these players aren't my biggest concern; I don't want people to say "no" this isn't a tourney game because it has some really weird off the wall components.

I like this idea. Again; concern over the Tourney player.
I'll need to strike a balance between a Pinball machine and the video game. IE I'm 100% sure I don't want to build a "story mode" into the game in such a way that it becomes a full BL title in it's own right. IE not 40+ hours of unique story line. I don't think you or I would want to spend that time standing infront of the machine. However, the concept of having unique story modes so that I could "continue" the store with more quarters is intriguing. I'm not sure I could accomplish this with even a small team of people. I imagine Gearbox has 100s of people developing graphics and software to make a full BL title; I don't have that luxury.

Actually; there is a plan for Legendary drops. I just didn't specifically call it out. "Boss fight" win = legendary drop.

LOL. Well; there is a problem with this on the surface. The bash toy needs to be "ancored" to the PF in some way to take the abuse. In my minds eye; I see CL4P-TP attached similar to the dragon in LOTR.. IE he's out of the way during non-CL4P modes... and then swings into the PF during his mode(s). I thought it'd be hilarious to have him "drive" around the PF to avoid the ball... but I don't think there is an engineering way of accomplishing this and keep the machine functional many years down the line.

Keep those ideas coming guys... There's some good motivation here.

Well, now... this is interesting:

Lionsgate is developing a tentpole movie based on the videogame “Borderlands,” with producers Avi and Ari Arad.

-- http://variety.com/2015/film/news/borderlands-videogame-movie-lionsgate-1201580303/

Not sure what a "tentpole" movie is... ah; it's a movie which ties into merchandizing. I wonder if it'll tye in with the BL3 launch... both could be in development for several years.

I suspect this will have little impact on this project; given they'll probably be done at about the same time.

Speaking of which; I never did get anyone to help on the project. Mechanical help is needed for sure.

I've come across a couple of songs for the game...
https://soundcloud.com/deathra-donrea/sets/borderlands-3
Clapstep is a good start for the bash toy mode.

Lies!
Seriously; I don't think we'll have much if anything to share by March. I'm still trying to get some aspects of the project of the ground; it's slow going so have zero hope of having anything to show in March.

Put your source code where your mouth is ... and we'll have something to talk about.

My first goals are theme-specific key playfield toys. I just started looking at the LootChest... trying to figure out what size I need on the PF. Right now I have it at 6inches wide... which it kinda big. also need to have the chest open/close. I'm not a mechanical engineer and no one has stepped up to help - so I'm trying to hack my way around in these tools.

I don't yet have a PF layout... Generally; The chest needs to be drop dead center horizontally of the upper PF. Loot Chest is one of the most important characters of the game. I was thinking the Chest would be elevated and the chest would open to reveal an OLED screen which would show your loot in the form of a graphic of the colored ball. Then the machine would kick out that colored ball giving you a scoring multiplier.

I was thinking of using some targets to collect key fragments or something... when collected gives you a "golden key" which would be activated using a PF hole. IE take the standard silver ball; give a colored uncommon/rare/epic via a wireform in the back of the chest. Let me see if I can work on some initial drawings of my vision of the chest.

As far as cost; obviously needs to be inexpensive to make... BUT; not to the point of stern cost cutting. The loot chest is an important feature; so it will eventually need to be in-game accurate and open like it does in the game - within physical realm. I'm thinking initial protos would be 3Dprinted... with real metal brackets and what not waterjetted at Techshop. I want the chest to last and look like a quality piece of kit.

Agreed; cool... but it's been done.
I want to push the envelope of pinball by creating new assemblies that no one has seen before.

So; have you seen a game with 4 different colored balls?
I really HATE what Stern has done to the pinball world... they slap a new theme on the same old sh1t and sell a ton of it.
I want something that wows people when they play the game. Loft goals... yeap... Scares the sh1t out of me. But doing something new is 3/4s of the fun for me.

Maybe eventually - I'll have to ground myself when the cost of these assemblies is known... but for now; Dream big is my moto.

There will be multiball... many of them. Just not involving the loot chest.

Roo... It's not about tracking it... it's about sorting and knowing which ball is on the PF. Once the ball drains; think of a reverse subway system which diverts the colored balls to their proper location.

Of course; The devil is in the details... so I need to get far enough along to ensure my ball sorter actually works. Right now it's just a concept in my brain.

No expanding shelves. Exactly like the sanctuary loot chest in the video in post 1