Hey Pinside, for the past few years I've been working on a futuristic, space-themed game inspired by Bally's Eight Ball series called "Eight Ball Beyond". I'm starting to see the finish line approaching with this project so I figured I would show my progress here in case ya'll are interested in the game or its development. I'll start out with an overview of some of the game features and then get into the design and build details.

Photo courtesy of Pinball News

Photo courtesy of Pinball News

Photo courtesy of Pinball News

Playfield

Playfield Render

Multiball 'trick shots':
Trick shot 1
Trick shot 2

Player controlled shot assistance using the MUL-T-CUE:
MUL-T-CUE Inserts

Glowing cue stick and motorized moon toy:
MUL-T-CUE and moon

Charge meter showing current playfield multiplier level.
CHARGE meter

RACK Award display:
RACK display

I appreciate the feedback! I want to bring it to as many shows as I can manage. So far the plan is to bring it to this year's Tacoma show and to Expo.

So I started down the path of building a game in May 2019. I was between jobs then and I wanted to do something productive with my time off. I had been curious about building my own pin ever since hearing about the origins of TNA and Iron Maiden so I decided this was the perfect time to give it a shot. The first year of this project was an exciting time of learning new stuff as I iterated on my first playfield layout. Unfortunately, the more I worked on that layout the more I realized how flawed it was so I made the tough decision to scrap it and start over. I want to cover those early efforts in a separate post, but that's how I arrived at doing Eight Ball Beyond.

The playfield started with a simple idea: make a straightforward layout that incorporates some shot or geometry from each of the Eight Ball games. If you're a fan of the series then you can probably spot the shots. After some iterations in VPX this is what I settled on for my first whitewood:

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All I was doing at this point was verifying shot placement and flipper angles. I'm thankful TheArrrrrcade shared his Metroid build since that's where I picked up this useful grid paper technique. I found it really helpful for translating physical adjustments to my CAD model. This was also my first time using an online laser cutting service to make my ball guides instead of building my own using strip steel and spade bolts. They're a little pricey, but I liked that these could be mounted with wood screws. If a shot needed tweaking you could quickly remove them and remount. I've used OSHCut and SendCutSend for laser cutting so far and both have been great.

I realized that having the ball dribble out of a successful upper flipper shot was a drag, so I tried out different ways of feeding the ball back to the flippers using a VUK. At the time I believed I couldn't make my own wireforms, so I experimented with using a straight section of clear PETG tube with 3D printed fittings instead. My first approach fed to the right flipper across the playfield since that feels like the appropriate flipper to be on if you're starting a new rack.

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I really didn't like how the tube distorted the playfield underneath so I settled on having the ball feed straight down to the left flipper.

I made another playfield after this testing that incorporated all the tweaks I made to the initial whitewoods. This was also my first time getting a playfield cut on a proper CNC mill:

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More to come soon!

Looking back at the timestamps on my camera roll, that playfield was cut in December 2020 but I didn't start working on the project again until the following March. That was when my WPC reproduction cabinet from virtuapin arrived. I spent a couple weeks measuring and modeling the whole thing because one of my goals for this project was to have it entirely in CAD. Here's where I was at with the model by the end of March 2021:

CAD Model - March 2021

I learned a lot of new skills over the course of this project but 3D CAD modeling in Fusion 360 was by far my favorite. Not only did I find modeling weirdly relaxing but it was also very instructive. When I started, I wouldn't have been able to tell you what the difference is between a #8 and #6 screw so modeling was a great way to force me to consider all the parts that go into a pinball machine. If anyone wants to learn Fusion 360 I highly recommend the "Learn Fusion 360 in 30 Days" playlist from Product Design Online: https://www.youtube.com/@ProductDesignOnline/playlists . Also, I struggled with figuring out the best way to organize my design in Fusion 360 and this video taught me some useful techniques:

Shortly after finishing the cabinet model I installed the inserts and mounted the playfield in the cabinet. Lowering the playfield smoothly into the lockdown bar receiver for the first time was an excellent feeling.

Installing inserts

Playfield installation

After I fleshed out some basic code for the game in MPF I took a break from the project for a few months. I got back into it in July when I started to implement some of the game features I had on the backburner. The first of these was the magnetic 'trick shot' that frisbez described earlier. Basically, it's a magnet in front of the scoop at the top of the playfield that can grab the ball for a short time during multiball. The player can use their other ball to carom the held ball into the scoop for big points. I had to retrofit the playfield with a magnet and I eventually added a pair of optos in front of the magnet to reliably detect the shot. I was thrilled when I finally got it all working:

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The next feature I wanted to build were clear ball targets to replace the flat standups I was currently using. I first modeled a semi-spherical ball target with a cavity on the bottom that would allow room for the mounting rivet.

Ball target model

I couldn't see a way to build this with an FDM printer since the layer lines of that process would ruin the effect. Using an SLA printer could have been a good option but I didn't have access to one and I was uncertain how well that material would stand up to impacts. I learned that polyurethane resin could be strong so I decided to try making a mold from a 3d printed master. My first attempt at casting a target was a total fail since the part was full of bubbles. I didn't understand how important using a pressure pot was when casting with this kind of material.
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Indeed. The targets I later cast with Alumilite Clear Slow resin have held up for almost 2 years now. Unfortunately they've slightly yellowed due to UV exposure. I'd like to try out some resin additives for UV protection when I try making these again in the future.

The next item I worked on improving was the VUK return. I wanted a big eight ball in the game and the VUK return entrance was the perfect spot for it. I wanted the white part of the ball to glow so the model includes a wiring channel to an inner cavity that was sized for these serial RGB LED discs available on https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083VWVP3J/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title

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I also made some updates to the return tube by installing a high density led strip along its underside. I really wanted a nice diffuse effect on the tube so I sanded its exterior and installed a length a diffusing plastic on top of the LED strip.

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Some really cool light show possibilities become available with this setup when you transition from one light show to another with the timing of the VUK eject.

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Following the VUK updates, I modeled a stick and moon shaped cue-ball lined up as if someone was taking a shot at the eight ball. Thankfully there was a 3d moon model on thingiverse that I could 3d print. All I had to do was slightly modify it in blender so it could mount to the servo motor shaft. Originally the mount point was located at the top of the moon, but I found this caused a bad dark spot when it was illuminated. Changing this up to a lampshade style mount solved this. The LED discs that I used in the eight ball toy came in handy here once again.

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I wanted the cue stick to look cool and futuristic so modeled it to have a glowing tip along with some LEDs that I wanted to use as the playfield multiplier indicators. This turned out to be too much to cram into that small of a space so I simplified this later on to the design in my first post.

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Over the course of summer 2021 I made more progress on the game code and finally had some success with casting the clear ball targets. This time around I let them cure in pressure pot set to around 40 PSI.

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I got the pressure pot from harbor freight and followed this helpful video which describes how to modify it so it can be used for casting:

In November 2021 I finished the dynamic starfield backpanel feature. This is just a big grid of 768 serial LEDs mounted behind some translucent plastic. The plastic has a vinyl covering with lots of holes cut out for the star effect. This would be programmed so over the course of a game the starfield would twinkle and morph to new patterns. I wouldn't be able to turn them all on at once because of power supply constraints but I found I could keep around 40-50 lights on at a time and still get a nice effect.

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I tested out the effect by putting a big lamp in the cabinet before I assembled everything.
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Generating the starfield SVG that I would use to cut the vinyl pattern was a fun programming exercise that I was able to put together with some Javascript and a web browser.IMG_7124 (resized).jpg

I needed a toy for the back left section of the playfield since there was so much empty space there. I brainstormed different ways to incorporate a billiards rack since that would be easy to fabricate. At that time I didn't have a good use for the right half-orbit shot, so I also wanted to associate it with this toy somehow. Eventually I settled on having this shot spot letters in the word RACK. Each completion of RACK would give a valuable award and I could make a triangular display that shows the 15 awards along with the progress .

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The body of this assembly has 19 chambers with an LED light mounted behind each one. These would light up an award or rack letter. There's also a channel around the sides for an LED strip that shines into a cast resin triangle for a cool glowing effect. The front cover would be made from this really neat material I found during one of my many visits to TAP Plastics: https://www.tapplastics.com/product/plastics/cut_to_size_plastic/black_led_sheet/668 This stuff is normally pitch black but can glow with bright enough light from behind. A vinyl sticker would be applied to this cover with all the awards text.

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Hey neighbor! You need to come over sometime and give it a try.

I've always thought it would be cool for a game to have secondary buttons allowing the player to 'charge' their flippers so that when the flipper button is pressed whatever shot they hit next is multiplied in value by how long they charged up. I never got around to implementing this exactly how I imagined because it's difficult to get right. The feature would probably be hard to explain to casual players and you'd get unexpected behavior during multiball play with so many errant switch hits. Though this could be worked around with careful coding and good communication to the player, I decided to make a simplified version of this instead. Players can build their charge level by hitting various CHARGE targets around the playfield, these are positioned around areas where missed shots typically land:

Charge Targets

The charge level is a playfield multiplier that can be built from 2x up to 5x and once qualified, the player can activate it by positioning the glowing lightning insert over one of the inlanes or the u-turn shot that feeds the upper flipper. This works just like the X in The Walking Dead (Pro) and Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast (Pro) , except the multiplier is on a much shorter timer. WIth 2x activated you have enough time for one shot while 5x gives you extra time for a few extra attempts. I feel like this adds a lot of excitement to the game because not only does it add pressure when making those juicy, multiplied jackpots, but it also forces you to be mindful about where you've positioned your lightning insert so it's not accidentally wasted.

Lightning Rollover

I wanted the player to have a visual indication of the charge level on the playfield since making them look up at the display for valuable info is always a bummer. Colocating it near the cue stick made sense and if I made it real tall I could hide the ugly area where the cue stick mounts to the back panel .

Charge Level Meter

I was able to build this using a 3d printed body and front panel(not pictured), a custom built PCB from OSHPark, 10 segment LED displays, and a sticker I made with my vinyl cutter.

Charge meter parts

Since making this I've learned that you can order pre-populated custom boards from JLCPCB. Next time I need a PCB I plan to use this service to save some trouble.

In January 2022 I focused on building a new playfield with some geometry changes including a wider spinner shot and a three bank of standups in front of the pop nest. I had used up the plywood I originally purchased for my first layout back in 2019 so I made another trip to Crosscut Hardwoods in Seattle and had another 4x8' sheet quartered. The price of baltic birch had certainly increased since my last visit...

I wanted to cut the playfield myself this time so I took a course in CNC operation from The Facility Makerspace in Edmonds, WA. If you're in the area I highly recommend them because the staff is super helpful and the space is very well equipped. I was operating the machine in no time after taking the course.

Before jumping into the playfield, I started with a piece to test insert fit and the shooter lane cut. I also cut an incorrectly sized speaker mount for the cabinet. Oops!

First time using a CNC

Life got in the way after this so I didn't end up cutting the playfield until the following August. I found myself becoming comfortable with putting the project away for several months like this. Sometimes the motivation just isn't there.

First playfield cut

I used a 1-1/4" core box bit for the shooter lane, a 1/4" upcut bit for large cutouts, and a 1/8" upcut bit for inserts, through holes, and switch slots. Overall I was happy with how it turned out but the insert cuts caused some minor chipping on the surrounding surface. Next time I'd like to experiment with a downcut bit and/or different speed settings to minimize this.

After installing the inserts, I realized that this would be the playfield that I would take to the Northwest show so it needed some artwork. The artist I had been working with hadn't yet started on the playfield but I still wanted to have some basic graphics so players knew what they were shooting. Before clear coating, I took a few weeks to put together some one color graphics in Inkscape with the help of some icons I downloaded from thenounproject.com. I used my vinyl cutter to make several black vinyl decals that I applied using transfer tape.

Inserts installed

Vinyl decals

Vinyl application

Vinyl decals close up

Playfield before clear coating

I was super happy with how crisp and clean the vinyl looked with the bare plywood. I think it could be a really neat effect if a one color playfield was made this way with proper artwork.

Next up - clearcoating!

I haven't shown it off yet but now's as good a time as any I suppose:

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I reached out to Jonathan Bergeron (aka Johnny Crap) in January 2022 because I loved his work on Jurassic Park and he had some pieces on his site that I thought would match the style I was after. I was thrilled when he agreed to take on the job of illustrating the translite, playfield, and plastics for Eight Ball Beyond. Seeing the art go from the sketch phase to the final version was one of the coolest parts of the project. He did an incredible job.

Some closeups:

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Definitely. He recently finished with the playfield and it looks excellent too. Once the Tacoma show wraps up I'll build another playfield that includes his artwork so it's ready for Expo.

Still haven't made up my mind if I want to direct print the artwork or go with a vinyl decal. Curious to hear if others have a preference.