Not exactly a restoration question, but I'm asking here since all the build from scratch threads are here*.

So, I decided I want to do a scratch build. I also would like to have a Total Nuclear Annihilation. After pouring over every build from scratch thread on here, Quicksilver, Fathom, Seawitch, Haunted House, Medieval Madness, etc, and seeing what a headache it is to source old parts, and more often than not, having to modify them to fit a game they weren't intended for, it hit me that with so many TNA parts being off the shelf stuff available from pinball life, maybe TNA could be my scratch build.

As for the preferable option of just buying the game like a normal person, people are asking collector prices for it now - trying to get their money out of it before a potential new run from Spooky I guess? So buying used is probably a no, and who knows when or if Spooky will actually do a new run. I want to do a scratch build anyway, so here I am, looking for some expert opinions. Apologies if this question has been asked here before. I looked, but didn't find any relevant discussions.

Firstly, I'm sure TNA would be a more complicated build than an early SS - I have looked at pics of the underside of the playfield, and there's a lot going on. But, with no game-specific toys and ramps, it seems like it would have to be easier than something like MM (or TOTAN lol, I'm cheering for that brave soul to succeed!). Also, there would have to be some aspects that would be way less frustrating than an old SS build, like availability of parts. As for the big pieces, I already have a playfield lined up and I'm going to build the cabinet and head (woodworking is my side hustle). I don't know what I would do about the backglass, but realistically I'm not going to need that for well over a year. I wouldn't put a coin door or coin mechs on it (not trying to pirate anything or make money off it) so that's not an issue.

I guess my question is can anyone think of an aspect that would make TNA outside the realm of feasible scratch builds? In the context that people can and do build games from early SS on into the 90's from scratch?

*With so many scratch builds happening, any chance it needs its own sub-forum?

Edit: I posted this in the Restorations sub-forum, because all the build from scratch documentations are there. So, I'm really not sure why my build from scratch post has ended up here in the homebrew forum.

Yeah, I'm sure it would be. This is more about me just wanting to build a pinball machine from scratch. I've thought about early sterns like Quicksilver, but I think I would find the lack of some off the shelf parts and having to mess around with sourcing parts from a donor game or games really aggravating. Plus, I would be way more excited about having a TNA to play than one of the early SS games that TNA pays homage to.

But combining both your thoughts, I debated whether to post about this idea because it's this tricky area where no one would bat an eye if I bought a used TNA, even though neither Scott Danesi or Spooky would get a dime from that sale. But building my own version of a game that's very likely to be in production again at some point feels iffy. Even though no one is out money any more in that scenario than if I bought one secondhand.

Lastly, thanks for pointing out the software/OS issue. I did some more reading and realized I had oversimplified what the P-ROC controller does. I somehow got the idea that the P-ROC plus the latest version of the game's code would be all that was needed :facepalm:

Wow, thanks, that's amazing!

TreyBo69 Yeah no, I would never do that. As I said in post #4, this was an issue of my dumb ass thinking that the P-ROC plus the freely distributed game code (currently v1.4.2 on Scott's site) was all that was needed. Somehow, I missed or spaced the fact that the P-ROC isn't a standalone thing that runs the game, and the answers earlier in the thread made that fact clear to me.

In retrospect it seems very obvious that of course there's proprietary software that makes the game tick. Since there's no download link for it on Scott's or Spooky's site, clearly they must wish it to remain proprietary, and I would never do anything to sidestep that. So yeah, I can cross TNA off the list of games I might try to build from scratch.

Thanks everyone for your contributions/suggestions, it was educational and interesting!

Thanks for the encouragement and for suggesting those resources. I’ll start checking them out

And I’ll have to keep an eye out for you posting about your project!

No, that's really cool Thanks for sharing!

Thanks, that's encouraging - I am kinda leaning back toward Quicksilver now. That may be because Hoakypoakie's QS scratch build documentation was the one that made the biggest impression on me. I spent a few days pouring over that thread!

Yeah, if I'm being honest, doing a smaller scale project like restoring a Meteor, comparatively easier to find than a QS, would probably be a beneficial next step before going all out with a from scratch build.