Woo hoo! We are now Pinside Official!

Screen Shot 2018-08-24 at 8.47.04 AM (resized).png

Three months after finishing the project, the weekend I've been anticipating/dreading has finally come: Pincinnati - Queen's first and only public appearance! The machine has never been disassembled or even moved from the room where it was born, so I carefully unplugged all the circuitry, wrapped the head and body in cellophane and brought it down to the convention hall, along with my Flying Carpet.

20181129_125143_resized (resized).jpg
20181129_125152_resized (resized).jpg

Once set up in the hall, I re-attached everything and held my breath...

20181129_135224_resized (resized).jpg

...and it came to life! What a relief! I just had to wiggle a few loose wires into place but everything worked perfectly.

20181130_184950_resized (resized).jpg

Overall, there were just two issues: first, the speakers I've been using were nice and loud in my house, but in a room with 200 other games, they were completely drowned out. Making things worse, the gameplay relies on audio cues, so people weren't understanding what was going on. On day 2, I bought some patch cables and hooked up a set of headphones, but no one wanted to wear the headphones. On day 3 I got smart and brought my guitar amp to blast the soundtrack. That was the day where people finally understood what was going on.

Problem 2 is that the ATX devices and the Asus Tinkerboard processor aren't meant for extended use in an arcade setting. After a few hours the coils got weak, the lights started to fade and things generally ran slower. It was unfortunate, but I had to shut the machine down for a while each day to let it cool down.

Another issue that came up - on day 2 the CPU failed to boot. Luckily I had a backup microSD card handy and was able to get it going, but on one of the cool-down periods I rushed home and made a couple more backups, just in case.

Once the event was done, I packed the game back up and hauled it home, this time to my living room. I was able to get it working that night.

20181202_180320_resized (resized).jpg

And so ends the adventure. Much like John Deacon, the Queen pinball machine now is retired from public life and will spend its remaining days in a quiet home in the country, performing only for family and close friends and resting comfortable on the laurels of its legend.

20181202_195841_resized (resized).jpg

At the Pincinnati show, the reception was mostly positive by far. Once the game was set up, a small crowd of pin donors gathered to see how it works and try it out. The news media showed up and I had a brief interview with a local radio station. Most of the compliments were about the artwork.

I'll admit that the game has an unusual start sequence - after pressing the start button, you have to select a game mode with the right flipper and then lock it in with the left flipper. Only then does a ball kick out. Instructions are printed on the apron, but I also put up a giant poster next to the game explaining all this. I then had to put a card on the glass with a note, basically saying PLEASE READ THE POSTER, DUM-DUM. Even then, very few people took the time, so I had to hover around the game like a helicopter parent helping people start a game. After a while, I stopped explaining that they had to "select a game mode" and started telling them to "choose a song." That seemed to work much better. Since I was always near the game, it was interesting to note peoples' reactions. Here's an approximate breakdown:

30%: took photos of the machine but didn't play it.

50%: walked up to the game, ignored the THREE DIFFERENT SIGNS I put up explaining how to play, started multi-player games and walked away before any of them were done. I couldn't be there the whole time and sometimes they got to the game before I could intervene, so this was inevitable.

20%: Actually took time to figure out the gameplay and try out different song modes.

A few highlights: The only person to get to Bohemian Rhapsody wizard mode was a woman from North Carolina. An excellent player who seemed delighted by the game. Also, there was the young guy bellowing out "Somebody to Love" along with Freddy on the headphones as he played. So gratifying to see someone enjoy my work so much.

On the flip side, it's not a pinball convention without people griping and whining about stupid minutia. A small number of people ignored the massive achievement that someone with zero background or experience in electronics or coding could create a new, original pinball machine. I have to admit that as gratifying as it was to get so many compliments on my work, the few people with complaints really stuck in my craw. They looked this miracle - this thing that SHOULD NOT EXIST - right in they eye and complained about all sorts of petty things. Here's what they said:

"I can't hear it."

Answer: It wasn't designed to be in a room filled with hundreds of other loud games. I'm working on it (see previous post).

"It's not bright enough."

Answer: #44-base LED bulbs are designed for 6.5v power, but there's no commercially-available 6.5v ATX. In order to simplify things, I ran all the lights off the 5v power, so they're going to be slightly dimmer. Also, using colored bulbs brings down the brightness but I think it's worth it for the effect.

"It's a low-scoring game."

Answer #1: I used a 1979 Bally cabinet, which only accommodates 6-digit score displays. Also, I really wanted to stay within the late '70's/early 80's aesthetic and make it feel like an older game, from when Queen was in its heyday.

Answer #2: Maybe you're just not a very good player.

"Can you turn the volume down? Your sounds are really annoying."

Note: This is from a guy who repeatedly turned my external amp OFF on day 3 while my back was turned.

Answer #1: The sound design is integral to the gameplay. Callouts and music cues are as essential as the scoring and light displays and, after a weekend of experimentation people can finally appreciate the game in its full form. It has to be loud just to compete with the other games in the room. Today is literally the last time this game will ever be available for public exhibition so I want people to get the complete experience while they can.

Answer #2: Go fu#k yourself.

In the end, Queen was designed for an audience of one - I made it for myself to play in my own home and it doesn't have to answer to anyone else. I'm proud of it and I'm happy that the reception was positive overall.

Any time you want to come over and play, just give me a call!

Absolutely - let me know when you're in town and you're welcome to come over and try it out!

Not this year. I was so anxious about it breaking down and angry at the people who abused it that I couldn't enjoy the show fully. And it really wasn't built for in an arcade environment. I might be persuaded to bring it to Pincinnati III.

I've been thinking about making a few minor tweaks and perhaps bringing it back to Pincinnati, if it's ready in time. However, it won't be for sale . This one's a labor of love.

Unfortunately, I scheduled an out of town gig for that same weekend. I won't be able to bring any games this year, but I do plan on attending and playing everyone else's games when I get back on Sunday.

It's been a long while, but I think it's time to write the 2nd act of this story.

Queen made a successful debut at Pincinnati 2018 - it was generally well-recieved, got a lot of plays and I was even interviewed by the local public radio station at the event. After the show I brought it back home, re-assembled it and loved playing it.

Unfortunately, it wasn't too long after that that some issues arose. As you may recall, I created the playfield graphics with a big vinyl decal, then sprayed it with automotive clearcoat, just as I did with my other restoration projects. After about a year, some bubbles started appearing on the playfield in high-impact areas and around the inserts - it turns out that the vinyl's surface texture is too smooth for the clearcoat to stick. In time, the bubbles grew, cracked, and bits of the clearcoat started chipping off in chunks.

20240110_142348_resized (resized).jpg 20240110_142405_resized (resized).jpg 20240110_142420_resized (resized).jpg

This was unsustainable and I realized the only good solution was to re-create the playfield. And if I was going to do that, then I might as well make some improvements, taking what I'd learned from the initial build and gameplay to tweak the playfield, make the electronics and wiring more efficient and improve the CPU and sound system.

Lists were made. A plan was hatched. It wouldn't be easy, but I'd done it before, right? It turned out to be much harder than I anticipated.

The first step in this new phase of the project was to find another Flash playfield. This one was even more damaged than the first one.

(Note: I got a ton of flak the first time around for "destroying a perfectly good playfield." My response hasn't changed. I look forward to your downvotes.)

20191019_103459_resized (resized).jpg

Once I got it home, I needed to remove and replace all the inserts, to keep with my custom color theme.

20191020_115255_resized (resized).jpg20191020_114955_resized (resized).jpg 20191020_115003_resized (resized).jpg

Time to make some changes.

UPGRADE #1: No more star rollovers.

Are star rollovers the worst device in pinball? They complicated the whole process during the first build, but then they collect dirt and wax, they're nearly impossible to keep clean, and forget about trying to remove the star pieces from the housing. Flash has five of them - the three by the upper flipper are kind of pointless and there are better ways to register the upper left lanes. While I was replacing all the inserts, I plugged the star rollover holes with opaque inserts and the plan is to have the new artwork cover it over.

UPGRADE #2: Rethinking the General Illumination.

In the original build, the GI lights were all on one string, attached directly to the 5V power supply. Turn on the power and all the GI lights come on and stay on. Inspired by modern Sterns like Deadpool and Queen's stage lighting, I now have the opportunity to do something way more exciting and dramatic. The plan is to wire the GI lights into the controlled light matrix on three separate strings. The "White" string includes the lane dividers at the top, the lights behind the center drops and the lanes down by the flippers. The "Red" and "Blue" strings will be on the sides and behind the top arch. Each string can have a different set of colored bulbs (hence the names), allowing me to program them in different combinations and set a different mood for each phase of gameplay.

The Red and Blue lights will illuminate the same areas, and I've mentioned my issues with the under-powered lighting being dim in general. That means I'll need to add more lights which means I'll need to add more holes to the playfield.

20200606_171150_resized (resized).jpg 20200606_222908_resized (resized).jpg
20200606_160607_resized (resized).jpg 20200606_163835_resized (resized).jpg

In these photos, you'll notice the plugs where the star rollovers used to be.
On the last set, you may also notice a smaller hole. This is for running wires and it relates to a later upgrade.

The next step was to sand everything down as flat as possible and spray any areas of the playfield that might show through the holes and gaps in the artwork with an airbrush.

20220323_200758_resized (resized).jpg

After that, I was ready to apply the new, improved playfield graphics.
I went to my printer - a local sign company - and did my best to explain what a Hardtop is (thin, clear, durable plastic with graphics printed on the underside, that can adhere to the top of the playfield). They were completely baffled and told me that they couldn't do it - the printing and the cutting and the materials were all just too complex.

What we decided to do was to make a big sticker to cover the whole playfield, just like before. Then, they could provide a clear, thin sheet of scratch-proof Lexan, cut with all the necessary shapes and holes, to lay on top. The ball would roll on the Lexan and the graphics would stay pristine. It's what I call the "Elektra Solution."

I lined up all the holes and the sticker went on:

20220323_203243_resized (resized).jpg 20220325_174607_resized (resized).jpg

At this point, I should mention UPGRADE #3: Improved artwork.

I was pretty happy with the colors and layout of the original artwork, but I made two adjustments. First, I removed the white shapes under the plastics. Those were included back in the day to reflect the light more clearly, but in the spots where they're visible (i.e. under the slingshots and bottom lanes), they tend to interrupt the look of the art.

The second adjustment is to add more overall texture to the art. Here's a photo of the original playfield, followed by a photo of the new, improved look.

Original Playfield Improved Playfield

With the clear Lexan in place over the graphics, it really looks magnificent.

20220423_221659 (resized).jpg

20220423_221659 copy (resized).jpg

UPGRADE #4: New Switches & Mechs.

The original playfield came fully populated, so it was easiest to use the original 1970's switches, targets and mechs, even if they were more difficult to work with and less reliable. So for the refurb, we're getting modern slingshot mechs, rollovers, spinners, spot targets and pop bumper parts.

20220430_134246 (resized).jpg

Here's what the top looks like with rails and a few posts installed:

20220430_134344 (resized).jpg

Funny you should mention the spinners - I had alluded to it earlier, but I've replaced all the star rollovers with spinners in the new design. They're way more fun and visually interesting, plus I had plans for a unique skill shot: plunge the ball through the left spinner and register exactly three spins for big points and an explosive light show.

Unfortunately, these new Stern spinner assemblies created an unforseen problem - they're about 1/16" too tall for the low-profile Bally cabinet and the glass bumps into the top bar.

20240124_075314_resized (resized).jpg

My first thought was to remove the play field support cleats inside the cabinet and re-install them slightly lower, but that's easier said than done. Getting them off is one thing, but re-installing them perfectly level and parallel could be way too difficult. Plus, the lower angle would effect the playfield tilt and require new playfield hanging brackets at the lock bar. A more elegant solution would be to get new spinner assemblies fabricated, where the cross bar runs along the back, rather than across the top.

UPGRADE #5: Replacing the drop targets

One of the main features of Flash is the 8 drop targets, but the 1970's style mechanisms didn't work with my game code. There was no way for the game to re-set specific targets from ball to ball or player to player. Also, those 8 targets required three coils and 12 spots on the switch matrix, because a separate spot was required for an "all targets down" switch plus a kick switch behind each bank. A big part of this refurb is simplification and efficiency, so out they go.

Inspired by the Deadpool Pro, I decided that spot targets would be easier to program and provide a faster game play. It also eliminates two rings.

20240124_080157_resized (resized).jpg
20240124_080204_resized (resized).jpg

UPGRADE #6: New lamp and switch matrixes (matrices?)

Again, simplification and efficiency are the key, so new wiring was high on my list of needs. It solved a lot of issues from the first build.

• For some reason, I had originally wired each individual kick switch as a separate entry on the switch matrix but on the new playfield, they're all on the same circuit.
• Replacing the drop targets with standups and eliminating the star rollovers freed up a lot of space on the switch matrix and simplified the underside of the playfield.
• This is the point where I could wire the GI into the lamp matrix
• This time around, I got smart and color-coded the coil wiring, which should make troubleshooting a lot easier.

20240124_075510_resized (resized).jpg

UPGRADE #7: Longer lead wires into the backbox

On the original playfield, I gave myself five feet of wire leading from the playfield up into the backbox, figuring that would be more than enough. Unfortunately, I soon discovered that it was way too short - the wires were yanked tight when I propped the playfield up, like in the above photo. So this time around, I made a 25-foot bundle of wires - an entire spool of wire of each color - and encased it into a PVC wire cover to keep things tidy. Now, I can not only prop the playfield up, but I can take it out and sit it next to the cabinet without disturbing the connections in the backbox.

20240124_075537_resized (resized).jpg

At this point, I only have a few physical issues that need to be addressed on the machine.

1. The spinners are too tall for the glass
2. Adjusting the playfield layout means I'll need to make a few new plastics
3. I need a find a way to secure the apron.

But those are minor issues and we can move on to the more exciting part - new code! Unfortunately, in the five years since completing the initial build, two significant things happened: I got a new computer and Mission Pinball released a new version of the MPF software that I used for all the programming. I was able to download the correct version of Python and the new MPF software, but it turns out that pinproc - the software that allows my host computer to communicate with the P-ROC hardware in the machine - isn't compatible with my updated system. The MPF support boards don't have a solution for me and there's nothing I can do.

So that's the end of the story.

Right now, the plan is to sell the machine as a non-working project. Maybe someone else can complete my vision. I'm currently making preparations to post a for sale ad - look for it soon on the Marketplace.