Will be interesting to see if Stern comes down on this. Not sure how comfortable they would be with someone profiting off of reading their communications channel. From a legal perspective, is a pretty clear violation of the user licensing agreement.

They haven't really been cracking down on the pinball browser mod stuff, but it also hasn't been a clear commercial undertaking.

Will wait and see I guess. I hope they don't, because looking forward to what can be accomplished with the new board and the Foo Area 51 mod.

Where is the violation you refer to?

https://sternpinball.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/53149950_v-6_EULA-1-14-2021.pdf

Yeah the TOS is pretty clear about it. Just sign out of IC and you’re on your own if you burn your house down lol.

Someone’s working on adding an upper playfield to the pro?? Where can I find that?

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/foo-fighters-area-51-building-mod

Replacement for the Area 51 building, not the entire upper playfield.

Still really cool
And pretty much 50% of the upper PF lol

Probably look much better as well with lighting and custom programming of lights

IC is stupid and is just a Trojan horse. Count me in.

The area 51 building mod is for premium and le. They looking into adding to pro

Disagree that it is 50% of anything. For the Pro, it will just be a 3d sculpt instead of a flat plastic that the ball passes through. The upper playfield has actual shots, spinners, targets.

I agree it is cool, but to say it is an upper playfield replacement is hyperbole.

This is a "Foo Post" not a "Dead Post." Who knows, you may get a nasty-gram from one of Seth's lawyers, but your product is different and I applaud your ingenuity.

Not so much thinking it will be a problem for the end user, other than Stern maybe issuing an update that makes the custom board not work. However I can see the maker/seller of the mod getting hit with a cease and desist. Really depends on how bent Stern will be about it.

I said “upper PF Area 51”

Did not mean to imply upper PF.
Seems that has upset you.

Apart from a huge upper playfield.

Curious out the Pro handles the ball save without the post. Does it just give you a new ball as soon as it hits the switch, or does it wait until the ball returns to the trough?

Stern will have to decide what is more important: pissing off 99.9 percent of the pin community by somehow blocking this amazing Foo Post mod or laying low and embracing its customers by quietly acknowledging this mod.

Just correcting your misstatements. You linked the Area 51 building mod as a response to this:

Incorrect in two ways. Currently not being offered for the Pro, and not adding an upper playfield. I pointed out the error, and you doubled down with:

Which to me actually says "upper PF", not "upper PF Area", and the building is not 50% of what the upper PF offers.

So, not upset about anything, just correcting misunderstandings. I am in on the Area 51 mod, I think it looks cool.

Not a lawyer, but might not be that simple. If they allow this mod to pass, could be seen as a precedent for allowing reverse engineering of their platform. Companies like to protect their IP.

Stern could nip this in the bud and release their own deadpost accessory for the Pro. Seems like easy money and would put money in their pockets vs. The mod makers.

Agree. Not a lawyer either. I guess the smart thing to do is get this mod now, lol.

They miss a lot of opportunity for more revenue and sure they will let this pass. But dang they have the parts, the node 8 board is there, hole is in the playfield. So easy for them. Just sell a post kit for 99.99

Please add me to the list for the + version, thanks!

Just hold the left flipper up and bang it back like a man if you want the same exact ball back so badly.

Good evening! Please add me to the list for the +version!

Thanks!

1. This mod is $240
2. The Area 51 building is $280 as I recall (it's NOT an upper playfield)
3. The current print of the Overlord is around $70 and is not on the level of the premium 3d casting. No offense to the guy making them, I'm just stating the obvious.
4. The van print has yet to be priced. I'm going to guess somewhere around $150 painted, probably more if there is lighting and such.

So, first, it's NOT $500. The current estimate for the available mods is around $750 and probably more. Second, it doesn't include the upper playfield at all. Third, it doesn't include the option of adding the expression lights (if that's something the buyer cares about).

So yeah, your statement is pretty much false.

what about the better flow on the pro? How do you price that ; )

I'm actually joking though - haven't played the prem yet!

Don't get me started on the "better flow" argument again. I was just playing my premium and it flows like anything.

add me to the list for splitter + please

The guy doing the van did a bond tank and was asking $700+ if you think he is going to go $150 for that van you are crazy.

Add me

I was hoping for this mod, but this is beyond my wildest expectations. Please put me on the list for + package!

Is it possible to buy this lolly board separately? I think this would be perfect to control the animated grogu mod for mandalorian based on events.

Add to list

Really? It's that guy? Diddy.... come in Diddy.... take a pause making powerlines and shift attention to van....over.

add me to the list

Splitter plus please

Please add me to the list

Don't add me to the list YET!

I use the old lift and shift method and its free for all machines
buy as i get older , well

Not quite sure why some of you think reading the stern node bus is illegal? It’s not encrypted and is just basic commands telling the hardware what to do and receiving some switch data back. Pin Stadiums and loads of other mods read state information (in a really crude way) via lamp outputs this is just the same thing just far far better way of doing it. If I was Pin Stadium I’d actually be kicking my self for not doing it this way sooner! Get rid of those dodgy paper clips and integrate your mod correctly!

Would love to know how you decoded the node bus though

I also think a stand alone lollipop board mod by itself which decodes the bus then using its config allows you to act on all the various game events would be amazing and open the door for so many mod makers. Start creating some truly game integrated mods.

Put me on the list please. I can do without 6 inch mini playfield shots, but the dead post is something nobodies ever seen before and really should have been on the pro. Awesome to see how sophisticated the modding community is becoming.

Please add us

I don't think it's illegal but I would bet Stern is going to do something with a code update to make it so that this "Foo post" doesn't work right. It's not illegal but it's also a feature of the Premium that was meant for the premium and not the pro so they will protect their business.

I was telling a buddy this exact thing. I just feel that the mod is terrific, but can see Stern working a way out of it. Only time will tell. It is a great mod, so maybe they won't. Hell... that should teach them for leaving the hole in there. Lol

There is no list, people.

You are now known as the pied piper

I'm just not grasping nine different rulesets and an LED scorecard for a ball save post. Wouldn't you have to intentionally drain frequently through the left out lane to even see the full scope of this?

Thanks for all the awesome feedback everyone, I didn't anticipate it creating this much of a discussion! These are all things we've discussed in lead up to release, and while it's certainly a risk that something will be done to shut it down, I think it would be very sad if that was to happen. Either way - this mod will still exist - either by using this method, or by direct sensing. In fact, if the worst was to happen and the protocol changed (and we couldn't adapt to that change) moving to a direct sensing daughterboard would be a simple and manageable option. However, as russdx points out, reading from the node bus is a far more elegant and 'leave no trace' solution, so in terms of the mod scene, I would be disappointed if we couldn't pursue this as a viable alternative to croc clips and t-splicing. I would love it if Stern embraced this a great thing for pinball.

Now as far as the actual tech goes, I just want to do a quick shout out to Ashram56 my hacking partner in crime who always provides invaluable counsel in these dark endeavours. Vincent is currently working on a SAM sensing kit for his Tron mod (more bus hacking), so make sure you check that out, and give him props for being an awesome and clever dude.

A couple of people have reached out already and we are certainly open to supporting modders (like @novacade) who have great ideas and want to take them further. All the current mods that use this tech will be hard-coded in terms of the events they focus on, however the plan is to evolve the events UI for the lollypops so that it is fully configurable much like the Pinpoint. I'm all about enabling people who might not have the programming skills to pull off their pinball ideas - so completely relate to what you're saying!

I am blown away by the capabilities of this pinball modding community. Really impressive

Sorry! LOL