Quoted from sebgrinke:Someone mentioned playing real pinball over the internet. You can try it here: https://www.surrogate.tv/ I found it hard to hit the ball.
As a Console Game Designer (I work for Xbox) I see a ton of room for innovation in the software and WiFi connectivity:
- Download updates and new modes (the co-op in TMNT and the Jurassic Park board game modes sound like a good start)
- Open the software up so anyone can develop for it (there could be an emulator so developers don't have to buy the actual tables) - does P3 support this?
- Online tournaments with prizes (you could get around cheating with a camera and live streaming if needed)
- Compatibility with external speakers (Sonos etc.), smartphones (for settings, interactive audience controls etc.) and lighting systems (Philips Hue)
As an new home owner (Star Trek Premium - love it) and hobbyist I'd be interested in:
- Smaller games (imagine miniature versions of classic pinballs using a ball bearing instead of a regular size ball) (Do we really need a giant backglass at home? Couldn't the screen go in the playfield?)
- Hobbyist kits to build your own machines (e.g. Lego/Rowood style kits) or get them printed online (I'm convinced someone smarter than me could come up with a simpler manufacturing method using CnC printing and conductive ink for contacts.)
- Simplifying maintenance and improving durability (Why are there all these plastic parts that break so easily? Why is it so hard to diagnose and fix problems? Why is it so hard to swap parts out? Why is it all so expensive?)
My wife would like noise reduction.
None of the above are needed for arcade operators. I wonder what % of sales are to home users?
Ok so among this avalanche of bad ideas I see:
Open source code: great idea until 3 hours into it when someone damages their game by doing this. Not to mention almost every single new game is licensed and licensors may not be amenable to just opening up the code.
Redesign entire pinball machines to be half the size and use tiny ball bearings along with eliminating the backbox: this one is kind of low hanging fruit I’ll leave it to someone else to explain how this would bankrupt stern in a matter of months
Hobbyist kits: radio shack is out of business so who is the market for this exactly? I have trouble selling a game where a light bulb doesn’t work- your average new money collector would have zero interest in this.
Bluetooth speaker connectivity: ok I’ll admit this is a decent, simple idea that might not cost too much time or money to implement. Wow how did this get in here?
Simplify maintenance and make games more reliable, while replacing all the plastic parts with something more durable, while at the same time somehow making it all way cheaper despite the fact that you are now using more expensive materials: wow in 100 years of pinball design nobody has thought of this yet?!
I kinda ran out of steam I’ll just point.
I got no problem with brainstorming but most of these ideas are just terrible because they would never improve sales / profits enough to ever justify the expense and even liability danger they would incur. Pinball companies exist to make money and stay in business and this should always be considered when coming up with insane ideas like shrinking them down to liliputian size so you can use a tiny little pinball.