I hear talk about innovative new pinball ideas and they are usually related to ruleset, automatic updates, linked play... in general ideas that work via computer. I'd like to hear you ideas for new mechs, physical interaction with the ball, etc.

The most recent real physical innovation I've seen in pinball is that truck target in Jurassic Park that you interact with in order to change direction in the game.

I'll throw my ideas out first:

1. What if you could have a bigger pinball playfield in the same place? Nobody says that manufacturers have to use a 1 and 1/16" ball. Couldn't the manufacturers fit twice as many devices and toys into the same playfield? I know that the mini pinball machine in Family Guy is a thing and it exists... but it doesn't feel like pinball at that small of a scale... maybe something in-between would work. Smaller devices, while more would be needed should be cheaper to produce in large enough volume. If the physics of the machine were off due to the size... couldn't you somewhat compensate by using different materials for the balls?

2. I've also thought that too much of the playfield is wasted by putting a huge apron on machines... If you lowered the coin door would you not have much more room to build those last few inches at the bottom of the playfield?

3. Why is the playfield so high up within a cabinet? Wouldn't you have a lot more room if you lowered the coin door and the playfield another 6 inches or so? You'd have room for some crazy multi tiered playfields.

Just a few crazy ideas. I was curious as to what other people like myself that wouldn't have to engineer any of this stuff think.