Some of you have already played it at Pintastic or watched the build on Twitch (https://twitch.tv/thearrrrrcade) but I'm finally getting around to documenting the 3 years between this:
and this:
You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider TheArrrrrcade.
Click here to go back to viewing the entire thread.
Some of you have already played it at Pintastic or watched the build on Twitch (https://twitch.tv/thearrrrrcade) but I'm finally getting around to documenting the 3 years between this:
and this:
It started at Pintastic 2015. I had always had a desire to build a custom game one day so I attended the homebrew panel. At this point I thought "one day" was years in the future. I got a chance to talk to Hugh Spahr of Open Pinball Project for a bit about his custom games and that really started to get me thinking about it more seriously.
Fast forward to Pintastic 2016 and Automated Services has a spot in the flea market selling all their old playfields. I picked up a nasty looking, half populated Jurassic Park to scavenge for parts
20160709_124345 (resized).jpg
20160709_223142 (resized).jpg
This thing was covered in filth but the playfield actually cleaned up nicely in the end
Now I had some used parts to work with, along with some new parts (new flipper mechs were purchased since they affected the feel of the game the most) It was time to build a "cabinet."
I made this cabinet in an afternoon (maybe a weekend?) I wanted easy access to all the mechs and something easy to pull the playfield in and out of. At this point I already had decided to use a screen in portrait mode.
Then I had to set up the controller boards and power supplies
I decided on Fast Pinball over PROC, mostly because it supported serial LEDs on the main controller board. If I knew what I know now I probably would not have weighted that feature so heavily. At this point I was using a Raspberry Pi 3 without any problems.
Got the TV mounted to the back, booted it up, and checked Pinside to make sure the wi-fi was working (oh, it has and will have some cool network features)
Quoted from evanc:I enjoy lurking on twitch and was happy to see Steve Ritchie and Tim Sexton checking it out this weekend on twitter! I hope to play it one day!
Thanks! There's actually a video of that on Facebook that I was just made aware of. I'll try to grab it.
Time to build a lower third!
I streamed almost the entire build process. You can see my old streaming rig in this picture. Man, that thing was enormous.
Drilling out the holes I started to realize the plywood I was using was junk. If you are just starting out building a game do not use the garbage that Home Depot or Lowes sells. Pay the extra 20 bucks for some cabinet grade baltic birch from a good lumber yard. I got mine from Boulter Plywood in Medford, MA.
IMG_20170115_112536 (resized).jpg
We have a bottom third! Now we can start flipping!
Also started to do some test layouts. The full width orbit didn't make it. The reverse raptor pit was in there for a long time. More on that later.
I used the graph paper so I would have an easy time figuring out where things were positioned when it came time to model it in CAD.
Quoted from zacaj:How did you attach that graph paper?
Spray on adhesive. Use 3M Super 77 or another liquidy kind. I used something else that went on stringy and it definitely affected the play. Flatten it with a squeegee as you attach. I printed the paper at Staples using the cheapest option. Another paper type might work better.
Quoted from etlandfill:Any advice on constructing orbits? Mine look similar to yours but I had a hard time getting them secured into the pf without the ball potentially clipping the rivets I used to connect the rail to the brackets.
When you attach the rivets make sure you drill the holes close to the bottom or top. The rivets should be attached so the flatter, dome shaped side faces the ball. So, the riveter should be on the ball side. I definitely had your problem on the prototype. The whitewood rails came out really good.
At this point I just started adding a few random parts. I just picked a random spot on the playfield and said "pop bumpers!" After adding one part I would play the game and see how it affected the ball. Then think about what I could place in the spots it would ricochet into.
IMG_20170124_151616 (resized).jpg
The wiring was starting to build up. I borrowed a technique a friend told me about that he learned from a guy who builds airplanes. Use double sided velcro strips to hold your harness together while you're building it. That way you can more easily make changes. It's really annoying to unclip a bunch of zip ties.
IMG_20170207_114845 (resized).jpg
At this point I was using 2 Fast Pinball node boards. If you are not familiar, these are where you wire in switches and coils. They talk to the main controller board which talks to the computer so your software can react to and control everything on your playfield. I used a Fast I/O 1616 and a Fast I/O 3208 which gave me 48 switches and 24 coils. I even still had room to mount them flat.
I also tried making a plastic. It came out terribly but at least it prevented stuck balls. That's just a piece of paper underneath.
IMG_20170216_155451 (resized).jpg
Under this part of the playfield is the raptor pit from Jurassic Park. It faces upwards aimed at the pops. The ball would roll down the rubber and fall in or you could dunk it in on the skillshot. I really liked how this plays, but it wasn't without issues...
A spinner, drop target, and captive ball get added, more targets and it's starting to look like a game. Added some sweet art. If you plan on spilling a beer on your playfield you should probably make sure it's not a dark beer. This was a porter. Oh, and since I was streaming at the time there's a clip of it happening: https://www.twitch.tv/thearrrrrcade/clip/AverageBetterBobaKlappa
IMG_20170304_142849 (resized).jpg
Also added the mini loop on the right center. The ball got stuck up there every 15 seconds so I tried to think of something different to put up there. This version used a poorly positioned rollover button to register the loop.
Now that I was feeling like street level was looking good, I decided that it was time to add some Nordmanite ramps. Then I added the cross rail from Jurassic Park. This picture gives you a good overview of the current state and also a good view of the problem with the raptor pit. It's big and in the way.
IMG_20170706_115410 (resized).jpg
Play spot the differences between this and the whitewood! So many mistakes with this design. I'm not sure what I was thinking...
IMG_20170706_115419 (resized).jpg
There's Jurassic Park in the background. That playfield was an invaluable tool for what size playfield holes should be. But not for the playfield depth. Apparently modern ones are not 46"
IMG_20170706_115423 (resized).jpg
Electrical tape is great for creating temporary barriers and patching holes.
Quoted from Chitownpinball:I really like the "cannon/kick back" launcher in the middle there. Definitely is going to capture that morph ball feel. Shouldnt it launch into a nice looping ball guide or something to simulate this a little better? Something smooth and satisfying.
I did too, but the mech just wasn't fitting. I'm still working through documenting the entire build process. Stay tuned to see how I kept a bit of that feel and improved the flow.
Quoted from ThatOneDude:Nice work! I've spent way too much time with mine already. I think I should have gone this route
I'm 3 years in and it's still not done!
Then one day I was browsing Pinside and saw a cabinet come up for sale locally
IMG_20170805_114224 (resized).jpg
IMG_20170819_143001 (resized).jpg
This game contains dinosaur DNA! I also got the playfield which had its wiring harness cut in order to build a WhiteStar test fixture. I tried to keep it intact for a long time but eventually started selling off parts to recoup costs and taking parts for Metroid. (Before you ask, snagger is sold and the egg is in rough shape )
Time to modify the backbox to fit the screen.
IMG_20170820_202420 (resized).jpg
A showcase cabinet won't work for this so I modified it to have a flat front
IMG_20170822_165533 (resized).jpg
IMG_20170830_144826 (resized).jpg
Test fit the "translight"
IMG_20170831_121408 (resized).jpg
Need to put the speakers somewhere so I built a box for the top. This was a mistake. It's too tall.
IMG_20170820_191518 (resized).jpg
Putting it all together...
Time to deal with this problem. It blocks the left orbit. I didn't want to get rid of it because I loved how it shot the ball right into the pops. What could be a similar mech that takes up less space?
IMG_20171018_154637 (resized).jpg
A well aimed slingshot should do the trick! It's not as accurate but it's more fun! Not to mention I can add yet another shot aimed towards the pops behind it. That's a one way gate to prevent the ball from falling into the new path. It also gives a better shot to the left orbit, but it's still slightly difficult to hit. Only now it's fun difficult, not "I hate you" difficult.
That yellow electrical tape covers up the foam core patch that fills in the giant hole I needed to install the raptor pit mech. It caused a slightly annoying ball hang up occasionally, but it's a prototype.
Quoted from OLDPINGUY:After Pintastic, word spread fast, and your game has hit casual discussion here in Florida with Glowing Reviews!
Thank you! I was expecting more criticism, but all I really got was that it was too dark and there are no rules. Both "easy" fixes. The biggest surprise was how much kids liked the theme.
I always loved the infinity mirrors on old games like Xenon and Space Invaders. I thought I should do that but with a modern twist. An infinity mirror works by having a normal mirror in the back, lights in the middle, and a one way mirror on the front. So how do I do this?
For the back mirror, I chose mirrored plexi. I don't want glass back there to break. So I cut a couple of strips out of this...
IMG_20171119_104153 (resized).jpg
I created some brackets to hold it in place...
IMG_20171119_181501 (resized).jpg
Apply highly reflective, energy efficient, mirrored window tint to the translight...
IMG_20171124_100626 (resized).jpg
And it's ready to add lights! Also coded a backglass image. No more text debugger on the screen!
I don't have any pictures of building the backbox light strips. They were these: https://www.adafruit.com/product/1460?length=1
I stripped them from their casing and (at this point) velcroed them inside the backbox.
In total, 100 individually addressable RGB LEDs arranged 50 per side in a T shape so I can do some 3Dish lighting effects. This effect tries to mimic rain.
Also started attract mode! Fake color DMD added.
Got a rotisserie because it was becoming difficult to work on the playfield otherwise.
IMG_20180321_184230 (resized).jpg
I was sick of hitting the side ramp all the time. I actually had to reglue it a couple of times from the abuse. And I wanted a scoop.
IMG_20180326_194655_057 (resized).jpg
Add a scoop next to the back ramp. This scoop has an open back (currently blocked with foam core)
Add standups in front of the side ramp. These had an added bonus of bouncing the ball into the upper slingshot and vice versa.
You know what sucked? This area:
IMG_20180411_183100 (resized).jpg
That target is just positioned wrong. Let's back that up. A piece of dowel and some more yellow electrical tape plug up the hole. Suddenly you can hit the captive ball and occasionally the orbit. Most often the space between the ramp and the captive ball. Something had to go there. The correct answer was the ramp, but I tried something else first...
If your upper flipper keeps sending the ball somewhere you don't want then CLEARLY the best course of action is to put a big red target in that spot instead of moving the ramp there (I'm an idiot.) Also added an upkicker behind the drop targets. I want an upper playfield!
IMG_20180425_175145 (resized).jpg
Those parts are installed. Next I needed to replace the orbit rail so I bent a strip of aluminum, attached some brackets, then it's a nice smooth orbit. This picture was before it was cut to size.
Starting to think about lights. For inserts I'm using Fast Pinball LED boards. These are WS2812 (Neopixel) serial LEDs. I programmed an Arduino to use as a light tester.
IMG_20171116_151353 (resized).jpg
Then checked out how they would look under an insert. Approved! This video does not really capture the colors.
3D printed a GI light mount. The plan was to wire an RGB bulb through here but that didn't work out. Also this mount is too big. Back to the drawing board...
IMG_20171118_201957 (resized).jpg
However this worked! I'm using a 7 LED Neopixel Jewel for the center insert. It will allow me to do directional and other animations in the center insert.
I needed a way to detect the ball making the orbit. I started with a standard rollover switch but the ball would skip it too often. Looks like I then tried installing an opto based on that hole in the rail (don't remember that.) Finally settled on a gate. Simple and wide enough to cover the passage.
IMG_20180607_185710_524 (resized).jpg
I could not find a game which had a one way gate with a switch. So I had to invent one. Now I can detect a full shot through what I was now calling the "secret passage." Please ignore the embarrassing solder job on that switch.
It was becoming apparent that those blue targets were not hittable. Time to think about how to change that...
Viewers of my stream kept asking if I was going to put optos behind my drops like TNA. Have to give the people what they want! Also installing an upkicker rail. This was from Jurassic Park. It sucked but was fine for the prototype.
IMG_20180510_212944_317 (resized).jpg
I don't like lock stealing. So let's call it a Danesi Mech, not a Danesi Lock. I have other plans for it.
Meanwhile I was solving the GI issue. Most homebrew pinballs seem to use these Christmas light style strings. Usually they just stick them up through the playfield on their own. That works...
IMG_20180703_224943 (resized).jpg
But I wanted something easily removable and interchangeable. This was the mount I decided on. Attach some connectors and you have a standard light to use throughout the game.
Sketched out an upper playfield idea after watching Jack Danger nudge the ball off the two upper lanes onto the upper flipper while streaming ACNC. A passive bagatelle style upper playfield like a mini Pinbot.
IMG_20180731_114438 (resized).jpg
Mock it up with foam core
IMG_20180804_125237 (resized).jpg
Add some lanes
At this point I had started writing more code. I also upgraded Mission Pinball. And I was now getting random coil failures. Super fun when you try to flip and it ignores you. Time to upgrade the computer. The Raspberry Pi 3 is no longer capable.
Bought an Up Squared board. TNA runs on a normal Up so this should have no problem powering my game.
IMG_20180813_104932 (resized).jpg
A brand new fancy desktop
IMG_20180821_103105 (resized).jpg
My first time getting over 1 million! Coil failures fixed!
Technically the audio system hasn't been hooked up to the computer ever. For streaming purposes, this game has a built in HDMI out. I want the sound over HDMI. To hook it up to the amp I need an HDMI audio extractor. So this gets installed and I add some sound effects. Everything works as long as I plug my splitter and extractor into each other in the correct order.
Still wasn't happy with the ramp so I tried a slightly different one. It didn't help too much... (REMOVE THE RED TARGET AND PUT IT THERE!!!)
IMG_20180924_180621 (resized).jpg
But it did give me some space to put this guy here. And I got an awesome stuck ball! (It's supposed to appear cracked, I didn't break it)
Speaking of rails...
IMG_20181021_181240 (resized).jpg
My plan was to print out a life size copy of the playfield and glue it to a piece of plywood.
IMG_20181022_142550_696 (resized).jpg
Create this template to make brackets
IMG_20181022_172244 (resized).jpg
Cut them apart
IMG_20181022_172254 (resized).jpg
I think I needed more than this
IMG_20181022_182405 (resized).jpg
Create some templates to make height spacers
IMG_20181022_154258 (resized).jpg
And now I have a bunch of parts
Now that I had tools I could start bending.
IMG_20181024_152021 (resized).jpg
Assemble them along the path you want to take. Feed the brass through. Hit it with a hammer when necessary.
IMG_20181024_162516 (resized).jpg
Working on the second cross rail
IMG_20181024_173105 (resized).jpg
Get help if you need it
IMG_20181025_141854 (resized).jpg
Oh look, a little rail that isn't on the whitewood
IMG_20181025_204743 (resized).jpg
Changes were made to the design and this rail needs to be remade. I just didn't get it done for Pintastic.
Continuing to model the game
cad_playfield_v180 (resized).png
Modeled all the lighting.
cad_lights_added (resized).png
Many models of mechs are available on Pinball Makers: https://pinballmakers.com/wiki/index.php?title=Files_Section
I used these whenever possible. But they didn't have a ton of my parts. I had to model Stern style slingshots, Data East pop bumpers, Drop target mechs, some targets, switches, scoop, trough, probably other things...
The subways have also been added.
cad_playfield_underside_v292 (resized).png
Modeled the plastics
cad_playfield_v268 (resized).png
cad_playfield_v216 (resized).png
And things like the apron and mounting hardware. The side ramp is still horizontal even this late in the design. This is November 2018.
Quoted from sixtyfourbits:Sorry to hear about your job. Hopefully you can find something new soon that you enjoy.
Don't worry about it! I've been working since January. I'm just finally getting around to documenting my build. Also, this was something I enjoyed and I treated it like my job while I had the time.
I asked for feedback on my design and MarkInc designer of The Nightmare Before Christmas suggested that the ramp go to the upper playfield. This was something that I had been thinking about doing but he sold the idea when he also suggested moving the small rail to the center of the playfield. I realized I could aim the ramp towards that and it would feed the bridge.
The upkicker would drop the ball in a better position for nudging.
Started working on the ramp by modeling the vacuum form mold.
cad_playfield_new_ramp_mold (resized).png
This is why my upper playfield is so high up. I originally had the ramp drop the ball onto the playfield over the back rubber. During whitewood assembly I decided it was better to enter at ground level so the mini playfield got raised up.
cad_playfield_new_ramp_mold_player_view (resized).png
And finally as actual ramps. I don't know why the side ramp is yellow in the model. It should be clear. The back ramp was originally designed as a metal ramp which is why it doesn't quite look right.
Quoted from northerndude:This process is awesome to see, also extremely intimidating.
Thanks! No individual thing in the process is difficult, there are just a lot of things...
And now that I had my playfield modeled I joined a local makerspace. They have a 4' x 8' ShopBot.
IMG_20181210_191948 (resized).jpg
More than big enough for a playfield, I could even cut a cabinet on it!
I was trained on it and my first cut was to test my insert hole sizes...
IMG_20181210_213737 (resized).jpg
It's a good fit so it's time to do the CAM for the playfield
Bought a bunch of bits for the CNC machine and spent a night in the shop.
After 5-6 hours and here's a playfield. (I didn't take any pictures during that time because I streamed the cut using my phone)
IMG_20190129_234801 (resized).jpg
Time to take it home, er, nobody told me it was going to snow... 30 minutes turns into over an hour. At midnight.
Quoted from northerndude:So a "makerspace" is?....
It's like a club where you pay a monthly fee and they have large tools and workshop areas that its members can use (after taking the necessary training)
The one I go to has this CNC machine, a laser cutter, welding shop, plasma cutter, full woodshop, glass blowing shop, electronics station. All fun things that don't fit in my house!
The whole reason I decided it was time to start modeling the game was because I had started writing rules and did not know where to shoot. It needed inserts. Now I get to glue them in
IMG_20190204_185704_119 (resized).jpg
Scott Danesi hosted my insert insertion stream with ~40 viewers who I'm sure were *fascinated* by watching glue dry and wood being sanded. Wish I could have shown the game playing then!
IMG_20190204_234716 (resized).jpg
I forgot to cut the lip for the star rollover. Needed to fix that. It came out sloppy but it worked.
Quoted from zacaj:Did your hand-cut playfield have a shooter lane groove?
No, and it bothered me. I'm not sure how I would have cut it by hand.
Doing test fits with the cabinet mounting hardware. I didn't commit to a mounting style so the holes weren't in the model. I ended up sticking with the Sega latches. I cut the attachment holes by hand. But screwed up the alignment...
IMG_20190210_134619 (resized).jpg
So I had to patch it and redrill when I found the correct spot
IMG_20190211_182629 (resized).jpg
And I had to widen the lockdown hook holes a bit. It was slightly off
IMG_20190210_130437 (resized).jpg
And it fits!
IMG_20190210_134547 (resized).jpg
And latches
With the playfield off being clear coated, it was time to build some lights and subassemblies.
IMG_20190218_182244 (resized).jpg
I need 18 of the GI lights
IMG_20190226_010817 (resized).jpg
I had all the parts for the bridge for a while. Finally started assembly.
IMG_20190228_175344 (resized).jpg
The 3D printed parts clip into some holes drilled into the acrylic tube.
IMG_20190228_175704 (resized).jpg
Cut it to size and it's done. Also built all my light boards, GI lights, and center insert.
I need to make ramps. It's now March 2019. Pintastic is the end of June. What am I going to do?
Start by slicing my ramp mold model into 3/4" layers...
cad_rear_ramp_mold_slices (resized).png
Then cut them out using the CNC machine! It needs some work before I can vacuum form. Also cut a set of plastics and a new upper playfield.
And then I had to cut another upper playfield. The rollover switch model I was using did not match the Spooky rollovers that I purchased. The incorrect one is in the front with the correct positions marked off. The one in the back has the correct holes.
IMG_20190309_211903 (resized).jpg
And while I'm at it, glue the backbox light strips to some plastic strips. I was afraid it would eventually brush against the TV and short out. This gives it a bit of insulation. I also made one more to install under the backbox in order to illuminate the back of the playfield.
This is 3/16" PETG plastic. Playfield plastics are 1/16" PETG. The upper playfield has a shelf underneath to make it 1/2" with a 1/8" gap for the screw heads. That makes it the perfect distance to mount switches.
IMG_20190311_190604_789 (resized).jpg
Lights and switches installed. It's not done yet though. Some design changes were necessary...
I finally get back to the rails. The original plan was to use brass so I could solder them together. I failed. They just acted like a giant heat sink so I could not get the solder to stick. So instead I designed and 3D printed some clips. They work but are definitely not a long term solution.
IMG_20190318_213529 (resized).jpg
All ready to go
Quoted from Nhpolarbear:Did you join maker space in Nashua or one closer to home?
Technocopia in Worcester: http://technocopia.org/
Time to get to work! First up are the light boards!
IMG_20190418_234351 (resized).jpg
I dimpled the playfield using the CNC machine so the light boards align perfectly.
IMG_20190418_234400 (resized).jpg
I even have a map of where they all go from Fusion 360
IMG_20190422_191059 (resized).jpg
Lights are wired serialy in 5 sections. Left GI, right GI, lower, middle, upper playfields. Each string has their own power tap and is no more than 21 lights each. This helps mitigate some of the problems with serial lighting (which really got an undeserved bad rep after the awful implementation in WOZ) If any light goes down they take less of the playfield down with them. Also the light boards cost ~1$ vs ~35$
IMG_20190424_164756_1 (resized).jpg
Testing... GI bulbs are installed too.
IMG_20190423_004603 (resized).jpg
Looking good. It would be a shame if I had to redo all these lights or something (foreshadowing....)
Quoted from Aurich:This is my new favorite thread. Waiting to share all this until after you did the work is actually an amazing act of willpower. But a lot of fun for us, we don't have to wait long between updates!
Almost the entire build was streamed live on Twitch, so technically I already shared everything the extra slow way
With the light system in place I can start to think about transferring mechs. I planned ahead and put everything on its own connector. In theory I just need to unplug things, unscrew them, and move them over. And when everything is gone I can move the wiring harness.
Most of the mechs are in the back of the playfield so I'll start there. Need to install some of them before I can declare the lights finished.
Pop bumpers all lit up...
IMG_20190428_185145_1 (resized).jpg
Say hello to Mr. Scoop
IMG_20190428_213720 (resized).jpg
And the coolest upgrade. Lighted drop targets. They can be their own inserts. I stole this idea from modders but in my game the lights can convey game state. Blink red if you want them to shoot it. Strobe green for a lock. Landing strip pattern if the upkicker is open. Etc.
IMG_20190430_005826 (resized).jpg
Replace the drop target faces and point some light boards at them
IMG_20190429_202343 (resized).jpg
They are mounted on some angled corner braces that I bought at Lowes. They work perfectly.
IMG_20190429_202400 (resized).jpg
The progress thus far...
Quoted from mbaumle:Metroid!! One of the most underrated of the Nintendo franchises. Love all the games, except maybe Other M. I’m really looking forward to Prime 4.
Me too! This game is 95% based on Super Metroid. It'll have bits from the other games. Except for Other M.
Time for another post about bending! This time it's the guide rails.
IMG_20190515_182829 (resized).jpg
Print out another full size image and glue it to plywood.
IMG_20190512_094331 (resized).jpg
I forgot to take pictures of this part. Basically I used the fake playfield to drill holes where my brackets and spade bolts were going. Then I bent the aluminum using the printout as my guide. Attached the rails to the brackets and bolts using rivets. Lift them off the fake playfield and they dropped perfectly into the real playfield!
IMG_20190514_001009 (resized).jpg
Bender approves!
This solved the problem of getting a large slingshot in a tight space. It's going to be a bit of a pain when it comes time to change this rubber. We'll see. I'm thinking of upgrading to Titan bands.
IMG_20190520_203926 (resized).jpg
I think that's street level complete. Time to build up. First I'll point out all the changes from the prototype...
The center purple targets were moved back a couple inches. This will make the back ramp easier to hit and hopefully allow the upper flipper to send the ball left on a late hit.
The drop targets were moved to the left. This closed up the right orbit some. It should hopefully give me enough room to use different cabinet mounting hardware. It could make the right orbit impossible to hit.
The upper left side targets were increased to 3 and angled better. I'm hoping that moving the center targets helps with using the side bank as a skillshot, catches ricochets off the center targets, and hopefully late shots off the upper flipper.
The mini loop shape was improved. The prototype version liked to fling the ball down the outlane or down the center.
Pop bumpers are arranged better
Scoop angle improved
Guide rail angles improved with adjustable mount points for tweaks
Side ramp entrance is now much bigger and in a better spot
And probably more. At this point I really want to play.
Did I say up? I meant down. Started to panic about what to do about them. They were designed as sheet metal parts in CAD. I 3D printed them. They were predictably flimsy. A solution was needed to reinforce them.
IMG_20190514_171501 (resized).jpg
I had some spring steel to make ramp flaps. So I cut out a piece in the shape of the bottom of each and epoxied them on. Then they were much stronger. Obviously this is not a long term solution but I'm curious as to how long they will last.
So anyway, with subways out of the way it's time to go up! Got some help from Linolium when vacuum forming the ramps. He had a new CNC machine that we used to cut out sheets of 1/8" PETG.
IMG_20190521_144735 (resized).jpg
And he had a vacuum table to put the molds on. It's powered by a shop vac.
IMG_20190521_143506 (resized).jpg
The plastic is screwed into this wooden frame
IMG_20190521_142459 (resized).jpg
No pictures from the next part. It required too much attention. First you put the frame with plastic into the oven on wooden blocks. Wait until it reaches the right level of droopiness. Pull out the sheet and place over the vacuum table. After pushing down on the mold about halfway, you or a friend switches on the vacuum. In theory you get a nice copy of your mold.
In practice you will probably screw up at least once. This one didn't pull down enough. The plastic needed to be droopier.
IMG_20190521_144642 (resized).jpg
And if you're lucky you'll get something that is almost, kind of, good enough.
IMG_20190521_172347 (resized).jpg
These ramps are lumpy but I can work with them.
To fix some of the lumpiness I put the formed plastic back onto the mold. I would then hit it with a heat gun until it started to melt. Then I pushed it into place and held it until the plastic reformed. Repeat until it's good enough.
Then spend some time with a Dremel cutting it from the excess plastic...
IMG_20190522_181709 (resized).jpg
Test fitting...
IMG_20190522_192054 (resized).jpg
Stole a ramp flap from JP Lost World and installed one overhead path. I used a 3D printed part to divert the ball into the inlane. I would like properly bent rail ends in the final version. Rounded with a second level to stop and drop the ball.
I also stole a bracket from JPLW to support the ramp.
The ramp got a cap to prevent air balls flying out the back. This was a problem even when testing with hand rolls.
When I returned I got back to work. Cut out the other ramp and installed it. Attached the rail clips under the upper playfield. Then I could test fit the upper cross rail. This one needs to be trimmed a bit before it can be attached to the 3D printed in-lane diverter.
IMG_20190528_204103 (resized).jpg
The old playfield is looking empty. The only thing left is the opto emitter boards and then the harness can be moved.
Still had to design an up kicker rail. So I spent an afternoon coming up with this design. The outside edge is plastic but there is a metal strip in the middle that the ball actually travels on. The two sides are supposed to screw together holding this metal in place. The model didn't give enough clearance to do this so I had to spend a bunch of time sanding and filing to get something that sort of worked.
At least it looks cool, theme appropriate, and I felt it could last for a while. This will be replaced eventually.
IMG_20190601_114631 (resized).jpg
Managed to get the other rail in too. Added gates to the ramps. Almost done!
Move the opto boards over and remove the wiring harness. This playfield is officially retired.
IMG_20190602_230041 (resized).jpg
The wiring harness fit without any modifications! Actually, I made a couple of extension cables instead of rewiring those switches.
IMG_20190603_220855 (resized).jpg
Add a lighting harness to the playfield that can be plugged into the backbox. It's the dark green wire bundle. Check my to-do list.....
IMG_20190603_220926 (resized).jpg
That does it! Into the cabinet she goes. Hmmm, strange that those random insert lights are on. Wonder what's up with that....
My house is an NEPL league site so I had our players test it out. They identified a couple of problems.
The ball hangs up on the scoop. This wouldn't be a problem if the spinner wasn't right there. It's preventing it from rolling off.
IMG_20190605_201736 (resized).jpg
And this obvious problem. I'll have to do something about both of these.
IMG_20190605_201929 (resized).jpg
I also noticed that my ramp flap was too sharp and was digging into the playfield. I'll put down some mylar.
Quoted from zacaj:Dang, that flap is steep! almost like the flap needs a flap
When I redo the ramp I want to use different flap material. This does not bend. I think that's part of the air ball and difficulty problems with that ramp. Although the ramp is makeable. Best setup that I've found is to backhand the captive ball which ricochets the ball to the perfect spot on the upper flipper. It works so well that I made it a combo that awards extra points.
One more wiring harness to build. This one goes from the playfield to the FadeCandy LED controller I'm using for the insert lights. (https://www.adafruit.com/product/1689) Then to the Up board via USB.
IMG_20190606_121112 (resized).jpg
Assembled and ready to install
IMG_20190607_142543 (resized).jpg
A 3D printed FadeCandy case that screws into the backbox
IMG_20190626_140730 (resized).jpg
The it was time for a test using the FadeCandy test utility. All the GI lights up but not the inserts. First thought is I must have a bad connection somewhere. I designed the light channel connectors to be interchangeable. So swap a couple around and it's still just the GI lights. Hook them up to the tester and THEY DON'T WORK!
I'm finally asking around for things that I could have messed up. Someone mentions incorrect voltage and I didn't believe I had anything but 5v and 48v on the playfield. And it definitely wasn't 48v. Check some more...
I PLUGGED THE 5 VOLT LIGHT BOARDS INTO THE 12 VOLT OPTO POWER!!!!!!! I am an idiot. The light boards are all toast (Fortunately the GI had a different chip that can handle both voltages)
OK, let's look at the calendar. I can do this. Pintastic is in.... THREE WEEKS
I have some spare light boards so I can start replacing some of them immediately. I put in a rush order for more with Aaron fastpinball but I have to wait a couple of days for those.
The bottom string is the easiest to replace. All the boards are accessible without mechs in the way. Unfortunately the plugs on the new light boards are at a different angle than the old light boards. This required some changes to the wiring harness when the plugs could no longer reach.
IMG_20190608_210214 (resized).jpg
Next up is the middle section. This is also pretty easy to reach everything. I had a spare board for the center insert so that was good to go. I got to check out the terrible solder job on the original. It also didn't require any changes to the harness so this went quick too.
IMG_20190608_222930 (resized).jpg
A couple of days later my boards arrive. The remaining boards to replace are in the back. The Sega cabinet hinge system makes it difficult to work on anything back there so I need to take the playfield out again. It is really heavy at this point. I hate doing that.
On closer inspection, I find a crack in the side ramp. It turns out that putting a flipper next to a plastic part causes stress on that part... who could have predicted that?! I'm going to steal this ramp protector from JP Lost World and retrofit it onto my ramp.
IMG_20190610_130941 (resized).jpg
This should be better. Also added a cap to prevent air balls.
IMG_20190612_133345 (resized).jpg
Now onto the back lights! I tested the pop bumper lights and they still work! Lucky, they are a pain to swap.
IMG_20190612_174432 (resized).jpg
All the lights replaced
IMG_20190612_193856 (resized).jpg
And everything reassembled
Quoted from zacaj:Blowing your lights sucks On my first homebrew every light was an individual led directly soldered together (no connectors). Some were even under drop target mechs, etc. I shorted my 25V to the 3V led bus twice during construction
This was why I ignored everyone's advice about soldering the lights instead of using connectors. One day one or more will need to be replaced. It's so much harder to desolder/solder new ones on than to unplug and remove a screw.
Quoted from zacaj:Did you ever weigh it? I imagine some homebrews probably out-do commercial games in terms of playfield weight...
No. I assume it's a bit heavier than a Stern, lighter than a JJP. The game as a whole felt that way when moving it.
Here's a flyover video of the lights. At this point the rotating rainbow lights had not been smoothed out. It had very sharp color changes.
Also the lights were mapped incorrectly. Both Mission Pinball and the FadeCandy server were doing separate color space mapping. I eventually found a way to configure them so it produced the correct colors.
The game needs audio. Fortunately I've teamed up with Stemage (http://www.stemagemusic.com/), AKA Metroid Metal (http://www.metroidmetal.com/), AKA Grant Henry to use his excellent renditions of the Metroid soundtrack.
IMG_20190610_193750 (resized).jpg
And his wife, Claire Henry, is providing the voice of Samus! It sounds amazing!
Created a cool fire effect for Norfair. It was really easy to do using Mission Pinball's light show creator.
IMG_20190617_193355 (resized).jpg
It looks cool from underneath...
IMG_20190624_223927 (resized).jpg
And even better animated! At the very end is a glimpse of the purple spotlight effect at the end of the attract mode loop.
There were some problems found in playtesting that needed to solved. So first let's add a roof to the scoop...
IMG_20190624_104316 (resized).jpg
And a barrier behind the bridge near the upper flipper
IMG_20190624_113435 (resized).jpg
Testing good! And at this point it becomes a glass-on game! I also added a foam core back to the playfield. I can't attach a real one to the playfield because I can't pivot the playfield in the cabinet if I do. A problem for another day.
I had asked Joel de Guzman (https://www.instagram.com/buzzersandbells/?hl=en) if he wanted to work on playfield/plastics art but hadn't really pushed to get anything done before Pintastic. He insisted that I have *something* and suggested slingshot plastic art. This is the week before Pintastic.
Joel did all of the work on these. First he sent me a sketch
Perfect! So he started inking
The art direction I was thinking about was the Super Metroid box art and manual. If anything isn't covered by that, think Saturday morning cartoons in the 80s. He nailed it!
He used water slide decals. One layer translucent and another solid white one behind it. This was the first test decal.
FullSizeR (resized).jpg
IMG_9409 (resized).jpg
And the first actual plastic!
IMG_20190625_215114 (resized).jpg
And they look incredible on the machine! We got them on with 2 days to spare!
With Grant, Claire, and Joel it feels more like I'm working on a team!
I've got a little more time to write some code. I make sure there are some basic rules. When you hit things it should blink, make noise, and score points. If this isn't fun without rules then it will never be.
Joel gets his credit slide and some lighting to highlight the art.
IMG_20190626_085526 (resized).jpg
IMG_20190625_222939 (resized).jpg
It looks cool with other colors too
IMG_20190625_222511_1 (resized).jpg
Quoted from DaveH:Hey Mark, thanks for documenting this. I realize this was all on twitch, but it is awesome to read it like this.
Unfortunately I didn't save any of the Twitch stuff (on purpose, there was alcohol. Did you see the beer stain?) and this is probably more interesting...
It arrived safely and I got it set up
65536145_10158729513814968_5320623138600386560_n (resized).jpg
There was almost always someone checking it out. Often a line to play.
65507414_10158728413309968_2379081654833512448_n (resized).jpg
I took remarkably few pictures of the event that I had been working so hard to get ready for
Some things came up during play testing.
It's possible for the ball to become wedged between the pop and the rail guarding the pop bumper subway entrance. The pop then gets locked on and holds the ball. Fortunately the system should put the coil in low power hold mode after a few milliseconds so it shouldn't burn up. In the next version of the playfield I will extend the rail. In this version I'll add a post. Also need to figure out how to set a max hold time.
The ball can get trapped behind Samus. Not surprised. I'll add something to keep it from being able to rest there.
Nobody realized that you could pick your mode on each ball. A lot of Crateria got played. I may need to add some animated flashing arrows to indicate it's a menu.
It's too dark. This is a combination of poor lighting code. Lack of central playfield illumination. I have max brightness set to 70% on the FadeCandy in addition to rarely using any lighting in Mission Pinball higher than 50%. So effectively 35% brightness most of the time. Also the final guide rails will have gaps to let the light through better.
Players who only view pinball from the competitive standpoint didn't like it because there were no rules. That's just a matter of time.
3D printed parts seem to come unscrewed quickly. That just might have been me trying not to over tighten.
I need to fix the air ball problem off the center purple targets. Someone suggested extending the plastic out a bit.
The side ramp needs a better cap near the top. Too many shots fly out the back.
Quoted from Aurich:Are you screwing directing into the plastic, or using heat set inserts?
It's bolts with holes in the plastic that have enough clearance for the bolt to feed through. It works like a spacer. It's being held down by the screw head and washer. The two parts that had issues were the VUK rail and the inlane returns.
Forgot to mention the homebrew panel! On Friday afternoon myself and Linolium presented our work.
Rolling in Metroid.
65326186_10158731764359968_6530783337353576448_n (resized).jpg
It was too big to fit through doors and too annoying to lower the head but we managed. A more reasonable sized backbox is in my future...
66061036_10158731764454968_1116244695807164416_n (resized).jpg
Talking about stuff...
65292147_10158731764589968_430939757007077376_n (resized).jpg
And showing off the beer stain
65908871_10158731764664968_5436863735522131968_n (resized).jpg
It lasted for 3 days and made it home safely
IMG_20190701_163418 (resized).jpg
These rubbers were new
IMG_20190702_184142 (resized).jpg
Good thing I have a new set of flipper rubbers
IMG_20190705_162129 (resized).jpg
Only slightly dirty
IMG_20190705_162335 (resized).jpg
You know you don't have to full plunge, right? At least now I know for sure where a full plunge goes.
And now we're caught up. I've mostly taken a break from working on it the last week or so. I just got it set up, cleaned, and replaced the flipper rubbers. I fixed drop target #2 which wasn't working for most of Pintastic.
I had a cookout so it got a bunch more play with no new issues.
I've got some bug fixes to test out. I may have a coding/gameplay stream tomorrow night.
From now on updates will be posted as they happen.
Still plenty more to do!
Quoted from Maide:The lit drop targets and spiral insert lighting are tech I want to see on more games; very nice ideas there
I suspect the lit drop targets will show up on something else soon. Games are starting to have multi LED inserts. Wonka has them, I think Deadpool had at least one? Those lights are linear though
Quoted from DaveH:Some people tried the lit drop target on WOZ as a mod. Unfortunately I think they were 3D printed, and durability was a big issue.
These ones are vid1900 approved!
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/translucent-drop-targets-from-pinball-mods-vid-s-review
I'm going to be working on code and playtesting tonight on stream around 7 Eastern: https://twitch.tv/thearrrrrcade
Progress has been made! First up coding. At Pintastic only one landing site was properly coded. Now there's 4. This is still missing the "door" mechanic where certain shots move you to other rooms/modes.
Crateria: Land the Gunship. Hit left and right orbits to steer the ship. Then hit the scoop to land it.
Norfair: Lava Jump. Complete the 4 lit shots to light the side ramp jackpot. Hit the jackpot to collect it. Repeat.
Maridia: Shifting Sands. Don't sink in the quicksand. Hit stand-up banks to add time. You can't hit the same bank twice in a row. You score more points the longer you last.
Brinstar: Space Pirate Battle. Instant two ball multiball. Hit the single roving shot to light 8 space pirate shots for a limited time. Hit 4 to complete.
Added a skillshot on the left side targets. Also added a bunch more light shows. And the best part, connected the bridge!
IMG_20190724_134346 (resized).jpg
Although I was still unable to solder the rail together, even using copper. Maybe I should use a torch to heat it? This will probably get replaced but it works for now.
Of course I wrote some code to make it "explode!"
Exciting coding stream now! https://twitch.tv/thearrrrrcade
Lot's of things have been added since the last post. I'll document all the updates soon...
Long time, no Pinside update. Here's a couple of the many things that have been added to the game.
First up, player controlled slingshot! The upper slingshot is hit a bunch of times to charge it up. The insert light turns on and it behaves like a flipper.
Also did some experimenting with the Danesi lock. It works, but isn't used in the game yet. Still needs some small tweaks because it does not confirm that the ball was actually caught. If that happens then the game gets very confused.
Quoted from snyper2099:This is a fantastic thread. Your work is great and so clearly thought out. Congrats to you on making a spectacular game.
Sorry if I overlooked it but can you possibly shoot/post some gameplay footage of it or, explain any of the rules of the game thus far?
Thank you so much!
I've been streaming the build on my Twitch channel and you can check out the archive of the latest videos here: https://www.twitch.tv/thearrrrrcade/videos Although the current latest video (12/9/2019) shows me working on a top secret mini game that's separate from the main game. I hope to talk about that more in the next week or two.
I'll be streaming again tonight so I'll try to record some gameplay sessions while explaining the rules so I can upload to YouTube. I've been meaning to do that for a while. I've documented what has been implemented so far here: https://github.com/mwseiden/metroid_pinball/blob/master/game_rules.txt
It is a game with a few layers. First, it is a dungeon crawler. You are always in a room which acts as a mode with its own rules and/or bonuses. Each mode has certain shots designated as the doors to other rooms. Some doors have conditions to pass through them, such as requiring a missile to open a red door. Some doors are inaccessible without completing that mode. The idea is to travel deeper into each area and defeat its boss.
You collect missiles and power bombs on the lower two side stand-up target banks. These are consumable items and are used to open doors or blow up bridges. However, holding on to them adds to your end of ball bonus.
You can blow up bridges by going through the upper playfield center lane while having a power bomb. This is the castle/saucer/sparky toy in the game. The side ramp feeds that lane most often. The upper playfield is also accessible via the upkicker behind the drop targets but there's a bit more nudging needed to get to the center lane. Blowing it up rewards another skillshot.
You can start a 3 ball multiball by hitting the captive ball by the side ramp enough times. This stacks with the room mode. You collect jackpots and build up the super jackpot value by hitting the red shots. The super jackpot is in the upkicker. This is a shot that can only be made from the left flipper and requires you to stage the upper flipper if you are cradling any balls on the right flipper. Or just flail, that works too
The spinner changes what area of the playfield is worth more points. The current score bonus area is indicated by the directional light in the center insert.
The back ramp will start high jump mode if you hit it enough times. But that's only partially implemented.
The center stand-up bank qualifies miniboss mode if you complete it 3 times and you collect it on the scoop. It acknowledges that you would have started it but the mode is not implemented yet.
The in/out lanes light your outlane ball save which can be stacked.
There are a ton of skillshots.
And probably a bunch more that I'm forgetting about. There's still plenty of work to do!
IMG_20191208_142721 (resized).jpgQuoted from Prospekteur:What a great machine! How did you manage the Danesi lock? I know how it works, but at one thing I have a question. How have you managed that the first dropdown target which hold the first ball dont get shoot down from the second ball ?
The code still isn't perfect but it's really reliable as coded now.
1. Ball passes opto which starts a lock-check timer.
2. If rear drop falls during this timer then immediately reset. It SHOULD apply low hold power on the drop target coil to ensure that it does not drop but that's future work. As it is, the act of the coil dropping pushes the ball backwards far enough to give me time to reset the drop target before it needs to catch the ball. (At least most of the time)
3. When timer completes, validate that the ball is resting behind the drop target using the opto state. If so, add a new ball to the playfield.
4. From this time forward until multiball start, the rear drop should always reset immediately.
5. Repeat for ball 2 lock (and 3, 4, however deep it goes)
6. The last hit drops the drop targets for all locked balls and posts a multiball started event
MPF has a concept called multiball locks which can be used to handle the locking and playfield ball counts. I couldn't use those because MPF ball devices expect coils and switches to be on the same node board. I clearly did not plan ahead when I wired it. So I had to write some simple custom python code to keep track of locks.
https://github.com/mwseiden/metroid_pinball/blob/master/modes/bao_base/code/bao_base.py#L18
Quoted from jabdoa:We got that for flippers, pops and slings if the hardware requires it for hardware rules. However that should not apply to ball devices. Or do you mean that we expect ball switches/optos for every ball? Nevertheless you code is probably fine for this purpose.
I can't find the code I was using. Seems to be long gone. But the error I received said could not call open or close on something.
Metroid was nominated for a best homebrew TWIPY! It's up against some cool games, but I hope you consider voting for me!
Working on the game now if anyone wants to check it out: https://twitch.tv/thearrrrrcade
Made some more progress. The plastic clips kept falling off the original rails. They would twist up and the ball would fall off. The plastic ball returns blocked the view of the inlane lights.
So I learned to weld (poorly!) and made some new rails. I still need to add one more side guide to the back ramp because the ball can fall off on really fast shots. At least it doesn't fall off into the outlane...
IMG_20200210_235906 (resized).jpgIMG_20200224_184018 (resized).jpgIMG_20200224_205545_639 (resized).jpgIMG_20200226_202711 (resized).jpgBeen working on tons of code. More light shows, sounds, modes. Here's the new and improved bonus sequence:
Also implemented the mapping system so the dungeon crawler aspect is easier to understand. It keeps track of rooms visited and completed so I can start triggering modes and scoring based off your progress. It needs polish to look perfect but as of now it is fully functional. Crateria has all its rooms visitable. Maridia has all but the boss room. Maybe it's time to start coding that?
IMG_20200426_113252 (resized).jpgIMG_20200426_113301 (resized).jpgIMG_20200426_113309 (resized).jpgIMG_20200426_113319 (resized).jpgIMG_20200426_113336 (resized).jpgNot a whole lot to report on physical parts. A screw had fallen out of a coil stop on the upper flipper which made the armature go out of alignment. Eventually that wore out the linkage and the flipper started binding up. So a partial rebuild was in order. This was a nice test. With the original playfield I had to remove it from the cabinet to do an upper flipper alignment. Not anymore! Everything is accessible.
IMG_20200411_102402 (resized).jpg
And as a bonus from all this, the upper flipper is now better aligned and can make the side ramp easier! But on the downside, the ball can get wedged behind it pretty tight. Not so tight that you can't flip it out but it does take a lot of flips to loosen it.
At some point I figured out that the legs were two different lengths and I had them reversed! The front legs were on the back and the back legs on the front. That explained why I couldn't make the game steep enough and had to put it on blocks...
IMG_20200419_145058 (resized).jpg
Reversing them was anxiety inducing. My stool I use for installing legs wasn't tall enough so I had to pile up some plywood under it. It was incredibly wobbly but I got it done. Now the game is steeper and more level. That improved gameplay.
And another final part arrived!
IMG_20200420_114558 (resized).jpg
TaylorVA at Reese Rails made some incredible looking playfield rails for me! Got one in black and a spare unpainted set.
IMG_20200420_115551 (resized).jpg
IMG_20200420_115605 (resized).jpg
Thanks Taylor!
Both Steve Ritchie and Wolfmarsh told me I didn't have enough inserts. I should listen to the experts so I'm going to add a bunch. First I need to fix the Mother Brain insert. I had made it the wrong size. Apparently there is no such thing as a 1" x 2" insert. So I updated that in CAD.
IMG_20200403_111259 (resized).jpg
You can see the workaround here on the left. Two 1" x 1" inserts and Bondo. Works fine for the whitewood but not for the final. Also picking out more locations to add more. I'll post another update once I've got that completed...
Quoted from zacaj:Any reason not to just have a metal guide behind the flipper instead of a rubber? Seems like it'd get caught less.... Or stick a standup back there for a secret shot
That's probably what I should do. I've been thinking about the best way to fix it. I actually had a leaf switch on that rubber originally but took it out.
I'm thinking about adding a thin standup target near the tip of the flipper where the mini loop rail is bent back from me hitting it all the time.
And that's about all I have to report for now. Here's a flyover view of the current state of the playfield:
Quoted from McSquid:I'd be interested to see if the wireform behind the flipper stops balls shot into the back of the flipper while it's held as well as a metal wall guide would.
I based my decision on the fact that it seemed to work for Jurassic Park
IMG_20200520_100009 (resized).jpgThe original ramp molds were positive molds. They represent the area that the ramp occupies. Unfortunately that makes them very tall and difficult to vacuum form. The current ramps are a bad pull. They have round edges where the vacuum didn't have enough power to pull the plastic into the ramp path. This makes the ball roll around a like in a half pipe and the returns are a bit unpredictable.
The solution is to use the original molds to cast a negative mold. A negative mold represents the area around the ramp. This has the advantage of being much smaller and should (maybe, hopefully) vacuum form better.
For this project I use Bondo and wood block filler. I originally planned on wrapping the original molds in wax paper. This didn't work so I switched to covering them in masking tape.
It took the next few weekends to patch and sand the molds. Every flaw will probably show up once they are vacuum formed so I need to get them as smooth as possible.
IMG_20200627_113111 (resized).jpg
Ironing out the wrinkles...
IMG_20200704_100822 (resized).jpg
In the end they came out pretty good. Not perfect, but the flaws are not where the ball travels so I think I can live with them. I might give them one more pass and try to improve them.
I continue to work on code during my Monday/Wednesday build streams. Here's an tutorial on getting to and playing Generator Multiball.
The Wrecked Ship has no power when you first enter. To activate the ship (and increase shot values and opportunities) you must first enter the generator room behind the drop targets.
Once in the generator room, start multiball by hitting the orange Energy target. A second ball will launch into play with a generous ball save.
Lock the ball behind the drop target. This now becomes a second captive ball. The game will attempt to keep the ball into play by using the upkicker armature as a post. Before I had implemented this the ball would almost always get knocked into the VUK and the ball didn't remain captured very long.
Hitting the captive balls builds up charge. The drop target captive ball awards charge based on opto hits. The regular captive ball will just build up a little charge at a time.
The scoop will be lit once you drain down to one ball. Hitting it will activate the ship and open the exit door. You are now free to explore the powered up ship.
Here's a video demonstration:
Been mostly working on code recently, but have a couple of updates. First, my upkicker switch stopped working! It would only register intermittently. So a replacement was in order. The original was NOS that came with the mech.
IMG_20200922_212918 (resized).jpgIMG_20200923_184717 (resized).jpgMade this video for Virtual Pinball Expo. Code is much further along than shown here. I also cut about 7 minutes of content out of it to keep it at 10 minutes. Currently 2 bosses are coded, Kraid and Ridley. They actually have death animations and victory laps unlike the battle shown in the video.
More individual rooms are coded now which brings the total room modes coded to 20 out of 50 (I think)
Quoted from McSquid:Nice to be reminded that Metroid has a little Sonic in it. id put a rubber on that post unless you want hot metal on metal action. consider using a sleeve post instead?
I think just adding a ring to this post would be enough. I started testing without it and decided it wasn't necessary. I'll probably do some testing with it on and see if there's any difference. I'm trying to avoid closing up the ramp shot, even if it's just 1/8". This spot is mostly only hit by a backhand from the left flipper but it's not impossible to nick the post from a right flipper shot.
Quoted from Gornkleschnitzer:That switch is officially untrustworthy then. I used the same mech on Undertale and had the EXACT same problem.
Hoping the newly manufactured one is more reliable! The weird thing was that the old one seemed to test fine. Reflowing the solder didn't help either. I noticed that the leg had a bit of wobble to it.
Quoted from McSquid:Id still put a rubber on it.
Done. Plays moderately better without interfering with the shot. Far right side rollbacks bounce left and are safer.
PXL_20201124_025409191._exported_stabilized_1606186477821.gifQuoted from McSquid:I put a post there too and thought I was being silly for doing so.
WPC-95 games used a post. I may not have needed it if I used a trough and apron from the same manufacturer.
PXL_20201201_142714780 (resized).jpgNext project is figuring out the vertical bridge diversion. I want the ball to return to the flipper when it is in the up position. I physically prototyped a catcher and played around with how the ball behaves when exiting the bridge. Went to CAD and made design attempt one. No welding. It screws together.
cad_bridge_catcher_v2 (resized).pngIt all depends on if the ball can make the jump, then if it loses momentum or bounces. The bridge actually sits a bit lower in reality due to some spring compression caused by the weight of the mech. Might need to change around the height a bit too but the bridge sits really close to the glass right now.
Or this may just be a total fail. At least it's easy to remove.
cad_bridge_with_catcher (resized).pngQuoted from BorgDog:Dude! that is super cool!
Thanks! It feels good to finally implement my original design instead of the ball flying off the end every time.
Quoted from PinballManiac40:A narrow standup target is not a better choice over the post?
It absolutely is a better choice. There just isn't room below the playfield in this case:
cad_ramp_posts_underside (resized).pngQuoted from zacaj:Someone needs to design a standup target that doesn't protrude under the playfield....
Could just invert them and hang them from a bracket. Wouldn't look that great but it would work.
Updates! Received modified and new metal pieces. Ball catcher has been updated with a larger back plate. Still not perfect. Best course of action would be to add a one way gate to the front. It's above the playfield so no rush to do that before the final version is cut.
PXL_20210111_155622799 (resized).jpgPXL_20210112_011126225 (resized).jpgAnd the final piece to complete the upper playfield is the ball feeder. No more wild 4 inch drops off the right side. Now it feeds the upper flipper fairly consistently and only has about a 2.5 inch drop. Drop position can be moved slightly by bending the tines.
PXL_20210112_023102839 (resized).jpgPXL_20210112_020406998 (resized).jpgPXL_20210112_021004580 (resized).jpgPXL_20210112_021013250 (resized).jpgQuoted from RVApinballer:Really enjoying the update as both a pinball fan and a Metroid fan!
Thank you!
And the big news! Aaron from fastpinball hooked me up with his father Mark, AKA Freeplay40 to get better ramps made. I sent the molds from post 212 off to him and he improved them and made some slick, high quality ramps. At this point most of the "final" parts have been manufactured and I just need to do a bit more CAD work and cut a new playfield.
IMG_1712 (resized).JPGIMG_1713 (resized).JPGMS Done (resized).JPGPXL_20210104_182957462 (resized).jpgBall is a pretty perfect fit. I don't think those rubbers are going anywhere either. We'll see after a few hundred more games...
(and yes, I am aware at how bad the condition of that ball is. I've been using used balls that I've taken out of games and then accidently dropped them on concrete a few dozen times)
PXL_20210114_001639901 (resized).jpgI guess I shouldn't have been using an old post. This one snapped in two so I bought some new ones to replace both of the ramp posts.
Most of the changes recently have been with the code. Revamped the music engine. There's now less complexity in how it handles playing new tracks. This allowed me to implement multiball music and return to the original music automatically when done. Also actually implemented the multiball rule where it closes the doors and locks you into your room/mode.
Upper playfield rules are starting to come together. Removed flipper lane change up there. Now you have to hit each lane 3 times separately. After they are all lit the last one will be blinking. Going from the VUK to a lane changes which one is blinking. Hitting the side ramp locks in and starts a mode, one for each lane. Tentative modes are Spider Rail, Bridge Attack, and Secrets. That's still a work in progress.
PXL_20210126_045024109 (resized).jpgPXL_20210126_045734276 (resized).jpgPXL_20210130_133112236 (resized).jpgQuoted from Mbecker:Yikes! wonder how many impacts that took to snap that. Those high impact areas, you might want thru-posts to T-nuts underneath, no? Love seeing progress on this, game looks awesome!
Quoted from Linolium:Yeah, Ideally these suckers
https://www.pinballlife.com/2-14-tall-metal-post-with-threaded-base-and-female-threaded-top.html
or do what stern and some WMS pins do and put thin targets on both sides of the ramp if there's space
Can't. I'm not moving the pop or the scoop and there really isn't room underneath: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/metroid-pinball/page/5#post-6044323
In almost all other cases I am using the posts with threaded bases and t-nuts. These posts were corroded when I pulled them from the scrap playfield. Also they were 20 something years old and had plenty of time to weaken.
It's update time! I have some unexpected time off from work so building pinball is my "job" again!
First thing that I need to tackle is bending the final guide rails. This metal is much thicker. The previous guide rails used 1/32" aluminum, this is 1/16" steel. So to get them just the right shape (or close enough) I am trying out making some bending templates.
PXL_20210309_152752975.MP (resized).jpg
All cut out and labeled.
PXL_20210309_221317256 (resized).jpg
And they will be used with the previous layout template, even though there are a few minor changes.
PXL_20210310_135903189 (resized).jpg
Time for Bender to get to work!
PXL_20210310_233842794 (resized).jpg
Good job Bender! I only screwed up one rail that will need to be remade and broke one weld that needs to be fixed. I'm still crap at welding.
Steve Ritchie told me that my game was too dark and that I should fix that by adding more lights. He didn't say what kind of lights so I'll be adding a bunch more inserts (some with multiple LEDs) and some overhead light bars.
I'm using a half meter of 60 LED per meter strip and standard LED channel to build them.
PXL_20210311_180055077 (resized).jpg
And they will be mounted to the playfield using tall hex spacers and the super useful Hillman Obtuse Angle Corner Plates.
PXL_20210312_151907689 (resized).jpg
They get epoxied into the channel and used light pressure to keep them in place until fully dry.
PXL_20210312_155846783 (resized).jpg
Success! I can now light each part of the playfield individually. I already have a similar strip in the back of the playfield. I just need to upgrade it to this design.
PXL_20210312_165907775 (resized).jpg
No taking out your brand name overhead lighting if you want to lift the playfield. These are screwed right on.
I have an Arduino based test pattern to check them out. These strips are fully compatible with the existing light system. I just need to wire up a couple more channels to the Fade Candy in order to hook them up. That can wait until the next version of the playfield.
Speaking of the next version. It's time.
PXL_20210313_162249303 (resized).jpg
And this is why you should make sure your bits are super tight. This one slipped down and dragged across the playfield. Good thing that happened early on in the cut and not 4 hours in. And also good thing I brought a spare blank. At least now I have a spare piece of playfield wood to test some ideas for next time.
PXL_20210313_165332052.MP (resized).jpg
Many hours later...
PXL_20210313_212550917 (resized).jpg
It's done!
PXL_20210313_230551750 (resized).jpg
The bottom is even fully dimpled!
And that brings us up to date. I was hoping this was the final playfield but the art won't be ready in time for fall shows. We'll be adding some decal art a la Sonic Spinball to hold us over. Expo or bust.
Quoted from McSquid:thats good scrap wire dont toss that! haha
If I could have recycled it then I would. I have plenty more so no need to reuse it.
I'm not a big fan of welding. So today I converted my subway parts over to a no-weld design. Metal parts are now screwed together.
cad_no_weld_pit (resized).png
cad_no_weld_subway (resized).png
And made some mounts to position the optos correctly. They will be 3d printed.
cad_no_weld_left_opto_mount (resized).png
cad_no_weld_right_opto_mount (resized).png
What happened this week? First I fixed this prototype metal ball guide. It was loose, a screw had fallen out, and the rivets were shot. I could have installed the final version but decided to fix this one instead. So after gluing toothpicks in the screw holes and tightening the rivets up it was installed using longer screws. This should last for the remaining life of this playfield.
PXL_20210426_184839289 (resized).jpgNext up is finalizing the playfield. I taped down an extra playfield template that I had laying around. Then added pilot holes for screwing the side rails in.
PXL_20210430_143034739.MP (resized).jpg
I forgot to add a pilot hole for the trough outkicker post in CAD. I used a template to find the correct positioning.
PXL_20210430_143621103 (resized).jpg
Same with the new posts around the ramps.
PXL_20210430_144029323 (resized).jpg
Then it had to be sanded more so I spent some time doing that.
PXL_20210430_152033078 (resized).jpg
Nice and flat. It's probably ready for clear coat.
Turns out that I need a new floor piece for this subway. I downloaded a switch bracket model that doesn't seem to line up with reality. So I modeled the parts that I have on hand and redesigned the mount. I really should have eliminated the bracket altogether but whatever...
cad_rollover_assembly (resized).png
cad_subway_new_rollover (resized).png
I was on a podcast! Metroid was slightly off topic. I'm pretty sure it's more than "almost" pinball.
Quoted from JagDaniels:Great stream, awesome project. Love it
Thanks for hanging out!
I have a couple of plastic diverters to prevent ball hang ups or unfair airball drains. The originals were hacked together and broke all the time.
PXL_20210511_181340003 (resized).jpg
This one just cracked apart after months of abuse. I think this is the third one.
PXL_20210511_182555555.MP (resized).jpg
Bent some plastic to make one piece versions. Less failure points, stronger plastic.
PXL_20210511_181212106 (resized).jpg
PXL_20210511_181225260 (resized).jpg
Quoted from Mbecker:Water slide, yeah? Then you’ll clear over it?
That's the plan. Worked well for Sonic. Wish this was the last playfield but I'll make it work
Designed a mount for a horizontal LED. Hoping it acts like a spotlight for the area just above each of the flippers. My bulb style GI light does not fit because the flipper mech gets in the way. If you notice under the inlane plastics in the current version there's only one bulb where most games have two.
cad_flipper_spotlight (resized).png
PXL_20210517_181852903 (resized).jpg
Quoted from Palmer:What did you guys use for your clear coat? Both of your projects are really inspiring. Thanks for all of the updates!
I believe McSquid is using Spraymax 2k in a can: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/the-spraymax-2k-auto-clear-in-a-can-club
Quoted from CaptainNeo:looking great. It's awesome you have all this equipment to make all the wood and metal pieces.
Thanks! The CNC machine for the playfields is at my local maker space. They have a big Shopbot that I can use. When I need metal cut then I send it out to an online laser cutting service and bend it myself. I do any welding at the maker space.
Quoted from Scandell:This is so amazing! Need to go back and read your entire journey
Thank you! The journey isn't quite over yet but it's close!
Rails by TaylorVA at Reese Rails attached
PXL_20210829_114353986 (resized).jpg
Switched over a lot of the light boards. The 3D printed GI sockets do not fit in the new playfield. My guess is because of clear coat in the holes. Having new ones made and should pick them up in a couple of days.
PXL_20210829_232847902 (resized).jpg
What remains to be transferred...
PXL_20210829_232858910 (resized).jpg
Top side looking bare
Quoted from Palmer:What lights are you using for inserts?
Those are the Fast Pinball light boards. They are Neopixel compatible RGBs
Didn't get as much done today because I had to do some things around the house. But still made progress. Installed all the new light boards and even wired a few up!
PXL_20210830_220504559 (resized).jpg
Installed the subways and scoop
PXL_20210830_220523866 (resized).jpg
I have no idea how the original 3D printed subways survived 6k games. I glued spring steel to the bottom, but still...
Quoted from McSquid:You could run a forstner bit through the holes instead of doing a whole new 3D print run. All my post holes were too small but the forstner bits make quick and clean work of them
It's not like I need to wait too long for them and I have plenty to do in the meantime. The originals were a tight fit anyway and I didn't like the fact they weren't actually easily removable. That was one of the ideas behind doing it this way.
The scoop was also a much tighter fit this time. Fortunately it still went in.
Just 3 more lights left to wire up. Received new 3D printed parts and was able to install the GI lighting.
PXL_20210901_230535135 (resized).jpg
Next up is to simplify the light controller wiring. After that I'm hoping everything else goes more quickly.
Quoted from Mbecker:Looking good! Are you tying 5v and ground into the strings are various points?
There are 8 independent strings of 15-30 lights each with their own power, signal, and ground.
Decided to do some top side work this morning. I wanted to make sure the slingshots were properly aligned. I'm not sure I fixed the shooter lane exit trajectory, we'll find out. Also the ball just barely nicks the rivet. That's not a problem on the orbit rivets though. Might need some tweaking.
Quoted from Chosen_S:Following, I'm a big fan of the Metroid series, I’m sure to play and beat every new game as it comes out, excited for Metroid dread... but a pin!? Awesome. I’m excited to see your progress
I'm also really looking forward to Dread!
My game should be at Expo this year.
Trying something different for the left orbit switch. The ball could roll next to the rollover and the orbit hit wouldn't register. This MRS rollover from Sonic has a wider detection range than the standard wire rollover. Tests indicate that left orbit hits will register as expected.
Top side is complete. I don't think the right light bar will fit under the glass but I hope I'm wrong! There are plenty of improvements but I'm paranoid that it won't shoot as good as the last version.
PXL_20210908_200402619 (resized).jpg
The second ramp is looking good.
PXL_20210908_200450977 (resized).jpg
Also made good progress on the underside. Hoping to get it into the cabinet tomorrow, but we'll see!
Testing the light bars. This perspective is lower than the player's. You shouldn't actually see the LEDs while playing.
Put the playfield in the cabinet but as expected the light bars did not cooperate. That's what I get for skipping the CAD step.
PXL_20210913_011300316.MP (resized).jpg
PXL_20210913_011308859 (resized).jpg
Fortunately I only had to swap out the spacers for different sizes and the glass was able to go on. The dirty glass that I really need to clean...
She lives! I accidentally wired up some LEDs in the wrong order. Those light shows were just slightly off... Also plugged in two coil driver plugs in the wrong spots. Took me a minute to figure out why my flipper button was firing the pop bumper.
Time to code for the missing lights, after upgrading the wiring because 277 lights draws a lot of amps!
Quoted from R_Coles:Incredible! Please tell me you will have a mode that has the Kraid’s Lair music…
Music is by Metroid Metal/Stemage. I think their version is already in there but if it's not then I'll have to fix that!
Quoted from zacaj:Did you purposely not make the back end of the strips taller to match the incline of the glass?
I was trying to keep them lower than the upper playfield. The reasoning being that the back light bar (currently not installed) would be lighting that area and I didn't want color interference.
Here's a demonstration of the improved shooter lane trajectory. Also a demonstration of the not so improved right orbit exit trajectory. Although on faster hits it is better. The orbit was bent by hand and it isn't quite correct. I'm working on that.
There's actually a way to hit the pit on purpose!
Quoted from Sonic:How the MRS working?
Seems to be working good but I haven't done much testing before putting the backboard on because the ball tends to fall into the cabinet without it. I'm hoping to finally put a few hours into playing tomorrow. I've been incredibly busy with other things recently.
Quoted from Sonic:How the MRS working?
Just played for about an hour. The MRS works great!
But I seemed to have messed up the right orbit shot. It wasn't this tough before and I used to be able to backhand it. The weird thing is that nothing should have changed. I might want to undo some of the bending that I did to give it a bit more of an opening.
The ball is falling off one of the overhead rails now. Also the bridge (or catcher) needs to be moved a bit because the catcher is no longer working reliably.
Other than that it feels like it's playing better. The upper slingshot once shot the ball up the back ramp which never happened before. The secret passage feels correctly aimed at the pop bumpers. The side ramp is way easier to get the ball up. The ball launch is correctly aimed.
I feel like I can work out these issues before Expo. Also need to write some code for the new features.
You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider TheArrrrrcade.
Click here to go back to viewing the entire thread.
Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.
Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!
This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/metroid-pinball?tu=TheArrrrrcade and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.
Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.