I measured before I built it and the loop is significantly taller (which also fits) It will be interesting making the final version fit, but I think I'll get it.

Number 1 suggestion I get for sonic (multiple times a week) is "Why not use a blue ball?"

Answer: There is only 1 source I am aware of for colored balls:
https://shop.modmypin.com/index.php
They are expensive, and I have been told they don't hold up for regular play. If you wanna contact them and first convince them to sell you a set of mixed colors (they come in sets of 4 same color. I would need 1 Blue, 1 Red, 1 Yellow, and 1 Pink) and second pay the $50 a set they cost just for science be my guest =P

Hold off on that I may have someone who can actually get me some of the williams prototype blue powerballs

This is exciting. It's bigger than the one I had planned on using, so I'm a little worried it won't fit. But this thing is plug and play with windows, meaning I can put whatever I want on it, not just a slide show as previously planned. I expect lots of information to go on the screen.

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Example of information that can be displayed. So far the list is:

Animals
Locks
Boss HP?
Score slides?
Feature lit alert
Elemetal shield cycle (original purpose)
Mystery lit (original purpose)
Zone goal

Not sure what will make the cut, but lots can be done with this thing...now I just gotta figure out how to make it fit x_x

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The whole point of the mini screen is to be a power up TV. So I want it to go above the scoop. Apron doesn't help if you ask me. I still can't see it while playing without taking my eye off the ball.

Second portion of the signpost is prototyped. Works great! Now I just need to redo the first sign to spin on a #8 screw instead of a #6 screw. I've ordered new bearings and redesigned the 3D printed part. Once they arrive I can combine the two prototypes into something fully functional. Gotta hook up another driver board to run it as the others are full.

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The Signpost Spinner is complete! Fully functional, fully beautiful. Here are some videos of the finished product:

Making a brand new type of spinner:

So as I posted before I started playing around with designs and parts this week. My shaft parts came in and I was able to make a rather elegant mechanism. Today the bearings arrived and I put together the new design. It worked VERY well. The small pegs on the sides and longer metal contacts eliminate stuck balls. I have to TRY to get the ball stuck and even then it just gets stuck on the switch, not the spinner.

So now that I know it works it's time to make a pretty one. I printed the spinner with ABS plastic so I could use a finishing method called vapor smoothing.

Basically you boil some acetone and allow the vapor to surround your part. This melts the outer layers of the plastic, creating a smooth shiney finish. It's a bit more complex than that and timing is critical, but I'm practiced so it was no problem. After that I needed to make the final decals. I printed extras before, now I layered mylar over the images and cut them out. I applied them like cabinet decals using a plastic razor blade to make sure it has a good bond and no bubbles. The label paper doesn't have great adhesion, but the signpost is smooth now, so it accepts the sticker without protest.

Put it all together, then I needed to add another FAST driver board because I didn't have anymore drivers available on the other 2. I also plan to have a coil for the Robotnik toy, so I needed to use one anyways. Pretty easy to install. Quick code change and it was working fine. I spent a half hour fine tuning it, Reducing vibrations, dialing in the power levels, and adding it to the game code. I'm very happy with the results. I'm gonna need to think of more ways to play with it. I'm thinking sign juggling mode. We shall see.

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New experimental long right ramp. May help with airballs, ball speed on signpost spinner, and visibility. printing overnight.

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planning on doing this anyways, but would like it to not be a crutch. Ramp geometry is more difficult than I and no doubt many others would think. I'm learning a lot from them.

I was recently interviewed about Sonic Spinball on the Kaneda Pinball Podcast. Check it out here!

https://soundcloud.com/kanedapinball/episode-545-sonics-homebrew-hero

Thanks for checking it out! I hope you enjoy the process. Even if it doesnt get picked up i hope to bring it to as many shows around the country as I can. So hopefully everyone will get a chance to play.

So as you guys may know, I post about Sonic in a lot of places, specifically on Facebook etc. but I always post MORE here, they get all the finished product photos, you get the process as well. I like to give those who are big enough fans to actually follow the build thread some extra stuff once in a while. So here is the first of three secret games in SSB: Ristar.

Not sure how many of you are familiar with Ristar and his game, but it was made by some of the same people who made the early sonic games. Its much slower. The game isn't about speed at all, with an emphasis on platforming and its grab mechanic. However its very similar to the early sonic games in several ways; 2 acts called "rounds" per world with a boss at the end, various colorful locations, excellent music, etc. Ristar also has a special place in my heart, and it fits so well that I had to include it.

But its secret so don't tell anyone! You are going to have to enter a code to unlock it. Pretty sure I will add hints somewhere in the game or attract mode.

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still? did they ever?

Oh, Well I imagine since Sega never made a Sonic pinball, that would not have been part of Sega's pinball division. Also, Sega would never sell rights to Sonic in any form. They would only license them.

Well sonic was the on the flippers / dmd art / some boards. So what usage rights does stern still have to sonic in pinball if any? -
Sega can put Sonic anywhere they want. Sonic is a registered trademark. There is no possible way any rights to Sonic could have possibly been part of that deal.

Do they have have right of first refusal for any real full size sonic based pinball based pinball game? - How could they? Unless that was specifically written somewhere in a document from when they took over SPD this would be impossible to prove. Why would this have been written in? A hypothetical game that no one has made?

And an sequel to the movie is in the works will that have any issues with licensing of this game? - No. That isn't how licensing works.

I would never miss a Pintastic. Don't worry

Merry Christmas everyone!

Got these neopixel sticks online to experiment with. Made some mounting brackets and installed them in all the main mode shot inserts. Now we can have light shows within a single insert! Does a great job of getting the players attention, and allows the main mode shot lights to be SUPER bright if all turned on at once.

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Don't think I'm being innovative with this one. I'm almost positive I'm copying some other game with this idea I just can't recall which.

4 hour gameplay stream from tonight:

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/852104881?tt_medium=mobile_web_share&tt_content=vod

Yeah I remembered it was hotwheels I saw it on. I actually mentioned that in the stream video I just posted.

The cabinet design is very 90s. Tons of 90s cabs were just a massive logo and a simple background. In my case I went with the classic Sega Genesis black grid that they used on many of their cartridge boxes

Not a bad Idea. I'll look into it.

Soooo How many people would want to buy one of these at $20 with free shipping? Not exactly gonna fund anything with that $ but It would be cool to have them anyways?

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