(Topic ID: 197830)

The Last Starfighter Pinball

By SpaceGhost

6 years ago


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    There are 1,012 posts in this topic. You are on page 12 of 21.
    #551 5 years ago

    I'll post a more subtle light sequence in a bit. This was just a first test.

    #552 5 years ago
    Quoted from SpaceGhost:

    I would love to see these get made also but I always have to wonder if it is because we are working on it or if it is actually really cool.

    As someone with no connection to your project, I can say that any fan of the movie (and there are lots) would classify it as "actually really cool."

    Have you investigated who has what part of the rights? As I understand it, the writer is the most difficult part, but if you're just basing the pin on the movie itself, he may not be involved in product licensing for the existing movie, which would make it a LOT easier since you'd just have to deal with Warner and/or Universal and they seem pretty easy to license from. You could probably glean a lot of good information by contacting Gary Whitta, who seems to be actively involved with the original writer on a reboot.

    #553 5 years ago
    Quoted from SpaceGhost:

    I'll post a more subtle light sequence in a bit. This was just a first test.
    » YouTube video

    What does that board look like?

    #554 5 years ago
    Quoted from PinMonk:

    As I understand it, the writer is the most difficult part, but if you're just basing the pin on the movie itself, he may not be involved in product licensing for the existing movie, which would make it a LOT easier since you'd just have to deal with Warner and/or Universal and they seem pretty easy to license from.

    No, the writer, Jonathan R. Betuel, is the primary rights owner. He's the one that put the kibosh on the earlier efforts. However, he is the primary writer for the reboot, so that's why the movie reboot is happening. Anyone investigating a license should start with him.

    #555 5 years ago

    So cool. Would love to attempt this myself but the coding is something I doubt I'd ever be able to do. Watching this closely.

    #556 5 years ago

    Wolfmarsh That is the little arduino boards that we had made. The voltage regulator is sticking off the side of the board. There are two surface mount potentiometers that adjust the speed and brightness currently.

    IMG_6665 (resized).JPGIMG_6665 (resized).JPG

    #557 5 years ago

    Love it.

    #558 5 years ago

    85vett You just have to try on a smaller scale. Take baby steps and have small victories.

    #559 5 years ago
    Quoted from ThatOneDude:

    No, the writer, Jonathan R. Betuel, is the primary rights owner. He's the one that put the kibosh on the earlier efforts. However, he is the primary writer for the reboot, so that's why the movie reboot is happening. Anyone investigating a license should start with him.

    But WHAT rights? Oftentimes the movie production company or distributor retains rights to the product they pay to produce or distribute. Since this isn't a rewrite of the source material but a licensed product based on the original movie, the original writer may have no say in the license. Licensing is complicated. But if they only have to deal with Universal, it will be a LOT easier in this case.

    #560 5 years ago
    Quoted from SpaceGhost:

    wolfmarsh That is the little arduino boards that we had made. The voltage regulator is sticking off the side of the board. There are two surface mount potentiometers that adjust the speed and brightness currently.

    Sexy. There is only one word for that design. I hope you've applied for a patent.

    #561 5 years ago

    Hah. No patent. Just makes things easier.

    Licensing is pretty expensive regardless of how popular the film is.

    #562 5 years ago
    Quoted from PinMonk:

    But WHAT rights?

    He at least has rights to all of the remakes and sequels. I don't know if this also covers the promotional rights to the original. Certainly, you would also have to license the use of the actors' images and voices, and that will add up quickly.

    #563 5 years ago

    You guys are doing an awesome job, definitely a lot of creative energy, why not just ditch the entire license and go original. Tell your own story, and do whatever you want with the pin, without paying someone else or being limited by their rights?

    #564 5 years ago
    Quoted from ThatOneDude:

    He at least has rights to all of the remakes and sequels. I don't know if this also covers the promotional rights to the original. Certainly, you would also have to license the use of the actors' images and voices, and that will add up quickly.

    Not necessarily. Depends on the actor's contracts. All of that could have been wrapped up into the original contract. This was so long ago and 90% of the actors were unknowns, so I think that it's likely to be an all-in-one contract. The more complicated contracts didn't become common until the very late 20th century.

    #565 5 years ago
    Quoted from Aurich:

    You guys are doing an awesome job, definitely a lot of creative energy, why not just ditch the entire license and go original. Tell your own story, and do whatever you want with the pin, without paying someone else or being limited by their rights?

    Doing good video is expensive. There's a LOT of source material available with TLS.

    #566 5 years ago

    Aurich We're not intending on producing this title. We'll be making 6 of these machines...one for each of us. This is, of course, assuming everyone wants one. Producing this in a larger scale would cost some pretty heavy cash and a lot of time. I'm not sure anyone of us would be willing to start a new company and struggle without proper funding behind us.

    #567 5 years ago

    I can't imagine any way to suck the fun out of pinball faster than trying to take a game to production and through all the licensing hoops.

    Enjoy your custom machines.

    #568 5 years ago
    Quoted from SpaceGhost:

    assuming everyone wants one.

    This never crossed my mind.

    But just in case. This is me anxiously holding my arm up. "pick me, pick me" I want one.

    #569 5 years ago

    Your pin, your project, have a good time however you do it.

    #570 5 years ago

    fnosm Hah. I actually meant everyone in our little group.

    Aurich Wolfmarsh Yeah. We're just having fun making what we want to. I'm a little bummed that I've lost steam behind my end of the project. I'm slowing things down. Moving and work have made things a little difficult. I'll put this sucker back into second gear soon.

    #571 5 years ago

    Well, here's my first attempt at version 2...

    #572 5 years ago

    Time I changed my avatar for you!

    #573 5 years ago
    Quoted from SpaceGhost:

    Producing this in a larger scale would cost some pretty heavy cash and a lot of time. I'm not sure anyone of us would be willing to start a new company and struggle without proper funding behind us.

    Never know when a pinball company may want to strike up a deal to mass produce it *cough* iron maiden *cough*

    #574 5 years ago
    Quoted from SpaceGhost:

    Well, here's my first attempt at version 2...

    You really should at least start a patent application on this. Very cool.

    #575 5 years ago

    PinMonk I really appreciate your input and comments, you are a positive influence for sure....with some good advice and insight.
    SpaceGhost can't believe you let Jayson make you change your avatar....lol

    We've all seen the pitfalls and challenges of trying to bring out new pinball machines and company failures. Spooky seems to get it right on the smaller scale.
    Not sure we'll ever get to that level, but I am excited for what The Last Starfighter Pinball will be. A fun game that reminds me of youth and better times.

    #576 5 years ago
    Quoted from PinMonk:

    You really should at least start a patent application on this. Very cool.

    What do you think is the new invention here? It's an arduino with serial LEDs.

    #577 5 years ago
    Quoted from Wolfmarsh:

    What do you think is the new invention here? It's an arduino with serial LEDs.

    the components may not be anything special, but how they are using them is what might be patentable. similar to pinball 2000's use of the mirrorized glass was what was patented (the use of virtual & physical targets), not the actual hardware components themselves

    #578 5 years ago
    Quoted from Wolfmarsh:

    What do you think is the new invention here? It's an arduino with serial LEDs.

    It's the application of the components. What's special about diet Coca-cola? It's just water, carbonation, and artificial sweeteneer, etc. Coke has a patent on a new artificial sweetener, which puts together chemical components in a unique way. They also have a patent on their new sweetener application in baked goods. Common components, applied uniquely. Patent.

    This is DEFINITELY a new kind of pinball insert light, and it will now be used by others, whether they patent it or not. It's too cool not to be. I believe the application of the components and execution is patentable.

    #579 5 years ago

    Waste of tens of thousands of dollars to try and patent a serial LED layout.

    #580 5 years ago
    Quoted from PinMonk:

    It's the application of the components. What's special about diet Coca-cola? It's just water, carbonation, and artificial sweeteneer, etc. Coke has a patent on a new artificial sweetener, which puts together chemical components in a unique way. They also have a patent on their new sweetener application in baked goods. Common components, applied uniquely. Patent.
    This is DEFINITELY a new kind of pinball insert light, and it will now be used by others, whether they patent it or not. It's too cool not to be. I believe the application of the components and execution is patentable.

    It's not new. Maybe new to you.

    Not to detract from what they have done because it's awesome, but not patent worthy.

    #581 5 years ago
    Quoted from Wolfmarsh:

    It's not new. Maybe new to you.
    Not to detract from what they have done because it's awesome, but not patent worthy.

    Definitely new to me. Where else is it used already?

    #582 5 years ago

    Several of the custom pins use multiple serial LEDs under single inserts for better lighting patterns.

    The good vs. evil head-to-head machine uses them, as well as Brian Cox's machines. There are several insert shapes they have designed boards for. They happily share the board layouts.

    Again, not to detract from what is going on here, because this project is pure awesome sauce, and the light patterns that have been coded look sweet as hell. It just isn't worth a patent, imo.

    #583 5 years ago
    Quoted from PinMonk:

    Definitely new to me. Where else is it used already?

    Isn't JJP POTC using some sort of animated flashers?

    #584 5 years ago
    Quoted from toyotaboy:

    Isn't JJP POTC using some sort of animated flashers?

    Pretty sure they're just animating the separate light boards like with Glinda's pink that sparkles down from the target.

    #585 5 years ago
    Quoted from PinMonk:

    This is DEFINITELY a new kind of pinball insert light, and it will now be used by others, whether they patent it or not. It's too cool not to be. I believe the application of the components and execution is patentable.

    It has to be a non-obvious implementation. While it is definitely a cool effect and well executed, it's essentially a Neopixel under an insert, and it would never survive in court. People have already used multiple lamps and Neopixels(my Fireball rebuild exclusively used Neopixels), so it would have a high legal hurdle.

    #586 5 years ago

    I watched The Last Starfighter movie for the first time yesterday because of this thred. I don’t know how I’ve gone 30 years without ever seeing it or really hearing anything about it until now. Thank you SpaceGhost for introducing me to this gem!

    #587 5 years ago
    Quoted from Andyzola87:

    I watched The Last Starfighter movie for the first time yesterday because of this thred. I don’t know how I’ve gone 30 years without ever seeing it or really hearing anything about it until now. Thank you pinteresting for introducing me to this gem!

    At last it is done! Soon the Frontier will be down, and they will bow to their new Emperor!

    #588 5 years ago

    LOL. Holy cow this thread went viral.... well, maybe not viral but 12 posts since I posted last. The lighting element is an off-the-shelf item. The surface mount arduino is also an off-the-shelf item. The only thing custom there is the little circuit board that the components are soldered to and the program to run the neopixels.

    #589 5 years ago
    Quoted from Andyzola87:

    I watched The Last Starfighter movie for the first time yesterday because of this thred. I don’t know how I’ve gone 30 years without ever seeing it or really hearing anything about it until now. Thank you pinteresting for introducing me to this gem!

    LOL. Well, in my mind, it's a classic up there with E.T. and Goonies.

    Quoted from MarkInc:

    At last it is done! Soon the Frontier will be down, and they will bow to their new Emperor!

    Xur....total space douche!!!

    #590 5 years ago
    Quoted from SpaceGhost:

    LOL. Well, in my mind, it's a classic up there with E.T. and Goonies.

    Xur....total space douche!!!

    Dude, why the JP for an avatar? Shouldn't it be a STARFIGHTER LOGO???

    giphy-downsized (resized).pnggiphy-downsized (resized).png

    #591 5 years ago
    Quoted from bailorgana:

    Dude, why the JP for an avatar? Shouldn't it be a STARFIGHTER LOGO???

    Because Time was giving me crap about having Cactus Canyon as my avatar when I don't have it anymore. I did the JP because he likes JP...and I'm an ass.

    #592 5 years ago

    Damn guys. This New York weather is brutal! I'm melting. Went for a 8 mile walk around and came back looking like I ran a marathon!

    IMG_6710 (resized).PNGIMG_6710 (resized).PNG
    #593 5 years ago

    Add 20% more humidity then welcome to the south.

    #594 5 years ago

    Yeah. i have a lot of family in Louisiana. I melt there too. Took about 3 weeks for me to acclimate.

    #595 5 years ago
    Quoted from Andyzola87:

    I watched The Last Starfighter movie for the first time yesterday because of this thred. I don’t know how I’ve gone 30 years without ever seeing it or really hearing anything about it until now. Thank you pinteresting for introducing me to this gem!

    Did you watch the original or the 30th Anniversery Edition?

    #596 5 years ago

    Is there a difference? I don't remember hearing anything about a director's cut or special edition or anything.

    #597 5 years ago

    Fellas the first of 4 original tracks is almost done and I dropped it into slack. Let me know your thoughts

    #598 5 years ago
    Quoted from MustangPaul:

    Did you watch the original or the 30th Anniversery Edition?

    I watched the original. Is the Annaversary edition better then the origional?

    #599 5 years ago
    Quoted from Andyzola87:

    I watched the original. Is the Annaversary edition better then the origional?

    Good, I like the original better because part of the charm of the original is the Cray Super Computer CGI graphics of the day. The updated CGI just doesn't work for me.

    #600 5 years ago

    I have wanted them to update the sfx for 25 years. Wouldn't even cost that much. Maybe if they make a 4k transfer.

    There are 1,012 posts in this topic. You are on page 12 of 21.

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