I feel ya just got my 106mil back up there tonight.

Better risk a corrupted download or get a zip per file that will warn you while unpacking. I go for a compressed format. And the problem is Windows that took millennia to include a darn unzipper and allowing the expiry preload shit to still happen (hint: Mac).

With latest S.A.M. revision the USB chip should allow at least the 8GB size. Also check the filesystem. If NTFS do a FAT format on the USB key before copying the file. And copy the unzipped .bin file to the root of the key (not inside a folder).

Gives added confidence for buying a SR game as he seems to care about his games, whereas.....

It could be argued that the way they produce code updates is old fashioned too. If you look to the success of the video game industry, instead of keeping the code under lock and key, they actually release a limited version with modding tools to allow the community to expand on what they have done. Imagine if Stern bundled an editor with their rom that allowed tweaking and new rules/features to be implemented, new dots and sounds. Then put on their website a community section (like valves steam have done) for rom mods - endorsed and use at your own risk. It brings a new level of interaction for the fans and takes a huge workload off sterns own programmers. There are some creative people out their already modding, so why not bring them on board. It costs nothing but increases interest 1000x.

I imagine it would save time and resources for the company too as they would have a standard code base that could be maintained by one or two programmers and it could be reused for every game.

Would love for this to happen. There could be so many cool things done by the community and would definitely put an end to the not finished code debate. There would be so many cool mods that people could focus on the ones they like the most and not what they think is unfinished.

If Stern was to let anyone start programming their own code it would open up a can of worms.
Imagine someone mistakenly writing an error in the code which caused a coil to lock on & potentialy burn up, Lot of liability there.

Ted Estes (former WMS software developer) wrote a post on RGP back in 1999 about end users modifiying game roms & why he & WMS were against the idea. I'd say with absolute certainty Stern thinks the same way.

I removed WinZip and got the update done. Thanks.

This seems like silly fear. The os could put a timeout on the coil to prevent this. You think cell phones couldn't be damaged by using the radio incorrectly? They can. But the os prevents developers from doing damage.

Ben Heck's "Americas Most Haunted" game from Spooky Pinball will allow the user to freely update and modify things the way they want.

I heard it mentioned before that Stern can't allow people to change things around on their own due to Stern's licensing agreements.

Link to Ted Estes original post:
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/rec.games.pinball/5exaK_Q8-Pc/70Tl7ojZvBAJ

A lot of this is relatable to what's being discussed here in regards to people wanting Stern to let end users alter their code.

This seems pretty likely to me. I would imagine the licensing agreements are pretty strict in this sense. Maybe JJP's unlicensed pin will allow this.

My worry about using John Carmack is that he'd probably end up finding a way to attach rockets to the games and send them into space.

Release notes are now up! Impressive amount of work by the Stern software crew:

Star Trek Pro
V1.40 - December 24, 2013
=======================

- fixed top lanes completion speech.
- added more speech to Klingon Multiball.
- new artwork added to Vengeance Multiball.
- added Tilt speech.
- added new Vengeance intro/bg/hit artwork.
- warp chase lamps now cycle 2 times.
- fixed missing super pops display animation.
- Any Wizard mode ready (Kobayashi/Enterprise Amok/5 Year Mission) will forestall Vengeance Multiball/HurryUp/Battle from starting.
- fixed a bug where the super skill shot was not starting properly.
- Any hit to the drop target will now set valid playfield.
- fixed a bug where launching the ball via the "punch it" button also fired a photon torpedo.
- 3 in a row - give 2 awards when 2 rows are completed at the same time.
- fixed super skill shot bug that scored left orbit mission awards as the ball traveled around the orbit from right to left
- balls added into play during Vengeance Multiball will now loop around to the left flipper instead of going into the pops.
- The light lock targets now set valid playfield when hit.
- changed warp ramp scoring to match speech call out.
- added new enterprise amok rule (now it's multiball).
- combo (red arrow) lamps now blink in sync with the emblem lamps.
- fixed a bug during Klingon Multiball that moved the klingon ship too fast during the double jackpot sequence.
As a result, the grace period on a double jackpot shot is now longer.
- changed Mission Emblem blink logic.
- mystery can now restart enterprise amok (multiball).
- added/fixed sounds for Five Year Mission.
- Added Super pops animation.
- Added timers to the background of Prime Directive III and Space Jump III.
- Fixed "three in a column" display effect, background image moved from left to right side of display.
- Fixed an issue where the center super skill shot wasn't registering when the center drop target was down.
- Fixed an issue where on the bonus warp skill shot, you can get multiple skill shots in a row.
- fixed left eject kickout lightshow.
- fixed a problem where super ramps display effects were being killed.
- cleaned up left eject kicking code.
- display effect for 3-in-a-row -- moved animation to right side; show score text thru the whole effect.
- Fixed an issue where the table of shots weren't being set correctly after being made.
- new redemption/tickets display effect.
- added damaged ships to Klingon Multiball.
- new "Enterprise Amok" display effect.
- added "Khan" artwork/speech to Vengeance scoring intro.
- added new "Five Year Mission" display effect.
- Fixed a speech issue where a speech call was being unnecessarily called twice.
- Added new sound effects to Prime Directive III.
- added display effects for Extra Ball is Lit, Extra Ball, and Shoot again.
- Added new photon torpedo artwork.
- Added display effect to klingon multiball super jackpot and super jackpot background.
- Added display effect to super spinners.
- Added display effect to intro of kobayashi maru.
- added Enterprise Amok artwork.
- added new Klingon MB artwork.
- Added new artwork to special/replay/ticket/token/BUMPNWIN.
- changed Victory Laps sound effect because the new vengeance victory laps tune needs a non-melodic stinger.
- added display effect for 3-in-a-row.
- added art for Extra ball Lit, Extra Ball, Shoot Again.
- added Khan, Ritchie artwork.
- added 5 year Mission artwork.
- added Klingon chase artwork.
- added damaged Klingon ships artwork for Klingon MB.
- added Kobayashi Maru artwork.
- added shields artwork.
- added artwork for Special, Replay, Tickets(s), Token and Bump-N-Win.
- added super spinner artwork.
- added 3-in-a-row artwork.
- added redemption tickets artwork.
- added photon torpedoes artwork.
- added new attract mode lamp sequence (Premium/LE only).
- fixed a bug where Klingon Battle I music wasn't playing correctly.
- added Victory Laps music to Vengeance Multiball (music will continue to play after draining down to 1 ball).
- added Vengeance Victory tune assets.
- added more sound f/x assets.
- added color light shows (Premium only) to Kobayashi Maru Multiball.
- extended duty cycle timeout on center magnet.
- added combo shot light show.
- fixed a bug where Vengeance awards were not being scored when extra ball was lit/awarded.
- added ball locked light show.
- added Klingon Multiball light shows.
- fixed a Vengeance multiball bug where the mode would end while 2 balls were still in play.
- fixed a Vengeance multiball bug where no balls were kicked into play.
- decreased magnet firing time during diagnostics test.
- added function to shake the Vengeance Ship.
- Added/fixed artwork for Super Pops.
- New artwork for Space Jump III.
- Fixed a bug that caused award scores not to show properly.
- Fire button is colored by the mission on Premium/LE.
- Added rolling clouds animation to background of Destroy the Drill III.
- Added esgrow shots to Destory the Drill II, and reset the esgrow and shots made if you donít complete the mode in one sequence.
- Fixed a bug where it was awarding a double jackpot on individual shots when you got to less then 3 shots away.
- Reworked the background effect for Destroy the Drill III, the cursor now follows the divers and moves vertically like it canít lock on,
until it hits an already lit jackpot where it stays for a while and then moves on again.
- Adjusted scoring for Nero II.
- Changed the award you get for hitting 3 romulans in Nero II, instead of a triple jackpot it is a 500,000 bonus, for each 3 you hit quickly.
- Reworked the background display effect and jackpots for Destroy the Drill III.
Fixed final jackpot in Destroy the Drill III so it lines up with the changes made in background and jackpot.
- Fixed a bug with the lit shots of Destroy the Drill III, where all double jackpots flash yellow when only one double is available.
- Fixed a bug where the left eject was flashing blue/yellow before mode starts, so it now starts flashing on the center shot like it should.
- Changed Destroy the Drill I jackpot so score looks like it flys up to divers, hovers there for a while and then passes them by.
- Scores are correct and work with multiplier on Destroy the Drill I.
- added captain's chair lamp logic.
- added an adjustment to allow shot multipliers to be reset at the beginning of each ball.
- fixed an audit with overlapping text.
- Fixed the Prime Directive award screen so that the spears show more prominently.
- fixed emblem light issues with wizard mode multiball.
- fixed center lane light issues vengeance multiball.
- completing the 3rd Vengeance Battle scores 5 million.

With 1.41 just fixing the attract mode lights, here's the LE readme. My wife won't be happy since she just put on a score of 93 million, but the update must be done.

**************************************************************************
* *
* STERN PINBALL, INC. *
* (C) COPYRIGHT 2007 - 2013 STERN PINBALL, INC. *
* *
**************************************************************************
* *
* STAR TREK LE *
* *
**************************************************************************

HELP US, HELP YOU! If you have any suggestions, questions, need technical
advice, find errors or have comments, contact us through our website:

http://www.sternpinball.com/contact.shtml

or call 1-800-542-5377. You can also email [email protected] to
report any software problems.

This text file and all other documents relating to this product, playfield
components, features, rules, programming and operation are subject to change
without notice (Service Bulletins, if applicable, available through our
website).

V1.41 - December 27, 2013
=======================

- added side rail and back box flasher lamps to the attract mode.

V1.40 - December 24, 2013
=======================

- rescue kick back default is now harder.
- fixed top lanes completion speech.
- added more speech to Klingon Multiball.
- new artwork added to Vengeance Multiball.
- added Tilt speech.
- added new Vengeance intro/bg/hit artwork.
- warp chase lamps now cycle 2 times.
- fixed missing super pops display animation.
- Any Wizard mode ready (Kobayashi/Enterprise Amok/5 Year Mission) will forestall Vengeance Multiball/HurryUp/Battle from starting.
- fixed a bug where the super skill shot was not starting properly.
- Any hit to the drop target will now set valid playfield.
- fixed a bug where launching the ball via the "punch it" button also fired a photon torpedo.
- 3 in a row - give 2 awards when 2 rows are completed at the same time.
- fixed super skill shot bug that scored left orbit mission awards as the ball traveled around the orbit from right to left
- balls added into play during Vengeance Multiball will now loop around to the left flipper instead of going into the pops.
- The light lock targets now set valid playfield when hit.
- changed warp ramp scoring to match speech call out.
- added new enterprise amok rule (now it's multiball).
- combo (red arrow) lamps now blink in sync with the emblem lamps.
- fixed a bug during Klingon Multiball that moved the klingon ship too fast during the double jackpot sequence.
As a result, the grace period on a double jackpot shot is now longer.
- changed Mission Emblem blink logic.
- mystery can now restart enterprise amok (multiball).
- added/fixed sounds for Five Year Mission.
- Added Super pops animation.
- Added timers to the background of Prime Directive III and Space Jump III.
- Fixed "three in a column" display effect, background image moved from left to right side of display.
- Fixed an issue where the center super skill shot wasn't registering when the center drop target was down.
- Fixed an issue where on the bonus warp skill shot, you can get multiple skill shots in a row.
- fixed left eject kickout lightshow.
- fixed a problem where super ramps display effects were being killed.
- cleaned up left eject kicking code.
- display effect for 3-in-a-row -- moved animation to right side; show score text thru the whole effect.
- added new attract mode lamp sequence (Premium/LE only).

V1.30 - November 18, 2013
=======================

- Initial release.

It doesn't look like any of these images made it into the update. I guess they would lose something with just the shades of red.

Caution: swimwear

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2530084/Alice-Eve-parades-showstopping-curves-nautical-striped-string-bikini-larks-brothers-Barbados-beach-break.html

That's a very impressive list of additions to the games code. If Stern keeps this up with Star Trek the game is going to have a very deep ruleset especially with the three different levels and wizard modes.

- mystery can now restart enterprise amok (multiball).

Mystery? Is there one?

Black hole is the mystery shot

For those who are interested:

V1.30 - October 30, 2013
=======================

- Added new artwork for Prime Directive I, including jackpots and end sequence.
- Code/rule for Space Jump III updated.
- Fixed a problem in Space Jump III display effect where it would not pick an available crewman to draw.
- added light f/x to Space Jump III.
- added emblem color as parameter to lamp effects.
- Consolidated lamp effects that do the same thing.
- Changed all missions to use one of these:
mission_emblem_on/off
mission_shared_update_emblems
- Added final and total awards to Klingon Battle I.
- Added new sound effects.
- Added enhanced final shot with appropriate multiplier and light.
- mission emblem lamps can co-exist with Klingon Multiball emblem lamps.
- center lock is not available during Vengeance Battle Ready.
- Medium difficulty setting for advancing towards Klingon Multiball allows stacking of locks.
- right 3 bank now gives 3 photon torpedoes.
- Pressing the fire will consume only 1 photon torpedo.
- photon torpedoes are now allowed during victory lamps of Vengeance Multiball.
- defeating the Vengeance during Vengeance multiball is now worth 5 million points (and 10 million as a combo).
- Added text and number of hits to go for red matter display effects.
- Fixed Nero triple jackpot score as it was truncating.
- Fixed Destroy the Drill II background display effect, it now shows the number of shots.
- Nero I was showing the wrong Narada in the bg.
- Fixed award for Nero I, when narada was hit it was shaking off screen.
- Fixed small bug with Romulan attack animation moving during award.
- Changed Nero II & Destroy the Drill II so that they let you select a different mode on ball drain.
- Added new artwork for Prime Directive III background, jackpots and ending.
- Added artwork and sound for Klingon Battle III.
- Added all dots to Nero mode, and rules updated accordingly.
- Removed Carol out of match effect and replaced with Gorn and Kirk and the cat girls.
- Shortened bonus multiplier display effect.
- Fixed a speech issue in Space Jump II.
- Added artwork for Space Jump III.
- combos now multiply mission/multiball/etc.. awards by 2X.
- completing missions I, II, III awards a captains chair award of 3 in-a-row where a shot on the playfield is lit for 2X.
- added animations and shots for Destroy the Drill III.
- changed skill shot text.
- added super skill shot sounds.
- added sounds to super ramps.
- tweaked super skill shot fonts & score award blink rate.
- Added new graphics to Super Skill shot and Warp skill shot.
- Modified Super skill shot to require the player to pass the left orbit before becoming validated as a skill shot.
- Modified Super skill shot possible random shots. Removed right orbit.
- added shot multiplier rule.
- added additional point artwork (super pops and super spinners can now award up to 125K per hit/spin).
- added a slingshot power adjustment.
- changed kobayashi maru scoring. Now each KM award is based upon how well you did in the associated mission.
- super pop scores are now based upon how well you did in the first 3 mission.
- super spinner scores are now based upon how well you did in the first 3 missions.
- super ramp scores are now based upon how well you did in the first 3 missions.
- top lanes have memory from ball to ball.
- changed vengeance hurryup to restart at a higher value after a shot is made.
- fixed a bug where missions were not available after finishing wizard mode multiball.
- Added Random super skill shot.
- Fixed an issue where Super Skill Shot and Warp Skill shots weren't working properly.
- Removed Top lane skill shot.
- Fixed a display bug where an image was covering the outline of the time remaining in Save the Enterprise I.
- Space Jump III will not light shots as double shots.
- Altered rules for Prime Directive III and Space Jump III.
- Added match game images.
- Nero II is not time based.
- Fixed plural/singular handling for all missions.
- Mission total not displayed if score is 0.
- If you tilt when a mission is in it's final shot, resume the mission with 1 second left so that the player has the opportunity to complete the mission successfully so they can be awarded captain's chair awards.
- Fixed tilt bug that, when you tilt, any Tier I mission that has not been started is auto-completed, and captain's chair awards are given.
- Completing 3-in-a-line in II and III missions will now give you awards.
- added Kobayashi Maru Multiball.
- added combo art
- added art for Klingon Multiball jackpots.
- added Klingon Multiball double jackpot art/rule.
- added Klingon Multiball Super Jackpot rule.
- fixed the shoot again display effect (was showing placeholder artwork).
- added new warp ramp combo art.
- mission multiball jackpot shots are now based upon how many mission shots were made during level 1 missions.
- super ramps scores 2X on the warp ramps.
- fixed top lanes sound effect.
- Fixed a bug that didn't show the score in the background.
- Added Klingon Battle III intro artwork.
- Additional new artwork.
- added stats to all Missions.
- Added display effects and sounds to Space Jump II.
- Prime Directive I - no longer says "good shot"; but if you make the final shot, it still says "great shot".
- Start Mission light is turned off whenever ball is in left eject.
This handles the case in which a mission is ended by hitting the left eject, which awards "start mission",
which lights the "start mission" light.
- added rules for Space Jump II & III.
- Fixed a bug introduced in Kligon Battle I -- mission lights were not showing up during mission select.
- Fixed an issue in combos where a maxed out combo extra ball didn't light extra ball correctly.
- Prime Directive I now needs 5 shots to relight.
- Added dot animations of Spock hanging from shuttle in volcano.
- Added Destory the Drill art to game image.
- Adjusted Destroy the Drill so that it is shot based instead of time based.
- Added rules for Destory the Drill III.
- Adjusted Bero II so that it is shot based instead of time based.
- added instant info.
- added locks lit, balls locked to instant info.
- Vengeance awards now occur on the first opto hit.
- added Jellyfish sounds to Nero mode.
- added Vengeance Hurry-Up & Battle modes.
- Fixed an issue with the auto adjust settings. Should be exhibiting correct behavior now.
- Added Tilt warning speech.
- Mission select now says the name of first mission.
- Mission select - ignore input until other choreography is done and a little time has passed.
- If balls_in_play>=2, start mission automatically instead of starting mission select.
- Replaced "Welcome back, Spock" with "Welcome Aboard".
- Added auto-adjust extra ball for warp ramp hits.
- Added add a ball to warp ramp threshold of warp 9.9.
- fixed combo speech.
- fixed a bug where center kick back kicked at start of Vengeance battle.
- combos called as first award (to allow warp speech).
- removed computer speech from klingon jackpot.
- fixed redemption display effect.
- photon torpedoes not available during bonus.
- Added/fixed artwork for Save The Enterprise III.
- Added sound effects for Klingon Battle I.
- Added dots and sound effects to Save The Enterprise III.
- Added sound effects to Klingon Battle II.
- Fixed an issue where the center shot wasn't registering properly in Save the Enterprise I.

V1.20 - September 23, 2013
=======================

- Say "Select a mission" only once per game.
- Say it if player has been idle at Mission Select screen for 17 seconds (the length of the Star Trek Theme intro).
- Removed "Please select a mission".
- Admiral says "Prime Directive 2", "Prime Directive 3", etc.
- fixed possible problem with bonus multiplier variable in the display effect for top lanes completed.
- Fixed a problem in klingon III where it would not pick an available shot to light.
- fixed some overlapping text.
- added "Optional" text to Enterprise LEDs.
- added sound fx to super spinner.
- added sound fx to wizard modes.
- Added speech to Klingon Battle II.
- Added artwork to Klingon Battle II.
- Fixed an issue where Warp Ramp values weren't resetting correctly in some cases.
- Modified Warp Factor Voice to be Admiral voice instead of computer.
- Added dot artwork to Nero II modes.
- updated dot atrwork for Destroy the Drill I start (with new changes).
- fixed mystery award Display effect text problem.
- added explosion artwork.
- added new vengeance hit artwork.
- fix a bug where the extra ball was not being awarded when the drop target was up.
- hooked up photon torpedoes to the vengeance advance/multiball rules.
- center magnet now holds ball at start of vengeance multiball.
- added a pops light show.
- added victory laps to the vengeance multiball.
- Added more dot artwork to Destroy the Drill II.
- Added Start, and end dot artwork for Nero II
- Added Warp Ramp scoring, text, rules, and sounds.
- Added artwork for Prime Directive II Ending.
- Eliminated artifacts from mode select music.
- revised match music/fx.
- added Enterprise firing artwork.
- added Klingon ship artwork.
- new mission sound f/x added.
- Admiral with new COM signal processing.
- Match music/fx corrected to Mono.
- added More FX for Klingon battles.
- main play music has been re-orchestrated and extended.
- revised the select mission music.
- Modified Pop bumpers to include scores and progress.
- Added artwork for pop bumpers.
- Modified pop scoring scoring.
- Now hitting the drop target advances to Vengeance Multiball.
- added bottom spot lights.
- added/removed magnet logic to/from multiball rules.
- mission select is not available at ball start if Vengeance battle is ready.
- shorter ball save on Vengeance Multiball.
- Added Nero III dot C assets.
- Added Nero II dot assets.
- Added Destroy the Drill II ending sequence dot assets.
- Changed Nero II rule.
- Changed Destroy the Drill II rule.
- adjusted scores for Destroy the Drill II, III and Nero II, III modes.
- New Dots added for Prime Directive and Space Jump.
- added Vengeance Battle background display test.
- Removed usage of SSI_VO_ST1_0268_NE_WELCOME_BACK_SPOCK when you start a new game right after finishing a game.
- Mission Select is not available at the left eject if the next left eject lock will start Klingon Multiball.
- Later missions do not relight “start mission” when completed.
- "Away Mission" is lit does not start Select Mission if Klingon Multiball is ready to start.
- added more Klingon artwork.
- Added rules to Klingon Battle III.
- Fixed an issue in Klingon Battle I where the bonus score would not be added in at the appropriate place.
- Fixed an issue in Klingon Battle II where the timer wasn't being increased correctly.
- Fixed an issue in Klingon Battle II where the bonus score wasn't being calculated correctly.
- Admiral speaks the mission names in mission select.
- Nero I - removed background ship noise.
- Hitting both flippers starts mission and launches ball (if ball is in shooter lane).
- removed computer saying Jackpot, Removed Checkov saying "Capt on the bridge" at beginning of game.
- Added dot assets for Save the Enterprise III.
- Added dot intro to Save the Entrprice III.
- Fixed an issue where Klingon Battle I was scoring higher than expected.
- Added rules to Klingon Battle II.
- Modified scoring on Save the Enterprise and Klingon Battle.
- Added display effects for red matter targets.
- Added display effect for red matter targets completed.
- Fixed an issue with some missions where the center drop target wasn't registering as a valid shot.
- Added rules to Save the Enterprise III.
- Modified scores for all the Save the Enterprise and Klingon Battle II modes.

V1.01 - September 10, 2013
=======================

- Removed the Admiral introduction speech at the start of the game.
- Use only Computer voice for Prime Directive name callouts (removed Admiral).
- Changed text "SAVE THE ENTERPRISE II" and "SAVE THE ENTERPRISE III" to "SAVE ENTERPRISE II" and "SAVE ENTERPRISE III" so they fit on screen.
- Removed game start "MR_SULU_TAKE_US_OUT" VO as the opening speech calls should call you Captain.
- added sound assets for Klingon modes.
- AD, KL and CV levels have been adjusted bringing KL and AD up considerably and taking CV down just a tad.
- New rendition of the Courage 1966 ST theme which is used for game over.

V1.0 - September 9, 2013
=======================

- Initial release.

No, you allow the user community to write new code and it all gets submitted to Stern for approval, denial and testing. That helps both us and Stern. They could piece out what features they want to add to a future Stern release.

I don't think they need to do this - it would create more work for them. You can always go back to official code if problems occur.

Imagine if you wanted to develop a video game and needed a team of john carmack code geniuses to make it. Couldn't be done. That's why they create these kind of tools because very few people are up to the programming job. I imagine they must have something similar on pinball as they can't be rewriting code endlessly to alter the game rules etc or indeed writing new code for every new game - that would be madness.

Can anyone confirm that the StarTrek Font is gone that was used in mission names etc. to make space for new animations inside it's code space? If so then the browser tool has no issue with this version which is good.

Looking around the web someone has already started this. This is the kind of thing that should be used on modern pinball machines.

Programming Pinball Machines

Project description

Our research involves modifying a pinball machine in order to expand its existing gameplay capabilities and make it a development platform for aspiring games developers and new technologies. In doing so, we hope to create a testbed that assists people to gain an interest in games development and programming.
Abstract

Our project began with an off-the-shelf Stern Lord of the Rings pinball machine. Our original goal was to simply modify the built-in game and add in features. Initially, the project consisted of creating a drop-in replacement for the game hardware and writing a software control mechanism for it. However, our experience with crafting a new hardware control system for the pinball machine led to our exploration of other forms of software and hardware development, in particular motion tracking and a form of artificial intelligence to determine the strength of the player. The next step in our development of the pinball machine was to make the software system modular, such that it could be used on any pinball machine, increasing the relevance and impact of our work. Later, in order to make games development more achievable for interested parties, we developed a library of common game events and actions that developers could use to more quickly create a game without having prior knowledge of either the hardware or software architecture. A partnership with another research team at the University of Alberta is on the road to producing a much simpler method, through the use of scripting and a graphical game designer, of developing games without the need for any programming experience at all. Now that the framework for creating new games is in place, we are exploring innovative new ways to bring gameplay elements to the pinball experience, something that has been constrained in a rather rigid paradigm for years. Our ultimate goal is to create a pinball system that allows for anyone to create a new game as a way to develop programming skills and foster interest in games development.