Custom theme pin

VECTOR
#1

Picked up an Arduino Mega and an 8 relay board and was thinking it would be cool to use it to make a custom theme hybrid pin.

The Mega has 54 I/O pins and I was thinking that a 74LS154 would decode 16 outputs to drive 16 relays for pop bumpers, slingshots, and many other powered objects on the playfield. The trick would be to get the signal long enough on the relay so it can power the solenoids long enough for them to do their jobs. These could also be used to run EM scoring assemblies.

A smaller Arduino Micro and a 4 relay board could be used to drive the chime boxes separately and communicate over serial with the Mega.

That would leave plenty of inputs to connect to switches on the playfield.

Am I crazy? :smiley:

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#2

Yes,

Your Crazy! :smile: But, the project would be awesome as well. I’d be in to chat about your ideas and help start a theme. I would suggest KISS Pinball (Keep It Simple Stupid).Figure out what shots you like the most in a machine and get 2 or 3 of them in your design. Then try and think of a theme from there. Allow room in your design, because cluttered playfields are just a mistake. Try to keep the middle lower half of the playfield completely open.

Just my opinions, would be up to talk more.

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#3

Totally doable. The PROC uses SPI as its communication method between boards… can run long distances and resistant to interference.

Check out the Firepower Pinball Project - http://pinballchameleon.blogspot.com/

Also, for software, I’d plan to utilize the open source Mission Pinball framework. No need to reinvent the wheel here… otherwise a lot of work! https://missionpinball.com/

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#4

BTW, building a game from scratch is very ambitious. Most people (myself included) are better at some aspects than others:

  • Playfield layout and geometry (does it “flip” well?)
  • Rule set (scoring? challenge? Balance of risk/reward?)
  • Artwork (theme, backglass, cabinet, playfield, toys and plastics?)
  • Standard, widebody, or a new format?
  • Which mechs? EM-era Gottlieb? 80’s/90’s Williams? Modern Stern parts?
  • Sounds? Chime bars/bells/solid state noises/speakers/subwoofer?

For your first time out, I suggest an EM-to-SS conversion. The Mission Pinball guys did this to a Big Shot as a proof of concept. Seems to have worked out well. The reels still turn and they added new features and light shows… https://missionpinball.com/blog/category/games/big-shot-em-conversion/

#5

Someone did a small custom pin with an Arduino already and I want to try to repurpose a roached EM just for the score reels. :slight_smile:

Some of the EMs have really crappy play, slow ball speed, and stupid stubby flippers and I don’t mind cutting a new playfield to get around those shortcomings. It will also force me to learn more about either doing a vinyl underlay or possibly even stenciling the artwork.

#6

Very cool… just be sure to scope out the main project tasks you think you can handle first so you don’t get overwhelmed and/or are left with a partially-functioning game. When all is said and done, ideally you’ll want to have something you can display and enjoy. :slight_smile:

I usually custom-tune my EM’s by adding/removing coil wire so that the mechs play consistently. But of course going digital allows you to do all of that with software, which is just awesome.

Regarding EM’s, you have some choices as to which manufacturer and “hardware platform” to use. Bally, Williams, and Gottlieb have some differences between them and those differences also vary depending upon the decade.

Have a game in mind? Want to come by my shop and sample some of the differences?

#7

No game in mind. Using relays and the game’s transformer will make it so it doesn’t really matter which manufacturer or AC vs DC coils.

If the playfield layout is good I can keep it or I can tweak it by adding/moving/deleting things as I want before deciding on artwork.

Being an EM I would want to do the artwork in the cartoonish style of the era and nothing like some of the photo realistic stuff of today.

#8

I’d do it in stages. First thing would be the playfield layout and flippers. Once that is wired and working it would be time to connect the score reels and test moving those and reading the 9s and 0 positions so they can be reset. Next would be the chime bars and the sub processor to make sounds.

After that would be tracking player balls/game over, then setting scoring of the playfield, simulating a match, and then looking at “rules” and more complex things such as spelling out items using drop targets to enable other scoring or free balls. I think after that will be players 2 through 4 (depending on the EM pin I pick up.)

Being in product management for a day job, I know you have to take development in chunks and thoroughly test before moving on to the next task. :slight_smile:

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#9

I don’t know if you got to meet Ben Heck at TPF but watch his videos on Pinball design and how he built his custom pinball machines.

I’d totally like to help you with this project (at least 3D printing little gadgets).

#10

http://pinballmakers.com/wiki/index.php/OPP

#11

I’m sticking with the 2 Arduino setup I have in mind.

I’m wanting to use a combination of standard LEDs for general purpose lighting, standard LEDs for some playfield lights, and a few of the individual RGB LEDs with the control chip for lights. They are addressable individually and you can send codes to them to control colors.

I have an 8 relay board to use with pop bumpers, slingshots, etc… and a knocker. :smiley:

I still have to find a pin with a decent body and roached playfield… or build a cabinet and buy all the legs and guts.

If you go build the OPP, I have a Panavise with the inserts you need to crimp the ribbon cables.

#12

Stencil time!

Picked up a vinyl cutter from a member and made a stencil to use with some orange paint. Now to buy an airbrush setup. :slight_smile:

Flipper Bumper Stencil.png2015Ă—1832 67.5 KB

These are from the Atari 2600 joystick and I’m going to paint them as a small circle around the flipper buttons.

And the logo for the sides…

Now I have to figure out how to stencil the woodgrain pattern.

#13

You could use Vinyl.

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#14

Yeah, but that would look horrific. I want a cross between the wood grain look of the 2600 and the funky paint job of an EM pin.

#15

In that case I would suggest something like this.
https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Graining-Pattern-Painting-Decoration/dp/B012SZNJQG/ref=pd_sim_60_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=9S03KFMRS7PP74WP53N0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF43BjnoF8k

I wouldn’t suggest stencils, they would be exceedingly difficult to cut, weed, and apply. I like the drag tools as they tend to allow for the long linear grain seen on the atari vinyl they used.

Well you are trying to imitate the wood grain of an atari.

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#16

All I can say is just free hand it. My wife did this & it’s a pretty funny story the way she did it. She bought 1x12 pine for some shelves. She didn’t like that look so she painted it white. Well she didn’t like that look so she then painted it to look a walnut look. I’ll get a picture when I get home tonight.

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#17

This is what she did, I bet you could do it.

IMG_9079.JPG3024Ă—4032 1.47 MB
IMG_9080.JPG4032Ă—3024 1.84 MB

#18

I’m going all digital.

I picked up an Canon iPF8000s 44" plotter and am loading up a new PC to use with it. I’ve been scanning in items and working on artwork for the pin and it has been slowly coming along. Most of the stuff I’ve done has been posted up to Facebook.

First I did an insert layout to check to see that they all lined up. They were all within 1/8" of each other (2 of 'em) but most were either 1/16" inch off or were dead on.

Insert layout.png2775Ă—5700 183 KB

Then I started layout of the graphics. Here’s the 4th revision as I slowly add playfield elements in.

Insert layout 4.png2775Ă—5700 883 KB

I still have a lot more to layout before I can see what blank areas need filling.

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#19

Now, if you’re an Atari 2600 fan, what 5 games do you see represented on the playfield so far?

#20

Adventure, Combat, Pitfall, Kaboom, and Yar’s Revenge

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