Dirtypool Pinball - PODCAST - An Exploration Of The Pinball Industry

Dirty Pool Podcast - Ep35 - Mike Vinikour | Designing Modern Pinball Rules

▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj] Mike Vinikour (MXV) has had one of the more unusual careers in pinball. From testing games at Williams/Bally Midway during the arcade era, to competitive Mortal Kombat, to helping shape modern Stern Pinball software and rules, he's been involved with games from several different angles. In Episode 35 of the Dirty Pool Podcast, we'll be talking about Mike's path through the game industry, how rule design has evolved, balancing depth with accessibility, software testing, field testing, working with designers, the realities of developing modern Stern machines, and plenty of stories from both the arcade and pinball worlds. We'll also get into his photography, massive vinyl collection, and whatever unexpected rabbit holes the conversation decides to find. 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch https://twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball [https://twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball] 📺 YouTube https://youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball [https://youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball] 📷 Instagram https://instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball [https://instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball] 📘 Facebook https://facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball [https://facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball] 👕 Apparel https://www.dirtypoolpinball.com [https://www.dirtypoolpinball.com] 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:12 - Mike’s Record Collection 00:02:50 - Why Vinyl Matters 00:06:45 - Guessing the Record Count 00:08:44 - 16,000 Records 00:09:32 - Choosing What to Play 00:13:28 - Mortal Kombat Begins 00:16:36 - 105 Wins in MK2 00:18:10 - Meeting Midway at a Punk Show 00:20:16 - Revolution X and Game Testing 00:21:20 - Helping Build Midway QA 00:22:50 - The Punk Vault 00:23:40 - Photography and Punk Zines 00:26:53 - Favorite and Worst Shows to Shoot 00:29:18 - Getting to Stern 00:30:00 - Growing Up With Pinball 00:31:14 - Lyman Sheets Pushed for Mike 00:32:30 - George Gomez and Stern 00:34:08 - Working With Lyman on Batman 66 00:37:18 - James Bond and John Wick 00:38:26 - The “Saved the Game” Misunderstanding 00:40:48 - Rule Design Without Programming 00:42:10 - Earning Trust at Stern 00:43:18 - Working With Dwight Sullivan 00:46:00 - The MXV Skill Shot 00:48:23 - Secret Skill Shots and Mortal Kombat 00:49:40 - NDAs and Keeping Secrets 00:52:00 - Keith Elwin Made It a Thing 00:52:33 - Godzilla as Mike’s Favorite Game 00:54:10 - When a Rule Fails 00:55:28 - The Game Tells You 00:56:45 - Working With Lonnie Ropp 00:59:10 - Are Modern Rules Too Complex? 01:00:16 - Designing for New and Expert Players 01:01:10 - Risk and Reward 01:03:31 - Multiple Ways to Blow Up a Game 01:04:42 - Shot Difficulty in Rule Design 01:06:08 - Music Pins Without Being a Jukebox 01:08:32 - Dream Theme: Skinny Puppy 01:09:48 - Designing Around the Toy 01:10:42 - George Gomez’s Creative Brain 01:13:07 - Mike’s Basement Collection 01:15:08 - Work-Life Balance With Pinball 01:15:48 - The Raven Question 01:18:10 - Expo, Portland, and Shows 01:20:32 - Top Punk Albums 01:21:35 - Punk Rock Pinball Shoutout 01:24:00 - Raid and Praise the Great Pyramid 01:25:10 - Outro #pinball #sternpinball #dirtypoolpodcast #podcast #arcade

Dirty Pool Podcast - Ep34 - Jason Knapp of Knapp Arcade

▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj] Jason Knapp of Knapp Arcade joins Dirty Pool Podcast to talk about running one of the few dedicated pinball news sites still trying to keep track of the hobby in real time. We get into pinball journalism, how stories are chosen, how much work goes into keeping information accurate,and what it’s like covering a small industry where the people, companies, rumors, and drama all exist. Also I eat a taco. It was pretty good. We also talk about the Knapp Arcade redesign, what changed behind the scenes, how the site has grown, and the balance between building something useful for the community without getting dragged into every argument the hobby creates for itself. 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch http://www.twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball [http://www.twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball] 📺 YouTube http://www.youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball [http://www.youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball] 📷 Instagram http://www.instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball [http://www.instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball] 📘 Facebook http://www.facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball [http://www.facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball] 🔊 Discord http://discord.gg/ySs5Wjb3Je [http://discord.gg/ySs5Wjb3Je] 👕 Apparel http://www.dirtypoolpinball.com [http://www.dirtypoolpinball.com] 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:01 - The charity dart tournament origin story 00:03:00 - Craigslist finds, Facebook groups, and starting his own page 00:05:01 - When Knapp Arcade became something people depended on 00:06:20 - Building a permanent archive outside Facebook 00:07:25 - The site redesign, dark mode, and son-powered web development 00:09:04 - How Jason handles rumors and confidence levels 00:11:27 - Writing the news he would want to read 00:12:25 - The Stern Indiana Jones rumor and being right until you are wrong 00:14:31 - Fact-checking, Deep Root, and reporting what can be verified 00:16:11 - Why AI is not a source 00:17:21 - IPDB, Pinside, and preserving pinball history 00:18:54 - OPDB and organizing a massive photo archive 00:19:31 - Live questions and the Resident Evil pricing mess 00:23:52 - American Pinball under new management 00:25:29 - Supporting smaller manufacturers without ignoring the risks 00:27:21 - Worlds commentary, Goonies, and dream pinball themes 00:30:54 - Balancing family, work, travel, and fast writing 00:32:50 - Automotive competitive intelligence and chasing information 00:34:13 - The moments that make running Knapp Arcade worth it 00:36:20 - Jealous people, pinball drama, and doing the work 00:39:04 - Paywalls, ads, and keeping the site sustainable 00:44:54 - Future tiers, rankings, and a larger photo library 00:45:43 - Favorite manufacturers and the pull of Insider Connected 00:47:08 - Jason compliments Winchester Mystery House 00:48:45 - What pinball journalism still has not covered 00:51:11 - Pinball magazines, archives, and historical ads 00:54:21 - Bringing younger fans into the hobby 00:56:34 - Location play, leagues, and keeping arcades alive 00:60:47 - The Knapp Arcade app and push notifications 00:63:20 - Daily game photos and collecting every machine 00:66:13 - Bucket list arcades, Next Level, and missing Banning 00:69:05 - The Knapp Arcade logo and the 9/12/15 date 00:71:02 - Making Knapp Arcade part of the morning routine 00:72:13 - Rock Fantasy, home games, and the Raven argument 00:73:29 - Raven, Hollywood Heat, and Predator Raven 00:75:20 - Praise the Great Pyramid #DirtyPoolPinball #DirtyPoolPodcast #Pinball #KnappArcade #KnappArcadePinball

Dirty Pool Podcast - Ep33 - Steve Bowden - Rules, Risk and Barry O’s

▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj] Steve Bowden has one of the stranger paths through modern pinball. Tournament player. Broadcaster. Rules analyst. Designer. deeproot employee. American Pinball employee during one of the company’s rougher stretches. A lot of the modern hobby overlaps with Steve somewhere along the way. The conversation moves through tournament strategy, how commentary changed the way players learn rules and scoring, balancing games for casual players versus high-level competition, working inside pinball manufacturing, streaming culture, and the lingering fallout from the deeproot era now that parts of that story have started resurfacing again in community discussions. There’s a lot of history attached to this one. 🎁 Fun With Bonus: 🌐 Website http://funwithbonus.com [http://funwithbonus.com] 📷 Instagram http://www.instagram.com/funwithbonus [http://www.instagram.com/funwithbonus] ❌ Twitter/X http://x.com/FunWithBonus [http://x.com/FunWithBonus] 🎵 TikTok http://www.tiktok.com/@funwithbonus [http://www.tiktok.com/@funwithbonus] 📘 Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/FunWithBonus/ [http://www.facebook.com/FunWithBonus/] 👥 Facebook Group http://www.facebook.com/groups/funwithbonus [http://www.facebook.com/groups/funwithbonus] 📡 Twitch http://www.twitch.tv/funwithbonus [http://www.twitch.tv/funwithbonus] 📺 YouTube http://youtube.com/@funwithbonus [http://youtube.com/@funwithbonus] Shoutout: 🌐 https://thepinballchick.com/table-review-index/ [https://thepinballchick.com/table-review-index/] 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch http://www.twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball [http://www.twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball] 📺 YouTube http://www.youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball [http://www.youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball] 📷 Instagram http://www.instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball [http://www.instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball] 📘 Facebook http://www.facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball [http://www.facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball] 🔊 Discord – http://discord.gg/ySs5Wjb3Je [http://discord.gg/ySs5Wjb3Je] 👕 Apparel http://www.dirtypoolpinball.com [http://www.dirtypoolpinball.com] 00:00:00 - Network panic intro and finally getting Steve Bowden on 00:02:42 - How Steve accidentally became a PAPA commentator 00:07:59 - Did PAPA broadcasts make players better at pinball? 00:10:29 - Steve explains the “predict three things” commentary trick 00:11:49 - Do commentators need to be elite players? 00:13:27 - Learning unfamiliar games live on commentary 00:14:20 - Teaching players through rules design 00:17:24 - Home collectors vs route players 00:18:32 - Monster Bash, Spider-Man and layered rules 00:21:20 - IPDB disappearing and old pinball internet lore 00:23:03 - Great Pyramid shirt lore and Fun With Bonus 00:27:55 - Deeproot, American Pinball and getting into rules design 00:29:04 - “The second dollar is the important dollar” 00:30:47 - Dune tournament stories and weak flippers 00:39:42 - Balancing depth without scaring off new players 00:43:18 - Working inside American Pinball during the transition years 00:52:11 - Cutting features and simplifying rule ideas 00:58:44 - Designing rules for route players instead of home collectors 01:08:27 - Risk reward design and tournament strategy 01:14:52 - Tournament minded rules and player psychology 01:23:35 - The Raven joke returns 01:31:06 - Deeproot employment and behind the scenes instability 01:37:48 - American Pinball stories and industry chaos 01:46:33 - Commentary shaping player knowledge and competitive growth 01:52:04 - Commentary psychology and reading the room 02:02:11 - Raven jokes, old broadcasts and modern pinball culture #Pinball #DirtyPoolPinball #SteveBowden #PinballPodcast #CompetitivePinball #IFPA #TournamentPinball #PinballCommunity #PinballRules #AmericanPinball #Deeproot #PinballBroadcast #Arcade #PinballMachine #Silverball #PinballTalk #PinballLife #SternPinball #BarrelsOfFun #ArcadeCulture #PinballPlayers #PinballDesign #RetroGaming #PinballStreamer #TexasPinballFestival #PinballNews #PinballIndustry #Podcast

Dirty Pool Podcast - Ep32 - Gerry Stellenberg and the Multimorphic / P3 Platform

▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj] The P3 has carved out a very different lane in modern pinball. Swappable modules, a ball tracked LCD playfield, physical mechs, and a platform that approaches game design from a completely different angle than most traditional machines. Gerry joins the Dirty Pool Podcast to talk about the origins of the Multimorphic platform, designing games around modular hardware, how different modules take advantage of the system in unique ways, and how the P3 has evolved over the years. We also get into the balance between physical and digital integration in pinball, the realities of building a platform meant to support multiple experiences in one cabinet, and how players have responded to pinball that experiments outside the standard format. 🧬 Multimorphic / P3 Pinball https://www.multimorphic.com/ [https://www.multimorphic.com/] If you had a P3 cabinet, which module would you want to try first? 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch http://www.twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball [http://www.twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball] 📺 YouTube http://www.youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball [http://www.youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball] 📷 Instagram http://www.instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball [http://www.instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball] 📘 Facebook http://www.facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball [http://www.facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball] 🔊 Discord – http://discord.gg/ySs5Wjb3Je [http://discord.gg/ySs5Wjb3Je] 👕 Apparel http://www.dirtypoolpinball.com [http://www.dirtypoolpinball.com] 00:00:00 - Multimorphic, P3, and the strange corner of modern pinball 00:01:21 - Gerry’s tech background before pinball 00:02:42 - P-ROC starts as a way to mess with existing machines 00:03:24 - Tracking a bouncing pinball in real time 00:04:48 - Infrared grids, multiple balls, and what the system actually sees 00:05:50 - P-ROC becomes the brain inside the P3 00:06:38 - Choosing modules and LCD playfields over a normal pinball machine 00:07:40 - Building new pinball tech when Stern was almost alone 00:08:41 - Fighting the “that’s not real pinball” reaction 00:10:35 - Roguelike pinball and software-only game ideas 00:11:23 - Asking players to trust an $11k unfamiliar platform 00:13:37 - Portal, first impressions, and the flipper feel debate 00:16:55 - How much of “different” is mechanical and how much is psychology 00:17:49 - Why operators are nervous about putting P3s on location 00:20:03 - Old hardware criticisms and the problem of lasting first impressions 00:22:11 - The LCD gets judged before people actually play the game 00:22:55 - Princess Bride, physical mechs, and not hiding behind the screen 00:24:41 - Final Resistance and Scott Danesi’s traditional P3 approach 00:25:45 - The spaceship cannon and P3’s back trough system 00:26:40 - Lexy Lightspeed as the overlooked early module 00:27:39 - Full modules, add-on games, and how the P3 library works 00:28:55 - Cosmic Cart Racing and online multiplayer pinball 00:31:05 - Third-party developers building directly on the platform 00:31:51 - Original themes, licensed IP, and keeping games available 00:33:47 - Weird Al, Portal, and why recognizable licenses changed things 00:35:04 - Scorbit, APIs, and community integrations 00:35:57 - What it actually costs to buy into P3 00:36:40 - Shipping modules through UPS and swapping cabinet art 00:37:36 - Why the P3 is heavier than people expect 00:39:00 - Module seams, alignment, and the transition between playfields 00:42:00 - Upgrades, backboxes, scoop changes, and replacing older parts 00:43:31 - Backward compatibility and the fear of a future P3 generation 00:45:01 - Customer trust when people buy into an ecosystem 00:48:00 - International shipping and getting P3s outside the US 00:49:03 - Portal as Gerry’s favorite Multimorphic experience 00:49:53 - Eighteen balls in Portal and Heist taking the multiball crown 00:52:08 - What tracked balls let designers do differently 00:54:00 - Texas pinball, other manufacturers, and the hard part of building games 00:57:01 - Cabinet materials, plywood, and build quality questions 00:59:59 - Server checks, ownership, and whether games keep working offline 01:03:00 - Virtual targets, screen-based scoring, and every pixel becoming gameplay 01:05:59 - Publishing original P3 games as a third-party developer 01:07:34 - Filling the lower screen without making it feel empty 01:09:00 - Portal as the current high-water mark and what comes next 01:12:00 - Future mechs reaching farther into the lower playfield 01:14:59 - Where people can find and play a P3 in person 01:16:49 - Final plugs, Buffalo Pinball, and finding the P3 for yourself #DirtyPoolPinball #DirtyPoolPodcast #Multimorphic #P3Pinball #Pinball #PinballMachine #PinballPodcast #Arcade #ArcadeGames #PinballCommunity #ModularPinball #PinballDesign #GameDesign #PinballTech #LCDPlayfield #PhysicalPinball #InteractivePinball #PinballIndustry #PinballStream #PinballCollectors #Silverball #ArcadeCulture #PinballLife #PinballAddict #PinballEnthusiast #GamingPodcast #RetroGaming #PraiseTheGreatPyramid

Dirty Pool Podcast - Ep31 - Raymond Davidson - Player to Programmer

▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj] It's podcast time with RAYDAY! Raymond Davidson of Stern Pinball known for titles like Rush, Metallica Remaster and of course Fall of the Empire. We’re lining up topics around rules design from a player mindset, how code evolves after location testing, and how modern games balance competitive depth with accessibility. Also getting into team workflow, post-launch updates, and how tournament play shapes coding decisions. What’s one rule in a modern game that actually changed how you approach it? 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch http://www.twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball [http://www.twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball] 📺 YouTube http://www.youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball [http://www.youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball] 📷 Instagram http://www.instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball [http://www.instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball] 📘 Facebook http://www.facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball [http://www.facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball] 🔊 Discord – http://discord.gg/ySs5Wjb3Je [http://discord.gg/ySs5Wjb3Je] 🛒 Apparel http://www.dirtypoolpinball.com [http://www.dirtypoolpinball.com] 00:00:00 - Intro and Raymond Davidson joins the podcast 00:01:00 - Seattle pinball roots and early tournament access 00:03:00 - Traveling for tournaments and the $2 bill payout 00:04:07 - PAPA, getting humbled, and improving through competition 00:05:23 - Getting hired at Stern and starting on Avengers 00:06:01 - First Stern lab stories and working with John Borg 00:07:32 - Led Zeppelin and getting real rules design ownership 00:08:04 - Using code to bring out the best parts of a layout 00:09:38 - Led Zeppelin wizard mode and pressure after multiball 00:10:46 - What carries over from older code frameworks 00:11:29 - Whitewood testing and finding out what is actually fun 00:12:38 - Watching streams to see how players really behave 00:14:02 - Death Star cashouts and risk versus reward 00:14:48 - Rush combos, Foo Fighters moments, and rewarding mastery 00:16:23 - Making deep games accessible within a few shots 00:18:18 - Scoring balance and why big points matter 00:19:56 - Unexpected bugs and the secret Metallica add-a-ball 00:21:08 - Favorite final code and what still nags at him 00:22:00 - Revisiting Led Zeppelin and skipped multiball objectives 00:23:17 - Filtering community feedback without chasing every opinion 00:24:42 - Remastering older games and constant rules ideas 00:25:44 - Favorite butthole shots and Lord of the Rings design 00:27:32 - Why Simpsons Pinball Party still works so well 00:28:11 - Theme integration versus scoring balance 00:30:22 - Roving shots, Death Star 2, and avoiding gimmies 00:31:18 - Speeder bikes and thematic mechanical action 00:33:10 - Bonus missions without blocking Jedi progression 00:34:16 - Star Wars as the first Spike 3 release 00:36:18 - Stream friendly UI, bigger scores, and real constraints 00:39:32 - Making the best of design limits 00:40:05 - John Wick, rejects, and code improving a harsh game 00:40:32 - Zach working across Star Wars, John Wick, and X-Men 00:42:13 - Video modes and what actually holds up 00:42:46 - Licensing limits and what can appear on screen 00:45:18 - Named Stern updates and the Rebel Rebellion problem 00:47:01 - Stern office tournaments and absurd employee scores 00:48:34 - Tournament travel, PTO, and Stern supporting play 00:49:23 - Jedi Mania, streaming games, and learning from co-op 00:51:29 - Development speed bumps beyond licensing 00:53:23 - Spike 3 video formats and H.265 workflow 00:54:42 - Spike 3 hardware questions and upgrade limits 00:56:10 - Simple layouts, deep rules, and matching code to playfield 00:57:20 - Why teams matter more than manufacturer labels 00:59:00 - AI, internal tools, and what should never reach final assets 01:01:02 - Stern Insider, multiplayer possibilities, and score visibility 01:03:33 - Wrap up and final Raven choice 01:04:33 - Great Pyramid outro and cult signoff #pinball #sternpinball #raymonddavidson #pinballpodcast #pinballdesign #pinballrules #competitivepinball #pinballcommunity #pinballlife #arcade #arcadeculture #retrogaming #gamingpodcast #pinballplayers #pinballfans #pinballinterview #gamedesign #rulesdesign #pinballstrategy #modernpinball #dirtypoolpinball #greatpyramid #cultofpinball #pinballtalk #pinballstream #arcadegames #gamingcommunity #pinballmachine