Advertise on podcast: Dirtypool Pinball - PODCAST - An Exploration Of The Pinball Industry

▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj Francis from Pinball Capital joins me to talk about running an arcade in Chicago, right in the middle of one of the biggest hubs for pinball manufacturing and design. We get into the realities of operating a modern arcade, maintaining a large lineup of games, his relationship with the manufacturers and people building games nearby, what Chicago’s pinball scene is actually like from an operator’s perspective, and where he sees location pinball heading. 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch https://twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball 📺 YouTube https://youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball 📷 Instagram https://instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook https://facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 👕 Apparel https://www.dirtypoolpinball.com

▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj Keith Elwin joins the Dirty Pool Podcast to talk about his path from competitive player to game designer, how Randy helped pull him into pinball, and the way he approaches building a new machine from the earliest ideas forward. We also talk about the pressure that comes with being called the best, the designers he looks up to, what defines Keith outside of pinball, obscure Steam games, and, most importantly what sandwich relates to each flipper skill. 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch https://twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball 📺 YouTube https://youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball 📷 Instagram https://instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook https://facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 👕 Apparel https://www.dirtypoolpinball.com #Pinball #KeithElwin #SternPinball #PinballPodcast #DirtyPoolPinball

▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj Tasker Smith joins the podcast to talk about his book Pinball: A Quest for Mastery and a bigger question behind it: can you actually learn pinball from a book? We talk about what can and can’t be taught through text, how much of pinball comes from repetition and instinct, whether fundamentals translate from classic games to modern machines, and how Tasker decided what knowledge was important enough to put on the page. We also get into practice, competition, ball control, and what it really means to get better at pinball. 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch https://twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball 📺 YouTube https://youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball 📷 Instagram https://instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook https://facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 👕 Apparel https://www.dirtypoolpinball.com #pinball #taskersmith #pinballpodcast #dirtypoolpinball

▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj Joel and Jared Engelberth join the Dirty Pool Podcast to talk about the evolution of their weekly Flip N Out Pinball stream, going from brothers with very different levels of pinball experience to hosting one of the most popular regular streams in the hobby. We talk about Joel's early days in pinball media, Jared starting out as the pinball novice, how their relationship with Zach Meny and Flip N Out developed, getting early access to new games, working with manufacturers and designers, and giving honest opinions when thousands of dollars in purchasing decisions may be riding on them. We also get into first impressions they've gotten wrong, games they disagree on, the inevitable "shill" accusations, balancing industry relationships with audience trust, and where pinball streaming goes from here. 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch https://twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball 📺 YouTube https://youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball 📷 Instagram https://instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook https://facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 👕 Apparel https://www.dirtypoolpinball.com #Pinball #PinballMachine #PinballPodcast #FlipNOutPinball #DirtyPoolPinball

▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj Serge from Electric Bat joins us for Podcast 37. Serge has spent a lot of time behind the mic calling tournament pinball, so we wanted to dig into how he approaches it. How much homework goes into a broadcast? How do you explain a game without talking over it? What do you do when absolutely nothing interesting is happening? Serge has a great perspective on the game from the other side of the glass, and this felt like a good excuse to finally get him on and talk about it. Plus he promised after I tricked him to play Bon Jovi after his trip to LA. 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch https://twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball 📺 YouTube https://youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball 📷 Instagram https://instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook https://facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 👕 Apparel https://www.dirtypoolpinball.com #pinball #dirtypoolpodcast #electricbat #pinballart #pinballcommunity #art #commentary

▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj 🕰️ Ayscrim Studios 🛒 Website https://ayscrimstudios.com 📷 Instagram https://instagram.com/ayscrimstudios 📘 Facebook https://facebook.com/ayscrimstudios Philippe Grégoire is the owner of Ayscrim Studios, where he hand-builds officially licensed pinball clocks using artwork from classic machines and original collaborations with pinball / adjacent artists. We’ll talk about how a homemade Gottlieb Surf Champ score-reel clock grew into a fully licensed business, the engineering hidden inside each clock, working with original game artwork, and the strange process of building a creative niche inside an already very specific creative niche. Also how to bring these products to market and showing them at conventions to reveal the mystery behind the billion dollar lucrative business of pinball arts and crafts. /s The original clock documented on pinside: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/gottlieb-score-reel-clock-project We’ll also get into the one-of-a-kind Great Pyramid clock Philippe made for Dirty Pool, complete with a moving eye that watches back. Pretty damn cool. 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch https://twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball 📺 YouTube https://youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball 📷 Instagram https://instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook https://facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 👕 Apparel https://www.dirtypoolpinball.com #pinball #dirtypoolpodcast #ayscrimstudios #pinballart #pinballcommunity #art #hobbyart

▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist 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 📺 YouTube https://youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball 📷 Instagram https://instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook https://facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 👕 Apparel 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

▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist 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 📺 YouTube http://www.youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball 📷 Instagram http://www.instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook http://www.facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 🔊 Discord http://discord.gg/ySs5Wjb3Je 👕 Apparel 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

▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist 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 📷 Instagram http://www.instagram.com/funwithbonus ❌ Twitter/X http://x.com/FunWithBonus 🎵 TikTok http://www.tiktok.com/@funwithbonus 📘 Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/FunWithBonus/ 👥 Facebook Group http://www.facebook.com/groups/funwithbonus 📡 Twitch http://www.twitch.tv/funwithbonus 📺 YouTube http://youtube.com/@funwithbonus Shoutout: 🌐 https://thepinballchick.com/table-review-index/ 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch http://www.twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball 📺 YouTube http://www.youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball 📷 Instagram http://www.instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook http://www.facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 🔊 Discord – http://discord.gg/ySs5Wjb3Je 👕 Apparel 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

▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist 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/ If you had a P3 cabinet, which module would you want to try first? 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch http://www.twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball 📺 YouTube http://www.youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball 📷 Instagram http://www.instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook http://www.facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 🔊 Discord – http://discord.gg/ySs5Wjb3Je 👕 Apparel 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

▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist 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 📺 YouTube http://www.youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball 📷 Instagram http://www.instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook http://www.facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 🔊 Discord – http://discord.gg/ySs5Wjb3Je 🛒 Apparel 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

▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj We’ve got Kaite Martin joining the Dirty Pool Podcast. You may know her from Scorbit, NYC Pinball, or from helping keep the New York scene visible and active. We’re digging into tournament culture, media coverage, what it takes to grow pinball in a major city, and how newer players find their way into the hobby. We’ll also get into women in pinball, making spaces feel more welcoming, and what still needs work. If you were building a city around pinball culture, what would be the first thing you’d fix? 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch http://www.twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball 📺 YouTube http://www.youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball 📷 Instagram http://www.instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook http://www.facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 🔊 Discord – http://discord.gg/ySs5Wjb3Je 00:00:08 - Intro 00:03:25 - Learning pinball at a dive bar 00:04:59 - Buying Paragon and filling apartments 00:07:13 - Fourteen games in a NYC home 00:08:24 - Tenants, tournaments, and noise 00:10:12 - Moving games through tight doors 00:11:52 - New York pinball then and now 00:13:23 - Taking over games at Buttermilk 00:18:19 - Bells and Chimes New York history 00:19:34 - Old operators and location standards 00:22:42 - Hosting a 44 player home tournament 00:25:02 - Future Spa and tough tournament games 00:28:24 - Home tournaments and bad ROI 00:30:30 - Bells finals and accessible venues 00:31:48 - Balancing league and casual settings 00:34:30 - Putting personal games on location 00:36:37 - Home games breaking during tournaments 00:38:18 - Home tournament party stories 00:45:00 - Rotating games at the bar 00:46:18 - Game weights and apartment floors 00:47:31 - Drinking and competitive pinball 00:50:07 - Losing, resetting, and moving on 00:57:10 - Pinball, pets, and community 00:59:05 - Getting more people into pinball 01:01:34 - Fast round begins 01:02:01 - Medieval Madness vs Attack from Mars 01:07:04 - Powerballs and Safe Cracker 01:10:00 - Best bar lineup picks 01:13:18 - Local players worth knowing 01:15:00 - Staying excited about pinball 01:18:35 - Women’s events and local trophies 01:21:58 - Trophy staircase and old house layout 01:22:19 - Recruiting new league players 01:25:00 - Apartment pinball warnings 01:26:10 - Small games and real pinball feel 01:30:00 - Raven, Jetsons, and bad games 01:34:00 - Karl DeAngelo and pinball friendships 01:37:58 - Scorbit at Buttermilk 01:39:25 - Whipped tournament plug 01:40:03 - Wrap up and Great Pyramid #DirtyPoolPinball #Pinball #PinballPodcast #KaiteMartin #Scorbit #NYCPinball #NewYorkPinball #WomenInPinball #ArcadeCulture #PinballCommunity #CompetitivePinball #TournamentPinball #PinballLife #Silverball #ArcadeGames #Podcast #GamingPodcast #PinballStream #ModernPinball #PinballFans #DPP #PinballTalk #Esports #ArcadeScene #Collectors #PinballNews #Flippers #Multiball

▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj 💰 Kaneda’s Pinball Podcast http://www.patreon.com/kanedapinball Back to the table with another long-form conversation, this time with Chris Kooluris from Kaneda’s Pinball Podcast. Starting with where that voice comes from and how unfiltered commentary fits into a hobby that usually leans more reserved. From there, getting into how criticism, access, and relationships with manufacturers intersect once a platform starts to grow. We’ll spend some time on what actually makes a modern game hold up beyond the first few weeks, and where expectations are landing right now. Closing things out around the rumor side of pinball. How early information moves, what makes something credible, and the call between sharing it or sitting on it. We’ll see where it goes once the mics are live. Question for you: If you had reliable early info on a new release, would you want to hear it right away or wait for the full reveal? 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch http://www.twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball 📺 YouTube http://www.youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball 📷 Instagram http://www.instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook http://www.facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 🔊 Discord – http://discord.gg/ySs5Wjb3Je 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:30 - Why Kaneda avoids interviews and what this one is about 00:03:30 - How the Kaneda's podcast actually started and early intent 00:06:25 - Kaneda vs Chris, persona vs real person 00:07:40 - Misconceptions about him and why people lock opinions early 00:09:00 - The pressure to like every new pinball release 00:10:30 - Being critical without trying to be negative 00:12:30 - What modern pinball should be delivering at its price 00:15:00 - Friction with manufacturers and where that comes from 00:18:00 - Staying independent while still getting real information 00:21:00 - Why some pinball creators last and others disappear 00:24:00 - Is modern pinball improving or just getting more complex 00:27:00 - Games that changed his opinion over time 00:30:00 - If he designed a machine, what matters most first 00:33:00 - How the leaks and insider info side actually started 00:36:00 - Where information really comes from behind the scenes 00:39:00 - Reporter vs commentator, how he sees his role 00:42:00 - Sitting on information vs deciding to release it 00:45:00 - Do leaks help build hype or damage launches 00:48:00 - How pinball culture has shifted over the last decade 00:51:00 - Is the hobby becoming more accessible or more gated 00:54:00 - Competitive players vs collectors dynamic 00:57:00 - What people outside pinball misunderstand 01:00:00 - Being “Kaneda” vs just being Chris off mic 01:03:00 - Looking back at the show and how it evolved 01:05:30 - Barrels of Fun hints and guessing future themes 01:07:00 - Chat jumps in, theories and speculation spiral 01:08:30 - Wrapping up, plugs, and raid setup #Pinball #DirtyPoolPinball #PinballPodcast #PinballCommunity #PinballDiscussion #PinballNews #PinballRumors #PinballLeaks #ArcadeLife #ArcadeCulture #PinballLife #PinballAddict #PinballFans #RetroGaming #ArcadeGames #PinballStream #PinballCreator #PinballMedia #PinballIndustry #SternPinball #JerseyJackPinball #SpookyPinball #DutchPinball #TurnerPinball #PinballCollectors #GamingCommunity #PodcastLife

▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj I sit down with the highest ranked pinball player in the world, Jason Zahler, to get into what competitive pinball actually looks like at that level. We get into his early start, climbing to number one, how he approaches tournaments, what separates top players from everyone else, and how he keeps his edge when every event matters. What's it like inside the mind of a prodigy pinball player... Also does Zahler speak??? 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch http://www.twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball 📺 YouTube http://www.youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball 📷 Instagram http://www.instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook http://www.facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 00:00:00 - Intro and bringing on the world number one 00:02:00 - Starting young and early competitive path 00:04:00 - Early tournaments and realizing competitive potential 00:06:00 - Talent vs work ethic and what actually matters 00:08:00 - Building real skill rules knowledge vs raw play 00:10:30 - Favorite games and why strategy depth matters 00:12:30 - Classic games risk reward and scoring pressure 00:15:00 - Keith Elwin design discussion and what makes his games different 00:17:30 - Modern games and adapting to deeper rule sets 00:20:00 - Practice habits and balancing school life 00:22:30 - Playing less but staying sharp and efficient 00:25:00 - Physical side of pinball and tournament endurance 00:27:30 - Mental game and controlling tilt under pressure 00:30:00 - Staying positive and avoiding bad mindset traps 00:32:30 - Adjusting quickly to tournament machines 00:35:00 - Risk management and avoiding costly mistakes 00:37:00 - Recovering after bad balls and staying focused 00:39:30 - Fatigue and surviving long multi day events 00:42:00 - Finding the zone and playing at peak level 00:44:30 - Advice for players with limited practice time 00:47:00 - Choosing tournaments and managing travel schedule 00:49:30 - Past grind years vs current selective approach 00:52:00 - Abe Flips video and visual learning for pinball skills 00:54:00 - Studying high level play to improve execution 00:56:00 - Time commitment required to stay competitive 00:58:00 - Advice for breaking into competitive pinball 01:00:00 - Common mistakes newer players make 01:02:00 - Growing pinball and exposure challenges 01:04:30 - Streaming and visibility helping the scene 01:07:00 - Why pinball clicks once people try it 01:09:30 - Final thoughts on the community and future 01:11:00 - Outro and Praise the Great Pyramid #pinball #pinballwizard #competitivepinball #pinballpodcast #dirtypoolpodcast #ifpa #pinballcommunity #arcadegames #flippercontrol #pinballlife #pinballplayers #pinballaddict #pinballculture #arcadeculture #retroarcade #gamingpodcast #silverball #tilt #nudging #pinballtips #highscore #tournamentplay #pinballstream #dirtypoolpinball #homearcade #pinballenthusiast #classicarcade #modernpinball

▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj Abe Flips from AbeFlips.com joins the Dirty Pool Podcast to talk about his new instructional series Mastering Pinball and the state of modern pinball education. Abe has become one of the most respected teachers in the hobby through his clear breakdowns of real control techniques, helping players move beyond random flipping and actually understand how pinball works. His videos carry forward the instructional legacy of Keith Elwin and company’s classic Pinball 101 era, but updated for the modern generation of competitive and home players. We talk about how the series came together, why teaching pinball still matters, and how the community continues passing down knowledge one tutorial at a time. ⚪ Mastering Pinball Contributors: Jeff Teolis : https://www.pinballprofile.com/ Scott Danesi : http://www.scottdanesi.com/ Robert Glashüttner : https://theballiswild.net/ Simon Platzer : https://www.grainhouse.productions/ 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch http://www.twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball 📺 YouTube http://www.youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball 📷 Instagram http://www.instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook http://www.facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 00:00:00 - Introducing Abe Flips and the rise of modern pinball tutorials 00:01:20 - Pinball 101 and the early history of pinball training videos 00:02:20 - The long wait for Mastering Pinball after the trailer 00:03:30 - Filming massive slow motion footage for pinball techniques 00:05:00 - Explaining flipper skills and visual teaching methods 00:07:20 - Demonstrating drop catch mechanics in slow motion 00:08:30 - Scott Danesi’s music and the Blu-ray release decision 00:10:00 - Filming locations and access to many different machines 00:12:30 - Planning shots and building repeatable ball feeds 00:14:00 - Using extreme high-speed cameras for pinball physics 00:16:00 - Advanced nudging to extend flipper reach 00:17:10 - Virtual pinball machines and learning rules digitally 00:18:30 - Moving from YouTube tutorials to a full film project 00:20:20 - Balancing humor and serious instruction in the film 00:22:00 - Using colored balls to reveal spin and ball behavior 00:25:40 - Production timeline and unexpected licensing hurdles 00:28:00 - Studying pro player footage to discover new techniques 00:29:40 - Lighting setups and challenges filming high-speed video 00:31:00 - The Mastering Pinball masterclass and community Discord 00:33:00 - Stage flipping and how flipper hardware changes skills 00:35:00 - How slow motion analysis improves real gameplay 00:36:10 - Mechanical insights like flipper bushings and dead bounces 00:38:00 - Stern catch, tip passes, and advanced control techniques 00:41:00 - Community reactions and player improvement after watching 00:44:00 - Advice for learning and practicing new pinball skills 00:47:30 - Future plans and continuing pinball education content 00:50:20 - Final thoughts on the impact of Mastering Pinball 00:53:40 - Wrapping up the podcast and raid outro 00:54:19 - Great Pyramid #pinball #pinballpodcast #abeflips #pinballtips #pinballtutorial #pinballstrategy #pinballskills #pinballtraining #pinballtechniques #competitivepinball #pinballcommunity #pinballplayers #pinballhowto #pinballlearning #pinballculture #pinballstream #dirtypoolpinball #pinballtalk #pinballfans #homepinball #pinballaddict #pinballwizard #pinballworld #modernpinball #pinballcoaching #pinballpractice #pinballgames #pinballlife