Eclectic Gamers Podcast - Pinball & Video Games

Pinball: Dennis discusses his recent article with This Week in Pinball about early solid-state board sets. The guys then discuss American Pinball confirming Oktoberfest as their next game, and a brief discussion about two new pinball companies being announced (Suncoast Pinball and Great Lakes Pinball). From there, Tony and Dennis talk about the new Orion's Belt product and have a discussion about pop bumpers and their use in modern pinball machines. Finally, they play 20 Questions. Video Games: Tony talks about playing Everspace and Super Mario Brothers. Dennis talks about Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia. Tony gives details from the most recent Nintendo Direct. The guys then talk a bit about the PlayStation Classic, and finally they close with covering the collapse of Telltale Games. Episode Links: Episode 60 of Head2Head Pinball: http://www.head2headpinball.com/2018/09/17/episode-60-dennis-kriesel-is-a-cheap-bastard/ Dennis' TWIP article on the first production board sets: https://thisweekinpinball.com/guest-post-the-dawn-of-the-solid-state-era/ Orion's Belt by Pin Stadium video: https://youtu.be/hK3_o_ki6ng Polygon article on the PlayStation Classic: https://www.polygon.com/2018/9/19/17877898/playstation-classic-release-date-price-ps1-games Article on the Telltale layoffs: https://www.trueachievements.com/n34535/updated-telltale-games-hit-by-massive-layoffs-amid-speculation-of-closure Show Links: Website: http://eclecticgamers.com iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/eclectic-gamers-podcast/id1088802706?mt=2 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-465086826 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=86805&refid=stpr Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/eclecticgamerspodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Eclectic_gamers YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC40Frd1Fep4u5bjrw3cvwoQ Discord: https://discord.gg/sgnrsBT Email: [email protected]

Jason Knapp, of the Knapp Arcade Facebook group, joins the show as a guest host! Pinball: In the news, the guys talk about two pinball articles Dennis wrote, Spooky Pinball's announcement of an approaching pause in Total Nuclear Annihilation production, and Deadflip's gameplay reveal of Stern Pinball's Deadpool Premium. After the news, several pinball topics are tackled. There is a discussion of what makes for good location pinball, what are good pinball mods, and what goes into buying and selling pins. Finally, Jason is challenged to a game of 20 questions! Video Games: In video games, the guys discuss Zen Studios acquiring the WMS licenses for digital pinball, Pinball Arcade's release of Big Buck Hunter Pro and Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons, and thoughts on retro/mini consoles like the Neo Geo Mini. Links: Knapp Arcade on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KnappArcade/ Special When Lit Pinball Podcast: http://specialwhenlitpinballpodcast.libsyn.com/ This Week in Pinball Podcast-Episode 13: https://thisweekinpinball.com/this-week-in-pinball-podcast-episode-13-with-dennis-kriesel/ Beginner's guide to pinball designers: https://thisweekinpinball.com/guest-post-a-beginners-guide-to-pinball-designers/ Article on "middle-pop" pinball machines: https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2018/08/30/middle-pop-pinball/ Deadflip's Deadpool Premium footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZl-LimiBMI Neo Geo Mini review: https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/9/7/17830868/neo-geo-mini-review-arcade-imperfect

Pinball: In the news, Tony and Dennis talk about their experience playing Stern Pinball's Deadpool game, Jersey Jack Pinball shipping Pirates of the Caribbean, conflict between Homepin and some preorder customers, and Paul Faris joining deeproot Pinball. After the news, Dennis and Tony play 20 Questions. This time both Tony and Dennis get asked to guess a pinball machine (double the madness!). Video Games: This segment focuses on discussing the mobile game DR. MEEP and the latest Overwatch animated short. Links: Episode 10 of This Week in Pinball Podcast: https://thisweekinpinball.com/this-week-in-pinball-podcast-episode-10/ Tiltcycle: http://tiltcycle.com/ Gambling, Pingames, & Manufacturer Perspectives article: https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2018/08/23/gambling-pingames-manufacturer-perspectives/ Dead Flip archive footage of Deadpool Pro gameplay reveal: https://youtu.be/L4RLFqdFf4U This Week in Pinball's deep dive on Deadpool Pinball: https://thisweekinpinball.com/deadpool-deep-dive-in-depth-overview-code-rules-and-pictures/

Pinball: In the news, Tony and Dennis discuss Stern Pinball's Deadpool reveal, more about the Spooky Pinball vs. Stern Pinball Godzilla drama, the Spooky Pinball stream of Alice Cooper's Nightmare Castle on Deadflip, and the announcement that the Pinball Hall of Fame is moving. After the news, Dennis tries to stump Tony with a pinball game of 20 Questions. The pinball segment concludes with a thought experiment put together by Tony: Pinball Drama the Pinball Machine! Video Games: The segment opens with the guys discussing words and phrases that had a context (at some point) but are now widely used when playing video games. The segment ends with a discussion of Shadow of War. Links: Episode 8 of This Week in Pinball Podcast: https://thisweekinpinball.com/this-week-in-pinball-podcast-episode-8/ Gaming on Ten Minutes a Week: http://gamingontenminutesaweek.libsyn.com/ Deadpool Pinball Teaser Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkHu6VpMF9k This Week in Pinball's Summary of Spooky-Stern Godzilla Situation: https://thisweekinpinball.com/twip-deadpool-confirmed-spooky-talks-godzilla-and-stern-pinball-hall-of-fame-moving-more/ Pinball Hall of Fame: http://www.pinballmuseum.org/

Tony and Dennis were not at Pinburgh 2018, and so while all the other podcasts flood you with their bad beats and long monologues about each and every tournament game they played, we'll talk about other stuff! Pinball: In pinball news, Pinburgh is (very) briefly touched on. After that, the guys discuss Multimorphic fulfilling all their P3 preorders, Jersey Jack Pinball starting production of their Pirates of the Caribbean pin, Team Pinball emerging as a new pinball manufacturer with their first game: The Mafia, Stern Pinball acquiring the Godzilla license, Chicago Gaming Company finally announcing Monster Bash as their next remake, and the latest from Dutch Pinball. After the news, Dennis talks a bit about an experimental video project he did called Creative Pinball Rules. The pinball segment concludes with a game of 20 questions (where Dennis tries to stump Tony in identifying a pinball machine). Video Games: This segment begins with a discussion of the first season of the Overwatch League (what did and didn't work). Dennis then runs through a number of games he's been playing (Prey, The Evil Within 2, Dead Rising 4, Dragonball FighterZ, and Everspace). Finally, Tony discusses the update to No Man's Sky. Links: Pinball News article on Team Pinball: https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2018/07/21/team-pinball-revealed/ The Dragon's Tomb (tabletop videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3izYCSBcfi2LfdIr-qg0gQ Creative Pinball Rules: Superman (Atari 1979): https://youtu.be/JBsk1Cdao-Q

Tony and Dennis are joined by Mrs. Pin (of Mrs. Pin's Pinball Podcast). Pinball: In pinball news, the gang discusses CPR's new digital printing approach to creating reproductions, the launched GoFundMe to help Dutch Pinball, and beginner's guide to manufacturers Dennis put together for This Week in Pinball. After that, Mrs. Pin challenges Tony and Dennis to a game of pinball trivia! Dennis follows this with a sort of mini-update to Premier's `street level' series of games by talking about BOM differences between the first game (Silver Slugger) and the last (Hoops). Finally, everyone talks about the most fun elements to pinball. Video Games: Mrs. Pin brings her WOMP philosophy to the video game arena, and each host picks two women worthy of the title. Links: Mrs. Pin's Pinball Podcast: http://www.podcastgarden.com/podcast/mrspin A Beginner's Guide to Manufacturers: https://thisweekinpinball.com/4551-2/

Tony and Dennis are joined by Martin (of Head2Head Pinball). Pinball: In pinball news, the guys discuss Dutch Pinball's GoFundMe announcement, the U.S. Supreme Court's sales tax decision and how it will impact new pinball sales, and This Week in Pinball's giant information update on deeproot Pinball. After that, Martin talks about streaming pinball for an audience, and gives his thoughts on what makes for good competitive pinball events. Video Games: Discussion starts around VR (virtual reality) and whether it will become a mainstream thing. After that, Martin, Tony, and Dennis talk about their favorite console video games, going over all eight generations released. Links: Head2Head Pinball: http://www.head2headpinball.com/ Melbourne Silverball League: https://www.twitch.tv/melbournesilverballleague This Week in Pinball's Deeproot Coverage on 6/28/2018: https://thisweekinpinball.com/deeproot-update-plus-interview-new-hire-new-building-new-creative-studio-new-licenses-and-help-offered-to-those-who-lost-money-on-pre-orders-from-other-companies/

Tony and Dennis are joined by Eric and Don to deep dive into the happenings at E3. Dennis starts the podcast solo, answering questions about the show and bypassing the typical introduction segment. Pinball: Dennis covers the pinball news alone, talking about Sandra Bullock wanting a Demolition Man pinball machine, Scott Danesi designing a second game for Spooky Pinball, Joe Schober joining American Pinball, and David Thiel becoming exclusive to deeproot Pinball. After the news, Tony joins the show and wraps up the results of The Worst of the Fall. Video Games: Tony and Dennis open with what they've been playing. After that, Eric and Don join as guests, and the rest of the episode is dedicated to E3, revolving around the announcements from the major press conferences (EA, Microsoft, Bethesda, Square Enix, Ubisoft, the PC Gaming Show, Sony, and Nintendo).

Tony and Dennis are joined by Zachary Meny, of Straight Down the Middle: a pinball show, to talk about the silver ball. Pinball: In pinball news, discussion focuses on This Week in Pinball being open to donations, John Popadiuk filing an appeal in his civil case regarding Zidware, a leaked image of the Deadpool playfield from Stern Pinball, the rapid sell-out of the Supreme pinball machine, the announcement that Star Trek pinball is getting a Vault Edition, and Homepin indicating their second pinball machine will target the Chinese market. After the news, Tony leads everyone into the final round of The Worst of the Fall. Zach then describes his approach as a pinball collector, and how SDTM handles reviewing pinball machines. Finally, everyone tries the SDTM approach and reviews Wrestlemania. Video Games: Zach, Tony, and Dennis have a brief discussion on the best video game consoles of all time. Links: Straight Down the Middle: a pinball show (YouTube channel): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAoeA05zcyksTEN3dEXCzCA Straight Down the Middle: a pinball show (audio podcast): http://www.podcastgarden.com/podcast/httpyoutubeubovjgfcizw This Week in Pinball donation and giveaway details: http://thisweekinpinball.com/june-giveaway-extravaganza/ Round 6 Worst of the Fall voting: https://goo.gl/forms/5Oco4gF94pukjdf83

Tony and Dennis are joined by Bruce Nightingale, of the Slam Tilt Podcast and The Silverball Saloon, to talk a bunch of pinball and a bit on the virtual side. Pinball: This episode has a huge focus on news-driven items. Discussion revolves around liquidation details for Heighway Pinball, that former pinball designer John Trudeau was arrested yet again, the pricing range currently proposed by deeproot Pinball, the Women's International Pinball Tournament happening at Replay FX this year, Dutch Pinball's announcement of litigation beginning between them and their former contract manufacturer, and a bit about the evidence regarding the growth of the pinball hobby as noted in an article with This Week in Pinball. From there, Bruce provides some details regarding operating the Silverball Saloon (and how pinball integrates into that venture). Tony walks everyone through the next round of The Worst of the Fall (a tournament where you vote for the WORST of any given pinball match-up), and the pinball segment concludes with a discussion of code and what old games can be salvaged from being disappointments and transformed into winners. Video Games: Discussion revolves around The Pinball Arcade and Farsight Studios announcing that the licenses to the Bally/Williams tables was lost and soon will be unavailable for purchase. Links: Slam Tilt Podcast: http://www.slamtiltpodcast.com/ The Silverball Saloon: https://www.thesilverballsaloon.com/ Rip Tide Pinball Podcast: http://www.podcastgarden.com/podcast/riptidepinballpodcast Meltdown Pinball Podcast: https://anchor.fm/meltdown/ Pinball News article on Heighway Pinball's liquidation: https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2018/05/10/heighway-pinball-by-the-numbers/ Herald-News article on Trudeau's arrest: http://www.theherald-news.com/2018/05/17/former-glendale-heights-man-arrested-in-alleged-bolingbrook-sex-abuse-case/azfsnbc/ This Week in Pinball deeproot pricing information: http://thisweekinpinball.com/twip-munsters-to-tpf-deeproot-pinball-price-range-nyc-pinball-championship-more/ Episode 121b of the Pinball Podcast (W.I.P.T. discussion): http://www.thepinballpodcast.com/2018/05/14/episode-121b-kaite-martin-discusses-w-i-p-t-at-replay-fx/ TWIP article on the growth of pinball: http://thisweekinpinball.com/the-growth-of-pinball-an-evidence-based-review-by-dennis-kriesel/ The Worst of the Fall Round 5 voting: https://goo.gl/forms/m9hTluIWwwwj2vIn2 BlahCade Podcast's Farsight interview: http://shoutengine.com/BlahCadePodcast/bobby-king-wms-licensing-interview-and-commentary-58347

Pinball: After a brief mention of Stern Pinball's Iron Maiden LE gameplay (provided by Deadflip), we move into a couple legal/business updates. The first is Zidware and pinball designer John Popadiuk's legal defeat in a civil suit regarding his failure to produce pinball machines. The second is the collapse of Heighway Pinball, its ongoing liquidation, and the rumors/drama surrounding the failure of yet another pinball company. The pinball segment concludes with the results of the Slam the Top 101-200 and the setup of Round 4 of The Worst of the Fall. Video Games: It's BattleTech day. Tony walks through his hands-on experience with the latest game in the franchise. There is also a bit of discussion regarding Mad Max and Prey. Links: Deadflip's gameplay video of Stern Pinball's Iron Maiden LE: https://youtu.be/besY8TS0Ges This Week in Pinball-The Fall of Heighway Pinball: http://thisweekinpinball.com/twip-the-fall-of-heighway-pinball-new-info-on-elvira-3-iron-maiden-le-more/ Pinball News interview with Andrew Heighway: https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2018/05/06/andrew-heighway-interview/ Round 4 voting for The Worst of the Fall: https://goo.gl/forms/Dafzodm6HuhClzp53

In this episode, Ryan C. (of Head2Head Pinball) joins in to talk about all sorts of pinball topics. In pinball news, there is discussion of Spooky Pinball's Alice Cooper's Nightmare Castle at the 2018 Midwest Gaming Classic. From there, we talk about continued fallout regarding Jersey Jack Pinball's Pirates of the Caribbean with changes to the spinning disc and treasure-chest ball lock for production models versus the prototypes. Finally, there is a brief discussion of Dennis' Atari pinball article over at Pinball News. After the news, a collection segment begins, where Ryan gives his thoughts on pin collecting from a player's standpoint. Two data segments follow this, both involving Pinside data. The first examines game ratings versus category of ownership. The second explores the ratio of wishlist to ownership for the top 200 solid-state pins. Pinball wraps up with some games. The first is Slam the Top 101-200, modeled on a Head2Head game. The second it the round 3 match-ups in our ongoing Worst of the Fall tournament. Despite the intention to just do pinball, Ryan asks about some video games. We talk about Peggle, Gears of War, and emotional moments in game storytelling. Links: Head2Head Pinball: http://www.head2headpinball.com/ Mrs. Pin's Pinball Podcast: http://www.podcastgarden.com/podcast/mrspin Pinball News article on Atari's pinball division: https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2018/04/17/atari-pinball/ IE Pinball Hobbit gameplay: https://youtu.be/lwlF9RU-Dkw The Worst of the Fall: Round 3 voting: https://goo.gl/forms/YKoOaZrIaMf8wnxK2

In pinball, Dennis and Tony discuss Stern Pinball's recently announced Iron Maiden pinball. They also talk about Pinball Expo (it's back on, but there are changes still versus prior years). They also briefly spend some time on the Trash Talker Invitational Podcaster Bloodbath. Finally, it's time for Round 2 of The Worst of the Fall. The video game segment consists of gaming updates, because updates are good! Links: This Week in Pinball's Iron Maiden information: http://thisweekinpinball.com/twip-iron-maiden-reveal-premium-and-le-info-keith-elwin-interview-deadpool-image-leak-spooky-updates-more/ Pinball News & Pinball Magazine: http://www.podcastgarden.com/podcast/pinballmagazine Pinball News article on Pinball Expo 2018: https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2018/04/03/pinball-expo-2018-latest-news/ Round 2 of The Worst of the Fall voting: https://goo.gl/forms/pDN8ZurORASdItff1

Discussion revolves around the 2018 Texas Pinball Festival, the first round of our The Worst of the Fall Tournament, and a couple video game topics (Mad Max and Overwatch). A setting was wrong on Dennis' microphone input so he will have more echo than ideal, sorry! Links: Fun with Bonus: https://funwithbonus.com/ Roanoke Pinball Museum: https://www.roanokepinball.org/ The Pinball Podcast: http://www.thepinballpodcast.com/ Head2Head Pinball: http://www.head2headpinball.com/ Straight Down the Middle: A Pinball Show: http://www.podcastgarden.com/podcast/httpyoutubeubovjgfcizw This Week in Pinball: http://thisweekinpinball.com/ Pinball News: http://www.pinballnews.com/site/ Audio of Steve Ritchie's seminar at TPF 2018: https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/tpf-2018/tpf-2018-steve-ritchie.mp3 Round 1 of The Worst of the Fall voting: https://goo.gl/forms/MMNJxI6tRsNZ99Vx2

No interviews and no guest hosts, just Tony and Dennis talking about games. A big mix this time (even the tabletop segment makes a return!). Pinball: Pinball topics consist of Chicago Gaming Company announcing they will no longer be revealing their third remake pin at the 2018 Texas Pinball Festival and the announcement of a Pinball Palooza in the Chicago area (due to a split between the two partners who put together Expo for years). Dennis also talks a bit about a project Laser War machine, and an article he co-wrote about Ted Zale. Video Games: A huge mix of games gets discussed. Specifically: Subnautica, Dragon Ball FighterZ, XCOM 2: War of the Chosen, Gems of War, Into the Breach, South Park: The Fractured but Whole, and BATTLETECH by Harebrained Schemes. We also talk some about the recent Nintendo Direct event. Tabletop: Yes, a brief return, regarding the fallout of a long-ago mentioned project from Palladium Books for Robotech RPG Tactics. Links: Laser War gameplay video: https://youtu.be/zNAFzwZTiks History of Pinball: Ted Zale video from Pintastic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs0mMEuuoa4 The Renegade of Pinball's Golden Age: The Ted Zale Story article at Pinball News: https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2018/03/10/the-ted-zale-story/ Robotech RPG Tactics updates: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rrpgt/robotech-rpg-tacticstm/updates

In this episode, Tony and Dennis are joined by Taylor Reese (owner/operator of Reese Rails and one of the hosts of This Flippin' Podcast). Given Taylor's pinball background, most of the discussion centers on that hobby. The guys announce the conclusion of the "shame" pinball tournament, discuss Stern Pinball's Supreme pin, provide a Skit-B legal update, talk about some quality issues that have arisen with the Attack from Mars Remake, and cover Ben Heck's announcement that he has left Spooky Pinball. In addition, time is spent on collector aspects of the pinball hobby, and a fun discussion about pinball "conventional wisdom" and where the guys buck the trend on what they favor. Links: Reese Rails: https://pinside.com/pinball/biz/directory/1004-reese-rails This Flippin' Podcast: http://www.podcastgarden.com/podcast/thisflippinpodcast This Week in Pinball's Ben Heck interview: http://thisweekinpinball.com/interview-ben-heck-leaving-spooky-alice-coopers-nightmare-castle-preview-next-ben-heck/

This episode kicks off with a lengthy interview Dennis held with Robert Mueller, Principal of deeproot Tech, who joined the show to provide additional information regarding deeproot Pinball and its plans on entering pinball production. After the interview Tony and Dennis give their thoughts/analysis regarding what was learned in the interview. This is followed by setting up the fourth, and final, round of the "shame" pinball tournament, Spooky Pinball's announcement that Total Nuclear Annihilation is their best-selling game to date, and some information coming out of the Head2Head Pinball regarding American Pinball securing a trademark for an Oktoberfest pinball machine. In video games, a discussion regarding the Overwatch League and its impact on the future of eSports starts things off, and is followed by Microsoft and some of the acquisition rumors floating around to further enhance the Xbox's first-party line-up. Links: Flippin' and Mashing podcast link: http://www.podcastgarden.com/podcast/flippinandmashing This Week in Pinball's first deeproot Pinball interview: http://thisweekinpinball.com/exclusive-interview-deeproot-next-misadventure-pinball-revolution/ This Week in Pinball's second deeproot Pinball interview: http://thisweekinpinball.com/deeproot-pinball-new-home-new-hires-5-days-deeproot-exclusive-follow-interview/ deeproot Pinball's website: http://deeprootpinball.com/ deeproot's webinar for Zidware customers: https://youtu.be/MnNntaKjZig "Shame" Round 4 voting: https://goo.gl/forms/Ur3EWLMoIuXGR0Ce2 Polygon article on Xbox exclusive studio rumors: https://www.polygon.com/2018/1/29/16930892/xbox-one-exclusive-games-analysis-microsoft

Tony and Dennis are joined by Steve Bowden, top world-ranked pinball player and the mind behind Fun With Bonus (a website about all things pinball). As such, expect a pinball-heavy episode. The pinball topics start with the third round of the "shame" pinball tournament, and wrap-up of round two. Then, the latest pinball news is discussed (focusing on Stern Pinball's Luci AC/DC Vault Edition announcement, This Week in Pinball's follow-up interview with deeproot Pinball, and the TWIPY pinball award results). From there, competitive pinball topics are discussed, including some talk of the IFPA's new $1 fee (which went into effect at the start of the year), games that have fatal rulesets for competitive play and how they can be fixed, and ideas on what local pinball scenes can do to attract new players into competitive pinball tournaments. There are a couple video game topics as well. The guys discuss the Nintendo Labo (cardboard + Nintendo = Profit?) and Dragon Ball FighterZ (the latest fighting game from Arc System Works). Links: Fun With Bonus: https://funwithbonus.com/ Round 3 of the "Shame" Pinball Tournament: https://goo.gl/forms/JlxcKP7EWTFCl8lB3 This Week in Pinball Follow-up Interview with Deeproot Pinball: http://thisweekinpinball.com/deeproot-pinball-new-home-new-hires-5-days-deeproot-exclusive-follow-interview/ TWIPY Results: http://thisweekinpinball.com/2017-twipy-pinball-awards-results/ Nintendo Labo: https://labo.nintendo.com/ PinBox 3000: https://pinbox3000.com/

Pinball: We cover Multimorphic's P3 for our year-end review (as we did not in the prior episode). We talk a bit of Heighway Pinball's Alien, Stern Pinball at CES, and Round 2 in our "shame" tournament. Video Games: We talk about Nintendo's mini-direct event, Halo Wars 2, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2, South Park: The Stick of Truth, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, and Quantum Break. Links: Solid Sate Pinball Supply: http://www.solidstatekc.com/ T-shirt Giveaway entries: https://goo.gl/forms/CmIsn8VjRWXz0XFu1 "Shame" Pinball Tournament-Round 2 voting: https://goo.gl/forms/4kUfg2p8DJ3TvA7z1 EGP Discord: https://discord.gg/sgnrsBT

Tony and Dennis summarize 2017 for pinball and video games, plus launch round 1 of the best "shame" pinball machine. Happy New Year! Links: Round 1 of 2017 Best "Shame" Pinball Tournament: https://goo.gl/forms/dVSm69UDvpeuGNRU2

Pinball: We open with a couple news updates (Stern's notices for SPIKE systems to fix node board and capacitor issues, plus Star Wars receiving its v1.0 code), following by the TWIPY awards, our "shame" pinball tournament, and the 2018 Texas Pinball Festival. Video Games: Tony talks Breath of the Wild, while Dennis talks Rocket League. There's also some more Star Citizen news! Links: TWIPY pinball award voting: https://goo.gl/forms/5tUPMcGcVPiZe0Eo2 Submission form for "shame" pinball machines: https://goo.gl/forms/PIFC19xatUz7dw7e2

Pinball: We open with the latest code update for The Walking Dead and Heighway Pinball's announcement regarding Alien Pinball production. After that, we focus on The Week in Pinball's interview with deeproot Pinball and Dennis' latest Pinball News article on Harry Williams and the game's he designed for Bally in the early 1970s. Video Games: We start with the latest on EA and Battlefront 2's loot boxes. From there, an update is provided on the long-awaited Star Citizen and news regarding Battletech. Finally, Dennis talks about about Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus. Links: This Week in Pinball's interview with deeproot Pinball: http://thisweekinpinball.com/exclusive-interview-deeproot-next-misadventure-pinball-revolution/ San Antonio Business Journal article on deeproot: https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2017/08/16/san-antonio-financial-adviser-raises-15m-from.html Dennis' article on Harry Williams' Bally-produced pinball machines at Pinball News: https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2017/11/30/harry-williams-and-bally/ EA and Battlefront 2 loot boxes: https://www.polygon.com/2017/11/28/16711474/star-wars-battlefront-2-cosmetics-loot-boxes-lucasfilm-canon Star Citizen's land claims: https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link//16278-UEE-Land-Claim-Licenses Star Citizen timeline: https://i.imgur.com/uPgDfdi.png Battletech interview on the single player : https://www.polygon.com/features/2017/11/29/16712660/battletech-kickstarter-firefly

In this super-special episode, Tony and Dennis are joined by Nic (of Nic's North American Pinball Tour fame) to talk all about electromechanical (EM) pinball machines. They start off with a basic discussion of the three primary manufacturers (Gottlieb, Williams, and Bally). From there, a general discussion of the three basic gameplay concepts employed by EMs in the 1960s and beyond. Then follows a deep discussion of both the IPDB and Pinside Top 10 EM list (we talk each game, but also the ratings systems as a whole). Finally, the discussion opens up into other good EM games and some of the more controversial restoration techniques (using LED lighting and whether or not it is okay to clearcoat).

Pinball: We start off with some news, move into a follow-up on "street level" pins, and close out with the results of our 2017 System 11 Tournament and some thoughts on games with that boardset (such as our Top 5!). Video Games: We lead off with a loot crate update. From there, it's EA's acquisition of Respawn. Tony then goes into Bomber Crew, Dennis talks more Middle-Earth: Shadow of War, and Tony concludes with Endless Space 2. Links: Dennis' Pinball News article on "street level" pins: https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2017/11/16/the-history-of-street-level-pinballs/ Eclectic Gamers Podcast page of past tournament results: https://eclecticgamerspodcast.wordpress.com/past-tournament-results/ Bomber Crew: http://store.steampowered.com/app/537800/Bomber_Crew/ Endless Space 2: http://store.steampowered.com/app/392110/Endless_Space_2/

Pinball: We open with the set-up for Round 5 (the final!) for our 2017 System 11 Tournament. After that is a short update on Heighway Pinball's Alien games. From there, Dennis and Tony talk about Stern Pinball's Guardians of the Galaxy reveal. Finally, Dennis presents his research project on the Gottlieb "Street Level" pinball series of games, an experiment by the company in the early 1990s. Video Games: Tony leads off with his research project, the world of loot boxes. The show ends with a summary of BlizzCon 2017 announcements (Overwatch, World of Warcraft, Starcraft, and Heroes of the Storm). Links: Round 5 voting for the 2017 System 11 Tournament: https://goo.gl/forms/649S5jGmQ5IoTkOm2 Street Level-Silver Slugger details: http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2152 Street Level-Vegas details: http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2724 Street Level-Deadly Weapon details: http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=645 Street Level-Title Fight details: http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2573 Street Level-Car Hop details: http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=3676 Street Level-Hoops details: http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1235 Street Level-Pinside thread ("Street Level" pins smaller… true?): https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/street-level-pins-smaller-true Street Level-TOPcast Show 10 (interview with John Trudeau): http://www.pinrepair.com/topcast/showget.php?id=10 Street Level-TOPcast Show 55 (interview with Jon Norris): http://www.pinrepair.com/topcast/showget.php?id=55 Street Level-PA Pinball Interview with Jon Norris: http://www.papinball.com/Jon_Norris_Interview.html Street Level-Harley-Davidson details (not Street Level but inspired by): http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1126 Street Level-Silver Slugger gameplay video: https://youtu.be/hdEZ8whAoZM Street Level-Vegas gameplay video: https://youtu.be/Gi1NXZCwdMM Street Level-Deadly Weapon gameplay video: https://youtu.be/uLdmLrEswTQ Street Level-Title Fight gameplay video: https://youtu.be/fCrU-EKJzGs Street Level-Car Hop gameplay video: https://youtu.be/u-oc4ciwCbI Street Level-Hoops gameplay video: https://youtu.be/v2u33Lj9jK8 Moira's stat block: https://www.reddit.com/r/OverwatchUniversity/comments/7aqr0d/moiras_stat_block/ Blizzard World map cinematic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ii3Hce3_fOw World of Warcraft classic edition announcement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcZyiYOzsSw

Pinball: The talk is all about the 2017 Pinball Expo. We also launch Round 4 of our 2017 System 11 Tournament. Video Games: We talk about Doki Doki Literature Club, EA's decision to close Visceral Games, Mafia 3, Dungeons 3, Middle Earth: Shadow of War, Forts, and Titanfall 2. Links: Round 4 voting for the 2017 System 11 Tournament: https://goo.gl/forms/9OcAtqAi7o4Gv83i2 Doki Doki Literature Club: http://store.steampowered.com/app/698780/Doki_Doki_Literature_Club/

Pinball: After quick updates about 2017 Expo (and Jersey Jack Pinball's plan to reveal game #4 there) and Heighway Pinball confirming an Alien Pinball shipment, we go on into Pinapalooza VI, the latest Project Pinball Charity sweepstakes, and the next stage of our System 11 tournament (poor Pinbot!). Video Games: We talk Pinball FX3, Mafia 3, Cuphead, and Factorio. Links: Project Pinball Charity's Total Nuclear Annihilation Sweepstakes: https://projectpinball.rallyup.com/totalnuclearannihilation-sweepstakes Round 3 voting for the 2017 System 11 Tournament: https://goo.gl/forms/Dt77SI52WGUnTZv73

Ah, the news. Mostly bad, a little bit good. Such is fate in these hobbies. Pinball: We open with a few quick news items (Heighway Pinball and their maybe-shipping Alien pins, some Skit-B legal updating, and Spooky Pinball's art on the upcoming Alice Cooper pin), and then go into the more meaty topics. The big one is John Popadiuk (JPop) being tied to deeproot Pinball, LLC. From there, we discuss the response seen in the pinball community following Homepin's reveal in an interview with Head2Head Pinball Podcast that end users won't be able to apply software updates to Thunderbirds directly (and a related discussion that Homepin's board takes from the PinHeck design Spooky Pinball uses but without giving credit). Finally, we move into Round 2 of our 2017 System 11 Tournament! Video Games: We talk fallout of PUBG vs. Fortnite (with PUBG accusing the latter of replicating their Battle Royale PvP model). After that, Dennis disses Dishonored 2 and Tony summarizes a mod for Cold Waters he's been trying out. After that is the Dragon Ball FighterZ beta (Dennis played it, Tony watched footage from it). Finally, Dennis talks a bit about Zaccaria Pinball (as he finally bought the table pack off Steam and gave it a proper go). Links: deeproot Tech, LLC's Engineering Team: http://deeproottech.com/#section_team Head2Head Pinball Podcast's Interview with Mike of Homepin: http://www.head2headpinball.com/podcasts/Mike%20homepin%20interview%20H2H.mp3 Round 2 voting for the 2017 System 11 Tournament: https://goo.gl/forms/EWQxQsJ9xmPqhHKg1

No heavy topics this time, just enjoyable discussions! Pinball: We launch our 2017 System 11 Tournament. Vote for your favorite System 11 pinball games (see link below). Then, we have a discussion about licenses in pinball during the 1990s, comparing the efforts of Premier/Gottlieb, Bally/Williams, and Data East/Sega. Video Games: We mention Destiny 2 (really, we do hardly anything else regarding it). Then, Tony spends a lot of time on Battlestar Galactica Deadlock. Finally, we catch everyone up on Overwatch updates. Links: 2017 System 11 Tournament-Round 1: https://goo.gl/forms/efhsZf77Od4T90z92 Battlestar Galactica Deadlock: http://store.steampowered.com/app/544610/

Don (formerly of The Pinball Podcast and The Link Cable Podcast) joins Tony and Dennis once more, to talk all about pinball and video games. Pinball: The segment opens with an interview Dennis conducted with Terry of Pinball Life (mostly on Pinball Life as a company, but there is a bit about Terry's efforts on the ScoreGasm Master project). From there, Don, Dennis, and Tony turn to the somber topic of famed pinball designer John Trudeau's arrest on child pornography charges. The pinball segment ends with a follow-up on last episode's "Is Pinball Too Expensive" topic, due to listener feedback, with a focus on new machines at lower price points from Homepin and Multimorphic's P3 platform. Video Games: No Overwatch (there's a lot of upcoming news, but Don forbids Overwatch talk!). Instead, the guys tackle Mass Effect: Andromeda, Iron Cast, Cold Waters, Sonic Mania, Agents of Mayhem, Sniper Elite 4, Miracle Merchant, and No Man's Sky. Links: Pinball Life: http://www.pinballlife.com/ Information on the ScoreGasm Master: http://www.dayonepinball.com/games/scoregasm-master/ Trudeau Charged with Possessing Child Pornography: http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/glendale-heights-man-charged-with-possessing-child-pornography/ Homepin's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/HomepinPinball/ Multimorphic, Inc.'s Website: http://www.multimorphic.com/ Mass Effect Andromeda Abandoned: https://www.masseffect.com/news/mass-effect-andromeda-update-from-the-studio

Pinball: Tony and Dennis start off with the results of their ranking poll on best modern era billiards-themed pinball machines. From there, it's some rapid fire news from Stern Pinball (an update on their manuals' ghosting clause, a KISS code update, and a new Marketing Director). After that, a brief discussion of Stern's Star Wars Premium pinball, as streamed by DEAD FLIP. The segment closes with a deep thoughts level of discussion on a major question coming up lately, "Is pinball too expensive?" Video Games: Discussion starts off with the controversial decision to embed loot boxes into the upcoming Middle Earth: Shadow of War. From there, a discussion of Overwatch's Summer Games, with a specific focus on Lucioball. Tony then rigs for silent running in a discussion of the finally-acquired Cold Waters. Dennis and Tony then share their experiences with The Jackbox Party Pack 2 (in which they played all the games in a group setting full of crazy nonsense!). Links: Coast 2 Coast Pinball: http://www.coast2coastpinball.com/ Head2Head Pinball: http://www.head2headpinball.com/ DEAD FLIP's Star Wars Premium Footage (8/4/2017): https://youtu.be/4ZuYrVKAKiE

So many games, so many discussions! Pinball: Dennis and Tony cover Stern Pinball's manual indicating ghosting on inserts is normal, the finalized details of Spooky Pinball's Total Nuclear Annihilation, Dennis' acquisition of Sharkey's Shootout, a ranking poll the guys are running on the best billiards-themed pinball machine (solid state and later only), and they end the segment with more thoughts on Star Wars. Video Games: A few games are up for discussion this time. Tony starts off with Navalia. After that, there's a bit more on Overwatch's new character Doomfist, followed by Dishonored 2, Reigns, Crypt of the Necrodancer, and Jotun. Tony also brings up Battlestar Galactica Deadlock and Cold Waters. Tabletop: Tony and Dennis got a chance to play the Munchkin card game, and so now they talk about it (amazing)! Tony also provides an update on Planet Mercenaries and Threadbare RPG. Links: Spooky Pinball's Total Nuclear Annihilation Announcement on Facebook (7/28/2017): https://www.facebook.com/SpookyPinball/posts/1510145562379999 Poll to rank solid state era (and later) billiards-themed pinball machines: http://www.pollandmatch.com/chooser?pollownerid=5773431236722688&pollid=5668600916475904 Battlestar Galactica Deadlock Gameplay Reveal: https://youtu.be/JkCG3nrHmDY

We've got three topic categories this time, though KantCon 2017 (a tabletop convention we helped sponsor) is the highlight. Pinball: We open with a very brief Dutch Pinball update. Then, it's on to the gameplay footage of Star Wars as presented by Dead Flip. Finally, we dedicate a sizable chunk of time on the recently concluded Pinball Done Quick and the announcement that the donations made to benefit Doctors Without Borders would be refunded due to a conflict between the official rules and the announced plans for the prize drawing. Video Games: There's just one topic, Overwatch's new character: Doomfist. Tabletop: It's all KanCon 2017. Dennis and Tony played four games which get attention: a World War II miniatures game, Call of Cthulhu, Dungeons & Dragons 5e, and Z Gate Crashers. Links: Dead Flip's 7/5/2017 gameplay footage of Star Wars Pinball: https://youtu.be/Gap7MqXQKnY Major League Pinball's 7/15/2017 explanation on Facebook regarding the refunding of Pinball Done Quick (at SGDQ 2017) donations: https://www.facebook.com/majorleaguepinball/posts/442704199461823 Call of Cthulhu: https://www.chaosium.com/call-of-cthulhu-rpg/ Dungeons & Dragons: http://dnd.wizards.com/products/tabletop-games/rpg-products Z Gate Crashers: https://zgatecrashers.com/

While post-E3 exhaustion may reign, this is another longer-than-typical episode! In pinball, Tony and Dennis briefly attempt to describe the Stern Pro Circuit (launching in 2018). From there, they dive into Dutch Pinball, summarizing a webinar the company hosted and also the latest newsletter's contract manufacturer update. To wrap up pinball, there is a length update about Skit-B and the Predator Pinball fiasco (three hearings plus several legal documents are digested and reviewed and translated into human!). In video games, the guys hit on a few news items, specifically the SNES Classic console, Pinball FX3's announcement, and IO Interactive going independent from Square Enix. Tony then talks about Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor and Tyranny as games he's currently playing, and Dennis talks about his playing of Dishonored 2, Wolfenstein: The Old Blood, and a bunch of sale games he's recently grabbed. Links: Stern Pro Circuit: https://www.ifpapinball.com/circuit/ Dutch Pinball's 6/19/2017 Webinar: https://youtu.be/KN2DjPps9wA $30,000 Skit-B Settlement Document for Home Owned by Amanda: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByH8OkGICVbWREVNUnFSYm9wcUE Virtuapin's Answer to Compliant and Affirmative Defenses: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByH8OkGICVbWYmpZZUlYanFaeVE Virtuapin's 6/23/2017 Hearing (audio): https://soundcloud.com/user-800669943/1ap2017-02002-20170623-133311 Kathy Kulek's 6/22/2017 Hearing (audio): https://soundcloud.com/user-800669943/1ap2017-02000-20170622-143156 Amanda Kulek's 6/22/2017 Hearing (audio): https://soundcloud.com/user-800669943/1ap2016-02073-20170622-151526 The Link Cable Podcast: https://linkcablepodcast.podbean.com/

After a brief pinball segment (minor news updates regarding Heighway Pinball and Dutch Pinball), Dennis and Tony are joined by a roundtable (Mike, Eric, and Jake) to talk all about E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo 2017). The roundtable tackles the major presentations (EA, Microsoft, The PC Gaming Show, Bethesda, Ubisoft, Sony, and Nintendo), plus anything else that caught their eyes and ears. Prepare for this year's deepest, darkest video game dive! Links: EA’s E3 highlights: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/game/ea-play-2017-biggest-announcements-e3-3641723/ Microsoft’s E3 highlights: http://kotaku.com/xbox-one-x-and-everything-else-microsoft-showed-at-e3-2-1796000762 The PC Gaming Show’s E3 highlights: https://www.polygon.com/e3/2017/6/12/15782226/pc-gaming-e3-2017-announcements Bethesda’s E3 highlights: https://www.cnet.com/news/bethesda-e3-2017-press-conference-watch-it-live-here/ Ubisoft’s E3 highlights: http://bgr.com/2017/06/12/ubisoft-e3-2017-games-announcements-trailers/ Sony’s E3 highlights: http://kotaku.com/everything-sony-showed-at-e3-2017-1796039206 Nintendo’s E3 highlights: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-e3-2017-switch-games-news-and-everything-/1100-6450897/

Pinball: Dennis talks about the an interesting variant to Playmatic's Space Gambler called Flash Baseball out of Portugal. From there, it is pinball news time! Tony and Dennis cover the investor group takeover of Heighway Pinball, the decision by Dutch Pinball to reject Nivoge's offer, and Stern Pinball's latest announced pin: Star Wars! Video Games: Tony and Dennis talk XCOM: Enemy Unknown and Civilization Revolution in the context of mobile games. After that, Dennis goes into a bit about Nidhogg, a fighting game he recently acquired. Tony and Dennis then finally get back to talking Overwatch, specifically some character updates currently in test. Finally, Tony speaks on his experiences with the Battletech backer's beta, which launched recently. Links: Big Daddy Enterprises: http://www.bigdaddy-enterprises.com/ Heighway Pinball Takeover Announcement: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/rebirth-of-heighway-pinball#post-3800176 Dutch Pinball's Announcement of Rejecting the Nivoge deal (second-hand post): https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/the-big-lebowski-preorder-club/page/101#post-3799380

Pinball: Tony and Dennis cover the latest Skit-B legal news, provide an update on Dutch Pinball's most current update, talk about the Total Nuclear Annihilation translite, cover Stern Pinball's encore edition of AC/DC, and have an interview with Gerry Stellenberg (the founder of Multimorphic, Inc.) who explains the P3 Pinball Platform. Video Games: Tony talks NieR: Automata. Dennis covers XCOM 2, a game he recently started (and one Tony played quite a while ago!). Then, Tony supplies an update on the Battletech Backer Beta. Links: KantCon 2017 sponsors: http://www.kantcon.com/sponsors Project Pinball Charity sponsors: http://projectpinball.org/sponsors Skit-B Hearing - Kathy Kulek (5/4/2017): https://soundcloud.com/user-800669943/1ap2017-02000-20170504-142930 Skit-B Research Folder: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByH8OkGICVbWNDFZQXJYUUhhSm8 Multimorphric, Inc.: http://www.multimorphic.com/ Teen Titans GO! - Night Begins to Shine: https://youtu.be/gCY-Npnh0FY Battletech Multiplayer Demo Gameplay Footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt6FatHHnzI

With special guest host Bowen Kerins, this episode is heavy on the pinball (and math!). In pinball news, we cover two more Skit-B related hearings, the latest on Dutch Pinball, the IFPA's announced Challenge Matches coming in 2018, and Total Annihilation being renamed Total Nuclear Annihilation. From there, we get into the more theoretical pinball topics. We discuss what people can do to increase local competitive pinball's popularity. We talk about what makes a good/bad pin for competition. We also talk about location pinball and what makes for a good, unique location. We also do a bit of a round-up with Bowen on recently released/now releasing pins and how good they are. As a final pinball topic, we explore some ideas for Bowen and upcoming tutorials. In our special one-off math segment, we've got a number of exciting numbers topics! We cover the use of math in game shows. We discuss geometry and what it means for widebody pinball machines. In a nod to video games, we discuss the TrueAchievements website's use of geometric mean to predict DLC rarity. And, we talk about the core statistical summaries of mode, median, and mean, and whether mode even belongs in that list. Links: Bowen Kerins' Patreon for Pinball Tutorials: https://www.patreon.com/pinball PAPA YouTube Page (has tutorial videos): https://www.youtube.com/user/PAPApinball TILT THRU (a pinball podcast): http://www.podcastgarden.com/podcast/tiltthru Nic's North American Pinball Tour Thread: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/nics-american-pinball-tour-aka-im-coming-to-fix-your-games Skit-B Legal Hearing (4/17/2017) - Wife and House: https://soundcloud.com/user-7602410/audio-file-1ap2016-02073-20170427-133738 Skit-B Legal Hearing (5/4/2017) - VirtuaPin and CNC Machine: https://soundcloud.com/user-800669943/1ap2017-02002-20170504-133936

Pinball: Tony and Dennis issue a correction about the P3 game Heads Up, talk about Spooky Pinball making Total Annihilation, and dive into more Skit-B legal happenings. From there they go over two Pinside specific topics: revisions to the Top 100 ranking system and the initiation of "The Purge" to clean up trolling and bad behavior on the forum. Video Games: The guys talk about Middle-Earth: Shadow of War, ReCore, Hard West, and Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime. Tabletop: Tony talks a bit about an upcoming tabletop game based on the popular video game franchise Fallout. Links: International Tabletop Day (4-29-17): https://www.tabletopday.com Skit-B Related Court Hearing (4/13/2017): https://soundcloud.com/user-800669943/1ap2016-02073-20170413-154917 Pinball Prison Blues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bfPwtUTP4k Fallout Tabletop Game: http://www.modiphius.com/fallout.html

Pinball: Tony and Dennis didn't talk about P3 in their 2017 TPF recap, and so hit upon the cutting-edge in pinball technology this go-around. Dennis then gives some thoughts on Batman 66 now that he's been able to play it. After that, an update regarding Dutch Pinball and ARA provides some additional information on the status of The Big Lebowski. From there, Dennis provides an interview with Keri Wing, second place finisher of the IFPA's 2017 World Women's Pinball Championship. Dennis has a small update on the Skit-B (Predator Pinball) happenings, and to wrap up the segment the guys talk about the IFPA's plan to introduce tournament fees in 2018. Video Games: Dennis talks about Battle Group 2 and Far Cry Primal. Tony talks about Renowned Explorers: International Society. Tabletop: Tony and Dennis announce they will be at KantCon in 2017 and that the podcast is also one of the event's sponsors. Links: Skit-B Research Folder: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByH8OkGICVbWNDFZQXJYUUhhSm8

A most straightfoward episode. Besides announcing the final results of the 2017 Modern Widebody Tournament, Tony and Dennis give a massive trip report of the National Videogame Museum and the 2017 Texas Pinball Festival. Fun times!

Pinball: We set up the final round of the 2017 Modern Widebody Tournament. We talk about Alien Pinball gameplay. And finally Dennis sets off to bore everyone with a regression analysis of Pinside's solid-state game ratings. Video Games: We of course cover Overwatch, both ongoing PTR tests and the new character (Orisa). Dennis hits on some 2017 GDC (Game Developers Conference) highlights. Tony tries to resist diving too deep into Aurora 4X (aka Spreadsheets in Space... ace... ce... e...). Tabletop: Tony talks a bit about International Tabletop Day. Links: 2017 Modern Widebody Tournament-Final Round Voting: https://goo.gl/forms/laVwA51PnaGbu8L03 The Link Cable Podcast (Episode 15 - TLOZBOTWOMG): https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-ggqss-6864ee Space Gambler (Playmatic 1978) Gameplay (no commentary): https://youtu.be/Q8Xe2nJMTT8 Pinside Thread on Regression Analysis of Pinside SS Ratings: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/regression-analysis-pinside-rating-and-game-details#post-3642419 Aurora 4X: http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php/topic,5663.0.html Quill18 plays Aurora 4X: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcWln8Ne1RA&list=PLs3acGYgI1-sRFRB4BPB-FbmVuvwIKH92

A metric ton of pinball happenings dominates our discussion, with a small video game segment thrown in (no tabletop this time). Pinball: We set up Round 4 of the 2017 Modern Widebody Tournament. We talk about Aerosmith gameplay. We talk about Alien Pinball shipping. We talk about the death of Super League. We discuss the latest involving Skit-B legally. We cover the problems facing The Big Lebowski's production. And finally, we talk about Magic Girls shipping. As you can see, we talk a lot. Video Games: We cover the future of Call of Duty, the upcoming Destiny 2, and the upcoming Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire. Links: 2017 Modern Widebody Tournament-Round 4 Voting: https://goo.gl/forms/F221K0Zuro5LsglT2 Superman (Atari 1979) Pinball Gameplay (with commentary): https://youtu.be/nzrj5_ajSN0 Dead Flip's Aerosmith Gameplay Footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oej9gql5OTU Kevin Kulek (Skit-B) Hearing #3 on 2-17-2017: https://soundcloud.com/user-800669943/1bk2016-21030-20170217-090555 Skit-B Research (Legal Documents): https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByH8OkGICVbWNDFZQXJYUUhhSm8 Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire: https://www.fig.co/campaigns/deadfire

Hey look, Episode 28 actually has a solid balance across pinball, video games, and tabletop gaming for once! Pinball: Discussion revolves around the Kansas State Pinball Championship, move into Round 3 of the 2017 Modern Widebody Tournament, and name some games we think have a solid layout but are stinkers because the rules are poor. Tony and Dennis also spend a lot of time discussing what they are looking forward to at the 2017 Texas Pinball Festival. Video Games: The topics here include ZeniMax's legal "victory" over Facebook involving the Oculus, the opening of E3 to the public, and the latest Overwatch PTR update (involving Mercy and Bastion). Tony also spends a lot of time on the BATTLETECH beta and his live-stream intentions. Tabletop: Thanks to an in-depth Game Night, Tony and Dennis get to provide hands-on discussions of Potion Explosion, Noisy Person Cards, and Codenames. Links: 2017 Modern Widebody Tournament-Round 3 Voting: https://goo.gl/forms/fGd0BcDT5SZ0CfbR2 Texas Pinball Festival: http://texaspinball.com/tpf/ BATTLETECH Kickstarter (Late Reinforcements): https://battletech.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders

Pinball: Another large pinball section this episode. We cover the just-announced Jetsons Pinball. We wrap up round 1 of the 2017 Modern Era Widebody Tournament and discuss the match-ups in round 2. We discuss the legal happenings around Skit-B and the failed Predator pinball project. We talk about the P3 system going into production. And (finally!) we cover the Attack from Mars Remake that was announced. Video Games: Discussion revolves mostly around the Evo Championship Series game line-up that was just announced. Tabletop: The focus is on a new tabletop convention, PAX Unplugged. Links: 2017 Modern Widebody Tournament-Round 2 Voting: https://goo.gl/forms/UOjCljoy416jpANt2 Kevin Kulek (Skit-B) legal recording when presented to the court by U.S. Marshals (1-20-2017): https://soundcloud.com/user-800669943/1bk2016-21030-20170120-111818 Kevin Kulek (Skit-B) legal recording of hearing where bankruptcy case dismissed (1-27-2017): https://soundcloud.com/user-800669943/1bk2016-21030-20170127-091530 PAX Unplugged http://unplugged.paxsite.com/

Whoa, there is a lot of news to cover in this episode! Pinball: The 2017 Modern Widebody Tournament is explained and the first round's match-ups announced. From there, the guys talk about the Aerosmith reveal and their initial thoughts. Dennis then transitions to Zidware and the legal happenings on the JPOP front. Tony and Dennis then give their impressions of the Batman 66 gameplay shown on the DeadFlip Twitch channel. They spend some time talking about Keith Elwin joining Stern Pinball as a pinball designer, and finally the pinball segment concludes with yet another discussion around American Pinball (this time focusing on their recent social media activity). Video Games: Most of the discussion centers on the Nintendo Switch, the revealed specifics on what the console is, and thoughts about it as a next step by Nintendo. The guys also spend a bit of time on Scalebound's cancellation (which sort of spirals into a discussion on exclusives and the state of developing such games). Tabletop: There is some discussion about Diane Sauer's Pinball Showdown, a recent Kickstarter of a tabletop game with pinball as a theme. Tony also talks about an app he has started using for tabletop analytics and some of his future plans relating to the hobby. Links: 2017 Modern Widebody Tournament-Round 1 Voting: https://goo.gl/forms/Y87yxEbIuMD8riDA3 Zidware Research Folder: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByH8OkGICVbWd0FyTWJSS3JJSWM Jpop Discussion Thread on Pinside (link to starting discussion around the complaint and answer): https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/jpop-update-thread%e2%80%a6%e2%80%a6%e2%80%a6%e2%80%a6%e2%80%a6mg-raza-and-aiw%e2%80%a6/page/410#post-3525672 Diane Sauer's Pinball Showdown's Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1919693711/pinball-showdown?ref=project_share

It's a new year and time for a new podcast! In pinball, Dennis and Tony wrap up the 2016 Modern Era Pinball Designer Tournament. They talk about American Pinball and their advertising flyer Dennis received in a Pinball Life order, and then talk about their 2017 pinball hopes. In video games, Dennis and Tony give some opinions about games they are currently playing (not Overwatch!). And, in an emerging pattern, talk about their hopes for 2017. Tabletop is all about hope and dreams, and not about currently played games. But rebellions and tabletops are built on hope, so that's okay. Links: Critical Role, Episode 1: https://youtu.be/i-p9lWIhcLQ

Besides prepping the final round of the 2016 Modern Era Pinball Designer Tournament, this episode is dedicated to talking about the most interesting of things in the pinball, video game, and tabletop realms for 2016! Links: 2016 Modern Era Pinball Designer Tournament-Final Round: https://goo.gl/forms/05Yg8iM68KS5mGiC2 Episode 41 of the Skill Shot Pincast ("IFPA Statstravaganza!"): https://soundcloud.com/skillshotseattle/41-ifpa-statstravaganza Episode 11 of the Little Kings Pinball Podcast ("BIAS AFM"): https://soundcloud.com/user-859738069/ep-11-bias-afm

Pinball: The guys walk through the results of Round 2 of the 2016 Modern Era Pinball Designer Tournament. From there, they talk about the voting controvery surrounding the Ultimate Stern Fan contest. Video Games: A brief discussion of the Playstation Experience leads off, followed by more Overwatch talk. The segment concludes with a discussion of Master of Orion 3 and Dangerous Golf. Tabletop: None this time! Links: 2016 Modern Era Pinball Designer Tournament-Round 3: https://goo.gl/forms/YIjZwmTgeXoBc2Vv1

Pinball: Tony and Dennis cover the results 2016 Modern Era Pinball Designer Tournament's first round, announce the second round, and talk about the second round match-ups. Video Games: It's all Overwatch. Dennis and Tony discuss the latest update, the new modes, the new map, and the buffs/nerfs to the various heroes. Tabletop: Tony leads a discussion about digital versions of popular tabletop games. Links: 2016 Modern Era Pinball Designer Tournament-Round 2: https://goo.gl/forms/vwgEi68rUYYf4nfE3 For Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast: http://foramusementonly.libsyn.com/ Dennis' Jurassic Park (Incandescent vs LED): https://youtu.be/TqYOYfoG0xU Star Realms Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/438140/ Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.starrealms.starrealmsapp&hl=en Ascension Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.playdekgames.android.Ascension Sentinels of the Multiverse Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.handelabra.Sentinels Ticket to Ride Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.daysofwonder.tt.android Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/108200/ Tabletop simulator Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/286160/ Digital board game list from Boardgaming.com: http://boardgaming.com/category/games/digital-board-games Dized: https://dized.com/