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Complete Making my own dream theme

AlanJ said:
What about the game rules? can you change those with the tools you have?
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Game rules would remain the same, so ball locks, power down mode (Wizard mode) and scoring all stays the same. The aim here was to adapt one Cyber Punk theme to another hence choosing JM in the first place.

Nothing set in stone at this stage, still at the art of the possible. I need to focus on our strengths, right now thats on art, music and call outs. Aethestically this game won't look much like JM by the time its done (even the ramps are going from plastic to laser cut metal) but it should still feel like a JM.

I chose JM because it shoots well and has great code, I just personally think the theme is awful. Not sure if anyone has watched the film but its pretty terrible.

Without even thinking about it though I've realised this is my second game retheme that features Keanu Reeves. :D

Here's an example of the call outs I've got done.

View attachment Dontbelooserplaypinball.mp3
 
JM as a movie sucked but as a pin it’s super fast
and I love the retro throwback inc the Snake es’k style video game mode.
Will the remade ramps in metal keep the speed and flow of the original or is that not important.
Generally I find most plastics ramps seem to flow like butter this must be down to the give in them but the downside is they don’t age well.
Kinda same layout but GOTG is super smooth and Metallica slightly less so.
I’m sure you must have cloned yourself to take in the crazy amount of work you do! Or is it just me that can’t be ****d and just downright lazy 😂
 
Colywobbles said:
JM as a movie sucked but as a pin it’s super fast
and I love the retro throwback inc the Snake es’k style video game mode.
Will the remade ramps in metal keep the speed and flow of the original or is that not important.
Generally I find most plastics ramps seem to flow like butter this must be down to the give in them but the downside is they don’t age well.
Kinda same layout but GOTG is super smooth and Metallica slightly less so.
I’m sure you must have cloned yourself to take in the crazy amount of work you do! Or is it just me that can’t be ****d and just downright lazy 😂
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Hey Col, the right ramp being unobtainable spurred it's replacement. As the 90 degree bend on the right breaks a lot replacing with metal seems the logical option.

Only when I get them back and put it all together will I really know!
 
s000m said:
Yup, definitely doing a different approach.

I've used Pinsound to change the call outs, effects and music. At the moment I'm experimenting with replacing scenes with Pin2DMD. JM already has great code so for me adapting animations and text Is the easier option even though it's going to mean editing about 400 frames of animation...

If that doesn't work out I'll fall back to proc. My method however means less third party components.
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Just an issue I had when putting in new voice calls etc.
The new call out I believe has to be the same length.....

Pin2dmd is not perfect on real pinball - far from it - it can take a split second to do certain things and you see it. I would advise to not just look at the latest firmware on pin2dmd but look at the older ones. I only go up to a certain version on real pins as it seems a little buggy on the most recent.

Ypu could use one of the larger PIN2DMDs as well, but not sure how that works but that means you will get higher resolution (and more work for Holly - sorry).

What we need to get hold of is the Pinsound XL board. But its 100 minimum order. This is used along with a FAST pinball controller in Funhouse 2.0 and Whirlwind 2.0. Has HDMI outs.

If you alter the original game eprom - you need to get the checksum to match. I did have a tool for it years ago.

Certainly a very interesting way of doing things - but logical in a lot of respects.
 
Just caught up on all this.
I've had a bit of a kick up the **** since going to Pinfest and I'm aiming to have a working prototype for next year's event. I'm building from nothing on mine including OPP PCBs for the hardware, OrangePi for the computer and MPF on the code side.

Would be good to see a few rethemes and homebrews there again.

Good luck with the build, will be watching for updates. Looks like you are moving at pace.
 
Goodwinsplace said:
Just caught up on all this.
I've had a bit of a kick up the **** since going to Pinfest and I'm aiming to have a working prototype for next year's event. I'm building from nothing on mine including OPP PCBs for the hardware, OrangePi for the computer and MPF on the code side.

Would be good to see a few rethemes and homebrews there again.

Good luck with the build, will be watching for updates. Looks like you are moving at pace.
Click to expand...
Hey yeah we've got different approaches. I'm working more on keeping the design and code somewhat in tact. Though ball returns may change. Mines more a retheme than a build from scratch.

Just been on the phone this morning discussing the ramps (time zone differences make it difficult to sync up) but we've got a working template already for all 3 ramps so its gone off for laser cutting. Will update once I have a finalised design.

Playfield artwork is done but just waiting on questions regarding txt on the inserts before it goes off for printing.

I'm pretty reknowned at this point for only having 2 gears.

cantstopwontstopmeme.jpg
 
So works been on stop of late whilst I wait for the playfield print and clear coat to finish and ramps to be cut.

I've been working with @Colywobbles to make some new plastics so stay tuned for that.

The back glass, decals and speaker panel are lost somewhere in the postal network.

Some clown took the word 'Swindon' and posted it to SWEDEN. Its been 18 days since it was posted and I'm getting no joy raising complaints to get it resolved any time soon.

If your wondering how someone can send parcels to the wrong destination, watch this video its eye opening.

 
It’s no better here, lost parcels and very slow delivery times. It’s a joke our postal service.
 
s000m said:
So works been on stop of late whilst I wait for the playfield print and clear coat to finish and ramps to be cut.

I've been working with @Colywobbles to make some new plastics so stay tuned for that.

The back glass, decals and speaker panel are lost somewhere in the postal network.

Some clown took the word 'Swindon' and posted it to SWEDEN. Its been 18 days since it was posted and I'm getting no joy raising complaints to get it resolved any time soon.

If your wondering how someone can send parcels to the wrong destination, watch this video its eye opening.

Click to expand...
That video is a great eye opener. Thanks for posting.
 
With the other ToM now complete I can focus my attentions on this game again. Been busy sorting out stencil art, custom plastics and even some playfield toys (mods).

Currently dismantiling the cabinet. Some bright spark decided it was a good idea to Super Glue the Start/Launch buttons to the cabinet and body of the lamp holder. Split the top of my thumb open trying to get the sodding things off!

Managed it in the end.

Wood work on this cabinet is dire and the transformer looks almost solid red in rust. This will be fun!

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I wish I had access to a CNC machine.
Would rather knock up a new cabinet than restore one.
People do not realise how much work is in the cabinet restoration.
 
Pick Holder said:
I wish I had access to a CNC machine.
Would rather knock up a new cabinet than restore one.
People do not realise how much work is in the cabinet restoration.
Click to expand...
Saw someone I think a few weeks ago putting up an estimate to restore a game and I think they put £1000 for the playfield swap and cabinet. Whoever is doing work at those prices you'll likely better off working shelves in Sainsbury's you'll earn better money per hour :D

The amount of hours, paints and materials I burn through is unreal. Especially when most cabinet are missing large chunks.

Here's a break down on just restoring the cab and backbox

Materials for restoring:
  • Wood Filler: £14.50
  • Putty Paint x 5: £37.50
  • Paint Spray Interior Colour Coat: £26.40
  • Paint Spray Exterior (Black): £8.80
  • 80 Grittt Pads (Qty: 5), 120Gritt Pads (Qty: 3), 240Gritt Pads (Qty: 3): £12

Tools and Space Required:

  • Orbit Sander
  • Detail Sander
  • Paint/Sanding Room
  • Shop VAC

Labour:

Cabinet:
  • 8 Hours Cabinet prep, removing old decals, filling holes, repairing corners/edges.
  • 4 Hours Putty Primer + 1 hour waiting period per side (extends to whole day)
  • 2 - 3 hours post touch up refilling missed holes or extra prep on removing extrusions from wood filling as an example
  • 2 hours base coat + 24 hour waiting period on interior
  • 2 - 3 hours second coat + 24 hour waiting perior on interior

Backbox:
  • 4 Hours Cabinet prep, removing old decals, filling holes, repairing corners/edges.
  • 2 Hours Putty Primer + 1 hour waiting period per side (extends to half day)
  • 1 - 2 hours post touch up refilling missed holes or extra prep on removing extrusions from wood filling as an example
  • 1 hour base coat + 24 hour waiting period on interior
  • 1 - 2 hours second coat + 24 hour waiting perior on interior

4 hours post clean up (clean floors, room, de-dust de-paint, empty shop vac, dispose of used materials.
Total labour Hours:
31 Hours on a conservative estimate.

Let's pay me close to minimum wage and say £12 per hour:
£372



Total including materials and labour:
£471.20


Costs exclude decals!: £200
Bare in mind the risk is on me if they go on bad its pretty much set once get it right or your F'd.

We haven't even got to the playfield yet. :D

Bit of a rant on my part here but also I never bothered to sit down and cost calculate all this. Right now I'm charging like the equivalent of £5 per hour. No wonder people keep saying I charge too little lol.
 
Backbox on this game was really bad, big corners missing 😐

Wood panels also sloppy on alignment.

Ideally I'd want a new backbox.

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Tidied it up as best I could.

PXL_20231112_194901448.jpg

Black is on, gotta leave it to set.

Then I'll do another coat tomorrow.

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