My new project: Beavis & Butthead (updated 9th Dec)

[cooldan]

Hi all. For my new project, I'm going to take a Stern Family Guy Shrek and retheme it to make a Beavis & Butthead. I’ve adored them for 30+ years and have the same mentality as them.



I plan to make new art for the cab, backglass, playfield and existing plastics (plus backups). I need to collect a fuc_k ton of sound bites (over a thousand to reduce repetitiveness), choose some music, and (I am told) use something called Pinball Browser software to rename everything. I’m not gonna try to reprogram everything with new rules, it’s too much. And I know nothing about software or programming. I need new dots for the DMD as well (I hate video screens so there won’t be one, although many may disagree on that). It’ll be a one off fanboy creation so I don’t plan to contact anyone about copyright and all that boll_ocks.

I’ve spoken to Nick @mufc and Thomas @Fubar and will be talking also to poi @Poibug and Phil Dixon (can’t remember his username) and also Jim @myPinballs, but will appreciate any and all input.



The donor cab is arranged and I already have loads of art and sound (books, videos, all the original episodes) but I’ll need to integrate music and probably some nonsensical inappropriate add-ons too.

These are just a couple of my Beavis & Butthead T-shirts, you can never have too many.

 

[Paul]

That Video...

Good luck to you Dan - and fair play to you for giving it a shot!!

 

[cooldan]

Video?
Oh ****

 

[cooldan]

View attachment 6e59c0d7-52ed-498a-a6ed-00a7fe814b2e.mp4

 

[lukewells]

Retheme a Shrek instead as that is surely the less desirable version?

 

[cooldan]

That would make sense, yes, if I could get one for less than the FG I have lined up

 

[new forest pinball]

@Moonraker has a shrek for sale. Unfortunately I just sold my family guy last week….
All my best wishes for your project Dan. K.

 

[Chris P]

Awesome choice Dan, two thumbs up from me
Boing multi ball

 

[Epotech]

good luck, yes you can change multimedia in browser but you can't reprogram the core code. You can't change the dots easily and so are stuck with the DMD (which you say you don't want).
That leaves you using Mission Pinball Framework (if you want to use the existing hardware) or going stand alone. MPF bridge to Stern is not complete and will cause you headaches. Stand alone, difficult!
I'd look at a WPC/Sys 11 game to convert as its easier.

Anyway, the the figure you think this will cost, double it. Triple that and then add a zero on the end...

 

[JustLikeMe]

If you’re serious about reprogramming the dots then this is the sort of use case where AI can be helpful. Just mocked these two up quickly.





Easier to use a template than start from scratch.

 

[cooldan]

Awesome, keep the suggestions coming fellas

 

[cooldan]

good luck ….. You are stuck with the DMD (which you say you don't want)……MPF bridge to Stern is not complete and will cause you headaches….. WPC/Sys 11 easier… Triple (your predicted cost) and then add a zero on the end...

Cheers Phil. I do want the DMD, I love DMDs, it’s video screens that I abhor. But I know nothing so I wanna pay someone to do it for me. No idea about MPFs or bridges either (I know there is one on the river Kwai) so again, I’ll outsource this. I did consider WPC or Sega but I won’t go System 11 as I want a screen. I’m impulsive and want to get cracking so I’ll go with what’s available - I always enjoyed the FG mini playfield. And yes, I know it will be a money pit but you can’t take it with you.

 

[JustLikeMe]

If you want to pay people to do some of the work you could reach out to the guys behind the custom Happy Gilmore pin.

First Look: Happy Gilmore Pinball | Kineticist

Scope the Latest Custom Pinball Creation from Brian Soares and Reby Hardy

www.kineticist.com

 

[WolfmansGotNards]

Are you threatening me?

 

[Fantazia2]

Cant you edit all the DMD screens/icons using pinball browser? I thought that was an option in it, although it appears you would have to do each individual frame.

 

[myPinballs]

I have hardware that can allow you to make your own stern sam games. Thats what my stern indy jones uses.

new cpu board, new rgb dmd display. Can give you a basic game layout that will that will score, add players, count bonus , basic attract mode, game over, support tilt, slings, pops, eject holes etc

But after that you are on you own and it is time consuming. You can write your own game play rules, add sounds, make new dmd assets etc so you can make it exactly as you want it. Its definitely more complex than pinball browser and you will have to write your own game rules etc

Using pinball browser will allow you to change sounds and speech etc but thats it . Not sure how easy the dmd functionality works on it but it will be frame by frame basis as a min.

 

[cooldan]

Thanks Jim, I’ve never been one to back away from a challenge so it’s got a green light go go go from me. I’ll contact you for help no doubt and of course pay for your time and expertise. Mates’ rates preferably!

Remember when I bought your old banger and drove it home? I sold that on to another pinhead later.

 

[FinalFight]

 

[AndyB]

Bunghole multiball

 

[Big Phil]

Pencil you in for pinfest 2026 in the homebrew section?

 

[cooldan]

If it’s next August I’m afraid I’ll be away, dude. I’ve already booked flights to Chile/Argentina with the lad from 8th-31st.

But sure, if it’s done then you can borrow it. Pinball is to be played.

 

[cooldan]

OK, i need to start off on the right foot, and i want to take into account Phil's suggestion above @Epotech that WMS may be easier.

I've been told that Pinball Browser only works for Stern SAM or Spike games (like FG/Shrek).

Am also considering converting a Flintstones as that game has legs and i could probably pick one up for 2500 (Shrek/FG i'm looking at 3K or perhaps just under). Or what else would work well? Any suggestions or advice? Maybe I could be persuaded to use a newer game with a telly in, as it's B&B, but then it'd cost a lot more upfront.

One thing I do know is that i don't give a crap how terrible the cab looks, as i'll be sanding it all down to bare wood anyway. Playfield must be lovely or even fully replaceable if that is needed (is it? i was thinking i'd only have to take off everything on top, and could ignore the underside). Scoops and drops must be excellent, plastics too (or replaceable full set available).

Can i make a poll in here, does that exist?

A Stern SAM like FG/Shrek/Spiderman/WPT
B Flintstones/JM/other easily available and cheap 90s WMS with great layout that doesn't get boring fast.
C modern Stern with a TV in it .... is that Spike?
D other (give details)

Please vote A, B, C or D
Thanks guys

 

[mufcmufc]

Poll added at top of thread

 

[cooldan]

Good enough for me. FG/Shrek is still on. I’m gonna talk to both sellers and pick the one with the best playfield, plastics and any spares.

 

[Fantazia2]

Good enough for me. FG/Shrek is still on. I’m gonna talk to both sellers and pick the one with the best playfield, plastics and any spares.

View attachment 291859

Shirley you should be picking the one in the worse condition if youre retheming as all the artwork will be getting sanded off anyway and plastics replaced.

 

[cooldan]

Yes in terms of cabinet but the playfield has to have unworn holes (from memory it’s jut the TV) and a perfect upper mini pinball playfield. I might just paint it all black then white and put my new art on top, covered with a clearcoat. I plan to put new art on original plastic so they have to be unbroken and even better if there are spares.

I’m also looking at the VPF virtual table and the completely new design B&B that a Pinsider did to see ideas and maybe use some unused ideas by others in his thread. i'm not a copycat and have plenty of ideas of my own already as i am a superfanboy

Beavis and Butthead: Do Pinball | Homebrew pinball | Pinside.com

| Forum Topic by Octomodz

pinside.com

 

[myPinballs]

After alittle effort i got a logo screen created for an example of dmd use etc and creating something on a sam era game with my setups. DMD screens are 128x32 pixels, so the first rule of dev is you need to be creative with graphics. and the colour palette is 16 colours max inc white and black

 

[cooldan]

Ok so plans are underway…..

Apparently there’s loads and loads more opportunity for call-outs with FG than Shrek so I’ll download the FG ROM to start with. I’ll have a look at Pinball Browser first but if it has limitations then may go to Jim for his CPU setup instead/as well. I’m happy of course to do the bulk of the legwork myself, but am not stupid enough to turn down the option of paying people to do the bits for me that I’m a total n00b at, like the dots..... dependent on me landing this job i'm *still* interviewing for.

I want my game to have all the bells and whistles as I’m only doing it the once. I’ll want background music, multiball music (x5), mode songs, instructions and commentary, random noises, 1000+ call outs, 1000+ DMD images, Easter eggs (a DOHO, cows, flipper code if possible, a dirty pool perhaps) and definitely a mini TV on the playfield somewhere playing video. Gotta have *some* video *somewhere* of the boys' best clips doing awesome stupid stuff that is cool and kicks ass and doesn't suck.

Add your ideas and suggestions here in this thread please. The ones I use that I hadn’t thought of will get a credit somewhere on the playfield or backglass somewhere (or your initials or whatever). unless i renege on that and just steal it and pretend it was my idea all along. what you gonna do then, tough guy? huh? huh? yeah that's what i thought

 

[cooldan]

Reserved for updates: CABINET

Donor cab was stripped topside and all boards and cables loosened and freed in a rats' nest in the cab. The playfield was removed and the backbox separated.
Then I sanded it down and used wood filler to get it all looking shipshape and ready for the new art.







i already got a load of grief from Shrek fans in the FB custom pinball group. i'll have to send them all a close up video of me sanding the playfield:

cabinet and backbox are both ready for application of the new decals which have been ordered and are being designed (by me, with technical help).

UPDATE 2nd DEC: final artwork for cabinet decals x 5 plus translite now approved and being printed then posted to me. I won't show them until i've applied them so you can see the Beavis & Butthead cabinet all finished.
Also i realised i'd done a godawful job with painting the legs, so i started over with those (and the hinges and rails and lockdown bar): drill-sanded them back down to base, two coats of primer, two coats of paint, a layer of lacquer on top.

 

[cooldan]

Reserved for updates: PLAYFIELDS

as above, stripped (multiple numbered bags, some notes, lots of photos). The mini playfield was taken apart completely. The plan will be to make new art for both playfields, and apply these to the sanded playfields. That will be a lot of work.





I scanned the mini playfield (did a terrible job) but was lucky enough to find a file someone already made of the main playfield.
I'll use these as templates for the new art.



mini playfield is being designed now. main playfield has been basically designed but will require some tweaks before printing. i'll probably sand the mini-pf this week to get my hand in at this new substrate, though it's not really all that different except that i end with a much finer grade like 2000grit wet&dry plus inserts buffed to a clear.

probably 2nd week in December i'll get he main pf decal finished. it was an easy job as the basic layour of shots and missions is all based on Family Guy (ie. 5 TV [sofa] modes plus wizard, 5 beer can [van Driessen/nacho] modes, Beavis pinball & multiball, random awards at Stawart target and the Bunghole, Cornholio frops down from ramp and awards targets culminating in Titicaca, WIZARD MODE 'never gonna score' based on accomplishments in other features).

29th Nov update: playfield/rules finalised on paper, still needs drawing up:


3rd Dec update: mini playfield design almost complete. Before i sand it down, i identified the topside holes that didn't go all the way through, and drilled them so they could be easily found later.Then i made a pressing/tracing of the mini playfield. The design will now be finalised and sent to the decal guy after i receive his first output (the 5 main cab decals and the translite) .... unless i'm not happy with those. Assuming those are good, he will next be working also on this lot: main playfield decal, mini playfield decal, end of playfield decal, sideblade decals. Plus probably also apron art, target art, and insert art. And other stuff too no doubt.





The main playfield is still sharing my bed: