I’m very excited I was able to pick up one of my grail games – an early 80s Bally Embryon. Here is some of my progress.
In the next video, I begin to go over what’s wrong with the game and work on it. First order of business is dealing with flippers – on these Bally games, there are some issues with EOS switches.
Next we move onto dealing with drop targets.
This is a short video where I go over some alpha code for the Bally Silverball Mania classic pinball machine. I demonstrate the original ruleset of the game, then show how a re-programmed BSOS system changes the rules and fixes some problems with the original gameplay design. The result is a much more balanced game that can be used in competition and is more fun and challenging to play.
Here is a short update on the progress with my 1979 Bally Paragon pinball machine with custom rules and sound. The game is close to being complete. Take a look!
I’m now at the point where I’m getting various feedback from players about the content. Most people like it, but some seem to think the music is a little too “mellow” given the theme? I can see that. I wanted to do something a little more stylized and different. You’d probably expect some kind of dramatic orchestral score with the game, and not a kind of funky prog-rock type of music. So I’m torn on whether I should keep it or change it? I’m going to talk with the artist and see if he has any ideas — maybe we might record something specific for the machine? I don’t know, but I do like the idea of using a real band that we’ve actually recorded – so every sound in the game was completely created. Let me know what you think?
On many pinball machines like early solid state Bally and Stern games, you’ll often see little capacitors on most of the playfield switches. Sometimes they’re there but a leg is cut off. Why are they there? What do they do? And are they important? We’ll talk about that.
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What are these capacitors? Originally they were 0.047 uf 50v. There are various versions you can use. I will sometimes replace them with a 0.1uf and it works fine.
Any .05 or .047 uf at 50 volts or higher mylar or ceramic disc type is fine. Here’s a sample link: https://www.newark.com/vishay/1c10z5u473m050b/cap-0-047-f-50v-20-z5u/dp/57AC4650?st=0.047uf
I’m excited to release this video because it finally shows a relatively functional example of a re-programmed 1979 Bally Paragon using all new code and all new sound. Check it out:
Here is an update to my progress completely re-coding a 1979 Bally Paragon pinball machine, with an Arduino Nano, with all new rules and operating system. This game will be an enhanced version of the original with extra features and deeper modes, and 14-channel polyphonic CD-quality sound.
For more visit: https://pinballhelp.com/
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This is an introduction to an up-and-coming technology that a small group of pinball and electronics enthusiasts are developing. A custom microcontroller that interfaces with Bally-35 MPUs and allows you to write customized rulesets, even completely re-theming games. This is the first part of a journey that I hope to take everybody on.
NOTE: This is a video I recorded several months ago that I forgot to make public, so I’m much further along.. But thought it might be interesting to show this early look at the development of this technology. Now there are etched boards that can be acquired.