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Mini Pinball Kit
- Discuss original idea / episodes (use footage flashbacks)
- Talk about what we liked / didn’t like
- Why we believe it’s a good project
- Map out project goals / major design challenges
- Design drawing and sketches
- Order in sample MCU’s and solenoids
- Decide major parts and begin sourcing:
- What is the minimum # of mechs we can design to achieve a game?
- Is this a kit? What’s the target cost?
- What scale do we want to use?
- Is the design generic, and buyer adds a theme?
- What is the skill level to assemble?
GOAL: Create product roadmap & design spec
2. CHOOSING A MICROCONTROLLER
- What does the system need to do?
- 1 channel SFX
- 1 channel music
- Video? LED? LCD?
- What’s the cheapest way to display information?
- Do we use the Teensy 3.0 like before or is there a better, cheaper option?
- How do we make this as user-configurable as possible?
- Experiment with several MCU’s, then order more of the one we like best
- What does the system need to do?
GOAL: Find the right MCU and starting sourcing for production.
3. DESIGNING MECHS
- Probably a multiple week project
- Can we design a “uni-mech” that can do everything?
- Flippers
- Load balls
- Pop bumpers
- Are these mechs injection molded?
- Where can this be done?
- Does a hackerspace has an injection mold we can try?
- Can we get help from designers?
- Things to keep in mind for injection molded design
- Sourcing small solenoids / motors
GOAL: Design 1-2 mechs that can do everything, to limit manufacturing costs.
4. KERNEL & LIBRARIES
- (Certainly multiple episodes for this)
- Wire up a prototype board for testing (will design a PCB from this)
- Write libraries for users that do the following:
- Speech and music calls
- Switch detection
- Solenoid and light control
- Scorekeeping and rules
- Write a base kernel that will cycle through games
- “Borrow” from other pinball projects?
- Comment it well so users can create one
- Once kernel written, do a walk-through of how to create rules (screen cap sessions)
- Make a sample game like “Super Space Shuttle”
- Walk viewers through how to code the kernel
- Obtain graphics like end users would (FedEx/print shops)
- Show how to create audio assets using something free like Audacity.
GOAL: Have a code base that gets a machine flipping.
5. PCB DESIGN
- Based off MCU and display, design the smallest PCB we can.
- Layout connectors, then MCU, then power/batteries.
- EAGLE tutorial, mostly a screencap episode.
- If we have a protoboard, then we can design PCB while doing other things.
- Send off for test PCB’s from China (takes 2-3 weeks) or a e14 prototype vendor in US.
GOAL: Have a working PCB that we can price and use for the prototype.
6. PHYSICAL GAME DESIGN
- Decide what size and scale the playfield will be.
- Design a casing around it, that can be assembled from a flat pack like Ikea.
- Have “modules” where you can move around base components such as pops or toys.
- Make game easy to configure.
- Implement the mechs we designed into game.
GOAL: Have a machine that plays complete games.
7. CREATIVE DESIGN AND KITS
- Think of a fun generic theme to put on game.
- Start with a blank slate (as a buyer would) and work up from there
- Module and art design.
- Do a walk-through of how to create rules (screen cap sessions)
- Make a sample game like “Super Space Shuttle”
- Walk viewers through how to code the kernel
- Obtain graphics like end users would (FedEx/print shops)
- Show how to create audio assets using something free like Audacity.
GOAL: Have a complete game, like Super Space Shuttle was.