The Firefly Pinball Game by pinballwizard

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

The Firefly Pinball Game

POSTED BY: PINBALLWIZARD
UPDATED: Tuesday, June 20, 2006 18:32
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VIEWED: 11964
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Saturday, December 17, 2005 4:04 PM

...doesn't exist at the present time, but I recently noticed that my father's vintage 60's King Tut pinball machine in the basement could, with a painstaking amount of effort, be turned into a Fire Fly pinball machine! The object of the game was to light up King Tut's name on the machine by hitting targets with the ball. So I got to thinking "King-Tut...Fire-Fly...King-Tut...BINGO!!!"

Luckely, my Dad likes the idea. It couldn't be said that he cares less with what I do with that thing: it has a little sentamental value for him, but since I'll be going for a BFA at some point in the next 3 years, he trusts my artistic and creative abilities. As for my "mechanical skills" as Napoleon Dynamite would say, I learned it all from him, soooooo.... we'll see.

In addition to refurbishing the playing area and case with more 'verse-like decorations (the machine's aged condition makes it seem more appropriate), I want to add some audio features into it. All I could really do is add some extra targets and bumpers hooked up to a computer progamed to say "Everything's shiny, Capm'n" or "I don't wanna explode!" or even "I'm a leaf on the wind." Very hard to do, but it's not impossible.

In my opinion, it would be very, very shiny.

What do you think?

Art is about lying to tell the truth...stop looking at me like that!

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Saturday, December 17, 2005 7:08 PM

Bump

<-I really like this guy

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Saturday, December 17, 2005 7:28 PM

I'm a pinball playing fool...loved the things since I was a tiny twerp and my dad would take me to the arcades to play them.

I like the idea. It sounds cool, and it would certainly be a labor of love more than anything. The problem I have with this is how is it going to benefit us, or even the public in general in getting more publicity for the show? Nobody would get to play it but you and your friends...and just going on how interesting it sounds, I'm envious already!

What you might consider, after you get all the work done on this that you plan to do, is submitting the idea (along with photos, and maybe some video) to companies like Williams, or Sega, companies that still make pinball machines. They may take the idea and expand upon it...and produce the machine en masse so everybody can enjoy it.

Good luck in the project, and have fun!

BTW, Bram Stoker's Dracula is hands-down the coolest of cool pinball machines in existence! If you're a pinball fan and haven't played this, by all means go and play it!

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Sunday, December 18, 2005 5:31 AM

To be honest, I hadn't been thinking of benefits for the public when this idea zoomed out of my brain, and me being an Eagle Scout too!
I certainly could submit the idea to either one of those companies, good idea, but like the machine itself, it's a long shot. The biggest problem being that this machine doesn't run off computer chips: we're talking player-piano technology here, a spinning drum that sets of primative electric servos. No way would they go through the effort of replicating that.
But, if they're anything UNLIKE Fox

, it would intrigue them that some random kid would go through that kind of effort for a "cancelled show." With the awesome DVD sales just around the corner, they might take notice! If they actually got interested, their experince might solve my technology problems.
But if no one is interested in making it of the world to enjoy, I could always auction the thing off and donate the cash to charity.

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Sunday, December 18, 2005 5:34 AM

I'm going to the cinema tonight to see Kong. Bringing along a lot of quarters for the machines!

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Sunday, December 18, 2005 6:16 AM

TENTHCREWMEMBER

Could you please just make it stranger? Stranger. Odder. Could be weirder. More bizarre. How about uncanny?

One of my all time favorite pinball games was the DR. WHO pinball game. I could play for hours on just a couple of quarters.

Hey, anyone out there remember Bill Budge's Pinball Construction Set? I don't know if they still make such a thing, but back in the day I had it on my Apple IIe and I used to make hundreds of them! And to date how old that is, I had an entire series based on the U.S. air strikes on Libya.

I'd love to see your pinball game when it is done!

BWAH!
TCM

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Saturday, January 7, 2006 1:37 PM

I was just thinking I'd really like to see a Firefly/Serenity pin!

If it turns out really well, just posting pics of it online should generate some interest.

If you find someone really good, or just really interested in building one from the ground up, you could take it to a pinball expo/convention and generate some noise there.

Keep us posted!

http://www.myspace.com/littlecrow
Can't Stop The Signal

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Sunday, January 15, 2006 6:50 PM

I can't figure out how to post a freaking picture on here!!!

Can someone please help an ignorant freshman?

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Tuesday, January 17, 2006 11:36 AM

Okay, here's the link to view my machine

This is what the King Tut machine looks like now. During my second semester of college I'll be Photoshopping the heck out of this and other images, getting an idea of what I can and can't do. Essentially I won't be changing anything electric or structurally, just giving it a new paint job. I have to plan it all ahead of time before I touch to paint. Wish me luck!

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Wednesday, January 18, 2006 6:51 AM

ta da

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Wednesday, January 18, 2006 6:55 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by pinballwizard:
ta da

You used the wrong link

(the one you pasted links to your picture at imageshack, not to the picture itself therefore it didn't work) Here it is:

°°°°°°°°°°°°
http://www.byond-trax.com - my selfmade ambient/lounge/chillout music

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Wednesday, January 18, 2006 5:15 PM

Man, I prove my ineptness at every turn. Let's see if I can post this new one that has the plastic covers over the lights.

[IMG]

[/IMG]

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Wednesday, January 18, 2006 5:17 PM

I CANT WIN!!!! AAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGG!!!

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Monday, June 12, 2006 5:48 PM

Well, after a long absence of mind, I am back working on my pinball projecct. Having dismissed the King Tut machine due to extreme oldness, I've pretty much secured a newer, more shiny electronic pinball beast. It's got sound, tracks, more lights, pop down targets, and four player mode! Best part is, well there are two parts, the first one being that it's fairly obscure and not very valuable, so the cost is only $500, as opposed to $2000 for similar machines.

Second, check out the shinyness:

Isn't it awesome? Look at that black circle at the bottom. Am I the only one who can see the Serenity logo in it's place?

No, I am not insane, I am crazy. Thank you for asking.

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Tuesday, June 13, 2006 2:14 AM

Quote:

Isn't it awesome? Look at that black circle at the bottom. Am I the only one who can see the Serenity logo in it's place?

No, you are not the only one. The serenity Logo would go perfectly there. I don't think that it would be complete without it and that's the only place it can go.

I Reckon that if you send the schematics on it to a big company so that their reading it ties in with the DVD sales, they would think about it.

But,

If you got the names of a large number of Browncoats from all around the world, they would be more interested in making it.

I am all behind this idea, and will do everything in my power to support it.

Maybe this could keep the story flying.

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Tuesday, June 13, 2006 3:51 PM

I *loved* the DR Who pinball machine! It was awesome to play, but, sadly, it didn't stay in the local arcade past a month.

I am liking the thought of a Firefly pinball. *pout* I want one, gorrammit!

Actually a better pinball game to transform for it is the old Haunted House one with the multi-levels. Then it could be parts of Serenity and...out in the black.

*****
RMMC

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Tuesday, June 13, 2006 5:27 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by RMMC:
I

Actually a better pinball game to transform for it is the old Haunted House one with the multi-levels. Then it could be parts of Serenity and...out in the black.

*****
RMMC

I was lucky enough to find this working one for cheap, rmmc. I'm trying not to count my goslings before they hatch, ya know?

No, I am not insane, I am crazy. Thank you for asking.

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Tuesday, June 13, 2006 5:49 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by pinballwizard:
Well, after a long absence of mind, I am back working on my pinball projecct. Having dismissed the King Tut machine due to extreme oldness, I've pretty much secured a newer, more shiny electronic pinball beast. It's got sound, tracks, more lights, pop down targets, and four player mode! Best part is, well there are two parts, the first one being that it's fairly obscure and not very valuable, so the cost is only $500, as opposed to $2000 for similar machines.

Second, check out the shinyness:

Isn't it awesome? Look at that black circle at the bottom. Am I the only one who can see the Serenity logo in it's place?

No, I am not insane, I am crazy. Thank you for asking.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Logo yes, how can you not see it?
I can see Serenity herself right there in the middle of the board. Where that huge circle and the arrow is.
And depending on whether your taking from the show or the movie the surroundings can be Haven, or Whitefall, or Miranda.
It already has a Firefly feel with the female in army gear. Imagine that being Jayne.
On the back side where those 3 ships are how about Reaver ships.
There looks to be a plastic helicopter in the upper right of the board. I think if you can manage to buy the Serenity model resin kit that would be amazing to use.
The big yellow bumpers can have Blue Sun logos, and with the added sound clips from the show and movie, you'd have a hell of an amazing game. (I can hear the one from Jayne, Damaging my calm)

DAMN, that'd be something I'd kill to have. I grew up with Pinball machines, am pretty good at them and I can so see myself playing this. I wish you all the best of luck pinballwizard (I take it you've seen Tommy) I envy you, and I also wish you all the best, you'll need it for this undertaking. But God the love of the show brings out the best in people, have you noticed? You've got patience and brass to do this. Hope you keep us informed of your progress.

Hope you show us the upper half. Good Luck.

One more edit. For the upper half, if your having trouble looking for a good image there are amazing artists who have done posters for the show, maybe they'd be willing to let you use one of their images. I see the BDH's with the ship behind them. Ok, got my creative juices flowing here. Always dangerous.

If I'm a bitch, then life just got interesting

Ok, ONE more edit, promise. You can't have this game and NOT have the opening song. Even if it's the revised version in the movie. Promise, last edit.

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Tuesday, June 13, 2006 6:29 PM

Would you believe, Misstressahara, that I was thinking along those same lines. Except the drop down targets would also make good reavers, and the setting will be half huge space battle, half landing at Mr. Universe's complex. But those are some great ideas. Great minds think alike, eh?

No, I am not insane, I am crazy. Thank you for asking.

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Wednesday, June 14, 2006 11:54 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by pinballwizard:
Quote:

I was lucky enough to find this working one for cheap, rmmc. I'm trying not to count my goslings before they hatch, ya know?

Natch. Sorry, sometimes my brain and fingers have a direct connection as the mental censors take their coffee breaks. The brain basically said "ooo...wouldn't that be nifty?" and the fingers just typed it out. Bad brain. No sugar.

Actually, I'm in awe that you actually *have* a pinball machine. The only price tag I can afford right now is "free."

You *are* gonna show it to us when you get it all set up, right? Shiny!

******
RMMC

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Wednesday, June 14, 2006 3:08 PM

Le Top Half:

Not very exiting, since the score isn't incorperated into the backglass, but it also means that replacing "Ms. Rambo-with-a-sex-change" with "Mr. Joss-is-God-and-this-is-what-he-made-in-that-first-week" is super simple!

In addition, the only thing behind that photo-backglass is a single fluorescent. So if I wanted to have the crew's faces up there and have them light up as you collecct them (ala Lord of the Rings pinball, which kicks superior butt), then you could fix new strategic bulbs in instead. Oh ack! So cool!

The current plan is for me to fetch it on Sunday of this week. It's all the way down in Wilmington, MA, and I live in Hudson, NH, so it's not an insignificant drive. If all goes well, next you'll see a picture of me standing next to it!

No, I am not insane, I am crazy. Thank you for asking.

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Wednesday, June 14, 2006 11:18 PM

Have to say it. This is going to by SHINY

There's an amazing art piece done by someone long ago, you could probably find it in the Blue Sun archives of all the BDH will Mal front and center. I see it on there, I really do. Wish I could remember by who.

If I'm a bitch, then life just got interesting

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Thursday, June 15, 2006 1:25 AM

I think this is going to be great

(the only pinaball machine in the UK i remeber is an Indian Jones one in the 90's...)

One heck of a challenge pinballwizard, but all in the cause (man, your own Serenity pinball machine. Maybe you could take it too conventions for everyone to have a go?)

Why can i not stop thinking that maybe mphillips artwork would look cool on top?

Good Luck pw

"Remember, always be yourself. Unless you suck."-Joss Whedon

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Saturday, June 17, 2006 5:03 PM

Hey everyone.

Is it possible for anyone to find me a high resolution picture of the climactic space battle of the BDM. Ya know, like this:

Exept bigger?

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Saturday, June 17, 2006 5:22 PM

I can't find that shot specifically (bar chucking my DVD in the comp and ripping a still - the rez won't be huge, though), but here are some high-res renders from the same battle:

Ok, so that last one isn't from the battle... but it's just so gorram pretty!

"We want to put you in a safehouse, where you'll be safe."
-- Ryan Templer, Graduate Massacre

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Saturday, June 17, 2006 5:30 PM

Whoa, KHALOR, nice, but for future refrence to everyone, please, no pictires, just links. I've posted enought pictures on this thread. Any more and it will take forever to load.

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Tuesday, June 20, 2006 6:31 PM

I got it Sunday. Too busy to talk. Will post picture on weekend.

No, I am not insane, I am crazy. Thank you for asking.

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Tuesday, June 20, 2006 6:32 PM

I got it Sunday. Too busy to talk. Will post picture on weekend.

No, I am not insane, I am crazy. Thank you for asking.

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