# Pinball Heroes: Cameron Silver

**Source:** The Pinball Blog  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2009-03-07  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** http://www.thepinballblog.com/2009/03/pinball-heroes-cameron-silver.html

---

## Analysis

Interview with Cameron Silver, a legendary pinball designer who worked at Bally/Williams in the 1990s on classic titles like Scared Stiff and Cirqus Voltaire. Silver discusses his collaborative design process with John Popadiuk, the technical challenges of Star Wars, and the evolution of pinball programming from WPC to Pinball 2000. He reflects on his career trajectory from a college student in Australia to working with industry pioneers like Steve Kordek and Larry DeMar, and his current work in the broader coin-op video game industry at Raw Thrills.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Cameron Silver collaborated with John Popadiuk on Cirqus Voltaire playfield layout, with Popadiuk handling the engineering and buildability work — _Cameron Silver, direct quote: 'on Cirqus John and I sat down and laid out the playfield together, but then he went away and did the real work to actually design a buildable product'_
- [HIGH] The under-glass display on Cirqus Voltaire was inspired by Capcom's Flipper Football (1996), though mounting it flat and reflecting off angled glass (like Asteroids Deluxe) was considered but deemed too expensive — _Cameron Silver on display location precedent and alternative design considerations_
- [HIGH] A 'Digital Multiball' mode was designed for Cirqus Voltaire but cut due to cost; it would have required turning the ball-popper into a three-ball lockup with additional optics and metal — _Cameron Silver explaining cut feature and mechanical constraints_
- [HIGH] Star Wars pinball was designed in isolation from other engineering teams, which Silver believes negatively impacted the game's balance despite it selling three times more than Cirqus and staying in top-10 charts for nearly a decade — _Cameron Silver on personal and collaborative challenges: 'being locked away, separated from the rest of engineering...you can't design a good, balanced game in a vacuum'_
- [HIGH] WPC programming fundamentals remained largely unchanged through the WPC era; the latest WPC OS (A.P.P.L.E.) could run rebuilt Funhouse code — _Cameron Silver on programming evolution: 'It's possible to take the very latest WPC operating system...and re-build the Funhouse code to run on it'_
- [HIGH] Pinball 2000 represented a major programming shift to C++ and PC motherboards, though Silver indicates WPC was his favorite development platform — _Cameron Silver comparing WPC and Pinball 2000 development experiences_
- [HIGH] Cameron Silver worked on Ticket Tac Toe redemption game early in his Williams career, producing only about 100 units despite 'fantastic earnings' — _Cameron Silver discussing unreleased/limited machines_
- [HIGH] Silver recently completed an American Idol-themed coin-op karaoke booth that took 18 months to develop but could not be produced due to music licensing issues — _Cameron Silver on unreleased coin-op projects: 'A huge shame considering the amazing amount of work...incredible technology, and long list of "it's impossible" we were able to overcome'_
- [HIGH] Cassandra Peterson (Elvira) was 'amazing to work with' and improvised much of her speech for Scared Stiff, adding significant personality to the game — _Cameron Silver on Elvira collaboration_
- [HIGH] Cameron Silver currently works at Raw Thrills, a major coin-op game house headed by Eugene Jarvis, on titles including Fast and the Furious driving games, Nicktoons Racing, Big Buck Hunter, and Guitar Hero Arcade — _Cameron Silver on current employment_

### Notable Quotes

> "Anyone can sketch a ramp here, or some bumpers there, but it takes a mammoth amount of work and skill to actually build something that shoots well."
> — **Cameron Silver**, N/A
> _Illustrates the gap between conceptual design and engineering execution in pinball, establishing Silver's respect for the buildability challenge that Popadiuk mastered_

> "I don't care who you are, you can't design a good, balanced game in a vacuum."
> — **Cameron Silver**, N/A
> _Core critique of Star Wars production methodology; reflects on collaborative design philosophy and regret about isolation during one of Stern's most commercially successful titles_

> "I certainly don't think that pinball is dead; but it's so tiny that even if it quadruples in size, it will still be tiny."
> — **Cameron Silver**, N/A
> _Industry perspective from a veteran who transitioned out; suggests structural limitations of pinball market regardless of growth_

> "Even though WPC was a tiny 2mhz 6809 processor, that has been the absolute favorite development I've done"
> — **Cameron Silver**, N/A
> _Expresses preference for WPC-era constraints over more powerful modern platforms; suggests creative constraint as a design advantage_

> "I don't like either titles. Revenge is just too dark, I can't see the playfield. Episode 1 has vastly improved lighting, but I'm not a fan of the mode-based rules structure."
> — **Cameron Silver**, N/A
> _Critical assessment of Pinball 2000 titles' design balance from a designer perspective; challenges the assumption that display-heavy games are inherently good_

> "Working with programmers like Ted Estes, Larry DeMar and Tom Uban really shaped what type of programmer I have become today"
> — **Cameron Silver**, N/A
> _Identifies key influencers in his development; acknowledges mentorship from legendary WPC-era programmers_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Cameron Silver | person | Legendary pinball designer who worked at Bally/Williams in the 1990s, collaborated on Scared Stiff and Cirqus Voltaire, designed Star Wars pinball, and currently works in coin-op video games at Raw Thrills |
| John Popadiuk | person | Lead designer of Cirqus Voltaire who collaborated with Cameron Silver on playfield layout; known for engineering execution and game buildability |
| Larry DeMar | person | Legendary WPC-era pinball programmer who mentored Cameron Silver and remains a close friend |
| Steve Kordek | person | Pinball industry veteran; worked with Cameron Silver on Ticket Tac Toe and remains a friend |
| Dwight Sullivan | person | Pinball designer who hired Cameron Silver and introduced him to game mechanics; programmed the song 'La Grange' for a pinball machine |
| Cassandra Peterson | person | Actress who voiced Elvira for Scared Stiff; improvised much of her speech for the game and was praised by the design team |
| Ted Estes | person | WPC-era pinball programmer who mentored Cameron Silver; remains a close friend and daily contact |
| Tom Uban | person | WPC-era pinball programmer who mentored Cameron Silver; remains a close friend (seen several times a week per Silver) |
| Eugene Jarvis | person | Head of Raw Thrills, the coin-op game house where Cameron Silver currently works |
| Rush Luangsuwan | person | Local pinball enthusiast who collaborated with Cameron Silver on Ticket Tac Toe custom build for Pinball Expo 2007 |
| Bally/Williams | company | Pinball manufacturer where Cameron Silver worked in the 1990s on classic titles |
| Raw Thrills | company | Coin-op game company headed by Eugene Jarvis where Cameron Silver currently works, producing driving games, racing titles, and arcade games |
| Cirqus Voltaire | game | Williams pinball machine designed by John Popadiuk with Cameron Silver; featured under-glass display and was Silver's favorite game to work on |
| Scared Stiff | game | Bally/Williams pinball machine featuring Elvira; developed with Cameron Silver's involvement |
| Star Wars | game | Stern pinball machine where Cameron Silver faced technical and collaborative challenges; commercially very successful despite design isolation |
| Ticket Tac Toe | game | Early redemption game Cameron Silver worked on at Williams; only about 100 units produced despite strong earnings |
| Pinball 2000 | product | Platform featuring games like Revenge of the Mummy and Star Wars Episode 1; represented shift to C++ and PC motherboards in pinball design |
| The Pinball Blog | organization | Blog conducting this interview with Cameron Silver; known for detailed pinball industry commentary and designer interviews |
| Flipper Football | game | Capcom arcade game from 1996 that pioneered under-glass display placement, influencing Cirqus Voltaire's design |
| Revenge of the Mummy | game | Pinball 2000 title criticized by Cameron Silver for dark playfield visibility |
| Star Wars Episode 1 | game | Pinball 2000 title with improved lighting over Revenge, but criticized by Silver for mode-based rule structure and overuse of display |
| Funhouse | game | Classic WPC pinball game whose code could be rebuilt to run on the latest WPC operating system (A.P.P.L.E.), per Cameron Silver |
| Guitar Hero Arcade | game | Raw Thrills coin-op title currently in production; features 'La Grange,' a song originally programmed by Dwight Sullivan for a pinball machine |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Cirqus Voltaire design philosophy and innovation, WPC-era pinball programming and evolution, Collaborative game design and team dynamics, Star Wars pinball production challenges and isolation
- **Secondary:** Transition from pinball to broader coin-op video game industry, Pinball 2000 platform assessment and ruleset design, Industry mentorship and career development
- **Mentioned:** Under-glass display technology precedents and constraints

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.78) — Cameron Silver is reflective and appreciative of his pinball career while honestly critiquing design decisions. He maintains warm relationships with mentors and collaborators. Some critical assessments of Pinball 2000 titles and regret about Star Wars isolation prevent fully positive sentiment, but overall tone is nostalgic, generous, and constructive.

### Signals

- **[design_philosophy]** Star Wars pinball production methodology involved isolation from other engineering teams, which Silver believes undermined collaborative design principles and game balance despite commercial success (confidence: high) — Silver on Star Wars: 'I was locked away, separated from the rest of engineering...you can't design a good, balanced game in a vacuum'
- **[design_philosophy]** Pinball 2000 titles criticized for dark playfield visibility (Revenge), mode-heavy ruleset (Episode 1), ball-holding, and over-reliance on display to show off technology rather than serve gameplay (confidence: high) — Silver: 'Revenge is just too dark, I can't see the playfield...Episode 1 has vastly improved lighting, but I'm not a fan of the mode-based rules structure. I feel that both games hold the ball too much, and both over-use the display'
- **[design_philosophy]** Cameron Silver's approach to collaborative design emphasizes team effort and the separation between conceptual layout and engineering execution; singles out John Popadiuk's buildability expertise as distinct from initial design ideation (confidence: high) — Silver: 'Anyone can sketch a ramp here, or some bumpers there, but it takes a mammoth amount of work and skill to actually build something that shoots well'
- **[licensing_signal]** American Idol karaoke booth project cancelled due to music licensing constraints despite 18 months of development and significant technological achievement, illustrating IP licensing barriers in coin-op development (confidence: high) — Silver: 'American Idol...themed coin-op...green-screen, video karaoke booth...we were unable to produce due to music licensing issues'
- **[market_signal]** Silver characterizes pinball as structurally tiny market with limited growth potential, suggesting pessimism about industry's long-term viability despite not thinking it 'dead' (confidence: high) — Silver: 'pinball is so tiny that even if it quadruples in size, it will still be tiny...even [coin-op video] is minuscule'
- **[personnel_signal]** Cameron Silver transitioned from Williams/Bally pinball design in the 1990s to current role at Raw Thrills in coin-op video games, reflecting broader career trajectory out of pinball industry (confidence: high) — Silver: 'I currently work at Raw Thrills...We have released the "Fast And The Furious" driving games...Nicktoons Racing, Big Buck Hunter, and "Guitar Hero Arcade"'
- **[product_strategy]** Wizard Blocks (Pinball 2000) cited by Silver as improvement over Episode 1 with superior lighting and more pinball-like ruleset, suggesting post-release design learning on the platform (confidence: medium) — Silver: 'Wizard Blocks had lighting that was a vast improvement over Episode 1, and a much more pinball-like ruleset'
- **[technology_signal]** Major shift from WPC (2MHz 6809 processor, assembly-based) to Pinball 2000 (C++ and PC motherboards) represented fundamental change in development experience, though Silver preferred WPC constraints (confidence: high) — Silver: 'Things obviously changed a lot when we started working on Pinball 2000, which was all C++ and PC motherboards...Even though WPC was a tiny 2mhz 6809 processor, that has been the absolute favorite development I've done'

---

## Transcript

When we first approach pinball designers we don't expect to get a response starting "I've been following your blog for some time and really enjoy it", but that was the case with this week's Pinball Heroes guest! If he already reads The Pinball Blog then he must know how it works, or perhaps he was softening us up to ask for a fee or maybe, just maybe, we could push our luck a little further than we have before..
Let's Try...
Ladies and Gentlemen, The Pinball Blog proudly presents Pinball Heroes: Cameron Silver. Cameron was employed at Bally/Williams in the nineties and worked on titles such as Scared Stiff and Cirqus Voltaire.
The Pinball Blog. So you're Cameron Silver, the way I see it is you worked your nuts off on pinball machines and then John Popadiuk put his name on them?
Cameron Silver. Well everyone worked their nuts off, at least on the games I was involved with. They really were team efforts, and I never encountered anyone who slacked off or didn't pull their weight. So on Cirqus John and I sat down and laid out the playfield together, but then he went away and did the real work to actually design a buildable product. Anyone can sketch a ramp here, or some bumpers there, but it takes a mammoth amount of work and skill to actually build something that shoots well.
I'll add here that I gave Cameron an alternative question in case the first one was a bit too blunt and he kindly answered that one as well!
TPB. Whose idea was the display under the glass on Cirqus Voltaire?
CS. The location of the display was not new, since Capcom had a display there for "Flipper Football" in 1996. Whether John had thought about this before is something that I honestly do not know, but when he suggested it to me I didn't hesitate to jump on-board. We actually talked briefly about mounting the display flat and reflecting it off an angled piece of glass (ie: like Asteroids Delux and Pinball 2000); it would have allowed us to do some neat tricks, but would have been quite expensive.
We did have a "Digital Multiball" mode in the game for a while - using the same idea from the video mode in Theatre Of Magic. The display served as a second playfield, and the idea was to knock down all targets to get the jackpot. You'd shoot physical balls into the display by shooting the loops, and could have up to all three balls on the display at once. It was pretty cool! However to do it properly would have required turning the ball-popper into a three-ball lockup (with three additional optos and more metal), which was too much money to devote to one single mode that wasn't really related to the theme at all.
TPB. How stiff were 'Team Stiff' when meeting Elvira?CS. No comment! :)
Actually she was amazing to work with, a lovely person who really loved pinball. She had loads of fun recording speech for us (a lot of it being improvised on the day), and added a huge amount of personality to the game.
TPB. Which machine did you most enjoy working on and which was the most challenging?
CS. The machine I most enjoyed working on was definitely Cirqus. First of all it was the first game I was involved with right from the start, and second of all it began with John unrolling a blank sheet of paper and asking the team "so, what game should we make?!". Considering that less than 12 months prior to that I was a college kid / tech in Australia dreaming about pinball, it was unreal.
Most challenging was Star Wars. The technical challenges have been discussed numerous times, but for me there were personal challenges too. The biggest thing for me was being locked away, separated from the rest of engineering. I don't care who you are, you can't design a good, balanced game in a vacuum. I mean this honestly when I say that Star Wars actually turned out pretty close to our original vision, but I still think it could have benefited from outside influence. Still it sold at least three times more than Cirqus and remained in the top-10 charts for close to a decade, so I probably shouldn't complain too much.
TPB. What started with an email to Dwight Sullivan turned into employment in the pinball industry, the stuff of dreams for many of us! I guess the chances of that happening today are pretty slim. Apart from the suit and haircut, what advice can you give a wannabe pinball designer in their quest for employment?
CS. First would be patience, the second would probably (unfortunately) be to find another way to pay the bills. I certainly don't think that pinball is dead; but it's so tiny that even if it quadruples in size, it will still be tiny. I'm in coin-op video now (which I love), but even that is minuscule.
TPB. The Pinball Blog is known for it's vast knowledge of programming(!) 10. PRINT "The Pinball Blog is da best". 20 GOTO 10. Did pinball programming change over the years with technology or were the basics the same throughout?
CS. Things didn't change that much through the WPC years. In fact it's possible to take the very latest WPC operating system (which we called A.P.P.L.E), and re-build the Funhouse code to run on it. Things obviously changed a lot when we started working on Pinball 2000, which was all C++ and PC motherboards, etc. Even though WPC was a tiny 2mhz 6809 processor, that has been the absolute favorite development I've done (admittedly a big part of that is the final product).
TPB. Was there a machine you worked on that never saw the light of day?
CS. I don't know if it qualifies but I worked on a redemption game called Ticket Tac Toe when I first started at Williams, and we only built about 100 of those; despite the fantastic earnings. Local pinball enthusiast Rush Luangsuwan and I added a custom built gumball dispenser to TTT for Pinball Expo 2007.
More recently, I just finished working on a coin-op, green-screen, video karaoke booth (themed to American Idol) that we were unable to produce due to music licensing issues. A huge shame considering the amazing amount of work (18 months), incredible technology, and long list of "it's impossible" we were able to overcome.
TPB. I personally prefer Star Wars Episode 1 to Revenge from Mars but some might say I'm in the minority (or Zac Stark raving bonkers). When people ask why one Pinball 2000 title is more 'popular' than the other I tell them the cost of the license influenced the budget for rules on SWE1, but to be fair, I completely made that up! Am I anywhere close to the truth?
CS. Short answer: no. Long answer (for me anyway) is that I don't like either titles. Revenge is just too dark, I can't see the playfield. Episode 1 has vastly improved lighting, but I'm not a fan of the mode-based rules structure. I feel that both games hold the ball too much, and both over-use the display; however understand that it was intentional to over-use the display in order to show it off (Episode 1 actually uses up less image space than Revenge). Amazingly though some people still don't "get" that platform, which really boggles my mind.
Wizard Blocks had lighting that was a vast improvement over Episode 1, and a much more pinball-like ruleset.
TPB. Who that you met during your pinball career was the most influential to you, and who are you still friends with today?
CS. Working with Steve Kordek on my first game (Ticket Tac Toe) was amazing, and I thoroughly enjoy catching up with him a few times a year. Working with programmers like Ted Estes, Larry DeMar and Tom Uban really shaped what type of programmer I have become today, and I remain close friends with all three (I still see Tom several times a week, and chat with Ted and Larry almost daily).
Dwight Sullivan opened my eyes to the amazing world of game mechanics, and is still one of my dearest friends. (Coincidentally as I type this, I can hear our testers playing "La Grange" on "Guitar Hero Arcade", anyone know what pinball machine used that song? Hint: Dwight programmed it...)
TPB. What does Cameron Silver do to pay the bills today?
CS. I currently work at Raw Thrills, which is one of the largest coin-op game houses around. We are headed up by Eugene Jarvis, and have released the "Fast And The Furious" driving games (three of them), Nicktoons Racing, Big Buck Hunter, and "Guitar Hero Arcade" which is rocking seriously hard.
TPB. Finally can you sum up your involvement with pinball in one word or sentence.
CS. Yes.
And there you have it, a great interview with Cameron and hopefully more of what you guys want to read. Many thanks to Cameron Silver for being such a great sport and answering some random questions!
Cameron was already reading The Pinball Blog which is just great, so if YOU'RE reading and you're a pinball designer or contributed significantly in other ways to the industry drop me a line and we'll hook you up. Or if you're a regular Joe like me, then let me know who you'd like to see interviewed on Pinball Heroes and we'll try and hunt them down!
Cheers
Nick
The Pinball Blog

_(Acquisition: web_scrape, Enrichment: v3)_

---

*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 01de80e1-33d4-4b7d-aa7b-7a6d529de6df*