# Don't Panic Flip: Episode 5 - Friday Night **Source:** Don't Panic Flip **Type:** video **Published:** 2018-03-10 **Duration:** 35m 51s **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWvEhERQ1bM --- ## Analysis A casual gameplay session on Star Wars: Fall of the Empire pinball, with the host struggling through multiple games while focusing primarily on the Death Star shot and various modes. The host encounters several bugs and gameplay quirks, comments on difficulty and shot execution, and generally plays for entertainment rather than competitive scoring. ### Key Claims - [MEDIUM] There is a bug where timeouts continue counting while mystery mode is running and cannot be fast-forwarded through — _Host observes during gameplay: 'I feel like this is a bug, because I feel like a lot of the timeouts continue counting while mystery is running and I can't fast forward through mystery.'_ - [MEDIUM] Mode selection trigger caused the host to lose a Death Star shot they claim to have made — _Host states: 'I nailed the shot. And then it died on me because the mode selection triggered.'_ - [HIGH] The lightsaber duel mode is difficult to execute and the playfield gets very dark during it — _Host comments: 'I kind of just wanted to finish the Death Star. There's more time.' and 'The problem is this gets so dark. Then I'm not a good player.'_ - [MEDIUM] The right orbit shot is one of the harder shots on the machine to execute consistently — _Host repeatedly struggles with right orbit throughout gameplay and comments on difficulty_ ### Notable Quotes > "I feel like this is a bug, because I feel like a lot of the timeouts continue counting while mystery is running and I can't fast forward through mystery." > — **Host (Don't Panic Flip)**, ~22:30 > _Reports potential gameplay bug affecting mode timing and user experience_ > "I nailed the shot. And then it died on me because the mode selection triggered." > — **Host (Don't Panic Flip)**, ~10:15 > _Describes apparent collision between Death Star shot registration and mode selection logic_ > "The problem is this gets so dark. Then I'm not a good player." > — **Host (Don't Panic Flip)**, ~27:00 > _Comments on playfield visibility during lightsaber duel mode affecting gameplay difficulty_ > "Calling a shot like Babe Ruth." > — **Host (Don't Panic Flip)**, ~32:45 > _Humorous self-commentary on making an intentional Death Star shot after many attempts_ > "This was Don't Panic Flip. Friday. Should have been partying. Instead we watched Thor. And then after Thor, decided to play some pinball." > — **Host (Don't Panic Flip)**, ~59:30 > _Sign-off commentary framing the session as casual Friday night entertainment_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Star Wars: Fall of the Empire | product | Stern Pinball machine being played throughout the session; primary focus of gameplay commentary | | Death Star | product | Central playfield toy/mechanism in Star Wars machine; primary target host focuses on throughout gameplay | | Don't Panic Flip | organization | Pinball content creator/YouTube channel; host of this gameplay session | ### Topics - **Primary:** Star Wars: Fall of the Empire gameplay mechanics, Death Star shot execution and difficulty - **Secondary:** Bug reports and gameplay quirks, Playfield lighting and visibility during modes, Mode selection and difficulty progression ### Sentiment **Mixed** (0.55) — Host expresses frustration with shot difficulty and bugs, but frames the session as entertaining and fun ('But it was tons of fun, right?'). Overall tone is self-deprecating humor mixed with genuine struggle and occasional irritation at perceived mechanical issues. ### Signals - **[design_philosophy]** Playfield becomes very dark during lightsaber duel mode, making gameplay visibility and shot execution significantly more difficult (confidence: high) — Host commentary: 'The problem is this gets so dark. Then I'm not a good player.' - **[product_concern]** Mode selection logic appears to interfere with shot detection/registration, causing completed shots to not register properly (confidence: medium) — Host states: 'I nailed the shot. And then it died on me because the mode selection triggered.' - **[product_concern]** Host reports apparent bug where mystery mode timeout continues counting while mode is running and cannot be fast-forwarded, affecting gameplay flow (confidence: medium) — Host observation: 'I feel like this is a bug, because I feel like a lot of the timeouts continue counting while mystery is running and I can't fast forward through mystery.' --- ## Transcript Volume might be a little loud here. A little bit. Yeah, that was slightly loud. Alright, let's... I'm not even gonna try not to get my ass kicked, but... Let's get our asses kicked. Let's go for the Death Star. I mean, I suck at all the shots, but... Let's focus on one of the really bad shots. Alright. Um, hey! Third time. Third time. Look at that. Rescue the princess or escape the Death Star? Let's rescue. I mean... Right? Like, if I... If I try to escape it before saving her, Am I just coming back? Do I give up on it? I want you to know, I actually got that. Damn it. I got that shot. Right there. Right there. I was going for it. Alright. Let's take the escape. Why isn't there an escape over there? Oh my god. This doesn't count. This whole thing. It's just awful. Um, 5% score. That's obviously the way to go. Alright, Death Striker. That was easy. Alright, Right Loop. Let's try the Right Loop again. Got it. Now let's go right ramp. Left orbit. Now we hit the Death Star. Nope. Did not see that there was a video mode. Ow. Ow. 218 asteroids, best streak, 102. I've had better. Damn it. I feel like maybe somebody wasn't listening when I said I was going for the Death Star. Being as I'm the only person here, and I'm the only one who can shoot the Death Star. Are you kidding me? That was funny. I mean, I might be like 50-50. Oh, what the fuck? Bug. Recorded bug. Bug. That's bullshit. I got the shot. And then it died on me because the mode selection triggered. I should have just, I guess, quickly... Sorry, the camera's on. Alright. First game is a warm-up game. This one's probably going to be a good one. See, already better. Death Star Shock coming up. Nope. Yep, totally a warm-up game. Totes. Yeah, sure. Why not like the tech missions, right? Because that's an easy job to make. Holy shit. Is it gonna mess me up again? Yeah, that's what happened. Alright, we are going to rescue the princess this time. Let's go. Here we go. Nope. Still missed it. Alright, Death Star. Now, right loop. Okay, we got to save we got to save death star again All right death star coming up I don't know why I need to snap while I'm doing that, but... Left star! Nope. That was... Slippery action on my part. Ball three. Okay, cool. So that was one more game number two. It was ball two, I mean. Obviously. Super obvious. Here we go. Death Star. We did cross the 100 million threshold. Alright. Death Star. This is where it's happening. Obviously meant to do that. Nope. I did not know I could backhand that. Good to know. That's actually a really hard shot from the right. I mean, hard is relative, but... That's what she said. Wait a little too long. Awful. Keep looking over here, over there, because that's where the computer is. This is where the computer is. You have to get better about this. Wow, I thought that was draining. Oh my god. Hey! While it was moving. That's a hard shot to make. I mean, this rescuing the princess business has worked out well so far, right? Let's do it. I got it. Right loop. Let's backhand it up. Nope. Not sure how I did that. Let's see how we backhand it. I mean, I did it. I know it's possible. Alright, Death Star, coming up. Not my fault Not my fault What can I do about that Ugh Death Star Got the Death Star. I mean, twice. I'm gonna count that first one. Kinda went up there. And that... That's the hard part, right? Is making the shot. Don't go. Don't go. Don't run away from your feelings. Man. Now we're going right ramp. Not enough juice. Somebody didn't eat their Wheaties this morning. Got it that time. Now, Death Star. I meant left ramp. Death Star. But I got the Death Star! Ah, hey, I backhanded it! Damn it! All the way? Wow! I don't think I've seen that. Death Star. Nope. That jumped. That was scary. Almost went over. That was the shot Here it is, Death Star Got it We're going to I don't want to escape the Death Star I want to fight the TIE Fighters I want to hang at the Death Star so I can complete the mission Okay, we got 22. We got lots of purple shots. Left ram. Right ram. Tie fighter. Left ramp. TIE fighter. Wow, way off. Mystery. And I feel like this is a bug, because I feel like a lot of the timeouts continue counting while mystery is running and I can't fast forward through mystery. Actually, it wasn't really paying. Did John Youssi that? All right, we're gonna go... TIE Fighter! Nope. TIE Fighter. I got it. Dogfight awarded. Okay, let's hit the Death Star. Oh, come on! I hit it! Thank you. Escape the Death Star. Now we can fucking escape it. Oh my god! I got up! That's what she said. Aw. I guess let's go five TIE Fighters. That'd be a good idea. No! Okay. Alright, so what do we need? We need right loop. Right loop again. Right loop again. Not letting that one go. What do we need now? Right orbit. Damn it, right loop. Missed it. Right loop. Right loop. Seriously, this is going to get boring. What am I doing? Oh, I got to go orbit. I got it. Got the right loop again. again? What do I need to hit? What the fuck? Alright, come on. Let's pause for a sec. What do I need? Shoot the orbits. Oh, the right orbit. There it is. I think I'm a little late. Now I need to shoot the Death Star. Inner loops. Make up your fucking mind. I don't even... What ball was that? That was ball two. Alright, left ring. I hate this lightsaber duel. I kind of just wanted to finish the Death Star. There's more time. Yep, game over. The problem is this gets so dark. Then I'm not a good player. Yeah, 493. That's not even worth writing home about anymore, is it? Death Star missions. I don't know. Maybe I'm hitting the Death Star shot more often. If we count from the reverse. Death Star coming up. Holy shit! Calling a shot like Babe Ruth. Rescue the princess. Not even a thing no more. Right? I don't even think the game knows what happened there. I didn want to touch it It felt like maybe it would bounce or something I should have hit it There no question Should have hit it Oh all righty ho ho I mean, obviously I'm trying to get my multipliers up, right? But the mystery... Trying to hit the TIE fighter here. Going Death Star. Death Star, not anymore. From the left is... really hard to do like that. Here we go, Death Star... How's this thing lined up? I feel like I've been moving it often. Jesus. Jesus. Fuck. That's me just trying to get the Death Star. Now I got it. Tie-flipper. Oh my god, what happened? Right loop. Death Star. Right orbit. Oh that would have been cool get up there I like the escape. Am I hitting this with my head? What's going on here? Death stone. Deathstone. Oh, man. I forgot to turn off the... autofocus BS. It's going crazy right now. Look at that. Advanced camera control. Low light compensation left on. Because I don't know what I'm doing. Just not touching anything else. Alright. Auto focus disabled. Sorry if that sucked. We only have a couple more games, I think. It is 1246. Death Star. Death Star. Coming up here. I'm in left orbit. There we go. Damn princess. Alright, this thing needs to... Actually, why am I doing this? I'm gonna move over and give me some room. Yeah, that'll work. Great. There we go. Needed some room for my hand. There isn't any other way out. I'm trying to get that right orbit. Not anymore. Right. That was left orbit. I don't know what I said. Get back up. I read this. So late. Yeah. Thank you. A little bit of air defense there. There we go. Awful. But it was tons of fun, right? Alright, last game. Let's try to blow up the Death Star. Not gonna do it like that. Right, wow. Yeah, put that right down the left. What a potato-y mission, let's light them all. I mean, it doesn't hurt to have everything lit, does it? Too fast. Didn't lose that multiplier. Come on. Come on. Thank you All right Rescue the princess Right the loop. Left orbit? No, right orbit. Now left orbit. Nope, missed. I guess let's go for the Death Star. Not really hoping for that. Man. Why can't I get up there? Thank you. Death Star. Holy shish kebabs. If you call it enough times while you're shooting, you're going to get it, right? Right loop, which I missed. Right loop. Still right-whip. Actually, I need to multiply. Mystery is lit. I'm not going to let that dead flip, but... I don't even know what I'm shooting at. Let's go right loop again. Right loop. I feel like I've got to hit... One more loop. Ah. What am I, oh, 29 TIE fighters. Hit a TIE fighter. Alright, we're going to get a shot. Thank you. Come on, man. Mystery. So I'm at 330,000. 330 million, sorry. Light mystery again. It's such a shitty mystery. Don't. Alright, what do we need to do? Shoot inner loops. Dude, I have shot the shit out of these inner loops. Ball three. That was it. Actually, I've got four minutes. We've got one more. Death Star. Here's your ball back, Skywalker. Alright. I mean, after an hour's worth of practice, it seems I can kind of make it. I mean, I got that. Not even I know what happened there. So if you're like, it went too quick. Stream didn't catch it. Well, that's because it went really quickly. Oh no. Damn it. Damn it, never go for that. I was going for that. I heard the losing my multi-piles, which is irritating. 10% score, that's going to... Mystery. Light Mystery. Ooh, Escape Boba Fett plus your bonus multiplier and his points. Hey, alright. That was ball two. We got one more. That's pretty awful. I love time. I I don't know. What's the type of... Oh, yes. Got the ball saved. 60, this is... You know what? This is a Friday night. This was Don't Panic Flip. Friday. Should have been partying. Instead we watched Thor. And then after Thor, decided to play some pinball. And I hope you have yourselves a great weekend. _(Acquisition: youtube_groq_whisper, Enrichment: v3)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 21dfbd33-15f4-47c7-bb0a-aebd2d278247*