# News on the Lyman Sheats Code for Chicago Gaming Company’s Cactus Canyon Remake

**Source:** Knapp Arcade  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2022-02-24  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.knapparcade.org/news-on-the-lyman-sheats-code-for-chicago-gaming-company-s-cactus-canyon-remake

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## Analysis

Josh Sharpe provided an update on the status of Lyman F. Sheats Jr.'s code work for Chicago Gaming Company Canyon (Remake) during the Pinball Profile podcast. While substantial work is complete and playable, significant tasks remain including finalizing wizard mode, integrating art and sound, and resolving technical issues with file compatibility. Machines continue to ship to customers despite the ongoing code development.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Cactus Cactus Canyon (Remake) machines are being delivered to customers — _Knapp Arcade article opening statement; supported by mention of a recent delivery to Pinside user 'tlamb'_
- [HIGH] Josh Sharpe reports substantial code work is complete and has been playable for months — _Josh Sharpe quote in Pinball Profile podcast episode discussing DLC code status_
- [HIGH] Lyman Sheats was working on wizard mode with rules, art, and sound integration — _Josh Sharpe detailed description of Sheats' development workflow in podcast_
- [HIGH] A flash drive containing Sheats' work did not load into Josh Sharpe game — _Josh Sharpe quote: 'The flash drive that he left for me did not load into my game'_
- [HIGH] Work remains to complete the new Lyman code despite contrary rumors — _Knapp Arcade editorial conclusion based on Josh Sharpe podcast statements_

### Notable Quotes

> "there is a lot of stuff that is fully done that I've been playing for months and months. He was working on the Wizard Mode. He would have the rules but then he was working on the storyboarding with the artist to get the art stuff in."
> — **Josh Sharpe**, Pinball Profile podcast episode (specific timestamp not provided)
> _Provides detailed status on code development progress and Sheats' design methodology_

> "It's a little bit of a hot mess of what did he put in that the artist finished. The flash drive that he left for me did not load into my game…my next task is to make a list of what's left to be done."
> — **Josh Sharpe**, Pinball Profile podcast episode (specific timestamp not provided)
> _Reveals technical complications and organizational challenges in taking over code development_

> "Everything that is going to be in the game, all of the concepts are done."
> — **Josh Sharpe**, Pinball Profile podcast episode (specific timestamp not provided)
> _Indicates design/conceptual phase is complete; remaining work is integration and finalization_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Chicago Gaming Company | company | Manufacturer producing Cactus Canyon Remake machines; continuing production and delivery |
| Cactus Canyon Remake | game | Remake of 1998 Bally Williams game; in production and shipping; subject of new Lyman Sheats code DLC |
| Josh Sharpe | person | Code programmer working on Lyman Sheats' Cactus Canyon Remake code; provided update on DLC status in Pinball Profile podcast |
| Lyman F. Sheats Jr. | person | Original designer/programmer of Cactus Canyon; currently/previously developing new code for CGC remake; left work on flash drive for Josh Sharpe |
| [name withheld pending review] | person | Host of Pinball Profile podcast where Josh Sharpe provided the code update |
| Pinball Profile | organization | Pinball podcast hosted by Jeff Teolis featuring industry discussions and interviews |
| Zach | person | Representative of Flip N Out Pinball who delivered a Cactus Canyon Remake machine to Pinside user 'tlamb' |
| Flip N Out Pinball | company | Pinball retailer/operator involved in CCR machine delivery |
| Bally | company | Original manufacturer of Cactus Canyon (1998); described as producer of 'last regular pinball machine' |

### Signals

- **[code_update]** Lyman Sheats' new code for Cactus Canyon Remake is substantially developed but incomplete, with wizard mode and art/sound integration remaining (confidence: high) — Josh Sharpe's detailed breakdown of work completed vs. remaining tasks in Pinball Profile podcast
- **[product_concern]** Technical problem encountered where Lyman Sheats' flash drive containing code did not load into Josh Sharpe's game system (confidence: high) — Josh Sharpe quote: 'The flash drive that he left for me did not load into my game'
- **[product_launch]** Cactus Canyon Remake machines continue to ship to customers despite ongoing code development for separate DLC update (confidence: high) — Article opening statement and mention of recent delivery to Pinside user; indicates production is meeting customer orders
- **[design_philosophy]** Lyman Sheats' code development process involved iterative cycles: rules creation, artist collaboration, rules refinement based on art assets, then sound integration (confidence: high) — Josh Sharpe's explanation of Sheats' workflow showing integrated art/rules/sound development approach
- **[sentiment_shift]** Article disputes rumors about code completion status, using Josh Sharpe's update to demonstrate work is ongoing despite community speculation (confidence: high) — Knapp Arcade editorial statement: 'So clearly despite rumors to the contrary, work still needs to be done'
- **[industry_signal]** Pinball Profile podcast appears to be a significant industry information channel for game updates and designer interviews (confidence: medium) — Article author endorses podcast as 'fantastic' and sources breaking news from recent episode; positions it as credible industry platform

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## Transcript

The beautiful new remake of the last regular pinball machine ever produced by Bally, Cactus Canyon, continues to flow off the line at Chicago Gaming Company and is being delivered to customers. 


In a recent episode of Jeff Teolis’s Pinball Profile podcast Josh Sharpe, who was working on the game with Lyman F. Sheats Jr., said the following about the separately sold major code update DLC:

”…there is a lot of stuff that is fully done that I’ve been playing for months and months. He was working on the Wizard Mode. He would have the rules but then he was working on the storyboarding with the artist to get the art stuff in. So he would do rules, art and then tweak the rules to the art and then do sound after the art because it was easiest to mash the sound up with how the art looked. It’s a little bit of a hot mess of what did he put in that the artist finished. The flash drive that he left for me did not load into my game…my next task is to make a list of what’s left to be done. Everything that is going to be in the game, all of the concepts are done.“ 

So clearly despite rumors to the contrary, work still needs to be done to complete the new Lyman code. 


BTW the Pinball Profile podcast is fantastic. If you’ve never heard it, I encourage you to check it out at https://www.pinballprofile.com . Welcome back Jeff!

Here’s some pictures of a CCR that was just delivered by Zach at Flip N Out Pinball to the Pinside user “Tlamb”. What a good looking game!

_(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-08-04 | Item ID: 379a1053-c848-42b8-89de-d34a46045b34*