Legendary code architect at Stern; wrote foundational system code that all modern Stern games rely on; enabled flexible audio, display, and game logic systems

Stern pinball programmer who copied Time Fantasy's time shot mechanic on The Walking Dead with bloodbath targets

Stern designer featured in Batman pinball factory stream

Early competitive pinball player Keith met in 1993 during Twilight Zone tournament

Pinball community member who passed away from suicide; subject of memorial fundraising effort ($12,000 raised)

Pinball player known for getting low to the playfield, different stance techniques

Data East display code programmer on Tommy, worked on Guns N' Roses video mode; later moved to Williams where he programmed Demolition Man and Attack from Mars

Competitive pinball player from Illinois, seeded #7 in Massachusetts state championship finals, plays classic EM games at high level

Pinball code/rules designer; created rules for both The Walking Dead and Batman 66; Zach acknowledges his genius but criticizes Batman 66 rules complexity.

Original Metallica code designer; code being ported to LCD for Vault Edition

Cactus Canyon LE code developer; code awaited after his departure

Legendary rules designer/programmer referenced as exemplar of balanced ruleset design; contrast to current complexity trends

Original designer of 2012-2013 Metallica; code reused in Remastered version

Legendary pinball programmer and designer; worked at Data East, Williams, Midway, and Stern; designed/programmed Attack from Mars, Medieval Madness, Monster Bash; competitive player and rules expert

Code/software designer for Cactus Canyon LE; Kaneda speculates incomplete code is delaying the game release

Deceased designer who collaborated with Josh Sharp on Cactus Canyon code update; left design notes and vision for balancing game rules

Referenced as elite pinball player who achieved similar whirlpool strategy on Papa 3, winning Papa competition.

Pinball community member honored through Papa World Championships charity event benefiting mental health charity

Late designer who created the code for Batman 66, known for deep ruleset development

Pinball code designer; creator of Batman 66

Playing Metallica pinball with Jack Danger at Stern

Lead developer for Batman 66 pinball (v0.94), continuing code updates

Stern programmer known for complex, evolving code; games tend to ship with incomplete code but mature significantly post-release

Programmer/coder for Elvira's House of Horrors

Code designer working on Cactus Canyon DLC alongside Josh Sharp; respected programmer in pinball community

Williams programmer who took over code duties on Monster Bash when Tom Uban transitioned to Pinball 2000 system work

Legendary pinball code designer; Batman '66 code credited to him; referenced as standard for code depth

Deceased pinball designer/industry figure; death prompted hosts to return to podcast; known for code philosophy emphasizing feedback

Code designer for The Walking Dead; created rule set regarded as potentially Stern's best ever

Late pinball designer; designed Medieval Madness and Attack from Mars (called 'pinball royalty')

Williams pinball division figure who requested Keith Johnson for Revenge from Mars team; mentioned as industry connection

Display programmer at Data East alongside Orin Day. Was unavailable for the Hard Rock Cafe Tommy event due to a trip to Spain.

Legendary pinball programmer and competitive player; worked at DataEast and Williams; known for coding Tommy, Guns N' Roses, Attack from Mars, Medieval Madness, Monster Bash; won PAPA 1993

Programmer at Williams who worked with Adam's dot matrix assets

Original code designer for Metallica; code retained for Remastered version

Skilled arcade player from late 1970s/early 1980s; played at Fun and Games arcade; had high scores on all machines

Legendary pinball coder, game designer, and competitive champion who recently died by suicide. Known for transforming pinball games through exceptional code, especially Attack from Mars, Medieval Madness, Metallica, The Walking Dead, and Elvira's House of Horrors. Won three Papa championships and one EPC championship.

Code designer on Elvira House of Horrors; credited for deep, integrated rule set and light/music synchronization

Code designer/programmer credited with improvements to Walking Dead; referenced as 'lme and sheets' coming in for code work

Designer who left Stern Pinball for Chicago Gaming Company in 2021; significant industry move

Designer; House of Horrors was his last game

Code designer credited with Batman 66; praised as historically great coder; designed Elvira Blood Kiss Edition; referenced as benchmark for code quality

Code designer credited for extensive work on Batman '66 ruleset and balancing

Co-designer on Batman 66; previously worked on Batman: The Dark Knight with George Gomez.

Pinball player demonstrating Metallica Pro machine gameplay.

Historic pinball designer; Kaneda invokes his legacy when critiquing American Pinball's decision to dedicate GTF code work to him

Original Metallica code designer; coded his name into the game; Ryan C references this as meaningful

Pinball legend and designer; attended Pinburg; Orby regrets not greeting him

Stern pinball coder, described as 'the best coder in the history of pinball,' final game is Elvira Blood Red Kiss Edition

Late pinball code designer who was supposed to contribute to Chicago Gaming Company remakes; highly regarded legacy

Influential figure in pinball history; subject of suicide prevention fundraiser; described as pivotal to modern state of pinball

Veteran pinball coder with 30 years of experience; coded Batman 66; comparison point for expertise

Legendary pinball code developer; credited with code for original Metallica; referenced for potential involvement in Metallica Spike3 remake

Pinball designer; laid groundwork for Cactus Canyon code update

Referenced as legendary pinball code designer; code style could theoretically be emulated by AI in future

Software designer credited in AC/DC Pinball Arcade promotional materials as 'best rulemaker ever'

Stern software engineer; worked with Steve Ritchie on previous games; was unavailable for Black Knight due to work on Batman game

Legendary pinball rules/code designer; referenced as comparison point for designer trust and consistency

Legendary rules/code designer; designed original Metallica; Kaneda cites as one of the best in the industry

Legendary historical pinball coder; Kaneda draws comparison to Keith Elwin's quality assurance and slow but guaranteed excellence

Code designer for Batman 66; meticulously arranged game over two-year period; Kaneda calls him greatest LCD coder of all time; likely irreplaceable at Stern

Legendary pinball coder; created transformative code updates for games like Walking Dead, Batman 66, Metallica; known to work at own pace; recently passed away; Cactus Canyon update potentially from his work

Stern designer credited with Batman 66 code architecture and player choice UI design

Legendary pinball code designer who worked on Williams classics and Chicago Gaming remasters including Monster Bash, Attack from Mars, Medieval Madness, Metallica, and Walking Dead; passed away

Code designer contracted by Chicago Gaming to write new rules for Cactus Canyon remake

Legendary pinball rules designer and programmer; designing code for Cactus Canyon Remake alongside Josh Sharp; known for Monster Bash and Stern code updates

Community figure honored in Easter eggs in Cactus Canyon and Godzilla via Grand Champion tribute

Stern coder; Kaneda identifies him as producing excellent software quality

Pinball designer/player; known for Batman 66 code; mentioned as hanging out with Kaneda at tournament event (incident where Kaneda was kicked out and threw vodka soda)

Pinball code designer; Kaneda credits him as creator of Batman '66 software and praises his ability to connect players to themes

Software programmer/code designer who worked on Elvira (his last Stern game), Medieval Madness, The Walking Dead, ACDC, Metallica, Spider-Man; Kaneda emphasizes his prolific legacy

Code designer/programmer; collectors wanted him to redo code on remakes like Cactus Canyon

Stern Pinball code designer; known for deep-dive games (Batman 66, Walking Dead, Elvira); speculated to be transitioning to contract work; may be involved with Cactus Canyon remake; disappeared from normal design rotation.

Designer credited on The Walking Dead

Software/code designer for Metallica pinball machine, noted as 'unforgettable'

Deceased pinball designer known for Walking Dead, Medieval Madness, Horde mode; Rush enthusiast; subject of tribute discussion

Batman 66 code designer; known for reliable updates; referenced through 'In Lyman we trust' phrase

Legendary pinball designer known for Attack from Mars; claim made that Demolition Man home version was his first Williams ruleset

Developer working on extended rules package for Chicago Gaming's Cactus Canyon remake.

Designer credited for Iron Maiden code work, mentioned in code update context

Legendary competitive pinball player referenced by Teolis

Former Stern code designer; legendary coder praised for multiple classic games (Metallica, Walking Dead, AC/DC, Batman 66, Elvira); left Stern to work independently

Industry figure; recently deceased; mentioned alongside Barry O as loss to community

Co-designer of original 2014 Walking Dead game (credited as Lyman F. Sheats, Jr. in announcement)

Pinball designer whose death is mourned at episode opening; major contributor to pinball history

Historical pinball designer referenced as predecessor to Sullivan's narrative-focused design philosophy

Code designer; speculated to be reusing Stranger Things framework for James Bond

Code/programmer; developing updated code for Cactus Canyon; final code version not yet revealed despite game launch nearly a year ago

Code developer known for creating/improving multiple remaster and reimplementation projects (Cactus Canyon, Metallica, Walking Dead); recognized expert in pinball software

Co-designer with John Borg of original 2014 Walking Dead

Legendary pinball code designer; completed final code work on Cactus Canyon remake; known for iterative design approach that never has a true 'finished' state

Original designer of Metallica (2012-2013); referenced as creator of a masterpiece being remastered

Pinball coder; described by Kaneda as 'arguably the greatest pinball coder of all time'; working on final James Cameron's Avatar code update for Chicago Gaming

Pinball code designer; created Metallica, Medieval Madness, and Attack from Mars code

Programmer/rules designer of Elvira's House of Horrors; praised as master rules designer

Special guest at Pintastic New England

Pinball collector from Illinois with extensive home collection including Monster Bash, Attack from Mars, Spider-Man; competed in Illinois SDS finals

Pinball icon who recently passed away; planned tribute in later portion of Episode 111

Pinball community member mourned by Scott Ian as deceased

Code designer for Elvira's House of Horrors (Premium Edition)

Pinball industry figure; passed away recently (timing unclear); host pays tribute

Influential competitive pinball player; met Kevin Martin in Norfolk; known for thrashing opponents including Martin

Top-tier competitive pinball player; benchmark for elite skill level referenced by Martin Wiest

Williams/Midway employee who built basic game code and effects for the Pinball 2000 project

Name appearing on factory high score list for Batman (LFS initials); possibly an employee or friend of Stern

Top-ranked pinball player; Stern colleague; assisted with Black Knight development; competitive player Tim met in 2015

Original Cactus Canyon designer; contracted by CGC to develop future code update version for remake

Rules programmer for Elvira's House of Horrors

Software programmer for Elvira's House of Horrors; reviewers suggest this may have been his final game at Stern before passing away

Code designer for Batman 66; invoked as comparative reference for code quality on Bond

Original designer of Cactus Canyon whose vision completion enabled by new add-on code kit with alternative saloon mechanism

High-skill pinball player referenced by Steve Ritchie

Pinball industry figure who attended LTG's 30th Anniversary party and signed a Medieval Madness poster for a young fan

Programmer/designer of Batman 66 pinball; credited for the coding that enables the simple yet elegant rulesets Gonzo admires

Upgrade designer/creator for Cactus Canyon Remake; appears to be known in pinball community for aftermarket enhancements

Rules designer credited for Elvira's House of Horrors and Batman 66 pinball code

Pinball designer referenced in discussion of Elvira's House of Horrors game design philosophy

Original Batman 66 pinball code designer; VPX team studied his work to understand and recreate ruleset complexity

Code designer for Elvira's House of Horrors; known for deep ruleset design that improves with code updates

Code designer for Stern pinball games; known for developing games without Pro editions like Avatar and Elvira's House of Horrors

Legendary pinball code designer, PAPA World Champion at age 26, software engineer with 30-year career in pinball game programming. Known for designing iconic rule sets and focusing on emotional player engagement. Subject of this memorial tribute.

Code designer for Metallica pinball; responsible for ruleset and game logic that hosts critique as repetitive.

Programmer of Elvira's House of Horrors code; also working on Batman 66; known for deep, complex rulesets

Pinball coder; designed The Walking Dead; currently working on Batman 66 code salvage

Programmer/code lead for all three Elvira games; praised for code quality but noted for lengthy development cycles

Legendary pinball coder and player; deceased at age 55; designed code for Metallica, AC/DC, Spider-Man, Tron, Elvira's House of Horrors, Batman 66, Medieval Madness, Revenge from Mars, Monster Bash, The Walking Dead, and others; universally respected in the community

Code designer/programmer; created iconic code for original Metallica; Kaneda questions whether new Metallica Remastered will retain this code.

Pinball code programmer/designer; mentioned alongside Eric Meunier as preferred design partner for thematic excellence

Legendary competitive pinball player and rules designer who consulted with Josh Sharpe on revival of IFPA World Championship concept

Rules programmer/code designer for Guardians of the Galaxy at Stern Pinball

Code designer/programmer credited with Walking Dead game rules and logic

Pinball code/rules designer credited with Tron Legacy game logic and mode progression systems

Original Monster Bash code designer; referenced during rules and code discussion

Referenced as code designer; hosts compared Dwight Sullivan favorably to his work

Code designer who created upgrade kit and code updates for Cactus Canyon Remake, version 1.15 released recently

Code designer for Metallica, Walking Dead, Medieval Madness, Attack from Mars; called 'greatest pinball coder of all time' by hosts; specializes in risk/reward code

Legendary pinball code designer and competitive player; primary interview subject; worked extensively on Attack from Mars, Medieval Madness, Monster Bash, Spider-Man, AC/DC, Walking Dead, Batman 66, and Metallica at Williams and Stern

Stern code designer responsible for AC/DC rule balancing and updates. Actively watches high-level player videos to identify overpowered strategies and nerfs them to encourage diverse playstyles.

Pinball player known for unusual playing stance that provides superior playfield view

Stern Pinball employee; present at festival; scheduled to battle Dead Flip on new code

Code designer/developer; recoded Star Trek pinball to address timeout issues

Programmer at Stern Pinball; attended recent tournament event

Legendary pinball code designer mentioned in chat context; Jack references his work on Metallica and other titles when discussing code quality

Programmer who created new code for TSI pinball machine

Legendary pinball designer; referenced in conversation about game programming and rule design

Referenced indirectly; legendary competitive pinball player and code designer (background knowledge not explicit in content)

Stern Pinball designer credited with watching Jack's streaming strategy guides and patching exploits based on public broadcast of techniques

Legendary pinball designer credited with programming Monster Bash, Attack from Mars, Medieval Madness, Stern AC/DC Premium, Tron, Walking Dead, and other games

Legendary pinball code designer and rules expert; designer of Batman '66, Iron Man, Walking Dead, and other Stern titles; appears on stream to discuss v1.0 release and design philosophy.

Programmer/code designer for Batman '66, explaining rule sets and multiball mechanics during stream

Guest at Texas Pinball Festival; discussing Batman '66 code, rules design, and mode mechanics.

Code designer/programmer for Elvira's House of Horrors pinball machine

Pinball code designer who created major updates for Elvira's House of Horrors (Premium Edition) v.99.17; called Jack to coordinate reveal

Programmer/coder for Elvira's House of Horrors (Premium Edition); legendary rule set designer; discussed code architecture, modes, and timer mechanics

Legendary pinball programmer who coded Metallica. Associate with Stern Pinball. Studied electrical engineering before transitioning to programming. Known for designing rule sets and code updates.

Original Cactus Canyon designer; working on new code for remake with Josh Sharpe

Pinball community member who passed away in 2022

Pinball code designer; rumored to be leaving Stern for another manufacturer; known for Monster Bash, Medieval Madness, Attack from Mars

Legendary pinball code designer who passed away January 21, 2022; created code for major Stern titles

Rule set designer contracted for custom Cactus Canyon DLC code; pricing for this code not initially disclosed

Elite pinball ruleset designer; praised for balancing single-ball and multiball scoring; host compares favorably to other designers

Designer/developer working on new Cactus Canyon DLC rule set with Josh; responsible for code overhaul

Legendary pinball player mentioned as a dominant competitor in the 1990s who repeatedly defeated Josh Sharpe in tournaments. Known for competitive excellence.

Pinball code designer; designed Batman '66 ruleset; known for quality code and competitive depth

Coder of the original Metallica game (2013), referred to as 'the legend'

Code designer for The Walking Dead original pinball machine (2014); his code is described as 'really special' with complex rule implementation

Original rules designer for Metallica pinball (2012-2013); described as 'a legend in the industry'

Legendary pinball code designer; deceased; was originally planned to work on CCR expanded code with Josh Sharp

Legendary pinball code designer with 20+ years of acclaimed games; referenced as benchmark for expertise; contrast point for Joe Schober's career stage

Code programmer for Batman 66; noted as high-level competitive player and programmer of Walking Dead code

Legendary pinball programmer; passed away in 2021; coded Medieval Madness, Attack from Mars, Batman 66, Walking Dead; remembered as transformative figure in pinball history

Legendary pinball code designer and competitive player; passed away by suicide; won multiple major championships including three PAPA and one EPC; designed or enhanced code for Walking Dead, Metallica, Monster Bash, Iron Man, Batman, Elvira, AFM, Medieval Madness, and Cactus Canyon

Legendary competitive pinball player and rule set/code designer; recently passed away; inspired Jeff's return to podcasting

Legendary pinball programmer and dominant tournament player; 1993 PAPA World Champion; joined Data East as DMD programmer on Tommy Pinball Wizard; known for methodical 'Lyman stance' during play; passed away, prompting this retrospective episode

Legendary pinball code designer who passed away approximately one month before this recording; designed code for Elvira's House of Horrors, Medieval Madness Remake, AC/DC, Attack from Mars Remake, Walking Dead, Batman 66, Tron, Metallica, Avatar, Rolling Stone, Spider-Man, and Cactus Canyon Remake

Referenced as recently deceased pinball legend; subject of previous Silver Ball Chronicles episode; known for code design contributions; players paid tribute to his work

Williams pinball programmer; software team lead on Revenge from Mars; helped facilitate Keith's transition to pinball division

Late pinball coder known for The Walking Dead code, honored through PAPA 21 charity tournament

Pinball code designer; coded Batman 66 and Elvira House of Horrors; unsubstantiated report claims year of work on Elvira

Programmer and rules designer on original The Walking Dead pinball; credited as primary author of game's design genius being carried into Remastered version

Legendary pinball programmer at Stern; collaborated with Ritchie on Spider-Man and AC/DC; Ritchie praises him as 'probably the best pinball programmer that ever lived'; deceased

Referenced as legendary code designer; community hoping he can fix Halloween/Ultraman code issues

Left Stern months before Steve Ritchie; covered in Episode 147

Original Metallica rules designer; rules primarily retained for Remastered version

Pinball code designer contracted by Chicago Gaming Company to develop enhanced software for Cactus Canyon remake; rumored to work at Raw Thrills

Legendary pinball rules designer and competitive player; passed away recently; programmed Spider-Man, Walking Dead, Batman 66, Medieval Madness, Attack from Mars; was working on Chicago Gaming Company's Cactus Canyon enhanced software

Legendary pinball code designer who designed Walking Dead; recently passed away, creating demand for classic game vaults

Code designer working on expanded Cactus Canyon software with Josh Sharp; expansion to be sold separately

Code designer of The Walking Dead pinball; creator of 'Lineman' code architecture enabling mode stacking.

Monster Bash programmer/developer who worked alongside Gomez on Monster Bash; was skeptical of Gomez's Pinball 2000 prototype idea.

Champion of PAPA 7 tournament held just five days before the facility flooding

Legendary pinball designer whose initials (LFS) appear hidden in the Ouija board planchette marking on Winchester Mystery House apron

Previous PAPA World Champion (PAPA 9), predecessor to Engelbrektsson

Software/rules designer who collaborated with Steve Ritchie on Spider-Man and AC/DC at Stern Pinball; left Stern at end of 2020.

Former IFPA World Champion; legendary competitive player; featured in qualifying photos

Original rule set designer for 2013 Metallica; enhanced rule set for Remastered version with new modes

Legendary pinball programmer, three-time PAPA World Champion, and designer of iconic 1990s pinball games

Spider-Man pinball co-designer; called Lloyd to offer appreciation

Legendary pinball code designer who contributed to Cactus Canyon Remake enhanced code before his death; collaborated with Josh Sharp on Bionic Bart callouts

Ace rules programmer and designer; 2022 hall of fame inductee; known for coding popular pinball titles

Stern Pinball designer/programmer; working on Batman 66

Renowned programmer credited with bringing Batman '66 to life

Late pinball community figure honored with neon sign at PAPA 22 World Pinball Championship; suicide awareness campaign associated with his memory

Late legendary pinball code designer; posthumously credited with planning Cactus Canyon expansion alongside Josh Sharpe

Co-designer of Medieval Madness pinball machine

Original code/software designer for Monster Bash; well-known pinball programmer

Lead code designer for Elvira's House of Horrors; perfectionist known for extensive post-release updates; had complete vision for game before production

Legendary pinball coder who was working on Cactus Canyon expanded code before his death; this was his final project

Original designer of Cactus Canyon (1998); deceased; was working on expanded code before death

Late pinball programmer/designer who was working on code expansion for Cactus Canyon Remake with Josh Sharpe

Pinball code designer contributing upgraded code for Cactus Canyon Remake.

Designer/programmer working on expanded code for Cactus Canyon Remake; code will ship as hardware kit

Legendary pinball designer and code creator; designed code update DLC for Cactus Canyon Remake; left work incomplete

Legendary pinball code designer; passed away recently; worked on 26+ iconic pinball games across multiple manufacturers spanning 1994-2021

Legendary pinball coder credited with updating code for Cactus Canyon remake

Pinball designer; Don mentions not knowing who he is; designed Toy Story 4

Legendary pinball designer (deceased); co-signed Batman 66 prints with Franchi and Gomez

Legendary pinball game coder and code designer; recently departed Stern Pinball; subject of upcoming Fireside Chat interview

Legendary pinball code designer; primary subject of final interview; worked at Stern Pinball for many years before becoming independent contractor for CGC Cactus Canyon remake; passed away before episode aired; known for designing/updating Monster Bash, Metallica, The Walking Dead, and other acclaimed titles

Top-tier competitive pinball player; defeated by McCullough in 2011 Pinball Expo tournament

Pinball code designer; credited for Batman 66 rule design including Joker lap mechanic; referenced as exemplar for spinner implementation quality

Legendary rules designer; referenced in context of Cactus Canyon rule set development complications

Original code designer for Walking Dead (2014); credited in remaster honors

Legendary pinball code designer; mentored MXV; influenced risk-and-reward design philosophy; exemplified with AC/DC game

Pinball designer; member of Star Wars Episode I design team

Code designer who collaborated with Michael on James Bond 007 rules design

Legendary pinball code designer with ~30 years in pinball programming; lead programmer on Cactus Canyon Remake

Rules designer/programmer known for The Walking Dead code that Greg compares favorably to Joe Catz's approach

Legendary pinball code designer (deceased); final code expected to be released by Chicago Gaming Company

Legendary competitive pinball player; appeared in Cactus Canyon production filming with Zach and Nicole

Pinball designer/seller; running a Facebook promotion with free giveaways; associated with Flippin' Out Pinball

Legendary rule set designer; hosts reference advanced rule complexity he creates for games like Metallica; associated with high-difficulty tournament-level gameplay

Referenced via Slam Tilt podcast discussion of TMNT Pro vs Premium diverter usability

Legendary pinball designer (Chicago Gaming remakes, Attack from Mars, others); recently deceased by suicide; remembered fondly by community; hosts recommend playing Attack from Mars in his honor

Legendary designer of Cactus Canyon; contributed design concepts for upgrade kit; deceased (work completed by Sam Zaha and Josh Sharp)

Original rules designer for Metallica (2009); Stern preserved and expanded his rule set in Remastered version with new wizard modes

Stern software developer; worked on Batman code and assigned to Elvira's House of Horrors completion after Nordman's departure

Original designer/coder of Metallica; Stern emphasizes staying close to his code in recent updates, though significant rules changes have been added

Programmer/code designer at Stern; worked on Batman 66 and Elvira; known for detailed craftsmanship and rule set development

Stern code designer; collector of multiple game titles including Beatles and Batman 66; known for wanting comprehensive sound assets for rule depth.

Deceased pinball legend and programmer whose code/tribute appears in Spider-Man and other games; known for exceptional play and charitable PAPA 21 foundation work; met Werdrick at 1992 IFPA Worlds

Championship-level competitive pinball player; known for coding contributions to pinball; met Jeff at PAPA event.

Pinball code designer known for work on Elvira House of Horrors, Batman 66, and other boutique/special edition games

Late pinball code designer and player; PAPA champion; Stern game designer (Tommy, others); passed away a few years before this 2024 episode; PAPA 21 is held in his honor

Legendary competitive pinball player known for deep rule set design; designed Monster Bash rules

Mentioned as finalist in 2006 PAPA World Championship with Massenkoff, Keith Elwin, and Donovan

Legendary pinball coder; provided updates to Batman 66, Metallica, and AC/DC in 2018; represents 'in Lyman we trust' philosophy among competitive community; transitioned to industry role.

Legendary competitive pinball player known for selective tournament participation strategy (mainly Papa events)

Pinball community member recently passed away; mentioned as one of recent losses in the community alongside Alan and Mark Mendeltort.

Software developer for Indiana Jones.

Designer who created Cactus Canyon code update; credited with rule complexity work

Legendary programmer who transitioned from pinball to slot machines/gaming during Williams downturn; one of few who successfully made the crossover

Original code designer for The Walking Dead; deceased; represents design legacy that Walt feels connected to

Code programmer for The Walking Dead pinball

Late code designer who created the original Walking Dead ruleset; his codebase is being honored and updated by Mark Guidarelli and team in remaster

Code designer for Walking Dead; created intricate rule set; praised for quality

Legendary pinball code designer; Batman 66 and 24 credited to him; subject of Winchester 'LFS' planchet speculation

Rules designer; created rule sets for Walking Dead original and Remastered, and Metallica; known for competitive depth

Legendary pinball designer; left Stern to start consulting business; led Cactus Canyon upgrade design with Sharp; known for perfectionism, comprehensive playtesting, and risk-reward game design philosophy.

Competitive player and code designer; mentioned for past rule set work on Monster Bash and other Stern titles (referenced as 'Lyman' in KB)

Pinball code designer; referenced for Star Trek five-year mission (rarely achieved), Iron Man do-or-die multiball

Original designer of Metallica code; mentioned as having done exceptional work that left little room for improvement

Rule set designer; created rule sets for Metallica and Walking Dead; known for elite/competitive game design

Original code designer for Walking Dead (deceased); legendary pinball programmer known for constant refinement; acknowledged for foundational work that Elizabeth Gieske built upon for remaster

Rules designer mentioned in context of Metallica and other Stern games; created monster bash and updates

Code designer credited as designer of Last Action Hero despite not being the primary designer; Borg used his name to handle complex multi-contributor design.

Legendary pinball coder who designed Batman 66 rule set and code; passed away (rest in peace); described by Franchi and host as master/GOAT

Original designer of Metallica game; Kaneda described LE version as 'masterpiece that has just been made better'

Historical software/rules designer referenced as example of 1990s magical game design innovation; hypothetical upgrade for Theater of Magic

Legendary code designer; credited with Walking Dead code by community; also designed Batman '66 code (cited as superior theme integration)

Original Walking Dead code designer; Kaneda speculates new coder is taking DMD code to LCD format

Legendary pinball code designer; contrasted with unknown Winchester coder as gold standard for software quality

Co-designer of original 2008 Metallica pinball machine; pinball legend

Original designer of Metallica (2012); credited for light choreography, rule design, and creative vision that remaster team preserved

Original Walking Dead (2014) code designer; code foundation used for remaster

Legendary pinball code designer and competitive player; reviewed original Deadpool playfield and rejected it as having 'no legs'; influenced redesign decision

Legendary rule set designer; known for Elvira's House of Horrors nuanced gameplay; described as 'king of nuance'; referenced for Lady Justice mode in Metallica

Referenced legendary code designer known for Walking Dead ruleset work; cited as exemplar of 'you're never out of it' design philosophy that Keith Elwin aspires to match

Rules designer for AC/DC; referenced in context of AC/DC's quality

Pinball code designer; discussed at TPF regarding retirement rumors; working on AC/DC code with new mini-Wizard mode rewards; confronted George Gomez in crowd during seminar

Code designer working on AC/DC rebalancing; interviewed by Jeff Teolis

Stern rules designer; credited with AC/DC and Walking Dead updates; apparently focused on Batman but working on other titles

Code designer for Elvira's House of Horrors, described as legendary by podcast hosts

Original Medieval Madness coder; rumored to have contributed new code ideas for Medieval Madness 2.0 upgrade

Original Metallica code designer; Scott states Ray Day built on Lyman's code base with similar attention to detail

Legendary code designer; created Metallica Remastered code; recognized as best in industry

Late pinball figure being honored by PAPA 21; charity event raising funds for suicide awareness in his memory

Legendary pinball designer and competitive player; PAPA 21 memorial tournament named after him

Legendary pinball software engineer (1966-2022); designed/co-created 45+ pinball machines; died by suicide January 19, 2022; worked at Bally, Williams, Data East, Stern, Chicago Gaming; created Medieval Madness, Monster Bash, Attack from Mars, The Walking Dead, Metallica, Tron, Batman 66, Elvira's House of Horrors

Legendary pinball designer; worked with Josh Sharp on Cactus Canyon expanded code update

Created final code and rule set for Cactus Canyon LE; undergoing final testing with improvements to scoring and strategy

Renowned code designer for Cactus Canyon upgrade kit; deceased as of early 2022; final code masterpiece being completed by Josh Sharp

Late designer/engineer who was developing Cactus Canyon expanded code before passing in previous year

Code developer for Cactus Canyon enhanced version; death complicates multi-person development effort into single-person project

Legendary pinball code designer; co-designer of Walking Dead with John Borg; advanced Walking Dead ruleset with risk-reward mechanics

Stern Pinball programmer; released robust code update for Elvira's House of Horror during pandemic.

Code designer on original Iron Man (2010)

Legendary pinball coder mentioned in context of rule design; referenced as example of important designer/coder role in industry.

Code designer collaborating with Josh Sharp on Cactus Canyon; potential for future collaborations on other Chicago Gaming titles

Code developer for Cactus Canyon remake; subject of new 'limening' term referring to premium pricing on code updates

CGC code designer; expected to improve shallow initial code on Cactus Canyon Remake

Veteran pinball programmer/designer at Stern; rumored to be leaving for contract work with Chicago Gaming Company on Elvira, Cactus Canyon, and potentially Pulp Fiction.

Former Stern designer/programmer who recently left; speculation about joining JJP or other manufacturers

Pinball code designer/rule programmer; identified as 'most popular' among competitive players; known for longer-shooting game design philosophy; done with Elvira; available for new projects

Legendary pinball software engineer contracted by CGC for Cactus Canyon enhanced code; rumored to have joined Raw Thrills; known for 3-decade career, tournament expertise, and modern ruleset design

Stern's celebrated rules/code designer; recently completed Elvira's House of Horrors; designed rules for Batman, Walking Dead, others; reportedly departed Stern; whereabouts/next employer unknown

Pinball code designer; praised for judicious multiball implementation in Elvira and Batman 66

Legendary pinball programmer who recently passed away at age ~55; created code for multiple Pinside Top 100 games including Metallica, Walking Dead, Monster Bash, Medieval Madness, Attack from Mars, Spider-Man, Batman 66; known for making games accessible to both casual and tournament players

Designer/programmer supposed to finish Cactus Canyon code with Josh Sharp; passed away, impacting project completion.

Stern Pinball coder who departed; widely regarded as best pinball coder in industry; last major work was Elvira and Batman 66; rumored moved to Chicago Gaming

Legendary pinball player mentioned as one of the greatest players Bowen met early in his career

Late competitive pinball player and community figure; attended IFPA 15 in Toronto; inspired Joe's 'degenerate' community naming through post-tournament celebration; now deceased.

Pinball personality who inspired creation of D-Genies; Degenerate of the Year award is dedicated to him; attended Toronto pinball celebration in 2017 after IFPA tournament

Legendary pinball player/designer memorialized in Papa Doug tournament; known for Monster Bash and rule set work; referenced as prominent community figure

Legendary pinball coder and designer who recently passed away at age ~55. Known for work on Walking Dead, Metallica, Spider-Man, AFM, and Batman pinball machines. Had 15-year relationship with Penny. First podcast appearance in 10+ years was Slam Tilt episode 100.

Individual being memorialized through Slam Tilt's charitable fundraising to American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Software/rules programmer; left Stern at end of previous year quietly; worked remotely and in isolation; known for Batman and Elvira games; high-pressure brand name (advertised as 'Lyman game'); departure went relatively unnoticed internally

Mentioned in context of rule design expertise; referenced as designer of rule updates for Stern games (implied by 'solid state guys' discussion methodology)

Legendary pinball programmer at Williams and Stern; died by suicide January 19, 2022, age 55; known for exceptional code work transforming mediocre games into classics; was working on Cactus Canyon remake

Deceased programmer; legendary collaborator with Ritchie on Spider-Man and AC/DC; known for groundbreaking rule design that influenced subsequent programmers; Ritchie expresses significant personal loss

Legendary code designer hired by Chicago Gaming to develop Cactus Canyon remake software alongside Josh Sharp; previously at Stern

Code developer hired by Chicago Gaming to create paid DLC update for Cactus Canyon remake with Josh Sharp

Stern Pinball employee; legendary code designer; former #1 player; employed at Stern alongside other elite competitors

Competitive pinball player and industry figure; first met at Papa 3 tournament organized by Epstein

Pinball game coder. Mitch identifies him as the best coder ever, worked on The Walking Dead.

Legendary pinball programmer; encountered by Justin at Michigan Pinball Expo without initial recognition; featured prominently in 'Lit' documentary

High-level competitive pinball player and code designer; philosophy emphasizes rule balancing, multiplier stacking, and competitive depth; popular among tournament players

Legendary pinball coder and competitive player; deceased as of this episode; tributes mentioned on Final Round podcast episode 50

Legendary pinball code designer/programmer who died approximately one month before this recording (Feb 2022). Collaborated with Josh Sharp on Cactus Canyon Revisited; known for integrated approach to rules, art, sound, and choreography

Legendary competitive pinball player; won 2007 European Championship; impressed young Acciari with playing technique and position

Late legendary pinball player known for low-to-ground playing stance and eye-level positioning with flippers

Legendary competitive pinball player and rules designer; passed away in 2023 (prior year's #1 honoree); memorial fundraising by Slam Tilt Podcast

Late pinball figure featured in Tilt documentary about pinball 2000 era. Referenced as 'Slim and Sheets.'

Legendary pinball code designer; Papa championship tournament held in his honor; passed away or retired from active pinball; had significant influence on competitive scene.

Late legendary pinball code designer; Papa 21 2024 championship organized in his memory by Penny Epstein; known for Metallica code masterpiece

Legendary pinball player who attended EPC last year and enjoyed the format

Pinball programmer and rules designer who collaborates with Ritchie; known for writing insulting call-outs for Ritchie's games.

Designer of Elvira, House of Horrors; known for 'million a minute' game design philosophy and exponential cash-out mechanics

Competitive pinball player and code designer interviewed at Pinburgh 2018; struggled with EM games

World-class pinball player who collaborated with George Gomez on Batman 66 design

Legendary pinball designer; early career programmer on Data East's Who's Tommy (1994); featured as primary guest on episode; currently at Stern Pinball; known for rules design on Metallica, Guns N' Roses, The Stones, AC/DC

Legendary competitive pinball player and code designer; released AC/DC Pro code update; hosted Illinois state championship; known for balancing tournament play with code philosophy.

Legendary pinball player featured on Batman 66 Dead Flip broadcast alongside George Gomez and Josh Sharp.

Pinball code designer credited with Elvira: House of Horrors, called 'Lyman's last game'

Williams pinball division figure; knew Keith from tournament scene; advocated for Keith to join Revenge from Mars team

Pinball designer whose death was recently commemorated in Silverball Chronicles episode; David played Attack from Mars as tribute.

Legendary pinball programmer and tournament player; pioneered dot-matrix display programming; designed rules for Medieval Madness, Attack from Mars, Metallica

Programmer on Congo (original bi-level design); reassigned to Attack from Mars after Congo playfield redesign for cost reasons

Demanding programmer on Monster Bash; required 100% effort from George Gomez, constraining his time for Pinball 2000 development

Code designer who transformed WWE WrestleMania 2-3 years post-launch; made unplayable game 'so good' through rule set redesign; acknowledged as crucial to game's redemption

Programmer on Data East's The Who's Tommy during short stint at Data East

Historical pinball figure connected to Mike Mahaffey; top tournament player; attended Papa (pinball tournament) events

Co-designer and lead software developer on The Sopranos pinball machine with Gomez; legendary pinball code designer; deceased (Gomez: 'rest in peace')

Mentioned as co-creator of deep rule set philosophy along with Keith Johnson; known for complex rule design

Legendary pinball programmer; worked at Williams on Monster Bash, Data East, and later Stern; colleague of Greg at Williams; Papa Pinball World Champion; deceased.

Legendary programmer cited for work on Star Wars games with Steve Ritchie; anecdote about sound ROM incident

Legendary pinball programmer; award category namesake (deceased); noted for creating lasting game code

Legendary pinball designer and competitive player; passed away; honored through Slam Tilt's suicide prevention fundraiser

Legendary pinball player and code designer; passed away in 2021; recognized for contributions to games like Metallica, ACDC, The Walking Dead, Batman 66, Attack from Mars, Monster Bash, Medieval Madness.

Master competitive pinball player mentioned as reference point for tournament-level play expertise

Code designer on original The Walking Dead (2014); legendary programmer known for exceptional rule design and code quality. Walking Dead recognized as one of his best works despite ranking decline

Programmer credited with Walking Dead original code; Walking Dead Remastered will build on his groundwork

Code/rules designer for Walking Dead Remaster; rules appear complete but animations incomplete

Legendary pinball programmer and game designer, 30+ year career spanning Data East, Williams, and Stern; known for iconic titles including The Walking Dead, Metallica, Medieval Madness, Attack from Mars, Monster Bash, AC/DC, Batman '66; mentor to Josh and Zach Sharp; long-term partner of Penny Epstein

Original rules designer for Metallica (SAM version); deceased; code preserved and adapted in Remastered version

Stern code designer; co-credited with John Borg on Rush; mentioned as potential contributor to X-Men discussions

Original code designer for Cactus Canyon; his original code has not been released; expected to add depth to game modes

Code designer for Iron Man; known for balanced tournament game design

Code designer credited with resurrecting Batman 66; has worked on multiple iconic games; considered best code writer at Stern

Legendary pinball code designer; praised for code quality on Elvira; expected to provide final refinements ('cherry on top') to starting code

Influential code designer who mentored Keith Elwin on ruleset philosophy, particularly regarding multiball scoring balance; connected Keith with George Gomez at Stern

Pinball programmer mentioned in context of Monster Bash code work.

Legendary pinball code designer; passed away two years prior to 2023 awards; namesake of Best Rules award; rules considered generational influence

Legendary code designer for Attack from Mars; known for generous 'Stroke of Luck' mode design philosophy

Pinball code designer who worked with Borg on original Metallica and contributed to hammer/casket feature concept development

Principal rules designer for Metallica Remastered; experienced veteran whose base ruleset was refined by Ray Day; recognized as high-level competitive player context for code quality

Legendary pinball code designer and industry figure; subject of Ep 159; deceased; created code for Walking Dead, Monster Bash, and other acclaimed titles; community reflects on his legacy and influence

Legacy code designer at Stern; established benchmark for ruleset design; Ray Day positioned as heir apparent to his legacy; Metallica remaster attributed to his influence on code structure

Tournament-level code designer credited with resurrecting Walking Dead through masterful code overhaul; suggested as solution for underperforming titles

Top scoring player on Tron: Legacy according to player commentary

Honored at PAPA World Championship 2025; PAPA event dedicated to his memory

Code author for Monster Bash

Original Walking Dead code programmer whose code base will inform Remastered version

Original Walking Dead designer; rules praised by Nick; Remastered version expected to receive minor rule adjustments

Code designer for The Walking Dead Remastered; referenced as contributing to game despite Stern's overall struggle

Co-designer of original Walking Dead pinball (2014); referenced for code quality and design excellence

Associated with the original The Walking Dead game as a 'masterpiece' designer

Co-designer of original Walking Dead with John Borg; credited in Walking Dead Remastered announcement

Pinball designer credited with ball saver grace period mechanic; referenced in tribute by Walt

Code developer for Cactus Canyon upgrade kit; created additional rules and features including expanded mode logic

Edition designation for the upgrade kit being installed, suggesting named variant or personalization

Programmer of Elvira's House of Horrors pinball game

Original code designer for Metallica, Walking Dead, AC/DC; code quality discussed as potentially imperfect (AC/DC incomplete per Head2Head interview)

Late designer/programmer at Play Mechanix; co-developer with Josh Sharpe on expanded code projects; has passed away

Code and rules developer for Batman '66, considered to have created some of his best work on this title

Co-creator of Cactus Canyon upgrade kit code and enhancements

Lead programmer on original Walking Dead ruleset; retained for Remastered

Code programmer for 24 (2009); hosts note code quality as critical factor in game success

Original Walking Dead code designer; created heralded code with Last Man Standing and Blood Bath modes; enhancements added to remaster but characterized as polish

Referenced in context of code expertise comparison with Raymond Davidson; rules mastery mentioned

Original designer/coder of Cactus Canyon (1997 Williams game); left incomplete code and design notes later used by CGC team

Mentioned with 'Rest in peace' tribute during Walking Dead Remastered rules discussion; appears to be community member

Original designer of The Walking Dead pinball code; Kaneda implies he would object to Wison's involvement in Remaster

Programmer of Elvira's House of Horrors; responsible for code/rules

Referenced as exemplary game designer who understood how to tell stories through pinball narrative

Known for animation skipping features and referenced for code polish work on Walking Dead

Co-designer of original The Walking Dead pinball game

Stern code developer; criticized for extended Batman development; community wants him on other projects

Stern programmer; possibly NOT on Iron Maiden (hosts speculate Tim Sexton may have replaced him on this project)

Original coder of The Walking Dead; Kaneda questions how his 'masterpiece' can be improved in remaster

Pinball designer/programmer. Credits include The Walking Dead and other titles. Code quality noted as major factor in game reputation and collectibility.

Stern Pinball designer/creative lead; conceptualized haunted house game for new collaboration project

Pinball community member who recognized quality in Elwin's Archer layout and recommended him to George Gomez

Programmer credited with updates to Metallica ('Crank It Up' modes)

Programmer on Metallica pinball

Original Walking Dead code designer; work being ported by Wyson for Remastered version

Programmer for Elvira's House of Horrors; described as 'hardest working man in pinball'; been working on haunted house concept for years

Pinball code designer, coded The Walking Dead and Walking Dead Remastered; described as having 'maybe the best coded games in the history of pinball'

Stern Pinball developer/employee who worked on Spider-Man

Design philosophy reference; credited with principle that ball visibility is crucial to great pinball design

Tournament competitor whose girlfriend (Penny) Kaneda was cheering for during incident that led to Kaneda's ejection

Stern representative who allegedly praised Kaneda's show content to him personally (historical reference)