DRAINED: BITE-SIZED

Pinball News Website·article·analyzed·Oct 2, 2023

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.019

TL;DR

Drained: Bite-Sized ruleset launched for P3 with vampire speedrun mechanics.

Summary

For Amusement Only Games has released Drained: Bite-Sized, a new ruleset add-on for the Multimorphic P3 Drained playfield module. Developed by Nick Baldridge, the game features a vampire-slaying speedrun mechanic with strategic tradeoffs between scoring and safety, multiball progression, and Twitch integration. The $99 software add-on is now available for purchase.

Key Claims

Drained: Bite-Sized is a completely different ruleset for the existing Drained playfield module featuring vampire battle modes
high confidence · Official product announcement; Nick Baldridge confirmed as developer
The game theoretically allows up to 16 balls in play simultaneously if no balls drain during vampire defeats
high confidence · Explicit game mechanic description in official product documentation
Players can defeat vampires in an 8-second introduction period without earning an additional ball, or wait for the battle to properly begin for safer multiball progression
high confidence · Nick Baldridge quoted describing core gameplay tradeoff
Drained: Bite-Sized costs $99 and is available for existing Drained playfield owners via the Multimorphic store
high confidence · Pricing and distribution explicitly stated in product announcement
The game includes speedrun challenge tracking and Twitch integration for stream chat interaction
high confidence · Features explicitly described in official product details

Notable Quotes

“This game's rule structure is all about tradeoffs – do you build up your tools to make future vampire slayings more efficient? If so, you are removing points every time a battle is started – so watching your score is a must.”
Nick Baldridge — Designer explains core gameplay philosophy centered on risk/reward mechanics and player choice
“During a battle, the walls in the center of the playfield will raise and lower. When the indicated targets in the vampire battle mode are completed, the walls will no longer raise. Tools procured by completing target sequences can be used to automatically injure the vampires during battle.”
Nick Baldridge — Describes playfield mechanics and tool system that carries over between battles
“Do you slay vampires prior to the added ball launching? You'll top the high score for the slay time for that vampire, and it's easier than having to time your shot to the gobble when the walls have raised in front of it, but you miss out on mode completions.”
Nick Baldridge — Illustrates multiple competing objectives and leaderboard categories that influence player strategy

Entities

Nick BaldridgepersonFor Amusement Only GamescompanyMultimorphic P3productDrainedgameDrained: Bite-SizedproductBuffalo PinballorganizationWhite Rose Gameroom ShoweventFlipper Foxtrot Rhythm ExplosiongameSilver FallsgameRanger in the Ruinsgame

Signals

?
community_signal: Integration of Twitch streaming with interactive gameplay (chat can spot shots, modify countdown score) combining competitive play with spectator participation
high · Official feature: 'online integration with Twitch streaming service provides opportunities for stream chat participants to interact with gameplay'
?
design_philosophy: Ruleset emphasizes player choice and strategic tradeoffs (score vs. safety, speedrun vs. high score, tool acquisition vs. point preservation) rather than linear progression
high · Nick Baldridge explicitly states 'rule structure is all about tradeoffs' with multiple competing objectives and leaderboards
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product_strategy: For Amusement Only Games releasing software add-on for existing Drained playfield, extending lifetime value and providing alternative play experiences
high · Drained: Bite-Sized is new ruleset for existing Drained module at $99; free included with hardware purchases at show
?
technology_signal: Multimorphic P3 ecosystem demonstrating viability of swappable software rulesets and third-party game development extending platform longevity
high · Multiple third-party developers (For Amusement Only Games) creating alternative rulesets for same playfield hardware

Topics

Multimorphic P3 ecosystem and third-party softwareprimaryGame ruleset design and player choice mechanicsprimarySpeedrun and challenge-based pinball modesprimaryTwitch integration and streaming interactivitysecondaryAchievement/medal systems in pinballsecondarySoftware add-ons and DLC for existing playfield modulesprimary

Sentiment

positive(0.85)— Enthusiastic coverage of new product launch with emphasis on innovative ruleset design, player agency through tradeoffs, and competitive/social features (speedrun tracking, Twitch integration). No criticism or concern expressed.

Transcript

raw_text · $0.000

The *Drained* game by For Amusement Only Games for the Multimorphic P3 system has gained a new add-on game which provides a whole new way to play. Developed by Nicholas Baldridge, the [original *Drained*](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2022/11/21/drained-launched/) is a full-featured game which launched in November 2022. It comes with its very own retro-themed P3 playfield module featuring an array of standup targets, twin ball launchers, six drop targets, a pop bumper and a gobble hole. [![The Drained game layout](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/drained/09-drained.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/drained/09-drained.jpg) The Drained game layout Now Nick has released *Drained: Bite-Sized* which works with the same playfield module and has a similar look and feel, but features a completely different ruleset based around slaying fifteen vampires in the shortest time possible. When the game starts, the first vampire battle mode begins, a single ball is launched and a 25,000 points value is given to the player. Each hit on any of the standups or other switches reduces that 25,000 value. If it reaches zero or the ball drains the game ends, but if the ball is shot into the gobble hole an award of 10,000 is added to the score, the next vampire battle mode begins, the ball is returned to the playfield, and an additional ball is added into play. [![The playfield module for Drained](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/drained/05-drained-1024x582.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/drained/05-drained.jpg) The gobble hole on the Drained playfield module This continues through all the fifteen vampires, allowing a theoretical maximum of sixteen balls in play at once if none are allowed to drain. However, *Drained: Bite-Sized* is not that simple. Each vampire battle mode has a introduction period of around eight seconds during which the vampire can be slain but you *won’t* get an additional ball added, allowing the player to choose between going for a quick kill or gambling on allowing the vampire battle to begin in earnest in exchange for the increased safety of earning an additional ball when they are defeated. As Nick told Pinball News, there are several more game rules, scoring opportunities and playfield features. He explained, “*During a battle, the walls in the center of the playfield will raise and lower. When the indicated targets in the vampire battle mode are completed, the walls will no longer raise. Tools procured by completing target sequences can be used to automatically injure the vampires during battle, progressing or completing their modes automatically. Unlike in the original* Drained *game, since tool acquisition carries over between battles, these modes may be automatically completed, so the player is encouraged to risk losing points to acquire these tools.*“ [![Drained: Bite-Sized from For Amusement Only Games](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/drained/00-drained-bite-size-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/games/drained/00-drained-bite-size.jpg) Drained: Bite-Sized from For Amusement Only Games As with the original *Drained* game, every five hits on the pop bumper increases the playfield multiplier. However, that works both positively and negatively in *Bite-Sized*, boosting scoring targets and the gobble hole award, but also increasing the rate at which the countdown score reduces. There is also a ‘speedrun challenge’ feature which tracks the time taken to defeat each of the fifteen vampires, as well as the overall time to slay them all, with high score table entries for the fastest times. Slaying all fifteen vampires isn’t the end of the game either. After the fifteenth is defeated, a Victory Laps mode begins where switches and shots add to the score rather than reduce it. Players can then choose to go for the highest score, or drain and go for the fastest speedrun time instead. As Nick explained, it’s very much up to you how you play it. He told us, “*This game’s rule structure is all about tradeoffs – do you build up your tools to make future vampire slayings more efficient? If so, you are removing points every time a battle is started – so watching your score is a must. Do you slay vampires prior to the added ball launching? You’ll top the high score for the slay time for that vampire, and it’s easier than having to time your shot to the gobble when the walls have raised in front of it, but it means you miss out on mode completions (their own high score table), and sacrifice one added ball, reducing the safety of the game. Do you go for a high score in Victory Laps? Then your overall speed suffers, but you may achieve infinite points… if you can survive long enough, that is!*“ Nick recently added a medal system to track in-game achievements across all his For Amusement Only Games titles – *Drained*, *Flipper Foxtrot Rhythm Explosion*, *Silver Falls* and *Ranger in the Ruins*. *Drain: Bite-Sized* continues this, providing alternate challenges and more different ways to play the game. Finally, online integration with the Twitch streaming service provides opportunities for stream chat participants to interact with gameplay, including spotting playfield shots, and reducing or boosting the player’s countdown score mid-game. Drained: Bite-Sized is now available for *Drained* playfield module owners to purchase from [the Multimorphic store](https://www.multimorphic.com/category/p3-game-kits/3rd-party-game-kits/drained-bite-sized/). It costs just $99 and, when purchased, will appear in the list of available games when the *Drained* playfield is installed. If you’d like to see the new Drained: Bite-Sized game in action, it will be streamed live by Buffalo Pinball on [their Twitch channel](https://www.twitch.tv/buffalopinball) on 3rd October and available to replay afterwards. The game will also be available to play on the For Amusement Only Games booth at the [White Rose Gameroom Show](http://www.theyorkshow.com/) (a.k.a. The York Show) on 6th & 7th October in York, Pennsylvania, where buyers of the *Drained* playfield module and game will get *Drained: Bite-Sized* included free.