Homebrew Showcase: Trogdor! Pinball by Alex Labasco

Marco Pinball·video·16m 3s·analyzed·Nov 7, 2025

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.029

TL;DR

Homebrew Trogdor! pinball machine by Alex Labasco showcased at Chicago Pinball Expo 2025.

Summary

Marco Pinball interviews Alex Labasco at Chicago Pinball Expo 2025 about his homebrew pinball machine, Trogdor! The Burninator, based on the Homestar Runner web series. Labasco discusses his design philosophy, build process using FAST hardware and Mission Pinball Framework, playfield mechanics inspired by the Trogdor character and theme, and development timeline spanning two years across four conventions.

Key Claims

Trogdor! The Burninator is a homebrew machine based on the Homestar Runner character, specifically the Trogdor from the Strong Bad Email series
high confidence · Alex Labasco explaining the theme origin during the interview
The machine uses FAST (Flexible Automation Specific Technology) boards and Mission Pinball Framework (MPF) for control and logic
high confidence · Alex Labasco describing his build process and technology stack
Labasco spent approximately 2 years building the machine and has shown it at 4 conventions so far
high confidence · Alex Labasco stating 'I've been working on it for about 2 years' and 'This is my fourth show with the game'
The machine uses pop bumpers designed to look like thatched roof cottages on fire, representing 'burninating' in the game's theme
high confidence · Alex Labasco explaining: 'burninating the cottages. And so I needed some thatched roof cottages. So, uh, you know, what fits better than, uh, some pop bumpers with some good lights under them to really look like they're going on fire.'
A third flipper on the machine represents Trogdor's 'beefy muscle arm,' using a right arm salvaged from a Champion Pub pinball machine
high confidence · Alex Labasco describing: 'there's that third flipper right there, which is the uh his his beefy muscle arm. And I actually uh another home brewer just uh picked up the right arm from the Champion Pub pinball game.'
The main mode involves spelling the word 'BURN' via top lane shots to start a multiball mode called 'burnination multiball'
high confidence · Alex Labasco explaining the objective: 'you shoot up towards those top lanes and uh you'll spell the word burn. You can kind of see it on the screen right now with the letters rotating uh as Isaiah flips. If he gets all four, he gets to start the burnation multiball.'
Labasco used a playfield and lower third kit from Octo/Triton Pinball available on Pinside as a foundation
high confidence · Alex Labasco: 'I picked up uh the playfield and lower third kit from uh Octo from Triton Pinball, which you could find on Pinside'

Notable Quotes

“when I decided I wanted to build a pinball machine for myself, uh it was the natural uh first pick”
Alex Labasco@ 1:03 — Explains his motivation for choosing Trogdor as the theme for his homebrew machine
“I think that's actually the the best way to sort of approach designing your uh your game is to come up with a theme that really speaks to you and figure out what in pinball sort of fits with that theme”
Alex Labasco@ 2:30 — Key design philosophy: theme-first approach to homebrew machine design
“if you cut a 3-inch hole in your wood, you can't just control-Z”
Alex Labasco@ 9:03 — Explains why he prioritized software planning before physical construction to avoid costly mistakes
“day one you go, 'Oh my god, this is crazy.' But uh on the fast website, even if you're not using fast, there's a great wiring guide”
Alex Labasco@ 11:33 — Acknowledges complexity but points to community resources available for homebrew builders
“I really like uh it's really hard and I need to find a new ramp that's a little wider, but the the right ramp there uh read no to the right... the upper flipper up to the ramp and then it actually goes to the out lane, but a post rises and uh puts it back in the plunger lane”
Alex Labasco@ 13:51 — Describes a complex shot mechanic he's proud of and plans to further develop
“maybe it's even a little more approachable than some of the newer machines where it's very it's very full of stuff. Like I I like a clean open design here and so you can kind of see everything”

Entities

Alex LabascopersonMarco PinballpersonIsaiahpersonTrogdor! The BurninatorgameChicago Pinball Expo 2025eventHomestar RunnerproductFAST (Flexible Automation Specific Technology)productMission Pinball Framework (MPF)productGDAUproduct

Signals

?
event_signal: Chicago Pinball Expo 2025 features a significantly expanded homebrew section with many machines on display. Marco notes the section is 'huge' with 'amazing stuff' and Alex is the 'first creator' featured in what is described as a 'crazy experiment' at PinDevCon.
high · Marco states: 'If you guys if you guys are even anywhere near this place, you got to come down and check out this homebrew section. It is huge.'
?
design_innovation: Trogdor machine demonstrates a cohesive theme-to-mechanics approach where pop bumpers represent cottages to be 'burninated,' an S-shaped ramp represents the character's body, and a salvaged flipper arm represents the creature's 'beefy muscle arm.'
high · Alex explains: 'The way to approach designing your game is to come up with a theme that really speaks to you and figure out what in pinball sort of fits with that theme' and demonstrates this with cottages, ramp, and arm mechanics.
?
technology_signal: Use of Mission Pinball Framework and FAST boards represents adoption of accessible, open-source control systems for homebrew development. Alex used MPF for virtual planning before physical construction, reducing waste and iteration time.
high · Alex states he found MPF through online search and used it for simulation: 'just started, you know, making a virtual version of the game, planning out the layout, planning the theme, planning' and 'you can run a simulator. So you don't have to have any of the hardware.'
?
community_signal: Active homebrew community sharing design practices, resources, and best practices through Discord, Slack, Pinside forums, and in-person convention meetings. Multiple sources of guidance cited (FAST wiring guides, Discord communities, convention inspiration).
high · Alex references joining 'Discord where a bunch of home brewers are talking about, you know, their problems, their process' and going to 'conventions and just seeing the other homebrews' where 'Every time you go to a convention, you come home and you go, Oh, I have to do this and this and this now.'

Topics

Homebrew pinball machine design and constructionprimaryFAST board technology and Mission Pinball FrameworkprimaryTrogdor character and Homestar Runner IPprimaryChicago Pinball Expo 2025 homebrew showcaseprimaryPlayfield mechanics and design philosophyprimaryHomebrew community resources and knowledge sharingsecondaryGame accessibility and approachability in designsecondarySoftware-first vs. hardware-first development approachessecondary

Sentiment

positive(0.92)— Strong enthusiasm from both the host (Marco) and the creator (Alex). The tone is celebratory about the machine's development, gameplay quality, and accessibility. Community support is evident through player feedback (Isaiah) and the receptiveness of the showcase environment. No negative criticisms voiced, only constructive technical observations about work in progress.

Transcript

youtube_auto_sub · $0.000

Oh, I'm so excited. At Pindev Con, Chicago Pinball Expo 2025, the homebrew section. If you guys if you guys are even anywhere near this place, you got to come down and check out this homebrew section. It is huge. It's got amazing stuff. Right now we have one of the creators, our first creator here of Trodor. It's Alex Lo Loboskio. Lobashio. How are you? I'm good. Thanks. It's good to be here. Good to see you, man. So, what we have I'm going to Let's switch over to the Ed Boon. Ed Boon. So, we are going to look at what is the name of your game and tell us how you came up with this idea. It's a Charor the Burnonator. It's uh it's a theme I've been uh watching drawing in uh in the Jon Snow for uh 20 years at this point. And uh when I decided I wanted to build a pinball machine for myself, uh it was the natural uh first pick. This is Homestar Runner. That's right. Runner. How does Trodor work into Homestar Runner? If you guys are old enough to Where's my camera? Are you old enough to know Homestar Runner? Cuz I am. Where does he work? Where does he work into the the story? So, it's uh [music] it's a little loud. Of course, we get an announcement right now. Go ahead. Well, so you know, uh Strong Bad Emails was a series on Homestar Runner and um there was a question early on that you know, I want to see if you can draw a dragon. I want to see your skills of an artist. And uh so, you know, first he drew an S and then a more different S and threw that one out. That one wasn't good. tried it again and uh you know we got the the magic that is trop door. I don't even know that and I thought I saw a lot of home tour episode. Yeah, that's it's it's this art right here in the in the corner there. Yeah, that's amazing. Well, that's it. Do you want to play? Yeah, let's get Isaiah. You want to come over and Isaiah's going to shoot it. You guys know all know and love Isaiah. What's up? Wait, wait, wait. Lean in. There he is. Um All right. So tell me about your like idea how to bring a story to a pinball game from Trunk. I think I think that's actually the the best way to sort of approach designing your uh your game is to come up with a theme that really speaks to you and figure out what in pinball sort of fits with that theme, how you can integrate your theme. And so for me, um, you know, Trogdor, they'd actually done a a board game on Kickstarter a few years ago. And, uh, you know, in in the, um, in the in the episode from 20 years ago and the board game, a big focus was burninating the villages, burning the the side, burning the peasants. What does burninating mean? It's what Trogdor does. Um, but so, you know, a a core thing there is burninating the cottages. And so I needed some thatched roof cottages. So, uh, you know, what fits better than, uh, some pop bumpers with some good lights under them to really look like they're going on fire. So, those are your cottages. Yeah. So, there was that. And then the the wire form, it's not its final form right now. It's going to be more S-shaped, but uh, the wire form represents that. Uh, yeah, just forward shake it. The the ball search should kick it out if you just wait a couple seconds. Um, so, uh, what was I saying? the um cottages, right? And so, oh, the S shape, right? So, the um the wire form ramp there in the middle is supposed to sort of represent the trogd door body. It's not quite the right shape right now, but uh the final form will be. And then John Youssi the that third flipper right there, which is the uh his his beefy muscle arm. And I actually uh another home brewer just uh picked up the right arm from the Champion Pub pinball game. Oh, yeah. And it looks perfect. So once I get that final wire form in there and it's a little bit more clearance around that, I'm going to put it on top and you're going to have that arm to be punching the ball with. That's pretty epic. And that's part of that's part of like building your pinball machine is is taking what's available, you know, from Marco, from all the different vendors and putting it together to to sort of realize your own vision. What's the story here? So what's the objective? uh right now because I don't have inserts or whatever, there's only one real main mode which is uh you shoot up towards those top lanes and uh you'll spell the word burn. You can kind of see it on the screen right now with the letters rotating uh as Isaiah flips. If he gets all four, he gets to start the burnation multiball. I think I got it yesterday. Yeah, you get the three balls. um uh the you know the famous song plays and um and as you hit the pop bumpers they sort of look like they're lighting on fire and getting more and more fiery and uh you know yeah here's uh yeah let's uh let's give it a shot now you can choose any of the um any songs off their your first ball it looks like a switch hit so it went away so let me see so there's a skill shot over in that Uh but timed out. [music] So tell me a bit a little bit about the your build process like kind of kind of what did you start with and like Yeah, I started with the uh with the I saw on Hacker News the uh the fast uh system neuron board announcement and I said, "Oh, I've built PCs before and I'm a computer programmer. I'm sure I could build a pinball machine. that that board probably solves all my problems for me. And it solves about half of them. But, you know, you still have to learn how to solder, learn how to do woodworking, learn how to do the electronics and everything. But, uh, the fast guide online has all the details you need for the electronics. So, I picked up the fast boards and I said, "Okay, I better start going to Free Gold Watch. I' I've been I'm in San Francisco." Are you serious? Yeah. I I'm in San Francisco. I I hadn't played pinball in 5 years at that point, buying the boards, going, I'm going to build a game. I should probably go see what pinball's like. So, I went to Free Gold Watch, you know, 60 plus machines there and just started like playing games, seeing what I like, didn't like, and saying, "Okay, that's the kind of thing I want in my game, or oh, maybe that doesn't work for me." That is an excellent It's funny when we when I I was working on kind of a homebrew concept and I uh me and a buddy of mine who were working on it, we came to Expo maybe three years ago and we bumped into the Jack Danger and we said, "Hey, we're looking for inspiration." He said, "Go look at" He said, "Look at the Premier God Leaves specifically." But he said, "Go look at other games." And that's a good starting point. So you Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. No, I mean, and having 60 arcade m like 60 pinball machines 15 minutes from my house means uh I got a lot of good studying in. Um, but yeah, so you know, then I uh I picked up uh the playfield and lower third kit from uh Octo from Triton Pinball, which you could find on Pinside. Um, join the Discord where a bunch of home brewers are talking about, you know, their problems, their process in making their games. The Discord at fast, right? Or where that's a Slack. I did join that, too. But no, Discord, uh, that's that's also through Octo and Trident. Oh, okay. Got it. Got it. Um, and you know, started just learning from everybody else and seeing what they've been doing. Started going to conventions and just seeing the other homebrews. You know, every time you go to a convention, you come home and you go, "Oh, I have to do this and this and this now." But, uh, but yeah, so I, you know, I started assembling the lower third. I, uh, I found MPF, which is actually Mission Pinball Framework. That's right. Mission Pinball Framework, which uh, works very well with fast. and um just started, you know, making a virtual version of the game, planning out the layout, planning the theme, planning Where did you build the virtual version? And what in what app? No, ju just with MPF. Okay. MF has the ability to let you build the virtual. You can't play the game like in the same way that you would with like VPX, but you can run a simulator. So you don't have to have any of the hardware, but you can say, "Oh, I'm going to have a coil here and a flipper here and a switch here and these lights and uh now actually MPF is uh integrated with GDAU." Um, exactly. Yeah. And so that's what's on screen uh controlling the display and the sound is the uh GDAU engine that uh Anthony Ben's been working on for the last couple years. Um, and so MPF really it runs the game logic. There's there's the burn a nation multiball. You got to burnate those cottages. Very good. Um, but yeah, so just, you know, for me as a software guy, uh, the physical stuff was always a little bit intimidating. You know, if if you cut a 3-in hole in your wood, you can't just control- Z. Um, so I did a lot of sort of making sure that I could program the devices before I ever did any physical work, which, you know, saves you some time and some money. uh if you can sort of plan it out that way. But a lot of people also will start with VPX or you know various other virtual pinball designers that are out there to sort of see what the playfield can has space for. And Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. And for me, I started with that sort of the the the pop bumpers and the S ramp um and sort of said, "Okay, well, these have to fit in certain places. So then what else do I have space for? Because when you start with that blank canvas, you know, it it's almost there's too much option. It's in uh it's intimidating. Yeah. So, you know, having the muscle arm and the ramp and the pump bumpers really just, you know, sort of constrained the design space and made it so that I could uh fill in the rest with some ideas. And, you know, some of it didn't fit. I had to cut it, but uh I'm happy with where it is now. What was the most difficult or one of the most difficult parts that you didn't anticipate about building your homebrew? Definitely cutting cutting into the wood woodwork, right? And just like like I said, you can't control Z. So if you screw something up, you know, they say measure twice, cut once, add one more measure. Mhm. So that was the toughest part. What what what else were you okay with the electronics part? We looked under the playfield cuz he was fixing some stuff and it looks to me it looks crazy to you. It just looks like blonde brunette redhead, right? So you're you're already seeing into the matrix. Um yeah, I mean that that's the sort of thing like over in the back. I don't know if it's on screen, but the fast has a couple rotisseries up here with uh the playfield showing and uh you know I think you know when you start your pinball journey you uh you're just like wow this is a crazy mess. Oh, that's an interesting case. Okay, I'll have to take a note about [laughter] that's a bug there. I think because I had one multiball going and then started another, but I had I think I had burn progress during the multiball. Maybe you hadn't drained out. Yeah. You know, and so that's the thing with taking to shows is you get the best play testing and uh you can be taking notes. But uh yeah, so what I was saying about the fast stuff over there is that you know day one you go, "Oh my god, this is crazy." But uh on the fast website, even if you're not using fast, there's a great wiring guide that'll tell you sort of about color coding and the different like the different gauges of wire and the use cases and the voltages you're using. And so you you know now I can walk up to one of these playfields and as long as it's following some kind of standard, you can read it as as developer. Like so, you know, some people post teasers of their games where it's just the underside, but once you built a game, you go, "Oh, I know exactly what that that that playfield looks like on the top." Maybe not the art, but you know, the devices and the interactions. So, so I mean, this is a probably a a dumb question, but like how fulfilling is it to see you go from a concept to this dude is actually flipping it? Yeah. No, it's it's really cool. And uh being able to come all the way to Chicago, Shamberg here and have the game here all the way from San Francisco. That's, you know, that's special, too. But yeah, no, just just the my first this is my fourth show with the game. I've been working on it for about 2 years. Um so kind fairly quick, you know, obviously I still don't have inserts and and full art, but uh you know, it's playable and uh it's I think it's fun. I shot it yesterday. I was having a lot of fun. But um what was I going to say? The first player of the first show that I took it to was like a a a dad and a little like you know six or sevenyear-old kid and they walk up to the machine. The kid's kind of looking at it like what do I do? And so the dad's saying like oh you press this button that button and it moves these. Is that awesome? And it's just like oh my god I hope my my machine works cuz it's this kid's first experience. He's if this doesn't work, he's going to go, "Dad, what are we doing here? Let's go. Let's go home. Let's get a refund." Before they even go to the room with the 200 other machines, all professional and everything, but but you know, it worked great. Kid looked like he had a good time. And uh, you know, maybe it's even a little more approachable than some of the newer machines where it's very it's very full of stuff. Like I I like a clean open design here and so you can kind of see everything. What's What's What's your favorite shot on the table? Um, I really like uh it's really hard and I need to find a new ramp that's a little wider, but the the right ramp there uh read no to the right. Uh it's very hard. It's supposed to be a loop where you do the upper orbit from the right orbit. The gate on the left opens. You hit the the upper flipper up to the ramp and then it actually goes to the out lane, but a post rises and uh puts it back in the plunger lane. And uh that's one of my next features to code is then to add a new kind of skill shot where you've gotten this hard shot. Let's give you a moment. Light up light up a shot once I have inserts and say, "Okay, now if you can flunch it to here, mega big time points, right?" Awesome, dude. So So we're just going to wrap it up, but uh what's next for Trogdor? Like real quick. Well, I I don't think I have another show until May. So, uh, that's a good amount of time to, uh, to get it home, get everything unmounted, scan it, turn it into vectors, and start going with CNC instead of hand routing everything so that I can get those inserts in, and that I could get the art plan, and, uh, you know, have it be a little bit more uh, I mean, I think physically it's pretty close. There's a little there's a lot of little tweaks to make. There's always some stuff, but I'm happy with where it is. And so, it's mostly about uh now finish and polish and uh once I have inserts, then I can write some more modes. Alex, thank you so much for bringing truck. Thanks for also thanks for being the first of course of of this crazy experiment we have here at Pin DevCon and Pinball Expo. Everybody, if John Youssi Alex at a show, try his Trogd door. It's awesome. Isaia, what do you think? This game rocks. So, I'm loving the the right orbit shot to that spinner. It goes all the way around and feeds this right flipper. And I'm I'm starting to be more confident with instead of just letting it dead bounce to the other one, starting to combo it. So, I go all the way around to the right flipper, combo it to the center shot, and then it just opens up so much more than Look at that. We're already getting I think he wants to go. We're already getting pro commentary. Well, thank you guys. Thank you, Alex, so much. Thanks so much, guys.