Making of Star Trek Pinball from Stern Pinball

Stern Pinball·video·8m 7s·analyzed·Jan 23, 2014

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.021

TL;DR

Steve Ritchie details Star Trek Pinball design, team structure, flow mechanics, and mission-driven gameplay.

Summary

Steve Ritchie, Senior Game Designer at Stern Pinball, walks through the design philosophy and development of Star Trek Pinball, emphasizing flow-based gameplay, team collaboration (comparing structure to the Enterprise crew), and integration of the 2009 and Into Darkness films. The game features 18 missions, complex ramp designs, the Enterprise ship mechanic, and LED lighting as a standout technical feature, with Ritchie highlighting narrative progression and fast-paced combo shots as key differentiators.

Key Claims

This is the first Pro model with LEDs fully integrated
high confidence · George Gomez statement about technical implementation; presented as product announcement
The game features 18 missions plus side goals
high confidence · Steve Ritchie explicitly states design scope: '18 missions for them to do, and then we got these side goals'
Star Trek is based on both the 2009 film and Into Darkness
high confidence · Steve Ritchie: 'The game is based on both the Star Trek of 2009 and Into Darkness'
The Enterprise ship mechanic required a spring and latch coil assembly to tilt and hold position
high confidence · Paul Rothel (principal mechanical engineer) describes technical implementation in detail
There was a Star Trek pinball game 18 years ago that Ritchie and Ferris collaborated on
high confidence · Steve Ritchie: 'He collaborated on the first Star Trek game. Right there was a Star Trek game, 18 years ago or something like that'

Notable Quotes

“I draw the playfield and sort of steer the ship of a very large team. I'm going to compare it to the Enterprise. You got the captain, Steve Ritchie, bouncing off walls, going 200 mph.”
Steve Ritchie @ early — Establishes Ritchie's design leadership role and team structure analogy
“There's a shot that goes around the orbit. The left orbit comes around to the upper right flipper, and you slam the ball up the warp ramp... It's the best rush in the game.”
Steve Ritchie @ mid — Describes signature playfield mechanic and flow design philosophy
“First of all, it's a Steve Ritchie game, that comes with certain expectations. Steve Ritchie flow. Action, action. Ball comes back to the flipper. More action, action.”
Steve Ritchie @ mid — Articulates Ritchie's design signature and player expectations
“This is the first Pro model with LEDs fully integrated. The light shows are going to be stuff you haven't seen before. One of the most flashy games Steve's ever done.”
George Gomez (attributed via context) @ late — Technical differentiator and marketing positioning
“I have painstakingly refined every place the ball goes. There's a lot of ramp shots, so there's going to be tons of combos in this game.”
Steve Ritchie @ mid — Demonstrates design rigor and combo-focused gameplay
“The pinball playfield, once it's working, kind of tells you what you need to do, and that's how you make the best game. I think you let the playfield decide.”
Steve Ritchie @ late — Philosophy on design iteration and playtesting feedback
“J.J. Abrams' Star Trek is different in that it's a little more aggressive. His take on Star Trek is definitely more action-oriented.”
Steve Ritchie @ early-mid — Justifies choice of film versions for action-heavy pinball gameplay
“I'm pushing for lens flare multiball in this game.”

Entities

Steve Ritchieperson George Gomezperson Greg FerrispersonVinny RothpersonPaul RothelpersonMark AlvezpersonMikey DoopersonWayne KangpersonMike Katzperson

Signals

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community_signal: Behind-the-scenes design documentary format demonstrating Stern's commitment to transparent game development communication and team visibility
medium · Video structure showing design decisions, mechanical development, and team roles with explicit naming and crediting
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design_philosophy: Complex ramp geometry (orbits, warp ramp with multiple levels) required iterative refinement to achieve smooth ball routing; represents technical mastery and design commitment
high · Ritchie: 'This ramp is basically no flat surfaces. It's quite a challenge... It was quite a challenge to get all these different levels smooth enough.'
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design_philosophy: Steve Ritchie emphasizes flow-based, combo-driven gameplay with continuous action and ball return mechanics, establishing design signature and player expectations for the title
high · Ritchie: 'Steve Ritchie flow. Action, action. Ball comes back to the flipper. More action, action.' Emphasizes ramp complexity and combo connections.
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product_strategy: Star Trek positioned as standout title through combination of narrative progression (18 missions), distinctive mechanical features (Enterprise ship), and advanced lighting, differentiating from competitor releases
high · Ritchie: 'What makes this game stand out from the rest? Definitely the look, the sound... The storytelling, the narrative. It's definitely going to be a standout.'
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technology_signal: Star Trek Pinball is the first Pro model with fully integrated LEDs, representing potential industry shift in lighting technology adoption across Stern's product line

Topics

Game Design Philosophy - Flow-Based GameplayprimaryTeam Structure and CollaborationprimaryMechanical Design - Ramps and Shot LayoutprimaryLED Technology IntegrationprimaryMission-Driven Ruleset and NarrativeprimaryLicensing and IP Implementation (Star Trek)secondaryDesign Iteration and Playtestingsecondary

Sentiment

positive(0.85)— Strong enthusiasm from all team members; pride in design accomplishments; confidence in game quality and differentiation. Only mild tension in design tradeoffs (e.g., ramp complexity challenges), but framed as overcome through refinement. No criticism of other games or manufacturers.

Transcript

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hi I'm Steve Ritchie and I'm senior game designer at Stern Pinball I sort of chose to license some Star Trek I wanted it isn't it cool yes you guys both trekkies yeah me I'm treky I can't help it I'm a Star Trek fan from the very beginning when I was a kid we couldn't wait to run and stretch out in the car on the carpet in front of like a color TV like color TV was a big thing then okay and there it was Star Trek kind of cheesy stories but it didn't matter there was so little science fiction we sucked it up I uh draw the Playfield and sort of steer the ship of a very large team I'm going to compare it to the Enterprise you got the captain Steve Ritchie bouncing off walls going 200 mph he's driving the whole thing first off Spock which is Greg Cal cool collected guy got Greg Freres art dude he's not just an artist he's contributing on a bunch of levels he collaborated on the first Star Trek game right there was a Star Trek game 18 years ago something like that and you guys worked on that together there wnie Roth he's a programmer no doubt I guess he would be Scotty more power more power won Kang who is putting together story boards Mike cat who's doing a great job in coordinating the dots Mark alvz is our lead dots guy there's an awful lot of dots we got five guys doing dots but we have a big requirement for it this is Star Trek fol John rothel who is the principal mechanical engineer he's also doing layouts of the game Mikey do who has made a very special device for this game great mea engineer Department also on the team is a newcomer Steven Martin he's doing art production welcome canel K he's software he's making a big contribution also I got to thank George Gomez for helping us out everyone worked on the team I mean everyone the game is based on both the Star Trek of 2009 and Into Darkness there's so many things to connect with Pinball it's really fun Star Trek is is great for pinball they just go together Star Trek's awesome Star Trek has action lots of bad guys lasers aliens and Starships high adventure lots of action who does not know Star Trek people everywhere know what Star Trek is growing up in France you used to watch Star Trek Star Trek is timely Timeless JJ Abram Star Trek is different in that it's a little more aggressive his take on Star Trek is definitely more action oriented JJ Abrams brings his style of writing I do like the way he tells a story abam took the characters and made them bigger and also younger and probably better looking he finds the important things that we all love iconic stuff but he puts a Twist to that the entire Enterprise crew will be depicted in Star Trek the pinball machine Kirk Spock check up Aur the usual crew and the trible they are all characters in the game if there's dialogue in the movie it could potentially be in there we add a few other voices to guide and direct you through the game besides battling Steve Ritchie you will be battling KH you're on the Enterprise you're trying to take the Vengeance down Khan is in there and he wants to blow you up but you'll also be fighting Nero from the first movie we're going to battle the uh the bad guy why because he's the bad guy Khan is the quential villain of the movie he's a badass you're also going to have a retelling of the movie we're taking advantage of the things that happened from the first two movies players will like this we have 18 missions for them to do and then we got these side goals where the crew goes off and does stuff the way the game progresses I think will be its main feature my major call is to make sure everyone that plays the game has fun first of all it's a Steve Ritchie game that comes with certain expectations Steve flow Richie you're familiar with the term flow action action ball comes back to the flipper more action action maybe a little break but then action fast game f and fenetic smooth and fast like a trival going warp speed I have pains taking Lee refin every place the ball goes there's a lot of ramp shots so there's going to be tons of combos in this game great combo shots they connect nice we have some great combos in the game very fast round it's reminiscent of Spider-Man there is a uh something a little different that we did in this game there a shot that goes around the orbit the left orbit comes around to the upper right flipper and you slam the ball up the warp ramp and the ball goes above the left ramp and behind the back panel and comes right back at you and you have an opportunity to do it again and again and again it's the best Rush In the game I was involved with making these ramps especially this one it's a really weird shape this ramp is basically no fr flat surfaces it's quite a challenge these types of ramps pretty much the same thing whereas this one accessible through this flipper and then coming up above this ramp then going back behind the back panel and then exiting on the right side it was quite a challenge to get all these different levels smooth enough so that you would have a a clean shot nowhere else have I ever done stuff like this USS of engine can't miss that one it's going to explode you shoot it and does that and then you shoot again it does more of that it fires the ball back at you George Gomez has done a really good job designing what the ship will look like and what it will do biggest constraint for the ship was having it tilt over like so going forward and staying down what I designed was a mechanism that had the ship on a spring to keep it in a position where it's down we had a latch coil this is basically assembly yeah you're SOL anoid you have your latch coil you have these slide guides and you have pivot pins that basically guide us along the slot as it's energized have will go forward and fall into a negative position we have other things coming you'll see Steve wanted to have a movable scoop he wanted to have the opportunity to either send the ball back or throw the ball back into the ramp the plunger that's underneath here shoots the ball it follows this curve ands up you the ramp and comes back to the flipper every game is a challenge okay it's always different we always try to do something different in our pinball games we've learned some things from the past and we and and that's where we start and then we make it better and refine it what makes this game stand out from the rest definitely the look The Sound there are some very different kinds of action that take place on the game the storytelling The Narrative it's definitely going to be a stand out Lighting on this game is going to be awesome this is the first pro model with LEDs fully integrated the light shows are going to be stuff you haven't seen before one of the most flashes games Steve's ever done I'm pushing for lens flare multiball in this game all in all it's just great Steve Ritchie fun I'm very happy with the way the game plays absolutely you know what the pinball Playfield once it's working kind of tells you what you need to do and that's how you make the best game I think you let the Playfield decide oh that's a natural right there I think most everybody is curious will be curious about playing this machine with some of the things we've got on it even if you're not a treky I think our gadgets and our attractiveness you know the artwork everything we're going to do is going to be very special my favorite character is uh my favorite character is kind because he's a badass Benedict cumber badge as an actor I'm just going to say he's just better than everybody Scotty Simon Peg does a good job playing him I'd say Kirk James T Kirk everyone says Kirk we all want to be Kirk come on green alien women it was probably Spock for me it's always been Spock if I was on the Enterprise um I think I'd like to drive the ship punch it I would run the engine I would probably be working on the warp engines to get them to run on veget vable oil like my car definitely I would not be a red shirt I'd like to be Captain but I'd probably be working my way up still cuz everybody wants to be Captain right so I'm thinking red shirt they get to see a lot of action I'd be wanting to get off as uh quickly as possible cuz I'm not real good with flying you know fing know a captain of course what other job could I have a basty scurby Kirby gutter Snipes do what I say now run and get the captain a nice cup of run now