#4 - Deeproot RAZA Thoughts

TL;DR

Raza prototype had major accessibility and shot design issues; host hopes Deep Root fixed them.

Summary

Key Claims

• Deep Root planned to reveal Raza at Texas Pinball Festival in March 2020 but the event was canceled due to COVID-19

  high confidence · Host mentions the prototype was supposed to be shown 'in its full entirety' at Texas Pinball Festival before it was canceled

• The right ramp on the Raza prototype was unhittable; the host hit it flush 40+ times without the ball reaching the top

  high confidence · Host describes specific play experience: 'hitting the ramp flush and the ball simply not having enough power enough juice to get to the top'

• The prototype had no way to generate momentum to the left flipper due to a drop-off at the flipper rather than in the in-lane

  high confidence · Host explains: 'The drop is literally at the flipper. It's not in the in lane. so there was no way to actually generate any type of speed or any type of momentum'

• Deep Root reportedly fixed the right ramp to make it more hittable, with owner Robert stating even a baby could hit it

  medium confidence · Host references: 'I think this is what Robert said... To where he said even a baby could hit it'

• Bowen Kerins is working on the code for Raza

  high confidence · Host states: 'I know Bowden's on the code and I have to assume because he's such a great pinball player... he's going to be able to do something with this pen'

• The prototype had poor accessibility across all tested play groups (host, his wife, friends, and acquaintances)

  high confidence · Host notes: 'whenever I was playing it and when my wife was playing it, when other friends and other acquaintances were playing it, the number one thing that we all realized instantly is that the game did not feel accessible'

Notable Quotes

• “it brought out, it was one of those things where I was actually really excited to play it... But as soon as I started playing, my initial reaction of excitement just came to, as I described, an uh-oh feeling.”

  Host @ ~2:00 — Captures the dramatic shift from anticipation to disappointment upon playing the prototype

• “hitting the ramp flush and the ball simply not having enough power enough juice to get to the top it would just simply exit out into the pop bumpers”

  Host @ ~3:30 — Specific technical description of the main gameplay problem with the right ramp

• “when you don't complete shots and you're hitting them and you're not getting rewarded for it, it's just, it's not a fun experience. It became very wood chopping filled”

  Host @ ~4:00 — Core criticism of the overall gameplay experience and aesthetic

• “the game did not feel accessible... it just simply didn't seem accessible because none of the shots really, at least for us, were fun.”

  Host @ ~11:30 — Summarizes the fundamental design issue affecting all player types

• “gameplay is something that everybody will experience equally, and everybody will have different opinions on how that experience is. And to me, gameplay is one of the number one things that I'm looking for out of a new pinball machine.”

  Host @ ~9:00 — Establishes the host's design philosophy prioritizing mechanics over theme or aesthetics

• “it seems like that this design kind of pigeonholed itself into a wood chopping design... especially when you only have one ramp and when that one ramp is not makeable.”

  Host @ ~24:00 — Structural analysis of how the ramp-focused layout created fundamental gameplay limitations

• “My expectations, as I was telling somebody actually just a couple days ago about this, my expectations is that it's going to be a working game, and I would be happy with that.”

  Host @ ~28:00 — Reveals reduced expectations, suggesting community skepticism about Deep Root's ability to deliver

Entities

Signals

• ?

  business_signal: Deep Root appears to be in vulnerable competitive position; long delays and lack of communication creating perception of company being in 'no man's land' relative to stronger competitors

  medium · Host: 'they are at the mercy of what Jersey Jack is going to do. And they're kind of in no man's land right now'

• ~

  sentiment_shift: Growing skepticism in pinball community about Deep Root's ability to deliver; reduced expectations shifted from excitement to hoping for 'a working game'

  high · Host's statement: 'My expectations... is that it's going to be a working game, and I would be happy with that' represents significant lowering of expectations from typical boutique manufacturer standards

• ?

  design_philosophy: The ramp-heavy layout with a non-functional right ramp created a 'wood chopping' experience; supporting mechanics (Uzi/Dizzy Uzi spinner) further reduced shot variety and fun factor

  high · Host's repeated description of frustration with limited makeable shots and the spinner getting in the way; comparison to other recent games (Hot Wheels, Ninja Turtles, Stranger Things) that feel more rewarding

• ?

  design_philosophy: Host establishes gameplay accessibility and shot satisfaction as primary design evaluation criteria, prioritizing 'shooting well' over theme or aesthetics

  high · Host: 'gameplay is something that everybody will experience equally... And to me, gameplay is one of the number one things that I'm looking for out of a new pinball machine'

• $

  market_signal: Deep Root facing marketing/timing challenges; competitor Jersey Jack's announcement timing impacts Deep Root's strategy; host notes potential announcement window before next Jersey Jack release