claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.030
Beastie Boys homebrew pinball nearing completion, debuting at Northwest Show
Michael started building the Beastie Boys machine 2 years ago, with Stephen joining for software development ~7 months ago
high confidence · Michael and Stephen directly stated timeline in interview
Game includes 32 VCV Boys songs in different aspects of gameplay
high confidence · Stephen explicitly stated '32 VC Boys songs included'
Game has 8 major modes, 2 major multiballs, 3-4 mini wizard modes with final wizard mode still being coded
high confidence · Stephen detailed mode structure during interview
Playfield art is being printed and hoped to be ready for Northwest The Pinball Show (2 weeks away)
high confidence · Michael stated 'Hopefully by Northwest show it's there and done'
The machine uses FAST hardware and MPF (Mission Pinball Framework) software
high confidence · Stephen confirmed 'Fast and MPF' in response to hardware question
Cabinet was built using Trident Pinball's beginner kit by builder Oto, requiring custom speaker panel cut from stainless steel
high confidence · Michael explained cabinet sourcing and custom modifications
Artwork was created by multiple contributors: Jess (Michael's wife) for playfield art, an Argentine Fiverr artist (Ricardo Silva) for initial backglass concepts, and Jess refined the backglass work
high confidence · Michael and Stephen detailed art creation process
Game is designed to be challenging and competitive, not floaty, targeting tournament-level play
high confidence · Stephen explained design philosophy: 'we didn't want the game to be easy' and both play competitively in Seattle area
Michael's first draft software developer didn't work out after 6 months; Stephen took over and made rapid progress
high confidence · Michael explained: 'took a break for 6 months it just got dust and then Steven got wind of it'
“Beastie Boys is just like the holy grail of band pins.”
Interviewer (DRI374 host)@ 0:41 — Establishes community sentiment that a licensed Beastie Boys game is highly desired
“I was a junior or senior in high school when License to Ill came out. It was very formative in my youth.”
Michael Rausch@ 0:57 — Personal motivation for building the homebrew machine
“We didn't want the game to be easy. You don't want that kind of floaty game that plays for 40 minutes.”
Stephen Donaldson@ 13:34 — Reveals design philosophy prioritizing competitive depth and player skill
“32 VCV Boys songs included in different aspects.”
Stephen Donaldson@ 2:49 — Demonstrates extensive audio integration and game content
“The homebrew community, I mean it really is a community at large. This game was built by Mike and I... but it really is a testament to everybody helping out.”
Stephen Donaldson@ 40:52 — Acknowledges collaborative homebrew ecosystem and community support
“If you really want to quit your day job and become a software engineer, do cool stuff like this, just start today.”
Interviewer@ 41:10 — Highlights accessibility of homebrew development and career pivot possibilities
“I want a Beastie Boys game. Like that's the only band pin I would accept in my collection, right?”
design_philosophy: Beastie Boys homebrew intentionally designed to be challenging and competitive rather than casual-friendly; targets tournament players; avoids 'floaty' gameplay
high · Stephen: 'we didn't want the game to be easy... we really wanted to make something that would be challenging for us and others'
community_signal: Strong community support for homebrew development through MPF framework, tutorial resources, and peer debugging assistance within Trident Pinball and broader homebrew communities
high · Stephen: 'The homebrew community... really is a testament to everybody helping out' and credits MPF tutorials and community support for rapid code development
design_innovation: Game implements multiple risk-reward mechanics: mode selection allowing player agency, independent multiball progression, mode multipliers based on prior mode completion, shot difficulty with accuracy penalties
high · Multiple modes featuring risk-reward (Fingerlicking Good cash-in mechanic, Sabotage standup penalty, shooting for multiplier buildup before big shot)
product_launch: Beastie Boys machine on final stretch: playfield art being printed, expected clearcoat spray this week, goal to have new playfield installed for Northwest Show in 2 weeks
high · Michael: 'Hopefully by Northwest show it's there and done' and 'I'm hoping to spray it on Tuesday'
rumor_hype: Unverified speculation about commercial Beastie Boys pinball machine from major manufacturer; community expresses strong desire for licensed version
youtube_auto_sub · $0.000
Future plans include building a second machine, with backbox and boards already assembled but theme TBD
high confidence · Stephen stated 'game number two... We just uh we're just still trying to figure out what uh theme we want'
Interviewer (DRI374 host)@ 39:38 — Expresses strong collector demand for licensed Beastie Boys machine
“Maybe they will. There's a rumor.”
Stephen Donaldson@ 39:56 — Hints at possible commercial Beastie Boys pinball machine in development
“Stern. Just make it Jersey Jack. Make it American. Whatever. Just get it out there.”
Interviewer@ 40:04 — Community desire for licensed Beastie Boys game from any major manufacturer
low · Stephen cryptically: 'There's a rumor' in response to question about commercial release; host: 'Stern. Just make it Jersey Jack. Make it American. Whatever.'
technology_signal: Beastie Boys uses full RGB addressable LED lighting throughout playfield with discrete mounting on aluminum brackets; custom LED light rails mounted beneath playfield without obstructing service access
high · Michael demonstrates and explains addressable LED light strips attached to playfield support structure, avoiding magnet-based mounting issues
gameplay_signal: Game features 8 major modes, 2 independent multiballs, 4 mini wizard modes, band member collection with 5 super modes, girls frenzy mode, and additional wizard modes; complex mode progression with cassette-themed UI
high · Stephen and Michael detail each mode during gameplay: Intergalactic, Sabotage, Body Moving multiball, Check It Out multiball, multiple wizard modes, Girls frenzy, etc.
content_signal: 32 VCV Boys songs integrated into game; custom callouts extracted from original song recordings plus original content; multiple performance versions of songs (Letterman, remixes) to prevent repetition fatigue
high · Stephen: '32 VC Boys songs included' and 'like check it out where we have three different versions of the song like the Letterman performance and remixes'
design_innovation: Playfield layout combines traditional fan-style base with upper flipper and upper loop inspired by Foo Fighters; intentional accessibility design with multiple scoop shot paths (straight, upper loop, pop bumper hidden route)
high · Michael: 'I really wanted to have an upper loop' and describes three distinct paths to scoop; Stephen references Foo Fighters and other games for inspiration
product_strategy: Builder planning second homebrew machine with backbox and electronics already assembled; still determining theme and features, indicating active hobbyist expansion in homebrew scene
high · Stephen: 'game number two... We just uh we're just still trying to figure out what uh theme we want'
venue_signal: Beastie Boys machine will be showcased at Northwest Pinball Show (2 weeks out) and Pinball Expo (October); indicates strong venue support for homebrew machines at major conventions
high · Michael: 'It will be at the Northwest' and future appearance at Expo; both shows actively displaying homebrew titles
manufacturing_signal: Playfield using direct-print overlay process tested with printed overlay before final application; artwork cut and ready, indicating modern digital manufacturing for homebrew playfield arts
high · Michael: 'playfield's been cut... They printed it on an overlay and laid it down... it was like Ah, it's really nice'