claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.035
Boise trip report + TPF coverage with Black Knight 3K and Elvira 3 rumors
Jersey Jack Pinball edition of Wizard of Oz retails at $11,500 with a yellow powder coat finish and removes the winged monkey feature
high confidence · Spencer and hosts discussing Texas Pinball Festival announcements
Jersey Jack's next game is expected to be Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory based on the original Gene Wilder film
medium confidence · Spencer states 'they're waiting on their next game, which most likely is going to be Willy Wonka'
Stern's next game reveal will happen at Midwest Gaming Classic next month, designed by Steve Ritchie
medium confidence · Spencer: 'Supposedly next game up. Supposedly going to be revealed coming up next month at Midwest Gaming Classic'
The rumored Steve Ritchie title is Black Knight 3000 (BK3K), the third installment in the Black Knight series
medium confidence · Spencer: 'the talk of the town is it's going to be the third installment in the Black Knight series'
Donny Gillies (Dirty Donny) has left Stern and is now working with Suncoast Pinball, a new pinball company forming in Florida
high confidence · Spencer and hosts discuss Donnie TV's work on new artwork for Suncoast Pinball's Cosmic Carnival
Grinker's Grand Palace in Eagle, Idaho features over 300 games including 18 pinball machines, all playable for 25 cents
high confidence · Spencer's detailed venue review: 'Grinker's is a retro arcade. They have a little over 300 games. They have 18 great pinball machines'
Riot Pinball is developing a game called Legends of Valhalla, with only CAD drawings currently visible
medium confidence · Spencer: 'Riot Pinball that did Wrath of Olympus...have a new game they're working on...Legends of Valhalla'
Elvira 3 has been completed by designer Dennis Nordman but has not yet been released by Stern
medium confidence · Spencer references interview where Nordman 'essentially said, hey, it's done. I stayed extra on my contract with Stern. They have the play field'
“They took something out, they repainted it, and they're charging more.”
[name withheld pending review] @ ~11:50 — Captures community skepticism about Jersey Jack's Yellow Brick Road pricing strategy and minimal feature additions
“I want one. Brown ramp, Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory. No, let's not go there. But I want one, Daddy, and I want it now.”
[name withheld pending review] @ ~15:20 — Playful speculation about future Jersey Jack Willy Wonka game design, embedding IP references into discussion
“What five years ago they were going to do Pinball Circus? And, you know, that's what, just by the wayside? Oh, but now we're going to do Kingpin.”
Dennis Nordman @ ~28:10 — Expresses skepticism about Circus Maximus manufacturer credibility and project follow-through
“I mean, I love all pinball, but I love, you know, like the Jersey Jack games...so much on that game. But, you know, I'm thinking about games like Iron Man, which is a very, you know, people complained it was real stripped down, real basic.”
Dennis Nordman @ ~32:00 — Discusses design philosophy differences—complexity vs. simplicity—and diverse player preferences
“When I think unlicensed, I think something that doesn't have a license, and Black Knight at this point is a license.”
Brian @ ~42:30 — Fact-checks the rumor mill claim, questioning whether Black Knight 3K qualifies as 'unlicensed' given IP licensing requirements
“If it is I'm there I want to see it I want to play it I have high hopes I'm hoping for a three level play field that'd be awesome”
Kendra @ ~48:00 — Expresses enthusiastic speculation about Black Knight 3K design features and multi-level playfield concepts
“It's pinball for Pete's sake. It's supposed to be fun.”
Dennis Nordman @ ~52:00 — Community philosophy statement emphasizing fun and inclusivity in league formats regardless of structure
venue_signal: Grinker's Grand Palace in Eagle, Idaho operates a large, well-maintained arcade with 300+ games and 18 pinball machines at 25-cent play, demonstrating sustainable pricing model and strong community appeal across age groups
high · Spencer's detailed review: excellent condition, consistent foot traffic, family-friendly, responsive maintenance (T2 flipper fixed in 3 minutes)
product_strategy: Jersey Jack's Yellow Brick Road Wizard of Oz priced at $11,500 with minimal feature changes (removed monkey, paint variant) generates community skepticism about value proposition
high · Multiple hosts question the pricing: Brian/Rusty/Lillian all express skepticism; Lillian's paraphrased observation captures the concern
rumor_hype: Strong community speculation that Stern's next Steve Ritchie title is Black Knight 3000, to be revealed at Midwest Gaming Classic next month, with enthusiastic speculation about multi-level playfield designs
medium · Spencer: 'the talk of the town is it's going to be the third installment in the Black Knight series'; hosts speculate about technical features and legacy implications
personnel_signal: Dirty Donnie, renowned pinball cabinet artist (Metallica, Aerosmith), has transitioned from Stern to Suncoast Pinball, a new Florida-based manufacturer
high · Spencer and Alex confirm Donnie TV video shows him in home studio working on Suncoast project; noted as potential departure from Stern
machine_intel: Suncoast Pinball exhibited early prototype of Cosmic Carnival at Texas Pinball Festival—flippable, feature-complete playfield, symmetrical design, early stage software
groq_whisper · $0.181
The Golden State Pinball Festival will be held May 18-20 in Lodi, California at the Lodi Great Festival Fairgrounds
high confidence · Spencer announces: 'May 18th through the 20th' at Lodi Great Festival Fairgrounds
Capital Corridor Pinball League finals were held, with Dan winning first place and knocking out other competitors
high confidence · Kendra confirms: 'Dan knocked me out. I took fourth And Dan won it all today He came in first took first place'
“I'd love to see him go out on 3,000...That would be a good swan song. It would essentially be the end of an era.”
[name withheld pending review] @ ~56:30 — Speculation about Black Knight 3K potentially being Steve Ritchie's final game for Stern, framing it as legacy moment
“They have the play field. They just need to do whatever they're going to do with it.”
Dennis Nordman @ ~70:00 — Key intelligence: Elvira 3 hardware is complete but software/release strategy remains uncertain at Stern
“Grinkers, Eagle, Idaho, their website is grinkers.com. Support Grinkers, man. If you find yourself in the boys' area for any reason, Grinkers is a must-not-miss.”
Dennis Nordman @ ~5:30 — Strong venue endorsement reflecting positive operator experience and community value
high · Spencer discusses prototype photos; multiple hosts comment on symmetrical layout and artistic design philosophy
machine_intel: Riot Pinball developing Legends of Valhalla (working title or confirmed?); only CAD drawings visible to community so far
medium · Spencer: 'Riot Pinball...have a new game they're working on...Legends of Valhalla...I've only seen a couple of CAD drawing photos'
product_concern: Community expresses skepticism about Circus Maximus (American Pinball?) credibility; group references abandoned Pinball Circus project from ~5 years ago before current Kingpin announcement
medium · Spencer: 'five years ago they were going to do Pinball Circus...and you know, that's what, just by the wayside? Oh, but now we're going to do Kingpin. It's like, okay, you haven't put out the first game yet.'
design_innovation: Suncoast Pinball's Cosmic Carnival prototype features symmetrical left-right playfield design, representing deliberate artistic/design philosophy distinct from typical Stern layouts
high · Alex: 'it almost looks like it's missing something'; response clarifies it's intentional symmetry for aesthetic/play balance
community_signal: Capital Corridor Pinball League demonstrates strong inclusive community practice across age (7-60+), gender (co-ed), and skill levels with family-friendly format and positive engagement
high · Spencer emphasizes league diversity: 'youngest I can remember was Wilder at seven...all the way up in people in the 60s'; encourages format experimentation for inclusivity
rumor_hype: Elvira 3 designed by Dennis Nordman is complete and ready but remains unreleased by Stern; community speculates about timeline and potential release sequence after Black Knight 3K
medium · Spencer paraphrases Nordman interview: 'They have the play field. They just need to do whatever they're going to do with it'; speculation about post-BK3K release
event_signal: Golden State Pinball Festival (May 18-20, Lodi, CA) second annual event includes expanded programming with Steve Sharlin Spirit Award ceremony and formal dinner on opening night
high · Spencer announces: 'will be the second annual Steve Sharlin Spirit Award presentation...Friday night, the first night of the show'
competitive_signal: Capital Corridor Pinball League finals held with Dan winning first place; group celebrates event organization and community camaraderie
high · Kendra confirms Dan's victory; group praises league organizers Michael, Adam, and others for creating positive competitive environment