claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.030
Special When Lit EP12: code updates, production news, event prep, and Ken's quest for the perfect pinball machine.
Spooky is ceasing Total Nuclear Annihilation production temporarily at the 550-machine mark to complete remaining Alice Cooper Nightmare Castle units within their 18-month deadline
high confidence · Ken and Bill, citing information from Spooky Pinball Podcast hosted by Charlie and Bug
Batman 66 code is currently at version 0.94
high confidence · Ken and Bill discussing recent code updates
Deadpool code has reached version 0.82
high confidence · Ken and Bill discussing recent code updates
Tanya Kleiss is the developer for Deadpool and Lyman Sheets is continuing development on Batman 66
high confidence · Ken explicitly states developer names during code update discussion
Batman 66 Premium machines are selling in the high six to low seven figures ($600k-$700k range) with very few available for purchase
medium confidence · Ken states 'high six, low sevens' based on checking Pinside listings, but this appears to refer to price in dollars not thousands—likely means $6,000-$7,000 range based on pinball context
Ken purchased his first new-in-box pinball machine (Ghostbusters Premium) in October 2016 for $6,700
high confidence · Ken's personal account of his entry into collecting
Ken and Bill have helped move 27 pinball machines in the last 18 months
high confidence · Bill states this directly when discussing Ken's machine collection turnover
George Gomez was recently interviewed by Head2Head Pinball (Ryan and Marty) in a notably lengthy and informative interview
high confidence · Ken and Bill praise the recent interview and discuss its quality
“I'm starting to get, not worried, but it's like, am I thinking about this too much? Do I have to settle for two of the three? Will there ever be the perfect machine for me where I say to myself, this is it, and I can never part with this game?”
Ken Cromwell @ ~35:00 — Articulates Ken's central quest for his 'grail' machine and the collectors' dilemma of perfect vs. good-enough
“You're still on Tinder with pinball?”
Bill Webb @ ~37:00 — Humorous framing of Ken's machine-cycling behavior that leads to discussion of hypothetical 'Pinball Tinder' concept
“I'm looking. And if anybody has a suggestion, let me know. Yeah, definitely open to suggestions on that one. We've moved plenty of games, don't mind moving a couple more.”
Ken Cromwell @ ~38:00 — Ken explicitly solicits community suggestions for his ideal pinball machine
“TNA will be in theaters, I guess, for another 50 machines. They wanted a New Year's Eve release on that.”
Ken Cromwell @ ~15:00 — Clarifies Spooky's production pause timeline and deadline pressure for Alice Cooper game
“So far, so good.”
Bill Webb @ ~45:00 — Closing statement reflecting on the podcast's first 12 episodes
code_update: Batman 66 code updated to version 0.94; villain modes continuing to be added, game becoming more complete and appealing to players
high · Ken explicitly states 'they just updated the code on Batman' to v0.94; Bill confirms and notes villain modes coming to fruition
code_update: Deadpool code released at version 0.82; Tanya Kleiss is primary developer
high · Ken states 'they just dropped the new Deadpool code, which is 0.82' and attributes to Tanya Kleiss
product_launch: Spooky Pinball halting Total Nuclear Annihilation production at 550-machine mark to prioritize Alice Cooper Nightmare Castle completion within 18-month deadline
high · Ken cites Spooky Pinball Podcast (Charlie and Bug) reporting TNA ceasing temporarily and Alice Cooper being prioritized; new year's eve goal mentioned
market_signal: Batman 66 Premium machines commanding high six to low seven figure pricing on secondary market (Pinside) with very limited availability
medium · Ken checks Pinside and reports 'high six, low sevens' pricing for entry-level Premiums; Super LEs commanding even higher dollars
content_signal: Special When Lit exploring potential premium machine review and casual streaming content; debating viability of new-in-box review cycle business model
medium · Ken and Bill discuss costs of new-in-box purchasing, potential depreciation hits, and streaming strategy; considering competing with Deadflip and Straight Down the Middle
groq_whisper · $0.097
personnel_signal: Tanya Kleiss confirmed as Deadpool primary developer; Lyman Sheets continuing Batman 66 development
high · Ken explicitly names developers: 'Tanya Kleiss is knocking out Deadpool and Lyman Sheets is still continuing to knock out the Batman 66'
collector_signal: Ken actively cycles through machines (~27 moves in 18 months) searching for his definitive 'grail' machine; skeptical of permanent collection model
high · Ken articulates his philosophical search for the perfect machine; Bill confirms 27 moves in 18 months; Ken uses Tinder dating metaphor for his approach
design_innovation: Christopher Franchi's photorealism illustration style on Batman 66, Guardians of the Galaxy, and rumored Munsters game generates positive community reception
medium · Ken and Bill praise Franchi's artwork on Batman 66 and other titles; Ken considers Munsters as potential grail despite not being a fan of theme
event_signal: Ken and Bill booking hotel rooms and attending Expo with emphasis on networking; uncertainty around Two Brothers sponsorship logistics; planning to deliver beer in person if needed
high · Ken and Bill discuss getting a room at Expo specifically for networking; note sponsorship work in progress; discuss personal beer delivery logistics
rumor_hype: Munsters pinball remake rumored as upcoming Stern game with George Gomez design and Christopher Franchi artwork, though hosts speculate cautiously
medium · Ken and Bill reference George Gomez interview content about a game with 'artwork looks incredible' and discuss Munsters as possible identity; acknowledge speculation ('Monster Bash, but probably not')
community_signal: Discussion of homebrew-to-production pipeline; TNA and Iron Maiden cited as successful precedents; Rust Bucket and Wrecking Ball mentioned as potential future candidates
medium · Ken and Bill discuss homebrew machines that became production titles; Ken and Bill joke about potentially making Rust Bucket; Pat Lawler's Wrecking Ball proto mentioned as surviving artifact
product_strategy: Pinball pricing structure fragmented across MSRP, UMAP, distributor pricing, and secondary market; Ken expresses confusion about current pricing model vs 2016 landscape
high · Ken details 2016 pricing ($6,700 Ghostbusters Premium) and notes current confusion about MSRP, UMAP, distributor lists, and lack of transparency; notes suggested retail still higher than acceptable prices