A hobbyist is rebuilding Microsoft’s 3D Pinball: Space Cadet as a real machine, crafting a physical playfield with working bumpers, ramps, and lighting.

  • Bobby Turkalino@sh.itjust.works
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    2 days ago

    I remember just a couple years ago, when I was on a pinball kick, I did some research to see if anyone had made a real Space Cadet machine and was surprised to see no one had. I remember reading some claims that doing so would be virtually impossible because the mechanisms necessary to recreate the behavior of the game could not feasibly be arranged on the underside of the playfield.

    I hope this person proves them wrong

    • LikeableLime@piefed.social
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      2 days ago

      I don’t remember exactly how the game plays, but just looking at the table I don’t see anything that looks impossible. There is that subway/tunnel that iirc works in both directions which would require some trickery but totally doable at least in one direction.

      • Hideakikarate@sh.itjust.works
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        2 days ago

        I vaguely remember the middle of the table turn into a black hole, pulling the ball in. That might be tough to implement in a real thing.

        • RightHandOfIkaros@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          Dont most tables with something like that either have a rotating plate or an electromagnet that only magnetizes the ball when it is powered? Probably could so something like that.

          • LoafedBurrito@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            10 hours ago

            The new DUNE table has a similar feature for the sandworm. It’s a magnet on an elevator and will grab the ball and bring it below the playfield to a subway that feeds to a VUK. So it’s possible. The only issue would be the pop bumpers on the upper playfield for the launch, pop bumper assemblies drop down a good 4-5 Inches from the playfield, so they would need to be changed.