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Episode 292. deeproot Pinball panel discussion on RAZA

PodcastAnalysis updated 2d ago1 hr 14 min listen
From the creator

Robert Mueller, Quinn Johnson and Steven Bowden talk about RAZA, the new deeproot website, the Pinbar, Pin Access, downloadable content, recent changes and delays, and most importantly when you can...

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Highlights

  • Raza is now available for purchase on Deep Root's website after launching within the last three weeks
  • Robert Mueller emphasizes Raza as 'the most innovative pinball machine ever made' with a redesigned platform
  • The pin bar touchscreen interface took the most time and attention during development, surpassing even engineering challenges
  • It took over three months to remove the pin bar from Raza's code to show a prototype without it in November 2019
  • Quinn Johnson came from a video game and comics background rather than pinball, which Mueller credits with fresh perspective on design
  • Deep Root experienced a 'disappointing outcome in September' where they wanted to show things off but were prevented by external factors
  • Supply chain issues were identified as 'our nemesis and our weakness' this year in development
  • The pin bar supports five different configurable layouts based on user needs and arcade operator requirements

Notable quotes

“Pinball is hard.”
Deep Root Pinball website
“We've really done an amazing thing. We feel redesigned the pinball machine, but still kept it at its core a pinball machine. And we feel the most innovative pinball machine ever made.”
Robert Mueller
“Bringing Raza to life when everyone said that Raza could never come to life because it was just one of J-Pop's projects that would never see the light of day, it would never be working.”
Robert Mueller
“I've learned over the years to listen better to the people that I'm entrusting the development of this game and this platform...me opening my mouth and being perhaps rightfully bullish on a lot of the things we can do, maybe a little earlier than we were really ready to do them, I think is something that I've learned to try to be more humble, try to keep expectations in line.”
Robert Mueller
“It took us over three months to rip the pin bar out of the platform just to show a regular machine in November.”
Robert Mueller
“The pin bar just made so much sense to me. And I'm like, I can't believe that no one's ever done this before. This makes so much sense.”
Quinn Johnson
“A touchscreen is now a blank canvas. And all we've done with the pinball in many ways is brought a blank canvas to the pinball machine now. And it's up to us the first time to get it right.”
Robert Mueller
“We could have gone with the simple, you know, cheap, you know, 4x3 or, you know, a 6x9 little screen, but what we wanted is we wanted a custom, beautiful aspect ratio matched with the back bar, ultra-wide screen.”
Robert Mueller

Entities

  • Deep Root Pinball· company
  • Utah Studio· company
  • Pinball Expo· event
  • Raza (Retro Atomic Zombie Adventureland)· game
  • This Week in Pinball· media
  • Fliptronic· organization
  • Billy Bob Thompson· person
  • Caitlin Elizabeth· person
  • David Thiel· person
  • Jeff Teolis· person
  • Papa Duke (John Papaduke)· person
  • Quinn Johnson· person
  • Robert Mueller· person
  • Stephen Bowen· person
  • Pin Bar· product

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