Dirty Pool Podcast Ep02 – Bowen Kerins on Designing Dune and the Art of Pinball Rules
Dirtypool Pinball - PODCAST - An Exploration Of The Pinball IndustryShow Notes
What makes a pinball ruleset click? In this episode of the Dirty Pool Pinball Podcast, we’re joined by Bowen Kerins—rules designer at Barrels of Fun—to unpack how a game's structure comes together behind the glass. From early concepts to deep code layering, we talk about balancing challenge, flow, and accessibility. Bowen shares insights from his current work on Dune, along with stories from his days as a top tournament player and one of the first major pinball streamers.00:00:00 - Intro 00:00:30 - Bowen Kerins!00:00:59 - The Origins Of Pinball Streaming00:01:27 - Keith and Randy Elwin the First Pinball Camera00:02:27 - No Pinball On Twitch00:06:06 - Bowen the Mathematician00:06:16 - Teaching Kids As A Gateway To Pinball Rules00:09:22 - Is There a Perfect Classic Game Ruleset?00:10:57 - How Artwork Guides The Player In Dune00:11:45 - Start With A Grand Rule Idea and Build Backwards00:12:56 - Do You Wait For The IP To Think Of Rules00:14:22 - Rick and Morty as an Example00:15:50 - Rolercoastersss Here's Your Question - Movie Modes and Order00:18:49 - Multimorphic Final Resistance00:19:32 - Dune Mode - Hunting For The Right Pitch 00:23:32 - Bowen Kerins Was On Who Wants To Be A Millionaire00:26:07 - Bowen Kerins Designs Gameshow Math00:27:46 - Deal Or No Deal Island...00:30:46 - Oh Reddit.00:31:55 - Pop Quiz w/ Courtney Cox00:32:55 - Bowen has an Excellent Memory00:34:42 - How Do You Get Into Gameshows?00:36:38 - Back to Pinball?00:37:54 - No, It's Still Talk About Deal Or No Deal Island...00:41:07 - Actually Back to Pinball - New Code For Labrynth?00:42:53 - When is a Game's Code Done?00:45:20 - Dwight Sullivan, Legendary Programmer00:48:00 - What's it Like Adding An Idea Into a Pinball Machine00:49:51 - Giant Prolapsed Anus Worm00:50:57 - A List of Pinball Machines With Butthole Shots00:53:00 - Why Barrels Of Fun Games Are Awesome00:54:50 - Dune and The Hidden Ways To Control The Ball00:56:50 - Will The Worm Break?00:57:36 - Barrels Includes a LOT for the Price.00:58:56 - Are BoF Flipper Soft Or Is It In Your Head?01:02:50 - Fun Vs. Scoring01:04:00 - Talking Elwin Games01:05:18 - Every Moment In A Pinball Machine Is Designed To Make The Player Feel Amazing01:05:45 - Lynch Vs Dennis.01:07:32 - Gem and the Holograms CONFIRMED01:08:03 - Pinball Details Matter01:10:03 - When Will The Final Wizard Modes Go In Dune...01:10:28 - Zoom Dropout Ends.01:12:12 - Are Games Coming Out Unfinished?01:16:48 - Faith In A Company To Finish A Game's Code01:20:00 - Which Of These 3 Games Would You Add To Your Collection?01:20:45 - Is Thunderbirds Worse Than Raven?01:21:42 - Thank You Bowen!#DirtyPoolPinball #DunePinball #BowenKerins #BarrelsOfFun #PinballRules #PinballDesign #PinballPodcast #PinballTalk #PinballCommunity #TournamentPinball #ModernPinball #GameDesign #PinballMachines #PinballCreators #PinballPeople #PinballStreaming #PinballHistory #ArcadeGaming #ArcadeCulture #DPPP #HomebrewPinball
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