Dirty Pool Podcast - Ep31 - Raymond Davidson - Player to Programmer
Dirtypool Pinball - PODCAST - An Exploration Of The Pinball IndustryShow Notes
▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlisthttps://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJjIt's podcast time with RAYDAY! Raymond Davidson of Stern Pinball known for titles like Rush, Metallica Remaster and of course Fall of the Empire. We’re lining up topics around rules design from a player mindset, how code evolves after location testing, and how modern games balance competitive depth with accessibility. Also getting into team workflow, post-launch updates, and how tournament play shapes coding decisions.What’s one rule in a modern game that actually changed how you approach it?🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid:📡 Twitch http://www.twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball📺 YouTube http://www.youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball📷 Instagram http://www.instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball📘 Facebook http://www.facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball🔊 Discord – http://discord.gg/ySs5Wjb3Je🛒 Apparel http://www.dirtypoolpinball.com00:00:00 - Intro and Raymond Davidson joins the podcast00:01:00 - Seattle pinball roots and early tournament access00:03:00 - Traveling for tournaments and the $2 bill payout00:04:07 - PAPA, getting humbled, and improving through competition00:05:23 - Getting hired at Stern and starting on Avengers00:06:01 - First Stern lab stories and working with John Borg00:07:32 - Led Zeppelin and getting real rules design ownership00:08:04 - Using code to bring out the best parts of a layout00:09:38 - Led Zeppelin wizard mode and pressure after multiball00:10:46 - What carries over from older code frameworks00:11:29 - Whitewood testing and finding out what is actually fun00:12:38 - Watching streams to see how players really behave00:14:02 - Death Star cashouts and risk versus reward00:14:48 - Rush combos, Foo Fighters moments, and rewarding mastery00:16:23 - Making deep games accessible within a few shots00:18:18 - Scoring balance and why big points matter00:19:56 - Unexpected bugs and the secret Metallica add-a-ball00:21:08 - Favorite final code and what still nags at him00:22:00 - Revisiting Led Zeppelin and skipped multiball objectives00:23:17 - Filtering community feedback without chasing every opinion00:24:42 - Remastering older games and constant rules ideas00:25:44 - Favorite butthole shots and Lord of the Rings design00:27:32 - Why Simpsons Pinball Party still works so well00:28:11 - Theme integration versus scoring balance00:30:22 - Roving shots, Death Star 2, and avoiding gimmies00:31:18 - Speeder bikes and thematic mechanical action00:33:10 - Bonus missions without blocking Jedi progression00:34:16 - Star Wars as the first Spike 3 release00:36:18 - Stream friendly UI, bigger scores, and real constraints00:39:32 - Making the best of design limits00:40:05 - John Wick, rejects, and code improving a harsh game00:40:32 - Zach working across Star Wars, John Wick, and X-Men00:42:13 - Video modes and what actually holds up00:42:46 - Licensing limits and what can appear on screen00:45:18 - Named Stern updates and the Rebel Rebellion problem00:47:01 - Stern office tournaments and absurd employee scores00:48:34 - Tournament travel, PTO, and Stern supporting play00:49:23 - Jedi Mania, streaming games, and learning from co-op00:51:29 - Development speed bumps beyond licensing00:53:23 - Spike 3 video formats and H.265 workflow00:54:42 - Spike 3 hardware questions and upgrade limits00:56:10 - Simple layouts, deep rules, and matching code to playfield00:57:20 - Why teams matter more than manufacturer labels00:59:00 - AI, internal tools, and what should never reach final assets01:01:02 - Stern Insider, multiplayer possibilities, and score visibility01:03:33 - Wrap up and final Raven choice01:04:33 - Great Pyramid outro and cult signoff#pinball #sternpinball #raymonddavidson #pinballpodcast #pinballdesign #pinballrules #competitivepinball #pinballcommunity #pinballlife #arcade #arcadeculture #retrogaming #gamingpodcast #pinballplayers #pinballfans #pinballinterview #gamedesign #rulesdesign #pinballstrategy #modernpinbal
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