Dirtypool Pinball - PODCAST - An Exploration Of The Pinball Industry

Dirtypoolpinball
  • 3.6 (17)
  • Games

A somewhat grounded look at the people who actually make pinball happen. From game designers and tournament organizers to top players and studio heads, the D...

  1. Oct 2

    Dirty Pool Podcast - Ep41 - Francis from The Pinball Capital

    ▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj Francis from Pinball Capital joins me to talk about running an arcade in Chicago, right in the middle of one of the biggest hubs for pinball manufacturing and design. We get into the realities of operating a modern arcade, maintaining a large lineup of games, his relationship with the manufacturers and people building games nearby, what Chicago’s pinball scene is actually like from an operator’s perspective, and where he sees location pinball heading. 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch https://twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball 📺 YouTube https://youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball 📷 Instagram https://instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook https://facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 👕 Apparel https://www.dirtypoolpinball.com

  2. Sep 22

    Dirty Pool Podcast - Ep40 - Keith Elwin: Amateur Pinball Player

    ▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj Keith Elwin joins the Dirty Pool Podcast to talk about his path from competitive player to game designer, how Randy helped pull him into pinball, and the way he approaches building a new machine from the earliest ideas forward. We also talk about the pressure that comes with being called the best, the designers he looks up to, what defines Keith outside of pinball, obscure Steam games, and, most importantly what sandwich relates to each flipper skill. 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch https://twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball 📺 YouTube https://youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball 📷 Instagram https://instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook https://facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 👕 Apparel https://www.dirtypoolpinball.com #Pinball #KeithElwin #SternPinball #PinballPodcast #DirtyPoolPinball

  3. Sep 15

    Dirty Pool Podcast - Ep39 - Tasker Smith: A Quest for Pinball Mastery

    ▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj Tasker Smith joins the podcast to talk about his book Pinball: A Quest for Mastery and a bigger question behind it: can you actually learn pinball from a book? We talk about what can and can’t be taught through text, how much of pinball comes from repetition and instinct, whether fundamentals translate from classic games to modern machines, and how Tasker decided what knowledge was important enough to put on the page. We also get into practice, competition, ball control, and what it really means to get better at pinball. 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch https://twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball 📺 YouTube https://youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball 📷 Instagram https://instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook https://facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 👕 Apparel https://www.dirtypoolpinball.com #pinball #taskersmith #pinballpodcast #dirtypoolpinball

  4. Aug 27

    Dirty Pool Podcast - Ep38 - Joel & Jared Engelberth - Flip N Out Pinball

    ▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj Joel and Jared Engelberth join the Dirty Pool Podcast to talk about the evolution of their weekly Flip N Out Pinball stream, going from brothers with very different levels of pinball experience to hosting one of the most popular regular streams in the hobby. We talk about Joel's early days in pinball media, Jared starting out as the pinball novice, how their relationship with Zach Meny and Flip N Out developed, getting early access to new games, working with manufacturers and designers, and giving honest opinions when thousands of dollars in purchasing decisions may be riding on them. We also get into first impressions they've gotten wrong, games they disagree on, the inevitable "shill" accusations, balancing industry relationships with audience trust, and where pinball streaming goes from here. 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch https://twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball 📺 YouTube https://youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball 📷 Instagram https://instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook https://facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 👕 Apparel https://www.dirtypoolpinball.com #Pinball #PinballMachine #PinballPodcast #FlipNOutPinball #DirtyPoolPinball

  5. Aug 14

    Dirty Pool Podcast - Ep37 - Serge from Electric Bat - The Art of Pinball Commentary

    ▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj Serge from Electric Bat joins us for Podcast 37. Serge has spent a lot of time behind the mic calling tournament pinball, so we wanted to dig into how he approaches it. How much homework goes into a broadcast? How do you explain a game without talking over it? What do you do when absolutely nothing interesting is happening? Serge has a great perspective on the game from the other side of the glass, and this felt like a good excuse to finally get him on and talk about it. Plus he promised after I tricked him to play Bon Jovi after his trip to LA. 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch https://twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball 📺 YouTube https://youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball 📷 Instagram https://instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook https://facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 👕 Apparel https://www.dirtypoolpinball.com #pinball #dirtypoolpodcast #electricbat #pinballart #pinballcommunity #art #commentary

  6. Jul 14

    Dirty Pool Podcast - Ep36 - Pinball Clocks with Philippe Grégoire of Ayscrim Studios

    ▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj 🕰️ Ayscrim Studios 🛒 Website https://ayscrimstudios.com 📷 Instagram https://instagram.com/ayscrimstudios 📘 Facebook https://facebook.com/ayscrimstudios Philippe Grégoire is the owner of Ayscrim Studios, where he hand-builds officially licensed pinball clocks using artwork from classic machines and original collaborations with pinball / adjacent artists. We’ll talk about how a homemade Gottlieb Surf Champ score-reel clock grew into a fully licensed business, the engineering hidden inside each clock, working with original game artwork, and the strange process of building a creative niche inside an already very specific creative niche. Also how to bring these products to market and showing them at conventions to reveal the mystery behind the billion dollar lucrative business of pinball arts and crafts. /s The original clock documented on pinside: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/gottlieb-score-reel-clock-project We’ll also get into the one-of-a-kind Great Pyramid clock Philippe made for Dirty Pool, complete with a moving eye that watches back. Pretty damn cool. 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch https://twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball 📺 YouTube https://youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball 📷 Instagram https://instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook https://facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 👕 Apparel https://www.dirtypoolpinball.com #pinball #dirtypoolpodcast #ayscrimstudios #pinballart #pinballcommunity #art #hobbyart

  7. Jul 7

    Dirty Pool Podcast - Ep35 - Mike Vinikour | Designing Modern Pinball Rules

    ▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj Mike Vinikour (MXV) has had one of the more unusual careers in pinball. From testing games at Williams/Bally Midway during the arcade era, to competitive Mortal Kombat, to helping shape modern Stern Pinball software and rules, he's been involved with games from several different angles. In Episode 35 of the Dirty Pool Podcast, we'll be talking about Mike's path through the game industry, how rule design has evolved, balancing depth with accessibility, software testing, field testing, working with designers, the realities of developing modern Stern machines, and plenty of stories from both the arcade and pinball worlds. We'll also get into his photography, massive vinyl collection, and whatever unexpected rabbit holes the conversation decides to find. 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch https://twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball 📺 YouTube https://youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball 📷 Instagram https://instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook https://facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 👕 Apparel https://www.dirtypoolpinball.com 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:12 - Mike’s Record Collection 00:02:50 - Why Vinyl Matters 00:06:45 - Guessing the Record Count 00:08:44 - 16,000 Records 00:09:32 - Choosing What to Play 00:13:28 - Mortal Kombat Begins 00:16:36 - 105 Wins in MK2 00:18:10 - Meeting Midway at a Punk Show 00:20:16 - Revolution X and Game Testing 00:21:20 - Helping Build Midway QA 00:22:50 - The Punk Vault 00:23:40 - Photography and Punk Zines 00:26:53 - Favorite and Worst Shows to Shoot 00:29:18 - Getting to Stern 00:30:00 - Growing Up With Pinball 00:31:14 - Lyman Sheets Pushed for Mike 00:32:30 - George Gomez and Stern 00:34:08 - Working With Lyman on Batman 66 00:37:18 - James Bond and John Wick 00:38:26 - The “Saved the Game” Misunderstanding 00:40:48 - Rule Design Without Programming 00:42:10 - Earning Trust at Stern 00:43:18 - Working With Dwight Sullivan 00:46:00 - The MXV Skill Shot 00:48:23 - Secret Skill Shots and Mortal Kombat 00:49:40 - NDAs and Keeping Secrets 00:52:00 - Keith Elwin Made It a Thing 00:52:33 - Godzilla as Mike’s Favorite Game 00:54:10 - When a Rule Fails 00:55:28 - The Game Tells You 00:56:45 - Working With Lonnie Ropp 00:59:10 - Are Modern Rules Too Complex? 01:00:16 - Designing for New and Expert Players 01:01:10 - Risk and Reward 01:03:31 - Multiple Ways to Blow Up a Game 01:04:42 - Shot Difficulty in Rule Design 01:06:08 - Music Pins Without Being a Jukebox 01:08:32 - Dream Theme: Skinny Puppy 01:09:48 - Designing Around the Toy 01:10:42 - George Gomez’s Creative Brain 01:13:07 - Mike’s Basement Collection 01:15:08 - Work-Life Balance With Pinball 01:15:48 - The Raven Question 01:18:10 - Expo, Portland, and Shows 01:20:32 - Top Punk Albums 01:21:35 - Punk Rock Pinball Shoutout 01:24:00 - Raid and Praise the Great Pyramid 01:25:10 - Outro #pinball #sternpinball #dirtypoolpodcast #podcast #arcade

  8. Jun 9

    Dirty Pool Podcast - Ep34 - Jason Knapp of Knapp Arcade

    ▶ Full Dirty Pool Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS9lWVjGsygallsiz2_TJ_oxIlhl29fLC&si=iLC8oBnZfl_U7pJj Jason Knapp of Knapp Arcade joins Dirty Pool Podcast to talk about running one of the few dedicated pinball news sites still trying to keep track of the hobby in real time. We get into pinball journalism, how stories are chosen, how much work goes into keeping information accurate,and what it’s like covering a small industry where the people, companies, rumors, and drama all exist. Also I eat a taco. It was pretty good. We also talk about the Knapp Arcade redesign, what changed behind the scenes, how the site has grown, and the balance between building something useful for the community without getting dragged into every argument the hobby creates for itself. 🔺 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.com 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:01 - The charity dart tournament origin story 00:03:00 - Craigslist finds, Facebook groups, and starting his own page 00:05:01 - When Knapp Arcade became something people depended on 00:06:20 - Building a permanent archive outside Facebook 00:07:25 - The site redesign, dark mode, and son-powered web development 00:09:04 - How Jason handles rumors and confidence levels 00:11:27 - Writing the news he would want to read 00:12:25 - The Stern Indiana Jones rumor and being right until you are wrong 00:14:31 - Fact-checking, Deep Root, and reporting what can be verified 00:16:11 - Why AI is not a source 00:17:21 - IPDB, Pinside, and preserving pinball history 00:18:54 - OPDB and organizing a massive photo archive 00:19:31 - Live questions and the Resident Evil pricing mess 00:23:52 - American Pinball under new management 00:25:29 - Supporting smaller manufacturers without ignoring the risks 00:27:21 - Worlds commentary, Goonies, and dream pinball themes 00:30:54 - Balancing family, work, travel, and fast writing 00:32:50 - Automotive competitive intelligence and chasing information 00:34:13 - The moments that make running Knapp Arcade worth it 00:36:20 - Jealous people, pinball drama, and doing the work 00:39:04 - Paywalls, ads, and keeping the site sustainable 00:44:54 - Future tiers, rankings, and a larger photo library 00:45:43 - Favorite manufacturers and the pull of Insider Connected 00:47:08 - Jason compliments Winchester Mystery House 00:48:45 - What pinball journalism still has not covered 00:51:11 - Pinball magazines, archives, and historical ads 00:54:21 - Bringing younger fans into the hobby 00:56:34 - Location play, leagues, and keeping arcades alive 00:60:47 - The Knapp Arcade app and push notifications 00:63:20 - Daily game photos and collecting every machine 00:66:13 - Bucket list arcades, Next Level, and missing Banning 00:69:05 - The Knapp Arcade logo and the 9/12/15 date 00:71:02 - Making Knapp Arcade part of the morning routine 00:72:13 - Rock Fantasy, home games, and the Raven argument 00:73:29 - Raven, Hollywood Heat, and Predator Raven 00:75:20 - Praise the Great Pyramid #DirtyPoolPinball #DirtyPoolPodcast #Pinball #KnappArcade #KnappArcadePinball

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Ratings & Reviews

3.6
out of 5
17 Ratings

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A somewhat grounded look at the people who actually make pinball happen. From game designers and tournament organizers to top players and studio heads, the D...

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