Hello PinBoxers!
Pete's created some exciting new Teck that you can use to upGREAT your playboard designs! This video shows you how to make two different switches and how to wire them with copper tape. The next video will show how to wire them to your playboard and how to attach them to a Makey Makey for score keeping and sound! If you already know how to use them with your choice of micro controller or electronic system, go for it!
Often people will ask "How do I keep score?"
and usually we respond by talking about
sequential objectives, or how the PinBox 3000 playboard is kind of like a skatepark where you can't really get a high score... or
we make a super funny "high scores" joke by scoring the cardboard & bending it near the top of the game.."that's the highest score you can get!"
For a while now, Pete's been experimenting with cardboard and simple conductive materials like paperclips, binder clips, tin foil and copper tape in an effort to create a quick system to integrate customizable electronic score keeping into the PinBox 3000. A lot of the standardized electronic switches used in large pinball games are either too expensive, or designed to be activated by a very heavy large metal ball, not a light non-conductive small glass marble. A target that was easily activated by pressing on it with a finger, wouldn't recognize a hit when a marble was used. This provided a lot of problems/fun challenges when first prototyping the electronic systems.
This breakthrough of paper switches is relatively new, so please let us know what you think of the switch design & if it should be tweaked, we love feedback. Have you incorporated these designs into your game? Don't forget to take a photo or video of your playboard & post it here or tag us on Instagram or Twitter! @cardboardteck
There are a bunch of other fun hacks that Pete has created that he'll be posting in this section of the forum as well, so keep checking back!
Tilt the Future!
Cardboard Teck Instantute
Pete & Ben