Attention! All Points Bulletin to the Foo Fighters!

An outer rim communications station has intercepted an alarming transmission. The intelligence office has been analyzing it and it seems to foreshadow the arrival of a "Lord Zaedor." We suspect he is taking over leadership of the alien invasion. Interrogation officers are questioning captured aliens about him and have been able to identify a recurring response. The translation seems to be a warning, "Beware! He Lives!"

Below is a decoded image from the video transmission. Be on the lookout! His arrival appears imminent to your very battle field, should you choose to brave the warning and challenge him! We expect more information from intelligence soon.

LordZador (resized).png

I thought the Overlord is one of the coolest characters in recent pinball releases. I wanted to come up with something that would amplify his personality and charisma. I hope you will find that the DMCS Overlord does that!

PS: Still a few Save Posts & Spinning UFOs available too..

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Foo Fighters DMCS Save Post & Spinning UFO

Here is my DMCS Save Post mod for Foo Fighters Pro. You will notice there is a gauge beside the left outlane that shows the time you have earned to use the save post. You earn that time by hitting the UFO captured ball. You then use that time and activate the save post with the left flipper button when the ball drains through the outlane.

This also shows my DMCS Spinning UFO mod at the captured ball: it goes together nicely with the save post mod, but isn't required. Each operate fine independently.

I'll post some better videos of each individually, with some more info. Scroll down for a better shot of the UFO.

These mods require the DMCS board to control them. You only need one board to control all mods.

I will be producing these imminently, post or PM me if you want to get on the list. There's only some minor refinements to make to these prototypes.

$135 DMCS Save Post or Save Diverter mod

$135 DMCS Spinning UFO mod

$125 DMCS board

Here's a better shot of the Spinning UFO. It seems with all the pinball lighting around, it's difficult to catch the color cycling effects, they get washed out: looks much better in person.

Reserved.

Installing the mod will disable the stock Overdrive behavior. The various configuration options are described below. If you have another great idea, perhaps I'll add it if it makes sense. But, these rulesets will be available online at the github page, and you can modify them and add your own configuration if you like, and have modest technical ability.

Default: Hitting the UFO captured ball will earn time to use the save post. Each revolution of the captive ball will award another time unit. The default time unit is a 1/10th of a second. You can earn a full second of save post time. The LED gauge beside the outlane shows your time earned. When the ball drains in the outlane, the gauge turns green, indicating your time is now ready to use. You then hold the left flipper button in, and it activates the save post. The gauge counts down as you use your time units. Don't engage the post too soon if you don't have a full gauge, or you may run out of time, and the post will disappear before the ball reaches it!

Hard: Same as default, but instead of 1/10th of a second, you only get 1/20th of a second as each time unit and a maximum of half a second to use the save post time. Now it's more critical to time your left flipper button press and save post usage accurately!

Automatic: There is no earned time in this configuration. You have either earned a save post activation or not. The gauge must be fully lit to earn an activation. It's easier than the other modes (takes less hits) to fully light the gauge. You do not need to activate the save post with the left flipper button, it automatically activates, and stays up, letting you concentrate on flipper dexterity to save the ball.

Stand Ups: Similar to default, but you earn time by hitting the Radio stand-ups.

Emulate: A reasonable facsimile of the premium behavior. You must hit both stand ups to earn a save post activation, and the save post activates automatically. Bottom half of the gauge indicates bottom stand up, top half, the top stand up.

Random: There's nothing you can do to influence the save post. It may come up if you're lucky. Be ready at the flippers and pray!

Off: Don't want to have any save feature for some reason, you can turn this off entirely.

TBA.

Spinning UFO Configurations

Default: In the default configuration, the UFO keeps spinning fast as long as the captive ball keeps circulating reasonably fast, it doesn't slow down until the ball does.

Quick Fade: If you don't want the UFO to keep spinning fast, even if the captive ball is still circulating. This option will start slowing down immediately regardless.

Low Flash: Don't like the saucer explosion to flash so bright, this option will dim it down for you.

TBA 3.

It's short for Dream Mods Control System. It's a dual-core processor based control board that lets me do sophisticated control and integration of mods. You don't need to be a programmer to use it either: simple text rules in a configuration file is all it requires. Let me know if you want to use it for your mods: I like your FF alien figures!

Yes, it uses an up post mech in the existing playfield hole: if anyone didn't know it's there, just remove the apron and there's a little metal cover screwed in along with the metal ball guide.

You got it, but Save Post? UFO? Both?

I added a more complete description of the behavior and available configuration options for the save post above. I think that should answer the questions.

I put up a better shot of the Spinning UFO to try and capture some of the color-cycling effects. Was going to put videos of each in the reserved posts, but didn't know it locks out attachments after only 1 day. Just see the end of the first post.

I'll also add some of the configuration details about the Spinning UFO above in the reserved posts.

Just a little update on some enhancements I'm working on while waiting for some parts. Here is the gauge that will show the time. This limits the light and gives the gauge a more continuous linear look.

FF-rail-gauge2 (resized).JPG

You may have noticed the UFO bobbling about a bit in the video. The prototype is mounted with some hobby wire. I'm going to use this solid mount for the production run. I'm just making some final adjustments to get the UFO angle just right.

UFO-mount (resized).jpg

I was testing and tuning the Save Post configurations, and came up with a few additions. This is the configuration page you can access by WiFi.

SavePost-Options (resized).png

I was asked to post an update. I had a couple of nice weekends. Summer's not that long this part of the country so got to enjoy it while I can. Hope everyone had a great 4th and Holiday Weekend too! Here's couple pics of my hike at Olympic National Park and Astronomy night on the mountain. Saw some cool stuff through that 20-inch reflector.

HR-RidgeHike2b (resized).jpg
HR-Telescope (resized).jpg
HR-M57-Nebula (resized).jpg

Oh yeah, the mods! There's no hold ups or problems I'm trying to solve, all the proof of concepts have already been done when I announced the mods. I don't like to announce something and then not be able to realize it. I also wanted to make sure my implementation wouldn't interfere with the game: such as using the action button would. I made sure I could do a clean non-interfering integration with left-flipper activation.

Most recently been working on some UFO configs. Just as with the Save Post, when I do more testing and refining, I get some more ideas, and add more features. I'll describe those UFO additions soon.

A bunch of assembly parts arrived and have sorted through them.

FF-parts (resized).jpg

I've added another game play configuration for the UFO. It's called "Destroy the UFO", which is exactly what you can try to do. You progress through 3 levels of UFO attacks, each with different light shows. If you can figure out how to finish the 3rd level, you'll destroy the UFO. I've added additional light shows / effects and a destruction show to the UFO.

It sounds like pros are being delivered now too, so it's a good time to switch from further development to concentrate on production. You'll be receiving tracking information when yours ships, which they will starting in August.

That telecope is the "Dark Skies" Ranger's. I posed with it to remember the impressive size. I'm 6'2 and I'm guessing the focal length is in that range. I couldn't find the exact info, he only says it has a 20-inch reflector and uses a 115X Televue eyepiece.

Ring Nebula was the coolest thing that night. Jupiter wasn't up, but a previous year, it was amazing: could even see the shadows of the transiting moons on the surface.

Started shipping! Will send you tracking when I get to your order. I may have extra stock as some have not even received their FFpro yet, so you may be able to jump in and grab one from this batch.

Had some queries about the "SuperKick" option. Here are some details, and a video demonstration:

After hearing comments from premium owners having trouble executing a save successfully, I foresaw this could also be the case with my mod on some machines, so I tried to address it with an alternate configuration. With my mod, in most configurations, you control the exact time when you want the post to come up with the left flipper. I quickly found that it's fun to try to activate it exactly when the ball is passing the post, to give the ball what I called a "SuperKick". I added one configuration where this "SuperKick" is executed automatically.

Here is a demo I set up, showing the automatic "SuperKick" in operation. I am dropping the ball from still state at the top of the outlane. Although not perfect, it should give you a much better chance of executing a save if you're having a challenge.

I will be doing another run of these, so let me know if you want to get in, and which options. By the way, I've received good reviews on the UFO as below, so consider getting it: plus the full package is discounted to $375.

Beautiful lighting on the saucer. So glad I included that in my purchase!

I have been investigating making a custom mech assembly that would divert the ball to execute the outlane save. This alternative redirects the ball more smoothly than the up post so it feeds the flipper better. I will offer it as an alternate to the post if you want, just let me know you want the diverter.

Additionally, an interesting benefit of the diverter is that it doesn't require a hole in the playfield. So, if you have save-post envy, you could install this on any machine. I've already tested it on my Godzilla to good effect. Just choose a way to charge your save time or earn an activation the way I did with the FF configurations.

Here is video of a demo I set up with the custom diverter mech, with balls dropped from still state at top of the outlane.

The details are in the first post. You need the DMCS board and the save post kit, that's $125 + $135. You get everything you need, you don't need to get anything additional yourself.