Real pinball machines are becoming harder and harder to find. Only the most devoted enthusiasts manage to keep these fascinating arcade machines running. But there is a perfectly reasonable alternative to “stimulate” the spirit of pinball: Flippaper, a platform that turns drawings on a sheet of paper into your very own pinball table.
A Vanishing Experience
In this digital game era, you'll hardly find anything more analog than a pinball, even though some examples out there are true technological marvels. However, we already have more than one generation of players whose only encounter with a pinball has been the Space Cadet that shipped with Windows, and frankly, that is wrong.
Anyone who has the opportunity to get close to a real pinball, drop in a coin or two, and play a good game should do it as soon as possible. And I'm not saying this because I'm stuck in the “everything was better before” mindset, but because it's an experience that is completely different from playing a role-playing game or a modern FPS. Now, I'm not suggesting you go out and hunt down and buy your own pinball, but if we're talking about some kind of middle ground, Flippaper might just be it.
How Flippaper Turns Sketches into Pinball Action
In simple terms, Flippaper is a platform that converts drawings into pinball tables through color and pattern recognition. The ability to draw freehand opens up tables that would be impossible to build in the physical world. The detection system is limited to four colors: red, blue, green, and yellow. Here's what each one does:
- Blue: a solid blue line forms a wall; a blue dot creates a paddle.
- Green: a green area works as a warp to another part of the table; a green line accelerates the ball.
- Yellow: yellow regions are dedicated to scoring.
- Red: red drawings act as bounce sectors.
A Prototype with Real Potential
Flippaper is still in its prototype stage, and from what we've been able to gather, it's currently on tour. It would be absolutely fantastic if this technology could be developed into a commercial product. I imagine the markers you use to draw on each sheet of paper are nothing special, and I suspect that someone with solid Photoshop skills could create incredibly complex tables, print them out, and place them on Flippaper. We'll have to wait and see.
For more information, visit the official site.
