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Blood Machines Rules Design

Game design discussion and rules documentation specific to Blood Machines original table.

Multiball Performance

15-Ball Multiball

  • Starts with 15 balls
  • Ball saver returns max 10 balls
  • First 5 balls drain very fast
  • Performance considerations:
  • Cap physics if more than 5 balls active
  • Limit ball shadows with high ball count
  • 4K performance concerns with 15 active balls

Wizard Mode

Final Chapter Qualification

  • Requires completing ALL multiballs AND all missions
  • When qualified: ship loop flickers and goes dark
  • Callout: "Final Chapter Ready"
  • Creates build-up and excitement

Wizard Mode Rules

  • Ball save on first phase: 8-10 seconds recommended (casual player consideration)
  • Don't allow wizard to start during multiball
  • Play multiball out
  • Light wizard after 1 ball left

Extra Ball Management

Stacking Prevention

Common oversight on original tables: extra ball stacking

Problem: Earning extra ball when you already have one gives you two

Fix: Ensure earning extra ball when already holding one doesn't award second

Impact: Affects game balance - minor detail people forget

Marketing Strategy

Release Strategy (2022)

  1. Post flyer/poster with VPW logo on Blood Machines fan pages 1 week before release
  2. Let people speculate
  3. Reveal stream and release next morning (similar to LOTR release)
  4. VPW logo allows people to Google and figure it out without being deceptive

Rationale: Tables for new movies/shows are rare - leverage that interest

Scripting Features

Free Play Mode

To add free play mode: 

' Search for lines:
Credits=Credits-1

' Comment them out
' Credits=Credits-1

Simple way to bypass credit system without extensive scripting changes.

Technical Notes

Light Control

Blood Machines uses Control Light method instead of Light State Controller: - Sync Lampz to control light via GetInPlayState property - Works well for tables with existing light animations - Less refactoring than Light State Controller

Game Design Philosophy

Blood Machines represents VPW original table approach: - IP licensing (Blood Machines film) - Collaborative workflow - 3D pipeline from scratch - VR support - PUP integration - Community-driven game rules design

Context

Blood Machines is an original VPW table based on the 2019 sci-fi film. Development documented across 6 extraction parts covering: - 3D art pipeline - Scripting and game logic - Design philosophy discussions - IP licensing - Physics implementation - VR integration - Collaborative workflow

This rules page captures game design discussions specific to Blood Machines gameplay mechanics.