Date: 21st November, 2022

The first third-party combination of a game and playfield module for the P3 pinball platform has been announced by game developer, podcaster and bingo expert, Nick Baldridge.

His company, For Amusement Only Games, announced the new Drained title today. It consists of a new upper playfield module and the Drained game software to go with it, along with a number of artworked pieces and more.

The Drained game layout
The Drained game layout

The playfield module’s design is a throwback to electromechanical days, with a mix of standup targets, drop targets, a pop bumper, a physical bell, a mechanical knocker and the return of the ball-ending gobble hole.

The playfield module for Drained
The playfield module for Drained

On the left is an orbit formed by the G-A-R-L-I-C standups. This is mirrored by the S-T-A-K-E-S standups on the right side.

Specking of ‘mirrored’, the M-I-R-R-O-R drop targets at the back of the orbit are indeed mirrored. While they can be swept by an orbit shot, they are just as likely to be knocked down by the game’s solitary pop bumper. This has two reverse-facing ball launcher ejects either side and a couple more standup targets behind to spell ‘Holy’ and ‘Water’.

An overhead view of the playfield module
An overhead view of the playfield module

At the front of the module are six more standups with the infamous gobble hole between them. There are additional small standup targets on the far left and right to round out the number of standups at twenty-two.

In amongst all that are 26 RGB LEDs and 7 single-colour LEDs, while to the left and right of the two ball launchers are slingshot kickers to help complete the standup target sequences.

The design is deliberately operator-friendly, not only with the ease of cleaning but through enhanced audits and operator settings to reduce the number of balls from the standard five while increasing the rewards given to the player if they have fewer balls to play.

There’s a lot more to the game than just the playfield module though. There is full cabinet and bottom apron artwork and the artwork in the game software. These decals all come as part of the full game kit along with spare slingshot plastics and a full printed owner’s manual.

The P3 in Drained artwork
The P3 in Drained artwork
The cabinet side artwork
The cabinet side artwork
Backbox artwork decals
Backbox artwork decals
The bottom apron artwork
The bottom apron artwork

Nick handled the game design, sound design, art direction and did all the software programming. He promises there are over a dozen hidden ‘easter eggs’ in the code for players to discover.

The physical and digital artwork is by Molly Baldridge, while the extensive soundtrack – featuring 54 unique songs composed specifically for the game – is by Charles Wolf Music. For both Molly and Charles, this is their first time working on a pinball game.

The playfield modules will be built by Nick in Richmond, Virgina and will be available to buy worldwide.

The game is based around the story of two friends walking through a park and discovering an abandoned castle. Upon entering, they realise the castle is inhabited by vampires and, naturally, the task of clearing the vampiric menace falls to them.

The play switches between the two as they collect the tools they need. Ultimately they need to sacrifice themselves by putting the ball into the gobble hole, but if they can take the vampire with them there are big bonus points to be won.

Nobody gets out alive
Nobody gets out alive

The game’s software also includes the ability to all Twitch stream viewers to interact by starting a hurry-up, spotting targets for the player, and either adding, using up or resetting the tilt warnings.

Drained digital playfield artwork with the side targets
Drained digital playfield artwork with the side targets

There’s more about the new Drained game at drainedpinball.com or in the Multimorphic store.

There’s also a trailer for the game, which we have for you here.

The full game kit costs $3,500 and is available through the drainedpinball.com website.

Here’s the press release announcing the new Drained game:

Slay silverball vampires in the new Drained pinball game

For Amusement Only Games LLC delivers the first physical third-party game kit for Multimorphic’s P3 pinball platform

Richmond, Va. — Explore the castles, gather your tools and slay the vampires in Drained, the all-new game game kit from For Amusement Only Games LLC (FAOG) for the Multimorphic P3 pinball platform.

In Drained, players become unlikely vampire hunters through an original, symmetrical playfield layout that blends classic gameplay with cutting-edge pinball technology. The game is the first full game kit – complete with playfield – from an independent P3 developer.

“I want players to enjoy shooting the entire playfield,” said Nicholas Baldridge, owner of FAOG and designer of Drained. “The key to fun pinball game design is the balance between risk and reward, and the challenge of achieving your goals efficiently.”

Drained includes 15 unique vampires to hunt, seven target sequences, 54 unique songs, 75 sound effects, more than 1,300 voice-acted callouts from 17 actors, dual banks of sweepable drop targets, a pop bumper and 20 standup targets, as well as a gorgeous pen-and-ink, hand-drawn art package.

It also features classic pinball elements like a physical bell and mechanical knocker – and brings back a notorious pinball feature that hasn’t been seen in nearly 60 years: the gobble hole.

“Gobble holes can be used to reward a player handsomely for skilled play,” says Baldridge. “But they’re also a second way to lose a ball on the playfield, so the trick is avoiding them until the player can capitalize on a successful shot.”

Drained also integrates modern pinball features of the P3 platform, such as allowing players to shoot multiple on-screen targets like bats, rats and spiders, use individual profile settings, and even for Twitch viewers to control a streamer’s game via chat commands. 

The Drained game kit includes the playfield module, cabinet side artwork, side target covers, apron magnetic decal, owner’s manual and slingshot plastics. The game kit costs $3500 with a $2000 deposit, with the balance due prior to shipment. For more information or to purchase, visit drainedpinball.com.

About the P3
The P3 is a modular pinball platform with an open software development kit produced by Multimorphic, Inc. This allows third party developers, such as FAOG, to create new content for the platform. The P3 contains flippers, bumpers, and all the aspects of traditional pinball, but with a focus on the newest technology, including the ability to track the position of a ball rolling over a screen and interacting with the content displayed on it. Learn more at multimorphic.com.

About For Amusement Only Games LLC
Designer Nicholas Baldridge formed the company to explore new approaches to classic gameplay concepts. The company manufactures game kits in Richmond, Va., and ships to customers worldwide. Previous releases have included Ranger in the Ruins, Silver Falls and Flipper Foxtrot Rhythm Explosion, all available on the P3 pinball platform. Learn more at foramusementonlygames.com.

There is also a flyer for Drained.

The front of the Drained flyer
The front of the Drained flyer
The back of the flyer
The back of the flyer

We’ll have more information about the rules for Drained shortly. Check back for the latest updates.

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