The interview covers a bunch of topics, but most interesting is Lawlor's take on pinball kinetics.

There are obviously many aspects involved in kinetics. Every designer has differing goals for the "feel" of the game. Usually these goals are a result of the kinds of games the designers like personally.

Things to consider are, in no particular order:

1) Middle shots are easier for beginners.
2) How to mix stop and go shots with nice return flow shots.
3) How fast is the overall game? Very fast games are very difficult for beginners.
4) When a shot is missed, what happens to the ball? Is it a bad, clunky thing? Does the ball come back in my face?
5) Are these shots just "there,” or do they represent something from the theme?

All of this talk about kinetics got me to thinking about how very different video game development it must be to design a pinball title. These people have to think about machinery, automation, physical player space, not to mention fun.

GameSetInterview: 'Rudy's Father Speaks - The Pat Lawlor Interview' [Gamasutra]

The development of Pinball 2000 and the demise of Williams pinball is chronicled in the new documentary TILT: The Battle to Save Pinball which is now available for pre-order at the official site.

A pair of trailers are available for pinball fans to see what they can look forward to, both of which feature well known pinball designers like Pat Lawlor and George Gomez. The DVD ranges from $20.95 to $29.95, depending on features. Pre-order now and get it shipped for free. Go on! Get! Michael McWhertor

TILT: The Battle to Save Pinball Official Site [Thanks, Mick!]