This episode traces Total Nuclear Annihilation from its earliest idea through to a finished production game. Scott Danesi walks through how TNA started as a very specific reaction to modern pinball, how the layout, rules, sound, and scoring all evolved together, and what had to change once it moved from a personal project into a real commercial product. We talk early prototypes, design compromises and manufacturing realities. It’s a full look at how one of the most influential modern games actually got made!a

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00:00:00 – Summoning the Great Pyramid and opening ritual

00:00:15 – Episode intro and welcoming Scott Danesi

00:01:05 – RGB studios, StepManiacs, and music crossing mediums

00:03:25 – Why this episode is fully about Total Nuclear Annihilation

00:04:05 – Starting TNA as a homebrew with no production goal

00:06:00 – Reactor core concept, dystopian lore, and accidental canon

00:07:30 – RGB restraint, sound dynamics, and intentional impact

00:09:00 – Single-level layout and modern System 11 philosophy

00:10:40 – Designing in SolidWorks and committing to physical geometry

00:12:30 – Difficulty, fairness, and rejecting fake ball-save solutions

00:14:05 – One-minute crash course on how TNA actually plays

00:15:45 – Cut features, star rollovers, and location reliability

00:18:30 – Writing the code, abusing frameworks, and making it work

00:21:30 – Seeing TNA and StepManiacs on location for the first time

00:24:45 – Dance game culture, bar holders, and competitive absurdity

00:27:30 – Rapid-fire Q&A begins and homebrew realities

00:29:45 – Code updates, tournament balance, and fixing multiball abuse

00:33:30 – Letting the game fight back and physical battle stories

00:36:00 – Live performance plans and modular synth rabbit holes

00:39:30 – Sound design philosophy and integrating live systems

00:44:00 – Community questions, shows, and creative longevity

00:49:30 – Staying involved with TNA years after release

00:55:00 – Pinball as an evolving system, not a finished product

01:01:00 – Reflections on difficulty, mastery, and player psychology

01:07:30 – Future projects, collaborations, and saying no to burnout

01:14:00 – Long-tail audience questions and deep nerd tangents

01:21:30 – Closing thoughts on creation, ownership, and legacy

01:30:45 – Final goodbyes and Great Pyramid sign-off

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