Meet The Team... Eric Priepke - Winchester Mystery House - Software Engineering & Programming

The next stop in our Winchester Mystery House series introduces Eric Priepke — the software engineer and programmer behind the house’s mind-bending code. From scripting the complex logic that ties every haunted room together to balancing the chaotic layers of light, sound, and animation, Eric helped the house come alive in ways that only a true programmer could appreciate. His precision work is what makes each mode flow seamlessly into the next, turning chaos into a ghostly symphony of logic. 🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid: 📡 Twitch – twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball 📺 YouTube – youtube.com/@dirtypoolpinball 📷 Instagram – instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball 📘 Facebook – facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball 00:00:00 – Introducing Eric Priepke and the brains behind Winchester’s code 00:01:07 – Falling into pinball from early computer life and ISP work 00:03:22 – Color DMD days and the puzzle-solving mindset that shaped him 00:05:50 – From Cactus Canyon rewrite to meeting Scott Danesi at Expo 00:07:29 – How Spooky Pinball led to Barrels of Fun and Rick and Morty 00:08:41 – Keeping passion alive when creative work becomes a job 00:09:52 – Transitioning from Dune to Winchester and tackling room logic 00:12:21 – Inside the Mission Pinball Framework and its pros and limits 00:14:52 – Making complex lighting and display code work efficiently 00:16:55 – Open-source curiosity vs. licensed reality – why code stays closed 00:18:44 – Lighting design teamwork with Trent and crafting attract modes 00:20:08 – Power efficiency tricks using RGBW LEDs and white channels 00:21:22 – Texture memory juggling for dual displays and transparency limits 00:24:10 – Taming the turntable – how to spin safely without chaos 00:26:49 – First seeing Winchester fully dressed at Expo and initial awe 00:28:24 – Balancing updates across Labyrinth, Dune, and Winchester 00:29:58 – How good is Eric at pinball? (And Jeff’s scale of doom) 00:31:00 – Tall people, low doorways, and genetic pinball theories 00:33:06 – Why both hate video modes and love mechanical mini-games 00:35:10 – Handling airballs and impossible switch orders in real pinball 00:38:09 – Lighting philosophy – purposeful, not constant spectacle 00:39:39 – Spirit Energy mode – turning a multiplier into a sensory moment 00:45:00 – How audio collaboration reshaped Barrels’ internal workflow 00:46:20 – Learning the audio side – Eric on trusting Jeff’s instincts 00:47:24 – David Van Es drops in – team gratitude and Expo reflections 00:48:19 – Coding empathy – making early gameplay rewarding for everyone 00:50:05 – Advice for coders who want to cross into pinball 00:51:04 – Hidden features still to come – yes, more flashers are coming 00:53:13 – 3 000 plays later – feedback loops and show-floor lessons 00:54:23 – Dune’s quiet comeback – how word of mouth changed minds 00:56:02 – Running down Eric’s 12-game collection in 30 seconds flat 00:59:35 – The Raven thing... 01:00:46 – Would he rather own Raven or Bone Busters? The answer burns bridges 01:01:35 – Closing thoughts – why he codes, creates, and keeps building worlds #DirtyPoolPinball #WinchesterMysteryHouse #BarrelsOfFun #PinballProgramming #GameCode #EricPriepke #PinballDesign #HauntedPinball #PinballCommunity #PinballMachine #CodeLogic #PinballLife #ArcadeCulture #PinballWizard #GamingCulture #RetroGaming #PinballAddict #PinballSoftware #DirtyPoolPodcast #HauntedHousePinball #CodedByEric #PinballDev #ArcadeGaming #PinballMinds #BehindTheCode #MeetTheTeam #PinballEnthusiast #GameLogic