Houston Arcade Expo Recap

November 28, 2022November 28, 2022

Well, another legendary Week of WPPRS culminating with the Space City Open and Women’s Interstellar Showdown is officially on the books!

**Congratulations to our open winners:**
1. Colin MacAlpine, 2. Jim Mueller, 3. Tim Sexton, and 4. Mark Meserve

**Belle’s Interstellar Showdown Champions:**
1. Tracy Abrahams, 2. Lee Ann Scardina, 3. Elizabeth Savoie Dronet, 4. Emily Hoffman

It can’t be understated how much a team effort it is putting together a week of tournaments like this. It’s so awesome to see our community come together, help each other out, and put on a kick ass show! PREMIERE!
Long, but totally warranted list of thank you’s below!
Thanks to everyone who donated games to the tournament and SCPL booth, those who helped fix and repair games, and to everyone who stuck around to help set up and tear down the games, tournament room and booth. Thanks to Wormhole Pinball and Jamie Burchell for providing excellent streaming coverage of the finals! Thanks to Jim Mueller for donating flipper rebuild kits! Thanks to Quasar’s Arcade for the $500 prize pool donation! Thanks to Kalieda Fest Wear and 8 Bit Arcade for the fantastic women’s prizes! And lastly, thanks to Keith Christensen and the Arcade Expo for trusting us to run the tournaments.

	October 2024
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
		1 NASA 3X Tuesday NASA 3X Tuesday Starts: 6:30 PM Ends: October 1, 2024 - 10:00 PM Location: The Game Preserve NASA, 20810 Gulf Fwy Suite Z, Webster, TX 77598, USA Description: 3 strike knockout tournament at The Game Preserve NASA starting at 6:30 every other Tuesday night. Ten dollar admission to the venue, games are on free play, one dollar for IFPA fees. Strikes for 3rd and 4th for 4 player games, 3rd for 3 player games. Last person without 3 strikes is the winner. More details... Three Strike Tuesday Three Strike Tuesday Starts: 6:30 PM Ends: October 1, 2024 - 10:30 PM Location: The Game Preserve, 473 Sawdust Rd, Spring, TX 77380, USA Description: Players are placed in groups of 3-4 and play on a random machine. The bottom two players (bottom player in three player groups) of each game receive a “strike”. Players who receive three strikes are eliminated. More details... EinStein's PhysXXX Fall Semester Q1 EinStein's PhysXXX Fall Semester Q1 Starts: 7:00 PM Ends: October 1, 2024 - 10:00 PM Description: EinStein's PhysXXX Syllabus - Fall Semester Q1 2024 Instructor: Space City Pinball League Course Curriculum: The PhysXXX curriculum includes interactions of matter and energy, velocity, accelerations, force, and momentum. Space Cadets will test their skills to manipulate physical matter using electricity and mechanical engineering constructs. Course Instructions: SCPL Cadets will assembly in small study groups of 3-4. Each group will attempt to outperform their group peers in a test of skill on one of the specialized electromechanical PhysXXX simulators available. SCPL Cadets will perform 3 rounds of 2 games each class session. The series will be 6 weeks long with a minimum attendance of 4 weeks. Cadets desiring to audit for less than 4 weeks are welcome to attend. SCPL Cadets best 4 overall weekly class session scores will be aggregated to determine final class rank. Material's List: $1 for IFPA fees & coin-Dropbox Prerequisite: age 21+, familiarity with concepts such as "fun" and "a good time" Electronic Devices: Students should be able to access http://Next.Matchplay.events/ on a personal electronic device. SCPL Cadet Handbook: http://www.spacecitypinball.com/ More details... • • •	2	3	4 Eureka Heights Friday Tournament Eureka Heights Friday Tournament Starts: 6:30 PM Ends: October 4, 2024 - 9:30 PM Location: 941 W 18th St, Houston, TX 77008, USA Description: Group matchplay from 6:30 to 9:30. Top 8 finals. More details... •	5 Week of WPPRs: Wormhole 4X Week of WPPRs: Wormhole 4X Starts: 1:00 PM Ends: October 5, 2024 - 5:00 PM Location: 2017 N Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77008, USA Description: Monthly 4X Tournament at Wormhole - April 1, 2022 Players are placed in groups of 3-4 and play on a random machine. The bottom two players (bottom player in three player groups) of each game receive a “strike”. Players who receive four strikes are eliminated. $20 More details... •
6 Week of WPPRs: EinStein's Drainiacs Week of WPPRs: EinStein's Drainiacs Starts: 1:00 PM Ends: October 6, 2024 - 6:00 PM Location: 873 S Mason Rd, Katy, TX 77450, USA Description: 4 Strikes Knockout 21+ More details... •	7 Week of WPPRs: 3x and Whiskey at Poison Girl Week of WPPRs: 3x and Whiskey at Poison Girl Starts: 7:00 PM Ends: October 7, 2024 - 11:00 PM Location: 1641 Westheimer Rd B, Houston, TX 77006 Description: 7PM. 21+. 3x group knockout. Top 2 scores in a group do not get strikes. More details... •	8 NASA 3X Tuesday NASA 3X Tuesday Starts: 6:30 PM Ends: October 8, 2024 - 10:00 PM Location: The Game Preserve NASA, 20810 Gulf Fwy Suite Z, Webster, TX 77598, USA Description: 3 strike knockout tournament at The Game Preserve NASA starting at 6:30 every other Tuesday night. Ten dollar admission to the venue, games are on free play, one dollar for IFPA fees. Strikes for 3rd and 4th for 4 player games, 3rd for 3 player games. Last person without 3 strikes is the winner. More details... Three Strike Tuesday Three Strike Tuesday Starts: 6:30 PM Ends: October 8, 2024 - 10:30 PM Location: The Game Preserve, 473 Sawdust Rd, Spring, TX 77380, USA Description: Players are placed in groups of 3-4 and play on a random machine. The bottom two players (bottom player in three player groups) of each game receive a “strike”. Players who receive three strikes are eliminated. More details... • •	9 Week of WPPRs: 10 on Wen Won't Win Week of WPPRs: 10 on Wen Won't Win Starts: 7:00 PM Ends: October 9, 2024 - 11:00 PM Location: EinStein's Pub & Arcade, 16733 W Airport Blvd #290, Richmond, TX 77407, USA Description: Space City Pinball's Week of WPPR's Progressive Strikes Tourney. Start time is 7pm. Progressive strike knockout tournament, 10 strikes to give, 1 strike taken for 2nd place, 2 for 3rd and 3 for 4th. Last player with a strike left wins.Venue is non-smoking, coin drop. 1 dollar for IFPA fees. More details... •	10 Week of WPPRs: Max Matchplay Week of WPPRs: Max Matchplay Starts: 7:00 PM Ends: October 10, 2024 - 10:30 PM Description: Space City Pinball presents a Week of WPPRS! Join us for a fun Max Matchplay at EinStein's Pub the night before the Houston Arcade Expo. Houston's Space Cadets invite all pinball players who think they have the endurance, stamina, and flipper skills to walk away as the mighty maelstrom master. You’ll be paired against random opponents for 16 head to head matches on the largest selection of pinball machines in Katy, Texas. Most wins at the end of the competition takes the win! (no finals) Matchplay software will be used to facilitate the tournament and will automatically break ties. The rules will be explained on the night, so make sure you get there at 6:45 pm for the rundown. Tournament starts at 7pm sharp. Players must commit to playing all matches. You should not leave early. Coin drop. To help us prepare, please preregister using this link http://matchplay.live/weekofwpprsmax. Preregistration opens on 9/28/2024. (There is no player limit but preregistration is still required.) More details... •	11 Houston Arcade Expo Houston Arcade Expo Starts: 12:00 AM Ends: October 13, 2024 - 11:59 PM More details... SCO Go/No Go Launch Readiness Test SCO Go/No Go Launch Readiness Test Starts: 10:00 AM Ends: October 11, 2024 - 1:00 PM Location: Houston Marriott Westchase, 2900 Briarpark Dr, Houston, TX 77042, USA Description: SCPL is recruiting cadets to assist with launch readiness testing in the hours preceding the SCO liftoff! Your primary objective is to stress test and gather data on our launch vehicles. Players are expected to remain calm during any and all launch failures. The event will take place at the 10am the morning of the first Space City Open qualifying session. Format Fair strikes format. 5 strikes per player. (0-1-2 in 3 player groups, 0-1-1-2 in 4 player groups). Swiss pairing. Balanced game selection. Balanced player order. 48 player limit. The tournament will be managed using the next.matchplay.events website. The IFPA/PAPA rules will be used. Proper etiquette is expected. Pre-Registration and Fees Registration opens on Saturday, October 5 at 10am. https://app.matchplay.events/tournaments/149543 There will be a $5 fee, paid in CASH at check in. Fees will be used to cover awards and miscellaneous expenses. Any remaining fees will be paid out to the highest finishing finalists: 40% to 1st, 30% to 2nd, 20% to 3rd, and 10% to 4th. More details... Space City Open Space City Open Starts: 5:00 PM Ends: October 12, 2024 - 11:00 PM Location: Houston Marriott Westchase, 2900 Briarpark Dr, Houston, TX 77042, USA Description: See https://www.houstonarcadeexpo.com/space-city-open-pinball-tournament/ for more info. Preregistration for SCO is August 3rd at 11am. FRIDAY 8am Load in and set up 10am Go/No Go Pre-Tournament - First Come/First Serve $20 entry. 4pm Space City Open Practice Session (1 Hour) 4:30pm Early Group Check in & Registration 5pm Early Group, Rounds 1-6 Begin 7:30pm Late Group Check in & Registration 8pm Late Group, rounds 1-6 Begin SATURDAY 9am Early Group, rounds 7-12 begin 12pm Late Group, rounds 7-12 begin 3:00pm Tiebreakers 4pm A Division Finals Round 1 6pm A Division Finals Round 2 8pm A Division Finals Round 3; Women’s Tournament in Space City Booth 10pm A Division Finals Round 4 More details... • • •	12 Interstellar Showdown Women's Pinball Tournament Interstellar Showdown Women's Pinball Tournament Starts: 12:00 AM Ends: October 13, 2024 - 11:59 PM Location: Houston Marriott Westchase, 2900 Briarpark Dr, Houston, TX 77042, USA Description: This matchplay tournament will take place during the Houston Arcade Expo with qualifying rounds on Saturday, October 12 and finals for the top 8 on Sunday, October 13. A Houston Arcade Expo show pass is required to participate. Check in on Saturday between 3-4pm or between 7-7:30pm at the tournament desk where an entry fee of $10 CASH will be collected. We will meet in the tournament room on Saturday at 7:45pm for announcements and a group picture so the tournament may begin promptly at 8pm. We will walk together to the show floor on the other side of the hotel for the tournament. Games on both the show floor and the tournament room will be used. It is our intention to use the games in the Space City booth for the qualifying rounds and the games in the tournament room for finals; however, any game on the floor or in the tournament may be used should the need arise. Check in for finals is at 9am Sunday morning. Finals will be streamed on Twitch by Wormhole Pinball. More details... •
13	14	15 NASA 3X Tuesday NASA 3X Tuesday Starts: 6:30 PM Ends: October 15, 2024 - 10:00 PM Location: The Game Preserve NASA, 20810 Gulf Fwy Suite Z, Webster, TX 77598, USA Description: 3 strike knockout tournament at The Game Preserve NASA starting at 6:30 every other Tuesday night. Ten dollar admission to the venue, games are on free play, one dollar for IFPA fees. Strikes for 3rd and 4th for 4 player games, 3rd for 3 player games. Last person without 3 strikes is the winner. More details... Three Strike Tuesday Three Strike Tuesday Starts: 6:30 PM Ends: October 15, 2024 - 10:30 PM Location: The Game Preserve, 473 Sawdust Rd, Spring, TX 77380, USA Description: Players are placed in groups of 3-4 and play on a random machine. The bottom two players (bottom player in three player groups) of each game receive a “strike”. Players who receive three strikes are eliminated. More details... EinStein's PhysXXX Fall Semester Q2 EinStein's PhysXXX Fall Semester Q2 Starts: 7:00 PM Ends: October 15, 2024 - 10:00 PM Description: EinStein's PhysXXX Syllabus - Fall Semester Q2 2024 Instructor: Space City Pinball League Course Curriculum: The PhysXXX curriculum includes interactions of matter and energy, velocity, accelerations, force, and momentum. Space Cadets will test their skills to manipulate physical matter using electricity and mechanical engineering constructs. Course Instructions: SCPL Cadets will assembly in small study groups of 3-4. Each group will attempt to outperform their group peers in a test of skill on one of the specialized electromechanical PhysXXX simulators available. SCPL Cadets will perform 3 rounds of 2 games each class session. The series will be 6 weeks long with a minimum attendance of 4 weeks. Cadets desiring to audit for less than 4 weeks are welcome to attend. SCPL Cadets best 4 overall weekly class session scores will be aggregated to determine final class rank. Material's List: $1 for IFPA fees & coin-Dropbox Prerequisite: age 21+, familiarity with concepts such as "fun" and "a good time" Electronic Devices: Students should be able to access http://Next.Matchplay.events/ on a personal electronic device. SCPL Cadet Handbook: http://www.spacecitypinball.com/ More details... • • •	16 Belles Ladies League Nights Belles Ladies League Nights Starts: 7:00 PM Ends: October 16, 2024 - 9:00 PM Location: 19318 Wood Village Ln, Houston, TX 77084, USA Description: Women of all ages in the Houston area are invited to join the Belles of Space City during our fall league nights. We will play at the home of one of our members on her private collection. $20 entry for the season The women's league season will consist of six weeks of matchplay qualifying. Each week players will compete in groups of four on six different games. Players will be awarded points based on finishing position. Points will accumulate across the season to determine overall league standing. The best 4 weeks will be used, so players can safely drop two weeks. The top players will be eligible for a finals, which will use a group elimination format (aka PAPA style). These competitions will take place at a private location. Please contact the tournament director if you plan to attend either by email bellesandchimeshouston@gmail.com or spacecitypinball@gmail.com or by responding to the facebook event. More details... •	17	18	19 Monthly Matchplay Monthly Matchplay Starts: 4:00 PM Ends: October 19, 2024 - 10:00 PM Location: The Game Preserve, 473 Sawdust Rd, Spring, TX 77380, USA Description: $5 for the tournament in addition to admission to The Game Preserve arcade. 7 rounds of qualifying of matchplay Top 8 in A finals Everyone else invited to a B division 2 strike knockout All ages. All skills. All fun. Visit www.spacecitypinball.com/monthly-tournaments/ for more information! More details... •
20	21 Wormhole 3X Wormhole 3X Starts: 6:30 PM Ends: October 21, 2024 - 10:30 PM Location: 2017 N Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77008, USA Description: Players are placed in groups of 3-4 and play on a random machine. The bottom two players (bottom player in three player groups) of each game receive a “strike”. Players who receive three strikes are eliminated.$15 More details... •	22 NASA 3X Tuesday NASA 3X Tuesday Starts: 6:30 PM Ends: October 22, 2024 - 10:00 PM Location: The Game Preserve NASA, 20810 Gulf Fwy Suite Z, Webster, TX 77598, USA Description: 3 strike knockout tournament at The Game Preserve NASA starting at 6:30 every other Tuesday night. Ten dollar admission to the venue, games are on free play, one dollar for IFPA fees. Strikes for 3rd and 4th for 4 player games, 3rd for 3 player games. Last person without 3 strikes is the winner. More details... Three Strike Tuesday Three Strike Tuesday Starts: 6:30 PM Ends: October 22, 2024 - 10:30 PM Location: The Game Preserve, 473 Sawdust Rd, Spring, TX 77380, USA Description: Players are placed in groups of 3-4 and play on a random machine. The bottom two players (bottom player in three player groups) of each game receive a “strike”. Players who receive three strikes are eliminated. More details... EinStein's PhysXXX Fall Semester Q2 EinStein's PhysXXX Fall Semester Q2 Starts: 7:00 PM Ends: October 22, 2024 - 10:00 PM Description: EinStein's PhysXXX Syllabus - Fall Semester Q2 2024 Instructor: Space City Pinball League Course Curriculum: The PhysXXX curriculum includes interactions of matter and energy, velocity, accelerations, force, and momentum. Space Cadets will test their skills to manipulate physical matter using electricity and mechanical engineering constructs. Course Instructions: SCPL Cadets will assembly in small study groups of 3-4. Each group will attempt to outperform their group peers in a test of skill on one of the specialized electromechanical PhysXXX simulators available. SCPL Cadets will perform 3 rounds of 2 games each class session. The series will be 6 weeks long with a minimum attendance of 4 weeks. Cadets desiring to audit for less than 4 weeks are welcome to attend. SCPL Cadets best 4 overall weekly class session scores will be aggregated to determine final class rank. Material's List: $1 for IFPA fees & coin-Dropbox Prerequisite: age 21+, familiarity with concepts such as "fun" and "a good time" Electronic Devices: Students should be able to access http://Next.Matchplay.events/ on a personal electronic device. SCPL Cadet Handbook: http://www.spacecitypinball.com/ More details... • • •	23 Belles Ladies League Nights Belles Ladies League Nights Starts: 7:00 PM Ends: October 23, 2024 - 9:00 PM Location: 19318 Wood Village Ln, Houston, TX 77084, USA Description: Women of all ages in the Houston area are invited to join the Belles of Space City during our fall league nights. We will play at the home of one of our members on her private collection. $20 entry for the season The women's league season will consist of six weeks of matchplay qualifying. Each week players will compete in groups of four on six different games. Players will be awarded points based on finishing position. Points will accumulate across the season to determine overall league standing. The best 4 weeks will be used, so players can safely drop two weeks. The top players will be eligible for a finals, which will use a group elimination format (aka PAPA style). These competitions will take place at a private location. Please contact the tournament director if you plan to attend either by email bellesandchimeshouston@gmail.com or spacecitypinball@gmail.com or by responding to the facebook event. More details... •	24	25 Full Plunge - A 3X Bayou Bash Kickoff Tournament Full Plunge - A 3X Bayou Bash Kickoff Tournament Starts: 6:30 PM Ends: October 25, 2024 - 10:30 PM Location: 304 N Main St, Houston, TX 77002, USA Description: Players are placed in groups of 3-4 and play on a random machine. The bottom two players (bottom player in three player groups) of each game receive a “strike”. Players who receive three strikes are eliminated. Machines on coin drop. More details... •	26 Wormhole Bayou Bash - Main Event Wormhole Bayou Bash - Main Event Starts: 10:00 AM Ends: October 27, 2024 - 9:00 PM Location: 2017 N Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77008, USA Description: Wormhole's 6th Annual Bayou Bash! MUST PRE REGISTER starting Saturday October 2nd at 12PM. Use this link to sign up - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/6th-annual-bayou-bash-at-the-wormhole-tickets-1006838199157?aff=oddtdtcreator There will be a limit of 64 players. COSTUMES ABSOLUTELY ENCOURAGED - there will be trophies for best costumes! Main Event Qualifying: 10 rounds of group matchplay with two games each round - an 'old' game and a 'new' game, Tiered Swiss Pairing - top 24 make finals and the top 8 receive a bye. 9AM Doors Open 10AM Tournament Starts We'll take at least one - 1 hour break, to be determined based on how long the rounds go. We may take another if we need to. More details... •
27 EinStein's=MatchplayCompetition² EinStein's=MatchplayCompetition² Starts: 1:00 PM Ends: October 27, 2024 - 7:00 PM Location: 16733 W Airport Blvd #290 Richmond, TX 77407 Description: 7 rounds of matchplay qualifying. PAPA finals for top 8. 1 PM start. All ages welcome. $1 + coin drop. More details... •	28	29 NASA 3X Tuesday NASA 3X Tuesday Starts: 6:30 PM Ends: October 29, 2024 - 10:00 PM Location: The Game Preserve NASA, 20810 Gulf Fwy Suite Z, Webster, TX 77598, USA Description: 3 strike knockout tournament at The Game Preserve NASA starting at 6:30 every other Tuesday night. Ten dollar admission to the venue, games are on free play, one dollar for IFPA fees. Strikes for 3rd and 4th for 4 player games, 3rd for 3 player games. Last person without 3 strikes is the winner. More details... Three Strike Tuesday Three Strike Tuesday Starts: 6:30 PM Ends: October 29, 2024 - 10:30 PM Location: The Game Preserve, 473 Sawdust Rd, Spring, TX 77380, USA Description: Players are placed in groups of 3-4 and play on a random machine. The bottom two players (bottom player in three player groups) of each game receive a “strike”. Players who receive three strikes are eliminated. More details... EinStein's PhysXXX Fall Semester Q2 EinStein's PhysXXX Fall Semester Q2 Starts: 7:00 PM Ends: October 29, 2024 - 10:00 PM Description: EinStein's PhysXXX Syllabus - Fall Semester Q2 2024 Instructor: Space City Pinball League Course Curriculum: The PhysXXX curriculum includes interactions of matter and energy, velocity, accelerations, force, and momentum. Space Cadets will test their skills to manipulate physical matter using electricity and mechanical engineering constructs. Course Instructions: SCPL Cadets will assembly in small study groups of 3-4. Each group will attempt to outperform their group peers in a test of skill on one of the specialized electromechanical PhysXXX simulators available. SCPL Cadets will perform 3 rounds of 2 games each class session. The series will be 6 weeks long with a minimum attendance of 4 weeks. Cadets desiring to audit for less than 4 weeks are welcome to attend. SCPL Cadets best 4 overall weekly class session scores will be aggregated to determine final class rank. Material's List: $1 for IFPA fees & coin-Dropbox Prerequisite: age 21+, familiarity with concepts such as "fun" and "a good time" Electronic Devices: Students should be able to access http://Next.Matchplay.events/ on a personal electronic device. SCPL Cadet Handbook: http://www.spacecitypinball.com/ More details... • • •	30 Belles Ladies League Nights Belles Ladies League Nights Starts: 7:00 PM Ends: October 30, 2024 - 9:00 PM Location: 19318 Wood Village Ln, Houston, TX 77084, USA Description: Women of all ages in the Houston area are invited to join the Belles of Space City during our fall league nights. We will play at the home of one of our members on her private collection. $20 entry for the season The women's league season will consist of six weeks of matchplay qualifying. Each week players will compete in groups of four on six different games. Players will be awarded points based on finishing position. Points will accumulate across the season to determine overall league standing. The best 4 weeks will be used, so players can safely drop two weeks. The top players will be eligible for a finals, which will use a group elimination format (aka PAPA style). These competitions will take place at a private location. Please contact the tournament director if you plan to attend either by email bellesandchimeshouston@gmail.com or spacecitypinball@gmail.com or by responding to the facebook event. More details... •	31