ART &
SPACE

With input from Black Hole's artist: Terry Doerzaph

The export version single backglass is nice enough, but it pales into insignificance compared to the domestic version, with it's spinning disk, double mirrored backglasses and surrounding chase lights.
Black Hole is truly striking. It's playfield edges an irridescent blue surrounding a dark core creates a stunning effect. Looking down from above, the apparent visual depth is incredible. It's enticing, mesmerising, sinister, it draws you in! The plastic shields blend seamlessly in.
Spelling out BLACK HOLE on the upper-playfield's 2 banks of drop-targets makes a visit to the lower playfield worthwhile through 2x and 3x "g-force" scoring. The group of 3 pop-bumpers ensure that the ball is just a blur. Keep the ball in play and up at these pop-bumpers and you can expect to clear a bank of the bordering drop-targets in a flash.
>
The 4 awkwardly placed yellow spot targets flanking the re-entry tube at the right of the playfield are the key to setting up multiball. Unless all 4 are hit with one ball, the upper playfield's Captive Hole will never be activated and multiball will never happen.
The lower playfield is the eponymous "Black Hole" and is packed full of features. Note that the lower playfield slopes away from the player who must flip the ball(s) back towards him/herself.
The 6-digit display at the bottom of the playfield window tracks the Bonus (points scored on the lower playfield). Bonus points are hard to come by if the orange 2x or 3x "g-force" scoring lamps are not lit
The turnaround lane in the upper left corner of the main playfield is the Gravity Tunnel, the route to the lower playfield.

Looking into the "Black Hole" through a window in the main playfield (as on Haunted House).
A player's view of the action on the lower playfield. Most of the lower playfield area remains hidden.
Completing a drop-target bank in the "Black Hole" opens the Re-entry Gate, allowing ball(s) lost below to return into play.
With the room lights down, the awesome beauty of Black Hole makes a deep impression as the displays and general illumination pick out the details of the colours in the sea of blackness.
Memories of TERRY DOERZAPH, Black Hole's Artist:
"One comment about my painting was that the space suits on the astronauts were too form fitting. They did not look realistic to what our astronauts wore. My answer was that, by the time man is capable of approaching a black hole in space, he would have the ability to develop a streamlined space suit."
"The idea for the infinity effect of the Black Hole backglass, I believe came from Richard Tracy. There were of course, many people involved. To the best of my knowledge, the rotating disk concept was an original for a pinball backglass. Because a black hole is invisible, I had artistic freedom to create the image using my own imagination. The only restriction I had was to create a spiral design that when it rotated, would give the effect of being pulled into the black hole. I do have the original backglass painting for the rotating disk. It measures 20" in diameter, rendered with airbrush on illustration board."
Terry is quoted from a personal letter dated 11 July '99. A million thanks to him!

Space-walk back to the BLACK HOLE

Last updated: 04.August 2004