Devious Fish
Music daemons & more
profile for Perette at Stack Overflow, Q&A for professional and enthusiast programmers

Skeez Ball

Skeez Ball—left artwork

Skeez Ball is built from the carcass of an ICE Iceball game, retaining the cabinet, sensors, and ticket dispenser. A less-featured, more family-friendly version of the game might also reuse the power supply and ball solenoid, if available.

The game involves up to 3 participants: one bowler and two who are rewarded when the bowler receives points. In addition to a standardish Skeeball, there are variations that indicate bonuses on the game's display, and adjusts points (and other rewards) based on correct hole and/or timing. There's even a two-player competitive game, allowing a fourth participant.

Rewards are given by driving a wired vibe or insertable egg using pulse-width modulation ("PWM") to adjust intensity. Compatible devices have a 3/32" = 2.5mm jack with a 5V drive. We had some "dancing eggs" custom-manufactured by Ningbo Echo Int'l Trade Co., Ltd with a 2m cable; also compatible are 6V drive (4 batteries) such as the CalExotics Sterling Collection, and 4.5V drive (3 batteries), such as the now-discontinued Good Vibes King, Queen, or Ace bullets. Vibes must not have embedded electronic controls, which are incompatible with the PWM supplied by the game.

An adapter allows use with 3V vibes such as the Cal Exotics Dr. Laura Bergman Collection without burning them out.

Skeez Ball also supports plugged Wands, but these only start and stop for periods (no PWM/intensity variation). An adapter to convert PWM output to a line-level audio signal for use with TENS units is also available.

Each recipient is given a "consent handle", which allows them to switch-off participation if it becomes too much. Vibration is stopped by two mechanisms: electromechanically by a relay that cuts power when consent is removed, and via software that reads a separate signal returned by the consent handle. There will be no Therac-25 sequels on our watch.

This game made its premiere at the Rochester Erotic Art Festival in April 2024, and got its first major workout at Camp Crucible starting Memorial Day weekend.

Year 2023-2024
Platform RaspberryPi
Additional kit Custom made PCBs
12V LED lighting panels
+5/+12/+24V power supply
PVC electrical enclosures
Stepper/motor controller hat/bonnet for RaspberryPi
Relays
Solenoid
27" widescreen monitor
Sensors used GPIO
Original Iceball opto-sensors
Connectors AMP 2-, 4-, 6, 12- and 15-pin connectors (to cabinet)
molex 0.093 series 2- and 4-pin connectors (to cabinet)
JST XH 2- and 4-pin (internal)
0.1" (2.54mm) pitch pin headers (internal)
Avionics 4- and 6-pin connectors (consent handles, button panel)
2.5mm TR phone jacks, tip positive (vibes)
Participants One or two bowlers, two recipients, two vibe channels per participant.
Subgames
  • Skeezball—the common game
  • Pleasure Wave—adds a timing element
  • Surprise!—choose stimulation delivered via hole sunk
  • Bash-a-Beaver—score and stimulate more by hitting the beaver
  • SinWave—an EKG-like strip shows upcoming stimulation, choose by timing your sink.
  • Chicken—a two-player game similar to the darts game Cricket.
Other games