Blackout

For several Williams games (especially before 1987), Speech Processing was a separate task than Software Programming and may have been done by a different person than whom we list as having done the Software. Paul Dussault did the French Speech Processing for this game. This playfield layout was also used on Rowamet's 'Heavy Metal' and Taito do Brasil's 1983 'Vortex'. A nearly identical layout was used on Williams' 1982 'Warlok'. The first game designed and produced with Lane Change was Williams' 1980 'Firepower'. Blackout was the first Williams pin game to have computer-controlled general illumination, used for the "BLACKOUT" sequence. This was accomplished using a relay mounted to the backbox floor, called the G.I. Relay, which cut power to all playfield lamps. An earlier game that has this feature is Stern's 1980 'Galaxy' which came out a few months before. Prior to "Blackout", all solid state games from this manufacturer used four bolts to attach the backbox to the cabinet. With "Blackout" and later games, Williams used only two bolts even if the steel was still stamped for four holes. Compare the backglass artwork to the front cover page of the November 1968 issue of the Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. comic book. Artist Constantino Mitchell told us the following information about the original backglass artwork (shown in this listing):I want Ed Paschke to get credit for Blackout backglass design. He did the original art concept. Ed Paschke was my teacher and mentor at the Art Institute of Chicago. His usage of color influenced me for the rest of my life. Upper management didn't like the artwork and had me redo it in my style.