A ramp needs somewhere to send the ball

I want the board to feel like an intentional pinball table. That means thinking past the entrance to a ramp or lane. Which flipper can shoot it? Where does the ball return? What happens when the shot is a little too weak?

The graybox work has been about that physical flow: sweeping ramps, readable entrances, useful returns, and enough open lower playfield to get the ball back under control. Filling every gap with another mechanism would make the table busy without necessarily making it better.

Ramps have also been a reminder that the physics has to agree with the geometry. Keeping the ball planted on the main board is useful, but stopping the upward movement it needs to climb a ramp is not. Weak shots should roll back; strong ones should have a chance to complete the route.

Then there’s simply being able to see the ball. Raised geometry can hide it, so a visibility highlight helps keep track of it behind the table’s structures. The physical layout and the player’s view need to work together.

The combat makes these shots matter in a different way, but it doesn’t replace their physical job. I still want to aim, make or miss a shot, and get another chance to take control.