61 replies to this topic

[rob046]

File Name: Gilligan's Island (Mod VP913)
File Submitter: rob046
File Submitted: 26 Oct 2012
File Category: VP/VPinMAME 9.x - MOD Tables
Author(s): epthegeek
rob046 (Mod)
Manufacturer: Bally
Year: 1991
ROM: Link to ROM
Permission to MOD?: Unspecified

By default this table is set for 16:10 Widescreen. For 4:3 users, set x-scale to 1.3
For 16:9 Widescreen, x-scale to .975

Thanks to epthegeek for letting me mod, & he did a nice job with this table, especially the super complex rotating platform!
I think all the bugs are now nailed down but if not please let me know. I know at least 1 of the bugs had existed since the 1st ever VPM version of the table, so this may be the 1st time ever that the table rules function 100%.

Did a lot of things with this mod all over. First is new physics all over. B2B collision installed, as is JF's flipper tap code. Desktop release now has all higher res graphics that the FS version had (also new backdrop). Before there weren't really any flashers, now I've added all flasher effects (fading). Clear ramps are now alpha ramps. Alpha plunger added. New kicker area visually & a magnet there to help create saucer effect. Added cards to the apron, moved shooter lane down. Added just a little lighting. Yes the table could be darker & show off more lighting, but IMHO this is more of a day table anyways & wouldn't look as nice in a darker environment like many other tables do. Lastly I added some new sounds. I'm likely forgetting some things but these are the more noteworthy changes.

Original Notes from epthegeek:
This recreation of Gilligans Island by Bally would not have been possible at all without all the previous work that so many great table creators have done. It was only by looking at their work that I was able to do any of this. Huge, HUGE thanks to all of them - JPSalas in particular, as I'm sure I borrowed more of his genius than anyone else.

Click here to download this file

Edited by rob046, 03 November 2012 - 03:36 AM.

[Herweh]

Wow, looks great. Are you planning to do a fullscreen version?

[Shadowsclassic]

Ah, I finally understand the rotating platform. Nice improvements , I rotated it and shoe horned it into my cab.

[thewool]

Just been playing this on my desktop, a really really nice mod Rob, thanks for sharing this one. This is a good pin, haven't played enough of the real thing in my lifetime so am cracking on now.

The rotating platform seems complex as... the only man I know who has the DNA for stuff like this is koadic

If you did decide to to a full screen version that would be the icing on the cake. If not I'm just grateful for this one.

Cheers dude and to all the other dudes who've helped put this VP version together

[koadic]

Thanks for the kind words thewool... I just like puzzles and finding creative solutions to problems.

As far as the platform issue goes, I really suck trying to play the table, so can only assume what you are referring to is it not fully rotating to a usable position, is this right? If so, I have a couple of thoughts, but really need to reproduce the same thing consistently to try out a few things... any shortcuts that you know of that might help in this regard?

[Pin-Pete]

Thank you,rob! Looks awesome.Gonna try it right now.

[faralos]

Sweet...gotta' play it (if only for a three hour tour!)

[koadic]

Alright, I messed around with it a little bit and think I fixed the platform issue...

Old code (extra apostrophes added to make it more readable):

'island mech'
Set mIsland=New cvpmmech
With mIsland
.mtype=vpmMechOneSol+vpmMechCircle+vpmMechLinear'onedirsol'
.sol1=9
.length=300
.steps=34
'Sw77 is the opto - It's mostly off
'There is one gap for each stop - and a long gap for the home position'
'The switch would be 'on' during the gaps and off otherwise'
'I think each position is just after a pulse of the opto - since the home is a long pulse'
' so it must stop when the switch turns back off'
.AddSw 77,6,6 ' First on gap is 1 position before key 1'
.AddSw 77,13,13 ' Second on gap is 1 position before key 2'
.AddSw 77,20,20 ' Third on gap is 1 position before key 3'
.AddSw 77,27,27 ' Fourth on gap is 1 position before key 4'
.AddSw 77,31,33 ' This is the 'long' gap on for several positions before key 0'
.callback=getref("UpdateIsland")
.start
End With

New code:

'island mech'
Set mIsland=New cvpmmech
With mIsland
.mtype=vpmMechOneSol+vpmMechCircle+vpmMechLinear'onedirsol'
.sol1=9
.length=306 '<-changed only to make a multiple of 34'
.steps=34
'Sw77 is the opto - It's mostly off
'There is one gap for each stop - and a long gap for the home position'
'The switch would be 'on' during the gaps and off otherwise'
'I think each position is just after a pulse of the opto - since the home is a long pulse'
' so it must stop when the switch turns back off'
.AddSw 77,1,6 ' First on gap is 1 position before key 1'
.AddSw 77,8,13 ' Second on gap is 1 position before key 2'
.AddSw 77,15,20 ' Third on gap is 1 position before key 3'
.AddSw 77,22,27 ' Fourth on gap is 1 position before key 4'
.AddSw 77,29,33 ' This is the 'long' gap on for several positions before key 0'
.callback=getref("UpdateIsland")
.start
End With

Reasoning behind the changes and why I made them: I decided it was a timing issue, as it didn't always happen with the same section each time it happend. Also, it was always only 1 step further than where it should have been. When inside the motor test, the opto switch was shown as being on almost constantly as opposed to the way the comments suggested it should act. I recall reading in one thread or another about optos being reversed as far as pinmame is concerned (1 is off, 0 is on, as 1 indicates an unbroken beam of light). So I increased the time the optos are off and only allowing them to come 'on' for the key positions (steps 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28). Afterwards I played 2 games on a modified table that easily allowed me to finish the secret formula and make the ramp shot up to the platform causing it to then rotate to a new position. With the above changes, I didn't have it mess up once, as opposed to before the changes.

Edited by koadic, 26 October 2012 - 04:53 PM.

[epthegeek]

Nice to see this project get a much needed buffing out. Thanks Rob! I orignially took it on because A) there was no decent version of GI available, and B) I really thought I'd be able to pull off the rotating island with geometry rather than images. It turned out to be a lot more complicated than I thought, so by the time I had it working even reasonably well I was ready to just wash my hands of the whole thing. So my original version is really bland on lights and such, robs update was something it really needed.

[kiwi]

Thank you, good table.
Take a look at the gate1 and spinner1, the color in the editor does not match with that of transparency.

Max

[bolt]

Thank you rob for this nice Table Mod. Great work.

[rob046]

Thank you, good table.
Take a look at the gate1 and spinner1, the color in the editor does not match with that of transparency.

Max

Hmm. It matches for me & the gates appear for me just as they should, though the 1 is really hard to see anyways. Yeah its fine here, so I'm not sure what is going on there.

Alright, I messed around with it a little bit and think I fixed the platform issue...

Old code (extra apostrophes added to make it more readable):

'island mech'
Set mIsland=New cvpmmech
With mIsland
.mtype=vpmMechOneSol+vpmMechCircle+vpmMechLinear'onedirsol'
.sol1=9
.length=300
.steps=34
'Sw77 is the opto - It's mostly off
'There is one gap for each stop - and a long gap for the home position'
'The switch would be 'on' during the gaps and off otherwise'
'I think each position is just after a pulse of the opto - since the home is a long pulse'
' so it must stop when the switch turns back off'
.AddSw 77,6,6 ' First on gap is 1 position before key 1'
.AddSw 77,13,13 ' Second on gap is 1 position before key 2'
.AddSw 77,20,20 ' Third on gap is 1 position before key 3'
.AddSw 77,27,27 ' Fourth on gap is 1 position before key 4'
.AddSw 77,31,33 ' This is the 'long' gap on for several positions before key 0'
.callback=getref("UpdateIsland")
.start
End With

New code:

'island mech'
Set mIsland=New cvpmmech
With mIsland
.mtype=vpmMechOneSol+vpmMechCircle+vpmMechLinear'onedirsol'
.sol1=9
.length=306 '<-changed only to make a multiple of 34'
.steps=34
'Sw77 is the opto - It's mostly off
'There is one gap for each stop - and a long gap for the home position'
'The switch would be 'on' during the gaps and off otherwise'
'I think each position is just after a pulse of the opto - since the home is a long pulse'
' so it must stop when the switch turns back off'
.AddSw 77,1,6 ' First on gap is 1 position before key 1'
.AddSw 77,8,13 ' Second on gap is 1 position before key 2'
.AddSw 77,15,20 ' Third on gap is 1 position before key 3'
.AddSw 77,22,27 ' Fourth on gap is 1 position before key 4'
.AddSw 77,29,33 ' This is the 'long' gap on for several positions before key 0'
.callback=getref("UpdateIsland")
.start
End With

Reasoning behind the changes and why I made them: I decided it was a timing issue, as it didn't always happen with the same section each time it happend. Also, it was always only 1 step further than where it should have been. When inside the motor test, the opto switch was shown as being on almost constantly as opposed to the way the comments suggested it should act. I recall reading in one thread or another about optos being reversed as far as pinmame is concerned (1 is off, 0 is on, as 1 indicates an unbroken beam of light). So I increased the time the optos are off and only allowing them to come 'on' for the key positions (steps 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28). Afterwards I played 2 games on a modified table that easily allowed me to finish the secret formula and make the ramp shot up to the platform causing it to then rotate to a new position. With the above changes, I didn't have it mess up once, as opposed to before the changes.

I am checking this out now! Thanks for looking at this, I'm sure we all appreciate it. I'll certainly update the table if all is good.

[rob046]

Beautiful! works great! Thanks so much, everything is so much nicer with that thing rotating like it should, plus the peace of mind knowing it shouldn't screw up & ruin your game.

To answer the FS question. Yes its coming. As I've been doing, I release in desktop first since that is what I use, then once any bugs (things like this) are sorted out, then I get the FS ready to go. Even though I don't even have the setup to even test FS properly, I still do my best. I'm a little annoyed that there are a lot of FS tables lately not being released in desktop as well. Its a real shame since most of the community is made up of desktop users. Its just real good for the hobby to release both versions of a table, especially when a conversion would only take but 5 or 10 minutes.

Edited by rob046, 26 October 2012 - 09:36 PM.

[kiwi]

The color of the transparency of the image of the gate, must be equal to the color of the gate, if the color is not the same, you see the pane of the gate, for the spinner is the same thing.
Sorry, but the translator does not always translate properly.

Thanks

Max

[Aaron James]

The changing of the table script did help me, because it never turns and lands on a blocked pathway anymore.
I still have a problem...
Half the time when i get the lava seltzer, the "island" doesn't turn, and the left ramp doesn't come down. It stays in the upright position.
If i "slam tilt" the game by hitting the button "home", it kind of resets the island, then it will work properly for a couple games i think until i hit "jungle run" , and then it gets messed up again
I think Jungle Run is messing up the timing/rotation of the island...does that make sense?
-Aaron

P.S. I'm using the Old FS table (not this new modded one)...but I switched out the Island Scripts.

Edited by Aaron James, 26 October 2012 - 09:34 PM.

[rob046]

The changing of the table script did help me, because it never turns and lands on a blocked pathway anymore.
I still have a problem...
Half the time when i get the lava seltzer, the "island" doesn't turn, and the left ramp doesn't come down. It stays in the upright position.
If i "slam tilt" the game by hitting the button "home", it kind of resets the island, then it will work properly for a couple games i think until i hit "jungle run" , and then it gets messed up again
I think Jungle Run is messing up the timing/rotation of the island...does that make sense?
-Aaron

P.S. I'm using the Old FS table (not this new modded one)...but I switched out the Island Scripts.

Well, that is your problem then, you won't get the improvements if you are playing the old table! The above code doesn't deal with the ramp, only the platform. As I explained in the description, there was numerous other things I sorted out as well with this release. The ramp issue was one of the bugs that have been there since the 1st release of this table many years ago, & I fixed it with this mod. So the table won't play right until you upgrade.

The color of the transparency of the image of the gate, must be equal to the color of the gate, if the color is not the same, you see the pane of the gate, for the spinner is the same thing.
Sorry, but the translator does not always translate properly.

Thanks

Max

Yeah I just don't have this problem, those gates look fine here. So I'm not sure what is going on. Can you maybe post a screenshot?

Edited by rob046, 26 October 2012 - 09:44 PM.

[koadic]

Actually, I was experiencing similar issues with the jungle run, and I have only ever played this version of this table, so I don't think it is 100% fixed yet. I just didn't get around to looking into that part of it yet.

Regardless, I am glad I was able to provide some help getting the platform to function correctly.

Edited by koadic, 26 October 2012 - 09:49 PM.

[Aaron James]

The changing of the table script did help me, because it never turns and lands on a blocked pathway anymore.
I still have a problem...
Half the time when i get the lava seltzer, the "island" doesn't turn, and the left ramp doesn't come down. It stays in the upright position.
If i "slam tilt" the game by hitting the button "home", it kind of resets the island, then it will work properly for a couple games i think until i hit "jungle run" , and then it gets messed up again
I think Jungle Run is messing up the timing/rotation of the island...does that make sense?
-Aaron

P.S. I'm using the Old FS table (not this new modded one)...but I switched out the Island Scripts.

Well, that is your problem then, you won't get the improvements if you are playing the old table! The above code doesn't deal with the ramp, only the platform. As I explained in the description, there was numerous other things I sorted out as well with this release. The ramp issue was one of the bugs that have been there since the 1st release of this table many years ago, & I fixed it with this mod. So the table won't play right until you upgrade.

The color of the transparency of the image of the gate, must be equal to the color of the gate, if the color is not the same, you see the pane of the gate, for the spinner is the same thing.
Sorry, but the translator does not always translate properly.

Thanks

Max

Yeah I just don't have this problem, those gates look fine here. So I'm not sure what is going on. Can you maybe post a screenshot?

I'm sorry, did you make a Full Screen Mod Version of this ?

[rob046]

Actually, I was experiencing similar issues with the jungle run, and I have only ever played this version of this table, so I don't think it is 100% fixed yet. I just didn't get around to looking into that part of it yet.

Regardless, I am glad I was able to provide some help getting the platform to function correctly.

I've only played 1 game, but I was able to collect all the ingredients & all the ramp shots worked great. You can also get the ramp shots through activating Jungle Run. I'll play a few more games & see if I can make it glitch.

I'm sorry, did you make a Full Screen Mod Version of this ?

I talked about this a few posts ago...
http://www.vpforums....14

[koadic]

Well, to elaborate a bit, the perceived issue I was having was that I initiated Jungle Run from the saucer up top and I would see it on the DMD but the ramp wouldn't drop.

Of course this only happened some of the time, and as I have never played the table previously, I wasn't sure if it was something wrong or if it was acting like it should and I just wasn't aware of what was actually supposed to happen.

Edited by koadic, 26 October 2012 - 10:22 PM.