158 replies to this topic

[jpsalas]

File Name: Attack from Mars VP914
File Submitter: jpsalas
File Submitted: 31 May 2009
File Category: VPinMAME 9.x Recreations
Author(s): jpsalas
Manufacturer: Bally
Year: 1995
Permission to MOD?: No

Based on the table Attack from Mars from Bally, 1995

New in 1.1

added the small UFOo leds, reflections, and some adjustments in the fading lights, nudge, Gi, and in the general settings. There are also a few new backdrops in the zip file.

Update 2.1 - 8 December 2010
Well, AFM is my favorite table, so as soon as I found a new graphics I had to update the table style_emoticons/default/smile.gif
So in this table you'll find a new playfield, with new lights, a new big ufo and some adjusted settings. And if you want some higher graphics then get them from the FS table style_emoticons/default/smile.gif

Enjoy!
JP

Update 2.2:
- fixed the ball hitting two posts on the side, now the ball go strait to the flippers, like in the real table.
- added some rubber and metal sounds.

Update 2.3
- updated for VP91x, with alpha ramps and some settings change.

Update 2.3.1
-reduced contact friction to 0,0025 (from 0,0035)
-changed ramps elasticity to 0,3
-changed hole script to prevent missing balls
-Added Gi light under the ramps

Click here to download this file

[Noah Fentz]

It looks like you have once again unleashed your innovative creativity on the VP world, JP!

I wouldn't have thought to use .hta files for the rulesheets, and the variable backdrops are a GREAT idea.

Would you mind if I post a tutorial on your new rulesheet method? It's a perfect alternative to using reels!

Thank you!

[neoblood]

The best.

[Noah Fentz]

There's only one thing I don't like, JP, but it's a personal preference.

The nudge settings.

While VP 9's are a bit extreme, when I play pinball, I nudge, and I get very similar effects to those seen in VP 9, albeit only in extreme nudges.

I have considered this alternative...

How about a nudge routine that includes two buttons for left/right nudge, easy and hard nudging.

Then, to complete the added realism, set a timer to reduce the amount of nudge, if the nudge is pressed before the table returns to the "rest" position (timer runs out).

What do you think?

[jpsalas]

Yes, Noah, you may make a tutorial about how to use .hta files. I tried to find another method to display the rules, the old method of using a vbscript popup windows wasn't good, since it was limited to 256 characters and you needed the mouse to turn the window off. Reels wasn't good either in VP9 since it has issues with the transparency. And after trying several methods I thought about html files and in the end the winner was the .hta format , since it let me use a code to close the window. In the beginning I used a timer but I wasn't happy with that. The hta files I wrote are very basic (I tried to keep them simple and as short as posible), but you may add pictures, sounds, animations, etc.

The nudging in VP9 is not so very good without that controller from nanotech. I used Bod settings for the nudge. I was thinking in writing a sub using timers checking how long you are holding down the key. The longer you hold down the key the stronger is the nudge. But a simple nudge of 2 moves already the ball one inch. I'll see if I can come up with something.

JP

Edited by jpsalas, 31 May 2009 - 05:01 AM.

[Joe]

There's only one thing I don't like, JP, but it's a personal preference.

The nudge settings.

While VP 9's are a bit extreme, when I play pinball, I nudge, and I get very similar effects to those seen in VP 9, albeit only in extreme nudges.

I have considered this alternative...

How about a nudge routine that includes two buttons for left/right nudge, easy and hard nudging.

Then, to complete the added realism, set a timer to reduce the amount of nudge, if the nudge is pressed before the table returns to the "rest" position (timer runs out).

What do you think?

cool idea

[Bob5453]

Fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Obviously, I like the nudge.

[bolt]

Thanks for the final JPSalas.



Ater testing: absolutely fantastic

Edited by bolt, 31 May 2009 - 07:22 AM.

[gordon]

Thanks, fantastic Table!!!!!!!!

[GRONI]

ok ok!!!

First of all I have to say, that you have once again totaly convinced me!! This Table plays FANTASTIC! I don´t know how you did, but MM and AFM are the
first VP9 Tables that runs absolutley stutterfree, even on Multiball!! I guess with your Tables as an example, i will give vp9 a try.

But I have a few contras, that I as a Graphical and Physics Critical absolutley don´t like.

1. The Backdrop.....What is that?? Once you have told me that it should look nearly like Original. This is looking like a 80s Machince with that Wood
There are no coated Windowsguides on that Table. Only Stern have coated Guides.

2. The Angle...Too much waste of Space

3. The Physics...Not Bad, but not good too. Feels Unreal. VP9 have a nice new Setting, to allow Stopping the Ball just like on a real Table. The Returnstrenght is much to low. The Oblique Correction is to high, so the ball is gettin wrong ways and angles

4. The Nudging. Not even close to a Real Machine

5. The new Rulecard isn´t a good Deal. The Taskbar pops up when you open it. Ugly Bug

But all in all it´s a nice Proove that VP9 is able to play nice Tables. Like i said, i think i will give it a try, and try to convert my Shadow Table to VP9.
And that Walls instead of Reels, isn´t a bad choose. Maybe the graphics could be better with larger images ( performance?? )

Thank you Juan for that Tables. Maybe when you work on the Bugs, then VP9 have some nice Tables to show the Ability.

GRONI

[robert kundrat]

Thank you. Fantastic work.
AFM still one of my favourite.

[Mr. Pacman]

Incredible!!! Thank you very much JP!!!

[whsemngr]

Looks like I returned just in time. The look and feel of the angle with the DMD at the top plus the new sounds was just what your tables needed to add that much more realism to your tables. Just wanted to know if you're planning on adding the LEDs to the small saucers. Other than that, thanks for making the decision to build for VP9 and it would be a shame if you didn't convert ALL your VP8 tables to VP9 sometime in the future. MIKE

[jpsalas]

Thanks for all your comments!

About the backdrops: well they are my cabinet, with nice rails from a Stern table (although I have another one with dark metallic rails ), new dark wood cabinet, and the speakers from an old data East table With VP9 t is easier than ever to change the backdrop, make your own, or even export the old backdrop and import it

The rulecard using a .hta file is very flexible. You could have very big page with pictures, showing the flyer and detailed shot maps. The rulecards I implemented were very simple, and the most important for me was to make the windows go away with just a keypress.

About converting all my tables to VP9: I won't do that, it would take a few years to do that.

Adding the small leds to the saucers: Yes, I'm planning to do that, but still I haven't found the best way to do it. I guess I'll have to do it with dropwalls.

About dropwalls: they are not a replacement for reels. Reels will always look better since they are not rendered. Side walls are rendered and darkenes by VP, so they will always look darker than reels. But now with VP9 we can change the table zoom and there is the new option "Flipbook Animation" wich will make animations made with dropwalls run much faster. A minus point for the dropwalls (with an image on its side) is that they don't look nice in FS view.

JP
About the nudging, well I think VP9 is very realistic, I can punch through 4 pieces of wood Seriously, I guess when we find the right parameters it will feel better.

[Hanson]

About converting all my tables to VP9: I won't do that, it would take a few years to do that.

Not all of your tables, but LOTR, TSPP and Flintstones in VP9 ! Maybe ?


Thanks for all !

Edited by Hanson2, 31 May 2009 - 11:11 AM.

[unclewilly]

hey jp,
you can do the LEDs similar to how you did the genie eyes on ToTAN. I did it with your ARFM when I converted it to vp9 and turned all the reels to dropwalls. and to be honest the dropwalls don't look bad in fullscreen view you just have to make them really thin. I'm converting your LOTR to FS for my cabinet and turning the reels into dropwalls and with a thickness of .5 the balrog animation looks very close to the original reel except it's a little darker due to the shadows.

[bbastyr]

Thanks for including the info on how to change the table views. I can revert to the view of the VP8 tables and reuse those backdrops. I like to take out the backglass art and replace it with a black background to place more emphasis on the table. Thank you for everything!

[jpsalas]

Yes, unclewilly, that's another option to the lights (make the saucers transparent and use a normal light on the back of the wall, but it will take some time to position those lights)

About the backdrops: yes I too like ver dark backdrops. I like the table in the focus, not the background. I remember Groni making really nice looking backdrops, and I told him each time "darker". I even like to blurry the backdrops so the eyes concentrate on the table automatically.

About converting tables: I guess I'll convert some of my VP8 tables, but for example TSPP and Flintstones look and play very well under VP8, so I don't feel to convert them right away. Maybe the best should be to do a new table or continue with the Spiderman table (since the script still is very basic).

JP

[Steely]

Yes, Great choice with the subdued background lighting. The image of a grungy bar makes me feel right at home.

The .hta works well for me. Because I use a larger font size for a high res screen, I had to adjust the window size to read all the text, but no problem there. You also avoided the activeX security problems found with .html by using the .hta, Nice.

Because the .hta is scriptable, it's uses can go beyond just a rules display. It could also be a realtime settings dialog for the table. I've found using the clipboard to comunicate between a table and html scripting works the best.
Another use would be popping up an image of the backglass with the DMD enlarged while in video mode, so you could see the DMD better. I'v been playing with this for awhile, ironing out the bugs. So far I can do this whenever the ball is not in play. The trick is determining when the video mode is on and/or deciding when this backglass image should pop up. Then again, the user could decide with an options menu.

The nudging does feel better on this table. Your variable nudge idea using the down/up key is great. Another nudge option would be to pull back on the table. I do this on real tables, it softens a bounce when the ball is rolling down towards you. These nudge ideas could be included as variable options in a user settings dialog.

This latest table is the cat's meow, good work JP!

[LeoF]

JP you did a nice job here!!! tks!!! I own this table and I have to say that is closelly enougth to the real thing, playing like mine, for sure the physics will never play exact but I felt like playing it and thats what really matters!!! sometimes the ball speed is not heavy enought... but ist a minor. GREAT JOB!!!! I hope GRONI put THE SHADOW on it too and support 16-9!!! (I feel the physics better on tabletop view give it a try too! pls) I converted your MM and TOTAN to 16-9... Regarding nudge, I think it only works on the real thing or a little bit if simulated with a pinball wizzard/ ultrapin motion sensors... but having 2 buttons for each side would help.

Yes, unclewilly, that's another option to the lights (make the saucers transparent and use a normal light on the back of the wall, but it will take some time to position those lights)

About the backdrops: yes I too like ver dark backdrops. I like the table in the focus, not the background. I remember Groni making really nice looking backdrops, and I told him each time "darker". I even like to blurry the backdrops so the eyes concentrate on the table automatically.

About converting tables: I guess I'll convert some of my VP8 tables, but for example TSPP and Flintstones look and play very well under VP8, so I don't feel to convert them right away. Maybe the best should be to do a new table or continue with the Spiderman table (since the script still is very basic).

JP

GO SPIDERMAN!!!! for sure TSPP is perfect on VP8!!