FlashVP is an addon that I developed for Visual Pinball to allow developers to add Flash animations and PNG files to VP.
Note: These demos are actually alot faster, just slower in the video due to the video catpure and thanks to billpa for taking some time to work on some of the graphics you see here and for make the videos.
Also these are FS demo's but FVP is also compatible with 4x3 tables and all versions of VP.
Message demo:
Plastic and toy demo:
Highlighted ramps and theres some clear plastic around the saw.
How does it work?
FlashVP is a server and FlashVP is a transparent layer for VP. You wont even know its there and the tables feel the same as before except with new enhancements. FlashVP allows developers to connect to the server from the tables VB Script and in turn FlashVP controls a swf file that provides the media. Through simple VBS calls you can control many individual clips to do what ever you like. We provide the source FLA that dev's can edit and add content to for their tables. FVP should be compatible with all types of tables including 4x3 and Fullscreen tables.
Another great thing about this is that instead of working within VP for your visual elements, you can basically create the table, then take a screenshot of your table and directly work with that screenshot in photoshop and draw in all the graphics you want and when played back in VP all your artwork will be exactly where you drew it. You can also test all your animations this way also. The finalized graphics will be compatible in all resolutions for different user settings.
How fast is it?
At first when I had the idea a while back I though this is going to create some choppy table play, but to my surprise it had no effect from what I could tell. The feedback from testers so far is they have not noticed any issues either. Now I cant make promises for older pc's. But its worth a try to see how it plays for you.
What can you do with it?
Well thats a good question, because really its up to the dev's imagination. We have been trying to come up with cool uses for VP and have been trying our ideas out with lots of success.
My primary use for FVP is that I wanted really nice flasher and GI effects that flash portions of the table and I also wanted better looking plastic ramps. Because of the use of png transparency the lighting looks alot more realistic, combined with animation, you can make really great effects. FlashVP is not only extendable by me but my anyone that wants to take a crack at it. Its made in such a way that the dev's can make up their own input parameters to send to swf's rather than just using the basics that I provide.
Other ideas we have had might be explosions, fire, electricity, holograms which can be good for custom tables. And for recreations you might do things like use vector based instruction cards, and press a button to have it grow big on the screen so you can read it up close. You can add shiny edges and gloss to all your plastics. You can do better animated toys with crisp edges like in the video, or display animated messages to users. We have lots of ideas and will be putting out more demo videos as we make them.
What is the status?
Well FlashVP itself is complete. What Im working on now is the table developer kit that can be downloaded which includes demo tables, source files, documentation and instructions. Also Im trying my fastest to wrap up the two first FVP enabled tables that I would like to release at the same time. We will also be providing a support forum at the HyperPin forums also.
Whats needed?
In order to play a FVP enabled table: The user must initially install a few COM Objects and place the FVP server into their tables folder along with the table and swf for that table. After that just simply play the table.
Before anyone asks, yes we will be extending FVP to allow animated backglasses for FS tables for controlled lighting and score displays. This will be on the second release.
Thanks.
Edited by BadBoyBill, 02 August 2009 - 04:50 AM.
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