184 replies to this topic

[destruk]

TAB and I have been working on this table for about a year and a half now. We have all the sound samples the machine uses, and I've been playing it a lot and studying the rulesheet and taking videos and pictures.
Some of you may have seen a demo AVI I uploaded a month ago - that one used a single animated gif file for the display. The GIF file was over 100MB for about 4 minutes of attract mode.
That demo was simply a proof of concept using vpdisco - nothing more.
Then I went through and started breaking down the frame data into single frames, and scripting it in VP, with the game attract mode.
The second 'proof of concept' demo had gotten the GIF file down to 12MB - which is more manageable, but not optimal.
I have refined the process, and gotten 3 minutes of attract mode down to 3MB of image data.

http://vpforums.org/destruk/ep1.avi

The more I work on this the more I am convinced it can be made in VP, with the only limitation being that the display itself won't be semi-transparent like the real machine, and the timing would be within 95% of the real machine. The AVI link above shows the current state of the game - the scores are able to be modified on the fly, the high score initials, grand champ, etc are all using custom fonts I worked on for this very purpose. The text is animated through visual pinball script to accommodate actual game stats and scoring.
It uses 3 timers, 123 GIF images (so far), and 1830 lines of script to do this. I'm sure I can condense and optimize the script if it becomes necessary - that is the least of my worries.

My main concern at this point is completing this project - this 10 year old machine that you haven't been able to play on your computer. Once this one is done, I would be happy to work on Revenge from Mars too. I chose to do this one first as it isn't as complex as Revenge from Mars as far as the rules go.
TAB is still working on graphics for this one, and I must give a shout out to ProgramIT for making vpdisco in 2002 - wherever you are, thanks man!

What I need to make this a reality is funding of some type. My unemployment benefits have now run out with all extensions since I've been unemployed for a year. My days will be filled with me applying for minimum wage jobs now - didn't make sense to apply for those when unemployment paid more - so I was hoping to get a good job - but now when it comes down to the wire I'll take anything I can get no matter how little it pays - $4/hr, $5/hr, I can't be picky anymore. I'll be working or looking for work all day every day from now on. And my time to actually get serious work done on this game will be pushed back to nights or any free time I can't be looking for a job or sleeping. If I lose my home, then TAB has instructions to release the latest file I sent him to the community, but I'd rather hope that can be avoided. I know how the machine works, I know how it plays, I know how to get it done with vpDisco, I have the experience and the will to see it through to completion. I require $2000/month to keep the bills paid and food on the table, so I guess I'm offering my services on this while I still send out resumes. I can guarantee that I would be working on these two pinball 2000 games to the best of my ability and nothing else (except sending applications to employers of course). This project requires time, which I have in extremely short supply.

If you want to help - my paypal is destruk @ gmail.com - if not, that's fine too. I don't think I need graphics help or capture help or coding help for this. As for how, I have a separate hard drive with linux installed and I have to reboot to capture video and make notes - takes about a half hour to swap systems from windows to Linux or Linux to windows, and virtual pc's/vmware/cygwin just can't do the job like an actual Linux system does. Please help TAB and I get this game done for you to play.

[GRONI]

wow! This one is looking very nice. I knew that you would find a way to do that machine! Take all the time you need. I hope you will
find a good job with a good payment. I think this situation is always on your Mind when you try to get things done on that machine didnt it?

The only thing i was wondering about that you wrote you used 123 Gifs. Do VP have support of GIF?? Or do you have a new build that isn´t
released till yet? I am working on a NON Pinball Table at the moment, and GIF would be very very usefull on that!

Greetings from Germany

GRONI

[destruk]

vpDisco and VPPlus support GIF. This uses vpDisco because it can swap the frames out quicker with a few extra options like built-in text animation.

[vic viper]

that is amazing guys.

I didn't know that vp can emulate pinball 2000.

that is just too awesome.

[Lord Hiryu]

Hi Destruk.
If you need pics, tell me, 'cause I've purchased recently a SWEP1.

[highrise]

hey Brian - it would probably be something of a nightmare with so many frames but I'm guessing it is using this method as well - I think I mentioned before, the method I used for the scared stiff spider actually allows for an unlimited number of frames within VP itself, by using overlapping reels with the 'zero' one transparent, allowing you to chain link reel sets, and then use a script algorithm to make them behave like a single set. Given that quite a few of these frames are actually looped, I reckon it could be made to work from VP out of the box using reels in this way, and then you would have frame by frame script control. If you want to send me some frames or something, feel free.

[kruge99]

You have my AXE, it's small and a little dull, but you have it!!!!

[Sabbat]

i always wondered why this table wasn't made and now I know why. Best of luck to you I had a similar situation where me and my dad were going to lose our home but people at the forums of ultimatemk.com (mortal kombat) sent me lots of donations, I hope you find a way to stay afoot. Good luck on the table too

[The Trout]

Spiffy! I have a real Episode 1 and Revenge on hand that I can play every weekend. I must say, though, that I find Episode 1 rather... crappy. That said, Revenge is tons of fun, so if this test allows for more Pinball 2000 to end up in VP, then keep up the great work!

[destruk]

hey Brian - it would probably be something of a nightmare with so many frames but I'm guessing it is using this method as well - I think I mentioned before, the method I used for the scared stiff spider actually allows for an unlimited number of frames within VP itself, by using overlapping reels with the 'zero' one transparent, allowing you to chain link reel sets, and then use a script algorithm to make them behave like a single set. Given that quite a few of these frames are actually looped, I reckon it could be made to work from VP out of the box using reels in this way, and then you would have frame by frame script control. If you want to send me some frames or something, feel free.

At 320x240 and who knows how many thousands of frames are going to be in the final product, reels are an absolute nightmare to even contemplate. Sorry Highrise. Thought about it, shot it down after about 30 seconds. Also since I'd need to fully animate individual sections as well as text overlays and layers I don't think I want to use more years than I have to in order to accomplish this. I already have frame by frame, as well as individual on access direct control to every object and every pixel it displays, and text with builtin scrolling features available, fading features available, everything it needs is already there.

[Rawd]

With talent like yours Destruk, it hurts me to see that you would work for $5.00 an hour. You can earn more than that as a street bum. Isn't that wage illegal? Here $9.00 is minimum wage. Do you have the education to back your talent? Are there no career moves in your area? I am also out of work right now, but I will see if I can donate to your cause sometime soon. I would love to see these tables in VP. Looking great so far.

[TAB]

I should get a stripped playfield pic next.
Wait for it.

[epthegeek]

Man, Destruk.

The amount of effort it'd take to fully build this table would be entirely herculean. Once you get into trying to do the video for the modes you'd have way, WAY too many frames to try to do, given the dynamic nature of some of the modes -- like when the drop ship is puking out battle droids and you're shooting them. Far too many variables to cover with still frames. Did droid X just get blown up because you hit a target? Is the shop currently replacing droid Y because it recently blew up? etc etc.

I wish you luck, but it really seems like something that would be much better served by real emulation of the pin2000 hardware (nucore style) that overlays a transparent window onto VP for the physical part.

It's very cool that you're taking it on, but sheesh. It must be like torture.

[Joe]

With talent like yours Destruk, it hurts me to see that you would work for $5.00 an hour. You can earn more than that as a street bum. Isn't that wage illegal? Here $9.00 is minimum wage. Do you have the education to back your talent? Are there no career moves in your area? I am also out of work right now, but I will see if I can donate to your cause sometime soon. I would love to see these tables in VP. Looking great so far.

Federal $7.25

Colorado $7.28 Tipped employees earn $4.22/hour.

[bolt]

Amazing work, thanks for the WIP video.

[destruk]

Thanks Joe. so it's better than I thought. Anyway, working one small screen at a time - got the Ramp combo sequence done tonight - memory space cost: 2KB. Next is the pinball 2000 logo animation tomorrow night.
The ramp combo screen fades in the initials, displays the number of ramp combos, and flies a pod racer across the top and then across the bottom of the screen, and then fades the initials back out again.

[Pin-Pete]

Well blow me down! That IS truly amazing!
Can't wait to play.

[razors78]

Yes! Truly amazing if we get to play this baby in a not too distant future!. Incredible work so far! Wish you all the best with this table!!

[gordon]

WoW fantastic Video

[highrise]

hey Brian - if you took a snapshot of the table without the film and overlaid it on every frame using transparency, would that not make it look like it does in the real table? the ball always goes in front of reels so you could potentially change the ball to a semi-transparent one when it was behind the film.