366 replies to this topic

[PainkillerAlice]

Looking at how to programmatically disable and enable the flippers on the lower mini playfield as to only enable when the ball hits the underground scoop to enter the underground playfield and to disable them when the ball hits either drain in the mini playfield.

[Bob5453]

Looking at how to programmatically disable and enable the flippers on the lower mini playfield as to only enable when the ball hits the underground scoop to enter the underground playfield and to disable them when the ball hits either drain in the mini playfield.

Dim MiniPlayfield

MiniPlayfield = True 'set it to true when you want the flippers to flip

If MiniPlayfield = True Then LowerLeftFlipper.RotateToEnd

If MiniPlayfield = True Then LowerLeftFlipper.RotateToStart

MiniPlayfield = False ' set it to false when you don't want them to flip

You will also need to LowerLeftFlipper.RotateToStart when you set MiniPlayfield to False, so the flippers always return to the starting position, rather than stuck in the up position.

[PainkillerAlice]

Where do I insert the loop statement in?

Here's the code that handles the ball destruction and creation for the underground playfield and subsequent events if this helps out in helping me put in the code. I renamed miniplayfield to MiniPlayfieldFlippers for ease of reading:

Sub UndergroundEntranceScoop_Hit()
UndergroundEntranceScoop.DestroyBall
InPlayUndergroundKicker.CreateBall
UndergroundEntranceScoopTimer.Enabled=True
MiniPlayfieldFlippers.Enabled= True

End Sub

Sub UndergroundEntranceScoopTimer_Timer()
InPlayUndergroundKicker.Kick 180, 10
UndergroundEntranceScoopTimer.Enabled=False

End Sub

Sub LeftUndergroundDrain_Hit()
LeftUndergroundDrain.DestroyBall
HeroesTarget1.IsDropped=False
HeroesTarget2.IsDropped=False
HeroesTarget3.IsDropped=False
HeroesTarget4.IsDropped=False
HeroesTarget5.IsDropped=False
HeroesTarget6.IsDropped=False
MiniPlayfieldFlippers.Enabled= False
TreestumpHatchClosed.IsDropped=True
TreestumpHatchOpened.IsDropped=False
TreestumpHatchTimer.Enabled=True

End Sub

Sub RightUndergroundDrain_Hit()
RightUndergroundDrain.DestroyBall
HeroesTarget1.IsDropped=False
HeroesTarget2.IsDropped=False
HeroesTarget3.IsDropped=False
HeroesTarget4.IsDropped=False
HeroesTarget5.IsDropped=False
HeroesTarget6.IsDropped=False
MiniPlayfieldFlippers.Enabled= False
TreestumpHatchClosed.IsDropped=True
TreestumpHatchOpened.IsDropped=False
TreestumpHatchTimer.Enabled=True

End Sub

Sub TreestumpHatchTimer_Timer()
TreestumpKicker.CreateBall
TreestumpKicker.Kick 170, 20, 1
TreestumpHatchOpened.IsDropped=True
TreestumpHatchClosed.IsDropped=False
TreestumpHatchTimer.Enabled=False

End Sub

Edited by Practicedummy, 30 July 2010 - 02:15 AM.

[Bob5453]

Where do I insert the loop statement in?

You don't need a Loop statement. That's all you need above. You are just adding a condition to the lower flipper code. You just set MiniPlayfied to True when you enter the lower playfield, like at a trigger or some other object that has a Hit event. Then when you leave the miniplayfield, set it to False.

[PainkillerAlice]

Ah ok I will enter the code as stated and try it out. Thanks Bob!

[Bob5453]

Remember you are just adding the

If MiniPlayfield = True Then

to the Keyup and Keydown subs where you already have the flipper code.

Let us know how it goes.

[PainkillerAlice]

Get error code when the underground scoop is hit: Object Required MiniPlayfieldFlippers

MiniPlayfieldFlippers.Enabled= True is highlighted in red.

Almost forgot, the mini playfield flippers don't flip when the table starts, which is one of the desirable effects I was going for so we are halfway there.

Edited by Practicedummy, 30 July 2010 - 02:45 AM.

[Bob5453]

Get error code when the underground scoop is hit: Object Required MiniPlayfieldFlippers

MiniPlayfieldFlippers.Enabled= True is highlighted in red.

Almost forgot, the mini playfield flippers don't flip when the table starts, which is one of the desirable effects I was going for so we are halfway there.

My way doesn't need the

MiniPlayfieldFlippers.Enabled= True

I don't know if you can use the disable with flippers anyway

[Wizards_Hat]

Looking at how to programmatically disable and enable the flippers on the lower mini playfield as to only enable when the ball hits the underground scoop to enter the underground playfield and to disable them when the ball hits either drain in the mini playfield.

Dim MiniPlayfield

MiniPlayfield = True 'set it to true when you want the flippers to flip

If MiniPlayfield = True Then LowerLeftFlipper.RotateToEnd

If MiniPlayfield = True Then LowerLeftFlipper.RotateToStart

MiniPlayfield = False ' set it to false when you don't want them to flip

You will also need to LowerLeftFlipper.RotateToStart when you set MiniPlayfield to False, so the flippers always return to the starting position, rather than stuck in the up position.

You are right Bob, but I don't think PD "gets" where you are asking him to put these lines of code - even when I first read the above, I thought you were telling him to throw the flippers up when the ball entered the miniplayfield, and then lower when it exits!

So....PD what Bob wants you to do is this:

CODE

Dim MiniPlayfieldFlippers  'Or whatever you want to call this variable - it will be used to let the table know if the ball is in the miniplayfiled or not

Sub UndergroundEntranceScoop_Hit()
UndergroundEntranceScoop.DestroyBall
InPlayUndergroundKicker.CreateBall
UndergroundEntranceScoopTimer.Enabled=True
MiniPlayfieldFlippers= True    'NOT ".enabled" - that would imply that MiniPlayfieldFlippers is a vp object, like a timer, or target etc, whereas it's only a variable.
End Sub

'Then in the _keydown sub (unless you have renamed your table this will be "Sub Table1_KeyDown(byVal keycode)"
'You need to include the lines
If Keycode=LeftFlipperKey and MiniPlayfieldFlippers=true then MiniPlayfieldLeftFlipper.RotateToEnd            'Assuming your mini playfield flippers are called MiniPlayfieldLeftFlipper (etc)
If Keycode=RightFlipperKey and MiniPlayfieldFlippers=true then MiniPlayfieldRightFlipper.RotateToEnd

'Then in the _keyup sub (unless you have renamed your table this will be "Sub Table1_KeyUp(byVal keycode)"
'You need to include the lines
If Keycode=LeftFlipperKey and MiniPlayfieldFlippers=true then MiniPlayfieldLeftFlipper.RotateToStart            'Assuming your mini playfield flippers are called MiniPlayfieldLeftFlipper (etc)
If Keycode=RightFlipperKey and MiniPlayfieldFlippers=true then MiniPlayfieldRightFlipper.RotateToStart

'Then you need to tell the drains to turn that MiniPlayfieldFlippers variable to false
Sub LeftUndergroundDrain_Hit()
LeftUndergroundDrain.DestroyBall
HeroesTarget1.IsDropped=False
HeroesTarget2.IsDropped=False
HeroesTarget3.IsDropped=False
HeroesTarget4.IsDropped=False
HeroesTarget5.IsDropped=False
HeroesTarget6.IsDropped=False
MiniPlayfieldFlippers= False      'Again all I've done here is removed the ".enabled" which implies it's a playfield object
MiniPlayfieldLeftFlipper.RotateToStart    'Reset the miniplayfield flippers when the ball leaves the miniplayfield
MiniPlayfieldRightFlipper.RotateToStart
TreestumpHatchClosed.IsDropped=True
TreestumpHatchOpened.IsDropped=False
TreestumpHatchTimer.Enabled=True

End Sub

Sub RightUndergroundDrain_Hit()
RightUndergroundDrain.DestroyBall
HeroesTarget1.IsDropped=False
HeroesTarget2.IsDropped=False
HeroesTarget3.IsDropped=False
HeroesTarget4.IsDropped=False
HeroesTarget5.IsDropped=False
HeroesTarget6.IsDropped=False
MiniPlayfieldFlippers= False      'Again all I've done here is removed the ".enabled" which implies it's a playfield object
MiniPlayfieldLeftFlipper.RotateToStart    'Reset the miniplayfield flippers when the ball leaves the miniplayfield
MiniPlayfieldRightFlipper.RotateToStart
TreestumpHatchClosed.IsDropped=True
TreestumpHatchOpened.IsDropped=False
TreestumpHatchTimer.Enabled=True

End Sub

That's it.
You can cut down the coding a bit by making a collection of the 2 drains - seeing as they do exactly the same thing (I have done exactly this on the example table below)

I have attached an example table - using the code above - i.e. your code with those necessary bits added - & I've kept the names the same so you can see what's going on.

Hope this helps.
Regards,
Dan.

Attached Files

•  Mini_playfield_flippers.vpt   68.5KB   1 downloads

[PainkillerAlice]

That did the trick Wizard's Hat! I also did likewise with the Klink's Office mini playfield and got the desired result. Thank you and Bob for the input!

I am thinking about altering the plunger next and am going to look at faralos' template to see how it is done.

Edited by Practicedummy, 30 July 2010 - 10:24 AM.

[PainkillerAlice]

Coded the Klnk's Office and Heroes' drop targets to reset when all of them have been dropped. Now working on adjusting the left part of the loop. Too many cheap drains when the ball exits from the left side of the loop and left target ramp.

[PainkillerAlice]

Wanting to add a unique type of tilt. Already entered a dim statement: Dim TiltCount As Integer and some code in the tilt keys code blocks that add 1 to the TiltCount every time a tilt key is used.
Just need to know what code to enter that when the TiltCount reaches 10, the tilt keys disabled until the ball drains. Entered if statement: If TiltCount = 10 Then .

Hope I am on the right track.

[Wizards_Hat]

Wanting to add a unique type of tilt. Already entered a dim statement: Dim TiltCount As Integer and some code in the tilt keys code blocks that add 1 to the TiltCount every time a tilt key is used.
Just need to know what code to enter that when the TiltCount reaches 10, the tilt keys disabled until the ball drains. Entered if statement: If TiltCount = 10 Then .

Hope I am on the right track.

It's the flippers you really want to disable when tilt happens - you might not want to actually disable the tilt...most times I tilt on a real machine is if the ball gets stuck somewhere and you're trying to free it.

To stop the flippers you only need to add a little to the "if" statements in the keyup & keydown subs.
e.g.

CODE

Sub Table1_KeyUp(byVal keycode)
       If Keycode=LeftFlipperKey and GameOn=true and Tilt=false then LeftFlipper.RotateToEnd

or
       If keycode=LeftFlipperKey and GameOn=true and Tilt<10 then LeftFlipper.RotateToEnd

Whatever you prefer.

Personally I wouldn't just go with the number of tilt key presses - there are several methods that people have used to be much more realistic.

Regards,
Dan.

[PainkillerAlice]

The reason I want to enable a limited number of tilt key presses is due to the gameplay itself. Due to the design of my table, there is a decent chance for a cheap drain. By giving the player a 10 tilt key press limit, it gives them a good chance to extend gameplay by being able to hammer on a tilt key to alter the ball enough to keep it in play. I know this isn't very lifelike here, but it helps with the gameplay overall.

[PainkillerAlice]

Two-thirds of the way done with the project I am doing for my aunt (non-pinball related). Should be back to recording audio for my table towards the end of the week.

[PainkillerAlice]

Looks like I have just about everything finished on the table design. Just have to decide on an image for the underground playfield and lights. After I finish the audio recording, will start on the coding (with possibly some help on the harder stuff).

[faralos]

well since it's underground, can ya' put in the bunk bed that lifts up to show the shaft leading to their tunnel? or how about just a dark shaft of some sorts with maybe wooden walls or something to that effect? a mine shaft perhaps?

[PainkillerAlice]

Thought I was almost finished with the playfield desing and completely forgot about the plunger lane!

Made copies of the plunger lane ,decoration that faralos made for me, changed the texture and added them in a line all the way to the end of the plunger lane:



Most likely gonna have to take a screenshot off one of the dvd's for my underground playfield for a suitable decoration.

Edited by Practicedummy, 04 August 2010 - 12:26 AM.

[faralos]

you're right! They do look like bullets, especially since that is the intention now anyways. good going so far, (man, I really am stuck on those trees, they are incredibly done!) Have you decided on the lower table image, yet? You mention that you'll pull a pic off a dvd, or is it gonna be a surprise for us? Maybe better that way (don't want to give away everything just yet!)

[PainkillerAlice]

Yes I plan to pull a pic off my dvd's. It will be a bit of work to find one without one or more characters being in it but I should be able to manage.

Here's the current work submitted for more playtesting. I have made the ramps non-collidable so the ball can roll under them and hit the kickers which kick the ball back down fast (F-14 Tomcat-like).

Hogan's Heroes 8-4-10

Edited by Practicedummy, 04 August 2010 - 05:39 PM.