70 replies to this topic

[pinball buzz]

Nice work guys - Hopefully get my motion sensor input device this week

Buzz

[Rawd]

Nice work guys

Buzz

Rascal is the man. I just test.

[Rawd]

I made a video to show the possibilities that will be available for cabinet builders (and desktop users who would like to make a custom pinball controller). Thanks for working on this software Al! Many will surely appreciate it.




(This is just obviously a cheap prototype to demonstrate. I am trying to figure out a way to allow you to spin the plunger without it getting caught. The plunger strength may still need some tweaking, as you can see it bounces off pretty hard right now)

Edited by Rawd, 05 January 2011 - 05:15 AM.

[Rawd]

.....well. At least I think it's cool!

[FDSystems]

Seems you´re on the right trail.

I do not have a cab & do not plan/wish to have one but i like to follow the developments....

[blur]

I made a video to show the possibilities that will be available for cabinet builders (and desktop users who would like to make a custom pinball controller). Thanks for working on this software Al! Many will surely appreciate it.




(This is just obviously a cheap prototype to demonstrate. I am trying to figure out a way to allow you to spin the plunger without it getting caught. The plunger strength may still need some tweaking, as you can see it bounces off pretty hard right now)

GREAT RAWD!!! sorry i did not see it before - that what i was talking about in my numerous posts about analog support - yo my man - only one addition though - wire should go through the metall or be physically attached so that you get some speed from plunger springs also, this way plunger goes ahead and joystick just follows depending on strength of his spring, but as i can see it works great already.

Another thing that is not possible on FP - when you don't pull plunger back but you just push it forward with strong kick of palm of your hand - i always loved to do this on real pinballs It would be great if that would be possible in VP.

[Rawd]

just push it forward with strong kick of palm of your hand - i always loved to do this on real pinballs It would be great if that would be possible in VP.

Al and I have also discussed that, and we are trying to make that possible. Unfortunately I am not sure if it can be done yet. Right now, I have left some room for the forward push of the spring.. and I can hit it with my palm, and it works.. But the ball does not get hit hard enough to enter the playfield. It has something to do with the mechstrength, but if I go to high.. then the ball gets 'bouncy' like you can see a little bit in the video. We are messign around with the mech strength, the park position and the plunger math that Al can change in his code, trying to find a happy-medium for now.

only one addition though - wire should go through the metall or be physically attached so that you get some speed from plunger springs also, this way plunger goes ahead and joystick just follows depending on strength of his spring, but as i can see it works great already.

I'm not sure what you mean? The wire is reacting to whatever the plunger does. I am hoping that someone can come up with a better design though.. I would like to be able to twist the plunger.

For the plunger end.. I was thinking something like this might work.. It would allow the attachment to spin on the end of the plunger... (I would have to weld a custom piece)

Edited by Rawd, 05 January 2011 - 08:20 PM.

[blur]

Oh you have hole there already and rod is going though the hole? Did not see it first time i looked the video. Great design!!!

[Rawd]

Oh you have hole there already and rod is going though the hole? Did not see it first time i looked the video. Great design!!!

Yup, it goes through the hole.

Hoping someone can come up with a nice design, that allows for the plunger to spin. Also, something a little bit stronger. The analog stick doesn't have to be below the plunger either.. it could be beside it. There are many possibilities.

[blur]

just push it forward with strong kick of palm of your hand - i always loved to do this on real pinballs It would be great if that would be possible in VP.

Al and I have also discussed that, and we are trying to make that possible. Unfortunately I am not sure if it can be done yet. Right now, I have left some room for the forward push of the spring.. and I can hit it with my palm, and it works.. But the ball does not get hit hard enough to enter the playfield. It has something to do with the mechstrength, but if I go to high.. then the ball gets 'bouncy' like you can see a little bit in the video. We are messign around with the mech strength, the park position and the plunger math that Al can change in his code, trying to find a happy-medium for now.

Maybe axis driver should be asymmetrical so that it reacts much stronger on + side of the axis then on - side.
For example if you have some strength tuning parameters like gain in FP - you introduce one for + side and one for - and two dead zones - and there you are completely software solution. As for park position - you can use 0 and calibrate joystick in windows before you enter vp.

[lettuce]

I made a video to show the possibilities that will be available for cabinet builders (and desktop users who would like to make a custom pinball controller). Thanks for working on this software Al! Many will surely appreciate it.




(This is just obviously a cheap prototype to demonstrate. I am trying to figure out a way to allow you to spin the plunger without it getting caught. The plunger strength may still need some tweaking, as you can see it bounces off pretty hard right now)

Good stuff, this is what i wanted to see

Any ideas how this would work for tables that never had a plunger just a launch button?

Edited by lettuce, 05 January 2011 - 09:25 PM.

[rascal]

Good stuff, this is what i wanted to see

Any ideas how this would work for tables that never had a plunger just a launch button?

If the table uses VP's default plunger, then it will work just fine by default with no scripting.

[Rawd]

Can anyone come up with a better design, by just using the potentiometer from a gamepad? The gears are turning... literally

Edited by Rawd, 06 January 2011 - 01:24 AM.

[Dazz]

This is really cool and something that is definitely needed by the Digital Pin scene! Using a controller with analog joys like that was the first thing I was looking at when working on my plunger. I didn't think of adding a rod from the plunger down to the controller.

I wish we had a hardware person that was willing to step up and help out in creating something like this that is easy to use and sell as a kit.

I've emailed Andy @ Ultimarc and evidently there isn't enough of a need for something like this for him to even look into doing something. Honestly, I think this scene is just getting started. We are still in the basement right now, but climbing slowly to the first floor. I think now would be a great time for a hardware vendor to get on board.

[rascal]

Can anyone come up with a better design, by just using the potentiometer from a gamepad? The gears are turning... literally

From this picture, it looks like the stick has two pots (one for each axis), we only need one axis. So we could replace a turning style pot with a slider style pot like this with a light tension extension spring.

All we need is it to be the same ohm resistance as the stick pot and one big enough for the couple of inches the plunger moves. Like one made for a mixing board.

[FDSystems]

Dreams CAN become reality!
I´ll never use it but I say : Go ahead!

[pinball buzz]

Nice idea Rascal using the stick pot - sounds feasable

Buzz

[Rawd]

Nice idea Rascal using the stick pot - sounds feasable

Buzz

Embrace the stick pot.

[rascal]

Can anyone come up with a better design, by just using the potentiometer from a gamepad? The gears are turning... literally

Epoxy Putty!

[Rawd]

Well, I am pretty sure that there are no slider potentiometers available in my city. I would hate to pay $20 shipping for a $2.00 part, but it looks like I may have to.

I ripped my brand new gamepad apart (the plan is to solder a sliding potentiometer in place of the circular one).

Here is the circular pot that runs the analog joysticks... (1/4 spin = full Y rotation Axis)



And here is the circular pot for one of the Z-axis analog buttons..(1/4 spin = HALF Z axis)




I am wondering if anyone knows what the numbers mean?

I am thinking of ordering this one to try it, but I am not sure if this will work or not...

http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9119


Rascal found this guys blog and Youtube video the other day. He basically made exactly what Rascal designed in his last post. He made it specifically for an Xbox360 game, using an Xbox gamepad and a slide potentiometer that he ordered from Ebay.

http://shoryuken.com...hook-up-227046/



I really like this design, other than the plunger not being completely attached. It seems fairly robust, and accurate.