38 replies to this topic

[anthias]

Things seem to be going smoothly on this build at last! A few new things in place, including the first all new mode that's not on the plaboy table rules.

[anthias]

 TPlayoutrampmod1.png   541.47KB   1 downloads

 

Pursuant to a new mode I'm working on, I thought I'd tease you with an image of the mods to the left hand side ramp assembly.

[anthias]

Enormous script progress today. Most of the playboy rules are going. But I think the new rules are working well for a fast paced and action packed game. I hope I'm right!

[digitalarts]

Keep going, anthias.
I'm waiting for a first playable version (as long it can played somehow in cab view)

[anthias]

Thanks for the encouragement. It definitely will be, as I have my strange cabinet build in progress!

[anthias]

 tpss7.png   1.85MB   0 downloads

 

Here is the latest screenshot of this table. I have scripted in some lighting effects now, so it looks more like a ROM table. Game play is a lot of fun so far I think. Modes etc are two thirds coded. More done now than left to do, which is a good place to be! Before I know it it will be in beta testing.

 

As you can see from the table's display panel in the screen shot, it's building a new template script for vpx based on my old vp8 one. This one will be improved, of course. The things I have learned from this will go into porting and updating the Anthias Table Template to VPX, incorporating a few fairly major improvements. That template will then be a launch pad for a few more tables, hopefully. (noting that they won't be simple "cookie cutters" - the idea of the template is to provide the engine underneath, not the rules on top.) I already have a bunch of art assets prepared for three possible themes, as I have regular time away from home for work, during which I don't have access to VP, so I have used some of that time for artwork tinkering. Those tables will probably take a lot less time to build than this one, thanks to the experience this project has given me and the template script it has helped me develop.

 

Overall, I'm extremely happy I embarked on this project. I hope you all will be too, when the time comes to play the table!

[anthias]

A lot of progress this weekend. The original multi ball has been reinstated and tweaked. A new one has been devised and implemented also, but is waiting for tweaks as well. A new "stealth mode" is coded, which doubles scoring while in effect. Wizard mode to be added. Approaching the home stretch on the scripting, and very happy with the result. It's coming along.

[anthias]

This table is now into beta testing as a desktop table. I have yet to sort out the backglass server side of things in order to make it a cabinet ready table.  The cab stuff is all new territory for me (aside from using FP's arcade mode for cab style play for a long while which does not work in the same way,) and I kind of put it to the background while I have been getting the hang of VPX in general. When I can sort that out, it will be ready to unleash. Meanwhile, if you'd like to test the desktop beta, PM me.

[anthias]

Away from home for work again for a few days, but have had excellent feedback already. Some physics changes coming thanks to the ever excellent JPSalas, which I feel will take this table from good to great.

It already flows smoothly, in no small part due to the excellent quality of the layout JPSalas built for his playboy recreation. But things get too quick sometimes, which JPSalas' tweaks will fix. So adding his physics tweaks will be a great thing.

Assembling the components into a workable layout that plays nicely in VP or VPX or FP is an art form that is often under rated, but he is master at this. It's so much more than slapping things on a blueprint, and this table has been a joy to work with.

At this point I am trying to get a backglass operational, and will hopefully be ready for release soon.

[anthias]

Progress is agonizingly slow getting any sort of result out of DirectB2S, but I have finally wrenched a displaying backglass out of the mongrel of a thing. I seriously hate this aspect of VP! I mean, I love to see the beautiful backglasses people are making. They are amazing when they work on your rig, but making one? I'm finding it about as fun as being dipped in a mix of lemon juice and dencorub naked after having your scrotum lascerated with 40GSM high gloss torture paper... 
 
This will be a fairly simple backglass. I don't foresee myself going into the illumination/animation malarky at this point, if I can get a score up I'll call it a day. I gladly invite anybody to make their own once the table is out. For now, I have a backglass that shows up. It doesn't go away, and it doesn't display the score, but at least it shows up to the party now! That took some wrangling, and I still have zero idea why it wouldn't load and what changed to make it play ball. One minute it wouldn't run, the next minute it would, and has reliably done so since.
 
I've made some more minor tweaks today, but that's just me being pedantic and tinkering. The actual table is complete and any further changes I make now probably aren't for the better, so it's all down to the backglass now. (And JP's flippers)

Edited by anthias, 26 January 2024 - 02:57 AM.

[jpsalas]

I feel with you about the directb2s, that's why I almost never make them, I prefer that others make them for me

[Itchigo]

Progress is agonizingly slow getting any sort of result out of DirectB2S, but I have finally wrenched a displaying backglass out of the mongrel of a thing. I seriously hate this aspect of VP! I mean, I love to see the beautiful backglasses people are making. They are amazing when they work on your rig, but making one? I'm finding it about as fun as being dipped in a mix of lemon juice and dencorub naked after having your scrotum lascerated with 40GSM high gloss torture paper... 

 

This will be a fairly simple backglass. I don't foresee myself going into the illumination/animation malarky at this point, if I can get a score up I'll call it a day. I gladly invite anybody to make their own once the table is out. For now, I have a backglass that shows up. It doesn't go away, and it doesn't display the score, but at least it shows up to the party now! That took some wrangling, and I still have zero idea why it wouldn't load and what changed to make it play ball. One minute it wouldn't run, the next minute it would, and has reliably done so since.

 

I've made some more minor tweaks today, but that's just me being pedantic and tinkering. The actual table is complete and any further changes I make now probably aren't for the better, so it's all down to the backglass now.

I've probably done like 150 of these backglasses. If you send me a link I can see what I can do.

[anthias]

Thanks Itchigo! I'll pm you a link later today.

[anthias]

On a positive note, scored a 39" Playfield screen for my cabinet project today for AU$50!  IMG_20240126_181335~2.jpg   120.73KB   0 downloads

[Itchigo]

Thanks Itchigo! I'll pm you a link later today.

Got it. I'll look at it over the weekend. On first look in the editor it looks ok, except you have more scoring digits than the original game. When I fire it up on the cab I can look further. I think if you use a rommed table you probably have to have the same number of digits.

[anthias]

Thanks Itchigo! I'll pm you a link later today.

Got it. I'll look at it over the weekend. On first look in the editor it looks ok, except you have more scoring digits than the original game. When I fire it up on the cab I can look further. I think if you use a rommed table you probably have to have the same number of digits.

Thanks.

It's not rommed any more. Ditched the ROM and scripted it like an original. The script is a bit messy. I ported my vp8 template and commented out a lot of stuff, then added new bits lol.

Edited by anthias, 26 January 2024 - 12:57 PM.

[Itchigo]

Sounds good, being like an original makes it easier for me. If I can handle Shiva's coding in Trigon, I can handle this. 5,000 lines across 3 files... I'll work on it tomorrow afternoon as I have to spend time with the wife tonight.

 

Outside of scoring, what else do you want for it? (Tilt, Game over, Etc) The b2s I have only has the 4 player's reels.

[anthias]

If we can get the ball in play, credits and tilt on there that would be good but not essential.

You'll notice the desktop scoring has text displayed for modes being triggered, end of ball bonus etc, I wasn't sure if b2s could handle text but have it scripted to the score displays on b2s.

[Itchigo]

Ok a quick look- just looking at the code and not tested the table on the cab yet.

 

Score- This should be no problem. The problem you had is you weren't using a variable.

You have to use a variable. Controller.B2SSetScore 1, p1Score  You can add this line right after the line updating the textbox, but you can't use the textbox as a variable.

 

Ball in play- Same issue as scoring. You're just telling the textbox what to do, you're not using a variable. That's fine for desktop only.

 

Credits- I didn't see the variable you were using to control the credits.

 

Tilt- This should be no problem. In b2s you can just turn a tilt snippet on or off. Or you can use a variable. In your case you're just telling the textbox to say "tilt" so I know the game is tilted. I can just tell b2s to show the tilt (or turn it off) the same way. I don't need a variable for this.

 

B2s can do text, but I haven't messed with it much. I've always preferred to use snippets.

 

These are very old, but they may help.

 

https://rumble.com/v...rt1-9-3-13.html

https://rumble.com/v...rt2-9-3-13.html