1353 replies to this topic

[Shockman]

mmpac for example first run is fine. Every other time it will say pacman twice. That does not suggest anything but that using the editor, even once, is not going to give you the same environment and stability to run the table as the first time, and this usually means the last time as well because it is progressive.

[DJRobX]

... the next best thing would probably be to just add more special-case code per device to VP.  VP already has code that recognizes six or seven different plunger/nudge devices so that it can apply special-case handling to each.  So any devices that really must follow different conventions can just have the necessary compensating code added to VP, and we can leave the main body of the code as it's always been to maintain compatibility. This isn't as nice as everyone following one convention, because special-case code means more complexity and more opportunities for bugs, but I think it's better than breaking the long-standing behavior for everyone.

 

 

I think this is the right approach.    In fact, in this case, it sounds like the fix is SUPER simple.  VP already has the logic to identify different pinball controllers.   For ones that are known to have problems with the park position, simply treat Z values less than 0 as 0.    That should have the same relative effect as setting the park position to 0 (plunger can't move forward).   

 

Could even just make that a checkbox (disable forward movement) so it's not tied to a specific controller type. 

Edited by DJRobX, 28 August 2016 - 11:17 PM.

[RYSr]

If I'm following MJR's suggestion, it would be up to the developer of the plunger to modify their firmware and the end user would have to do an update if there's is a port and if the proper software/update would be developed and given out. Some of these controllers have had several versions. Would a patch be made for all versions? Some products claim there is no issue, so will they update?

 

There seems to be agreement from several others that problems do exist with the plunge bounce.

 

Could a editable entry in the editor be added to set a default override setting for the Park position so the end user can adjust it one time. Instead having to edit it on every table that is released to make the plunger work correctly?  

 

Then it could be set back to the .1666 default as it used to be.

 

Many have Cabinets now and have to deal with this issue.

 

Thanks,

Rich

[rablack97]

Another solution is to disable the autoconfigure setting in the VP settings screen in PBX, make sure 'autoconfigure is set to 'no', this fixed it for me.

[vogliadicane]

If I'm following MJR's suggestion, it would be up to the developer of the plunger to modify their firmware and the end user would have to do an update if there's is a port and if the proper software/update would be developed and given out. Some of these controllers have had several versions. Would a patch be made for all versions? Some products claim there is no issue, so will they update?

 

There seems to be agreement from several others that problems do exist with the plunge bounce.

 

Could a editable entry in the editor be added to set a default override setting for the Park position so the end user can adjust it one time. Instead having to edit it on every table that is released to make the plunger work correctly?  

 

Then it could be set back to the .1666 default as it used to be.

 

Many have Cabinets now and have to deal with this issue.

 

Thanks,

Rich

Wouldn't it help, if there was some kind of calibration program? Which checks for 2 values: parked (untouched) and completely drawn back. Once run and stored in some ini of VP.

 

To me, it seems as if the first real analogue value is collected as soon as there is any change and not from the very beginning. This first value then is not reflecting the real position of the plunger... Just my two cents.

 

Some calibration program would also circumvent custom adaption of the VP code to the different behaviours of different plunger models.

[RYSr]

Another solution is to disable the autoconfigure setting in the VP settings screen in PBX, make sure 'autoconfigure is set to 'no', this fixed it for me.

Can you be more descriptive of where this setting is found, I can't seem to find it anywhere in the editor.. Is it in the top pulldown menu's or is it set for a table individually in the options menus? Is it in VPX or VP9?

Rich

Edited by RYSr, 31 August 2016 - 01:10 PM.

[Shockman]

It's a setting for the plunger object. Nothing global.

 

It worked perfectly in Physmod, and it works as well in VPX if it is set back to how Mukste had it.

 

I doubt a plunger device exists that has to be calibrated every time a ball enters a lane. Its another in a long list of things that are butchered to get a small niche device working, but is not needed. A calibration before a ball feed makes more sense removing a realistic setting because there is some plunger device out there that will not work right unless they can remember that a calibration needs to happen before play, not during. 

 

If should be put back to realistic values for everyone. Not everyone else, but everyone, because it would work better in the end even if the plunger device needs to be calibrated before hand. Even a too strong launch first go would be better than a butchered plunger.

Edited by Shockman, 31 August 2016 - 02:03 PM.

[ClarkKent]

I'm not sure if it is only at my cab and why this is - but why is the "display in editor" not working when clicking on an object with a texture? This would help a lot...

[fuzzel]

Which object doesn't show the texture?
And keep in mind it's not working in all scenarios because of that 'great' Microsoft GDI

[hauntfreaks]

I'm not sure if it is only at my cab and why this is - but why is the "display in editor" not working when clicking on an object with a texture? This would help a lot...

 

displayed in editor needs to be checked and you must be in solid mode (not outlines)

and this is only going to show walls not ramps or primitives

also you're going to notice an extreme slowdown while editing in this mode like the old days in VP9

[ClarkKent]

A

 

 

I'm not sure if it is only at my cab and why this is - but why is the "display in editor" not working when clicking on an object with a texture? This would help a lot...

 

displayed in editor needs to be checked and you must be in solid mode (not outlines)

and this is only going to show walls not ramps or primitives

also you're going to notice an extreme slowdown while editing in this mode like the old days in VP9

 

Aha, great! It didn't come to my mind that I have to switch to solid mode... Thanx!

[allknowing2012]

Could the editor save some of the gui settings? For example, Image Manager - if you go in there and space out the columns to read them. Can that be saved so next time in it spaced out as it was previously? Probably more than a few places where that would be a nice to have.

[hauntfreaks]

Could the editor save some of the gui settings? For example, Image Manager - if you go in there and space out the columns to read them. Can that be saved so next time in it spaced out as it was previously? Probably more than a few places where that would be a nice to have.

 

I would like to be able to do this as well and to expand it to full screen at times...

reason is when doing a table sometimes you need to see what version of a file you used because there could be 10 versions of the same image

this way when its expanded the window you have a better chance of seeing the whole file string...

[sliderpoint]

I think I found a "bug".  I've noticed with a couple of the latest tables I've downloaded, the "user customizations"  4xAA, FXAA, update ingame AO, etc.  that are on the table are overriding the global video preferences  without the Overwrite Global settings box being checked.

 

-Mike

 

edit:  I see that the Overwrite Global settings box seems to be contained in the Elements Details Level properties.  I guess I thought that was for all of those options, not just that one.  I'll have to watch for that as my system can't handle those settings that some users have enable on their table by default.

 

double edit different issue:  can the devs please check the bug tracker?  I would like to know if it's possible to expose the light halo height for scripting.

Edited by sliderpoint, 02 September 2016 - 06:59 PM.

[BorgDog]

So, I've been thinking about slingshots (between thinking about plungers).  Why is it walls have a slingshot and rubbers do not? Is this just a remnant of when there was no rubber object?  It would be much more convenient to have that option on rubbers (especially for the slingshots , and maybe even with built in animation like the walls but with more control over the animation.  

 

It would be so nice to just put down a rubber, tell it between these points to bounce (not necessarily "sling the ball") and that effect would just happen dependent upon elasticity, length of that section, speed of ball, all that physics stuff.  This is such a basic integral part of pinball (especially on the older tables I generally play and build) that we should have it in there.

 

Thanks.

 

Oh and while I was thinking about it I played with the wall slingshot animation, it doesn't appear to be working after the first hit or something, but I don't know who or why anybody would actually use that animation??

[Shockman]

The rubber object is 3d, but not the walls' slingshot animation.

 

Legacy.

Edited by Shockman, 03 September 2016 - 01:49 AM.

[arngrim]

here is a new version of the controller.vbs:

 

 controller.rar   3.23KB   53 downloads

 

basically i made a fix for Sliderpoint TAF version VPX 10.2, which uses an additional menu with F6 button during play:

 Sans titre.png   14.17KB   15 downloads

So i added the initializationoptions in the loadvbsfiles method or the menu wouldn't appear

Sub LoadVBSFiles(VPMver, VBSfile, VBSver)
On Error Resume Next
If ScriptEngineMajorVersion < 5 Then MsgBox "VB Script Engine 5.0 or higher required"
ExecuteGlobal GetTextFile(VBSfile)
If Err Then MsgBox "Unable to open " & VBSfile & ". Ensure that it is in the same folder as this table. " & vbNewLine & Err.Description
InitializeOptions
End Sub
 

if a table doesn't have that menu and uses the updated the controller.vbs, the launch of the table will not complain

 

i personally think this is a very nice way to have options in a table, i'm in favor for having that than changing options in the script, that's one of the reason i created this controller.vbs after all

 

for those who are not aware on how it works, here's a example from sliderpoint taf vpx table :

 Sub InitializeOptions
	TableName="TAF_VPX"	'Replace with your descriptive table name, it will be used to save settings in VPReg.stg file
	Set vpmShowDips1 = vpmShowDips								'Reassigns vpmShowDips to vpmShowDips1 to allow usage of default dips menu
	Set vpmShowDips = GetRef("TableShowDips")					'Assigns new sub to vmpShowDips
 	TableOptions = LoadValue(TableName,"Options")				'Load saved table options
' 	TableOptions2 = LoadValue(TableName,"Options2")				'Load saved table options
	Set Controller = CreateObject("VPinMAME.Controller")		'Load vpm controller temporarily so options menu can be loaded if needed
'	If TableOptions2 = "" Then TableOptions2 = 0
	If TableOptions = "" Or optReset Then						'If no existing options, reset to default through optReset, then open Options menu
		TableOptions = DefaultOptions							'clear any existing settings and set table options to default options
		TableShowOptions
	ElseIf (TableOptions And optOpenAtStart) Then				'If Enable Next Start was selected then
		TableOptions = TableOptions - optOpenAtStart			'clear setting to avoid future executions
		TableShowOptions
	Else
		TableSetOptions
	End If
'	TableSetOptions2
	Set Controller = Nothing									'Unload vpm controller so selected controller can be loaded
 End Sub
 
 Private Sub TableShowDips
	vpmShowDips1												'Show original Dips menu
	TableShowOptions											'Show new options menu
	'TableShowOptions2											'Add more options menus...
 End Sub

 Private Sub TableShowOptions					'New options menu, additional menus can be added as well, just follow similar format and add call to TableShowDips
   Dim oldOptions : oldOptions = TableOptions
	If Not IsObject(vpmDips1) Then				'If creating an additional menus, need to declare additional vpmDips variables above (ex. vpmDips2 and TableOptions2, etc.)
		Set vpmDips1 = New cvpmDips
		With vpmDips1
			.AddForm 700, 500, "TABLE OPTIONS MENU"
			.AddFrameExtra 0,0,155,"Bear Toy",optBear, Array("Rug", 0*2, "Head", 1*2, "None", 2*2)
			.AddFrameExtra 0,65,155,"Thing Box",optBox, Array("Black Vinyl", 1*16, "Red Leather - Dark", 1*1024, "Red Leather", 2*1024, "Default", 0*16)
			.AddFrameExtra 0,140,155,"Chair Options",optFester, Array("with Uncle Fester", 0, "No Fester", 8)
			.AddFrameExtra 0,185,155,"Swamp Lighting", optSwLight, Array("Enable Green Light", 0, "Disabled", 256)
			.AddFrameExtra 175,0,155,"Coustin Itt",optCousinItt, Array("Enabled", 0, "Disabled", 32)
			.AddFrameExtra 175,65,155,"Bookshelf",optBooks, Array("Bookcase Mod", 0, "Default", 64)
			.AddFrameExtra 175,120,155,"Beta Plastics", optBetas, Array("Show Beta Plastics", 0, "No Beta Plastics", 128)
			.AddFrameExtra 175,185,155,"Chair/Vault Lighting", optCVLight, Array("Enabled", 0, "Disabled", 512)
			.AddLabel 0,240,175,30,"* Restart To Apply Settings"
			.AddChkExtra 180,240,135, Array("Enable Menu Next Start", optOpenAtStart)
		End With
	End If
	TableOptions = vpmDips1.ViewDipsExtra(TableOptions)
	SaveValue TableName,"Options",TableOptions
	TableSetOptions
 End Sub

 Dim Bear, Fester, Box, CousinItt, Books, Betas, CVLight, SwLight

 

 Sub TableSetOptions		'defines required settings before table is run
	Bear = (TableOptions And optBear)
	Fester = (TableOptions And optFester)
	Box = (TableOptions And optBox)
	CousinItt = (TableOptions And optCousinItt)
	Books = (TableOptions And optBooks)
	Betas = (TableOptions And optBetas)
	CVLight = (TableOptions And optCVLight)
	SwLight = (TableOptions And optSwLight)
	SaveValue TableName,"Options",TableOptions
 End Sub

[toxie]

good idea, thanks!

[fuzzel]

rev2774 is up:

 

- expose BulbHaloLight property
- patch by arngrim: InitializeOptions call added to the controller init, for tables that want to use this functionality during gameplay (options menu via F6)
- disable error message "Constuct not closed"
- add SVN revision number to the crash.txt file
- Change default interval of the PinMAME timer to 10 if VP10 (and up) is running

 

[sliderpoint]

Wow, I feel like this was an update just for me! You guys are awesome!


-Mike