124 replies to this topic

[wiesshund]

Now, if you can have him split the ball in half.

 

I dont think it should be a normal pinball game
make it a horror adventure game that uses a pinball machine as the controller, if that makes sense?

[Namenloser]

This table looks awesome man. i have to try FP...

[TerryRed]

Silent Hill (PinEvent) - Midwich School Teaser

 

Video Playthrough Preview Coming Soon!

 

After months of work... the EPIC video preview for Silent Hill you've been waiting to see is almost here!

 

Midwich School is a terrifying place that contains secrets... disturbing visuals... and horrifying monsters. Anyone who has played Silent Hill or has seen the movie will know what to expect.

 

This has been a MASSIVE undertaking. Unlike anything you guys have seen in virtual pinball. Anyone who has seen what I did (so far) with RetroFlair 2, will know I mean business!

 

You won't believe this "one" section of Midwich (and the rest of the game) is all in "one" pinball game... and there's much more to come!

 

I don't want to spoil the massive surprises and cool stuff you will see soon.... but it will be worth the wait!

 

(bad news is.... this table has a long ways to go until it's ALL done, but the Midwich part was probably the largest to do)

 

 

https://youtu.be/fntdTMWQ2n0

[TerryRed]

Silent Hill (PinEvent)

 

The Midwich school and Otherworld video preview is finally here! Horrifying pinball unlike anything you've seen!

 

After months of work, I can finally show off my first preview of the Midwich School and Otherworld levels of my Silent Hill table for Future Pinball - BAM.

 

This table is a complete game changer.... literally... as you will see the town of Silent Hill change in front of your eyes from the foggy town, to the Nightmare Alley, to the school classrooms (and more), and finally to the hell'ish Otherworld. You will see disturbing sights and monsters never before seen in pinball. You won't believe this is all in "one" table! It's a great visual showcase and unlike anything you've ever seen before... and there's more to come!

 

This table is my love letter to all developers and contributors to ALL Silent Hill games. It's my favorite game series, and this has always been the pinball table I wanted to make!

 

It's constantly evolving, and it's a crazy amount of work. Now I need to work on the Hotel, Hospital and Church levels... then it's on to finishing it with PinEvent. Lots more work to do!

 

Some interesting stats:

 

- 8 different playfields / levels (so far)

- 5 completely different sets of ramps and wireramps that change for each level

- 6+ sets of playfield and plastics art in 4K (so far)

- 80+ BAM custom FBX models (this doesn't include the normal FP "table" models).... so far

- thanks to Andrei Maraklov for help with rebuilding and texturing the Armless monster

- a crap load of texture animation (thanks to KenSwift for some AE help!). Don't want to spoil anything!

- thanks to Schreibi34 for his gorgeous insert images (i made bump maps and insert hole meshes. Looks great!

- thanks to Rom, as I used RetroFlair as a starting point for this table

- thanks to ravarcade for so many awesome BAM features!

- lots of dynamic lights and dynamic spotlights that looks creepy and cool

 

I'm really held back a lot from what I "want" to do because of FP being 32 bit (table size limitations due to ram access....same as 32 bit VPX).

 

As you can see though, this table is already really BIG.

 

I don't want to spoil anything! So I highly recommend you watch from beginning to end as there are many surprises and wow moments to be seen that are all part of the progressing Silent Hill story. (remember what I said about RetroFlair 2)

 

 

https://youtu.be/mUvhNXGZVwU

 

 

[GlueSniffinEd]

Absolutely incredible!  I'm in total awe at how you are able to do so much with the Future Pinball engine and essentially make it look like it came out in the last year.  I'm definitely looking forward to playing this when it comes out, thank you!

[wiesshund]

This is where it is truly a shame that FP's audio engine can not be changed via BAM to one that will do 5.1 surround or better.

You could do some really lumps in the pants audio, the table would be perfect for it

[TerryRed]

This is where it is truly a shame that FP's audio engine can not be changed via BAM to one that will do 5.1 surround or better.

You could do some really lumps in the pants audio, the table would be perfect for it

 

Well...if I REALLY wanted... I could just use PUPSSF for "extra sounds" for 5.1 7.1 sounds!

 

Yes this is intended for SSF, but works for normal surround too! It could make for some FREAKY shit when coming from inside the cabinet... or for anyone playing on a Home Theatre,etc.

 

This was something I was considering as an extra PinEvent option separate from SSF. You can have multiple PUP SSF "Audio Only" in a pup-pack.

 

The nice thing is I can go crazy with ambient sounds and even make them random easily... and it wouldnt use up any essential space I need for the table file.

 

Actually BAM has "table positional" data features that is used for Ball Rolling sounds for PUP SSF. I'm sure if I was a smart guy, I could extend that to Creeper sounds so they come from the position they are on the table when you hit them,etc.

Edited by TerryRed, 14 October 2021 - 04:59 AM.

[wiesshund]

Hehe that would be fun.
Stuff coming at you from the lockbar etc

Edited by wiesshund, 14 October 2021 - 06:36 AM.

[TerryRed]

Silent Thr-Hill-er Dance Off!

 

The Monsters of Silent Hill wanted to get into the groove for Halloween! Watch them strut their stuff!

 

You also get a first preview of Lisa Garland, Dark Alessa, and Valtiel

 

Happy Halloween everyone!

 

https://youtu.be/beIAMxvFTzk

 

 

 

Edited by TerryRed, 30 October 2021 - 03:49 PM.

[TerryRed]

Silent Hill (PinEvent)

 

The Grand Hotel - first pics.

 

I've been sick the last 2 weeks, so I haven't got much done, but I do have the first part of the Grand Hotel done.

 

Let's hope I get this thing done before XMAS now

 

 

 

 

[licwip]

Sending a health ampule your way!

[TerryRed]

Grand Hotel work in progress update 2.

 

Now I have the first two parts of the Grand Hotel done. Changed up the inserts and decals, and now have "The First Burning" painting that leads to Room 111.

 

Much more to do.

 

 

[TerryRed]

... removed...

Edited by TerryRed, 08 November 2021 - 03:15 AM.

[TerryRed]

Silent Hill (PinEvent)

 

The Grand Hotel - update 3

 

Room 111 - The Sacrificial Chamber

 

Still feeling crappy, but managed to get some more work done. This is the 3rd part of the Grand Hotel, and what you find when you enter Room 111. The seal hanging above the coal fire pit rotates non-stop to remind you that "something terrible happened here".

 

Much more to do...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by TerryRed, 11 November 2021 - 09:19 PM.

[tgx]

You rock Terry. I started my virtual pinball addiction with FP. Back then

there was no BAM, nor physics mods. I experimented with taking a picture

of a pinball playfield (Bon Voyage) and redrawing the entire thing. Took months.

The end result was a recreation of a table I played when I was 8 years old that

played very similar to how I remembered it as a kid. Like you I got a lot of grief

for using FP but I found the barriers to entry much less as a noob. Fast forward now and all

I use is VPX but I'm still just a noob. I have to admit, I may have to get my FP up to snuff on my rig to try

out this most impressive work you are putting together. Amazing stuff.  I am sure if someone 'must'

have a VPX version you'll allow and probably help someone to port it over, that's just how you roll.

Thanks for all the work you do for the FP/VP community!

[TerryRed]

You rock Terry. I started my virtual pinball addiction with FP. Back then

there was no BAM, nor physics mods. I experimented with taking a picture

of a pinball playfield (Bon Voyage) and redrawing the entire thing. Took months.

The end result was a recreation of a table I played when I was 8 years old that

played very similar to how I remembered it as a kid. Like you I got a lot of grief

for using FP but I found the barriers to entry much less as a noob. Fast forward now and all

I use is VPX but I'm still just a noob. I have to admit, I may have to get my FP up to snuff on my rig to try

out this most impressive work you are putting together. Amazing stuff.  I am sure if someone 'must'

have a VPX version you'll allow and probably help someone to port it over, that's just how you roll.

Thanks for all the work you do for the FP/VP community!

 

 

As far as a VPX version... I don't care about my stuff being converted... BUT... it won't ever happen because it's literally impossible to do this same table in VPX. If it was possible... I would be making it on VPX instead (I'm not biased towards VP or FP... it's all great). Hopefully... one day it will happen on VPE.

Edited by TerryRed, 16 November 2021 - 05:51 PM.

[wiesshund]

You could do a lot of it in VPX

Not all of it, you would have to simply model animations

a lot

 

You would have to take a different spotlight approach and kind of mimic the spotlight as VPX does not have that kind of lighting

 

Im not sure it would be a direct conversion though, too many things you would have to use a different approach to

be more like a recreation?

 

Think you would spend as much time recreating it, as you have designing it in the 1st place, almost?

[TerryRed]

You could do a lot of it in VPX

Not all of it, you would have to simply model animations

a lot

 

You would have to take a different spotlight approach and kind of mimic the spotlight as VPX does not have that kind of lighting

 

Im not sure it would be a direct conversion though, too many things you would have to use a different approach to

be more like a recreation?

 

Think you would spend as much time recreating it, as you have designing it in the 1st place, almost?

 

- VPX has "no" form of dynamic lighting (that effects "everything"). None for flashers / GI / spotlights... no per-pixel lighting / rendering on all surfaces / bump maps (but it does have the nice lighting on the ball from inserts,etc that FP can't do). No workarounds or pre-rendered / baked textures can recreate the same thing. To me this is the big one, and is essential to Silent Hill, and something VPX won't ever do, which is why I hope to be able to convert it to VPE one day

 

- no FBX model and animation support. VPX can't support more modern complex FBX models (so VPX is limited to simple single texture models with only one "part"). This also means no way to support fully animated models (with bones, skeletons, etc). That means the only thing you can hope to do is use multiples copies of the same model in different poses to mimic animation. Given how many FBX models I use and how many animations they do.... this would increase the size of the table much more (and I'm pushing limits as is), and it honestly won't look good in comparison. You would also need to completely convert and re-texture / wrap most of the models I use to a single texture. Have fun with that for over 100 models (and one model can have dozens of different models using different textures within it).

 

- VPX is unable to change out complete playfields / ramps / wireramps / set of lights / flashers / holes in the playfield,etc. I completely change all these things (using BAM's tools) and more when changing to different levels throughout the game. Things like mesh inserts in the center being replaced by hell fire pits with objects inside the playfield. Being able to grab any collection of objects (monsters, etc) and have them move across the playfield in any way I want and the physics / collisions of all objects are still retained. You can't do that with VPX.

 

- texture animation can be done on VPX.... but I'm not sure it can be done to this level (on all objects) and still retain the same performance. I honestly don't know (I've only done it with a single flasher on VPX)... but I have seen some newer VPX tables trying to push this more. FP with BAM's newer features is very efficient with texture animation.

 

- VPX has no form of music and sound control (just stop / start / loop). No fadeout / fadein, crossover, etc. While this may seem minimal, it really does have an effect with how good transitions sound.

 

 

Those are the "main" limitations I would see. To me, if those things can't be done at all or to the same level.... then why bother? It eliminates so much of what I'm doing here for a "Silent Hill" table. You may as well make a completely different table. It's kind of like me trying to convert a VPX table created by the VPW guys to FP. Sure I could make it look as good using their assets (and add dynamic lighting / GI as well)... but I'll never get it to play as good, so to them its not the same game, so they would be like, why bother? (as realistic physics is a huge priority for them)

 

It simply would make no sense to waste my time on a VPX version if its not at least the same game in "all" respects. I'm not recreating a "realistic" table here (I got a dude with pyramid for a head attacking the ball and blood splatting), so perfect physics are not my priority (and never have been, but maybe one day). I'm not a FP fanboy, contrary to what some may think (otherwise, why would I do so much work on VPX)... I simply use the best tool for the job for what "I" want to create. One day, I hope to be able to convert to VPE and get both great physics and even better visuals since I won't be as limited as much as I am now (32 bit ram limits, etc).

 

There have been some new significant updates on FP's physics as the result of combined efforts from JLou / shiva / ravarcade and others to allow FP to finally do proper live catches / tap passes / deadflip / rolling - flick passes / post passes,etc with dynamic coils and EOS swtiches,etc.... and more control over other parts of physics dynamically. No more flippers that are just on / off and no more super wide shots from the flippers. Is it as good as VPX? No. Can it continue to get better? Sure. Any improvement is always welcome, and I think it may surprise many who havent played FP in years.

Edited by TerryRed, 19 November 2021 - 02:40 AM.

[wiesshund]

The lighting, you would not be able to do the same
It would take a lot of work to try to mimic in part, the lighting you use
I am not sure how efficient the results would be.
You would have to do best effort there and that is all you could do.

 

VPX can do sound transitions, but it is not as simple as FP
you are going to script the entire transition
You are probably going to get pissed off after writing the 1st couple transitions, and chuck the PC into the wall

 

VPX wont do the models you have, the way they are made.
VPX cant do dancing with the monsters type of stuff

 

On the other hand, swapping playfields can be done.
Some place on one HDD here, i have an embarrassingly bad demo and the table goes through 4 playfield changes.
I can not swear that it is a sane thing to do in VPX
And i can not say anything as to the efficiency of it, it definitely is not efficient from an authoring standpoint.

 

Would it be worth it for you to try?
Hard to say, maybe not
It would not be a conversion at all for the most part, it would be almost like starting over
 

[TerryRed]

There won't be any dancing monsters in the released table. I need as much ram as I can get (32 bit ram access limitations), and adding that much animation to those models on top of what they already have takes up a lot of precious ram usage.