185 replies to this topic

[The Loafer]

Imho, there should be a maintainer, but the thing is, it's a lot of work and will one person want to deal with core integration, etc?

[anthias]

pretty amazing news this
well, I guess a few of us will get cracking as usual, while a few more of us enjoy the fruits of those labours HURAAH!

[lettuce]

This will give you access to the full VP8.1 and vp907 source code - latest of both releases.

9.0.7 ? Is this official?

That was the last build I was working on, with the volume fix and a few other very minor changes.

Will this be release for the less technically minded, not a source release? Does this mean we might get a Data East volume work around now?

[grapper]

Fantastic news! One thing that would be great (without knowing much about what I am talking about) would be an easier way to set up cabs, animated backlgasses etc. Seems like kind of complicated as it stands right now with scripting and the like.

[Joe]

NOTE: This topic was split from http://www.vpforums....i...=42014&st=0 - The McD

...how many more VP vs FP topics before people get bored, there is no right and wrong, they both have advantages an disadvantages - just play both and stop worrying about it.

Perhaps this is language Cysma can understand ?
I agree. FTW, and both programs already have free DLC.

btw - heard from Randy --
Randy Davis
to me

show details Feb 22 (1 day ago)

Hi Brian - sorry I didn't get back to you earlier. I suppose at this point I have to admit that I'll probably not going to get back to developing VP in any real way, so yes sure go ahead and make it open source.

- Randy

So VP is open source now under the GPL license. Let me know if anyone here wants to work on it or needs code. I've started to set up a repository on Sourceforge for it - it uses Scintilla for the script editor (free to use). I'm just working out the details with Nanotech Entertainment now.

THIS IS VERY COOL.

Is there any way to see some speed up's by building pinmame into vp?

[ynneBBenny]

Thanks Randy,
for doing this, I'm sure this will ensure the continued growth of pinball emulation.
You have provided a massive and firm base for others to now tweak.
Due to your emmense work I don't foresee huge changes other than adjustments around the edges.
The vote seems to have it, that your physics engine is the best out of all the other varied emulators ever released.
Thanks for providing a firm foundation, to build upon.
No matter how many years pass, and and how many versions of VP will now be released, you will always be remembered as the guy who made it all possible.
I truly believe that if there was no VP, that if a person was to build an emulator as of today, it would not get off the ground, and interest would be little. VP came at the right time to keep the interest of those old enough to remember the real machines of yesteryear, and yet also be able to adapt to computer usage. As a consequence I have introduced my kids to pinball (And they love it) This would now have been possible without VP. Hopefully our kids will now carry the coding torch of pinball emulation.
I propose that your name is to be honoured in any further releases of VP or variations of it. This should be the first bit of coding before anything.
Thanks again mate.
Benny

Edited by WWW, 24 February 2010 - 10:34 PM.

[Joe]

...can people see and understand where I'm going with this? I'd hate for VP to splinter off into, say "VP-Greywolf" [i have no such delusions], "VP-Destruk" [nor does he, I think], "VP-thisguy", "UberVP", "HyperVP", "VP Ultimate Black Edition", "VP-Pure [no ROM support]" and crap like that, as what has happened with Linux [DeadRat, SuSE, Ubuntu, Debian, GenToo, etc.]

It's the Cathedral vs. the Bazaar; from what I have seen, it takes elements of both to have a stable system, but ultimately, the Bazaar must be kept in check.

Not all open software is like that Firefox has the main ver and testing vers. We should work on 1 main ver and people can make there own spin offs.

[smakx]

Holly crap, this is incredible news. What an awesome thing for Randy to do, this could mean some excellent things for vp with more eyes looking at the code.

[TedB]

Thanks to Randy! Great news.

How feasible is a port to Linux? Wasn't VP using a lot Windows specific code and could not be ported?

[Mrhide]

"VP Ultimate Black Edition"

The real name would be "Future Pinball"

[Greywolf]

There's probably not a lot in Windows that can't be emulated in Linux with native calls. I mean, MAME runs on Win, Linux, MacOS, etc. Why not VP?

EDIT: Upon further consideration, it's evident that we're going to need a scripting engine. We'll either need a VBs interpreter built and ported to Linux, or we'll have to have a translator that will translate from VBs to Perl, Python, PHP or something like that.

It's gonna take some work -- it's not gonna be plug 'n' play, that's for sure.

[Flying Dutchman]

This is very good news indeed ..

There should be a structered way of integrating/developing adjustments which will result in thoroughly testing it before making a release GA (General Available).

If there's still doubt/uncertainty on installing/integrating add-ons like UVP the process for releasing (intermediate) versions of VP should be kept as simple/clear to everyone out there that wants to
enjoy the use of VP.


'The Sky Is The Limit' ..

Thanks Randy ..

Cheers,
FD.

[Greywolf]

"VP Ultimate Black Edition"

The real name would be "Future Pinball"

Hahaah! Good one! Didn't even think of that; was thinking more along the lines of "Windows 7 Ultimate" combined with "AMD 9660 phenom II Black Edition"...

[StevOz]

Thanks to Randy! Great news.

How feasible is a port to Linux? Wasn't VP using a lot Windows specific code and could not be ported?

True native linux support would require a large amount of recoding, it is feasible. All the direct x graphics routines might need to be rewritten to support OpenGL and the Visual Basic elements may need to be replaced by Python or some similar programming language. Although Mono could perhaps be used to avoid having to do a lot of that...

http://www.mono-project.com/Main_Page

[rossicomputers]

Best news last 100 years...

Like to see UVP and rotated reels incorporated in VP...

Any way we can make FS tables more easy to setup

[oooPLAYER1ooo]

Thank You Randy!
i didn't expect to hear this today

[Greywolf]

And I'm being remiss again.

Thank you, Randy, for making all this possible.

I could see VP morph into something a little more complete; what are the chances we can start augmenting different models and such? I know that sounds more FPish, but it would be really nice not to have to build a Sunburst-style bumper from scratch.

External Resource Library support would be a BIG plus.

[Joe]

This will give you access to the full VP8.1 and vp907 source code - latest of both releases.

9.0.7 ? Is this official?

That was the last build I was working on, with the volume fix and a few other very minor changes.

Will this be release for the less technically minded, not a source release? Does this mean we might get a Data East volume work around now?

I think that may be a pinmame thing.

[scapino]

The best news I've heard in a long time!

Thanks Randy, and Destruk!

Kurt

[computerfrk1]

Does VP 9.07 really work can someone tell me for sure before I download it?