2585 replies to this topic

[Shockman]

A bit late for the latest listing, Mr. & Mrs. Pac-MAN has been updated to Beta6

 

https://www.dropbox.... Beta6.vpx?dl=0

[Slydog43]

mmpacman looking very nice, and physics seem pretty good after playing 1 game.  Missing a wall to hold up ball in launcher lane (like wall27 in papa smurf table).  Love watching these tables and VP10 mature!  great work guys

[Arcade4]

Pacman Beta 6 is playing great.  

No more stuck balls in left inlanes.

Thanks for the awesome update Shockman

[hauntfreaks]

I dont know if there is an official VPX logo but this is the one I made for my frontend....

 

Link to transparent PNG file ---> https://farm9.static...b68253d4d_o.png

 

[chepas]

Here is Evil Dead on a google drive share. Just the table for now, make sure to set BasicScript=True at top of script.

https://drive.google...POWs&authuser=0

[Shockman]

mmpacman looking very nice, and physics seem pretty good after playing 1 game.  Missing a wall to hold up ball in launcher lane (like wall27 in papa smurf table).  Love watching these tables and VP10 mature!  great work guys

 

I removed that piece that holds the ball a long time ago, before VPX beta. I did put in back in the VPX build, but ran into the same problems that had me delete it before, and I deleted it again.

 

With it there small pulls do nothing. A little longer pulls do nothing, longer still, does nothing, until the point where the ball shoots up to the top of the lane.

 

Also is the fact that I could not tell exactly when the plunger hits the ball, and a relevant sound just doesn't cut it for me at the start of the release stroke, and a timer works only with a certain pull stroke. I even tried a timer based on the pull stroke length, and though that worked, it did not work well enough. If it did work well I could use an impulse plunger to activate at the end of the release stroke.

 

Maximum resolution took precedence over method.

 

Not that there is anything simpler in the way it is. Only that it works. It's actually complicated. With a mechanical plunger, say a joystick, or a plunger, the VP plunger plays a role. If you are using the keyboard the only function of the VP plunger is to see a plunger. It plays no role in making the ball move. You can disable the strokes in the script, or even move the plunger off the table and the ball will still launch in the same degree, depending on how long the key is held. It is an impulse plunger.

 

You could put a wall there and it would still work exactly the same, it's just that the ball will launch as soon as the plunger is released, not when the plunger tip is occupying the same space as the ball. Very unrealistic.

 

If ever there is a way built in, or I come up with a formula and timer that hit only at the end of stroke (actually contact point with ball) I will improve it. But for now the physics are realistic for a table with that piece missing.

 

The skill shot on this table needs a high resolution plunger to hit, and not be in a notch that would hit too easily.

 

I got so use to it that I did not think to ask if a dev could give us an end of stroke flag. Better would be a plunger that has higher resolution and launches the ball based on how much the spring has sprung, not in the manner of 'ok the spring has sprung enough to wallop the ball. Better yet would be a plunger with all of that and a hit event. 

Edited by Shockman, 10 March 2015 - 06:09 PM.

[unclewilly]

Shocky. Why not use an impulse plunger then you can get a better range.

[Shockman]

It is an impulse plunger. The VP plunger is just for show and for mech. plungers.

 

That is what is complicated about it. It rides the plunger tip down. but it is a couple pixels above it on the way up.

 

I have no problem with it. It is incorrect behavior, but it does not break the laws of physics.

 

I have put a hundred hours at least into getting it to work and trying to get it to work as well with a gadget holding the ball up. I have made mathematically driven timers, triggers above, logical and illogical plunger settings. The physics of a plunger striking a ball is crap, always has been. An impulse plunger needs to know when to launch the ball. On release is crap too. It's too early. There is no mechanism for it being when a plunger is actually stopping short enough to not hit it, but close enough to look like it did. It has to be created, and that was a fail for me.

 

A hit event would be nice, but it would probably come with a hit action. More crap.

 

A hit event with no physical action would be perfect, as a plunger has never seemed able to count higher than 24.

Edited by Shockman, 10 March 2015 - 06:43 PM.

[unclewilly]

As you see i havent had time to test the newer betas

[Shockman]

You don't have to. Open a new table and press and release the plunger key as fast as you can. C R A P. Not only can it not count high, it can not count low. It's like in the infinite range of 0 to 100, it knows like 40, 50, 60, 70 80 90, and 100 

 

If that wall holding the ball up was gone, and the speed slowed down so it could make a gentle hit, It would still be crap, but it would be much better.

 

Have I made it clear that I hate the plunger. I hate the default plunger, I hate my plunger, I hate all VP plungers.

Edited by Shockman, 10 March 2015 - 06:57 PM.

[vampirolatino2]

Mmmmm... interesting. So we need a major update in the plunger behavior?!

That should be in the TO DO list then

[Shockman]

I don't know. I have complained about the plunger for years. It would be like the ball being a triangle instead of the circle. You would notice it or not, and if you did notice it, you would consider it a problem, or not.

[Talantyyr]

@Unclewilly: I've played your Monster Bash and i have to say it's amazing, looks sooo gorgeous!  It also plays well! And it's my favorite pinball

But the ball gets stuck while i've passed the ball from one flipper to the other a few times. I took a screenshot:

http://workupload.com/file/mmDsC0fZ

 

Btw, i have ~64fps at 1440p with extrem fxaa and 4xAA with a ATI Radeon HD 6870 and a core i5 3450

 

@fren: constant 65fps with your table with the same settings.

 

@sindbad: The Buck Rogers table isn't working for me? When i load it, it takes a while until the LED Score digits show up and nothing happens, no ball, no sound, nothing happens when i press the coin / start button. All the other tables work fine? But hey, at least it's looking GREAT!

Edited by Talantyyr, 10 March 2015 - 09:42 PM.

[Sindbad]

Talantyyr,

 

did you download the latest version? Buck Rogers is a Gottlieb system 1 table that awaits coins at the "3" and "4" keys. I've remapped them to "5" and "6" to be "compatible" to other tables. What happens when you try to access to config dialog (F6 key)? 

I've read the upper posts about the plunger.

 

I've replaced all impulse plungers under VP10 with "normal" plunger objects. I don't know if something was changed within the plunger objects, but for me it seems they are more precise and also stronger now. With Vector, 99% of the plunger shots go directly onto the upper playfield. And I'd like to reduce - let's say - extra work when using impulse plungers. Maybe one of the devs know if something changed at the plunger objects ... Anyhow, for me the plunger object works perfect. 

Edited by Sindbad, 10 March 2015 - 11:00 PM.

[freneticamnesic]

@Unclewilly: I've played your Monster Bash and i have to say it's amazing, looks sooo gorgeous!  It also plays well! And it's my favorite pinball

But the ball gets stuck while i've passed the ball from one flipper to the other a few times. I took a screenshot:

http://workupload.com/file/mmDsC0fZ

 

Btw, i have ~64fps at 1440p with extrem fxaa and 4xAA with a ATI Radeon HD 6870 and a core i5 3450

 

@fren: constant 65fps with your table with the same settings.

 

@sindbad: The Buck Rogers table isn't working for me? When i load it, it takes a while until the LED Score digits show up and nothing happens, no ball, no sound, nothing happens when i press the coin / start button. All the other tables work fine? But hey, at least it's looking GREAT!

 

good performance, do you need both fxaa and 4xaa though? I've kind of considered "if you can't use 4xaa...use fxaa" but maybe I'm wrong. I've never ran both at the same time .....

[lolo33]

Talantyyr,

 

did you download the latest version? Buck Rogers is a Gottlieb system 1 table that awaits coins at the "3" and "4" keys. I've remapped them to "5" and "6" to be "compatible" to other tables. What happens when you try to access to config dialog (F6 key)? 

Hi Sindbad,

With your tables Buck Roges and Vector, the playfield seems to be cropped on the left and right.

 

[Shockman]

Talantyyr,

 

did you download the latest version? Buck Rogers is a Gottlieb system 1 table that awaits coins at the "3" and "4" keys. I've remapped them to "5" and "6" to be "compatible" to other tables. What happens when you try to access to config dialog (F6 key)? 

I've read the upper posts about the plunger.

 

I've replaced all impulse plungers under VP10 with "normal" plunger objects. I don't know if something was changed within the plunger objects, but for me it seems they are more precise and also stronger now. With Vector, 99% of the plunger shots go directly onto the upper playfield. And I'd like to reduce - let's say - extra work when using impulse plungers. Maybe one of the devs know if something changed at the plunger objects ... Anyhow, for me the plunger object works perfect. 

Well the plunger math is simple. It should have NEVER been in the shape it is, let alone keep that state throughout the years. It may work with Vector, but it is crap, even in Vector. I like you and I love your Vector, but there is more to a plunger than throwing the ball into the game. And more to a plunger than working for a certain game. The quickest tap and release possible should not knock the ball as high as it does.

 

In the old days, before the impulse plunger I remember myself, others, and PacDude often posting "Skill shot possible' Nothing has changed. What that meant is not that we had improved at all on the plunger, but that we found settings that would hit the skill shot (lined up the notches... not too difficult, there are not a lot of notches). What it actually meant often was 'Skill shot likely'. Without the highest resolution possible these days any digitized analog device using a small range cut into big notches is a waste of time to program, even if the code was only create.a plunger.

 

How could you be happy with the minimum value your plunger can produce being about one third of maximum?

 

Like I said in the other thread. I would never let a VP plunger object as they are to ever have any contact with my balls.

 

MMpac has one of the hardest skill shot types. A fairly strong pull but a precise pull. As I hinted above. I could make the VP plunger object hit it. but if it misses it is going to miss big. This is hitting an apex from a long way away. With the impulse plunger it can hit and miss, but it can hit in a very narrow range, and it can barely miss. It can come so close that it will miss without a nudge and hit with a nudge. A quick tap will barely if at all bump the ball even slightly off the tip. Get use to it and you can launch the ball to anywhere you want, realistically missing from having your own timing off. I can pink an arbitrary spot anywhere between the plunger tip to the apex and stop the ball there in just a few tries zeroing in each time.

 

I warn you a impulse plunger mod will be the first line of duty before I play Vector in earnest. I'm talking about a personal mod, not a release. Not that it's need it for any function. Just that it simply needs it.

Edited by Shockman, 11 March 2015 - 01:22 AM.

[jpsalas]

About the plunger: if you disable the "Enabled mechanical plunger", then you'll see that a small tap to the return key will only push the ball just a little bit. But if you enable it then a small tap will send the ball half way up. So if you don't use a mechanical plunger then it is better to disable it in the editor.

[Newer]

Hallo Schockman if i load your Table Mr an d Mrs Pacman i get the Error....... You can not load a File of that Version

 

Can you say me please whats the Problem?

 

Is there a newer VP10 Version that i Need it??

Where i can get it ?

Edited by Newer, 11 March 2015 - 06:19 AM.

[Shadowsclassic]

Here is Evil Dead on a google drive share. Just the table for now, make sure to set BasicScript=True at top of script.

https://drive.google...POWs&authuser=0

Table looks down right creepy chepas,  That movie seriously messed with me when I first watched it.  The table crashes for me when you coin up, but it's looking pretty awesome.