813 replies to this topic

[Rajo Joey]

After a few weeks I gave VPE another chance, but got the same error as before.
Installed is the version Unity 2020.3.11f1 and VPE 0.0.1-preview.60.
I load the test table "Nudge Test and Calibration.vpx".
I don't change anything in the table and export it under a different name.
When I now open the table with VPX, I still get the error message below.

After that the editor crashes.

 

 Error.jpg   10.05KB   17 downloads

 

I just see this in the console:

 

Gizmos.DrawMesh requires a mesh with positions and normals
UnityEngine.Gizmos:DrawMesh (UnityEngine.Mesh,UnityEngine.Vector3,UnityEngine.Quaternion,UnityEngine.Vector3)
VisualPinball.Unity.ItemMeshAuthoring`3<VisualPinball.Engine.VPT.Ramp.Ramp, VisualPinball.Engine.VPT.Ramp.RampData, VisualPinball.Unity.RampAuthoring>:OnDrawGizmos () (at Library/PackageCache/[email protected]/VisualPinball.Unity/VisualPinball.Unity/VPT/ItemMeshAuthoring.cs:167)
UnityEngine.GUIUtility:ProcessEvent (int,intptr,bool&)

Edited by Rajo Joey, 15 June 2021 - 08:10 AM.

[freezy]

Yeah, possible. However I'm in the middle of a scene refactoring, which again broke the export, so I'll be debugging rather that.

[freezy]

Hi guys,

 

From today on, I'll stop updating this thread. It has become too long for new users to read through, and some things in the initial post have changed. You can of course still ask questions, and I'll respond. However, you'll find news and updates in a new thread.

 

I've made a poll, and the team decided to continue over at VPU.

 

See you there!

[blindpeser]

I play VPX in VR only and I cant wait for the first VPE VR table creation.

But boys, can you imagine to play VPE on a cab that has this kind of display (in a proper size and with low latency) implemented?:

https://m.youtube.co...h?v=pMaDZEgcBik

https://m.youtube.co...h?v=Dx3jbs-eEwY

Edited by blindpeser, 13 July 2021 - 08:56 PM.

[Gravy]

I play VPX in VR only and I cant wait for the first VPE VR table creation.

But boys, can you imagine to play VPE on a cab that has this kind of display (in a proper size and with low latency) implemented?:

https://m.youtube.co...h?v=pMaDZEgcBik

https://m.youtube.co...h?v=Dx3jbs-eEwY

Yeah, I discussed the pinball potential of this display at some point with the earlier version on one of the pinball facebook groups. I cant remember if this tech has issues operating in portrait orientation and also whether it has a sweet spot for viewing angle (either of which may make it less useful for pinball cab). I think this is a multi layered screen if I remember correctly, hence why it is so thick.

I also had some initial discussions with another somewhat less technical screen manufacturer that was doing glasses free lenticular 3D 4K screens. Combined with headtracking to automatically adjust the perspective (similar to BAM). There were some issues to overcome due to viewing proximity and angle as the lens would need to be adjusted for the closer/angled viewing in a pinball cab. Costing was somewhat prohibitive for home users in my opinion unless you were going to do a commercial operation. Here's one of the 40" portrait displays I was looking at https://info.magneti.../m3d-wfds404k-p , they also have another product with inbuilt head tracking called Emersa but the size was only 28 inch.

Edited by Gravy, 13 July 2021 - 11:29 PM.

[blindpeser]

BAM is great somehow, but the ultimate version would be a multilayered display w/o headtracking. So awesome for multiplayer sessions! I think we need to wait some more years, but one day it will be hard to tell if you are playing a real or a virtual pin (I hope).

Edited by blindpeser, 14 July 2021 - 09:59 AM.

[HansAHansB]

I very much believe in this - especially for virtual pinball: 

 

 

Have a nice cab build without the usual TV inside, but just a customized game board (cab dimensions) on top.

Also, i guess this will be far cheaper and more realistically available for personal use than this 3D display. (The use-cases shown for the display above were product design, medical sector, business presentation, which usually means that the display will be expensive...)

Btw. the VPE Unity Editor has been mentioned already (including youtube video link) in the discord channel of Tilt5.

Edited by HansAHansB, 14 July 2021 - 11:09 AM.

[blindpeser]

Not sure if this has improved a lot, but when I checked the specs a couple of time ago, I wasnt excited at all. This is better than VR for multiplayer gaming, but you still have to use heavy glasses. VR probably still has the better overall experience.

That display you can use w/o any other tools is the future imo. Of course it is super expensive at the moment. But maybe this has an affordable price in future.

[toxie]

As for lightfield displays: The huge caveat there is that you need to compute so much more pixels, it's insane. And if not (i.e. limited pixels as in the looking glass ones) even sharing computations between these is still a bit up in the air, as it's more complicated obviously than what games can do in the good ol' 2D camera plane(s) nowadays (and where a lot of speedup comes from, especially when talking about "RTX ON" ).

Edited by toxie, 14 July 2021 - 05:39 PM.

[wiesshund]

I very much believe in this - especially for virtual pinball: 

 

 

Have a nice cab build without the usual TV inside, but just a customized game board (cab dimensions) on top.

Also, i guess this will be far cheaper and more realistically available for personal use than this 3D display. (The use-cases shown for the display above were product design, medical sector, business presentation, which usually means that the display will be expensive...)

Btw. the VPE Unity Editor has been mentioned already (including youtube video link) in the discord channel of Tilt5.

 

Pinball? No, doubtful

 

Baldur's Gate?
Oh yea

[blindpeser]

As for lightfield displays: The huge caveat there is that you need to compute so much more pixels, it's insane. And if not (i.e. limited pixels as in the looking glass ones) even sharing computations between these is still a bit up in the air, as it's more complicated obviously than what games can do in the good ol' 2D camera plane(s) nowadays (and where a lot of speedup comes from, especially when talking about "RTX ON" ).

Maybe a KI will help here in future. You are right, this is no technologie we could use tomorrow. But it looks promising. Maybe in 5-10 years this is the gold standard.

[blindpeser]

@freezy : Just saw your post on vpu, simply amazing! It looks like it is coming to life now! I bet we are pretty close to be able to play a beta table.

Edited by blindpeser, 09 October 2021 - 05:52 AM.

[freezy]

Updated the first post.

[wiesshund]

Update January 2022:

 

please be aware that Dave Gilmore has built a business around selling and redistributing what our community provides for free

 

I'd have thought he made enough money from PinkFloyd?

[Fizzletop]

Quick question...

I'm starting an new virtual pinball project and I have the benefit of being able to control the pipeline and learn from more experienced people like you all here...

I do have a few goals for the project I have to meet though.

1: The pinball game has to feel awesome and make even the most picky virtual pinball connoisseur smile.
2: Release a totally free to play mobile and steam version.

3: The pipeline has to feed into Unity 3D for a high-end finish (materials, lights, look development, particle effects, etc. it also makes goal 2 much more manageable.)

So, what is the best way to utilize unity in the scenario?...

Should I just use this tool here to import the physics from visual pinball to Unity and then go about building the rest of the game in unity? -Goal 1 is very important to me so I'm trying to get the best feel in Unity no matter what it takes.

[freezy]

Just remember that the VPE code is GPL licensed, thus you'd need to publish the source of your game too, in case you use it.

[Fizzletop]

Just remember that the VPE code is GPL licensed, thus you'd need to publish the source of your game too, in case you use it.

Not sure if this was a response to me... But, I'm fine with that for where it pertains to VPE. 

[freezy]

Cool, so an open source original game that you want to put on Steam? What's the theme? Are you going to monetize it somehow?

[Gravy]

Quick question...

I'm starting an new virtual pinball project and I have the benefit of being able to control the pipeline and learn from more experienced people like you all here...

I do have a few goals for the project I have to meet though.

1: The pinball game has to feel awesome and make even the most picky virtual pinball connoisseur smile.
2: Release a totally free to play mobile and steam version.

3: The pipeline has to feed into Unity 3D for a high-end finish (materials, lights, look development, particle effects, etc. it also makes goal 2 much more manageable.)

So, what is the best way to utilize unity in the scenario?...

Should I just use this tool here to import the physics from visual pinball to Unity and then go about building the rest of the game in unity? -Goal 1 is very important to me so I'm trying to get the best feel in Unity no matter what it takes.

It might not fill all your criteria and the table you build with it is likely not going to look as slick as something built with VPE, but perhaps have a look at the following pinball creator asset for Unity from Tropical Studio https://assetstore.u...l-creator-74772

[Fizzletop]

Cool, so an open source original game that you want to put on Steam? What's the theme? Are you going to monetize it somehow?

Steam and iOS/Android, I just want it to be very accessible to everyone.
Yes, I have a theme, it's awesome, and I cant wait to announce it when I'm ready. -I'm really trying to design and layout a cabinet that pays respect to pinball game design but, that's slow to achieve when it's your first cabinet and you have no wisdom for it, lol.
Yes, I do have a plan to monetize it while also keeping it free.