67 replies to this topic

[Noah Fentz]

Hey everyone,

I just spent the better part of nine hours modding 60+ Fullscreen tables to use the Nanotech plunger. Many of these tables are JP's, and he's given me permission to update his uploads with the new functionality. A few other authors' tables have also been modded.

So, I'd like to know who uses the Nanotech plunger who would like to test a few of these tables. Since JP uses three different methods, I'll send one of each for testing to ensure their optimal functionality before I edit the existing uploads.

Now, I can't spend hours sending the files, so I can only take a few volunteers. I don't want to just attach them here, in case they cause issues with others' setups. I don't like having content going out that isn't good.

So, that being said, who wants to try them out?

For those of you who are script-savvy, here's what I did ...

Wall Technique

1. Create collection called PlungerWalls (P1-P13)

CODE

    Dim xx,PlungerPos
    Sub Plunger_Timer()
        For Each xx in PlungerWalls
            xx.Isdropped = 1
        Next
        PlungerPos=INT(Plunger.position/2)
        Plungers(PlungerPos).IsDropped=0
    End Sub

3. Add :Plunger.TimerEnabled=0 to the end of the PlungerKey line in the KeyDown Sub
4. Add :Plunger.TimerEnabled=1 to the end of the PlungerKey line in the KeyUp Sub
5. Add Plunger object with a stroke length of 130 called Plunger, uncheck Visible, check Enable Mechanical Plunger, check Enable Timer, set Interval to 40. Be sure the plunger hits the ball!

-----------------------------------------------------------

Light Technique

1. Add the following in the appropriate section:

CODE

Sub Plunger_Timer()
    Select Case INT(Plunger.Position/2)
         Case 0,1:p1.state = 1
         Case 2,3:p1.state = 0:p2.state = 1
         Case 4,5:p3.state = 1:p2.state = 0
         Case 6,7:p4.state = 1:p3.state = 0
         Case 8,9:p5.state = 1:p4.state = 0
         Case 10,11:p6.state = 1:p5.state = 0
         Case 12:p6.state = 1:p6.state = 0
         End Select
End Sub

2. Add Plunger object with a stroke length of 130 called Plunger, uncheck Visible, check Enable Mechanical Plunger, check Enable Timer, set Interval to 5. Be sure the plunger hits the ball!

3. Add :Plunger.TimerEnabled=0 to the end of the PlungerKey line in the KeyDown Sub
4. Add :Plunger.TimerEnabled=1 to the end of the PlungerKey line in the KeyUp Sub

-----------------------------------------------------------

Kicker Technique

1. Add to the script the bolded parts in the following script excerpt.

Dim PTop, PBottom, PTopY, PBottomY,PlungerPos,oPlungerPos,PT,PB
Set PTop = P1.CreateBall:PTop.Image = "pw0a":PTopY = PTop.Y: PT=PTopY
Set PBottom = P2.CreateBall:PBottom.Image = "p0b":PBottomY = PBottom.Y: PB=PBottomY

2. Add the following Sub in the appropriate section:

CODE

Sub Plunger_Timer()
    PlungerPos=INT(Plunger.Position)
    If PlungerPos=oPlungerPos Then Exit Sub
        PTop.Y = PT+INT(PlungerPos)*3
        PBottom.Y = PB+INT(PlungerPos)*3
    oPlungerPos=PlungerPos
End Sub

3. Add Plunger object with a stroke length of 130 called Plunger, uncheck Visible, check Enable Mechanical Plunger, check Enable Timer, set Interval to 40. Be sure the plunger hits the ball!


Note: If there is a plunger present, simply MOD the existing plunger.

These instructions are pretty much from memory, but I believe they are accurate. They also don't remove the existing Impulse Plungers, which I'll do after the Expo when I have more time, before I upload the edited versions.

@ JP - The Lights Method doesn't work well with the Digital Plunger. If you'd be willing, perhaps you could MOD those tables to use the Kicker Method? That would be the best result for the least amount of effort. I can give you a list of games using the Light Method, if you don't recall.

Enjoy!

[bladexdsl]

so these have all been updated and reuploaded and are ready to go now?

[jpsalas]

Well, the light method is the one I use in my latest tables since it is the one that works best. The plunger is angle independent and it looks better than the dropwall method, since dropwals tend to don't be displayed if you enlarge the table too much, whike the lights keep workin even if you enlarge too much the table. The kicker methos is not angle independent, so I don't use it anymore.

So the best is to remove everything and add a normal plunger. Anyway I guess the VP devs will come with a new plunger soon, so all those "hacks" won't be needed anymore

JP

[StevOz]

Well I like how you wrote "hacks", to me at least they are innovations.

[blur]

well ideal solution would be to have a setting in vp to choose one joystick or mouse axis and set sensitivity and dead zones, and then plunger works in all tables without any code change (well you should only remove old code like jpsalas said)

that would be real innovation and it is not so far away since rascal is working on enabling nanotech code in vp source to use any type of joystick/mouse input, for plunger and for nudging

[bladexdsl]

is it really worth using the plunger a lot of peeps at hyperpin say not to?

[gwjrabbit]

Thanks as always to all of you do who do all this work to make my life awesome. Can't wait till this big update rolls through!

[Noah Fentz]

so these have all been updated and reuploaded and are ready to go now?

As my post states, not yet. I'm looking for testers to ensure the performance is top notch on other system configurations. If you want to add the plunger functionality, the scripts are easy to implement.

Well, the light method is the one I use in my latest tables since it is the one that works best. The plunger is angle independent and it looks better than the dropwall method, since dropwals tend to don't be displayed if you enlarge the table too much, whike the lights keep workin even if you enlarge too much the table. The kicker methos is not angle independent, so I don't use it anymore.

So the best is to remove everything and add a normal plunger. Anyway I guess the VP devs will come with a new plunger soon, so all those "hacks" won't be needed anymore

JP

Okay. I was thinking it was an older method. The lights just don't seem to update fast enough for the plunger on release. Any suggestion would be welcome to improve that.

Yes, a new plunger would be the best solution, for sure. Not sure how far off that is, though.

well ideal solution would be to have a setting in vp to choose one joystick or mouse axis and set sensitivity and dead zones, and then plunger works in all tables without any code change (well you should only remove old code like jpsalas said)

that would be real innovation and it is not so far away since rascal is working on enabling nanotech code in vp source to use any type of joystick/mouse input, for plunger and for nudging

As long as the plunger or device uses the same code, without breaking the code for the Nanotech plunger, I'm all for it. If it uses the same code, then these updates would apply for all those devices.

is it really worth using the plunger a lot of peeps at hyperpin say not to?

Absolutely. I have gotten great results with them. I think the issue is the fact that tables aren't configured to use them.

[mandelbloom]

If you need a tester I would love to do it, have the plunger

[cupid]

well ideal solution would be to have a setting in vp to choose one joystick or mouse axis and set sensitivity and dead zones, and then plunger works in all tables without any code change (well you should only remove old code like jpsalas said)

that would be real innovation and it is not so far away since rascal is working on enabling nanotech code in vp source to use any type of joystick/mouse input, for plunger and for nudging

I agree totally here...

That would really be an innovation, if we had some more I/O handling in VP.

I spend some thoughts about this and thought of something like this:

-----
Digital inputs from Keyboard, joystick (including nanotech things)
Analog Input from Joysticks or emulated with digital inputs.
--
Hardware Input to VP Mapping via standardized Input Layer.
--
VP itself handling stadardized inputs and output.
--
VP to Hardware Output Mapping via standardized Output layer.
--
Digital Output to various Output Devices
Digital to Analog timed Output with ADSR for special things like shakers, which need high outputs to start.
Analog Output to various Output devices
-----

But that were only some thoughts... No programming done yet.

Cupid

[icemochalatte]

I have the plunger in my cab and would love to try them out. This would be a great addition to JP's awesome tables. I've also got access to a second cab (not mine) and could try them there.

[kruge99]

I hope this thread isn't dead because I think that some other things that could be added to the table & script at the same time could be:

-ball collisions for multi-ball
-ball rolling sounds
-rubber hit sounds
-JP & Noah's nudge script
-VP91x layback view
-and an updated/animated plunger graphic if not already present


Best Regards,
Todd.

[kruge99]

I was having a go at this tutorial today and I had to figure out the Emreel technique that was used in some of Unclewilly's tables, like Alien Poker, so I thought I would share it with everyone.

Emreel Technique

1. Add the following in the appropriate section:

CODE

Dim xx,PlungerPos
  Sub Plunger1_Timer()
        PlungerPos=INT(Plunger1.Position)
        If PlungerPos < 12 Then
            PlungerPos = PlungerPos + 1
            Plunger.Setvalue(PlungerPos - 1) ' Plunger.Setvalue needs to match the name of the EMReel on the backglass.
        End If
  
  End Sub

2. Add :Plunger1.TimerEnabled=0 to the end of the PlungerKey line in the KeyDown Sub
3. Add :Plunger1.TimerEnabled=1 to the end of the PlungerKey line in the KeyUp Sub
4. Add Plunger object with a stroke length of 130 called Plunger1, uncheck Visible, check Enable Mechanical Plunger, check Enable Timer, set Interval to 40. Be sure the plunger hits the ball!

Thank you very much Noah for putting this together!!


Best Regards,
Todd.

Reason for edit: corrected spelling

Edited by kruge99, 29 February 2012 - 12:47 AM.

[unclewilly]

Jps alpha ramp animation works awesome.
Im using it in freddy . Only change i made was using 25 images rather than 12.
Should show all readable positions of the pinwizard

[mikef]

Jps alpha ramp animation works awesome.
Im using it in freddy . Only change i made was using 25 images rather than 12.
Should show all readable positions of the pinwizard

HI UncleWilly,
Can you please share how you got the Alpharamp animation going? I've been trying to get it working with JPs TOTAN and I can't seem to get it working.
Thanks,
Mick

[kruge99]

JPSalas sent me this fix the other day:

Line 315 is like this:

Plungers(AnPlOldPos).WidthBottom = 22:Plungers(AnPlOldPos).WidthTop = 22 'change to the width of the ramps

and it should be like this:

Plungers(AnPlNewPos).WidthBottom = 25:Plungers(AnPlNewPos).WidthTop = 25 'change to the width of the ramps

Notice that there are two changes to be made: AnPlNewPos, and the number 25...


Best Regards,
Todd.

Jps alpha ramp animation works awesome.
Im using it in freddy . Only change i made was using 25 images rather than 12.
Should show all readable positions of the pinwizard

HI UncleWilly,
Can you please share how you got the Alpharamp animation going? I've been trying to get it working with JPs TOTAN and I can't seem to get it working.
Thanks,
Mick

[mikef]

JPSalas sent me this fix the other day:

Line 315 is like this:

Plungers(AnPlOldPos).WidthBottom = 22:Plungers(AnPlOldPos).WidthTop = 22 'change to the width of the ramps

and it should be like this:

Plungers(AnPlNewPos).WidthBottom = 25:Plungers(AnPlNewPos).WidthTop = 25 'change to the width of the ramps

Notice that there are two changes to be made: AnPlNewPos, and the number 25...


Best Regards,
Todd.

Thanks Todd - that worked brilliantly.
Mick

[Wiggly]

I'm going to try changing some scripts tonight after being directed to this thread from Scared Stiff.

Just wanted to throw in my two cents. From memory, three tables or versions from Uncle Willy have fantastic plunger control, Bad Cats, Xenon & Pinball Pool (also some of the most realistic ambient texture and lighting). If anyone blows off the plunger as a gimmick, they need to play any of these tables. I know there are more tables that are this precise but, I'd have to run through them.

Hope this can help in some way and I'll post anything I learn from making the changes above.

Thanks, Guys!

[chas]

dunno if i want spend any more time and money on this PC.
plays the new tables ok on 1 monitor.
will a low end 2.2 single core perform proper with a full setup?

[arngrim]

Hi,

I'm adding the plunger functionality for all tables I have.

So far I have good results, but for the batman FS for example, I don't see which technique I have to use.

http://www.vpforums....i...4&hl=batman

Any idea?

Arngrim