19 replies to this topic

[jimmyfingers]

Scared Stiff 8-step GI Lighting MOD



Version: 1.4.4.3
Category: VP/VPinMAME 9.x - MOD Tables

Author(s): JPSalas, JimmyFingers (Light MOD)

Description:
Based on Scared Stiff VP91x v1.4.4 by JPSalas
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Update 1.4.4.3:
- Fixed graphic artifacts from pure black in main PF texture when all lights off
- Used higher quality base PF image, cleaned up numerous sections and re-generated all GI light levels with enhanced image (thanks JP for new image and PS tips)
- Tidied up rollover image boundaries / seams
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Update 1.4.4.2:
- Fixed Beast nose not lighting
- Fixed Plunger visibility issues before first pull
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Update 1.4.4.1:
- Fixed Boney Beast Left eye not lighting
- Fixed right ramp not registering
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"Light" MOD:
- Added 8 step x 3 zone GI fading / levels utilizing the GICallBack2 function available for WPC tables
- Altered general lighting on PF, lights, plastics, and other objects (somewhat of a night MOD)
- Added new Boney Beast alpha flasher
- Enhanced Claw flasher ramps
- Added fading bumper flashers with alpha ramp halos (hybrid) in "Lab"

Thanks to JPSalas for giving me permission to post this MOD and his helpful correspondence
Thanks to UW and oooplayer1ooo for their lighting tables / examples / inspiration

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! This table is a real light show and the screen shot can't really tell the story - have to see it in action. Hope you like!

Important: A fairly decent machine is required, however, the total performance hit from all of the adjustments only seems to be about 20% less than the original / base table. Higher periods of performance hit may occur when the lighting is actually changing and a ball is in play. However, in general it plays quite well. A 1GB card is recommended. I use and did the most of the testing on Windows 7 systems, Windows XP set-ups, like most people have witnessed, will likely have higher FPS / smoother play.


Notes:
1) The table has been set-up with various elements carefully "stacked", if anything get's changed on or in the table, with respect to drawn in front or drawn in back changes, graphical problems / oddities may be observed
2) Sometimes the table failed to load or yielded a mostly black screen - retrying or restarting VP and retrying would generally resolve

I've done everything I can with my current knowledge and skill set to make the table as efficient and "runnable" as possible.


Performance Improvements - there are a couple things that can be changed to gain back some performance:
1) As usual, Alpha Ramp Accuracy sliders further to left (gains with no decrease in quality on square alpha flasher ramps)
2) Disable the modified "Lab" bumper alpha flashers by changing the fading lights calls at the end of the "UpdateLamps" sub and deleting the related objects (there are groups created to make this easier and are called !Bumper#_Halos (1-3) and the section of the script for the changes is commented with notes to assist)
3) Change the !TopRightRampSegment back to "solid" from "alpha"; It was this way originally to save on performance but, with the new lighting looks much nicer to be able to see the updates behind / beneath it which you won't be able to if it's set back to solid
4) There is a setting in the script under the "Options" called "GI4LevelsOnly", it is defaulted to false for 8 way but set to true to try 4 levels only; NOTE: the performance change does not seem to be perceivable but may be noticed on older systems when lighting sequences are occurring and a ball is in play
5) I had some sound issues / hick-ups when running the VP executable on a single core but were resolved when allowing VP to run on multiple cores - could be my set-up, sound card, or windows 7 thing
6) I observed on one of my systems that changing the max texture setting down below "unlimited" actually decreased FPS / performance, so, if possible keep / try at unlimited

View File

Submitted by jimmyfingers, on Oct 27 2011, 04:33 PM

Edited by jimmyfingers, 29 November 2011 - 08:15 PM.

[bolt]

Thanks for this nice Mod. I like the new 8-step GI Lighting version.

Two little things do not work properly.
1: Dragon Skull light: The left Eye and the nose does not light.
2: The right ramp does not count.

[jimmyfingers]

Thanks for this nice Mod. I like the new 8-step GI Lighting version.

Two little things do not work properly.
1: Dragon Skull light: The left Eye and the nose does not light.
2: The right ramp does not count.

Bolt, thanks for your feedback. You are correct on the left eye issue and the nose but there is no issue with the ramp and it works fine / the way it did in the base version(s). You just have to go over it twice before it starts flashing (same in the other versions); Further the way it seems to work is the eyes flash differently depending on what stage you're on (left eye only = before any ramps made, right eye flash with left eye on before 2nd ramp made, and before the 3rd ramp is made it both eyes alternate and the flasher flashes repeatedly, after the 3rd the Boney Beast tale is complete and the eyes continue to alternate)

The nose is also fine in the FS because it's transparent and you're looking more down and can see the flasher (that's what's really lighting it in real life as well as far as I can tell). It's not coming through that way on the desktop version though now because of the angle difference and I'll see how best to try and add back in some way.

The left eye was an error on the desktop version that came out of the B2S script cleaning to return to desktop mode, where I accidentally wipped out two Fade* lines in the update lamps section by mistake, one of which was the left eye.

I will quickly fix the eye issue and re-upload but will wait for other bugs and time to assess what to do about the angle on the nose holes / flash visible through them.

Thanks.

JF

Left eye fixed and re-uploaded

Edited by jimmyfingers, 27 October 2011 - 09:55 PM.

[rcadefrk]

Is it reuploaded Jimmy, i'll give it a play if its up...thanks buddy

[jimmyfingers]

Is it reuploaded Jimmy, i'll give it a play if its up...thanks buddy

Yep. My last reply stating that aspect just got ammended to my previous post (strange). I even edited it back out and tried again but it popped back up there. Must be a system thing as I purposely was trying to make it a separate post to help make it clear that it was done and after the last bit of info. Well, should be clear now at least

[tguittar]

Love the lighting effects. Great job..I noticed that you can see the ball through the flippers... Great table thanks alot for you're work..

[jimmyfingers]

Thanks for this nice Mod. I like the new 8-step GI Lighting version.

Two little things do not work properly.
1: Dragon Skull light: The left Eye and the nose does not light.
2: The right ramp does not count.

Bolt, my apologies and further thanks, I didn't see that you were referring to the right ramp. I've looked at the script, compared it to the original, and see the problem. I will get an uploaded fix hopefully within 10 or 15 minutes. You're on the ball, that's for sure - must know this table like the back of your hand too.

JF

[jimmyfingers]

UPDATE: Right ramp fix has been made and re-uploaded

[jimmyfingers]

Love the lighting effects. Great job..I noticed that you can see the ball through the flippers... Great table thanks alot for you're work..

That's not something I've seen on my couple test systems nor something I can reproduce on my current system here at work. I'm suspecting something at least in combination with your particular set-up, however, we'll see if anybody has a similar issue. The desktop verion got less testing time and only on Windows 7.

[billyrjse]

Very nice lights!!!

Thank you!!

[humid]

Thanks for work you've put into this light mod. It plays quite smoothly on my XP/512 card. Balls on flippers look fine here.

[rcadefrk]

Awesome work JimmyFingers, look forward to more from you....

[rehab]

Love this! Great work man, thanks a lot!

[rschudej]

this is great!!!! I would love to see this on other tables!!!!

[bolt]

Thanks for your hard work and thw quick update jimmyfingers.

[jimmyfingers]

UPDATED: Fixed Beast nose not showing flasher light from below (increased flasher ramp back heights slightly); Fixed plunger not showing until first pull; Re-uploaded (1.4.4.2)

[rcadefrk]

thanks buddy!

[jimmyfingers]

UPDATED!

1.4.4.3

- Fixed graphic artifacts from pure black in main PF texture when all lights off
- Used higher quality base PF image, cleaned up numerous sections and re-generated all GI light levels with enhanced image (thanks JP for new image and PS tips)
- Tidied up rollover image boundaries / seams

Edited by jimmyfingers, 29 November 2011 - 08:58 PM.

[rcadefrk]

Thanks Jimmy

[penman]

I've been a fan of this game since I was either 6 or 7