9 replies to this topic

[senseless]

Next to my normal PC desktop configuration with FX2 Steam and internet connection I have a stand-alone configuration for my pincab. I expect there are some people that have like myself an offline pincab configuration without a Steam client and internet connectivity and who run a non-Steam FX2 version via PinballX. This configuration creates some challenges when it comes to full FX2 DOFLinx support.

 

I wanted to share my non-Steam configuration that provides this full DOFLinx force feedback for FX2. It's a bit tricky and requires patience and accuracy to get things working. There are basically three main steps:

 

- Ensure the usage of the right table names between FX2, DOFLinx and PinballX

- DOFLinx configuration

- PinballX configuration

 

I included screenshots and configuration files to support the whole configuration process. I hope these help in understanding how I configured everything. Please note that I renamed the doflinx.ini file otherwise I could not upload the file (ini files are not permitted for upload).

 

Different tables names:

One of the differences is that the non-Steam version I run has different tables names than the regular Steam version on my desktop. To make this compatible I had to rename the FX2 files provided with the latest DOFLinx release (4.21) to match the table names from the non-Steam version of FX2. I included a screenshot of the FX2 directory and the DOFLinx directory with the aligned names. This ensures that DOFLinx is able to load the right FX2 table configuration file for the force feedback. The same table names are also required in the FX2 database XML file that PinballX uses to start FX2 with the right table.

 

DOFLinx configuration:

DOFLinx is configured in the '' fire and forget mode". Please refer to the DOFLinx guide provided with the DOFLinx software how to configure this. This is the best way in my opinion to configure DOFLinx. It only wakes up when a FX2 process is started and goes to sleep when the FX2 process is killed. As I run FX2 via PinballX I needed to time the moment between DOFLinx identifying the FX2 process and the actual table selection in FX2. This is done via the PROCESS_TO_ACTIVE_TIME parameter I included in the DOFLinx.ini configuration file. For me everything works by setting this to wait for 10 seconds. The speed in which a table is selected and eventually loads influences the wait time required. It could be that you need to play around a bit with this setting to find the right value for your setup.

 

I use the DOFLinxmsg utility to parse the table name towards DOFLinx. This is done via the PinballX configuration.

 

PinballX configuration:

In PinballX I call upon the Nukelauncher utility to start FX2 and to select the right table. This is a very nice utility that works great. For download and installation instructions please visit http://www.nukelauncher.com. Please refer to the included screenshot of the PinballX configuration. The TABLEFILE parameter is derived from the PinballX FX2 database XML file, I also included this XML file in the post.

 

The DOFLinxmsg also uses the TABLEFILE parameter to communicate to DOFLinx that is running in the background to load the corresponding FX2 file. This is configured as a 'start before process' in PinballX.

 

Troubleshooting:

Before you start please make sure your PinballX configuration with Nukelauncher is working as expected and FX2 starts via PinballX with the right table selected. When you are trying to get thing working make sure you turn on the DEBUG=1 setting in your DOFLinx configuration. This helps out to see if the handshake between DOFLIinx, the DOFLinxmsg and FX2 is working or that something is not going as expected.

 

Conclusion:

It seems like a lot to digest and that it takes some effort.... and it does.

 

But it is worth it! FX2 with full force feedback support is great and I hope this info is useful for some of you.

 

 

Attached Files

•  DOFLinx configuration.txt   9.75KB   379 downloads
•  filenames FX2 DOFLinx.png   492.57KB   58 downloads
•  PinballX config FX2 and Doflinx.png   204.99KB   50 downloads
•  pinball FX2.xml   26.15KB   333 downloads

[numiah]

Thanks a gazillion for this explanation. Was just about to start today with DOFLinx

Bedankt!

EDIT : Got it working. Sorta... Worked for FX2 after quite some fiddling, but VP stopped working, couldn't get it to work again.
When in FX2 I got stutter every second or so, like something was hogging resources.
Ended up rolling back.

EDIT2 : Forgot to mention that Nukelauncher isn't needed anymore with the new cabinet support from within FX2.
You can start tables directly from the PinballX xml.

Edited by numiah, 09 January 2017 - 10:03 AM.

[senseless]

Good to hear! Thanks for providing the update. Did not know nukelauncher is not needed any more, will look into this one . Saves me the trouble of updating the nukelauncher ini file every time I have new FX2 tables .

 

UPDATE: Nukelauncher is indeed not necessary anymore (unless you want to force player selection). Without Nukelauncher table selection is much quicker .

Edited by senseless, 28 January 2017 - 02:07 PM.

[Outhere]

Does pinball X stop at the player selection window so you can select more than one player?

[senseless]

To my knowledge this is not supported via pinballx. Via nukelauncher you can specify the number of players.

[Outhere]

If you put zero in the ini file it will stop at the player selection window

[alexbragalima]

Hi Senseless and numiah, did you resolve the stuttering of dof in non steam version?

[senseless]

I never had any stutter... can you be more precise?

[AussieJace]

how do you get the surround sound on pinball fx2 on pinup player?

cant find any files?

please help

[DDH69]

how do you get the surround sound on pinball fx2 on pinup player?

cant find any files?

please help

 

FX2 predates us working on SSF, so never done.  In theory you could via Pup commands, but why?  All development effort is on FX SSF and other toy integration.