18 replies to this topic

[Steve Paradis]

Hello Everyone...let's start with this. A Very Viable Backglass/DMD Alternative for VP.




Please donwload here and read carefully : http://www.gopinball.../TestNewDMD.zip

Test driving the baby...
Ok Extract this in your TABLE folder. (don't drag things out of the zip file, you have to keep the Hierarchy!!)


...When you are all set (yes that's all!) :

1. simply launch the table RFMTest.

2. launch also the RFMTest.exe file located in the folder /RFMTEST
Please note that I will eventually create a single launcher but for now it is a test so
let's keep it that way.

3.what it is : Small Apps that load 2 things. A Background picture and some movies in FLV format (flash) at runtime. hit the red target in the table to see movie change and score increment! Note that you have here a fully customizable Background that you can change at will plus the ability to change the movies without accessing the FLASH EXE!

4. you can also DRAG it onto your second screen..custom position and rotation will be available also.

the Proof of concept is up to what I expected and since it took me just a couple of hours to do so, this will be improved a lot over time but at least we all know it work.Note that it is has virtually no consumption even when both apps (this and VP) are working together. on my machine there is a difference of only 2% when the DMD is ON

The communication part can be improved but Since this was made to deal with Occasionnal events this will do just fine for now.My method is more than simple...you know How much I like "easy"... Still, I trigger 3 request per second which is enough fluidity IMHO. If windows Block it for some reason...you have to click "unblock" on the contect box(one time deal)).

Oh...I did the Video very quickly but..It can easily handle video sequence whatever lenght you feed him...


Now start imagining and Have fun All!

Steve

[computerfrk1]

You mean to tell me we have a viable substitute for Emulating Pin2K ....cool

Will this work on other games as well or only RFM

[Steve Paradis]

..You mean to tell me we have a viable substitute for Emulating Pin2K ....cool

I would not recommend using this one for that...because this application running fullscreen with transparency would kill mostly every average machine out there like the problem some had with Flash VP. but it could be reasonable to think of a smaller window to make what I did with DarkQuest.

will keep doing test anyway

..Will this work on other games as well or only RFM

It is not bound to a game in particular, the RFM background was just set as a visual example. everyone, who does an original table could easily use this on his own table to set up their own DMD animation. It is not connected and will not interact with what you call VPM.

Here's what it does: when the table is in action creating any event while playing the game, a signal will be sent for the proper animation (video) to be launched

Simply put :

1. VP send info (like launch the ball, bonus, multiball, hit a Special, etc..).
2. Apps get the infos.
3. App look for and Display the Proper video sequence for that event.

So, anyone who saw what I did with Big Spender or Lunch takeOUt can have the very same thing ported to VP. unlimited video display.

the Backglass image is just a bonus, some already requested to have just the dmd floating around like VPM that they could drag and rotate at will.
I will do that also.

Steve

[Flying Dutchman]

..You mean to tell me we have a viable substitute for Emulating Pin2K ....cool

I would not recommend using this one for that...because this application running fullscreen with transparency would kill mostly every average machine out there like the problem some had with Flash VP. but it could be reasonable to think of a smaller window to make what I did with DarkQuest.

will keep doing test anyway

..Will this work on other games as well or only RFM

It is not bound to a game in particular, the RFM background was just set as a visual example. everyone, who does an original table could easily use this on his own table to set up their own DMD animation. It is not connected and will not interact with what you call VPM.

Here's what it does: when the table is in action creating any event while playing the game, a signal will be sent for the proper animation (video) to be launched

Simply put :

1. VP send info (like launch the ball, bonus, multiball, hit a Special, etc..).
2. Apps get the infos.
3. App look for and Display the Proper video sequence for that event.

So, anyone who saw what I did with Big Spender or Lunch takeOUt can have the very same thing ported to VP. unlimited video display.

the Backglass image is just a bonus, some already requested to have just the dmd floating around like VPM that they could drag and rotate at will.
I will do that also.

Steve

Really impressive Steve .. only thing I miss out on (talking from an 'Active Backglass' perspective) is that the activity shown is not rom controlled and will be a heck of a lot of (extra) work to simulate
all Backglass activity during gameplay - which you 'pre-capture' in vids waiting to be fired off during gameplay.

Isn't there any interactivity possible to integrate with what we've seen with the UltraVPServer which gives us rom controlled Backglass activity without having to add anything else than the bulp positions on the Backglass?

Cheers,
FD.

[Steve Paradis]

It is passed via one simple line of code which you could see in the Wall1_hit sub.
I used that technique for Each of my table in FP and the receipe worked so far..
Dont want to Steal the fire of Active Backglass or FlashVP, I think what I do is related but
entirely different. It is Aimed at ORIGINAL table and a great way to substitute the problem you have in VP
to NOT be able to Layered Animation while this Thing Does.

I have here 2 layers only as you can see. 1 movie, 1 Dynamic Text.
you Want to have also Overlays? Poping Icons? credits and ball remaining? kill a couple of drunk martians while the ball hit an invisible target like RFM?

Just ask. This is what I offer.

[computerfrk1]

I'd like to see some VPM tables with this maybe in the future huh?

[Steve Paradis]

I'd like to see some VPM tables with this maybe in the future huh?

What would be the use of that computerfrk1? VPM already display animation like DMD...
Anyway, I know nothing about VPM scripting so I will not be the one who will bring it to this community.

Steve

[TheMcD]

So this is something for DMD's in Originals, right? So far the main method that I know of uses overlapping reels and is therefore limited to VP8, but this can be used in VP9. Interesting.

The McD

[computerfrk1]

I'd like to see some VPM tables with this maybe in the future huh?

What would be the use of that computerfrk1? VPM already display animation like DMD...
Anyway, I know nothing about VPM scripting so I will not be the one who will bring it to this community.

Steve

Actually I was thinking about the old alpha-numeric displays

[Steve Paradis]

Actually I was thinking about the old alpha-numeric displays

Sorry I'm kinda "new" to VP, so I am not really aware of all your terms and concept.

Some people asked me were they could find a free FLV converter to do some testing, so if you don't have Flash
I would suggest this free open source apps from sourceforge :

http://www.mediacode...-0.7.2.4535.exe

1.the DMD surface I used in my example was 512x128 so create your video that size for now, if you want to obtain an accurate test. Then export your video from you favorite video application with no compression if possible since media Coder wil compress it. I would suggest no more than 250kbps or 65%Quality - uncheck audio parameter.

2. name you new FLV Video ch(1-6) and restart the app (rfmtest.exe)

[destruk]

Thanks Steve!

[computerfrk1]

@ steve no worries you are learning much like I have I could probably do my own table but I just don't have the patience for such an undertaking.

[Steve Paradis]

I'd really like to keep improving this thing, my only concern is that One user (GRONI) seem to have
problem seeing the animation and the Data (score). I feel like I'm running blind in a wild Goose chase..
because nobody else seem to have problem with it.

Do you experience weird thing with it like animation or score never change?

Please let me know.

Steve

[destruk]

It works fine for me - both fullscreen and window'd mode for VP..

[Bob5453]

I couldn't figure it out or it didn't work for me.

[Shooby Doo]

I got it to work. It's a pretty darn cool concept.

[GRONI]

It works fine for me - both fullscreen and window'd mode for VP..

The very first Time I started it, VP wants to install a Frontend when I launch the Table. I canceld the install, and then the table starts.
Then I shooted the red object, and the installer starts again. Then I installed it, and then just simply nothing happens when hit.

[destruk]

It works fine for me - both fullscreen and window'd mode for VP..

The very first Time I started it, VP wants to install a Frontend when I launch the Table. I canceld the install, and then the table starts.
Then I shooted the red object, and the installer starts again. Then I installed it, and then just simply nothing happens when hit.

Visual Pinball never installs a frontend. VP is trying to repair its installation because you renamed or deleted one of the core files it installs with. Just run the exe included in the download without visual pinball, and see if anything shows up or happens for you? Need to reread the instructions, run the rfm exe first, then run vp and open the table. It probably won't work through your maximus arcade right now, but it's just a test package.

[GRONI]

It works fine for me - both fullscreen and window'd mode for VP..

The very first Time I started it, VP wants to install a Frontend when I launch the Table. I canceld the install, and then the table starts.
Then I shooted the red object, and the installer starts again. Then I installed it, and then just simply nothing happens when hit.

Visual Pinball never installs a frontend. VP is trying to repair its installation because you renamed or deleted one of the core files it installs with. Just run the exe included in the download without visual pinball, and see if anything shows up or happens for you? Need to reread the instructions, run the rfm exe first, then run vp and open the table. It probably won't work through your maximus arcade right now, but it's just a test package.

Maximus arcade isn´t active on that. I started the exe. It shows the DMD with the Video "ch1". Then I started the Table. Simply nothing happens on a hit.
The Table sends the score to the "txt", but not to the DMD. All the time the same video is on the dmd.