16 replies to this topic

[jpsalas]

File Name: Gamatron (Pinstar 1985)

File Submitter: jpsalas

File Submitted: 25 Apr 2021

File Category: VPX/VPinMAME Recreations

Author(s): jpsalas
pedator
Manufacturer: Other - Pinball
Year: 1985
ROM: Link to ROM
Permission to MOD?: Yes, with approval

Based on the table by Pinstar from 1985.
 
Graphics redrawn by pedator.
Directb2s also by pedator
 
This table uses as default the original Gamatron ROM from Pinstar. 
This ROM didn't included voices. so if you prefer voices use the Flight2000 ROM. The script is compatible with both ROMS.
You may even use the modified rules that can be downloaded from vpuniverse
The ROM can be selected at the beginning of the script.
 
This table was made with VPX 10.7

Click here to download this file

[jpsalas]

PS: Thanks to akiles50000 for suggesting this table and for sending me the graphics pedator made. 

[clyde]

Thank you JP & everyone else involved for ALL of these great new tables & updates, Very much appreciated.     

[marcio clauss]

Thank You JP , pedator

[jpsalas]

UPDATE

 

4.0.0 Updated 28.9.2022

- Updated to my VPX7 physics

- cleaned up and deleted unused graphics & reduced the size of the table

- Added my VPX7 LUT changer to darken the table (hold down LEFT CTRL while change with RIGHT CTRL). Including GI brightness adjustment. Use the LUT changer together with the day/night slider to give the table the level of darkness you prefer.

- Updated my mechanical set of sounds to a more "under the glass" sound, as people seem to like those kind of sounds better.

- Changed the Environment image to enhance a little the object shadows.

- Some small small script updates, like the Rolling sound and PlaySoundAt routines.

- Made the light inserts warmer.

[tmpc]

Thank you.

[murve33]

Great work on this table. But, I'm having a few issues with ROM interaction. All roms were downloaded today from VPUniverse, and I'm using the latest version of pinMAME.

 

Haven't tried 'gamatron'. Gotta have those robot voices.

'flight2k' works perfectly.

'flight2m' has very garbled robot voices. Also, the 3-ball kickout thing on the upper left doesn't function correctly*.

'flight2mb' (which I realize isn't a pre-selected option in the script) has perfect sound. But, the 3-ball kickout thing also doesn't work*.

 

*When I shoot a ball into the kickout thing, it doesn't kick the ball into the 2nd hole. So, when I shoot another ball into it that ball gets stuck on the ball stuck in the first kickout hole.

 

Long story short. Can you please add 'flight2mb' support, JP (or tell me how to add it script side)? I love the skillshot feature.

[jpsalas]

Great work on this table. But, I'm having a few issues with ROM interaction. All roms were downloaded today from VPUniverse, and I'm using the latest version of pinMAME.

 

Haven't tried 'gamatron'. Gotta have those robot voices.

'flight2k' works perfectly.

'flight2m' has very garbled robot voices. Also, the 3-ball kickout thing on the upper left doesn't function correctly*.

'flight2mb' (which I realize isn't a pre-selected option in the script) has perfect sound. But, the 3-ball kickout thing also doesn't work*.

 

*When I shoot a ball into the kickout thing, it doesn't kick the ball into the 2nd hole. So, when I shoot another ball into it that ball gets stuck on the ball stuck in the first kickout hole.

 

Long story short. Can you please add 'flight2mb' support, JP (or tell me how to add it script side)? I love the skillshot feature.

 

I have checked the rom, but without more information about the changes it will take me ages to discover the right numbers for the switches and solenoids. It looks like the old switches do not trigger the solenoids on that ball walker.

[Themer]

For flight2m I don't get garbled voices and the 3 ball kick-out works correctly. For the garbled voices maybe toxie has an idea. If the 3 ball kick-out doesn't work as expected, please explain what goes wrong.

 

For flight2mb you're required to switch dipswitch 14 or change solenoid cables on the real machine. See the original documentation:

 

...

 

For versions 39 and up, you need to make a decision on
a WIRING CHANGE. Dip 14 now controls the knocker and
ball walker. If Dip 14 is *ON* the wiring is as normal,
the ball walker stays connected to J5-12 and the
knocker gets connected to J2-8 (formerly the coin
lockout.)

To change the walker so that it doesn't interfere with
multiball responsiveness, swap J5-12 and J2-8, and set
Dip 14 *OFF*.

 

---

 

Now, having made the changes (knowing that the coin lockout is solenoid 18), I'm still unable to get the walker functioning persistently. I'm going to investigate this further.

 

Edit: Removed unnecessary part from the documentation.

Edited by Themer, 13 March 2025 - 06:29 AM.

[jpsalas]

Thanks for the information. Let's see if you manage to make it work

[Themer]

I'm currently investigating this with dipswitch 14 turned on (which means that I didn't change the solenoid mapping for the ball launcher, but did change the mapping for the knocker to 18 (coin lock-out)). My findings are below:

• The switch for the ball walker functions correctly. This can be validated by leaving the switch, in which case a new ball (if any left) is provided in the shooter lane.
• The solenoid for the ball walker is still working randomly. Maybe a certain condition in the code must be met. Yet, this would be strange as balls can (and do) get stuck in said case.
• I'm working with an automatic switch script, which turns on and off switches to trigger logic in the game, to reach certain conditions.
• I checked if it isn't a feedback issue between VPinMame and VPinball, but the solenoid is really not triggered by the ROM, so that's cancelled out as well.
• Possible (ugly) workaround could be to trigger kicker 5 programmatically in VPinball when said kicker is hit. (This has to be investigated further to see if it hasn't any side effects.)
• The knocker works correctly and is heard when an extra ball or special is collected.

Edited by Themer, 14 March 2025 - 06:42 AM.

[Themer]

The mystery is resolved, the modified ROM set expects the switch to be open again, before the walker is triggered. Even though Flight 2000 has another walker mechanism than Gamatron, the switch stays closed when the ball is in front of the first stop, so a modification of this switch would be required on the real machine as well (which is not mentioned in the documentation). Now, how to make this work on this version of the VP table:

• A timer should be added to kicker 5 (sufficiently long such that switch 39 is registered in VPinMame), which on completion opens switch 39 again. (This has been tested for all other ROM sets and works for them as well.)
• Two sub procedures should be defined for the knocker and the walker (ball launcher in the official documentation) which contain the following:

Knocker

• If the ROM set != "flight2mb" than trigger the knocker on solenoid 6
• If the ROM set == "flight2mb" and dipswitch 14 == on than trigger the knocker on solenoid 18
• If the ROM set == "flight2mb" and dipswitch 14 == off than trigger the knocker on solenoid 9

Walker (ball launcher)

• If the ROM set != "flight2mb" or dipswitch 14 == on than trigger the walker on solenoid 9
• If the ROM set == "flight2mb" and dipswitch 14 == off than trigger the walker on solenoid 18

@jpsalas I'm not going to publish a mod. If you wish I can send you a version with the updated code or you can do it yourself.

[Themer]

For everybody interested, the modifications to the original ROM set can be found below (I have no relation to the creator):

For flight2m: nvram.weebly.com/uploads/5/4/2/5/54255141/f2k_v33_modifications.txt

For flight2mb: nvram.weebly.com/uploads/5/4/2/5/54255141/f2k_v3374_readme_first_modifications.txt

[jpsalas]

The mystery is resolved, the modified ROM set expects the switch to be open again, before the walker is triggered. Even though Flight 2000 has another walker mechanism than Gamatron, the switch stays closed when the ball is in front of the first stop, so a modification of this switch would be required on the real machine as well (which is not mentioned in the documentation). Now, how to make this work on this version of the VP table:

• A timer should be added to kicker 5 (sufficiently long such that switch 39 is registered in VPinMame), which on completion opens switch 39 again. (This has been tested for all other ROM sets and works for them as well.)
• Two sub procedures should be defined for the knocker and the walker (ball launcher in the official documentation) which contain the following:

Knocker

• If the ROM set != "flight2mb" than trigger the knocker on solenoid 6
• If the ROM set == "flight2mb" and dipswitch 14 == on than trigger the knocker on solenoid 18
• If the ROM set == "flight2mb" and dipswitch 14 == off than trigger the knocker on solenoid 9

Walker (ball launcher)

• If the ROM set != "flight2mb" or dipswitch 14 == on than trigger the walker on solenoid 9
• If the ROM set == "flight2mb" and dipswitch 14 == off than trigger the walker on solenoid 18

@jpsalas I'm not going to publish a mod. If you wish I can send you a version with the updated code or you can do it yourself.

 

You may send me the modified table And then I can upload it as an alternate version with that mb rom

[Themer]

You may send me the modified table And then I can upload it as an alternate version with that mb rom

 

I'll clean things up and sent you the table which supports all variants.

Edited by Themer, 14 March 2025 - 12:29 PM.

[jpsalas]

UPDATE

 

5.5.1 Updated 15.03.2025

Modifications made by Themer to add support for the rom flight2mb

-Added flight2mb as an additional option to the list of predefined ROM sets

-Added a timer to kicker 5 to disable the switch after 100 milliseconds, such that flight2mb triggers the ball walker.

-Added sub procedures to automatically switch the solenoids used for the ball walker based on the ROM set and dipswitch 14.

-Corrected the switch for the right outlane (which was assigned to the center outhole instead of the right outlane).

 

Thanks again Themer for the modifications to use the flight2mb rom

[bolt]

Thank you JP for trhe two updates.