5 replies to this topic

[Itchigo]

File Name: Play Ball

File Submitter: Itchigo

File Submitted: 17 Aug 2025

File Category: VPX Recreations

Author(s): Itchigo
Manufacturer: Other - Not a Pinball
Year: 1972
Media Pack: Link to Media Pack
Permission to MOD?: Yes, without approval

New for 1972, Gremlin's Play Ball!!!
 
Playball was a wall game from the 70's. My dad and I operated several of these back in the day. The game hangs on a wall, you walk up to the game, put your quarter in on the coinbox mounted to the wall, and take the transmitter back to your table. A low battery, and/or a passing semi with a strong CB radio would affect communication beween the box and the game. Surprisingly, we didn't have any problems with transmitters disappearing. Maybe it's because the transmitter was like a huge brick! (10 inches long by 6 inches wide, and 6 inches tall).
 
This game is played on the backglass as it was a wall hanging game. I'm only using the playfield to make the backglass work. I have a 2 screen setup, if you want to make it work on desktop, or 3 screens, feel free to modify it. The real game had adjustable pitching timing, though I never used it when I operated them back then. I don't know who did the original artwork for the game. I know Lonnie Pogue did the original artwork on Trapshoot, but he told me he never saved the Trapshoot artwork. Both being Gremlin games, he may have done Playball as well.
 
This game is free to update, but there's really no need because the real game was 480p at best. It was a projector game that had small number 44 bulbs behind the screen light and unlight as you played. It would probably look weird at 4k resolution, but go for it if you're so inclined.
 
Replay magazine did a story on my dad in November of 2012. He sold the business to his partner, and is now retired, and in poor health. He has aphasia, dementia, and ALS (he's 86 now).I'll always be grateful for what I have learned from him. I grew up running the family business, but later I finally realized how great it was to be involved in the industry back in it's heyday.
 
Thanks to JP for his help with my coding issues, and Digitalarts for testing and input.
 
Gameplay:
* Put a quarter in and start the game.
* Press the right magna save (right control) button to reset the game - you will see the type of pitch change on the screen (fastball, change up, slider, etc).
* Press the right flipper again to pitch the ball, and the left flipper to swing the bat.
 
*After your hit, foul, or strike, you will have to reset the game via the right magna save (right control). This will start the pitch menu rolling again. Press the right flipper again to pitch and left flipper to swing.
 
Single: 1 point
Double: 2 points
Triple: 3 points
Home Run: 4 points
Strike: 1 point to the other player
Foul: no points
Game settings (as per the original game):
Home runs for a free game: 6 (settable from 4-10 as per the real game)
Game ends at 30 points (setable from 20-60 as per the real game)
 
The real game doesn't have a Game Over, so I added a textbox to the playfield.
 

https://allincolorfo...of-gremlin.html
 

Click here to download this file

[nateynatenate99]

Looks super fun. But whenever I manage to connect the bat to the ball, it still calls it a strike and the ball is frozen in front of the bat and then I can't even see the next pitch. Has anyone actually gotten this to work to get a hit?

[Itchigo]

I forgot to add this to the description. When you hit the ball, if the ball hits the siderails, it's a foul. If it hits one of the back center triggers, it's a hit. If it hits the trigger behind the center kicker, it's a home run.

 

I uploaded 1.01. When the game is over the Playball logo goes on as the game over. This game doesn't say "Game Over", so that's why I added the textbox. (I know they can't rotate, but it's something that says Game Over.

 

Because it was so hard to sync up the bat, ball, and backglass, I'd advise using just the flipper and the ball. There is a bug that sometimes the ball image in front of the batter sticks on, I'm not sure how to fix this. The triggers are supposed to be disabled after the last trigger is hit, but maybe that's taking too long if you hit the ball right after the trigger crosses the ball coming back out.

[Itchigo]

1.02 is up. I fixed a couple script errors (thanks Digitalarts), took out the textbox, and made the Playball logo come on as the game over (just like the real game).

 

Now everything should be good.

Edited by Itchigo, 18 August 2025 - 01:40 PM.

[digitalarts]

Hi Itchigo,

almost all fixes...

 

please modify line 38:

If  Keycode = StartGameKey And InProgress = False and credits > 0 Then StartGame  'Call the start game sub. But only when credits are inserted

 

well done, very nice idea for a game.

Now, maybe you could add some more sound effects; perhaps a "batter hits ball" sound

[Itchigo]

 

Hi Itchigo,

almost all fixes...

 

please modify line 38:

If  Keycode = StartGameKey And InProgress = False and credits > 0 Then StartGame  'Call the start game sub. But only when credits are inserted

 

well done, very nice idea for a game.

Now, maybe you could add some more sound effects; perhaps a "batter hits ball" sound

 

I added that with 1.02 already.

 

I took the ball hit and homerun sound from the video directly. The ball hit sound is just  a quick "knock". But it's overpowered by the em reel sound. I'm not sure how to turn that off. I'm open to mods or coaching to improve this as I get time. Those are literally all the sounds this game has, are those 2 sounds.

 

I start my new job Monday, I just wanted to get as many projects out of the way before that (home and vp projects). I'll try to revisit this as I get time down the road.

Edited by Itchigo, 20 August 2025 - 10:34 AM.