6 replies to this topic

[mshaker]

Hey All; 

 

Would someone be kind enough to explain the settings for using BAM Head Tracking with VPX?

 

I know that posts with multiple questions often get ignored. I would love to RTFM, but I can't find the FM! If one exists, please provide a link :-) 
 

Here are the main settings within BAM:

No questions on this screen.

These are the settings that work for me.

The movement is a bit exaggerated, but I like the effect.

 

 

 

Here are the "Reality" Settings within BAM: 
Do these settings affect VPX? 
What is the difference between Shift-Y on this screen vs. Shift-Y on the screen above?

Front glass position and Rear glass position: Do they mean the physical glass, virtual glass or screen?
Front glass position: From where to the Front of the Glass?

Rear glass position: From where to the Rear of the Glass?

Front Cab Height: Floor to top of lockdown bar or ???
Rear Cab Height: Floor to actual back of cab or ???

(I would think the screen position inside the cabinet would be more useful...)

 

 

Video Graphics Settings within VPX:

Are Width and Height for the screen positioned in Landscape?

Player X, Y, Z in relation to where?
(I had entered my Screen width and height, not sure where they went...)

 

 

VPX Head Tracking Settings accessed from the "Escape" Menu:
My Screen is rotated 270 degrees, why does "0" work?

What is "Force BAM View?
What does "Translation" Mean?

Is Angle the physical angle of my screen or a virtual angle of the playfield?

 

 

Thanks for your help! 

 

   - Mark

Edited by mshaker, 24 August 2025 - 11:10 PM.

[barneyrfd]

Wow, what a coincidence, I was just going to drop the following post talking about my recent expirience with BAM headtracking.

 

"So a little while back I came across a few videos of people using the Kinect V2 camera with BAM Headtracking to give a bit of 3d effect to visual pinball tables and I decided to give it a go.  I got a second hand Kinect V2 for around $50 and followed a youtube video on how to set it up.  I put mine up on top of the backbox and It did not take long to get it calibrated it at all.  

 

To my surprise it actually works pretty well, it really does create a 3d effect.  T tricky part comes in adjusting tables for just the right amount of 3d look and feel.  It took a bit to dial it in because at first I wanted a huge 3d expirience which you can setup but it will actually make the table tilt up, down and sidways crazily with your head movements which can be quite unsettling, even somewhat nauseating.  So I've dialed things back to where there is a nicely perceptable 3d effect with objects on the playfield but the table does not move around crazily.  In fact, it's been so succesful for me that I am having a hard time playing tables without the BAM headtracking running.

 

Anybody else using this system?  I'd be interested in hearing other expiriences with it."

 

Oky, I'll try to help with your questions.

 

I just did the calibration in FP and left those settings alone.  Here is a link to a video that explains the FP settings for FP tables. I followed it and it and found that making the settings he shows to 0 made the 3d effect really play nice.  

 

As far as the VPX Cabinet Layout settings, it does not seem to matter what values you use, I've tried a few different combos and it does not seem to affect anything.  Just input Sceen Width, Screen Height and Player Z (distance from your face to the table top) numbers. 

 

On the VPX Headtracking screen, as far as i have been able to determine settings that create a playable 3d effect are this (for my setup, may be slightly different for your setup):

 

0.000 (side to side offset)                    0.000 (up/dwn offset - I use 15 - 25)          0.000 (table layback - set at 0 or 1 otherwise movement is too exaggerated)

0.000 (table width - I use 3.2 to 3.4)    0.000 (table height - I use 1.12 to 1.14)     0.000 (table z ? - set at 1 - 1.25 otherwise movement is too exaggerated)

                                                             0.000 table slope ( I set at 15 - 25 for good 3d simulation)

 

A couple of things I noticed when using BAM Headtracking:

 

- using BAM Headtracking causes no lag or delay in play;

- your video card will run hotter so make sure you have adequate ventilation;

- VPX table lighting, shadows, etc. may look a little different depending on how much Z value you use, it's not really a problem though;

- you may expirience a slight jerk of the table every now and then, i found that is probably due to moving your head in a jerking fashion, like say when you get a drain and you lean your head back      and shout "fudge...", so just keep your body movements smooth and no problem

 

So mshaker if you like give a table name and I can let you know my setting you can try out.

Edited by barneyrfd, 25 August 2025 - 02:55 AM.

[mshaker]

@barneyrfd; 

 

Thank you for your reply, and the info. 

 

I'll check-out your video when I get home this evening. 

 

I use AC/DC as my VPX Test Table. (Mostly, because I can easily trigger all my DOF equipment: Shaker, Knocker and Action Button Lamp.) However, any other table from the DMD Era would be fine, especially if it serves as a better example for "typical" settings for VPX BAM Head Tracking.  

 

   - Mark

[barneyrfd]

@mshaker

 

Here's my VPX Head Tracking setting for for ACDC Premium Minimal VR Room by Sixtoe that gives me a nice 3d effect with things moving around slightly as I change my head position without an exaggerated table movement.

 

You can increase the width from 3.3 to whatever you want to fill your screen but I chose to have the correct H/W proportions.  You of course can fiddle around with the other settings to your own personal preference and setup.

 

Hope it helps.

Edited by barneyrfd, 25 August 2025 - 09:23 PM.

[mshaker]

@barneyrfd; 

 

Thank you! 

 

   - Mark

[wellerjeff]

Does anyone know where and what file name the BAM head tracking calibration is stored in, I am trying to recover an accidentally deleted file, I tried calibrating again and it's way off compared to what I had, thanks in advance!!!

[Emanoel299]

Does anyone know where and what file name the BAM head tracking calibration is stored in, I am trying to recover an accidentally deleted file, I tried calibrating again and it's way off compared to what I had, thanks in advance!!!

 

My case is here: