7 replies to this topic

[Tesla]

I just upgraded from v10.7.2 to v10.8.0.

 

There are a couple of options that I set on all of my Tables, but I can't seem to find them now.

Can someone please help me find them or something comparable?

 

VP-TableEditor / Table Properties / User / Ball / Reflection AND Trail-MotionBlur are BOTH set to OFF

- I think it looks fine without Reflection

- I keep them on in Preferences, because I have one Table the Trails look nice on (Heavy Metal)

 

VP-TableEditor / Table Properties / Visuals / Reflect Elements on Playfield is unchecked and OFF

- Still looks fine and the ball still reflects the lights.

 

I was told long-ago to set these above for a little performance boost (especially during multiball) ... so I just always have. 

Edited by Tesla, 23 November 2025 - 02:20 AM.

[Tesla]

With the first set, it would be useful to know how to do this per-table. The User Tab is like missing now.

 

But even with all this still enabled, this v10.8.0 is running real smooth on my system and the ball is rolling real-nice.

[hitman2304]

10.8.1 is even smoother and has a lot of other improvements.

[deadmanworking]

@tesla check the Video settings, In the middle you can set ball trail and ball/playfield reflections and on the top left you can switch between global and current table only settings.

[Emanoel299]

@tesla

 

VPX 10.72 release save the tables settings in POV files.

VPX 10.80 releases save the tables settings in INI files.

You need to open tha table, set what you need.

 

[Tesla]

Sadly, It's been a while since I've played an actual pinball machine (many arcades around here have either closed, or don't really have Pinball-Machines). But I suppose, unless the balls are scratched-up to a matte-finish, there would be some reflections on it.

 

I'm getting used to some of the reflections. Maybe with this Nvidia GTX-1070, driven my a pretty nice Intel-i7 now ... at just 1440p ... I don't need to disable them all for performance-sake.

 

I've never minded some lights reflecting off the ball when the ball is moving (as that really adds to the realism). What I don't really care for is the ball "shimmering" when stationary ... to the point that it looks "animated" while still.

 

All these "Reflection Options" ... as you can see, my old strategy was to disable all-or-most (but keep some lights reflecting off the ball itself). 

 

But I'm still a little confused about which options control what reflection type. I wish there was documentation of what each reflection-option does ... controls what item reflecting off of what other-thing exactly. 

 

Lets take an example ... G5K's The Addams Family. What I notice right-off is that I need to disable the flippers from reflecting off the playfield like it has 10-coats of wax on it (and anything similar to that). Including the Ball ... it looks like there is a reverse halo projected onto the playfield around the base of the ball (and it follows it around).

@tesla

 

VPX 10.72 release save the tables settings in POV files.

VPX 10.80 releases save the tables settings in INI files.

You need to open tha table, set what you need.

 

 

 

I knew about POV files, but never saw a need to use them. I will try using INI files now.

 

So, looks like some of my missing options are just implemented differently now. 

 

Like Ball-Trails ... I should disable them Globally, and then just Enable them for that one (Heavy Metal) Table? As you know, they aren't pinballs in that Table, they are "Lok-Nar Spheres" <smile>

Edited by Tesla, 23 November 2025 - 11:33 PM.

[Tesla]

Thanks for the help guys ... I think I see how it works now.

 

Looks like both of the (reflection) performance-tweaks I used to make (in v10.7.2 ... see first post above) have been moved here to VPX-8.0 (Global) Video-Prefs. 

 

My objective here is ... even with the usual heavy light-flashing and objects moving ... a global settings to allow perfect (most life-like) rendering and animation at a decent frame-rate.

Especially during Multi-Ball and Jackpot sequences. On this good but older hardware, I choose a (performance balance) Max-Reflect-Mode = Static & Balls (first setting where the ball's reflection on the playfield is turned Off). Also notice the other settings are not bare-minimums (still an attempt at "balanced performance"). This aligns with similar threads here (and other forums) for running VPX-8.0 on older (but still relevant) gaming-class computers.

 

Included in my top 11 are VPX tables like F14, T2(g5k), ST-TNG, ToM, TAF(g5k), Apollo-13, Rescue-911.

- Also notice this is a good sampling of manufacturers and emulation of original System boards.

 

VPX 8.0 (32-bit DX) with DOF and SSF-7.1

Windows-11 Pro (64 bit) v24H2

- Game-Mode=On, HAGS=Off, High Performance Graphics Mode for involved programs/apps (VPX, PinballY, etc.).

- Relevant Nvidia-CP options are set to "Let your Program or App Decide".

 

Intel i7-7700K (w/LC) / 16-Gb DDR4 / Nvidia GTX-1070 8Gb / NVMe-SSD / 850w-PS

3-Screen Cabinet (1440p @ 75Hz, 1080p @ 60Hz, 800p 16:10 DMD)

 

Here is what I ended up with. 

I think this looks and plays real nice (especially for a 9 year-old computer running a 1440p playfield)

 

 

Actually, the only thing I just changed (from what I had) was the Max-Reflect-Mode setting (it was set to "Static and UnSynced Dynamic"). This is the one small-change (one level higher) that allows the ball's reflection ring to first start appearing on the playfield. With this enabled, think about what happens during Multi-Ball play.

Edited by Tesla, 04 March 2026 - 06:25 PM.

[Tesla]

Circling back to this ... been doing this and thought this-info might help others who are also new to v10.8.0.

 

Some things moved here, so I use this (Globally):

   VPX-Editor / Prefs / Video / Ball Trails: OFF, Max Ambient Occlusion: Static-AO, Max Reflection Mode: Static & Balls

 

But some is still on Table itself (but v10.8.0 seems to respond differently to the various numbers)

  VPX-Editor/Table Properties/Visuals/Playfield Reflection Strength ~ 5-20 (ball reflecting onto playfield, displaying an overly prominent circular pattern). Ball Reflection of Playfield items on the ball itself ~ 0.4

Edited by Tesla, 29 June 2026 - 11:08 PM.