16 replies to this topic

[batch]

File Name: LHexagone (Christian Automatic 1986)

File Submitter: batch

File Submitted: 18 Apr 2026

File Category: VPX/VPinMAME Recreations

Author(s): Batch - JPSalas (table)
Michel Achille (rom)
Manufacturer: Other - Pinball
Year: 1986
Permission to MOD?: Yes, with approval

1.1 (b2s): This is an update of the b2s only, you can now see the "1" digits on score reels.
      Thanks to Michel Achille for the rom update, and also to the GitHub team for what they do !
      The rom is the "brain" of the table, so, no rom, no table.
 
 
1.1 (table): Reduced the gap between flippers, it's now more like on the IPDB photo of the pinball machine. Thanks to ryesteve for telling me.
       It's also a little bit easier to play !   
      Thanks also to Toxie, Gerrit Volkenborn, and the team from Github for the updated rom.
 
 
1.0: Information about the table:

I started this table in 2021, using VP9 version from Destruk/TAB, but I stopped after finishing full playfield and plastics redraw.
I worked again on this table at the beginning of 2026, and JPSalas helped me a lot. 
He updated the script, added physics, materials, sounds, made lights work and brought this old table back to life !

This is a French pinball machine from Christian Tabart.
He said that the "Brain" of L'Hexagone was Gottlieb's Genie and that he had 150 machines made. 
He had the kits made and delivered to his workshops in Montgeron, France.
Agnès Dusaugey did the artwork for the backglass and playfield.

I added, with again the help of JPSalas, an option in the F12 menu to change the language on Instruction and Score Cards.
You have six possible languages:
French, of course.
Spanish, translation by JPSalas.
English, validation of the translation by Clyde.
Italian, translation by Kiwi.
German, translation by MFuegemann.
Portuguese/Brazilian, translation by Teisen.

Rules are in the F12 menu too, in French, and in English (sorry, there's no more place for other languages).
 
I also added LUT and Cabinet Rails options.

Big thanks to bluenmaize for the rom !

Hope you like it, French virtual pinballs are rather rare !

Information about the directb2s:

Original Backglass by dboysrecords 2014, big thanks to him !

I did a full redraw of the backglass image and added the lighting.

JPSalas added Game Over, Tilt, Highscore to date, Match and Ball in play Lights.

 

Click here to download this file

[batch]

I just uploaded the working rom (which is not a Gottlieb one).

 

As I added the file to the download section, with the table and the directb2s, you have to wait for these files to be approved again.

 

Please, be patient !   

[clyde]

Awesome job on this table! Looks & plays great. Also a big thanks to JP for his expertise! 

[kiwi]

Thanks, Great table!

 

It seems to me that the playfield dimensions are a bit larger than they should be.

I know IPDB says is a conversion kit for Genie, but if we compare Genie and L'Hexagone, it's clear they're not the same size.

https://www.ipdb.org...997&picno=71690

https://www.ipdb.org...3903&picno=6175

 

I haven't done any tests to determine the actual dimensions,

the playfield is probably the same size as a standard Gottlieb of the time, 20.25" x 42.00".

[Albert]

You're completely right.

 

Yesterday, while playing the table for the first time, i came to the same conclusions.

 

The ball is too small compared to the width of the shooter lane and the playfield lanes.

 

The ipdb claim that this is a "Genie" conversion kit is wrong.

 

I don't doubt that they used the "Genie" ROM (or parts of that code) for the conversion game, but the "L'Hexagone" playfield would never fit as a replacement for "Genie".

[teisen]

Congratulations on your dedication! Things take time, but the result is always rewarding.

 

Hugs

[batch]

When I started to work on this table in 2021, I did a copy of the VP9 version from TAB / Destruk.

 

And when I did the redraw of the playfiled, everything seemed to be at the right place.

 

Christian Tabart said that the "Brain" of L'Hexagone was Gottlieb's Genie, he didn't say the "Body".   

 

I think like Albert that he just used the "Genie" rom.

 

Thanks for the thanks !

[batch]

I just uploaded version 1.1 of the table with a reduced gap between the flippers (more like on the IPDB photo of the pinball machine). Thanks to ryesteve for telling me.

 

It will be a bit easier to play ! 

 

And thanks to Toxie, Gerrit Volkenborn, and the GitHub team for the updated rom.

Edited by batch, 28 April 2026 - 04:06 PM.

[batch]

Hi, sorry for those who have problems with the rom.

 

When I started to work on this table in 2021 (yes, five years ago !), the rom I downloaded on VPF was still working.

 

But, since a few years, Gottlieb has forbidden the use of their roms.

 

At the beginning of this year, I started to work on this table again.

 

But, as the rom didn't work anymore, I asked in a topic if somebody had a working rom, and a guy sent me the one he had and which worked.

 

The first time I uploaded the table, I didn't add the rom to the download section because I thought it was a Gottlieb one. 

 

And somebody told me that, as it was not really a Gottlieb rom, I could upload it with the table. But it seems this rom doesn't work for everybody.

 

I've been informed these days that it would have been better to ask to the GitHub team.

 

In fact, I'd just like to know if it's or not a Gottlieb rom, and, if not, would it be possible to somebody from the GitHub team to add the working rom to the download section, as an update of the old one.

 

Anyway, I think it's the last time I make a table using a Gottlieb rom. 

 

Hope you like the table despite this rom problem !

Edited by batch, 30 April 2026 - 04:06 PM.

[Albert]

 

 

In fact, I'd just like to know if it's or not a Gottlieb rom

 

I just checked the contents of the "L'hegagone" and "Genie" roms. It is, partially at least, indeed a Gottlieb rom.

 

Anyway, I think it's the last time I make a table using a Gottlieb rom.

 

That's understandable. A lot of Gottlieb tables from this time need scripted workarounds, and even then some of them don't work properly

 

Hope you like the table despite this rom problem !

 

I hadn't a rom problem so far. My problem with this table is the wrong aspect ratio.

 

 

[batch]

 

 

 

In fact, I'd just like to know if it's or not a Gottlieb rom version I used to do this table.

 

I just checked the contents of the "L'hegagone" and "Genie" roms. It is, partially at least, indeed a Gottlieb rom.

 

Anyway, I think it's the last time I make a table using a Gottlieb rom.

 

That's understandable. A lot of Gottlieb tables from this time need scripted workarounds, and even then some of them don't work properly

 

Hope you like the table despite this rom problem !

 

I hadn't a rom problem so far. My problem with this table is the wrong aspect ratio.

 

 

 

What do you mean by "wrong aspect ratio" ?

 

Compared to a Gottlieb pinball it's just 1.3 inch wider (33mm) an I didn't change the dimensions from the VP9 version I used to do this table.

 

But it was not a manufactured pinball, people came with their own pinball and Christian Tabart applied his kit to them, not sure these pinballs were all Gottlieb machines.

Edited by batch, 30 April 2026 - 05:46 PM.

[Albert]

As i said before, the ball is too small compared to the other elements. This problem usually occurs when the AR is wrong (for example, in earlier years we had tables with dimensions like 1000x2000, which had that problem).

 

In your table, a ball with a size of 75 still goes trough the left outtane. Even in the ball shooter lane and in  the other lanes there is too much space around the ball.

 

The dimension manager gives a table size of 952x1974 for a Gottlieb game of that era (granted, we don't even know if the "L'Hexagone" playfield had this dimension, but let us stay with Gottlieb for this example), so the aspect ratio for FS is, according the Dimension Manager, 2.0735.

 

Your table has a dimension of 1116x2186 (which, incidentally, is non-existent in the Dimension Manager) which equals 1.9588.

 

That said, if this game has indeed rom problems, a correction of the dimensions were useless anyway.

 

 

[batch]

Thanks for the explanation, but I think I can live with this ! 

 

I like what I did with this table, and I find it very fun to play, and, for me, it's the more important thing ! 

 

To be correct, here is what should be the size of the ball (I won't change the width of the table 'cause I would have to resize and relocate all the lights)

 

LHexagone table width = 23.715"  /  Gottlieb table width = 20.25"

 

Ratio -> 23.715 / 20.25 = 1.171

 

Ball size -> 50 x 1.171 = 58.55

 

You can change size value from 50 to 58.55 in the script, but, unfortunately, the table is not easier to play.

 

I don't know if there's an impact on the physics, after a few plays, it seems that not, but I'm not sure.

 

For people having problems with the reels not showing the "1", be sure you see this information when you press the key "F1". (it seems to work).

 

Edited by batch, 01 May 2026 - 08:30 PM.

[batch]

I think I found the explanation for the digit "1" not showing on the backglass.

 

You just have to change the Rendered Led like on the image below.

 

Tell me if it's ok for you and I'll upload a new version of the Backglass.

 

[htamas]

If it works for you, then it will probably work for everyone else as well.

If the ROM for this table is indeed a derivative of Genie, then it's almost guaranteed to fix the issue, since Genie also uses that type in its backglass for the score LEDs.

Upload it

Edited by htamas, 03 May 2026 - 09:10 PM.

[htamas]

FYI: I just tested this solution, and it indeed fixes the missing "1" issue.

Just make sure to select the third rendered LED type for the scores, with the slightly off-center middle segments, otherwise it won't work.

You only need to change the score LEDs, the credit and ball in play / match LEDs should remain the way they are.

 

Thank you for the nice table, it's a fun one and very much French, in a way that it is quite different than the usual tables

Edited by htamas, 03 May 2026 - 10:49 PM.

[batch]

Thanks, I uploaded the new b2s file yesterday (sunday).