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[Project] Vp Wizard. Need Help.


tspeirs

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This site is the best place for me to post this and kindly ask your community for some help. Too unsettling at VPF right now to do it there and I need help from the community so I can't do it at home right now (I may move it home later). Out of the recent drama I've been motivated to do this.

 

I would like to address and improve and automate the complex process of setting up software on a pincab for the first time. I also hope we have got over the fact that some people really do need to buy a cab ready made and just cannot build one themselves, me included.

 

My idea is basically to write a windows app (likely included in the PBX install (obviously free)) that will automate a lot of the process of setting up both active versions of VP, then PinMAME, DOF, and also B2S  and provide a more user friendly way to add tables like scanning within zips and checking for vpt or vpx and linking to download sections (not the downloads themselves) here and at VPF. Maybe download ROMs too (that requires a sub with me currently). There will be no commercial use of it (okay for commercials to provide the app itself) and no avoiding sign ups here, vpf and maybe me too.

 

Is Dazz and the majority here on board with that, and are the authors here of B2S, DOF and PinMAME (and potentially ROMs) happy to allow an app to download them (from where to be decided) when the user runs the VP Wizard?

 

In case not obvious the benefits are:

- Hopefully will put an end to cab makers pre loading stuff.

- Helps users who buy cabs integrate into the community

- Just generally make it easier and faster.

- Doesn't break the rules.

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Sounds great...its been mentioned for yrs about making a setup proggy, but all talk nobody ever committed to it..

like i said in another post my BG's can be used for whatever...except be uploaded to VPF

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Sounds great...its been mentioned for yrs about making a setup proggy, but all talk nobody ever committed to it..

like i said in another post my BG's can be used for whatever...except be uploaded to VPF

 

Thanks for that. Appreciate it. Could make use of them in the future maybe.

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This guy tried to do something like this ..(not so much the installer since VPX installer is out there) but for tables and roms etc.

 

http://www.vpforums.org/index.php?showtopic=31049

 

We pretty much have that already in the PinballX game manager which Ill be improving as part of this. The above is just a different take on it as far as I know.

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I'm an "expert", and I would love to have this.     I go in spurts, every few months I'll check these forums to see what's new.   Every time I do it, I'm reminded how painful it is just to add a single table to my cab.    So many different pieces that have to be in the right places, and named just right. 

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What if there was a platform that would make it possible to download a game and everything related in one single click? A platform that comes with a tool that downloads and names content like it should be while respecting the author's work? That takes under a minute to set up?

 

A platform that you can browse online, that is fast, open and beautiful, where searching for games is a matter of seconds and everything related to a game is in one place? A platform that is so simple to use that preloading cabs or burning DVDs wouldn't even make sense because it would be too cumbersome?

 

A tool that would assist table authors in publishing their great work, where multiple authors can maintain a release and are properly credited? A tool that sits on your cab, is connected to the platform and updates games when the user tells it to? Even remotely, or even automatically as soon as the author of a game releases a new version?

 

Do you think that people would contribute content to such a platform?
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What if there was a platform that would make it possible to download a game and everything related in one single click? A platform that comes with a tool that downloads and names content like it should be while respecting the author's work? That takes under a minute to set up?
 
A platform that you can browse online, that is fast, open and beautiful, where searching for games is a matter of seconds and everything related to a game is in one place? A platform that is so simple to use that preloading cabs or burning DVDs wouldn't even make sense because it would be too cumbersome?
 
A tool that would assist table authors in publishing their great work, where multiple authors can maintain a release and are properly credited? A tool that sits on your cab, is connected to the platform and updates games when the user tells it to? Even remotely, or even automatically as soon as the author of a game releases a new version?
 
Do you think that people would contribute content to such a platform?

 

lol I died and went to heaven....ya only if..   freezy im there        :D                        

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What if there was a platform that would make it possible to download a game and everything related in one single click?

 

Do you think that people would contribute content to such a platform?

 

 

 

Yes.   This really wouldn't be much different than how linux distributions "package up" various free software projects into a single cohesive package catalog, and make it easy to install them.

 

I don't need it simplified down to a SINGLE click, but it would be nice to see all of the contributions available for a particular game, and have a one click download per resource that automatically puts it in the right place on my cab.      Click X Table, and it the .VPx file gets installed.   Click Y B2S, that gets installed.  Click Z Wheel art and that gets installed, and all associated back to the correct game.   Bonus points if the VP table is automatically correctly associated with the right VP .EXE version too. 

 

I think the "will people contribute" question makes a good point - just build the platform and make it easy for content creators to SUBMIT their work.    If this site ends up being the "package source", it could be a yes/no question added to all of the content whether or not to publish it to this platform.  Default all current content to "no" but make it easy for content authors to turn it on.

 

If it catches on, I imagine the content creators will make their stuff available that way in pretty short order, as it's way less of a headache for them to support.   If you make it opt-in in this manner, nobody will get their panties in a wad over their content being used in an unexpected way. 

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Interesting thoughts. Not sure I understand where the "yes/no-to-publish" flag would be. On sites like VPF and VPU? I would think more of a platform that only contains what contributors actually upload.

 

Anyway, I'll keep you posted. ;)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Seperate from Freezys project of course, but I am done with the initial release of my goal here with the release of PinballX 2.19. Now available. Again this is mainly based at newcomers but I am sure you guys will appreciate it too. As usual, I welcome any feedback. All I normally ever try to do is make a bigger and better mouse trap :)

 

PinballX 2.19 release notes:

----------------------------

This is a special release of PinballX

The goal is to automate and make easier the setup of Visual Pinball for newcomers. Note for experienced users: Some of the new settings and features are defaults for new installs of PinballX.

First of all is if the installer detects Visual PinMAME is not installed it will download and install Visual Pinball then set the required settings for PinballX. The intaller I have written is based on Toxies install but a little more automated. Thanks Toxie for that.

In addition joystick and keyboard settings are set for all versions of Visual Pinball based on the settings in PinballX and Visual Pinball is auto configured along with setting it to full screen. Again note these settings are optional but on by default for new installs.

I also automate the B2S positiiong based on the backglass setting in PnballX.

Finally new features have been added to the game manager to make it easier to add tables and B2S files including the ability to extract archives and scan within them.

Again these features are aimed at newcomers. I would appreciate any feedback on this

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I would really really appreciate a simple installer. I'm no stranger to software installation etc, but man, is Setting up VP and associated software really difficult. Ive read the instructions, and followed online tutroials/videos, but it gets overwhelming so easily.  Its one of the biggest hurdles.  Any help to make this process easier would be appreciated, I can tell you that!

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Hi Tom,

 

your "Installer" would be nice ... but i.m.o. there is a (big) Problem with the needed Stuff:

 

1. you need a very big database about the Table DL Sources, and there are too much different Versions

2. much Tables i had to edit manualy ... newer Roms, "Hidden=1", and more ...

3. Wheel Images, Media Packs .. here all have to do some Steps manualy also.

 

And now: all this Things for me, it was - and is -  the Fun beside playing Tables ...

 

But if you talk about the Installer only - thats really ok.

 

And whats the Goal, to do this for "Idiots" ? Are there some ?

Maybe you solve 10 Questions, and get new 20 Questions ... if that is an "Idiot" ( and i am sure,  you Need an Un-Installer also )

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Thanks for the feedback so far. I think its a step in the right direction anyway. I don't think we will ever have the perfect solution but we will try. Even if it save a little time its got to be good, right?

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Tom,

Thanks for extending number of tables in XML file that can be handled by Game Manager. Was having issues around 350, currently have about 500 in visual pinball.xml without issue. I like the feature of selecting the Description from a pick list that then automatically populates Manufacturer, Date and Type.

I also like the suggestion of detecting the correct version of VP to be associated with a table.

I appreciate the efforts to make table management easier. I just realized that my practice of renaming tables to match description really makes it hard to know when a table has been updated or which vp.exe is required. Sounds like I should have kept table's original name and relied on the Description for the supporting media files.

Thanks for your efforts, creativity and continued contributions.

Steve

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