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Top Gun Pinball - Journey to building my first Original table and hopefully a homebrew machine


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  • Content Provider
Posted (edited)

Welcome everyone.  It's been a while since I've been here but I've started to get the itch again for VP and Pinball development.   As such, I wanted to share a project that I've been working on for the last ~6 months so far in my limited spare time.  This is a table that I ultimately hope to be able to build a real version of some day but before doing so, I wanted to see if I could build it out virtually first.

 

I tell you what....  A LOT has changed since I last looked at table development.  Granted, before all I did was VPMame recreation where this is now an original Theme/Game, but it really feels like I'm starting back over from scratch.  So, please be patient as I have no clue when this will be finished or if I can even accomplish that task of completion.  But if I do, I plan to share it here with the rest of you to help me test it out and see if it's fun to play.  If I fail on finishing it, I'll most likely release it as a WIP or hand it over to someone more competent then me (if someone wanted to take it over).  If I do finish it and it's fun and enjoyable, my ultimate goal is to build it out for real and take it to shows for others to enjoy.

 

Without further blabber...  Here is Top Gun Pinball.

 

Layout consist of:

- 4 ramps

- 3 flippers

- 2 sets of drop targets

- 6 stand up targets

- 1 dropable target

- 1 spinner (so far 😉 )

- 3 pops

- 2 physical locks (in the jet)

- 1 scoop

- two switchable lane guides

- 2 lift ramps with hidden shots under them

- left lane kickback from under the flippers

- right orbit travels under the shooter lane ramp to come back to your flipper

 

Basic principle:

- Them is mainly based on the Original move but has some additions from the second movie as well.

- Goal will be to complete the "pilot" missions which are between the slingshots.  Complete the 4 outer ones and fight the center one as a mini wizard mode.  Goal is to have the successful completion of each of these to add a feature for your main modes.

- Main modes are the TOPGUN letters in the middle of the playfield.  Spell TOPGUN and play another mini wizard mode.  This modes are more based off key parts of the movies.  I.E. Fighting Jester, "Playing with the Boys" (Volleyball/football scenes), Saving Maverick (the second movie scene as part of the final battle), Save Cougar (help him land), Challenge IceMan, etc..

- Once both mini wizards are played then you would play a final wizard mode that resembles the final battle of the first movie

- Build in side goals/missions like collecting characters.  After you collect a character their would be a side mission associated to them.

- Tomcat MB starts by locking the pilots.  Once both are locked you hit the scoop to start the MB and it releases the balls back to the ramp.

 

I'm trying to do my own artwork as well which is taking a lot of time to get something that at least somewhat blends in with a pinball theme.  It's been 10+ years since I opened Photoshop so having to relearn it, but the scripting is really proving to be challenging.  Trying to get things to not overrun each other and work properly is fun for someone with near zero coding background.  With VPMame you just tell it to talk to the ROM, where here you have to figure it out yourself.  I've been looking at several tables to just read the scripts and try to learn from them.  It still feels like a foreign language but is somewhat understandable now.  Don't laugh but it too my nearly a month to figure out how to make a scoreboard with gifs that play 😞

 

Anyway, love your feedback and ideas!  Here is a link to a youtube video I just posted to try and show the layout a bit.

 

 

 

TopGunPinball2.png

Edited by 85vett
  • Content Provider
Posted

Short gameplay video to hopefully show some of the shots.  Copy write got it so it lost most of the sounds though 😞

 

 

 

  • 2 weeks later...
  • Content Provider
Posted

Finally figured out how to get a video scene to play behind my scoreboard animations.  Started polishing up the first mode (Jester) and was able to add in the video, sound bites and callouts.

 

Youtube keeps muting my stuff so trying to share the video's via my facebook page.  Hopefully that is allowed....  I just want you to be able to hear the music and sounds as well as I think those things play just as part of the fun of a game as the rules and layout.

 

Hopefully this link works as well:

https://www.facebook.com/61561806418572/videos/2744402099053351

Posted

Wow, amazing job. Can't wait to see it develop! The layout is incredible. I want to play this in both virtual and physical forms!

 

PM me if you would like any help getting this project over the finish line.

  • Content Provider
Posted (edited)

Appreciate it and PM responded to.  I've got a couple new modes WIP so hoping to get them working too soon.  I'm finding that all my modes are starting to feel the same so trying to really rethink some aspects as I want the player to have to explore the whole table and also feel like they've been on a journey through the theme.

 

I probably should have started with a original EM style game first though 😉  As animation and music integration along with mode stacking is making my lake of coding background really a big roadblock sometimes.

Edited by 85vett
  • 11 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...
  • Content Provider
Posted
On 7/11/2025 at 3:08 PM, Supergibson said:

Anyone heard from @85vett ? Hasn't visited VPU since last September. This design had so much promise!

The VP version is about 80% coded.  After play testing as I learned coding I decided to build it for real so neck deep into it.  Once I finish the real version I'll probably release the VP version.

 

I bought a 3d printer and am having to teach myself CAD as I'm building everything myself.  Some pics of progress.

20250621_151100.jpg

20250213_214240.jpg

20250302_173031.jpg

Screenshot_20250722_214501_Gallery.jpg

Posted
On 7/22/2025 at 10:45 PM, 85vett said:

The VP version is about 80% coded.  After play testing as I learned coding I decided to build it for real so neck deep into it.  Once I finish the real version I'll probably release the VP version.

 

I bought a 3d printer and am having to teach myself CAD as I'm building everything myself.  Some pics of progress.

20250621_151100.jpg

20250213_214240.jpg

20250302_173031.jpg

Screenshot_20250722_214501_Gallery.jpg

Incredible!

 

looking good. Thanks for the update. Can’t wait to see the result!

  • 2 weeks later...
  • Content Provider
Posted

Not sure if it's allowed or not, but if it is, here is a link to a facebook group that I created to document the progress on this game.  You all are more than welcome to join.  

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/524063356789628

 

Just posted an updated on the artwork.  Made some changes from the VP version and getting it aligned to the 3D PF, that will become the final version cut file.

Top Gun Playfield - Modes Added Low Res.jpg

  • 7 months later...
  • Content Provider
Posted

Been a while since I posted an update but I wanted to keep you all in the know.  Game is about 70% done in physical form.  I took it to it's first show this past weekend.  The below link is a stream of it while they ask me questions about the game.  My portion starts at about the 40 min mark.   I'm extremely happy with the game and that I was able to get it to look almost exactly like the VP version that I was building.   I do hope to be able to finish the VP version once I get the physical copy completed.  

I also had the pleasure of meeting several of you at the show.  Enjoyed all those conversations!

https://www.youtube.com/live/5wworKHqep8

top gun pinball 1.jpg

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