Content Provider Zarquon Posted March 4, 2013 Content Provider Share Posted March 4, 2013 Aurich, I've edited scripts on tables but when it comes to the resources and elements I'm pretty much a noob. Any change you could post some instructions on how the replace the images with high quality versions so noobs like me can update our own tables. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurich Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 Actually I have zero table building experience, I just happen to live in Photoshop. So take anything I say about VP with a grain of salt, there may be superior methods. The trick with updating table graphics simply is that you don't want to replace anything that's interactive, like a light, unless you're willing to to redo all of the graphics for the 'on' versions too. Which is a bit outside the scope of quick and dirty fixes. To take this TZ playfield for instance. I just went into the table's graphic manager and exported out the playfield a jpg and opened in it photoshop. Sometimes all it takes is adjusting some of the levels, saturation, things like that. Some people don't take the time to fix up a playfield scan before they build, and if the quality is crap (like anything from Stern) some minor editing of the image itself can help. TZ wasn't one of those cases, for whatever reason a lot of the shading was washed out to the point where it couldn't be saved. So the skin tone on the people's faces was white instead of peach, the shading on the rocket was flat, etc. Here's where it gets tricky. I wanted to keep the original playfield aspect ratio and layout, didn't want anything I did to break things. So I had to find the highest quality TZ PF scan I could, and then manipulate it in Photoshop to overlay the existing PF as close as I could. I was able to get it close, within a couple pixels in most spots, which is good enough, a soft mask will hide any transitions. Then what I did is masked it all off, and then began to selectively bring it back in over the PF art, being careful to keep areas that light up masked off so that the lights wouldn't look 'jumpy' when they switched on. So for instance I painted in the new Robbie the Robot, but in testing noticed I'd gotten just a bit too close to the Clock Millions and Power Ball lights, you could see a small jump around their edges, so I made sure to go back fully mask around them. Also remember that the playfield objects and toys are going to cover a lot, so there are some spots that I knew would be totally hidden where I didn't bother to keep the masking super clean. It takes a little back and forth, you're trying to touch up problem spots, not just replace every pixel, so you get a sense after a while where to back off and where to really paint in as much new art as you can. Once you're happy with it and want to test it you just export your updated PF back out as a high quality jpeg (don't try and save a few measly k with low quality compression!) and then fire VP's image manager back up. You can then import your fix over the existing PG graphic and play the table to see how it works. None of this changes the actual resolution of the PF. I haven't messed with trying to go there yet, it's probably not quite as drop and replace. You can do that with playfield toys though, I've done that with the aliens from AFM and the genie in TOTAN. Simply imported higher resolution versions over the old ones, they stay scaled properly in VP. In both cases I've passed my new versions to JP, he's used the aliens in his last build, and might update the genie if he tweaks TOTAN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Content Provider Zarquon Posted March 5, 2013 Content Provider Share Posted March 5, 2013 Actually I have zero table building experience, I just happen to live in Photoshop. Well I also have zero table building experience but plenty of scripting experience. My graphics capabilities are very limited. So my question for you, Is the above image the finished product because the instructions for tweaking the image are beyond me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurich Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 Well I also have zero table building experience but plenty of scripting experience. My graphics capabilities are very limited. So my question for you, Is the above image the finished product because the instructions for tweaking the image are beyond me? Haha yeah, just replace the PF image in the daytime TZ with that one and you're good, I was just trying to explain the rough process for someone who wanted to do it themselves. Better yet, copy the table, replace the PF, and see if you like it better so you can compare. You never know if someone's mod is going to be your thing. I think the rule of thumb is if my explanation didn't really make sense you're probably not going to fire up Photoshop and do that stuff. It's not particularly hard, but it does take some experience with the tools. Here's a quick look at the before and after so you can see what I'm talking about. Notice how the graphics shift slightly, I wasn't able to get the overlays to be pixel perfect, but the light up inserts don't change at all: Edit: that's a gif, so it's going to dither since the palette is limited, so that's why the gradients don't look smooth. Use the jpeg above for a better reference, this is just to try and show the before/after in a rough fashion. And I can see a couple areas I probably need to adjust still after watching this loop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faralos Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 I posted this manual elsewhere here but it also states how to export and import a table image http://www.armuco.ch/bubble/VisualGuidehtml/tableoptions.htm as for building pins anyone can do it all it takes is time and a streak of masochism and as for pic editing I use Gimp since it's freeware and FAR EASIER to use than Photoshop imo I own both but use gimp2 all the time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faralos Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 actually Zarquon if you have tables that you want changed and you are lost on how to do it pm me and give me instructions on which tables and how you want them redone and I will help you with them as well as do a small demo on how to redo a table image using GIMP I Made this demo using Gimp two years ago and while it mainly deals with making plastics it does show how to redo images too http://www.speedyshare.com/wmbVf/GimpTutorial.zip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurich Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 Definitely use whatever tool you're comfortable in, it's all pixels in the end. I've been using Photoshop for more than two decades, so it's just my natural work environment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ringorian Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 Aurich, that Playfield looks superduper ! Any chance of releasing just more than that if you already have done some ? Only the pics themselves, not the vpt .. should be no problem with the original authors of the illegal recreation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurich Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 I don't have anything else handy at the moment, but I'm happy to share if I do. There are some things I'd definitely like to fix if I have a chance, the plan would be to offer anything I do back to the original table authors if they wanted it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Content Provider Zarquon Posted March 6, 2013 Content Provider Share Posted March 6, 2013 actually Zarquon if you have tables that you want changedand you are lost on how to do it pm me and give me instructions on which tables and how you want them redone and I will help you with them as well as do a small demo on how to redo a table image using GIMP I Made this demo using Gimp two years ago and while it mainly deals with making plastics it does show how to redo images too http://www.speedyshare.com/wmbVf/GimpTutorial.zip Thanks for the offer but the two links you supplied will be more than I need for now. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faralos Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 All my pins are open for modding just keep in mind that I still want the credit for building the original as to redoing the play fields anyone who wants one done just ask or post it and I'll redo it in gimp for ya' I can also do night time versions of pf's and plastics the B2S thing i am still learning but hopefully soon I will be able to use that too for either pf's of backglasses Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logan5 Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 HERCULES! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bundyboss Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 A good EM machine but hard to create: Gottlieb Dancing lady Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dboyrecords Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I can think of 2 big reasons to re-do Barb-Wire pf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Content Provider Itchigo Posted October 31, 2013 Content Provider Share Posted October 31, 2013 A good EM machine but hard to create: Gottlieb Dancing lady Actually I have the sister table to this almost done. It'll be on Rogue. http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1372 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faralos Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 how did you make the rotating targets work? since it is a vp pin and not an fp where they are premade and thank you for replacing those but ugly black rubbers with the white ones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScubaMichael Posted December 11, 2013 Share Posted December 11, 2013 Wouldn't mind seeing one I used to play a lot turned into a FS/cabinet version....Cactus Jack's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Content Provider Itchigo Posted December 11, 2013 Content Provider Share Posted December 11, 2013 I have Cactus Jack's in fs. I forgot if I got it here, or at the "other" site. (Not on my site). If you're into old em's, check out my place. I have a friend who loves making the old em's. He gives me a backglass, and I make cabinet versions out of them. Here's an example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScubaMichael Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 The Cactus Jack's I am talking about is the Gottlieb from 1991. Here is the IPDB on it: http://www.ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=416&picno=11482 There is a version out there for VP 8.....but its a desktop version Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Content Provider Itchigo Posted December 12, 2013 Content Provider Share Posted December 12, 2013 Vp8 is ok. Look at it in the editor. Does it use emreels? If not I can stretch it to fs for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScubaMichael Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 Itchigo Its not an EM http://www.vpforums.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfile=1998 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Content Provider Itchigo Posted December 12, 2013 Content Provider Share Posted December 12, 2013 It doesn't matter if it's em or not. Reels can be used for images as well as score in building a table. Pacdude used reel images on bumpers, making them hard to rotate. Edit: Just checked it out, and it has reels in it. Can't do it. If it was 1 reel you could rebuild the object with walls or ramps, but he's got a lot in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScubaMichael Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 Ahhhh gotcha....... Its ok...there appears to be some error when the ball hits the top of the game.....horrible alarm type sound...someone else complained about it too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Content Provider Itchigo Posted December 12, 2013 Content Provider Share Posted December 12, 2013 If it wasn't for that, I could make it fs in 5 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScubaMichael Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 Thanks anyway....since you're in IL and you're cool, that must make you a Cubs fan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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