What tables or projects are you working on or need help with

[ARMYAVIATION]

Wanted to get back to building, the only way to heal the wound.  What tables are you working on.  What tables do you need help with:

 

me, I still have Simpson's Kooky carnival to finish up.  Need to get some models done and work on the primitive moving ramps.  It has 2 ramps that constantly move, if someone can help me script the visual ramps to match the collidable ramps I would appreciate it.  Then I can concentrate on the rest of the table.

 

I also would like to play test @loserman76 magic city table when ready, it has a real interesting game play and would love to get it right.

 

need to get a discussion together about what tables we can build next that aren’t done already, like BMX or helping @32assassinfinish stellar wars.  I really wish he would come over and join us here.

[CactusDude]

Can’t wait to see Magic City released. Always enjoy getting a loserman EM loaded into popper and playing it for the first time. Thanks to @ARMYAVIATION for taking the time to get the resources so we can all hopefully enjoy that table in the near future.

 

Looking forward to reading what other people are up to

Edited April 16, 2021 by CactusDude
Someone kindly picked up the project I mentioned, so no need to broadcast it anymore.

[jmreedy]

Just starting to familiarize myself with the code side of the VPX software with the hope of eventually being another head to help with tables or perhaps create some new IPs myself. I am proficient with Photoshop and Illustrator so if anyone needs assistance in cleaning up playfields or plastic assets in the meantime, don't hesitate to reach out.

[ARMYAVIATION]

@zimbakinare you still working on top gun ver2?

[jino0372]

@ARMYAVIATION  Here is the to-do list of stuff I am kicking around:

 

Mostly Done

• Loch Ness Monster (Game Plan 1985) - Version 2.0 is pretty much ready to release.  This includes new playfield re-draw, new plastics, updated physics, improved lighting, new B2s, new wheel, and a bunch of other stuff.  Maybe a 3D Nessie.  Will see.  I know that Shannon, Bord, and Loserman are releasing their version of this as well which will probably surpass mine.  They have way more experience at this than me.  It's all cool.  It would be nice if this was more of a recreation.  No version of this is going to be great because there is no ROM or even video of the game play.  It's all guess work.  Now that I think about it...version 2.0 may never get released.  It depends on how much time I have.  Right now my day job has me slammed and summer is rolling in.  The honey-do list is getting long again.   
• The Games (Gottlieb 1984) - Graphics done...finishing up the table.  I've been playing this for a while now.  It's a nice improvement.  The big leap is the NOS playfield I found but I re-did a lot.  I do have permission to release.  Still tweaking.

 

A lot in...but a lot more to do

• Terrific Lake (Sport Matic 1986) - I did a full re-draw of the playfield, finished the plastics, created the B2S, and wheel.  I have a very rough but functioning VPX (not using the ROM).  I am in a holding pattern on this.  I've been in communication with someone that owns this machine.  I am hoping to arrange a photo session for improved images and video of the gameplay.
• Flashman (Sport Matic 1984) - Graphics all done.  Trying to learn how to create a VPX table using a ROM.  All new learning experience.  Resources are better than Terrific Lake but not by much.  Same guy that owns a Terrific Lake has this.  I am hoping for better resources.
• BMX (Bally 1985) - Looking for better resources.  I have a fully functioning playable VPX version from RoccoDiMarco's VP9 table (with his permission).  The graphics are much improved but I am hoping for better.  I believe I may have a resource for a stripped NOS playfield.  The guy is looking through his warehouse.   

 

Others in the thought process

• Phoenix (Williams 1978) - Just data gathering.  Resources are poor.
• Beat the Clock (Bally 1985) - Actually done but I believe others are soon to release it...plus I don't have the permissions to release.  I just updated the playfield that was provided on VPinball a little before shutdown.  I sorry...but I forget who posted it.  It was very nice!  From there I re-organized everything and cleaned up the plastics, lights, tweaked physics a little, new apron.  If I ever did release this I would get all the permissions and required names for credit.   
• Skyway (Williams 1954) - I think Bord and Scottacus are working on this.  If I don't hear something on it I will probably make for myself.  I am interested in just playing this because it looks fun.

 

Other where I have improved resources but are already done

 

• Flash (Williams 1979) - NOS Playfield High Res Images - I plan to past it on to JPSalas.  If he doesn't want it and is OK with me updating his table then I will update it.  Probably just for myself but I may release it.  It's better than what he has in his release but not a huge leap.

 

I think that is it.   

 

[bord]

29 minutes ago, jino0372 said:

@ARMYAVIATION  Here is the to-do list of stuff I am kicking around:

• Skyway (Williams 1954) - I think Bord and Scottacus are working on this.

 

 

It is on the agenda. @Onevox is redrawing the art. @scottacus and I have a few other projects to get to first, but it will happen.

[scottacus]

Wrote a script for Bord's Fashion Show (Bally 1962) which is in testing and helped with his updated backglass integration for Cross Town. 

 

I'll be updating my tables to bring them up to my current EM system so you should see new versions of these in the upcoming months:

Capersville, OXO,  Boomerang, 4MBC, Gulfstream, Tropic Fun, Grand Tour, Sea Ray, Mariner, Pirate Gold and The Wiggler.

 

[ARMYAVIATION]

Wow guys that’s a big list for everyone.  

[loserman76]

Let's see, I have upwards of 170 tables that need refreshing on the sites after I added things like primitive playfields and updated/fixed scriptings, some physics changes, etc (plus I've got some more changes to do thanks to some newer primitives to incorporate).  Magic City/Magic Town are both in a playable state currently, just need to replace the flipper prims with the "metal look" ones. LNM is on my list, but it's slow going because this was originally scripted by someone else and lots of extra stuff was put into place without that scripting being updated to use those changes. And then finally, I'm still looking at getting all of PBecker's VP9 tables to VPX as well (there's like another 40+ that I'm looking at). 

[bord]

2 hours ago, scottacus said:

Wrote a script for Bord's Fashion Show (Bally 1962) which is in testing and helped with his updated backglass integration for Cross Town. 

 

I'll be updating my tables to bring them up to my current EM system so you should see new versions of these in the upcoming months:

Capersville, OXO,  Boomerang, 4MBC, Gulfstream, Tropic Fun, Grand Tour, Sea Ray, Mariner, Pirate Gold and The Wiggler.

 

Scott, you're going to get that list done just in time to convert them all to VPE scripted with MPF...

[ARMYAVIATION]

What is LNM

[bord]

1 minute ago, ARMYAVIATION said:

What is LNM

 

 

[ARMYAVIATION]

Ahhh

[scottacus]

Oh sure mpf will be wonderful because all tables will be EMs since it can't read ROMs.  Oh that and you have to play "guess what I'm thinking" because the framework is very strict and unforgiving like a strongly typed language but it isn't a language but a framework so you have to use the author's syntax exactly.   Either that or hard code all the fun low level stuff like player management, ball management, scoring etc in Python.  No thanks!

[TerryRed]

Well... once I'm done finishing converting my bigger guides and linking them to the newer smaller guides I've created for FP - BAM / PinEvent / Baller / DMDExt...

 

...it's right back to working on the most crazy and ambitious and absurdly over the top table with so many "firsts" never before seen on a virtual pinball table... something I'm really proud of and has been a smashing success with so many people...

 

RetroFlair 2 - Epic Gamez N Tunez

 

If you like retro... you've love this... if like Tron.... you will shit yourself as you have never seen Tron in a pinball game like this before. Give it a watch. No matter what kind of pinball you like.... there will something on here you've never seen before...

 

 

 

 

 

Over 4 months of non stop work so far (except the last 2 weeks).... and I'm already at the start of making another Epic Gamez mode for the table which I will have a teaser video for soon enough (just a teaser).

 

 

...and if you are curious as to how the heck did I make all of this work?

 

Watch this Behind the Scenes for the video. Its all bookmarked so you can jump right to the part you want to see,etc...

 

 

[JFR1]

Hey @loserman76 !  Jeff, one of the saddest things about that last day of Vpin was seeing you starting to upload updated tables...  I was at work when I saw your first post and was looking forward to getting home and spending time with your updates.  I get home, go to log on and *poof* all gone.    wtf

But! apparently uploading here is much easier.  Your catalog of tables is Smithsonian and should have a place here.  If there's room.  And if Old Chicago was on that list of updated tables, that would be a great place to start!   

[Thalamus]

He was able to reach K in the alphabet. So, still some tables until O. I was asleep, waking up to the news. Had a script that polled the site for new uploads each 3'rd hour notifying me by summary email, and well, ended up with the same frustration as you. Admit though, was able to retrieve those afterwards. I'm sure we see his uploads, when he feels for it.

[Niclase]

Hi all. Guess this post only half fits this subject but ANYWAY here goes 🙂

 

Having lurked around in the visual pinball community for a couple of years, learning a bit about the software etc i finally started buildning my cabinet a couple of months ago. Right now I am trying to learn the different aspects of creating a game in order to create one of my own. I'm thinking this is the best way to learn all of the steps to be able to contibrute in the future (right now i am checking out blender a bit). It's gonna be months/years until i have something done but i'm going to start with a music themed table using my own music (rock) that was done >10 years ago (yes, it's all about my ego).

 

Now, the reason for mentioning this here is that during this process I will probably contact some of my favorite table authors i.e. you (no one mentioned, no one forgot) for hints (or questions like how can i make this better, like you do) when i get stuck. Right now bord's youtube channel has some great blender videos that i'm watching. 

 

/ Niclas

 

[Thalamus]

You are aiming really high, especially if you are new to blender. Many things bord does is very obvious to him, but, not always easy to understand for a regular guy starting up fiddling with VP. I fully agree. If you don't experiment with the software. Well, all you are going to learn is how to play better. My recommendation is. Don't aim too high at first. Make a easier table. I recommend picking up a machine that has a rom, is old'ish - 1980 or so. Create your own graphics, create custom targets, move everything around, don't just copy another game and slap some new graphics on it. Doing that, you learn many things, making the videos from bord a much better resource in that you start to understand WHY he does something a certain way. Much prepared for v2 or the project that you really want to create.

[bord]

I don't know what the point of those videos was. They aren't instructional, really. I think I was just trying to find some structure early in the pandemic. Hopefully someone can get some ideas from them, at least.

 

But learning Blender is a good skill for anyone. I picked it up on a whim in 2018 with zero prior experience and it has been a really fun thing to explore. I've used it to produce motion graphics, school projects w/ my kids, VP games, models for 3D printing, special effects shots, physics simulation, product mock-ups, etc. Unbelievable that it is free software.

[Niclase]

Ok. Right now I am sort of hitting it from all angles trying to get a hold of all the pieces involved in creating tables. You need to learn the language to be able to speak the language and ask questions if you understand what I mean.  Won't even try to start the own build until i've nailed some of the techniques down that i need.

 

As bord wrote, learning 3d modelling with blender is fun, it's a great piece of software. (Watching the videos is quite nice to see how someone else works with blender when creating stuff for vpx not just 3d modelling).

 

Oh, and regarding creating a table including music that is free. The new vpx 10.7 mp3/ogg feture is great. No need to put music files outside of the table, simply import to vpx with the sound manager 😉 But i guess all of you knew already.

 

 

Edited April 16, 2021 by Niclase

[Shannon]

@bord I have used those videos like an encyclopedia😂 I just can’t see what all tabs and functions that you are pressing without using my glasses.

[Onevox]

Glad to see "Flash" on your list  @jino0372  . I grabbed the images of a "NOS" playfield  from ebay so it was on my "one day" list. I contacted the seller about getting more detailed images in a 3x4 grid, and he said he would. But haven't received anything. I started cleaning it up but stopped hoping that the better images would come. Not sure if I'll get them.  If they do, I can pass them along, or stitch the PF together. 

 

I'm working on an original, as most know, and I'm struggling with some things I want it to do.

 

@bord videos are invaluable.

 

 

[TerryRed]

Since RetroFlair 2 is unique in that it's like multiple Epic tables in one....

 

RetroFlair 2 - new Epic Gamez mode teaser!

 

I'm so excited to finally announce and show off a tiny teaser video for the new Epic Gamez mode I've "started" to work on for RetroFlair 2 for Future Pinball - BAM.

 

This is something I've wanted to do for a LONG time. I have a LONG ways to go, as I'm just at the beginning stages.... but like the Tron mode... this will be cool!

 

Those who payed attention on previous videos probably suspected this may happen.

 

Video teaser is here:

 

 

 

[Badazzwi]

Wow. Just wow.