Pinball FX Settings for PinballY and PinballX front-ends

[topper2k]

Zen Studios recently added direct command line table loading for PinballFX in Steam for pinball front-ends.

 

Here's what I did to get it working in PinballY. The same should work for PinballX. Please note, this only works for Steam and assumes you've already set up cab mode in FX.

 

Download the zip file below and add it to your PinballY directory. ...\PinballY\Databases\PinballFX\PinballFX.xml

 

Then use the following settings in PBY options. You can also define a media folder if you'd like. But I think PBY will create that for you automatically. If you prefer something other than classic mode, just change that parameter. Your options are Classic, Pro, Hotseat_2, Hotseat_3, Hotseat_4, Practice.

 

This will add all the FX tables (as of 6/12/2023) to your PBY install. I suggest going through and hiding the ones you don't own. You can unhide them later if you buy them.

 

After that, add media as usual. I ended up checking the "backglass" box in the bottom row. It displays my PBY backglass file instead of the FX cab backglass. It just means I don't have to put the pngs in the FX cab folder and I can use video backglasses instead if I want. 

 

 

If you use a different front-end (like Popper) I don't know if this will help you. I'm a PBY guy  .

 

 

FX-PBY.zip

[Tikimaster]

Big Thanks to @topper2k, this one is workinig nice. My purchased tables are now starting out of PinballY.
If you have managed to add the tables and you are thinking about how to get the backglass pics and wheels, here is a hint:
Go to:
https://github.com/joyrider3774/PinballFXLauncher/tree/main/Media

Here you will find backglass pics and wheels.
To use them, you can copy them directly into your PinballFX  media folder in PinballY. (Set a own mediafolder for FX, so media does not get mixed)
In PinballY/Media create a folder, name it Pinball FX, In System Settings you have to set this new folder als media folder. first row, picture in first post.

Copy table pics to Table Images, wheels to Wheel Images.... same as in your mediafolder for VPX.
Then you have a little work to do:
choose your purchased table in PinballY, open Game Details (operator-gamesetup) and change the media name to the file name, which you can find as a number on top of the window.
For Example, Media Name of creature of the black lagoon will go to 131.
Save and wheel and backglass of the table are shown. not purchased tables can be hidden.
Take a cup of coffee and change all the media names to the pinballfx-table-numbers and you are fine.

Edited June 14, 2023 by Tikimaster

[CarnyPriest]

The PinballFXLauncher linked above is currently deprecated because of the new patch. Media links are good though! At the github for @joyrider3774 he has a generic PinballX Launcher that can be easily adapted for the newest PinballFX with support for commandline parameters. 

 

https://github.com/joyrider3774/PinballX_Launcher_app

 

I do have it working fine with PinballY. The attached is an example ini that allows selection of multi-player hotseat, pro, and practice variants.

 

Pretty simple to setup as a system in PinballY:

 

 

 

The Run before/Run after simply rotates my playfield screen. I usually run landscape but I have to run Pinball FX as portrait. The ini is an example that works with my specific setup. You may have to edit the ROTATE value for your setup. Check out the readme at the github link.

PinballFXLauncher.ini

[derkalli]

Dear CarnyPriest,

I can not see where to download the PinballX_Launcher_app.exe

 

Can you instruct, please!

 

BTW: This all here did works very well so far! Thanks for that clean instruction!

 

Karl

[CarnyPriest]

3 hours ago, derkalli said:

Dear CarnyPriest,

I can not see where to download the PinballX_Launcher_app.exe

 

Can you instruct, please!

 

BTW: This all here did works very well so far! Thanks for that clean instruction!

 

Karl

 

Yes, you have pasted the link to the github page in your response. Go to the page and read. The link to "Latest Release" is in that readme on the github page. You do not need a github account to download.

 

The launcher has not been updated in a while, but it hasn't really needed one. It is pretty robust, and I have used it in a number of different pinball software applications where I can pass through different command line parameters. 

 

I have not really tested anything again since June. Presumably, it should all still work if Zen has not changed command line parameters for direct launching of tables. But who knows? I don't have anything invested in Pinball FX. I had most of the FX3 tables and I don't feel like buying them again just yet.

 

I haven't published any update to the script, but I was able to tweak it so that I no longer rotate the screen prior to launching. More recent FX updates seem to be more forgiving about allowing either portrait or landscape orientation.

 

I have set up Pinball M with a very similar approach. 

 

Good luck.

Edited March 6 by CarnyPriest

[derkalli]

Now I found the link and app. Thank you! I will try it out.

I am searching also for a way to start the FX Tables faster. They are now stating slower than the FX3 tables... it seems as if there is another starting "part" set up before the "right one"... But this is another problem ...

 

Thanks!

Karl

Edited March 6 by derkalli

[derkalli]

I have some other problems, maybe someone here can help with his experience, that would be great:

 

1. Pinball FX3 is closing and going back to PinballY automatically, when I do nothing

2. Can I get rid of the Version-windows when PinballY is starting?

 

Thanks!

Karl

Edited March 6 by derkalli

[CarnyPriest]

3 hours ago, derkalli said:

Now I found the link and app. Thank you! I will try it out.

I am searching also for a way to start the FX Tables faster. They are now stating slower than the FX3 tables... it seems as if there is another starting "part" set up before the "right one"... But this is another problem ...

 

Thanks!

Karl

Yeah, I think FX does take longer to load. I don't think that there is anything you can do about it with a front-end. Get a faster computer and/or SSD?

[derkalli]

My PC is fast, that is not the problem... FX is just loading veeeery long ...

 

CarnyPriest, maybe you can solve these problems:

 

1. PinballY is starting Pinballs FX3 Attack from Mars instead of Mars.  I set it all up new and it was okay, but after restarting the PC I have the same issue now. Renaming of all data did not help. 

 

2. Cirques Voltaire is starting with Selection of a color setup like for Hotseat-Mode, even if it is then running in single palyer... weired.

 

Thanks!

Karl

Edited March 8 by derkalli

[LynnInDenver]

2 minutes ago, derkalli said:

PinballY is starting Pinballs FX3 Attack from Mars instead of Mars.  I set it all up new and it was okay, but after restarting the PC I have the same issue now. Renaming of all data did not help.

 

From the Pinup Popper wiki, this should also cover PinballY:

 

Launching "Mars" table will launch "Attack from Mars" instead.

There's a known bug IN Zen FX3….(NOT in PinUP). If you use command line to launch mars, it will launch the wrong game. Easy solution is to make a copy of MARS.PXP file (in FX3 app folder) and call it NARS.PXP. Then add NARS.PXP to Popper like a normal game and set the media for it (remember to 'hide' MARS.PXP file in games manager).

[derkalli]

LynnInDenver, you are the greatest! Unbelievable, it works now properly

 

Thank you very much!