VPX on Apple Silicon is great, but...

[chriz]

hi guys, i am new to this forums and visual pinball, but advanced in computer and real pinball. today i compiled vpx on mac os silicon. and i wonder where i can setup the render resolution. it only uses a quarter and it´s damn fast. where can i find other people on linux/mac

 

[Wylte]

1 hour ago, chriz said:

hi guys, i am new to this forums and visual pinball, but advanced in computer and real pinball. today i compiled vpx on mac os silicon. and i wonder where i can setup the render resolution. it only uses a quarter and it´s damn fast. where can i find other people on linux/mac

 

The VPX-Standalone channel on the Virtual Pinball Chat Discord server is probably a good place to start?

https://discord.com/invite/g55GTp4M

 

And you posted this in VPE General Discussion; just in case you weren't aware, Visual Pinball Engine is a separate program from VPX, currently in development using Unity.

 

[rxhunter]

Hi @chriz, I'm new here as well. I did a build today on Apple silicon, and it was a PITA. When I ran "cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -B build" it was finding an old 2.x version of bison in /usr/bin, and the cmake would fail complaining about bison version. The path had /opt/homebrew/bin/ location first, and "which bison" returned the correct homebrew bison 3.8.2. This fixed it for me, hopefully helps someone else.

 

cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DBISON_EXECUTABLE=/opt/homebrew/bin/bison -B build

 

EM tables and many of the romless original tables work well. Now I have to figure out how to set up ~/.pinmame so the ROMs work.

 

I can post the compiled binary somewhere if there's anyone interested...

[JCalhoun]

Sure, post the binary. That would be cool.

[rxhunter]

Hey @JCalhoun, I'm liking that 8 Ball table! Here's the binary, a readme with some tips, and a list of tables that work for me on my M1 MacBook Pro.

 

I'm working on a launcher now. Haven't messed with multiscreen setups yet, so my requirements in a launcher are modest. It's at the janky but works stage today. Not quite ready to share, but hopefully n a week or so it'll be GitHub ready.

 

Delivering software is how I make my bones, but I'm literally "downloaded baller installer on my windows box 2 weeks ago" level of VPX experience. My objective is to make a nice launcher for myself for desktop mode, and learn existing Windows VPX esoterica and arcanum...

 

Maybe a year from now I'll have built a VP cabinet I can doc my MacBook Pro into and play just like the Windows kids do. Who's with me? 😃

 

VPinballX_10.8.0_macos.zip

Edited February 5, 2024 by rxhunter

[JCalhoun]

Now, if you could only get it working in VR for the Vision Pro.... 😉

 

Requires MacOS 13, BTW. I also have an M1 MacBook but I tend to stay on the OS that ships on the device. I have an iMac with a newer OS though I can test on.

 

(But if you can go back to 12.7 or so on your build settings, that would be cool too.)

Edited February 5, 2024 by JCalhoun

[rxhunter]

I don't have a macOS 12.x machine at hand, just 13 or 14. However, GitHub has macOS 12 runners for actions, and I needed to brush up on actions anyway. This build won't run on my machine, so let me know if it works. Compile looked clean, expect it'll work, but untested. and if you have a GitHub account and want to try this yourself, the action I used is in the zip as well.

 

If anyone wants to send me a Vision Pro I'll take a shot at getting it working...

VPinballX_GL_macos12.zip

[JCalhoun]

Thanks for posting, rx. The new binary does not run on my M1 MacBook either, however.

 

.yml files, runners ... all new to me. I'll play around though and see if I can replicate what you have done and build for my machine.

 

(EDIT: even Homebrew complained that my command-line tools for Xcode were out of date. They sure want you on the latest OS.)

Edited February 6, 2024 by JCalhoun

[JCalhoun]

Was able to run your first binary on my M1 iMac. Very cool.

 

I wish I could bring up the FPS HUD (F-keys don't seem to work) to see what the frame rate is. It feels a little slower than I am used to on the PC.

 

Still, an amazing job. It would be cool if there were a regular MacOS build ... even if it was missing a few of the PC features.

[rxhunter]

2 hours ago, JCalhoun said:

Was able to run your first binary on my M1 iMac. Very cool.

 

I wish I could bring up the FPS HUD (F-keys don't seem to work) to see what the frame rate is. It feels a little slower than I am used to on the PC.

 

Still, an amazing job. It would be cool if there were a regular MacOS build ... even if it was missing a few of the PC features.

 

Great to hear you got the M1 going. Is your other machine Intel? I built for macOS 12 on Apple silicon because that's what my M1 came with originally. I'll do an Intel build tonight, need to do that anyway.

 

FN+F1 will get you FPS in the corner. Using JP's Deadpool I get a steady 120FPS. VPW Fish Tales is running 77-88FPS. My PC has lots of juice, but my screens are all 60hz. At least the 32" rotates to portrait.

 

I don't want to make promises yet about a regular build, but if I can automate something that's low maintenance ...

[rxhunter]

Try this one on your other machine, macOS 12 Intel x64 build. The build workflows are published on GitHub (search vp-standalone-builds). Hopefully more will be coming there in a few days.

 

Edit: GitHub doesn't seem to set the execute bit correctly, fixed version attached. Should work on os12 intel machine.

VPX_os12_x64.zip

 

Edited February 7, 2024 by rxhunter
execute bit not set on unix executable

[rxhunter]

The vpinball GitHub actions page has builds for macOS now at https://github.com/vpinball/vpinball/actions . Look for runs with the standalone tag and macOS in the name. 10.8.0 and 10.8.1 are both up there, and both worked well for me in brief testing. I haven't seen any official announcements or releases, so caveat emptor.

[EarBiteR]

The 10.8.1 is a bleeding edge testing version so you would be better off running 10.8.0.  I run the standalone linux version and am quite happy with it.

[strikekat]

@rxhunter Did you ever make progress on your launcher? I'm definitely interested in better solutions than what I'm dealing with now.

I've been running off an older JavaFX table manager/launcher of mine that's really not fit for purpose, although I have modified it to be a bit more useful in tracking broken tables in vpx-standalone and exporting scripts.

The other big issue is no controller compatibility whatsoever, and I've already deemed it not worthwhile to add an SDL gamepad compatibility on top. (still preferable overall to my janky little Zenity script though)

[rxhunter]

@strikekat 

Work continues on the front end. Lots of learning as I go along. Hope to spend some time on it this weekend. The design and data schema are done, the launcher and app preferences UI are wired and done. I’m still working on the table library and edit table views (I used a bash script to build my library data for the app development, but it should be more wizard-y in a UI). Once I have that functional, I’ll put it on GitHub.

 

Good news is that I need to have some Python up on GitHub anyway for job reasons, so I’m motivated 😼

[strikekat]

@rxhunter Great work! Let me know if you ever need help testing or whatever else. I have a couple of other (Linux) machines besides my main MacBook, and a good chunk of development experience (To be fair, for the most part not Python)

[rxhunter]

@strikekat I put the project up on GitHub https://github.com/rh6423/flipper-fiend/tree/main

 

The readme and status pages have details of what's functional and what's scaffolding. I wouldn't try running it unless you're a dev at this point, the library file has to be hand crafted to get the tables into the launcher view.

 

There's also a wiki with random tidbits of Mac info and tips, which might interest a more general audience: https://github.com/rh6423/flipper-fiend/wiki

 

I'll post when there's a more user-friendly prototype package, can definitely use help with testing when I get there.

[strikekat]

Thanks @rxhunter, I'll try and check it out at some point this weekend.

Just from a quick initial look I appreciate the considerations for VPS lookup/integration.

I have a table parser to scan and import them into my DB but it does depend on a specific naming format I've changed all my tables to. Unfortunately that choice has caused me a fair bit of trouble over time when it comes to reconciling with the original names (i.e. vpx-standalone-scripts adopting original filenames..)

 

[wakka]

Hi, I'm new here! I've wanted to have access to VPX forever, though, but as a longtime Mac user (and non-developer) I've kind of just checked in once every few years to see how things are going for Mac owners and been disappointed.

 

Researching today it looks like the situation has changed a lot, and I'm excited about your visual frontend project, @rxhunter.

 

I'll definitely be checking back in to see how you're getting along with it.

 

Thanks also for posting macOS binaries. I had a quick question on that if you don't mind.

 

EDIT: Okay, ignore all the below! I got it working For any future person who stumbles across this via Google, I didn't realise that I needed both the VPX file and the ROM files to play a given game. The VPX file can live anywhere in your filesystem, with how rxhunter has helpfully configured the binaries attached above for Mac (you just doubleclick it to start the game), but the ROM files have to go in ~/.pinmame/roms. Importantly, don't unzip them - keep them zipped and with the same filename as when you downloaded them. When you doubleclick a VPX to open the game, the software will automatically find the ROM files because you've put them in the correct specific folder.

 

Status of where I'm at first:

 

- Placed the application file in the Applications folder

- Created the two folders in the home folder as specified in the readme

- Download two VPX files from the approved list (Fish Tales (Williams 1992) VPW v1.0.vpx and JP's Addams Family (Bally 1992) JP_VPX8)

 

Both launch and load in VPX when I double click the .vpx files, and the table appears fullscreen. But I can't seem to actually start the game. Using a keyboard or a connected Xbox controller I get sound effects and rumble when I press the appropriate buttons, and I can turn on an FPS display etc, or access the menu by pressing ESC, but I can't seem to make the table actually start playing. Pressing credit, for example, simply makes a 'dropping coin' sound effect, but nothing actually happens.

 

I'm not a developer so kind of stumbling my way through - any guidance would be greatly appreciated

Edited March 27, 2024 by wakka

[rxhunter]

Glad I could help @wakka, but all credit goes to the developers for how it all works. I've switched to the semi-release version on their GitHub.

 

Good feedback on file locations, I'll add something to the wiki I've started.

 

Do you ever use terminal? If you use the command line to launch a table, you can get all the console output (like the name of the ROM it can't find). I open a terminal window, and a finder with my VPX table directory next to it. In terminal:

cd /Applications/VPinballX_GL.app/Contents/MacOS
./VPinballX_GL -play /path/to/table.vpx

You can drag the VPX file from finder into Terminal instead of typing it out. 

./VPinballX_GL -help

will show you some other options, like dumping a .vbs script file from a .vpx. You can also download "fixed" table scripts for standalone from here. 

 

Frontend update: I'm still pecking away. Work has been occupying my time, but I'm hopeful for some news to report this weekend.

Edited March 28, 2024 by rxhunter

[rxhunter]

I've put some Mac install instructions here, along with a list of tables that run without any .vbs changes on my M1 MacBook Pro with VPX 10.8.0(1941) standalone. @wakka Let me know if you have other pain points, I'd like to make this comprehensive (excepting any topics that might bring legal scrutiny). 

[wakka]

@rxhunter First of all, thanks for your kind offer to help further with pain points!

 

The error readout from Terminal was what eventually helped me to figure out I was missing the ROM files, yeah   

 

I wasn't sure if how it all works was your doing or the developers' but thanks for the clarification.

 

Regarding your wiki and additional installation instructions - you're doing god's work here! I managed to figure a lot of this stuff out with a lot of googling, reading old forum threads and trial and error, but it's going to be enormously useful to others I have no doubt.

 

Your list of tables that run without any .vbs changes is instantly useful to me also (and I'm sure will be to others).

 

I've been happily playing Medieval Madness, Apollo 13 ("We've never lost an American in space, and we're not going to start on my watch!"), Attack From Mars, and Addam's Family (I find this last one tough as a newbie!).

 

However there are a few things I've come across that might be worth including in your wiki/it would be good to get your input on.

 

Please do take these as they're intended, just as ideas, rather than demands! The intention on my end is that they're helpful to your wiki  

 

1. Coin door opening and adjusting settings

 

So far it seems to be universally the case that on Mac it's Fn+F3 to open the Coin Door and to get into the settings (I discovered after googling for a while and experimenting). It's then a mystery combo of number keys to navigate the settings and to adjust audio volume, free play on/off, difficulty, etc, etc, depending on the table, although you can generally figure it out with trial and error.

 

It may be worth creating a note on this for people to explain what 'Opening the coin door' is, what it can achieve, and how to do it. Medieval Madness Upgrade Real Final, for example, deffo needs a volume increase, but it's far from obvious as a newbie how to achieve it.

 

Clearing credits is also useful, as I got Medieval Madness stuck in four player mode at one point and couldn't get out of it till I went into the coin door menu and cleared the credits. 

 

Some might also want to increase the number of available balls for a game, etc.

 

2. PUP files

 

I'm in the dark on this one at present. I get, I think, that these are the files that govern the more advanced screens on modern machines that replaced DMDs, but I don't really know how to make them work or if it's even possible on Mac.

 

I downloaded Iron Maiden and it came with a package of PUP stuff that included a bunch of BAT files that wanted to launch an EXE. So I'm not sure if PUP stuff can even work on Mac right now (at least without virtualisation or WINE)? Interested in what you think.

 

3. DMDs that are rendered in a separate window

 

I've had this problem with a couple of tables, notably Twilight Zone. The DMD is rendered in its own separate mini window, and it doesn't seem possible to have fullscreen gameplay with the DMD alongside.

 

Not sure how or if this is resolvable?

 

4. Finding the best versions of tables

 

It may be worth having a quick note to say that as all tables are fan-made, there are often different versions of tables available and it's worth researching to find the newest one/one that has the best feedback from other users. This wasn't immediately obvious to me.

[rxhunter]

15 hours ago, wakka said:

Please do take these as they're intended, just as ideas, rather than demands! The intention on my end is that they're helpful to your wiki  

 

I really appreciate the thoughtful feedback @wakka! 

 

15 hours ago, wakka said:

 

1. Coin door opening and adjusting settings

 

So far it seems to be universally the case that on Mac it's Fn+F3 to open the Coin Door and to get into the settings (I discovered after googling for a while and experimenting). It's then a mystery combo of number keys to navigate the settings and to adjust audio volume, free play on/off, difficulty, etc, etc, depending on the table, although you can generally figure it out with trial and error.

Interesting...I have the same version of Medieval Madness as you, but on my setup Fn+F3 reboots the table ROM and it starts the test sequence again. I haven't found a discernible pattern in general, but it's possible something is jacked in one of my config files after 4 or5 different builds of VPX have shared them. I'll clean up my machine and do some more testing.

 

Once you get the coin door open, generally 8 and 9 are the volume keys, and sometimes 0 gets used in ROM menus. Those seem consistent for me. The other way to fix it (which I end up using more often) is to go into the Adjust Table menu (Fn+F12 or Esc and Adjust Table), find the screen with the sound and music volume, adjust there, and hit 1 to save it to the table's .ini file.

 

More broadly, I think a section about configuring VPX after install would make sense. I'll include coin door, sound, and other config keys and keyboard customization there.

 

 

15 hours ago, wakka said:

It may be worth creating a note on this for people to explain what 'Opening the coin door' is, what it can achieve, and how to do it. Medieval Madness Upgrade Real Final, for example, deffo needs a volume increase, but it's far from obvious as a newbie how to achieve itClearing credits is also useful, as I got Medieval Madness stuck in four player mode at one point and couldn't get out of it till I went into the coin door menu and cleared the credits. 

 

Some might also want to increase the number of available balls for a game, etc.

There are a couple of places where tables can store state and config (.nv files in ~/.pinmame/nvram, .txt files in ~/.vpinball/user, .ini files next to the .vpx. I would have deleted all those to get out of four player and clear the credits before I ever thought to go into the ROM. And I would probably go straight for the .vbs file to go from 3 to 5 balls, seems like it's configurable in many if not most. Good to know more options.

 

15 hours ago, wakka said:

2. PUP files

 

I'm in the dark on this one at present. I get, I think, that these are the files that govern the more advanced screens on modern machines that replaced DMDs, but I don't really know how to make them work or if it's even possible on Mac.

 

I downloaded Iron Maiden and it came with a package of PUP stuff that included a bunch of BAT files that wanted to launch an EXE. So I'm not sure if PUP stuff can even work on Mac right now (at least without virtualisation or WINE)? Interested in what you think.

I tried to get a PUP pack going on my Windows machine the first week I had VPX installed, didn't have much luck, and moved on to other things. I've gotten some tables with music packs going (AC/DC Luci, Primus) on my Mac, but haven't attempted a PUP there. Thoughts:

 

1. Do you need directb2s running for PUP packs to work, or just a DMD?

2. Is there any specific DMD software package needed, or is the FlexDMD that comes with VPX sufficient to play PUP packs?

3. ffmpeg is mature on Mac, and there would be a dependency - ffmpeg is used to play the mp4 files in the PUP on Windows. I'm using Homebrew to install ffmpeg, might be good to see what lighter weight options are available (Homebrew is kinda overkill for just ffmpeg).

 

(Assuming there isn't a Mac directb2s out there somewhere that I don't know about.) There are two ways I see to get directb2s working on Mac: Wine, or porting the app. VPXDS is a Linux implementation people are using with Batocera Linux. Personally I'd rather try to port something, Wine apps are often janky in my experience, and native is probably lower resource intensive to run.

 

There are only two or three tables where I'd really like to have PUP support, and they're fun tables even without a PUP. I'm interested and I'll keep my eyes open for actionable intelligence. If anyone's looking to contribute to the community, Standalone/Mac PUP support would be a good thing to work on. It isn't as sexy as making tables, but this world has hundreds of great tables already, and no roadmap I know of towards Mac PUP support.

 

15 hours ago, wakka said:

3. DMDs that are rendered in a separate window

 

I've had this problem with a couple of tables, notably Twilight Zone. The DMD is rendered in its own separate mini window, and it doesn't seem possible to have fullscreen gameplay with the DMD alongside.

 

Not sure how or if this is resolvable?

I run in fullscreen exclusive mode 99.997% of the time. Desktop mode with the the screen horizonatal, table in the middle of the screen top to bottom, and backglass image to either side (if the table has one), with DMD on the left. I use the Me.x and Me.y variables in the DMD section of the .vbs if I need to reposition the DMD. This means exit the table, guess the right number, run the table to see where it landed, and repeat. I haven't found a way to reposition the DMD with a mouse like you can on Windows. If you're running a different way tell me more.

 

15 hours ago, wakka said:

4. Finding the best versions of tables

I'll expand on how to find tables. The list of tables that run is an ever growing work in progress, and I'd like to add some curated breadcrumbs for new users. The sheer number of tables available could be pretty daunting for a new user, so they end up sticking to a few tables they know and like from the real world. If you like a table, search the Virtual Pinball Spreadsheet for other tables by the same author, or by the same designer. A list of cool drop target tables from the 70s and 80s to find out if you like drop target tables, or some cool EM machines to start with. Nobody loves a critic, and all the people creating and updating tables are doing it for free as a hobby. Given multiple versions of a table to choose from, I'll tend to look for one authored by JPSalas, VPW or Bigus, because their tables run well (sometimes after a generic .vbs patch) and are usually fun. There are tons of other people making great tables, way too many to list. I think new users should try tables from a variety of authors, and see what they like best.

 

There's a lot to digest here, but it adds up to a pretty good backlog for the Wiki. I'll probably start with the low to no research items first, and figure out how to organize the info a bit better. The pages I have are verging on too big at the moment. I really do appreciate the input, and you should see some additions and revisions there soon. Thanks again!

[wakka]

You are very welcome! 

 

I'm afraid I can't answer your (potentially rhetorical) questions regarding PUP packs as I haven't the foggiest I'm afraid. It would be cool if at some point down the line someone makes them compatible with Mac, but it's still great to have what we have so far. I agree that native is a lot better than WINE, etc.

 

13 hours ago, rxhunter said:

I run in fullscreen exclusive mode 99.997% of the time. Desktop mode with the the screen horizonatal, table in the middle of the screen top to bottom, and backglass image to either side (if the table has one), with DMD on the left. I use the Me.x and Me.y variables in the DMD section of the .vbs if I need to reposition the DMD. This means exit the table, guess the right number, run the table to see where it landed, and repeat. I haven't found a way to reposition the DMD with a mouse like you can on Windows. If you're running a different way tell me more.

 

The way you describe is exactly how I play too - basically the most basic setup going.

 

Usually I double click a VPX file, the VisualPinballX_GL icon appears in the dock, there's a short pause, then the game boots in fullscreen with the DMD positioned in the upper left.

 

When I double click the VPX of certain games, like Twilight Zone, what happens is that the VisualPinballX_GL icon appears, then the game appears full screen for a nanosecond then minimises itself with the usual macOS 'Genie' effect. I can still see my desktop and on top of it is the DMD, where the game is running its startup tests is normal.

 

I can click the minimised game window in the dock and the pinball table will appear fullscreen as usual, but the DMD cannot be seen - it's hidden.

 

This is with Twilight Zone (Bally 1993)_Bigus(MOD)2.0 2.vpx, for reference. 

 

I'll try going extracting the VBS (a note on extracting VBS files might be good for your wiki, incidentally! I had to figure this one out to get Medieval Madness working) and playing around with the Me.x and Me.y variables like you suggested, and failing that I'll try a different version of the table not by Bigus.

 

13 hours ago, rxhunter said:

Interesting...I have the same version of Medieval Madness as you, but on my setup Fn+F3 reboots the table ROM and it starts the test sequence again. I haven't found a discernible pattern in general, but it's possible something is jacked in one of my config files after 4 or5 different builds of VPX have shared them. I'll clean up my machine and do some more testing.

 

Once you get the coin door open, generally 8 and 9 are the volume keys, and sometimes 0 gets used in ROM menus. Those seem consistent for me. The other way to fix it (which I end up using more often) is to go into the Adjust Table menu (Fn+F12 or Esc and Adjust Table), find the screen with the sound and music volume, adjust there, and hit 1 to save it to the table's .ini file.

 

Yeah I think you're right about the controls actually, once the coin door is open it's usually pretty consistently 8 and 9 to move left/right in the menus, 0 to confirm, and 7 to go back.

 

Regarding Fn+F3 rebooting for you - I do find on every game so far that opening the coin door does initially reboot the game, but then opens up the possibility to access the service menu if you tap 0 or sometimes another key. Maybe that works for you too? It would be strange if not.

 

Interesting tips regarding adjusting settings via the VBS or INI files though. I hadn't thought of that. Honestly navigating the service menu is pretty cumbersome so that's probably a better way of doing it!

 

13 hours ago, rxhunter said:

I'll expand on how to find tables. The list of tables that run is an ever growing work in progress, and I'd like to add some curated breadcrumbs for new users. The sheer number of tables available could be pretty daunting for a new user, so they end up sticking to a few tables they know and like from the real world. If you like a table, search the Virtual Pinball Spreadsheet for other tables by the same author, or by the same designer. A list of cool drop target tables from the 70s and 80s to find out if you like drop target tables, or some cool EM machines to start with. Nobody loves a critic, and all the people creating and updating tables are doing it for free as a hobby. Given multiple versions of a table to choose from, I'll tend to look for one authored by JPSalas, VPW or Bigus, because their tables run well (sometimes after a generic .vbs patch) and are usually fun. There are tons of other people making great tables, way too many to list. I think new users should try tables from a variety of authors, and see what they like best.

 

Yeah I think you could add as much or as little detail as you want to this part. It could honestly just be a note to explain the homebrew nature of it. It sounds obvious but it might not be to a newcomer. 

 

JPSalas, VPW and Bigus have authored most of the tables I've been playing  they are absolutely prolific!

 

They're not fan favourites but I've been really enjoying the Apollo 13 and Baywatch tables by Sega. They tend to be a little on the easier side to get a flow going which is good for someone who isn't the best at pinball (like me).

 

13 hours ago, rxhunter said:

There's a lot to digest here, but it adds up to a pretty good backlog for the Wiki. I'll probably start with the low to no research items first, and figure out how to organize the info a bit better. The pages I have are verging on too big at the moment. I really do appreciate the input, and you should see some additions and revisions there soon. Thanks again!

 

That's great - honestly the documentation on Mac is near zero so I'm sure what you're putting together will be immensely helpful to anyone googling for info. Glad my input was helpful  

[rxhunter]

On 4/2/2024 at 1:01 PM, wakka said:

You are very welcome! 

 

I'm afraid I can't answer your (potentially rhetorical) questions regarding PUP packs as I haven't the foggiest I'm afraid. It would be cool if at some point down the line someone makes them compatible with Mac, but it's still great to have what we have so far. I agree that native is a lot better than WINE, etc.

It'd be cool if a PUP expert came across this and enlightened us.Not something I'm actively chasing right now.

 

On 4/2/2024 at 1:01 PM, wakka said:

When I double click the VPX of certain games, like Twilight Zone, what happens is that the VisualPinballX_GL icon appears, then the game appears full screen for a nanosecond then minimises itself with the usual macOS 'Genie' effect. I can still see my desktop and on top of it is the DMD, where the game is running its startup tests is normal.

Twilight Zone (Bally 1993)_Bigus(MOD)2.0 2 freaks out if I double click to launch it - black screen, but if I hit Q to quit it shows me the table and DMD for a second before closing. I've gotten in the habit of using the terminal because it works reliably. I had weirdness with tables I double clicked, often enough to just use Terminal (or FlipperFiend) to launch 100% of the time

 

On 4/2/2024 at 1:01 PM, wakka said:

I'll try going extracting the VBS (a note on extracting VBS files might be good for your wiki, incidentally!

Added a bunch of stuff, including extract vbs. Also reorganized a bit. Info is solid, but still thinking through navigation.

 

On 4/2/2024 at 1:01 PM, wakka said:

Interesting tips regarding adjusting settings via the VBS or INI files though. I hadn't thought of that. Honestly navigating the service menu is pretty cumbersome so that's probably a better way of doing it!

This is why I don't use the coin door very often. I'll experiment more with F3 and see what I get.

 

On 4/2/2024 at 1:01 PM, wakka said:

They're not fan favourites but I've been really enjoying the Apollo 13 and Baywatch tables by Sega. They tend to be a little on the easier side to get a flow going which is good for someone who isn't the best at pinball (like me).

I have both as well, I've played Baywatch a bit more. Someone needs to do a Baywatch Nights mod.

 

On 4/2/2024 at 1:01 PM, wakka said:

That's great - honestly the documentation on Mac is near zero so I'm sure what you're putting together will be immensely helpful to anyone googling for info. Glad my input was helpful  

I think there's enough info on the wiki now to get many people up and running on a Mac. For anyone: please chime in here or add an issue on GitHub if you have suggestions, or if you get stuck.