Starting a vpinmame table

[Lilwolf]

What would it take to build a  pinball table... that you could replace the parts (seriously) to play vpinball in?

I'm not talking about one that you could switch on the fly, but one that might take a few hours switching between tables... and at the end, you would be able to get a good chunk of the games running.

I was thinking of maybe a table top with a bunch of holes in it... that each have connectors in.  Then you could make bumpers that would plug into these holes (somehow..) that would make up the playfield.   Then after that, you would basically lay down the playfield.  That wouldn't be wood, but some plastic that you would have to cut for each game.

The playfield would probably have to be a few inches above the holed top, since the targets need to be able to drop... but you could come up with targets that fold back maybe... but that would be to authentic.

then the ramps would have to be somewhat flexable... but where you could place another surface over it... like the bottom.

So, what do you think.  With an endless money supply... could it be done?  and how many vpinmame games could be setup piece meal and still be fun to play?

[Howard_Casto]

Building a dedicated table itself is extremely hard.  It takes months and months of planning, a good knowledge of physics, and even more months of testing to get one to work right without the ball getting stuck and ect.  Even proffesionaly built tables often have design flaws and they generally have about a year of prototyping behind them.  

To make it modular would be nex to impossible. If a bumper or a ramp or a plunger is off by even a few milimeters the table won't function properly and the ball will get stuck or go the wrong way.  Also vpmame only emulates the display and the hardware output isn't emulated, (other than maybe a comment that says "activate plunger" or something) so that wouldn't work.  

It's an interesting idea though.  It's kind of like socialism I think... looks god on paper but doesn't work in practice.  

Now a virtual table would work, but you would need some kind of rendering box that generates a 3d display to put in the playfield area.  I think they have those, but they are only in experimental stages in mit.  

[Lilwolf]

I know it is next to impossible...

the question is if you had all the time and money.. .could it be done... and what you could use.

I like the idea of a 3d screen for the table...   I could see using 3d glasses and a huge screen or multiple screens for the table, you could create a 3d look that might be real

anyone know if VPinball uses zbuffers?  (so you can use 3d glasses to give it a good 3d effect... I would try it but I !@# the cable or something on my glasses).

As for the real hardware output (telling the plunger to go).  This is all easy and expensive to do right.  This is what I do at work (control manufactiuring devices with PLC's).  

[neo777]

I know it is next to impossible...

the question is if you had all the time and money.. .could it be done... and what you could use.

I like the idea of a 3d screen for the table...   I could see using 3d glasses and a huge screen or multiple screens for the table, you could create a 3d look that might be real

anyone know if VPinball uses zbuffers?  (so you can use 3d glasses to give it a good 3d effect... I would try it but I !@# the cable or something on my glasses).

As for the real hardware output (telling the plunger to go).  This is all easy and expensive to do right.  This is what I do at work (control manufactiuring devices with PLC's).  

 Hi Lilwolf : )


 No, its not a feasable option... not any amout of money could make work.    If you can, open up a pinball machine and look it over... there are litterally Hundreads of wires running all over the place to motors, selenoids, lights, flashers, amps, controllers, sensors, switches, ect.   Also, there wouls be the fact that each assembly could have many different size and mounting requirements.  Seleniods are very powerfull and need to be locked down tight - as the force will vibrate them  off the board... as well as make other loose assemblies fall off.

 My suggestion (an idea Ive had for some time... yet lack the electronic knowledge you have ((can you help me???! )   is to make mini tables.  Each table being about 1ft*2ft  using a ball slightly smaller than a marble.    You could have over 20 of these on a shelf, in the same space that a single pinball would occupy.   Also, it would be cheaper and faster to build them... as well as being portable to take to friends or on trips : )

 Also needed would be a way to make a program that controlled the pinball via pc - and used an easy point and click means of making custom games  (visual pinball looks way too daunting for me).   You could make the PC monitor as the backboard... and use you own custom animtions for score and mini games.   Also custom surround sound via your soundcard.

 One thing I wish V.Pinball had, was the option to roate the display to vertical... as that would give you a lot more viewable table.  3d glasses would definitely rock too : )

  Still though, nothing beats pure mechanics of a real pinball -vs- a pc simulation.

 

[Howard_Casto]

I agree, it's not a matter of money or time, but the sheer mechanics of it.  It's just not do-able.  

As for visual pinball being daunting, let me assure you its not.  It runs on vbscript wich is a variant of visual basic, the easiest coding language to learn.  Also the shiva engine (a vbscript template) can speed things up a lot.  It's very easy.  

[lightspeed]

Top links has lots of neat stuff on this topic:


http://weaverofwebs.com/Pinball/Pin-it-Yourself/

http://www.gamearchive.com/pinball/