Arcade Collecting > Pinball
A DIY Pinball Machine
ChadTower:
--- Quote from: JoyMonkey on August 15, 2008, 08:21:01 pm ---Now if you can find some powerful solenoids that fire nicely using 5v....
--- End quote ---
You have to use the 5v as signal to a transistor to turn power on/off from a higher current source. Or a relay if you want to go mechanical.
johnmartin:
I'll have to take a look at the U-Hid. It may work as well.
For now though I am going to focus on the playfield design. I am going to start with my rules, then move to a playfield design, get it functioning electrically and mechanically without scoring or rule implementation, and then worry about how to tie it all together in the end.
John
Xiaou2:
Just a thought...
You may wish to change your order of operations.
Its best to start out with a blank layout, and create a dummy table. Such as
a table that has holes all over it where parts can easily be moved.
(Pop paper over the holes to allow smooth ball travel when testing)
The thing is... you really want to make sure you have a field that is playable
and fun before trying to make up any rules.
If you built the thing based on preset rules... and then found out after you built it
that certain shots were 98% impossible... or that the flow was purely awful playing...
you would be stuck with useless rules on a useless table.
Theme is part of the game too however,... and as you design, you may try to implement
different playfeild tactics, toys, ideas..etc. Just try not to be set in stone around the
ideas. Some things may have to be moved.. and some things may have to be scrapped
altogether. And yet some new ideas may develop from the playtestings as well.
Once you have a great playing table... it should be a cakewalk to make rules for it.
(getting them implemented is another story...)
gajaman:
I can't add anything to this thread from a techinical point of view but the project sounds excellent and I look forward to seeing things develop.
I think it will be tremendously difficult to do well but if you want it bad enough there's no reason why you shouldn't succeed.
Good luck!
johnmartin:
--- Quote from: Xiaou2 on August 18, 2008, 11:50:23 pm ---
Just a thought...
You may wish to change your order of operations.
Its best to start out with a blank layout, and create a dummy table. Such as
a table that has holes all over it where parts can easily be moved.
(Pop paper over the holes to allow smooth ball travel when testing)
The thing is... you really want to make sure you have a field that is playable
and fun before trying to make up any rules.
If you built the thing based on preset rules... and then found out after you built it
that certain shots were 98% impossible... or that the flow was purely awful playing...
you would be stuck with useless rules on a useless table.
Theme is part of the game too however,... and as you design, you may try to implement
different playfeild tactics, toys, ideas..etc. Just try not to be set in stone around the
ideas. Some things may have to be moved.. and some things may have to be scrapped
altogether. And yet some new ideas may develop from the playtestings as well.
Once you have a great playing table... it should be a cakewalk to make rules for it.
(getting them implemented is another story...)
--- End quote ---
You caught me on that. In a fit of dyslexic typing the order was reversed. The playfield is coming first. But I am thinking about what rules I want it to follow during that time. ;D Mocking it up in Visual Pinball will certainly help with the game play aspect.
John
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version