Williams SS Recreation BAM FP Medieval Madness (Williams, 1997) ULTIMATE v1.02-2 (Slamt1lt's Collection)

NOTE: This table uses Dynamic Flippers that require use of BAM version 1.4-233 (or later) that was released on July 15, 2018. It is very easy to upgrade. You can download the most current version at the following link. This installation file installs Future Pinball and BAM at the same time. If you have either Future Pinball or BAM already installed, you can still run it and it will bring everything up to date. This table can actually be played without using BAM but the performance is not so good.

https://www.ravarcade.pl/files/FP-BAM-setup.exe

=== Version 1.02-2 ===



This version addresses Slamt1lt's comments. He is absolutely right. I normally make adjustments to ball physics while using a custom ball with a pattern on it so I can see the spin. I remember now that on this table I made some adjustments to the ball damping without using the custom ball. So the ball ended up sliding around the table without any spin. On this version, I decreased ball damping to make the ball spin again. I also increased the strength of the slingshots to make the ball bounce more.



Ravarcade released a new version of the "bounce control" code that I am using on this version. We are defining bounce control as the amount of bounce the ball has after it hits a stationary flipper. Bounce control is one of the factors of dynamic flippers where I have been having some difficulty. The bounce control settings interact with the other settings in the XML file so I have been setting bounce control too low. Anyway, I believe I have it set so it is similar to a real world table. Everyone please let me know if you think it is set correctly because I can change it.



There are a few other things I changed. I corrected a minor flaw in the code for the omega on the dynamic flippers. There is a small possibility that the flipper omega might be applied to the opposite flipper. For the main flippers, it is almost impossible to occur because two balls would have to hit both flippers at the same time. I am mainly correcting it in case someone decides to add dynamic flippers to a table with three or more flippers. It is much more likely that balls might hit two flippers at the same time during multiball on a table with 3 or more flippers.



Then I found a couple of problems with stuck balls. I found that the ball gets stuck if it meanders to a point where it is on top of the castle kicker. I set the kicker to kick the ball if it is hit. The ball rarely goes up there but if it does it will kick it out and allow you to keep playing. I also found the ball would sometimes get stuck in the plunger kicker. This is the kicker that pops the ball out in front of the plunger when you start a game. I increased the strength of the kicker a bit and reshaped one of the walls in the pocket where the kicker is hidden.



I think this version corrects problems from version 1.02-1 but it retains all the features I added to the old version. I feel like it plays better now but you be the judge.



George





=== Version 1.02-1 ===



I am completely amazed with Flug's MEGA 1.3.5 version of Medieval Madness. This version combines Flug's previous "Mega-Multiball" version with Slamt1lt's ULTIMATE 1.02 and adds a third version that he calls "Mega-Easy". These three versions can be switched prior to the game on the DMD by pressing the Special 1 Key repeatedly. Slamt1lt's ULTIMATE 1.02 version is identified on the menu as "Slams's Normal" and it should be the default setting if you have never changed it. Slamt1lt's ULTIMATE 1.02 is the last version before he removed it from his web site. I don't think Flug made any significant changes to the rules but you should review the list on the "Info" tab of this posting. Any time that you make changes the setting is saved to the fpRam file. When you play the table the next time, the table will still be set to play the version you selected previously. Click on the "Info" tab of this posting to identify the differences between these versions. Even more amazing than combining several versions into one is the addition of multiplayer to all of these versions. Adding multiplayer to a table as complex as this one was no small task.



I changed the texture for the plastic ramps. You can see through the ramps so they are mostly transparent now. Slam's version has a bronze tint to the plastic ramps and are they are nearly opaque. This makes it very difficult to make the skill shot. He thoughtfully repeated the lane lights on the back wall in an older version. Unfortunately, this does not help because you can't see the ball very well. Therefore you are not able to anticipate which lane it will enter and you can't use your flippers to change the lane lights. This has been corrected so that you can see the ball and the lane lights through the plastic ramp. I thought about changing the texture so it has a bronze tint but still transparent. However, I decided to keep the texture clear after I watched several videos of real world tables and noticed that the plastic ramps are transparent and are not tinted.



Whenever you hit the castle or the moat, the ball exits back to the playfield through a kicker on the left side of the castle. I found the ball would sometimes get stuck in this kicker. The kicker had a wall positioned above it such that one of the corners was cut off. The ball barely had enough room to squeeze through the remaining opening and it would sometimes get stuck. I moved the kicker slightly so it is no longer blocked by the wall and it fixed this issue.



I created custom physics for this table. The XML file for the custom physics has been added to the script so you don't need to deal with any extra files other than the table itself and the library files. If you want to verify that the content of the XML file is working, you can open the BAM menu while playing a game and look at the bottom right side of the screen and verify that it says the following "Physics XML: from VBS script". If you want the ball to play faster, you can increase the table slope. Open the table editor and change the table slope from 6.8 in the right pane to the desired number. The maximum limit is 10.0. Note that the changes will not take effect until you save and then you can play the table.



This version also implements dynamic flippers. Dynamic flippers implement 3 different factors for flippers. 1) The geometry of the default flipper on Future Pinball is not quite right near the tip plus a single ball hit on the flippers registers as two hits so hitting the ball there can lead to inconsistent results. Dynamic flippers fixes the geometry. 2) I used some code to make the flipper hit the ball harder the closer the ball hits the base of the flipper. The flippers don't hit the ball quite as hard as it gets closer to the tip. This makes the flippers perform more like real world flippers. 3) The final aspect of the change is the setting of the flipper elasticity has been enhanced. It is most noticeable when the ball hits a stationary flipper. I have added some coding that allows you to table to play without using BAM version 1.4-233 or later but I don't like the way it performs because it turns off these flipper enhancements. You really should try Dynamic Flippers. I have found the dynamic flippers are more precise that the default flippers.



I had gotten several requests on the "Phantom of the Opera" table to be able to apply dynamic flippers to other tables. I have provided directions on how to do this on this table. Just open the script and follow the directions under "HOW TO COPY DYNAMIC FLIPPERS TO YOUR TABLE".



I have never been a big fan of "Night" versions of tables so I went back to one of the first versions of the table. I found a "Day" version of the playfield and plastics (2048x4096). I did however save the "Night" version so that you can easily revert back to it if you wish. Open the Texture Manager in the Future Pinball editor. Delete or rename the texture "PF_MedMad" and rename "PF_MedMadNightVersion" as "PF_MedMad". Delete or rename the texture "plasticos" and rename "plasticosNightVersion" as "plasticos".



I added three loading textures and kept the existing one. The existing texture is used in several locations on the table so I thought it would be nice to have something different for the loading screen. You can revert back to the original if desired. Two of the textures that are saved to the table are oriented in portrait format and the other two are oriented in landscape. All of the textures have been saved to both versions of the table. If you would like to switch to different texture, open the Future Pinball editor for the table and click on the "Tables" pull down menu. Then select the "Table Info" option. Under the option for "Loading Picture", you can select the following:



!Loading1 – The original texture in landscape orientation

!Loading2 – A new texture in landscape orientation

!LoadingAlt1 – The original texture changed to portrait orientation

!LoadingAlt2 – The new texture in portrait orientation



Those of you that have pinball cabinets may want to use the versions with portrait orientation and should be displayed correctly on your cabinet.



Flug made the HUD Toggle Key work in an interesting way on this table. You can press the key 5 times and cycle through the different options. There is a version that has the frame surrounding the DMD and another that does not have the surround. The setting is also saved to the fpRam file so that when you close the table and open it the next time, the setting will be the same. It is pretty neat.



Flug added the counts for the Troll Bombs, Joust, Catapult, Damsel, Peasant and Trolls to the backboard. This information is not displayed on the real world table but it does provide useful information during game play. If you want the table to be like the real world table, you can unlock the position of these elements and move them above the top of the back board so they are not visible on the table.



Slamt1lt always added default high scores to his tables and they are on this table also. Some of us do not like default high scores but they were left in place out of respect for Slam. They are easily removed. Open the table in the Future Pinball's editor and click on the "Table" pull down menu and then select the "Table Info" option. Delete the entries under "High Scores Defaults" that have labels numbered 1 through 4. If you have played the table, you will need to press the button on this same screen named "Reset fpRAM file to Defaults". Pressing this button will delete the fpRAM file for the table. This will also delete any high scores and settings that you may have saved so it is advised that you delete the default high scores soon after downloading so you don't loose data.



I added a version of the table for use on a desktop PC that has a single monitor with a portrait orientation. The name of the download is "Medieval Madness ULTIMATE 1.02-1 Rotated Display.7z". This version will be of interest to you if the monitor on your PC can be rotated 90 degrees. I have added a screenshot of it that you can view on the "Images" tab of this posting. I have been adding this version to all the tables I revise because I build it for myself and it is not difficult to publish it. If you use this version, please provide some feedback. I would like to know if anyone is using it. NOTE: This version will not be useful on pinball cabinets or PCs which have a normal landscape orientation. The download includes directions on how to set up this version of the table.



If you use Hyperpin, PinballX or other front end program, there is Wheel Art included in the download of the "Medieval Madness ULTIMATE 1.02-1" version of the table.



Medieval Madness is one of my favorite tables. I think that these changes make a great table even better. I hope you enjoy this mod of Flug's version of the table.



George




Tables of collection Slamt1lt's Collection :
Attack From Mars ULTIMATE 1.02-2
Iron Man ULTIMATE 1.06-2
Jaws ULTIMATE 1.05-3
Medieval Madness ULTIMATE 1.02-2
Phantom of the Opera ULTIMATE 1.04-3

This table is a mod of :
Medieval Madness: Medieval Madness MEGA 1.3.5

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These are Flug's notes copied from the Medieval Madness MEGA 1.3.5 posting:



Slam's Normal Mode Enhancements

- Supports 4 players
- High Scores tracked per game mode (assuming it was in the top 10)
- Will sometimes prioiritize trolls over multi-ball
- HUD progress displays are all 2 digits now
- Prioritizes Multiball modes to ensure you get Royal Madness
- Fixed issue where castle hits were 10 million a piece vs 1 million
- Extra balls now reset the bonus back to zero
- No longer lets you put in your initials twice per game
- Corrected issue where super jackpots on 3 ball madness only counted towards one of the targets (not both)
- Random quotes will no longer repeat
- Troll bomb hits are random
- Some of the light blinking patterns are random each time
- When ready for Final Battle, the gate will go up/down based on Multiball mode
- During the second phase of Final Battle, Trolls now appear and can only be killed with a troll bomb (save 2!)
- When winning the final battle, the table pauses... then you're back to 1 ball with the main goals reset with these exceptions:
- The Catapult Animals earned remain
- The Bumper hits/multipliers remain
- Added a Jackpot when the Final Battle is won; Starts at 5 million and points are added to it until it's won. There is a ceiling to the value...
- More Tilt handling checks
- Now works when a ball is stuck but comes back after a tilt (flippers will enable vs staying off)
- Added wall so that you cant get a second ball in the catapult when picking the ammo
- When firing the catapult, the animals are in random order (and slower)
- Will no longer get bounceouts when you enter the castes main entrance
- First troll during troll madness is random
- If Trolls are up, castle gate hits are worth 75% more
- Trolls won't disappear/close if hit when popping up



Mega-Multiball Mode Rule Changes (includes Normal Mode Enhancements)

- If a side hole hit destroys the castle, you get castle multiball
- All ramps/orbits/kickers count towards super skill shot (except the left orbit)
- Side hole in castle counts as a castle gate hit (except in Final Battle Mode)
- The last king must be destroyed by entering the castle through the gate
- All ramps/orbits/kickers count towards their progress target except during:
- Royal madness
- Their own multi-ball event



Mega-Easy Mode Rule Changes (includes all the above too)

- Ball Saver is 2 seconds longer
- Ball Saver kicks in more often
- All ramps/orbits/kickers count towards their progress target even during their own multi-ball event

NOTE: Sometimes the DMD animations get wonky... I let it go (functionality of the game itself is fine)

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