Can I save state in Future Pinball??

[capturelife]

Hey sorry but I have googled this question and got nowhere, is there a key or something I can press in game to save my current game state?

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

I've never heard of an across-the-board feature like that for FP.

A big thing to note here is that FP isn't a straight emulator like MAME, console systems, or even VPMAME. Each table re-creation is in effect a custom emulator running within the set of physics and simulation toolboxes called "Future Pinball."

'Save state' is something you could program in for any given table in VP, and I assume that would also be true for FP. But it would be specific to that particular table.

That said, with a small amount of programming knowledge, it shouldn't be too hard to add that feature for the table you have in mind. Could be kind of a fun project, in fact.

 

[capturelife]

Ah OK, thanks for the quick response, sounds above my head lol, I am playing A nightmare on Elm street, Its has so many levels and unlocks but no continue feature and I'm always back at square one. If you happen to be looking for a fun project, be my guest :)

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

I mean, you could always go in the editor and give yourself some cheats. Change the shape and location of the gates, add some bogus posts, that sort of thing.

 

[Gimli]

I have enabled save state and true multiplayer in a number of my mods.
Save state is simple to code in EM Reel games , but the newer tables it is quite an ordeal. Everything needs to get saved to fp Ram file in the nvS and nvR savers.
The neat thing about save state and true multiplayer is you can share an active game with a friend by simply transfer the fp Ram file back and forth to each other between turns :)

 

[GeorgeH]

What Gimli is not saying is he has coded it for a few tables:

Creature from the Black Lagoon

[PinSimDB.org]

Slamt1lt's Collection: Jaws ULTIMATE

[PinSimDB.org]

Indiana Jones Pinball Adventure Ultimate Enhanced

[PinSimDB.org]

There could be few more that I don't remember. It is quite complex to code because every game mode must be specially coded to save each players score separately and the progress of each player coded as well. I seem to remember that Flug coded one or two tables this way also.

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

I would imagine a simple but reasonably effective compromise would be to limit the save to single player games and number of balls.

So the player knows ahead of time they can only save between balls, and adjusts their approach accordingly. The table then only has to track a single score and number of balls.

Not ideal, but workable IMO.

 

[Gimli]

I would imagine a simple but reasonably effective compromise would be to limit the save to single player games and number of balls.

So the player knows ahead of time they can only save between balls, and adjusts their approach accordingly. The table then only has to track a single score and number of balls.

Not ideal, but workable IMO.

Thats true especially in EM Reel tables where everything resets between balls and actually in FP all the scores are saved for each player as nvScore1-4 but are erased upon starting next game so all you need is a simple code to scoop them upon table load and before start new game....
In newer tables with progressive levels and missions and table states it gets very complex

 

[Gimli]

@Ike Savage
Thats true especially in EM Reel tables where everything resets between balls and actually in FP all the scores are saved for each player as nvScore1-4 but are erased upon starting next game so all you need is a simple code to scoop them upon table load and before start new game....
In newer tables with progressive levels and missions and table states it gets very complex

I added true multiplayer and save states to:
1. Creatures FTBL
2.Indiana Jones
3.Jaws
4.Batman The Dark Knight
5.Batman Joker
6.Shootanza
7. Genesis
8. Cadash

And Flug and I added true MP only to Monster Bash

In FP games True MP is automatic in EM Reel games again because everything resets between balls.

But with more advanced tables each players advancement is unique.

That is why SLAM has "cooperative" or team multiplayer mode where each player adds to previous players progress...it can be a fun but happy copout :)