VP8 SS Original Table Mars Attacks 2009 (Original) VP8 v2009b

[kristian]

Wow...that sure is a pretty original table. One of the best looking ones I've seen...!!

 

[marv75]

Thanks for the update Bob great table! :)

 

[1234fd]

Update plays better & faster here.
Definitely one of the best VP Original, seems to be a recreation of an existing, or better, "a should have been" table!

 

[bob]

Thanks 1234fd, yes the table is classified as an Original, but really it's just a mod of Asteroid Annie. I started this project after playing in the VPOH Tourney of Asteroid Annie and I just couldn't stand losing all of the balls in the right outlane. I would try to catch the ball with the right flipper (out of habit) and 1/2 the time it would then drain in the right outlane. There also isn't any great pics of Asteroid Annie and I don't really like playing fuzzy or low res graphic tables and I liked the layout so much, I was inspired to use it in an Original.

I would like to know if anyone else is having Ball Thru the Flipper (BTTF) problems. I can make that trigger a little bigger and put an invisible bridge wall there.

There are a lot of new members, so maybe I'll try to explain the BTTF problem in VP as I understand it.

Randy made the ball HIT the flipper (have HIT event) on the flipper upswing or the flipper resting postions, but not on the flipper downswing action. So we use to get a lot of BTTF. SHockman figured out this problem and it can be fixed by the flipper having a FASTER backswing (faster then the ball is moving) it doesn't look as real, but it fixed the BTTF.

Now you don't get BTTF much in VPM, because the flipper downswing speed fix is in the corevbs file, but the corevbs file is only used by VPM tables, so nonROM tables need to fix the problem themselves by using a fast flipper downswing speed, but this looks unrealistic to me.

All I did was add a trigger to the flipper area that increases the flipper downswing speed when the ball is near the flipper and when it's not near the flipper I use a slower flipper downswing speed for realism. So if anyone is experiencing BTTF, then the trigger just needs to be made larger for them to fix this problem or you can remove it altogether like Steve mentioned.

 

[StevOz]

You don't actually have to remove the feature you can just negate the effect in the script. On line 1722 delete the 0 and your done, then the .015 becomes .15

     FDspeed=.015

Change to....

     FDspeed=.15

btw bob that I feel is a little too slow anyways, although on real machines the downswing is slower then the upswing, I feel it should be around half the speed of the upswing so maybe .035 may have been a better value to use?

 

[bob]

OK, Steve, I went with .025 :) I also set the table slope to 7, so I'm sort of going halfway on your suggestions. :) I also increased the size of the flipper downspeed trigger, but since no one else has mentioned the BTTF, I think it's just your poor flipping skills. :)

I also thought maybe the score should be on the left side, so I simply flipped the backdrop and moved the reels and textboxes to the left side for the heck of it. I don't really think it matters and besides, I realize most people that download this table will only play it once or twice and then go back to JP's tables. :)

 

[bob]

I decide to go with fancier lettering in the text boxes, so the text boxes have to go. This would also solve any text size error for people who use low resoutions while playing. The screenshot would be the reel for the score box and I need a reel to display the Balls/Match box and the other text would just be printed on the actual backdrop as it doesn't change.

 

[1234fd]

I don't really think it matters and besides, I realize most people that download this table will only play it once or twice and then go back to JP's tables. :)

Your mistake BoB! ;These last days I´ve been playing mostly your The Three Stooges 2009 & this one, Mars Attack 2009 & Kings & Queens(Gottlieb 1965) by Duglis. More sport & less strategy!

 

[bob]

You're too kind, 1234fd

If you or anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears. I just added a couple of more reels to the backdrop and I changed the table to not save the earned credits until after the game is over to get rid of the lag that happens in some of Eala's early tables. In case you never noticed, this table is powered by Eala's Asteroid Annie table..... I'm just a simple modder.

 

[bob]

I wanted some flying saucers on the backdrop.... Too many?

 

[bob]

Check this out Steve. This will be the outlane blocker that appears after you drop a target bank. In this .vpt example I just made it a playfield target, so you can see the visual effect of the Alien slowly rising and dropping. I guess it would be a tutorial if I actually knew how to describe what I did. :) Obviously, anyone that understands this can use it or copy it, but I don't think I can tutor you to do it.

 

[faralos]

all that technobabble aside, I love this table! my roomies came running in when I had it cranked up wondering where the battle was! GREAT sounds! keeping the ball in play produces all these new sounds that were absent before! And it rocks thru my headphones! I don't notice too much with the flippers, not being a techno freak. I just knowwhat i like and I like this! Great job, both with the first and now with the new mods!

 

[bob]

Mars Attacks 2009b

New Backdrop, added UFO's
New Scoring Reels and other reels on backdrop.
Remove Inlane gate and added popup posts to block ball
Created slow dropping and resetting Alien Lane blockers.
Adjusted the slope and table settings and made the ball speed trigger just a little bigger.
2 New Ball roll decals and I added a green tint to the ball when it's on the playfield.

I probably did a few other things that I can't remember at this time, but this is the last update for 2009 on this table.

 

[1234fd]

Downloading now.Already had quite a lot of fun with the previous version.Thanks for the update.

 

[marv75]

Fun table Bob, thanks for your continued updates! :)