shiva engine DMD - latest update

[highrise]

The DMD works in a very simple way to show code. It has a timer that runs in the background, and only shows a score when it changes. At the same time, it tells you which player and which ball that score change is for. Since no two players scores can change at the same time, there is no work done on scoring code at all. It's just an output device.

If you trap the ball and hold it for a few seconds, the table cycles through all the current scores, so you can see how the other players are doing. During the match routine, all players scores are shown, and the scores for all four players are shown during the attract mode too. That's the workaround, and I think it works pretty well.

With the Spiderman & Black Cat table, all I did was set it up to output to both the DMD and the Text Boxes. All the player has to do is drag the one they don't want off the display area area.

Liteuser - 1024 x 768 is tricky to implement, because the DMD is too big. However, I'll go back and have a look at it for you. I can make a smaller version which won't look as nice but will work, or I can try and see if I can squeeze it a little to make it fit. The first option is the most likely. Each DMD unit is 3 pixels wide, and there are 120 of them. So that's 360 pixels, or 35% of the screen width in 1024 x 768. So if I made it 2 pixels wide you will get something that you can live with but won't be quite as nice.

 

[highrise]

ok, here's some results. By changing the size of the table area, and then dragging the whole table downwards, I can make enough room to put the DMD at the top of the table. It looks a bit chunky, but it does work (see SS). Other alternatives include making the table wider, and then dragging across (you see the table better, but you'd have to work on the table base which shows), or putting the DMD at the bottom of the screen where there is room (this is fine but doesn't feel authentic).

As I said, the other thing I can do is make the DMD smaller - you would lose quality, but it would then fit at the top of the table and look the most authentic.

All of these things are actually quite easy to do with basic editing skills. Moving the EMreels on the DMD to make it compatible with a different resolution is not as tricky as you might think. It has ten columns of thirty EMreels. Just highlight one column at a time, and change the X value. This will move the whole column to where you want. Roughly speaking, the space between each column for 1280 x 768 needs to be 28 pixels. That is to say, if the first column had and x co-ordinate of 0, the next would be 28, and the next 56. For 1024 x 768, the space needs to be 35. A bit of rough maths suggests that the spaciing for a screen width of 1600 would be 22.5

Anyway, whichever way you would like it, I can give you instructions so let me know.

 

[highrise]

doh, here's the SS - no frame on the DMD. Also, with a smaller display I think it would be fairly easy to make some kind of backglass with DMD effect.

 

[highrise]

well, I was convinced that if I shrunk the DMD to 2 x 2 with no gaps between each pixel, I would lose quality. Imagine my surprise to find that by creating the right images for the reels, it actually looks better! Have a look at the shots. This is now fully compatible with 1024 x 768 and looks great, better than the 1280 version IMO.

Of course, this is now completely incompatible with 1280 x 960. Still, I think 1024 x 768 is the most popular resolution, so I'll be working in this resolution from now on.

 

[Pinball_Ken]

Wow, highrise

Those are some advances, you've made!

I'd prefer 1024x768 and I look forward to your next release.

PK :D

 

[highrise]

ok, here's the latest. I've worked out how to display it nicely in 1024 x 768, and even got rid of the black lines. I've adjusted the Spiderman & Black Cat table so the DMD can go at the back of the table, which I think looks best. It means everything outside of the table can be used for graphics. The table backdrop will need to be adjusted, and some other things ironed out, but it's looking good. I'll send it to Bob and hopefully he'll fix it up. I think it would look great if it looked like the DMD was in a proper backglass with speakers either side. Anyway, we'll see.

 

[bob]

ok, here's some results. By changing the size of the table area, and then dragging the whole table downwards, I can make enough room to put the DMD at the top of the table.

You can also change the Field of View and Inclination settings found on the Backdrop screen of the editor and then add an invisible wall with a height of 200 to 500, whatever you need to push the table down to make room for a backglass.

Below is a screenshot of my The Three Stooges table where I've went to the extreme in changing the Field of View and Inclination to make room for a backbox, this is the 3-D version.

Here is the same table with my normal settings. Most people want the largest playing field possible for the game. The more you push the table down the smaller it appears. VP is set up to where you really need to use a 4/3 display resolution if you want the tables to display properly on most peoples monitors.

 

[tiltjlp]

That backdrop you added to the first SS is really sharp Bob. I wouldn't mind having the table sit a bit lower for a dmd and a really decent backdrop like that.

 

[highrise]

cool. That's what I was trying to do. I'll send it over to you now Bob, I'm sure you can work on it and make it look great. I came up with this to get an idea of what it would look like, but I see you know what you're doing with this! It will be great to have more room for graphics, this thing is going to look brilliant with the DMD installed.

 

[highrise]

ok Liteuser, you want it you got it. I'm a fast worker. Here is the Shiva engine with DMD, optimized for 1024 x 768. I've also included instructions on how to convert it to 1280 x 960 if anyone wants to do that (I already have, it looks great!)

All the colours are there too, and here's an SS.

 

[Liteuser.]

Thanks Highrise

Yeah thats where I was going to place the DMD right above the table on the backbox part, like I wanted to do with my freddy vs jason table. I'm going to try and use that same angle for this table. This looks good, now I'm all set to build a table. :D

Edit: OK it only took a few minutes for me to prepare shivaengine to build a new table. Moslty all the layout is removed to allow for building a new layout. All objects are left on the table to keep the shivaengine working. Basicly the angle, rails and lockbar, backbox are striped from my freddy vs jason table. This will work for a DMD template for me.Thanks

 

[highrise]

You'll be glad to know I've written some code that should allow you to convert images to the DMD format using VP. I just need to know how to save a text file to disk from within the code.

You might need some instructions on using the DMD commands, let me know how you get on.

 

[highrise]

You'll be glad to know I've written some code that should allow you to convert images to the DMD format using VP. I just need to know how to save a text file to disk from within the code.

You might need some instructions on using the DMD commands, let me know how you get on.

 

[highrise]

You'll be glad to know I've written some code that should allow you to convert images to the DMD format using VP. I just need to know how to save a text file to disk from within the code.

You might need some instructions on using the DMD commands, let me know how you get on.

 

[highrise]

sorry, something went very strange then, I got several errors!

 

[highrise]

Until I get that code done Liteuser, here's a little present from me. You will need to paste it into the scipt in the appropriate place.

 

[highrise]

just realised you've already done that table. I thought you were working on it! Oh, well, if you want another graphic I'll do one for you. Shame, that looked pretty cool.

 

[Pinball_Ken]

Hey, guys.

That all looks really cool!

Great work.

PK