Site of Cabinet Builds

There is a guy that built a most unusual virtual pinball cabinet that can tilt the playfield screen to use to play video games. Pretty cool.

He shows the cabinet here:


He was interviewed here:

 
His later project build video is here, which is short and to the point if you don't feel like sitting through the second 40min video.

The ability to adjust the real slope of the PF display seems like the biggest breakthrough here. I think it's a fantastic idea myself, as some games will tend to be brighter and/or register differently based on the player's vision / height / preferences.

Indeed, one thing I find really powerful is in playing cab tables with a rotated portrait display. The idea is that you're looking at the PF dead-on, from above, as opposed to from the edge. This takes a little getting used to, but the immediate benefit is that (simply due to the way most monitors display) everything shows up much more vividly and looks much more 3D than when you have the PF monitor sitting flat.

At that point, I can then tilt my (haha, Dell) monitor back as much as 30° to simulate a more realistic viewing angle. I can even shim the monitor up a bit to get to around 45° if I really want to. The whole process is a bit of a pain, and a bit fun, but point is, you can get a really ideal view to play a table. Bringing things full-circle, this guy seems to get that whole principle. Altho in many ways, a portrait monitor is still much more flexible than even his build!

The other things I like are just the sheer, whomping size of his display, plus the haptic feedback stuff. Not sure if he's using solenoids for that like the Arcade1Up project, but the more little touches that build the illusion, the better IMO.
 
Last edited:
I'd be curious to hear what @TerryRed has to say about this particular build, and/or the issue of the 'portrait PF up & down POV' vs the traditional 'laying flat POV.'
 
@Ike Savage,

You should take a closer look at my last 4 tables. I provide a version of the table for "rotated display" on a regular single monitor PC! It is not a fancy as the set up that Shiva found but it works and doesn't cost anything. You do need a monitor that has a stand that allows the monitor to rotate 90 degrees from landscape to portrait. Click on the last screen shot on the right of my last table mod:


George
 
Like the guy says in his videos... most people who start off with multi-use pinball cabinets end up going to pin-only cabinet... just like I did.

That said... with VR becoming popular... more people are building short pin-stubby cabinets.


I think a hybrid pin-stubby with a vertical monitor and another monitor on the control panel area would be a cool mix for Vr and normal vp views. It would give you the DMD / PUPDMD on the monitor on the control panel and you can play the non vr tables... while also being able to play vr and stream PinEvent table pup-packs into VR, etc.


I know if I were to build today... that may be the route I would go, as it would be a smaller footprint and be cheaper...and could be made to play almost everything including arcade games.
 
Define, pls?

 
You should take a closer look at my last 4 tables. I provide a version of the table for "rotated display" on a regular single monitor PC! It is not a fancy as the set up that Shiva found but it works and doesn't cost anything. You do need a monitor that has a stand that allows the monitor to rotate 90 degrees from landscape to portrait. Click on the last screen shot on the right of my last table mod:

https://pinballnirvana.com/forums/resources/space-shuttle-williams-1984.5802/
Which brings up a Q for FP-nincompoops such as me--

So far it seems like VP's 'FS mode' seems to... (I'm searching for the words, here) ... artificially create an isometric POV, in which the area of the table nearest to the player is exactly the same width as the top of the table.

Meanwhile, like in the screenie you recommended, the much different, realistically-proportional view seems more typical of all the FS FP tables I've ever tried.

Eh, not sure how much sense I'm making at this point, but-- do you know if there's a way in FP to do that odd, anti-proportional, isometric scaling that VP does?

Because TBH, I kinda like that POV, and would prefer to play some FP tables like that, those occasions when I rotate my monitor straight up.

(hope that made some sense)
 
Do you mean so that is looks like this? BAM's default POV is terrible for cabinet / arcade view.

My BAM config files on my FP and BAM Mega Guide have a good "starter" POV setting...and you can adjust from there to look the video below.



..or do you VPX's FSS view? If so, FP does that easily by not using Forced Arcade Mode and rotated 270. BAM lets you adjust and make custom static Camera views using the Camera menu as well.
 
Last edited:
Do you mean so that is looks like this? BAM's default POV is terrible for cabinet / arcade view.

My BAM config files on my FP and BAM Mega Guide have a good "starter" POV setting...and you can adjust from there to look the video below.

Yes, exactly! Thank you!

or do you mean VPX's FSS view? If so, FP does that easily by not using Forced Arcade Mode and rotated 270. BAM lets you adjust and make custom static Camera views using the Camera menu as well.
So the first thing I should try is some rotationials?

There's another problem here, and I'm... lol... just need to walk it off, bring it up another day.
 
It it actually easier to set up a table like Terry's video than the way I do it. I have found you need a little perspective to make the view feel correct. That is why I make the top a bit narrower than the bottom. Plus you need to be able to see the DMD or segmented display at the top so you can see the score and other info. In fact, you cannot see the DMD in the set up shown in Shiva's video either. If you want to try my way, you can download one of my mods with rotated display and there is a PDF in the download that explains how to set up any table.
 
It it actually easier to set up a table like Terry's video than the way I do it. I have found you need a little perspective to make the view feel correct. That is why I make the top a bit narrower than the bottom. Plus you need to be able to see the DMD or segmented display at the top so you can see the score and other info. In fact, you cannot see the DMD in the set up shown in Shiva's video either. If you want to try my way, you can download one of my mods with rotated display and there is a PDF in the download that explains how to set up any table.
Interesting stuff!

Wow...
 
I could write a few words but since I often digress a "little bit" :roll: I want to emphasize one important thing about this arcade, pinball, simracing building rigs: Don't get married and if you do, have a house for yourself! I'm not talking out of experience... I have a friend... :cool:

So this thread made me think. What is the best solution? If you're only interested in pinball or arcade (out of scope here) it should be obvious but what if like me, you simply game and want to have the best immersion possible? At this point in time, I think VR with a pedestal with wheels that can be locked to support a multi purpose controller (I think it is best to have both separated) might be the right answer.

Maybe i'm biased as I'm only lacking the pedestal but still...

Pros:
- The physicality is there for both pinball in VR and TV for MAME
- avoid bunch of settings and setups in pinball multimonitor plus/or DMD probably
- doesn't waste (i'm imagining wife wording it :D) as much space as a real cabinet
- it's moveable (eventually portable!)
- pedestal can serve a storage for the headset and wireless keyboard/mouse
- you have a multipurpose gaming rig
- If you DIY it is so rewarding in the end! The best of it all is enjoying the fruits of your labour :)

Cons:
- This is an expensive hobby. period. I think my penultimate upgrade; the KL25Z for nudging was the least expensive thing I've bought bar (some) cables!
- it is a lot of work and you have to do it all; building, installing setting up, testing, updating, ...
- the support is called <insert your tube/search engine of choice here>
- lots of time reading, searching, learning (ok, this is a mixed one; learning is never bad but the huge amount of time spent searching is)
- not as cool as having a dedicated setups

Did I forget anything? In any case that pedestal will surely be my next move. Or maybe I can find something nice that can support my controller and the wife likes :D

Free piece of advice, PLAN (unlike me) so you don't end up moving and transporting stuff from one side to another. Hopefully it won't end up a permanently temporary situation :banghead: And plan for the future. I ended up like this also because when I started many years ago I did not think about moving to another place. so yeah, anything can happen so PLAN AHEAD and then some...
 
Anon; Great article. When i started my cabinet build VR was futuristic and VR pinball was not a thought. Now to have a 3D (VR) pinball is vogue.
I agree with everything you say, looking back on the build mostly as a learning hobbyist and I've learned a lot and still learning.
So today I have my virtual pinball the way I want it, large wide body pinball cabinet loaded and lots of fun. However I want to move to VR and the stubby is the answer. I won't have a problem with the stubby build, it will just be the equipment upgrade which will be extra ram, new expensive graphics card, the headset and probably a new multi core processor. Plan 'B' would be to sell the cabinet pinball, save the space and build the stubby. Thanks for making me plan ahead.
 
I have VR for many years and I still think it is the most immersive way to play. As I have big and heavy control panel it helps with the immersion especially with the manual nudge active to get some physical action. Some solenoids would be perfect but then I couldn't play at night.

Been quite a while since I did use my VR headsets though :(

I never would've though that rambling could be of any help though. Thanks :)
 
Forum activity
Help Users
You can interact with the ChatGPT Bot in any Chat Room and there is a dedicated room. The command is /ai followed by a space and then your ? or inquiry.
ie: /ai What is a EM Pinball Machine?
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
      Mibs Mibs: Popotte has posted a new reply in the thread "How Do I Move a DMD on the Backbox Using Script...
      Back
      Top