Solved Spotlights Don't Run on Any Table

[GeorgeH]

Do any of you guys have problems playing tables with spotlights? I have encountered a problem where tables appear to play normally except that spotlights don't work. The tables play normally in every way except the spotlights. I tried reinstalling BAM_v1.5-353 but it did not help. I played Terry's test table here just to be sure I was playing a table that had a spotlight:

Code/Example - BAM - New Feature ShadowColor fins (flippers)

Here is a new feature that Rav ... did, for now it's only for fins, but maybe it could also be applicable on lights ... who knows!!!

pinballnirvana.com

The spotlights did not work on the test table even after rebooting. I verified I had New Renderer turned on. I'm at a loss as to what to do.

 

[AnonTet]

Can you try an older version of bam?

 

[TerryRed]

Working fine here. Using latest 1.5-353 BAM.

Be sure you have hardware lights set to 7, and you have New Renderer enabled, as New Renderer is required for spotlights to work.

 

[GeorgeH]

Terry is right. I don't remember changing it but I had hardware lights set to 0. Stupid me.

Thanks Terry! I was about to reinstall FP which is a pain.

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

Well... yeah.
Seriously, that's what I was saying not too long ago, when I did some testing and feedback for the FP community, posting my results right here on PN. *d'hyuk!*

In any case, my results consistently found that the setting of "hardware lights" directly affected sets of 'drawn objects' in FP, regardless of 'lighting.'

Now yeah, a big part of that seems to relate to the idea that "lighting" isn't a real thing in FP; it's a simulated thing. Not that such is novel or unexpected of course, but maybe it's something that can be better controlled?

 

[GeorgeH]

All hardware lights does is define the maximum number of flashers that are used. The more flashers you use; the more resources it requires. You can select 0 to 7. If the table has more flashers than what you have selected on hardware lights, then FP converts the flashers above the selected number to bulbs.

Spotlights require flashers to work. When I had hardware lights set to 0, all the flashers were converted to bulbs and thus no spotlights.

I have always thought that "hardware lights" is a confusing term. But a name is a name. It would still work the same if you called it something different.

 

[TerryRed]

"Hardware Light" refers to being able to use your GPU to render "real light" in realtime in 3d space, instead of just having a brightened texture (like on VP). It's a reflection of the time when FP was first created (back in 2005'ish)... when not everyone would have a decent GPU that was even capable of rendering this. So the term "hardware" refers to "GPU hardware" being used, instead of simple software texture brightening.

I mean, just look at FP's original "requirements". :)




The fact that it mentions needing a GPU that supports "shaders" tells you of a much older / darker time. :)

FP actually uses 8 hardware lights. One of them is reserved for the main global light.

 

[GeorgeH]

"Hardware Light" refers to being able to use your GPU to render "real light" in realtime in 3d space, instead of just having a brightened texture (like on VP). It's a reflection of the time when FP was first created (back in 2005'ish)... when not everyone would have a decent GPU that was even capable of rendering this. So the term "hardware" refers to "GPU hardware" being used, instead of simple software texture brightening.

I mean, just look at FP's original "requirements". :)

View attachment 27008


The fact that it mentions needing a GPU that supports "shaders" tells you of a much older / darker time. :)

FP actually uses 8 hardware lights. One of them is reserved for the main global light.

Maybe we should ask Rav if he can increase the limit to something like 10 or 12? I'm not sure he can do it but it might be worth asking.

 

[TerryRed]

I'm pretty sure it was already asked by me at some point. :) I don't think it's exactly a simple thing to change. That said, if it was possible... man I sure would love it. 10 hardware lights would be good for "proper" GI, and then 4 to 6 for flashers / misc lights (so 16, instead of 8) :)

 

[GeorgeH]

I'm pretty sure it was already asked by me at some point. :) I don't think it's exactly a simple thing to change. That said, if it was possible... man I sure would love it. 10 hardware lights would be good for "proper" GI, and then 4 to 6 for flashers / misc lights (so 16, instead of 8) :)

I thought you may have already asked. Oh well. We can dream.

 

[AnonTet]

How do we know what flashers are "mapped" into bulbs if we use more than 7?

i ask because there's this setting in registry Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Future Pinball\GamePlayer called HardwareLights so I though... will it crash FP if I go over 7? and tried it... FP opens but the video setting is now blank. I just don't know how to test since every single flasher I created in a new table lits...

 

[GeorgeH]

How do we know what flashers are "mapped" into bulbs if we use more than 7?

i ask because there's this setting in registry Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Future Pinball\GamePlayer called HardwareLights so I though... will it crash FP if I go over 7? and tried it... FP opens but the video setting is now blank. I just don't know how to test since every single flasher I created in a new table lits...

If I remember correctly, FP changes the flasher that is furthest away from the point of view to a bulb. Try adding something like 10 flashers all around the playfield on a test table so they are all visible on your screen. Then use the manual camera so that you are looking at the group with different views. You should see some flashers become less bright with different flashers changing as you look at different views. The less bright flashers are the ones that are converted to bulbs.

I suspect the difficulty that Rav has with making the number higher is changing the option on the settings screen so you can select values higher than 7. I am betting the change would be much easier for Rav to develop if we just abandon the option. I think it could be set up so we add some code to the script that disables the onscreen option and allows you to enter higher values.

 

[AnonTet]

Like I said, you can change it on the registry. Same was done to analog nudge to increase the values that were locked on the screen.

But if you have to actually choose in the video options than that is a problem and such a stupid one

Nevertheless, there's hope. Because when I posted above i tried 0 on registry, lauched FP and it was 0. Then change to 7 and in video options was seven so whatever the value is in the registry it is read at FP launch. So even if you don't see the number in the editor, MAYBE FP actually uses that number?

 

[GeorgeH]

Nevertheless, there's hope. Because when I posted above i tried 0 on registry, lauched FP and it was 0. Then change to 7 and in video options was seven so whatever the value is in the registry it is read at FP launch. So even if you don't see the number in the editor, MAYBE FP actually uses that number?

Change the value in the registry to 10 and look at the 10 flashers on the test table. If they are all bright, I would say that FP uses the value in the registry.

 

[GeorgeH]

If the test works, we may not need Rav's help at all. You could write one of those batch files to change the registry and circulate it so everyone can use it. It would be best if Joe Average does not edit the registry themselves but running a batch file would be easy.

 

[TerryRed]

It doesn't work. I tried that long ago, and tried it now. It's still limited to 7 no matter how high you go in the registry. :)

Even with other more modern engines, they are limited to 8 when using a standard forward renderer like FP uses. It wasn't until recently that Unity provided an option to use more than 8 when using a forward renderer.

 

[AnonTet]

That's that then.