How to install Visual Pinball in Game Ex

[druadic]

Here is how I installed Visual Pinball into Game Ex. Hope this helps out those that want to get Visual Pinball running in this amazing front end! The end result is VERY MUCH worth the time. This front end is a blast to use. If you have problems, feel free to EMAIL ME. Thanks!

Druadic

HOW TO INSTALL VISUAL PINBALL (any version) IN GAME EX:

Download the 36MB file first. Place the file on your desktop. Click it.

If the Game Ex file is zipped, you'll have to unzip it first.

It should open up to an installation screen. If you miss anything, you

can always go back to this in the "installation wizard" in your start

menu. To know where this is, goto the START button on your desktop then

all programs. Scroll around and find "Game Ex" and click on the

"Installation Wizard". This is just FYI for later use.

After the installation wizard opens, READ IT as you go along. Since you

are just installing Game Ex, you will have to add the "emulators" you

want to run later and tell the Wizard where these folders and EXE files

are located.

After stepping through the installation, there is no need to run Game Ex

as of right now. You now have to place Visual Pinball in the correct area

within Game Ex's folders.

To do this, go to "My Computer" in your start menu. Click on the Game Ex

folder which should be on drive C. Click on it until it opens.

This is where the front end runs. If you don't see a folder called

"emulators" now is the time to create one. I didn't get one so I had to

create a folder and name it "emulators".

Within the folder Emulators, create a folder and name it what you want.

I personally used "VPinball" (without the quotes).

Unzip a FULL VERSION of Visual Pinball and place it within the folder,

including any other folders and files that came with the zip. I would

HIGHLY SUGGEST that you rename the EXE file (or the actual Visual Pinball

file) to be VPinball. Makes it much easier later and Game Ex has not a

single issue with the name change.

If you do not have a folder named "tables" I would suggest you make it

now in the area you're currently in. This is where ALL your VP tables

will be placed. Place all your tables here now if you want.

With Visual Pinball placed and your tables in the correct folder, it's

time to launch Game Ex's "Configuration Wizard". Remember it's in the

start menu. If you want to add "snaps" or photos of each table for Game

Ex to show when you're scrolling through them in the program, you can

do this, but I'll explain later.

Once Game Ex loads, you'll be going through a bunch of info and commands

needed to find where each emulator is located on drive C. The first screen

you'll see is the welcome screen. Keep your mode "basic" and click the

green arrow to the right.

Next screen is text/language. Of course it's english (if you speak the

language) so once again click the green right arrow again.

The next screen is your theme selection. Leave it for now. You can always

download new themes and change this later. Click the green right arrow

once again.

This screen is your audio settings. Later you can mess with this be re-

running the Wizard if you have any problems. Click the green right arrow.

Next is the touchscreen/tablet settings. Let's go on; click the green

right arrow.

The next menu is the HTPC/Multimedia settings. You can come back to this

later on. Click the green right arrow again.

Gamebase settings. Have no idea so press the green right arrow again.

Game Ex Arcade. If you're going to use Game Ex online, you may want to

set this to "yes". I'm not interested. Press the green right arrow.

This screen actually allows you to download any emulator you wish. Yeah,

no joke. I have everything I need installed so I'm pressing the green

right arrow again.

Setup MAME is next. If you're an arcade fan (like I am and I DO have

MAME installed) then click yes on this one. Click the green right arrow

again to continue.

MAME settings is next. This is where everything is controlled for your

most absolute fun via arcade games. I've already done this so I'll press

the green right arrow.

Next is Emulator selection. Is this a VITAL area to setup more than just

MAME in Game Ex. Of course MAME is already a integral part of Game Ex and

Game Ex knows it's there. But what about Visual Pinball? NOPE. So, here

you'll notice a split screen. On the left side, you'll want to click the

number 2. Now on the right side you'll scroll down and click on Visual

Pinball. Once this is done, click the green right arrow again.

Next is "Emulator Setup". Since Visual Pinball is now #2 on the emulator

list, you'll have to tell Game Ex where it's located. Most of everything

is just about right here, but let's make sure it truly is correct. You'll

see (in order) on the screen first:

Select Emulator 2: Visual Pinball

- This is correct.

NEXT:

Enabled Yes

-This is correct.

NEXT:

Start Page Name Visual Pinball

-This is correct.

NEXT:

Title Text Pinball

-This is correct unless you want to change it.

NEXT:

Logo Pinball

-This is correct unless you wish to change the logo.

NEXT:

Working Path C:\Emulators\VPinball

-This is correct. This is where I placed VP. Change this to where your

Visual Pinball (VPinball in my case) program is located.

NEXT:

ROM Path C:\Emulators\VPinball\Tables

-This is correct. This is where all the tables we dumped are located.

If not, change this.

NEXT:

Rom Filter *.vpt

-This is correct since VP uses VPT files to run. Don't change this.

NEXT:

Command Line VPinball.exe -play -"[ROMPATH]\[ROMFILE]"

THIS IS THE LINE THAT THREW ME FOR A LOOP.

-The above is correct. I changed the original VPinball9.12 file and

renamed it VPinball for short. So VPinball is an exe file. Game Ex

knows this. -play is the command to automatically run the table once

it is selected. -"[ROMPATH]\[ROMFILE]" is what tells Game Ex from the

above ROM PATH selection where to find and load the VPT roms. More than

likely Game Ex has something else placed here. If so, change it to show

the above command in the Command Line area BUT, if your Visual Pinball

file is NOT named VPinball, change it to the correct name BEFORE you

add -play -"[ROMPATH]\[ROMFILE]".

Remember, you can always go back and change any or all the above in the

installation wizard.

NEXT:

Image Snap Path shows next. I placed my pics of each table in the area

of c:\Assets\Visual Pinball\Snaps. You can always add your pics later.

You now know where to place your table pics when you scroll through Game

Ex's listing of Visual Pinball tables/files.

NEXT:

Background Snap Path - I don't use this. You can always dabble with this

later.

NEXT:

Video Snap Path - yes, you can show videos of the games playing here. I

don't need this so let's go below.

NEXT:

Title Snap Path - I've left this as the same as "Image Snap Path". I have

no issues.

NEXT:

Box Art Path - Yes, you can add pictures of boxes for tables. I guess if

you're creative enough you could come up with some neat stuff. I don't use

this. Continue by pressing the green right arrow.

We are now at Verify Setup. This can be helpful if you think something is

amiss or not working right. This might help you to pinpoint the problem.

Click Verify to show what Game Ex knows and doesn't. Don't worry about any

errors or anything that are shown in red. Some errors mean nothing. Once

again, click on the green right arrow.

Now you're finished. You'll now notice the green right arrow only shows a

green left arrow. All you have to do now is press the orange "X" and Game

Ex will save your configuration.

Now you can go to Game Ex in your start menu and run it. To find Visual

Pinball in the menu, just scroll down five lengths and you'll find "Emulated

Games". Click on it. It should show "All Games" and below that is "Visual

Pinball". Click it.

If all went smoothly, you should see all the tables you've installed. If you

have added snapshots of the tables, they'll show along with the table name.

Click on a table title. Give it a few seconds. If it doesn't load, you're

missing something in the Game Ex setup and need to reuse the Installtion

Wizard to find the problem.

That's it. It seems like overkill, but Game Ex does an amazing job of keeping

track of everything you install. To learn more about Game Ex, you should move

around the program's inner workings. Check it all out.

If you have an issue, feel free to email me. You can find me at VPForums.org

or Pinball Nirvana.

Hope everything worked well for you!!

druadic

via Game Ex forums, VPForums.org and Pinball Nirvana.

[Tom Speirs]

Thanks for the contribution.

[druadic]

Thanks for the contribution.

You're more than welcome. Thank you for the amazing front end sir. I plan to purchase it very soon.

A VERY SPECIAL THANKS to Frequency who helped me with the "Command Line" in which this walk through

would not have been possible. Thanx Frequency!

[Draco1962]

I saved a copy of this topic under the Pinned and Hot Topics forum as this comes up frequently. Thanks for the nice work, Druadic!