PinKadia! The Ultimate virtual Pinball / Arcade / PC combo cabinet!

[TerryRed]

On 3/27/2016 at 3:15 PM, stigzler said:

Still waiting to see Ikaruga played on that bad boy...

 

Ask stigzler, and ye shall receive.... even if it is 3 months later....

 

PC Vertical / Portrait Games

There are some PC games out there that actually do support a vertical / portrait layout.

Some are basically arcade ports and some are original. they are either Steam games or normal PC Games such as:

-Crimson Clover
-Ikaruga
-Mushihimesama
-Raiden III
-Raiden IV Overkill
-Ice Cold Beer
-Zeke's Peak

Ice Cold Beer / Zeke's Peak required me using Pinnacle Game Profiler for my P1 joystick and XPadder for my P2 Joystick... but it works perfect together. the others just worked normally and gave you rotate options for your screen.

 

Then there are the Windows 10 Store Games. These are originally tablet / phone type games that work with keyboard / mouse or gamepad controls. I basically had my P2 joystick and buttons act like a mouse for these games in case it was needed.

Since these don't have a normal .EXE file to reference, in order to get these to run with Pinnacle Game Profiler for mapped controls....  I had to run this command:

%windir%\explorer.exe shell:::{4234d49b-0245-4df3-b780-3893943456e1}

Then create a shorcut for the games from the window that opens. 
Create a .BAT file that "Starts" the Pinnacle Game Profile (persistent) manually for your game via command line... then it opens the *.lnk shorcut you created for your game.
Use this .BAT file with Rocketlauncher via Pinball X  (I open all my PC games with Pinball X using RocketLauncher)
Have your "Launch After" run another .BAT file that "Stops" your Pinnacle Game Profiler manually.

These games look and play great when setup correctly. Games such as:

Crossy Road
Despicable Me
Sonic Dash

Like MAME, I added control panel pics in the middle screen where possible.

Here's a video showing some of these games in action in Pinball X.

Since I have arcade sticks and many buttons, its not a problem for me to get alot of these games to run. I know I can also run Android games through Blue Stacks and other programs (I have done so on my normal PC), but that may come at a later time.

 

[stigzler]

Looks and sounds awesome.

[tthurman]

This will make Dazzle smile! 

[stigzler]

Where is that mother schmupper?

[TerryRed]

2 hours ago, tthurman said:

This will make Dazzle smile! 

I'm still getting to know people....

Is it because Dazzle "likes" Windows Store games, or because he hates them and all things "APP" related?

I'm also not a big fan of the new mico-transaction, and dlc based pay to win type gaming...  but if you only play little bits at a time for free, then they can be real fun.  (My wife is at almost level 1000 for Candy Crush...and has never paid a cent for it.)

[tthurman]

He loves schumps, and Crimson.....well, check out his avatar

[TerryRed]

So I've been making great progress so far.... got all my parts except for beacons. One of my solenoids is broken, so it's 9 only for now. (I don't know when a shaker or gear motor will happen.)

Even got it all working in the cab with a mock-up via DOF which is working great. Most of the wiring is good to go. I even setup a kill switch for the 12v going to the sainsmart relay board and anything mechanical for a "night mode", while still allowing for 12v for anything else light related.

Here's the board before it's put into the cabinet. It may not be the prettiest, but it allows me access to everything while having all outputs of the led-wiz fused, and having the led / strobe output closer to where they will be to accommodate the limited rgb wiring I have. The Teensy for addressable leds will be on my PC board. I'll still have plenty of room for future stuff, even if I need to stack boards.

Here's my mockup with everything except for solenoids connected (no beacons, and a small test fan in the pic)....but I can still see the relays working to confirm they will work. I have the left and outer-left flashers in my left speaker hole, and the right flashers in the right speaker hole, and the center on the led strip for now.

I also have my FIRE button working on the arcade control panel, and I have it combined with the launch button in DOF, since you need to use the launch button to "FIRE" in VP anyways.

DOF is pretty damn impressive! Some amazing work done by swisslizard and arngrim! 

Since I don't have 10 solenoids, I can just combine the rear center and the middle center for now. It also frees up an LED-Wiz port.

I also have an atwood 3000 blower fan. Man it works great, but sure is loud! Very cool the way different tables make use of it. The noise is going to be better when used with a hose....  which gets me wondering on where to mount it!

I'm definitely considering mounting it inside (like randr did), as it fits perfectly in that spot before my coin door. (I removed my coin door mech as I don't use it and I have only one coin slot)  I was going to have it blow out through the coin eject hole with some kind of upward scoop).     Or maybe I might still mount it on top of the cabinet....or behind the cabinet blowing up through a hose / vent at the top of the cabinet with a finished topper...  

I also would like a simple way to adjust the voltage going to the fan...12V is pretty loud...5V is too slow...so maybe just a simple way to get in between with some kind of pot / switch. I don't have an H-bridge or anything else that would allow me to use PWM right now....maybe if I get a shaker down the line.

Any suggestions would be great..

Also....we just found out that we have bed bugs in the house.....AAAAAAAH! We think my son brought them back from his grade 8 school graduation trip! So now my progress is slowed down considerably, cause we have to purge the house and live in hell for a month or so (and its going to cost alot)

 ....and it was going so well too!

 

 

[RIP-Felix]

On 7/8/2016 at 9:19 PM, TerryRed said:

I also would like a simple way to adjust the voltage going to the fan...12V is pretty loud...5V is too slow...so maybe just a simple way to get in between with some kind of pot / switch. I don't have an H-bridge or anything else that would allow me to use PWM right now....maybe if I get a shaker down the line.

You could use something like this spliced into your 12V rail. It's made for computer fans, but 12volts is 12 volts. Simple knob to dial the voltage down to the sound level you desire (variable voltage regulator circuit). I'm not sure about your fan though, may draw too much current (this controller is only rated at 6W max). EDIT: just looked up your fan model (turbo 3000) and it draws 2.6amps at 12v which is 31.2W, so yeah you're gonna have to find a beefier variable voltage reg. You might just string some resistors together on a variable switch for 5/7/10/12 volts or whatever. I have one of those zalman fan controllers from an aftermarket VGA heatsink, and although I don't use the heatsink anymore, that fan controller has found it's way into every PC build since. Too bad it won't work for your application, but I'm sure you can rig a pot up to a voltage reg for the same thing if you get the parts rated up to 30W  or so. Been a while since I took physics or tried this, so I'm sure you have a better idea of how to rig it. Otherwise there are fan controllers that go up to 30W or so. Here one I found quickly. I hope I'm helping.

[TerryRed]

So now I finally have the solenoids all working. Unfortunately 1 of them was broken in shipping, so I had to settle for 9 instead of 10. Luckily DOF lets you easily combine cabinet toy functions through software, so I just combined middle center and rear center.

I decided to mount them on cross pieces since I was running out of room on the sides of the cabinet. This also allowed me to position them closer to where they would typically be in a real pinball cabinet. I also didn't like the very loud "metal smacking wood" sound the solenoids give when fully engaging (they would also sometimes get stuck open for 2 seconds).  So I used some "plexiglass / plastic" L-bracket looking pieces I had lying around for the solenoids to strike. This kept them from getting stuck and it sounded much better. I also used cable clamps for the slingshot solenoids which works really well to replicate that type of sound.

Sadly, I ran out of terminal strips, so I settled on using solder and electrical tape for the diodes connected to each solenoid. (to snuff out any EMI that could damage the Sainsmart relay board) That's why my wiring looks so wierd for some of this....and the lack of sleep from cleaning my house for 4 days straight didn't help either.

Here's a quick video showing them working:

 

 

[TerryRed]

Even more progress...let there be light!

Now my 5 flasher LED strips, strobes, start, launch, FIRE button lights are all working with both VP and FP. My beacons are wired and ready…just waiting for them to arrive in the mail!

Since I'll be installing addressable LEDs all around the playfield screen, there will be no room for a traditional RGB 5 flasher bar at the back of the playfield. I still want that function though because Future Pinball cannot use the addessable LEDS as they will be driven by DOF. (Future Pinball only works through legacy Led-Wiz, so far)

So I made use of the LED strips I already installed into my speaker holes. The left speaker has two seperate strips for the left side flashers, and the same goes for the right side. I just had to put a single LED strip at the back of the cabinet to act as the center flasher for now. It works suprisingly well...at least for me:

Here’s a quick video demo of my current 5 flasher layout and lights:

 

Now its on to getting my blower fan working. My blower fan (attwood 3000) works, but I gotta figure out where its going to go! Gotta find a way to convert a 3 inch hose to the coin door hole opening (similar to what randr did). Otherwise it will have to go on top of the backbox.

Once the fan is done and the beacons arrive…. then I’ll make a topper to finish it off!

[TerryRed]

Thar she blows!

After seeing blower fans on other pinball cabinets, I knew I was going to have one in my cabinet. 

Visual Pinball currently supports up to almost 30 tables that utilize a blower fan. It can be long gusts of wind like in Twister and Whirlwind, or a quick burst of air during certain events... other examples are:

Attack from Mars - saucer exploding
Medieval Madness - catapult launch, castle exploding
Dirty Harry - shooting your gun
Twilight Zone - Rocket Launch
The Getaway - quick burst of air for each loop
Grand Prix and Nascar - quick burst of air for each lap
Jurassic Park - ?

...and many more.

Some people have a simple fan on top of their cabinet. Others use an inline blower fan. Since alot of the events are quick bursts of air, you need something that can push alot of air very quickly to get the right effect. I used an Attwood 3000 inline blower fan. Since I'm just using this with my relay board for simple on/off function, this works nicely.

Its very effective but also very loud when not used with a hose. When I tried it on top of my backglass, I found it to be too loud, and the air was being spread to wide and alot of the effect was lost for those quick bursts (an Attwood 4000 would work better on top).

So I decided to try randr's unique method....

....by installing it inside the cabinet and blowing air out through the coin eject hole and up to your face. This worked well for the space that I had. I just mounted it in front of the coin door (I don't use the coin mechanism) and connected with a bathroom vent hose. The only problem is coming up with some sort of upward facing scoop to use at the coin door eject hole. I haven't been able to find anything I can get to hack / work that was effective and could be installed with the mounting options that I had. So I just made my own hack job...

I really hope I can find something that will work better....   any suggestions? 

Here's a quick video demonstration:

 

[RIP-Felix]

I'm running with this idea a little, but you could get a mini air compressor and hook the release valve up to a solenoid. Noise will be the biggest problem, unless you run an air hose from the garage and hook it into a valve on the cab. Then the compressor can be conventional and make noise where you won't notice it. An added benefit is that you can use it to clean dust out of the cab. That would give you a nice puff of air!

To direct air wherever you want, you could get a manifold to divert the air to multiple smaller hoses, then drill exhaust ports in the case to direct air at the correct angles. Some sanding and painting and these would look seamless. If you want to go all out you could put a solenoid and release valve at each exhaust port and hook the solenoids up to a PLC. Combine that with compressed air. Then you can control the puff vectors individually and in rapid succession! Machine gun effects anyone? Would make Area51 more immersive if you got puffed when you get shot!

Running with the logic further, you could get a couple of paintball guns and mount them inside to get a puff that way (No paintballs, just the hardware). Since they are optimized for rapid compressed gas release, it would be perfect for this application..You would need to refill the compressed CO2 every now and again though. Or maybe it could be modified to run off 15PSI from a compressed air line. Or you could always load the paintballs, then when you get shot, you actually get shot . Don't forget the mask! I bet that would train you to get the hi score!

[Draco1962]

IDK if I  could explain to my wife why I am modding my cab so it is blowing air at my crotch without some serious explanation. 

[TerryRed]

Well, it was intended to blow air UP at your face....not your crotch.

If I'm sitting on a stool while playing (which i do most of the time), then its perfect.

I specifically want to improve the coin door scoop....a way to have the air better directed at my face while looking less hack-job'ish.

 

[Draco1962]

Have you considered 3D printing? 

[RIP-Felix]

So the cab literally blows your skirt up?

[TerryRed]

1 hour ago, Draco1962 said:

Have you considered 3D printing? 

Many times, but I don't have one, and don't know anyone with one right now. It's an extra cost I can't get into now sadly....

[Draco1962]

I  believe that there are companies online that will take your diagrams and print them for you for a nominal price.

[tthurman]

A bit out of the box, but what about paying a local junk yard a visit, and looking for a front dash air louver from a car.  You should have tons of choices of shapes and sizes, and would be able to inset it at least somewhat.  In addition to that it would be multi-directional.

[stigzler]

Or.... run a shower hose from the ejector slot, into your trouser leg and up the back of your t-shirt to your hat. Then, ever time your cab blows off:

 

1

 

[TerryRed]

I was previously posted to an Armored Regiment, so I can relate to that video!

[TerryRed]

On 7/21/2016 at 9:54 AM, tthurman said:

A bit out of the box, but what about paying a local junk yard a visit, and looking for a front dash air louver from a car.  You should have tons of choices of shapes and sizes, and would be able to inset it at least somewhat.  In addition to that it would be multi-directional.

 

I actually LOVE this idea! The shape is much more ideal for a 3 inch circular hose, it would match the coin door's look, and the direction and flow can be adjusted as needed.

 

The only tricky part is getting a circular opening in the coin door to match. (Maybe the aircraft structure guys at work could help)

If I could get that to work, then I would definitely go with this! You got me thinking!

[stigzler]

Another idea may be 3 smaller holes (5mm?) in your CPanel. If you put it in the centre (for when your playing pinball) and then 2 where players will stand when using joysticks, this would blast air upwards towards the player's face? The smaller holes may provide a bit more pressure too?

Just a thought.

[tthurman]

FWIW I don't have a coin door, but if you can remove it temporarily, and mount it to a sacrificial piece of scrap plywood stock......then this could be a solution.

I've used 3 in 1 oil for cutting oil with good results BTW.  If  you got access to a drill press....all the better!

 

 

[Kustom Kid]

I was thinking buy a plasma cutter, but tthurman's idea is a whole lot cheaper.