[GUIDE] How Future Pinball "should" be setup for BAM, DOFLinx & Pinball X!

[TerryRed]

I made this reply to another thread and figured it would be better served as it's own Topic.

 

 

How Future Pinball "should" be setup with a new clean install for a cabinet:

 

-install Future Pinball from the setup file you get from the Future Pinball site

-copy your FP tables (*.fpt) to the Tables folder (NOT in their own self-named sub folders!)

-if your table needs a different version of physics (2.4,2.5,2.6,2.7, Zed, Custom, etc), then just copy the needed .XML (*.zip for Zed) to your Tables folder and rename it the same as your table

-copy any table Library files (*.fpl) to the Libraries folder

-install BAM (Better Arcade Mode), it should be in the "Future Pinball \ BAM" folder

-don't change or rename any files in BAM folder!

-you can replace the Future Pinball.exe in the "Future Pinball" folder with another version if you want. I use SLAMT1LT's version from his site as it does default to 2.7 physics and has no watermark. Keep the original for backup.

-unblock ALL *.exe and *.DLL files within Future Pinball, BAM, and Pinball X (Win 8 , Win 10)

-Future Pinball.exe and FPLoader.exe are: set to "Run as Administrator", and "disable DPI scaling"

-launch your FP tables with FPLoader.exe in the BAM folder

 

-setup Pinball X to launch FP tables with FPLoader.exe

 

 

 

 

Configure Future Pinball with these settings. This is a MUST, for complete compatibility with all tables and BAM / Cabinet use! Use these EXACT settings. (You can your change screen resolution and anti-aliasing if you want, and rotation to 0 if you have your playfield screen set to Portrait in Windows.) Also don't forget to set your Backbox resolution. FP doesn't really correctly enable vsync, so if you want you can disable that IF you enable it in your graphic card's driver settings for Future Pinball.

 

 

 

 

-make sure you have "Load Image Into Table Editor" disabled (unchecked) in the "Preferences \ Editor Options" menu. This is important as you will get crashes and other strange things happen when you launch some tables!

 

 

 

 

-when running a table from the FP Editor directly (no frontend), ALWAYS load only one table at a time, and ALWAYS close FP and re-open it after exiting a table! This won't be an issue when launching a table from a frontend like Pinball X.

 

By doing the above, you will have Pinball X use BAM to launch your FP tables, and BAM will use the appropriate physics file for your table if there is one...otherwise BAM will default to whatever the "Future Pinball.exe" uses (in my case, SLAMT1LT's 2.7 physics).

 

Then when the table loads, press "Q" and you can adjust the size, layout, render type, etc of each table to your liking. BAM is simply amazing!

 

 

BAM notes:

 

-New Renderer (Light System) is the nicest looking for lighting, etc....but is also more graphically demanding. Change to "FP Original" if a table runs slow for you

-new version of BAM fixed reflection limitations with FP, but also makes the ball look wierd with "FP Original" when in a rotated "cabinet" view. It looks fine in desktop view though.

-ambient occlusion can really kill your fps. You're probably better off disabling it.

 

=======================================

 

DOFLinx:    (Future Pinball specific stuff)

 

My setup for my cabinet with DOFLinx:

 

-install the VPX all in one installer. (Installs the B2S server and all needed files. Yes it installs Visual Pinball 10 too, but you don't have to use it. This saves you some work) 

-install DOF R3 and confirm it's working

-I install DOFLinx in the DirectOuput folder. This will allow DOFLinx to see DOFLinx.ini automatically. You can install to a different location, but you must configure DOFLinx to see where your DOFLinx.ini is located,etc...

-copy the DOFLinx.vbs file to the "Future Pinball \ Scripts" folder. Create one if doesn't exist.

-configure the DOFLinx.ini for your cabinet setup! (consult the DOFLinx guide for more info)

-unblock ALL *.exe and *.DLL files within the DirectOutput folder or wherever you installed DOFLinx (Win 8 , Win 10)

-all *.exe files are set to "Run as Administrator" within the DirectOuput folder, and all DOFLinx *.exe files as well

-I have DOFLinx always running in the background with the startup of Pinball X.  I HIGHLY recommend that you do this as it's how DOFLinx was designed to run, and it will save you alot of headaches. You have been warned!

 

=====================================

 

DOFLinx.ini  :

 

(This is updated as of version 5.0)

 

Sections of interest (in the DOFLinx.ini file) for Future Pinball tables modded to work with full cabinet support.  (Consult the DOFLinx guide to configure your entire DOFLinx.ini file! Not just these sections)

 

FP_LINK_WAIT_TIME=50000

 

- add this "FP_LINK_WAIT_TIME=50000" if it's not there. This is the max time DOFLinx tries to establish a link (FP Link) with your FP DOFLinx modded table, before it defaults to its "key to output" type function. You change the time to a higher value if your computer takes longer to load some tables.

 

FP_ATTEMPT_LINK=1

 

-this is needed if you want DOFLinx to attempt to establish the FP Link with FP DOFLinx modded tables

 

Cabinet Toys:

 

The following is your cabinet toys setup. Anything with a  #   in front of it will be ignored. Make sure you put a   #   in front of any device you don't have in your cabinet. (I don't have a shaker or gear motor)

 

Consult the DOFLinx guide for more info on how to configure this section.

 

These are the solenoids for flippers, bumpers, etc. Make sure they are configured for your particular setup, device, ports, etc. 

 

LINK_LF=101,25,8000,255
LINK_RF=102,25,8000,255
LINK_LS=103,75,1000,255
LINK_RS=104,75,1000,255
LINK_ML=105,75,1000,255
LINK_MC=106,75,1000,255
LINK_MR=107,75,1000,255
LINK_BL=108,75,1000,255
LINK_BC=106,75,1000,255
LINK_BR=110,75,1000,255

 

This is the blower fan, shaker, and gear motor. (Note, I don't have a shaker or gear motor)

 

LINK_FN=111,75,9999,255
#LINK_SH=111,75,9999,255
#LINK_GR=111,75,9999,255

 

Strobes and Beacon

 

LINK_SR=116,ON,0
LINK_BK=132,ON,0

 

Start, Launch, Fire button (you can add coin, exit, etc)

 

LINK_ST=114
LINK_LB=115
LINK_FR=113

 

RGB Flashers. These are configured with the Red port of each RGB flasher. 

 

LINK_FLOL=129
LINK_FLIL=126
LINK_FLCN=123
LINK_FLIR=120
LINK_FLOR=117

 

This section deals with RGB_OUTPUT devices. As far as Future Pinball DOFLinx modded tables are concerned, this is the RGB under cabinet lighting. Note: if you have any RGB_OUTPUT device configured the same as a RGB flasher, then the RGB flasher will be used when a FP DOFLinx modded table is launched!

 

RGB_OUTPUT=117,120,123,126,129

 

-I use my flashers for other programs, not just Future Pinball and Pinball FX2, so that's why my RGB_OUTPUTS are configured the same as my RGB flasher ports.

-RGB_STYLE, RGB_TRIGGER, RGB_MIN_TIME all effect the RGB_OUTPUT....but for FP DOFLinx modded tables this will only have any effect if the table modder chose to use these features.

 

 

All of the above cabinet toys settings are also used for the Pinball FX 2 full cabinet support features of DOFLinx as well  (correct me if I'm wrong DDH69!).

 

That about wraps it up as far as DOFLinx and Future Pinball modded tables are concerned. This doesn't cover the other sections of the DOFLinx.ini,  or all the other numerous features that DOFLinx has.... but it should help to answer A LOT of the questions I get.

[Tom Speirs]

Thanks Tel.

[TerryRed]

The major thing is to NOT rename FPLoader.exe to Future Pinball.exe !!! (as was recommended at some point. I never did myself) DOFLinx needs to "detect" Future Pinball.exe, and renaming FPLoader.exe will mess this up.

[Draco1962]

I hope you don't mind that I moved and Pinned this in the FAQs, Guides, and Feature Requests subforums.

Great job by the way, as always!

[TerryRed]

Don't mind at all. Thanks Draco.

[tthurman]

Nice work Terry, these guides will go a long way to making setup smooth for others.  Thanks for the time you invest making these

[Xantari]

Thanks so much for this Terry!

[hlr53]

3 hours ago, TerryRed said:

Hmmmm, never had that issue before with FP.  Do you setup FP and PBX just like above?

Try posting about it in the General section (that more of a support section) so that more people can see it, and also try posting your log files.

Had to set FPLoader to XP compatibiity mode.

Thanks,

Harry

[TerryRed]

1 hour ago, hlr53 said:

Had to set FPLoader to XP compatibiity mode.

Thanks,

Harry

Interesting....   it used to be recommended to do that with Win Vista and Win 7, but its normally not needed anymore.

I myself, don't have "anything" set to XP compatibility as it actually caused problems for me. Win 10 Pro here as well.

However, if you have any DPI scaling set in Windows (to make text and windows bigger in higher resolutions), then you need to disable that as well.

[hlr53]

22 hours ago, TerryRed said:

Interesting....   it used to be recommended to do that with Win Vista and Win 7, but its normally not needed anymore.

I myself, don't have "anything" set to XP compatibility as it actually caused problems for me. Win 10 Pro here as well.

However, if you have any DPI scaling set in Windows (to make text and windows bigger in higher resolutions), then you need to disable that as well.

Since you mentioned it I turned off compatibility mode in both executable's. I had disabled DPI scaling set in Future Pinball.exe but not FLLoader. I set that too. Now, the tables launch more correctly in PBX. Before, the wheel window was sitting on top while the FP table was loading. It doesn't do that anymore.

Many thanks,

Harry

 

[Stiquem]

Thanks for the great guide! Got everything working expect for one problem.

Using your exact settings and the latest BAM, PinballX closes.

When I run a FP table in PinballX it seems to close PinballX. This means exiting a table using my assigned joystick button brings me to desktop with PinballX not running anymore.

I've tried using the original FP paths and loader, but the problem is still there (figured this would narrow down the fact that BAM is not the problem).

All my VP tables have worked seamlessly for the last few months.

You guys have any idea would I might be doing wrong ?

 

Thanks,

Marc

[TerryRed]

Double check that all DLL, EXE, BAT, files in the Future Pinball, BAM, and Pinball X directories are:

- unblocked (Win 8, Win 10)

- set to Run As Administrator (EXE, BAT)

- have "Disable display scaling on high DPI settings"  enabled

 

Also...make sure you don't have your "Exit Future Pinball"  and "Exit Pinball X" button / key set to the same key.  When you goto exit Future Pinball, you may be closing Pinball X as well as Future Pinball at the same time. 

[Stiquem]

I had initially only set the main EXEs to Run as Admin. Now that I've set all EXEs in the PinballX folder to Run as Admin as mentioned above it works properly.

Thanks Terry! Tonight we'll be playing our new Kinect setup running PinballX

[bmulligan]

OMG OMG OMG OMG ... thank you.  I'm this >||< close to tears right now, seriously.  

[PcTeknic]

Thanks Terry

Quote

-make sure you have "Load Image Into Table Editor" disabled (unchecked) in the "Preferences \ Editor Options" menu. This is important as you will get crashes and other strange things happen when you launch some tables!

I had never managed to get it to work for this reason