Bally WIP SS Recreation FP Theatre of Magic (Help build the theatre!)

[madmrmax]

Welcome to the theatre!

Welcome to the Theatre!​

Intro: I wanted to announce an endeavor I've started on to bring Theatre of Magic to FP. This pin is so fun to play IRL and has lots of fun loops and toys. Some might wonder "but this already exists nicely in VPX" and you are correct! That said, I think this is such a fun table and also a fun challenge. I'm amazed by all the work that others have done to bring recreations such as CiRQuS VoLTaiRe to FP and my goal is to work towards a similar quality of product.

Ask​

There is a ton of work to do, so I'm looking for volunteers to join the Theatre of Magic Team (TMT). My goal, if enough volunteers join, is to stand up a github for easier collaboration. Let me know if you have any interest!

Snapshot of current work (4/17/2024)​

Outstanding Tasks​

(tasks are marked with Active if someone has started working on it)

• Continued build-out of table [Active]
• Lighting (GI, bake shadow map calculations, flashers, inserts, proper GI fading off/on etc, light sequencing)
• Finalize lighting\transparency effect in ramp models, plastics.
• Magic Trunk (creation of mini playfield, getting all the components for it, figuring out how to visually do the magnet on side, visual aspects with shadows [Active]
• Trap door (ensure the eject mechanism acts correctly, animate it up/down either as mini PF or as a model)
• Mirror effect
• Magnet effect near outlanes [Active], as well as spirit ring magnet.
• Tiger saw coding (minor rotation)
• DMD (rip dmd frames from ROM, clean up, organize for use by scripting, have initial script helpers to make scripting easer)
• Sounds (Music\voiceover\sounds have already been collected. Need to now integrate music\sound script helpers)
• Scripting! (basic Pin behavior, each mode, multi-player, operator menu, etc.)
• Physics and playability (get the rest of the FizX system being used with bumpers/slingshots/flippers. tune flippers to ensure shots can be hit)
• Physical sound (ensure generic FLEEP sounds work, source and add sounds for TOM specific items like the sound of the trap door opening/closing/ejecting balls, or trunk, etc)
• Minor graphic cleanup -- Playfield art is a upscaler and some dithering where it was originally halftone based has some weird streaks. Backglass/side cabinet art/ potential inner blade art

Come join the team and let's build the Theatre!



Note: Permission has been granted to reuse aspects of the VPX TOM table (things like models and textures).

 

[AnonTet]

Mad part of you nickname... explained :D

 

[Zobou]

I would like to know how to extract roms,

if anyone can guide me a bit i could get the job done by extracting the dmd. But in my opinion it is only a matter of time for a fan to use the original roms with Fp. But if I have my name in the script I'm in.

 

[madmrmax]

I would like to know how to extract roms,

if anyone can guide me a bit i could get the job done by extracting the dmd. But in my opinion it is only a matter of time for a fan to use the original roms with Fp. But if I have my name in the script I'm in.

DMD extraction is a bit of a chore cause you are not able to "extract it" but instead you record the RAW output and then use a tool like pin2dmd to walk through that frame by frame. Then of course you have to convert that to FP DMD format. [edit] Then of course you have to get that into FP.

Recording the RAW output thus requires you to "play" the table to cause the DMD animations to be performed to generate the output.

There also isn't a way to extract the ROM logic, but you basically re-create the aspects of the logic in VB script.

But if I have my name in the script I'm in.

Definitely your name and credit would be in the table!

-mark

 

[Zobou]

I can extract it with PinDMDv3 from the freezies dmddevice DLL and make a video. It's already been done,
https://www.vpforums.org/index.php?showtopic=49784

then created from the video the frame by frame of each animation individually in a folder. (find the technique quickly to determine)

and finally creates a batchfile to resize, cut, optimize...etc. each element of the chosen image folder to make it automatically usable in Fp. (I already made them for MIB).

with a batchfiles it reduces the work a lot...

 

[madmrmax]

Nice! I've been using https://playfield.dev/ to capture the RAW so far. Love the other approach!

 

[madmrmax]

I can extract it with PinDMDv3 from the freezies dmddevice DLL and make a video. It's already been done,
https://www.vpforums.org/index.php?showtopic=49784

then created from the video the frame by frame of each animation individually in a folder. (find the technique quickly to determine)

and finally creates a batchfile to resize, cut, optimize...etc. each element of the chosen image folder to make it automatically usable in Fp. (I already made them for MIB).

with a batchfiles it reduces the work a lot...

So can I mark you down as looking into full DMD extraction? No pressure, I'm just trying to understand if you are saying you will help with that. And, if you are, THANK YOU!

 

[GeorgeH]

I am working on another table right now. I might be able to work on the lighting when I am done although I am not sure when I will be done.

 

[Zobou]

So can I mark you down as looking into full DMD extraction? No pressure, I'm just trying to understand if you are saying you will help with that. And, if you are, THANK YOU!

give me a moment to think about how to achieve this as simply as possible, I need to test if I can do it well, I will give you a small example in Fp to check if it is suitable and usable....I'll come back to you.

ps: are you going to use a dmd or overlay?

 

[madmrmax]

ps: are you going to use a dmd or overlay?

My current thinking was to use the approach that was done for Cirqus Voltaire which is a DMD.

The whole "setting up the DMD animation queue and timers" would be something that would be awesome to have help with if you or others are interested.

 

[madmrmax]

I am working on another table right now. I might be able to work on the lighting when I am done although I am not sure when I will be done.

Awesome. Not a hurry and lighting can certainly be later in the table development. Do keep this table in mind for your future consideration!

 

[fourbanks]

It's one of my favourite fast tables and wish you well in enhancing it to another level remember it's a fast table and very smooth flowing