The "Resurrection Kit" is what we have been calling that! Many games out there have decent enough cabinets and playfields but toasted boards, etc. I think that there is a great opportunity to bring back old games or fasttrack getting the playfields functional for rethemes.

Aaron
FAST Pinball

I am so stoked that word is out now about the Mission Pinball Framework! When we started designing and building our hardware, the software framework was not something we were focused on. We wanted to make interfacing directly with the hardware as simple and solid as possible. As development moved along, we felt that it would make sense to have a basic framework to help jumpstart game development. Around that time, Brian had reached out to us with the idea of porting another Python framework to run our hardware. We didn't feel like this was the right approach to take with our new hardware. A little time passed and as I learned more about the many projects Brian was working on (yeah, I was checking the guy out! ) that I reached out to talk about some ideas. It was not long (I think it was almost the next day that he was coming to town) before we were sitting face-to-face with Brian at Some Random Bar (that is actually the name) in Seattle. Dave and I were very impressed by Brian's plans and his enthusiasm, not to mention his attention to detail! (have you seen the extent of the documentation of the MPF so far!?! NICE!) So we decided it would serve the community better to focus on providing the resources and drivers and lend the support needed for frameworks like the MPF (and other not-Python frameworks coming in time). Brian wasn't quite ready to announce things when he came back to Seattle for our NW Pinball Show in June. Some of you saw our presentation and how I alluded to a software framework in development... well here it is!

All right, I won't highjack your thread but I wanted to comment and congratulate you on all the hard work that has gone into the MPF and I CANNOT WAIT until people are running FAST hardware on the latest and greatest in Python pinball frameworks.

Aaron
FAST Pinball

This has been one of our top requests since we started building hardware, except swap lamp matrix for RGB LEDs.

This is a video I made for some friends showing my portable pin running the FAST I/O 1616 (16 drivers, 16 direct input switches) with only a config. There is no computer controlling any of this. For people wanting to prototype their playfield before writing any high level code, it is awesome!

It was fun to show people at our booth at CAX this year how quickly you could bring your playfield to life and start working on shots.

Aaron
FAST Pinball

Completely agree there! We designed our hardware and its interfaces to not require a framework to make is approachable. A framework is a great way to get started though. Don't reinvent the wheel when you don't have to.

Usually when you start working on your games you will come up with the way you like to do them. Your own programming style influences this. Whether that is starting with a framework and creating a reusable set of functions for the rich game dynamics that you can tailor to each of your games, or rolling your own code base completely. Its really up to the person writing the code to determine the best approach for them and their games/business.

Our mission is to ensure that the way that software would interface with our hardware is going to be the same whether it is on the FAST WPC Controller or the FAST Core Controller or any other form factor we may dream up. So no matter what FAST hardware you are using, your code moves between each without issue.

The MPF is a great thing for those using frameworks to create games. Say for example, we release our hardware and people buy it up and start making games. If we decided to throw in the towel, users could buy hardware from another vendor whose hardware is supported by the MPF and not be left stranded when they decide to do a new game. The individual's or company's investment in their game development isn't at the mercy of a hardware vendor and the feature set that they choose to support/integrate.

Most importantly I want to say, the MPF shouldn't be FAST vs. PROC battleground from a designer/programmer standpoint. What's better than universal framework that lets the game designers/programmers create games for multiple hardware platforms? It let's hardware vendors provide options without forcing users to abandon the code they have invested lots of time into to use hardware that might better fit the current project. FAST, PROC and others can compete to provide cool product and great value and let the market decide.

I totally respect the loyalty one has to the people they have worked with and hardware they use, I really do. So I hope that nobody feels that FAST coming on the scene is meant to be an assault on other hardware vendors. Frankly, the only goal I have stated before is that I want PROC market share to go down ONLY because so many new people came into the market and picked up our hardware to start! ( trying to keep this light hearted Gerry )

I look forward to our hardware hitting the streets this summer and seeing what people make with it. More options to draw more people into pinball design/development is good for all. That is something anyone on Pinside can rally behind!

Aaron
FAST Pinball

It has flown with me to the Chicago and Texas pinball shows.

Aaron
FAST Pinball

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I started a separate thread so this one can stay on topic.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/fast-portable-pinball

Aaron
FAST Pinball

$900 does seem a bit high. Are you adding in power supplies too maybe?

I did a quick run through of what our "new game" setup would look like.

(1) FAST Core Controller (Support DMD, 256 RGB LEDs, audio line out for Beaglebone Black if used)
(2) FAST I/O 3208 (64 direct input switches, 16 drivers, 2 expansion modules)
(1) FAST Smart Fuse Block (we keep high voltage off the boards, has an "enable" that can tie to coindoor/software to kill high voltage)
(32) FAST RGB LEDs
------------------
$599

Then obviously the required power supplies.

When getting started and just looking to get the "lower third" setup so you can start working on your shots, we will suggest getting:

(1) FAST Core Controller
(1) FAST I/O 3208 (32 direct input switches, 8 drivers, 1 expansion module)
(1) FAST Smart Fuse Block
(8) FAST RGB LEDs
------------------
$399

Then you can add hardware as needed. We will be selling the RGB LEDs as well. Waiting on final pricing on those. Hoping to be well under $2 each.

Aaron
FAST Pinball

Note: in the pics you see the FAST Fuse Block, FAST I/O 1616 a RGB LED (white pcb) and a couple FAST WPC Controllers in the background. And the FAST Core Controller is basically the same as the FAST WPC Controller with all the WPC stuff not needed in new games, removed.

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_{Post edited by fastpinball: Updated information to match final hardware configurations.}

Dang Brian, sorry again! I thought this was the thread on custom games!

Aaron
FAST Pinball

Brian Dominy's FreeWPC work is very impressive. All the things he had to do/create to accomplish what he did was why we sought his input and advice. He was the first person to get his hands on our FAST WPC Controller.

After we met Brian Madden we were able to align all interests and we no longer needed to lead the charge on a Python framework. Combined with the work Dave Beecher and I have done and all the work and enthusiasm from Roy Elthem, we are loving how efficiently we are working towards our collective goals.

I have said it before, but its worth saying again, since I have been involved in this pinball hardware scene I have met and become friends with more super cool and super smart people than I have in ages.

Aaron
FAST Pinball

Yep! There can be so much done in interfaces such as that. Check out: https://code.google.com/p/blockly/

One of the reasons we were so stoked to align with the MPF was the common vision for creating new development interfaces. Granted, not everything can be drag/drop or "just a config" simple, a whole lot of it can be.

Aaron
FAST Pinball

With the FAST Controllers, you are communicating directly with 3 separate processors. 1 for DMD content, 1 for RGB LEDs and 1 reading switches and controlling drivers, etc. (all the FAST I/O board, and where applicable, the switch matrices).

3 separate UART connection ensure no bottlenecks. When you seat the Beaglebone Black on a FAST Controller you are good to go. When using any other PC and connecting to the single USB connection, you are provided the same 3 separate connections.

Our FAST Controllers take the commands and ensure they are done, returning success or failure for your request. This makes your high level code much leaner and lets the FAST hardware do more of the work for you and hopefully make interfacing with frameworks like the MPF even more efficient.

Aaron
FAST Pinball

Let's keep it positive. We certainly aren't here to "dethrone" PROC or anything petty like that. Let's not make this about price, but rather what is best tool for the project at hand. The best tool could be determined by price, by value, by feature set, by many things. Our hardware will be priced fairly and cover our costs and provide some upside to continue to justify the effort. The worst thing to happen would be a race to the bottom on price and then no R&D happens and no new product comes out and eventually companies making hardware throw in the towel.

And really, this thread is about a new Python pinball software framework. MPF isn't here to kill pyprocgame. It is here as an option for game designers/programmers. Nobody has to use it. If you love pyprocgame, you should keep using it. If you are new to programming pinball, I would encourage you to use the MPF as it matures so you have the most hardware options available to you. If you are planning to make a video game pinball game, I would assume you would use pyprocgame because you should be using what Gerry is most focused on.

No matter what, the bottom line is that FAST and PROC are both here to enable the creation of more pinball. Write your code anyway you want. Both FAST and PROC allow for that. The MPF is here as an option you can choose to use or not.

Aaron
FAST Pinball

I think that is a good idea. I will get one going soon. We are working on content for our website and we can use a thread to fill in the gaps from there.

Aaron
FAST Pinball

We got to hangout with Brian and Gabe out at Expo. What a blast! Saturday night while most folks were out partying, we were all up in our room working in some refinements to FAST Protocol and programming some pinball!

Brian and Gabe are doing an excellent job with the Mission Pinball Framework!!!

Aaron
FAST Pinball

For best support with MPF you should post to the forums at missionpinball.com

Aaron
FAST Pinball

Unity is pretty cool. I am going through tutorials with my oldest son. It is pretty impressive how much he has been able to do. He is less interested in working on pinball than my other kids, but is excited about the idea of bringing some slick interactivity onto screens in the pinball games his brother wants to make.

Whatever it takes to get them learning cool stuff, I am all about it!

Aaron
FAST Pinball

DUPE

All true. With our FAST platform all you need is a processor/device capable of connecting to high-speed serial at 921600 and you are off to the races with our FAST Serial Protocol.

https://fastpinball.com/fast-serial-protocol/

Our FAST Neuron Controller has a Raspberry Pi 4 40pin header so you can directly seat an RPI4 into the controller or use the header to interface with something like a Teensy or other device.

https://fastpinball.com/modern/

Aaron
FAST Pinball

Exactly. When people ask me what kind of computer they need, I'll ask "what are your on-screen/audio/online connectivity ambitions?"

They are the important factors when selecting your controlling CPU/PC.

Aaron
FAST Pinball