Just wanted to back up Gerry here on the switch matrix vs direct switches topic. Direct switch wiring to localized modules is MUCH easier to implement, debug, and repair.

It's not a matter if not understanding a switch matrix. I have been working with them for many years across much more than just pinball machines. It's a matter of what is better.

They used switch matrices largely because of hardware limitations, not because it was preferred.

Snux,
I can't imagine a fully featured game being done without some programming (if not a LOT of it). However, It would be nice if all the basic stuff was covered/handled with just a small amount of configuring.

Having a framework base that can play a simple game of pinball on your playfield with just a config file defining what your playfield has and some other basic info, would be a great start. It would get people to a point where they can experiment with ideas by doing a small amount of programming. There are a TON of things that are part of every pinball game, and those can all be part of the framework you start with when making your custom game. It's also possible to have modules of code that handle most of the common pinball components (ball lock, drop target bank, etc.), and in order to get one working in your game could be as simple as adding some stuff to your config file. You could then go into the code and extend/change it's functionality when you are ready.

Right now, in order to get anything going at all, even the most basic things, requires a fairly significant amount of coding work.

Gerry,
Things have probably changed, but when I got my PROC stuff, it took half a day just to get everything installed and built, and I could not get starter.py to work (that's probably because I don't know or like python).

I believe you now have a single install "package" setup that makes it all smoother to get everything installed, and I guess you also have starter.py working better now? (or like I said I just fail at python because I hate it) Also, perhaps the state of the documentation was my issue?

In any case, doing anything more than what's in starter.py will take some coding, and probably a fair bit of it based on what I have read from projects on the forums. I'd like to minimize that as much as possible.

That was the main message of my post. Sorry I got some things wrong with regard to the current state of code.

Snux,
I am fairly certain your Sys11 board will work with the FAST WPC controller board. I'll be doing some testing along that front soon.