Working on the extraction and vectorization of the characters of the Snack Bar food, for some of the new animations.

All drawings are created with the highest quality from the original playfield images, but processed in a vector way, which also allows us to give them some kind of animation in the videos.

 
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More characters on the playfield, are vectorized, to create the rest of the total of 22 videos that make up the kit, initially.
In total, the following characters and board drawings are being vectorized:

1.- KISS, lips, hearts and lamps insert
2.- Diver
3.- Cinema camera
4.- Snack Bar
5.- Move your Car
6.- Hot dog
7.- Ice cream
8.- Cola drink
9.- Popcorn
10.- Denture chasing hot dog

 
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Testing a first development, for the second background video. Many changes and improvements are still needed until reaching the final version, but this is the idea. A seabed with fish, bubbles that come up showing images and scenes from the movie or pinball playfield.

Changes to be made, which I have already indicated to the designer.

1.- The bubbles rise too fast, I had to edit the video and reduce the speed to 65% before publishing it.
2.- The deformation of the bubbles, I don't like it, it distorts the images too much.
3.- An effect of real bubbles of a diver is missing, which will appear from time to time, from the bottom, to mix with the animated bubbles.
4.- The images that are being used for the bubbles are part of the advertising of the 50's cinemas in the USA, and are not related to the game. Use images taken from the playfield, colored photos of the movie, and some black and white scenes from the movie.
5.- The background stands out too much in relation to the bubbles, it will probably have to darken.
6.- Add a flashing text with the game logo, which appears every so often (maybe every 10-15 seconds).

This at the moment, but there are more improvements and additions that can be made, we are testing.

 
These are ads, that were seen in the intermision time of Auto cinemas, in the United States in the 50s. Most were cartoons, for example that of SnackBar food dancing (popcorn, cola, ice cream, hot dog). Magilla Gorillac I think it's much later, maybe from the 70s or 80s.

 
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I don't know what the reason was for Mike's kit to play the videos with those delays. From a technical point of view, as far as hardware is concerned, there is no reason to suffer such delays. Raspberry is fast enough to read all the signals in its inputs.

It might be because of the program he was using to play the videos, usually the omxplayer. I do not use that program, I already said in a previous post, that the omxplayer starts the videos with some delay and I discarded its use from the beginning. My player, which is not the omxplayer, starts a video instantly, checked.

Another problem, which I don't know if it could be related, although in any case it limits the possibilities a lot, is to check ONLY the state of the playfield lamps, in addition to the hologram signals. My kit also checks the status of all the SWITCHES on the playfield, and all the power output signals, those are the flashers, bumpers and any other power mechanism.

There are videos that could not be played if the status of the playfield switches is not checked. And others that need to combine several switch signals and lamps.

The problem of checking only the lamps on the playfield is that they can blink. And even, during the game, the lamps make on/off sequences, without being related to the state of the game, they are only sequences to make the playfield more striking.

If all the videos were triggered by the state of the lamps on the playfield, the result would be DISASTROUS. Maybe Mike introduced some delay in his program, to somehow avoid the problem of flickering lamps, but that also means delays when playing videos when they should.

Combining everything well is not simple, but when all pinball signals, switches, lamps, flashers, bumpers and hologram mechanisms are used, it is simpler than just using playfield lamps.

 
I've been thinking about the kit configuration file. In the first versions it will be a simple text file, in which you can enable or disable the videos that I provide with the kit, as well as some configurable options (display or not the UFO in the monster video and others).

In future versions of the firmware, the user can also add or replace videos and configure when they are played. But this is a somewhat complex feature to include in the first firmware versions, so it will be later.

This may be the content of the configuration file in the first firmware version, a text file stored on a USB stick connected to the Raspberry. You can include your own comments in the file, always these that start with //
 

// ***********************************************
// ****** HolomodSP, v20190808 *********************
// ****** by Pinballsp, www.pinballsp.com ***************
// ***********************************************
// *** For firmware updates and news, visit:
// *** https://github.com/pinballsp/Creature-HOLO-ModSP
// *** https://gitlab.com/pinballsp/Creature-HOLO-ModSP
// *** https://www.facebook.com/Pinballsp
// ***********************************************
// *** Do not remove any parameter, only modify *********
// *** 1 = Enable, 0 = Disable
// ***********************************************
UFOD 1 // UFO in the monster video
CFTX 1 // Creature found text in the monster video
BGR1 1 // Background video1
BGR2 1 // Background video2
KISS 1 // KISS video
// ***********************************************
RSV1 0 // Reserved for future updates
RSV2 0 // Reserved for future updates
RSV3 0 // Reserved for future updates
RSV4 0 // Reserved for future updates
RSV5 0 // Reserved for future updates
RSV6 0 // Reserved for future updates
// ***********************************************
// ***********************************************

  
As the firmware is updated, more parameters will be included to enable or disable the videos that are added. And later a special parameterization will be added so that the user can configure the trigger of own videos, with any signal or combination of pinball signals.

 
And this is the final Configuration File for the first version of the HolomodSP Kit. It is a text file that will be stored in a USB flash drive, included in the kit, and connected to the Rasbperry.

In this configuration file, the user can enable or disable each of the 20 videos of the kit. As well as configure a couple of parameters to activate or not the UFO in the Monster's Video and the text "Creature found" in the same video.

As the firmware is updated, the configuration file may change, adding new parameters. In more advanced updates, the user can include their own videos and select the signals needed to trigger those videos.

The tasks of configuring signals to trigger new videos created by the user can be complex, since if they are not done well, it can produce unwanted results. Additional programming work will probably be needed, we'll see later. I think most likely, with the 20 videos that I will include in the kit, and the internal programming to trigger each of them, it will be enough for most users. However, if anyone comes up with a new video, and especially under what conditions it should be played during the game, you can tell me and we study it.

 
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As I said, not in the first firmware versions, that can be added later.
In any case, the 20 videos of the kit are being made with sound, to be able to use them in a future firmware version.

 
More images are being vectorized, for use in the videos. I just miss a boat, like RITA, for a new idea that I have, we'll get it somehow.

As soon as the designer sends me the final versions of the background videos, the cube and the bubble videos, and some things that I told him to correct in the monster video, I can already offer the Kit.

Everything that depends on me (hardware and programming), to be able to offer the product, is already done, just need to correct and finish the videos that I indicated.
 
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It is a totally different machine. It would be necessary to make a new bracket, see the screen size that can be put, get the schemes to see where it can be connected to read the pinball signals, make a new board and program a new firmware.

More than an adaptation, it would be practically to make a new product.

For a sound solution, it will not be necessary to use any third-party sound card.
There are several options for sound, but I have to study that later.

1.- I will have to change the firmware, so that videos with sound can be played.

2.- The output of the Raspberry, it must be connected to an amplifier and an independent speaker, or mix the sound output of the Raspberry with the sound of the pinball, on the original sound board.

3.- I can make a sound board, which replaces the original board, and mixes the sound of the Hologram Kit, with original or customized sounds stored in an SD card (WAV or MP3 files). This board would also have the sound amplifier.

In any case, no third-party sound card is required. I will make my own sound board, with functions to replace the original sound board, with WAV or MP3 sounds stored on SD card, mixer for HolomodSP sounds and Stereo digital amplifier. I have done the design of that board for a long time, and it doesn't need a Raspberry or a third-party sound card. You can put the original pinball sounds, or replace them with your custom sounds.

 
As soon as I have the missing videos, to at least offer the kit with 6 videos in the first firmware version. I'm waiting for the designer to deliver them to me.

 
omxplayer is just a video/audio player that someone programmed. Anyone with knowledge can directly program the GPU.

Neither omxplayer, nor VLC, nor Mplayer, nor any third-party program. Playing videos on an interactive system, like this one, needs to be instantaneous, completely dispensing with most of the functions of a player to watch movies (like the ones mentioned).

 
The sound will be something to develop in a later firmware version. If I deal with the sound now, the project will be delayed even more.

If changes to add sound only require modifications to the firmware, the update will be free of charge. If additional hardware is needed, I will offer it separately to those interested.
 

 
Vectoring the playfield Cars, for the "Move your Car" video. The 3D modeling of the monster is advancing, with the textures, although corrections have yet to be made so that the face resembles that of the film.

We are also preparing a couple of videos for JACKPOT and SUPER JACKPOT animations, based on some ideas that we are still designing.

 
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One more test for the second background video, with bubbles that show images and scenes from the movie. There are still many things to correct in this video, which I don't like, but we are getting closer to the idea I have in mind.

I have already told the designer to remove those cartoon scenes, which are neither from the movie, nor from the game.

  
As I said, they are just tests. We are looking for videos, set underwater in rivers or lakes, and that have a minimum of quality, resolution (preferably in 4K) and that last long enough, but it is not easy.

We are likely to use this one, which is what it most looks like, it is in 4K, and it lasts for 2 hours.

 
The creature modeled in 3D, in the attached image, although some corrections still have to be made, mainly on the face and head. We are also preparing the development of some ideas for the Extra Ball, Jackpot and Super Jackpot video.

monstruo_3D_ancho_.jpg

 
Final version of the monster video. Some obvious changes have been made, others more subtle.

The font of the title is now straight, before it was curved, the front of the water was too clear, it has darkened a bit, the highlight of the leaves of the trees has increased, the focus on the monster has been lowered in the area of the face, the speed of the flickering of the text is increased and the time between occurrences of the text is increased.

We are preparing the design for several animations, in the attached image, a hand-drawn sketch for the Extra Ball video, the idea must be developed, drawn on the computer and animated.

This weekend we want to finish with the two missing videos, for the pack of 6, the background of the Cube and the Bubbles, with that the product will be ready to offer it. We are also working on a third background video, using the RITA boat from the movie, but this video will be delivered in the next firmware update.

I also have delivery time from the TFT display provider, between 10 days and 2 working weeks. It is the component that may take the longest to reach me as soon as I request it in quantity. The rest of the kit's components, for any quantity, will be available in a week. So once the list of orders is open, it will remain open for 1 week, then I will close it and the delivery time will be 10 to 15 days, for the first batch I manufacture. Then, probably, the delivery time will be reduced, because I can already have a forecast to stock the product.

 
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We will postpone the animation of the cube, because we have decided to change the design.

In the initial package of 6 videos, instead of the video of the cube we will give a new background video, this based on the RITA boat of the movie. The capture of the attached movie scene is the one that will be used. The boat will be vectorized and colored, the water will be added with reflections, vegetation and sky, everything added will have movement, they will not be static photos, we also want to animate the light bulb of the boat, and it is possible that some blinking text is added (¡¡ There he is..¡¡) .

As for the video of the cube, it will be delivered in the next update. It will be completely redesigned, we change the way we do it and especially how to set it to fit something related to the film or the machine. We have decided to turn the cube into a stone texture, even with some deformations to make it more realistic, and put a cavern in the background, like the one that appears in the final scene of the film.

In the initial video package, I think we will also add a third background (there would be a total of 7 videos for the first version), something simple with a scene from a lake, and some text may be blinking.

 
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As I said, that will be possible in the second firmware version. Not now, in this first version, which I will put on sale, so as not to further delay the production of the product. The fimware is upgradeable, so as soon as I release new firmware versions, you can download them for free, and update the product to support new features or fix bugs.
 

 
Of course, it is from the first firmware version. You can enable or disable each of the videos that I provide with the kit. And if I have time, I may include the option to replace a video of the kit, by the user's own, but I cannot guarantee that it will be in the first version of the firmware, in the next firmware version it will be possible.
 

 
I am waiting for the two background videos and the product is ready, for the first firmware version. All hardware, bracket, display and wiring are ready. I already published pictures of the screen assembly, and much more time ago of the main board and how it connects to the CPU.
 

 
What I'm really waiting for is the two missing videos for the minimum package of 6 videos, the rest is all ready.
 

 
Yes, that is a problem, I have modify the designs many times, bracket for the screen, screen size, as the main board. And from time to time I can come up with new ideas. Someday I have to stop and offer it at once.
 

 
I have two hardware designs, both work, but I have not yet decided which one I will use, both have advantages and disadvantages for me, as a software programmer.
 

 
As soon as I have the videos, the list opens. One week open, I count the necessary material based on the orders, mainly for the screens, I place the order to my suppliers, and after 10-15 days I will have all the components here. The most delayed are the screens (10-15 days according with the supplier), the rest is fast (one week).
 

 
What do you mean ?

 
Ok, no problem, as long as there is stock of all the kit components, I can manufacture product without limitations. The only component, as I said, which takes longer to arrive from the supplier, is the TFT display (10-15 days), although I have several suppliers.

For the first batch I make, I will open a list of orders for one week. Once that list is closed, you will have to wait for the 15 days it takes for the screens to arrive, the rest of the components I will receive before.

I will manufacture a few more units, as requested. Then I will know the real demand of the product, and I can make a more accurate forecast to try to always have stock. If I run out of stock, the delivery time will be again 10-15 days (what it takes to get the TFT screens from the supplier.)

If I get a TFT screen provider, with shorter delivery time, I will let you know.