Pinball Arcade made it to the PC last week

The announcement mentioned "Portrait mode" in the works

When that happens I think virtual pins will be much improved

Your best bet for info would be the hyperPin forums & VP forums BTW

They have came a long way in the past few years. Especially with the new dB2S server that runs the backglasses and forcefeedback. No more stutter!! Most the the new tables are pretty awesome. They are starting to redraw most of the popular tables also to run with the updated Visual Pinball software. STTNG and IJ were redrawn a month or so ago and they are awesome! My cab has been in the works for a good bit now. I built it from scratch so it was a big project! It will not replace the real thing, but it is a blast to play in its own right IMO. I will say if you don't install all the forcefeedback stuff I wouldn't even bother with one. All the tables and software is free, but you need to understand there is some setup involved so be prepared to read, read, and read! Don't expect to install the software and drop the table in a folder and it work. Hyperpin frontend hasn't been updated in forever and pinballx is the new fresh software on the block. Still in the early stages but is already better that Hyperpin IMO. Much easier setup also. If you need any help or need some insight let me know!

Wait for this. Pinball emulation is garbage and plays nothing like real pinball.

Most people will say build your own, but if you are set on buying a good one, expect to play over $3,000 for it. A 'high end' virutal cab runs closer to 5k.

OP. I'm Brad, founder of www.VPcabs.com. We have machines in stock and can ship to Canada for you. We carry the finest machines and best options in the industry. Please feel free to contact me through the website and I can answer all of your questions. With a Forced Feedback machine you can achieve a fantastic pinball feel.

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brad are you using color dmd's in your machines now? or is that a blue xpin?

Like all the "real" pin manufactures are headed I am starting to use a real nice LED panel as the DMD. This allows every game you play to have a different color DMD and also will allow for full color options in the future. Of course if a customer wants a single color DMD I will be happy to put that in for them at no extra charge.

pinfx2 is the only platform worth getting it for. I have one love it

We include the entire Pinball FX2 table pack with all of our machines!!

I'm waiting till the new release of Timeshock! hits the vPin world.
The looks will smash any existing virtual pinball table into dust (that I could already confirm) and the physics may do so as well.

I'm very excited for this as well. The graphics look amazing.

i am in the process of building my own vp cab, would it be possible for you to pm me the information on such product? if not i understand.

If you are using a small monitor as the "DMD", it is possible to change the color for each table via the editor.

Yes it is.

PinballFX runs on a cab? Was it optimized for one?

okay so this isnt a multicolored traditional dmd panel, its a small 3rd screen, understand thank you very much for the clearification brad really appreciate it.

Yes It works amazing on a cab. The only thing they still need to do is unlock the DMD so it can be moved from the PF up to the DMD. That is being worked on now. Heres a video of it running.

http://www.virtualpinballmachinesrus.com/blogs/news/8409829-comic-con-review-by-dale-north

It has a highly optimized portrait view but nothing else cabinet specific.

I built mine and have analog nudge working as well as per game translite support via an app I wrote. I also have the same for pinball arcade on my cabinet. Pinball fx2 is fantastic and makes owning one of these things worth while. However, the hyperpin platform with visual pinball and future pinball somewhat sucks.

I'm going with Markmon on this we also built mine. ( mine is nicer though)

Got one for sale!

You have Pinball Arcade on your cabinet?

I went the route of building my own as well.
One of the most enjoyable experiences I have had.
Mine is in an old Indiana Jones cabinet and has a 42" LED display for the tables.
I have one of the DMD boards so I can run my real DMD for games and have nudging in it as well.
With new db2s Backglasses it is a very real experience.
I really love playing the EM classics in it the most.

I do. While its better than say visual pinball, its still not a replacement for real machines. At least pinball fx provides unique tables so there's nothing real to compare them to

Dude

I didn't think portrait mode was released yet

Yeah markmon fill us in! I need to install pinball fx on my cab also. As far as Future Pinball and Visual Pinball being terrible... I will agree Future Pinball is not real good in the physics department. Even with the physics mod. Visual Pinball is not what I would call terrible though depending on the table. Real? No. Fun in its own right? Yes!

There is a real serious limitation on VP that you'll notice after you've been using it for about a year. The first year, you'll have nothing but fun with it. As time goes on, you'll notice this limitation, and it'll suck all the fun out of it.

I have a couple thousand dollars into my VP system, and now it's sitting in a closet unused. I have no interest to screw with it at this point. My VP buddy Al is coming out with a single screen FS solution that is looking pretty awesome, so I may try messing with it again once he has it perfected. I should be able to hang a single TV on the wall rotated 90 degrees, and play the tables with a xbox controller, which won't take up much arcade space that could be used for something better.

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This takes care of one of the problems with FS VP tables, which is that normally everything looks very 2 dimensional. This view is a hybrid of a FS and WS, and you still get some of the feel of 3 dimensions.

It'll never take care of the first problem I mentioned. Only a full rewrite of the physics engine will cure that.

Pro Pinball will cure that. We should have Timeshock in a few months and hopefully others to follow. Pinball Arcade will be a close second.

But yeah the physics are the big problem with Future Pinball and PinMAME/Visual Pinball right now. Especially if you play real pinball machines all the time, you'll notice the difference. That said, they're still a lot of fun.

I really enjoy my cab, as does my wife. I found out once I played Future Pinball in my cab that the software is just plain broken. Visual pinball is much better than I anticipated. The ball physics are very realistic and so the tables are fun to play, some are awesome to play. I would never buy a Gilligan's Island pin but it's one of my favorites in VP. I have 87 VP tables and 2 FP tables installed.

Driving simulator < driving
Pinball simulator < pinball

It depends on your expectations, it will never be real; but if your looking for a simulator, then a full size cabinet is the best option.

Software will always get better.

Good point. I actually have a decent sim racing setup. My setup is fairly modest compared to some, but a lot of people think I'm crazy for the amount I've sunk into the setup. I'd put more in, honestly, there is a motion simulator that goes for around 4k I'd love to get. Not that it will be a replacement for real racing, but it offers you the ability to drive any track you'd like at any time of the day, in almost any car, and without dying.

I've been in the process of designing a mini-pin, and have gathered all of the materials. I'm using a good 23" IPS monitor for the PF. I don't want to have something like this take up a ton of room, and I'm building it to use an external PC to power it (using it as more a peripheral to keep costs down). Like Markmon said, it'll be great for things like FX2, there are a lot of great tables on there, and it will be fun to play it with some flipper buttons rather than a controller.

I assume many of you have seen this? I wonder how far off this technology actually is...

That technology is already playable in our cabinets today. BAM is quickly developing into an incredible head tracking program with a simple PS3 cam.

It is not pinball, never will be pinball, but it is really fun. It is a really fun video game of pinball, just like Guitar Hero is a really fun game of "playing" a guitar. The only time people are disappointed is when they expect it to be pinball. If you just want something really fun for the game room that emulates pinball, then you won't be disappointed. Pinball FX is a great example.

The BEST table is coming out still. Pro Pinball Timeshock will be awesome.

I guess you're right, looks like some good info here:

http://www.ravarcade.pl/

It looks like it's currently only compatible with Future Pinball, I wonder if this can be implemented into other virtual pinball programs?

If they are 3D I don't see why not.

VP isn't 3D. It's a funky 2.5 D thing.

Yes. As long as the program uses real time 3D models. So with VP it is a no.
However a new project is quick on the horizon called Unity.
Unity combines the graphics of Future Pinball with upgraded physics and VP's ability to use actual game roms.
There are a ton of great options coming for virtual pinball cabinet owners.

That is what I mean, VP won't work but anything built and rendered in full 3D should theoretically be possible.

Can't wait to see all the new stuff coming out for Virtual Pinball

I've got a VirtuaPin ultimate for sale out of Houston if you're interested. Several upgrades, price reduced and I'll personally support you through adding your first few tables.

http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/fs-virtuapin-pinball-simulation-system

PM me if you'd like to chat. I'm on vacation till Saturday but ill keep an eye on my pinside mail.

I'm pretty new to the entire pinball scene. In just over a year, I have built 3 pinball simulators and owned 10 real pins. I am currently building my 4th simulator. I think you all need to understand that the purpose of simulation is to do things you normally could not do otherwise.

Fly a jet? Drive an F1 race car? Own a BBB or CC? How about have 200+ pins in your living room?

Simulation is a technical training device for learning rulesets and strategies. It is not and never will be a "real" pinball machine. As such, I will continue to buy and sell real pinball machines, but I will never be without a simulator. It scratches a pinball itch that no "real" machine ever will.

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I think the best part part of VP is seeing all the custom machines and artwork. Building it yourself (or with friends) is quite a rewarding experience in my opinion as well! I don't think I have saw two custom made machines that look the same yet. I own Pin-Bot and sequels and decided to keep in the space robot theme, I had this artwork made for it.

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The best part about VP is when you go to expo you don't play like a newb.

I tried out the BAM head tracking software with Future Pinball and my XBOX Kinect. It worked pretty well, but I was just using my normal computer monitor on my desk. Its definitely a project I would like to take on at some point. I made my MAME cabinet 5 years ago, but a Virtual Pin could be cool too.

I built mine from scratch off of Mameman's Williams widebody plans, but narrowed it to a standard. All that wood work was a pain, but that was part of the fun of it for me. I really like the look of the BAM tables and such with future pinball, but future pinball doesn't play well enough for me. Even with the physics mod. I think I have the tricked out TZ, Scared Stiff, and Tron installed.
Here is the art for my cab can't wait to get it installed! It will be the icing on the cake.

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Portrait mode in Pinball Arcade is not legit

It's all skewed & cutoff

Bummer

I'm not forgetting anything at all. I've played some of the finest VP cabs ever made, with full force feedback, real DMD, and all the bells and whistles. IMO, all the extra gimmicks don't add enough to the experience to make me believe I'm playing real pinball when - the main component of pinball - a 1-1/16th" steel ball, behaves in such a way totally unrelated to anything a pinball actually does. I guess my mind isn't simple enough to be tricked by a shaker motor and some contacts clicking....YMMV.

To me, the expense and real-estate tied up in a VP rig isn't worth the real estate when a real pinball machine could be occupying the same space.

Having a single monitor hanging on the wall will give me the best opportunity to experience the spirit of any given game, without all the wasted space my system used to take.

(And I've actually made 5 or 6 tables for VP over the years, just so you know... )