(Topic ID: 329350)

The Homebrew Channel: Tips, Tricks & Showoff Pics

By Mudflaps

8 months ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

You

Linked Games

No games have been linked to this topic.

    Topic Gallery

    View topic image gallery

    Tee Nut (resized).png
    Screenshot 2023-09-03 20.37.09 (resized).png
    IMG_20230821_152145462 (resized).jpg
    IMG_20230821_152230808 (resized).jpg
    IMG_20230821_152636064 (resized).jpg
    Pinside_forum_7723800_0 (resized).jpg
    20230820_131948 (resized).jpg
    IMG_2943 (resized).JPG
    IMG_2938 (resized).JPG
    20230818_130854 (resized).jpg
    image (resized).jpg
    IMG_4394 (resized).jpeg
    IMG_4395 (resized).jpeg
    IMG_4244 (resized).jpeg
    IMG_4245 (resized).jpeg
    IMG_2923 (resized).JPG

    There are 509 posts in this topic. You are on page 7 of 11.
    #301 4 months ago
    Quoted from MrBigg:

    I'm not familiar with cobrapin, but if you are using dc, you will still probably need to install diodes across each coil to prevent a burn, and be sure to put in line fuses, or trip relays, just in case you make some mistakes along the way. These are your friend to prevent long pulses, or over current on your coils.

    Yeah, add diodes per the image I added to this post.
    Change you default pulse in the MPF config until it hits to your satisfaction.

    CobraPinConnectionDiagram (1) (resized).jpgCobraPinConnectionDiagram (1) (resized).jpg
    #302 4 months ago
    Quoted from Mudflaps:

    How do I make them stay a specific color without going back to white?

    If you set the duration to -1 for the final step, the show will "hold" that color after the show ends. Details here: https://docs.missionpinball.org/shows/format.html

    This won't work if you're looping the show, but a show that plays once through and holds, this is perfect. (It's used if you want to add some bling to an LED change rather than going right to the color.)

    #303 4 months ago
    Quoted from BrianMadden:

    If you set the duration to -1 for the final step, the show will "hold" that color after the show ends. Details here: https://docs.missionpinball.org/shows/format.html
    This won't work if you're looping the show, but a show that plays once through and holds, this is perfect. (It's used if you want to add some bling to an LED change rather than going right to the color.)

    Thanks, and yeah, I’m trying to create loops.

    I was hopeful to build a decent attract mode to help me learn LED config files, but I’m stuck on something that seems pretty basic. Meaning, I want to flash the light using color X on a loop.

    I tried to add the color to the same line… error. No change by using color hex codes. I’m looking at some examples, and Octomodz is using - time: ‘+1’

    #304 4 months ago

    Is there a slack or discord channel people are using for cobra pin?

    #305 4 months ago
    Quoted from Mudflaps:

    Thanks, and yeah, I’m trying to create loops.
    I was hopeful to build a decent attract mode to help me learn LED config files, but I’m stuck on something that seems pretty basic. Meaning, I want to flash the light using color X on a loop.
    I tried to add the color to the same line… error. No change by using color hex codes. I’m looking at some examples, and Octomodz is using - time: ‘+1’

    Here is a sim0le and easy solution for a run through on lighting, and light shows. Pretty simple to follow...

    #306 4 months ago
    Quoted from Mudflaps:

    Thanks, and yeah, I’m trying to create loops.
    I was hopeful to build a decent attract mode to help me learn LED config files, but I’m stuck on something that seems pretty basic. Meaning, I want to flash the light using color X on a loop.
    I tried to add the color to the same line… error. No change by using color hex codes. I’m looking at some examples, and Octomodz is using - time: ‘+1’

    Kyle, have you looked at lightshow? That's what I have used for most of my attract shows. MPF monitor and Lightshow. The video Mike just linked is a good video showing kind of how to do it. If you need any other help and shoot me a text, maybe I can video call through an example of it.

    #307 4 months ago
    Quoted from Octomodz:

    Kyle, have you looked at lightshow? That's what I have used for most of my attract shows. MPF monitor and Lightshow. The video Mike just linked is a good video showing kind of how to do it. If you need any other help and shoot me a text, maybe I can video call through an example of it.

    I’ll give it a whirl, no biggie. I guess I was kind of surprised to get stuck on something so silly.

    #308 4 months ago

    If you look in my code under main config folder and believe it's in shows, theres a couple small shows there you could try editing as well. These are ones I use for shot groups

    #309 4 months ago

    I got it. Instead of 0 and ff, I needed to command the lights to use hex for off (000000) and red (ff0000). It just wasn’t clicking in my brain.

    Here’s the working config:
    image (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpg

    Quoted from SickNate:

    Try ff0000 for red and 000000 for off

    You told me to do it, but again, I was inputting the hex code in the wrong spot.

    #310 4 months ago

    I'm wanting to create DMD style output on an lcd screen. I know its possible. Can someone direct me to a good place to find out more about how to do this?

    #311 4 months ago
    Quoted from JohnnyHomeBrew:

    I'm wanting to create DMD style output on an lcd screen. I know its possible. Can someone direct me to a good place to find out more about how to do this?

    Yeah just start with docs.missionpinball.org and then use the search functionality. I searched for "dmd window":

    https://docs.missionpinball.org/displays/display/adding_dot_look_to_lcd.html

    Be sure to follow the links where it talks about how it's important to know about the concepts of "windows" and "displays" in MPF, (if you need to actually configure everything and are not just asking how to add the dot filter).

    The demo_man example game does this too, so you can look at the configs from there.

    #312 4 months ago
    Quoted from BrianMadden:

    Yeah just start with docs.missionpinball.org and then use the search functionality. I searched for "dmd window":
    https://docs.missionpinball.org/displays/display/adding_dot_look_to_lcd.html
    Be sure to follow the links where it talks about how it's important to know about the concepts of "windows" and "displays" in MPF, (if you need to actually configure everything and are not just asking how to add the dot filter).
    The demo_man example game does this too, so you can look at the configs from there.

    I'm a few months away from planning my next homebrew, and I'll be diving head first into this realm for the first time. Bit nervous about programming for sure. I can do every other aspect quite easily, but programming is not a strong suit for me. I'll be asking way too many questions, and hoping for everyone to help as much as possible on the mpf side of things.

    #313 4 months ago
    Quoted from MrBigg:

    I'm a few months away from planning my next homebrew, and I'll be diving head first into this realm for the first time. Bit nervous about programming for sure. I can do every other aspect quite easily, but programming is not a strong suit for me. I'll be asking way too many questions, and hoping for everyone to help as much as possible on the mpf side of things.

    You’re in good company!

    #314 4 months ago
    Quoted from Mudflaps:

    You’re in good company!

    yeah buckle up boys because we will be learning MPF in the next few days…lots of noob questions incoming!

    #315 4 months ago
    Quoted from DaddyManD:

    yeah buckle up boys because we will be learning MPF in the next few days…lots of noob questions incoming!

    I have a decent base screen that I’ll need to substantially tweak. Now that the game is functional, my plan is to:

    1. Finish the attract mode light show
    2. Code the skill shot
    3. Add music, sound effects and additional video
    3. Code combos, hurry ups and supers

    Once I have those, I’m hopeful to have enough experience to code main modes, multiballs and mini-wizard modes. Easier said than done!

    #316 4 months ago

    That’s a solid way to go at it, build a foundation and keep going. Should get you familiar with a lot of config players and the logic blocks and good at getting assets in and playing the way you want. The initial setup of modes and mbs is actually really simple.. adding the logic and assets in for them can take some time. But getting the base mode all fleshed out is smart because once you add modes and mbs you can start to get things conflicting in interesting (or very buggy) ways and it can get tricky to deal with some of that. A solid base helps troubleshoot to add in logic to fix the conflicts - at least that’s been my experience. Good luck!!

    1 week later
    #317 4 months ago

    I picked up the guitar a few years ago and went straight to chords and tab. I grabbed a couple of lessons with an instructor who tried to teach me theory. I politely declined and went back to tab.

    MPF feels the same way. I’ve been going right to the cookbook when I should be focusing on understanding the game logic. I have an attract, base, skillshot, upper & lower lanes and decent scoring now, but I’m ready to explore more complex code (and running into some brick walls).

    TLDR, I need to stick to the basics for now and not get bogged down with crazy code before I fully ‘get’ MPF.

    #318 4 months ago
    Quoted from Mudflaps:

    I picked up the guitar a few years ago and went straight to chords and tab. I grabbed a couple of lessons with an instructor who tried to teach me theory. I politely declined and went back to tab.
    MPF feels the same way. I’ve been going right to the cookbook when I should be focusing on understanding the game logic. I have an attract, base, skillshot, upper & lower lanes and decent scoring now, but I’m ready to explore more complex code (and running into some brick walls).
    TLDR, I need to stick to the basics for now and not get bogged down with crazy code before I fully ‘get’ MPF.

    As a guy who builds handmade guitars, and gave lessons for years, I can totally get that. I finally realized that students want to play songs, and not be bogged down with the explanation side of it. Since I too will be diving into mpf in the next few months to a year, I liked that explanation. I just want to play, not go into years of coding explanations. Well put

    #319 4 months ago

    That really is the beauty of MPF. You can cook book your way into a game. Along the way, as you figure out the nuances, enough understanding of what's under the hood will come to allow you to make something complex and interesting.

    #320 4 months ago

    As you learn, you’ll likely adjust how you approach things. One thing I highly recommend making a habit now is using the event_player ALOT. You can relay events thru it and it makes things way easier to track. For example, when I started I would take an event like shot_scoop_lit_hit that posted when the scoop was hit and use it in var_player to score, in sound_player to play a sound, widget_player, slide_player.. etc you get the idea. Instead, take that event and put it in eventplayer as a relay that posts all the events to play the slide, the sound,etc. I use event names like play_middle_scoop_hit_sfx, play_middke_scoop_hit_widget.. the other nice thing here is the ability to use (multiple) conditionals on each of these events if you only want certain ones to play at various times. It’ll be cleaner to start practicing this early.. once things get complicated if you didn’t do this trying to find all the places you used events to do something can be annoying if you want to go back and makes changes

    #321 4 months ago
    Quoted from BrianMadden:

    Yeah just start with docs.missionpinball.org and then use the search functionality. I searched for "dmd window":
    https://docs.missionpinball.org/displays/display/adding_dot_look_to_lcd.html
    Be sure to follow the links where it talks about how it's important to know about the concepts of "windows" and "displays" in MPF, (if you need to actually configure everything and are not just asking how to add the dot filter).
    The demo_man example game does this too, so you can look at the configs from there.

    BrianMadden do you still sell this DMD? https://fastpinball.com/products/display/rgb-dmd/

    1 week later
    #322 3 months ago

    Anyone aware of a repository for working MPF configs, modes, etc? There’s example configs and cookbooks on the MPF tutorial, and some stuff on Slack/Discord.

    For me, it would be a huge help to browse some working yaml files.

    #323 3 months ago
    Quoted from Mudflaps:

    Anyone aware of a repository for working MPF configs, modes, etc? There’s example configs and cookbooks on the MPF tutorial, and some stuff on Slack/Discord.
    For me, it would be a huge help to browse some working yaml files.

    https://missionpinball.org/projects.html

    some of these projects link to github. I learned a lot from reading this project https://github.com/kaydeeH/OutpostKodelia-TBH (although the creators have joked with me about how different they would do things now)

    A lot of the projects you can download and run in MPF and use a keyboard to see how their game sorta works.

    #324 3 months ago
    Quoted from TreyBo69:

    https://missionpinball.org/projects.html
    some of these projects link to github. I learned a lot from reading this project https://github.com/kaydeeH/OutpostKodelia-TBH (although the creators have joked with me about how different they would do things now)
    A lot of the projects you can download and run in MPF and use a keyboard to see how their game sorta works.

    Thanks, I must have missed the projects with source code. Many of those projects are several years old, but better than nothing. I’m in the ‘steal to understand’ phase of coding.

    #325 3 months ago

    I wonder how hard it would be to train an AI model about pinball and MPF.

    #326 3 months ago

    ChatGPT can do some mpf and or custom python to implement if you have specific questions. Seems to come up with mostly right stuff

    #327 3 months ago

    A short video showcasing the MPF Pinball tool "Showcreator". A really great way to create interesting light shows! I made two short shows for starting the game and ball launch. It's a graphic based tool that uses the MPF Monitor layout that you MPF users may have created in your development. You can do huge sweeps and color changes to your RGB leds and this thing will create all those lines of text and reference your LED objects that you would have mapped out. One small light show created almost 10,000 lines of code. That's one sweet tool! Mark, wherever you are, Thank You!


    https://docs.missionpinball.org/tools/showcreator/index.html

    #328 3 months ago

    At the Northwest Pinball & Arcade show last weekend, we ran a little sub-event called PinDevCon, a devcon / meetup / gathering for pinball makers. We had a little theater in the expo hall with 14 talks over the three days, and they were all video recorded and are available now here:

    https://fastpinball.com/pindevcon/

    pindevcon photostrip (resized).jpgpindevcon photostrip (resized).jpg

    Talks (with videos):

    • Hardware hacking your pinball machine with FAST Pinball
    • Swords of Vengeance: Music and Audio (with the composer)
    • Modern Pinball Machine Wiring
    • The business of "2.0" pinball conversion projects
    • Mission Pinball Framework (MPF) - How it works under the hood
    • The making of "The Haunted Cruise" AR pinball machine
    • Homebrew maker chat - Sean Irby STIrby (Eight Ball Beyond)
    • Homebrew maker chat - Mike Becker Mbecker (Fight Club)
    • Homebrew maker chat - Spencer Holmes (Futurama)
    • Homebrew maker chat - Joel Kaiser (Boys Night Out)
    • Homebrew maker chat - Anthony van Winkle avanwinkle (Swords of Vengeance)
    • Homebrew maker chat - Lin Linolium (Frozen, Haunted Cruise)
    • Homebrew maker chat - Brian Cox (about 20 machines, including Tattoo Mystique and several 1980s Bally conversions)
    • Homebrew maker chat - Jack Bridges (The Muppet Show)

    I couldn't find Pinside links for all the makers & their games, let me know if I missed any!

    There's a YouTube Playlist of these talks also:

    This event was a lot of fun and we'll definitely do it again next year and/or maybe at other shows?

    Happy pinball making!

    1 week later
    #329 3 months ago

    I’m trying to add sounds to a show and having a bad time. Any example show configs?

    #330 3 months ago
    Quoted from Mudflaps:

    I’m trying to add sounds to a show and having a bad time. Any example show configs?

    image (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpg
    #331 3 months ago

    Thanks, and of course I found it in the tutorial just now!

    IMG_8039 (resized).jpegIMG_8039 (resized).jpeg
    4 weeks later
    #332 79 days ago

    How are everyone’s projects coming? I’ve been learning MPF over the past several weeks and have gone from ‘How do I change the LED color?’ to ‘This mode needs a boss fight.’ There’s been fantastic support from the homebrew community. It’s amazing what the MPF team built.

    Anyway, my playfield art is finished but I’ve been procrastinating cutting my plastics and finishing the toys. Always more to code! Here’s my carousel mode where you select the movie… only five coded so far, so halfway there.

    IMG_8281.gifIMG_8281.gif
    #333 79 days ago

    Not much going on with mine, but already planning the next, and working on some refurbs

    #334 78 days ago

    Started my next one. ...even though I still have a little work left on my last one. Man, I love building from scratch. The new one is a homebrew, or scratch build, or custom retheme? "Deep Fathom". Mostly "Fathom" with MPF code and CobraPin controller. I made the cabinet so the playfield will be a little deeper. Still considering my playfield options.

    IMG_20230715_111116516 (resized).jpgIMG_20230715_111116516 (resized).jpgIMG_20230716_041304797 (resized).jpgIMG_20230716_041304797 (resized).jpg

    #335 77 days ago
    Quoted from cwg29:

    Started my next one. ...even though I still have a little work left on my last one. Man, I love building from scratch. The new one is a homebrew, or scratch build, or custom retheme? "Deep Fathom". Mostly "Fathom" with MPF code and CobraPin controller. I made the cabinet so the playfield will be a little deeper. Still considering my playfield options.
    [quoted image][quoted image]

    Always thought that game needed a ramp, wirform, and something just a tad more. But a cool game.

    #336 77 days ago

    I was able to score some din rail, some power supplies, Allen Bradley fuse blocks, Phoenix connectors, multi input/output blocks, and a few other items today from a leftover project at work today. I have a ton of posts, and rubbers, screws etc, and a pair of freshly cut whitewoods ready to go.
    Octomodz has me a pair of mpf computers set to go, and I guess I need to start working on a design, and an idea next.
    I'm not going to lie, I'm scared to death of this MPF idea. I'm so lost with that stuff. Sad that I can literally build, and create almost anything, out of anything, and software frightens me.

    #337 77 days ago
    Quoted from MrBigg:

    m not going to lie, I'm scared to death of this MPF idea. I'm so lost with that stuff. Sad that I can literally build, and create almost anything, out of anything, and software frightens me.

    IMG_8295.gifIMG_8295.gif
    #338 77 days ago
    Quoted from MrBigg:

    I'm not going to lie, I'm scared to death of this MPF idea. I'm so lost with that stuff. Sad that I can literally build, and create almost anything, out of anything, and software frightens me.

    Same, I suck with code.. But at least MPF (from what I gather) can get you a decently coded flipping pinball with the libraries.

    #339 77 days ago
    Quoted from toyotaboy:

    Same, I suck with code.. But at least MPF (from what I gather) can get you a decently coded flipping pinball with the libraries.

    MPF is great at handling a lot of low level stuff. Making a game with the depth of an EM or early SS game takes just a few afternoons.

    #340 77 days ago

    The really cool thing is that Mpf does a lot of stuff for you, you don't have to worry about. Just start at the tutorial, and the most code is already done

    #341 76 days ago

    Following the MPF tutorial step by step got me going pretty quickly without having to understand the whys. Adding additional features hurt my head a little bit but make small incremental changes and always back up older versions. After awhile I got a descent playable game. It's worth it. Having the ability to easily add sounds and other cool stuff based on events whenever something pops in my head is really nice. If anyone ever wants to use my code as examples feel free to PM me.

    #342 76 days ago

    ^^ Amen to all of the above, and there are a lot of great folks willing to help. FAST has its own mpf Slack channel, and Octomodz has a Discord. There are some google group discussions also.

    I've read the tutorial about eleventy billion times, and most of it is still over my head, but I try to do one small thing each time. I don't focus on the light show or slides, I just want x to work when y is hit. If I can get that, I have a foundation to build on.

    For background, the last thing I coded before this was some basic math algorithms in seventh grade.

    #343 76 days ago

    It's like picking a lock one tumbler at a time.

    #344 76 days ago

    If there is one thing I will risk, and believe in, it's the people around this group, and hobby. I see you guys doing it, and I see the incredible builds you ate undertaking. Not many circles of people I've never met that I'd put my faith in, but I've already had some pretty solid interactions with people who don't know me, but yet have reached out to help on the BDC build.
    This bunch is pretty impressive in many ways, and I admire, and respect the character of the homebrew genre. You are a different breed.

    #345 76 days ago
    Quoted from MrBigg:

    If there is one thing I will risk, and believe in, it's the people around this group, and hobby. I see you guys doing it, and I see the incredible builds you ate undertaking. Not many circles of people I've never met that I'd put my faith in, but I've already had some pretty solid interactions with people who don't know me, but yet have reached out to help on the BDC build.
    This bunch is pretty impressive in many ways, and I admire, and respect the character of the homebrew genre. You are a different breed.

    Some real smart folks for sure. All doing for the love of pinball and I have had great interactions with the homebrew community. Helping each other just for the fun of it.

    #346 76 days ago
    Quoted from Mudflaps:

    How are everyone’s projects coming?

    My homebrew is on hold until I finish my Scared Stiff playfield swap, which is almost done. Installed the ramps last night. Just a few more pieces, and it goes back in the cabinet.
    After that, new posts for Escape from Hell and some mode work. I'm hoping for a more robust playfield by October, for the next show.

    #347 75 days ago

    I think I found the ultimate flipper coil today. It's 120 volts AC and a robust 54 watts of power. I'm thinking I could shoot a ball through the cabinet, across the room, and possibly embed it in the wall. No more, "it won't go up the ramp" issues! Lol

    20230718_145626 (resized).jpg20230718_145626 (resized).jpg
    #348 75 days ago
    Quoted from MrBigg:

    I think I found the ultimate flipper coil today. It's 120 volts AC and a robust 54 watts of power. I'm thinking I could shoot a ball through the cabinet, across the room, and possibly embed it in the wall. No more, "it won't go up the ramp" issues! Lol
    [quoted image]

    get two of them and make Large Hadron Collider the Pinball

    #349 75 days ago
    Quoted from TreyBo69:

    get two of them and make Large Hadron Collider the Pinball

    That would be something. I could make a ball freeze in mid air with two of these.

    #350 73 days ago

    https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/halloween-owners-threadhes-coming-home/page/305#post-7678590

    ^^ Good post from Matt in the Halloween thread. Man, his dilemma sounds familiar…

    There are 509 posts in this topic. You are on page 7 of 11.

    Reply

    Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.

    Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

    Donate to Pinside

    Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!


    This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/the-homebrew-channel-tips-tricks-amp-showoff-pics/page/7?hl=daddymand and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

    Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.