Forum Topic

Yes I need to shoot a few new longer full game play vids now things have moved forward and the auto launcher with ball save is working

With the glass on to!

#5 3 years ago

TOM

Dante

Pinside member

Cary, NC

5y 54k 308 9 38

Awesome work!

#6 3 years ago

MDH

lurch

Pinside member

This is friggin amazing!

#7 3 years ago

HEY

indypinhead

Pinside member

Indianapolis, IN

6y 77k 5,191 34 6

I'll be keeping an eye on this thread.

I got my nice Whirlwind a couple months ago.

I'm really liking Whirlwind.

#8 3 years ago

JFH

jfh

Pinside member

4y 94k 5,028

Was there a particular reason you picked Whirlwind to extend/customize?

#9 3 years ago

JIM

applejuice

Quoted from jfh:
Was there a particular reason you picked Whirlwind to extend/customize?

I really like whirlwind as a game, and with my rewrites i tend to pick games that are my favs from the specific era i'm looking at. (indy being my dmd fav). I always wished that there was an auto launcher and ball save on whirlwind so that's what got me started on the path. I also thought there was room to expand the rules alittle with more combos, hurry ups, super jets etc and I like adding hidden modes from other games into these projects to. The bk2k alternative quick multi-ball i'm really pleased with.

1 month later

#10 3 years ago

MRW

mrw464

Inactive member

Chesapeake, VA

3y 17k 29 44

Thanks for providing the open-source code for the game

#11 3 years ago

WOO

Noahs_Arcade

Pinside member

4y 55k 1,721

How about 4-20x more points for the 3-way combo? 250k is a joke

4 months later

#12 3 years ago

JIM

applejuice

Quoted from Noahs_Arcade:
How about 4-20x more points for the 3-way combo? 250k is a joke

Added to the list

1 week later

#13 3 years ago

JIM

applejuice

Update: Code has been progressing nicely and i did a big update back in october for the Play Expo UK event. Had some really great feedback from players. Now working on more updates, fixing bugs adding in new effects. Will try and shoot a new game play video soon to.

#14 3 years ago

MDH

lurch

Pinside member

SWEEEEET! I really love the moonlight madness mode!

Cant wait to see the new video!

#15 3 years ago

JSW

WeirPinball

Pinside member

Middletown, OH

5y 71k 3,196 30

plugging in to see the updates

#16 3 years ago

SSD

TheNoTrashCougar

Nice job Jim! I am definitely following to see the progress!

--Scott

#17 3 years ago

MDH

lurch

Pinside member

So dare i ask.... whats involved in the project? (trying to figure out if i can take on this project!)

Looks like:
PROC Driver Board $325
PROC System 11 Interface ???? (what is this?)
and a special Proc interface you built?

Im thinking why not just buy the PROC driver board and replace the alpha-numberic display with a DMD? Im not saying itll be easier, but certainly cheaper.

#18 3 years ago

epthegeek

Pinside member

Muskego, WI

5y 95k 5,303 7

Quoted from lurch:
So dare i ask.... whats involved in the project? (trying to figure out if i can take on this project!)
Looks like:
PROC Driver Board $325
PROC System 11 Interface ???? (what is this?)
and a special Proc interface you built?
Im thinking why not just buy the PROC driver board and replace the alpha-numberic display with a DMD? Im not saying itll be easier, but certainly cheaper.

But then Jim would have to do all the work of creating art for the DMD - which is a huge thing to tackle.

#19 3 years ago

MDH

lurch

Pinside member

Quoted from epthegeek:
But then Jim would have to do all the work of creating art for the DMD - which is a huge thing to tackle.

Im willing to give it a go, looks like maybe i should be able to do the display programming on my own(?)

After some research it appears that Jims configuration would allow a DMD, but he chose to make an interface to drive the alpha-numberic display.

So the essentials are:
PROC Driver Board $325
PROC System 11 Interface board
(pricing options here: http://www.pinballcontrollers.com/forum/index.php?topic=683.msg8942#msg8942)
DMD display $170 -or- custom alpha numeric interface board (?????cost????)

#20 3 years ago

JTB

The_Gorilla

Pinside member

7y 98k 5,518 134

I just purchased a Whirlwind. I am so glad I found this thread today. Marked...

#21 3 years ago

JFH

jfh

Pinside member

4y 94k 5,028

Looking forward to it!

#22 3 years ago

DVE

Blitzburgh99

Pinside member

4y 76k 1,814 8 11

Quoted from lurch:
SWEEEEET! I really love the moonlight madness mode!
Cant wait to see the new video!

I am not sure I understand what the moonlight madness mode does? was that the 1:20 video in the first post of the thread?

#23 3 years ago

TPK

Kneissl

Pinside member

Quoted from lurch:
So dare i ask.... whats involved in the project?

Here's a ballpark parts and cost list -
You need a p-roc: $325
Sys 11 Driver: $160 (you build) $250 (Ready to go)
Alphanumeric interface: $60
Auto launch parts: $80
PC: Free (if you've got one already) to $200 for a nice shuttle
Total: $600 to $900

#24 3 years ago

JIM

applejuice

Quoted from lurch:
So dare i ask.... whats involved in the project? (trying to figure out if i can take on this project!)
Looks like:
PROC Driver Board $325
PROC System 11 Interface ???? (what is this?)
and a special Proc interface you built?
Im thinking why not just buy the PROC driver board and replace the alpha-numberic display with a DMD? Im not saying itll be easier, but certainly cheaper.

This project is about recreating the whirlwind game software from scratch and then adding on to it in a similar way that i have and am doing for Indiana Jones. I wanted to tackle a rewrite project that kept the original alphanumeric display so that the rewrite was less graphic heavy. Partly because i am already doing a dmd rewrite and partly because i think late alphanumeric games are great and don't always need fancier graphics to make them better. This project also enabled Scott to start something similar with his EarthShaker rewrite, Mark with his F14 rewrite project and some others

I have been rewriting the rules over the last few years to make the game play exactly as original, but have been adding new things in to as described above like autolaunch, ball save, secret homages to other system 11 games - black knight 2000, moonlight madness modes, cellar hurry up, super jets etc etc

Quoted from Blitzburgh99:
I am not sure I understand what the moonlight madness mode does? was that the 1:20 video in the first post of the thread?

This is a special mode that starts before the main game play when you start a game close to 12am. It is usually a frantic multiball round where all switches count for a certain value and there are other shots to increase that value or score jackpots. It usually ends when only 1 ball is in play. The normal game then resumes

#25 3 years ago

MDH

lurch

Pinside member

Quoted from Kneissl:
Here's a ballpark parts and cost list -
You need a p-roc: $325
Sys 11 Driver: $160 (you build) $250 (Ready to go)
Alphanumeric interface: $60
Auto launch parts: $80
PC: Free (if you've got one already) to $200 for a nice shuttle
Total: $600 to $900

Thank you for providing a list!

HOLY MOLY! Im going to have to back burner this one! I need a new cabinet before i put any more money into this game.

Thank you for providing a list!

#26 3 years ago

IPC

toyotaboy

RandOM Pinball

Huntley, IL

6y 97k 8,898 10 13

Between aftershock and this, gonna make me broke.
Scott danesi is still awesome

#27 3 years ago

JIM

applejuice

Quoted from lurch:
Thank you for providing a list!
HOLY MOLY! Im going to have to back burner this one! I need a new cabinet before i put any more money into this game.
Thank you for providing a list!

The auto launcher is optional and will be configurable via settings. Ball save will also be configurable by settings and whether the auto launcher is installed

#28 3 years ago

TPK

Kneissl

Pinside member

Just one man's opinion: The autolauncher is worth the price of admission.

#29 3 years ago

JIM

applejuice

Quoted from Kneissl:
Just one man's opinion: The autolauncher is worth the price of admission.

Yes, totally agree

#30 3 years ago

SSD

TheNoTrashCougar

OP
Quoted from applejuice:
Yes, totally agree

Also agree!!!
--Scott

#31 3 years ago

DVE

Blitzburgh99

Pinside member

4y 76k 1,814 8 11

OP
Quoted from applejuice:

This is a special mode that starts before the main game play when you start a game close to 12am. It is usually a frantic multiball round where all switches count for a certain value and there are other shots to increase that value or score jackpots. It usually ends when only 1 ball is in play. The normal game then resumes

Ok. Now I understand. That sounds very cool. What genius! I pick up my WW in the next week or so...I may have to re-invest my next pinball cash savings into this instead of another pin!

1 month later

#32 3 years ago

JIM

applejuice

Update: Ironed out some trough bugs relating to ball save and the out hole kick timing. amazing what can happen in the trough when things are real. Also worked out that system 11 games with p-roc boards work best using 12v for the switch matrix feed not 5v.

#33 3 years ago

DVE

Blitzburgh99

Pinside member

4y 76k 1,814 8 11

Can this be used with the new pinsound board being produced?

#34 3 years ago

TPK

Kneissl

Pinside member

Quoted from Blitzburgh99:
Can this be used with the new pinsound board being produced?

It runs on a p-roc, so your sound will come from whatever you use to control the board, like a PC sound card (built in to the motherboard or otherwise).

#35 3 years ago

JIM

applejuice

Quoted from Kneissl:
It runs on a p-roc, so your sound will come from whatever you use to control the board, like a PC sound card (built in to the motherboard or otherwise).

And then you plug the output into a custom amp (usually a 2 channel car one). same setup as with CCC.
or you can feed the input into the existing sound board and use its amp output side.

#36 3 years ago

MVJ

shimoda

Pinside member

5y 70k 3,443 10 22

Curious about suggestions for a car amp and speakers, reasonably priced, for this.

1 month later

#37 2 years ago

JIM

applejuice

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231521746902

Quoted from shimoda:
Curious about suggestions for a car amp and speakers, reasonably priced, for this.

Sorry for the delay on replying here. I missed your question! You can use an amp such as this:

They are 2.1 so you can have a nice 3 speaker arrangement, though most music and sound is not recorded as stereo. It is best to use a separate 12v source though as the pins own 12v outputs aren't powerful enough to support this alongside what else its doing.

#38 2 years ago

JIM

applejuice

Update: Working on the service mode now. Based on my indy one, but a major rewrite to be useful on a 16x2 alphanumeric screen. Includes coin door open mode, tests, audits and settings adjustments.

Some screen shots so far:

Screen Shot 2015-05-01 at 00.03.57.png
Screen Shot 2015-05-01 at 00.04.07.png
Screen Shot 2015-05-01 at 00.04.10.png
Screen Shot 2015-05-01 at 00.04.15.png
Screen Shot 2015-05-01 at 00.04.41.png
Screen Shot 2015-05-01 at 00.04.43.png
Screen Shot 2015-05-01 at 00.04.45.png
Screen Shot 2015-05-01 at 00.05.46.png
Screen Shot 2015-05-01 at 00.06.13.png
Screen Shot 2015-05-01 at 00.06.23.png

#39 2 years ago

SSD

TheNoTrashCougar

Looks awesome Jim!

#40 2 years ago

MDH

lurch

Pinside member

damn thats awesome!

#41 2 years ago

BAX

bax

Pinside member

Milford, ME

5y 32k 232 26

Crazy impressive work! As soon as I can convince myself to get rid of the couch WW is in!

#42 2 years ago

JMS

swampfire

Pinside member

5y 125k 7,411 27 33

This is going to sell a lot of P-ROCs.

#43 2 years ago

SMK

TheLaw

Pinside member

Ann Arbor, MI

6y 118k 23K+ 12 25

Good luck. Seems like people are digging it so that's good. Think it was pretty perfect the way it is on it's own though.

#44 2 years ago

JIM

applejuice

Some new videos of the service mode in action.

Audits
» YouTube video

Settings Adjustment
» YouTube video

Lamp Test
» YouTube video

Switch Test
» YouTube video

Early version and needs refining as some bugs in it, along with needing to sort out some of the special characters, but wanted to share to show the functionality that i've added. I think its quite a lot better than the original with much more info shown. I also have it working from the original 3 switches & the coin door switch:

I connect the direct switch cable to the proc interface as shown here:

IMG_3830.JPG

#45 2 years ago

IPC

toyotaboy

RandOM Pinball

Huntley, IL

6y 97k 8,898 10 13

OP
Quoted from applejuice:
Switch Test
» YouTube video

I like that you even labeled what the colors of the wire are, VERY NICE!

#46 2 years ago

MVJ

shimoda

Pinside member

5y 70k 3,443 10 22

Great alpha stuff there.

#47 2 years ago

SSD

TheNoTrashCougar

Quoted from shimoda:
Great alpha stuff there.

Alphanumerics 4 Life!

#48 2 years ago

TPK

Kneissl

Pinside member

I dig the osx dev environment.

4 months later

#49 2 years ago

MDH

lurch

Pinside member