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Welcome to the new location of the ALL NEW…
Future Pinball and BAM MEGA Guide
by TerryRed
Future Pinball is a free Pinball Editor created by Christopher Leathley.
It has a lot of amazing tables to offer and enjoy for desktop, cabinet or VR users.
I wouldn’t want you to miss out, so I made this to help you to setup Future Pinball and BAM the right way the first time.
I hope it’s helpful and you enjoy Future Pinball and all it has to offer like I do.
This Guide has 3 sections (in order):
- Future Pinball and BAM Installed: Simple… FAST… then PLAY
- Future Pinball, BAM, DOF, PUP, VR and front-end Mega-Guide!
- F A Q (Frequently Asked Questions)
Cabinet, Desktop and VR
While this guide was made initially for cabinet owners…it covers all you need for desktop and VR users as well
NEW! Future Pinball and BAM Installed: Simple… FAST… then PLAY
- ALL NEW and UP TO DATE install video that’s aimed at getting you all setup as quick as possible
- it uses my Mega guide to take you through the process
- one is made only for single screen Desktop users
- another is made only for multi screen CABINET users
I recommend always using the Mega-Guide in order, as it is more “up to date” with important details and changes not covered in my videos.
- the Mega Guide covers the initial setup and use for FP and BAM. This is needed for whatever you want to use. (Desktop, Cabinet or VR)
- other sections are optional features such as Pinup Player, PinEvent, DOFLinx, DOF or front-ends
- there may seem like a lot of info… but when you cover Desktop, Cabinet, VR, etc… well, there’s lots of info!
- you can’t just jump into VR or PinEvent or PuP etc without getting FP and BAM running normally first
- start simple… get FP and BAM and your favorite tables working first… then move on to the more advanced stuff
- it’s important to use the specific FP settings I show you!
- This will ensure maximum compatibility with all tables and the best visuals they may offer
- I have included links for Future Pinball tables at most of the main FP table sites. If I’m missing any, please let me know!
- Future Pinball and BAM are easier to setup with this guide and use compared to learning everything you need to know with Visual Pinball as a noob
- I have included a FAQ as well at the bottom of the Mega Guide
NOTE: I update this guide when new updates or info are relevant. Check back regularly for new updates and essential info.
NEW!
Future Pinball and BAM Installed: Simple… FAST… then PLAY
- I made two new UP TO DATE video guides
- one is made only for single screen Desktop users
- the other is made only for multi screen CABINET users
- I wanted to do this to show how EASY it is to get setup quickly and be able to play these awesome “new” Future Pinball tables!
- I use my FP and BAM Mega Guide as the only source, just like you guys would, to completely install FP and BAM and be ready to go in minutes!
The first 15-25 minutes for each video is:- the entire install and setup (which is actually much quicker if I didn’t explain anything)
- you don’t need to worry about BAM setup as my install files will get you properly setup with BAM and other settings
- downloading and installing tables
- it’s really easy guys!
The rest of each video is:- explaining the many cool BAM features you can play around with on all tables
- explaining BAM cfg files
- how to disable bam settings in table script (if used)
- show examples for controls, Special 1 for Action/Fire
- xml files for old tables using LOTR as an example
- gameplay demos of the latest Star Wars DSA U-Pro, Iron Man U-Pro, and Indiana Jones U-Pro
Everything is bookmarked in the Youtube video description for quick and easy access!
Future Pinball, BAM, DOF, PUP, VR and Front-End Mega-Guide!
by TerryRed
This guide is a good resource for Future Pinball, BAM and any other related files you may need. I cover all the basics you need right here!
Future Pinball and BAM (Better Arcade Mode):
- you need to install both Future Pinball and BAM (Better Arcade Mode)
- FuturePinball.exe hasn’t been updated since 2008
- ravarcade’s BAM has added many new features and modern updates to Future Pinball
- BAM is now REQUIRED as many new tables will not run without it
BAM features
- new dynamic physics that allows for “new” updated FP tables to play MUCH better than older FP tables!
- allows for a new Better Arcade Mode (for cabinet views)
- head tracking features using Kinect, PS3 Eye and more
- plugins capability
- stereoscopic 3D
- adds a New Renderer that renders lighting on a per-pixel basis
- bump / normal mapping
- Shadow Maps
- Ball Shadows and Flipper Shadows for all tables
- Ambient Occlusion
- Post Processing effects
- new High Score Display
- COM Extensions
- control over all lighting in table script
- rgb lighting
- mini playfields
- texture swapping on any object / surface
- VR
- custom balls and rendering settings per table
- option to hide HUD Overlays
- option to hide the FP Logo Watermark
- numerous tools and features that table authors can use
- numerous FP bug fixes
- and much more that is too big to list here
No ROMS or Backglass programs Needed for standard FP tables:
- Future Pinball tables currently do not use any roms (though it is possible now)
- you do not need VPinMAME or other emulating software to play any games made for it
- FP can display it’s own Backglass and text / score on a second screen for cabinet or multi-screen users
HOW TO INSTALL and SETUP FUTURE PINBALL and BAM the EASY WAY!
- let’s make this nice and easy for you!
- instead of you guys trying to figure out how to get FP and BAM nicely setup for either a cabinet or desktop… I’ve done it all for you!
- just follow the steps in the order I have them listed here.
- I have each step labelled in the guide to make it easier to follow.
Don’t skip a step (read everything up until the next step) and use the guide recommendations!
- STEP 1: Windows settings, Visual C++, Screen Positioning and Text Scaling, Defender / Anti-Virus
- STEP 2: Download and install Future Pinball and BAM using the “Future Pinball and BAM 2 in 1 installer”
- STEP 3: Install TerryRed’s “BAM – Default.cfg and Settings Files” for either Desktop or Cabinet (with ideal BAM’s settings and a nice default POV for cabinet users)
- STEP 4: Install TerryRed’s “BAM – Table CFG – POV Files” (these are setup for ideal lighting and a nice POV specific to the table for cabinet users)
- STEP 5: Install TerryRed’s default Future Pinball settings to the Registry
- STEP 6: How to Run Future Pinball
- STEP 7: Editor Settings
- STEP 8: Video/Rendering Settings
- STEP 9: Controls Settings
- STEP 10: Download and Install some Tables. Start with SLAMT1LT’s Ultimate Pro tables at first. (Rename TerryRed BAM cfg files to match table filenames)
- STEP 11: Play the table
- STEP 12: Use BAM menu to make any preferred adjustments or changes (such as table POV or angle, Backbox size, ball render, shadows, etc)
- STEP 13: Enjoy playing some great new tables!
Only after you have everything working nicely with your setup with a good variety of tables (and after you become familiar with FP)…
…then you can pursue more advanced options like PinEvent, cabinet hardware feedback, and lighting, VR, etc. Don’t leap! One step at a time.
STEP 1: Windows settings, Visual C++, Screen Positioning and Text Scaling, Defender / Anti-Virus
Video Card, Audio and Motherboard Drivers
- you should have a decent modern cpu and nvidia or amd based video card (onboard gpu from Intel “may” not work well)
- you should always be sure your video card, audio and motherboard drivers are up to date
Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio
- some BAM plug-ins may not display or work until you install “all” updates for Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio
- make sure you install both x86 (vc_redist.x86.exe) and x64 (vc_redist.x64.exe) for each year
- this link has an easy “all in one” installer that should do everything for you in one shot
https://www.techpowerup.com/download/visual-c-redistributable-runtime-package-all-in-one/
DPI / Text Scaling:
- make sure your DPI / Text Scaling is set to 100 in Windows for ALL screens being used, or you may get a stretched and very large FP screen.
Screens Layout:
- if using more than one screen (for a cabinet, etc), be sure you have your screens arranged correctly
- you must have your Backglass monitor connected to your nvidia / amd video card (not motherboard intel, etc)
- screens MUST be arranged (from left to right) as playfield, backglass, then DMD / Topper, etc
- Future Pinball needs the Backglass to be positioned next to the playfield (like in the image) for it to work correctly!
- the order of the screen “numbers” doesn’t matter, as the numbers can vary for each person’s setup
- no negative values in the position of the screens (the red areas in the picture above). Not even by a few pixels!
- the playfield MUST be the primary screen
Windows Defender / Anti-Virus (IMPORTANT!)
- recent updates from Windows 10 can cause certain aspects of Future Pinball to not work correctly
- you MUST at a minimum, set “exceptions” in Windows Defender (and any other anti-virus program) for the entire Future Pinball folder
- having Defender enabled WILL cause some tables to have a stutter problem, even with exceptions
- Defender may cause vbs files to not work with Future Pinball, BAM, DOFLinx or PinEvent tables
- it’s possible, depending on your system that you may need to disable Defender completely to allow both Future Pinball and BAM to work correctly with ALL tables
- if you turn off Defender in Windows settings, it eventually re-enable itself after a while! If you want to permanently disable Defender, you will need to find another method. I won’t tell you how to do that (you can find solutions online), but please be careful when using ANY method (if you choose to do this)
There are other anti-virus programs you can use if you disable Defender. I’ve used MalwareBytes with no problems (yet). Just be sure to add exceptions for the entire Future Pinball folder!
STEP 2: Download and install Future Pinball and BAM using the “Future Pinball and BAM 2 in 1 installer”
Future Pinball and BAM (Better Arcade Mode)
The easiest option is to first install the “Future Pinball and BAM 2 in 1 installer” at ravarcade’s web site:
- this will install both Future Pinball and BAM in one installer
Then Update BAM to the latest version here:
https://www.ravarcade.pl/download
- download the latest BAM update zip
- extract and overwrite the files in your “FuturePinball \ BAM” folder (except default.cfg)
- DON’T replace your default.cfg file with the default.cfg from the update zip! That will overwrite my default.cfg that you use for good default POV and lighting!
- you can check what version of BAM you have in the BAM menu on the bottom right (it must be the full size menu to see this)
BAM Beta thread
- you can follow the main BAM thread at Pinball Nirvanna for info on the latest BAM updates and features
https://pinballnirvana.com/forums/index.php?forums/new-versions-and-requests-for-new-versions.159/
Future Pinball
- you can still goto the Future Pinball site (and say thanks to Chris Leathley)
STEP 3: Install TerryRed’s “BAM – Default.cfg and Settings Files”
BAM has completely changed Future Pinball. It has so many features, it can be a bit overwhelming for someone who is new to it. Having the right settings for cabinet or desktop specific setups can make all the difference in how good a FP table can look and play. I have made that process MUCH easier for you by creating BAM default.cfg and settings files that are ready to go for both desktop and cabinet setups!
All you need to do is copy these files from the zip of your choice (Desktop or Cabinet) to your “FuturePinball\BAM” folder:
- bam.cfg
- default.cfg
- Reality.dat
BAM-Default-cfg-and-Settings-Files-Desktop-TerryRed
BAM-Default-cfg-and-Settings-Files-Cabinet-TerryRed
Now BAM is all ready to go with all the essential settings setup correctly!
Some of the changes I made to the default BAM settings are:
- enable Advanced Menu (please don’t ever use the Basic Menu!)
- disabled the FP logo watermark
- Lighting and Post Processing (set ideally for newer Ultimate Pro and PinEvent tables)
- shadows for flippers and ball
- ball rendering (shiny ball)
- frame limiter set to off
- disabled Kick and Trails
Specific settings for desktop are:
- disabled FORCE ARCADE MODE
- enabled HUD Overlays (DMD, videos,etc) only intended for desktop view
Specific settings for cabinets are:
- enabled FORCE ARCADE MODE
- enabled Static Cam and setup a nice default POV for the cabinet’s playfield and set the Backbox to Auto-Stretch
- disabled HUD Overlays (DMD, videos,etc) only intended for desktop view
Notes about the Cabinet Files:
- I made the cabinet files for use with Static Cam
- anyone using head-tracking features like Kinect or PS3 Eye Cam may need to make their own adjustments
- there are 2 sets of files
- one gives you a Static Cam POV with a full playfield view
- the other gives you a Static Cam POV with the apron not visible (but fits a bit better)
- most tables will automatically look pretty good, but others will need some minor adjusting to get it to look correct
IMPORTANT: A small number of users who use my reality.dat file have a problem when they bring up the BAM menu (Q or ~). They see the menu, but not any text. If you have this problem after copying my files…or when updating BAM… then simply delete the reality.dat file. BAM will make a new file, and you should now see the BAM menu text. Keep in mind you may need to change some BAM settings to match what I listed above (I also show them in my video).
STEP 4: Install TerryRed’s “BAM – Table CFG – POV Files”
Even though we now have great default BAM settings that will work well for most tables… not all tables are made the same. Each table may need fine adjustments to their lighting, post processing, and POV to match perfectly. These settings are not saved as part of the table file.
- BAM saves all it’s table specific settings to a cfg file (named the same as the table file) in the “FuturePinball\BAM\cfg” folder
- I have a nice collection of BAM Table CFG files that are already preset and ready to go for you!
- most of these are for SLAMT1LT Ultimate Pro tables, my PinEvent table mods, and a few others. I will add more over time.
- most of these files were setup for a POV with the apron cut off to best fit the table without squishing or stretching it
- all you need to do is copy them to your “BAM\cfg” folder and rename them to match your table’s filename!
Table example using the Default.cfg (doesn’t fit quite right for this specific table)
Table using matching TerryRed Table specific cfg file (everything fits correctly)
STEP 5: Install TerryRed’s default Future Pinball settings to the Registry (optional)
- we can make it so that “most” of Future Pinball’s settings will be correctly set before we run it
- you do this by changing all of FP’s settings in the Windows registry with my reg file (make sure Future Pinball is NOT running)
- run my included “FP Settings – TerryRed.reg” file (in the FP Settings – TerryRed.zip) by double clicking on it
- when you run the file, Windows will tell you not to run the file unless you think it trustworthy. Click Yes to continue (I’m a trusting guy)
- it will then say that the reg file has been successfully added to the registry. That’s all you need to do!
Note: this WILL overwrite your current FP settings! It is intended for a new install, and not for someone who already had FP installed and working fine.
You still MUST follow the rest of the guide and confirm that the “Editor” settings (STEP 7) and “Video / Rendering” settings (STEP 8) are correct according to their pictures. You still need to change settings for your setup (desktop, cabinet, etc) as recommended in those Steps.
Restoring Future Pinball’s Original Default Settings
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Future Pinball\
- this is where all the settings for the FuturePinball.exe are stored in the Windows Registry
- this can be handy for more advanced users that want to make custom changes to FP settings (like for use with a front-end)
- if you have problems with Future Pinball and want to use the original default settings, then you can Delete the entire “Future Pinball” key
- now the next time you run Future Pinball, it will create new default Future Pinball settings in the registry
STEP 6: How to Run Future Pinball
What do you use?
- DON’T use FuturePinball.exe to load FP or play tables!
- there’s no need to use a modded FuturePinball.exe anymore
- always use BAM (FPLoader.exe) to launch / play / edit tables
Running Future Pinball or BAM as Administrator (Important!)
- the FuturePinball.exe must NOT be Run as Administrator!
- do not set “run in Compatibility mode for” older versions of Windows
- do NOT set FPLoader.exe to Run as Administrator unless you need to!
- setting FPLoader.exe to Run as Administrator will depend on your PC’s security settings. This can affect FPLoader from working correctly, or may restrict access to other programs FP may use (DOF).
- if you are getting errors trying to run FP tables with FPLoader.exe (and everything was setup correctly), then try running FPLoader.exe as Admin to see if that helps (its always preferred to not do this if possible)
Modded FuturePinball.exe files
- there have been various versions of the FuturePinball.exe in the past that had the watermark (and other limitations) removed
- some of these EXEs may give different results for some people’s hardware and may cause a crash
- BAM has fixed many bugs and limitations, and now also gives you the option to remove the watermark
http://www.pinsimdb.org/pinres/entry-1684-future_pinball_installation_and_alternate_executable_files
DO NOT use modified versions of the FuturePinball.exe. It is not needed or recommended anymore.
How To Access the Bam Menu
- while playing a table, press the ~ or Q key to access the BAM menu
Windowed mode and focus problems with BAM menu
- if you are in Windowed mode, the BAM menu key will take focus out of the FP window
- this may make the game freeze until you click back into the FP window!
- to avoid this, set FP to either use Fullscreen (recommended) or use a Forced Borderless Windowed mode
- Forced Borderless Windowed mode is only recommended for desktop users running PinEvent tables (and can’t use PUP Stream options) or possibly VR users depending on their setup
STEP 7: Editor Settings. VERY IMPORTANT!
- have “Load Image Into Table Editor” disabled (unchecked) in the “Preferences \ Editor Options” menu
- this is important as you will get crashes and other strange things happen when you launch some tables!
STEP 8: Video / Rendering
The Video / Rendering settings for both cabinet and desktop are mostly the same, except for a few things. There are more settings in the BAM menu when you load and play a table.
- you MUST configure Future Pinball with the settings shown in the pictures
- use the correct settings for desktop or cabinet setups
- you can change screen resolution (as needed)
- you can change anti-aliasing (as needed)
- don’t enable Game Room! It may cause some tables that use custom game rooms to crash!
- don’t enable Trilinear Filtering! It gives no visual benefit, and causes tables to take much longer to load!
- all of this is REQUIRED, for complete compatibility with most tables
Desktop Settings
- have “camera follows the ball” enabled if you like camera views that are more zoomed in and move
- have “camera follows the ball” disabled if you like camera views that show the entire playfield and don’t need to move
- single screen desktop users DO NOT enable Arcade Mode
Cabinet Settings
- set the rotation to 270 for most cabinets that have their playfield screen set to Landscape in Windows
- change rotation to 0 if you have your playfield screen set to Portrait in Windows
Backbox
- FP tends to only like to display the FP Backglass on the display that is positioned to the right of the playfield in Windows Display settings
- you must have your Backglass monitor connected to your nvidia / amd video card (not motherboard intel, etc)
- cabinet / multi screen users, don’t forget to enable Use Second Monitor for Backbox
- cabinet / multi screen users MUST also enable Arcade Mode
- select Backbox, then choose the correct Monitor Display and Resolution
- enable Fullscreen for your Backbox
- it’s important to have this set correctly, as FP can change the “fullscreen” resolution of both your Playfield and your BackBox monitor!
If you can’t set the resolution you need for your monitor, you can manually edit the resolution settings in the Registry:
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Future Pinball\GamePlayer
Future Pinball Display Problems
- FP tends to only like to display the FP Backglass on the display that is positioned to the right of the playfield in Windows Display settings
- you also must have your Backglass monitor connected to your nvidia / amd video card (not motherboard gpu, intel, etc)
- arrange your displays in Windows in order from left to right: playfield, backglass, then DMD or topper, etc with the top of the displays lined up
- the DISPLAY #’s in FP are not always correct because Windows gets confused and reports the wrong ID to FP. You may need to use a different DISPLAY #
- to help troubleshoot problems, you can try running the FP Backglass in windowed to see where it shows up and on what display
You can try to use the registry to manually set the resolution of both the playfield and backglass if absolutely needed:
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Future Pinball\GamePlayer
This DISPLAY #’s getting mixed up can sometimes be confusing, especially when you are trying to setup a second screen for the FP Backglass. You may need to try each DISPLAY number to find the correct one that will work. This is a common “Windows” problem and is not specific only to Future Pinball.
Arcade Mode
Important!!!
- FP’s Arcade Mode was meant to be used only when “Use Second Monitor Backbox” was also enabled, as it was intended for a cabinet view!
- “Use Second Monitor Backbox” and “Arcade Mode” must either be both enabled, or they both must be disabled
- if only one or the other enabled, then table functions like videos, some timers and other features won’t function correctly
Cabinet users with “Use Second Monitor Backbox” enabled, must have both FP’s “Arcade Mode” enabled and BAM’s “Force Arcade Mode” enabled!
- if you don’t have FP’s Arcade Mode enabled, table functions like videos, some timers and other features won’t function correctly
- if you don’t have BAM’s “Force Arcade Mode” enabled, some elements won’t appear correctly in a cabinet view (it’s also needed if using PinEvent features)
To enable both both BAM’s “Force Arcade Mode” and FP’s “Arcade Mode”:
- first disable “Arcade Mode” in FP’s Video and Render Settings (you can’t access Force Arcade Mode unless you do this)
- then run a table
- goto BAM’s AddOn menu and enable “Force Arcade Mode” (since this is now accessible)
- exit the Bam menu, and then exit the table
- now re-enable “Arcade Mode” in FP’s Video and Rendering Settings
Desktop / single screen users must NOT have “Arcade Mode” checkbox enabled!
- if you still want the Arcade Mode view on a single screen, then leave “Arcade Mode” disabled, and then you can enable BAM’s “Force Arcade Mode” from the BAM menu settings in-game
- if “Arcade Mode” in Video Settings is enabled on a single screen setup, you won’t be able to see the DMD text displayed on the HUD DMD
Fullscreen, Windowed, Borderless Windowed options:
- Future Pinball only runs in (Exclusive) Fullscreen, or windowed mode
- It does not have a Borderless Fullscreen option (this can be forced with another program, read more below)
- so standard HD and 4K resolutions aren’t available options in windowed mode, but they are in Fullscreen (this can be made to work, read more below)
NOTE: it’s always best to run Future Pinball in “Fullscreen” with Vertical Sync enabled! (in FP’s Video/Rendering settings)
The only times you use Windowed or Forced Borderless Windowed:
- using PinEvent tables on a single screen and want to display PuP-Packs “on top” of the Future Pinball window, because you can’t use PUP Stream options (read more below)
- possibly for VR depending on how picky your VR headset is with FP (read more in the VR section)
Do not run one of the programs (listed in the next section) to force FP into a Borderless Windowed Mode if using FP in Fullscreen (its not needed with Fullscreen and will cause issues)
Future Pinball Borderless Windowed Fullscreen workaround
(for single screen desktop users wanting to “try” to use PuP features with PinEvent, who can’t use PUP Stream options)
For Desktop / single screen users who wish to use FP in Borderless Windowed (for PinEvent tables with PUPDMD or PuP-Packs), you need to use a workaround.
Once this is setup, you don’t need to do it anymore.
- FIRST set your normal Video / Rendering options and Resolution to Fullscreen
- make sure you can run the game ok to be sure its using the correct resolution
- now go back to Video / Rendering options and ONLY uncheck the Fullscreen option
- it will most likely now display 640×480 for the resolution
- DO NOT change your resolution again! (the resolutions settings are still good!)
- from this point on you don’t ever change your resolution. Click OK to save the settings
- run a FP table to be sure it is running in the same resolution
- now you will see the ugly window borders. This is normal!
- now you need to use a program that will automatically force Future Pinball’s window to run in Borderless Windowed
- there are multiple options that work fine. I have used these two options, and both worked very well.
Borderless Gaming
https://github.com/Codeusa/Borderless-Gaming/releases
Windowed Borderless Gaming
http://westechsolutions.net/sites/WindowedBorderlessGaming/
…and other possible solutions…
https://pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Glossary:Borderless_fullscreen_windowed
Have one of those options setup for this window:
“Future Pinball – © 2008 BSP Software Design Solutions”
Now each time your Future Pinball table runs, it should switch to Borderless Windowed mode (no frames or taskbar).
STEP 9: Controls Settings
- you can use a mouse, keyboard, gamepads, and almost any kind of controller
- they can all be used at the same time with their own unique settings
There is a bug in Future Pinball that may prevent certain controls or AXIS to be usable if your local language is not set to English! Changing your local language to English is the only known option to resolve this problem.
Nudge
- you will never EVER get a TILT Warning using analogue nudging
- there is no dedicated Tilt Bob control
- Digital Nudge (with buttons or keys) will get a normal TILT Warning and TILT when nudging
- gamepads / controllers only let you use the D-Pad for digital nudge (it can’t be re-assigned)
- you can only change the assignment for digital nudge with keys
- for some people, analogue nudge may not have enough gain, so they will need to edit this in FP’s setting in the registry
For more info about analogue nudge, adjusting the gain more, and also how to add a dedicated tilt bob function to a table go here:
https://pinballnirvana.com/forums/index.php?threads/analog-nudge-in-fp.19833/
Plunger
- the various cabinet plungers, and gamepad controllers will work with FP using “most” analogue axis options
Analogue AXIS limitations!
- you can only use the standard X, Y or Z axis
- you can’t assign any button / key to an axis control
- you MUST have your Windows System language set to ENGLISH, or you will not see any AXIS options show up for your controller (this is a FP bug we can’t get around)
Special 1 and Special 2 Buttons
- these are used for numerous things on many tables like changing backglass, action button, changing options in the table, etc
- on a cabinet these would typically be used with Magna Save buttons
FIRE or ACTION Button
- Some tables support the use of a FIRE / ACTION button
- this may be mapped to possibly Special 1 or Special 2, or the 2nd Flippers on some tables
- Special 1 seems to be used most of the time
- examples of tables that use a FIRE Button would be Jaws Ultimate Pro, or Iron Man Ultimate Pro
Sound and Music Volume Level
- HOME/End and PAGE UP/DOWN are used to change the volume levels while playing the table
- this may be needed for some cabinet setups while playing PinEvent tables using SSF
STEP 10: FUTURE PINBALL TABLES
For anyone who is new to Future Pinball, or returning to it after many years… I would highly recommend you stick with SLAMT1LT’s Ultimate Pro tables and my PinEvent table mods at first (to see if you like it). These have been updated to use newer BAM physics and new BAM features, which allows them to both look and play much better than many older tables.
Read the Physics section to understand more about the differences between old FP physics and newer properly updated tables, before trying older FP tables (which there are some fantastic older tables waiting to be updated).
SLAMT1LT’s Ultimate Pro Future Pinball tables
- SLAMT1LT is well known for producing tables or mods of a very hi quality
- the first place you should go for some of the best FP tables there are
- all tables on this site are updated to use new BAM features and physics, and are stellar!
https://speak1970.wixsite.com/slamspinballemporium
UPDATE: currently all his Ultimate Pro tables are not available on his site, as he says they are getting updates, and will progressively appear on his site again as they are finished.
In the mean time, I have a link to the last set of Ultimate Pro tables he had available at this link here.
(this is only temporary or until newer versions come out so get them all now while you still can)
Ultimate Pro Tables (no longer on SLAM’s site)
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14ymA2vmmgzKUdGMKNdVPf8pqkYe9XQbv?usp=sharing
Some older, hard to find Ultimate Tables
- these are older tables no longer available on SLAM’s site (and can’t be found on most sites)
- they are not yet updated to use BAM’s newer physics, lighting and features
https://mega.nz/folder/CRB3HSLT#_VepgsXtq18WPBRKVQuqWA
PinEvent Tables
- these tables are updated to fully support BAM’S new features and physics
- they are updated by myself to use my new PinEvent standard for DOF/MX/PUP/SSF/PUPDMD
- I have also updated the tables with big mods that greatly change the game (Star Wars: Epic Space Battles, Halloween: Big Bloody Mike. F14 Tomcat, etc)
- a true showpiece collection for Future Pinball that has amazing DOF, and awesome modern video backglass and DMD displays!
https://vpinball.com/VPBdownloads/categories/future-pinball-pinevent-tables/
DOFLinx Tables
- this is a nice collection of tables that have DOFLinx support for DOF and MX Leds
https://vpinball.com/VPBdownloads/categories/future-pinball-doflinx-tables/
PinSimDB
- this is the largest collection of Future Pinball Tables
- this has a full range from the oldest tables and some new tables as well
- some recent tables have been updated to use new BAM features and physics
- many of them are older (amazing) tables using older physics (just waiting to be updated to use BAM features)
Pinball Nirvana
- this site has a growing collection of older tables and new tables
- some recent tables have been updated to use new BAM features and physics
- this has become more of the home for FP realted info and forums
https://pinballnirvana.com/forums/index.php?forums/future-pinball-releases.102/
vpforums
- a collection of both old and some newer tables
- there are also some DOFLinx modded tables there
- none of these tables (that I know of) have been updated for new BAM features or physics
https://www.vpforums.org/index.php?app=downloads&showcat=6
vpuniverse
- has a collection of tables
- a few of these tables have been updated for new BAM features or physics
http://vpuniverse.com/forums/files/category/5-future-pinball-tables/
TABLES and OTHER FILES. Where do they go?
When you download Tables…they can contain numerous files in the zip / rar archive. It’s important that these files go to the the correct folder!
Table Files (fpt):
- copy your FP tables (*.fpt) to the Tables folder (NOT in their own self-named sub folders!)
Library Files (fpl):
- copy any table Library files (*.fpl) to the Libraries folder
Scripts Fies (vbs):
- copy any scripts files to your “Future Pinball \ Scripts” folder (create a folder if there isn’t one)
Physics – older tables (xml, zip):
- Bam can use table specific files for physics settings for older tables
- example of the version of physics over the years are (2.4,2.5,2.6,2.7, Zed, Custom, etc)
- if a table needs this (older tables), then just copy the table’s .XML (*.zip for Zed) to your Tables folder and rename it the same as your table
- it MUST be the same name
- NEW tables can now have all modern physics settings in the table script with no need for an XML file. (read more in PHYSICS section)
Ball Textures (zip)
- BAM let’s you use a custom ball texture in almost any table. Some tables may include this as a zip file
- to use it, you can name the zip file the same as the table filename and put it in the Tables folder
- or you can name the zip file whatever you want and copy it to BAM\Balls. During gameplay press N to to cycle ball textures
BAM CFG files (cfg):
- cfg files for BAM hold lots of settings for each table (POV, size, lighting, renderer, Post Processing, Ball Options,etc)
- access these in the BAM menu (while playing the game) by pressing ~ or Q
- they are auto saved and named the same as the table filename
- these are located in the “BAM \ CFG” folder
- the default.cfg located in the BAM folder is what settings will be used for all new tables when they first are loaded
- you can create your own default.cfg from the BAM main menu (which will copy the current table’s settings to default.cfg)
Remember, if there is a TerryRed “BAM\CFG” file that matches a table you installed, rename it to match the table’s filename first before loading the table!
STEP 11: PLAYING A FUTURE PINBALL TABLE
Normal Loading and Usage:
- always use FPLoader.exe (BAM) to load, edit or play a game. Never the FuturePinball.exe!
- when running a table from the FP Editor directly (no front-end), ALWAYS load only one table at a time, and ALWAYS close FP and re-open it after exiting a table!
- this won’t be an issue when launching a table from a front-end because each time you exit your game it closes FP.
Changing camera views on Desktop:
- Future Pinball has numerous predefined still and moving camera views for desktop usage
- BAM has additional advanced features that allow for custom camera views and attract modes
Changing Playfield and Backbox size and position:
- DO NOT adjust these using the older Future Pinball method!
- now you will use BAM’s in game menu and features to adjust these almost any way you could ever want
- if you use one of my included default.cfg files (meant for cabinet view, see farther down the page), then new tables will use a good POV from the new default.cfg
- any table at anytime can choose “Reset to Default” to use the default.cfg files’s POV, size and position settings
Exiting a table
- it’s important that each time you exit a table, you completely close Future Pinball before you try to load and play another table!
- this is to ensure that there are no leftover processes still running and to be sure there are no problems
- when using a front-end this is easy since you are always closing Future Pinball when exiting your game
STEP 12: USING BAM
- when the table loads and is ready to play, press “Q” or ~ to access the in-game BAM menu
- here you can adjust numerous lighting, rendering, camera, post-processing, plug-ins, and other options
- BAM is simply awesome
BAM MENU Options
- there are MANY menu options for BAM
- some are more designed for cabinet users…others are Global Options that affect ALL tables
- some options only affect each table and are saved to a different BAM\CFG\ file per table
- you will need to navigate to find some of the other menu settings
Windowed mode and focus problems with BAM menu
- if you are in Windowed mode, the BAM menu key will take focus out of the FP window
- this may make the game freeze until you click back into the FP window!
- to avoid this, set FP to either use Fullscreen (recommended) or use a Forced Borderless Windowed mode
- Forced Borderless Windowed mode is only recommended for desktop users running PinEvent tables or possibly VR users depending on their setup
Note: BAM is updated regularly, so there could be new options or changes compared to what I show here.
Cabinet users please read FIRST!
- by default BAM does NOT have a nice POV for the playfield for a cabinet view
- before you try messing around with BAM settings to get a nice POV, first install my default.cfg
- goto the section “Getting BAM all setup with a good POV for Cabinet View the Easy Way!”
- follow the directions to install my default.cfg, then all new tables can start with a nice POV (you can also make any table use this new POV at any time easily!)
“Basic” and “Advanced” MENU
- bam has two different menu options. Basic and Advanced
- note: each of the menu options will keep “separate” settings for many things!
- it is HIGHLY recommended to NOT use the BASIC menu
- with the Basic Menu you will not see all options that you will need, and my guide only uses the “Advanced” menu
- you can go back and forth between the Basic and Advanced menu at any time in case you get confused
Only use the Advanced Menu!
“Addons” MENU
- Menu Type: Changes from Basic To Advanced. Keep this as Advanced!
- Force Arcade Mode: Needs to be enabled for cabinet users. Normally disabled for desktop users. (global setting)
- New Renderer State: this is BAM’s New Renderer. Always keep set to allowed
- Config Ball: this is a menu to change the Rendering options for the Ball
- Ball & Flipper Shadows: You can set Ball and Flipper shadows (per table setting)
- Kick: can’t remember what it does, but keep it disabled
- Trails: remember “mouse pointer trails” for Windows? This is like that.
- DMD Bulb Size: change the DMD dots size. For VR users this is best set to 2.0
- Hide FP Logo: hides the FP logo (it will fade out 5 secs after the table loads – global setting).
- Hide Overlays: hide the FP DMD / Overlays / Videos that are meant for Desktop users (and would show up on the cabinet playfield screen – global setting).
- Frame Limiter: This is NOT a VSYNC setting! This is more about internal FP timing. For many users they find they need this set set to OFF or they will get stuttering (especially in VR)! (per table setting)
Ideal settings for cabinet users:
Ideal settings for Desktop users:
“Config Ball” MENU: this is a menu to change the Rendering options for the Ball
Future Pinball Watermark:
BAM can now remove the Watermark on the original Future Pinball.exe
- Future Pinball displays a watermark of it’s logo in the lower right corner while playing. This looks terrible in a cabinet view in particular, since it also gets stretched
- BAM can automatically remove the FP watermark on the original FuturePinball.exe (it fades away 5 secs after table starts). You enable this in BAM menu – Addons
Overlay HUD for Videos, DMDs and Scores on the Main playfield Screen:
- by default FP has it’s Overlay HUD for DMD, Scores, and other things appear on it’s main screen
- This is not the same as what is shown on the backglass
- This can still appear when playing the game in a cabinet type of view (usually top left corner and stretched)
- it was intended for desktop view only
- for a cabinet view it needs to be hidden (using BAM) or moved “off screen” (not needed anymore)
Use BAM to HIDE all HUD Elements (easy option, recommended)
- BAM has a feature that allows you to hide all HUD Overlays and HUD DMDs, etc automatically
- you can enable this in BAM’s in-game menu – Addons
Manually hiding HUD elements (old method, use BAM instead)
- Load the table into the FP editor, click on Translite
- make sure all layers are visible
- you can see the the HUD Overlays and DMD you want to move typically on the top left
- select them all, and right-click on a part of it, choose Unlock
- now you can move them outside the Pink Box (that is the visible area of the playfield, we don’t want it there anymore)
- this pic shows where you want it to be. Then just save the file and you are good
“Plug-ins” Menu
This is where you can see and configure any plug-ins for BAM
- some plug-ins may not display or work until you update Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio for 2015 2017 2019 (both x86 and x64)
- https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/help/2977003/the-latest-supported-visual-c-downloads
PostFX:
- Bloom is used to give a glow effect. It’s usually better to keep it very minimal or off completely.
- SSAO is “Self-shaded Ambient Occlusion”. This can add nice shadows, but it can affect performance heavily and add artifacts. Probably better to leave it disabled.
Pinball High Scores: this replaces FP’s default Hi-Score entry function with a nice new one with support for taking your picture.
COM Extensions: is used to allow FP and BAM to used COM objects. This is needed for PinEvent tables.
PuP Plugin: this allows Pinup Player (or any other window) to be streamed into FP and displayed as any texture in the game. Can be multiple windows streamed to multiple textures. Amazing!
“Mode” Menu:
- this is where you change to the different camera / view modes
- the static views include “Future Pinball”, “Static Cam”
- the other modes are only used for BAM’s head-tracking features such as PS3 Eye Cam, Kinect, etc
- for a normal cabinet view (no head-tracking), you would only use Static Cam
Table and Lighting: here you can make adjustments to the playfield’s positions, scale and angle
Lights: here you can make adjustments to FP’s main global lighting. Only use New Renderer, as it’s BAM’s new lighting system required by new tables
Post Processing: here you can make adjustments to BAM’s Post & Pre Processing. Only use New Renderer, as it’s BAM’s new lighting system required by new tables.
On some newer tables, when you make changes to BAM’s Post Processing and Lighting… the changes you make won’t be kept the next time you load the table:
- some newer tables use specific settings that are always loaded from the table script for Post Processing and Lighting
- if you want to use your own settings on a PinEvent table, in the table script set use_Table_BAM_LightPresets = false
- on some other tables look for a sub routine called SetLightsParamsInBAM. Disabling commands in that sub routine might work
- after doing that, this should now allow your BAM settings (in BAM\cfg) to be used for Post Processing and Lighting
- be careful about making drastic changes to this, as the rest of the table lighting and inserts were adjusted for those settings
“DEV Options” Menu: this menu is only for table authors to add features to tables
BAM Config Settings Menu:
- Reset Session – this resets the current BAM settings back to what they were when the table was loaded
- Reset to Default – this will reset the current BAM settings to the settings in BAM\default.cfg
- Save as Default – this will save BAM’s current settings to BAM\default.cfg
- Copy settings to Basic menu – copy current settings to the Basic menu’s settings
- Save tableName.xml – this will copy the current basic physics to an xml file named the same as the table’s filename
- BAM menu preferences – you can configure the BAM menu’s fonts, position and more
Getting BAM all setup with a good POV for Cabinet View the Easy Way!
(TerryRed default.cfg files)
- BAM’s default configuration is NOT automatically setup to give cabinet users a nice POV for cabinet view
- don’t bother trying to fiddle with BAM’s settings to get a good POV… I’ve done all the work for you!
- I have attached two nice BAM default.cfg options for Cabinet users that are ready to go!
- one file is for users who want to see the entire playfield, the other is a more 1:1 size, but has the apron cut off (my preference)
- these views are setup correctly to retain a non-distorted view of the table and ball on the entire playfield!
- the lighting and post processing is nicely set for most newer tables
- the POV for the playfield is ideally setup for most tables, but you can still fine tune it for each table as needed
How to install and use TerryRed’s default.cfg
- extract the default.cfg file of your choice to your BAM folder (backup the original default.cfg file just in case)
- now each new table that loads for the first time, will use these nice settings from this new default.cfg
- you can also choose “Reset to Default” for any table at any time to use the new default.cfg file settings
- if you want ALL tables to use this new default.cfg file’s settings… an easy way would be to delete all their cfg files in BAM\cfg (they will use default.cfg settings on next load)
- note: these files were made for Static Cam, and may not be ideal for Head Tracking modes!
NOTE: If you installed files from “BAM – Default cfg and Settings Files – Cabinet – TerryRed.zip”, then you already have TerryRed’s default.cfg installed.
BAM-default-cfg-good-POV-for-cabinets-TerryRed
TerryRed default.cfg with Full Playfield examples:
TerryRed default.cfg with No Playfield Apron examples:
Backbox
- Backbox settings in Bam can be adjusted in numerous ways for manual sizing or auto sizing
- I find doing manual is best so you have the best control over each table, as fitting a square Backbox into a 16:9 table can be tricky
Pro TIP: Don’t forget that you can hold down Shift while adjusting with arrows keys goes much faster… or you can enter numerical values.
SAVE TO DEFAULT
- if you have your table looking good and would like other tables to use the same settings… choose “Save to Default”
- this will give you a default config for all tables to use when they load for this first time (and you can Reset to Default at any time for any table)
BAM Unique Table Configs (cfg files):
- each table can have their own settings for size, position (POV) and all the other BAM settings
- this is auto-saved in the “BAM \ CFG” folder and named after that table’s filename
- you must exit the BAM menu for the settings to be saved (before exiting a table)
- users can share their cfg settings with others, so they don’t need to adjust anything!
You can look around the other menus and try setting things for yourself. Lots of neat stuff:
- ambient occlusion “might” look nice, but can really kill your fps and cause artifacts. You’re better off disabling it.
- bloom can look good..but it can also make everything blurry when not set right. Probably better to keep it disabled.
- Config Ball. This has brightness and other options that can make the BALL look really nice!
- DMD dot size (FP internal DMD only). This can be handy for VR (set to 2.0)
- (POV) table size, position, offset, angle
- lighting and rendering
…and much more
Change Ball Texture while Playing:
- while playing, BAM lets you change to a different Ball Texture in game by pressing N (or whatever key you configure)
- It use whatever files are found in “BAM \ Balls”. Press N again to cycle to the next ball texture
- you can have baseball, basketball, soccer, fire, cue ball and more
- you can create and use your own as well. (This won’t work on tables that use BAM to create Custom Balls in the table script)
Changing the “Default” Ball texture for all Tables
- I have attached a file that can be used to automatically replace the ball texture for all tables with a nice chrome ball
- if you want ALL tables to use this new chrome ball texture, then copy the default.zip file to the BAM folder
- if you only want specific tables to use this new ball texture, then copy the default.zip file to the Tables folder and have it match the table filename
- you could also copy the zip to the BAM\Balls folder and name it whatever you want. Then during gameplay cycle to the ball using the N key
- this will have no effect on table’s that use BAM to create Custom Balls in the table script
Note: the BAM\default.zip file function can be used for more than just a new ball texture. It can also have new default physics and other BAM default settings added as well.
New-Chrome-Ball-Default-Texture
Original FP Ball
New Chrome Ball Texture
STEP 13: Enjoy playing some great NEW tables!
Now that you have everything working nicely with your setup with a good variety of tables, and after you become familiar with FP and BAM…
…then you can pursue more advanced options like DMDs, PinEvent, DOF cabinet hardware feedback and lighting, VR, etc.
Don’t leap! Take one step at a time.
PHYSICS
- Future Pinball has a reputation for having bad physics
- this came from a combination of older tables using older FP physics, or tables not designed properly…. or tables being used with incorrect physics
- today any table can be updated to make use of modern BAM features for physics which makes a HUGE difference in how good the table plays!
BAM physics XML and ZIP files (for older tables only):
- BAM has an XML folder that includes files of the different versions of “basic” physics changes (2.5, 2.6, 2.7, Zed, etc)
- to use these files you would simply copy the version of the physics file you want to use with a table to the Tables folder and rename the file to match the table filename
- This is only for older tables that don’t use updated BAM dynamic physics and embedded XML in the table script!!! (read more below)
Collection of BAM XML files (for older tables only):
I have included a zip of a large number of XML files I matched to tables I “think” are the most accurate based on what the author’s intended. This is by no means complete or perfect…but using these files will allow you have a better setup for tables you may download. Just copy the file for the table you want to the Tables folder and make sure the xml matches the table filename! Note… these files are not to be used with newer tables that are updated to use new BAM physics!
xml-files-for-older-table-physics
New BAM Dynamic Flippers and Physics:
BAM now allows you to use modern scriptable Dynamic Flippers and physics as well as an XML file config within the table script with no need for any other files. You can change the options and other settings right in the table script to your liking!
BAM uses physics in a priority basis. This is important to understand as when you run a table it will use whatever it finds FIRST and in the following order:
- BAM first looks for modern dynamic physics and an embedded xml contained in the table script (newer / BAM updated tables only)
- if not found, then it will look for an XML file or a zip file (Zed physics tend to use zip) matching the table filename
- if not found then it will use the default.xml in the BAM folder
- if not found, it will use finally use whatever physics the FuturePinball.exe uses
Add New BAM Dynamic Physics to a Future Pinball Table
A Super Easy Guide!
This question comes up a lot, so I figured it was time to make a simple post to show how to add newer BAM dynamic physics to a Future Pinball table that hasn’t been updated to use BAM features.
BAM now allows for pretty much all aspects of FP’s physics to be opened up and dynamically changed on the fly in table script!
Benefits to adding newer BAM dynamic physics to a Future Pinball table:
- this can help dramatically improve how well many tables will play… in particular the flippers, and the weight / feel of the ball
- flipper accuracy is much more improved and can be adjusted in the table script
- older BAM xml physics files are no longer required, or used (they will be ignored)
- all the new physics settings are included in the table script!
- no need for any different version of the FuturePinball.exe to change physics (only use the original FuturePinball.exe !!!)
What this guide WONT do:
- make FP tables play the same as VPX tables
- this guide won’t achieve the same level of physics on a FP table along the lines of nFozzy or rothbauerw VPX tables
- this will make FP tables play much better… but not perfect or totally realistic for everyone’s preferences
Guide is posted here:
Real DMD and LCD DMD for Pinball Cabinets:
Future Pinball does a great job at creating it’s own backglass and DMD / scoring displays. This is perfect for 2 screen cabinet users that don’t need any kind of DMD or separate display.
For Real DMD and LCD DMD users, Future Pinball does not natively support rendering scores or DMDs to a separate window or a Real DMD. Therefor you will need to use other programs to mirror the Future Pinball DMD. The limitations are:
- DMD support only
- no alpha numeric displays
- DMDs must be 128×32 (this may require a simple change on some tables)
Future DMD
- for LCD users, you can use FutureDMD to display 128×32 DMDs on another monitor
- the Future Pinball Backglass DMD must be 128×32
- for more info on setup and use, read through it’s excellent guide
https://www.vpforums.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfile=8222
FP Intercept
- RealDMD users can also display 128×32 DMDs from FP tables using FPIntercept
- there is some colour DMD support.
https://www.vpforums.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfile=7493
PUPDMD and PinEvent
- FP tables modded for PinEvent support can now use Pinup Player and PUPDMD to display a modern text and score display combined with video
- for more information on this awesome new option, goto the PinEvent section
Cabinet Feedback and Lighting and Support
By swisslizard
Future Pinball has had a few options over the years for feedback and Lighting support. Since Future Pinball was very restrictive with external programs being used with it… there had to be workarounds initially to make it possible. These are the solutions and options:
- LED-WIZ – this was an older support for Led-Wiz made by GLXB (not sure who else). No longer supported.
- DOFLinx – a more recent option that allowed FP tables to be able to have DOF support through a program called DOFLinx. Made by DDH69
- PinEvent – the newest option that uses the BAM plug-in “COM Extensions” (made by Nailbuster and ravarcade) and the PinEvent standard (made by TerryRed and Nailbuster) that allows for full direct DOF and PuP support without the need of external applications
Pinup Player
By Nailbuster
Pinup Player is a program that provides “active video Backglass or Text Displays” that can be played on your Backglass, Topper, DMD and other monitor / tv.
Some of it’s features are:
- active video Backglass, Topper, DMD
- PuP-Packs
- SSF (Surround Sound Feedback)
- PUPDMD support for 4:1 DMD, Real DMD and 16:9 Full DMD
- mini-games
NOTE: It’s important that you understand that Pinup Player videos and text are displayed in a separate window from Future Pinball. You can only display them “in” Future Pinball with PinEvent tables using PuP Stream. (More info in the PinEvent Guide).
For Future Pinball, there are two options for Pinup Player support:
- DOFLinx
- PinEvent
DOFLinx
- has Pup-Pack support, but does not support more advanced features like PUPDMD and PUP SSF Ball Rolling
- only one FP table “Tron Legacy (Stern) Ultimate – DOFLinx” has PuP support
PinEvent
- has full direct support for all Pinup Player features
- there are multiple PinEvent tables that have full DOF/MX/PUP/SSF/PUPDMD support
- more PinEvent tables will be coming
For more information about Installing Pinup Player, goto the PinEvent section and read the PinEvent Install Instructions
PinEvent – DOF / MX / PUP / SSF / PUPDMD for Future Pinball
By TerryRed, Nailbuster, ravarcade
PinEvent is a new standard for Future Pinball that I created (with help from Nailbuster and ravarcade) to allow Future Pinball tables to be modded to have full “direct” support for DOF / MX Leds / PUP / SSF / PUPDMD without the need for other applications.
For a video showcase of PinEvent in action, watch these epic videos:
PinEvent features:
- DOF (direct output framework) for cabinet hardware feedback, controlled lighting and toys
- Pinup Player
- PuP-Packs
- PUP SSF and 3D positional ball rolling
- PUPDMD (4:1 DMD , Real DMD, 16:9 FullDMD)
- choose what devices are output to SSF (flippers, slings, bumpers, etc) for custom setups
- choose what devices are output to DOF (flippers, slings, bumpers, chimes, etc) for custom setups
- PinEvent profile settings for any FP mode (desktop, vr, cabinet/arcade mode)
- custom PinEvent settings per table via table script options
- does not need or use DOFLinx
What do I need PinEvent for?
- any Future Pinball table that has been modded for PinEvent. Without the PinEvent files installed, the table will NOT work.
DESKTOP USERS:
- Desktop users (or anyone) who only want to play a PinEvent table (and NOT use any DOF or PUP features) just need to install the PinEvent files
- after that, my modded PinEvent tables will operate and play like a normal Future Pinball table
DOF and Pinup Player:
- to use these features you need PinEvent installed and setup
- you need DOF and Pinup Player installed and setup correctly (more info in the install instructions)
Why is PinEvent needed?
- Future Pinball restricted the usage of external applications with tables. This made it difficult to add DOF and PUP support to Future Pinball tables
- in the past there were efforts from GLXB and others (LedWiz support), and currently from DDH69 (DOFLinx). While these work great (I still love DOFLinx), they have limitations
PinEvent isn’t restricted
- it uses the new COM Extensions plug-in for BAM (made by Nailbuster and ravarcade)
- this allows Future Pinball to “directly” access DOF and Pinup Player and be able to use ALL their features!
- I was able to make a new script / command standard for DOF / PUP / SSF that allows for ease of use while now allowing for advanced features such as PUPDMD
- this allowed me to add custom features for users to use per table, or by PinEvent profiles that can have each table / pup-pack / pupdmd work automatically with the correct settings needed for the table without needing to touch the table script
PinEvent install files:
https://vpinball.com/VPBdownloads/pinevent-dof-mx-pup-ssf-pupdmd-for-future-pinball/
PinEvent Install Instructions and Guide:
https://vpinball.com/forums/topic/pinevent-dof-mx-pup-ssf-pupdmd-for-future-pinball/#post-171545
PinEvent Tables:
https://vpinball.com/VPBdownloads/categories/future-pinball-pinevent-tables/
DOFLinx
By DDH69
DOFLinx is very feature rich and has support for:
- Future Pinball
- Pinball FX3
- DOF (supports most but not all DOF hardware controllers)
- Pinup Player (does not support more advanced features like PUPDMD and PUP SSF Ball Rolling)
It is a program that runs in the background (sleeps) and waits to detect that Future Pinball has been run. Once FP is detected DOFLinx has two modes of operation for DOF support for Future Pinball. FP LINK and “Key to Output”
FP LINK
- once FP is detected, DOFLinx will wake up and listen for a specific FP LINK message
- if the table is DOFLinx modded, after it starts, it will send a FP LINK message to DOFLinx
- once the link is established, then any DOFLinx commands sent by the table will be translated by DOFLinx to trigger DOF commands
- when the table exits and FP closes completely, the link is disconnected, and DOFLinx goes back to sleep
- DOFLinx can trigger DOF directly for normal DOF but not MX Leds, or it can support all DOF toys through DOF Config files and DOF Config Tool
- there are a good number of older FP tables that have DOFLinx support
Key to Output
- this is DOFLinx’s native function that can work with any program
- this mode uses a key (or gamepad button) to control a DOF device output
- once FP is detected, DOFLinx will wake up and try to create and FP LINK with the table
- if the FP table does not have DOFLinx support, then DOFLinx falls back to Key to Output mode
- DOFLinx uses the configuration it has in DOFLinx.ini for the Key to Output functions and more
- so for any FP table, you can have basic flipper only solenoid feedback and basic lighting
- when the table exits and FP closes completely, DOFLinx goes back to sleep
DOFLinx should always be left alone to run in the background.
If you are using a PinEvent table, then DOFLinx needs to be paused or closed.
(so you don’t have both PinEvent and DOFLinx triggereig DOF at the same time, More information can be found in the PinEvent Install Instructions)
DOFLinx Install:
https://www.vpforums.org/index.php?showtopic=35852
DOFLinx forum:
https://www.vpforums.org/index.php?showforum=104
Future Pinball DOFLinx Tables:
https://vpinball.com/VPBdownloads/categories/future-pinball-doflinx-tables/
My Guide for DOFLinx with a bit more Detail is here:
https://vpinball.com/forums/topic/doflinx-guide-by-terryred/
For more information on DOFLinx and setup, watch my video guide here:
Virtual Pinball “Software” Essentials – DOFLinx
FRONT-ENDS
Future Pinball and any needed programs it uses can be launched from any front-end easily.
Pinball X
- setup Pinball X to launch FP tables with FPLoader.exe
Pinup Popper
- ensure your Emulator Paths are all correct
- the default Popper Launch script for Future Pinball will work with the default install location
- if you want to use FutureDMD or FPIntercept, ensure you have that included as well
- when launching PinEvent tables, you don’t need to be using FutureDMD, FPIntercept, DOFLinx, or the FP Backglass (more info on the PinEvent Install Instructions)
Example of Pinup Popper Launch script with FutureDMD:
cd "c:\games\Future Pinball"START "" "FutureDMD.exe" table="[GAMENAME]" close=1START "" "[STARTDIR]Launch\VPXSTARTER.exe" 10 5 20 "Future Pinball"START "" "[DIREMU]\FPLoader.exe" /open "[GAMEFULLNAME]" /play /exit /arcaderender /STAYINRAMExample of Popper Close Script:
"[STARTDIR]LAUNCH\PUPCLOSER.EXE" WINTIT "Future Pinball" 2 1
Pinball Y
I haven’t used Pinball Y, but I assure you Future Pinball works fine with it.
( @mjr you got a PBY logo?)
FP BAM OPENVR
If you want to try the BEST virtual pinball VR experience, you can install BAM OpenVR!
- ALL Future Pinball tables work perfectly in VR… no need for VR specific tables
- some tables do have VR specific features that are pretty cool
- FP BAM works properly and completely in VR. No hacks or custom version of FP needed
- FP’s superior rendering and lighting is “complete” and stunning in VR
- BAM has many VR specific features and BAM’s in-game menu makes changing options in VR super easy
- 1000’s of VR ready FP tables (though newer BAM updated tables like PinEvent or Ultimate Pro tables will look and play much better than older tables)
- Pinup Player (PuP-Packs) from PinEvent tables look amazing in VR thanks to the efforts of DJRobX and ravarcade’s PuP plug-in for BAM Open VR!
An example of Future Pinball and BAM OpenVR running on Oculus Quest
- the “game room” is normally not the old ugly one shown in the video (disable that in Video Settings)
Another example of Future Pinball PinEvent tables running in BAM Open VR, displaying the PuP-Pack “in” VR using the PinEvent PuP Stream option:
What VR headsets work?
- BAM OpenVR uses SteamVR normally to work. So any VR headset that works with SteamVR “should” work
- headsets geared more towards SteamVR (Vive, Index) may work more easily
- Oculus Rift / S headsets “may” work better using the OpenComposite DLL… but it’s finnicky (read more below)
- Oculus Quest 1 users have had bad results using the link cable (no idea if this has changed)
- Oculus Quest 2 users now have had good results using the link cable (now that it’s been updated to allow 72 / 80 / 90 Hz)
- Oculus Quest 1/2 headsets work very well using Virtual Desktop (patched for wireless PC VR) and a dedicated 5 GHz AC (or better) router
- the various headsets out there use different refresh rates and hardware. So there is no “one setup that works for all VR headsets”
Before Trying Bam OpenVR…
- this section is the “basic” essentials and info for BAM OpenVR only
- you must have FP and BAM setup and working normally with tables FIRST! (use the main guide for install and setup info)
- please do that before attempting BAM OpenVR! You need to know FP and BAM and how tables work and play
- this section is NOT a complete step by step, as its impossible to cover the setup and settings needed for every VR headset and PC hardware combo
- while many people have no problem getting BAM OpenVR working perfectly, others may have difficulty getting it working “correctly” to be super smooth on their hardware and setup
- you need a pretty powerful PC if you want “all” tables to play smoothly and correctly
Install and Usage of FP-BAM OpenVR
- download the BAM-OpenVR.zip
- extract the “BAM-OpenVR” folder to your Future Pinball folder (NOT in your BAM folder!)
- run FPLoader.exe from the “BAM-OpenVR” folder and launch the table like normal
- once the table loads completely it will switch to VR mode and you can setup BAM in VR by pressing ~ or Q
- if running FP in Windowed mode, bringing up the BAM menu (~ or Q) will cause FP to NOT be in focus (and the game may freeze or have something else happen)
- if this happens you need to click back in the FP window!
- you can stop this from happening by either running FP in Full screen, or forced Borderless Windowed
- some systems or VR headsets may need very specific settings in FP, their GPU driver, SteamVR (if not using OpenComposite), and Oculus settings to work ideally
The BAM OpenVR install zip file is at the same link as the other BAM download files on Ravarcade’s site
Tips for Settings to use for FP, GPU Drivers, Steam VR, Oculus
- FP’s Second Screen / Backglass and Arcade Mode (in Video settings) must be disabled while using VR
- use my settings I show in the guide and make any changes I show below
- some systems may need to reduce graphically intensive settings (like AA, reflections) as VR is much more demanding for GPU and CPU usage
- if you use OpenComposite DLL (for Oculus Rift / S / Quest 2 users, if it works well for you), this removes the usage of SteamVR completely (one less layer to deal with)
- Oculus Rift / S / Quest 2 users should install Oculus Tray Tool and set ASW to OFF and SuperSampling to 0 for FP. Also use Oculus Homeless. This can make a big difference to how efficient (and properly) an Oculus Headset can run
- your GPU driver may need to be set to force VSYNC to ON or OFF (for FP only) depending on what menthod you are using (link, wireless,etc). For nvidia this is done in nvidia control panel
- in nvidia control panel for FP only, setting Transparent AA to x4 or x8 makes a HUGE difference on how nice FP VR looks (no jaggies). This needs a fast GPU / CPU
- in BAM’s in-game VR menu, set vsync to OFF.
- in BAM’s in-game VR menu, setting the latency may be needed for each person. For me I need -1 or it makes me feel a bit yucky
- in BAM’s in-game VR AddOns menu, set the Frame Limiter to OFF (this is not a vsync setting)
- it may look a bit pixelated at first with no AA set
- make sure BAM VR is running nice and smooth BEFORE you try to crank up the AA settings in GPU driver, BAM settings, Steam VR (if used) or Oculus Tray Tool!
These are “tips”… but not concrete. They are suggestion based on my own experience with my Rift Cv1 / Rift S / Quest 2. Other headsets may not need any adjusting at all.
BAM’s VR Specific Settings for Setup and View
- BAM has many new VR specific features in the in-game menu
- you can reset your view at any time using BAM’s “HOME” key. You can change this to what key you want to use in the BAM menu
- BAM’s menu Preferences lets you choose “how” and where the BAM menu appears. Very cool!
- you can use WSAD keys and gamepad controls to move around the VR room!
- table views can be from a Seated or Standing mode
- each table can have their own unique settings for VR and the normal BAM settings for Lighting and Post Processing, Ball and Flipper shadows, Ball Rendering,etc
- when you have the settings / position you like, then choose “Save to Default”. All tables loaded for the first time with use these settings
- at any time you can bring up the BAM menu and choose “Reset to Default” to use the default settings
Future Pinball-BAM Open VR on Oculus Quest 2 – Link Cable
****** Using a decent quality Link cable and Open Composite DLL *****
Great success! Mostly.
OK.. after some testing, here’s what I find works very well for me on my system to get smooth gameplay, and a very nice SS / clean image. No funky ball judder, etc.
Your CPU and GPU will greatly determine how well everything can run. Some tables may run really well… whereas others may be much more demanding (newer tables).
My PC Specs:
- i5 9600K CPU
- 16 GB DDR4 ram
- nVidia GTX 1080
I’ve tested numerous tables at 72Hz, 80Hz, and 90Hz at the Quest 2’s standard resolution. Most tables run great but some newer tables (like PinEvent, etc) are more demanding at 90Hz at that resolution and may not play smoothly at 90Hz, but may run fine at 72Hz / 80Hz.
Not used:
- SteamVR is completely bypassed when using Open composite DLL
- don’t enable PinEvent PuP-Packs / PuP Stream (at first). These can cause a heavy judder. Wait until you have tested all tables and have them running smoothly, and then try enabling this to see if your system can handle it for those tables
Install the Open Composite DLL in BAM OpenVR plug-ins folder
- extract the files from the zip into the BAM Open VR plugins folder
- overwrite the DLL file already in there (you can backup if you want)
OpenComposite-DLL-for-BAM-VR-plugins
nVidia Driver:- use the settings in the pics below for FP
- you could try enabling the nvidia Low Latency mode as well
- when you have everything running really nice, you can always come back here and up the transparent AA if your system can handle it (I wouldn’t go higher than 4)
Future Pinball:- the pic below shows my FP settings
- I recommend starting with this at first to be sure you’ll have good smooth gameplay
- when you have everything running very nicely, you can always come back and try enabling reflections if your system can handle it
- keep vsync OFF and fullscreen enabled
- you can lower the resolution down to 640×480, since this has no effect on VR, but can affect your GPU performance
Oculus Desktop App
- be sure your Quest 2 has good and fast USB 3.0 connectivity
- you can set the resolution and Hz (72 / 80 / 90) in the device settings
- the higher the Hz and resolution… the better your CPU and GPU needs to be
- start at resolution 1.0 and 80Hz as a nice middle ground. You can always come back and go higher (if your system can handle it) or lower (if your system can’t handle it) as needed.
Oculus Tray Tool
This is used to change settings for Oculus PC VR without dealing with the Oculus Debug Tool. It can be found here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/oculus/comments/5okoju/oculus_tray_tool/Settings:
- Super Sampling 0 (this comes down to how fast your system is if you want it higher)
- ASW = Off (though I find if your fps go really low this will still turn on)
- GPU Scaling = Off
- Oculus Homeless = Off (no need for this anymore, as you can disable the Home in the desktop app…very recommended!)
For testing, I enable the Visual HUD and set to Performance
- this shows a real time graph so you can see the Hz and fps
- it shows on the left what you have Link set to (72, 80, 90)
- on the right it shows how much headroom you have left for your cpu / gpu
- if the right side falls too low, then your fps / performance on the left will drop as well
- If your system is fast… then the left “should” be steady at 72 / 80 / 90 (whatever Link is set to)
- as long as the left is solid… then the game / head movement / ball movement “should” be nice and smooth!
- if your fps shows 45 constant while playing… then that means ASW is turning on (your system may be to slow for the table, etc)
BAM:- do a clean install of the latest BAM-Open VR (do NOT mix with normal BAM folder). You may want to start with no BAM\CFG files so that your tables will all start with the same settings (that you will create below)
- now you run FPLoader.exe from BAM Open VR folder from your Virtual Desktop in VR. Try running a table
- you’ll probably see the table below you. Bring up the BAM menu with Q or ~
- if you get a grey screen…try exiting the table, close FP and try again
BAM VR settings:
- by default the HOME key (re-center) is F12 (you can change it in BAM menu)
- In Add-ons: Hide FP logo = true, Hide Overlays = always, Frame Limiter = Off (important)
- Vsync = OFF
- AA = x2 or x4. Can be set higher if your system can handle it…but keep it low at first or you may get judder. This setting combined with GPU Transparent AA make all the difference in FP looking crisp and nice… but it also can be a heavy hitter on fps for some tables.
- Frame Latency = Important! Try each value for yourself. Each person is different. This will help with the table not being in sync with your head movement
BAM Table position:
- you can adjust the table’s position and size and angle in the usual BAM Table menu
- you can also setup your gamepad to move around in VR in real-time
BAM Lighting and Post Processing
- older tables would benefit from Presets: Default or Night.
- newer tables like Ultimate Pro and PinEvent will set this for you per table
- set what you like for a default setting
- be sure to use New Renderer only (though “old” tables will look fine with FP Original, don’t set that as your default)
Default and Table CFG files:
- once you have everything looking the way you want, go back to the main menu and make sure you “Save as Default”
- now ALL tables will use these settings the first time they load
- you can always choose “Reset to Defaults” for any table at any time (if you mess up another table)…or you can delete their BAM\CFG file
Note: that the tables may not seem smooth until AFTER you have all these settings “correct”, and you’ve exited and reloaded FP-BAM!
Exiting a table and Starting another table:
- when you exit a table, you must close FP and reload BAM Open VR and load your next table
- you may need to press the BAM HOME / Reset key each time a table loads to center it
Tables:
- once you get everything running nice, I suggest trying SLAM’s Ultimate Pro tables, and my PinEvent updated tables, as they are set for proper lighting and look really good in VR! There are many older tables that do look amazing (polygame, blindmankind,etc)
- Star Wars DSA: Epic Space Battles looks particularly cool if I do say so myself (but it’s VERY demanding and needs a FAST computer and gpu to run smooth)
- older tables should run really well. If needed they can be set to FP Original in BAM settings for it’s renderer to run much better, and use Default Preset for Lighting
- New Tables (Ultimate Pro, PinEvent, etc) MUST use New Renderer, or they will look like ass!
PinEvent PuP-Packs and PUP Stream:- DO NOT enable pup-packs or Pup stream until you have all tables working and looking good!
- once you do… then you can try to enable ONLY the PuP FullDMD and the PUP Stream FullDMD option! If the table doesn’t run well for you, then keep pup and pup stream disabled!
Launching Tables:
Once you are all setup… then running the tables is pretty normal.
Future Pinball-BAM Open VR on Oculus Quest 2 – Wireless****** Using Virtual Desktop (VD) Wireless for PC VR *****
Great success! Mostly.
OK.. after some testing, here’s what I find works very well for me on my system to get very smooth gameplay, and a very nice SS / clean image. No funky ball judder, etc.
This is NOT using Oculus Link.
Your CPU and GPU will greatly determine how well everything can run. Some tables may run really well… whereas others may be much more demanding (newer tables).
My PC Specs:
- i5 9600K CPU
- 16 GB DDR4 ram
- nVidia GTX 1080
Most tables run very nicely at 60Hz wireless (without PinEvent pup-stream / pup-packs running).
Not used:
- Oculus tray Tool is not running, no special settings with Oculus Debug Tool (most of what we do is handled by Virtual Desktop)
- DO NOT use Open Composite! It won’t work with Virtual Desktop wireless (so far)
- don’t enable PinEvent / DOFLinx PuP-Packs (at first). These can cause a heavy judder. Probably due to VD capturing monitors that the pup-packs are displayed on
- only run Virtual Desktop wireless at 60Hz (72Hz and 90Hz will cause stuttering)
Steam VR:
- set to 100% resolution, no super sampling / AA, smoothing, etc
Virtual Desktop:
- buy Virtual Desktop (VD) for Quest (NOT for Rift / PC VR)
- patch virtual desktop to enable wireless PC VR using SideQuest
- only use 60Hz for now (FP seems to need 60 or 120Hz to run nicely)
- get VD working nicely with a good 5G router or better
- the VR quality settings are like a Super Sampling and resolution setting. High can make FP look much better…but you need a fast PC. Start at Low or Medium
- a high vr bitrate can add additional latency if set too high. I’ve worked with 35 to 100Mbps with good results… but your Wifi connection needs to be good!
This reddit has some good info on how to setup your wifi router and also some virtual desktop settings:
https://www.reddit.com/r/OculusQuest/comments/je4lhi/guide_for_buttery_smooth_vd_over_wifi/
nVidia Driver:- use the settings in the pics below for FP
- you could try enabling the nvidia Low Latency mode as well
- when you have everything running really nice, you can always come back here and up the transparent AA if your system can handle it (I wouldn’t go higher than 4)
Future Pinball:- the pic below shows my FP settings
- I recommend starting with this at first to be sure you’ll have good smooth gameplay
- when you have everything running very nicely, you can always come back and try enabling reflections if your system can handle it
BAM:- do a clean install of the latest BAM-Open VR (do NOT mix with normal BAM folder). you may want to start with no BAM\CFG files so that your tables will all start with the same settings (that you will create below)
- now you run FPLoader.exe from BAM Open VR folder from your Virtual Desktop in VR. Try running a table
- you’ll probably see the table below you. Bring up the BAM menu with Q or ~
- if you get a grey screen…try exiting the table, close FP and try again
BAM VR settings:
- by default the HOME key (re-center) is F12 (you can change it in BAM menu)
- In Add-ons: Hide FP logo = true, Hide Overlays = always, Frame Limiter = Off (important)
- Vsync = OFF
- AA = x2 or x4. Can be set higher if your system can handle it…but keep it low at first or you may get judder. This setting combined with GPU Transparent AA make all the difference in FP looking crisp and nice… but it also can be a heavy hitter on fps for some tables.
- Frame Latency = Important! Try each value for yourself. Each person is different. This will help with the table not being in sync with your head movement
BAM Table position:
- you can adjust the table’s position and size and angle in the usual BAM Table menu
- you can also setup your gamepad to move around in VR in real-time
BAM Lighting and Post Processing
- older tables would benefit from Presets: Default or Night.
- newer tables like Ultimate Pro and PinEvent will set this for you per table
- set what you like for a default setting
- be sure to use New Renderer only (though “old” tables will look fine with FP Original, don’t set that as your default)
Default and Table CFG files:
- once you have everything looking the way you want, go back to the main menu and make sure you “Save as Default”
- now ALL tables will use these settings the first time they load
- you can always choose “Reset to Defaults” for any table at any time (if you mess up another table)…or you can delete their BAM\CFG file
Note: that the tables may not seem smooth until AFTER you have all these settings “correct”, and you’ve exited and reloaded FP-BAM!
Exiting a table and Starting another table:
- when you exit the table, you’ll see you are still in Steam VR. This is ok, and you want to leave it there
- press the left Oculus controller’s Menu button twice to go back to your virtual desktop
- close FP and reload BAM Open VR and load your next table
- once the table is loaded, its possible it may not kick into VR, and you may only hear it or see the FP window. If this is the case, then just press the left Oculus Controller’s menu button twice to go back into VR
- enjoy another table!
- you may need to press the BAM HOME / Reset key each time a table loads to center it
- repeat the above for exiting and starting a new table (or take off your headset and look at your monitor)
Tables:
- once you get everything running nice, I suggest trying SLAM’s Ultimate Pro tables, and my PinEvent updated tables, as they are set for proper lighting and look really good in VR!
- Star Wars DSA: Epic Space Battles looks particularly cool if I do say so myself (but it’s VERY demanding and needs a FAST computer and gpu to run smooth)
- older tables should run really well. If needed they can be set to FP Original for it’s renderer to run much better, and use Default Preset for Lighting in BAM
- New Tables (Ultimate Pro, PinEvent, etc) MUST use New Renderer, or they will look like ass!
PinEvent PuP-Packs and PUP Stream:- DO NOT enable pup-packs or Pup stream until you have all tables working and looking good!
- once you do… then you can try to enable ONLY the PuP FullDMD and the PUP Stream FullDMD option! Disable the others so VD isn’t over burdened! (The table is smart enough to make the Backbox and FullDMD look correct) If the table doesn’t run well for you, then keep pup and pup stream disabled!
Launching Tables:
Once you are all setup… then running the tables is pretty normal. You just gotta switch between VD and BAM VR sometimes… unless you want to take off your VR headset and look at your monitor to change tables, etc.
Not sure what other solution to use for a table switching method without using a typical front-end. I’m open to ideas!Good luck!I’m so happy many of you guys will finally be able to enjoy some of my table updates, and the MANY FP tables out there that work completely in VR (no changes or updates needed) and simply look amazing!
FP BAM OpenVR settings and setup using Open Composite DLL (for Oculus Rift S and CV1 users):
Everyone should try to get FP BAM to work normally with SteamVR FIRST. If it runs fine… then no need to try this!
- this method was meant for Oculus users having performance issues with SteamVR…
- ….or those who run FP VR from a front-end and hate dealing with SteamVR prompts and hassles it can bring (me)
- this method works great with my Rift S and Rift CV1
- Using OpenComposite may not work at all for non-Oculus VR headsets!
- for WMR and other SteamVR based VR headsets… if it doesn’t work well or at all for you, go back to using SteamVR
- for Oculus users, if this doesn’t work well or at all for you, go back to using SteamVR
(to go back to using SteamVR, replace the OpenComposite openvr_api.dll with the original BAM openvr_api.dll. Reboot and try it again with normal SteamVR)
These steps (in order) are how I used the OpenComposite DLL with my Rift S (when I still had one)
- download the BAM-OpenVR.zip. Extract the “BAM-OpenVR” folder to your Future Pinball folder (NOT in your BAM folder!).
- download the OpenComposite openvr_api.dll (32 bit). Click on where it says “Download the DLL: 32-bit“
- https://gitlab.com/znixian/OpenOVR/blob/master/README.md
- copy the OpenComposite openvr_api.dll into the BAM OpenVR plugins folder (backup the original if you like)
- use Oculus Tray Tool to turn off Default ASW and set Default Super Sampling to 0
- for FP settings, you must have 2nd screen for backglass disabled, arcade mode off, VSYNC Off. The rest is the same as per my normal FP guide settings
- in Nvidia GPU Driver set VSYNC to ON for FP
- be sure SteamVR isn’t running. Run the table
- run FPLoader.exe from the BAM-OpenVR folder just like you normally run FP-BAM. Your BAM cfg files are kept in the “BAM-OpenVR\cfg” folder, so they won’t affect your normal BAM cfg files
- while in VR, if you are running in Windowed mode… bringing up the BAM menu (~ or Q) will cause FP to NOT be in focus! So you need to click back in the FP window! You can avoid this by either running in Full screen, or forced Borderless windowed
- BAM in-game settings set VSYNC to OFF, latency I prefer -1 (may be different for you to prevent nausea), AA don’t set to anything yet
- you may need to Reset View when running a table as it defaults to center based on your Guardian settings. BAM also has its own Reset View key that you can set
- set the table view using BAM in-game menu. You can also set everything else like you normally would in BAM for for FP. Once done you can choose “Save as Default” to make this your default that gets used for all tables the first time they load. (You can choose Reset to Default at any time to use your Default settings afterward)
- tables may look a bit pixelated at first
- if your tables run good and super smooth, then you can change the AA in the BAM menu, but the most effective to make it look really nice is setting the Transparency AA to 4 in nvidia GPU Driver settings for FP. Go higher if your system can handle it
Problems, Oculus ASW and SteamVR
Many people will get FP BAM OpenVR up and running with no problem… but that doesn’t mean it’s running 100% “correctly”.
The “feel” in FP VR should be fast, snappy and smooth at all times if its working 100% correctly.
- some people can have the table moving smooth with your head..but the ball isn’t smooth
- some people can have the ball move smooth….but not the table moving smooth with their head (its fine if their head never moves)
This is because ASW (Oculus Asynchronous Warp that smooths out fps if the gpu cant keep up) or the SteamVR equivalent can get in the way, and not keep everything in proper sync. This is why I run OpenComposite DLL for my Oculus Rift S and CV1 (to eliminate SteamVR completely)
It can be tricky to get the right combination of FP / BAM / GPU / SteamVR / Oculus Tray Tool settings with all the different options for VR and PC hardware out there… but if it is done right… it looks stunning, plays super smooth, and is instantly responsive.
- having extra programs or PuP-Packs running while in VR may cause problems, depending on your setup
- keep your system clean of programs running in the background to allow VR to play smooth
- keep settings low at first if needed for AA and other demanding options
Once FP VR is running smooth, then you can try cranking up the GPU driver’s Transparent AA (for FP only) and BAM’s AA to make it look really nice with no jaggies. Only set it to what your system can handle while still being smooth.
BAM OpenVR FAQ
I run the table from BAM-OpenVR\FPloader.exe, and it loads and runs. I see the VR options in the BAM menu on the FP window, bit it’s not displaying in VR…
- make sure that the Mode is set to “OpenVR” and not one of the other options like Static CAM, HappyCab, etc
- make sure in the Addons menu that “Force Arcade Mode” is ON
- you may need to exit and restart FP after making these changes
I think it’s running and working in VR but I can’t see the table…
- try looking around
- try BAM’s “HOME” key to Reset View
- try ~ or Q to bring up the BAM menu
- you may need to choose Reset View in your VR headset
TerryRed’s System and setup
- i5 9600K
- nvidia GTX 1080
- 16GB DDR4 RAM
- 43 inch playfield 4K TV 60hz
- 27 inch backglass HD monitor
- 19 inch middle TV (16:9), Full DMD screen
- 1280×390 apron monitor
- custom built cabinet
- pinscape (kl25z) controller
- Oculus Quest 2
F A Q
Here is a list of answers to some of the most commonly asked questions I get asked about Future Pinball.
Do new Future Pinball tables look better than older tables?
- new tables properly updated to make use of newer BAM features and lighting and shadow maps, etc will look amazingly better
- all tables can be updated to use modern BAM features
Some Tables crash when Loading or while playing…
- make sure you use my exact Future Pinball Video settings and the Editor settings shown in my FP Mega Guide
- don’t use a modified FuturePinball.exe
- this is really important to have maximum compatibility with most of the tables
- always completely exit Future Pinball before loading and trying another table
When I play EM tables… the EM Score Reels never stop and keep rolling…
- in Video / Rendering options, make sure Vertical sync is enabled
Some BAM plug-ins don’t show up or work for me…
- some BAM plug-ins may not display or work until you update Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio for 2015 2017 2019
- make sure you install both x86 (vc_redist.x86.exe) and x64 (vc_redist.x64.exe)
- https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/help/2977003/the-latest-supported-visual-c-downloads
FP’s Backglass won’t display on the the DISPLAY # I set for it
- FP tends to only like to display the FP Backglass on the display that is positioned to the right of the playfield in Windows Display settings
- arrange your displays in Windows in order from left to right: playfield, backglass, then DMD or topper, etc with the top of the windows lined up
- the DISPLAY #’s are not always correct because Windows gets confused and reports the wrong ID to FP. You may need to use a different DISPLAY #
- if needed, you can try running the FP Backglass in windowed to see where it shows up and on what display
- you can use the registry to manually set the resolution if needed
The table loads but is stuck at “Loading Shadow Maps” or “Loading Ball”…
- the problem is BAM can’t load the shadowmaps from the table (if they are integrated), or it can’t create them for the table
- for most people this is caused by having the wrong FP Video Settings
- make sure you use my exact Future Pinball Video settings and the Editor settings shown in my FP Mega Guide
- close FP and try again
- if all else fails, you can always edit the table script and disable the xBAM.ShadowMap commands in Sub BAM_Init()
I have ball stutter or non smooth gameplay…
- make sure you use my exact Future Pinball Video settings and the Editor settings shown in the guide
- don’t use a modified FuturePinball.exe
- go to BAM´s “config / addon” Menu in game. At the bottom set the “Framerate Limiter Mode” from “auto” to “off” exit FP and try again, and see if that helps
- if you are running in forced Borderless Windowed mode, and are using a PinEvent table with PUPDMD, this “can” result in stutters, and I don’t know why.
- if I run FP in Fullscreen, and have the PUPDMD and PuP-Pack on other screens I have never had any issues with stutters.
- Windows Defender or other Malware / Antivirus programs WILL cause performance issues if they are running. This is because they are always checking messages sent out from vbs files and in the case the COM Extensions plug-in. Make sure you don’t have any form of this type of software running while playing!
I’m having problems getting Pinup Player to work…
- consult the PinEvent Install Guide
I have a table that shows FF_Init error…
- that table was modded for use with DOFLinx
- you need to install the latest DOFLinx.vbs into your FuturePinball\Scripts folder
- you can get the latest DOFLinx.vbs file from the newest DOFLinx install zip
I’m having problems with DOFLinx…
- consult the DOFLinx Guide and Video
Do new tables play better than older Future Pinball tables?
- yes, if the table has been updated properly to use new BAM dynamic physics which is a vast improvement over old FP physics
Do new Future Pinball tables play like Visual Pinball X tables?
- I will say new Future Pinball tables don’t play the “same” as Visual Pinball X
- if the table has been properly updated to use new BAM dynamic physics, this is a vast improvement over old FP physics
- I can do flick passes, dead flips and can make most of my shots on many new updated FP tables
- I do find the last 15% of the flipper tip tends to shoot wider than VPX
- many people have found the newer tables to play just fine
I want to make changes to the table’s physics for my own personal preference. How do I do that?
- this will only work for newer tables updated to use BAM modern dynamic physics!
- table editor – Physics: Table Slope. This can give the ball a more weighted feel to it
- click on the flippers / bumpers,etc on the table editor – Physics: Strength and Elasticity
- in the table script see if you can find a section labelled PHYSICS XML, the green xml code is where you can change the “basic” physics settings
- in the table script you will find a section called “Dynamic Flippers”. This code makes use of the new BAM dynamic physics. You can change some settings here for your preferred flipper physics
- this will only work for older tables NOT updated to use BAM modern dynamic physics
- table editor – Physics: Table Slope. This can give the ball a more weighted feel to it
- click on the flippers / bumpers,etc on the table editor – Physics: Strength and Elasticity
- make a copy of your preferred BAM xml physics file, and name it the same as the table and place it where the table is
When I make changes to BAM’s Post Processing and Lighting… the changes I make aren’t kept the next time I load the table…
- some newer tables use specific settings that are always loaded from the table script for Post Processing and Lighting
- if you want to use your own settings on a PinEvent table, in the table script set use_Table_BAM_LightPresets = false
- on some other tables look for a sub routine called SetLightsParamsInBAM. Disabling commands in that sub routine might work
- after doing that, this will now allow your BAM settings (in BAM\cfg) to be used for Post Processing and Lighting
- be careful about making drastic changes to this, as the rest of the table lighting and inserts were adjusted for those settings.
How do I get rid of the FP DMD / Scores / Videos / Logo on the playfield screen?
- in the BAM in-game Addons menu, there are options to remove both the FP Logo and HUD Overlays
I am using FutureDMD or FP Intercept… but I don’t see the alphanumeric scores displayed…
- those options only mirror the “DMD” (128×32 only) in Future Pinball. It does not mirror the other display types
Do I need VR specific tables to play Future Pinball in VR?
- all FP tables play perfectly in VR
END OF THE MEGA GUIDE
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With my new release of PinEvent and my first 3 PinEvent modded tables… and so many updates from BAM that has totally changed Future Pinball in so many ways…
I decided to overhaul and completely update my guide here to include almost everything you need to know!
It’s now super pretty with lots of pictures, logos and has been cleaned up to make it much easier to read and follow.
I worked really hard on PinEvent, and there’s more to come… so I thought it would be good for everyone to have a modern guide that sets up FP and BAM the right way the first time, and gives you all the links to the most up to date tables and info.
Let me know what you guys think of the guide!
For those new to Future Pinball or have never heard of PinEvent… check out my new showcase video
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Not to veer off topic so early on, but you brought this on yourself: :)
Regarding: “Pinup Player (PuP-Packs) from PinEvent tables do not currently work in VR. We need a combined force of @ravarcade @Nailbuster @DJRobX to make a PUP plug-in for BAM! (it would look amazing guys!)”
I actually wrote the capture stuff as a standalone app, because coding on the cab sucks. Would be easy to port it into a plugin DLL if Rav can give some structure to copy an image into. Have him make an example plugin that puts random noise in an image and I can update it with the grabber.
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Not to veer off topic so early on, but you brought this on yourself: :)
Regarding: “Pinup Player (PuP-Packs) from PinEvent tables do not currently work in VR. We need a combined force of @ravarcade @Nailbuster @DJRobX to make a PUP plug-in for BAM! (it would look amazing guys!)”
I actually wrote the capture stuff as a standalone app, because coding on the cab sucks. Would be easy to port it into a plugin DLL if Rav can give some structure to copy an image into. Have him make an example plugin that puts random noise in an image and I can update it with the grabber.
Are you kidding.. this is completely on topic and exactly what I wanted to hear! :)
I passed this info to @ravarcade at gopinball. If this could somehow happen… holy crap that would look amazing!
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Would be easy to port it into a plugin DLL if Rav can give some structure to copy an image into. Have him make an example plugin that puts random noise in an image and I can update it with the grabber.
I will build plugin template in 2-3 days.
@TerryRed: PuP in VR looks fantastic.You need to login in order to like this post: click here
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Would be easy to port it into a plugin DLL if Rav can give some structure to copy an image into. Have him make an example plugin that puts random noise in an image and I can update it with the grabber.
I will build plugin template in 2-3 days.
@TerryRed: PuP in VR looks fantastic.
I am totally freaking out right now! You know I love anything you do for BAM, but I know many others will love to see this happen if it’s possible!
Thank you so much for attempting this guys!
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thanks. now I can finally try and get it to work. back board reflection on glass is checked and greyed out. does that matter? I see you have it unchecked
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thanks. now I can finally try and get it to work. back board reflection on glass is checked and greyed out. does that matter? I see you have it unchecked
It’s not needed for cabinet view…and it may add unwanted reflective elements (in VR,etc) and is more demanding with not much benefit.
Just like Trilinear Filtering. If this is enabled, then tables will take much longer to load, whereas keeping it unchecked has no visual difference and the tables will load much faster.
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I can’t uncheck it it’s greyed out?
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I can’t uncheck it it’s greyed out?
Select Cabinet (playfield/translite) glass, then you can now deselect Back Board Reflection ….then deselect Cabinet (playfield/translite) glass again
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Still not finished:
https://github.com/ravarcade/pupplugin
So, with this you can:
- replace any texture in FP with another
- update texture every frame to play video
- add menu in BAM/Plugins section
- add own commands to FP script to communicate with plugin
I will go back to this on weekend.
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Still not finished:
https://github.com/ravarcade/pupplugin
So, with this you can:
- replace any texture in FP with another
- update texture every frame to play video
- add menu in BAM/Plugins section
- add own commands to FP script to communicate with plugin
I will go back to this on weekend.
@ravarcade, you are the most amazing man alive… well you too @DJRobX :)You need to login in order to like this post: click here
Looks great, is enough for me to get started with my part.
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It sure does…and it looks AMAZING in VR!
It’s still wip (the plug-in is not finished yet as well) …and I needed to make temporary pup-pack options for jaws and RF for testing…so not the best looking grill…. but yah the results speak for themselves!
It’s the entire pup-pack….videos and text are perfectly smooth…instant…the exact same as the area being mirrored. Awesome!
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…or how about some Netflix while playing pinball in VR, lol
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You guys ain’t seen nothing yet… now THIS is cool in VR!
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Incredible amount of work. Thank you so much TerryRed.
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OK… hate to say it… but static playfields are so yesterday and boring now… not when you can have animated playfields of Fire, Blood and Water!
Just another fun test with the (WIP) BAM PuP plug-in that can mirror PuP (displayed on a 2nd monitor) to ANY texture anywhere on a Future Pinball table.
All thanks to the amazing work from @DJRobX and @ravarcade!
Not a practical test… but a cool one!
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