Nube needs some guidance!

[805gadgetman]

Hey everyone! So glad I found this site. Looks like a lot of great information is here. I have been a pinball fan for 50 years! Even had a job repairing the real deals back in the 80’s. Nothing beats playing these games.

Last year I decided to venture into building a VP cabinet system. A while back I converted an old Battlezone mini-cab into a PC based MAME system. So I have a little background in this. I was lucky enough to pickup an old Williams Olympic Hockey cabinet for this project. Spent a couple of weeks cleaning, sanding and painting it and getting some new legs, glass and plexi for the head. I really want to keep as much of the original feel of the cabinet as I can so I am planning on using the original flipper buttons etc. if I can. I now have the computer setup and have three monitors running well with the system. I am slightly familiar with Visual Pinball and Pin Mame. But not to the level needed to make it all work in this cabinet.

So, I’m reaching out to all of the experts here for some guidance on the best way to get this up and playable without having to spend a year figuring out all of the, seemingly millions of, settings. Not to say I don’t want to learn all about that, but I’d at least like to play with it while I learn.

I see a lot of different options out there. Pinball X, I believe, is a popular front end. But now I see this PinUp Popper and other things out there as well. While I doubt there is an all in one solution, because of preference, if someone could help me on a path to playability, that would be awesome!

I do, in the future, want to possibly add solenoids and a plunger attachment etc. So if there are reasons to go one way over another because of that, then that’s how I would like to go.

Thanks in advance for any help you all can offer!

Rob

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[Thalamus]

What you are asking is pretty straight forward today. You basically download “the-all-in-one” installer.

https://vpinball.com/VPBdownloads/categories/vpx-exes/ <- VPX 10.5 installer. That gives you all you really need. Since you want to start slow. And I think you are doing the absolute correct thing. You should now test that you can get a game going. https://www.vpforums.org/index.php?app=tutorials&article=160 – skip the first part. It is the same installer.

What you should be aware of at this point is that this community moves forward, sometime in a fast pace. Table authors do always use the latest version of the software and you can be stuck if you don’t run the latest beta. My advice on that is to – don’t focus on it in the start. There are a huge amount of great playing tables that doesn’t required the beta. There will come a time – when you’ve gained enough experience, to jump on the betas for both VPM and VP.

Start by playing with the keyboard. But, since you are building a cab. You have to look around for something that enable you to get rid of the keyboard. There are a few commercial products out there, and a great DIY if your handy with your fingers. I bought my kit from Zeb’s  up in Canada, I’ve been told there is a great shop in Germany and you have MJR write up on Pinscape ( DIY ).

Hope this helps.

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[805gadgetman]

Thanks Thalamus! Sounds like good advice. I definitely am going to get away from the keyboard. I have the switches and controllers already (same as what I do RetroPi controller with). I’ll be sure to check out all of the optional gizmos and gadgets that are out there. Once I get things in place I’ll post some pics in the projects section.

Take care!

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[Thalamus]

Well. The hair in my neck starts to come up when I hear people are using the same switches and controllers for a pinball machine. You should NOT use anything else than leaf switches for the flippers. Arcade buttons is a big no no if you ask me.

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[Gwen]

Rob – here are a few links to some reliable businesses that sell most of the components you will need to build your cabinet:

http://www.pinballlife.com

https://www.ultimarc.com/

https://groovygamegear.com/webstore/

As a minimum you need to use some sort of keyboard emulator device to provide keyboard inputs when you press buttons.  Other devices you will need depend upon what sort of effects you want to use and how elaborate you want to be.

• as a side note, I definitely recommend using a real tilt-bob switch to give the most realistic tilt behavior.

I recently completed the bulk of the work of building my cabinet and for what it’s worth I am using an ultimarc mini-pac for keyboard inputs, a pacled64 to drive my LEDS (many people use the LEDWIZ from groovygamegear too), a Pin2DMD I bought from a fellow cabinet builder who makes them,  a 42.5″ 4K monitor for my playfield, a 28″ monitor for the backglass, A 2.1 speaker set for the backglass and another pair of small speakers and 2 exciters inside the cabinet for table sounds and feedback.  I may later install solenoids, shakers, etc.

I hope you find this helpful.

Gwen

Gwen
- Wonky builder of the steampunk Nikola Tesla cabinet & Starfighter Cabinet

Gwen
- Wonky builder of the steampunk Nikola Tesla cabinet & Starfighter Cabinet

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[805gadgetman]

I purchased a batch of Goldleaf switches from ebay. I am using those for the additional switches on the cab. I am using the original Williams flipper buttons and switches for the flippers. Trying to get the software up and running now. Using PinballX for the front end. Got a Zebsboard plunger kit too. But having some issues getting that going.

Oh, I also got custom skins for the cab too! Installed those and I think they look pretty good.

Pics will come as soon as I get this thing running the way it should be.

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[Thalamus]

My advice. Fix everything before fiddling with the frontend. I understand well why it is tempting to go there thoug. Putting a frontend over a not fully working setup just adds to any confusion or problem(s). Looking forward to see some pictures. And once you do. Use the “visual” editor and press the small picture button in the upper right. I see a few that hasn’t figured that out yet.

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[STAT]

Ah yes thanks Thalamus, to Point me back to the “leaf Switches”, which i haven’t at the Moment,
only Arcade’s  … but would be easy to Change for me.

Need a good (German?) Store to buy some …

And yes, because my actually right Flipper Button sometimes do a “double click”

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[Genesis38]

I wanted to use my Space Riders cab’s Leaf Buttons, but had clearance issues with the TV, so I decided on these: http://www.ultimarc.com/goldleaf.html

They have a short throw and quick response. So far I am glad with my purchase. Another option to consider anyway.

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