Future Pinball Loader for Launchbox

[sundogak]

12 hours ago, vaderag said:

Hi All, I'm just getting into Future Pinball and wondering if anyone has a super n00bs setup guide explaining things? 

It seems it's reasonably easy to add to Launchbox now, but is there a simple way/place to get images vids etc? When do I need to use FP Launcher vs Future Pinball.exe? What's a BAM?

I'm looking for a starter guide to everything Future Pinball as well as a how to get into Launchbox... 

Thanks!

1. Installer:  Use this link to install FP and BAM together in one easy installer base.  Click on the 2-in-1 button on right.   
2. BAM: adds additional features and capabilities to FP (FPLoader.exe).  The base FP program is no longer supported/developed (closed sourced) so BAM is basically a patch to EXE to add features that cannot be added into main EXE. For any newer table, most require BAM features or table will not run.  If you run a cabinet, it also has additional features you will need. BAM also adjusts the ball "physics" which go into later below. Note: if using BAM you will not be able to use LB Pause Screen Feature.  
3. LB Emulator Settings:  Once you ran the installer, then you can associate Future Pinball tables to the Emulator (FP) by the following commands in LB (ignore comments on "FPLauncher" that was old way to integrate in LB, below is simpler method):
   
    

   /open %romfile% /play /exit

   The emulator in LB should point to the FPLoader.exe if using BAM (not the Future Pinball.exe)
   

4. Import Tables:  To import the FP tables you can use LB import feature and have it import *.fpt (extension for all FP tables, type that into LB window when pointing to root tables folder for import).  Do not try to import the FPL and VBS stuff into LB. The FPT file is the main table.
   
   Folders Can Be Used:  Note contrary to the many guides (including below) you can place your FPT (tables), FPL (media), and VBS (scripts) into their own folder and it is MUCH easier to keep things organized.  Every guide I have seen will tell you the world will stop revolving if you do this but out of the 800 FP tables I have, none have issues. The key is if going folder route that it is one table per folder (and all its parts).  It is a confusing mess if you do "the right way" since updates to tables are pain to keep track of all the associated files (FPL particularly). 
5. Example with my setup where tables and all associated files in separate folders:
   
6. Guide:  TerryRed has a comprehensive weblink video guide located here along with a PDF (link) on setup.  It is VERY geared towards cabinets which is much more complex...so don't get overwhelmed (or skip) things from that perspective.  I also wouldn't install his settings unless have cabinet (and even then, wouldn't personally until familiar with what it is doing).  Most guides at Pinball sites will not even mention LB (Pinup Popper or PinballX are typical ones) so if questions specific to LB then best to ask here. 
7. Media:  This is a headache. Mostly because there is no standard naming convention for Pinball Media/Tables and for most part LB database is non-existent "use wise" for Pinball because it plunks all the major emulators (Visual Pinball, Future Pinball, FX3) into one big bucket).  So, you have to do manually in most cases.  You will find some media in LB DB but nothing consistent.  In most cases, look for "media packs" such as those in the LB Download Forum or at larger Pinball sites such as Gameex, VPUniverse, and VPForum. Clear logos tend to be the easiest to find since there are numerous packs of logos out there. 
   
   This is where naming your table consistently will help immensely within LB.  LB will pick up any media either by title or by the "ROM" title (in this case the FPT table file name).  If your table name is:  Black Knight (Williams 1980).fpt  then LB will pick up any media with Black Knight (Williams 1980).png or Black Knight.png  (LB ignores anything in brackets).  The "mostly" consistent naming standard within Pinball is the table name then the company and year in brackets. But you will find there are NUMEROUS versions, mods, and different author versions of various tables.  Media within LB is stored in LaunchBox\Images\Future Pinball folders.  Anything you put in those folders such as clear logos that are named the same as your FPT will automatically pick up in LB.  Se example below to which many of the non-LB media packs are named:
   
   
8. Planning Ahead:  For media, planning ahead on how you name things is key or you will wind up having to individually match media within LB through the edit game window. Something to be aware:  LB renames media to its format if images are manipulated from within LB edit window so Black Knight (Williams 1980).png becomes Black Knight-01.png.  Once image linked to table, not a big issue but is a pain if you are sharing your media pack.
9. Physics:  BAM also adds key feature to adjust physics. The original FP didn't have great physics (versus Visual Pinball), so part of BAM was to fix this. Originally for FP you had to have different executables that were "hacked" to get different physics, a major pain.  With BAM it uses an XML file with all the physics settings to tell Future Pinball how to run.  On newer tables the XML code is built into tables (~2019 forward) so you don't have to worry about "physics".  On older "simpler" tables (usually EM) they typically had default physics so no issues there. But for the more advanced tables pre-2019 (or so) physics were adjusted.  If you get a table where the ball seems "weird"  (floats, or heavy like a rock) or the plunger is heavy (ball doesn't shoot) then likely you have a table with specific set of physics and not the correct XML file.  So for example this table below requires Physics 2.6 so I copy the 2.6 XML file from the ..\..\BAM\XML folder and rename it the same as the table. Now that table will run with Physics 2.6. I always put a note in my folder. I didn't do that originally but there is NO easy/consistent way to tell. Vpforums.org download info usually indicates the physics type...but it isn't 100% (but good start).  
   
   If all sounds too confusing, stick with newer FP tables over last few years since table authors take care of all the messy physics settings within the table. 
10. Start Simple: Lastly, the key is start small. Don't worry about physics, or media just get the emulator up and running and LB happy. Install the 2-in-1 pack. Download one or two tables you think are interesting and within last several years to avoid initially dealing with "physics".  Then get that running OUTSIDE LB first and make sure launches the way you want it to. Then try importing one or two tables in LB and see if everything runs correctly.  After that, it is fairly straight forward to install new tables in FP and LB as well as getting comfortable with the more complex parts of BAM (e.g., physics, backglass, cabinets).  

 

Edit: A few snaps of my screen settings. 

The "Load Image Into Table Editor" needs to be turned off or get all sorts of weird errors. 

I have two screens with backglass on second so uncheck that box if only one screen. Checking "Trilinear" will result in tables taking forever to open even on fast machine. Stick to Bilinear.  Model Quality is High for most tables. A few oddballs have to be set at "Medium" or won't run.  

Edited December 7, 2021 by sundogak
Added FP screen settings

[vaderag]

29 minutes ago, sundogak said:

1. Installer:  Use this link to install FP and BAM together in one easy installer base.  Click on the 2-in-1 button on right.   
2. BAM: adds additional features and capabilities to FP (FPLoader.exe).  The base FP program is no longer supported/developed (closed sourced) so BAM is basically a patch to EXE to add features that cannot be added into main EXE. For any newer table, most require BAM features or table will not run.  If you run a cabinet, it also has additional features you will need. BAM also adjusts the ball "physics" which go into later below. Note: if using BAM you will not be able to use LB Pause Screen Feature.  
3. LB Emulator Settings:  Once you ran the installer, then you can associate Future Pinball tables to the Emulator (FP) by the following commands in LB (ignore comments on "FPLauncher" that was old way to integrate in LB, below is simpler method):
   
    

   /open %romfile% /play /exit

   The emulator in LB should point to the FPLoader.exe if using BAM (not the Future Pinball.exe)

4. Import Tables:  To import the FP tables you can use LB import feature and have it import *.fpt (extension for all FP tables, type that into LB window when pointing to root tables folder for import).  Do not try to import the FPL and VBS stuff into LB. The FPT file is the main table.
   
   Folders Can Be Used:  Note contrary to the many guides (including below) you can place your FPT (tables), FPL (media), and VBS (scripts) into their own folder and it is MUCH easier to keep things organized.  Every guide I have seen will tell you the world will stop revolving if you do this but out of the 800 FP tables I have, none have issues. The key is if going folder route that it is one table per folder (and all its parts).  It is a confusing mess if you do "the right way" since updates to tables are pain to keep track of all the associated files (FPL particularly). 
5. Example with my setup where tables and all associated files in separate folders:
6. Guide:  TerryRed has a comprehensive weblink video guide located here along with a PDF (link) on setup.  It is VERY geared towards cabinets which is much more complex...so don't get overwhelmed (or skip) things from that perspective.  I also wouldn't install his settings unless have cabinet (and even then, wouldn't personally until familiar with what it is doing).  Most guides at Pinball sites will not even mention LB (Pinup Popper or PinballX are typical ones) so if questions specific to LB then best to ask here. 
7. Media:  This is a headache. Mostly because there is no standard naming convention for Pinball Media/Tables and for most part LB database is non-existent "use wise" for Pinball because it plunks all the major emulators (Visual Pinball, Future Pinball, FX3) into one big bucket).  So, you have to do manually in most cases.  You will find some media in LB DB but nothing consistent.  In most cases, look for "media packs" such as those in the LB Download Forum or at larger Pinball sites such as Gameex, VPUniverse, and VPForum. Clear logos tend to be the easiest to find since there are numerous packs of logos out there. 
   
   This is where naming your table consistently will help immensely within LB.  LB will pick up any media either by title or by the "ROM" title (in this case the FPT table file name).  If your table name is:  Black Knight (Williams 1980).fpt  then LB will pick up any media with Black Knight (Williams 1980).png or Black Knight.png  (LB ignores anything in brackets).  The "mostly" consistent naming standard within Pinball is the table name then the company and year in brackets. But you will find there are NUMEROUS versions, mods, and different author versions of various tables.  Media within LB is stored in LaunchBox\Images\Future Pinball folders.  Anything you put in those folders such as clear logos that are named the same as your FPT will automatically pick up in LB.  Se example below to which many of the non-LB media packs are named:
   
   
8. Planning Ahead:  For media, planning ahead on how you name things is key or you will wind up having to individually match media within LB through the edit game window. Something to be aware:  LB renames media to its format if images are manipulated from within LB edit window so Black Knight (Williams 1980).png becomes Black Knight-01.png.  Once image linked to table, not a big issue but is a pain if you are sharing your media pack.
9. Physics:  BAM also adds key feature to adjust physics. The original FP didn't have great physics (versus Visual Pinball), so part of BAM was to fix this. Originally for FP you had to have different executables that were "hacked" to get different physics, a major pain.  With BAM it uses an XML file with all the physics settings to tell Future Pinball how to run.  On newer tables the XML code is built into tables (~2019 forward) so you don't have to worry about "physics".  On older "simpler" tables (usually EM) they typically had default physics so no issues there. But for the more advanced tables pre-2019 (or so) physics were adjusted.  If you get a table where the ball seems "weird"  (floats, or heavy like a rock) or the plunger is heavy (ball doesn't shoot) then likely you have a table with specific set of physics and not the correct XML file.  So for example this table below requires Physics 2.6 so I copy the 2.6 XML file from the ..\..\BAM\XML folder and rename it the same as the table. Now that table will run with Physics 2.6. I always put a note in my folder. I didn't do that originally but there is NO easy/consistent way to tell. Vpforums.org download info usually indicates the physics type...but it isn't 100% (but good start).  
   
   If all sounds too confusing, stick with newer FP tables over last few years since table authors take care of all the messy physics settings within the table. 
10. Start Simple: Lastly, the key is start small. Don't worry about physics, or media just get the emulator up and running and LB happy. Install the 2-in-1 pack. Download one or two tables you think are interesting and within last several years to avoid initially dealing with "physics".  Then get that running OUTSIDE LB first and make sure launches the way you want it to. Then try importing one or two tables in LB and see if everything runs correctly.  After that, it is fairly straight forward to install new tables in FP and LB as well as getting comfortable with the more complex parts of BAM (e.g., physics, backglass, cabinets).  

 

Wow, thank you so much! I'll take a good look at this over the weekend (kids permitting) and see what I can get going!

I might have bitten more than I can chew as have a "full set" which I was going to try import, maybe I'll start small tho as you suggest!

One other question, I picked Future as from what I've seen it "looks better" than Visual Pinball, but have I made the right choice? It seems most tables are in both?

Edited December 6, 2021 by vaderag

[sundogak]

11 minutes ago, vaderag said:

Wow, thank you so much! I'll take a good look at this over the weekend (kids permitting) and see what I can get going!

I might have bitten more than I can chew as have a "full set" which I was going to try import, maybe I'll start small tho as you suggest!

No worries. Added a couple screen snaps of my FP main settings.  

It actually isn't too bad to setup, but it is definitely not like an Atari 2600 rom set where you import, media all matches, if not download from LB.  Done and dusted.  It is mostly complicated because of the lack of consistent naming conventions and because you can have a zillion versions of the same table and by different authors.

I would definitely not recommend importing a table "pack" first off (or mentioning table packs at the PB sites).  Most I have seen have 20 versions of same table (go with highest version number tend to see fixes for table code) or for FP the physics XMLs are not included.  I would step into it first.  

Edited December 6, 2021 by sundogak

[Headrush69]

2 hours ago, vaderag said:

One other question, I picked Future as from what I've seen it "looks better" than Visual Pinball, but have I made the right choice? It seems most tables are in both?

They are both great but you will get fan boys of both telling why one or the other is better. 

Currently I only use Future Pinball and especially like SlamTilt's tables, but if you want exact replicas that use the original roms, Visual Pinball is the route you'll need. (or use both  )

[sundogak]

 

@vaderagEcho Headrush69's comments. 

Future Pinball was what I setup first, mostly because at the time I just couldn't get my head wrapped around Visual Pinball complexity with separate backglass, DMD, and many needing PinMAME (most VP tables need roms).  A "good" FP table has those things all built in. I also much prefer FP for desktop use with better camera view changing abilities and true "in-game" backglass view.  Visual Pinball has a bunch more layers to get similar results, but if setting up a cabinet it gives a lot of flexibility.  SlamT1Lts tables take FP to next level (great sound design, fun to play), but he only does things in FP (although can be mercurial on how/when he makes tables available to DL esp. the newer ones). 

On the con side, FP development has been stopped for over 11 years. BAM magic offsets that to a degree but depends on skills of one coder.  The VPX application has active open source development (10.7 in beta), including a new generation "Unity" based VPE engine in the works.  There are more numerous active table authors for VP and just higher overall activity for VP platform. There is the ever present "this one has better physics" debate but for most casual pinball players, both platforms do the job.  Ultimately, like Headrush69, I have both and each have their excellent table examples.

Edited December 7, 2021 by sundogak

[vaderag]

Thanks both, that's a nice distillation of what I was seeing I think!

I'm very much in the casual capacity so looks over physics (so long as physics are close!)

I'd be just as happy playing Sonic Pinball as the classic Adams Family table, so I think I've made the Future Pinball choice at least somewhat wisely for now...

[1dummy]

Hello everyone.

Sundogak, thanks for the detailed installation instructions in this thread!!

I have Future Pinball running via big box. Unfortunately, I'm unable to adjust the volume once the table loads. I'm able to adjust volume when running other emulators via big box. Agnone have any suggestions as to why I'm unable to turn up or down the volume in future pinball by using the assigned volume buttons in big box on my arcade cabinet? 

Thanks for any suggestions / direction.

[sundogak]

1 hour ago, 1dummy said:

Hello everyone.

Sundogak, thanks for the detailed installation instructions in this thread!!

I have Future Pinball running via big box. Unfortunately, I'm unable to adjust the volume once the table loads. I'm able to adjust volume when running other emulators via big box. Agnone have any suggestions as to why I'm unable to turn up or down the volume in future pinball by using the assigned volume buttons in big box on my arcade cabinet? 

Thanks for any suggestions / direction.

You won't be able to use the built in volume commands via LB or BB as once FP takes over it runs exclusively.  This is why the LB Pause menu doesn't work either (at least easily). 

However, you can try mapping volume commands directly from within FP and see if that works.

 

 

[1dummy]

20 minutes ago, sundogak said:

You won't be able to use the built in volume commands via LB or BB as once FP takes over it runs exclusively.  This is why the LB Pause menu doesn't work either (at least easily). 

However, you can try mapping volume commands directly from within FP and see if that works.

 

 

Bummer. I was hoping I was just doing something wrong. I haven't had any luck yet mapping the volume up / down buttons on my arcade cabinet. I appreciate your reply.