pinball fx Pinball FX (Steam 2023) - LB How to Setup Direct Launch

[sundogak]

With Pinball FX coming to Steam and the addition of cabinet support recently I took a stab at setting up in Launchbox.  

What It Does:

• Launches directly to that table vs going to the FX menu.  Works with desktop view and cabinet views.  
• Functions within FX now have ability to show a Backglass on second monitor. You can use this for cabinet and desktop users if two screens available.
• Functions within FX now have ability to show DMD independent of main screen (i.e., for cabinet users)

Caveats:

• LB Pause Button/Menu will not work. This is similar issue in Pinball FX3.
• AHK scripts within LB will not work in FX.  You will have to use the normal exiting process within FX.
• This is for Steam.  Don't know on Epic since didn't bother to research how to on that.
• The way I get the table IDs into LB is one way. There are others.  However, this choice does impact what LB will look for automatically for any external media packs. This is immaterial for anything matched via LB DB and downloaded since LB uses own naming process. 
• Not getting into DMD use at this stage; maybe a later update to this how to.  
• Launching FX is much slower than FX3 to get the program launched and table open (~20 to 25 seconds).  I have fast net connection and run Steam on a decent computer so I don't think it is anything relative to my setup.

Resources/Info: 

• Table IDs:  Link to Pinball FX Table ID# listing and Cabinet Setup (Link). Note the way they name tables is different vs what they used for backglass media naming. The difference is backglass images use an "underscore" between the number.  Confusing but such is the case.  
• No need for cabinet "code": They got rid of the pain of a cabinet code like in FX3.   It works with cabinets out of box.
• Modes: Defaults to Classic if not set.  Select from 6 modes to insert into your launch command using the -GameMode switch: Classic, Pro, Hotseat_2, Hotseat_3, Hotseat_4, Practice   
  • New Modes: These were added in subsequent FX patch:  Challenge_BallLimited, Challenge_TimeLimited, Challenge_DistanceLimited, Challenge_FlipLimited
  • Pro mode:  only applicable for Williams tables. No other tables use this game mode. 
  • Arcade mode: there is an Arcade mode in all tables but does not appear to be a switch for this to launch from command line (tried "Arcade"). 
• Physics Option (New):  Defaults to Normal.  These were added in a later FX patch with a new -Physics switch:  Challenging, Normal 
  • Challenging = more realistic physics, similar to Williams tables physics.  Williams tables use Challenging mode by default and have no option to change physics other than Fish Tales.
  • Normal = easier physics similar to games in FX3 and FX2. 
  • Physics option not available for all tables. No info from Zen if plan is to add to other tables.  These tables have ability to select physics: Sorcerer's Lair, Excalibur, Epic Quest, Charlie Brown Christmas, Star Trek Pinball (3 tables), Gloomhaven, Exploding Kittens, Terraforming Mars and Fish Tales (Williams table).
  • You can tell which mode you are in if go to table main menu and top middle screen indicates settings. 
  • 
  • If you set a switch in command line that isn't available for that table it will launch with defaults.
  • If you start a game directly within Steam you have to fully exit or finish game. If you don't then when launched via command line it will resume on settings used for in progress game.
• Default FX Steam Directory: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Pinball FX\
• Backglass Image Location. C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Pinball FX\PinballFX\Mods\Cabinet
• Backglass Image Naming:  Must be PNG format and use corresponding Table ID in following format (note the underscore!):  Table_156.png
• Backglass Default Image: Any image you name as PFX.png will be used if no specific backglass image is available.  

Example - Assuming Classic Mode for all tables: 

I will use The Addams Family Table as an example and classic mode.  It's table number is 156.  Thus, at some point you need to tell LB to run a command that launches Steam and then the launch string with Table 156.  Screen shots below:

Pinball FX Emulator Window. Note that the path to the emulator is to the Steam exe.  

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steam.exe

Note: the default command-line parameters for all tables use Classic Game Mode and Normal physics:

-applaunch 2328760 -GameMode Classic -Physics Normal -

Note: Important to make sure "Remove Quotes" and "Remove File Extensions and Folder Path" are checked. 

My Way of Getting Table ID into LB for Launch: 

Now that you have the emulator setup I have found the easiest way is to use "dummy" pointer text files as the "ROM" with the table ID for importing into LB.  See alternative below if want to do entries without pointer files.  Place the text files in a directory called "Data". You can name that directory anything but that is what I called it.  The extension of the text files doesn't matter.  LB only looks for the first part to insert that "rom" name into the command string to launch Steam with the appropriate table. Data.zip file at end of this post with all 120 tables as of December 2023. Also added my Pinball FX.XML file which should link the Table IDs to table names.  The media pack that is in a separate post coupled with the XML should match everything without having to do manually.  You then run an import in LB for "ROM" and point to the Data directory:  

Once imported you should see each table with a ROM file like so for Addams Family. You will have to manually match each game since it will import as "Table 156".  

Alternative - No Pointer files Direct Entry of Table ID [Note remove the default command line noted above at the emulator level] : 

Spoiler

 

Pointer Files and XML file with metadata.  

  Data.zip <<Current as of August 29, 2024 @ 127 tables.  Unzip here: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Pinball FX\PinballFX\Mods\Cabinet\Data

   Pinball FX.xml<<Current as of August 29, 2024 @ 127 tables.  copy of my XML Launchbox platform to match pointers and table names. Make backup of your version just in case. Located in your  ...:\LaunchBox\Data\Platforms

UPDATE:  Media Pack for Pinball FX

Edited August 30 by sundogak
updated August 29, 2024 for all tables

[Truest1]

amazing work brotha wherer can i find the rest of the table numberes that do with each table?

[sundogak]

3 hours ago, Truest1 said:

amazing work brotha wherer can i find the rest of the table numberes that do with each table?

The post has the link to the Zen page that shows the table IDs (and future ones).  Table IDs:  Link to Pinball FX Table ID# listing and Cabinet Setup (Link).

Also updated post zip file with all 108 pointer files and my Pinball FX.XML file from Launchbox which should link the table IDs and actual tables names assuming you place them in the same path. 

• Pointer files here: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Pinball FX\PinballFX\Mods\Cabinet\Data\Table 1.fxt     (and so on) 
• And Pinball FX.XML here:  ....\LaunchBox\Data\Platforms\Pinball FX.xml   (make sure backup yours if have one and move outside the data directory so no dupes).

[sundogak]

Added media pack to FX here:  This pack uses naming convention with the XML so should just match automatically.  

Truest also has a pack he did and located here: 

 

[L0deRunR]

Many thanks. For Epic, this works for me;

[TekkamanBlade]

Thank you very much, @sundogak for the detailed guide. Everything worked, and it was easy to follow. I also want to thank you for all the files you provided. Below is a link to a platform theme and video marquee I created. 

Also, not super clean, but I have the emulator closing with ESC. The only downside is that it launches Steam before the game. Sort of like TeknoParrot does when launching a game.  

***Place in Running Script***

Esc::
Process,Close,steam.exe
Run,taskkill /im "steam.exe" /F
ExitApp

 

 

 

Edited August 3, 2023 by TekkamanBlade

[sundancekid2022]

Great guide. Everything seemed to work for me and I can launch the games from Launchbox, but when I go into BigBox the Platform Category and the games do not show up. I thought maybe it was because their were not installed, but I checked the installed button on all the games I own and have downloaded, but no luck. 

Any suggestions on how to get the games to show in Bigbox? Is there another place to put the XML file so that BigBox knows that the games are there?

[sundogak]

6 hours ago, sundancekid2022 said:

Great guide. Everything seemed to work for me and I can launch the games from Launchbox, but when I go into BigBox the Platform Category and the games do not show up. I thought maybe it was because their were not installed, but I checked the installed button on all the games I own and have downloaded, but no luck. 

Any suggestions on how to get the games to show in Bigbox? Is there another place to put the XML file so that BigBox knows that the games are there?

Hmm..just looked and works okay in my Big Box setup.  Seems odd if seeing in LB and not in BB.  

Might try in BigBox by going to Options, Image Cache, and force populate /force refresh although that should just be for images.  

[Truest1]

anyone know the table number for the new Star Trek™: The Next Generation Table

[sundogak]

12 minutes ago, Truest1 said:

anyone know the table number for the new Star Trek™: The Next Generation Table

Table 163.  Media pack zip file updated here with TNG media. 

 

[Truest1]

14 minutes ago, sundogak said:

Table 163.  Media pack zip file updated here with TNG media. 

 

Awesome brotha thank you ....

[Truest1]

1 hour ago, sundogak said:

Table 163.  Media pack zip file updated here with TNG media. 

 

Question how did you know the table number of this new table? I googled it and could. It find anything on it. 

[sundogak]

1 hour ago, Truest1 said:

Question how did you know the table number of this new table? I googled it and could. It find anything on it. 

They (mostly) go in sequence.  The last table number was 168. But they skipped 163, 166 and 167.  Just tried a couple until it launched directly.  

[sundogak]

Updated first post XML and data folder files with two new South Park tables.  Will update the media post shortly. 

New Table Numbers from Zen's website:

South Park™: Super Sweet Pinball – 4
South Park™: Butters’ Very Own Pinball Game – 55

Edited October 28, 2023 by sundogak

[Truest1]

42 minutes ago, sundogak said:

Updated first post XML and data folder files with two new South Park tables.  Will update the media post shortly. 

New Table Numbers from Zen's website:

South Park™: Super Sweet Pinball – 4
South Park™: Butters’ Very Own Pinball Game – 55

Awesome. Thank you for your work on this. Looking for the clear logos for both these tables. 

[sundogak]

15 minutes ago, Truest1 said:

Awesome. Thank you for your work on this. Looking for the clear logos for both these tables. 

There are these two from the FX2 pack but looking for a bit higher quality. Zen media/press link does have high res of just South Park Pinball logo. But for whatever reason they lamely don't always post the subset logos.  

[Truest1]

29 minutes ago, sundogak said:

There are these two from the FX2 pack but looking for a bit higher quality. Zen media/press link does have high res of just South Park Pinball logo. But for whatever reason they lamely don't always post the subset logos.  

Got it thank you. Yes I have those just was wondering if anyone had hi res ones. 

[FNG]

Here are a couple of images for the South Park tables to put in the Launchbox "Box - Front - Reconstructed" images folder.

[FNG]

I noticed 2 ZEN ORIGINALS missing from this list....
Table 67    Epic Quest
Table 20    Excalibur

I've attached the clear logos & "Box - Front - Reconstructed" that I made for them.

 

Edited December 23, 2023 by FNG
fixed drop shadow on Epic Quest

[sundogak]

Updated media and install info with release of December tables (11 tables including 2 South Park tables released earlier).  Also updated instructions as a patch added a "physics" switch as well as some additional Game Modes.