Installation

Feel The Power

Installation

The fpxEngine pinball table system was designed for everybody, from people with NO scripting experience, all the way up to the advanced coder who wants to work with a powerful, full featured and extremely flexible system.

Even if you are design impaired, the fpxEngine has your back, each of the vault items are fully built for you and coded with far more advanced routines than any other template.

The fpxEngine complete system was designed for everybody, from people with NO scripting experience, all the way up to the advanced coder who wants to work with a powerful, full featured and extremely flexible system.

Even if you are design impaired, the fpxEngine has your back, each of the vault items are fully built for you and coded with far more advanced routines than any other template.

Installation Guide

There is a great installation guide from GeorgeH, which I have used to build this page.

I have just used the relevant bits, as this guide is very long and full of a lot of information you just don't need. If you run into problems, just click the button to read the entire guide, it has a lot of trouble shooting tips as well.

Everything related to these features will be placed in their page, including (in future versions) alternate code examples, additional commands you can use, and sections on modifying the code to do more advanced routines.

As well, with future releases of fpxEngine, new scoring features, such as multiball or new vault items will be added.

Learn more

Where to Download FP & BAM

Feel The Power

For fpxEngine, you need the Future Pinball Editor, and the Plug-in BAM.

To make things real easy, Ravarcade created a combined 2 in 1 installer for both Future Pinball and Better Arcade Mode (BAM). It installs both free programs at the same time. You can install them separately but this installer will ensure both programs are correctly set up and is recommended:

https://www.ravarcade.pl/files/FP-BAM-setup.exe

The same installer can be used to update BAM when a new version is published.

Setting Up

Step by Step

After you have downloaded the installer, run the installer. It is highly recommended that you use the default installation directory C:\Games\Future Pinball\.

During the installation, you will be able to select options. Of Note:

"Few sets of ball textures" is the option that installs some custom balls. Custom balls change the default ball to have different patterns and colors. The default setting is unchecked. It is recommended that you check this when installing the program for the first time. When updating BAM, you will want to leave this option unchecked.
"Physic XML's" provides the files for physics that are specified for some tables. Although the option states that they are not required to play, there are times when you will need them so it is recommended that you check this option when installing the program for the first time. When updating BAM, you will want to leave this option unchecked.

Compatability

After the program is installed, right click on the Future Pinball shortcut, select "Properties" and click on the "Compatibility" tab. An issue has been identified with Windows 11 and recent updates to Windows 10 where Future Pinball crashes. You may need to use compatibility mode for Windows 8

Windows 8 and 10.0

On Windows 8 and 10, you may need to check "Run this program as an administrator". On Windows 8 and 10, Some need to leave "Disable display scaling on high DPI settings" unchecked in order to make tables look sharper.

Older Versions of Windows

If you are using Windows Vista or Windows 7, add a check mark to the option, "Run this program in compatibility mode for". Then select "Windows XP (Service Pack 3)" from the pull down list. Then put a check mark in "Disable display scaling on high DPI settings". Put a check mark in the option for "Run this program as an administrator".

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Set Preferences

Step by Step

After the installation, a icon appears for “future Pinball” on your desktop. Open the Future Pinball program by double clicking the “Future Pinball” icon. The first screen that you will see is the Future Pinball editor.

Click on “Preferences” menu item found at the top text links in the editor and select “Editor Options”. Uncheck all options on this screen, especially the option “Load Image into Table Editor” if you are just playing tables and not creating them. If you don’t do this, you may have problems with Future Pinball crashing or the table may open with a solid silver or black top due to lack of graphics memory. The options on this screen would only be useful to someone who creates tables. For the start, leave all options clicked “off”

- FP Manual -

Future Pinball comes with it's own manual. The editor has a link to the manual built in, just click "Help" at the top text menu and select the manual from the drop down list. In short... Read The manual!

GeorgeH recommends you read the sections "Welcome", "Editor Overview" and "Playing a Table" of the Help or the first 28 pages of the *.pdf version. This part of the manual contains the basic information that you need to play the game like how to launch the ball etc.

Set the Video Options

Display

The next step is to adjust the Video options. These can be different based on your computer and graphics card. The screenshot here is for a "decent" video card that will play every table available for Future Pinball?BAM.

Click on "Preferences" menu item found at the top text links in the editor and select "Editor Options".

Uncheck all options on this screen, especially the option "Load Image into Table Editor" if you are just playing tables and not creating them. If you don't do this, you may have problems with Future Pinball crashing or the table may open with a solid silver or black top due to lack of graphics memory.

The options on this screen would only be useful to someone who creates tables. For the start, leave all options clicked "off"

- Special fpxEngine Keys -

fpxEngine uses the keys defined in your editor. (In the top Editor, under Preferences/Game Key and Controls)
There are several keys used by fpxEngine though, so here's a list of the keys

Special2 Key - (usually the ' key set as default) Opens menu system
H key - HUD display visable/hidden

As well, there are Debug keys using the number pad. you need to start the game by pressing the F9 key from the editor to enter debug mode.

Numberpad 0 - Debug Main Menu
Numberpad 1 - User settings. This writes a copy of the User Input Section. Handy to keep track of variables, or to make a copy of any fpxEngine table settings to use in your table. Just delete your user input section, and paste in the new code. This is written in code in fpDebugTextLog
Numberpad 5 - Bam settings. All BAM variables used by fpxEngine are written here.

A Quick Play...

Test Installation

Future pinball is in, so lets do a quick test to make sure it is working. In the top text menu, Select “File” and then select “New”.

This will load in a pretty blank “New” table, so pless the “play” icon. FP will load the table, and you will be able to play the game, even if it’s pretty “basic”.

If the game works fine, hit the esc key, and then close out the program. This will be more than likely the last time you need to use the stand alone Future Pinball program,

fpxEngine needs to use the BAM plugin, which has it’s own loader, called “fpLoader”, or BAM as it is called. Older tables will work on Future Pinball to varing degress, but keep the FP icon on the desktop in case you run into problems.

If you do run into problems, like stuutering or crashes, again I will point out GeorgeH’s guide for beginners. If there are no problems though, time to set up BAM, and then fpxEngine.

- Better Arcade Mode (BAM) -

We are naturally assuming you are following this guide and installing FP in it's default location (C:\Games\Future Pinball\) with the all-in-one installer.BAM is installed within the Future Pinball folder on your Hard Drive, so the location is here. (C:\Games\Future Pinball\BAM\)

The application to run BAM, and is required for all tables using BAM (including fpxEngine) is found in the BAM folder (C:\Games\Future Pinball\BAM\FPLoader.exe)

BAM - Create A Shortcut

Make it easy

If the installer doesn't create a icon on your desktop for "fploader" then you should just create one for your desktop yourself. Open up File Explorer, Browse to fploader.exe, (default is (C:\Games\Future Pinball\BAM\FPLoader.exe)) and create a shortcut for the desktop.

Like fp, you need to look at the Compatability settings by right clicking the icon and select "properties". They should be exactly the same as the one for Future Pinball. If not, then change the compatability to be the same as Future Pinball.exe

fpxengine has a lot of BAM features already built in, like custom physics (xml file) and custom lighting but you may want to add better physics for other tables or make adjustments to BAM using the Built in BAM menu, so GeorgeH has another Bam tutorial just on BAM, it explains everything, so if you need to Click Here.

- A Brief Note from the fpx Dev. -

fpxengine (at the time of this writing) is at version 1.4x, so this next section is on that version, which has been out for a year. fpxEngine though is due for a huge upgrade, the version 1.5x series, which will be a total rebuild and a very different way of doing things. More to come...

fpxEngine Installation.

Just Drag and Drop

Once you have FP?BAM working, and have played a couple tables (If you don't know where to find tables, try here.

https://pinballnirvana.com/forums/resources/)

then it's time to add fpxEngine. Just grab the main file from the download page, unzip the file, and then drag the unzipped folder directly into the Future Pinball folder (C:\Games\Future Pinball\) in your hard drive.

Then click on the fploader.exe shortcut on your desktop (remember I told you to create one)(DO NOT use the future pinball icon!!!) to open up the editor.

Go to the "file" drop down menu at the top left of the editor, select "open" and select the fpxengine.fpt file. The fpxEnginetemplate file then loads in, ready to go.

By now, you should have a good idea about the FP editor, so now it's time to start working with the fpxTemplate.And of course you are going to want to play it to test it out. Open up the template from the location you stored it in. As you can see, it's not exactly a lot there, it pretty much looks like the basic "new_table" that fp has, but it's not the looks that matter, it's what's under the hood that counts.

Still, press play and have a go at what's there. You will notice some pretty high end features, like the display text and the lights, that just isn't there in the new_table template. In fact, the fpxEngine is the third most powerful engine released, only shivaEngine2 (for old vp) and propst (for FP) are more powerful, but then, fpx also happens to be the easiest to use not matter what template you look at, or what skill level as a coder you are. In fact, the entire object of the fpxTemplate is to make it as easy to use for people who don't even know how to code, and there really isn't anything like it (as far as I know at least)

Have a play or 2 and then come back here. If you look in the actual editor, there are a group of triggers (the funny looking star shaped objects) to the left of the table. (You may have to increase the magnification, as FP likes to just show the table dimensions, and not what is outside the table in the editor)

You will notice a menu system comes up. This is where you can change balls per game, skill levels, set to use the arrow keys before you hit enter etc . This is a built in feature of the engine, more options will be added soon.

Download fpxEngine

Get It While it's Hot

For fpxEngine, you need the Future Pinball Editor, and the Plug-in BAM.

https://www.ravarcade.pl/files/FP-BAM-setup.exe

fpxEngine Main Core Download:

You can also find the fpxEngine Mirror at Pinball Nirvana and VPUniverse. (membership to those sites required)

PinballNivana

VPUniverse

Special

What's Next?

- Let's Use fpx -

Ready to go?. Then let's get started...

Getting Started

The latest in Future Pinball physics, including the latest versions of shivaFlippers and Ball rolling sounds. All Adjustable for performance and shots for the flippers.

Vault Features

Advanced music/lighting/display text effects sets, pre-coded and fully automated. You have the option to use different sets, each with it's own custom routines and music.

Pre-Sets

Light Attracts, Player Memory system, Bonus Count, Save and Load feature, plus more!! All can be adjusted by simply changing one number in a line of code. How simple is that?