HyperSpin and PinBall FX2

[Falantrius]

I have built a beautiful cabinet (thanks to recroommasters.com) with a Windows 8 PC using HyperSpin (http://www.hyperspin-fe.com/). I really love the Pinball FX 2 tables - though I wish all the tables on my IPAD/etc were available on the PC instead of all thee Marvel/Star Wars tables. Yes - I want more tables for classic pinball lovers.

That said, the reason I am posting is that I am trying to figure out if there is a command line for Windows that I can execute that will start Pinball FX2 and a table. I want to integrate Pinball FX2 as an option HyperSpin then have sub items for each table. By selecting a table in HyperSpin - I want to kick off that table. However, I have been unable to figure out a command line like "PinballFX2.exe /loadtable:Tesla" or something that will do the same thing as LOAD the Tesla table - and select Single Player.

Right now I load all games using AutoHotKey creating a window for them to run and when they press ESC at any time - it kills the window and returns them to the hyperspin menu.

Does anyone know a command line or way to launch a specific TABLE in PinballFX 2 (on windows 8) that will work?

[Zeiram]

PinballX

Take a look at PinballX instead of HyperPin. I switched a couple weeks ago and haven't looked back. It's very easy to set up, and you can copy your HP database and media files over directly so you're up and running in minutes and can switch back and forth if you need to. You'll find media for all the FX2 tables on PinSimDB.

On the PinballX forum, you'll find an excellent thread that contains everything you need to integrate FX2. You actually run Steam as the executable with the FX2 app number as the command line argument. An AHK script then navigates within FX2 to pick the table you want. You'll find links in that thread to examples, which you'll need to edit based on the tables you've bought and the order they show up in. Lastly, you'll probably need something like Xpadder to map your controls to FX2 keystrokes. I have yet to map my nudge and plunger controls to xinputs, but it's really sweet as-is.

Good luck!

[Falantrius]

Need more on how to launch PinballFX2 from HyperSpin

I'm not using HyperPin - I'm using HyperSpin and trying to launch Pinball FX2 from it. I have a top level database/media setup for the main menu called "Pinball FX2" and the sub menu that has each of the tables I have purchased - I have also updated HyperLaunch using AutoHotKey to kick if off...now all I need is the command line to make it happen.

So what you are saying is I need to sign up for Steam first? Will that make me have to by Pinball FX2 from Steam again....the current Pinball FX2 I have is on the PC but bought from my XBOX Live on Windows 8. I've never used Steam.

I haven't setup nudge yet either but everything else works from Windows 8 - I just can't get it to start up.
Can you point me to the thread that talks about it- I searched but couldn't find what you are referring to.

[Zeiram]

Sorry, I thought you had a pinball cab. I haven't used hyperspin, so I can't help. Maybe someone else can.

The thread is here:

http://www.gameex.info/forums/topic/12837-support-for-pinball-fx2/

Maybe you can gather clues from it that can help you.

[Falantrius]

Command Line for Pinball FX 2 and Steam

You've helped a lot - actually. In Hyperspin, you simply have a catalog that forms the main menu of items - these "spin" along the right hand edge loading themes (background, graphics) for each item selected. Selecting an item brings up a second level of the same with different catalog items from XML - its very simply and beautiful. You have the option of bring up another level of a catalog OR launching an item - when launch you simply run the emulator in a window with command lines - I just need a command line for the tables that will work.

Looks like you can run PinballFX 2 from Steam - people are saying that if you try to run it without steam - it will crash (which I wish the PinballFX guys would fix so I don't need to sign up for steam to kick it off.

I found the below threads - so I have open things to ask but a path to take
1) Will have to buy PinballFX2 again in Steam to make this work
2) I still want to test running it without steam first to see if the below command lines work now - as the thread below is old and the devs may have fixed it by now.

------------------------------------------------------

Let us run "c:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Pinball FX2\Pinball FX2.exe" with arguments:
a) /SkipIntro We may want to immediately dig into the game. Not uncommon. Your valuable customers know you are great and don't want to waste time, just enjoy your game
b) /LoadTable "[Tablename]" We may want to start a specific table directly. We may want to have several shortcuts in Windows to start tables directly.
c) /View <n> If /LoadTable has been used, start it with view number <n>


2) Command line options
Running "Pinball FX2.exe" gives me an protection fault every time I run it, looks like the application has to be run over steam.
The best way I've found to do that out of a script is starting "Steam.exe -applaunch 226980"
Note that Steam.exe allows to pass command line options to the application if you put them after that command.
So here is my wishlist for command line parameters:
-play %tablename% - for starting a given table directly
-nologo - or at least something to let us bypass that extra keypress at the start of the game
-rotate=left|right - all screens in Pincabs are usually set to landscape mode. It would make things a bit easier if Pinball FX2 could rotate to portrait without changing the system's screen orientation.

[Zeiram]

Yeah, Hyperpin is an offshoot of Hyperspin so I'm familiar with its functionality. Similarly, PinballX is a special purpose pinball cab UI made by the folks who wrote general emulation wrapper GameEx. I like the latter because I find it a bit more flexible than Hyperpin. Short of the command line arguments you've mentioned, folks automate key presses with AHK based on the desired table. I don't mess with the view parameters in my cab so that's not an issue for me. So basically I kick off steam with the app launch argument, then fire off my AHK with the table name passed in from the database. The user experience could be faster and more polished with argument flexibility from Zen, but as-is it requires no user intervention once the player selects a table.

[Falantrius]

PinSimDB where is it?

Yeah, Hyperpin is an offshoot of Hyperspin so I'm familiar with its functionality. Similarly, PinballX is a special purpose pinball cab UI made by the folks who wrote general emulation wrapper GameEx. I like the latter because I find it a bit more flexible than Hyperpin. Short of the command line arguments you've mentioned, folks automate key presses with AHK based on the desired table. I don't mess with the view parameters in my cab so that's not an issue for me. So basically I kick off steam with the app launch argument, then fire off my AHK with the table name passed in from the database. The user experience could be faster and more polished with argument flexibility from Zen, but as-is it requires no user intervention once the player selects a table.

You mentioned in a previous note that the media for all Pinball FX2 tables was online at PinSimDB.

Can you give me a link - I'm unfamiliar and I'd like to see what others have created to replace what I have currently.
I was trying to run my PinballFX2 that I got from XBOX but with windows 8 - I cant even figure out where its installed to kick off the EXE. I installed theme and I'm struggling with paying for PinBall FX2 for a FOURTH time from Steam. Wish these guys had some sort of universal license so when I buy it for Windows, XBOX, my IPAD, etc - I just have to put in my license key or something then get all the tables I have purchased already... sucks buying it over and over again for different platforms.

Hope the devs here me on this one!!

[Zeiram]

http://www.pinsimdb.org/pinball/index-60-pinball_fx2

[Falantrius]

HyperSpin and PinBall FX2 AHK scrips and command lines

http://www.pinsimdb.org/pinball/index-60-pinball_fx2

Thanks

On the PinballX forum, you'll find an excellent thread that contains everything you need to integrate FX2. You actually run Steam as the executable with the FX2 app number as the command line argument. An AHK script then navigates within FX2 to pick the table you want. You'll find links in that thread to examples, which you'll need to edit based on the tables you've bought and the order they show up in. Lastly, you'll probably need something like Xpadder to map your controls to FX2 keystrokes. I have yet to map my nudge and plunger controls to xinputs, but it's really sweet as-is.


I still haven't found this thread - if you get time and have a link - I'd love to have it.
I have a cabinet from Recroommasters.com and the stick from X-arcade - it works amazing - And since the STEAM version of PinBall FX2 allows remap of any key - I've programmed the keys already and the nudge keys too.

Getting the command lines and the AHK script would really finish things up for me.

[Zeiram]

I posted a link to that thread up above. You'll find links to sample AHK scripts in that thread along with PinballX .ini fragments, which should make some sense even if you're using a different front end. The AHK scripts basically just contain keystroke and timer sequences that auto-navigate the FX2 select menu and get you to the desired table.

[reckbates]

Might just do that. Just about to hit 5000 sales already.