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MPF Framework any tips?


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Is anybody using the MPF framework?

I am thinking of doing a homebrew retheme, just as a fun project and was looking at the MPF manual, 1503 pages :o

I think this may be worth the read but has anyone actually used it?

I would rather start from a functioning system than start from scratch with Rpi or Arduino.

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I have tried to get my head around this a few times, I have read most of it

Downloaded the Windows install version as I know bugger all about Linux, couldn’t get it to load on

3 different computers of different builds and operating systems XP, 7 and 10

Finally got it working after some tips from the mission pinball forum,

But being a computer tech I still feel putting computers in pinball machines is a disaster waiting to happen,

Computer hardware changes at a blink, motherboards become old and hard to find, I know there’s a lot of companies doing it these days successfully ,but I am a true believer of embedded systems or solid state systems for pinball.

That way a pinball tech can fix any issue without having to also be a computer tech.

Try finding a socket 1150 or 1151 motherboard in ten years time, it will be like pinball 2000 rare as hens teeth!

Edited by andyarcade
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I was looking to use this to write my game program then run it on a P-roc or Fast controller.

I believe the game programming might be easier than having to go back and re-learn C or Python ( I haven't done any C programming for about 30 years so a little bit rusty :o

I probably need to download it and take a look.

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My lessons learnt:

1/ Home made boards....Bad Idea

2/ Commercially available boards … Better Idea.

3/ Software format that you might have tinkered with...good idea

4/ Fresh alien software/code that you have to start learning from scratch bad idea

5/ Will the board I use get redundant. Yes

6/ Well I have a 6 to 10 year homebrew at least ! Yes …

7/ Can I evolve at my age and learn new software ???? Tricky

8/ Is it worth the effort? Tricky

9/ Will you be really happy when its up and running and other people play it Yes ( priceless )

 

Footnote: My next project will be bought of the shelf stuff and P-Roc based.

 

10/ good Luck

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I was watching the Haggis Pinball youtube video where he was pulling out all of the boards required ( and it still requires a pc).

At that point I was glad to be making my own boards and not beholden to an off the shelf supplier.

Boutique and homebrew are in an upswing right now and the boards are plentiful so now is a good time to go down the 'proc' or 'fast' route.

I personally like building a "system" and at this point I'm ready to have my first system1 boards manufactured.

If you just want something up and running in a year or so 'proc' it.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I used MPF for my homebrew (with FAST hardware) and after I wrapped my head around how it works, I found it pretty easy to use. I know very little about code, so I found their config system easy to figure out.

 

What I suggest is to download the sample games so you can see how they're set up. There's a good Demolition Man example project where you can see how modes are set up, display media, hardware, etc. It should give you a better idea on what it's like to build a game using MPF.

Whenever I tried to set up something new on my homebrew (eg: ballsave, multiball, modes), I would look at how it's set up in the example games.

 

Read through the tutorial section as it is quite thorough at setting up a bare-bones game. By the end of the tutorial you'll probably know if MPF fits your style or not.

 

Hope that helps!

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