Extending a Virtual Pinball Machine to Improve Immersion
Team
David Plecher (advisor), Paul Pernsteiner
Year
2024
Course
Master thesis
Engine
Visual Pinball X (final), Unity Visual Pinball Engine (prototype)
Feature
Custom hardware modifications
My focus
Building modifications, interfacing with the existing pinball software stack, building a custom table, analyzing user study with pinball experts and DemoDay visitors.
Hardware
The hardware was built by using an indepth 1200+ page manual over the span of two years (can be bought as well => beware different capabilities + prices) and extended for the thesis. Multiple solenoids and audio transducers deliver audible haptic cues to the player. Different light types accompany an LED matrix score display and the two screens for an immersive experience.
Hardware Modifications
One modification is a base plate to stand on. There, an original pinball shaker motor (with plastic safety shell) and another audio transducer are installed. It also includes 4 peltier modules and fans below the metal plates to heat or cool the feet (unused because of shoes). Rubber feet combined with foam isolate vibrations to increase the effect’s strength.
The second modification is the addition of Peltier modules mounted to the metal lockbar to individually heat or cool the player’s hands controlled by the pinball table. Fans below somewhat try to increase the space-restricted cooling solution.
The Peltier modules are controlled by H-bridges through an Arduino nano that receives USB Serial packets through the customizable software interface used by typical virtual pinball hardware.
This is the Visual Pinball X table modified from the example table supplied with the VPX install. The table logic is written in a Visual Basic Script.
The ‘Left’ and ‘Right’ shots trigger thermal events to that side based on the curent time-limited gameplay section. First half is cooling, the second half is heating.
The orange lights indicate the eathquake progress which triggers the shaker motor with two different strengths based on finishing one group or both.
Many existing downloaded tables are fun to play as well, and new ones get released on VPUniverse or VPForums. Some are copies of real tables, while others are created from scratch by community members with custom themes.
Hit me up if you want to know anything pinball related, ask some questions about the project / hardware, or want to come, talk and play some tables.
No coins required!