An input/output controller for virtual pinball machines, with plunger position tracking, accelerometer-based nudge sensing, button input encoding, and feedback device control.

Dependencies:   USBDevice mbed FastAnalogIn FastIO FastPWM SimpleDMA

/media/uploads/mjr/pinscape_no_background_small_L7Miwr6.jpg

The Pinscape Controller is a special-purpose software project that I wrote for my virtual pinball machine.

New version: V2 is now available! The information below is for version 1, which will continue to be available for people who prefer the original setup.

What exactly is a virtual pinball machine? It's basically a video-game pinball emulator built to look like a real pinball machine. (The picture at right is the one I built.) You start with a standard pinball cabinet, either built from scratch or salvaged from a real machine. Inside, you install a PC motherboard to run the software, and install TVs in place of the playfield and backglass. Several Windows pinball programs can take advantage of this setup, including the open-source project Visual Pinball, which has hundreds of tables available. Building one of these makes a great DIY project, and it's a good way to add to your skills at woodworking, computers, and electronics. Check out the Cabinet Builders' Forum on vpforums.org for lots of examples and advice.

This controller project is a key piece in my setup that helps integrate the video game into the pinball cabinet. It handles several input/output tasks that are unique to virtual pinball machines. First, it lets you connect a mechanical plunger to the software, so you can launch the ball like on a real machine. Second, it sends "nudge" data to the software, based on readings from an accelerometer. This lets you interact with the game physically, which makes the playing experience more realistic and immersive. Third, the software can handle button input (for wiring flipper buttons and other cabinet buttons), and fourth, it can control output devices (for tactile feedback, button lights, flashers, and other special effects).

Documentation

The Hardware Build Guide (PDF) has detailed instructions on how to set up a Pinscape Controller for your own virtual pinball cabinet.

Update notes

December 2015 version: This version fully supports the new Expansion Board project, but it'll also run without it. The default configuration settings haven't changed, so existing setups should continue to work as before.

August 2015 version: Be sure to get the latest version of the Config Tool for windows if you're upgrading from an older version of the firmware. This update adds support for TSL1412R sensors (a version of the 1410 sensor with a slightly larger pixel array), and a config option to set the mounting orientation of the board in the firmware rather than in VP (for better support for FP and other pinball programs that don't have VP's flexibility for setting the rotation).

Feb/March 2015 software versions: If you have a CCD plunger that you've been using with the older versions, and the plunger stops working (or doesn't work as well) after you update to the latest version, you might need to increase the brightness of your light source slightly. Check the CCD exposure with the Windows config tool to see if it looks too dark. The new software reads the CCD much more quickly than the old versions did. This makes the "shutter speed" faster, which might require a little more light to get the same readings. The CCD is actually really tolerant of varying light levels, so you probably won't have to change anything for the update - I didn't. But if you do have any trouble, have a look at the exposure meter and try a slightly brighter light source if the exposure looks too dark.

Downloads

  • Config tool for Windows (.exe and C# source): this is a Windows program that lets you view the raw pixel data from the CCD sensor, trigger plunger calibration mode, and configure some of the software options on the controller.
  • Custom VP builds: I created modified versions of Visual Pinball 9.9 and Physmod5 that you might want to use in combination with this controller. The modified versions have special handling for plunger calibration specific to the Pinscape Controller, as well as some enhancements to the nudge physics. If you're not using the plunger, you might still want it for the nudge improvements. The modified version also works with any other input controller, so you can get the enhanced nudging effects even if you're using a different plunger/nudge kit. The big change in the modified versions is a "filter" for accelerometer input that's designed to make the response to cabinet nudges more realistic. It also makes the response more subdued than in the standard VP, so it's not to everyone's taste. The downloads include both the updated executables and the source code changes, in case you want to merge the changes into your own custom version(s).

    Note! These features are now standard in the official VP 9.9.1 and VP 10 releases, so you don't need my custom builds if you're using 9.9.1 or 10 or later. I don't think there's any reason to use my 9.9 instead of the official 9.9.1, but I'm leaving it here just in case. In the official VP releases, look for the checkbox "Enable Nudge Filter" in the Keys preferences dialog. (There's no checkbox in my custom builds, though; the filter is simply always on in those.)
  • Output circuit shopping list: This is a saved shopping cart at mouser.com with the parts needed for each output driver, if you want to use the LedWiz emulator feature. Note that quantities in the cart are for one output channel, so multiply everything by the number of channels you plan to use, except that you only need one of the ULN2803 transistor array chips for each eight output circuits.
  • Lemming77's potentiometer mounting bracket and shooter rod connecter: Sketchup designs for 3D-printable parts for mounting a slide potentiometer as the plunger sensor. These were designed for a particular slide potentiometer that used to be available from an Aliexpress.com seller but is no longer listed. You can probably use this design as a starting point for other similar devices; just check the dimensions before committing the design to plastic.

Features

  • Plunger position sensing, using a TAOS TSL 1410R CCD linear array sensor. This sensor is a 1280 x 1 pixel array at 400 dpi, which makes it about 3" long - almost exactly the travel distance of a standard pinball plunger. The idea is that you install the sensor just above (within a few mm of) the shooter rod on the inside of the cabinet, with the CCD window facing down, aligned with and centered on the long axis of the shooter rod, and positioned so that the rest position of the tip is about 1/2" from one end of the window. As you pull back the plunger, the tip will travel down the length of the window, and the maximum retraction point will put the tip just about at the far end of the window. Put a light source below, facing the sensor - I'm using two typical 20 mA blue LEDs about 8" away (near the floor of the cabinet) with good results. The principle of operation is that the shooter rod casts a shadow on the CCD, so pixels behind the rod will register lower brightness than pixels that aren't in the shadow. We scan down the length of the sensor for the edge between darker and brighter, and this tells us how far back the rod has been pulled. We can read the CCD at about 25-30 ms intervals, so we can get rapid updates. We pass the readings reports to VP via our USB joystick reports.

    The hardware build guide includes schematics showing how to wire the CCD to the KL25Z. It's pretty straightforward - five wires between the two devices, no external components needed. Two GPIO ports are used as outputs to send signals to the device and one is used as an ADC in to read the pixel brightness inputs. The config tool has a feature that lets you display the raw pixel readings across the array, so you can test that the CCD is working and adjust the light source to get the right exposure level.

    Alternatively, you can use a slide potentiometer as the plunger sensor. This is a cheaper and somewhat simpler option that seems to work quite nicely, as you can see in Lemming77's video of this setup in action. This option is also explained more fully in the build guide.
  • Nudge sensing via the KL25Z's on-board accelerometer. Mounting the board in your cabinet makes it feel the same accelerations the cabinet experiences when you nudge it. Visual Pinball already knows how to interpret accelerometer input as nudging, so we simply feed the acceleration readings to VP via the joystick interface.
  • Cabinet button wiring. Up to 24 pushbuttons and switches can be wired to the controller for input controls (for example, flipper buttons, the Start button, the tilt bob, coin slot switches, and service door buttons). These appear to Windows as joystick buttons. VP can map joystick buttons to pinball inputs via its keyboard preferences dialog. (You can raise the 24-button limit by editing the source code, but since all of the GPIO pins are allocated, you'll have to reassign pins currently used for other functions.)
  • LedWiz emulation (limited). In addition to emulating a joystick, the device emulates the LedWiz USB interface, so controllers on the PC side such as DirectOutput Framework can recognize it and send it commands to control lights, solenoids, and other feedback devices. 22 GPIO ports are assigned by default as feedback device outputs. This feature has some limitations. The big one is that the KL25Z hardware only has 10 PWM channels, which isn't enough for a fully decked-out cabinet. You also need to build some external power driver circuitry to use this feature, because of the paltry 4mA output capacity of the KL25Z GPIO ports. The build guide includes instructions for a simple and robust output circuit, including part numbers for the exact components you need. It's not hard if you know your way around a soldering iron, but just be aware that it'll take a little work.

Warning: This is not replacement software for the VirtuaPin plunger kit. If you bought the VirtuaPin kit, please don't try to install this software. The VP kit happens to use the same microcontroller board, but the rest of its hardware is incompatible. The VP kit uses a different type of sensor for its plunger and has completely different button wiring, so the Pinscape software won't work properly with it.

Committer:
mjr
Date:
Mon Feb 15 23:19:56 2016 +0000
Revision:
46:d60fc88eb7fd
Parent:
5:a70c0bce770d
Fix USB compatibility problems introduced in USBHAL_KL25Z overhaul

Who changed what in which revision?

UserRevisionLine numberNew contents of line
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 1 /* Copyright (c) 2010-2011 mbed.org, MIT License
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 2 *
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 3 * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 4 * and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 5 * restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish,
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 6 * distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 7 * Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 8 *
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 9 * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 10 * substantial portions of the Software.
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 11 *
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 12 * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 13 * BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 14 * NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM,
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 15 * DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 16 * OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 17 */
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 18
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 19 #ifndef MMA8451Q_H
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 20 #define MMA8451Q_H
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 21
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 22 #include "mbed.h"
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 23
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 24 /**
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 25 * MMA8451Q accelerometer example
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 26 *
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 27 * @code
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 28 * #include "mbed.h"
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 29 * #include "MMA8451Q.h"
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 30 *
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 31 * #define MMA8451_I2C_ADDRESS (0x1d<<1)
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 32 *
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 33 * int main(void) {
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 34 *
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 35 * MMA8451Q acc(P_E25, P_E24, MMA8451_I2C_ADDRESS);
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 36 * PwmOut rled(LED_RED);
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 37 * PwmOut gled(LED_GREEN);
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 38 * PwmOut bled(LED_BLUE);
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 39 *
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 40 * while (true) {
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 41 * rled = 1.0 - abs(acc.getAccX());
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 42 * gled = 1.0 - abs(acc.getAccY());
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 43 * bled = 1.0 - abs(acc.getAccZ());
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 44 * wait(0.1);
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 45 * }
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 46 * }
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 47 * @endcode
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 48 */
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 49 class MMA8451Q
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 50 {
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 51 public:
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 52 /**
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 53 * MMA8451Q constructor
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 54 *
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 55 * @param sda SDA pin
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 56 * @param sdl SCL pin
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 57 * @param addr addr of the I2C peripheral
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 58 */
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 59 MMA8451Q(PinName sda, PinName scl, int addr);
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 60
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 61 /**
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 62 * MMA8451Q destructor
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 63 */
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 64 ~MMA8451Q();
mjr 5:a70c0bce770d 65
mjr 5:a70c0bce770d 66 /**
mjr 5:a70c0bce770d 67 * Reset the accelerometer hardware and set our initial parameters
mjr 5:a70c0bce770d 68 */
mjr 5:a70c0bce770d 69 void init();
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 70
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 71 /**
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 72 * Enter standby mode
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 73 */
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 74 void standby();
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 75
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 76 /**
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 77 * Enter active mode
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 78 */
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 79 void active();
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 80
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 81 /**
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 82 * Get the value of the WHO_AM_I register
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 83 *
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 84 * @returns WHO_AM_I value
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 85 */
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 86 uint8_t getWhoAmI();
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 87
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 88 /**
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 89 * Get X axis acceleration
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 90 *
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 91 * @returns X axis acceleration
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 92 */
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 93 float getAccX();
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 94
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 95 /**
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 96 * Get Y axis acceleration
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 97 *
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 98 * @returns Y axis acceleration
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 99 */
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 100 float getAccY();
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 101
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 102 /**
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 103 * Read an X,Y pair
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 104 */
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 105 void getAccXY(float &x, float &y);
mjr 3:3514575d4f86 106
mjr 3:3514575d4f86 107 /**
mjr 3:3514575d4f86 108 * Read X,Y,Z. This is the most efficient way to fetch
mjr 3:3514575d4f86 109 * all of the axes at once, since it fetches all three
mjr 3:3514575d4f86 110 * in a single I2C transaction.
mjr 3:3514575d4f86 111 */
mjr 3:3514575d4f86 112 void getAccXYZ(float &x, float &y, float &z);
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 113
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 114 /**
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 115 * Get Z axis acceleration
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 116 *
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 117 * @returns Z axis acceleration
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 118 */
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 119 float getAccZ();
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 120
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 121 /**
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 122 * Get XYZ axis acceleration
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 123 *
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 124 * @param res array where acceleration data will be stored
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 125 */
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 126 void getAccAllAxis(float * res);
mjr 3:3514575d4f86 127
mjr 3:3514575d4f86 128 /**
mjr 3:3514575d4f86 129 * Set interrupt mode. 'pin' is 1 for INT1_ACCEL (PTA14) and 2 for INT2_ACCEL (PTA15).
mjr 3:3514575d4f86 130 * The caller is responsible for setting up an interrupt handler on the corresponding
mjr 3:3514575d4f86 131 * PTAxx pin.
mjr 3:3514575d4f86 132 */
mjr 3:3514575d4f86 133 void setInterruptMode(int pin);
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 134
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 135 private:
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 136 I2C m_i2c;
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 137 int m_addr;
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 138 void readRegs(int addr, uint8_t * data, int len);
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 139 void writeRegs(uint8_t * data, int len);
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 140 int16_t getAccAxis(uint8_t addr);
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 141
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 142 };
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 143
mjr 1:d913e0afb2ac 144 #endif