Baby Pac-Man

[+Defender_2600]

 

Good point. It does appear currently the gap is proportionally greater between the flippers for this port as opposed to the Arcade original...

 

CaptureReal.PNG

 

Capture78.PNG

 

...then again, if the the ball itself is also proportionally larger than the one used in the original, it would balance out. Changing the resting angle of the flippers too, if possible, may assist in better simulating the Arcade likeness.

 

 

I used these parameters as reference :

 

 

[Trebor]

I used these parameters as reference :

 

 

Ah, from that reference it looks like a down to a science match - awesome work, as usual!

 

The issue seems to be that reference photo is a re-creation itself, rather than an original hardware capture:

 

 

Whoever made that image lacked your accuracy during its creation when compared to the read hardware image above.

[Trebor]

Hmm...There appears to be more than one hardware reference for an "original" machine. This one much more closely resembles the re-creation:

 

 

But, it has yellow border flippers.

[Trebor]

And this other version has yellow insides and a white border.

 

[+SmittyB]

I don't know much about pinball machines and I can't say I've ever seen a Baby Pac-Man machine, but from the way the flippers sit on the first picture you posted I'd guess they've been replaced or are from a later revision. They certainly don't look like they're correct for the machine from my point of view.

[Atari PAC-MAN Fan]

I don't know much about pinball machines and I can't say I've ever seen a Baby Pac-Man machine, but from the way the flippers sit on the first picture you posted I'd guess they've been replaced or are from a later revision. They certainly don't look like they're correct for the machine from my point of view.

 

There's a Baby Pac-Man arcade machine at Level 257 and is located in the Chicago area.

 

Prepare to get your a$$ kicked though. It probably the hardest Pac-Man arcade game ever made!

[Trebor]

From the pinreapir page a few machines, including several images are captured. Here's another fuller bottom perspective of a machine with yellow border flippers with their dormant position similar to what has been utilized as reference earlier:

 

 

What is in place currently appears to be a near exact, if not exact match to at least some, or the majority of machines out there. Regardless, some compromises have to be made; ultimately though, as mentioned before, Bob is the one that has to be happy and satisfied with the end results.

 

Nonetheless, a wonderful job by Defender_2600; first time around back to this thread, I completely missed the last post on the previous page with a 'down to a science' explanation of how and why the flippers were created in their current iteration. Most excellent, thank you for that!

[tep392]

 

Ah, from that reference it looks like a down to a science match - awesome work, as usual!

 

The issue seems to be that reference photo is a re-creation itself, rather than an original hardware capture:

 

BabyPacMan_PinballField.jpg

 

Whoever made that image lacked your accuracy during its creation when compared to the read hardware image above.

The photo needs to be adjusted for perspective before trying to scale off of it. It appears much skinnier at the top than the bottom due to the camera angle.

[PacManPlus]

Thanks guys...

 

A little screen shot showing the ball(s) on the screen. They don't move yet... but they will...

[+x=usr(1536)]

Hmm...There appears to be more than one hardware reference for an "original" machine. This one much more closely resembles the re-creation:

 

Capture.PNG

 

But, it has yellow border flippers.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about that - rubbers in particular tend to get changed out for ones of different colours depending on the owners' tastes. Yellow was the original colour IIRC, however I really think that the red ones in Bob's versions are more appropriate to the 7800 port. They contrast better on the blue background than yellow would.

 

Ditto the flipper placement (one set is resting slightly higher than the others). That's almost certainly just down to variances in mechanical maintenance.

[Swami]

It appears the pink lined rounded flippers probably came from a regular pinball game called Mr. and Mrs. Pac Man and were used to replace the old flippers in Trebor's pic.

http://www.pinballnirvana.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=3149&d=1167269052

 

Also, this is the best video I found of the Baby pac man game:

 

[+Defender_2600]

Bob,

in case there will be time for this, I've tweaked the top of the playing field.
I also add an idea / example of animation for the ball (the speed of the animation should be progressive ).

Again, thanks for your kind attention!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mmervine]

Bob-looking good!!!

[PacManPlus]

Thanks guys

 

@Marco - thank you again. I've implemented the changes, although I still had to move that one pixel.at the very top down one scanline. It was an entire tile for one pixel, and I needed all of the tiles I could get (that's why I originally had it removed).

I've also incorporated your silver ball changes. Thank you again.

 

Here is the sequence of mazes in the arcade game. I will try and do the two color ones (i.e. the second set of three mazes) but the colors won't match. I can't change them as I'm sharing palettes with monsters, the player, and fruit. At the very end, it most likely repeats with different colors, but I'm not goon enough to get that far:

 

EDIT - Also I noticed, the energizers never seem to get THAT short... I may have to change that in mine. Now I have them getting shorter down to nothing.

Edited June 17, 2018 by PacManPlus

[+SmittyB]

Here's my own go at a pinball. Defender_2600's is the top left, then there's 2 different ones on the lower row with the rightmost having an animated reflection version in the top right. They're a little taller at 12 pixels but I think the additional height makes them look a little more spherical. Personally I'd imagine the ball would look fine without needing to animate it, as at this resolution it would be too easy to make it look like the reflections were painted on rather than it being a shiny ball that seemingly glides across the table.

 

Also from watching videos of the machine in action the lighting on the ball should either be central or from the sides to be more accurate but I just could not draw that without it looking awful.

Edited June 17, 2018 by SmittyB

[LS_Dracon]

[Andromeda Stardust]

Thanks guys

 

@Marco - thank you again. I've implemented the changes, although I still had to move that one pixel.at the very top down one scanline. It was an entire tile for one pixel, and I needed all of the tiles I could get (that's why I originally had it removed).

I've also incorporated your silver ball changes. Thank you again.

 

Here is the sequence of mazes in the arcade game. I will try and do the two color ones (i.e. the second set of three mazes) but the colors won't match. I can't change them as I'm sharing palettes with monsters, the player, and fruit. At the very end, it most likely repeats with different colors, but I'm not goon enough to get that far:

Maze00.png Maze01.png Maze02.png

Maze03.png Maze04.png Maze05.png

Maze06.png Maze07.png Maze08.png

Maze09.png Maze10.png Maze11.png

Maze12.png

 

EDIT - Also I noticed, the energizers never seem to get THAT short... I may have to change that in mine. Now I have them getting shorter down to nothing.

Those black mazes look brutal. Once you eat the dots you have no idea where the pathways are.

[+Defender_2600]

 

@Marco - thank you again. I've implemented the changes, although I still had to move that one pixel.at the very top down one scanline. It was an entire tile for one pixel, and I needed all of the tiles I could get (that's why I originally had it removed).

I've also incorporated your silver ball changes. Thank you again.

 

You already did it?

 

 

Thank you again!

 

 

P.S. And here, again, ball graphics:

 

 

[PacManPlus]

Holy Crap!

 

Continuing from the mazes earlier, this is how many it takes before they cycle:

 

 

I can't do the purple color... But I will mimic the style of the mazes. (i.e. multi color, partially invisible, invisible, two color... repeat).

 

Also, I noticed that the energizer stays the same length from this point on. And it's not that short (which is a good thing).

Also also, the speed of both the monsters and the player never changes. i.e. they never get faster than you (except the red one, who always is faster than you).

Edited June 18, 2018 by PacManPlus

[Andromeda Stardust]

I wonder if anyone ever saw the 24th maze in the arcade. I'm not totally familiar with how the game mechanics work, but I am assuming you can reenter the Pinball section by dropping through the down tunnels?

 

Also how many save states did you use?

[PacManPlus]

Side note:

I've added the fruit indicator and the tunnel speed indicator inside the blue border just above the saucer on each side respectively:

 

I also added all of the mazes, except for the alternate partially invisible mazes 14, 18, and 22. I ran out of room, so I reused mazes 8, 6, and 7 respectively.

 

Progress might be slower now, as I start my new job on Wednesday. The ball physics are the most difficult part (to me). That's why I left it for last.

 

 

EDIT - @ Kosmic Stardust: to answer your questions in order: Yes, and I kept re-using the same one.

Edited June 18, 2018 by PacManPlus

[Atariboy2600]

I should be done with the label art late tonight or early Tuesday^_^

[PacManPlus]

Thank you, but take your time - I'm a long way from being done.

Edited June 18, 2018 by PacManPlus

[Swami]

Side note:

I've added the fruit indicator and the tunnel speed indicator inside the blue border just above the saucer on each side respectively:

0008.png

 

I also added all of the mazes, except for the alternate partially invisible mazes 14, 18, and 22. I ran out of room, so I reused mazes 8, 6, and 7 respectively.

 

Progress might be slower now, as I start my new job on Wednesday. The ball physics are the most difficult part (to me). That's why I left it for last.

 

 

EDIT - @ Kosmic Stardust: to answer your questions in order: Yes, and I kept re-using the same one.

I don't suppose anything here will help. The page header is "Evolutionary-Algorithms-for-NES-Pinball", but it may just be emulator code.

 

https://github.com/Sebarl/Evolutionary-Algorithms-for-NES-Pinball

[+GoldenWheels]

Man to 7800 fans you are already legendary PMP but I think this one gets you even more attention than normal when it's all said and done. The first home conversion of a truly unique Pac Man game. I wouldn't even call myself a Pac Man fan and I am stoked for this. Whenever it's ready, I'm ready.