VPW Table Index¶
All 81 VPW table pages document table-specific build details, mechanisms, and known issues. General techniques discovered during each build are linked to the relevant guide pages where they live as reusable knowledge. Each table page focuses on what makes that particular build unique.
A¶
Austin Powers — Physics testbed for live catch PC compensation, flipper nudge/fanning, and slacky flips; 4+ year collaborative build with cannon mechanism and VR support
Bad Cats — System 11 build with brad1x's complete vector art redraw of all playfield and plastic assets; proving ground for the pre-toolkit to VPX 10.8 toolkit transition
Batman DE — Established the VPW standard for VPX layer organization and contributed key findings on playfield mesh loop cuts causing ball sticking
Beat the Clock — First-timer toolkit build that uncovered the lightmap influence pruning bug on dark playfields; DOF-driven addressable LED clock effects on cabinet backwall
Big Bang Bar — Capcom table requiring 64-bit VPX; first PinMAME PWM implementation for Capcom hardware with RGB VR room featuring script-controlled dynamic lighting
Black Rose — Bally widebody with dual-color GI cross-dimming logic (red + white strings), per-element flasher variation to avoid the "Christmas tree" look, and dark environment LUT approach
Blood Machines — Original VPW table with IP permission from the director; under-playfield mini-game, 15-ball multiball, and the most extensive wizard mode rules discussion in VPW history
Bram Stoker's Dracula — Extensive first-timer mentoring channel; documented FastFlips upper flipper workaround, VP unit conversion formula, and the pain of late-stage dimension corrections
Breakshot — Capcom testbed where Tony McMapFace tonemapper was developed; Newton ball mechanics, PinMAME Capcom PWM, and a detailed flipper bat measurement campaign
Bride of Pinbot — 13-option GI color mod system, polygon reduction workflow, and flipper coil strength calibration by era; toothpick-hole flipper alignment technique documented here
C¶
Cactus Canyon — Quick Mod build with drop target glancing hit physics, flasher texture preloading to prevent first-use stutter, and dual-ROM support (standard VPinMAME + PROC/CCC)
Cirqus Voltaire — Established the standard 12-point physics review checklist, 23 VP unit flipper trigger margin, and metal wall hit threshold of 2 that became VPW standards
Congo — Documented the standard flasher exponential decay pattern, playfield mesh gotchas, and POV calibration workflow; version merge disasters prompted adoption of the VPW Bot checkout system
Countdown — Rapid 5-day Gottlieb build showcasing the modern VPW collaborative workflow; Roth drop target integration with toolkit exports and newcomer onboarding patterns
Creature from the Black Lagoon — One of VPW's longest builds (5 years); ramp transparency tuning at single-digit percentages, Chase Light II board emulation, and the Lite vs Premium scope debate
D¶
Defender — Exposed the ON_Prims black playfield bug, duplicate playfield_mesh reflection killer, and the gBOT standalone segfault; testbed for VPM version enforcement
Die Hard Trilogy — Original VPW table covering all three Die Hard films; full original-design lifecycle with Nakatomi tower, airplane, and taxi mechs; established community precedent on modding ethics
Diner — Advanced toolkit baking with DisableLighting parameter documentation, shadow layer separation, and nestmap packing optimization; real machine owner provided exact measurements
Dr. Who — Established the insert bloom sizing standard ("1/3 the size that feels natural"), frame pacing vs FPS documentation, and the GI ball reflection technique using elevated lights
E¶
Earthshaker — Resolved the collidable primitives vs VPX walls methodology debate; nestmap resolution research, AI upscaling workflow, and the analog plunger VPX bug
F¶
F-14 Tomcat — Established the clear flasher dome construction technique, BlendDisableLighting for filament meshes, and the DOF solenoid stuck-on bug investigation with UseVPMModSol=2
Fish Tales — Landmark VPW Premium; pioneered render probe roughness optimization (40% FPS gain), EXR HDR pipeline, rubber band 5-object rigging, and lightning flipper AddPt indexing
Flash Gordon — VLM segment display baking for VR backglass score displays, flipper rubber color swap technique, and the PulseTimer requirement for Bally 6803 ROMs
G¶
Game of Thrones — Complex original (non-ROM) table that established DOF safety standards after a fire hazard bug; Stern Node Board LED architecture, Lampz for non-ROM tables with RGB inserts
Ghostbusters — One of the most technically unusual tables, using VPinSPA emulation instead of VPinMAME; RGB insert lighting from ROM lamp states, frosted insert technique, and bass.dll corruption documentation
Godzilla — Reference implementation for the Blender bake-to-VPX integration workflow; PWM migration, room brightness scripting, transparent ramp baking, and the "mayo" glass reflection technique
GoldenEye — Timer interval optimization that doubled FPS from 80 to 150+; GI ramp texture differencing, altsound-in-table concept, and satellite dish ball lock rebuilt with real physics
Goonies — Deepest FlexDMD integration of any VPW project; multi-player state management patterns, coordinate-based light sequencer, and VR as geometry validation tool (17,700+ messages)
Guns N' Roses — Produced the landmark playfield dimension validation discovery (internet-stated size was wrong); stuck ball velocity nudge pattern, scoop ball-stack fix, and colored ramp rendering
H¶
Hang Glider — Cinema 4D ray-traced EM table that established drop target and standup target pivot point orientation rules; documented Bally's "Over The Top" EM scoring mechanism
Harlem Globetrotters — Spinner dual-bakemap cross-fade technique with size offset to prevent z-fighting, trigonometric spinner rod animation, and layer separator debugging across toolkit versions
Haunted House — Gottlieb's uniquely complex 3-playfield, 8-flipper table; established Blender collection organization standard, batch export settings, and multi-playfield architecture patterns for all toolkit tables
Hook — Foundational lessons on timer performance (1ms vs frame-rate), per-material GI fade architecture, flasher solenoid discovery for undocumented Data East tables, and post-RC discipline
I¶
Indiana Jones — VPW's most extensively documented build (100+ WIP versions, 22 contributors); established ON/OFF primitive fading system, modulated flasher averaging, and the shadow-drop release approach
Iron Maiden — Systematic real-machine reference testing methodology by seirif; 5-degree flipper over-travel discovery, staged flipper implementation, and WEBP texture optimization driving 64-bit adoption
Iron Man — Multi-year toolkit showcase with niwak actively guiding the pipeline; 3D scan-to-game-ready pipeline (2.5M to 8K triangles), transparent plastic shadow fix, and FadeSpeed LED vs incandescent values
J¶
Johnny Mnemonic — Four-year build uniquely documenting VLM toolkit evolution across multiple re-bakes; data glove ball capture mechanic, GI string research methodology, and NoExp polygon explosion prevention
Jokerz! — System 11 with raising ramp mechanism; flasher dome fade-up for incandescent realism, GI-aware flasher opacity, and the discovery that VPX saves table state on exit (corruption risk)
Judge Dredd — One of VPW's most complex builds (Deadworld rotating disc, 9-ball tracking, 15K+ messages); pioneered 6-state GI + flasher texture swap system and standup target backstop primitive pattern
Jurassic Park — T-Rex mech was the single most difficult VPW element (dozens of revisions); Tony McMapface/AGX tonemapper color temperature work and unofficial 6.00 mod ROM integration
L¶
Last Action Hero — Crane mech lightmap fading between positions, transparent ramp dual-material technique in Blender Cycles, complete Data East flasher mapping from schematics, and the LED conversion anti-pattern
Lethal Weapon 3 — Two-version lifecycle (v1.x to v2.0) that established the comprehensive table modernization upgrade checklist; wire ramp polygon optimization and mirror backpanel implementation
Lord of the Rings — Modded/fantasy reimagining with custom mechs (Orthanc tower VUK, Sauron eye tracking, Palantir sphere); Instant Meshes decimation workflow and ball glow tracking via VPX lights
M¶
Maverick — Rubberizer tuning lessons on slow/flat tables, InRotRect function for rotation-aware drop target collision, RTX dynamic ball shadow implementation, and competition play as testing methodology
Medieval Madness — First VPW table to use AI-generated 3D models (castle via Hunyuan); HandleMech fix for stepper motors, PWM bulb fade physics analysis, and PAPA video overlay flipper calibration
Metallica — Four-year build exposing Stern SAM quirks; flash fadedown stacking catastrophe, SAM GI via lamp matrix discovery, magnet GrabCenter timing, and the apron-is-not-parallel revelation
MF DOOM — Case study in abandoned table adoption; Orbital-to-PUP migration, vpmtimer-to-queue conversion at scale (1000+ calls), and insert color management for original tables without ROM lamps
Monster Bash — Flupper flasher dome integration workflow, sling threshold tuning via PAPA video timestamps establishing the physics feedback protocol, and the VR light swimming fix
N¶
No Fear — FlipperCradleCollision code that became a VPW standard; mayo light implementation with careful placement methodology and post-import checklist for toolkit tables
P¶
Police Force — One of the richest build channels; complete System 11 from real-machine teardown through toolkit conversion; flasher naming conventions, refraction probes, and niwak's top 3 performance recommendations
Q¶
Quicksilver — Classic early Stern build with physical kicker replacement technique (gravity-fed saucer) and community-developed custom ROM with modified rules
R¶
Radical! — Pre-toolkit build documenting pure black (#000000) material avoidance and Flupper bumper sizing; VR flasher dome z-fighting identified as unfixable at table level
Ripley's Believe It or Not! — Established pop bumper radius sizing standard (match rubber skirt, not plastic cap) and dSleeves vs dPosts collection distinction; Whitestar PWM flasher integration with Flupper domes
Road Show — Scoop physics tuning (45-degree impact angle eliminates rebounds), gBOT standalone crash fix, and Skitso's iterative GI lighting methodology (10 hours, 4-5 passes)
RollerCoaster Tycoon — Stern Whitestar toolkit build with wire ramp bleed-through fix, standalone VBScript strictness discoveries, and lightmap reflection optimization on 1300+ lightmap tables
S¶
Scared Stiff — Only WPC table with a flasher wired to a flipper output; PinMAME flipper PWM was added specifically because of this table's unique wiring; dual-coil solenoid documentation
Simpsons Pinball Party — Flasher sum limiter for multiball stacking prevention, SVG plastics workflow from Illustrator, and the locale-dependent physics corruption discovery
Skateball — Early Bally toolkit build with clear insert rendering showing visible bulbs through transparent amber inserts; practical Blender troubleshooting for first-time toolkit builders
Space Station — Novel two-layer toolkit insert rendering technique; dual-color GI relay switching (white/green), red insert hotspot fix via AgX tonemapper, and ball color tinting methodology
Special Force — Bally 6803 platform learning ground; solenoid multiplexing, ROM-activated "machine gun" bumpers, and physics tuning order methodology (match ball roll speed to real video first)
Spectrum — First-time toolkit learner build; halftone dot artwork technique, insert split mode documentation, and movable object checklist; max lights setting to prevent GPU OOM
Spider-Man — SAM GI single relay implementation, RGB color mixing from lamp states during mode transitions, and wire ramp polygon reduction from 70K to 17K triangles
SpongeBob — Original table with Lampz control light methodology for toolkit integration, Flupper's remesh poly reduction pipeline, and cross-platform high score storage via text files
Star Trek: TNG — Refinement project documenting upper flipper correction limitations, rubber sleeve sizing standards (20x20x20 VP units), and target bouncer exclusion zones near scoops
Star Wars DE — Pre-toolkit C4D/Octane build; developed the double-sided decal plane technique for plastic refraction baking and Octane's UV-coordinate baking camera for VR-compatible textures
Stargate — Primary GTS3 platform reference for VPW; documenting 2-switch trough pattern, flipper coil service bulletins, HDRI selection guidelines, and physics tuning methodology
Starship Troopers — Sega Whitestar rescale mod with light falloff scaling methodology for rescaled tables and platform-specific UseSolenoids fast flips documentation
Street Fighter II — Gottlieb System 3 build with Piledriver spiral ramp physics, multi-directional skillshot target (3 VPX targets at one position), and GTS3 NVRAM initialization requirement
T¶
T2: Judgment Day — Long-running collaborative build documenting real machine GI string assignments, niwak's PWM integration, and the GI-off flasher overlay hack; Skitso-style insert requirements
Tales from the Crypt — The most technically foundational VPW table; invented the three-layer insert technique, GI on/off doubled primitive system, per-material fade curves, and RTX ball shadow system
Taxi — RTX ball shadow tuning with Z-ordering refinements, GI-off flasher color gotcha (no pure black), and GI shaped lights via flasher objects with custom-drawn falloff images
Team One — Ground-up Gottlieb EM table from new playfield and plastics scans; one of the few EM tables in the VPW catalog, using Loserman's EM script framework
Time Fantasy — Williams System 7 toolkit build with insert baking innovations; lens-top-as-bake-target technique and practical layer separator positioning guidance
Tommy — Data East FastFlips solenoid mapping (solenoid 47, not Williams' 22), backglass power-draw dimming simulation, and slingshot correction via _Slingshot subs instead of solenoid callbacks
Total Nuclear Annihilation — First VPW table with official designer collaboration (Scott Danesi); real-machine lampshow animation system with 70 RGB data files, fluorescent acrylic plastic protectors, and glass-height physics barrier discovery
Transporter the Rescue — Insert text border technique (5px transparent + 2px overlap), NF Lampz migration from legacy vpmMapLights, and the discovery that VPX ramps do not support BlendDisableLighting
Tron Legacy — SAM FastFlips via InitVpmFFlipsSAM, ROM-bypass flipper alternative, real machine spotlight subtlety findings, and Skitso's strip-and-rebuild GI overhaul methodology
Twilight Zone — Premium VLM build with powerball physics challenges (0.8x mass); KickoutVariance pattern for randomized ejectors, and the discovery that VPX magnets cannot accurately simulate multi-ball magnet physics
W¶
Warlok — Documented learning path through common VLM first-timer pitfalls (hole mask, static rendering, insert tray positioning); VR segment display rendering via backbox camera technique
World Cup Soccer — Scratch rebuild due to wrong VP unit scale; spinning soccer ball with glass dome overlay, motion blur via texture swapping, goalie non-linear position arrays, and playfield rollover button physics
X¶
X-Men — The VLM toolkit's first real project; proved the one-click Blender-to-VPX workflow, established GI baked-to-white for VPX-side tinting, physical VUK pattern, and playfield_mesh rendering semantics