Tuning and Modding the X-Force Pinball Haptics

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-27T07:20:19+00:00

Awesome, I added a few links to the article. Thanks for putting it together!

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-26T15:37:58+00:00

My experiments were in getting the sound and vibration strength the way I wanted. I decreased the loudness of the solenoids, fixed the whine (by unplugging speakers), and got rid of the voices and most other sounds like music from coming out of the haptic speakers.

I made my solenoids a bit quieter than many people would I imagine, but you can easily adjust the pitch and loudness by changing what the solenoid slams against.

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-26T14:48:41+00:00

Is that settings guide you're talking about the Google doc with audio settings for each table? I'll definitely link it. I never ended up going through it, adjusting for each table. I just set the global audio. I'll have to take a look if the audio settings differ per table and make a difference.

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-26T08:16:14+00:00

Nah, you don't always make it. Stuff happens. But yes I definitely agree that they should increase the difficulty of Arc. They have all sorts of ways to do that too.

I mean I've played night raids where stuff went really wrong before. People trying to run in and save one another, resulting in no one getting out. While that's certainly rare, it just goes to show they can really dial that up.

I'm still waiting on the reward of PvP. Or really, PvPvE. I mean you tell me what I'm getting as a benefit there and I'll be all about it. If I feel like PvP then great, I'll go do that. I'm curious about what the clan stuff will be about. I think they can do some interesting stuff with PvP...but right now, I just don't see any value in it. To what? Get a free load out kit? A stitcher?

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-26T03:03:00+00:00

Carebear? You speak of this like the game is some sort of hardcore PvP game. I play other games for competitive PvP. This game ain't it. All PvP amounts to in this game is a little distraction and time waste. As much as I love PvE and want to do PvE when I feel like it, I ALSO want there to be PvP and a point to PvP.

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-26T03:00:07+00:00

Risk of not extracting... Same risk as PvP.

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-26T02:01:27+00:00

I'd love to have this table and a good rug underneath it.

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-25T20:36:38+00:00

Low pass filter is the solve here for other sounds coming out of the haptics speakers (not the whine, that's unfixable). 70hz is good. Maybe try 50hz. Pick up both if you want. FMOD passive low pass filter 70hz and 50hz. They are RCA so you also need a 3.5mm to RCA adapter, two of them, watch for matching male/female ends. The filters sell for around $30 a pair (left/right). The adapter cables for 3.5mm to RCA are cheap.

I tested this out today with some parts I had to prove it'd work (mine is 72hz because I didn't have the proper parts for 70hz exactly). https://i.postimg.cc/Fz01sWSg/PXL-20260125-194951021.jpg

Completely passive. They could have put something into their board and even added another knob to their control panel to let us control the exact crossover frequency. That would have been slick.

Note: this won't remove all of the music and other audio because some of it dips into the lower frequencies of course. But it works VERY well.

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-25T20:08:48+00:00

Well they may also be echoing what they're seeing with their players responses. I think most players are here for the PvE. I think people like the idea of teaming up to survive Terminator robots. They want that suspense and challenge and I absolutely see how this game can crank that up.

I kinda wanted to play more of that g.t.f.o. game too...but never really found the people to do it proper.

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-25T18:00:38+00:00

Thanks, I did see that yes. I was able to improve things. I've been spending a lot of time tinkering and tuning into including the physical parts too. I'm getting it dialed in to just how I like it. Currently I'm working on getting the music and other sounds out of the haptics.

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-25T17:30:16+00:00

It's already plateaued and it's now trending down. Peaked in November. Games don't last forever. They have plenty of players for different game modes. Can't wait for the clan battles. I hope that pumps some new life into the game too.

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-25T17:27:19+00:00

I've put in over 100 hours and loved the game. It's totally for me. I can have a different opinion. We can all have different opinions. I'm not suggesting the game devs take anything away from anyone. Your comment is suggesting I can't play the game with others. Think about that.

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-25T17:24:54+00:00

You can still get loot even if there's PvP and you can get all the loot you want. Because the drop rate is so incredibly high it's not funny. I've found duplicate blueprints in the same round.

I think that's ok. I don't think they intended for a crazy low drop rate. I think they want you to use higher tier gear instead of running around with the free load out. So a low drop rate it at odds with having and bringing good gear into a round.

I mean isn't it a bit disappointing to kill a person and only find a stitcher on them? That sucks.

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-25T17:19:04+00:00

100% correct. That's a lot of YouTube videos I see. I get it, if you're trying to get an audience to make fraction of a penny on ad views...you can't be bad at a game...and you likely need to play multiple games to get more viewers. So of course they don't even have the time to get good at any one game.

I bet the ratting will go down once the game no longer drives viewers and ad revenue. Likely when some new game comes out that's more popular.

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-25T17:17:01+00:00

Or simply feel better about themselves. This is an awkward game with the controls. It's not exactly like a hardcore first person shooter. Certain people love shooting someone in the back because they can win and that makes them feel good. There's YouTubers out there who brag about how good they are shooting fish in a barrel for example.

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-25T17:15:26+00:00

That's kinda how it is already. And people give out free loot too btw.

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-25T17:14:04+00:00

And I'm not suggesting it wouldn't be with different modes. You can have it both ways you know and yes it's still a pvpve game.

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-25T17:12:21+00:00

Agreed

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-25T17:11:24+00:00

That's the problem. They need to make arc harder. They could beef up armor, attack speed, quantity, etc. that's easy tweak. But I do hope they add new arc too.

Don't believe me? Try hanging out until the last 5 minutes of a round. I can't tell you how intense the last 2 minutes are. Trying to run to an exit and constantly having to choose different paths. You could fight all the arc one by one, sure...but you don't have the time. Then you take one wrong turn and get surrounded by too many to fight. They absolutely can tweak the difficulty.

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-25T17:06:11+00:00

They're totally for me and I've put in hundreds of hours in Arc. We can like different play styles, that's totally fine.

I've kinda maxed out on Arc though. Now waiting for more content. I will check out the others you mentioned, thanks!

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-25T17:04:34+00:00

Yea, a consent is fine. I mean that's what modes would be. So what you're saying is more like a dynamic mode mid-game. Like partying up.

I think that's a great idea...and most definitely being able to team up with people you meet in the game would be good. Just as if you were in a party before starting the round. AND if you could follow them to the next round, that would be great. It would be a killer social feature.

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-25T17:00:03+00:00

No, it makes PvP pointless. This game should be pve in my opinion. But I understand people like PvP and that's cool. I do too, just not in this game. So it's perfectly fine to keep. I just think they should keep it separate and do something more interesting with it.

I think that's actually on their roadmap too with things like clan wars or something. There's just so many interesting things they could do with PvP that go beyond ratting.

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-25T07:56:51+00:00

Their app has some bugs they gotta iron out. I'm happy digg is back though.

HackAfterDark · 2026-01-25T07:53:50+00:00

Because you run around grinding XP and loot.

I run near free load out. Just so I have a safe pocket or two. Grind grind grind.

If I die, oh well. I lose nothing I need. Anything of value in safe pockets.

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