Event player

The event player is a config player that’s used to post events.

Video about events in MPF:

Basic Event Playing

event_player:
  ball_starting:
    - cmd_flippers_enable
    - cmd_autofire_coils_enable
    - cmd_drop_targets_reset
  ball_ending:
    - cmd_flippers_disable
    - cmd_autofire_coils_disable
  tilt:
    - cmd_flippers_disable
    - cmd_autofire_coils_disable
  slam_tilt:
    - cmd_flippers_disable
    - cmd_autofire_coils_disable
This example is tested to be valid MPF config. However, it is not integration tested.
event_player:
  ball_starting:
    - cmd_flippers_enable
    - cmd_autofire_coils_enable
    - cmd_drop_targets_reset
  ball_ending:
    - cmd_flippers_disable
    - cmd_autofire_coils_disable
  tilt:
    - cmd_flippers_disable
    - cmd_autofire_coils_disable
  slam_tilt:
    - cmd_flippers_disable
    - cmd_autofire_coils_disable

The event player settings above will post the events cmd_flippers_enable, cmd_autofire_coils_enable, and cmd_drop_targets_reset when the ball_starting event is posted. Similarly they will post events to disable the flippers and autofire coils when ball end and tilt events are posted.

To use this, simply create an event_player: entry in your config file. Then create sub- entries for each event you want to trigger other events, and add a list of one or more events that should be posted automatically under each trigger event.

Remember that you can create this event_player: section in either your machine-wide or in mode-specific config files. For example, if you want a target called “upper” to reset when a mode called “shoot_here” starts, you could create an entry like this in the shoot here mode’s shoot_here.yaml mode configuration file:

##! mode: shoot_here
event_player:
  mode_shoot_here_started: cmd_upper_target_reset
This example is tested to be valid MPF config. However, it is not integration tested.
##! mode: shoot_here
event_player:
  mode_shoot_here_started: cmd_upper_target_reset

Conditional Event Playing

Events in the event player can be conditional, to allow precise control over when an event is played:

##! mode: base
event_player:
  mode_base_started{current_player.score>10000}: start_mode_superbonusround play_show_richy_rich
  start_mode_battle{device.achievements.ironthrone.state!="completed"}: start_mode_choose_battle
  start_mode_battle{device.achievements.ironthrone.state=="completed"}: start_mode_victory_lap
This example is tested to be valid MPF config. However, it is not integration tested.
##! mode: base
event_player:
  mode_base_started{current_player.score>10000}: start_mode_superbonusround play_show_richy_rich
  start_mode_battle{device.achievements.ironthrone.state!="completed"}: start_mode_choose_battle
  start_mode_battle{device.achievements.ironthrone.state=="completed"}: start_mode_victory_lap

In the above example, both “start_mode_superbonusround” and “play_show_richy_rich” will only be posted if the player’s score is over 10,000 when base mode starts. And if the battle mode is started, either “start_mode_choose_battle” or “start_mode_victory_lap” will be posted depending on whether the ironthrone achievement has been completed.

Conditions can also be applied to events within a list, to allow one event to trigger a variable number of handlers:

##! mode: base
event_player:
  reenable_nonrecruit_modes:
    - start_mode_shadowbroker_base
    - start_mode_n7_assignments
    - start_mode_overlordlight{device.achievements.collectorship.state!="complete"}
    - start_mode_arrival{device.achievements.collectorship.state=="complete"}
    - start_mode_shopping{current_player.cash>=1000}
This example is tested to be valid MPF config. However, it is not integration tested.
##! mode: base
event_player:
  reenable_nonrecruit_modes:
    - start_mode_shadowbroker_base
    - start_mode_n7_assignments
    - start_mode_overlordlight{device.achievements.collectorship.state!="complete"}
    - start_mode_arrival{device.achievements.collectorship.state=="complete"}
    - start_mode_shopping{current_player.cash>=1000}

In the above example, both “start_mode_shadowbroker_base” and “start_mode_n7_assignments” will be posted every time. One of either “start_mode_overlord” or “start_mode_arrival” will be posted, depending on whether the player has completed the collectorship achievement. And if the player_var “cash” is high enough, “start_mode_shopping” will also be posted.

In many cases, conditions can be applied to either the triggering event or the handling event. For more information and examples of conditions, see conditional events.

Dynamic Values in Events

There are numerous ways to include dynamic values (player variables, device states, mathematical calculations) in events.

Dynamic Event Names

An event name can use parenthetical values to dynamically determine the event.

event_player:
  mode_dynamo_started:
    # Player variables can be dropped into event names
    - play_dynamo_show_phase_(current_player.phase_name)
    # Machine and device states can be used
    - dynamo_started_with_state_(device.achievements.dynamo.state)
    # Dynamic evaluations can be done to calculate values
    - player_score_is_("high" if current_player.score > 10000 else "low")
This example is tested to be valid MPF config. However, it is not integration tested.
event_player:
  mode_dynamo_started:
    # Player variables can be dropped into event names
    - play_dynamo_show_phase_(current_player.phase_name)
    # Machine and device states can be used
    - dynamo_started_with_state_(device.achievements.dynamo.state)
    # Dynamic evaluations can be done to calculate values
    - player_score_is_("high" if current_player.score > 10000 else "low")

In the above example:

  • With the player variable phase_name having a value of “attackwave”, starting the mode would post the event play_dynamo_show_phase_attackwave
  • If the “dynamo” achievement was completed, starting the mode would post dynamo_started_with_state_completed. If the achievement was instead disabled, the event would be dynamo_started_with_state_disabled
  • If the player’s score is over 10,000 the event player_score_is_high will be posted, otherwise the event player_score_is_low will be posted.

Any dynamic values can be used. Because event names are always strings, all dynamic values will be converted to their string equivalent.

Dynamic Event Arguments

An event post can include arguments to provide event handlers with additional information about the event. An event configured as an object will post the object properties as its arguments:

event_player:
  mode_carchase_started:
    # Objects can be expanded for a key/value pair per line
    set_environment_sounds:
      env_name: driving
    # Objects can be inline for brevity
    set_initial_laps_count: {count: 10}
This example is tested to be valid MPF config. However, it is not integration tested.
event_player:
  mode_carchase_started:
    # Objects can be expanded for a key/value pair per line
    set_environment_sounds:
      env_name: driving
    # Objects can be inline for brevity
    set_initial_laps_count: {count: 10}

You can go a step further and include dynamic values as the values for event arguments. To indicate that an argument’s value is dynamic, use the value: property.

event_player:
  mode_dynamo_started:
    set_dynamo_phase:
      phase_name: {value: current_player.dynamo_phase}
This example is tested to be valid MPF config. However, it is not integration tested.
event_player:
  mode_dynamo_started:
    set_dynamo_phase:
      phase_name: {value: current_player.dynamo_phase}

In the above example, if the player variable dynamo_phase had the value “attackwave”, the event would be posted as such:

Event: ======'set_dynamo_phase'====== Args={'phase_name': 'attackwave', priority': 0}

Because dynamic values can come from a variety of sources, you will need to explicitly define types for the value’s format. Acceptable types are int, float, bool, and string. If no type is configured, the value will be posted as a string.

event_player:
  mode_dynamo_started:
    # This event arg will be correctly typed
    set_dynamo_round_with_type:
      round_number:
        value: device.counters.dynamo_rounds.value
        type: int
    # This event arg will be converted to a string
    set_dynamo_round_without_type:
      round_number:
        value: device.counters.dynamo_rounds.value
This example is tested to be valid MPF config. However, it is not integration tested.
event_player:
  mode_dynamo_started:
    # This event arg will be correctly typed
    set_dynamo_round_with_type:
      round_number:
        value: device.counters.dynamo_rounds.value
        type: int
    # This event arg will be converted to a string
    set_dynamo_round_without_type:
      round_number:
        value: device.counters.dynamo_rounds.value

Usage in config files

In config files, the event player is used via the event_player: section.

Usage in shows

In shows, the event player is used via the events: section of a step.

Config Options

See event_player: for config details.