High Scores

Related Config File Sections
high_score:

MPF includes support for high scores which is where players can enter their names (or initials) when they’ve achieved a high score. Features include:

• Set any player variable as a high score option. So in addition to score you could set high score entries for loops, ramps, aliens destroyed, etc.
• Set how many of each high score type are tracked (Top 5 for high scores, Top 3 for loops, Top 1 for aliens, etc.)
• Set what each “award name” is called. (The highest score is “GRAND CHAMPION,” the second highest score is “HIGH SCORE 1”, the highest loop score is “MAJOR LOOPER”, etc.)
• How many characters a player can enter for their name.
• A list of valid characters the player can choose from
• The layout of the display for entering their names and show their rewards.
• Events for high score awards and entry, so you can configure high score entry screens.

Don’t have a display to enter initials? See High Scores in EM Machines for how to use the high score mode without entering initials.

This is an example (for machines with display):

##! mode: my_mode
##! mode: high_score
# modes/high_score/config/high_score.yaml
mode:
  priority: 500
  start_events: game_ending, start_high_score
  use_wait_queue: true
high_score:
  _overwrite: true
  enter_initials_timeout: 60
  award_slide_display_time: 4s
  # define your high score categories and the awards
  categories: !!omap
    - score:
        - GRAND CHAMPION
        - HIGH SCORE 1
        - HIGH SCORE 2
        - HIGH SCORE 3
        - HIGH SCORE 4
        - HIGH SCORE 5
        - HIGH SCORE 6
        - HIGH SCORE 7
        - HIGH SCORE 8
    - loops:
        - LOOP CHAMP
  # set the defaults
  defaults:
    score:
      - MPF: 1000000
      - BRI: 900000
      - JAN: 800000
      - QUI: 700000
      - MAR: 600000
      - JOH: 500000
      - ELI: 400000
      - MIK: 300000
      - ANT: 200000
    loops:
      - JAN: 42
# optional: change the slides (you can omit all the following)
slide_player:
  _overwrite: true
  high_score_enter_initials: high_score_enter_initials
  high_score_award_display: high_score_award_display
slides:
  _overwrite: true
  high_score_enter_initials:
    - type: text
      style: big
      font_size: 18
      text: PLAYER (player_num)
      color: ffff00
      x: 105
      y: 90
    - type: text
      style: big
      font_size: 18
      text: (award)
      color: f0f0f0
      x: 105
      y: 70
    - type: text_input
      initial_char: A
      dynamic_x: false
      key: high_score
      style: big
      font_size: 18
      max_chars: 3
      x: 105
      y: 20
      shift_left_event: sw_lower_left_flipper
      shift_right_event: sw_lower_right_flipper
      select_event: sw_start
      color: ff0000
    - type: text
      style: big
      text: '<       >'
      font_size: 18
      x: 105
      y: 20
      color: ff0000
    - type: text
      text: ''
      key: high_score
      font_size: 18
      style: big
      x: 105
      y: 50
      color: ff00ff
      animations:
        show_slide:
          - property: opacity
            value: 1
            duration: 0.3s
            easing: in_out_quint
          - property: opacity
            value: 0
            duration: 0.3s
            repeat: true
            easing: in_out_quint
  high_score_award_display:
    - type: text
      text: (player_name)
      font_size: 18
      style: big
      anchor_y: middle
      anchor_x: middle
      x: middle
      y: middle
      color: 00ff00
      animations:
        show_slide:
          - property: opacity
            value: 1
            duration: 0.05s
          - property: opacity
            value: 0
            duration: 0.05s
            repeat: true
    - type: text
      text: (award)
      font_size: 18
      style: big
      x: 105
      y: 110
      color: 0000ff
    - type: text
      text: (value)
      style: big
      x: 105
      y: 30
      color: 4040FF
      font_size: 20
      number_grouping: true
      min_digits: 2

This example is tested to be valid MPF and MPF-MC config. Additionally, our integration test passed. Click to show the test and full config.

##! mode: my_mode
variable_player:
  score_100:
    score: 2000000
##! mode: high_score
# modes/high_score/config/high_score.yaml
mode:
  priority: 500
  start_events: game_ending, start_high_score
  use_wait_queue: true
high_score:
  _overwrite: true
  enter_initials_timeout: 60
  award_slide_display_time: 4s
  # define your high score categories and the awards
  categories: !!omap
    - score:
        - GRAND CHAMPION
        - HIGH SCORE 1
        - HIGH SCORE 2
        - HIGH SCORE 3
        - HIGH SCORE 4
        - HIGH SCORE 5
        - HIGH SCORE 6
        - HIGH SCORE 7
        - HIGH SCORE 8
    - loops:
        - LOOP CHAMP
  # set the defaults
  defaults:
    score:
      - MPF: 1000000
      - BRI: 900000
      - JAN: 800000
      - QUI: 700000
      - MAR: 600000
      - JOH: 500000
      - ELI: 400000
      - MIK: 300000
      - ANT: 200000
    loops:
      - JAN: 42
# optional: change the slides (you can omit all the following)
slide_player:
  _overwrite: true
  high_score_enter_initials: high_score_enter_initials
  high_score_award_display: high_score_award_display
slides:
  _overwrite: true
  high_score_enter_initials:
    - type: text
      style: big
      font_size: 18
      text: PLAYER (player_num)
      color: ffff00
      x: 105
      y: 90
    - type: text
      style: big
      font_size: 18
      text: (award)
      color: f0f0f0
      x: 105
      y: 70
    - type: text_input
      initial_char: A
      dynamic_x: false
      key: high_score
      style: big
      font_size: 18
      max_chars: 3
      x: 105
      y: 20
      shift_left_event: sw_lower_left_flipper
      shift_right_event: sw_lower_right_flipper
      select_event: sw_start
      color: ff0000
    - type: text
      style: big
      text: '<       >'
      font_size: 18
      x: 105
      y: 20
      color: ff0000
    - type: text
      text: ''
      key: high_score
      font_size: 18
      style: big
      x: 105
      y: 50
      color: ff00ff
      animations:
        show_slide:
          - property: opacity
            value: 1
            duration: 0.3s
            easing: in_out_quint
          - property: opacity
            value: 0
            duration: 0.3s
            repeat: true
            easing: in_out_quint
  high_score_award_display:
    - type: text
      text: (player_name)
      font_size: 18
      style: big
      anchor_y: middle
      anchor_x: middle
      x: middle
      y: middle
      color: 00ff00
      animations:
        show_slide:
          - property: opacity
            value: 1
            duration: 0.05s
          - property: opacity
            value: 0
            duration: 0.05s
            repeat: true
    - type: text
      text: (award)
      font_size: 18
      style: big
      x: 105
      y: 110
      color: 0000ff
    - type: text
      text: (value)
      style: big
      x: 105
      y: 30
      color: 4040FF
      font_size: 20
      number_grouping: true
      min_digits: 2
##! test
assert_machine_variable 1000000 score1_value
assert_machine_variable MPF score1_name
assert_machine_variable "GRAND CHAMPION" score1_label
assert_machine_variable 200000 score9_value
assert_machine_variable ANT score9_name
assert_machine_variable "HIGH SCORE 8" score9_label
start_game
start_mode my_mode
post score_100
assert_player_variable 2000000 score
drain_all_balls
advance_time_and_run 1
assert_player_variable 2 ball
drain_all_balls
advance_time_and_run 1
assert_player_variable 3 ball
mock_event high_score_enter_initials
drain_all_balls
advance_time_and_run 1
assert_player_variable 3 ball
assert_event_called high_score_enter_initials
post text_input_high_score_complete text=JAB
advance_time_and_run 10
assert_mode_not_running game
assert_machine_variable 2000000 score1_value
assert_machine_variable JAB score1_name
assert_machine_variable "GRAND CHAMPION" score1_label
assert_machine_variable 1000000 score2_value
assert_machine_variable MPF score2_name
assert_machine_variable "HIGH SCORE 1" score2_label
assert_machine_variable 300000 score9_value
assert_machine_variable MIK score9_name
assert_machine_variable "HIGH SCORE 8" score9_label

High score mode will also create a few machine variables for you:

• (high_score_category)(position)_label - score1_label = GRAND CHAMPION
• (high_score_category)(position)_name - score1_name = MPF
• (high_score_category)(position)_value - score1_value = 1000000

In this case this will be score1_value, score1_name and score1_label (till score9_value, score9_name and score9_label). Additionally, there will be loop1_label, loop1_value and loop1_name. You can use those in your attract slides to show previous high scores. This is an example of an attract mode which shows high scores:

# in your machine wide config file
widget_styles:
  attract_mode_high_score_display_label:
    font_size: 30
    anchor_x: right
    anchor_y: top
    x: center-10
    bold: true
  attract_mode_high_score_display_name:
    font_size: 30
    anchor_x: right
    anchor_y: top
    x: center+70
  attract_mode_high_score_display_score:
    font_size: 30
    anchor_x: left
    anchor_y: top
    x: center+90
    number_grouping: true
    min_digits: 1
##! show: attract
# in your attract mode show file
- duration: 20s
  slides:
    show_high_scores:
      widgets:
      - type: Text
        text: HIGH SCORES
        font_size: 60
        bold: true
        anchor_x: center
        anchor_y: center
        x: center
        y: top-100
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|score1_label)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_label
        y: top-200
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|score1_name)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_name
        y: top-200
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|score1_value)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_score
        y: top-200
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|score2_label)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_label
        y: top-240
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|score2_name)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_name
        y: top-240
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|score2_value)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_score
        y: top-240
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|score3_label)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_label
        y: top-280
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|score3_name)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_name
        y: top-280
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|score3_value)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_score
        y: top-280
      - type: Text
        text: LOOP CHAMPION
        font_size: 60
        bold: true
        anchor_x: center
        anchor_y: center
        x: center
        y: top-500
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|loops1_label)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_label
        y: top-600
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|loops1_name)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_name
        y: top-600
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|loops1_value)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_score
        y: top-600

This example is tested to be valid MPF and MPF-MC config. Additionally, our integration test passed. Click to show the test and full config.

# in your machine wide config file
widget_styles:
  attract_mode_high_score_display_label:
    font_size: 30
    anchor_x: right
    anchor_y: top
    x: center-10
    bold: true
  attract_mode_high_score_display_name:
    font_size: 30
    anchor_x: right
    anchor_y: top
    x: center+70
  attract_mode_high_score_display_score:
    font_size: 30
    anchor_x: left
    anchor_y: top
    x: center+90
    number_grouping: true
    min_digits: 1
##! show: attract
# in your attract mode show file
- duration: 20s
  slides:
    show_high_scores:
      widgets:
      - type: Text
        text: HIGH SCORES
        font_size: 60
        bold: true
        anchor_x: center
        anchor_y: center
        x: center
        y: top-100
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|score1_label)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_label
        y: top-200
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|score1_name)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_name
        y: top-200
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|score1_value)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_score
        y: top-200
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|score2_label)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_label
        y: top-240
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|score2_name)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_name
        y: top-240
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|score2_value)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_score
        y: top-240
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|score3_label)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_label
        y: top-280
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|score3_name)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_name
        y: top-280
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|score3_value)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_score
        y: top-280
      - type: Text
        text: LOOP CHAMPION
        font_size: 60
        bold: true
        anchor_x: center
        anchor_y: center
        x: center
        y: top-500
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|loops1_label)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_label
        y: top-600
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|loops1_name)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_name
        y: top-600
      - type: Text
        text: (machine|loops1_value)
        style: attract_mode_high_score_display_score
        y: top-600
##! test
assert_mode_running attract

Related How To Guides
Scoring
How to design a game in MPF using Modes
High Scores in EM Machines

Related Events
mode_high_score_started
mode_high_score_stopped