Skill Shot

Related Config File Sections
mode:
shots:
shot_groups:
timers:
state_machines:

Types of skill shots:

• Time based
• Hit some target before another target
• Super skill shot
• How to create a lane-change skill shot

A simple skill shot mode:

##! mode: skill_shot
mode:
    start_events: ball_started
    stop_events:
        - skill_success
        - skill_failed
    priority: 500

shots:
    skill_l:
        switch: s_lane_l
        profile: skill_shot_profile
        advance_events: mode_skill_shot_started    # replace "skill_shot" with your mode name
        show_tokens:
            light: l_lane_l
    skill_m:
        switch: s_lane_m
        profile: skill_shot_profile
        show_tokens:
            light: l_lane_m
    skill_r:
        switch: s_lane_r
        profile: skill_shot_profile
        show_tokens:
            light: l_lane_r

shot_groups:
    skill_shot:
        shots: skill_l, skill_m, skill_r
        rotate_left_events: s_left_flipper_active
        rotate_right_events: s_right_flipper_active

shot_profiles:
    skill_shot_profile:
        states:
         - name: unlit
           show: off
         - name: flashing
           show: flash_color
           show_tokens:
             color: red
           speed: 4
         - name: lit
           show: on
        loop: yes

variable_player:
    skill_success:
        score: 42

timers:
  skill_shot_timeout:
    start_value: 0
    end_value: 5     # set the timeout of your skill shot here
    direction: up
    tick_interval: 1s
    start_running: no
    control_events:
      - action: start
        event: balldevice_plunger_lane_ball_eject_success  # replace "plunger_lane" with the name of your plunger device

state_machines:
   skill_shot_success:
        debug: True
        states:
            start:
                label: Skill shot ready
            success:
                label: Skill successful
                events_when_started: skill_success
            failed:
                label: Skill failed
                events_when_started: skill_failed
        transitions:
            - source: start
              target: success
              events: skill_shot_flashing_hit
            - source: start
              target: failed
              events: skill_shot_unlit_hit, timer_skill_shot_timeout_complete

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

switches:
    s_lane_l:
        number:
    s_lane_m:
        number:
    s_lane_r:
        number:
lights:
    l_lane_l:
        number:
    l_lane_m:
        number:
    l_lane_r:
        number:
##! mode: skill_shot
mode:
    start_events: ball_started
    stop_events:
        - skill_success
        - skill_failed
    priority: 500

shots:
    skill_l:
        switch: s_lane_l
        profile: skill_shot_profile
        advance_events: mode_skill_shot_started    # replace "skill_shot" with your mode name
        show_tokens:
            light: l_lane_l
    skill_m:
        switch: s_lane_m
        profile: skill_shot_profile
        show_tokens:
            light: l_lane_m
    skill_r:
        switch: s_lane_r
        profile: skill_shot_profile
        show_tokens:
            light: l_lane_r

shot_groups:
    skill_shot:
        shots: skill_l, skill_m, skill_r
        rotate_left_events: s_left_flipper_active
        rotate_right_events: s_right_flipper_active

shot_profiles:
    skill_shot_profile:
        states:
         - name: unlit
           show: off
         - name: flashing
           show: flash_color
           show_tokens:
             color: red
           speed: 4
         - name: lit
           show: on
        loop: yes

variable_player:
    skill_success:
        score: 42

timers:
  skill_shot_timeout:
    start_value: 0
    end_value: 5     # set the timeout of your skill shot here
    direction: up
    tick_interval: 1s
    start_running: no
    control_events:
      - action: start
        event: balldevice_plunger_lane_ball_eject_success  # replace "plunger_lane" with the name of your plunger device

state_machines:
   skill_shot_success:
        debug: True
        states:
            start:
                label: Skill shot ready
            success:
                label: Skill successful
                events_when_started: skill_success
            failed:
                label: Skill failed
                events_when_started: skill_failed
        transitions:
            - source: start
              target: success
              events: skill_shot_flashing_hit
            - source: start
              target: failed
              events: skill_shot_unlit_hit, timer_skill_shot_timeout_complete

##! test
# failure
start_game
assert_mode_running skill_shot
hit_and_release_switch s_lane_l
assert_mode_not_running skill_shot
assert_player_variable 42 score
stop_game
# success
start_game
assert_mode_running skill_shot
hit_and_release_switch s_lane_m
assert_mode_not_running skill_shot
assert_player_variable 0 score
stop_game
# move + success
start_game
assert_mode_running skill_shot
post s_right_flipper_active
hit_and_release_switch s_lane_m
assert_mode_not_running skill_shot
assert_player_variable 42 score
stop_game
# test race between success and failed -> success first
start_game
mock_event skill_success
mock_event skill_failed
assert_mode_running skill_shot
hit_and_release_switches_simultaneously s_lane_l s_lane_m
assert_mode_not_running skill_shot
assert_event_called skill_success
assert_event_not_called skill_failed
stop_game
# test race between success and failed -> failed first
start_game
mock_event skill_success
mock_event skill_failed
assert_mode_running skill_shot
hit_and_release_switches_simultaneously s_lane_m s_lane_l
assert_mode_not_running skill_shot
assert_event_called skill_failed
assert_event_not_called skill_success
stop_game
# test timeout
start_game
mock_event skill_success
mock_event skill_failed
assert_mode_running skill_shot
advance_time_and_run 10
assert_mode_running skill_shot
post balldevice_plunger_lane_ball_eject_success
advance_time_and_run 10
assert_mode_not_running skill_shot
assert_event_called skill_failed
assert_event_not_called skill_success
stop_game

This works the following way: The three shots skill_l, skill_m and skill_r represent the three lanes. skill_l starts lit. The group skill_shot can be rotated using the flippers. When a lit shot it hit the group posts skill_shot_lit_hit and skill_shot_unlit_hit when a unlit shot is hit. To prevent races between the two events we use a state_machine called skill_shot_success which has three states:

When the mode started it starts at start. Then when either skill_shot_lit_hit or skill_shot_unlit_hit are posted in transitions to success or failed. Those states will post either skill_success or skill_failed. Additionally, there is a timer skill_shot_timeout which will fail the skill shot 5s after the ball left the plunger.

Usually, you want to create a modes which starts on skill_success and another mode which starts on skill_failed to play some shows.

Related How To guides
How to design a game in MPF using Modes