Windows Baller Installer - dekay/vpinball-wiki GitHub Wiki

The Baller Installer is a community-built, all-in-one setup tool for installing Visual Pinball and its key components. It’s the easiest and fastest way to get up and running, especially for new users or those who want to avoid the hassle of manual configuration.

Watch the full setup process in this January 2025 walkthrough by Way of the Wrench:
Virtual Pinball: Jan 2025 Baller Installer Tutorial

Table of Contents

What Is Baller Installer?

Baller Installer provides a complete, pre-configured Visual Pinball environment with one download. It includes Visual Pinball X (VPX), VPinMAME, B2S Server, and other essential tools to get started with virtual pinball. It’s ideal for both desktop and cabinet users.

What It Installs

Depending on your selections, the Baller Installer can automatically install and configure:

  • Visual Pinball X (VPX)
  • VPinMAME (used for ROM-based tables)
  • B2S Backglass Server
  • Default script files
  • Sample tables
  • UltraDMD (optional)
  • FlexDMD and required .NET runtimes
  • DOF (Direct Output Framework) for feedback devices (optional)

Everything is placed in the correct folder structure for you. No manual unzipping or copying required.

Download Baller Installer

Official download and setup instructions are available on the NailBuster wiki:
https://www.nailbuster.com/wikipinup/doku.php?id=baller_installer

How to Use It

  1. Go to the official Baller Installer wiki page.
  2. Download the latest version of the installer.
  3. Place the .exe in a folder (e.g., C:\BallerInstaller) and run as Administrator.
  4. Choose your install location (e.g., C:\VisualPinball).
  5. Select which components you want to include (VPX, VPinMAME, B2S, UltraDMD, etc.).
  6. Click Install and let the process finish.

After Installation

Once everything is installed:

  • Test included tables: Baller typically installs a few working examples.
  • Add your own content:
    • .vpx table files go in the Tables\ folder.
    • .directb2s backglass files go in the same folder and must match the table filename.
    • ROM zip files go in VPinMAME\roms\ and must remain zipped.

Run Config

After installing with the Baller Installer, you’ll want to configure your setup to match your hardware and preferences. The Run Config tool walks you through these important steps:

  1. Set Layout
    Choose your screen layout and playfield resolution. This defines how Visual Pinball will display across your monitors (e.g., playfield, backglass, DMD).

  2. Help
    This section explains how to configure your monitors in Windows, ensuring they are properly arranged and recognized before running Visual Pinball.

You can always return to these configuration steps later if you need to make changes or fix mistakes:

  • Step 1 – Test Display Layout:
    Click this to see a preview of your current monitor setup and content placement. Wait for it to complete and confirm everything is where you want it.

  • Step 2 – Install Apps:
    This installs or updates necessary helper applications like B2S Server, UltraDMD, or DOF drivers.

  • Step 3 – Screen Assignment:
    Go through each configured screen and drag the content windows (playfield, backglass, DMD) to the correct monitor. Use buttons like Full to make content fill the screen completely.

PinUp Popper and Related Tools Overview

  • PinUp Popper is the main frontend launcher for your virtual pinball cabinet. It organizes your games, manages media, and provides an intuitive interface for selecting and playing tables.

  • Games Manager is where you add or remove tables from your collection, manage metadata, and organize your virtual pinball games.

  • Playlist allows you to create custom lists of tables for quick access or themed sessions.

  • Media Manager helps you manage all related media files (backglass images, video previews, sounds) for your tables to ensure everything looks and sounds right.

For detailed information, visit the official wiki pages:

Tips and Notes

  • This is Windows-only: The installer and all included tools are for Windows 10 or later.
  • Designed for simplicity: It’s a great way to avoid early configuration errors or missing dependencies.
  • Easy to update: You can later upgrade components like VPX or VPinMAME manually if needed.
  • Useful for testing: Even if you're building a cabinet, Baller is a great first step to validate your setup before moving to more advanced frontends or configurations.