Using FAST hardware with the Mission Pinball Framework (MPF)¶
FAST Pinball controllers have a simple USB virtual serial port interface which means you have many options for how you run your game code.
Many FAST Pinball makers choose the Mission Pinball Framework (MPF) as the game software to drive their pinball machines. MPF is free and open source and created by a community of volunteers (and therefore not a "FAST Pinball" project).
You don't have to use MPF!
Even though many (most?) FAST Pinball makers use MPF, you don't have to! You can write your own game software in whatever language you want, running on any hardware you want. Arduino? Raspberry Pi? Windows? Linux? Mac? Java? Rust? .NET? C/C++? Godot? All good!! We even have a series of programming guides to help you! MPF is just one option of many options.
MPF Version Compatibility¶
MPF has supported FAST Pinball Hardware since 2014. Of course FAST Pinball hardware has evolved over the years, and MPF has evolved with it. Here's a quick summary of the current state of MPF support for FAST Pinball hardware.
Note that this page is only about the core MPF project itself, since that's the part of MPF that interacts with hardware. Other MPF projects, like the MPF-MC or MPF Monitor are not covered here, and whatever version you use doesn't matter in terms of FAST Pinball hardware support.
MPF Nano Controller (MPF ≤ 0.56.0)¶
The FAST Nano Controller works with any version of MPF, up through and including MPF 0.56.0, the latest released version. Details here. If you're using a FAST Nano Controller, stay on any version of MPF up through 0.56.0. Do not go to 0.56.1 yet.
MPF Neuron Controller (MPF 0.56.1)¶
FAST Neuron Controller support has been added to MPF 0.56.1 via the FAST development fork. Details on how to use this branch with your Neuron are here. This branch will most likely be merged back into the main MPF project at some point.
Expansion Boards¶
Expansion board support (including RGB LEDs and servos attached to expansion boards) is available in MPF 0.56.1.
Documentation Feedback? Requests? Confused?
Hi! I'm Brian, and I'm responsible for the documentation at FAST Pinball. If you have any feedback, requests, corrections, ideas, or any other thoughts about this documentation, please let me know! You can email me at brian@fastpinball.com. Thanks!
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