Tom Speirs

In regard to tweaking your system and removing all the crap at startup. I can highly recommend startup control panel. I've been using it for a couple years. The first thing I do with a new install is the same as Dave, and turn off all the animations etc. Then I install Startup Control Panel. It's also the first thing I do when someone asks me to take a look at there PC because its slow etc. http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml StartupCPL.zip

2. Just to let you know, I took a look, and can't see anywhere that I can improve the loading speed for MAME. What is weird, is Zinc uses the same section of code, and launches straight away. It has to be something to do with MAME, I mean it is a pretty big app these days. MAME32 may already be doing some of the initialisation when loading the GUI, I don't know. The real way to test would be to use the 'Run Last Game' Shortcut in the programs group. You need to compare this time loading, from when GameEx goes to a black screen. 3. We will do this then.

Hi Dave, I'll deffintly consider that. Your right, rarely get any MCE specific requests. Donate whatever you can or feel comfortable with, but don't feel obligated. Your child is much more important than this will ever be. I have not had many donations and they dont, and I dont expect them to pay the bills. They range from $10 to $30. 85% on the lower side of that. Thanks, Tom

Yes, noted It's not so much a lot of work to do initially, but would need an awfull lot of fine tuning, and probably quadruple support requests or more. it would deffinitly be only for the advanced. Also think about it this way, it would make it very easy to make GameEx not look right, or work at all. Skinning in the way suggested and the way MAMEWah does it, is still very much a while off I am afraid, if it ever happens at all. Just being upfront about it. If you used or ever see MCE you may have a better idea of my vision, intentions, and scope of GameEx possibly. Tom

I don't need gameex.ini sorry. I think its your graphics card in your cab. What is it? Do you have the absolute latest drivers for it? Otherwise you might be out of luck I am afraid, it's not a bug in GameEx from what I can tell. Sorry.

Please post Gameex.ini

Thanks for that. 1. Let me know what you find. If all goes well responsiness and overall speed will stay the same with avi, and mpegs whether used as logos, backgrounds or MAME videos, although possibly get a drop in framerate. MNG's will slow everything down. So I would only recommend MAME MNG videos on a fast PC. Some of the MNG's such as 720 dont even play full speed on a 2.4GHZ 2. I think that is something I can work on, and improve. Are you using MAME32 or MAME? MAME will probably be better. Let me know. 3. It's reinitialising DirectX, Thats why its the same as startup speed. I have a few caching ideas though. Would you be willing and able to test them for me. It's even a little slow on a 2.4GHZ sometimes, although harder for me to get a benchmark, because of windows built in caching.

Yes, it was. Expect this from time to time. It's mainly because of a quick bug fix. I try in keep it quiet, so people don't get spammed with GameEx news on various sites. At least more than they do already. Tom.

Thanks for the backup David, I appreciate it. Sometime it's hard for people to understand the compexities, and think everything should just require a one button press. This is probably partly my fault for always designing software that is highly usable although complex, but also generally peoples ignorance of technology (no critisism intended, I believe it can be overcome with effort). I notice your running on an 850MHZ. I have made efforts to support older systems, and would really to hear you feedback on how GameEx performs on your system. Thanks, Tom.

Post your log (after updating), gameex.ini. Version of GameEx, and version of MAME.

You need to do an update list for MAME games, did you do that?

Yep, you sure can. I just uploaded a new install to the web site, 3.44, with just that one fix.

Yep, but don't go blind because of it

Hi, Can you try the attached version of GameEx.exe with the bitmap I uploaded before. I think we'll be Golden with this Tom GameEx.zip

Alpha Blend Videos is under 'Display' in config. According to your gameex.ini its turned on. I am sure that's what's causing the crawl, but please confirm. Thanks. Tom

Using that file obviously fixes it. GameEx is trying to draw it at the original size, that's why it crashing it. Now I know it works, I'll fix it in th next release. Can you turn off the Alpha Blending, and let me know if that fixes the speed problem in the videos. ArcadeVGA 7000 series is not good enough for alpha blending (in GameEx). Although the 9000 is plenty powerfull enough.

Try replacing Unselected.bmp with this version attached: Unselected.bmp

Video Fun Theme by Tom Speirs. Only works with GameEx Version 3.43 and above. Demonstrates how to use animated logos and backgrounds. Features animated logos for: Daphne All Mame Games Adult Games (Softcore Cartoon porn) Features animated backgrounds for: Daphne MAME Jukebox http://tomspeirs.com/gameex/download/Defau...Video%20Fun.zip

Video Fun Theme by Tom Speirs. Only works with GameEx Version 3.43 and above. Demonstrates how to use animated logos and backgrounds. Features animated logos for: Daphne All Mame Games Adult Games (Softcore Cartoon porn) Features animated backgrounds for: Daphne MAME Jukebox http://tomspeirs.com/gameex/download/Defau...Video%20Fun.zip

9th March 2005 - Version 3.43 of GameEx available Separate list of Adult Games Separate list of Original (Parent ROMs) Games Ability to use videos as backgrounds. This should allow for some really cool themes. Ability to filter out Mahjong games Ability to update the list with no clones 'unless' parent not working. Fixed bug where GameExIsLoading.png image was not loading.

This is issue with the ArcadeVGA card, probably the drivers. It may even be running out of memory. I've seen similar things before when I've tested GameEx on my Arcade Cab. There seems to be issues with it when drawing images with transparancy when the bitmap is scaled down when drawn on the screen. Reducing the size of the bitmap seems to solve this. It could either be the background needs to be resized to be smaller (640 X 288), or unselected.bmp needs to be made smaller. Perhaps you or Rob could experiment a little. Hope this sheds a little light.

Yes, small bug, will be fixed in the next release. The next release will all feature the animated backgrounds.

I've been thinking about the idea of allowing background images to be videos also, allowing for fantasticlly cool animated themes, if people have the talent to do them. I think this would make GameEx skinning be comparable in terms of value to other front-ends, although in a different way. I've been looking into it, and it would only take a few tweaks to allow GameEx to do this, although there could be a performance hit on most PC's if the background was a high res, high quality, and high framerate video, specifically but not limited to if the user was playing a video for a logo or mame snap at the same time. As you would no doubt be the first to take advantage of such a feature, what do you think? Tom.

Hi, I will look into this when I get a chance. N64 seems to work too though. I (only) tested the feature with N64 and SNES. Thanks. Tom.

Hi, I like this idea, and will be implementing a seperate list for Adult games, although there will be no password protection, or making the adult games only show in this list. Thanks for the good idea. Tom.