gwydion

Well, then I have to live with 16-bit colours. GameEx is still too good not to be used at all And if only GameEx needs to be run in 16-bit mode it shouldn't make a difference anyway. Thanks for your time!

> Id like to see your log. Can you spot anything unusual in the log?

> I am not so sure it does. I have had 32-bit colour on a PCI Nvidia 16MB > TNT 2. This is strange. > I am guesing its some kind of incompatiblity. The only things I can think of are the many dualhead options. It tried to play with these settings, but without any success up to now. > Id like to see your log. Also are you running the latest version of GameEx. > There were fixes for older Gfx cards. I updated to 4.71, doesn't help. One more thing: at startup, everything was fine. I started the first game, and the description screen (game name, year, etc.) had errors shortly before the game started. After exiting the game, it looked like on the first image I posted. Here's the log: 13:27:51.1 31.07.2005: GameEx: Version 4.71: Starting Log 13:27:51.1 31.07.2005: Operating System Platform: Win32NT 13:27:51.1 31.07.2005: Operating System Name: Windows XP 13:27:51.1 31.07.2005: Operating System Version: 5.1.2600 13:27:51.1 31.07.2005: Running Randomize() 13:27:51.1 31.07.2005: Running Misc startup tasks 13:27:51.1 31.07.2005: Hiding Cursor 13:27:51.2 31.07.2005: Setting Menu types 13:27:51.2 31.07.2005: Opening Configuration File 13:27:51.2 31.07.2005: Getting Configuration Values 13:27:51.2 31.07.2005: Using Theme: Default - Default 13:27:51.2 31.07.2005: Checking for alternate Image Directory for Theme: Default - Default 13:27:51.2 31.07.2005: Text/Language: English 13:27:51.2 31.07.2005: Applying Language/Text 13:27:51.2 31.07.2005: Creating Scancodes.txt (List of DirectInput scan codes) 13:27:51.2 31.07.2005: Snap Delay set to: 1 13:27:51.2 31.07.2005: Is Media Center running? 13:27:51.2 31.07.2005: Check Media Center Exit/Start Mode 13:27:51.2 31.07.2005: Media Center Mode 2 13:27:51.2 31.07.2005: Checking for applications to Launch On Startup 13:27:51.2 31.07.2005: Get other settings 13:27:51.3 31.07.2005: Launching HideOS.exe 13:27:52.3 31.07.2005: Hiding Taskbar 13:27:52.3 31.07.2005: Start work for Form 13:27:52.3 31.07.2005: Getting Original Screen Size 13:27:52.3 31.07.2005: Loading ICON 13:27:52.3 31.07.2005: Initializing Component 13:27:52.3 31.07.2005: Initialising Bass Audio Library 13:27:52.6 31.07.2005: Loading default loading screen 13:27:52.6 31.07.2005: Using General Font: Trebuchet MS 13:27:52.6 31.07.2005: Using Title Font: Trebuchet MS 13:27:52.6 31.07.2005: Initialising DirectDraw 13:27:52.6 31.07.2005: Applying GameEx is Loading Image 13:27:52.8 31.07.2005: Creating DirectDraw Device 13:27:52.8 31.07.2005: Setting Resolution to 640x480 32 bit color 13:27:53.9 31.07.2005: Creating DirectDraw Surfaces 13:27:53.9 31.07.2005: Creating Primary Surface - Full Screen Mode 13:27:53.9 31.07.2005: Creating Back Buffer 13:27:53.9 31.07.2005: Loading graphic surfaces 13:27:54.0 31.07.2005: Creating Surfaces Misc and Dialogs 13:27:54.0 31.07.2005: Creating Surface Volume 13:27:54.0 31.07.2005: Creating Surfaces Arrows 13:27:54.0 31.07.2005: Creating Surfaces GameEXlogo Text 13:27:54.0 31.07.2005: Creating Surfaces Toolbar 13:27:54.0 31.07.2005: Creating Surfaces Backgrounds 13:27:54.4 31.07.2005: Creating Surfaces Toolbar Controls 13:27:54.4 31.07.2005: Creating Surfaces GameEx Logo 13:27:54.4 31.07.2005: Creating Surfaces Home & Exit 13:27:54.4 31.07.2005: Creating Surfaces Snaps 13:27:54.4 31.07.2005: Creating Surfaces Menu and List Bars 13:27:54.4 31.07.2005: Creating Fonts 13:27:54.4 31.07.2005: Creating Menu Font 13:27:54.6 31.07.2005: Creating Game Font 13:27:54.7 31.07.2005: Creating Game Font Faded 13:27:54.8 31.07.2005: Creating Title Font 13:27:55.1 31.07.2005: Initialising Windows Media Player Component 13:27:55.2 31.07.2005: MAME Path is: E:\emulators\MAME 13:27:55.2 31.07.2005: MAME EXE file is: mamepp.exe 13:27:55.2 31.07.2005: ROM Path is: E:\roms\mame 13:27:55.2 31.07.2005: Catver.ini is located at: C:\Program Files\GameEx\DATA\catver.ini 13:27:55.2 31.07.2005: controls.ini is located at: C:\Program Files\GameEx\data\controls.ini 13:27:55.2 31.07.2005: History.dat is located at: C:\Program Files\GameEx\DATA\history.dat 13:27:55.2 31.07.2005: nplayers.ini is located at: C:\Program Files\GameEx\DATA\nplayers.ini 13:27:55.2 31.07.2005: MAMEinfo.dat is located at: C:\Program Files\GameEx\DATA\mameinfo.dat 13:27:55.2 31.07.2005: Loading Controls.ini map file 13:27:55.2 31.07.2005: Loading Custom Emulators 13:27:55.5 31.07.2005: Snap Path is: E:\images\mame\snap 13:27:55.5 31.07.2005: AVI Snap Path: Not Found 13:27:55.5 31.07.2005: Flyer Path: Not Found 13:27:55.5 31.07.2005: Cabinet Path: Not Found 13:27:55.5 31.07.2005: Title Path: Not Found 13:27:55.5 31.07.2005: Panel Path: Not Found 13:27:55.5 31.07.2005: Icon Path: Not Found 13:27:55.5 31.07.2005: Marquee Path: Not Found 13:27:55.5 31.07.2005: MAME CMD options: -skip_disclaimer -skip_gameinfo -triplebuffer -nowindow -joy 13:27:55.5 31.07.2005: Attempting to load game list 13:27:55.7 31.07.2005: Running: mamepp.exe -help 13:27:55.7 31.07.2005: Running: E: E:\emulators\MAME\mamepp.exe -help > E:\emulators\MAME\help.txt 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: Now Outputing mamepp.exe - Help 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: --BEGIN-- 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: M.A.M.E. v0.98 (Jul 10 2005) - Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: Copyright © 1997-2005 by Nicola Salmoria and the MAME Team 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: MAME is an emulator: it reproduces, more or less faithfully, the behaviour of 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: several arcade machines. But hardware is useless without software, so an image 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: of the ROMs which run on that hardware is required. Such ROMs, like any other 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: commercial software, are copyrighted material and it is therefore illegal to 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: use them if you don't own the original arcade machine. Needless to say, ROMs 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: are not distributed together with MAME. Distribution of MAME together with ROM 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: images is a violation of copyright law and should be promptly reported to the 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: authors so that appropriate legal action can be taken. 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: Usage: MAME gamename [options] 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: MAME -list for a brief list of supported games 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: MAME -listfull for a full list of supported games 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: MAME -showusage for a brief list of options 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: MAME -showconfig for a list of configuration options 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: MAME -createconfig to create a mame.ini 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: For usage instructions, please consult the file windows.txt 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: --END-- 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: 13:27:56.6 31.07.2005: Loading last used Game List 13:27:56.7 31.07.2005: Creating DirectSound Device 13:27:56.7 31.07.2005: Trying: Primary Sound Driver 13:27:56.8 31.07.2005: Loading Sound Files 13:27:56.8 31.07.2005: DirectSound Device Created Successfully 13:27:56.8 31.07.2005: Initialising DirectInput for Gamepad support 13:27:56.8 31.07.2005: Unable to create a joystick device 13:27:56.8 31.07.2005: Playing intro sound file 13:27:56.8 31.07.2005: Initializing MCE Remote 13:27:56.8 31.07.2005: Initialization OK! Starting GameEx! 13:27:56.8 31.07.2005: Testing Main Loop Once: Processing Frame 13:27:57.1 31.07.2005: Testing Main Loop Once: Main Loop ran successfully 13:28:16.3 31.07.2005: Running: cmd.exe /c E: E:\emulators\MAME\mamepp.exe 1941 -rompath E:\roms\mame -skip_disclaimer -skip_gameinfo -triplebuffer -nowindow -joy 13:29:07.0 31.07.2005: Exiting GameEx! 13:29:07.0 31.07.2005: Saving Settings 13:29:07.0 31.07.2005: Writing Game List to disk 13:29:10.7 31.07.2005: Checking for applications to Launch On Exit

> but it looks like yours screenshot idd so i think you have something running there does the > same as "gens" does... I know that there can occur certain problems while running two programs at the same time. Maybe one runs in another colour depth than the other? But in my case there is only GameEx running, and its usually running in full-screen mode. I used the window mode only for screengrabbing.

> the G400 is getting really old, and poor driver support. No, it's definitely the opposite. The drivers are very stable. Who needs an update when there is nothing to fix? For those people who update the drivers for their brand-new but poorly conceived graphics board daily it may be unusual not to get an update for months ;-) > i still have one, it was a great card, but > with a Dx6 feature set and no more driver updates looking likely, its probably time to move on... > even the cheapest new cards have far more features (although the TV out is still great on the > Matrox tongue.gif) That's it. Tha Matrox G400 is great for any 2D graphics, e.g. Emulation, DVD. And there is currently no board on the market today that as an acceptable TV-out (i.e. RGB). Sorry, but the only way to connect a modern graphics board is DVI, since the D/A circuitry on these boards is so lousy (all money goes to the development of fancy new 3D features, Matrox is still an exception). And I can't afford a digital TV anywhere in the near future :-( But my main question is still unanswered: Why does GameEx consume so much Video Memory?

> Now if you set the use 16-bit colour setting in GameEx itself, it should look correct. Yes, now it looks ok. But I consider 16 bit somewhat suboptimal, since I also want to use the box for playing normal PC games, viewing images, etc. > Its not really a simple front end but yes, I have had GameEx running on an Intel 4MB onboard, > BUT in 16 bit colour. Sorry, I didn't mean that GameEx itself is simple ;-) I just meant that I don't understand why 32MB is not enough for the graphics.

> If the card is on board can you increase its memory? It's not onboard, the card has 32 megs of memory. Shouldn't it be enough for a simple frontend? > You could ttry newer or alternate drivers for your video card. I have the latest drivers installed and Matrox is usually known for their superior quality, so I don't think it's a driver issue. > You could also try running in 16 bit colour. I tried it, and after changing to 16bit it looks like this: > Also check you have the latest directx 9 version, and .net framework 1.1 SP1. I have DX9.0c and the .net framework from the link on your site.

Oh well, I forgot to give some OS information. It's a rather fresh Win XP Pro SP2 installation. The graphics board is a Matrox Millenium G400. Does GameEx use any advanced DirectX functions that this card may not support properly?

Hi everybody! I am having trouble with the graphics of GameEx. Have a look: Did anybody experience the same problems or does know how to fix this?