Toonces

Hi Tom, This is somewhat off topic (it doesn't have anything to do with mame at least) but since GameEx is also for HTPC, I was wondering if you or anyone else have tried any Media Players? I recently purchased an IO Data Linkplayer 2 and it makes a great, silent media player for everything from DVD to WMA files. It plays DiVX, XviD, mpg1, mpg2 and a host of other file formats. It also has a network connection and can stream video, music, pics and internet using a server on a pc or usb drive or even a NAS running the media server software. There are plenty of devices just like it (I don't think IO Data sell this player in Europe yet). Some examples are the Buffalo LinkTheater and the Momitsu M880N (I think that's the model). They all use the same basic media server software. In addition, IO Data have an Advanced Server that does real time transcoding to support file types that the player does not natively support (Tivo, QT, etc). The link for the player I have is here: http://www.iodata.com/products/products.ph...DLA&ts=2&tsc=15 I know the Pinnacle showcenter is also similar and the software from that will also work although not necesarily all functions. Anyways, gettting more to my point, the players are great. The server software is very basic and lacks a lot of what I see in GameEx. There is an Open Source server as well called wizd that addresses one of the shortcomings of the standard servers (It allows you to play a series of VOB files sequentially rather than 1 at a time). The server software is basically a web server running on port 8000, I was wondering if you'd be interested in doing a media server. I would say add it to gameex but I don't know how many people would leave it on all the time so they could watch recorded/downloaded shows but it would be a cool feature either inside or seperate from GameEx. Thanks! Toonces

From my experience in using it, it does skip the ones already in the folder and when you quit and start the process again at a later time, it picks up where it left off. So it already works that way. No need for a continue later as you can quit and resume at any time. At least that is what I have been doing. Toonces

That was it. I had GameEx set to always change res to 640X288. I had to switch that to not change res then set the desktop at 800X600 to get it to work properly. One thing, should the mng videos have sound? when they play back in gameex they do not. Just wondering if that is by design. Thnaks! Toonces

You know, something like that might not be too bad. Could also be somewhat of a help forum for people discussing different emulators without having to say go see xxx forum for help. Also good for discussing favorite games, etc.

Hi Tom, I am still unable to create mng vids using mame32fx .99u9 and gameex 5.08. Also, should the videos display while they are creating? I get audio but no video when I hear the first video trying to be created but then get the error below. Toonces 19:03:59.4 9/11/2005: AVI Snap Path is: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\mame_videos_shrunk 19:03:59.4 9/11/2005: Flyer Path is: C:\mame\flyers 19:03:59.4 9/11/2005: Cabinet Path is: C:\mame\cabinets 19:03:59.4 9/11/2005: Title Path is: C:\mame\titles 19:03:59.4 9/11/2005: Panel Path is: C:\mame\cpanel 19:03:59.4 9/11/2005: Icon Path is: C:\mame\icons 19:03:59.4 9/11/2005: Marquee Path is: C:\mame\marquees 19:03:59.4 9/11/2005: Using Ultimarc AradeVGA 19:03:59.4 9/11/2005: MAME CMD options: -joystick -skip_gameinfo -triplebuffer -nowindow -cheat -skip_validitychecks -lightgun 19:03:59.4 9/11/2005: Attempting to load game list 19:04:02.3 9/11/2005: Running: cmd.exe /c C: C:\mame\mame32FXpp.exe dogfgt -rompath C:\mame\roms -window -nomax -notriplebuffer 19:05:13.8 9/11/2005: Error in the application. 19:05:17.8 9/11/2005: ERRORS DETECTED: EXITING

Ok, I uninstalled 5.05 and installed 5.07. I was happy to see my old configuration was left behind so that when I installed the new version my settings were still intact. After I verified my config, I went to create videos. I got an error and no videos were created. My error log is attached but it looks like gameex is still looking for bmp vs png. I also get this error when I try to run gameex as well. it doesn't matter which theme I select either. I tried default - default and a couple of the others and they all produce the same error. Toonces createvids.txt

Tom, I seem to recall this from a while back but don't actually remember if it was asked and what your response was. How about a Top Games menu item that would include the top 10 games sorted by either amount of time played or number of plays? Thanks, Toonces

I'll give 99u6 a try tonight. -ftr 1 was "Fixed" in 99u3 (I mistakenly posted that I was using 99u3 when it was 99u2) and skip_disclaimer was removed in 99u5 as it now only shows the first time. What does the setting for bypass warning screens actually do? Does it just add back the commandline options or does it try to hit ok for you? Just wondering how you are trying to do that. Thanks! T

I am using MAME32FX 99u2 not 99u3. I normally use commandline version of mame but recently switched to mame32fx as it seems to do better on classic game sounds (not as many glitches in the sounds). Thanks! Toonces

Hi Tom, I upgraded from 4.96 to 4.99 and removed -ftr 1 from my commandline (I am still using MAME 99u3) and turned on Bypass Dislaimer and when I launch a game, all I get is a black screen. If I hit escape, the game will start to load but still displays the Disclaimer. I hit escape again and the screen goes black and locks up. I can get to task manager but it shows no apps running. I don't see GameEx.exe anywhere in the processes list either, only hideos. If I turn Bypass Disclaimer off, everything works as it should. Is this something that can only be used with the latest version of MAME? How are you bypassing the screens? Thanks! Toonces

Also make sure you remove -ftr 1 and -skip_disclaimer if you are running .99u3 or .99u4. -ftr 1 was "fixed" in .99u3 and -skip_disclaimer was removed in .99u4 Toonces

As of MAME 99u3 the -ftr 1 option that would allow you to bypass bad dump and other warning screens no longer works. The MAME devs fixed this and it now runs the games and quits them after running 1 frame. Check your commandline options in gameex and remove -ftr 1 and things should return to normal. If you are using .97 to .99u2 this option still works. Hope that helps people with the sudden quit of games after upgrading. [Edit] As of .99u4 -skip_disclaimer was also removed. From What's New: Removed -skip_disclaimer since it automatically goes away after the first time execution. [Aaron Giles] So you'll want to remove that as well if you are using .99u4 and above.

Well, as of MAME .99u3 this "feature" has been fixed and will no longer work. There are also changes that change the way the warnings are displayed and I have not had time to check out 99u3 yet to find out how that affects these settings.

Ok, played around some more and found that the setting for lightgun doesn't make a difference if the gun isn't on so that's not really a problem so just ignore me. I also found that I keep forgetting about sorting the MAME list by category and you can just choose Shooter/Gun and get all the gun games. Toonces

With the advent of the guncon2mouse driver (http://xoomer.virgilio.it/smogdragon/) and the wingun driver (http://www.acornscity.com/guncon/) it is now possible to have an inexpensive lightgun on your MAME machine that works with a TV or Arcade monitor. MAME32 supports the use of a lightgun with the -lightgun commandline option. I don't know if you want that enabled at all times as the driver looks like a mouse to the system and at least on mine, takes over as the primary mouse when active (Windows XP). As I have GameEx using a gamepad for navigation it does not affect navigating the gameex menus but when I launch Area51 or another gun game, my keyboard and mouse no longer function and the game does not recognize the gun. However, if I exit GameEx and run MAME32 then launch Area51, it works. I am sure I must have something in my config that is not quite right but I don't want the gun active all the time either. It's pretty cool being able to play Area 51 with a wireless lightgun in mame I'm not really looking for any new support by GameEx I don't think, just trying to iron out all these damn controllers Any suggestions on how to enable the lightgun only for gun games? Thanks! Toonces

In GameEx Config under MAME settings add it to MAME command line options. There will already be entries there for skip_intro and others, just add it before the others.

Went to look up something in the docs and noticed that you're up to 4.86 but the what's new is still at 4.82....So what's New?

ok, so you have -skip_intro & -skip_disclaimer in your commandline options but you still get nagged by the error messages like Cocktail mode switching not supported, Sound is not correct, etc. Many people for various reasons, want to bypass those warning messages as well and some have even recompiled MAME to do just that. The answer is even easier than that. Add -ftr 1 to your commandline arguments and ALL warning/info screens are bypassed! Ftr is the "frames to run" command for mame. It's used for benchmarking and debugging. Because of this any and all warning screens are bypassed to allow the user to simply launch a game for X number of frames, walk away, and then come back with the dos box reporting the average fps. But, as of MAME .79, it was changed. From What's New: What's new 0.79 Warning screens are now skipped if running with -ftr for less than 5 minutes [Aaron Giles] Now you can launch your favorite game such as Galaga or Galaga or maybe even Namco Classics Vol 1 to play Galaga without being nagged about what you already know! Have Fun, Toonces P.S. I didn't think this up all on my own. Wish I had but the original credit goes to Howard Casto for noticing it. See http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=41771.0 for the intial report.

I just noticed this with 4.73 but I cannot change to flat menus using the default deep purple theme. I have Use Flat Menus = True in the config app but it still shows up with the nested menus.

Hi Tom, Asking these in the correct thread. Kind of hard to go through all 7 pages looking to see if it's been asked. Maybe a new forum for feature requests?? With the new ability to remap keys, how about an app that launches from the configuration to remap the keys by selecting the function then hitting the key? That way the user doesn't have to know what the key or gamepad button currently is. They can just hit the button they want to perform a given function. Also, How about a new game sub list, at least for MAME, that when you do an update list, the old and new lists are compared and any new games are put in a New Games list for easy access to new games that are now available. Going through my list of 1800+ filtered games looking for new ones to try gets kind of difficult. Thanks! Toonces

Tom?? Am I crazy or does it sound doable??

I had somewhat of a problem using multiple gamepad devices. I have a SNES to USB converter, an N64/PS to USB converter, both of my Joysticks are 49 ways through GroovyGameGear.com's GP-Wiz49 interfaces. The GP-Wiz's show up as GPWiz49-1 and GPWiz49-2 which is easy to differentiate but the SNES and N64/PS both show up as SmartJoy with no differentiation. Depending on which one got plugged in first is where they appeared in the list. At least until I found a utility by the WingMan Team that allows you to change the JoyID in Windows XP! Now I can specify each adapter and select which one I want used by GameEx in the config utility. The utility along with others that let you really screw things up by erasing calibration stuff is at WingMan Team Gadgets Just thought I'd pass that on to anyone struggling with multiple joypads that use the same ID. Toonces

Hi Tom, I just upgraded to 4.73 and everything continues to work as it should. I was thinking though. It would be really cool to have a New Game menu item (at least for MAME games) that would compare the previous list to the newly generated list and put any new games that didn't exist in the old list into it. A New Games list! Whenever I update, I like to try out new games that are added and finding them in the list can take a while. Even with filters my MAME list is nearly 1800 games. Thanks for the great program! Toonces

Hi Tom, Sorry if this has been asked before but with the new ability to remap keys, how about an app that launches from the configuration to remap the keys by selecting the function then hitting the key? That way the user doesn't have to know what the key or gamepad button currently is. They can just hit the button they want to perform a given function. Thanks! Toonces

Hi Tom, I hate to say it but I replaced X-Arcade's controller board with an IPac. I don't think they actually have a shift button. There are 3 different programmable button sets though controlled by the switch on the back. Toonces