Setting up Bliss

[hansolo77]

Ok, I'm having a little difficulty setting up Bliss (Intellivision Emulator). I have it able to launch from GameEx, and load a ROM, but that's it. Lets start at the beginning.

I was originally using MESS for Intellivision, but I read some reviews that Bliss is the one to go to for that system. So I tried to find it and install it. This has been rather difficult. Google found it at sourceforge but it doesn't have any links to download it. Sourceforge says "The Bliss Intellivision Emulator is no longer maintained at SourceForge. See the offical website at http://bliss.kylesblog.com for access to the Bliss source code." So I tried to go to that link, and it's dead. Google shows the next viable link as Zophar's Domain. There's lots of files here, so I grabbed the one "1.9d Bliss32". This is a self contained zip that is what I'm working with.. Should I have grabbed one of the others, like v1.61 (BlissJ), v1.61 (BlissJWeb), or v1.61 (BlissJX)? I read the Readme.txt and it says I need the two rom chips (bios'), so I extracted them to the Bliss folder from the MESS rom set. It also says the controls are HARD SET and non-configurable. When a rom is loaded however, these keys DON'T WORK. The only key that seems to do anything is the ESCAPE key to bring up the menu. I can then use the arrow/enter keys to move around within the menu, but thats it. So here's my questions:

How can I remap the controls? I know it's got to be possible because in other threads here, people have reported being able to do it.

How can I set the emulator to follow aspect ratio? Right now, my roms load up full screen, filling the entire 16x9 frame, thus ugly stretching happens.

Will installing a different version of Bliss solve my problems?

Again, I should mention that this is all related to the emulator setup. GameEx works fine with this emulator as far as launching it and the roms.

[fRequEnCy]

Ok, I'm having a little difficulty setting up Bliss (Intellivision Emulator). I have it able to launch from GameEx, and load a ROM, but that's it. Lets start at the beginning.

I was originally using MESS for Intellivision, but I read some reviews that Bliss is the one to go to for that system. So I tried to find it and install it. This has been rather difficult. Google found it at sourceforge but it doesn't have any links to download it. Sourceforge says "The Bliss Intellivision Emulator is no longer maintained at SourceForge. See the offical website at http://bliss.kylesblog.com for access to the Bliss source code." So I tried to go to that link, and it's dead. Google shows the next viable link as Zophar's Domain. There's lots of files here, so I grabbed the one "1.9d Bliss32". This is a self contained zip that is what I'm working with.. Should I have grabbed one of the others, like v1.61 (BlissJ), v1.61 (BlissJWeb), or v1.61 (BlissJX)? I read the Readme.txt and it says I need the two rom chips (bios'), so I extracted them to the Bliss folder from the MESS rom set. It also says the controls are HARD SET and non-configurable. When a rom is loaded however, these keys DON'T WORK. The only key that seems to do anything is the ESCAPE key to bring up the menu. I can then use the arrow/enter keys to move around within the menu, but thats it. So here's my questions:

How can I remap the controls? I know it's got to be possible because in other threads here, people have reported being able to do it.

How can I set the emulator to follow aspect ratio? Right now, my roms load up full screen, filling the entire 16x9 frame, thus ugly stretching happens.

Will installing a different version of Bliss solve my problems?

Again, I should mention that this is all related to the emulator setup. GameEx works fine with this emulator as far as launching it and the roms.

My sources indicate that 2.0.5 is the latest release. And it does appear that the homepage is dead. You can always get the latest from GameEx's site. It's hosted here. The direct download link is here. I would try that first and then try to troubleshoot that version. I haven't ran this in a long time but first things first. Let's get that done and then move on from there. I'll redownload and help troubleshoot as needed.

[hansolo77]

Alright, I got it and it does work much better. The controls I were able to remap to my controller! Now to figure out how to get it keep the aspect ratio.

[Adultery]

I'm pretty sure you can do this since I have a ws monitor in my cab and I don't stretch the image to fill it. I'll have to look at it after work to make sure though. I can't imagine playing an INTV game on my ws! Blach!

[fRequEnCy]

Alright, I got it and it does work much better. The controls I were able to remap to my controller! Now to figure out how to get it keep the aspect ratio.

That's good. As far as aspect ratio, I don't remember seeing a setting or a switch for this. If that's the case then maybe another emulator will be more to your liking.

[hansolo77]

Yeah, I really hate playing games on my Widescreen that get stretched. With Bliss now, it actually looks ZOOMed in. The top and bottoms are cut off so the sides can fill the screen. This might be a limitation by design on my TV, as I have seen similar issues with other emulators when I drop the resolution way down. Hopefully we can figure out a solution though, my new future stepmom had an Intellivision and I'm sure she'd love to play it. I just hate the idea of her seeing it not as it was.

[Adultery]

Either way it won't be 'what it was'.

I honestly think my monitor shows it in 4:3 aspect because when I played basesall the other day with my dad, there were black bars on the side. Again I'll confirm this after work.

[Draco1962]

Shooting from the hip here, but is it possible that it is an issue with the BIOS file(s)?

[hansolo77]

Shooting from the hip here, but is it possible that it is an issue with the BIOS file(s)?

Could be.. Strange thing though, the older version of Bliss didn't like the BIOS files from the no-intro rom set. It only liked the ones from the MESS set. I suppose the BIOS could be an issue. Also, the older version said very clearly in the readme that it required the BIOS's, but there's nothing saying that in the new version I have now.

[fRequEnCy]

Could be.. Strange thing though, the older version of Bliss didn't like the BIOS files from the no-intro rom set. It only liked the ones from the MESS set. I suppose the BIOS could be an issue. Also, the older version said very clearly in the readme that it required the BIOS's, but there's nothing saying that in the new version I have now.

I wasn't aware that no-intro had an Intellivision set.

I just tested on my htpc and it does stretch fullscreen. There is no setting to keep aspect ratio. I guess we'll wait for Adultery to confirm when he returns from work.

[Adultery]

Sorry I didn't chime in sooner, but you're right. It does stretch to fill my monitor after all.

Maybe have a go at Nostalgia?

[fRequEnCy]

Sorry I didn't chime in sooner, but you're right. It does stretch to fill my monitor after all.

Maybe have a go at Nostalgia?

LOL. Got us excited for nothing.

[Draco1962]

Before throwing Bliss out with the bath water, would it be possible to create a script or batch file that would invoke a program to change screen res, then load Bliss? Would also require an exit script or batch file to run at exit from Bliss to restore screen res before going back to GameEx.

[mesk]

No intro has a intellivision set? since when?

According to no-intro's dat-o-matic,there is no intellivision set

anyways yea there is no way to keep a aspect ratio in bliss

[hansolo77]

I wasn't aware that no-intro had an Intellivision set.

Yeah my mistake. When I wrote that, I assumed it was No-Intro since that's what I always get. It's not, it's GoodINTV v2.03.

Sorry I didn't chime in sooner, but you're right. It does stretch to fill my monitor after all.

Maybe have a go at Nostalgia?

Alright, I can live with it stretched. So now the question is; is Nostalgia any good? Does it support gamepad configuring and maintaining aspect ratio?

[fRequEnCy]

Yeah my mistake. When I wrote that, I assumed it was No-Intro since that's what I always get. It's not, it's GoodINTV v2.03.

Alright, I can live with it stretched. So now the question is; is Nostalgia any good? Does it support gamepad configuring and maintaining aspect ratio?

LOL. Ok. I thought so. When you had said it and I didn't have it when I tested I thought something was up. Odd that your Goodset bios roms didn't work for you though as those are the ones I used for testing and they worked fine.

Nostalgia is rated pretty good from my sources. Aspect ratio is not maintained and is still stretched but it does seem to handle stretching better than bliss as it does not cut off parts of the screen. I just downloaded and tested. It also seems to configure gamepad just fine from the menu but that I did not test on my end. I say just give it a try.

[fRequEnCy]

Before throwing Bliss out with the bath water, would it be possible to create a script or batch file that would invoke a program to change screen res, then load Bliss? Would also require an exit script or batch file to run at exit from Bliss to restore screen res before going back to GameEx.

Well I'm not sure that would work. Wouldn't that be the same as running in 640x480 screen resolution Compatibility mode? Running in this mode still causes the emulator to stretch the image on a widescreen.

[hansolo77]

Its wierd that an emulator programmer wouldn't include something to maintain a proper aspect ratio. I mean, even if the rom is programmed with a wider-than-average resolution (as many games do), there should be some way of emulating a 4:3-type aspect ratio since that's what the consoles would be hooked up to. I think MESS does this, allowing an emulation of 4:3. When you hit TAB, you can change the aspect to 4:3, Pixel, etc. Maybe I'll just go back to MESS. Too bad, cause I like how Bliss can emulate the voice chip.

[Draco1962]

Actually you may have something with using the "Run in 640x480 screen resolution" but I think that also needs to be used in conjunction with "Disable display scaling on high DPI settings." to work more effectively.

@Hansolo77 - can you try this with the Bliss.exe file and run at fullscreen? RIght click on bliss.exe, Left click on Properties, click on Compatibility tab and click the check blocks for "Run in 640x480 screen resolution" and "Disable display scaling on high DPI settings" and apply, then OK.

[fRequEnCy]

Actually you may have something with using the "Run in 640x480 screen resolution" but I think that also needs to be used in conjunction with "Disable display scaling on high DPI settings." to work more effectively.

@Hansolo77 - can you try this with the Bliss.exe file and run at fullscreen? RIght click on bliss.exe, Left click on Properties, click on Compatibility tab and click the check blocks for "Run in 640x480 screen resolution" and "Disable display scaling on high DPI settings" and apply, then OK.

Yeah! That didn't work for me in my testing. Had thought about that too which is why i tried the compatibility mode to begin with. This emulator was just not designed with widescreens in mind.

[Draco1962]

That is good to know, then. Shame that the site is gone and that there is little to find on the emulator.

[fRequEnCy]

That is good to know, then. Shame that the site is gone and that there is little to find on the emulator.

Yup. MESS is gonna be what to look for in the future. Till then just have to live with the stretched screen.

[hansolo77]

Actually you may have something with using the "Run in 640x480 screen resolution" but I think that also needs to be used in conjunction with "Disable display scaling on high DPI settings." to work more effectively.

@Hansolo77 - can you try this with the Bliss.exe file and run at fullscreen? RIght click on bliss.exe, Left click on Properties, click on Compatibility tab and click the check blocks for "Run in 640x480 screen resolution" and "Disable display scaling on high DPI settings" and apply, then OK.

Tried it, didn't help. Kinda sucks. oh well.

[mesk]

@hansolo whats exactly the problem you have with bliss stretching the image? i play all my emulators on a 52 inch led tv and it stretches it out and it looks fine.im just curious

if its zoomed like you said a few posts up,ill ask you how you have your pc connected to your tv? cause you may just have wide zoomed set as the 4:3 default,and if thats the case you would want to set it to full

with a little info about your tv,im willing to bet we can figure this out

Like Freq said,MESS will be the only emulator in the near future for all these console games.I personally cannot wait for that! not mention MESS has the keep aspect ratio setting just like MAME does.in fact,its only a few games and the intellivoice module that MESS hasnt emulated yet,once it does bliss,nostalgia and any other intv emulator will be OBSOLETE

[hansolo77]

I have a Samsung 47-in LCD, connected via HDMI to my Denon AVR-591 Surround Receiver. It's connected to my PC via HDMI->DVI adapter plug. I don't have this problem on any other emulators, which is why it's a Bliss-specific problem.