[PLUGIN] GameEx Hi-Score Snapper

[GimmeClassics]

@ Adultery: sorry, I have had no time to test your new plugin yet Too busy with work and organizing our high score threads and the new game-selection-procedure

I will look into it and let you know if everything works Ok. Thanks again for taking the effort to create such cool plugins for our Hi-Score Competition

Keep on the good work my friend !

[Adultery]

Updated to 1.0.1!

• Removed dependency on HiScore.xml, replaced with new GamesList.txt
  • If you're connected to the internet, the database will always be current
  • Database is downloaded quickly while GameEx initializes
  • Added "override" for machines not connected to the network where no gameslist.txt was found
  • View the database here and copy/save it as gameslist.txt
• Added ROM name to snapshot
• If override is on, added override setting to snap
• Fixed a bug in game list parsing
• Added more logging
• Plugin is much more stable after some serious bug testing
• BIG shouts to DazzleHP for all his help in testing this!

Get it from this post.

[hansolo77]

I should also mention that I plan on using my snapshot class for a plugin that makes it possible to add missing title and in-game snaps on the fly for all games across all emulators while GameEx is running. This venture has proved to be a pretty successful one so expect to see that come in the future.

I think I misread this, but after 2nd reading my mind gears are rolling.... perhaps a high score option for emulators? That opens up a whole new can of worms that we don't really even need to start looking at just yet. But the possibilities are enticing.

Thanks for your hard work Adultery. I hope you're not taking all your free time up to build plugins and utilities for us. Take a break man!

[nullPointer]

Thanks for the update Adultery! Also thanks for the diligent testing Dazz!

[GimmeClassics]

I should also mention that I plan on using my snapshot class for a plugin that makes it possible to add missing title and in-game snaps on the fly for all games across all emulators while GameEx is running. This venture has proved to be a pretty successful one so expect to see that come in the future.

@ Adultery: man, that sounds good !

Thanks for the update Adultery! Also thanks for the diligent testing Daz!

Absolutely, thank you Adultery and thank you Dazz !!!

[Adultery]

UPDATED TO 1.0.2:

• Added new configuration options to the plugin:
  • Save directory
  • Image Format
  • Image Size
• Added a "last snap" viewer to the configuration form
  • Click on the image to launch the Last Snap Viewer window
• Added status strip to display currently installed MAME version
• Added a new banner logo, which when clicked will open the project page in a new window

---

Here's a look at the new configuration window with the new options added:

As always, you can snag the new version in the first post. Thanks for using this! I haven't added it to the download portal yet, but I will get there eventually. Let me know if you experience any kooky behavior, but it should be working just fine (at least it is for me). If you're not using this... You should be! It really makes your hi-score submissions a lot easier!!

I'm going to add some browse buttons and a delete button to the viewer window so you can see and or remove them from all the snaps in that folder instead of just the last one you took. In case of multiples that should help you decide which one to upload.

[GimmeClassics]

Hi Adultery,

I'm afraid I need some help setting up this great tool Here are my testing results:

1. I've downloaded the Hi-Score Snapper tool from post #1

When I follow the link you provided I get the Snapper Tool version 1.0.0 instead of 1.0.2

2. I've enabled the snapper tool using the plugin manager

My GameEx version is also up-to-date

3. I've created a directory in the plugins folder called "HiScore Snapper"

This folder consitst of 5 files: HiScore Snapper.dll , HiScore.xml, Settings.xml, Snapper.txt, gameslist.txt

I had to manually download the gameslist.txt. It wasn't created autmatically after I started a game having the snapper plugin enabled. I have an active internet connection. I shouldn't have to create this gameslist.txt manually right...?

4. I've tried taking an in-game snapshot using "SHIFT + HOME"

Unfortunately the tool didn't take a snapshot (I didn't hear any sound). There's also no snapshot game folder created inside the Plugins > HiScore Snapper folder.

Here's my snapper log:

5-10-2013 13:18:43 : Hi-Score Snapper (Version: 1.0.0)
5-10-2013 13:18:43 : 13.18 INITIALIZED OK!: GameEx
5-10-2013 13:18:43 : INIT PLUGIN: Initialization completed!

I really like to use this great tool. I hope you can help me out

Thanks in advance !

[DazzleHP]

I would try and download again GC it is def v1.0.2

It is much more compatible than v1.0.0

[GimmeClassics]

???? The HiScore Snapper plugin is gone from my Plugin Manager ???

GameEx.ini

log.txt

[Adultery]

You need to extract the contents of the archive to the GameEx root directory. Any folders the plugin needs get created automatically. Inside the zip is the PLUGINS folder which contains the dll, which should then be accessible by the plugin manager.

[hansolo77]

I just downloaded this and put the .dll in the /plugins folder. It shows up as 1.0.2 in the plugin manager. Only problem I've had so far is that it changed the resolution of MAME. I hit the tab button so I could reassign my controls and it was such a low res and pixelated I couldn't even see the text.

UPDATE: I launched MAME directly outside of GameEx, and that low resolution for the TAB menu is gone. It's only when I run GameEx, and with that plugin enabled.

[Adultery]

It might be because the resolution for DirectDraw is different than for D3D? I'm not sure.

[hansolo77]

I don't know, all I know is that after I disabled the plugin, the resolution returned back to its original settings. I have MAME setup to use AUTO for the resolution, and it basically renders at the same as my desktop (1920x1080). I tried configuring the plugin to use that same resolution, but it didn't make any difference.

[Adultery]

That's only for the snap shot, it's got no bearing on mame itself (it does a scale to the snap itself regardless of your name resolution). I'm sure it's a setting related to DirectDraw. Maybe I'll add an option to send your own commands to mame in a case like that.

[GimmeClassics]

You need to extract the contents of the archive to the GameEx root directory. Any folders the plugin needs get created automatically. Inside the zip is the PLUGINS folder which contains the dll, which should then be accessible by the plugin manager.

@ Adultery > I solved it ! It was just a small thing I did wrong. The HiScore Snapper.dll (content of archive) has to be extracted to GameEx > Plugins instead of the GameEx root directory.

Maybe it's a good idea to give some additional info in post #1:

* download the HiScore Snapper tool using the provided link

* extract the contents of the archive (HiScore Snapper.dll) to GameEx > Plugins

* select the HiScore Snapper plugin using the GameEx Plugin Manager

* NOTE: you do not have to create a HiScore Snapper directory yourself. Any folders the plugin needs get created automtically.

* NOTE: when you use the plugin offline download the gameslist.txt manually from post #1 and extract to GameEx > Plugins > HiScore Snapper

Just throwing my two cents Great tool Adultery

I just downloaded this and put the .dll in the /plugins folder. It shows up as 1.0.2 in the plugin manager. Only problem I've had so far is that it changed the resolution of MAME. I hit the tab button so I could reassign my controls and it was such a low res and pixelated I couldn't even see the text.

105201395933-1.jpg

UPDATE: I launched MAME directly outside of GameEx, and that low resolution for the TAB menu is gone. It's only when I run GameEx, and with that plugin enabled.

@ Adultery / Hansolo: I can confirm this. I took a snapshot of Donkey Kong and than hit Tab. See screenshot below.

If you could somehow solve this that would be great

EDIT: I'll go with GC as my username using the snapper tool. GimmeClassics is a bit too long and obtrusive on the snapshot.

[Adultery]

To be honest I don't know why that happens since my computer seems to not do this, we I don't think it does. I'll test more.

[DazzleHP]

105201395933-1.jpg

5-10-2013184203.jpg

The menu has always done that for me when using ddraw in MAME. The games themselves are still playing at their correct resolutions though. For me they always have anyways.

[hansolo77]

I don't understand why it would even be necessary to adjust anything in the first place. Can't you just have it parse what the MAME settings are, then use that for the snap? Like, MAME creates the snap and saves it in the /snap/[romname] folder already (by default). The plugin already identifies what rom is being played. Why not just have it pull the snap from MAME (which is saved in png) then just paste that image into a new image with the plugin's added text overlayed on a new layer. Then you don't have to really to change anything with rendering. Just have the plugin act like an xpadder/autohotkey and when you press the SHIFT+HOME it's actually starting the process of sending F12 (mame snap) and then applying the appropriate layers.

[Adultery]

Well it's necessary because hooking d3d is really hard. Copying a snap that mame took defeats the purpose of the plugin, keeping everything legitimate and keeping the end user out of the process. I would also have to do a low level input hook to even detect the button press, and what if someone changes mame's output path? It's just not as easy as you make it sound.

What I don't understand is why it's such a big deal that the tab menu is a little different. And if it is a huge deal, just don't use the plugin when you configure your game.

Or option two, just don't use it.

[GimmeClassics]

Copying a snap that mame took defeats the purpose of the plugin, keeping everything legitimate and keeping the end user out of the process. I would also have to do a low level input hook to even detect the button press, and what if someone changes mame's output path? It's just not as easy as you make it sound.

What I don't understand is why it's such a big deal that the tab menu is a little different. And if it is a huge deal, just don't use the plugin when you configure your game. Or option two, just don't use it.

@ Adultery > you make an excellent point here. It isn't a big deal at all the tab menu is a bit low res.

Usually you don't have to change dip switch settings / controls very often. And when somebody wants to change the settings you could just disable the plugin for a short while and enable it again after you have made your changes.

I personally love this tool you created. When everybody uses this tool we could even add games which don't have an in-game hi-score table (e.g. frogger, pac-man etc.) because your tool adds an overlay with all the necessary user info.

So again, thank you very much for this great tool. I am honored you invest your time improving our Hi-score competition with the great tools you have created. I really hope you allow us to benefit from you skills now and in the future.

[Adultery]

It's nice to be appreciated. :-)

I don't mind pitching in at all. Especially for such a noble cause.

[hansolo77]

Yeah I guess I never thought of all those other reasons. At first glance it looks like all you're doing is overlaying a bit of info about the GameEx version, Mame version, username and date. None of that stuff was really necessary other than making a "watermark" for the competition to show that it was really YOU who did it and not something you just found out on the internet somewhere and "said' was yours. But the fact that it eliminates the need to a user to go in and reconfigure MAME to have a proper snap output, and basically make it so simple a child could figure it out does make the utility much more appealing to somebody not so smart (_{not saying we got dumb people here or anything} ). Plus, it further provides practice for you to get into with programming, and helping the whole high score community in general. I'm glad you're working on it. If a fix can be made that'd be great, but if not it's not that big a deal. I just won't use it. I have to use the TAB menu a lot because I don't keep my controller always plugged in, and when that happens the built in MAME controller settings get lost unless it's always plugged in. Plus there's a lot MORE games for MAME than what's available in our competition, and there's always a need to tweak an analog setting here, or remap the buttons there. With a low res rendering of the menu always happening because of the plugin, it's not very useful at the moment. But again, I'd use it all the time if it didn't have those other hindrances.

[Adultery]

I get around the exact problem you describe by using Xpadder and compiling mame to accept direct input using headkaze's compiler.

[helpman]

this seems to be a great tool

I'll stick to my system, as it's already working on my arcade LOL...

I just use FRAPS and a hotkey on xpadder to trigger a snapshot when I push my left flipper and nudge buttons

So... just another tip for you guys

I have the arcade alone, then a desktop computer.

They both are connected throught wifi.

So I set my target folder for screenshots on a google drive folder. The screenshot is saved there, then without anything else to do, google drive syncs it with my online drive AND my desktop computer syncs it too, so I have the screenshot available everywhere

(I could also just share the screenshot folder over my network pcs, but using windows xp on arcade and windows 8 on my other pcs seems to be tricky when sharing folders...)

[MNMax21]

Did anyone figure out a solution for the resolution in Gameex's MAME games while using the plugin? Mine also takes away the games bezel artwork on the sides. When I select cabinet artwork, the sides stay black. I could care less about the dip switch area as I'm barely in there. However, I use a 32" LCD TV as a monitor and now the large left and right sides are just permanently black in the vertical hi score games. It's weird though, I can see a bit of the artwork still on the game screen itself, just not the sides. Either way I can just turn the plugin off and back on when I need to take the snaps. I was just wondering if there was a way to keep the plugin on and if the cabinet artwork issue I am having would be linked to the MAME menu resolution or if I'm just screwing something else up.