[RESOLVED] Steam and Magic Engine

[MarkyX]

Just purchased GameEx and I'm having a few difficulties with the program on some new features.

For starters, Steam. It works fine for the most part, but my main issue with I want to only list games that are Controller Enabled, or at least control what shows there. I plan on using GameEx with my HDTV with my wireless Xbox controller, so I don't want to be listing games that aren't supported by the controller. There doesn't seem to be any option to control my game list, which is unfortunate because that's one of the prime reasons why I bought this program.

Another problem is the Magic Engine. Every time I tried to load a ROM via GameEx, it just loads the emulator and sticks to the menu. My version is 1.1.3

Any help will be appreciated!

[Draco1962]

Welcome to the forums! First, I think you need a better understanding of what a front end program (i.e., GameEx) does "out of the box." Not much without some configuring of the programs for which it acts as a central conglomerator. Plugins can add functionality to some of the programs and enhance the front end.

If you are using an Xbox 360 controller for PC, there are two must haves you should consider. Xpadder and Adultery's Xpadder plugin. Both will require some setup to configure for each game, but will be well worth it in the end. The Steam integration is not so granular as to allow for you to weed out games that do not have built-in controller capability, but you can probably gain control using the program/plugin as noted.

You may want to submit a copy of your log.txt and gameex.ini file so we may quickly assist you. Please refer to this link for additional information.

[DazzleHP]

I second Draco's points (you can get almost any game/program working with a gamepad using Xpadder) plus i would like to make another:

Do you have a licensed version of Magic Engine? If not then i'm afraid not much can be done about it loading the emulator instead of launching the ROM. This is because the dev's of Magic Engine remove command line support for non-licensed versions and GameEx absolutely needs it to successfully launch a ROM directly. The good news is once you purchase a license for it then it should work just fine and be just as easy as other emulators to get working Of course if you are strapped for cash there are other alternatives to Magic Engine (although admittedly not as straight forward to configure). Check this thread for a recent discussion on the matter.

[MarkyX]

I know about the command line, but I did register it a while ago

[nullPointer]

Please submit a copy of the Emulator Config you are using for Magic Engine. It's hard for us to troubleshoot your configuration if we know nothing about it. Please refer to the How To Ask For Help thread if you are unsure of how to access that information. Thanks sir!

[MarkyX]

From the Emulator itself

# ----
# setup settings
# ----
#

[setup]

;
; setup window
; --
; y -> show [default]
; n -> hide
;

show=n


# ----
# keyboard settings
# ----
#

[keyboard]

;
; keyboard configuration
; --
; 0 -> config 1 [default]
; 1 -> config 2
; 2 -> HotRod
; 3 -> HotRod SE
; 4 -> X-Arcade 1P
; 5 -> X-Arcade 2P
;

config=


# ----
# gamepad settings
# ----
#

[gamepad]

;
; gamepad configuration
; --
; 0 -> config 1 [default]
;

config=

;
; auto calibration control
; --
; 5 .. 95 [default = 50]
;
; the first option is for the left and up directions,
; the second is for right and down directions.
; if a direction doesn't respond lower the value,
; if a direction respond too well (without you touching it
; increase the value.
;

auto_calibration_1=50
auto_calibration_2=50


# ----
# cd-rom settings
# ----
#

[cdrom]

;
; CD-ROM driver
; --
; 0 -> auto-detect [default]
; 1 -> SPTI (WinNT)
; 2 -> ASPI
;

driver=

;
; CD-ROM drive
; --
; 1 -> first CD-ROM drive [default]
; 2 -> second CD-ROM drive
; ...
;

drive=

;
; CD-ROM drive letter
; --
; (Windows 2000/XP only)
;
; D:
; E:
; ...
;

drive_letter=

;
; CD-ROM disk speed
; --
; 1 (min) .. 99 (max) [default = 8]
;

speed=

;
; CD-ROM cache
; --
; y -> enable [default]
; n -> disable
;

cache=

;
; CD-ROM cache size
; --
; 0 .. 8192 KB [default = 512]
;

cache_size=


# ----
# cdda settings
# ----
#

[cdda]

;
; number of cdda buffers
; --
; 4 .. 75 [default = 5]
;

buffers=

;
; size of a cdda buffer (in sectors)
; --
; 1 .. 25 [default = 4]
;

buffer_size=

;
; cdda buffer queue delay
; --
; 2 .. (buffers - 1) [default = 4]
;

delay=


# ----
# video settings
# ----
#



;
; driver
; --
; 0 -> DirectX [default]
; 1 -> OpenGL
;

driver=1

;
; windowed mode
; --
;
; y -> windowed [default]
; n -> fullscreen
;

windowed=n

;
; screen resolution
; --
;

screen_width=1920
screen_height=1080
screen_depth=32

;
; triple buffering (DirectX only)
; --
;
; y -> enable
; n -> disable [default]
;

triple_buffer=

;
; screen aspect ratio
; --
; 0 -> none
; 1 -> 4/3 (298 x 224) [default]
; 2 -> 3/2 (336 x 224)
;

screen_ratio=2,2

;
; desktop mode
; --
;
; y -> enable
; n -> disable [default]
;

desktop=

;
; video sync
; --
; 0 -> disable [default]
; 1 -> enable
; 2 -> vsync + timer
; (special mode to use when the screen refresh rate is higher
; than 60 fps or when running the emulator in windowed
; mode)
;

vsync=0,2

;
; frame skip
; --
; 0 -> disabled [default]
; 1 -> skip 1 frame
; 2 -> skip 2 frames
; ..
;

frameskip=

;
; fullscreen stretch
; --
;
; 1 -> enable
; 0 -> disable [default]
;

fullscreen=0,0

;
; zoom
; --
; 0 (x1).. 5 (x6)
;

zoom=1,3

;
; high res mode
; --
; 1 -> enable
; 0 -> disable [default]
;

high_res=0,1

;
; filtering mode
; --
;
; 0 -> disable [default]
; 1 -> bilinear filtering
;

filter=0,1

;
; scanlines:
; --
; 0 (no scanlines) .. 40 (black scanlines)
;

scanlines=0,0

;
; scanline patterns:
; --
;

scanlines_pattern_2=0,255
scanlines_pattern_3=0,0,255
scanlines_pattern_4=0,0,255,255
scanlines_pattern_5=0,0,0,255,255
scanlines_pattern_6=0,0,0,255,255,255

;
; gamma correction:
; --
; adjust gamma level (0 .. 40)
;

gamma=20,20

;
; contrast control:
; --
; adjust contrast (0 .. 40)
;

contrast=20,20

;
; saturation control:
; --
; adjust color saturation (0 .. 40)
;

saturation=20,20

;
; brightness control:
; --
; adjust brightness (0 .. 40)
;

brightness=20,20

;
; screen resolution filter
; --
; max width (640 .. 2560)
; max height (480 .. 1600)
;

res_max_width=
res_max_height=

;
; screen bit depth filter
; --
;
; y -> enable [default]
; n -> disable
;

res_16bit=
res_32bit=

;
; custom screen resolutions
; --
; custom screen resolutions to be used for the different
; PC-Engine video modes (256x224, 336x224, and 512x224)
; and for the GUI
;
; y -> enable
; n -> disable [default]
;
; custom_resolution=y
; res_256=256,224
; res_320=320,224
; ...
; res_gui=640,480
;
;

custom_resolution=
res_256=
res_320=
res_336=
res_352=
res_512=
res_gui=

;
; screen resolution lock
; --
; enable/disable screen resolution locking
;
; y -> auto lock
; n -> no resolution lock [default]
;

res_lock=


# ----
# audio settings
# ----
#

[audio]

;
; interpolation mode
; --
; 0 -> disable
; 1 -> oversampling (x4) [default]
; 2 -> linear
; 3 -> cubic
;

interpolation_mode=

;
; interpolation level
; --
; 0 .. 9 [default = 2]
;

linear_interpolation_level=
cubic_interpolation_level=

;
; master audio volume
; --
; 0 .. 31
;

master_audio_volume=

;
; psg audio volume
; --
; 0 .. 31
;

psg_audio_volume=

;
; adpcm audio volume
; --
; 0 .. 31
;

adpcm_audio_volume=

;
; cd audio volume
; --
; 0 .. 31
;

cd_audio_volume=

;
; noise level
; --
; 0 (rough) .. 4 (soft)
;

noise_level=

;
; noise volume
; --
; 0 .. 9 [default = 4]
;

noise_volume=

;
; noise filtering level
; --
; 0 .. 9
;

noise_filter=


# ----
# load menu settings
# ----

[load_menu]

;
; games list
; --
; uses ROMs file name instead of games title
;
; y -> enable
; n -> disable [default]
;

use_rom_file_name=

;
; file name extension
; --
; hide file name extension
;
; y -> hide [default]
; n -> show
;

hide_file_name_extension=

;
; small font
; --
; y -> enable
; n -> disable [default]
;

small_font=

;
; font case
; --
; 0 -> no change
; 1 -> lower case
; 2 -> upper case [default]
;

font_case=

;
; preview slideshow
; --
; slideshow speed in 1/2 second unit
;
; 0 (disable) .. 20 (10 seconds) [default = 5]
;

slideshow=

;
; preview image max size
; --
; maximun size of the preview image [default = 512x256]
;

preview_width=
preview_height=


# ----
# misc. settings
# ----

[misc]

;
; gui language
; --
; 0 -> english [default]
; 1 -> french
; 2 -> japanese
;

language=

;
; fps counter (on screen display, top-left corner)
; --
; y -> enable
; n -> disable [default]
;

fps_counter=

;
; screen resolution (on screen display, top-left corner)
; --
; display the current screen resolution of the PCE
;
; y -> enable
; n -> disable [default]
;

screen_resolution=

;
; psg volume meter (on screen display, bottom-right corner)
; --
; y -> enable
; n -> disable [default]
;

psg_vu_meter=n

;
; MagicEngine logo scrolling
; --
; y -> enable [default]
; n -> disable
;

background_scrolling=

;
; 'ESC' key mode
; --
; 0 -> automatic mode: [default]
; --------------
; when the emulator is started from a shell or from a front-end
; program, pressing 'ESC' will exit the emulator, but when
; the emulator is started by double-clicking on its icon
; pressing 'ESC' will open the menu screen
;
; 1 -> GUI mode:
; --------
; pressing 'ESC' will always open the menu screen
;
; 2 -> exit mode:
; ---------
; pressing 'ESC' will always exit the emulator
;

esc_key_mode=0

;
; backup ram format
; --
; 0 -> old format (backup.ram)
; 1 -> new format (backup.dat, backup.idx) [default]
;

backup_ram=

;
; state file compression
; --
; y -> enable [default]
; n -> disable
;

compress_state_file=


# ----
# emulation settings
# ----

[emulation]

;
; frame delay
; --
; adjust video frame delay (15000-18000 µs)
;
; 16393 -> 61 Hz
; 16667 -> 60 Hz
; 16712 -> 59.84 Hz [default]
; 16949 -> 59 Hz
;

frame_delay=

;
; default system card for CD-ROM emulation
; --
; 0 -> automatic [default]
; 1 -> System Card v1.0
; 2 -> System Card v2.x
; 3 -> System Card v3.0
; 4 -> Game Express System Card
; 5 -> Magic System v1.0
; 6 -> Magic System v2.0
; 7 -> Magic System v3.0
;

default_system_card=


# ----
# PCE emulation settings
# ----

[pce]

;
; CPU clock frequency in MHz (7 - 35)
; --
; 7 -> 100% speed [default]
; 14 -> 200% speed
; ..
; 35 -> 500% speed
;

cpu_clock=

;
; extended horizontal resolutions (320/352)
; --
; y -> enable [default]
; n -> disable
;

extended_video_modes=

;
; vertical overscan
; --
; top 0 .. 41 [default=17]
; bottom 232 .. 262 [default=255]
;
; standard overscan 224 lines (top=25, bottom=248)
; extended overscan 239 lines (top=17, bottom=255)
; maximun overscan 242 lines (top=14, bottom=255)
;

overscan_top=
overscan_bottom=
overscan_centered=

;
; supergrafx hardware
; --
; 0 -> auto [default]
; 1 -> enable
; 2 -> disable
;

supergrafx=

;
; arcade card hardware
; --
; 0 -> auto [default]
; 1 -> enable
; 2 -> disable
;

arcade_card=

;
; input port
; --
; 0 -> auto [default]
; 1 -> 2-button pad
; 2 -> 6-button pad
;

input_port=


# ----
# path settings
# ----

[path]

;
; system card paths
; --
;

system_card_1=
system_card_2=
system_card_3=
system_card_4=

;
; config path
; --
; (pce.cfg,
; backup.dat, backup.idx,
; games.idx,
; time.dat)
;

config=

;
; patches path (*.PPF/*.IPS)
; --
;

patches=

;
; cheats path
; --
;

cheats="cheats\"

;
; preview screenshots path
; --
;

previews=

;
; screenshots path
; --
;

screenshots="screenshots\"

;
; saved games path
; --
;

saved_games="states\"

;
; roms path
; --
;

roms="C:\GamesExDB\Roms\NEC TurboGrafx-16\Roms\@227,249"

And the GameEx export

[Emulator]
Databasesnappath=
VideoSnapPath=
BakSnapPath=
CDCheckFile=
CDCheck=False
RandomMostPlayed=True
ShowMostPlayed=True
PlayInScreenSaver=False
GamesIn7Zips=False
PCGame=False
SelectionMusicFolder=
PlaySelectionMusic=False
DontShowInfo=
PlayMusic=False
CustomBackground=
ExcludedFiles=
LaunchAfter=
LaunchBefore=
OLDatZip=
AlsoLaunch=
Debug=False
ShowDesktop=True
RemoveBrackets=True
Capitals=False
ReplaceUnder=True
ReplaceDash=False
SendKeys=
WaitBeforeKeys=
MapKeys=True
WorkingPath=C:\GamesExDB\Emulators\MagicEngine
ControlPanelPath=C:\GamesExDB\Assets\NEC TurboGrafx-16\Controls
ManualPath=C:\GamesExDB\Assets\NEC TurboGrafx-16\Manuals
CartPath=C:\GamesExDB\Assets\NEC TurboGrafx-16\Cartridges
BoxPath=C:\GamesExDB\Assets\NEC TurboGrafx-16\Boxes
TitlePath=C:\GamesExDB\Assets\NEC TurboGrafx-16\Titles
SnapPath=C:\GamesExDB\Assets\NEC TurboGrafx-16\Snaps
RomPath=C:\GamesExDB\Roms\NEC TurboGrafx-16\Roms
MapFile=[APP]\Map Files\[Console] NEC TurboGrafx-16.map
ConfigFile=[Mapping Off] Exit (Process Close)
Database=[Console] NEC TurboGrafx-16
RomFilter=
Command=pce.exe syscard3.pce "[ROMPATH]\[ROMFILE]"
StartPageLogo=NEC TurboGrafx-16
StartPageName=[Console] NEC TurboGrafx-16 (MagicEngine)
TitleText=NEC TurboGrafx-16
Info=PC Engine (TurboGrafx 16) emulator
Website=http://www.magicengine.com/
RequiredFiles=
DownloadUrl=http://www.gamesdbase.com/setupwizard/emulators/download/magicengine.7z
Rating=
Version=1.1.3
Emulator=MagicEngine
Category=Console
System=NEC TurboGrafx-16
Enabled=True

[nullPointer]

Thanks for providing that information; it really helps with the troubleshooting process.

I think the problem is with your command line. I believe the command you are using:

pce.exe syscard3.pce "[ROMPATH]\[ROMFILE]"

is the command used to force TurboGrafx-CD emulation rather than the one used for TurboGrafx-16 cart based games.

Try this on for size to see how it goes for you:

pce.exe "[ROMPATH]\[ROMFILE]"

I use Mednafen for TG-16 emulation, but I'm pretty sure that's correct. If that doesn't work for you, we'll have you try some additional troubleshooting steps. Good luck man!

[MarkyX]

That line was just modified by me recently to see if it worked. I did it try with just rompath and it didn't work.

I tried using Mednafen numerous times, even with the front-end GUIs, but it doesn't launch with roms or allow me to customize my controls. I'm probably missing something because everyone tells me how great it is.

[nullPointer]

Oh dude, I just noticed this:

MapFile=[APP]\Map Files\[Console] NEC TurboGrafx-16.map

Are you intending to use a map file for this emulator? If so, are you sure you need one? And if you're sure you need one, what's in the map file?

If the answer to either of the first questions is 'No', try removing the map file entry, in conjunction with the command line I suggested before.

[MarkyX]

Just tested. Nothing.

[DazzleHP]

No change? Without the map file?

[MarkyX]

No change? Without the map file?

Correct. Just still goes to the GUI instead of auto loading the rom.

[nullPointer]

Ok so the next step is to try debug mode. Go to the Advanced Emulator Setup screen in the Setup Wizard and change the Debug Mode setting to Yes. Try to launch the emulator again. This time it's going to bring up your command window and if there is something wrong with your command line the error will (hopefully) be output to the command window (although just how useful the information is is somewhat dependent on the emulator itself).

If Debug Mode doesn't help to determine the cause of the issue, please post a copy of your runitgame.bat (Run Last Game) after attempting to run the emulator, along with an updated copy of your current emulator config.

[MarkyX]

Found the problem.

All the roms I have are PCE files, not zips, yet the debug mode shows it is trying to load from a zip.

UPDATE: I updated my set where everything is in 7z instead of pce, and it works now with the 7z support.

Edited March 12, 2014 by nullPointer
Post edited. Please do not discuss how ROMs are obatined

[nullPointer]

Sweet! If you haven't resolved the issue outright yet, you have a couple of options to do so.

1. Unzip all your ROMs. Hey they're pretty small anyway, so unless hard drive space is at the utmost premium for you it shouldn't be huge issue (or maybe it is ... read on)
   
2. On the Advanced Emulator Setup screen in the Setup Wizard and change the Zip/7-Zip/GoodMerge/RAR setting to Yes. This will signal GameEx to unzip your ROMs prior to launching the emulator.

Good luck man!

Edit:

Sorry man I read that wrong. It's really weird that GameEx is trying to load a zip if there are none to be found in your ROM directory. Are you 100% positive you removed that map file entry from the Map File field on the Advanced Emulator Setup screen in the Setup Wizard? If you are positive change your ROM Filter to *.pce.

Edited March 12, 2014 by nullPointer
1 point deducted from nullPointer for reading comprehension

[nullPointer]

UPDATE: I updated my set where everything is in 7z instead of pce, and it works now with the 7z support.

Glad to hear you got everything sorted out. Happy gaming man!