[RESOLVED] Unable to run vic-20 Games

[Evilforces]

Hi All!!!!

I'm trying to configure vic-20 emulator on Gameex and can't get it work well.

I used the Greatflash tutorial:

Vice Commodore Vic20 Emulator Zip Setup
--------------------------------------------------

This Config allows you to run commodore Vic20 roms that are zipped.

You may ask, why would i want to run them as zips when they are so small already? The main reason is that a lot of the good vic20 rom sets are already zipped and tidy. I used GameBaseVic20, Tosec, and No-intro sets to check this config.
Second thing that this config tries to do is to determine what memory banks need to be active to run the game image. If you have a unexpanded 3k game and try to run it on a vic20 with 24k of expanded - it will not run. same rule applies for many different sizes. I have checked over 200 images and all runs fine. I have not checked cartridges fully, but it should recognise what memory area the cart needs to load into and run (unless the cartridge needs a SYS call to run it - then it is time for you to type on the Vic)
This works the same way as my c64 config.
so... Place the contents of 'VIC.RAR' in your Vice emulators root directory and import the emu config in 'Vic20EmConfig.RAR' remembering to change your paths.
Set Xvic.exe to how you wish (it will auto to fullscreen) and run the wonderful GameEx.

Hope all goes well...

If there are any probs or suggestions, please open a thread and i will see what i can do..

UPDATE: Vic.rar updated. Found problems with a couple of carts not running. Fixed and carts now load to correct memory space. All tested work!

When i launch a game it returns to Gameex automatically....

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

GameEx.ini

log.txt

[greatflash]

This no longer works. The launcher was written for 32 bit systems and has such been outdated.

The latest 14 release of gameEX now contains a new config and a new launcher to hopefully make this a painless process.

If you can update to v14 and import the vic20 vwinvice config (allowing the emulator to also install) this will solve all your problems (and is also vastly improved).

Failing that, I can post the launcher and config to the main board for you to download and use on your existing set up.

Let me know.

[Evilforces]

Hi Greatflash!!

Tried to download the default config with Gameex and now when i launch a game i see the Winvic blue screen saying that don't find the rom....

Need to activate something on default config?

It launch the emulator and see "ready" but the game don't start...

[greatflash]

I have not had a chance to fully check out v14 along with the new configs due to a dead pc, so cannot be a great help.

If you check the winvice directory you will see a log file generated. This gives info on the last game launched and should be of some help.

As soon as I can, I will post the launcher to the board.

[Evilforces]

Hi greatflash, and thanks for your kindly help.

I've opened the log file, but it's empty

I have the standard config as Gameex put it. The only change is the 7zip support enabled, but i tried with and without this option and the result is the same.

Gameex launch the emulator, and the emulator says something about looking for the rom, and the says ready. Nothing else....

[greatflash]

The config automatically added when importing the emulator for vic 20 does not need modification in any way other than the paths.

Are you sure you are using the correct config? Zip support should be off and it does expect your roms to be zipped (the launcher handles the unzipping). I have a feeling your roms are zipped?

[Evilforces]

Hi Flash, yes my roms are zipped.

[Evilforces]

This is the message i see when i try to launch a game with Gameex:

And this is the command line in Gameex (default):

xvic.exe -fullscreen -autostart "[ROMPATH]\[ROMFILE]"

If i start xvic out Gameex and run a game, it works perfect, but notice that i need to unzip the file to do that. I've tried launch a unzipped file with Gameex with same results, blue screen and ready...

[greatflash]

That is not the command line for the latest vic config that should be included with v14 of GameEX. It calls the launcher and not xvic directly?

I have no way of checking v14 atm but with post the config and launcher on the boards as soon as I can after work.

Can you check with setup wizard and add a new vic 20 emulator using the emulator config section?

[Evilforces]

The emulator i'm using has been added with the emulator config section....

[greatflash]

Using GameEX 14?

[nullPointer]

Vic20 is not a system I emulate currently (blasphemy!), but I think I may have spotted the issue. It looks like there are actually three Vic20/WinVice configs you can import through the Setup Wizard.

There's this one:

[PC] Commodore VIC-20 (WinVice)

[Emulator]
Enabled=True
System=Commodore VIC-20
Category=PC
Emulator=WinVice
Version=2.2
Rating=7.9
DownloadUrl=http://www.gamesdbase.com/setupwizard/emulators/download/WinVICE.7z
RequiredFiles=
Website=http://www.viceteam.org/
Info=Commodore C64, the C64DTV, the C128, the VIC-20, almost all PET models, the PLUS4 and the CBM-II (aka C610) emulator
TitleText=Commodore VIC-20
StartPageName=[PC] Commodore VIC-20 (WinVice)
StartPageLogo=Commodore
Command=xvic.exe -fullscreen -autostart "[ROMPATH]\[ROMFILE]"
RomFilter=
Database=[PC] Commodore VIC-20
ConfigFile=[Mapping Off] Exit (Process Close)
MapFile=
RomPath=\Commodore VIC-20\Roms
SnapPath=\Commodore VIC-20\Snaps
TitlePath=\Commodore VIC-20\Titles
BoxPath=\Commodore VIC-20\Boxes
CartPath=\Commodore VIC-20\Cartridges
ManualPath=\Commodore VIC-20\Manuals
ControlPanelPath=\Commodore VIC-20\Controls
WorkingPath=\WinVice
MapKeys=True
WaitBeforeKeys=
SendKeys=
ReplaceDash=False
ReplaceUnder=True
Capitals=False
RemoveBrackets=True
ShowDesktop=True
Debug=False
AlsoLaunch=
OLDatZip=
LaunchBefore=
LaunchAfter=
ExcludedFiles=
CustomBackground=
PlayMusic=False
DontShowInfo=
PlaySelectionMusic=False
SelectionMusicFolder=
PCGame=False
GamesIn7Zips=False
PlayInScreenSaver=False
ShowMostPlayed=True
RandomMostPlayed=True
CDCheck=False
CDCheckFile=
VideoSnapPath=

And there's also this one:

[PC] Commodore VIC-20

[Emulator]
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=False
RemoveBrackets=True
Capitals=False
ReplaceUnder=True
ReplaceDash=False
SendKeys=
WaitBeforeKeys=
MapKeys=True
WorkingPath=\WinVice
ControlPanelPath=\Commodore VIC-20\Controls
ManualPath=\Commodore VIC-20\Manuals
CartPath=\Commodore VIC-20\Cartridges
BoxPath=\Commodore VIC-20\Boxes
TitlePath=\Commodore VIC-20\Titles
SnapPath=\Commodore VIC-20\Snaps
RomPath=\Commodore VIC-20\Roms
MapFile=
configFile=[Mapping Off] Exit (ALT+F4)
UseDbName=True
Database=[PC] Commodore VIC-20
RomFilter=
Command=XVicLauncher.exe "[rompath]/[romfile]"
StartPageLogo=Commodore
StartPageName=[PC] Commodore VIC-20 (WinVice)
TitleText=Commodore VIC-20
Info=Commodore C64, the C64DTV, the C128, the VIC-20, almost all PET models, the PLUS4 and the CBM-II (aka C610) emulator
Website=http://www.viceteam.org/
RequiredFiles=
DownloadUrl=http://www.gamesdbase.com/setupwizard/emulators/download/WinVICE.7z
Rating=8.5
Version=2.4
Emulator=WinVice
Category=PC
System=Commodore VIC-20
Enabled=True

(There's also a third listing called [PC] Commodore VIC20 (WinVice), but as near as I can tell, that one is identical to the first one listed here.) FWIW, I think Flash is recommending that you select the second one listed here.

[Evilforces]

Thanks Null, i see there is a significant change on the command line that could make the difference.

I'll try it and comment the results.

Thanks for your help!!!

[Evilforces]

It works now with the new config!!!

Thanks both Null and Greatflash!!!

I have a little doubt about if it's possible to play with a second gamepad with VIC-20.

If i enter in the config joystick, the second joystick is disabled.

I figured it's because there are no games for 2 players on VIC-20, but if you can confirm this.

Thanks a lot for your help guys!!!!

[greatflash]

Great news.

Looks like the configs need cleaning. We certainly should not have three configs for the same system using the same emulator. Perhaps two. One for normal launch and one for the launcher.

One thing to mention. If you find a game that does not launch correctly and run, please post the log file that the launcher creates. This will enable me to update the launcher to increase its already high comparability. Some games are on disks and the launcher has no hard and fast way of knowing how to configure expansions for the emulator and the log will enable support to be added.

Ps. Most two player vic20 games used the keyboard for the second player.

[Evilforces]

Great news.

Looks like the configs need cleaning. We certainly should not have three configs for the same system using the same emulator. Perhaps two. One for normal launch and one for the launcher.

One thing to mention. If you find a game that does not launch correctly and run, please post the log file that the launcher creates. This will enable me to update the launcher to increase its already high comparability. Some games are on disks and the launcher has no hard and fast way of knowing how to configure expansions for the emulator and the log will enable support to be added.

Ps. Most two player vic20 games used the keyboard for the second player.

Hi Greatflash!!!

I found some games that don't run with this config...

Would you like i post here or with a P.M.?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Draco1962]

...

One thing to mention. If you find a game that does not launch correctly and run, please post the log file that the launcher creates. This will enable me to update the launcher to increase its already high comparability. Some games are on disks and the launcher has no hard and fast way of knowing how to configure expansions for the emulator and the log will enable support to be added.

I think the answer is yes. Removing [RESOLVED] from the title.

[greatflash]

Draco, why are you removing resolved? The issue is solved.

We are referring to the fact that the launcher cannot (and nor can the emulator itself) determine the requirements of every single rom. Some are bad dumps and some are games on a disk image that load multi-part and as such expansions cannot be determined.

This little bit of the topic is per the request in the read me file for the launcher to let me know of any games that do not run so I can add support for them directly. Without the launcher, a HUGE amount of games will not run.

Please read the read me for the launcher to understand the request (I also explain it in the original post in the beta topic).

Evilforces. For now please pm me the logs for each game that fails. I will start a new topic for the launcher at some point.

[Draco1962]

@Flash - once [RESOLVED} we generally lock the thread. The OP has additional questions after the fact and a request for a log file was made by you. If you are going to take it off topic, then I will mark it [RESOLVED] and lock the thread.

[greatflash]

Further communication via pm is fine. The initial problem with config of vic20 and launching of roms has been resolved.

I will at some point do a topic dedicated to the launcher and improvements to compatibility.