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Merge Sets, Game Videos and Game Browse

stigzler

By stigzler
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stigzler GameEx God (Top Rank)

stigzler

Posted
Posted

Evenin. :)

So, stumbled across this today. It appears that if you use the MergeSets feature for an emulator, it breaks seeing videos for the game on the game browser screen (where you select a game, not the game info screen). For example, you may have a set of:

Atlantis (1982) (Activision) [!].a26
Atlantis (1982) (Activision) [a1].a26
Atlantis (1982) (CCE) [!].a26
Atlantis (1982) (Imagic) (PAL) [!].a26

"MergeSets" very helpfully amalgamates these into one Game Browser entry "Atlantis." However, you only get the title screen on the game browser screen, but if you navigate to "Atlantis (1982) (Activision) [!].a26" on the game info screen (to launch the game) you see the vid. Examination of the video folder reveals one video file entitled "Atlantis (1982) (Activision) [!].a26" auto downloaded. 

Is there any way to get any video from the game mergeset running on the game browser screen. Guess it could be arbitrary if there's more that one, as in most instances, they'll likely just be dupes of the same goodname game. 

I did find a workaround but it's very clumsy; time and diskspace consuming. If you run it without MergeSets enabled, it downloads vids for all goodname variations. However, it does seem like an awful waste of disk-space and wonder if the above would be better?

Vid below shows what I'm on about. It shows the non-merged sets scenarios first, then the problem scenario:

Anyone any ideas?

Adultery GameEx God (Top Rank)

Adultery

Posted
Posted

This is definitely documented somewhere, probably in feature requests. This is exactly the reason I decided to manually pick through my ROM sets for the best ones instead of using the merge option. Of course, nowadays there are Hyperlists that take all the guesswork out of it so I've moved on to those. In all honesty, I don't need 14 versions of River Raid, since on the off chance I play it I'll want the one that works best. :)

I know that doesn't help much, but I think it's a pretty good insight into why this feature is rarely used , because of that, why it hasn't been fixed.

/my 2c

Adultery GameEx God (Top Rank)

Adultery

Posted
Posted

 

Well I was using MapFileMaker and NoIntro sets back when I did this manually. I sorted my table so the USA ROMs came up first, then filled in the missing ones. For the GoodName ones, I was looking for ! when I could find them using the table sorting (there's an attributes column as well as country), and filling in the blanks with the ones that seemed recent or more stable.

 

Then I would export my new map file, and used a feature in that program to copy only the ROMs on the map file into the directory my cab was using.

 

 

Adultery GameEx God (Top Rank)

Adultery

Posted
Posted

Like I said up there, I've totally moved on to HyperList sets myself, so I won't be mad at ya for saying it. 😋

stigzler GameEx God (Top Rank)

stigzler

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for the answers, but *blurgh* - Rom management - my least favourite part of this hobby. QED:

Downloaded RomCenter. Started by trying to tackle an 'easy' system - Atari 2600. Have a goodset. Try to create a database for 2600 - no goodset dat. Read forum post saying they don't exist because goodset guy was being an ass about it. Tried a TOSEC dat - names close, but no cigar.

TL;DR version = failed at first hurdle. So, looking like RomCenter is out....

UPDATE 1: Tried some goodxxx dats found here. Epic fail. Indiscernible error in romcenter.

UPDATE 2: Headed over to Hyperlists. Downloaded the xml for Atari 2600. RomCenter doesn't accept xml. Epic Fail again. This is great fun.

UPDATE 3: Found Dat-o-matic - my set might be no-intro - not sure. Grabbed the .dat - tried to load into RomCenter. Another unhelpful error message. NOT a fan of RomCenter so far! This really is tremendous fun.

 

 

stigzler GameEx God (Top Rank)

stigzler

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@Adultery and @DazzleHP - thanks for the steers, fellas, but having spent all evening messing about with various rom managers and finding it and absolute ball ache (including messing up one of my romsets entirely!) I still come back to my original question as I certainly would find it an easier and safer solution and I think others may find it easier too. i.e. get hold of your romset, plug into gameex and go..

So, @Tom Speirs - is the request in my OP possible? It's hard to envisage how difficult it would be without knowing the GE backend, but wouldn't imagine it'd be too difficult? Not sure how you're matching the vids on the game browser page, but rather than it doing a literal comparison, maybe a comparison with any tags removed? Thus, in the OP example, it would 'de-tag' the game name and see if the videos directory contains a similarly de-tagged video file? I know you guys are stoopid busy with Evo, but this simple feature would be a boon, especially as there may be quite a few people out there in a similar boat....

Now, to find out what bloody RomCenter has done to my A2600 Roms....

DazzleHP GameEx God (Top Rank)

DazzleHP

Posted
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@stigzler - RomCenter will not destroy anything unless you tell it to do so. Also, all of these programs, as well as all of us repeating it a million times, MAKE A COPY.

Seriously, you want to blame someone else for YOU not taking any precautions??

Seriously?

DazzleHP GameEx God (Top Rank)

DazzleHP

Posted
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On 23/05/2017 at 10:29 PM, stigzler said:

find out what bloody RomCenter has done to my A2600 Roms

to clarify, that is what i was replying to.

stigzler GameEx God (Top Rank)

stigzler

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I wasnt blaming anyone, dazzle, certainly not you. Why would I do that when you're a top bloke?

I'd just had a frustrating evening with the whole issue and thus was venting my spleen at romcentre...

@Tom Speirs thanks, i'll take a look at that, although someone also pointed me towards sets which have 1 name, one file. That may prove the shizzle..

 

DazzleHP GameEx God (Top Rank)

DazzleHP

Posted
Posted
On 28/05/2017 at 8:58 AM, stigzler said:

I wasnt blaming anyone, dazzle, certainly not you. Why would I do that when you're a top bloke?

I'd just had a frustrating evening with the whole issue and thus was venting my spleen at romcentre...

@Tom Speirs thanks, i'll take a look at that, although someone also pointed me towards sets which have 1 name, one file. That may prove the shizzle..

 

I know that man, i was being a HyperAsshole for reasons i won't share here. Good luck and hope you get them lists working (they really are are awesome btw) :)

DazzleHP GameEx God (Top Rank)

DazzleHP

Posted
Posted
On 31/05/2017 at 8:04 AM, stigzler said:

You cant be viewed as an assHat by a chief assHat!  Dont give it a second thought...

I accept your apologies :P Just messin!

RomCenter will accept xml's or as we are referring to them: 'HyperLists'. You need to fiddle a lil bit (in RomCenter) ;) Once you figure it out you will be downloading them things like someone owes you something. And WHEN (it'll happen) you go to download a list that doesn't exist, you're gonna be pissed lol. At that point you'll appreciate the effort that goes into them lists, and why they are so good :)

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