Attract mode not playing playlist audio

[ibuiltanarcade]

I'm not sure if something is wrong or if this doesn't work the way I envision it.  I would like to set GameEx so that when the Attract/Screensave mode comes on it plays an mp3 file.  I've read through the guide and tried various combinations to try to get this to work, but no luck.  Attract mode currently comes on after the default 4 minutes and works fine.  On the desktop of the computer I can play the mp3 file with no problems through windows media player.

On the Attract/Screensaver screen in the setup file I have Screensaver Mode set to "Standard GameEx Screensaver" and Attract Audio Mode set to "Play GameEx Playlist audio and run MAME with no sound"

On the Audio Settings screen for Jukebox mode I've tried both "Media Player Library" and "File Audio Tags"  For windows media player I've put the mp3 file in the default "Music" folder and confirmed that media player sees it in the libray.  For File Audio tags I've created a folder at D:\Music and placed the mp3 file in that folder and set the "Audio Files (if not media player" value correctly.  In GameEx if I go to the Jukebox I can see the mp3 file in the playlist and play it.

However, when I open GameEx and let it sit until the Screensaver kicks on, games start playing but no sound.  There are quite a few options in the config, so I think I probably need to configure a value somewhere else.  Any help is appreciated!   Thanks.
 

[Tom Speirs]

Hi,

What should happen with that setting in the screensaver is GameEx should continue playing audio "if" it is already is playing.

Is that not happening?

[ibuiltanarcade]

I did some more testing.  I started GameEx and then navigated to the jukebox and started the music.  The music file plays.  I let the machine sit and after 4 minutes Attract/ScreenSave mode turns on and the music continues to play.  I move the joystick  to get out of screen saver mode, the music is still playing, I navigate to a game and choose "Play this game".  Once I start to play the game the music fades and the game music/sounds starts.  Once I exit the game and return to the previous screen the music playlist mp3 starts again.

To me that sounds like it's probably working as designed.  I guess what I'm looking for is to see if the playlist music will only play on the start and stop of attract/screensave mode.

[Draco1962]

Well, if it starts playing the playlist after you exit the game, does the music from the playlist continue into attract mode? I believe it is working as designed, but you have to initiate the play from your playlist first. It will not do so automatically.

[DazzleHP]

I might be barking up the wrong tree here, but i thought i would say my peace anyways

 

hey @ibuiltanarcade,

Try this:

In the Setup Wizard (as per your screenshot), go to "Arcade Ambience MP3" and point it to your Music folder. Next, change "Play Ambiance" to "Yes".

 

[Draco1962]

That is definitely a way to work around it if you want the music playing all of the time.

The caveats being:

- that all music you want playing will have to be under that folder and no subfolders.

- the music will play over any background menu videos sound until you begin game play. 

[DazzleHP]

On 28/05/2017 at 0:32 PM, Draco1962 said:

That is definitely a way to work around it if you want the music playing all of the time.

The caveats being:

- that all music you want playing will have to be under that folder and no subfolders.

- the music will play over any background menu videos sound until you begin game play. 

Oh, i didn't realise subdirectories won't work.

If i remember right though, doesn't "ambience" only play when there is no other sound source? For example vidsnaps (if set audio on) karaoke, music etc? Doesn't it auto-mute in those types of situations? I'm genuinely asking coz my memory is shot

[Draco1962]

No, it will play until the game starts and resumes upon exit of the game back to GameEx. 

[ibuiltanarcade]

The Arcade Ambience feature seems to be ok.  I tried it and it is working.  It starts the mp3 file automatically, plays during menu navigation, and then stops when a game is started.

I was trying to see if I could only have the music play when the attract mode screensaver turns on and off, so that it was silent during the menu navigation screens.  It seems like the program might not be able to do that.

I'll use the arcade ambience setting for awhile and see how that goes.