NEWS: GameEx 6.53 Released

[Tom Speirs]

1st August, 2006 - GameEx 6.53

Fixes vertical games when using ArcadeVGA settings with MAME 0.107

Animation added when dialog box shows

6.52 improved speed of loading Jukebox when in file tag mode

[NIVO]

tom your doing a heck of a good job, keep up the good work and fast updates. Was worth every penny to reg this software since day 1

[Tom Speirs]

  NIVO said:

tom your doing a heck of a good job, keep up the good work and fast updates. Was worth every penny to reg this software since day 1

Thanks Nivo, as I've said to others before, positive encoruagment always goes a long way with me:)

  TSpeirs said:

1st August, 2006 - GameEx 6.53

Fixes vertical games when using ArcadeVGA settings with MAME 0.107

Animation added when dialog box shows

6.52 improved speed of loading Jukebox when in file tag mode

NOTE: If your using ArcadeVGA settings and MAME 0.107 make sure you update the games list.

[Deadly]

I totally agree. Worth every penny that I could have spent at the strip joint. That's how much your software means to me! Now THAT should be all the encouragement you need so get cracking LOL! Thanks Tom splendid job!

[MattR]

  TSpeirs said:

Fixes vertical games when using ArcadeVGA settings with MAME 0.107

Hi Tom, What was the nature of the problem? Was it only when ArcadeVGA=True?

Cheers,

Matt

[Tom Speirs]

  MattR said:

Hi Tom, What was the nature of the problem? Was it only when ArcadeVGA=True?

Cheers,

Matt

Yes, the game list output from mame in .107 has the screen resolution settings reversed for vertical games, so when using arcadevga settings GameEx told vertical games to run at the wrong resolution.

[hansolo77]

EEK! You've created a new bug I think. Screensaver doesn't change games....

Ok here's the scoop. I haven't updated to MAME 107 yet. I've not made any changes to the GameEx configurations since befor 107 was out. So my theory is, either the bug is only there when you're using an older outdated version of MAME, or it truely is there for everybody.

So check it out and see whats up.

[LATE EDIT]

Just noticed something else. I was playing a Visual Pinball game, and the screensaver suddenly came on in the middle of the game. For a test, I tried a different table, and it happened again. I then tried playing StepMania, and it still happens. So apparently when a computer program is launched via GameEx, the program doesn't disable the screensaver timer. I've not tried any other emulators as of yet, but if it happens while in them too, I'll report back.

[Tom Speirs]

  hansolo77 said:

EEK! You've created a new bug I think. Screensaver doesn't change games....

Ok here's the scoop. I haven't updated to MAME 107 yet. I've not made any changes to the GameEx configurations since befor 107 was out. So my theory is, either the bug is only there when you're using an older outdated version of MAME, or it truely is there for everybody.

So check it out and see whats up.

[LATE EDIT]

Just noticed something else. I was playing a Visual Pinball game, and the screensaver suddenly came on in the middle of the game. For a test, I tried a different table, and it happened again. I then tried playing StepMania, and it still happens. So apparently when a computer program is launched via GameEx, the program doesn't disable the screensaver timer. I've not tried any other emulators as of yet, but if it happens while in them too, I'll report back.

Not sure what's going on here. I tested with older MAME version, and its changing games for me. Anyone else have this problem? I also checked the code, and the screensaver is deffinitly getting disabled when launching games.

Can you check the new setting under Enable/Disable settings. Last one Auto Exit Games. Is it disabled? That's the only real thing that could have at all possibly affected this.

Are you using my MAME screensaver, or something like that? Just a wild stab in the dark there!

[Smiff]

this AutoExit games feature.. how does that work sorry? just a simple timer that kills any launched process after x minutes? no checking for input?

[Tom Speirs]

  Smiff said:

this AutoExit games feature.. how does that work sorry? just a simple timer that kills any launched process after x minutes? no checking for input?

Exactly. It was for one of the GameEx partners, to stop kids playing to much on a demo cabinet unit in a shop.

[Smiff]

ah well could you possibly please do a normal user version that doesn't exit if people are playing (for killing games when someone pauses a game and walks away for hours)

gameex has all my gamepads open for navigation so i think this is possible? not sure

[Tom Speirs]

  Smiff said:

ah well could you possibly please do a normal user version that doesn't exit if people are playing (for killing games when someone pauses a game and walks away for hours)

gameex has all my gamepads open for navigation so i think this is possible? not sure

I'll do it if there's more demand, for sure, and it should be possible.

[hansolo77]

Ok, I just checked my config, and the "Enable/Disable Features->Auto Exit Games After" was set to "Disabled".

My screensaver settings are:

Attract Mode Audio: Pause playlist audio and run MAME with sound

Attract Mode Timer: 1 Minute

New Game Every: 2 Minutes

Play Videos too: No

Game to Video Ratio: Random

Video's Path: <blank>

Only Favorites: No

Play Exit Sound: No

[Adultery]

  TSpeirs said:

I'll do it if there's more demand, for sure, and it should be possible.

Definate good idea since I've been known to walk away from an RPG for a while and come back, although temporarily I have been saving the state to avoid problems.

[hansolo77]

Update to my problem:

Seems to be working now. I wonder if the setting of the "Auto Exit Games After" wasn't being registered. Since I never actually went into the Configuration program since like the last 3 updates, it's possible the setting was never recognized. And because of that, the GameEx programming automatically skipped over that and assumed it was set to automatically start up the screensaver. And without a limit being set by that, the screensaver wouldn't reach a time limit for changing games either.

So be that as it may, there may be a bug in there somewhere. Unless you specifically configure that feature, GameEx ignores the setting and doesn't time out anything.

Now the problem with the screensaver starting up on its own while running a PC application, I've still not determined the cause. It doesn't do it frequently enough to be able to specify credentials to make it happen. Like I said before though, it only happens in games like Visual Pinball and StepMania. Any of the other console emulators seem to not be affected. I've yet to run any of the others since I "fixed" the screensaver switching games problem. It's possible it might have fixed that too.

As for the other point, I thirdly suggest that is a good idea. I don't know how much programming you would have to do, but basically what you need is to have GameEx look for a solid/non-updated screen for a certain period of time. So if the game IS on pause, the screen won't update (unless it's got some crazy built in screensaver or rotating P-A-U-S-E letters or something) and you'll know to start counting down. I know for MAME specifically, you can configure a key press FOR pause... So you could program to look for that keypress. Only I don't know how well the system would work if you have MAME paused and the screensaver fires up another MAME. Up to you I guess on how you want to work it out. That is, of course, if more demand surfaces.

[Smiff]

  TSpeirs said:

I'll do it if there's more demand, for sure, and it should be possible.

you know what would be super-neat? an option to sendkeys to each emulator before quitting it. that would probably be the save state key

whaddayareckon?

edit: other than, this should be in feature reqs, sorry :/