[ RESOLVED ] mame game info ?

[simbamame]

Hi Guys,

A while ago i was playing around with my mame/gameex version and im sure before when i used to be scrolling threw the mame games i used to get a box pop up for each game giving a short description of the game all i get now is a box with the game name under that system and date and then a stars rating from 1 to 10. what have a inadvertently alter to get this?

Ian. 

[RedDog]

In Enable/Disable Features, check Show Game Information.

Did you happen to change your theme? Some themes do not display the same information. Some creators may choose to hide elements for a more basic look.

Did you change the paths to the MAMEInfo.dat file locations in the MAME Settings?

Did you forget to pay my semi-annual-under-the-table-happy-gamer tithe? Small, unmarked bills are perfectly acceptable.  

Worse case, try retriggering GameEx to rebuild the list.

If you have retriggered the list and paid the tithe and still cannot figure it out, please post your gameex.ini and log.txt file.

[simbamame]

Thanks @RedDog

Indeed i had changed my theme didnt even consider that.... im using the AMBIENT OCCLUSION theme, but even if i change the theme i still only get the small info.

Ive done the Enable/Disable Features, check Show Game Information, and haven't changed the paths to the MAMEInfo.dat file locations in the MAME Settings

Did you forget to pay my semi-annual-under-the-table-happy-gamer tithe? Small, unmarked bills are perfectly acceptable.  << not sure what you mean by this but if you mean do i have a reg version yes im a life time contributor and paid version.

ive attached a screen shot as you can see i get 2 lots of info before the one in the box was much more detailed for example gave a 5 or 6 lines about the game etc...but im not sure what theme i was using before.

log.txt

gameex.ini

[Draco1962]

You may have to load the theme you are using in Theme Editor,l. In the Theme Editor go to Edit> Options, on the Settings tab check the box "Enable Popup Descriptions" and the save the theme.

Alternatively, you can load the theme.ini file and search for the popup option and change the setting from False to True, save, then launch GameEx.

[RedDog]

7 hours ago, simbamame said:

Did you forget to pay my semi-annual-under-the-table-happy-gamer tithe? Small, unmarked bills are perfectly acceptable.  << not sure what you mean by this but if you mean do i have a reg version yes im a life time contributor and paid version.

Just trying to be funny...and failing evidently...     

 

I took a look at the Ambient Occlusion theme and description popups are enabled by default. I am not a theme expert by any means, but I do not think that is your problem in any case. I am fairly certain that the entire description box is composed of the Game Name, Genre, Ratings, and Game Description. Either it is enabled or disabled, but you cannot pick and choose what is included. Since some of the details are being displayed, my guess is that the description information was not captured when your mame game list was built.

I suggest rechecking the paths for your mameinfo.dat under the Mame Settings and then rebuilding the list.

When I used the Ambient Occlusion theme on my rig, the descriptions displayed properly.

[Draco1962]

Not sure exactly what is going on, Ian, but I just loaded the theme and went through my MAME listing. As I scrolled through, the popup description with the star ratings varied in content but some games contained the verbose descriptions is think you are referring to having seen in the past. These are the same descriptions that appear on the game detail screen you land on to launch the game.

If you go to Asteroids, you should see much more detail in the pop-up description. This is from the MAME.db3 file:

Spoiler

 

Asteroids (c) 1979 Atari.

Asteroids is a legendary, genre defining game - in an era replete with genre-defining classics - in which a single player takes control of a spaceship trapped in the middle of an asteroid belt. A number of large, slow-moving asteroids drift randomly around the play area and must be shot by the player. When shot, the asteroids will break into a number of smaller pieces which must also be shot until eventually, all of the asteroids and fragments will be destroyed and the next wave begins.

 

1

Lots more detail as seen on the game detail page.  You should see some more unless you have a bad or outdated .db3 file.

[RedDog]

27 minutes ago, Draco1962 said:

Lots more detail as seen on the game detail page.  You should see some more unless you have a bad or outdated .db3 file.

Here I thought the game information was pulled from the mameinfo.dat. My mistake. I see that is only relates to game recommendations. I will have to file that one away in the old memory bin. 

[Draco1962]

I may be wrong or it may be on both. It may be a matter of deleting the mameinfo.dat file and rebuildfing it during the update list action.

[simbamame]

Thanks guys ill try both and report back

@Draco1962 dont think i have even seen or used a .db3 file ? but ill look into in.

 

Hmm just checked i dont have a db3 file and the mameinfo.dat file just contains the mame changes not file descriptions? so i guess i need a .db3 file how do i go about creating one, ive never used one before.

[Draco1962]

Comes with GameEx for MAME and other emulators. In the Data folder.

[simbamame]

9 minutes ago, Draco1962 said:

Comes with GameEx for Lakeland other emulators. In the Data folder.

and where do i use this mike ? as ive never come across a .db3 file before. I have 1,Mine is only 51k do you think i should delete my mameinfo.dat and do an update even though the mameinfo just seems to contain mame update information as far as i can tell.

 

i have a listinfo file @ 193 meg !

[simbamame]

1 hour ago, Draco1962 said:

Not sure exactly what is going on, Ian, but I just loaded the theme and went through my MAME listing. As I scrolled through, the popup description with the star ratings varied in content but some games contained the verbose descriptions is think you are referring to having seen in the past. These are the same descriptions that appear on the game detail screen you land on to launch the game.

If you go to Asteroids, you should see much more detail in the pop-up description. This is from the MAME.db3 file:

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Asteroids (c) 1979 Atari.

Asteroids is a legendary, genre defining game - in an era replete with genre-defining classics - in which a single player takes control of a spaceship trapped in the middle of an asteroid belt. A number of large, slow-moving asteroids drift randomly around the play area and must be shot by the player. When shot, the asteroids will break into a number of smaller pieces which must also be shot until eventually, all of the asteroids and fragments will be destroyed and the next wave begins.

 

1

Lots more detail as seen on the game detail page.  You should see some more unless you have a bad or outdated .db3 file.

 

looks like mine is outa date as asteriods give only the 3 liner. im gonna delete my mameinfo and do an update.

[simbamame]

solved....It seems i was missing the catver.ini added this and now the long descriptions work after an list update.

Thanks to all that helped. :-)