GameEx & Model 2 Emulator v0.3

[lingpanda]

Is this in the works? Any one have a work around that doesn't require model 2 to be setup as an emulator on its own?

[headkaze]

What issues are you having with Model 2?

I just setup Model 2 on my cab using GameEx's built in Model 2 support. I did notice there was a bug in Tom's m2loader wrapper which I've fixed. I also wrote my own wrapper which dosn't show the mouse selecting a game.

I'll attach Tom's fixed wrapper along with my version.

EDIT: Now just updated my wrapper to work with all current Zinc games!

EDIT2: The wrapper is now included with latest version of GameEx. I will remove the download so I don't have update them everywhere.

[lingpanda]

What issues are you having with Model 2?

I just setup Model 2 on my cab using GameEx's built in Model 2 support. I did notice there was a bug in Tom's m2loader wrapper which I've fixed. I also wrote my own wrapper which dosn't show the mouse selecting a game.

I'll attach Tom's fixed wrapper along with my version.

EDIT: Now just updated my wrapper to work with all current Zinc games!

EDIT2: The wrapper is now included with latest version of GameEx. I will remove the download so I don't have update them everywhere.

I'm still having issues. After trying you initial dl from your post.(Toms version). It did not work. I just went to bed and figured I'd try it tomorrow. Today I see you have fixed your's and included it in the new update. Dl the new update. Installed. Tried to run Top Skater and it worked. I tried to run another game and it doesn not work. The screen goes black then returns to GameEx. Does this for every game. Not even Top Skater will run. Only worked for the initial test. Any ideas? It worked fine with the old loader and m2 emulator. Thx.

[Will]

I am curious about model 2 and zinc usage. Is there much advantage to using them over MAME? Do they add more games, or just better emulation? Seems like a lot of trouble for a little better emulation. And how does it work? You install them both, set them up in gameex config and it knows when to use them over mame?

[Nologic]

Read up a bit here.

[Will]

Read up a bit here.

Looks like they are only for a handy of games, and the only ones that interest me are the zinc ones. Guess I'll work on that soon Thanks!

Will

[headkaze]

I'm still having issues. After trying you initial dl from your post.(Toms version). It did not work. I just went to bed and figured I'd try it tomorrow. Today I see you have fixed your's and included it in the new update. Dl the new update. Installed. Tried to run Top Skater and it worked. I tried to run another game and it doesn not work. The screen goes black then returns to GameEx. Does this for every game. Not even Top Skater will run. Only worked for the initial test. Any ideas? It worked fine with the old loader and m2 emulator. Thx.

What system do you have? I have a fairly fast pc in my cab so I only have a short Sleep() between clicking the ROM and checking for it load. Does Top Skater run okay when you run it directly from the Model 2 emulator outside GameEx?

Attached is a version of the wrapper that waits up to 10 seconds instead of 1. Can you give that a try and get back to me please.

m2loader.zip

[lingpanda]

What system do you have? I have a fairly fast pc in my cab so I only have a short Sleep() between clicking the ROM and checking for it load. Does Top Skater run okay when you run it directly from the Model 2 emulator outside GameEx?

Attached is a version of the wrapper that waits up to 20 seconds instead of 1. Can you give that a try and get back to me please.

I built this system. Computer Specs as follows:

Amd XP2500+ Overlocked to XP3200+ FSB from 333 to 400

512mb Geil. 2.5,3,3,7

Nvidia Nforce 2 Motherboard(Dual Channel)

I tried your new wrapper and still no dice. I can use the emulator outside of gameex just fine. The old emulator and wrapper worked just fine. Sometimes it would choose the wrong game but it would work. I did notice that when the wrapper did work in gameex my HD led would thrash. I believe this was when the m2emulator was opened. I no longer see this kind of activity. It leads me to believe the emulator is not being started. Any way to show desktop when using the wrapper. For troubleshooting purposes only?

[headkaze]

Just did another update to the wrapper, this time it will wait up to 10 seconds. Place that in your GameEx and Model 2 directory.

Go to your Model 2 directory and create a shortcut to m2loader.exe.

Right click the shortcut and select properties. Add the rom name after the exe's name.

ie. ...\m2loader.exe" topskatr

Run the shortcut. What happens?

[lingpanda]

Just did another update to the wrapper, this time it will wait up to 10 seconds. Place that in your GameEx and Model 2 directory.

Go to your Model 2 directory and create a shortcut to m2loader.exe.

Right click the shortcut and select properties. Add the rom name after the exe's name.

ie. ...\m2loader.exe" topskatr

Run the shortcut. What happens?

The emulator opened but the rom does not load. Opens Full screen with the command bar at the top showing. Black screen everywhere else.

Wanted to add that it does show the load rom screen for a brief second.

[headkaze]

Okay, here is a debug version, place this one in the Model 2 directory and try running the shortcut again.

You may need to wait up to 10 seconds for the messages to appear.

Write down the messages and post them here.

m2loader_DEBUG.zip

[lingpanda]

Okay, here is a debug version, place this one in the Model 2 directory and try running the shortcut again.

You may need to wait up to 10 seconds for the messages to appear.

Write down the messages and post them here.

Ok here are the messages in this order.

Top Skater

Rom Found in List View

Submenu Found

Load Rom Window Found

List View Window Found

Rom Launch Not found!

[headkaze]

Hmm I have no idea, thats the sort of behaviour I expect when the ROM isn't found. But it could be that the double click is not being registered in the List View. I may need to try a few other things. But I will need to get more feedback from if this is happening from other people. Is anyone else experiencing this? Does it work for others?

I've tested it using both the XP theme and classic theme and it works both times.

Here is another slightly modified version with a few things tweaked. Can you try this again with the shortcut method.

m2loader.zip

[lingpanda]

Hmm I have no idea, thats the sort of behaviour I expect when the ROM isn't found. But it could be that the double click is not being registered in the List View. I may need to try a few other things. But I will need to get more feedback from if this is happening from other people. Is anyone else experiencing this? Does it work for others?

I've tested it using both the XP theme and classic theme and it works both times.

Here is another slightly modified version with a few things tweaked. Can you try this again with the shortcut method.

Nope. No dice. Just quickly exits out the emu once it opens full screen. Oh well.. Can you provide me with the old loader for the alpha emu. Atleast that worked for me. Ive since lost it. Thanks for all your time and effort tho.

[Nologic]

Now you are using v0.3 of the emulator aren't you?

If so try the attached...its my version of Tom's script tweaked for v0.3

This is different from the one posted in the config's thread as it trys to be more like how Tom originally had it...since I gather it worked originally with v0.2

[headkaze]

Yeah sorry about that, I have no major ideas right now, and I need to move on to tackling some of the other emu's on my cab. Hopefully after some more feedback we can track down the problem

Here is Tom's old wrapper which I fixed to work with my cab (although I think it still might be missing that alphabetical order clicking for some people) It works fine for me though, but I just didn't like watching the mouse move when it selected a game. I also recommend you try Nologics solution in the User Submitted Configs page. His wrapper is a slightly modified version of Tom's aswell. That might work for you.

m2loader_Tom.zip

[lingpanda]

Now you are using v0.3 of the emulator aren't you?

If so try the attached...its my version of Tom's script tweaked for v0.3

This is different from the one posted in the config's thread as it trys to be more like how Tom originally had it...since I gather it worked originally with v0.2

It works!!! Sorta. =( It launches the roms fine but doesn't exit back to gameex correctly. Gives me an AutoIt scipt error.

Line 0(File"c:\Program Files\Emu\m2emulator\m2loader.exe")

WinClose($title)

WinClose(^ERROR)

Error: Variable used without being declared

Any ideas. I think with Headkazes great debug and help. And your autoit script. It just may work.

[Nologic]

Hehe var fixed.

Well ideally it would be nicer if headkaze's wrapper gets to where it works for you, as its smaller and likely faster...and certainly cleaner.

[lingpanda]

Hehe var fixed.

Well ideally it would be nicer if headkaze's wrapper gets to where it works for you, as its smaller and likely faster...and certainly cleaner.

It works now. Loads and exits back to GameEx just fine. I did like the idea of not seeing the emu. When it did work it was very quick to load the rom. Atleast its working. Thanks Nologic. Thanks headkaze.

[Nologic]

Good to hear.

Yeah AutoIt is handy...but C++ is nicer.

[headkaze]

Thanks Nologic, and you wanted Tom to delete your m2 wrapper posts in the Config section! This is why it's a good idea to leave them there since my wrapper has not been thoroughly tested. I send it to Tom for testing and he must have thought it was good enough to release with GameEx. So I'm hoping with a bit more feedback and testing we should hopefully get one wrapper that works for everyone. For now your wrappers will be a great help to others.

It might be a good idea to edit your post in the Config section and put this updated wrapper there as well, or rather than post it in this thread leave it in the config section, so people don't download older versions.

BTW I tried replying to your PM about 10 times yesterday and it kept timing out. So I might try and reply again today (I pasted my post into a text file on my desktop) - so I'm not ignoring you!

EDIT: Nope still not working! Looks like I can't send PM's on this forum anymore!

[Nologic]

Heh yeah I did since my ego isn't so big that when I'm likely to be out done that I need to keep some thing up thats likely not the best experince to end users.

I can do things to get the size of my exe on about the same par as your C++ exe...but I can never be as fast.

Well the main thing I was concernd with far as the posts in the thread was that we are getting a lot of them that are simple feedback and not actual files, including several from my self.

Reallistically I should actualy make readme files for my stuff and slap them all in one post...that way if some one likes my stuff...its all in one spot and if they don't...they can skip over it that much faster and find what they really do want.

I just beleive that sticky threads should be as thin and informative as possilbe.

Any ways I PM'ed you one of my email addy's...dont worry I dont work for GameSpy. I just use to have a hosted site its still up, just defunked is all.

[lingpanda]

Now you are using v0.3 of the emulator aren't you?

If so try the attached...its my version of Tom's script tweaked for v0.3

This is different from the one posted in the config's thread as it trys to be more like how Tom originally had it...since I gather it worked originally with v0.2

Nologic,

You wouldn't by chance still have this m2 loader would ya? I've forgot to save this when I update gameex. This is the only loader that will work for me. The one with gameex hasn't worked for me since the new m2 emu. Thanks.

[Nologic]

Yeah it should be in the configs thread...or a newer version of it.

There are two M2 wrappers in that thread actually done by me...one is simply an update of Tom's...another is my own mess...tho they both share a lot of code...as I copied and pasted back in forth.

Basic diff is that one is standalone like other Emu's...and the other actually tries to behave the way the other one did.

[lingpanda]

Yeah it should be in the configs thread...or a newer version of it.

There are two M2 wrappers in that thread actually done by me...one is simply an update of Tom's...another is my own mess...tho they both share a lot of code...as I copied and pasted back in forth.

Basic diff is that one is standalone like other Emu's...and the other actually tries to behave the way the other one did.

Thanks as always.