X-Arcade Questions/ Help

[Visitor Q]

Is there an easy present setup for an X-Arcade joystick to be used in Game Ex? If so, how do I go about using it? Currently I own a Dual Stick and last night when I was setting up the custom keyboard function for use with the Game Ex menus, everything was going well but then I lost control of moving the stick up and down to move through the game menus.

I want to try and use Game EX direct from my dual stick without the use of a regular keyboard.

Sorry to be such a lamer about some of this stuff guys but I am really new to this front end and very eager to get a grip on it all.

[chriss]

x-arcade worked for me without having to configure gameex. I had issues with the custom keyboard, it didn't work alright so I switched back to standard layout and got used to it!

the white button for 1st player is enter and the third button of player one is back. first button of first player is paging

I only used an AHK script to make the two lower buttons of first player to exit an emulator

[Visitor Q]

"I only used an AHK script to make the two lower buttons of first player to exit an emulator"

How do I go about this?

[bkenobi]

The XArcade uses an IPAC inside. This is a keyboard emulator, so it will send keyboard keystrokes. The controls are mapped to MAME defaults for player 1 and 2. So, for controlling GameEx, you should be good out of the box. If you remap keys on the XArcade, you will need to use custom inputs for GameEx (search the forum and there are a bunch of threads detailing how to do it). Have fun!

[supergojira]

I'm one of those guys that just wants things to work without any messing about so when I got my dual x-arcade last year this is what I did.

1. Download mame plus from x arcade's website, it comes with the x arcade layout as a default selection from the controller options.

2. Open up game ex advanced config and make sure under input you have 'enable joysticks' and also 'use all attached devices'.

3. That worked for me without any messing about and I've updated game ex and mame plus consistently since.

Hope that helps.

[Visitor Q]

I'm one of those guys that just wants things to work without any messing about so when I got my dual x-arcade last year this is what I did.

1. Download mame plus from x arcade's website, it comes with the x arcade layout as a default selection from the controller options.

2. Open up game ex advanced config and make sure under input you have 'enable joysticks' and also 'use all attached devices'.

3. That worked for me without any messing about and I've updated game ex and mame plus consistently since.

Hope that helps.

So I have to use Mame Plus or do you mean I need files from there to get say MameUI to work?

[bkenobi]

Isn't the X-Arcade based on a keyboard encoder? If so, then you don't need to enable joystick inputs in GameEx. Having it turned on won't hurt anything, but I don't think it will help either.

[Visitor Q]

Isn't the X-Arcade based on a keyboard encoder? If so, then you don't need to enable joystick inputs in GameEx. Having it turned on won't hurt anything, but I don't think it will help either.

It is as when I open note pad and hit button on the X-Arcade it types letters in note pad.

[bkenobi]

Then you don't need to enable joystick input if you don't want. Like I said, having it on won't interfere with anything, but you simply don't need it.

[Visitor Q]

Then you don't need to enable joystick input if you don't want. Like I said, having it on won't interfere with anything, but you simply don't need it.

Cool... So then, what is the easiest way to configure things to work?

[bkenobi]

As was said above, it *should* work out of the box. If it doesn't, then it probably means that a custom setup has been applied to the controller. That's not a problem, but it does mean that you will need to use custom inputs in GameEx. Go to the Setup Wizard then use search to find "custom input". Once you are done setting things up the way you want, make sure to enable "use custom inputs".

Also note that GameEx is designed to only accept one button assignment for each input. As a result, your 2 player setup will only allow player 1 to control GameEx. You can get around this with a script to remap keys, but it's not necessary. Get it working first, then ask if you want to do that.

[Visitor Q]

Right on...

Yeah I just saw the chart on Game Ex's site that tells what does what with X-Arcade, this should help out a lot.

I'm suprised no one pointed me too it.

Thanks for all the replies, see how I fair now that I have a little more to go on here.

[bkenobi]

Whoops. Sorry about that. I guess I figured you knew what the controls were in GameEx through experimentation if nothing else. Here's the link if anyone else reads this down the road.

[Visitor Q]

It's all good. I am getting a little ahead of myself with some of this stuff anyway. I am going to put some major time into this project tonight and am trying to figure out the little road blocks I ran into so far.

[Brian Hoffman]

It's all good. I am getting a little ahead of myself with some of this stuff anyway. I am going to put some major time into this project tonight and am trying to figure out the little road blocks I ran into so far.

If you need any help let us know.

[Visitor Q]

If you need any help let us know.

Thank you Brian, I appericate that.

[Rochabian]

Yeah, the X-arcade works great wiht GameEx & MAME, the default keys are great......

If you own other emulators, then it should be a problem....

Because the 6th button of the X-arcade is mapped to the "left-alt" key and some progs doesn't like it, because it show the menu bar of the emulator..

The 3 key can be a problem with VpinMame because it adds credits when you press left flipper key......

With Znes it's a problem because Hotkeys uses "Left-Alt" Key

The best way is to create a special configuration using X- Arcade (but you have to push the rear button twice each time you start your arcade machine......)

Don't use left-alt key or any special key in your setup

Be sure to have set the "3" key in your X-Arcade to be able to play games in attract mode because there is no other way to do it for now!!!!!

That's all

Good Luck

An owner Of the X-Arcade

[Visitor Q]

Well I plan on running all sorts of emulators for all systems, can I no config the stick per game via the setup of the emulator?

[bkenobi]

The XArcade can be reprogrammed, but it's usually better to have a single setup for the stick and remap keys in the emulator. Either way will work, but if you write to the chip in the stick too many times, it's possible you could kill it. I don't know what kind of a chip they used in it, so I can't say what kind of a time frame that is. If it's on the order of 10,000 writes, then you might see issues if you leave the machine on in demo mode frequently and it keeps changing setups. If you instead keep the same config and use the emulator (or a wrapper) to change the mappings you will not have any issues. Your choice though as either will work.

[Visitor Q]

Yeah... I just figured I would config the site per emulator, that should work right?

[Brian Hoffman]

Yeah... I just figured I would config the site per emulator, that should work right?

Flash the config to the Xarcade.. Id avoid using its default keys... Like shift,Ctrl and such as alot of time button mashing will result in strange windows behavior... Anyway Program the keys to Standard keys then program all the emus to use those keys.

That should work out the best.

[Visitor Q]

I understand what you are saying but have you found a good group of keys that do not run into issues with most Emulators?

I know "P" us pause on a lot of them. How do you go about it, A-Z?

[Brian Hoffman]

Exactly! Launch the emus and goto the file menus... Slot of times you will see shortcut keys to functions.. Like Pause and Loadstate etc... Write down those keys... If it lets you re-configure them great.. Blank out the one you wont be using.

Once you have your list go ahead and program the xarcade to the remaining keys... There should be plenty.

Then configure the emus to use those keys.

[Visitor Q]

So you are more or less saying, install all the Emualtors first that I am going to use. Made a list of the keys that cannot be reconfigured and then program the X-Arcade around those?

I think it is safe to say that I should stay away from 1-0 and F1-F12.

[bkenobi]

Those and control keys like control, shift, alt, enter, tab, windows key, etc. You have 26 number keys plus some symbol keys and space bar. I would avoid using others unless you have to. That should be plenty to configure the vast majority of things unless you want 4 player N64 or something...