Help me convert to GameEx!

[Forty0ztoFreedom]

I'm 70/30 on switching from Maximus Arcade to GameEx. The features in GameEx, like showing the Art and Controls are just too good to pass up. And for some reason, MA's input stops working for me while in a game for too long . . something to do with key remappers and my Hotrod Controller, I'm think . . Whatever, just thinking about all the work put into that only to have it not work . . ugh.

There are a couple of things I've loved about MA and I was wondering if they were possible in GameEx. One, on the main menu, rather than a list, is it possible to just have big pictures you can scroll through, representing the options? And two, a shuffling playlist of 10 or so songs that play at random while in the FE . . I see an option for one ambience.mp3 but nothing else . . Just hearing ambience is boring IMO.

If there is a way to set that up, I'll buy this f'n thing yesterday.

(Oh, and how is exiting handled? Does it have to be "escape" or can it be mapped to a combination of buttons, like pressing the two coin buttons simultaneosly? The escape key is used in lots of games . . )

Thanks

[bkenobi]

Welcome to the forum!

There is currently no way to use icons like you are used to to show the items in a list rather than text. You can have both icons and text or just text, but you can't have just icons.

There is currently no way to have multiple tracks set up for ambiance. You are limited to a single file for the session. It is possible to script something that would rotate through a list of tracks (or randomly pick one). I don't think anyone has put a script together to do this although it has been asked several times in the last month or two. I should just go write it so people will stop asking

GameEx is set up to us escape to exit, but there is a plugin that is designed to change the exit button. I believe it can be a key combo if you want. Alternately, it's definitely possible to script things to a button combination if it turns out I'm mistaken.

GameEx can do a LOT of things internally. What it can't do is usually possible to develop a script. In general, things that are really good ideas get incoprorated into the main code pretty quickly. Some things are generally requested but require a lot more effort by Tom (the author), so they don't get included quite as quickly. The few things that are lower on the list tend to get taken care of with code written by forum members whenever possible. If there's something you would really like to see, post a suggestion in the Features Request thread.

[Tom Speirs]

You can set a playlist to play in GameEx. You can either do this by specifiying not to use the jokebox and specify a path to a folder containing the music, os specify the jukebox to be in WMP mode, and specify a playlist from WMP and tell GameEx to play music on startup.

GameEx by default sets the escape to quit the emulators process, and also by default has a joystick map exit code, along with by default exiting with slikstk and xarcade exit combos. It suits the most common scenarios.

[Visitor Q]

I have a whole ton of songs (80s tunes) that play in the background of Game Ex while navigating the menus as well as a ambiance.mp3 file that plays at the same time... Both great features!

I was new to all this a few months back and I looked at MA, honestly I gave it a hard look but in the end I personally have found no front end that can touch all the features that Game Ex has to offer and that list continues to grow!

[Tom Speirs]

Visitor Q. Youve just earnt your weight. Thanks for the feedback

[Brian Hoffman]

I have a whole ton of songs (80s tunes) that play in the background of Game Ex while navigating the menus as well as a ambiance.mp3 file that plays at the same time... Both great features!

I was new to all this a few months back and I looked at MA, honestly I gave it a hard look but in the end I personally have found no front end that can touch all the features that Game Ex has to offer and that list continues to grow!

Agreed. Gameex can do anything. I've been using gameex for a few years and it is constantly evolving. You wont regret choosing gameex.

[JumpManPro]

GameEx by default sets the escape to quit the emulators process, and also by default has a joystick map exit code, along with by default exiting with slikstk and xarcade exit combos. It suits the most common scenarios.

Is there a link to find more information on the x-arcade exit combo buttons?

[Brian Hoffman]

Is there a link to find more information on the x-arcade exit combo buttons?

Xarcade uses shifted keys.

I believe by default is coin 1 and p2 start to send ESC.

If you are unsure your key mapping use charprobe to determine your keystroke when perssing a button.

Also in while running MAME press TAB then goto inputsettings>other controls> UI CANCEL

Press ENTER then your key combo you want to exit mame.

If you are unsure how to do this for other emulator please consult the emulators readme.

Or post here and some one should be able to get you going.

[JumpManPro]

Xarcade uses shifted keys.

I believe by default is coin 1 and p2 start to send ESC.

If you are unsure your key mapping use charprobe to determine your keystroke when perssing a button.

Also in while running MAME press TAB then goto inputsettings>other controls> UI CANCEL

Press ENTER then your key combo you want to exit mame.

If you are unsure how to do this for other emulator please consult the emulators readme.

Or post here and some one should be able to get you going.

Forty0ztoFreedom--As a newbie around here I can't help out much more than the threads I've created...but the great software aside this is absolutely the best reason to use GameEx. Not only can GameEx do virtually anything you want it to, great help is ALWAYS a post away. Every time I post here I get a response within 10-20 minutes, usually faster. If you decide to switch you'll definitely have full in-depth support, pull the trigger!

[Forty0ztoFreedom]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm pretty much almost decided on switching now . .

The features in GameEx are just too much, and its seems like there's more of a chance of getting the few featues I want in Gamex then there is in getting the massive amount of features I like in Gameex, into MA .. if that makes sense.

One thing though . . Some of my MAME roms aren't showing up, like the entire SF2 series (championship edition, turbo, etc.). Other SF games do, but not the original SF2 rom and its clones . . what's going on? Carnevil is missing too!

[Brian Hoffman]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm pretty much almost decided on switching now . .

The features in GameEx are just too much, and its seems like there's more of a chance of getting the few featues I want in Gamex then there is in getting the massive amount of features I like in Gameex, into MA .. if that makes sense.

One thing though . . Some of my MAME roms aren't showing up, like the entire SF2 series (championship edition, turbo, etc.). Other SF games do, but not the original SF2 rom and its clones . . what's going on? Carnevil is missing too!

Check the setting in the advanced config. You may have show clones disabled.

I see all those games you listed.

You can also verify your ROMS match the version of mame you are using.

If you are unsure obtain a new romset and and a new version of mame.

[bkenobi]

Aren't some of those games clones that would be filtered out even with "no clones unless better" turned on? I remember a while back there was a thread where it was mentioned that some of the more popular games are filtered out because of this. Unfortunately, I don't know which ones, so I'm probably filtering them myself

[Tom Speirs]

Just to let you know the playlist feature was broken, but Ive fixed it for the next release.

[Tempest]

Also, anytime you make changes to the rom filters, you have to "Update List" before the changes will show.

[bkenobi]

Tempest is referring to the filters associated with MAME. Anytime you change something that has to do with what roms will be displayed for MAME, you need to update your list to see the changes. This does not apply for other emulators as those changes appear automatically.

[starbuck]

Got to contribute my 2 cents. I too have tried them all and after all my testing (bets tested for a number of frontends) I found GameEx to be the most user friendly, has the best user support and is constantly evolving. I get busy and go several days and start up GamEx and find an update has occurred and several new features have been added.