NEWS: GameEx 11.10

[Draco1962]

16th August, 2010 - GameEx 11.10

This release would not be possible without the work from Ben Baker (AKA Headkase) who helped me implement most of this and also tirelessly converted the 3D files.

GameEx now supports 3D Cabinet files as an optional MAME artwork. You wil find a pretty big file on the web site with all the currently available ones. Setup is by just simply setting the path. The GameEx demo also no includes some samples. GameEx will display and animate the 3d models when available.

Id also like to mention that credit for these files should also go to folks working on the 3D arcade front end, which is where they came from in there original format. If you like something a bit different Id recommend checking out the 3D arcade front end. It was very much ahead of its time.

In other changes, there have been a few little cosmetic enhancments here and there and in addition to GameLauncher mode there is a new "Simple" user interface mode which basically hides the menus and give full operation without them. Allowing easy browsing and paging. For people who were experiencing crashes when using the video player and HTML applications, I think I have fixed the issue, although I was never able to recreate it myself. Please let me know. Album artwork no longer displays foder.jpg if it is a system file, allowing correct artwork now to show if your collections is not organised by album.

I have the file and have extracted it - now, where do I go to set the path? (please be gentle, it has been one of those days already....)

.:. EDIT - OK, I found the setting and was able to set my path... d'Oh!

[Tom Speirs]

Something I forgot to put in the release notes, aimed at low res arcade monitor users, within GameEx version 4 themes now support a minimum resolution of 320x240. I have not had a chance to test it on my cab yet which supports low resolutions, so let us know if you try it.

[sty151]

Can anyone confirm about the full screen videos issue? Pretty please!

Sorry, meant to post this earlier. After the update I get an error message from the Microsoft .NET framework whenever I try to play a video. I can click a button to ignore it and the video will play - however, exiting the video and returning to GameEX, I'll get the same .NET error, and GameEX will crash as well. This is the same result I got before installing a new GameEx.exe you supplied right after V11. After that the .NET error was gone but it still crashed after exiting. I didn't do more than give it a quick try because we're painting the Game Room. I'll try it again tonight minimized and see if it plays and exits. Is there anything else you'd like me to try?

[Tom Speirs]

Thank you. I guess I have not fixed it theb. Can you please post the .net error (screen grab is fine) and post your gameex.ini again please.

I hope you don't mind.

[iano]

Something I forgot to put in the release notes, aimed at low res arcade monitor users, within GameEx version 4 themes now support a minimum resolution of 320x240. I have not had a chance to test it on my cab yet which supports low resolutions, so let us know if you try it.

Hi Tom. I can't test this at the moment (arcade monitor behaving badly). I just want to ask though. I remember that the horizontal menu when running at 640x480 was not centered - parts of the menu were getting cut off at either side of the screen. It's been a good while ago so i can't remember exactly but i do remember complaining User Emphatic put in a feature request for it - i think he was working on a theme (not sure if it got released).

http://www.gameex.info/forums/index.php?showtopic=5062&st=0

Thanks,

ian.

[Tom Speirs]

Ive just fixed the menu getting cut off and will upload a new version (same version nbr). I have not looked at the centering yet.

[iano]

Ive just fixed the menu getting cut off and will upload a new version (same version nbr). I have not looked at the centering yet.

Thanks Tom. I hope this gets sorted. I'd like to use v4 themes. Everyone knows GX has it functionality wise (and looks pretty good) but you know where the battle lies now (eye candy) and i'd just like it looking as good as possible.

[Tom Speirs]

With Under Pressure playing in the background....

[Krakerman]

11.13 my 3D cabs back and coin door areas are invisible and the side art is just black. WHat happened Tom?

[Tom Speirs]

11.13 my 3D cabs back and coin door areas are invisible and the side art is just black. WHat happened Tom?

I gave up and joined the hyperspin team.

[fRequEnCy]

I gave up and joined the hyperspin team.

LMAO. I've been thinking of doing the same. The developer of GameEx has been pissing me off lately. LOL.

[celly]

Only one complaint, since the update to 11.13 now my ambient music plays right from the start overlapping my intro video. Other than that, works fine and 3D cabs look slick! Great job!

[Krakerman]

I gave up and joined the hyperspin team.

Hahahaha say it isn't so

[Draco1962]

I gave up and joined the hyperspin team.

Personally, I prefer to make my own "eye candy" to having it out of the box created for me and a pain to have to modify. I like the support and thought you give to this frontend and the enthusiasm the members have for it. I would surely hate to have to register for another product to get mediocre or no support!

[SammyWI]

I gave up and joined the hyperspin team.

Please say it ain't so. Thanks Tom and HK. I really like the new 3d cabs feature. Very cool.

(I offer this only as constructive feedback) - I do notice some of the 'missing graphics' on the cabs mentioned earlier. The side art on these cabs shows up as black for me one one side of the cab only:

Tempest

Millipede

Joust 1 and 2

Gyruss

Galaga

Centipede

Maybe a model issue since other cabs are fine (Pac Man, Asteroids, Space Wars, etc)?

Even with the black sides, the new feature is a great addition.

[sty151]

Thank you. I guess I have not fixed it theb. Can you please post the .net error (screen grab is fine) and post your gameex.ini again please.

I hope you don't mind.

I don't mind. I'm sorry I keep giving you problems. Please find attached a zip file of my GameEx.ini, log and a screen shot of the error. I can also copy the details of the error as well if it will help. I changed GameEx to start windowed and had no problems playing or exiting video files. If I'm the only one still with this problem I've had so much trouble with hardware lately that it wouldn't surprise me if it's that.

sty151.zip

[Tom Speirs]

I don't mind. I'm sorry I keep giving you problems. Please find attached a zip file of my GameEx.ini, log and a screen shot of the error. I can also copy the details of the error as well if it will help. I changed GameEx to start windowed and had no problems playing or exiting video files. If I'm the only one still with this problem I've had so much trouble with hardware lately that it wouldn't surprise me if it's that.

Thanks. If you start windowed and later go to full screen, does it still work?

[ehuonder]

OK... This sounds GREAT! But, I can't see any of it. I'm sure it's because I have a custom theme with a custom menu system over the top... I've updated the GameEx.ini file (cabinet3dpath) to point to the directory where I unzipped the models. I don't know what else to change to show these... I also can't find anything in the output log related to the 3d cabinets.

EDIT...

Got it to work... Looks great! I normally have the top level 'DisableMAME=True' and I use custom menus to catagorize my MAME games. Is there a way to get this 3D Cabinets displayed for an emulator (it is MAME) that is not set up as the global MAME?

Thanks for all of the great work!

[Tempest]

Please say it ain't so. Thanks Tom and HK. I really like the new 3d cabs feature. Very cool.

(I offer this only as constructive feedback) - I do notice some of the 'missing graphics' on the cabs mentioned earlier. The side art on these cabs shows up as black for me one one side of the cab only:

Tempest

Millipede

Joust 1 and 2

Gyruss

Galaga

Centipede

Maybe a model issue since other cabs are fine (Pac Man, Asteroids, Space Wars, etc)?

Even with the black sides, the new feature is a great addition.

Tempest?

[Draco1962]

Please say it ain't so. Thanks Tom and HK. I really like the new 3d cabs feature. Very cool.

(I offer this only as constructive feedback) - I do notice some of the 'missing graphics' on the cabs mentioned earlier. The side art on these cabs shows up as black for me one one side of the cab only:

Tempest

Millipede

Joust 1 and 2

Gyruss

Galaga

Centipede

Maybe a model issue since other cabs are fine (Pac Man, Asteroids, Space Wars, etc)?

Even with the black sides, the new feature is a great addition.

Correct me if I am wrong, but if a side is missing in the file, couldn't one simply reverse the image in Photoshop, GIMP or other image editing software? Granted, if there is any text it will be backwards, but... if you don't have the original to work with, it is better than to be missing a side.

.:. EDIT - Correcting myself and questioning if it is an incorrect coordinate for the side-art in the .x file?

[Draco1962]

Tempest?

You AREN'T the Black Sheep of the GameEx family?

[SammyWI]

Tempest?

Sorry, dude.

I did notice something else. When I look closer, it seems that one side of the cab actually has the artwork facing inward instead of outward. I can see it pretty easy on centipede, especially.

[sty151]

Thanks. If you start windowed and later go to full screen, does it still work?

I started GameEx windowed. Started a video still windowed and then switched to full screen during video play. Then stopped video play full screen without a problem. While still full screen I started the same video again and GameEx crashed when I tried to stop and exit the video. I have a video that plays at start up that does not cause any issues full screen or windowed. If I go to Multimedia and play it from there in GameEx it crashes on exit of the video. Hope that helps and let me know if I can do anything else to help.