GameBase Help

[Adultery]

Hi everyone.

Sometimes I find myself being intimidated by adding new things, and the latest puzzler for me is Gamebase. I don't get the whole DB thing, how it links into the emu, which emu to use, etc. If someone could provide me with instructions on how to get it running, I would be very appreciative!

Thanks!

[mesk]

Hi everyone.

Sometimes I find myself being intimidated by adding new things, and the latest puzzler for me is Gamebase. I don't get the whole DB thing, how it links into the emu, which emu to use, etc. If someone could provide me with instructions on how to get it running, I would be very appreciative!

Thanks!

me either plus I was not into commodore computers as a kid

[AlphaUMi]

Ok guys, I hope I will be of help.

Catch these things and take them apart, for the moment.

First thing, try to get a full Gamebase64 v0.7 (5 GB). It contains all the roms, screenshots, music, adverts, extras. It amounts 20000 games!

Google is your friend. This version is pre-configured to work with the latest version of Gamebase.

Then, go to http://www.bu22.com/ and download the latest version of Gamebase (v 1.3). Gamebase is a general (or better: universal) emulator frontend that you can configure and use to manage potentially any existing emulator. GameEx will interact with it to launch games. Once a database is installed, the frontend will display all sort of information and images about games: well-known databases for Gamebase are Gamebase64, Gamebase Amiga and Gamebase Vic20.

Since (I suppose) we are interested in C64 stuff, let'go to http://www.gamebase64.com/, open the download tab, and download the GB v07 Database. It comes with its own installer, so it won't be an hassle to install. This database contains all the stuff regarding roms and extras, already configured to work with the big package of roms and extras you have downloaded.

At this point, you should have:

1 - The big package of roms and extras: Gamebase 64 v0.7

2 - The universal emulator frontend Gamebase

2 - The specific database for C64: Gamebase64.

At this point, take this stuff apart: since you ask even for what emulator to choose, I suppose you are completely new to this system emulation. So I suggest to familiarize and configure emulators first, and try a couple of games, just to start.

In the past there were six or seven C64 emulators, but in the present time only two "survive": CCS64 and WinVICE. Both emulate the inner working of C64 perfectly, almost all games work well with both. But the general opinion (and mine) promotes CCS64 as the best C64 emulator. Give both a try and decide which suit your taste. Since you can configure both for use with Gamebase, I suggest to keep both in your C64 folder. GameEx will launch games with the default one.

Get CCS64 from here. The author says it's shareware, but not in the common sense. In fact the program is free to use without limitations at all - the author only invites to buy the program, but it's not necessary, trust me.

Get WinVICE from here.

Download a couple of your favourite games from http://www.c64.com/, just to do some experience on how this emulators work. Please begin to familiarize with this system, read the documentation and configure the emulators. This is not for "educative" purposes, it's part of the setting-up process.

Ok, let me know what you are doing and post any questions you could have.

Regards,

Alpha.

[AlphaUMi]

Excuse me for double posting, but just in case you have all the stuff mentioned above and just want to know how to install the whole thing, here is a summary of the procedure:

1) Create a Commodore64 folder in a directory of your choice, it's convenient to do so in order to have all the stuff in the same place.

2) Put the emulators in this folder. Maybe it's convenient to make a subdirectory like \Commodore64\Emulators\ and put the emulators folders inside, but it's up to you.

3) Configure the emulators with the settings you prefer, in this way they will be ready when you will launch the games.

4) Put the whole Gamebase64 v0.7 romset folder in the Commodore 64 folder. You can change the name of the main GB v0.7 directory, but don't touch nor modify its subdirectories (I mean Extras, Games, Photos and Screenshots).

5) Install the Gamebase Universal emulator frontend. Again, it's convenient to install it in a subdirectory of the main Commodore 64 folder.

6) Install the GB64 Database v0.7. Don't change the name of the database (it should be GBC_v07) or the frontend won't recognise it. (I found a way to rename it and keep it working but I will explain it later).

7) Launch the Gamebase frontend. If everything has gone well, the GB64 database should appear.

Let me know if things are proceeding well...

Regards,

Alpha.

[destrolennox]

So... from what I gather Gamebase was created specifically for the Commodore 64 library of games, but can be used to create databases of other emulators. Is this correct?

I fail to see the advantage to using Gamebase in conjunction with GameEx. While setting up my various emulators (NES, SNES, N64) I instructed GameEx to use their respective databases. While in gameEx I get *** ratings, year and information, other platforms, etc without the use of Gamebase.

What else does Gamebase do?

Appreciate the help

-Confused.

[AlphaUMi]

Well... you put a couple of good questions.

Basically, Gamebase is an universal emulator frontend, as GameEx is. You can configure your emulators, add game informations, screenshots, etc. But consider that building a database from the very beginning is a long and tedious work, since you have to set directories for each game, and specify the directories of each screenshots, ads, music file, etc. for each game. From this point of view there is no reason for using Gamebase instead of GameEx (and really... there isn't one... GameEx is so wonderful!). GB look is as you can see in the screenshots.

Gamebase64, despite the similar name, isn't a frontend, but an already set-up Database for the greatest (huge!) c64 collection of the world (21000 games), completed with music files, screenshots, ads, docs, very detailed game information etc. With Gamebase, Gamebase64 Database, and Gamebase64 torrent you'll have the most completed C64 collection available, relatively easy to configure since the Gamebase64 database is (as I said) already configure to match the CB64 torrent collection of games, snaps, ads, music, etc. In the end, unless you use an already set-up database of the few that actually exist (C64, Amiga, and two or three others), Gamebase is very tedious to configure.

But let's say you want to have the GB64 collection. It's easy to configure, and it's huge. The advantage to use GameEx with Gamebase... is that you have your C64 games in a centralized frontend, without exiting GameEx to play C64 games along with games from other platforms.

I don't suggest to use Gamebase to configure your various emulators collections. I say: configure it to manage the C64, and then use it with GameEx... just to have everything in one place. And for me this is worth doing.

Cheers,

Alpha.

And finally: C64 rules! (It was my first computer I used for gaming when I was a teenager)...

[simbamame]

To be honest i tryed gamebase and got very annoyed at it, as i could'nt get it to work, and as mentioned it appears to be only commodore relaited, so if you already have snaps, artwork and music i doubt gamebase really has much more to add thats relevant, GameEx gives a brief description of the game and the video snaps ( if u use them ) shows more than a 1,000 words or pictures could ever, as for music i use this and have added them to GameEx. Personnally i gave up as it seemed more hazzle then it was worth, but again every one to there own and if your a hugh commodore fan then maybe doing what AlpahUMi sujjested is the way, but again its only my opionion not to use it.

On a plus thought i do agree with AlphaUMi that commodore did rule the 80s/90s i had a c64, A500, then A1200 and finally an Amiga A4000, but i`ll be buggered if i can get the damb amiga emulator working in GameEx !!!!!!, if anyone can send me a detailed set up of how to get it running id be happy to try it out, im using winuae along with a reg'd version of winuaeloader by headkaze but ran into problems and even though posting a message to HZ never recieved a reply .

SM

[Draco1962]

I got my start with a VIC 20, then "graduated" to an Atari 800XL. Everyone knows that Atari 8-bit PCs rule, AlphaUMi! At least it did until Commodore CEO Jack Trammiel stepped down and took the reins of Atari and sold it off bit by bit. Surprisingly, they were very similar machines using the 6202 MOS found in the C64 and NES as well. The primary differences were the graphics and sound chips..

[destrolennox]

AlphaUMi, thanks for the overview. The Gamebase/Gamebase64 bit had me confused but you got me sorted. If you don't mind I have a few more questions:

What do you mean by:

The advantage to use GameEx with Gamebase... is that you have your C64 games in a centralized frontend, without exiting GameEx to play C64 games along with games from other platforms.

Why would you have to exit GameEx if you dont have Gamebase in order to play your C64 games. Can't they be added to GameEx like any other emulator? Can't you add the Gamebase64 database to GameEx as you would with the other emulator databases?

-

Lastly I would like your (and anyone else's) opinion on this situation:

I have about 20-30 PC games that I run through GameEx. Mainly these are "arcade style" games that are fast and fun for guests (Audio Surf, SF4, HOD3, marble madness, TIM... even Angry Birds and Plants Vs. Zombies for my younger brother..... and me). The rest are DOS games from my childhood like the Kroz and Commander Keen series.

Anyway, these games are the only ones on my system that are lacking in detailed information. Thus far I have never experimented with creating databases used in GameEx. I understand that creating databases in GameBase is tedious, but is it at less tedious with Gamebase? I have already grabbed snaps and videos google/youtube but I still need written info like rating, description and the ability to link to games in a series/other platforms.

Thanks for the advice and answering my questions.

Regards,

Brendan

[Draco1962]

There is a Template mdb file that you can use for this. Tedium will be the word no matter what you do but entering the data in an Access database file is not difficult, just time consuming.

[chriss]

I once set up C64 with CCS and gamebase64 and it was running alright... I mapped important buttons like run/stop, y,n,f1,f2 and so on to some buttons on the x-arcade.

my friends who were browsing through the list got intimidated by the shear amount of games though!

Now I just have a very minimal list with the top 100 games from lemon64.com and this is much less confusing

[hansolo77]

Now it's my turn!

I'm trying to get the Atari 800 database to work with GameEx. I have been able to successfully load up the system outside of GameEx. I tested with "Jungle Hunt". It loads the Altirra emulator. I've got my keys remapped the way I like it. One problem; it doesn't launch into full screen, just a full window. The game plays fine, and is much enjoyable! Setting up in GameEx... I enabled the GameBase support in the setup wizard, pointed both paths to the GameBase folder. Using custom menus, I created a menu item called "Atari 800" and mapped it to GameBase System, and then to GameBase System 1 (assuming that Atari 800 would be 1, since it's the only one installed right now). GameEx loads up, displays the games, displays the art. However, when I attempt to launch the game (Jungle Hunt again, since I knew it worked), it just sits there on a black screen. I use my Global Exit to return to GameEx. Here's the runitgame.bat it created:

chcp 65001

M:

CD "M:\GameBase"

GBLAUNCHER.exe db="Atari 800" id=370 wait=1

Since this isn't an "emulator", I can't ajust the setting I would normally use to show desktop and debug. Any ideas?

EDIT... I just tried that command line in a cmd prompt, and it worked perfectly. So why doesn't it work in GameEx?

[hansolo77]

Found out the problem. Since the emulator doesn't launch in Fulls Screen, and is instead just a maximized window, the game doesn't display. If I do the ALT+ENTER keystroke when the screen is black, I find the game is running. Is there anyway to send this keystroke, or to enable the emulator to run in full screen? So far, Altirra is the only emulator to run.

[hansolo77]

Does this mean nobody has any suggestions for me? I'm probably going to try a different emulator other than Altirrra. Would like some feedback though.. which Atari 800 emulator to use?

[AlphaUMi]

Does this mean nobody has any suggestions for me? I'm probably going to try a different emulator other than Altirrra. Would like some feedback though.. which Atari 800 emulator to use?

I found this: http://www.zerstoerung.de/.

[hansolo77]

I figured it out. Searched the programmer's website for command line options, and found them:

Altirra /?

The Full Screen command line option is /f

I just edited the GEMUS to include that.

[Draco1962]

Have heard that Atari++ is good as well.

Edited August 17, 2012 by Draco1962
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