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Anyone running C64 emulator with a front end?
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Vigo:

--- Quote from: Jimbo on July 10, 2012, 03:29:06 am ---By pre-configured, I mean that each game has been tested in a variety of emulators to get the best possible settings (e.g. Pal/NTSC, joystick controls, true drive emulation, auto-disk-swapping, etc.).

GB64 has 20k+ games, but the way it works is you can initially load up the GameBase frontend so you can browse through all the C64 games... then you create a custom view with just the games you want on your cab (be it 20, 200, 2000, etc).  You can then export this list of games from GameBase and import it into MaLa or another arcade frontend.  For example, in my MaLa setup, I have lists for: All Games, Favourites, 2 Player Games, Shoot'em-Ups, Games by Mastertronic, etc.

GameBase also manages setting up disk-swapping, and the swap between port1 and port2 joysticks etc.  You can tweak/customise all of this with a single script if you want to (but there's really no need).

In terms of skipping past crack/trainer screens - I don't see why you couldn't do it (you could do it using GameBase's repack-after-playing feature), but personally I like them for nostalgia's sake (and I like to choose trainers for my little boy when he plays), and I have set a button up on my cab to toggle VICE's warp mode so I can skip loading times etc.

If you don't mind a small bit of initial setup then this really is the best way (imo) to get C64 games (and actually for quite a few other home computer systems) running perfectly on your cab.

It's explained in detail here: http://www.bu22.com/wiki/exporting_gamebases_to_other_frontends

--- End quote ---

Thanks for the info, Jimbo. I read through the link as well. Some interesting functions in there. I will have to check out how smoothly the disk swap functions, since that piece seems to be the biggest PITA when doing C64. I don't know if I have any interest in making lists for c64 games based on publisher, but it is definitely good that sort of work is getting done. 10 years ago the commodore achieve was a sloppy mess. 

The big reason why I use snapshots to start past the crack loader screen is because I don't use the keyboard when I am playing games on my cabinet. Most games use a handful of keyboard commands that I map to the joystick controls, and I don't want to have to map additional joystick commands to navigate the crack screen. A lot of crack screens use the Y key, N key, Run/Stop, F keys, and number keys simply to get through to move on to the game. Plus, even with warp loading, it still takes time, maybe 15 seconds to get to the crack screen, shuffle through the hoops to skip onward, and 15-30 seconds to get to the title of the game. I know it beats the 5-10 minutes some c64 games used to take to load, but it is still nice to have the game play instantaneously.

I guess I don't quite have nostalgia over crack screens either, back in the day most my games were legit copies. My copied games were usually copies made between friends, so we didn't have many crack screens to look at. I can see where you are coming from though. Some of the coolest c64 music was from those crack screens.  8)

I think I will at least give GB64 for PC use. I'm not quite sure if it would make things easier for cabinet use in my case, since I would still need to configure controls and snapshots, but standalone it looks very helpful.  :cheers:
Jimbo:

--- Quote from: Vigo on July 10, 2012, 11:01:07 am ---Thanks for the info, Jimbo. I read through the link as well. Some interesting functions in there. I will have to check out how smoothly the disk swap functions, since that piece seems to be the biggest PITA when doing C64. I don't know if I have any interest in making lists for c64 games based on publisher, but it is definitely good that sort of work is getting done. 10 years ago the commodore achieve was a sloppy mess. 

The big reason why I use snapshots to start past the crack loader screen is because I don't use the keyboard when I am playing games on my cabinet. Most games use a handful of keyboard commands that I map to the joystick controls, and I don't want to have to map additional joystick commands to navigate the crack screen. A lot of crack screens use the Y key, N key, Run/Stop, F keys, and number keys simply to get through to move on to the game. Plus, even with warp loading, it still takes time, maybe 15 seconds to get to the crack screen, shuffle through the hoops to skip onward, and 15-30 seconds to get to the title of the game. I know it beats the 5-10 minutes some c64 games used to take to load, but it is still nice to have the game play instantaneously.

I guess I don't quite have nostalgia over crack screens either, back in the day most my games were legit copies. My copied games were usually copies made between friends, so we didn't have many crack screens to look at. I can see where you are coming from though. Some of the coolest c64 music was from those crack screens.  8)

I think I will at least give GB64 for PC use. I'm not quite sure if it would make things easier for cabinet use in my case, since I would still need to configure controls and snapshots, but standalone it looks very helpful.  :cheers:

--- End quote ---

Heh, that's the trouble with those old computers: they had keyboards :)

For me its not a problem - I have a tiny bluetooth keyboard that I bring out when playing old computer games on the cab.  Works a charm and its so small it sits tucked away when not in use. Means I can play those old text-adventures too, and I don't have to worry about too much keyboard/joystick mapping apart from the standard joyport1/2, which is automatically taken care of.

Like you say, if you want to play the C64 games on the cab immediately - then the GB64 route is probably not for you, but I'm glad you're considering it for your PC - and you can probably use the game files to create your snapshots from if you already have it installed.

You might be able to use it for some other old systems tho - there are some good GameBase databases for VIC20, ZXSpectrum, ST, Amiga, etc.

Cheers
Jimbo:

--- Quote from: JayB on July 10, 2012, 07:40:34 am ---That's what they seem to be. When I scanned games using that as the main folder it didn't work and said all not found but the G folder does. I have added O as my extras folder now.

Thanks for your help, I've changed the file details and the joystick is working.  :cheers:

Is there anywhere I can get a bulk load of original cover scans from? I've found individual ones on a few a sites which I don't mind taking my time with but, obviously if they're available in one bundle that'd be much better.

--- End quote ---

Glad you got it working!

If you look on the gb64.com forum, or even the lemon64.com forum there should be some links to torrents for all the extras etc.

such as this one: http://www.lemon64.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=39391
Vigo:

--- Quote from: Jimbo on July 10, 2012, 01:46:21 pm ---Heh, that's the trouble with those old computers: they had keyboards :)

For me its not a problem - I have a tiny bluetooth keyboard that I bring out when playing old computer games on the cab.  Works a charm and its so small it sits tucked away when not in use. Means I can play those old text-adventures too, and I don't have to worry about too much keyboard/joystick mapping apart from the standard joyport1/2, which is automatically taken care of.

Like you say, if you want to play the C64 games on the cab immediately - then the GB64 route is probably not for you, but I'm glad you're considering it for your PC - and you can probably use the game files to create your snapshots from if you already have it installed.

You might be able to use it for some other old systems tho - there are some good GameBase databases for VIC20, ZXSpectrum, ST, Amiga, etc.

Cheers

--- End quote ---

Haha, yep, exactly. C64 is a keyboard system, and works easier on cabinets with keyboards. Thanks again for the info man. I'll put it to good use.  :cheers:
JayB:
Thanks Vigo, will check those out.

I added the originals folder to the extras but, seems they are greyed out. Did a quick check on gb64 and they can't be used? Strange.
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