[SOLVED] Car game config with a joystick

[gezy]

Hi guys,
I have a problem that I cannot solved 
And sorry for my english...

My config :

• Raspberry Pi
• Raspbian
• MAME 0.37b5
• Joystick and buttons SANWA
• KADE connector

My config works well, I can play easily to many games like Double Dragon, Street Fighter, Pac Man, etc.. But I have an issue with all the car/motorbike games.

The accelerator is on a button and the steering wheel (left/right) on the joystick.
When I'm accelerating with the button and want to turn (left or right), it stop the acceleration and I have to re-push on the button to accelerate. It's like there is a conflict and that I cant' have 2 commands at the same time ! 

In fact, now that I think of it, in metal slug (per example), I can't run and shoot at the same time. it stop each time I push the button, and run when I release it..

Do you guys have any solution for me ?

Thanks a lot !

[PL1]

Welcome aboard, Gezy.

This is the first time I've heard of those move/shoot symptoms.

It's almost certainly some kind of software issue.

Which firmware are you using on the KADE -- USB/HID Joystick, or one of the MAME keymaps?

I'm not sure why your system is having problems, but if you are using the MAME keymaps, the Ctrl or Alt keys might be causing trouble.   

Try reprogramming the KADE using the "USB/HID Joystick" firmware (left column, 5th firmware option) -- the directions are in the KADE Loader program.


Scott

[gezy]

Thanks PL1 

I not sure about the name of the firmeware, but it something like "multi arcade (custom)".
And yes I'm using CTRL, ALT, etc... controls.

I will dig in that sens tonight !

But if I'm using the USB/HID Joystick firmware, can I map my button on it also or it will only transmit the joystick directions ?

Many thanks for your help 

[PL1]

I not sure about the name of the firmeware, but it something like "multi arcade (custom)".
And yes I'm using CTRL, ALT, etc... controls.

As I suspected, that's MAME Encoder (Custom).

But if I'm using the USB/HID Joystick firmware, can I map my button on it also or it will only transmit the joystick directions ?

The default joystick firmware has the directions and 13 buttons -- you can customise the inputs as desired.

Since you wired the system buttons and joystick for the mame default inputs, you can do one of two things:
1. Move the wires to match the new defaults.
2. Customize the HID joystick map to reflect your current wiring
- Directions on inputs A3-A6
- Player buttons 1-8 on inputs A7-B_4 (Change THAT to "Bingo", cutesy wordfilter.     )
- Pick a button for start on input A1
- Pick a button for coin on input A2

If you reprogram but don't change either the wiring or the firmware map, pressing down on the joystick (default input A4 in MAME map) will give you a right (default input A4 in HID Joystick map).   

You may also need to change some input settings in MAME.


Scott
P.S. For anyone wondering about the wordfilter coment, if you type "B_4" without the underscore, it autofilters to --BINGO! Either that, or I was attempting to say "before" but it was too many letters to type--.

[gezy]

Thanks for all your explanations !

I have installed the firmeware without customization.
And I also have deleted the "default.cfg" of MAME.

Now (tested in street fighter) the button seems to work, but not the joystick, nothing move...
Have you any advice ? I'm browsing the web without clear answer 

[PL1]

I have installed the firmeware without customization.

Which firmware -- USB/HID Joystick or MAME Encoder (Custom)?

Now (tested in street fighter) the button seems to work, but not the joystick, nothing move...

If you were on a Windows machine, I would ask you to use the gamepad tester in Control Panel or the keyboard tester in KADE Loader to see if the control panel wires were connected to the right inputs on the KADE.

Right now, I'm not sure which firmware you are using, I'm not sure what switch you have wired to which input on the KADE, and I'm not sure how to test gamepads/keyboards using a RasPi.   

Any suggestions from RasPi users on ways to test gamepads and/or keyboards using a RasPi?


Scott

[paigeoliver]

I almost suspect that you have your microswitches wired up wrong.

[gezy]

Ok, I've done some tests.

USB/HID Joystick Encoder (Custom)
The buttons works, but not the joystick

MAME Encoder (Custom)
The joystick works perfectly, but not all the buttons 
Buttons 1 and 2 work once after clicking a lot of times !
Button 3 works very well.
In this config, button 1 = L/CTRL and button 2 = L/ALT. I thing this is really the problem

MAME Encoder (Multi-Mode)
Everything works well but the car games...
In my first post, I told you that in metal slug I can't run and shoot at the same time. In fact I was wrong. Th only issue is the the games like :

• Drive out
• Hang-on
• Hydra
• Ironman

I'm using MAME 0.37b5 on Raspbian, and I don't have an Option menu like in Windows for enabling the joystick.

 

[PL1]

MAME Encoder (Custom)
The joystick works perfectly, but not all the buttons 
Buttons 1 and 2 work once after clicking a lot of times !
Button 3 works very well.
In this config, button 1 = L/CTRL and button 2 = L/ALT. I thing this is really the problem

Looks like the answer is to change your Button 1 and Button 2  settings to keys that aren't used on your system like "J" and "L".

Bring up the KADE Loader program and select the "MAME Encoder (Custom)" firmware.

Click on the "Customise" button at the bottom.
- Change Pin A7 "P1, Button 1 (L/CTRL)" to "P2, Button 7 (J)" (or other unused key)
- Change Pin A8 "P1, Button 2 (L/ALT)" to "P2, Button 8 (L)"  (or other unused key)
- "Save"

Program the KADE with your customised firmware.

Launch MAME and press Tab to bring up the menu.

In the "Input (General)" menu select "Player 1 Controls".

Highlight "P1 Button 1", press "Enter", then press your P1 Button 1.

Highlight "P1 Button 2", press "Enter", then press your P1 Button 2.

That should have you up and running.

If you changed the input settings for a particular game, go to the "Input (this Game)" menu, highlight the input you want to reset, and do this:
- Press Enter
- Press Esc -- clears input to "none"
- Press Enter
- Press Esc -- sets input to the setting defined in the "Input (General)" menu


Scott

[gezy]

Dammed, IT WORKS !!! 

Thank a lot man !

So the solution was :

Looks like the answer is to change your Button 1 and Button 2  settings to keys that aren't used on your system like "J" and "L".

Bring up the KADE Loader program and select the "MAME Encoder (Custom)" firmware.

Click on the "Customise" button at the bottom.
- Change Pin A7 "P1, Button 1 (L/CTRL)" to "P2, Button 7 (J)" (or other unused key)
- Change Pin A8 "P1, Button 2 (L/ALT)" to "P2, Button 8 (L)"  (or other unused key)
- "Save"

Cheers 

[PL1]

You're welcome.

Someone on the KADE Forums mentioned here that some Unix flavors and the RasPi may also have problems with P1B4. (shift)


Scott