Setting up Mala for MAME & Fix It Felix

[tjpietro]

All,

I've searched this forums and need help. Going to have a Fix It Felix cabinet soon. I would like to add Mala and MAME with Fix It Felix being launched from Mala. Is that doable? If yes, how?

Tim

[Wade007]

Yes, it's doable. I've done it.

Mala will launch MAME natively. That's what it is set up to do.

Fix-it-Felix Jr launches as a PC game/port via Mala. This may depend a bit on which version of Fix it Felix Jr you are running. I launch it in a separate menu for arcade ports/PC Arcade ports with Mala using an AutoHotKey script (AHK). Fix it Felix Jr is NOT launched via MAME. Mala will still launch/run it. My Fix-it-Felix Jr game is the Disneyland/Disneyworld rom/code. Works like a champ! See thread below.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,132634.msg1362952.html#msg1362952

I hope this answers your question. 

[tjpietro]

Thank you very much.

I might be in contact with you next month.

Tim

[mike boss]

I hear so many versions of FIFJr exist.
Which is the best ?

I also suggest you see the guide above by Uncle T.
I think he covers install and launch of PC games.
I know it is on the MaLa site (the how to).

[mike boss]

I'm playing around with the install of the version listed in the SOFTWARE thread.
But having trouble with the rotate + zoom (fullscreen) aspect.

[Wade007]

If you're trying to make this vertical game run on a horizontal monitor it can be very tricky. See this thread for more info/links:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,135630.0/topicseen.html

[mike boss]

My DK Jr Mame has a vertical monitor.
I noticed when you launch this it launches windowed as if displayed on a horizontal monitor.

[Wade007]

I noticed when you launch this it launches windowed as if displayed on a horizontal monitor.

Don't use the wrapper exe. to launch the game. Just launch the game directly and play with the -rotate command. You may need to rotate 90 degrees. I can't remember for sure, but I know Fix It Felix Jr plays on a vertical monitor by default so you probably don't need to change any default settings for a vertical monitor.

[mike boss]

Thanks Wade007,

I'll keep my posts in the other thread (for simplicity) and then post final results here.
This way for people looking can find a clear solution.

EDIT - I will ask this. (and I'll attach some screenshots later) . I have MaLa set up and launching the ROM. When I type the command to rotate/fullscreen in Mala I get an error.
When I rename the actual exe and then typed that into Mala it will rotate.
Is that what I should be doing ? Do I make sense ?

[Wade007]

Mike,
I don't really understand what's going on with your Mala/Fix it Felix set up. All I know is that it can work. I use Mala to launch Fix it Felix Jr all the time. Take a look at my AHK launch file on the other thread for a clue as to how it's done. It's fairly straightforward. Launch it as a PC game (executable program), NOT a rom.

[mike boss]

Im back at this.
I'm using the wrapper created by Howard_Casto which is awesome.
Got the game to close on escape, launch with the correct rotation, it launches in fullscreen...........and Coin 1 + 2 are mapped to key 5!
So that is all perfect.............. however when launching the EXE via MaLa it pulls up the settings.
So I created a batch file, I kept one copy in the Fix It Felix Jr folder itself, the other in a folder named "batch files."
The batch file simply has the EXE name and is saved in the correct format.
However when I launch it I get the following error : Failed to execute program Felix (name of the file). Error code 2

Please help !

[Wade007]

Do you have MALA setup to accept the batch file? Is it looking for a batch file?

[mike boss]

Do you have MALA setup to accept the batch file? Is it looking for a batch file?

I did, yep!
However I should add that the newest (modified) version of the wrapper Howard_Casto put out helped resolve this issue. Just pointing MaLa to the EXE via a SHORTCUT works %100!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For anyone looking for this game DL the game + the wrapper from Howard and you'll be set !!!!!!!!