Kymaera FE, Version 1.23 now Available!

[PacManFan]

Erik,

Nope, in the current release, there isn't a way to change the pageup/down amount. It's easy enough to put in, so consider it done, I'll have it in the next release.

-PMF

[ErikRuud]

Cool.

Ideally it should calculate the page skip itself based on how many games can fit in the gamelist.

[PacManFan]

OK, I just put some code in to make it pageup/down by the amount visible in the game list. It'll be in the next release.

-PMF

[Fandenivoldsk]

I've been trying to make some cool skins for Kymaera, but it's almost killing me trying to figure out how to place items in pixel perfect size. When I try to configure a .skn file manually, the X2 and Y2 dosen't work the way I want them to. An .avi file seems to have it's own unique pixel value system, or maybe it's just me who can't figure it out... Please make a proper grid layouter for the new version of Kymaera to make it possible to place graphics more precisely on screen.

[PacManFan]

It's done, It'll be in the next release.

-PMF

[Hellmark]

Hey

Wie weit iss bereits die Neue version fertig?
warte schon sehns

[PacManFan]

I've put Kymaera on the back burner for a few days while I'm working on Vantage. The screen saver code is done. The next release will have a few more great functions added to it, but I have not had time to document anything yet. I also put Kymaera through a "Profiler" so I could begin to optimize the code.

Kymaera now runs about 15% faster than before, with optimized blitting routines. You should be able to run Kymaera on a PII 200 just fine.

I really can't say when the next release will be, but if you're really interested HellMark, I can email you new binaries, or post an intermediate release w/ no updated documentation.

-PMF

[Hellmark]

Yeah it would be great if you could email me the binary

[PacManFan]

OK everyone, I've gotten off my --I'm attempting to get by the auto-censor and should be beaten after I re-read the rules-- and got a new version of Kymaera posted on www.pacmanfan.com. This has a ton of great new features and optimizations.  Be sure to check the new Changes.txt file for a description of all the new features. It's basically every suggestion that's been posted since the last release.

A few things I'm still working on are:
-Dynamic skins with scripting control
-Better text rendering engine
-Differant rotation method
-Support for DOS and Linux by using Allegro

Post any comments / questions /suggestions/ gripes here.

Enjoy  

-PMF

[Hellmark]

hi

just Downloaded the new version of kymaera but i found 1 problem with the installation.
The Setup program needs a second setup file put there isn`t one

[PacManFan]

I just downloaded and installed it just fine from my work computer. My guess is that there was an error in the download, or it ended prematurely. Or maybe you were downloading when I was uploading a new version. The file size should be 3,499kb. Try downloading again, Let me know if you have any more problems.

-PMF

[ErikRuud]

It installed fine on my home machine.

PMF,

Which configuration files from 1.22 are compatible with 1.23?

I installed 1.23 in a seperate folder and the copied over all my Emu, Gamelist, and skin files.  At least one of them causes 1.23 to fail on startup.  I haven't figured out which one yet.

[PacManFan]

Damn, I was hoping to avoid any incompatibilities. Theoretically, everything should be backward compatible because I'm versioning all important files, and I've got separate read /write routines that should convert any old format to new formats.. It worked fine installing over my last test installation.

I would suggest copying over each file "type" separately. Like copy over all you .emu files, then if that works copy over your .skn files, then your .xml game list files. It may be just the main Kymaera.kfg file that's incompatible, or the inputs.evt or the soundmap.smp file.

It would be a big help if YOU could tell ME what you found to be incompatible, then I could fix it for future versions.

I'll do some more testing myself when I get home tonight.

Did Kymaera config run correctly?

-PMF

[ErikRuud]

PMF,

I did not try the config program yet.  That might be part of the problem.

I did not have time before to try each set of files, I am working on it now.

Erik

[DennisInMN]

I have a suggestion, unless it has already been made.  When you click the create master list button and are presented with the create mame game database dialog there is no way to cancel out, at least that I have found.  When I try to close the dialog I am presented with an Open file dialog.

I just got my cab "playable" Saturday and am looking at FEs to use.  This is a very exciting time.  

[PacManFan]

I'll take a look at that, thanks for pointing it out.

-PMF

[Hellmark]

just tried a second time and it worked, i`ve lost my connection and dL only 1,8mb

But an other problem i`ve just gave my screensaver which is a powerpoint presentation transformed with "Apex 1st Powerpointscreensaver" into a scr file. And it dosent  work with kymaera. I`ve just tried my Screensaver on windows and it worked (maybe to less ram). Than i tried an original Windows screensaver and it worked on kymaera.

But these things are peanuts i`ve just changed the screensaver on Kymaera and the program crashed. Config.exe, Kymaera.exe Error. Dont know why these problem happend.


ps. Do you know how i can deactivate the messages (not 100% video/Sound/... compatible)?? I just deactivated all possibilities on mame but these bad dumps r still coming.
I also DL MAME source and tried to deactivate these messages on "mame.c" but im to bad to check these comandos. sombody help me with these problem??

nice greetings from austria

[PacManFan]

Hellmark,
Sorry to hear your screen saver isn't working right. Kymaera seemed to work with all the screen savers I tested. Send me your screen saver via email, and I'll see if I can get it to work in Kyamera.

As far as skipping past all the warning screens in MAME, try using NoNameMame, and configuring the the config file to skip past all of these.

Hope this helps.
-PMF

[DennisInMN]

I'm getting a dialog after I leave a game and try to get back into Kymaera.  The dialog is one that mame is putting up.  It says to run mame from the command line and asks if I want to read the documentation now and has the command line options listed out.  Any ideas how to fix this?  I'm using the default run command settings.  Any help is appreciated.

D

[EndTwist]

from one developer to another: add support for custom user plugins. (activex..) it would even save you time.

(I'm adding it to VertiWAH as we speak)

[PacManFan]

So the Game runs fine, and then it brings up a dialog box after? That's odd. Check your LaunchCommand. Post what parameters you are passing to the emulator. Also, what version of MAME are you using?

-PMF

I'm getting a dialog after I leave a game and try to get back into Kymaera.  The dialog is one that mame is putting up.  It says to run mame from the command line and asks if I want to read the documentation now and has the command line options listed out.  Any ideas how to fix this?  I'm using the default run command settings.  Any help is appreciated.

D

[PacManFan]

Support for custom plugins is a good idea. I was planning on looking into that soon. ActiveX and OLE COM technology is a bad idea. I'm planning on porting this soon to Linux and DOS, so ActiveX is out of the question. There are a few other ways to make plugins that will be cross-platform compatible. I'm debating on whether or not to make Kymaera open-source and starting a SourceForge project. Very soon, I'll be releasing a version that has a MP3 JukeBox and full screen video player built in.

-PMF

from one developer to another: add support for custom user plugins. (activex..) it would even save you time.

(I'm adding it to VertiWAH as we speak)

[EndTwist]

well I'm a VB programmer, so I don't have too much of a chice   Unless you have other ideas?

Also - Competition mode! (I'm working on that too). Basically, pick games, play em, winner hits a button at the end of each game, person with most wins is the winner of the tourney.

[PacManFan]

VB is a good programming language to get started on, I find it's very easy to get something working quickly with it. The downside is having to distribute those VB runtime files, and the decrease in performance over c, c++, and asm.

I was thinking of a "competition mode" in the front end. This would be for a cocktail cabinet. Each person would have thier own gamelist and screen shots facing them on half the screen. Whoever selects and launches a game first wins!

-PMF

[EndTwist]

Not quite my idea, but not bad. Kinda like first to draw their gun & shoot.

But I guess my idea is more of a "Tournament Mode"

Player 1 picks the number of games to play.
The players pick games, cocktail style (half screen per user), until they've each picked half of the # total games to play.
They begin the first game, and whoever wins must push a button to signify that they've won.
A list/chart shows number, gamename, and winner of each.

[DennisInMN]

Yes, the game runs fine.  The dialog comes up when I exit the game and try to get back into Kymaera.  I am using 0.81 MAME.  I do not have access to my cab at the moment but I did not change the LaunchCommand from the default setting.

So the Game runs fine, and then it brings up a dialog box after? That's odd. Check your LaunchCommand. Post what parameters you are passing to the emulator. Also, what version of MAME are you using?

-PMF

I'm getting a dialog after I leave a game and try to get back into Kymaera.  The dialog is one that mame is putting up.  It says to run mame from the command line and asks if I want to read the documentation now and has the command line options listed out.  Any ideas how to fix this?  I'm using the default run command settings.  Any help is appreciated.

D

[DennisInMN]

So the Game runs fine, and then it brings up a dialog box after? That's odd. Check your LaunchCommand. Post what parameters you are passing to the emulator. Also, what version of MAME are you using?

-PMF

I'm getting a dialog after I leave a game and try to get back into Kymaera.  The dialog is one that mame is putting up.  It says to run mame from the command line and asks if I want to read the documentation now and has the command line options listed out.  Any ideas how to fix this?  I'm using the default run command settings.  Any help is appreciated.

D

I wrote down the parameters but left the paper at home today.  From what I remember the Launchcommand was something like this:

($ROMPATH)($ROMNAME).($ROMEXT)($ROMPARM)

Example: c:\mame_81\roms\mslug3.zip

The checkbox was checked for wait till finished, or something like that.  And it was set to HIDE.  This is on Win98 SE.

Let me know if you need anymore info from me.

Thanks,
Dennis

[PacManFan]

Try getting rid of that ($ROMPARM) and see if that helps.
Also, post the specs of your machine and OS.

Thanks,

-PMF

[Hellmark]

ABOUT NONAME

i didn`t found any configuration to deaktivate The noisy error logs(video, Sound not 100%...)

I just have vers. 0.83

did i need an older or other version??

[PacManFan]

You might want to ask TheGatesOfBill or post this message in the NoNameMame thread. I don't know offhand.

-PMF

[Hellmark]

hi PacMan Fan

i`ve just a error message question.

I just searched for a game in kymaera with standard key up and down and then comes the message

Kymaera version 1.22

"Kymaera.exe error
In Module "0x77f41cc5" on.... "0x00a2c4cd" The Process "read" .......

Just wrote it so because i have a german XP and dont know how its correct in english

God dammit what the hell is now wrong with my comp. It was working so fine and know.

[justinf951]

First off I just want to say that I love this front end.  But I was wondering if it would be possible for you to put a message board on your webpage.  I would love to see an open forum dedicated to kymaera.  It would make it easier for you to keep us updated on progress and for us to give you feedback.  Also it would be a place where the more advanced users can help those who are new to emulator/FE's.  Well that is just my recommendation thanks for a great front end.

[PacManFan]

Kymaera is going though a bunch of big changes right now. It's been about 1 1/2 months since my last release, and I have just ported Kymaera to work under DOS and Linux. A Mac-based version should be on the way soon too.
I've started a sourceforge project at http://sourceforge.net/projects/kymaera

which will be Kymaera's new home page. Currently, nothing is there right now, but Kymaera is definately going open-source. There is a message forum there that I'm planning on using.

I'll be posting some WIP updates and screenshots very soon showing off some of the more advanced features of Kymaera (alpha-blending, vertical and cocktail modes, new skins, etc...)

-PMF

[TheOtherBob]

Kymaera is going though a bunch of big changes right now. It's been about 1 1/2 months since my last release, and I have just ported Kymaera to work under DOS and Linux.

DOS?  Wow, that's great news.  Will it support lower resolutions for standard res arcade monitors?  Thanks....

[PacManFan]

I'm attempting to "Hack" the allegro source to work much like Advance mame and Arcade OS to support arcade modes. Otherwise, you'll have to use the ArcadeVGA to display properly on an arcade monitor in DOS.

-PMF