Software to run LED buttons, flashers, solenoids, addressable LEDs from MAME

[DDH69]

I wanted to make my first post worthwhile and add some value by sharing something I believe makes a MAME cabinet even better.

I am the author of a community tool called DOFLinx.  I have recently expanded this tool to work with MAME.  The tool adds the ability to drive LED buttons, RGB lighting, solenoids, addressable LEDs, flashers and other toys based on MAME status, game status and scores.  It adds external feedback to the games we all love.

You can see a video of my cabinet and a quick demonstration here.

A small amount of history and background ….

• DOF is Direct Output Framework written by the pinball community (mainly SwissLizard) to provide solenoid and other feedback for Visual Pinball for flippers, bumpers, slingshots, etc
• I created DOFLinx in 2016 to link other pinball emulators (initially Pinball FX2) to DOF
• Over time a lot of other features have been added to DOFLinx allowing it to work with many other output boards, toys and pinball emulators (Future Pinball, Pinball FX3)
• In early 2020 I progressed from my old Pi MAME coffee table to building a full arcade cabinet
• I decided to link MAME to external “toys” via DOFLinx

This has been done by adding some customisations to MAME (which I will gladly share once I understand github, etc) that expand the IP messaging.  DOFLinx reads the outputs that were previously built in and available, I added some messaging for emulator status like “cheat” and “pause”, then also added the ability to poll scores for running games.  DOFLinx tracks the scores in real time and has text editable “MAME” files per game that allow anyone to drive their toys as they want.  There are a stack of MAME files that ship with DOFLinx, so a lot of it is “off the shelf”

DOFLinx download and support forum is here (where I tend to hang around for support). http://www.vpforums.org/index.php?showforum=104  Of course I also frequent here, just not quite as much.

There is so much more I can say, but will keep it brief.  I have gained so much from this site and http://www.progettosnaps.net/ - thank you.  I was worried that with DOFLinx mainly on a pinball site that MAME’rs might not be aware of this tool.  I love it, it adds so much more to old favourites – having solenoids “snap” during Truxton, getting addressable LED effects as Mario squashes a Goomba, having my playfield RGB buttons light to the colours I want at appropriate times, its all great!

I hope someone finds this valuable.[/list]