Model 1 Link (Virtua Racing)

[Krakatoa]

Hi,
Does anyone know how to link these games? I tried last night for a few hours but I couldn't get it to work.

On PC 1 I set the following in the mame.ini (PC 1 IP address = 192.168.86.2)

mame.ini settings:
comm_localhost 0.0.0.0
comm_localport 15111
comm_remotehost 192.168.86.3
comm_remoteport 15112
comm_framesync 0


On PC 2 I set the following in mame.ini (PC 2 IP address = 192.168.86.3)
comm_localhost 0.0.0.0
comm_localport 15112
comm_remotehost 192.168.86.2
comm_remoteport 15111
comm_framesync 0

Am I missing something? Also after messing around, I can no longer run Virtua Racing in widescreen, no matter what I set in the service menu, but that's another issue I can fix later

thanks,

[MrThunderwing]

I got a 2 and 3 PC LAN working with this years ago, so I'm a bit rusty on the setup (my old PC I used to use as player 2 died ages back and the home network between my normal PC and Barcade cabinet seems to have inexplicably become broken, so they can't see each other anymore)

Anyway, I had a look in the MAME folder I still had for launching player 1 for the multi PC network. There's actually no config info for the network in my ini file, it's all in the batch file I use to launch the game. For Virtua Formula my P1 batch file looks like this:

Code: [Select]

start /b mame64.exe vformula -w -comm_localport 15111 -comm_remoteport 15112 -comm_localhost 0.0.0.0 -comm_remotehost 192.168.1.2
With the IP address at the end belonging to my old PC (RIP)

I had a 4 Player single PC version of Virtua Racing that I started like this:

Code: [Select]

start /b mame64.exe vr -w -cfg_directory cfg -nvram_directory nvram1 -comm_localport 15111 -comm_remoteport 15112 -comm_localhost 0.0.0.0 -comm_remotehost 127.0.0.1
start /b mame64.exe vr -w -cfg_directory cfg2 -nvram_directory nvram2 -comm_localport 15112 -comm_remoteport 15113 -comm_localhost 0.0.0.0 -comm_remotehost 127.0.0.1
start /b mame64.exe vr -w -cfg_directory cfg3 -nvram_directory nvram3 -comm_localport 15113 -comm_remoteport 15114 -comm_localhost 0.0.0.0 -comm_remotehost 127.0.0.1
start /b mame64.exe vr -w -cfg_directory cfg4 -nvram_directory nvram4 -comm_localport 15114 -comm_remoteport 15111 -comm_localhost 0.0.0.0 -comm_remotehost 127.0.0.1
Bear in mind this was a version of MAME that's 5 years old now and probably hugely outdated (MAME 170b), so the setup process for multiplayer might've changed since then. Another thing to just bear in mind too is that you'll need a ZIP file called 'm1comm' in your ROMs folder in order to get the network working. Hope that helps.

[Krakatoa]

Thanks, I think this is my issue "'m1comm'" I'll test tonight and report back.

[buttersoft]

From memory, for the same PC, the ports go in a ring, but the IP address stays the same. But for separate PC's, the IP's form the ring while the ports stay the same...?

[Krakatoa]

Thanks, I tried setting the ports the same. Hangs on PC 2

Also I already had that comm file

[Krakatoa]

Well i fixed the 16:9 issue

Had to add this into the vr.cfg file

        <video>
            <target index="0" view="Wide (16:9)" />
        </video>

Now I just need to get this link working.

[Krakatoa]

Do i need to make changes in the service menu? So far all I've done is enable master and live and matched the other settings

[buttersoft]

Ok, i checked my working setup, and in the service menu, one cab should be master, one slave. Also in service menu, cars must be different colours - one red, one blue, for example. I don't think it will matter which is which, but for testing, to eliminate everything possible, I would leave the master cab's colour alone and change the slave.

Mame.ini from first cab:
#
# CORE COMM OPTIONS
#
comm_localhost            0.0.0.0
comm_localport            15112
comm_remotehost           192.168.1.100
comm_remoteport           15112

Mame.ini from second cab is identical, save IP change:
comm_remotehost           192.168.1.101

[Krakatoa]

Thanks, for getting this info. I'll test it out tonight.

[MrThunderwing]

Just thinking of other things to tick off the potential problems list, you haven't got something like a firewall blocking the 2 versions of MAME from communicating with each other?

[MrThunderwing]

Ok, i checked my working setup, and in the service menu, one cab should be master, one slave. Also in service menu, cars must be different colours - one red, one blue, for example. I don't think it will matter which is which, but for testing, to eliminate everything possible, I would leave the master cab's colour alone and change the slave.

Mame.ini from first cab:
#
# CORE COMM OPTIONS
#
comm_localhost            0.0.0.0
comm_localport            15112
comm_remotehost           192.168.1.100
comm_remoteport           15112

Mame.ini from second cab is identical, save IP change:
comm_remotehost           192.168.1.101

Hrrrm, that's really bizarre. Like I mentioned, all my network info was in the batch files i used to start the games with rather than the ini file and I'm like 99% certain that the ports went in a ring on the different PCs 🤔

[Krakatoa]

Just thinking of other things to tick off the potential problems list, you haven't got something like a firewall blocking the 2 versions of MAME from communicating with each other?

I've disabled firewalls on both PC until I can get it working

[buttersoft]

Hrrrm, that's really bizarre. Like I mentioned, all my network info was in the batch files i used to start the games with rather than the ini file and I'm like 99% certain that the ports went in a ring on the different PCs 🤔

I reckon they could, but they clearly don't have to

[Krakatoa]

Ok, i checked my working setup, and in the service menu, one cab should be master, one slave. Also in service menu, cars must be different colours - one red, one blue, for example. I don't think it will matter which is which, but for testing, to eliminate everything possible, I would leave the master cab's colour alone and change the slave.

Mame.ini from first cab:
#
# CORE COMM OPTIONS
#
comm_localhost            0.0.0.0
comm_localport            15112
comm_remotehost           192.168.1.100
comm_remoteport           15112


Mame.ini from second cab is identical, save IP change:
comm_remotehost           192.168.1.101

Set mine up the same and it still doesn't connect. Keeps saying checking network, but it never finishes.

I have the same MAME versions, same comme file, same rom file. So I am running out of ideas. The only difference between your ini and mine is the IP address.


Mame.ini from first cab:
#
# CORE COMM OPTIONS
#
comm_localhost            0.0.0.0
comm_localport            15112
comm_remotehost           192.168.86.73
comm_remoteport           15112
comm_framesync            0

Mame.ini from 2nd  cab:
#
# CORE COMM OPTIONS
#
comm_localhost            0.0.0.0
comm_localport            15112
comm_remotehost           192.168.86.83
comm_remoteport           15112
comm_framesync            0

One other thing I am running is the FFB plugin on one of the machines.

[buttersoft]

And you made sure the instances are set up as master and slave, not master and "live" like you said above? And car colours are set different? Hmmm, have you tried any other mame games that link the same way - so, Outrunners and F1 Super Lap?

If those won't work either, maybe try an older version of MAME? I think I'm on like 0.193 or something.

[Krakatoa]

I got it. Your set up was correct, but somehow mame was using an old vr.ini int eh root. Deleted that and I am up and running.

Thank you both for helping me 

[MrThunderwing]

No worries, glad you got it sorted!

[Super-Becker]

Wow guys! I am immensely happy! Thanks to you it's working for me! Thank you very much! I wish you a great weekend, my friends!

[xbrunox]

HI Guys How i must set my port and IP for run an istance on a PC with 192.168.1.85 and TWO istance on another PC with IP 192.168.1.86

thanks.

[buttersoft]

HI Guys How i must set my port and IP for run an istance on a PC with 192.168.1.85 and TWO istance on another PC with IP 192.168.1.86

thanks.

There would be a few ways to set this up, but as an example of a working setup (I hope) try this:

1st cab (192.168.1.85) single instance (player 1). In test menu set to master and car colour red. The comms section from mame.ini should read:

#
# CORE COMM OPTIONS
#
comm_localhost            0.0.0.0
comm_localport            15112
comm_remotehost           192.168.86.86
comm_remoteport           15113
comm_framesync            0

2nd  cab (192.168.1.86) 1st instance (player 2): In test menu set to slave and car colour blue. Mame.ini should read:

#
# CORE COMM OPTIONS
#
comm_localhost            0.0.0.0
comm_localport            15113
comm_remotehost           192.168.86.86
comm_remoteport           15114
comm_framesync            0

2nd  cab (192.168.1.86) 2nd instance (player 3): In test menu set to slave and car colour yellow. Player 3 needs to be running a separate instance of mame to the player 2 one i.e. from a different folder with it's own mame.ini, which should read:

#
# CORE COMM OPTIONS
#
comm_localhost            0.0.0.0
comm_localport            15114
comm_remotehost           192.168.86.85
comm_remoteport           15112
comm_framesync            0

[xbrunox]

many Thanks! it work!

[buttersoft]

good to hear

[xbrunox]

Hi.
I've noticed that when i play on two PC  in a LAN Game for example with Virtua racing or outrunners or in rad rally i've got a significant input LAG.
is this normal? there's something that i can do?

when I play with no LAN between PC LAG is assent. I Use Groovymame build on CRT...

[buttersoft]

I'm not having a problem. When you ping each PC from the other, all looks normal?

I would try linking two instances across two PC's, rather than 3, and see if the lag is still there.

[xbrunox]

Yes ping and LAn is perfect.

I Use over my two cabs in LAN supermodel games and teknoppart games and all is good.
i have small input lag problem only with mame specially with virtua racing (all release and version of mame). for example i use the special version for lan in ridge racer and i have not lag with ridge racer.
and i have input lag problem with model2 emulator.

[buttersoft]

IDK, really. Are you using Boomslang's FFB plugin in both cases? Is so, try without? If not, try it with...?

[vandale]

Yes ping and LAn is perfect.

I Use over my two cabs in LAN supermodel games and teknoppart games and all is good.
i have small input lag problem only with mame specially with virtua racing (all release and version of mame). for example i use the special version for lan in ridge racer and i have not lag with ridge racer.
and i have input lag problem with model2 emulator.

Are you talking about the steering deadzone?

If so, find deadzone in mame.ini and make it 0. This improves the deadzone but doesn't eliminate it. M2 and Teknoparrot dont have deadzone issues. Mame has had a crappy deadzone since the dark ages.

[lord_raiden_128]

I got it. Your set up was correct, but somehow mame was using an old vr.ini int eh root. Deleted that and I am up and running.

Thank you both for helping me 

This finally got me over the hump after being stuck for several days!