Lightgun flasher over groovymame in fullscreen

[psakhis]

Are you in Windows or GroovyArcade?

I need to know how mame is detecting gun, like a mouse?

[phasermaniac]

Groovymame (x64) windows 10
Guns detected like absolute coords mice (rawinput)

[psakhis]

Are you using Guncon2? Can you attach a game.cfg example of gunlight plugin?

With lua i'm reading absolute mice position and relative positions, but i'm not sure if gun it's the same value.

In my case, when i plug Guncon2 on W10 it didn't recognized usb.

[phasermaniac]

Im using guncon 45 with ems dual shooter 2 converter
Namco Guncon 2 has "rolling x" problem
Third party ps2 guns works
In any case you need a driver. I use topgun 2 x64 drivers, I remember installing it in win10 a little triky, you have to enable unsigned drivers.

zombraid.cfg

Code: [Select]

[{
    "port":":P1",
    "brightness_gain":0.4,
    "mask":16,
    "off_frames":1,
    "gamma_gain":0,
    "key":"GUNCODE_1_BUTTON1",
    "lag":4,
    "contrast_gain":0,
    "method":"first",
    "type":"P1_BUTTON1"
  },{
    "port":":P2",
    "brightness_gain":0.4,
    "mask":16,
    "off_frames":1,
    "gamma_gain":0,
    "key":"GUNCODE_3_BUTTON1",
    "lag":4,
    "contrast_gain":0,
    "method":"first",
    "type":"P1_BUTTON1"
  }]
ptblank.cfg

Code: [Select]

[{
    "type":"P1_BUTTON1",
    "method":"first",
    "contrast_gain":0,
    "port":":P1",
    "brightness_gain":0.4,
    "lag":0,
    "key":"GUNCODE_1_BUTTON1",
    "gamma_gain":0,
    "mask":16,
    "off_frames":2
  },{
    "type":"P1_BUTTON1",
    "method":"first",
    "contrast_gain":0,
    "port":":P2",
    "brightness_gain":0.4,
    "lag":0,
    "key":"GUNCODE_3_BUTTON1",
    "gamma_gain":0,
    "mask":16,
    "off_frames":2
  }]

In nuvee plugin ( used for psx and ps2 lightgun emulation) it shows these edges values: 1-65534. Not sure if it can help you in some way.

[psakhis]

Ok thank you.
I will write a verbose version of plugin to know what coords will be detected.

[phasermaniac]

Eager to test this
I've been testing some games, and I can say it works perfect. My crt guns works 100% with this. No miss shots.
The only game that I can't make work is alien3, I'll test better. Not specially interested on this one as it was a mounted machinegun game that never will work right with crt guns.
On my side, the button lag option is mandatory in a lot of games.
In some days I'll share my config files.

[psakhis]

Hi @phasermaniac

I need some test on your machine before implements reload on 0,0

1) Replace init.lua.txt for init.lua on plugin dir (backup the good one)
2) Test some game with -v commnad, for example: mame -v opwolf
3) When you shoot on 0,0 what print do you see, and when shoot on screen, the same too

Thx!

EDIT: For Alien3 you need download the latest version of plugin because main renderer isn't "screen" on LUA object.

[phasermaniac]

okay so it seems I get relative (mouse) and absolute(guncode):

onscreen shoot:
MOUSE X292
MOUSE Y99
guncode x 34404
guncode y -11198
GUNCODE Y seems to be always negative in my testing

offscreen shoot:
MOUSE X333
MOUSE Y122
guncode x -65536
guncode y -65536
MOUSE X and MOUSE Y shows the last onscreen position. GUNCODE X and Y always shows -65536

[psakhis]

Interesting!!

So i can add an option that with this values (-65536,-65536) you can remap reload input button from the game.

I add one option for drivers like your (guncode) and other one for users with drivers like a mouse.

It's a simple code.

Thx very much.

[psakhis]

@phasermaniac

You can try new feature.

guncode_offset added when you map a button; this only applies when shoots out off screen.

So, you need to map the same button with this new option with "no" for normal shoots, and with "yes" for reload.

[phasermaniac]

thanks! I'll try this evening.

[phasermaniac]

Works but it has a problem: when I shoot a dark zone it shoots and reloads
I think you are reading the coordinates before the flash is applied.
I mean for this its mandatory to read the coordinates after the flash, the closer possible to the button injection

[psakhis]

Ohhh, you are right; i'm reading coords before than that.

I think the solution

[psakhis]

I write a new version that reads coords after gains.

I hope this is the good one

[phasermaniac]

And again, yes it works but...
only with gain until release.
When set gain fixed frames it shoot and reloads (unless i set a huge fixed frames number and I release the button fast).
I bet the reason is the lengh of the button press must be inside the gain time, else when flash is over and you still have the button pressed it sends reload button.
So solution to this might be force end of the button press just before the end of flashing when using gain fixed frames.

Anyways thanks very much for your work, Never had my crt guns working so reliably

[phasermaniac]

On another hand I see the "gain until release" a little useless. I mean, you always want to keep the flasher the shorter possible because its annoying and it doesn't let you see the game itself.
Yesterday I was playing Operation wolf, Space gun and mechanized attack, which are machine gun mounted games, and I think for these, instead of gain until release, would be perfect a "autofire" option, I mean:
Create a loop whenever the button is pressed that launches the fixed frames gain each x frames.

Just an idea

[psakhis]

Are you tried different configs with some button lag for reload?

Now guncode_offset plugin works as:
 - On the frame when button is detected, if this is a offset button, isn't setting any value for it (pressed or not)
 - If button lag is added, all the frames before the lag are set to 0 (non pressed)
 - Gain or not is applied with fixed frames or until release methods (no changes here)
 - At the end of the frame, if this is a offset button and all the lag is over, plugin reads coords(x,y) for set pressed or not, if reads -65536 is considered pressed
 

[phasermaniac]

Yes I tried different configs to be sure.
In fact I create two "gunlight buttons", one for PX Trigger and the other for P1 Reload, both with the same "gun button", one with offset yes and the other no. And tested adding lag, but same problem.
The problem is the frames after the flash I think should be set to 0 (non pressed).
The rest I think it's ok

[psakhis]

The problem is the frames after the flash I think should be set to 0 (non pressed).

Do you think this only for reload button (offset mapped button) or for everything?

[phasermaniac]

Code: [Select]

if button.method == "first" then
if not gain_applied then
if button.counter == 1 then
num_frames_gain = button.off_frames
else
return 0
end
end
end
seems to do thee trick, gonna test.
Now that you have developed more code, I begin to understand it, but there are things I still miss.

[phasermaniac]

Do you think this only for reload button (offset mapped button) or for everything?

I think for everything, theorically the only moment crt gun need the button press is inside the flashing time.
However, if you test Spacegun for example, used mounted machine guns, but surprisingly it has its own flashing, so maybe its guns were not ad sticks or analog joys but actual crt guns attached to the cab. It has autofire, which let you mantain the button pressed to fire repeatedly, and launches a flashing periodically.

[psakhis]

I can add this feature:
- Only apply button with gain (yes/no)

This is a very easy change on plugin.

What do you think?

[phasermaniac]

I think it should work, theorically.
My modification does not work as I wanted, but has some effect:
In zombie raid, which needs  fixed frames and 4frames of button lag, if I shoot a dark zone and keep the button pressed, it should only shoot, but:
-With the code you udated this morning: it shoots and reloads, and reloads too everytime I pass my aiming though a dark zone.
-With my modification: It shots and reloads, but only once, no matter if i pass through a dark zone

[psakhis]

New feature added.

[phasermaniac]

Tested a bit with mixed results, Ill retest tomorrow
Thanks.
By the way, would it be possible to export this to other emulators?
For example, model2 emu supports lua scripts as I see, and has good gun games.
Retroarch, Im not a big fan but you would cover naomi, psx, saturn, genesis, snes, mastersysten, nes...

[phasermaniac]

Mmmm, testing with Zombieraid, it works perfect for p1, but not for p2 (on dark zones it shoots and release)
Also it doesn't seem to work if no lag is applied, although for the moment I have not tested any game that needs "Guncode offscreen" with no "frames to apply button".

On another hand, I find the plugin a little confusing to use, and I think it will for other users. What do you think about

Simplifying:
- Guncode off-screen: Instead of "yes" why not input here the input deseired? this way you wouldn't have to create another gunlight button.
- Frames to apply gain: I would change to "flash length" and add a -1 value to be "until release" so you can eliminate "Gain method"
- Only with gain: I would change that for "Input lenght", to give the freedom to set a frame number, or -1 to be "until release", so it would have the same logic that "flash length"

Renaming and reordering, I think this would be easier to understand:
Action                      P1 Fire
Offscreen Action   P1 Reload
Input              Gun Button 1
Input Length                    3
Input Delay                      2
Flash Length                    4
Flash Brightness            0,5
Flash Contrast                  0
Flash Gamma                   0

Also I think, that would be good to keep the same names in the mame menu and in the config game files in "gunlight" directory.
Another thing I feel weird is that when you update your gunlight config, the order of variables change in the config file. Would be nice to be always the same order, as if you want to modify or compare some files it can be very confusing.

Sorry to be this long. All this are ideas which I think would help in the ease of use.

[phasermaniac]

Ok, tested a little more and I think what is the problem with p2:
For offscreen reload p2 is looking at p1 coords, so if you are pointing p1 at screen, p2 shoots ok, else p2 shoots ans reloads at once.

[Rion]

Mmmm, testing with Zombieraid, it works perfect for p1, but not for p2 (on dark zones it shoots and release)
Also it doesn't seem to work if no lag is applied, although for the moment I have not tested any game that needs "Guncode offscreen" with no "frames to apply button".

On another hand, I find the plugin a little confusing to use, and I think it will for other users. What do you think about

Simplifying:
- Guncode off-screen: Instead of "yes" why not input here the input deseired? this way you wouldn't have to create another gunlight button.
- Frames to apply gain: I would change to "flash length" and add a -1 value to be "until release" so you can eliminate "Gain method"
- Only with gain: I would change that for "Input lenght", to give the freedom to set a frame number, or -1 to be "until release", so it would have the same logic that "flash length"

Renaming and reordering, I think this would be easier to understand:
Action                      P1 Fire
Offscreen Action   P1 Reload
Input              Gun Button 1
Input Length                    3
Input Delay                      2
Flash Length                    4
Flash Brightness            0,5
Flash Contrast                  0
Flash Gamma                   0

Also I think, that would be good to keep the same names in the mame menu and in the config game files in "gunlight" directory.
Another thing I feel weird is that when you update your gunlight config, the order of variables change in the config file. Would be nice to be always the same order, as if you want to modify or compare some files it can be very confusing.

Sorry to be this long. All this are ideas which I think would help in the ease of use.

I second the renaming and reordering. Good idea 

[phasermaniac]

Hi! I have been trying to solve the offsceen reload problem, something like:
      

Code: [Select]

if port == 1
        local guncode_xaxis = manager.machine.input:code_from_token("GUNCODE_1_XAXIS")
local guncode_yaxis = manager.machine.input:code_from_token("GUNCODE_1_YAXIS")
end
if port == 2
        local guncode_xaxis = manager.machine.input:code_from_token("GUNCODE_2_XAXIS")
local guncode_yaxis = manager.machine.input:code_from_token("GUNCODE_2_YAXIS")
end
or better

Code: [Select]

local guncode_xaxis = manager.machine.input:code_from_token("GUNCODE_"port"_XAXIS")
local guncode_yaxis = manager.machine.input:code_from_token("GUNCODE_"port"_YAXIS")
but I don't know how to use the variable port and whats its actual value, any advise? thanks

[psakhis]

I need to do some refactor to detect p2 buttons

I will do it on the next days.

[phasermaniac]

Thanks I thought it would be easy, but I'm pretty lost with your code.

[psakhis]

I fixed P2 offset. For refactor options i need some more time.

Just the condition you looking for is manager.machine.ioport.ports[button.port]:field(button.mask).player

[phasermaniac]

It works, but...
-Bear in mind that the guns may not be necessarily GUNCODE_1 and GUNCODE_2 it depends on the order Windows detects "mice". So in my system my guns are 1 and 3, because I have a trackball too. I think you can get the guncode from the "key" value GUNCODE_X_BUTTON1, so you make sure that guncode of key and coords of offscreen action is from the same device.
-I made an "stress test" in Zombie Raid, that is a very dark game:
I create 2 "gunlight buttons" for the same "key": one with GUNCODE "guncode_offset" "yes " and the other "no" to get the offscreen reload, some shoots do't register. It doesn't seem to happen if I delete the  "guncode_offset" "yes " gunlight buttons.
I don't understand why this happens
Thanks

[psakhis]

Yeah, i think 2 bindings problem is a reminiscence of autofire plugin code, i had seen it when clean a bit.

I'll just rewrite and clean up the plugin with your tips about renaming and reordering.

[phasermaniac]

Nice, thankks!

[psakhis]

@phasermaniac, you can test new version but backup your plugin first 
Changes
 - Saves files have options ordered in the same way always
 - Refactor menu
    - Added offset action (isn't needed 2 entries for offset now)
    - Offset guncode axis detection by key (not player)
    - In this version i deleted Input length, i think isn't necessary anymore. You need set up amount of flash length >= Input delay
    - Flash length with -1 value is "until release"

[phasermaniac]

Amazing, I'll test tomorrow, thanks

[phasermaniac]

Finally I could test a bit.
It looks much better and easier to understand, don't you?
The only thing I can't get working is the offscreen reload: with input lenght -1, it works. But with a fixed length, it shoots and reload. If you have the button pressed when the flashing ends, it shoots another time, and if the area is dark, it reloads.
Another thing i found is that if you set an offscreen action, later you can't delete it on the menu.

[psakhis]

Finally I could test a bit.
It looks much better and easier to understand, don't you?
The only thing I can't get working is the offscreen reload: with input lenght -1, it works. But with a fixed length, it shoots and reload. If you have the button pressed when the flashing ends, it shoots another time, and if the area is dark, it reloads.
Another thing i found is that if you set an offscreen action, later you can't delete it on the menu.

Yeah, it's better now.
I had forgotten apply only buttons with gain on frame. Can you test now?

[phasermaniac]

It works. But this seems to introduce this bug already commented:
When you shoot p1 and p2 at the same time, one of them is won't shoot.
Actually, I don't know if it worked before the last change.