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Bribery for new Mame feature "Shifter Toggle" Help...

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Minwah:


--- Quote from: Mario on January 23, 2006, 11:20:57 pm ---With a return-to-center type of shifter, any game can be supported.

--- End quote ---

But for some games (eg Chase HQ) where you have to hold a button down to stay in low, you would have to hold the shifter in the lo position and let go to engage high.  So it would work but far from ideal.  And for the other games (Pole Pos etc.) I agree with Xiaou - it wouldn't really feel right.

Minwah:


--- Quote from: Xiaou2 on January 24, 2006, 01:27:49 am --- As for the programming comment.. my brain is limited in such a complex capacity.  Sometimes I wish it werent like that.. but. we all have our strenghts and weaknesses.. and programming is beyond my capability.

--- End quote ---

There are plenty of programmers here...maybe we should look into it.  I don't program in C but maybe with a bit of looking around the Pole Pos and other drivers it might be possible.

Now from what I've seen games with a hi/lo shifter are handled in three ways:

1) Toggle (eg Pole Position) - 1 input
2) Hold input for low, release for high (eg Chase HQ) - 1 input
3) Input for low, input for high (eg Outrun) - 2 inputs

I think these should all be handled in the same way for our purposes.  This needs a bit of thinking but I reckon having an input for low and an input for high is the way to go (as per 3 above).  This way it would work with momentary shifters (2 seperate microswitches presumably) and 'locking' shifters (eg NO for low, NC for high).  4 speed (digital) shifters would work in the same way for these games as hi/lo locking shifters.  I think this is the method with the least problems...the only potential problem I can think of is with locking shifters sending a constant keystroke, but if neccessary this could be worked around with a physical switch on the ground to the shifter.

Minwah:


--- Quote from: Xiaou2 on January 24, 2006, 01:27:49 am --- As for the programming comment.. my brain is limited in such a complex capacity.  Sometimes I wish it werent like that.. but. we all have our strenghts and weaknesses.. and programming is beyond my capability.

--- End quote ---

There are plenty of programmers here...maybe we should look into it.  I don't program in C but maybe with a bit of looking around the Pole Pos and other drivers it might be possible.

Now from what I've seen games with a hi/lo shifter are handled in three ways:

1) Toggle (eg Pole Position) - 1 input
2) Hold input for low, release for high (eg Chase HQ) - 1 input
3) Input for low, input for high (eg Outrun) - 2 inputs

I think these should all be handled in the same way for our purposes.  This needs a bit of thinking but I reckon having an input for low and an input for high is the way to go (as per 3 above).  This way it would work with momentary shifters (2 seperate microswitches presumably) and 'locking' shifters (eg NO for low, NC for high).  4 speed (digital) shifters would work in the same way for these games as hi/lo locking shifters.  I think this is the method with the least problems...the only potential problem I can think of is with locking shifters sending a constant keystroke, but if neccessary this could be worked around with a physical switch on the ground to the shifter.  Edit: this wouldn't even be a problem if the shifter has a 'deadzone'...I know my Atari 4-speed for example does.

PetitMorte:


--- Quote from: Minwah on January 24, 2006, 06:05:57 am ---Now from what I've seen games with a hi/lo shifter are handled in three ways:

1) Toggle (eg Pole Position) - 1 input
2) Hold input for low, release for high (eg Chase HQ) - 1 input
3) Input for low, input for high (eg Outrun) - 2 inputs

I think these should all be handled in the same way for our purposes.  This needs a bit of thinking but I reckon having an input for low and an input for high is the way to go (as per 3 above).  This way it would work with momentary shifters (2 seperate microswitches presumably) and 'locking' shifters (eg NO for low, NC for high).  4 speed (digital) shifters would work in the same way for these games as hi/lo locking shifters.  I think this is the method with the least problems...the only potential problem I can think of is with locking shifters sending a constant keystroke, but if neccessary this could be worked around with a physical switch on the ground to the shifter.  Edit: this wouldn't even be a problem if the shifter has a 'deadzone'...I know my Atari 4-speed for example does.

--- End quote ---

The funny thing is, even though MAME handles Pole Position as a type 1 shift, the origional shifter hardware from a pole-position machine functions in Type 2 mode!



Flinkly:

well i've got a shifter that is the four way type that engages the buttons...ala happs 4 speed shifter (type three).  it sounds like minwahs idea is good, but would i add a cap or something in line to cut off the switch?  or replace with another switch?

sounds like we need a mame patch.

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