PowerMAME - New Derivative Build

[Farmboy90]

Man I am confused I think.  I will go home tonight and try to figure out the setting and maybe take a picture or two.  Here is what I recall when I tried this with 1942.

With the default settings, 1942 loaded and filled my screen vertically.  Of course being a vertically rastered game it has letter boxing on the sides.  This area was filled in with some artwork of the game itself.

I flipped the setting and loaded the game again.  There appeared to be no difference in game size - it still filled the entire screen vertically.  The only difference was the letter boxing was black - ie, not filled with artwork.

[Havok]

This is looking great!

Is there an option to skip the default "OK" for each new game? I don't see an option to turn it off by default.

Also, can we skip the disclaimer screen that the game is not working 100% or screen flipping, etc. on some games?

[Farmboy90]

Yes.  If MikeQ has not already added it, I will add those flags back to the code.

** Edit **

Actually I posted that code somewhere already.  Let me try to find the link.

** EDIT #2 **

Here it is:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=49097.0

MikeQ, feel free to add this as well if it isn't already.  It simply adds back into the code the support for the skip_disclaimer and skip_warnings flags like this in src\windows\config.c:

  { "skip_warnings", NULL, rc_bool, &options.skip_warnings, "0", 0, 0, NULL, "skip displaying the " GAMENOUN " warnings screen" },
  { "skip_disclaimer", NULL, rc_bool, &options.skip_disclaimer, "0", 0, 0, NULL, "skip displaying the " GAMENOUN " disclaimer screen" },

[SirPoonga]

I'd be weary about adding that if you want to keep the mame name.  The devs do not like that hack.

[MYX]

It may be drifting into some legal issues we don't wanna deal with.   

[Farmboy90]

I don't see why that would be the case.  Ever other derivative out there has mame in the name and they filter these things as well.

And this isn't taking them out, it is simply providing the options that were already put there by mameDEV anyway. 

At any rate, either way is fine with me, I have my own build anyway. 

[SirPoonga]

I don't see why that would be the case.  Ever other derivative out there has mame in the name and they filter these things as well.

I can not think of a derivative that include the disclaimers hack after the mame license change?  Just because someone else gets away with it doesn't mean we would.

And this isn't taking them out, it is simply providing the options that were already put there by mameDEV anyway. 

No, its not in there, that's why people would want it added.

[Havok]

I don't see why that would be the case.  Ever other derivative out there has mame in the name and they filter these things as well.

I can not think of a derivative that include the disclaimers hack after the mame license change?  Just because someone else gets away with it doesn't mean we would.

And this isn't taking them out, it is simply providing the options that were already put there by mameDEV anyway. 

No, its not in there, that's why people would want it added.

What's the big deal, anyways? Besides, this is considered open source, right? So as long as we adhere to open source licensing, it shouldn't be a problem - and I don't think that would be a violation.

You're going to make me learn how to compile my own build, aren't you?

[krick]

What's the big deal, anyways? Besides, this is considered open source, right? So as long as we adhere to open source licensing, it shouldn't be a problem - and I don't think that would be a violation.

Not all open source licenses are the same.  If you want to use the MAME source, you have to follow their rules...

http://mamedev.org/legalfaq.html

[MYX]

Not all open source licenses are the same.  If you want to use the MAME source, you have to follow their rules...
http://mamedev.org/legalfaq.html

And that's ok with me because MAME Rocks. There, I said it. 

Hey, Sorry, this may be a stupid question, but can the comand line PowerMAME be used in MAMEWah?

[Farmboy90]

I say just change the name from PowerMAME to something withou Mame in it, and lets get on with it. 

It isn't that big of a deal to call it something else.  The point of this project is to make the most user/cab friendly mame version around.  Enough of the religous debate stuff.

Let's focus on the goal.  And if renaming it helps people sleep at night, fine by me.  I just want to play games like most every other cab builder. 

[mahuti]

Whatever the outcome, feel free to compile your own build with the above code. With Mr. Do's instructions, it's about a 5 minute process to get everything set up and going.

[JoyMonkey]

Whatever the outcome, feel free to compile your own build with the above code. With Mr. Do's instructions, it's about a 5 minute process to get everything set up and going.

Agreed. Even someone as inept at coding as myself can easily adjust the source and compile a build without the OK screens.
There's no point in disrespecting the MAME Dev's by distributing an illegitimate binary against their wishes; if people don't want those screens it takes five minutes to set up a compile environment and adjust the code themselves.

[MikeQ]

I say just change the name from PowerMAME to something withou Mame in it, and lets get on with it. 

It isn't that big of a deal to call it something else.  The point of this project is to make the most user/cab friendly mame version around.  Enough of the religous debate stuff.

Let's focus on the goal.  And if renaming it helps people sleep at night, fine by me.  I just want to play games like most every other cab builder. 

I'd like at some to work with the MAMEdevs to see what features we can get pushed back into MAME.  When there is an opportunity to do something against their wishes, I'd rather not.  I got permission from Aaron Giles to use the MAME name.  He made special exception to the license for me since I'm distributing a .DLL that I don't provide source code for.  I appreciate what he did and would rather not thumb my nose at him.

[JoyMonkey]

To try and get the documentation ball rolling, I put together a quick PowerMAME Wiki here:
http://powermame.joymonkey.com

At the moment you don't need a password to edit, so if you'd like to add a description of a feature, or start a new page, please go right ahead.

[MikeQ]

Back on topic.

I finished up Auto setting of DRS modes when using a 49way joystick and GPWiz49.  I've tested it with sinistar, galaga, Donkey kong and a few other games.  It properly selects whether the 49way will act like a 49way, 2  way, 4 way or 8 way depending on the input ports and how you have your mappings setup.

For instance if you are playing sinistar (49way game) and you have the Analog inputs mapped to Axes, you get 49way.  If you map to the analog Inc/Dec inputs and don't map the main analog input you get 8 way.  A game such as Donkey Kong that doesn't have Analog inputs will get switched to 2h, 2v, 4 or 8 way depending on how many direction you map to and whether the game denotes the inputs specifically as 4 way.  You can even do weird things like map up/dn to one 49way and left/right to another 49 for a single joystick input and each 49way will get setup properly(one as 2v and one as 2h).  I doubt people will do this but I figured I'd make it robust.

This should be in 104.1.  I still need to add a menu item on the TAB input menu to allow the user to override the autodeteced mode with his own menu selected mode.

The one issue I have is with diagonal 4 way.  I have a hacky way to detect this but I'm wondering if Qbert is the only game that does this?  Are there others?

[MikeQ]

To try and get the documentation ball rolling, I put together a quick PowerMAME Wiki here:
http://powermame.joymonkey.com

At the moment you don't need a password to edit, so if you'd like to add a description of a feature, or start a new page, please go right ahead.

Cool!  I saw your PM but took of last night for my Anniversary/Valentines day.  Just took a look.  This is a great way to keep track of features people have been requesting.

Thanks JoyMonkey.

[JoyMonkey]

The one issue I have is with diagonal 4 way.  I have a hacky way to detect this but I'm wondering if Qbert is the only game that does this?  Are there others?

As far as I know, the only other diagonal games are Congo Bongo and Q*Berts Qubes.

[MikeQ]

The one issue I have is with diagonal 4 way.  I have a hacky way to detect this but I'm wondering if Qbert is the only game that does this?  Are there others?

As far as I know, the only other diagonal games are Congo Bongo and Q*Berts Qubes.

Ok,  I'll test them too.  Qbert was my only test game.

I just updated the Wiki.  I added a sidebar catagory for what is in progress.  I added what I'm working on and moved the Pause tweak to in progress.  It isn't in the current release.

[JoyMonkey]

Actually, according to controls.dat, "Faster, Harder, More Challenging Q*bert (prototype)" is also diagonal and not a clone of QBert; so thats another one to test out.

http://fe.donkeyfly.com/controls/gamesbycontrol.php#Diagonal%204-way%20Joystick

[MYX]

I think that Congo Bongo is diag too.

EDIT

As far as I know, the only other diagonal games are Congo Bongo and Q*Berts Qubes.

Doop! Sorry,

[Tiger-Heli]

Another thing to add.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=50083.0

I did do a hack for an older mame to do this.  But then they changed the artwork system and I didn't want to learn the new system.  However it might be worth going back to now.

Also, adding a generic bezel.  That way on games that don't have artwork you can fill in with something that matches the design of your cabinet.

I would really like to see this included.

[Tiger-Heli]

I don't see why that would be the case.  Ever other derivative out there has mame in the name and they filter these things as well.

I can not think of a derivative that include the disclaimers hack after the mame license change?  Just because someone else gets away with it doesn't mean we would.

If I'm not mistaken, BuddaMAME enables it.  I like the feature and hope it can be included.  Personally, I would change the name to PowerM*ME to include it, but I also don't want to upset the devs . . .

[SirPoonga]

Actually, according to controls.dat, "Faster, Harder, More Challenging Q*bert (prototype)" is also diagonal and not a clone of QBert; so thats another one to test out.

http://fe.donkeyfly.com/controls/gamesbycontrol.php#Diagonal%204-way%20Joystick

Oh, commas in game names.  I need to recode the php on that site sometime.  I've learned alot more since.  Funny, the review page displays the name correctly but the page you linked doesn't.  Will have to look at what I did differently....

[Minwah]

Actually, according to controls.dat, "Faster, Harder, More Challenging Q*bert (prototype)" is also diagonal and not a clone of QBert; so thats another one to test out.

And 'Tylz'...

[boykster]

maybe an "overrides" ini file (ala set49mode) is in order for special cases?

Just a thought.

Rich

[Silver]

To try and get the documentation ball rolling, I put together a quick PowerMAME Wiki here:
http://powermame.joymonkey.com

At the moment you don't need a password to edit, so if you'd like to add a description of a feature, or start a new page, please go right ahead.

Hey nice Wiki. I just added something (gear inputs) as that was requested..... No real info on it yet, although I know there is some to link to around here (although the code for polepos may be in the driver)

[JoyMonkey]

Thanks for helping! Tiger-Heli has been writing up a storm in the Wiki; there's some form of explanation for almost everything there now.

[Tiger-Heli]

Thanks for helping! Tiger-Heli has been writing up a storm in the Wiki; there's some form of explanation for almost everything there now.

Thanks for hosting this.  If you want to see a feature added, but don't want to learn Wiki (although it's really easy to use), just put a note in Miscellaneous on the Wiki and either myself or JoyMonkey will try to talk about it . . .

[MYX]

Please pardon the ignorance, but what exactly is Wiki.

[JoyMonkey]

Please pardon the ignorance, but what exactly is Wiki.

A Wiki is a website that can be edited by anybody. If you click on 'Edit' on any of the pages, it'll let you make whatever changes you'd like to it. The best example of a Wiki is Wikipedia; I'm constantly looking up info on everyhting there.

Edit:
If you want to test it out without worrying about screwing anything up (although any changes are always easily reversed anyway), try editing the SandBox page, thats what it's there for.

[mahuti]

wiki= (somewhat) anarchistic documentation tool. Great for allowing laizzes faire group interaction & documentation updates. Works fantastic until a spambot starts popping up. I've had one for the MacMAME documentation now for about 3 years, and we only recently had to start restricting access to non-anonymous users.

Nice thing about a wiki is that you can rollback to old edits if anyone writes something stupid/incorrect. 

[Tiger-Heli]

The best example of a Wiki is Wikipedia; I'm constantly looking up info on everyhting there.

Here's another interesting one for Trekkies: http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Main_Page

[SirPoonga]

As stated Wiki is basically group documentation.  Which is perfect for open source program documentation as mroe than one person works on the program.

[Silver]

This may have been covered before, but I can I just repeat/suggest that:

1) Each change is available as a seperate source edit, available in seperate diffs (or controllable with 1 switch in the compile settings)

2) I think *every* change made should be controlled by an option in the ini. I'm thinking about the input changes here mainly - but if we are changing what inputs a game uses to better suit authentic hardware, then  I think it would be a good idea to keep changes optional for those with different hardware. eg "dial" input for rotary games - not authentic or right for real mechanical rotaries, but great if you have a spinner....

[MikeQ]

This may have been covered before, but I can I just repeat/suggest that:

1) Each change is available as a seperate source edit, available in seperate diffs (or controllable with 1 switch in the compile settings)

2) I think *every* change made should be controlled by an option in the ini. I'm thinking about the input changes here mainly - but if we are changing what inputs a game uses to better suit authentic hardware, then  I think it would be a good idea to keep changes optional for those with different hardware. eg "dial" input for rotary games - not authentic or right for real mechanical rotaries, but great if you have a spinner....

1)  Too much work for me to test all the permutations

2) No functionality is being lost only new features added and each feature is can be turned off or overridden.   Some don't even show up if hardware isn't available.
 
For instance, If a GPWiz49 or LEDwiz isn't found, those options are turned off.  With the GPWiz49, the menu options don't even appear.

[Tiger-Heli]

2) I think *every* change made should be controlled by an option in the ini. I'm thinking about the input changes here mainly - but if we are changing what inputs a game uses to better suit authentic hardware, then  I think it would be a good idea to keep changes optional for those with different hardware. eg "dial" input for rotary games - not authentic or right for real mechanical rotaries, but great if you have a spinner....

Agreed, that is how rotary games worked in MAME Analog Plus (you could use DIAL, keyboard, keyboard with one click per press, or sixteen inputs).  Of course that was before MAME reworked all the input handling.

[Buddabing]

This may have been covered before, but I can I just repeat/suggest that:

1) Each change is available as a seperate source edit, available in seperate diffs (or controllable with 1 switch in the compile settings)

2) I think *every* change made should be controlled by an option in the ini. I'm thinking about the input changes here mainly - but if we are changing what inputs a game uses to better suit authentic hardware, then  I think it would be a good idea to keep changes optional for those with different hardware. eg "dial" input for rotary games - not authentic or right for real mechanical rotaries, but great if you have a spinner....

I totally agree. The lack of this change control is what killed NoNameMAME.

[MikeQ]

This may have been covered before, but I can I just repeat/suggest that:

1) Each change is available as a seperate source edit, available in seperate diffs (or controllable with 1 switch in the compile settings)

2) I think *every* change made should be controlled by an option in the ini. I'm thinking about the input changes here mainly - but if we are changing what inputs a game uses to better suit authentic hardware, then  I think it would be a good idea to keep changes optional for those with different hardware. eg "dial" input for rotary games - not authentic or right for real mechanical rotaries, but great if you have a spinner....

I totally agree. The lack of this change control is what killed NoNameMAME.

Which lack of change control?  Not being able to compile each option or not being able to turn on/off each option via .ini?

[Buddabing]

This may have been covered before, but I can I just repeat/suggest that:

1) Each change is available as a seperate source edit, available in seperate diffs (or controllable with 1 switch in the compile settings)

2) I think *every* change made should be controlled by an option in the ini. I'm thinking about the input changes here mainly - but if we are changing what inputs a game uses to better suit authentic hardware, then  I think it would be a good idea to keep changes optional for those with different hardware. eg "dial" input for rotary games - not authentic or right for real mechanical rotaries, but great if you have a spinner....

I totally agree. The lack of this change control is what killed NoNameMAME.

Which lack of change control?  Not being able to compile each option or not being able to turn on/off each option via .ini?

Both. Ideally, there should be a process, similar to Linux configure, where the user checks off what options he wants, then the configure script builds the source changes and compiles it.