Software Support > PowerMAME
What's next
MikeQ:
Okay, I'm running low on things to do. I've got a lot of what "I" want done, finished. Need help prioritizing our proposed features and expanding the proposed list with new ideas.
Also, on the Wiki, when a proposed feature gets implemented, do we move it to the "next release" section. Once we release it, do we move it again to the current features?
Let me know.
Howard_Casto:
I don't mean to insult your efforts in any way, but up until now your powermame build, while flashy, doesn't really add anything to the accuracy of mame.
Making blinky lights go off when you insert a coin generically is cool and all but why not use all the light outputs on the ledwhiz to power outputs in emulated games (lights solenoids, actuators, step motors, ect...)?
I've made several threads on the subject but I don't have time to maintain a build myself. I would be willing to help you get it started, however. The key is to copy mame's input cfgs ad use them to make output cfgs, so different outputs can be mapped to different channels on the led whiz. Games that come to mind that need this are warlords (has 4 lights so keyboard leds aren't enough) gorf (has 6 lights) t2 (has a solenoid and light for each gun) and several others I am forgetting.
Also support for output methods other than the ledwhiz would be nice. Don't get me wrong, the ledwhiz is cool and all, but not really worth the price if you don't need more than 11 lights. Manipulation of the keyboard leds and the parallel port (the 8 data pins can be used to control leds or what have you) would probably do it.
I'll have to dig up a link to a thread I did a few weeks ago explaining the functions that need built.
In the meantime, keep up the good work.
JoyMonkey:
--- Quote from: Howard_Casto on February 27, 2006, 01:20:15 am ---Making blinky lights go off when you insert a coin generically is cool and all but why not use all the light outputs on the ledwhiz to power outputs in emulated games (lights solenoids, actuators, step motors, ect...)?
--- End quote ---
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this what the lighting events engine is for? It only supports the Q*bert solenoid right now, but is still in its early stages.
MikeQ:
--- Quote from: Howard_Casto on February 27, 2006, 01:20:15 am ---I don't mean to insult your efforts in any way, but up until now your powermame build, while flashy, doesn't really add anything to the accuracy of mame.
--- End quote ---
Stated in a non pissy manor (I seem to have a problem coming off sounding pissy).
The lighting stuff was something I wanted for my cabinet and is what started the whole project to begin with. Many of the features that PowerMAME will support have nothing to do with accuracy. That has never been my goal. If there are games that don't play well because mame doesn't have support for their controllers, then I'd like to address them but accuracy isn't my personal primary goal. Many of the Wiki items do address accuracy and playability but I'm more than willing to do things that fly in the face of accuracy. Of course this will be configurable for those that want accuracy.
--- Quote ---Making blinky lights go off when you insert a coin generically is cool and all but why not use all the light outputs on the ledwhiz to power outputs in emulated games (lights solenoids, actuators, step motors, ect...)?
--- End quote ---
Nothing prevents this now. Just as easily as you can light and led, you can fire solenoids, etc. The event lighting needs more work and needs to be extended to in game events. Once this is done, these features can be more fully supported.
--- Quote ---I've made several threads on the subject but I don't have time to maintain a build myself.
--- End quote ---
Neither do I. :)
--- Quote ---I would be willing to help you get it started, however. The key is to copy mame's input cfgs ad use them to make output cfgs, so different outputs can be mapped to different channels on the led whiz. Games that come to mind that need this are warlords (has 4 lights so keyboard leds aren't enough) gorf (has 6 lights) t2 (has a solenoid and light for each gun) and several others I am forgetting.
--- End quote ---
Can you explain this in more detail. I was under the impression that most of the game specific lighting is controlled via the game code (ROM) and would require intercepting memory writes to specific addresses. I'm finding less and less time to actually read this forum so I apologize if I've missed some threads. Sometimes I just scan over them and if it doesn't pertain to what I'm currently working on, I just ignore them.
--- Quote ---Also support for output methods other than the ledwhiz would be nice. Don't get me wrong, the ledwhiz is cool and all, but not really worth the price if you don't need more than 11 lights. Manipulation of the keyboard leds and the parallel port (the 8 data pins can be used to control leds or what have you) would probably do it.
--- End quote ---
I don't know of any other devices and no one has asked me to add support for any. I'd be willing to if there are a lot of people using other specific devices. In my own research on adding lighting (I was looking into this before the LEDwiz existed) I found other devices but they were far more expensive and had other commercial applications that made them so. I've asked buddabing about his controller and if I could support it but got no response.
--- Quote ---I'll have to dig up a link to a thread I did a few weeks ago explaining the functions that need built.
--- End quote ---
Please do. One issue with implementing this stuff is that I need to have a test rig. If people can provide me with the hardware, I'd love to work on it. However, I don't have the time to go build solenoid circuits etc. If you want to implement this stuff, cool too. I'll merge things in or I can give you access to the Perforce server.
--- Quote ---In the meantime, keep up the good work.
--- End quote ---
Thanks,
Mike
Howard_Casto:
Too many quotes for me to manage let me just go down the list:
I know that it's possible (an output is an output) I meant it's time to start supporting it. Blink patterns would mean nothing for non led output as they would't be linked to gameplay.
Yes it's actually in the driver code, but luckily in many cases it's already linked to set_led_status, a null input (for documentation purposes) or the artwork code (to turn on "lights" on false bezels). Getting the data from the driver is actually quite easy, it's just a function needs to be written to take the data and use it to turn on/off the outputs (just like set_led_status does now).
Heh, you must not know what I mean. What interfaces? I mean direct connections to keybaord lights and the parallel port. The Keyboard leds are easy, the set_led_status function is already written in mame, but the drivers are hardcoded in that they choose which keyboard light represents which game output. That needs to be changed to something generic. As for the parallel port, it's a straight shot. There are 8 pins on the parallel port (I don't have them off hand but it's easy enough to find) each pin represents a different output port that can be turned on and off with a simple write to the parallel port. The "interface" consists of some wire, 8 220 ohm resistors (actually not needed, but for safety's sake) and some sort of terminal block to take the wires from a lpt connector and patch them into your leds/relays/whatever. The cost is about 1.50 to 5 bucks, so that's a non issue.
The beauty of adding solenoid/actuator/whatever support is that you don't need the hardware to write the code. You just need a led to test with as all of these devices are simply digital on/off devices with a few exceptions. Since only people using the actual arcade hardware would be using anything other than lights anyway, they would alredy possess the necessary pcbs to ramp up the signal.
To give you an example: I have a gorf machine with the 6, 12-volt, rank lights. The lights are on their own controller pcb seperate from the game boards. Upon close inspection of the pcb it's merely a bank of 12v relays that are actived by a ~5- volt signal. Most games with output are like this so that high-voltage doesn't have to go through the logic boards. The singal is 5 volts, which means I could wire my gorf light pcb directly to an ledwhiz, parallel port, or even the keyboard led output block on an ipac to the pcb.
Qbert is the one notable exception, but most stick to this low voltage principal.
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