Software Support > controls.dat
controls.xml outdated
u_rebelscum:
--- Quote from: TheShanMan on September 20, 2008, 10:16:15 pm ---I'm sure they are fine in the context of the actual arcade cabinet, but in the context of mame they're not so useful....
--- End quote ---
We have to be careful here. Example: One person likes "shoot", another likes "fire". Which would used for verified button labeled "A" in your case? IMO, which ever the final user wants as long as the official value stays "A".
Take the example a step further: the shoot person replaces all "fire" with "shoot", and vice versa for the fire person. IMO that's fine as long as it stays personal copy.
A middle ground is add another field to the labels, say FakeValue. This could also be used as a placeholder for personal or unverified names. Apps oculd be edited to be able use those, or a simple app/batch/serch&replace could move the FakeValue over the Value for people who want it so no changes would be needed for apps to use them. The shoot vs fire issue would still appear though.
Example: 1943kai
<Game RomName="1943kai" GameName="1943 Kai: Midway Kaisen (Japan)" NumPlayers="2" Alternating="0" Mirrored="1" UsesService="0" Tilt="0" Cocktail="0">
<Status Verified="1" />
<MiscDetails>A - Fire, B - Bomb Pressing both buttons will allow the plane to loop</MiscDetails>
<Player Number="1" NumButtons="2">
<Controls>
<Control Name="8-way Joystick">
<Constant Name="joy8way" />
</Control>
</Controls>
<Labels>
<Label Name="P1_BUTTON1" Value="A" FakeValue="Fire" />
<Label Name="P1_BUTTON2" Value="B" FakeVaule="Bomb"/>
<Label Name="P1_JOYSTICK_LEFT" Value="Left" />
<Label Name="P1_JOYSTICK_DOWN" Value="Down" />
<Label Name="P1_JOYSTICK_UP" Value="Up" />
<Label Name="P1_JOYSTICK_RIGHT" Value="Right" />
</Labels>
</Player>
</Game>
Italics are added, strikeout are deleted.
TheShanMan:
I'm totally fine with those labels remaining in the unverified/unofficial category, and I'm not picky on shoot vs. fire (or whatever the case may be) as long as they get the point across to whatever degree is possible on a short label. I just feel very strongly that there needs to be more consideration given to what is practical/useful than there has been in the past, without abandoning the original mission of accuracy and verification. I think it's possible to do both, and I think it would be a mistake not to.
cdbrown:
I did wonder what happened to controls.dat since I stopped trying to submit entries about 3 years ago, packed up and moved to the UK. Great to see that it hasn't died off as it's a good little project. Once I get my stuff sorted out I'll be trying to find all my old files which contained "unofficial" controls for quite a few games. None of them could be verified properly so they were never submitted. I hope I've still got them somewhere.
Howard_Casto:
Heh.... we rose cdbrown from the dead, so we must be doing something right. He's one of the "two other guys" I mentioned.
Howard_Casto:
Regarding the talk of "fake" labels and what-not, I don't think there is any compromise in this respect. We want the actual labels, not junk. As I've already stated, the misc details entry was put in place from the very start just for such occasions. If your viewer's layout doesn't have space for misc details then I suggest you make a new layout... it is a VERY important resource.
It's a moot point anyway as the percentage of games that have generic labels like that is extremely low. As a matter of fact, except for a few sports games in which the button function changes depending upon the inning/round/ect I honestly can't think of any. As I stated, systems (neogeo playchoice-10 ect) tell you the controls in-game, so you guys are thinking up possible solutions to a problem we don't really have. :)
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