Limit or Cap Credits

[Andymac1990]

Hi, I recently built a MAME arcade machine and am really loving the experience. Very nice work all of you. I play it all the time with my buddies and its a blast because we are so competitive over the high score. We are high score fanatics. So there is one major problem I've run into and it's the fact that 80% of the games that we play has no way of limiting the amount of times you continue. For example Galaga, if you put in 5 credits, play the game, and then lose. The games starts over and now you have 4 credits. This is ideal. But Most games as in Image Fight, you put in 5 credits and when you die you can keep continuing and keep adding credits and playing forever. It also takes the fun out of the game for me, at least, because I know that I can never lose. This also takes away the competition because the honesty policy is gone when we are this hardcore. I know that some games have dip switch settings that can be set to not allow continuing but they are rare. Does anybody share my frustration or have a SOLUTION?

 I don't know how hard it would be to add a credit Limit or Cap that can be set per game and in general (to all games). Maybe just something like this:

- if (player) has pressed the button mapped to credits X times
- temporarily unmap the credit button to none
- and then remap it on soft reset, exit, or load new rom. something like that.

Please Help. Thanks a 1,000,000!

[kagaden]

Not sure if there's a software way to do it... but I'm thinking... perhaps use tokens for credits? At least then you can physically restrict them somehow.

[dmworking247]

I asked this very same question a few years ago on another forum, because I tire of adding credits or handing out tokens or coins, and the 'honesty system' doesnt work with my young kids.

A kind member wrote some software which basically limits the number of times the credit key (configurable) can be pressed before a reset key (configurable - lets say its ESC) s pressed.

So for example you set it to 5 credits, with the reset key being 'ESC'. You can add up to 5 credits, and then the 'credit key' becomes disabled (the OS doesn't recognize the keypress until its reset). When you quit out of MAME (ESC) and re-enter a new game, you can enter your 5 credits again.

I'll dig up my PMs on the other board and contact the member, as I really should have his permission before I distribute the software.

[Andymac1990]

Yes please do that is [exactly] what I need. I also emailed the mame dev team about it and if I hear from them Ill get back post it here.

[Kajoq]

Andy, on 90% of games your score resets when you continue anyways so they might get a little further, but their score isn't going to be any better

[Andymac1990]

Really? Well i've been using "mame XT Plus" and I haven't noticed a single game so far that doesn't save a high score. You might need to look into it.

[u_rebelscum]

Andy, do you mean save the high score table, or carry the same score from one play to the continue play?  Kajoq talking about the latter.

Mame doesn't do anything to the games' internal logic, such as carrying the score between continues.  Nothing.  That is completely up to the original arcade game code (AKA ROMs).  Most old games didn't, but many mid 90's games did.  The derivs don't touch this either AFAIK.

So it completely depends on what games you play.


As for limiting continues, mame won't touch that.  It's too much a commercial use to be even thought of adding, let alone that that mame doesn't have anything to do with the logic of if a game is continued or not.  (Again that's 100% in the original arcade code.)

[Andymac1990]

Oh ok. I didn't know that. I was talking about the highscore.dat file. Thanks, that's good to know. I sill would really like to have a program that does exactly as dmworking247 describes:

"Insert Quote
I asked this very same question a few years ago on another forum, because I tire of adding credits or handing out tokens or coins, and the 'honesty system' doesnt work with my young kids.

A kind member wrote some software which basically limits the number of times the credit key (configurable) can be pressed before a reset key (configurable - lets say its ESC) s pressed.

So for example you set it to 5 credits, with the reset key being 'ESC'. You can add up to 5 credits, and then the 'credit key' becomes disabled (the OS doesn't recognize the keypress until its reset). When you quit out of MAME (ESC) and re-enter a new game, you can enter your 5 credits again.

I'll dig up my PMs on the other board and contact the member, as I really should have his permission before I distribute the software."

[IG-88]

Any luck on this dmworking247?

And is that Domo? My 3yr old is scared to death of that thing. I can't even go into Target with him...

[TOK]

Don't want to sidetrack your discussion, but many games that have a continue feature also have a dipswitch setting to turn it off. Hit the Tab and dipswitch keys and look to see if the game allows you to toggle off the continue feature.

[RandyT]

There is one simple way and that is to use your coin door.  Unlock it, trip the coin switch as many times as you want (or install a button inside the cabinet for this purpose) and lock the door when you are done.

You could also just get a keyed switch and mount it somewhere on the outside of the cabinet.  Put the key in, turn it to the "on" position to complete the circuit to your credit button, rack up the desired credits and then take the key out and stick it in your pocket!

There's no need for anything fancy to limit plays of the same game.

RandyT

[Andymac1990]

ya that a good idea but i really don't want to open a locked thing every time I want to insert a credit. Also A coin door just isn't going to work for me right now for a few reasons. Seriously I just need a program exactly like dmworking247 describes. It would be perfect. If any one else has heard of such a program please share! 

[Burn4Evr]

For your situation, I would add another button or switch, hidden away.
You could basically switch the ground lines of both with one button, so both the coin button and the extra switch would need to be on to add a credit.

Kinda close to the awesome keyed switch idea earlier, but without having a key.

Other then that...  how about a token system, each token hits a switch (like a normal system) but stores tokens in a tray. The only way to get your tokens back is to press the tray in (which pushes an escape button)

Then again this is probably only helpful if you can't get some software to handle this

[Andymac1990]

These are all good ideas but there is One common problem: I don't necessarily want it to be harder to add more than one credit. I want it to be impossible. Like the key thing works but I always have to be around with a key. The extra switch just makes it a little harder. Coins are the same as the key. I can only give them one but I always have to be around or they could just beat me down and take more coins. I know this would never happen but What Im looking for is a 100% solid way that People could play without me being around and only letting them play with one or X credt/s at a time. The software program would work perfectly.  Thanks again though for the help.

[DaveMMR]

I'm sorry if this sounds harsh but I think the best solution to your problem  (outside of a coin door) is to simply exercise restraint.  If you think a game is too easy with unlimited continues, just cap yourself and call it a day. 

And if your friends are "beating you down" for another credit, is the honor of occupying some arbitrary place on a high score board so important that you have to deter the fun they're having with credit-capping software?   

I do understand the competitive nature though, so I suggest maybe you set up some game tournaments with strict credit rules instead.  Just reset the high scores before you begin and it should satisfy the competitive side.  Then, outside the competition, just have fun with the cab.   

By the way, I believe some of the best games for competitive play are those in which you cannot "buy" a high-score (because you can't continue, your score resets when you continue or the game calculates your average "score per credit" - Donkey Kong, Bubble Bobble, and Klax are three respective examples). 

Just a suggestion.  Do with it as you will.     And I only brought it up in case the program promised to you isn't located...   

[Andymac1990]

DaveMMR thanks and your right. I also agree about the games that base your acore off an average per credit thing like Galaga. Love that game. It would be nice to get this software but when it comes down to it I'll just end up doing it like you explain. Thanks again and if anyone has heard of this software, please post.