Where do you get input maps (mame)?

[ivwshane]

I'm in the testing stages of my mame arcade and it is a pain in the butt having to configure every game manually. Are there any tools out there that are already configured or that allow you to easily configure control input mapping for buttons and joystick?

I'm using a u360 if it makes any difference.

[arzoo]

Mame Analog Joystick Map Editor by headkaze. 

[u_rebelscum]

Are all the games getting the same map?  Then just use "Input (general)" instead of the game specific mame menu.

If there are a few maps used across different games, I'd use mame's ctrlr file.  Do each map once and cut and paste text editing difficultly level.  Detailed info on the wiki.  Less cutting and pasting if you can group games together; mame's -listsource, -listclones, and, best of all, the brand new (0.129) -listbrothers, can help grouping parent/clone and driver/games.  (If you're using 0.129, ignore the other two, and just use -listbrothers; it does everything they do, in better format in one list.)  Any questions on ctrlr file, I can help.

[ivwshane]

I am running .129.
Is the -listbrothers something I have to do on the command line version?
I've only used mame32 and I have never touched any other version.


Not all games will be the same but I did use the "input general" for a generic layout but I want to setup neo geo games to be a certain layout as well as other systems like mk and sfII series.

[u_rebelscum]

I am running .129.
Is the -listbrothers something I have to do on the command line version?
I've only used mame32 and I have never touched any other version.

It is a commandline option, but it works on mameUI, too.  The only difference is with mameUI, the output needs to be redirected for you to see it.  For example, "mameui32 -lb mslug > neogeogames.txt" will make a text file listing all the neogeo games, and the clones will list their parent.  (-lb is short for -listbrothers, and the ">" symbol is doing the redirecting.)

Not all games will be the same but I did use the "input general" for a generic layout but I want to setup neo geo games to be a certain layout as well as other systems like mk and sfII series.

The nice thing about ctrlr file is it can have all you want: a general default map (applied to all games just like input general), a neogeo map (that is automatically applied if and only if the game is a neogeo game), an sf2 map (for sf2 & it's clones), and an mk2r42 for just that specific game if you want.  The xarcade.cfg ctrlr file I posted above has a "default" (general) map, and a "neogeo" map for all games that use the neogeo bios.  (Look for system name="default", and system name="neogeo" for the start of each, respectively; you'll see the neogeo map looks very much like the ones you made.)

If wanted, maps for a specific neogeo game can also be added to the ctrlr file after the neogeo map, and that will be auto applied to that game (and its clones if it has any).  Or a "mk2" map for mk2 all its clones.  ("SF2" is a little harder, since it has many more versions with quite a few different parents and different drivers, but cut & paste while just changing the system name to the different parents isn't too hard, or the driver name if the driver has other games that use the same map, ssf2.c for example, but then you might need other maps for the non-fighter games you play that use the same driver, 19xx for continuing example.)

However, since you did all the work you did, it might easier to keep using what you have; depends how many games you want, and how easily they are grouped.  Ctrlr files usually have a big setup step if you can't find an already made for you.  Maybe wait until you do a big overhaul or upgrade, but since you're still setting up, now might a good time to look into using ctrlr file before you go too far down the other direction to feel happy about switching to ctrlr file.

I do wish there was a ctrlr editor app to automate some the steps creating ctrlr files.  Stuff like merging two ctrlr files, or converting from cfg files to one ctrlr file can be done by hand, but apps should be so much better and quicker at it.  And -listbrothers might makes it easier to find all the relationships between the games, parents, clones, and drivers for an app, too.


Hmmm...

...Not all games will be the same...

Some neogeo games will have different maps?  Or is that SF2 & MK and the like?

[ivwshane]

No, parents and clones will have the same maps as well as all neo geo's being the same.

[ivwshane]

I'm sorry but I'm a complete noob.

Where exactly am I entering these commands (in windows command box).

And once I figure that out then how do I add "system" why controller layouts?

[u_rebelscum]

I'm sorry but I'm a complete noob.

No problem.  Everyone starts as one.

Where exactly am I entering these commands (in windows command box).

Navigate to the folder that mameUI is in.  Example: if mameUI is in "c:\Program Files\mameUI"  Open the command box (run cmd), then type cd "\Program Files\mameUI" including the quotes.  (Shortcut, type cd \progra then press tab so windows conpletes the name and adds the quotes, then finish typing \mameUI then enter.)

Or you can use microsoft's "Open Command Window Here" Power Toy (XP version and it's built into Vista)

Then type the mameUI32 -lb gamename > listbrothers.txt.

And once I figure that out then how do I add "system" why controller layouts?

If you open the xarcade.cfg file, or any of the cfg file you made, in a text editor (notepad, not word or other word processor), you'll see pretty near the top system name="xyz", with xyz either "default" (in xarcade.cfg) or the gamename in your cfg files.  If you scroll down (or do a search for system) in the xarcade.cfg file, you'll see system name="neogeo".

The wiki page on ctrlr files is pretty detailed on starting a new ctrlr file, and an okay outline of the ctrlr file structure.  Was my link too hidden in my first post?  Or am I misunderstanding your Q?

[hausjam]

Is it possible to put the joystick_map values into the ctrlr.cfg file? Or can those only go in the individual game ini files?

[u_rebelscum]

Is it possible to put the joystick_map values into the ctrlr.cfg file? Or can those only go in the individual game ini files?

The joystick_map values only work from the ini files (& commandline).    

Yes, it would make sense from the user's point of view to have them in the cfg & ctrlr files, but the history on when each of the feature were added & edited and mame's structure show why it's in the commandline & ini files instead.  I think mame could be recoded so it's in cfg/ctrlr files instead of CL/ini, but a lot of internal reworking to do so logically and cleanly.  It would not make sense to have it in both CL/ini & cfg/ctrlr.

[TPB]

The joystick_map values only work from the ini files (& commandline).   

urebel,

Would you recommend using Headkaze's utility, in conjunction with this ?  It looks pretty cool.


http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=86315.0

[u_rebelscum]

urebel,

Would you recommend using Headkaze's utility, in conjunction with this ?  It looks pretty cool.

Yes.  Works great, makes analog to digital mapping easier.  If you haven't worked with mame's -joystick_map, headkaze's app definitely is the way to go.  Would have been easier for me if this was around when I was playing with maps.

[hausjam]

Is it possible to put the joystick_map values into the ctrlr.cfg file? Or can those only go in the individual game ini files?

The joystick_map values only work from the ini files (& commandline).    

Yes, it would make sense from the user's point of view to have them in the cfg & ctrlr files, but the history on when each of the feature were added & edited and mame's structure show why it's in the commandline & ini files instead.  I think mame could be recoded so it's in cfg/ctrlr files instead of CL/ini, but a lot of internal reworking to do so logically and cleanly.  It would not make sense to have it in both CL/ini & cfg/ctrlr.

I kind of figured that, but I appreciate your confirmation. Sorry it took me so long to come back here and see your reply.

One other thing I am wondering; I really like the Defender & Stargate hack for reverse and thrust. I have spent a couple of hours looking through the source code in .84 and comparing it to the current code. But I cannot really find the right code. I would really like to compile it into the current release so I don't have to use two different versions of mame. Plus artwork looks really crappy in the old version. Do you, or anyone else know where the right code is so I could put this hack into .129?