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Awesome, glad to hear it works.


I was anticipating a problem like that. But it would've been when clicking in off-screen and re-entering screen area before releasing the click could've caused reload to be stuck on.

But I figured out a way to handle that by releasing both left and right click. Which was a better way than how I first planned to handle it.

I didn't think of what you found but I agree probably not worth fixing atm.

Any more things to fix while I'm on a roll? lol 😆

Works great, I upped the X borders to 480 so shots in the black borders at 4:3 would be counted as off-screen too and that works fine. The only edge case issue I could find is if you hold down the trigger, enter the border/exit the screen, then return to the screen, it'll send a reload. But this is so minor it isn't even worth fixing, I doubt anyone would run into it and it doesn't cause any problems. No issues with forced scaling, maybe I'll wind up using DS more now, I think HotD3 might have some slight control issues for route selection without it.

Hi Yolo!

Well, I’m convinced after much testing Airborne’s steering re-centering is entirely different to hard/race/street drivin’. The centering encoder signals are completely ignored. For Airborne, when your car re-spawns after crashing, whatever the wheel position your steering wheel is in at that time becomes the new center (regardless of angle). The center position can also self adjust during play should you oversteer (Say that you rotate the wheel 3 times clockwise to go round a tight turn. You’ll only need to do roughly one anit-clockwise rotation for the car to go in a straight line again).

I came to the conclusion that this game can only really be enjoyed with a mouse/spinner. Even then it would need force feedback so you had a feeling of where the steering center is.

Then I had a thought which was followed by a hack which might help...

I modified hdc68k_wheel_r() for airborne. I took out the steering latching stuff. I’ve added a key ‘S’ that can hold to adjust your steering wheel back to center during play. Here’s how it works:

Say that you are playing the game, you want the car to go straight, your steering wheel is in its central position but the car is pulling to the right.  To fix this you need to turn your steering wheel left (Until the car is moving in a straight line), then press and hold the ‘S’ key,  then turn your steering wheel to its central position, and release the ‘S’ key. That’s it.

I know its not really an ideal solution, but it might improve the game experience and help us get better laps times

In hardriv.cpp, in the "static INPUT_PORTS_START( hdrivair )" section, I've changed this line:-

Code: [Select]

PORT_BIT(0xfff, 0x200, IPT_PADDLE) PORT_MINMAX(0x000, 0x3ff) PORT_SENSITIVITY(100) PORT_KEYDELTA(5) PORT_REVERSE PORT_NAME("Steering Wheel")
to this...

Code: [Select]

PORT_BIT( 0xfff, 0x000, IPT_POSITIONAL ) PORT_POSITIONS(0xfff) PORT_WRAPS PORT_SENSITIVITY(50) PORT_KEYDELTA(1) PORT_REVERSE PORT_NAME("Steering Wheel")

Then in harddriv_m.cpp, replace the hdc68k_wheel_r() function with this...

Code: [Select]

uint16_t harddriv_state::hdc68k_wheel_r()
{
// grab the new wheel value
uint16_t new_wheel, raw_wheel = m_12badc[0].read_safe(0xffff);
int wheel_diff = 0;
bool is_wheel_increasing = false;
static uint8_t wheel_snapshot = 0;
static uint8_t wheel_offset = 0;
static bool steering_enabled = true;

if (machine().input().code_pressed(KEYCODE_S))
{
if (steering_enabled)
{
popmessage("Steering disabled (Re-center your wheel now...)");
steering_enabled = false;
wheel_snapshot = (m_hdc68k_last_wheel+wheel_offset)&0xff;
}

return ((wheel_snapshot << 8) | 0xff);
}
else
{
if (!steering_enabled)
{
popmessage("Steering enabled");
steering_enabled = true;
wheel_offset = (wheel_snapshot - raw_wheel)&0xff;
m_hdc68k_last_wheel = raw_wheel;
}
}

// Work out which way the wheel is spinning
if((m_hdc68k_last_wheel < 0x400) && (raw_wheel > 0xC00))        is_wheel_increasing = false;    //Wrapped from bottom to top
else if ((m_hdc68k_last_wheel > 0xC00) && (raw_wheel < 0x400))  is_wheel_increasing = true;     //Wrapped from top to bottom
else if(m_hdc68k_last_wheel > raw_wheel)                        is_wheel_increasing = false;
else if(m_hdc68k_last_wheel < raw_wheel)                        is_wheel_increasing = true;

//Steering damping:
//Ensure we don't jump from one encoder value to another too quickly confusing the game
//The game is aware only of changes to m_12badc's lower byte. This means the game can get easily confused if you where to move
//the wheel very quickly from say position 0x800 to 0xC12 in one cycle (Which was perhaps physically impossible using the
//actual arcade encoder). The game would be under the impression the wheel has moved only 0x12 values, rather than 0x412 values.
//If we detect a large change, slowly feed that information back to the game in managemtble amounts.
new_wheel = m_hdc68k_last_wheel;
while(new_wheel != raw_wheel)
{
if (is_wheel_increasing)
{
if (new_wheel >= 0xFFF) new_wheel = 0x000;
else new_wheel++;
}
else
{
if (new_wheel <= 0x000) new_wheel = 0xFFF;
else new_wheel--;
}

//Lets say the encoder can't move more that 32 teeth per cycle...
if (wheel_diff++ > 0x10) break;
}

if (machine().input().code_pressed(KEYCODE_LSHIFT))
{
popmessage("wheel=0x%04X", new_wheel);
}

m_hdc68k_last_wheel = new_wheel;
return ((new_wheel+wheel_offset) << 8) | 0xff;
}


I've got a new DemulShooter mod to test. This adds offscreen reload along the borders like the AHK does.

So to use it, again paste the exe files into DemulShooter v12.2 ( https://github.com/argonlefou/DemulShooter/releases/tag/v12.2 ) use DemulShooter_GUI.exe etc.
and run the command line like e.g.:

demulshooter -target=chihiro -rom=vcop3 -usesinglemouse -offx=20 -offy=30

This means that the first left 20 pixels and the last right 20 pixels will change the left click (shoot) to right click (reload).
And the top 30 pixels and bottom 30 pixels will do the same. A value a 0 will have no reload effect or leaving either -offx or -offy from the commandline.

I've put the changes again in a txt file in a directory should it need to be changed with a new version of DemulShooter.

I don't think the -ForceScalingX=4/3 option would affect anything for the reload. I tried to use it but seemed like it was more inaccurate for me when I did. But then I don't have a calibrated Virtual Desktop going. I'm using it more like a mouse atm.

I also didn't realise I could run the game in 4:3 res, I was using 16:9. So I found that there is the two options, change the video mode res or turn on/off Maintain Aspect Ratio but any combo I tried didn't seem to need the ForceScalingX option.

If it's a problem then let me know. Hopefully this means you won't need to run the AHK script with DS

The 3rd and 4th roms* in the mainpcb:maincpu on street drivin' are the test menu roms that are both interleaved so technically it's 1 rom.

Hi Yolo!

Thought I'd post my hack of the  hd68k_wr2_write() to read steering wheel force feedback. If you're interested, just replace the existing hd68k_wr2_write()  function with this one, and when holding the 'F' key in-game you can see the feedback trying to do its thing. Something that is pretty cool is watching the attract mode and viewing the force feedback, you can see how the game is trying to rotate the wheel when it hits the corners (You do need to enable the Steering During Attract Mode option for that though, I explain how to do that in the massive comment in the function).

Code: [Select]

void harddriv_state::hd68k_wr2_write(offs_t offset, uint16_t data)
{
    /*
    Observations
    ============

    The 'data' repeats every 4 times this function is called.
    Offset always seems to be zero.
    Combining the 1st and 3rd byte of data gives you the steering
    wheel force feedback.

    When the game does not want to rotate the wheel in any direction,
    0xE000 is read.

    When the game wants the wheel to rotate clockwise, you see this:
        0xE000 increment to 0xE01F,
        then jumps to 0xE100 which increments to 0xE11F,
        then jumps to 0xE200 which increments to 0xE21F,
        then jumps to 0xE300 which increments to 0xE31F,
        etc...

    When the game wants the wheel to rotate anticlockwise, you see this:
        0xE000 jumps to 0xFF1F which decrements to 0xFF00,
        then jumps to 0xFE1F which decrements to 0xFE00,
        then jumps to 0xFD1F which decrements to 0xFD00,
        then jumps to 0xFC1F which decrements to 0xFC00,
        etc...

    Bits 0 to 7 never go above 32 (0x1f). Thus Bits 5 to 7 are unused.

    If bits 12 to 15 are 0xE this indicates the game is trying to turn
    the wheel clockwise. If they are 0xF, it is trying to turn the
    wheel anticlockwise.

    Shifting bits 8 to 11 right 3 places, gives you a value that
    increments/decrements logically.

    Testing
    =======

    In service mode, view the OPERATOR SCREENS and go to the 2nd page
    where there are 2 interesting options:
        Steering During Attract Mode
        Steering Wheel Force

    When Steering During Attract Mode is enabled, when you watch the
    attract mode, you'll see the the m_wheel_force change value as the
    game attempts to move the steering wheel while the car is moving around
    the track.

    When Steering Wheel Force is set to 'Very light' you'll see
    m_wheel_force in the range -70 to 70. When set to 'Stiff' you'll see
    m_wheel_force in the range -127 to 127.
    */

    static unsigned int static_count = 0;
    static uint8_t static_data[4];

    //printf("wr2 offset=%04X data=%04X\n", offset, data);

    //Store the data in this array (Must be a better way to do read this stuff...)
    static_data[static_count] = data;
    static_count++;
    if (static_count > 3)
    {
        uint16_t force_combined, force_shifted;
        int m_wheel_force;

        static_count = 0;

        //Combine the force (1st and 3rd byte)
        force_combined = ((static_data[2]<<8)&0xff00) | (static_data[0]&0x00ff);

        //Shift the force so that it logically increments/decrements
        force_shifted = (((force_combined)>>3)&0x01f0) | (force_combined&0xf01f);

        //Use the force
        if ((force_shifted&0xf000) == 0xe000)
        {
            m_wheel_force = int(force_shifted&0x0fff);          //Clockwise force (+ive number)
        }
        else
        {
            m_wheel_force = int(force_shifted&0x0fff) - 511;    //Anticlockwise force (-ive number)
        }


        if (machine().input().code_pressed(KEYCODE_F))
        {
            popmessage("wr2 wheel=0x%04X force=%d", m_hdc68k_last_wheel, m_wheel_force);
        }
    }
}


Very cool and great work! If force feedback could become a native thing in mame for these games it would make life a lot easier as when i tried the force feedback plugin thats out there i never figured out how to get it to work for these games. Obviously i was doing something wrong on my end. I just found out that Race Drivin Panorama has the extra stock car track from Street Drivin' so i was thinking maybe i could swap the roms from that version into the Street Drivin' hardware driver in mame and get to play with the gear shifter and have the less glitchy audio and maybe run faster?  I almost had the Race Drivin' compact working on that hardware but some of the files were not compatible. I did manage to get the Race Drivin logo and credits to appear. I wish they never gave up on this game and made more of them with the same graphics style.

Sure, what you said is correct, but using 3.3V at the spinner is worth a try

Probably not.  The typical IR LED operates at 1.7v (with many operating below this value).  The voltage differential between 5v and 3.3v (1.7v), with the resistor intended for 5v operation, is the same as the forward voltage of the LED, essentially nullifying everything which would allow it to function if given only 3.3v.

Edit: This may be irrelevant now, see next post

Does the AHK script always send a left click first with DS and does it still do it after converting to v1? I'm not sure about the right click failures. It may be possible to write the same functionality into DS but I'll have to investigate how the clicks work. As I only figured out the position and the line I changed made both work

Hey, great stuff. Works perfectly with my gun. Well, there was one issue, and it's that CXBX seems to have the same 16:9 offset thing going on. I found mention of a command line option that would fix this for DS, but it didn't work anymore. Checking the code, it turns out that -ForceXratio has been changed to -ForceScalingX at some point in the last year, so running DS with -ForceScalingX=4/3, everything lines up.

Game works good, although I think my AHK script conflicts slightly with DS, I had some occasional right click failures and using my off-screen reload caused a left click to be sent first. I also started using launchbox and found that it didn't support AHK 2.0, so I changed the off-screen script to match v1 instead so launchbox can auto run and close AHK on emulator exit. And finally, I tried out Dolphin, which works fine.

ok Daywane, if I have any information I will send you a pm.
Jill