topgun - lightgun tracking in different resolutiions

[deano728]

Hi all, I spent some time trying to get my lightgun working this weekend and low and behold it is tracking almost perfectly on the screen!  wooohooo!

It seems that most gun games aren't filling up the entire screen on the monitor, which means the closer I get to the edge of the screen, it seems that the mouse is no longer tracking correctly and is actually tracking a bit behind possibly becuase it is interpolating the movement over the entire screen?  How can I correct this?

Also, the tracking is sometimes experiencing some jumpiness.  When I move the cursor will track but then quickly jump a few inches above the target and then as I keep moving, it will reappear right no the correct area.

Thanks!

[glyndawn]

im having same problems

[u_rebelscum]

It seems that most gun games aren't filling up the entire screen on the monitor, which means the closer I get to the edge of the screen, it seems that the mouse is no longer tracking correctly and is actually tracking a bit behind possibly becuase it is interpolating the movement over the entire screen?  How can I correct this?

Are you having mame change the resolution?  Mame's default is to continue using the windows desktop res, and should fill the screen.  Hmm, or are you using a widescreen monitor; never thought about it, but this might effect mame, but only in the side to side direction, if any.

Also, the tracking is sometimes experiencing some jumpiness.  When I move the cursor will track but then quickly jump a few inches above the target and then as I keep moving, it will reappear right no the correct area.

Check if any back, side or reflect lights are confusing the gun.

[deano728]

Thanks for responding Rebel.

No, it does not fill the screen, it does horizontally, but not vertically.  What should the setting be to get it to work correctly?  I am using a 17" CRT monitor in a MK3 cabinet.  I was using crossbow to test, but also tried buckhunter as a test and had similar results. 

I did the test program with the gun and found no source of IR that would be causing interference.  I did it in complete darkness too and still had some of the jumpiness.

Unless I am missing something, it seems to me that these guns are a joke.  If it is not accurate 95% of the time, then it is never going to be fun to play and my experience is that every game has different tracking and that in any of them the best I can get is like 60% accuracy.  I am using the laser pointer so I know it is not my fault

[u_rebelscum]

No, it does not fill the screen, it does horizontally, but not vertically.  What should the setting be to get it to work correctly?  I am using a 17" CRT monitor in a MK3 cabinet.  I was using crossbow to test, but also tried buckhunter as a test and had similar results. 

So is the position off only in the vertical direction then, or both horizontal & vertical?
Either way, are you forcing mame to switch resolutions, or letting it stay the same?

If only vertical:  Is the resolution 1280x1024?  Is the monitor physically a 5:4 ratio monitor?  (Some CRT 17" & 19", and all non-widescreen LCD 19", were physically 5:4.)

More info needed on the problem, before it can be "corrected".   (That goes for glyndawn too, as it can be a different cause.)

I did the test program with the gun and found no source of IR that would be causing interference.  I did it in complete darkness too and still had some of the jumpiness....  I am using the laser pointer...

Is the laser blinding the sensor?  Test with the laser off.  (It's just a crutch anyway; the games didn't have it.)


I agree that I'd like arcade accuracy, but I'd say even the arcades aren't 95% accurate.  (Depending how close it has to be before called "accurate".)  But ATM, all we have are the actlab CRT guns, the topgun guns, playstation guncon guns, and maybe arcade guns with adapter.  Not much selection.   The Topgun has it's problems, but so do the others.

[deano728]

I checked "stretch to fit" with DirectX and now the image fills the entire screen.  I am getting incredible tracking compared to what I was getting before.  Thanks for all of your help Rebel!