Author Topic: Hi/Lo shifter indicator in MAME! (Read 11230 times)

jasonbar · « **on:** October 21, 2009, 01:19:44 am »

Apologies if already discussed, but I was delighted to see that MAME has a Hi/Lo shifter indicator in the bottom right corner, added somewhere between 115 & 132.

Since there doesn't seem to be consistency from game to game on whether you need to tap a shift button or hold it for it to remain in hi or lo gear, this is quite handy.

Is there any document discussing this in more detail? In particular, I'm interested in the following:

1 - Does it work for only hi/lo shifters or for 1-2-3-4 shifters?

2 - Can I alter the graphics of the display?

3 - Can I control the location of the display?

Thanks!
-Jason

surface tension · « **Reply #1 on:** October 21, 2009, 02:41:54 am »

This sounds good, but I've never noticed it. I'm running 0.124 and generally it's only OutRun these days that keeps me coming back.

What games have you seen it on?

jasonbar · « **Reply #2 on:** October 21, 2009, 11:37:30 am »

Off the top of my head, I believe that I saw it on Turbo & Chase HQ & SCI.

-Jason

u_rebelscum · « **Reply #3 on:** October 21, 2009, 01:49:09 pm »

It was added early this year. Mr Do (of mame's art page) added it as part of info displayed through mame's "layout" feature. There was a discussion on what graphics to use and where to put it, over at mameworld.info's forum. Long thread, but IIRC it covers pretty much everything you ask (but at more than just the final current way).

Ummon · « **Reply #4 on:** October 21, 2009, 06:09:00 pm »

I noticed it initially in Pole Position - which, way back in MAME, had 'HI' and 'LO', respectively, bottom-middle of the screen. Then nothin for a while. Now the graphic, for all such games.

mytymaus007 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 21, 2009, 07:04:00 pm »

I dont see anything in pole position im running mame .128 Is this omething we have to add in to the artwork.

surface tension · « **Reply #6 on:** October 22, 2009, 05:25:57 am »

0.128 is a release from last year.

Quote from: u_rebelscum on October 21, 2009, 01:49:09 pm

It was added early this year.

mytymaus007 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 22, 2009, 08:43:55 am »

ok so shouldnt .128 have the hi/lo on the screen if .124 has it or do i need to us .124

syph007 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 22, 2009, 08:57:31 am »

Quote from: mytymaus007 on October 22, 2009, 08:43:55 am

ok so shouldnt .128 have the hi/lo on the screen if .124 has it or do i need to us .124

Noone said .124 had it, it in a later build than that.

mytymaus007 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 22, 2009, 10:24:08 am »

I see so its somewhere between .115 and .132 or does it exist. Anyone

Hoopz · « **Reply #10 on:** October 22, 2009, 10:30:17 am »

.129 released on Jan 4, 2009

Quote

Added simple built-in layout for polepos showing the position of the
shifter. Removed debug build hack to popmessage the shifter state.
[Aaron Giles]

mytymaus007 · « **Reply #11 on:** October 22, 2009, 10:36:04 am »

Thanks HOOPZ

bkenobi · « **Reply #12 on:** October 22, 2009, 12:05:24 pm »

It should be in all versions after 0.129 inclusive (as Hoopz said). The only reason it wouldn't be there is if the MAMEdevs have a change of heart and remove it.

Hoopz · « **Reply #13 on:** October 22, 2009, 12:29:41 pm »

Quote from: bkenobi on October 22, 2009, 12:05:24 pm

It should be in all versions after 0.129 inclusive (as Hoopz said). The only reason it wouldn't be there is if the MAMEdevs have a change of heart and remove it.

I searched through the whatsnew.txt files from .134 back looking for "shift". .129 was the only one that mentioned that change so it should be working still. I use a much earlier version so I can't test anything out.

jasonbar · « **Reply #14 on:** October 22, 2009, 12:31:38 pm »

Thanks for all this good discussion. A couple of my original questions go unanswered (as best I can tell), even after reading the thread over at mameworld:

1 - Can the shifter position be moved? Something like an X & Y value in the mame.ini file?

2 - Can the graphics be swapped out? Are there just a couple of graphics files (like the crosshair cursors) somewhere hidden in the mame directory structure?

Just curious--might want to tinker w/ these settings someday.

Thank you,
-Jason

syph007 · « **Reply #15 on:** October 22, 2009, 12:50:06 pm »

Quote from: jasonbar on October 22, 2009, 12:31:38 pm

Thanks for all this good discussion. A couple of my original questions go unanswered (as best I can tell), even after reading the thread over at mameworld:

1 - Can the shifter position be moved? Something like an X & Y value in the mame.ini file?

2 - Can the graphics be swapped out? Are there just a couple of graphics files (like the crosshair cursors) somewhere hidden in the mame directory structure?

Just curious--might want to tinker w/ these settings someday.

Thank you,
-Jason

I'm curious about #1 as well, since you'd want it in different spots for different games. I would hope that it could be configed per game, or if not, they auto place it in a good spot for each game.

bkenobi · « **Reply #16 on:** October 22, 2009, 01:14:01 pm »

I'm pretty sure your question was answered actually. According to a post above, the system has been implemented via the overlay system. Since overlays are in one of the directories of the MAME root, you should be able to modify the graphics if you want. I don't know how the position was done though. It could be coded in MAME or it could be that the overlay file includes a mask so it knows where it goes (like bezel artwork). You would have to check to see.

TheShanMan · « **Reply #17 on:** October 22, 2009, 01:56:46 pm »

It can be changed via the layout. I've done this with the Spy Hunter weapon indicators.

jasonbar · « **Reply #18 on:** October 22, 2009, 07:57:24 pm »

Thanks--good to know.

Please elaborate for a dunce like me.

I don't see how to get into a layout & change it. I don't see a "layouts" folder in my MAME 132 install, or anything about layouts in the mame.ini file.

Thanks,
-Jason

mytymaus007 · « **Reply #19 on:** October 22, 2009, 11:05:43 pm »

yeh im a Dunce also

please explain i would luv to know when im in Hi or low gear for pole position especially when im using buttons and not a shifter

jasonbar · « **Reply #20 on:** October 23, 2009, 05:46:36 pm »

So, I'm going through my game list & looking for driving games that use a shifter. I'm testing them in MAME 132 to see if they run OK & display the shifter graphic OK. If so, I'm updating my menu to launch 132 instead of my usual 115 for those games.

I came to Buggy Challenge & can't get it to display in its normal vertical monitor orientation...

In 115, it's a vertical game.

In 132, the graphics are stretched to fill the screen. Yuck. I tried messing with all the video settings, but to no avail. 132 runs other vertical games (like Dommy) just fine, so I don't think that I have any general settings fudged up.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
-Jason

Haze · « **Reply #21 on:** October 24, 2009, 02:25:14 pm »

Quote from: jasonbar on October 23, 2009, 05:46:36 pm

So, I'm going through my game list & looking for driving games that use a shifter. I'm testing them in MAME 132 to see if they run OK & display the shifter graphic OK. If so, I'm updating my menu to launch 132 instead of my usual 115 for those games.

I came to Buggy Challenge & can't get it to display in its normal vertical monitor orientation...

In 115, it's a vertical game.

In 132, the graphics are stretched to fill the screen. Yuck. I tried messing with all the video settings, but to no avail. 132 runs other vertical games (like Dommy) just fine, so I don't think that I have any general settings fudged up.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
-Jason

It was a bug, use a newer version.

mytymaus007 · « **Reply #22 on:** October 24, 2009, 05:41:25 pm »

Damm mushroom's

jasonbar · « **Reply #23 on:** October 25, 2009, 02:12:44 am »

Thanks, Haze.

Drag...

-Jason

jasonbar · « **Reply #24 on:** November 01, 2009, 01:46:05 pm »

Quote from: Haze on October 24, 2009, 02:25:14 pm

Quote from: jasonbar on October 23, 2009, 05:46:36 pm
[me whining about Buggy Challenge being stretched in 132...]

It was a bug, use a newer version.

Thanks, Haze. MAME just bumped up to 135 (http://mamedev.org/release.html), but the previous releases (http://mamedev.org/oldrel.html) stop at 132...do the previous releases normally lag a bit before they're posted for download?

Thanks,
-Jason

jasonbar · « **Reply #25 on:** November 01, 2009, 02:40:30 pm »

OK, so I used my usual bull-headed brute force manliness to plow through all games with shifters (or games that looked as if they might have a shifter, based on control panel or cabinet images). I checked to see if the on-screen hi/lo shifter was present in 132. I also checked MAWS & Mr. Do!'s pages to see if any significant emulation updates had been made since 115 (the rev I use for 90% of my games). More importantly, on my modest computer, I checked to see if the games would run fast enough in 132 vs. 115.

Here's my summary. It's not all-inclusive of all games. For example, Championship Sprint & Super Sprint & Badlands clearly don't have shifters, so I didn't investigate them.

I'll highlight in green the games that display the shifter & in red the ones that don't, w/ various comments to boot. Games that don't originally even have shifters are in black.

Disclaimer: though I took notes, some of this info is from memory (like which games had 3-speed or 4-speed shifters) & may be inaccurate. YMMV, etc. etc.

buggy challenge: buggychl displays wide bug in 132, shifter shows in 132, MAME speed OK in 132
chase hq: runs too slow & no shifter shows in 132
checkered flag: shifter shows in 132 & displays wide bug in 132, & runs too slow in 132
cisco heat: runs OK in 132, MAME updates in 132, no shifter shows in 132
contintental circus: runs too slow & no shifter shows in 132
datsun 280 zzzap: runs OK in 132, no shifter shows in 132
demolition derby: no shifter shows in 132, runs OK in 132
dirt fox: no shifter shows in 132 (part of onscreen game graphics anyway!), runs OK in 132
double axle: shifter shows in 132, runs slower in 132
drag race: runs slow in 132, no shifter shows in 132, 4-speed shifter
drift out: game doesn't have shifter
f1 grand prix: game doesn't have shifter
f1 grand prix II: game doesn't have shifter
f1 grand prix star ii: no shifter shows in 132, runs fast in 132, sometimes freezes in 132
grand champion: displays wide bug in 132, shifter shows in 132, speed OK in 132
grand prix star: no shifter shows in 132, runs OK in 132
great 1000 miles rally 1: evolution: game doesn't have shifter, I don't have newer 128u4 ROMs to test

great 1000 miles rally 2: game doesn't have shifter, runs great in 132
hot chase: runs OK in 132, shifter shows in 132
hot rod: game doesn't have shifter, runs OK (& sound fixed) in 132
hyper crash: game doesn't have shifter
konami gt: no shifter shows in 132

laguna racer: no shifter shows in 132, runs slow in 132
max rpm: no shifter shows in 132, runs OK in 132, 4-speed shifter
monte carlo: no shifter shows in 132, runs OK in 132
night driver: no shifter shows in 132
outrun: shifter shows in 132 but not if showing bezels, runs too slow in 132
pole position: shifter shows in 132 but not if showing bezels, & bezel doesn't work w/ polepos1 (atari license), runs OK in 132
pole position ii: poleps2a resets infinitely in 132, bezel art for poleps2a doesn't show in 132, bezel art doesn't show for polepos2 or poleps2a in 115, shifter shows in polepos2 if bezels not used, runs fast enough in 132
power drift: runs slow in 115 & 132, shifter shows in 132
redline racer: game doesn't have shifter, runs OK in 132
round up 5: shifter shows in 132, runs OK in 132
sciu: shifter shows in 132, runs OK in 132
sprint 1: no shifter shows in 132, runs OK in 132, 4-speed shifter
sprint 2: no shifter in 132, runs too slow in 132 (because of showing artwork?), 4-speed shifter
sprint 4: no shifter shows in 132, runs OK in 132, 4-speed shifter
sprint 8: no shifter in 132, runs OK in 132(?), 4-speed shifter
spy hunter: no shifter shows in 132, runs way too slow in 132 if using artwork

spy hunter 2: no shifter shows in 132, runs OK in 132, 3-speed shifter(?)
stocker: no shifter shows in 132, runs OK in 132, shifter button seems to make very subtle change in speed anyway...
street heat: game has no shifter, runs OK & has sound in 132
super bug: no shifter shows in 132, runs OK in 132
super speed race: no shifter shows in 132, runs OK in 132 (but no sound)
super speed race jr: game seems to have no shifter, but then what does button 2 do???
top secret: thank God game has no shifter--it already has 800 buttons!
top speed: shifter shows in 132, works OK in 132 (steering w/ joystick--weird!)
turbo: no shifter shows in 132, runs waaay too slow in 132 (and in 115 too--I use 108...)
wec le mans 24: shifter shows in 132, runs great in 132
world rally 2: no shifter shows in 132, runs fast in 132 but glitchy & unplayable steering (tried w/ stick or wheel)

Thanks,
-Jason

Ummon · « **Reply #26 on:** November 02, 2009, 12:19:23 am »

I never {would} use artwork, but for PP and Outrun that's probly your performance hurdle. Just now on .134, I did get slight, intermittent audio and I think image clipping on Outrun on my P4 2.8, no artwork.

Incidentally, analog control seems a little tighter with Outrun. Movements using my spinner were far more precise, and I had to turn it far less either direction. I almost finished the course, damn!

surface tension · « **Reply #27 on:** November 02, 2009, 05:22:59 am »

Nice post Jason, thanks.

Havok · « **Reply #28 on:** November 02, 2009, 09:31:00 am »

Thanks for the post, looks like I will have to update my version of Mame!

jasonbar · « **Reply #29 on:** November 30, 2009, 12:15:07 am »

Howdy-

Took me forever to get back to this, but I've wrapped up this stuff now.

I compiled 133 & confirmed that the vertical games that were stretched wide into a horizontal aspect ratio are indeed fixed in 133.

This affected only 2 of the games in my list above: Buggy Challenge & Grand Champion. Those were the only ones that had the stretch bug in 132 & run fast enough in 133 to use 133.

The good news is that, I checked all of the games for which I used 132 (driving & rotary stick & others with various fixes relative to their 115 versions) all run equally well in 133, so I can just ditch 132 & use 133 for all these exceptions.

Thanks,
-Jason

Motorhead · « **Reply #30 on:** August 20, 2020, 06:44:12 am »

Hello friends. New comer at the area...please be patient.

I started to "make" a racing cabinet for me, using mame 0.216. A little anoying time spend trying to understand the 3 variations of controls (saturation, dead zone and the degree set up of the drinving wheel itself). And I am happy to say that after a week losing hairs into this process, now I am evolving to a satisfatory result (12 games already configurated...my game room is happy) and speeding up the process.

But I am right now stuck into a stupid matter (sorry to be a noob): Outrun runs with the lo/hi shift indicator on the right bottom side of the screen. But Power drift did not. I checked some screen shots of Power Drift at the web and it shows the lo/hi indicator on it. oh my...

Well, so...why at mine machine it did not appears? I was thinking about the rom should be a newer version...but before starting wandering around...I was thinking maybe someone put a light on my at this one. And them...here I am.

Did the low shifter indicator is a set up you made at MAME in order to show or not to show at the games, or is something set up into the rom itself and them...I have to find the modified rom in order to get the desired indicator?

Thanks in advance for your attention.

PL1 · « **Reply #31 on:** August 20, 2020, 07:25:09 am »

Quote from: Motorhead on August 20, 2020, 06:44:12 am

Outrun runs with the lo/hi shift indicator on the right bottom side of the screen. But Power drift did not. I checked some screen shots of Power Drift at the web and it shows the lo/hi indicator on it. oh my...

Well, so...why at mine machine it did not appears? I was thinking about the rom should be a newer version...but before starting wandering around...I was thinking maybe someone put a light on my at this one. And them...here I am.

Press TAB to bring up the MAME menus.
- In the "Video Options" menu, highlight "Shifter-R" and hit ENTER.
- Shifter should appear in the lower right corner of the screen.

If there isn't a video option that displays the shifter, you may need to get the Power Drift layout .zip file from Mr.Do's and put it in your MAME\artwork folder. (leave it .zipped)
- Power drift layout file https://mrdo.mameworld.info/artwork/pdrift.zip
- Layout files for other games https://mrdo.mameworld.info/mame_artwork_ingame.php

Scott

Hoopz · « **Reply #32 on:** August 20, 2020, 09:07:20 am »

Dammit, I didn't check the date of the original post and saw that u_rebelscum had posted and thought he was back.

Motorhead · « **Reply #33 on:** August 20, 2020, 12:56:25 pm »

Quote from: PL1 on August 20, 2020, 07:25:09 am

Quote from: Motorhead on August 20, 2020, 06:44:12 am
Outrun runs with the lo/hi shift indicator on the right bottom side of the screen. But Power drift did not. I checked some screen shots of Power Drift at the web and it shows the lo/hi indicator on it. oh my...

Well, so...why at mine machine it did not appears? I was thinking about the rom should be a newer version...but before starting wandering around...I was thinking maybe someone put a light on my at this one. And them...here I am.
Press TAB to bring up the MAME menus.
- In the "Video Options" menu, highlight "Shifter-R" and hit ENTER.
- Shifter should appear in the lower right corner of the screen.

If there isn't a video option that displays the shifter, you may need to get the Power Drift layout .zip file from Mr.Do's and put it in your MAME\artwork folder. (leave it .zipped)
- Power drift layout file https://mrdo.mameworld.info/artwork/pdrift.zip
- Layout files for other games https://mrdo.mameworld.info/mame_artwork_ingame.php

Scott

Many Thanks my friend! It worked! Have a great day!


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