Can someone help me modify a version of mame?

[taylormadelv]

I'm really stuck here. There is a Windows Beta version of command line mame .137 that has ZVG card support here:http://www.radiantbacon.com/
It's great but the biggest and most simple issue with this special version compliled by SteveJ at KLOV is that the game list does not show any Sega Vector games and this is a huge issue, since the Sega vectors are some of my favorites and I have no way to play them with this setup which is driving me nuts. I am completely lost with installing dos but I'm still trying...
SteveJ is a very busy guy and he doesn't seem to have time to play around with this right now and I have asked him several times.
I am really puzzled by trying to do a recompile and I'm not sure I can do a recompile, as the only access is to the finished mame.exe and there is no source for the beta available.
"vmame32-1.0b" needs to have Space Fury, Star Trek, Tac Scan, Zektor, Eliminator, Tomcat, Topgunner and the Tempest Multigame (tempestm) added to the available game list. The other thing that needs work is the ability to rotate the zvg output of vertical games.
If someone can instruct me how to do this myself, I will try. If someone can actually do this:you will be worshipped by all the vector gaming community and ME! You can reply here or PM me or email me:taylormadelv@hotmail.com
Thanks!

[Howard_Casto]

Sorry you haven't gotten a reply after all this time. 

I'll tell you why you can't get any help. 

You need the source, it's as simple as that.  Without it a person would have to start over from scratch and that means they would need an intimate understanding of how the card works and the games themselves.  I don't think that's going to happen save from the original author.  Sorry. 

[taylormadelv]

I have asked SteveJ at KLOV several times if he would release his original souce code for the ZVG version of mame he tweaked but he ignores me. I think he feels that Linux is superior but what he does not understand, is that many people don't want to make a dedicated non-windows setup just for the ZVG. So ZVG is almost like AAE at right now, people are unable to work on it because the original authors won't releast the source code.....
Frustration at the moment... Thing is; ZVG suppport WAS is dos mame .106. I wish I knew how to write it back into a guimame but I need help and that's why this is dead in the water right now.
I know that some KLOV'ers are in for a BIG SURPRISE when they are unable to get the vector games they think they are about to emulate with the multi vector control panels and custom computer rigs and can't get some games to play properly or not at all. ZVG is NOT a turnkey deal, it need lots and lots or work, which is what I was attempting to get here and I am still trying...HELP!

[Paul Olson]

Like Howard said, without the source, it is going to be a complete rewrite based off of the dosmame code that had it. That is a lot of work, and the people interested in doing it are not releasing their source code.

You might try asking on the MAME forums to see if you can find one of the devs who would be interested in trying to add it back in. Doubtful, but you never know.

I am glad that I didn't buy one of the ZVGs though. For the price, it needs to be a more complete solution.

[taylormadelv]

I posted similar requests on mameworld forums about the same time as I did here. Funny thing, people are going gangbusters in making and selling "multi-vector" control panels and all kinds of "multi-vector" artwork but I really think that not many of these individuals realize just what they are getting into. KLOV'ers will buy components for future arcade projects, without having a complete game in front of them. I sense the bottom will fall out on ZVG soon, when peeps just have no idea how to get all the games to play properly with the applications that are currently available.
ZVG rendering slows the frame rates on games BIG TIME! Even on a P4 2.4, I have all kinds of frame rate issues. If the framerate drops too low, the vector monitor will flicker. If throttle is turned off, framerates will increase but there's no control over how fast the games will play and the audio will not be correct.
So the peeps (like me) that thought that this was a silver bullet for playing Major Havocar Wars on a real vector monitor without the real PCB's will have a big wake up call.
I've reverted back to macmame os9 .56. This is the best vector game emulator I have used, period. It's just that the interface sucks, there's no front end and you need to run native os9 on a g4 to get the maximum output. But I will say that I've gotten almost every vector game to run silky smooth on a G4 +Gateway VX910 and it looks awesome sitting right next to the ZVG cab.
I will keep the ZVG though. Armor Attack is super cool with a special "overlay". Many games will play just fine but I still can't play Space Fury on the ZVG because I'm stuck in Windows.

[Haze]

The problem is that by not releasing the sources he's not only stalling any progress, but is also in direct violation of the MAME license agreement which has always been explicit in the requirement for sources for any modifications to be made available.

This isn't about one platform being superior, instead simply one guy failing to fulfill his legal obligations.

This is why I've stated in the past that the new advanceMAME builds are bad too.  No source means in the long run the entire community just loses out due to a handful of selfish b*****ds.

[taylormadelv]

Thank you for speaking up, Haze. I think your words will really make a difference, I really hope so. I have posted another request, with your quote on KLOV here:
http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=190768

[Gray_Area]

The problem is that by not releasing the sources he's not only stalling any progress, but is also in direct violation of the MAME license agreement which has always been explicit in the requirement for sources for any modifications to be made available.

This isn't about one platform being superior, instead simply one guy failing to fulfill his legal obligations.

This is why I've stated in the past that the new advanceMAME builds are bad too.  No source means in the long run the entire community just loses out due to a handful of selfish b*****ds.

What new ones? Those are like ghetto community releases.

Indeed, I hadn't thought of the Code. I doubt he'll cave in to it, though.

@Taylormadelev: get someone else to ask him; lie about it being for something you think he'll go for.

[taylormadelv]

SteveJ continues to blank me. There will be a "watershed" moment soon ,though. This whole cottage industry created around the ZVG (mutivector control panels, multivector artwork, mutivector.....) will soon realize that ZVG is not a turnkey deal and needs much work. Some people may have even gotten very deep with control panels, artwork, PC rigs and not understand that ZVG is not a complete, finished deal at the moment. When all the arcade guys that bought these boards start having all the issues that I have already detailed, perhaps there will be more momentum to get a fully functioning windows guimame version with a complete game list.
The Operating System is NOT the issue, even though SteveJ thinks so. The issues are adjusting the framerates on each game and the anemic dos mame versions will not give enough adjustments to keep framerates smooth from game to game.
Even after a few polite requests, I have yet to see anyone post videos of Major Havoc or Star Wars playing at full speed with correct audio and a nice, smooth framerate that looks good on a vector monitor. Like one of the salespeople from Zektor said to me over the phone a few months ago; there are some "ZVG Zealots" out there, I am not included in this group, as I am trying to keep this a more "open" type project and stay in the mainstream by sticking with a windows versions of mame. The people that are determined to keep this closed by staying with dos/Linux makes this very frustrating. Some games look alomost perfect, Space Duel and Armor Attack are awesome but then when I change to Gravitar, the framerate drops and the vector monitor gives too much flicker. This project desperately need OUTSIDE HELP, the kind of help that people here can provide!

[Haze]

SteveJ continues to blank me. There will be a "watershed" moment soon ,though. This whole cottage industry created around the ZVG (mutivector control panels, multivector artwork, mutivector.....) will soon realize that ZVG is not a turnkey deal and needs much work. Some people may have even gotten very deep with control panels, artwork, PC rigs and not understand that ZVG is not a complete, finished deal at the moment. When all the arcade guys that bought these boards start having all the issues that I have already detailed, perhaps there will be more momentum to get a fully functioning windows guimame version with a complete game list.
The Operating System is NOT the issue, even though SteveJ thinks so. The issues are adjusting the framerates on each game and the anemic dos mame versions will not give enough adjustments to keep framerates smooth from game to game.
Even after a few polite requests, I have yet to see anyone post videos of Major Havoc or Star Wars playing at full speed with correct audio and a nice, smooth framerate that looks good on a vector monitor. Like one of the salespeople from Zektor said to me over the phone a few months ago; there are some "ZVG Zealots" out there, I am not included in this group, as I am trying to keep this a more "open" type project and stay in the mainstream by sticking with a windows versions of mame. The people that are determined to keep this closed by staying with dos/Linux makes this very frustrating. Some games look alomost perfect, Space Duel and Armor Attack are awesome but then when I change to Gravitar, the framerate drops and the vector monitor gives too much flicker. This project desperately need OUTSIDE HELP, the kind of help that people here can provide!

If people are determined enough to not release the sources then they won't.  There are similar problems with some other projects, and it looks like they really want to be dragged through the courts before they actually bother to abide by the license.  These are people without the community at heart at all.

I'd just spread the word that it's a bad product, and not worth buying due to these issues with the support.

[Howard_Casto]

SteveJ continues to blank me. There will be a "watershed" moment soon ,though. This whole cottage industry created around the ZVG (mutivector control panels, multivector artwork, mutivector.....) will soon realize that ZVG is not a turnkey deal and needs much work. Some people may have even gotten very deep with control panels, artwork, PC rigs and not understand that ZVG is not a complete, finished deal at the moment. When all the arcade guys that bought these boards start having all the issues that I have already detailed, perhaps there will be more momentum to get a fully functioning windows guimame version with a complete game list.
The Operating System is NOT the issue, even though SteveJ thinks so. The issues are adjusting the framerates on each game and the anemic dos mame versions will not give enough adjustments to keep framerates smooth from game to game.
Even after a few polite requests, I have yet to see anyone post videos of Major Havoc or Star Wars playing at full speed with correct audio and a nice, smooth framerate that looks good on a vector monitor. Like one of the salespeople from Zektor said to me over the phone a few months ago; there are some "ZVG Zealots" out there, I am not included in this group, as I am trying to keep this a more "open" type project and stay in the mainstream by sticking with a windows versions of mame. The people that are determined to keep this closed by staying with dos/Linux makes this very frustrating. Some games look alomost perfect, Space Duel and Armor Attack are awesome but then when I change to Gravitar, the framerate drops and the vector monitor gives too much flicker. This project desperately need OUTSIDE HELP, the kind of help that people here can provide!

If people are determined enough to not release the sources then they won't.  There are similar problems with some other projects, and it looks like they really want to be dragged through the courts before they actually bother to abide by the license.  These are people without the community at heart at all.

I'd just spread the word that it's a bad product, and not worth buying due to these issues with the support.

Agreed....

Here's what you do:

1.  Get Andy or Randy to develop a new vector card and hire someone to make a source revision and/or make the card open-source so we know how it works.

2.  Buy the card and get everyone you know to buy it that would be even remotely interested to buy it. 

3.  Run any remaining business SteveJ has into the ground.

[wolfsoft]

Hi there I got a Zektor ZVG too.
Is there a way to make Vectrex Games working too with the Zektor. Does anybody has the source codes and can make a mess Version.
Or make a newer mame with zektor support
Hope somebody can do it
Thanks in Advance
Klaus from germany