Laser lightgun working with MAME+ Projekt Ares

[SammyWI]

I've been able to get a lot of MAME gun games working using some free software called Projekt Ares (http://www.projekt-ares.de/En/index.html).  This uses a projector, webcam and laser in the gun.  This won't be for everyone.  It has some big limitations.  But it does open up some lightgun fun with a very accurate aiming setup (no on screen cursor needed).

The short version: Use the Projekt Ares software in mouse emulation mode and run MAME in windowed mode with OSD VIDEO OPTIONS  window  1, OSD INPUT OPTIONS  lightgunprovider  win32, other input options set to auto.  And CORE INPUT AUTOMATIC ENABLE OPTIONS  lightgun_device  mouse.  Using Win10.  Run Projekt Ares and MAME on the main display.

The long version: I've been messing around with every piece of software I could find that would track a laser on screen and convert that to a mouse click to make a shooting trainer.  And the next obvious step was to get that mouse emulation into some classic video game emulators.  I always ran into issues where the laser software could work with windows desktop and some desktop software (even a range simulator I made in the Unity3D engine), but could not push the mouse click to game emulators.  The trick for MAME seems to be running in windowed mode.  After that just some messing around with the mame.ini file got most games working. 

I'm using a projector, webcam and some red cellophane like the Projekt Ares website recommends.  Go through their instructions on setting up and calibrating the camera.  That can be challenging to get right but they have a good set up routine and nice videos going through it.  Working in a room where you can control the lighting helps a lot.  For webcams both the Logitech c270 and the Microsoft LifeCam HD-3000 work well and are not too expensive.  I have the IR cut filter removed from the HD-3000 so that works for either visible red or an IR laser.  For guns I have a couple of red laser trainers made for practicing for shooting reals guns and some DIY guns mostly using airsoft shells. 

I need to get some other emulators set up now.  Hopefully running windowed will work for them too.  Most Mame gun games work fine but a few have not.  Carnevil , Alien 3, Beast Busters 2 all seem to only read a mouse click as at the bottom of the screen no matter where you shoot.  But they all work fine using a regular mouse.  Plenty of good games work: Area 51, Lethal Enforcers, Time Crisis, Maximum Force, vs Duck Hunt and lots more work just fine.  At least for a quick try out.  Secondary buttons have to be mapped another way but I think I can find some way to make most work.  Two player games I don't see any way to work this way.  No idea if this would work for a LCD or CRT screen.  I don't have a lot of need for that since I have the projector set up.  Hopefully Sinden comes through for that.