Help w/ lightgun installation (edited)

[bsgamble]

Actually this may not even be possible.  Ive tried reading some light gun stuff on here and im very confused about it.  This is a PS2 lightgun plugged up as USB (not as a converter just straight USB) Im running the latest version of MAME w/ mamewah.  Im sure it is not as simple as adding something to your mame.ini.  If someone could shoot me a link to some instructions on installing a lightgun that would be greatly appriciated.  Thanks

[NickG]

What kind of gun is it? (true light gun or other type)
Did you install it in windows?
How does it show up in your device management console? everything ok there?


Is it Guncon or Guncon 2 compatible? 
If so, install a Guncon 2 PC Driver
Yes, you may need to enable lightgun input or mouse or pointer input in your .ini or .cfgs (sorry, I use mameplus; haven't tried mamewah)

[bsgamble]

This may be my problem I am not sure.  Its just a generic PS2/PS1 lightgun made by Pelican.  It DOES have Guncon mode (I hope this is what you are speaking of) and when i turn the gun into guncon mode Windows makes the sound as if it it recognizing a USB device and when i switch guncon mode off then that goes away.  Should I install that driver? And if so is there anything else i need to do.  Thanks so much for the help.


I installed the Guncon program but it isnt recognizing the gun.  I went to the forums on Guncons website however and did see that someone has been using hte same gun as I am and has it working.  Im just a little lost here i guess....

[NickG]

Yes, you need to install a driver.  Actually, I have just tried to install my gun using that one (wingun) but I could not verify that it works, but I have a different type of gun.  GunCon2Mouse is the driver I have had easier success with.  It is the guncon2mouse driver from http://www.guncon2driver.com/index.php?prevnext=16

This one is easier to setup (for me)  If you cannot get Wingun to work, try guncon2mouse.   note: There is a newer version available     

[bsgamble]

Thanks, I did this and it is actually recognizing the gun yet I still have no luck with getting it to work in MAME.  I changed my settings in mame.ini to read lightgun 1 and lightgun_device mouse.  Is there anything else that I need to change??  When i go to the input config. in mame (hitting tab in the game) and try and set the trigger it will not recognize the gun there as well.  I really hope this is just a configuration problem in mame.ini and not that the gun doesnt work.  Im sorry to be such a newb here but I have never tried light guns before.  Also, my crosshairs that normally appear on the screen in the middle (when no lightgun is installed) have moved to the top right hand corner of the monitor.  Any thoughts?

Finally, when i go into the guncon2mouse configuration tool to calibrate the lightgun instead of being able to use my gun, my trackball is what it is recognizing as what moves the crosshairs so could it be that my problem is actually my trackball??

[NickG]

You are using a Television set or other CRT through composite or s-video, correct?
What driver(s) is(are) installed in Device Manager? "Guncon Device" + "HID-compliant mouse" is supposed to work with guncon2mouse.  You should have a different driver if using wingun.

Thanks, I did this and it is actually recognizing the gun

Did what?  What is recognizing the gun?  How can you tell? 

Finally, when i go into the guncon2mouse configuration tool to calibrate the lightgun instead of being able to use my gun, my trackball is what it is recognizing as what moves the crosshairs so could it be that my problem is actually my trackball??

So is your mouse pointer tracking your lightgun when you are not running the configuration tool?  Your trackball, mouse, spinner, etc. should be able to move your crosshairs in addition to your gun.  I am not sure if this is also true for multi-player mouse/trackball setups.  If you think your trackball is interfering, just disconnect it for a moment, then you'll know.

BTW, I still haven't had complete success with either driver for my gun, but the pointer tracks on the desktop with Smog's driver,  so it is a good troubleshooting step me.  I can't get the trigger or any buttons working with it, though.  I thought I had gotten it to work completely before; maybe it was just a fuzzy memory... 

[bsgamble]

Im using ArcadeVGA to an arcade monitor.  Both the Guncon2 and HID Compliant drivers are installed and when i disconnect the gun from USB that goes away so im assuming the driver is correct.   I did undo the trackball and that proved nothing so im assuming that it has nothing to do with it. 

[topher0002]

I have also been struggling with a similiar problem,  Mine actually works perfectly as a mouse in windows and it tracks in AREA 51 for MAME but does not hit anything when i aim and shoot.  The screen flashes and the recoil on the gun goes but it doesnt hit a guy when i shoot at him,   the blue target even moves with the gun so i know the computer thinks im pointed right at him,  its really weird and driving me crazy.

I have messed with the mame settings, gone through every thread I can find here, every website i can search for and can not find the answer,  i have the newest 1.18 version of mame, as of 08/30/2007 and am using it with  mamewahs newest version. 

Let me know if you get this fixed and what you did,  or if anyone knows the answer to my problem and its not the same as his post as well!  THANKS!!!!!!