Stella game launch problem in Mala

[markronz]

Hello, I am trying to find a good emulator for Atari 2600.   I was going to use Z26, but I can't remap the keys for it.  If theres a way to remap them, some one please clue me in.

Anyway, I'm currently using Stella, and have everything configured how I want it to be.  Everything works fine withing Stella itself.  The problem I am having is launching a game from within Mala.   Whenever I launch an Atari 2600 game from the Mala menu, it just opens Stella, but it opens it up to the Stella menu, not the actual game itself.

Could someone help me figure out why it doesn't go to the game instead of the menu?
Attatched below are two screen shots of my settings, and then a screenshot of the menu it takes me to in Stella.

Thanks!

[markronz]

Ok, sorry, just fixed part of this myself.   I just changed the Command Line to say:

"%path%\%rom%.%ext%"

 and now it launches the game instead of the menu.  Not really sure where that other stuff came from...

However, now I am experiencing the same issue that everyone else was talking about where the background in Mala shifts off the screen.   I changed the resolution in Stella to match what my normal screen resolution was, and that did fix the issue with the background moving. However, when I have the resolution in Stella set to 1024 x 768 the games move very slowly.   So I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place right now. 
-  If I change the resolution to be smaller, Mala's menu gets all messed up but the game speed is correct.
-  If I change the resolution to match my windows on, the Mala menu is correct, but the game speed is slow.

Anyone have any advice?   Does this issue happen in Z26?  If not, can you remap keys in Z26?

Thanks

[markronz]

I'm just going to use MESS.  Seems to work fine aside from the black DOS screen is flashes (quickly) when I launch a game.  Otherwise, it lets me remap all my keys and it doesn't mess with the background pic in Mala.

[loadman]

I'm just going to use MESS.  Seems to work fine aside from the black DOS screen is flashes (quickly) when I launch a game.  Otherwise, it lets me remap all my keys and it doesn't mess with the background pic in Mala.

You are using the 'window state hidden' option I hope?

[markronz]

You are using the 'window state hidden' option I hope?

I just checked and it was not set to hidden.  It is now, and it hid that black DOS screen!  Thanks!

[loadman]

You are using the 'window state hidden' option I hope?

I just checked and it was not set to hidden.  It is now, and it hid that black DOS screen!  Thanks!

Cool

A good idea in general is NOt to hide the dos screens until you are happy with the way the EMU is loading, otherwise you may miss the Emu's error messages

[maximebeauvais]

-  If I change the resolution to match my windows on, the Mala menu is correct, but the game speed is slow.

I have the same problem.....stella is very slow. How to make it goes faster?

thanks

[thatgammon]

To markronz,

OK i have just had the same problem with Stella resizing my Mala layout after exiting, but have just solved it.

(it's not Mala doing this, if its ok with your other emus, it's stella)

So I am assuming that your other emu's work ok and when exiting them your layout is NOT resized???
OK just checking..

Try this :
Mala command line = Quoted full path with extension.

Open Stella :

Options / video settings / Renderer OPEN GL (if urs was software might be the slow gameplay reason)
                                 / Fullscreen ON
                                 / TIA Filter Zoom 4x
                                 / FS Resolution (your desktop size)
                                 / Center Window check box

All other as default


Options UI settings / launcher width
                          / launcher height            change these to the same resoltion as well. Get as close to the desired number if you cant get it            exactly  i.e 1020 rather than 1024

Set up hot key to leave emu in mala (esc)

Should be cool. My setup is for 1280 x 1024 and works a treat with these settings, let me know

[markronz]

Wow, this is actually kind of creepy.   I had been using MESS for Atari 2600 for the past year or so.  Then just this past week I started to play around with Stella again.  Pretty crazy that someone resurrected this old post at the same time.    thatgammon, in this past attempt this week to get Stella to work, I was pretty successful this time. Most of my settings matched up with yours.   The only thing I had different was the OpenGL renderer, which I've now switched, and the TIA Filter.    So the only setting we have different now is the TIA Filter.   The problem is, I only have Zoom 2x available as an option in mine.  There is no Zoom 4x.  I wish there were, as the game does not use the full screen.    Do you have any idea as to why I don't have that option?   I am using Stella 3.3...

[thatgammon]

Wow have just seen the date on your first post!!

Didn't realise! Ok well if MESS is working for you then keep to it. (I'm sure some1 will benefit from this if it doesn't you)

I can only assume that if your max resolution is 1024 x 720 then is why you can only zoom x2

If it isn't then try a desktop res of a higher one and change the settings as I said above.

Did the change to openGL make the speed faster?

I will look into it more but if the answer is no to the above can only guess at being your video card.

I'll have a play around and see if I can come up with anything.....

[markronz]

Yeah the OpenGL seemed to have corrected the speed issue.

My resolution is set to 800 x 600 currently.   Don't think I will be changing that just for Stella because all my menus and etc are all made for that resolution.   So I am ok with everything.   I wish I could use a higher zoom so that the Atari 2600 screen would be a bit larger, but that's ok.  It's decently big, so if nothing else I am satisfied to leave it as is.  I would rather use Stella than MESS just because of the save capabilities and everything else.

[thatgammon]

ok have just tried it with 800x600 resolution.

Zoom x2 is all i get too and there is a small black band top and bottom.

Best you gonna get I reckon. But if that is all the problem is and the layout doesn't resize anymore

and the speeed issue is fixed, then jobs a goodun!

Sorry couldn't be more help, EZ

[markronz]

No you were a big help.  Thanks a lot!