Recent Posts

OutputHooker v1.4.0 released!

- Added support for positional guns
- Added support for SDL3 gamecontrollers
- Added "Connected Device(s)" window
- Fixed COM Port placeholder
- Fixed TCP read

Big thanks to 6Bolt!
Without him and HOTR, I probably would never have done OutputHooker.

https://github.com/PolybiusExtreme/OutputHooker/releases/tag/v1.4.0

Hi janderclander14!

Here is the next release, v1.5.3, with the following changes:

 - Added support for exiting MGPr using a joystick or mouse button
   (Previously, the only option was to use a defined key).
 - Added support for resetting hiscores using a joystick or mouse button
   (Previously, the only option was to use a defined key).
 - Added in-game volume up and volume down controls (See section 5 of the
   release notes for more details).

I've only built the Linux package for now? If you are happy with it I'll update the first post on this thread will this version (Where I'll also add a link to the Windows package).

You do have to press and hold the volume buttons for over a second before the audio level starts to change (Feels a bit clunky at first, but stops the player from making accidental volume changes). There is an onscreen "Keep held to change" message that appears immediately when you press a volume button. Pressing both volume up and down buttons as the same time sets the volume to the default level (50). Volume changes get saved to the game configuration file upon exit (Thus, remembered the next time you start up MGPr).

For Linux and Raspberry Pi:

    The release supports x86 Linux PCs Ubuntu 24.04 based distros (e.g. Linux Mint 22) and ARM Linux Debian 12 ('Bookworm') based distros (e.g. latest Raspberry Pi OS) 32-bit & 64-bit:
    Monaco GP Remake v1.5.3 for Linux & Raspberry Pi (Download from my Google Drive)
    Please read the release notes HERE.

A guy is working on porting arcade racers on Xbox360.
It seems to be based on MAME but with deep modifications. The most obvious one is HD resolution.
https://github.com/wanszai/Ace-Driver-Collection-X360-Releases

It works very well on Xenia. You can use Wheel2xinput for wheel support with rumble.

There is a YouTube channel showing all the games he is working on.
https://youtube.com/@wanswan5?si=v-JU-IxXuQPslUHG

Hi,

A port of Lindberg Loader for Windows has been made.
Only a few games are supported so far but Outrun2 works close to perfect. Only FFB is missing.

https://github.com/lindbergh-loader/linuxloader

Great news indeed!
Will the old plugins be compatible with 2.0. or will we need to work on them also?

Thanks for your work on this Loadman.
I still use Mala, and love it.

Of those, I've mainly played World Cup Soccer and the flow is really pleasing. There is a fairly recent update of World Cup Soccer, it may be worth checking to see if you're running that.

I've got the newer VPW release and it's beautiful, but it's too resource heavy for my machine unless the resolution is dropped to the point where it's no longer beautiful, lol. Currently running a lesser version that's happy on 1080p.

I'm sure you haven't been, but don't sleep on the reproductions of older EM and early microprocessor games too. Evel Knievel, Gorgar, Monaco, and Trident are some pretty outstanding pre-dmd games, worth checking out. 

I still need the Pinscape for nudge and other buttons but yeah that small flipper delay was harshing my chuff.  I kind of knew that USB is slower than the old PS2 but didn't think much on it. Hardware level interrupt is better.

Well damn, that's harsh but a very good tidbit to know. In the future I plan to use something similar for nudge, but I'm pretty much stuck with USB with whichever encoder handles flipper inputs. Is the difference in latency reflected in the F11 OSD at all?

New backbox design is looking great!

Very nice!  Oh nooo, now I want some of those Rollie Leaf Switches! Hah ha, it never ends does it?

 

So I've been re-wiring electrical connections, boards etc and made a slightly annoying discovery.  I think the Pinscape board is a bit laggy. Well for flippers anyway.
Until recently I was using a Keywiz (PS2 keyboard based) for flippers. When I switched flippers to the Pinscape it was noticeably slower.  That won't do, so I've switched back to using the Keywiz for flippers and Plunger/Enter key.
I still need the Pinscape for nudge and other buttons but yeah that small flipper delay was harshing my chuff.  I kind of knew that USB is slower than the old PS2 but didn't think much on it. Hardware level interrupt is better.

Determined to cut wood today.  I've done the design for the revised Backbox. This helps with the cutting plan:

Reading Ond's excellent The Web vpin thread has put me in mind of some of the updates I'd made to this machine over the past year.

The first was the addition of a sound-activated 5V LED light bar which fits under the glass at the top of the playfield monitor. It animates like a VU meter and color cycles in time with whatever sounds are being output from the machine. It's basically just a bit of bling, but I find that it does enhance gameplay in that the flashing lights actually tend to force me increase concentration on the playfield itself, which is kinda neat. Video file was too large to upload, but here's a screencap of what it looks like:



I also switched out the original audio amplifier pcb (a TDA2822 unit at 5V, robbed from a soundbar) to a TPA3110 unit at 12V, and added a pair of 30mm exciter speakers adjacent to the flipper buttons for some haptic feedback:



The changes to the components above led me to add another buck converter to the machine, as the previous amplifier had been USB powered and with the addition of the LED bar and amplifier the machine now had a need for adjustable outputs for both 5V and 12V. I decided to consolidate the buck converters and relay into a single module to clean up the installation and to move the adjustment trim pots to a more accessible location:



Voltage readouts were added to the new switching unit to simplify diagnostics and adjustment during installation:



Most recently these Rollie Leaf Switches were produced and made available again, so I jumped on an order and switched out the original micros. They've made a definite improvement in playability:





I still haven't made the move to adding analog nudge, but part of the reason for that has been waiting a bit on software maturity in the Standalone/Batocera ecosystem.

VPX Standalone itself has made enormous strides over the past year, but the latest improvements haven't yet been ported into Batocera and I'm unwilling to upset what is otherwise a completely functional system to chase (fairly convoluted in Batocera) manual point updates. Instead, I'll wait to update until 10.8.1 hits official release, rumored for Batocera V44.

ATS