Mame Gp2x 1.1

[DaveC]

That's almost criminal.  Maybe a large donation would fix that.  Remarkably enough, half or more of classic gaming for ME personally revolves around sound.  This is why I don't even look at emulators until they have sound support.  I don't think I'm alone either.  We need sample support.


I don't even need a fancy GUI or anything .. just restore CFG files and I'll hack em myself.  Yeah, Missile Command was another one that is nearly unplayable.

I dunno ... all the Williams stuff needs the horsepower.  Robotron with any frameskip can prove unplayable with the sheer number of items and bullets on the screen.  But you're right, many do not.

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I have been pestering him to add sound for about a year (since the GP32 version) He has basically said that he has no motivation for adding samples or sound. I guess he doesn't care about sound in those old games so we are out of luck unless someone else picks up the source and hacks it in. I don't bother with emus or games that don't have sound either but I guess we are in the minority. I am hoping that someday someone will add sound. The source is out there and having many classics like Donkey Kong, Zaxxon, Space invaders, Phoenix, Venture, Berzerk, etc remain silent is a shame. With the increased exposure of the GP2X I hope someone will finish those games off with proper sound.

I also suggested that he allowed the use of the volume button for action only when in vertical mode so that games like Galaga and other vertically oriented games are playable. Wrapping your hand around to the top while playing those is terribly awkward, it sucks. That hasn't been implemented either. I don't know if that is because he doesn't want to add that option, doesn't care or just hasn't got around to it yet. If those things were fixed (sound, Volume button use) I would donate too. Not sure how much money it would take to bribe him to do those things Franxis has done a fantastic job with MAME, just needs a little adjustment.

Yeah Williams games are slow. Must have alot of chips in there to emulate or something.

 

[Shane R. Monroe]

We've corresponded in email, and yeah - he doesn't understand the need for samples - but he did acknowledge that LOTS of people want it, so I think he'll look into it. I tossed him some money - people tend to pay attention when you throw enough greenbacks at them

I am not from the GP32 era, so I can't comment on using the volume control as a button ... however, I'm a little edgy about it as the volume control doesn't appear NEARLY as durable as the buttons are and I'm not sure I'd play a heavy shooter like Galaga with the (-) volume control. The contortion thing doesn't really bother me .. I played 11 levels of Mr. Do without cramping up. Would I mind the option? Hell no. Life should BE about choice. For a game like Mr. Do where firing is a limited affair, that (-) button might be an okay deal.

 

[DaveC]

We've corresponded in email, and yeah - he doesn't understand the need for samples - but he did acknowledge that LOTS of people want it, so I think he'll look into it.  I tossed him some money - people tend to pay attention when you throw enough greenbacks at them

I am not from the GP32 era, so I can't comment on using the volume control as a button ... however, I'm a little edgy about it as the volume control doesn't appear NEARLY as durable as the buttons are and I'm not sure I'd play a heavy shooter like Galaga with the (-) volume control.  The contortion thing doesn't really bother me .. I played 11 levels of Mr. Do without cramping up.   Would I mind the option?  Hell no.  Life should BE about choice.  For a game like Mr. Do where firing is a limited affair, that (-) button might be an okay deal.

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The membrane and contacts inside the GP2X are the same for the volume and the actual buttons only the shape of the button is different. Durability should be no issue. To me playing with my hand craned around the top of the unit is too awkward to the point where it ruins the game. It is especially bad because my thumb ends up covering part of the screen too. It just sucks. Convincing Franxis is not easy though for some reason as we have found with the sound thing. So I guess vertical games will remain unplayable unfortunately unless another coder adds the option.

 

[Belgarath]

Well I for one would love to be able to use the volume as the main fire buttons for vertical games, it's far too awkward otherwise.

 

[remowilliams]

The source is out there and having many classics like Donkey Kong, Zaxxon, Space invaders, Phoenix, Venture, Berzerk, etc remain silent is a shame. With the increased exposure of the GP2X I hope someone will finish those games off with proper sound.

I agree! It's a shame that so many classics are missing their sound

I just donated though, so I'm voting for my requested feature with $

Yeah Williams games are slow. Must have alot of chips in there to emulate or something.

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Yup

 

[DaveC]

Well I for one would love to be able to use the volume as the main fire buttons for vertical games, it's far too awkward otherwise.

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Maybe we can petition Franxis to add that feature? After he adds it we can then donate something. If we donate before he adds it he will be less likely to do it because he already has the money.

 

[Franxis]

Well I for one would love to be able to use the volume as the main fire buttons for vertical games, it's far too awkward otherwise.

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Maybe we can petition Franxis to add that feature? After he adds it we can then donate something. If we donate before he adds it he will be less likely to do it because he already has the money.

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:blink: please, do NOT donate before nor after because i won't add that feature :angry:

 

[Shane R. Monroe]

I'm curious if you have a particular reason. I stated why I wouldn't be keen on it, but I'm wondering what your own personal reasons are to be against it?

 

[Kayday]

I don't think Franxis is against adding the feature, just mad at the comments being made about holding back on donations and such until ______ feature is implemented. You have to understand that he is doing this for free so no amount of donation will pursuade him one way or another. We donate because we appreciate what he's done so far, not because we're expecting something in return. I would like the feature but it's not important right now. Let's get some more optimisation in first.

 

[craigix]

The source is available, it would not be very hard to add it in you know. Maybe you guys could give it a try, then you could alter other things too to fit.

 

[DaveC]

Well I for one would love to be able to use the volume as the main fire buttons for vertical games, it's far too awkward otherwise.

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Maybe we can petition Franxis to add that feature? After he adds it we can then donate something. If we donate before he adds it he will be less likely to do it because he already has the money.

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:blink: please, do NOT donate before nor after because i won't add that feature :angry:

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Why? It is a feature that many of us would want and it would make many games playable. It is much too awkward as it is now twisting your hand over the top covering part of the screen and speaker when playing. It ruins many games. You thought it was a good idea to make the "start" button on the GP32 an action button when vertical so why are you so dead against it now? The volume is in the same spot as "start" on the GP32. It would only improve the experience and playability and it has no drawbacks, what would it hurt?

 

[DaveC]

The source is available, it would not be very hard to add it in you know. Maybe you guys could give it a try, then you could alter other things too to fit.

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Really that is all I would want, and maybe the option to configure buttons so they make more sense in stuff like Missile command.

The problem is we don't know how to code or it would be done. Even if we did everytime the emu was updated it would be gone again. But just because we can't code doesn't mean our ideas are no good. That what is good about a community. Coders make programs and others have valid ideas for improvements. Together software gets better and better.

 

[Iorgy77]

@DaveC: you have become so annoying he won't do it out of spite now... way to go man... way to go

 

[Shane R. Monroe]

Well, he did say he's working on a UI for changing button configurations. Perhaps you'll be able to set it yourself.

As Craig said, the source is available. Eventually someone who CAN edit the code will want it bad enough that we'll all get it.

I can tell you that I'm not overly pleased with the screen stretching 'features' of 1.2 ... since now when I play Mr. Do, it scales to play it horizontally, letterboxed (so to speak) and if I change to vertical orientation, it stays the same size - so there is no advantage of playing it vertically now (it won't fill the screen no matter what). Hopefully we'll have the option to turn OFF scaling/stretching for the sake of removing black space (I've never been a fan of it - even in the REAL mame).

 

[DaveC]

Well, he did say he's working on a UI for changing button configurations.  Perhaps you'll be able to set it yourself.

As Craig said, the source is available.  Eventually someone who CAN edit the code will want it bad enough that we'll all get it.

I can tell you that I'm not overly pleased with the screen stretching 'features' of 1.2 ... since now when I play Mr. Do, it scales to play it horizontally, letterboxed (so to speak) and if I change to vertical orientation, it stays the same size - so there is no advantage of playing it vertically now (it won't fill the screen no matter what).  Hopefully we'll have the option to turn OFF scaling/stretching for the sake of removing black space (I've never been a fan of it - even in the REAL mame).

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Well what you are playing is unstretched. MrDo is like 256 x 240 so it fits on the screen in horizontal mode at 1:1 with borders. Anytime you get borders you are playing at 1:1 pixel mapping, or the arcade game's original resolution. The screen on the GP2X is slightly higher than the majority of older arcade games hence the borders. There is no stretching how you describe it. If you stretch it it would fill the screen but look ugly as hell because it distorts pixels by doubling some and not others (characteristics of fixed pixel display) and you will know it. You can stretch by hitting the shoulder buttons and it togles through the modes. I always play unstretched though as it looks better and more faithful to the original, even if a bit smaller.

 

[Eolair]

I can't seem to stretch Mr Do at all. Hitting the shoulder buttons only switches between 2 alternative modes: horizontal or vertical mode. In the vertical mode there's plenty of space in all directions. In the horizontal mode I have blanks space to left and right. Both mode seem to be 1:1 pixel modes.

 

[Shane R. Monroe]

Well what you are playing is unstretched.  MrDo is like 256 x 240 so it fits on the screen in horizontal mode at 1:1 with borders.  Anytime you get borders you are playing at 1:1 pixel mapping, or the arcade game's original resolution.  The screen on the GP2X is slightly higher than the majority of older arcade games hence the borders. There is no stretching how you describe it.  If you stretch it it would fill the screen but look ugly as hell because it distorts pixels by doubling some and not others (characteristics of fixed pixel display) and you will know it.  You can stretch by hitting the shoulder buttons and it togles through the modes.  I always play unstretched though as it looks better and more faithful to the original, even if a bit smaller.

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Let me rephrase what I mean ...

In 1.1 ... when I would play Mr. Do, in verticle mode, it would fill the ENTIRE screen and looked great. In horizontal mode, it would be cut off top and bottom.

In 1.2 ... when I play Mr. Do its squeezed into proper vertical orientation in horizontal mode (leaving the 'black bars' on the right and left). But, when I change to vertical mode, its now THE SAME SQUISHED size as horizontal mode, leaving black ALL AROUND the game.

So, either it was stretched before, or its squished now. One of the two.

Edit: The original resolution is 192×240 ... And I'd like to go on record as saying I don't support stretching, but I don't mind 1:1 pixel doubling.

 

[DaveC]

Well what you are playing is unstretched.  MrDo is like 256 x 240 so it fits on the screen in horizontal mode at 1:1 with borders.  Anytime you get borders you are playing at 1:1 pixel mapping, or the arcade game's original resolution.  The screen on the GP2X is slightly higher than the majority of older arcade games hence the borders. There is no stretching how you describe it.  If you stretch it it would fill the screen but look ugly as hell because it distorts pixels by doubling some and not others (characteristics of fixed pixel display) and you will know it.  You can stretch by hitting the shoulder buttons and it togles through the modes.  I always play unstretched though as it looks better and more faithful to the original, even if a bit smaller.

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Let me rephrase what I mean ...

In 1.1 ... when I would play Mr. Do, in verticle mode, it would fill the ENTIRE screen and looked great. In horizontal mode, it would be cut off top and bottom.

In 1.2 ... when I play Mr. Do its squeezed into proper vertical orientation in horizontal mode (leaving the 'black bars' on the right and left). But, when I change to vertical mode, its now THE SAME SQUISHED size as horizontal mode, leaving black ALL AROUND the game.

So, either it was stretched before, or its squished now. One of the two.

Edit: The original resolution is 192×240 ... And I'd like to go on record as saying I don't support stretching, but I don't mind 1:1 pixel doubling.

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You confused me with this:

"so there is no advantage of playing it vertically now (it won't fill the screen no matter what). Hopefully we'll have the option to turn OFF scaling/stretching for the sake of removing black space (I've never been a fan of it - even in the REAL mame). "

To me this sounds like you WANT to stretch it to fit. "it won't fill the screen no matter what" Because MrDO is 192 x 240 if it filled the screen it would be stretched. Then you say you want to turn OFF scaling to remove borders when in fact turning ON stretching would remove black space. That made no sense.

That is strange. well if there is a border all aound in 1.2 that is correct. As you say MrDO is 192 x 240 which WILL leave a border on a 320 x 240 screen black bars in horizontal mode border all around in vertical. I never noticed any stretching or squishing on either version though, and I would have because I hate stretching/squishing. I always played it horizontally, saw no point in rotating when it fit without cropping anyway. I just tried it once to make sure nothing was cut in horizontal mode.

Plus you mean 2:1 pixel doubling that you don't mind right? 1:1 is single pixel mapping, double is 2:1 (every pixel 2X both directions).