mame2003-plus: hundreds of new games, improved input, features, new bugs - now with runahead support

UDb23

@Riverstorm Created a new Excel file to calculate backdrops .ART coordinates and also generate the actual .ART file (CTRL+SHIFT+B). File will be generated in the same folder where the excel file is placed.
This new file basically combines your calc file & my previus one. It should be quite simple to use: just fill in the colored cells.
Will use it for my next backdrops so we can check all calc are ok ;-)

Riverstorm

@UDb23 - Thanks I appreciate the updated sheet and will test tonight. Generating the .art sounds super fancy and daper! Just a quick FYI I do use Twisty's samples also. I went back and forth several times this morning and I think I know what you're hearing. A light kind of crackle/distortion for a fraction of a second?

Mine is very random and several times "smoothed" itself out after playing a bit. I had my wife confirm. She has no interest in this stuff beyond playing so it's fun to get her involved a little. I wish more females had an interest as I feel they bring a unique and fresh perspective.

Yes our "tours" consist of visiting a lot of family and friends and with it comes lot's of food, sweets and alcohol but alas in moderation for me.

grant2258

I recorded mame2003+ and mame2003 only plus had artwork on but that shouldnt matter was run in windows.

https://github.com/libretro/mame2003-plus-libretro/files/2706261/spaceinvaders.zip

mame2003+ == 0:00 - 0:36
mame2003+ == 0:41 on wards

dont really know what im listening for though you guy will need to be more specific.

UDb23

@grant2258 I cant' really notice as your shooting all the time. :-))
Jokes aside it is the bass rythm that is distorted, exactly as @Riverstorm described, so to notice you should not shoot. In your audio still I couldn't notice. Seems related to Pi if windows is ok.

UDb23

@Riverstorm said in mame2003-plus: hundreds of new games, improved input, features, new bugs - now with runahead support:

consist of visiting a lot of family and friends and with it comes lot's of food

You're not alone, I know this quite well. It is nice to relax with friends and family but you end up eating so much.. lol.

UDb23

@Riverstorm said in mame2003-plus: hundreds of new games, improved input, features, new bugs - now with runahead support:

A light kind of crackle/distortion for a fraction of a second?

That's it. And seems not to happen in mame2003 (non plus).

Riverstorm

@Udb23 - Right, I couldn't get it to happen in mame2003. If you play a regular game in each core the audio is definitely handled differently. When shooting invaders in Plus it's louder and more sharp whereas regular MAME is flatter and softer sounding. I'm not sure which is more correct but the point is they definitely do audio slightly different. If you play each for about 5-10 minutes you start to hear the differences.

Also great job on the spreadsheet you really did it well. The x/y "graphic" display layout is great! Have a wonderful holiday and don't be to overindulgent, well maybe a little! ;)

Clyde

@UDb23 Thanks for the spreadsheet from me, too. It seems that my LibreOffice 6 can use it, but could you or @Riverstorm please confirm that the following input will result in these ART values?

Image Size: 1600x1200
Game Area: 900x1200
ART string: -0.388889,-0.055556,1.388889,1.055556

(My monitor is 1600x1200, hence the values.)

UDb23

@Clyde said in mame2003-plus: hundreds of new games, improved input, features, new bugs - now with runahead support:

please confirm that the following input will result in these ART values?

-0.388889,0,1.388889,1

As Image (backdrop) height and game area height are the same: 0 and 1 are correct

Riverstorm

@UDb23 said in mame2003-plus: hundreds of new games, improved input, features, new bugs - now with runahead support:

As Image (backdrop) height and game area height are the same: 0 and 1 are correct

@UDb23 - Hey guys just a quick thought. I would check those values. I think you have the x/y reversed. It should be 0,-0.38889,1,1.38889. Basically just swap the x/y values. Also I would base the calculation off the backdrop size (not the display) 1920 x 1080 & 900 x 1200. It's about positioning the backdrop relative to the game area. I think your spreadsheet is exactly the opposite of what mine calculates. The numbers are spot on but the x/y values are reversed. If you want to see the effects swap the x/y for the two sets of numbers on SI. Also this might be exclusive to SI since it's a rotated backdrop. In an earlier post I had posted where I struggle with the x/y values with SI, they seem reversed to me but it works correctly. Maybe a test with an upright backdrop will clear up the confusion.

Also the position in SI (mine might be old now) was based off of 720x960 vs. 810x1080.

@Clyde - I would be curious if you do test SI would you be willing to post a screenshot when you have it all loaded? I struggle with what a 16:9 backdrop image will look like on a 3:4 or 5:4 display. Will it be squished on the y axis, clipped/zoomed on the sides or look correct. I only have standard 16:9 displays at home so a 16:9 backdrop fits perfectly.

I think it would help to understand if people using different displays will need custom backdrops or if one size fits all.

UDb23

@Riverstorm First of all merry Christmas!
Concerning the coordinates I followed the .art instructions. As you said maybe SI due to mirror and rotation needs swapped x/y.
Armor Attack is my next test. Recreating a good res backdrop (actually an overlay) as the image from Mame artwork (also w newer LAY format) is quite bad.
Will let you know how coords will work (this time with vectors).
With my Xmas family visits started it may take a couple of days ;-)

Riverstorm

@UDb23 - Merry Christmas to you and your family too! Definitely take your time and enjoy. We have a full day plus some planned but I want to test the rotation and see if it effects the numbers in the next few days. When you test it just use the string straight from the spreadsheet. Barring the rotation plays a part in the calculation errors it's just a simple transpose error.

UDb23

@Riverstorm Did additional testing with Armor Attack (vector) and Frogs.
The coordinates that the calc sheet generates are correct and work fine (these are both "not rotated" games).

The reason for SI being different is that the screen is physically rotated; so in the calc the input data are:
Backdrop: 1080 x 1920 (WxH)
Game Area: 1080 x 810 (or 960x720)
That gives you the correct coordinates for SI to be used in the .art.

UDb23

Frogs backdrop is ready and available.
Made a pull request to be included in lr-mame2003plus. SI is already merged.
Edit: added screeshot

grant2258

@UDb23 dont think anyone has enabled the artwork on lr-mame2003 hopefully someone will start updating it a bit.

UDb23

@grant2258 Sorry I meant 2003plus of course, and that's where pull request was made. Edited previous post.

Riverstorm

@UDb23 - Thanks for testing. Now all the calculations make sense on what was happening and why they needed transposed.

Thanks for the new backdrops they look great. I pulled out the Pi late afternoon yesterday and it was a big hit. Way more interest than I thought it would have. It took me a few minutes to figure out I had to force the HDMI audio to the TV but after that it was smooth sailing. I always bring along a small wireless keyboard just for those types of situations.

I need to figure another hotkey for player 2 start on controller 1. For single stick games they had to press player 2 start for 2 players on the second controller and then pass only the first controller back and forth to play. They kind of frowned upon it since they needed to reach over to it every time to start a game so it was good to have others "testing" to see how intuitive it is for new players.

UDb23

@Riverstorm said in mame2003-plus: hundreds of new games, improved input, features, new bugs - now with runahead support:

player 2 start on controller 1

I usually remap left and right analog "buttons" on player 1 gamepad to "coin 2" and "start 2".
Think few console games require pushing the analog sticks as buttons anyway.

Riverstorm

@UDb23 said in mame2003-plus: hundreds of new games, improved input, features, new bugs - now with runahead support:

I usually remap left and right analog "buttons" on player 1 gamepad to "coin 2" and "start 2".
Think few console games require pushing the analog sticks as buttons anyway.

I think that was the only thing that seemed "clunky" so to speak when playing 2 player games. I will give that setup a try. When I am at home I have a controller and keyboard in front of me. I don't get 2 players to often as the wife only likes a few arcade games. Her wheelhouse is Mario Bros. games on NES/SNES. Then she starts talking smack.

Riverstorm

@UDb23 - Do you have any idea how multiple submissions are handled? If say someone else wants to refine or there's an alternate background for an arcade game someone wants to share. They need to named the sames as the ROM correct? How is that handled on on pull request since it's automatically pulled down to your artwork directory when updating from source.