lr-mame2010 tankfrce4 - 4 player input problem (switch NS1 to Face_off)

[flow86]

Hi,
i built a coctail arcade table for 4 players on each side of the table.
(4x arduino leonardo as input, joystick + start + 3 FireButtons and P1 has an additional select button... works like a charm in every emulator (but not mame2010) so far...)
I searched for 4 player topview games and found:
bomberman
micro machines
pac it
and spacelords
All Working fine.

further research brought me to Tankforce 4 Player.
there is a 2 player version which works great in -lr-mame2003, but the
4 Player version works only in mame2010.
so i installed mame2010 from the experimental sources and the 4 player version works!

But i have one big Problem:
i can only map buttons to player 1(joystick1) and player 3(joystick2) the input for player 2 and player 4 is corectly mapped in retroarch and works in every other emulator, but not in mame2010...
when accesing the TAB menu in mame2010 i can map joystick1 and joystick2, but not joystick3 and 4...

i think it has to do something with this:
google mametesters 03127

but i don´t have any idea how to change the input for this game from NS1 to face_off...
maybe someone here can help me?

thanks
Flo

[dankcushions]

@flow86 mame2010 only supports 2 players. it's listed as 'experimental' for a reason :)

however, you MIGHT be able to get 4 player modes working in lr-mame2003. load the game in 2003 and check out dipswitches: https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/lr-mame2003#dip-switches
and the service menu: https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/lr-mame2003#service-menu

maybe there's some there? i can test myself later (i love these sort of games!)

EDIT: having read http://mametesters.org/view.php?id=3127 i guess it just plain doesn't support 4 player in 2003. i might be able to add it in if i can find the relevant source change.

[flow86]

that would be very nice of you if you can add it ;-)
i don´t have the knowledge to do so... :-(

after looking thrugh the mame2003 compability list,
i found the entry faceoff (1220) working rpi3 but not the entry tankfrce4...

EDIT:
you said you like games like that, so do you know other top down view (tank) games
for 4 players?

[caver01]

@flow86 said in lr-mame2010 tankfrce4 - 4 player input problem (switch NS1 to Face_off):

do you know other top down view (tank) games
for 4 players?

One that comes to mind is Tank8 (using lr-mame2003). This is an old Atari title for 8 players but you can get away with four if you stagger the mapped players, and even map a button to the admin control to enable team play. That game definitely has its quirks, so you probably want to google it and browse through a PDF of the original manual.

I swear I played a cocktail version of Sarge, 4-players. I only ever see a 2-player ROM in compatibility lists, and I can't get it to work at all in 2003, but AdvanceMAME plays it. Anyway, if someone knows of a 4-player version of that, it's a great tank game.

I know you mentioned tank games, but I have to say Gauntlet and Gauntlet 2 are must-haves on a 4-player cocktail cabinet. These games are fantastic for 4-way coop fun. Other usual suspects are the Simpsons, X-Men, TMNT, NBA Jam, and a handful of 3 player games like Rampage and Xenophobe. I also recommend Stone Ball which can be setup for 4 players for a fun caveman football romp.

Don't overlook racing games like Championship Sprint, Ironman Stewart's Super Off-Road and even Demolition Derby.