Atari 5200: New version of Atari800 (Beta): two triggers (Moon Patrol!!!), hat start and exit buttons

future.child

Accuracy is not important, the users only want to use it and play A800 like a console. Like we do on AMIGA, if it is so hard to configure no one will use them. And really A800 is a part of video games history, the guys that like it must help other to discover it.
I don't know any ATARI computers, i only try to help.

I remember as a kid some floppy's would not load and needed translator, basic or some other special setting.
Afaik the amiga is of a later generation (Atari ST era ?) and has a larger user base than the older 400/800(XL) machines so community support would also be greater.
Someone could do a .UAE like port and create a database with load settings but i do not see this happening anytime soon.
As for accuracy not being important.... i think accuracy is a huge part of the experience (i.e. a graphically sophisticated version of pong just wouldn't be the same as the low-res monochrome original).

I don't understand if it's possible to map Keyboard keys to joypad for games like Karateka for exemple.

There are a few key's you can map to controller buttons, in my version i have added even more, but not all. You could create a python-uinput script to map joystick buttons to keyboard keys or something simmilar.
But personaly i think Atari800 emulator is far from being finished and in no condition to be added to retropie for the masses (of new users) to comfortably use.

Input mapping is where the kat5200 emulator is more flexible, you can assign your input via gui to whatever you want, and i find rom loading is easier.
You may want to fiddle with it on you desktop pc or install it from the experimental section of zerojay's addon.

darknior

Someone could do a .UAE like port and create a database with load settings but i do not see this happening anytime soon.

Yes it's a problem :(

As for accuracy not being important.... i think accuracy is a huge part of the experience (i.e. a graphically sophisticated version of pong just wouldn't be the same as the low-res monochrome original).

Yes for sure, game must be 100 % same as original, i speak about to make easy to launch them :)

There are a few key's you can map to controller buttons, in my version i have added even more, but not all. You could create a python-uinput script to map joystick buttons to keyboard keys or something simmilar.

I don't know how to do it, if one day you have time to do it for Karate as exemple, maybe it can help for some games ...

Input mapping is where the kat5200 emulator is more flexible, you can assign your input via gui to whatever you want, and i find rom loading is easier.
You may want to fiddle with it on you desktop pc or install it from the experimental section of zerojay's addon.

Yes for sure, i don't have try it on A800, only A5200.
It works very fine. I love it and his config menu.
But we have the same problem, we can't make a config file by game, to map gamepad like we want for each games ;)

future.child

@darknior

But we have the same problem, we can't make a config file by game, to map gamepad like we want for each games ;)

Well, there is a workaround for those that are intent on having per rom config’s

After configuring kat5200 for a specific rom you could backup the config database with this command:
cp /home/pi/.kat5200/kat5200.db3 /opt/retropie/configs/atari5200/config1.db3

You could then add the following to emulators.cfg:
kat5200_cfg1= "cp -f /opt/retropie/configs/atari5200/config1.db3 /home/pi/.kat5200/kat5200.db3 ;/usr/local/bin/kat5200 %ROM%"

And selecting the default emulator for the specific rom will launch it with these settings.
Keep in mind that a default config will also have to be backed up once and restored each time prior to loading other roms, automated by adjusting the runcommand.

I am working on a way to interact with the database based on retroarch configuration and rom crc but it’s more of an experiment in python programming than something intended to ever be released.

darknior

After configuring kat5200 for a specific rom you could backup the config database with this command:

Yes it's an idea. But each DB3 file take 10 Mo !!!!
It is really an excessive solution :( ... config will take more place than games + videos !
It can be the trick for the moment ... maybe ...
But it will also add many .cfg files ton launch the db3 files, and add many lines on the emulator.cfg ...

I am working on a way to interact with the database based on retroarch configuration and rom crc but it’s more of an experiment in python programming than something intended to ever be released.

If you can do it, i really prefer. It will be cleaner.
But using the 10 Mo DB file is really bad. So bad we can't include a CFG file by game, smaller and faster to load.

darknior

Thanks @future-child :)
I see your last update : https://github.com/zerojay/RetroPie-Extra/pull/268

Kat5200 has been updated to v 0.8.0
Combo key's are now natively supported so hardcoded exit buttons are no longer needed
config.db3 can now be chosen with -config parameter in runcommand.

Il will help a lot to configure it like a real RetroArch emulator :)

It's cool too, if now it's easy to use multiple DB file.
It will save many line in our emulator.cfg :)
Maybe 4, or 5 DB files can be enough for all the games ?

I don't remember, is this emulator can also launch Atari 800 games ?
Because i can't choose it in ES for Atari 800 games.

I have finish my MEDIA pack for Atari 800 games, may Photoshop ours to make them ... i will share it here with you ;)

future.child

@darknior yes, this will emulate A800 as well, zerojay has not made an entry for it in es_systems.cfg but it it can be manually added.

As for how many db’s are needed, I wouldn’t know as I use a analog stick in combination with a numpad which should soon be replaced by the original a5200 controller connected to a custom controller (pic18f2550 programmed to send analog as joystick hid and numerical as keyboard hid).

I have made a request to the author for a way to select the input profile from command line (since you can save different profiles In one db it could save a lot of space), hopefully it will be implemented.

zerojay

@future-child said in Atari 5200: New version of Atari800 (Beta): two triggers (Moon Patrol!!!), hat start and exit buttons:

@darknior yes, this will emulate A800 as well, zerojay has not made an entry for it in es_systems.cfg but it it can be manually added.

As for how many db’s are needed, I wouldn’t know as I use a analog stick in combination with a numpad which should soon be replaced by the original a5200 controller connected to a custom controller (pic18f2550 programmed to send analog as joystick hid and numerical as keyboard hid).

I have made a request to the author for a way to select the input profile from command line (since you can save different profiles In one db it could save a lot of space), hopefully it will be implemented.

I haven't tested it for Atari 800. If someone wants to give it a shot and send a pull request, that would be good too.

darknior

There are many other news :)
Like the shader support, it's really cool !

http://kat5200.jillybunch.com/index.html

 * Added : RetroArch GLSL shader support
 * Check for shaders here:
  - https://github.com/libretro/glsl-shaders
 * Added : Redesigned sound module 
 * -improves sound for many games
 * -added 48kHz Sound sample frequency
 * -Improves (fixes?) Linux sound using ALSA
 * Added : Combo Inputs
 * Added : User warned when input conficts occur
 * Added : User can make kat5200 portable
 * Added : -reset_config command line parameter
 * Added : Several conversions/homebrews to default database
 * Changed: -config loads alternate db3 config file
 * Fixed : Atari 800 Pitfall crash on start (Added LAX CPU op)
 * Fixed : CPU cycle counts for page crossing
 * Fixed : Input conflicts on 8-bit computer default profile 
 * Fixed : Atari 800 'A' key updates not loaded
 * Fixed : Recall state loads incorrect video/input profiles
 * Fixed : Simualte Analog needs to respect Sensitivity
 * Fixed : Couple of potential crashes

Notes:
 * Only supporting modern OpenGL, no shaders on Raspberry Pi
   When obtaining shaders from the RetroArch site above, download
   the zip and extract somewhere reachable by kat5200
 * See Manual for portable use and importing shaders

@future-child said in Atari 5200: New version of Atari800 (Beta): two triggers (Moon Patrol!!!), hat start and exit buttons:

I have made a request to the author for a way to select the input profile from command line (since you can save different profiles In one db it could save a lot of space), hopefully it will be implemented.

Yes good idea, if we can select profile by command line it will fix near all our problems :)

darknior

Covers and Logo : https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/15354/my-remastered-atari-800-covers-and-logo

future.child

I have received an answer on the input profiles from the author:

You can create different input profiles in the UI.  Then you can assign these to different ROMs in the Launcher.  It should match by CRC.
It's not obvious you can do that and in the next version I am going to be changing the input system a bit, so I think the mechanism will change.  
Let me know if it is not apparent how to do that or if it is not working for you.

I have not tested this yet.
~~Edit: I could not get this to work, and have contacted the author~~
Edit 2: it works, it just missed an obvious step.
I had to create a profile first and then go to File -> Launcher and there select the rom, deselect Use Defaults for input and assign a profile.

As for Shader support, it's only for OpenGL, so no Pi yet.

darknior

Ok assignment by game is a good start on a defined rom set if he use CRC :)
It can make the trick.

@future-child As for Shader support, it's only for OpenGL, so no Pi yet.

We have Open GL 1 et 2 on PI. Why not ?

How have you write him i don't see any forum ?
Because i have a question for him about controllers. I think he use the universal controller driver that can recognise all the controllers. But the problem was the key map is different on each controller and it is a big problem when like me you have many different ... and want set some thing for every one.
I have a friend who fix this problem on Solarus last week with an other SDL controller driver working like RETROARCH and map controllers always with same KEY ID, it is the best solution and not hard to implement in his code if he want.
Tell me where i can contact him like you, i will give him all the informations to implement this; if he want.

future.child

@darknior I

We have Open GL 1 et 2 on PI. Why not ?

I don't know it's so stated in the notes of the changelog :

Only supporting modern OpenGL, no shaders on Raspberry Pi

How have you write him i don't see any forum ?

He's not on any forum (that i know), i got in touch with him via the contact form on his website.
You can fill out the contact form there if you want and request the changes you want.

darknior

@future-child I have write him, thanks.
Maybe if you like the idea you can write him too ?
I explain him to use the SDL_gamecontroller instead of directly SDL_joystick API. Like on RETROARCH and AMIBERRY and other ... to make it possible a real game pack already configured.

My friend explain it here for Solarus : http://forum.solarus-games.org/index.php/topic,1071.0.html

I think it's really important and with this, this emulator will completely replace RETROARCH for us on PI :)

darknior

@future-child It's cool, he answer me by mail and in his future release it will add an universal Joystick driver to let us make our games configuration more easier to use :)

He write me we can found him on AtariAge forums, he is 'eegt97'.

And for OpenGL the emulator use the 3.2 ! Not compatible with PI for the moment, but he search a solution to make it works on 2.0

KeithMason

Hey sorry I'm new to Retropie and their emulators. How do you add the Kat5200 to you're retropie? Do have to place the emulator in a certain folder?

future.child

@keithmason The instructions for zerojay's extra's can be found here.

Step one is to install the extra's menu:

cd ~
git clone https://github.com/zerojay/RetroPie-Extra.git
cd RetroPie-Extra/
./install-extras.sh

Step two is to run the extra's menu:

cd ~
cd RetroPie-Extra/
git pull origin
./install-extras.sh

You should be able to find kat5200 under emulators and install it from there.

Step three is to place you roms and bios files in their proper folders, after rebooting the roms should be listed and be able to launch kat5200.
First start of kat5200 should begin with a configuration wizard for which you need keyboard/mouse.

If you want Atari800 as a menu option as well you could modify the /opt/retropie/configs/all/emulationstation/es_systems.cfg and /opt/retropie/configs/atari800/emulators.cfg files.

KeithMason

Sorry I was busy with life. Thank you for helping me. I finally got time to work on my Pi and I got almost everything set up, my games are working fine, but I didn't set my controller up and I don't know how to get back into the menu. I pressed F1, F2, F3, and etc.

future.child

@keithmason It would normally be the ESC key.
You can force entering the menu upon startup by appending -start_with_gui 1 to the emulators.cfg runcommand if needed.

kruuth

I got kat5200 to run but I have a logitech USB joystick and I can't seem to find the start/select combo on my pad. I can play games though. How do I set these two buttons?

future.child

@kruuth since v0.8.0 start+select are no longer hardcoded to exit the emulator.

You can manually assign the start/select combo in the menu.
Using keyboard/mouse: press 'ESC" -> Options -> user interface -> choose 'exit' and assign a combo input to it via auto-detect.