MAME Emulation

A place to discuss everything Dragon related that doesn't fall into the other categories.
Pernod70
Posts: 122
Joined: Sat Apr 22, 2017 10:06 pm
Location: Croydon, UK

Re: MAME Emulation

Post by Pernod70 »

.mad. wrote: Fri May 03, 2019 5:47 pm
Pernod70 wrote: Fri May 03, 2019 12:09 pm No, Configuration options cannot be selected from command-line.
can i please request it?. ;)
Of course, but unlikely to happen. This is handled in the MAME core, not driver specific, so would need considerable effort.
.mad. wrote: Fri May 03, 2019 5:47 pm i would also like option to disconnect LEFT or RIGHT Joystick from the command line.
i have seen strange / disabled fire buttons, when both joysticks are enabled in a couple of games.
e.g. SHAFT
this ends up mapping RIGHT fire button on KEY 7.
The joysticks should really be re-implemented as slot devices, like the expansion socket. You would then be able to specify each slot from command line. I'll consider doing this.
User avatar
robcfg
Posts: 1529
Joined: Sat Apr 04, 2009 10:16 pm
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Contact:

Re: MAME Emulation

Post by robcfg »

Hello everyone!

I'm unable to use my real Dragons for the moment and would need some help checking that I'm doing the PAL colour blending right.

Could someone start Ola Eldøy's Tetris and take a picture on a real TV so I can check the colours?

Here's a screenshot of my current implementation of the colour blend:
tetris.jpg
tetris.jpg (41.98 KiB) Viewed 106346 times
Thanks!
sixxie
Posts: 1346
Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2008 8:36 am
Location: Hertfordshire
Contact:

Re: MAME Emulation

Post by sixxie »

While I don't have a working Dragon accessible, I'll throw in my 2p that that looks pretty much as I remember it - good stuff!

The orange behind the text should be brighter though I think. That looks like they're using the 6847T1 definition of "bright orange" (the same as regular orange) instead of the non-T1 output (which is much brighter).
.mad.
Posts: 143
Joined: Fri Mar 15, 2019 4:22 pm
Location: Born in the North

Re: MAME Emulation

Post by .mad. »

Pernod70 wrote: Fri May 03, 2019 6:35 pm The joysticks should really be re-implemented as slot devices, like the expansion socket. You would then be able to specify each slot from command line. I'll consider doing this.
Thanks.

I have made a small script which generates a new dragon32.cfg before MAME is launched, which fixes all the Joystick conflicts for now.
This does however, require the correct controller info to be set in GameBase to work. :D
Also recompiling with the default value for LEFT (port 2) set as "unconnected" helps for the majority of games as the code stands.
I am, you are, we are, they're not...
.mad.
Posts: 143
Joined: Fri Mar 15, 2019 4:22 pm
Location: Born in the North

Re: MAME Emulation

Post by .mad. »

I am convinced the LEFT Joystick code is bugged.
can someone please confirm this, to prove i am not going insane.

Test game that uses the LEFT Joystick ONLY.
Lucifer's Kingdom. (dragon64 /ddos)

make sure only the LEFT Joystick is connected in MAME options.
load the game...
up, down, left, right are working ok, but fire button doesn't work.

open MAME config and attach RIGHT joystick.
LEFT fire button works, and pressing UP on JOY1 or (NUMPAD 8) also acts as the FIRE button.

*tested with default MAME ANALOGUE options (this machine) NUMPAD 2,4,6,8,0 and JOY1.
only 1 digital USB joystick in PC.
Attachments
Lucifer's Kingdom (PSE)[dragon64].vdk
(180.01 KiB) Downloaded 1014 times
I am, you are, we are, they're not...
User avatar
robcfg
Posts: 1529
Joined: Sat Apr 04, 2009 10:16 pm
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Contact:

Re: MAME Emulation

Post by robcfg »

Progress!

I changed the palette in MAME to be closer to that of a real Dragon (or any other 6847-based machine), and created a table of colours and mixed results with great success:
PMODE3Pony_Comparison_1408.jpg
PMODE3Pony_Comparison_1408.jpg (70.96 KiB) Viewed 106311 times
TetrisComposite_Comparison_1408.jpg
TetrisComposite_Comparison_1408.jpg (88.66 KiB) Viewed 106311 times
Pmode3_24Colors_Incomplete_640.jpg
Pmode3_24Colors_Incomplete_640.jpg (44.06 KiB) Viewed 106311 times
I need to add the remaining colours to match Pere and Simon's 24 colour screen, but I think it kicks ass!

What do you think?
User avatar
robcfg
Posts: 1529
Joined: Sat Apr 04, 2009 10:16 pm
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Contact:

Re: MAME Emulation

Post by robcfg »

I finished adding support for all 24 colours shown in Pere and Simon's program.
Pmode3_24Colors_Complete_640.jpg
Pmode3_24Colors_Complete_640.jpg (41.13 KiB) Viewed 106302 times
User avatar
robcfg
Posts: 1529
Joined: Sat Apr 04, 2009 10:16 pm
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Contact:

Re: MAME Emulation

Post by robcfg »

I've created a pull request to add my changes to MAME's source code: https://github.com/mamedev/mame/pull/4980

:ugeek:
.mad.
Posts: 143
Joined: Fri Mar 15, 2019 4:22 pm
Location: Born in the North

Re: MAME Emulation

Post by .mad. »

I can now confim, the Joystick code in MAME is definitely bugged.

Caverns of Chaos
with only the LEFT controller connected.
keyboard must in emulated mode as it only uses "8" for the fire button.

RIGHT FIRE is also mapped to "7" (and joystick button) when only the RIGHT Joystick is connected in other games.
e.g. CU*BER

while testing, every other key map and control was set to "NONE".
I am, you are, we are, they're not...
Pernod70
Posts: 122
Joined: Sat Apr 22, 2017 10:06 pm
Location: Croydon, UK

Re: MAME Emulation

Post by Pernod70 »

robcfg wrote: Mon May 06, 2019 8:54 pm I've created a pull request to add my changes to MAME's source code: https://github.com/mamedev/mame/pull/4980

:ugeek:
I see it's been merged 8-)
.mad. wrote: Wed May 08, 2019 4:06 pm I can now confim, the Joystick code in MAME is definitely bugged.

Caverns of Chaos
with only the LEFT controller connected.
keyboard must in emulated mode as it only uses "8" for the fire button.

RIGHT FIRE is also mapped to "7" (and joystick button) when only the RIGHT Joystick is connected in other games.
e.g. CU*BER

while testing, every other key map and control was set to "NONE".
I haven't looked at this yet but would be very surprised if there's an issue. The joystick implementation is shared with the coco machines, which have lots of users, so would've expected them to be submitting bug reports too.
Post Reply