CoinOPs--General and Rom Settings Questions (Reignite R5)

[jukingeo]

Hello All,

 

I have a couple questions in regards to how to make certain settings within CoinOps Reignite R5:

 

1) When a game that is already loaded up on screen, how do you pull up the menu that allows you change the settings such as the button configuration, number of coins a game takes, etc? I think with regular PC mame you would push the TAB key for that. I don't know how to get to that in CoinOPS.

 

2) I have noticed that when you click on a game the game doesn't highlight and sometimes it takes a while for the "please wait-loading" screen to come up. The time lag is enough for one to think that the system is hanging. For example:

 

When I go through the game list on CoinOPs and then push the button to 'select' the game, the game doesn't highlight at all. There is generally a few seconds pause before the screen goes blank. Now when the screen goes blank there is a good 10 to 15 second wait before the "Loading--Please Wait" message comes up. All of this could have a typical user think that the system is hanging. So what I would like to know is:

 

a) Would you know of a way to have the game "highlight" when you make a selection?

Could I have some kind of splash screen come up when the game selection goes from the selection screen to the "Please Wait" screen?

 

Thank You.

Geo

[Skurvy_Pirate]

1) To pull up that menu (Cheats, dip switches, etc) you press the Back and White button at the same time. However, by default in CoinOps Reignite the advanced settings are disabled and only Cheats are available because most users don't need them and part of the advantage of CoinOps is that all the button configs are set up correctly and the way you want them. Another reason they are turned off is so people you don't want messing with them can't. To allow some advanced settings in the menu you need to turn on advanced settings at the main menu by pressing start and going to settings.

 

2)My screen only hangs for about 2-4 seconds, then black for about 5 seconds or so before the loading screen. There is no "option" for a splash screen, it would have to be added into the emulator. I don't think it would be too useful though because people that know the emulator know it takes a second to get to the ROM loading stage. Also, a splash screen would show up, but it would still seem to be "frozen" at that stage.

[BritneysPAIRS]

if I add a splash screen you can kiss goodbye to memory otherwise when rom is loading I would put the picture of the game there

[jukingeo]

1) To pull up that menu (Cheats, dip switches, etc) you press the Back and White button at the same time.

 

Ahhhh, it is a combination then...just like with the back button and start. Ok, I will try that out.

 

Yep, that did the trick. How do you 'blank out' a setting (erase a spot)?

 

However, by default in CoinOps Reignite the advanced settings are disabled and only Cheats are available because most users don't need them and part of the advantage of CoinOps is that all the button configs are set up correctly and the way you want them.

 

Oh...I have found quite a few games that could use some help in the controls department. For example when I import a game on it's down (outside of the Mame 0.84 set made up for the Xbox), I DO have to make some adjustments with the controls.

 

Furthermore, there is the issue with analog controls. When I build a cabinet I am pretty much going to use only the digital controls. So for many games I have to set the controls to use the D-pad instead of the analog sticks.

 

Another reason they are turned off is so people you don't want messing with them can't. To allow some advanced settings in the menu you need to turn on advanced settings at the main menu by pressing start and going to settings.

 

My settings are turned on, but how do you turn them on/off anyway, as you make a good point about people messing with the settings. Once I do get everything set, I most certainly would want to 'lock it down'.

 

2)My screen only hangs for about 2-4 seconds, then black for about 5 seconds or so before the loading screen.

 

My Xbox is way off that mark. For an older game such as "Rip Off", this is what I get:

 

1) Main screen: 6

2) Black Out: 12

3) Loading screen: 8

 

For something newer such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

 

1) Main screen: 6

2) Black Out: 25

3) Loading: 6

 

I tried out Tri-Sports, another newer game and it has similar results to TMNT.

 

Then I tried out Wheel of Fortune

 

1) Main Screen: 7

2) Black Out: 22

4) Loading: 4 seconds

 

In all my tests, the blackout screen is the longest.

 

There is no "option" for a splash screen, it would have to be added into the emulator. I don't think it would be too useful though because people that know the emulator know it takes a second to get to the ROM loading stage. Also, a splash screen would show up, but it would still seem to be "frozen" at that stage.

 

That would be OK if it was under 5 seconds or so, but the blackout screen is easily over 20 seconds and it would appear to be that the system is hanging. I guess if there isn't an option to put a splash screen up during this time, I just have to make a notice that the screen will go blank for about 20 to 30 seconds before the loading screen comes up.

 

It really isn't anything major, but a minor inconvenience it is.

 

Thanx,

 

Geo

[jukingeo]

if I add a splash screen you can kiss goodbye to memory otherwise when rom is loading I would put the picture of the game there

 

It doesn't have to be fancy...a simple set of white words on the black background that says "Loading".

 

But as of now I don't have any game pictures up, but if that does stay up when the 'blackout' occurs that is a big help. Since I am still setting up CoinOPs, I don't have any screenshots loaded up as of yet.

 

Thanx,

 

Geo

[Skurvy_Pirate]

My settings are turned on, but how do you turn them on/off anyway, as you make a good point about people messing with the settings. Once I do get everything set, I most certainly would want to 'lock it down'.

 

In the menu when you press start and go to settings, at the very bottom is one that says WARNING!! ADVANCED SETTINGS!! or something like that, just disable/enable it whenever you want.

 

In all my tests, the blackout screen is the longest.

 

That is interesting, for me the loading screen is always much longer. But I have been playing a lot of bigger games like Metal Slug. I am not sure why it is like that for you. You can always try re-ftp'ing the emulator to your xbox but keep all the roms and stuff so it's just the app and see if that changes anything. Make sure to re-ftp the config file too.

[+ T +]

I seem to remember I had a problem with a long wait before the loading screen when I first tried CoinOPS. At the time I just went back to MAMEoX128 because it didn't have the problem and loading was always fast. I'll have to try the most recent build sometime but there's no way over 30 seconds to load a game is normal. (unless it's an encrypted Neo-Geo set)

[NeoBomb]

So games take about 30 sec - 45 sec for me .... but that's how it was in Mameox too.

 

but I haven't had it blackout for 20 secs.

[Cospefogo]

So games take about 30 sec - 45 sec for me .... but that's how it was in Mameox too.

 

but I haven't had it blackout for 20 secs.

 

I play Black Out and it does not take 20 seconds here too...

But this is normal. Some games are faster to load than another,

(talking about the black screen before the loading bar).

 

About the controls... Here at my personal setup I did map

the in-game menu on simple WHITE button. It works for

me as a PAUSE at same time. If a phone rings or if one of

the 7 cats jump over the area, just a single button for

pause is the way to go.

 

And also I need to remap 100% of the games that use

3 buttons. By default they come mapped to X, A and B.

But since I use a Sega Saturn Pad, I need to remap the

buttons to A, B and BLACK. This way I get a nice comfy

SEGA ABC style for three of my fingers at same time

(Yes, I don't get how people play games using a single

thumb for 2, 3 sometimes 4 buttons.)

 

And since I don't have the analogic thumbsticks,

I need to remap all the games like Outrun, Hang-On,

Ikari 3, Midnight Resistance and so on back to regular

L ad R triggers.

 

Well... it's quite a job!

But I love it!

 

Cospefogo.

 

 

IMPORTANT TIPS:

1 - To be able to remap the EMULATOR CONTROLS, you should enable this option

on the advanced settings, something like "Gamepad can be remaped". After turning

that on, enter on ANY game and press BACK+WHITE. This will bring the INGAME menu

for THAT game, with cheats, controls, etc... And also (since you turned it on) a option

to adjust the controls globally for the EMU UI. There you can change, for once, options

like COIN INSERT, EXIT A GAME, IN-GAME MENUS, SCREENSHOT TAKING, ETC.

 

2 - Complementing the tip above, after doing your adjustments, go back to the emulator

advanced settings and turn the "Gamepad can be remaped" OFF. Why that? Simple...

If someone enters in the BACK+WHITE menu by accident, and by accident keep pressing

buttons randomly (like a frenzy child playing crazily) it can harm the global setting

for the UI controls, and everything will be a mess...

 

3 - In few words: turn it on, adjust what you need, turn it the hell OFF!

[BritneysPAIRS]

should go to loading screen withing a second or 2....some games take ages to load....but will say please wait loading completed for the Larger newer games

[jukingeo]

should go to loading screen withing a second or 2....some games take ages to load....but will say please wait loading completed for the Larger newer games

 

It is as I outlined above, the blank screen for me is the longest...usually clocking in at around 20 to 25 seconds. I guess by what you are saying that isn't normal?

 

Another question,

 

I am trying to change the music for the background music. I am using standard mp3 files, but they don't show up in the play selection list for background music nor do they play in random mode. I saw that the original music files in place are .WMA files, so do I have to use files in that format?

 

Thanx,

 

Geoi