HS/RL PCLauncher Issue killing me! HS won't continue after load rom.

[jdm001]

Hi Guys, I made a PC Games wheel and it worked great.

 

So, I had idea to make an audio wheel using VLC to play.  It has 7 different "ambient noise" files that I want to be able to launch from the wheel; but then let it play in background as I browse games.  The MP3 files I have are just ambient noise background tracks from old arcades... I want to get the feeling of walking through an old arcade as I go through MAME or other game systems.

 

Then, I have AHK script that has hotkeys that look for key press 5, 6, or 2 (player 1 or 2 COIN, or Player 2 START on my system).  That shuts down VLC and the EXE I compiled the AHK into.

 

 

My issue:   I can get it to launch either using a compiled AHK script that runs VLC; or by using RocketLauncherUI PCLauncher of just launching the VLC.exe file with command line parameters of the audio file I choose.

 

Issue is that after I launch the EXE; it won't let me open another rom.  It thinks the first one is still playing.

 

I can hit the ESCAPE key; and then I get a Game Over screen; but that closes my exe and defeats the purpose.

 

 

I put all the files into a 7zip if anyone wants to try to recreate:  https://mega.nz/#!8A1lQLgK

 

I have tried EVERYTHING. I think it might be my HyperSpin must have bad setting or something. I've tried 4 different methods:

ANArcade81 (saw somewhere where RL looks for EXE to end emulation on AppWaitExe setting, made an "Intro" exe to just show msgbox and when that close emulator "rom" should close). This one causes RL to hang on Game Over screen, wouldn't load right.

ANArcade92 i tried swapper method with Starter & Silencer, still wouldn't work. This method had a start up script that used AN_Starter.exe to start up VLC and send a msgbox explaining; and then a separate AN_Silencer.exe which just looks for hotkeys.

ANbowlingalley I tried launching VLC instead of compiled EXE method. This one would sometimes hang; and it wouldn't run either.

ANquietdiner i tried using old compiled method. Reworked all of them multiple times, never would "end" emulation so that i can choose another rom while background music on. Also, if i manually hit exit in HS, it'd end emulation; but then hotkeys no longer work and VLC would never shut off.

 

 

I'm completely lost lol. Soo frustrating, so close to working.

 

 

 

 

[Dabil]

I like the idea. Have you tried using your ambient sounds set up as wheel sounds through hyperhq?

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[jdm001]

I like the idea. Have you tried using your ambient sounds set up as wheel sounds through hyperhq?

 

 

Yes, that's what gave me the idea.   First, it changes with each wheel and I wanted it to stay continuous as I browse through all my system and collection wheels.

 

Second, I want my guests (users) to be able to choose it.  It'll be my first wheel and I might put something like "choose your experience" etc for them to choose the ambient background atmosphere.  User can't choose or stop it  if i set up in HyperHQ.

 

 

THank you for the reply though!

 

 

Can anyone help on this?  Am I missing some type of setting or something?

[jdm001]

Could audio be an issue that prevents a rom from launching?  

 

When I get the audio working, other roms won't run.  I found this doing some google searching today:

 

First Roadblock: I Launch HyperSpinHQ,  point it at the EXE files for both MAME and ZSNES, Point it at the location of the ROM files. I select "HyperLaunch" execution.  Then when i go into HyperSpin and move the wheel to lets say "Super Nintendo" and press enter, the wheel quickly flies out then back in, doing nothing.  

 

Do you Have speakers set up? this is common behaviour if no sound sytem is installed or setup.

 

 

 

On the setup I'm using a pair of headphones on my headphone jack port or line out port (depending on which I plug it into at the time).  

 

Could audio 'fool' HyperSpin into not responding if i try to launch a rom while audio is playing on the main audio output??

[gigapig]

I wanted to add those Arcade background sounds some years ago but sadly putting them in the sounds background music folder never worked.

[jdm001]

Launching the script/audio through RL is going to prevent you from launching other games until the script is terminated. Think of it like launching a game through RL, RL continues to run until you exit the game and you can't launch another instance while one is running.

 

 

Thank you for responding!

 

I'm launching through VLC using PCLauncher; how does RL even know if it's running or not?   If I hit "escape" manually while it's running; the exe stays open and I can play the MP3.   I just can't seem to get the escape key to send to Hyperspin...  also, sometimes script hotkeys no longer work if i hit escape and it does the "Game over" screen.  The MP3 is still running; but my script to shut it down lo longer responds.

 

There's something goofy between RL/PClauncher and AutoHotKey... hoping someone can help me figure it out.

[jdm001]

FYI for anyone interested, I GOT IT!   Wow, that was a nightmare, but finally got it working.  A friend tipped me off to use Nested Hyperspin "swapper method" and to launch it outside of HS.  

 

I used the "swapper" method from u/StefanGagne:

 

This method runs an app and re-launches Hyperspin (for his setup below, it launches a NEW version of Hyperspin after swapping out XML files to make a "Nested Hyperspin"  Amazing stuff).

 

For me, I use it to close hyperspin, launch my exe program outside of HyperSpin avoiding the hanging 'waiting for exit' command.  Works like a charm.

 

Nested Hyperspin:

https://www.reddit.com/r/HyperSpin/comments/4hvhzq/nested_hyperspin_the_easy_way/

 

If any interest in my "Ambient Noise" Background Wheel, I'll post a self-extracting 7zip file for you.

 

This is in a wheel called "Utility Wheel" along with iRotate (to rotate screen from horizontal, to vertical, and back; all within HyperSpin!), and iMousey (to enable showing mouse and hide it again; useful for some stubborn apps that will or wont show mouse when you want it to).  The wheel has 7 "ambient noise" backgrounds mostly from the great work of Andy Hofle:  http://arcade.hofle.com/

 

You launch the "ambient noise" background file that you want; and it plays in the background as you browse games.  When you start a game and are ready to play; simply hit the #5, #6, or #1 keys (default P1 or P2 Coin, or P1 Start) and it shuts off and shuts down the small VLC program playing audio in background.  It gives you that nostalgic feeling of browsing through a 1980's arcade to pick out a game; or a 1970s pinball hall, or a 1990s Chuck-e-Cheese (kids screaming, loud buzzers, singing anamatronic dolls in background lol).

 

I'll package it up into a 7zip you can extract and install if any interest.

 

Thanks to all whom tried to help!