Metalzoic

I'm running Windows 10 Home version 1709 on my cab.

So HS 1.51 wiin 10 fix was the last time I updated mine and I've kept it offline since. Came here to see if it was safe to reconnect online as all my Steam games no longer load, but looks like forced Windows updates will possibly destroy it again eh?

Probably safer to disable my PC game wheels instead and leave it that way forever. Ha!

On 4/9/2018 at 10:56 AM, LSDguy said:

Hey Metalzoic,

Thanks for this! Do I need to sign up for a pay account on Emumovies to access their ftp? I believe my former subscription has run out.

 

Best,

Steve

Yeah.

I haven't been on here in a long ass time.

I don't even know if the pack is still up at Emumovies, but if it is you need to be a paid member there I believe.

Interesting. I'm running back on set... I don't even know. .65 maybe?

I'll check and see how it is there.

On 3/9/2018 at 6:42 AM, MrSkyle said:

Stumbled upon this topic when searching the web for unique clones and really have to say THANK YOU for your effort! I'll use this list as a guide for setting up my MAME library and weed out all the unnecessary clones.

A couple of questions:

1- Has Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (umk3) been mentioned already? It's a very unique clone of "mk3" with extra characters, stages, modes and music. In fact, it's regarded as a distinct game altogether, yet it requires the "mk3" parent rom.

2- Is there also a list of FBA (FinalBurn Alpha) unique clones, or can the MAME list be used as a reference for both?

Thanks, glad it helped.

Ultimate MK3 is it's own game and I thought that it was its own parent. If not then we can add it. I'm not running the latest MAME so someone will need to double check it for me in the latest version.

I'm not familiar with the FBA situation you're talking about so you'll need to break it down for me.

On 11/4/2017 at 5:48 AM, moff said:

Great list, Metalzoic!

But i think one better clone need to be added.

Shadow Force (Japan, Version 3) is better than parrent Shadow Force (US, Version 2).

Shadow Force is great beat'em'up game by Technos.

Japan version has opening intro.

In Japan version both players can actually finish the game together, showing an ending with both characters. According to the American flyer, there is supposed to be 14 endings, which seems ridiculous (since the American version forces both players to kill each other off at the end, like Double Dragon)

Japan version uses only 3 buttons instead of 6 in US version, but the moves that you lack are mostly just slightly different version of the moves that you still have, so that aspect is really not that big a deal. It mostly comes down to whether or not you would rather skip the fighter sections and be more likely to see any kind of real ending.

The Japanese version is lacking the Hard Punch and Light Kick buttons to be more specific. I prefer the Japanese version myself, since the one-on-one battles (bonus stages) are gimmicky and were only added as a blatant attempt to cash-in on the fighting game craze back then.

Hey @moff

Just went to do this and I'm seeing it differently than you.

First I show the Parent as World version 3 which seems to already be the 3 button version you mentioned. The US, Version 2 and Japan, Version 2 are the clones on mine. So from what I can tell the US, Version 2 is the one that needs to be uncloned to get the 6-button version.

Can anyone else check their MAME to see which are parents/clones of Shadow Force please? Should be Shadfrce, Shadfrcej, Shadfrceu

Ah. A couple things I forgot.

1. You'll want to use Notepad ++ to edit XMLs (if you aren't already). That way you can easily search for entries, make changes and keep formating. Normal notepad will screw this all up.

2. If you use Genres and/or individual Manufacturer Wheels those XMLs will also need to be updated. So for example you unclone a beat-em-up in the main MAME.xml, now you also need to unclone (or copy paste the fixed entry) into the Beat-Em-Up genre xml too. And if it was a Technos game and you have a Technos wheel it needs to be done there in both spots as well.

3. Rocketlauncher shares artwork from parent to clones, but now that a game is un-cloned you may need to copy/paste and rename the artwork/media for the game. So for the above game you may need to make renamed copies of: Theme, wheel art, video snap, bezels etc...

20 hours ago, vaderag said:

Thanks mate! New baby isn't quite here yet but all the manic prep has been!
Getting a new job in the run up hadn't been my brightest idea yet either
I'm hoping to get this polished off over the next few days!

I went for split as was finding issues with merged (missing files etc probably through over vigorous cleanup), but I've decided now to (ideally) just keep the full set, and limit using the hyperspin display.
That way updating the set should be easier moving forwards than the setup I ended up with which seemed essentially customer and a mammoth effort to update

With everything going on tho I'm really looking for the quickest way to get to the endpoint right now and easy to maintain as well!

Sent from my Mi A1 using Tapatalk
 

Yes split is what you want for HS in general so you're all set.

I'm not sure I understand your question though... To add these into your database you just add them in. You can either:

-just go through your XML manually and un-clone each one you want.

-or just use the already fixed list I provided and simply copy/paste them. Don't just paste them in bulk into your XML though as it is alphabetized. Find a game in your XML, then copy over it with my fixed XML entry. Repeat until finished.

-or merge my list into your list with a merge tool such as Dons Tools (if that even still works anymore).

Just remember to keep a backup of your original XML in case you screw it up. Then no worries.

Damn. I just realized I haven't updated this pack in an entire year.

On 11/4/2017 at 5:48 AM, moff said:

Great list, Metalzoic!

But i think one better clone need to be added.

Shadow Force (Japan, Version 3) is better than parrent Shadow Force (US, Version 2).

Shadow Force is great beat'em'up game by Technos.

Japan version has opening intro.

In Japan version both players can actually finish the game together, showing an ending with both characters. According to the American flyer, there is supposed to be 14 endings, which seems ridiculous (since the American version forces both players to kill each other off at the end, like Double Dragon)

Japan version uses only 3 buttons instead of 6 in US version, but the moves that you lack are mostly just slightly different version of the moves that you still have, so that aspect is really not that big a deal. It mostly comes down to whether or not you would rather skip the fighter sections and be more likely to see any kind of real ending.

The Japanese version is lacking the Hard Punch and Light Kick buttons to be more specific. I prefer the Japanese version myself, since the one-on-one battles (bonus stages) are gimmicky and were only added as a blatant attempt to cash-in on the fighting game craze back then.

Good to know thanks.

I'll check it out and probably add it to the list... tomorrow maybe.

Holy hell. I stop in and you have like 10 more pages filled with awesome work... It would take me an hour to go and manually like them all. nice man. nice

On 6/30/2017 at 3:30 AM, Vaughan said:

I am NOT having a go at Metalzoic, in any way, shape, manner, or form.  But it would seem to be trivial for him include the original bezel - AND - the way he prefers them, no?  Again, I'm  not having a go at him or his project.  In fact, for a while there I like to feel I contributed to it.  Just that, it could have been better and more useful, imo. 

Sure did. In fact you contributed a massive amount of bezels for games that never had them to my pack. Pushed it over the 2k bezel mark if I remember right. Ha!

@thatman84 vaughn actually has a forum post on another site with all bajillion of his bezels available. @Vaughan want to post your link here so they can find them?

3 hours ago, damageinc86 said:

Hey speaking of amazing bezels.  Has anyone seen these packs a few of the forum members over at the retoarch site are making?

Check it out:  https://forums.libretro.com/t/arcade-overlays/4084/260

https://forums.libretro.com/t/my-realistic-arcade-bezels/10604/25

I think these are the closest to real you can get.  Only thing is, they are being made for retroarch and MAME.  So it would probably take a lot of work to do ini files for each one and test it for rocketlauncher, but how cool would that be?  My only gripe is that they are adding a smudged haze to the screen because it's "how they remember them in the dingy arcades".  Yeah, but it sort of looks weird and bad, and they are baking them into the file.  But I'm sure it could be photoshopped  to clear the screen area sort of how most rocketlauncher bezels are anyways (clear center for game screen).

Hey Metalzoic,....feel like compiling a new set? lol.  Probably not!

Yeah I've seen those before. They're really impressive. A huge amount of skill put into creating them, but in my mind it's about the game, not the artwork surrounding the game. So the fact that they shrink and obscure so much gamescreen area for artwork that doesn't actually matter (even though it is awesome) grinds me. In my mind the game should be as large and as correct in ratio and graphics as possible, everything else is a far distant secondary. 

I know for awhile I did keep all the original zips, now I'm bummed I got rid of them. @Vaughan good to see you again man! I checked your site a couple months back looking for new work from you but didn't see any.

I just double checked guys and I didn't keep any of the original zips. 

20 hours ago, RxBrad said:

If I'm not mistaken, a lot of the bezels that are cut off actually have the all original art included in their ZIP files.  There's just an additional piece of art that's just the black bezel outlinethat arbitrarily overlays that original art (hence cutting off some of the original art).

But yeah.. you'd need new INI files to take advantage of the old art.

The art is still in my pack but all renamed. The ini's and all additional files they had are removed. The bezel outline isn't arbitrary, it is what unifies the pack and is the actual border referenced in the ini file. The art has all been changed to Background so it is no longer the actual bezel, so it all works as a single bezel with multiple backgrounds. And yes having the game play at correct size and ratio is what cuts off the art. Had to be done that way because there was no standard and everyone made them in different sizes and even in a lot of off-ratio's, no other way around that without re-creating each individual piece of art.

I don't think I kept the original zips once fixed as I had no reason for them once I converted them. They should all still be out there in the world wherever their creators chose to put them.

Nice app, but it seems like using it would take just as much time as just doing CTRL-Find for each game on the clone list and uncloning it. Probably longer since you'd need to double check that it got them all. Or are you guys actually using the app to do something else?

Damn... pages and pages of new work in here. Awesome stuff man.

I wish I could use them! Plus you learned me a new game. That Wrestle war looks like it could be cool I'll have to check it out.

52 minutes ago, gigapig said:

EyMannMachHin means this (see below) There 24 games in the mame list which had 3 crt screens side by side, the main ones being... 

Darius

Darius II

Race Drivin'

The Ninja Warriors

TX-1

There are bezels already available for those.

Love what you did with American Laser Games @ci2own

I feel like I have a bezel for one more multi-screen game, but can't remember what it is.

Ah wait. It's Rastan 3. That one also has a bezel.

Not sure what you mean. I just copy the media I need, immediately paste it back in, then rename it to match the clone. Do that for all media that needs it.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

It's still showing the 4 player parents because they're the parents. I don't hide parents.

You do t rename your media, you copy/paste the media and rename just the copies.

And yes, once you have the base xml exactly how you want it,then you use Don's to split it into MF Wheels.

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2 hours ago, ci2own said:

How can be done with retroarch if some games needs 4:3 and others 16:9 or so?

Set config per core?

I don't know. I don't think much of Retroarch and don't use it for anything anymore.

MAME/MESS sets everything to the correct 4:3 by default, although you can change games to their pixel ratio if you want.

On 4/2/2017 at 1:46 PM, thatman84 said:

Possibly with retroarch if you are using core provided some games Display at different res to standard 4:3.

i believe some games for a system were made at different resolutions originally 

Yes games could be at different native resolution and Hz, but nearly all were designed to be displayed on 4:3 screens. So they are upscaled to 4:3 screen ratio (not pixel ratio).

I can't think of any console system (pre xbox 360) or pre-2000 arcade game that isn't supposed to be displayed at 4:3. Even vertical games are just 4:3 sideways. My guess is there are probably several one-off games that used odd monitors or screen ratio's, but they're the exception. Handhelds all had custom screen sizes/ratio's though.

Cool. I look forward to more standards.

emumovies FTP. Info in first post

On 3/30/2017 at 5:04 AM, ci2own said:

LOL. It's an very easy solution. I would like to remove one of the two "Arcade Classics" Words, but i coldn't! Maybe in about 5 o 6 years i can.

Ah, I thought you had grabbed my Mega-Bezel pack since you're using a TV border I did, but I guess not.

if you had you would have seen there already is a default Vertical designed version of that bezel in my pack along with this other one

You're a madman! Have you made any in this style that you haven't made a more standard version of?

Or are you making both a Standard and an Experience version of all your work?