Atari Flashback X Custom Firmware for USB roms and boxart

[Draxxon]

@Velvis, if something is going to work with paddles it is going to be MAME2000. I had a copy of arkanoid in there for people to test with paddles, but no one spoke up.
Ill throw together a test pack if people want to try.

@Rocket, I will get to the games again soon. I was just talking to Kevin in PM about what you are saying. If the paths are modified, i think the nexus pack will work as is on the AFB9/G. Nothing will have to be changed.

 

does anyone know if the menu images from the Legends Ultimate Arcade cabinet can be ripped? It is basically the same thing as this.
 

[rocketfan]

42 minutes ago, Velvis said:

Is it possible to run arcade Warlords and play using paddles?

If you have paddles, have a custom FW installed, and one of Draxxon's flash drive setups you could give it a try.  I would look for the mame2000/37b5 version of the rom (warlord.zip) and rename it warlord.zim.  Place it in the /game folder on your drive so you can just access it from the external USB device menu.   Then just see what happens.  I don't even have a guess if it will work.   If you see any movement at all you might then be able to adjust the per game MAME control settings to make it work (hopefully you can adjust the analog sensitivity and speed factors).  I'm not sure if you will see the MAME config menu when you start it, if not you need to disable rewind on the game and then (I think) you can hit rewind to get in there.  Rewind is disabled by changing the /rom/data/retroplayer.ini file and adding lines like this:

 

[Rewind]

warlord.zim=2

Edited February 27, 2021 by rocketfan

[Draxxon]

warlords and Arkanoid work for MAME with a joystick. the screen isnt the right size though. I went ahead and added Warlords to the Atari Arcade folder.
I included Arkanoid for FBAlpha with correct screen size if you want to try paddles on it, but there is no config menu, they will work or they wont.

NEXUS PADDLE TEST (ARKANOID FBA & MAME, ARKANOID 2 MAME, WARLORDS MAME)

I put the games in the legends flashback theme for the test, that has the mame2000 retro settings so the games will skip the mame hit left,right screen.

NEXUS_PADDLE_TEST.rar

 

 

this is a stand alone test, stick it on a fresh usb drive, dont copy over your files with this.

Edited February 27, 2021 by Draxxon

[rocketfan]

Here is an updated Atari800 core.  This modifies the select/option/virtual keyboard.  IMO using the second joystick for a "shift" function was awkward, and I ran into several games that would start up as soon as Joy2 Fire was pressed, so you couldn't really use the mechanism with those games.

 

Now:

Joy1 Start == start

Joy1 Select == virtual/on-screen keyboard

 

In the virtual keyboard, you have SEL, OPT, STA keys on both pages.  So, if your game needs option or select, bring up the OSK and do those from there.  Then select EKB, to get out of the OSK and start your game as normal.

 

One thing I notice is the OSK buttons work better in some games than others.  For example in DonkeyKong Junior they seem to be very reliable, but in Dig Dug I may have to press Opt/Sel a few times to get them to "take".  I think that must come down to the actual game implementation.

 

Looking around and much to my surprise, you can in fact bring up the emulator UI using F1 on the second page of the OSK.  Use at your own risk, but some of the functionality works in there.  For example, you can launch a different game by browsing directly to it.  When in that emulator UI, use Joy1 Fire to go into a menu/select and Joy1 Start to back out.  Some things "take" and others don't.  For example in Sound options you can change the buffer length, but not the output rate (if you go back in you will see it reverts back).  Another example of non-working functionality is that saving a new config file fails.  Probably just the path is set wrong but I have not dug into it.  All that functionality is more like gravy to me.  I have not investigated other than play with it and wiring up the Start button right so you could back out of menus.

 

BTW, it looks like warm reset takes you to BASIC???  At least I was able to do A=8  then PRINT A.  I used to be an Atari BASIC wizard, but apparently the beer has killed all those brain cells!  There would definitely be a way to run Atari BASIC programs if you put the right stuff on your drive - I have done that from other similar versions of the emulator.

 

I tested a little on one and two player games and they seem OK, but as usual please let me know if I broke anything.

atari800_libretro.so

Edited February 27, 2021 by rocketfan

[Draxxon]

So, I see that the Legends Ultimate has COINOPSX running on it.
Is there a way to get that to run on the AFBX?

[Velvis]

Could this project support individual screen bezels? I have a Retroarch all-in-one pack that came with per game bezels for each game. Basically like a tv frame and edges that are from the games artwork.

 

[rocketfan]

28 minutes ago, Draxxon said:

Is there a way to get that to run on the AFBX?

The actual coinOps stufff is (I believe) all going to be compiled 64Bit ARM not 32Bit ARM like this device uses, so no way just to take their stuff and run it directly.  Also, I think I read it is not open source.   Just my opinion, but seems like the CoinOpsX/CoinOps people had full cooperation, and maybe even sponsorship from atGames.  Bottom line, I think it would be VERY difficult or impossible to get that running on this device.  BTW, the .uce files used by the legends ultimate for the roms also contain box art, a custom bezel, and the emulator core (64Bit) for each game.  There are thousand of those out there available if you look around.

 

This kind of goes back to Brad_from_the_80s saying he was originally interested in putting a whole new UI on there.  I don't know what Brad had in mind, but IMO the current setup is decent and especially with the various themes.  The device is somewhat low CPU horsepower and memory but works well for Atari and some other old-school emulation.  The Nexus version has turned this into a little "Atari Museum" IMO (@Draxxon: plus bonus systems, which I also like), and the interface feels good for that (as opposed to the CoinOPS - "emulate anything and Everything" world).

 

There are a few rough edges like the "Paddle Games, Atari Games" categories would be nice if they could be dynamic instead of just hard-wired (though we could change them to some other hard-wired words).  We are currently lacking "Bezel Per Game" as mentioned by several folks along the way.  I believe bezel per game is doable, if desired.  In addition to the box art, for every game that wants a custom bezel, add something like DonkeyKong.b.png (the bezel).  Then it could be made to work...

 

If we only had the retromenu/retroplayer sources it would really be nice!  ?

[Draxxon]

its not a big deal, it looks like hyperspin to me anyways, just a thought.

[rocketfan]

Draxxon, did you say you have an NES core that flips the A & B buttons? I thought I saw it and have been meaning to ask you, but now I can't find the comment.  If so, can you provide the flipped one?  I want to see if I can use it to play Castelian!

 

 

[Draxxon]

apperently I dont have the NES core here.

I did gift a few of these LFB1s awhile back, I'll have to make a trip to a buddies house and dump the core from the old unit when i get some time.

 

looks like the update images i have are just the /rom partition.

Edited February 27, 2021 by Draxxon

[rocketfan]

No worries on the NES swap core, more of just a curiosity thing.  I did get an Atari BASIC program running on the AFBX, btw.  And it proved more or less .ATR support is working, but I am going to experiment a bit more with that.

[Velvis]

15 hours ago, Draxxon said:

warlords and Arkanoid work for MAME with a joystick. the screen isnt the right size though. I went ahead and added Warlords to the Atari Arcade folder.
I included Arkanoid for FBAlpha with correct screen size if you want to try paddles on it, but there is no config menu, they will work or they wont.

NEXUS PADDLE TEST (ARKANOID FBA & MAME, ARKANOID 2 MAME, WARLORDS MAME)

I put the games in the legends flashback theme for the test, that has the mame2000 retro settings so the games will skip the mame hit left,right screen.

NEXUS_PADDLE_TEST.rar 19.46 MB · 2 downloads

 

 

this is a stand alone test, stick it on a fresh usb drive, dont copy over your files with this.

So, just using paddles: the paddle buttons move left and right (both on the AFBX menu screen and within the game). 

The game reset toggle starts running warlords. 

Game select toggle adds coins

But there doesn't seem to be a way to start the game. 

If I start the game with the joystick fire button and swap in the paddles the game plays but the button on one paddle moves left and the other button right. 

 

In arknoid fba, I can start the game and the paddle works but it is very slow to move the paddle. 

 

Arkanoid 2 mame paddles don't work. 

 

Arkanoid mame couldn't be started. The toggles did nothing, the paddle fire buttons did nothing, the joystick button would bring it to the second screen (description screen) but no further. 

 

Thank you for putting effort into this! 

[Draxxon]

so the paddle buttons are left and right, not the knob? thats weird.

does messing with the mame button config screen help anything? can start and fire be mapped to the same button? can the knob be remapped?

 

at least warlords arcade works with stick and its not super terrible. but a far cry from 4 players w/ paddles.

Edited February 27, 2021 by Draxxon

[Velvis]

The paddles can't seem to be recognized as input in the mame config. The fire buttons are recognized. 

Edited February 27, 2021 by Velvis
Button info

[Velvis]

How do you switch from the VCS games in the nexus pack to the other categories/systems?

 

[Draxxon]

36 minutes ago, Velvis said:

How do you switch from the VCS games in the nexus pack to the other categories/systems?

 

Shhh.... its a secret switch so you can blow peoples minds.

So, the other day I noticed a bunch of empty rectangles where spaces are on the NTCS game info, like the all-games.ini got herpes, anyways, I've just finished fixing it. You dont want to know how long it took. seems stunt cycle was in the NTSC too, took that out.

I fixed Kevin's box art, I added Rokects On Screen Keyboard to A800, it works. added about half of the games in the to do list. Sorted out some prototypes from the Homebrew.

the pack is basically now back on track after the update fiasco. again for the record, im running V.0.1.9 FULL on my standard unit, for those following along.

the pack is stable on it, and i suspect with folder support on the AFB9, it would work as is on it too.

P.S. Velvis, drop this on your usb drive and copy over the old all-games.ini file, Its Warlords Arcade version, with art, in the atari arcade section.
Joystick works, you can mess with paddles more if you want to.
 

rom_arcade.rar

 

 

I think the monitor display is still wrong orientation, maybe someone could look into mame settings to fix it for the retro settings file in the /rom_arcade/data folder.

Edited February 27, 2021 by Draxxon

[Velvis]

Are there non-atari packs that can be added as well? IE Pac-Man mame, colecovision, etc. 

[Draxxon]

@Velvis, You are limited with the one button joystick. Coleco is a bust for now, there is no button for the on screen keyboard. but the LFB2 has the complete Coleco pack finished. if you go to the Atari Vault (Return Switch), and click on Sega Flashback or Legends Flashback, the non-Atari games are already there. I broke your Warlords Arcade art btw, i put an "s" at the end of the images file names and I didn't check it first. But, i did fix it...

 

Here is the new pack. I recommend that both AFBX Standard Edition and Deluxe Edition owners first update with the AFBX Deluxe V.0.1.9 CFW FULL by Brad & MrFister. So if and when future updates come from AtGames, you can continue with the Deluxe versions firmware, as I will. In the future, the updates from AtGames WON'T be the FULL AFBX Deluxe version in the update. They will NOT add the bonus games in the updates. I also wouldn't mention any of this to Sam's Club.  

the pack now contains a folder named /restore. In this folder you will find the 2 firmware updates removed by AtGames if you decide you want to flash back to a stock condition. I also provided the v9 CFW FULL by MrFister. For people who want to experiment and flash back and forth and so new users avoid flashing the wrong firmware update. All Credit for that goes to MrFister & 80's_Brad. Thank you to RocketFan for the Atari 800 updates and AFBX ROM compatibility list. Thank you to Velvis for testing paddles, Thank you to Kevin for the Artwork not yet implemented. Thank You to Captain Classic for the info and feedback. And AtariAge, and EVERYONE else here, THANK YOU GUYS TOO!

ATARI FLASHBACK X - NEXUS V.0.2.4 (Atari 800 On Screen Keyboard / Atari Basic OS Update)

(~1600 Games)

NEXUS_V.0.2.4.rar

 

 

Edited February 28, 2021 by Draxxon

[rocketfan]

3 hours ago, Draxxon said:

ATARI FLASHBACK X - NEXUS V.0.2.4

Thank you Draxxon.  Great release! I just played Atari Video games for the last two hours!  ?

[Draxxon]

I'm going to best buy tomorrow to buy the cheapest capture card I can find.

 

Questions (for anyone to answer)...
There is no way to map LFB sega pad Y button (CV OSK) to atari joystick Select button in the CV core?

Can we change screen resolution/orientation for MAME Games?
Can we enlarge the A800 viewing/display area?

Are there any SNES 1 button games? Will that core work?

Is there any value in a pdf viewer for atari game manuals and texts?

will afb9/g get folder support?

what other atari cores could be ported to this device?

does the MAME2003+ core allow for any extra playable games?
What the hell is sega pico, are they games for babies.... will they work?

Edited February 28, 2021 by Draxxon

[Draxxon]

Here is a list of tools you can use to edit these materials easily.

all-games.ini = Use NotePad or NotePad++ (FREE) to edit these files.

                       /rom_lfb/res/makeini.bat is a batch program to generate an ini file.

                       put it in the folder with the roms that need an ini file and run it.

                       or just copy one, delete all the text in the file and start a new one.

 

retroplayer.ini = Use NotePad or NotePad++ (FREE) to edit these files.

                        they are located in the /rom_X/data folders for each category

                        this is where you edit the specific emulator core's settings. 

 

change file names/extensions = Advanced Renamer - Free and fast batch rename utility for files and folders

                       If you need to take out all the spaces, periods and brackets "[]" in a rom set use this.

                       you can also change all the extensions, like .bin -> .a26, or add the "s" to small 

                       thumbails "xxxx.s.png". It is very helpful. Portable & FREE.

box art= Paint.NET - Free Software for Digital Photo Editing (getpaint.net)

                       clearly there are infinite choices of art programs and you can use more than just one

                       but this is as easy as it gets for people not used to photoshop. you get layers, transparency,

                       magic wand, way more than just MS Paint. This IS all I use for this project. FREE.

 

rezise box art = Flexxi - Batch Image Resizer download | SourceForge.net

                        flexxi will let you resize multiple pictures at once. no watermarks, and its

                        portable and free. you can't batch resize in paint.net

 

crop box art = there are many options for this. I only had to do it once (ATARIv2.0) here is what i used,

                      a free, online batch image cropper.
                      BIRME - Bulk Image Resizing Made Easy 2.0 (Online & Free)

Fonts = the systems fonts are located in the /res/fonts folder. if you install those fonts to your computer you can use them

            and you can use them inside of paint.net also. there are a ton of free fonts online, and there are even atari fonts

            i use MumboSSK and SF Atarian System. you can swap fonts on the AFBX.

Sounds = sounds are in /res/audio. sound effects are .wav, BGM is .oog. you can swap sounds.

BG Images = some are hardcoded, it makes it hard to make a real coherent theme. they are .png images. edit and swap them.

                    they are in the /res/images folder.

 

cores = you can swap cores and system files in the emulator folder, if you screw something up, no worries, download a fresh NEXUSv2

 

 

 

 

Edited February 28, 2021 by Draxxon

[Draxxon]

rocketfan, can you explain again about the BASIC OS.

 

what it is and how to get into it. do i need a bios in /emu or something?

[rocketfan]

I'm attaching a new runcommand script, which goes in /emulator.  The only difference - a few extra lines to allow the .atr extension in addition to existing .xex for the atari800 emulator.

 

I experimented with the Broduerbund game "Drol" which is an excellent game with good music.  There are both black and white and color versions of that game but for whatever reason it doesn't exist as an .xex file (that I found, but I didn't look too hard).  Anyway, both those came up fine.  When I ran a basic program (which is a bit complicated, using the emulator UI) it was also from a .atr file.

 

Draxxon, I must have played 3 dozen games from your release last night without any glitches.  Mainly 800, 2600, and arcade.  Only one file would not load - the a800 Drelbs.xex.  I think you might have used one that says "req OSb" which I think has something to do with PAL systems (maybe some Atari expert knows if that is right?)  but the other non-OSb one worked OK when I dropped it in.

runcommand

[Draxxon]

I did use the reqOSB Drelbs, ill fix it.

When i go into an 800 game, bring up OSK, hit next page, hit f2, hit warm reset, i see the basic screen for a half a second then i go right back to the game i was playing. do i need like a BATARI.rom file in my /emu or something? I cant get to (stay in) the basic os screen.

 

.atr support is awesome, btw. I'll get it implemented in the pack. can you give me a short list of working .atr?

Edited February 28, 2021 by Draxxon

[Velvis]

Can the 800 core run 5200 games? Specifically Miner 2049er and Bounty Bob Strikes Back?