Myarcade NAMCO Museum - Retrorarch Hack

[negative1]

Someone has published a script to access and install Retroarch with some extra cores to the Namco Museum:

 

This is non-Destructive, and you can access the default Stock games, menus and options without impacting them

 

 

I have been playing with it for a few hours, and will put some results, and details when I'm happy with it. (Including videos).

 

Here's some initial install pictures:

 

You can put a custom menu

Accessing the playlist and settings

 

 

Some test shots of games, (not full screen)

 

later

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[negative1]

here are more games. (NOTE : NOT ALL run at full speed), still testing:

 

you can modify the aspect ratios, i have only tried full screen, and normal:

 

 

the washed out colors are due to my camera, in person, they look fine.

 

later

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later

-1

[frogstar_robot]

Where was the script published?

 

I've been playing with one of these and found it to be a locked down android.  I didn't find it immediately apparent how to alter one of these.

[frogstar_robot]

Altering the menus is still opaque to me BUT....

 

I did figure out how to root one.

[Daj]

I've been messing with this same script, which I found through a little google-fu. (erring on the side of caution and not linking, but I wouldn't think there are any legal issues?)

 

The dev swears up and down that out of the arcade cores, only the MAME2010 core works well with it, but I've had much better luck with MAME2003, even after experimenting with different versions of roms. 2003 saves high scores by default, 2010 does not, and 2010 takes me to service mode every time I start a game. Maybe it's fixable through this or that config file, I'll probably never know, MAME2003 is good enough for me and emulates Galaxian better than the stock unit.

 

The UI the dev has provided is certainly good but doesn't quite suit my purpose... you choose a game, then choose the system/version you want to play. I'm aiming to have one big folder of ~20 or so MAME games, nicely polished with screenshots and whotnot. I'd like to make just a couple of minor modifications, but looks like I'll have to install Android SDK to get it to build right.

 

I was very unimpressed with this thing when I got it... this UI is a decided improvement over the stock unit's, once I finish loading it with games that actually emulate properly and track high scores, it will be a far better product... something I might actually want to play a game on, rather than an ugly doorstop that you can technically play games on.

 

Fixing my Data East MyArcade thing, which is nearly as bad, will be the next project. Sadly, the batteries for both of my units, never very great, are totally dead and they only operate when plugged in. Not sure what I did to them, or if they just spontaneously died, but these are the only micro USB-powered devices I've had conk out on me like that, go figure.

[frogstar_robot]

Only roms would create a real legal issue. I suppose the script(s) could be a derived work but all the the legal artillery I've seen fired is at links to roms.

 

Anyhoo, the first step of rooting these type of things is install Nova Launcher typically.  That doesn't work.  Anything other than the built-in launcher throws a java.lang.NullPointerException.  The trick is to get USB Debugging activated using the USB Debugging 1.12.4 apk.  Then use the Windows version of Kingo Root to break in.  Mine took some froofing and faffing about launching adb shells and rerunning USB Debugging (enable any auto option for "USB debugging when plugged in) before Kingo Root saw the unit and did the magic.

 

The USB Debugging app is launched by:

 

adb shell monkey -p com.bluedragonfly.developeroptions -c android.intent.category.LAUNCHER 1

 

Use the joystick to select options and

 

adb shell input keyevent 66

 

to send "Enter" keypresses.
 

[Daj]

Well, the script is here: https://github.com/TerryGoodwin/NMMAMP-ExtraMuseum

 

I installed the Android SDK, got the source to build, and managed to install a modified version that launches games directly from the top menu instead of making me navigate into a folder. Also wrote a script to install sound samples for games that need them. I know nothing about Android development, so it's going well I'd say...

 

Still to do:

 

1) button configs for individual games

2) turbo/autofire settings

3) art/thumbnails for all the games I will install, maybe overlays/wallpaper if I can figure that out

 

Since I also know nothing about configuring Retroarch, this should be another fun set of adventures...

[Daj]

I think I pretty much got this thing the way I want it... other than my dead battery.

 

Not sure if the dev listed all the button codes anywhere, but here they are, for config/code editing purposes:

 

X = 188
A = 189
B = 190
Y = 191
coin = 196
start = 197
reset = 198

 

made a change in the retroarch.cfg so reset takes you out of the game (dev has 'reset' set as a hotkey, so you push coin+reset to exit)

 

input_enable_hotkey_btn = "nul"

input_exit_emulator_btn = "198"

 

I set rapidfire for all the games where I wanted it, the configs look like this:

 

input_turbo_period = "6"
input_duty_cycle = "3"
input_turbo_mode = "2"
input_turbo_default_button = "189"
input_player1_turbo_btn = "189"

 

That sets the "A" button to turbo. I wouldn't mind having one turbo button and one non-turbo button for the same function, which should be possible by messing with the MAME config, but I'm not quite up for it now.

 

I'm using the MAME2003 core for all games, so they all go in this folder, with names corresponding to the roms (zaxxon.cfg for zaxxon.zip etc):

\retroarch\config\MAME 2003 (0.78)

 

In that same folder, in "MAME 2003 (0.78).cfg", I set every game to use vertical orientation, properly centered... these are the values the dev was using for Pac-Man etc, looks good to me:

 

aspect_ratio_index = "23"
custom_viewport_height = "330"
custom_viewport_y = "112"

 

Here's my semi-final list of 20 games, chosen because 1) vertical orientation 2) emulate well on the device 3) gut feeling, not too tough to play with these controls etc.

 

Burger Time

Chinese Hero

Congo Bongo

Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong Jr.

Frogger

Galaxian

Space Invaders ("CV version"/sicv.zip, because it has color)

Lunar Rescue

Space Invaders 2

Monster Bash

Ms Pac-Man Champion Edition

New Puck-X

Pac-Man Plus

Jr. Pac-Man

Space Panic

Satan's Hollow

Seicross

Zaxxon

Super Zaxxon

 

Bootleg Pac-Man felt right for a hacked cab with Pac-Man drawings on it. Most of the games on the stock unit seem to run worse with MAME 2003, but Galaxian is noticeably better. There's an annoying sound glitch whenever I reach the other side of the pond in Frogger, so it might get subbed with Pengo. I'd like to put a couple more on, if I can think of some other vertical games with simple controls to test out (feel free to suggest...), but nothing after 1984 will work very well, and even early 80s games are a coin toss. Some games work better with other cores, but then it's back to the drawing board messing with configs... even MAME 2003 Plus wants to pop up a mame menu whenever I push the reset button for whatever reason, I'm about done tinkering with it.

 

I managed to modify the code so that it takes you straight to the games list, and then loads the game directly instead of taking you to a subfolder. And I made some thumbnails for each game, sorted them semi-alphabetically, and affixed a pretty snazzy Space Invaders sticker:

 

 

 

So yeah I'm basically sticking a fork in it. I wonder if I could use the same script, with some modifications, for the Data East Cab? I know that thing's been hacked but iirc it involved taking the unit apart and so on, was much more involved, but I think the actual stock retroarch installation that comes with it could be modified... well, there must be another thread for that.

 

[frogstar_robot]

For the Data East, I've seen this:

 

 

 

From what I've seen, that one should be easier to work with.  The OS isn't cut down as much and standard Android tools like Nova Launcher work.

[sweetf2a]

I got one of these yesterday, GAME were selling them half price (£50 - about $65 US). Might still be expensive compared to what they cost over there but things are always more expensive here!

Hacked it this evening using the GitHub script, all nice and easy.

Just started adding a few arcade classics to it, so far I’ve added Mr Do! and Donkey Kong to the menu.

One thing I’m not sure about is can Samples be added for games like Berzerk and GORF (I think both use sound samples).

[sweetf2a]

Managed to get samples working.

GORF was too slow in MAME2003 so switched it to MAME2010 for that one and it’s pretty good.

The aspect ratio on that game was always a bit strange so I’ve set it to be really stretched on this.

Just slowly adding games I like and will play, for thumbnails I’m using photos of the actual cabinet, and screenshots are exactly that.

[sweetf2a]

Strange how under-powered it is, especially given it’s USB-powered, there’s no battery to run it disconnected.

Going to add all the Mr Do! series but can’t see me playing Neo Mr Do! on it, runs way too slow.

But it’s on there for completist/proof of concept reasons

[sweetf2a]

Been messing about with it, adding more games - ran into some issues today. Not sure what the chain of events were but at one point my laptop I was using to power it/transfer stuff decided to go into sleep mode which pulled the power to the game quite suddenly. Also lost the access to the drive the script writes to. Eventually it went into a boot loop but seems the manufacturer has built in a fix as the android robot thing popped up and then when I switched it off it was reset back to stock and I could add everything again.

All a bit scary so now it’s all set up I’m just going to leave everything as it is!

Also had a weird thing when I’d added Hiscore.dat that it conflicted with dkong.zip in mame2003. Swapped it for dkongjp.zip instead and all good. Suggests the hiscore.dat or the dump I have of donkey kong US isn’t quite right.

Edited July 30, 2022 by sweetf2a

[sweetf2a]

The dkongjp.zip wasn’t saving high scores so gave dkongo.zip a go and that both works and saves the high score so I’m done changing it now, I’m happy.

Attached is a photo of my Donkey Kong and Do! arcade series and Frogger.

[Daj]

On 7/30/2022 at 5:15 AM, sweetf2a said:

Strange how under-powered it is, especially given it’s USB-powered, there’s no battery to run it disconnected.

There's supposed to be... mine used to have a brief battery life, now it's dead. Same with the Data East My Arcade. The DE one must at least have better specs.

[sweetf2a]

13 minutes ago, Daj said:

There's supposed to be... mine used to have a brief battery life, now it's dead. Same with the Data East My Arcade. The DE one must at least have better specs.

Yeah think the bigger 10” version does. Certainly this one doesn’t, the mini, or if it did it doesn’t now - I checked the instructions.

Nice long usb power cable though.

 

A tip for anyone who has an issue where they have the main screen with both galleries and whenever they press B for the extra one it comes up with the launcher selection screen:

Check your games list json file, chances are you’re missing a comma or a bracket or a parenthesis somewhere.

[sweetf2a]

A MAME2000 core is now on the retroarch Android downloads page and works with this, using that some games that run slowly on MAME2003 run full speed. NEO Mr Do! and Galaga and Gaplus are three that definitely benefit that I have on mine.

 

Finally think I’m done messing with it now (though I’ve said that before!)

[sweetf2a]

As mine doesn’t have a built-in battery I’ve bought a USB power bank to power it away from the mains, works really well.

 

just wish I could get high score saving on MAME2000 and MAME2010, only my MAME2003 core is doing that.

[Mapleuser]

Can someone give a full tutorial on how todo this? Ive had mine for 2 years and still dont understand it. All i want is tetris on it. Fml

[sweetf2a]

On 9/3/2022 at 12:32 AM, Mapleuser said:

Can someone give a full tutorial on how todo this? Ive had mine for 2 years and still dont understand it. All i want is tetris on it. Fml

Just need to go to the GitHub repository mentioned, download the tools and run a few batch files when you have the unit connected to your pc via a usb cable capable of data transfer. You need windows to do it.

 

Only drawback is if the wobbly power lead comes out when you’re playing a game you’ll find you have to copy stuff over again as files invariably get corrupted by a unplanned shutdown.

[mappy4]

Hey guys im mapleuser so i was able to run everything except 1 problem.. When i get to the menu to choose between home or the custom bootup i cant push any of my buttons to confirm a selection please help im so close to playing my tetris .. I tried coin button all of them ..im also having a hard time to get this select a home app menu to come back up when i redo the process

Edited October 27, 2022 by mappy4
Added

[Crystof]

Hi, I was able to install retroarch but I can't insert the games, they don't start

[Jess Ragan]

So anyway!

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ve3uAn9XjnwgAyT4cn7qKH-WHSNO-OmH/view?usp=sharing