Custom firmware for Atari Gamestation Pro

[Marky316]

1 hour ago, big_guitar said:

I tried renaming it, placing under cfg folder, the paddle didn't work for me. 

As it is, he's always throwing to the left.  Is that what the hope is for the paddle, to move that target direction?

I don't think they can both work at the same time, stick and paddle, with the way MyArcade established things.  Probably will work ok with more modern controllers.

Otherwise, would have to configure 2 GSP controllers using a remap file, so that one stick can be used to target the throwing direction.

would have to experiment in mame first to get it in an ideal state.

@big_guitar

yes in the game and arcade the paddle moves that directional in the back so Tron can aim the discs, the joy stick moves Tron , the fire/Trigger button throws the disc and the Deflect button is a temp shield. he jumps back and forth on the disc pads by himself so no jump button.

Hope this helps....this is why I asked because if you have a paddle turner on super breakout why can't ya have in Tron?

 

I thank you and anyone else looking into this

 

Control Panel:

Game Play:

 

[big_guitar]

17 hours ago, Marky316 said:

Hope this helps....this is why I asked because if you have a paddle turner on super breakout why can't ya have in Tron?

From my recollection, with the GSP controllers, the myarcade game app disables the stick when enabling the paddle.

 

As it is, dotron is a little glitchy at least from the audio standpoint on the GSP, but at times may also stutter some. 

On the GSP, I tried mame2003-plus (was a little worse than built-in mame2003), and fbneo (jittery screen, but better audio). I did not try the newer 2014/2016 Mame cores.

For some reason, on GSP, at least some fbneo-arcade games tend to have a jittery screen, and I've not established any workaround for the issue. This is not an issue I think for fbneo-non-arcade setups (like when using colecovision).

 

Anyway, I did get a cfg file that works well for generic xbox with the built-in mame core, where the 'trigger' buttons are used to move the target (left trigger moves left, right trigger right).

It seemed to be as comfortable as possible, I had also tried using the right-analog for targeting, but using the triggers was a bit more natural to me. 

I also had to reduce the analog sensitivity, otherwise the default settings move the target way too fast, making it difficult to aim.

 

Using a trigger record, I used the xbox_generic.cfg file to feed into retroarch, and the dotron.cfg file I placed in the cfg subfolder based on where dotron.zip was located.

 

 

xbox_generic.cfg dotron.cfg

[Marky316]

7 hours ago, big_guitar said:

From my recollection, with the GSP controllers, the myarcade game app disables the stick when enabling the paddle.

 

As it is, dotron is a little glitchy at least from the audio standpoint on the GSP, but at times may also stutter some. 

On the GSP, I tried mame2003-plus (was a little worse than built-in mame2003), and fbneo (jittery screen, but better audio). I did not try the newer 2014/2016 Mame cores.

For some reason, on GSP, at least some fbneo-arcade games tend to have a jittery screen, and I've not established any workaround for the issue. This is not an issue I think for fbneo-non-arcade setups (like when using colecovision).

 

Anyway, I did get a cfg file that works well for generic xbox with the built-in mame core, where the 'trigger' buttons are used to move the target (left trigger moves left, right trigger right).

It seemed to be as comfortable as possible, I had also tried using the right-analog for targeting, but using the triggers was a bit more natural to me. 

I also had to reduce the analog sensitivity, otherwise the default settings move the target way too fast, making it difficult to aim.

 

Using a trigger record, I used the xbox_generic.cfg file to feed into retroarch, and the dotron.cfg file I placed in the cfg subfolder based on where dotron.zip was located.

 

 

xbox_generic.cfg 94.42 kB · 0 downloads dotron.cfg 996 B · 0 downloads

@big_guitar TY thank you for looking into this I was hoping for the GSP stick to be used with the paddle also as I don't have an Xbox controller and like to keep it with the controllers  it came with, hoping for the new joysticks for GSP that @jonreddick mention that might help with this issue and the Star Wars Games as the arcade and 5200 don't move great. Again TY for your help as always.

[Spanner]

Could you add cropping to the GSP Games app or is that do difficult at the moment, so it resizes the images to the right size so they appear in the GUI, if they are the wrong size you get no picture in the GUI, I use Adobe Photoshop to change them, Windows Paint does not do it properly it resize the picture without changing the canvas so cuts the picture off.

Edited July 6 by Spanner

[Spanner]

Resizing images not cropping them, if you crop them then it cuts a bit of the image off to make it the right size.

That would make adding games to the GUI alot easier...  and when I say can you add something to the GSP Games app I do not mean `NOW` do it if you can, when you can...  when I add stuff to PCUAE or come up with a idea I add it when I can or do it straight away so I do not forget to do it, sometime I forget about adding it and plus I have more time on my hands because I am disabled...  .

Edited July 6 by Spanner

[Marky316]

Ok I am very late to this party as I been working to much on the job, I need to  get ColecoVision to work on MY GSP from  @big_guitar  posts

 

I only been using @Brad_from_the_80s custom firmware and just building on my SD card(roms,artwork,text,logos and box art) and putting info in the Games.ini file.

 

So what do I need to do to add ColecoVision besides the basics what's the coding in the INI??,  need to got some rounds with Clubber Lang!!

 

Any help or message me work be great.

 

Again Thank you all in advance 

[big_guitar]

22 hours ago, Marky316 said:

Ok I am very late to this party as I been working to much on the job, I need to  get ColecoVision to work on MY GSP from  @big_guitar  posts

 

I only been using @Brad_from_the_80s custom firmware and just building on my SD card(roms,artwork,text,logos and box art) and putting info in the Games.ini file.

 

So what do I need to do to add ColecoVision besides the basics what's the coding in the INI??,  need to got some rounds with Clubber Lang!!

 

Any help or message me work be great.

 

Again Thank you all in advance 

Hi Marky316,

 

Technically, if you know how to edit the runme script file yourself, there are ways you could do that and still use the INI file editing method (albeit not so simple if you aren't familiar with much scripting), but the easiest way to move forward would be to use the latest Windows app I provided.

 

This would be a transition to switch from editing via the INI file to instead editing the games database directly with the Windows app.  The INI editing method is not required, since Brad's firmware changes bring the games database out to the SD card.  There is a Quick Start option for CV (colecovision) built into the application that includes deploying the Rocky game.

There are numbered PDF files included in the distribution that provide most of the necessary documentation to get familiar with using the Windows app. 

 

If you've deployed Brad's firmware, on your SD card, you can make a backup of the games.db file (which will be under the \data folder) in case you are concerned about screwing anything up with the Windows app.  If you choose to experiment with this method, feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.

 

[KLund1]

The new firmware update sounds great!!!!! I am late to the game on this. Are we still on Ver 1.30c?

This thread is very very long. But It looks like many of you have built some interesting libraries. Is the a main place where all the might located? Or do I have read page by page in this thread to find them to find the links?

Thanks

[big_guitar]

1 hour ago, KLund1 said:

The new firmware update sounds great!!!!! I am late to the game on this. Are we still on Ver 1.30c?

This thread is very very long. But It looks like many of you have built some interesting libraries. Is the a main place where all the might located? Or do I have read page by page in this thread to find them to find the links?

Thanks

Yes, for the most part I believe everyone posting to this specific thread is using 1.30c.

 

A GSP thread that existed before this one covered a runme PATCH to 1.30 that allowed you to make customizations using an additional game execution script.  That runme patch is also included with 1.30c.

 

Outside of this, you'd have to provide a more specific question as to what it is you want to accomplish.

Edited July 9 by big_guitar

[AT-ATari]

Have we figured out a way to just add paddle games like Kaboom and have them work properly?

[big_guitar]

On 7/8/2024 at 10:16 PM, AT-ATari said:

Have we figured out a way to just add paddle games like Kaboom and have them work properly?

Not in an ideal fashion, however, we know that if you establish a folder called "Atari 2600 Paddle" then 2600 games in that folder should have the paddle control enabled for the GSP controllers.

[AT-ATari]

Thanks @big_guitar, I am going to try it out! 

[Hatamari]

I loaded the game The Masks into the system, but while playing I ran into one problem, and that is the game is SNES and therefore uses 4 front buttons and two back buttons. I use USB-C Dualsense to play, everything works without problems, but when you press the triangle button, which is in the game, the character function creates a tornado, and instead of that, a window pops up on the screen with SAVE and LOAD, only that the game cannot be saved because it is it's Custom FW and SNES, but it's not possible to use the game's functions this way because one button doesn't work like this and it's important for playing.

[big_guitar]

1 hour ago, Hatamari said:

I loaded the game The Masks into the system, but while playing I ran into one problem, and that is the game is SNES and therefore uses 4 front buttons and two back buttons. I use USB-C Dualsense to play, everything works without problems, but when you press the triangle button, which is in the game, the character function creates a tornado, and instead of that, a window pops up on the screen with SAVE and LOAD, only that the game cannot be saved because it is it's Custom FW and SNES, but it's not possible to use the game's functions this way because one button doesn't work like this and it's important for playing.

I believe the event code 308 (or whatever event is associated with the NORTH button on your controller) is fixed to prompt for saving, so what you'll have to do is re-assign one of the other buttons on the controller to perform the North button event (R2 for example).

 

If you are not using my Windows app (which allows for some customization of game execution), I think it might be possible to use a REMAP file (.rmp extension) to assign a button to perform the task normally associated with the desired action.  You could first try to mess with that under Windows to get L2 or R2 to duplicate the triangle action.  You could experiment with a controller rom like "Controller Test Cartridge".  Then you could save a remap file, and on your sdcard create a matching subfolder for where your game is (a reference to the CORE being used for SNES).

 

Otherwise, if you used the Windows app, you could make a custom retroarch cfg file, and assign "+5" for example to input_player1_y_btn (I could test to verify), and establish a trigger record to implement the customized execution.

Edited July 12 by big_guitar

[Spanner]

So the `event code 308` is connected to the `NORTH button` on the AGSP Joystick...?

 

We need a spreadsheet with the codes on it and what buttons its connected too for each Joystick/controller so that you could edit the racfg file yourself and change the `event code` to the right code to get that button to work, good idea...?

 

Then you could just then look up what the code is for that joystick/controller.

Edited July 13 by Spanner

[big_guitar]

25 minutes ago, Spanner said:

So the `event code 308` is connected to the `NORTH button` on the AGSP Joystick...?

 

We need a spreadsheet with the codes on it and what buttons its connected too for each Joystick/controller so that you could edit the racfg file yourself and change the `event code` to the right code to get that button to work, good idea...?

 

Then you could just then look up what the code is for that joystick/controller.

@Hatamari is using a modern dualsense controller.

Xbox controller uses 308 for the North button I believe (marked Y on Xbox controller).  There is some inconsistency with how the menu fires, sometimes it doesn't take, I believe their custom RA app is supposed to capture the event.

 

The GSP controllers have the 3 buttons and the back menu button, and the back button I believe is also 308.

 

It would be ideal if myarcade makes a new compatible controller like their upcoming handheld, which is more like a modern controller with a number pad.

 

[Spanner]

Dose the retroarch cfg files have to be in racfg folder, I put them in a different folder and it didn't find them and use a cfg from a .zip file in the firmware instead so the joystick didn't work...?
I fixed it by picking a cfg on the firmware instead.

 

It seems Atari 5200 cfg works with Atari 400/800 games...
and found the Atari 800 Emulator does not load .rom or .bin files but does run .com files so if you can get the game rom as a .com file than it will load it...

 

It can run disk files too .atr files.

 

It now included with PCUAE v4.4.0 and you can use the PCUAE USB drive like the SD Card now, but when it mounts the USB Drive its case sensitive, weird, the Atari2600 Plus is not.
 

FAT-fs (sda1): utf8 is not a recommended IO charset for FAT filesystems

could be a chineses thing, no caps in there characters so does not matter if it uses utf8.

Edited July 14 by Spanner

[big_guitar]

1 hour ago, Spanner said:

Dose the retroarch cfg files have to be in racfg folder

Not unless the related trigger record refers to that folder.

Files under racfg or any other non-default folder are not going to work unless you define those in a Trigger record in order to associate them with the execution of a specific game.  Otherwise, the default CFG files will be used. That folder is simply where I default the custom config files for the Windows app example custom game deployments.  It's easily accessible, as it is right off the root of your sdcard.  You can view the runme log to see which CFG file was actually used when the last game was executed (although, you should press the HOME button before powering down the device, to make sure all the data in the buffer is written to the file).

If you have some custom firmware booting your GSP, are you even certain the sdcard is being mounted properly? Targeting a usb drive as a source could be quite different.

 

If you are using the runme script that is promoted in the Windows app, and wonder why something didn't run as expected, you can use the log files as mentioned, to see how all the parameters were set prior to game execution.

Edited July 14 by big_guitar

[Marky316]

On 7/8/2024 at 6:13 PM, big_guitar said:

Hi Marky316,

 

Technically, if you know how to edit the runme script file yourself, there are ways you could do that and still use the INI file editing method (albeit not so simple if you aren't familiar with much scripting), but the easiest way to move forward would be to use the latest Windows app I provided.

 

This would be a transition to switch from editing via the INI file to instead editing the games database directly with the Windows app.  The INI editing method is not required, since Brad's firmware changes bring the games database out to the SD card.  There is a Quick Start option for CV (colecovision) built into the application that includes deploying the Rocky game.

There are numbered PDF files included in the distribution that provide most of the necessary documentation to get familiar with using the Windows app. 

 

If you've deployed Brad's firmware, on your SD card, you can make a backup of the games.db file (which will be under the \data folder) in case you are concerned about screwing anything up with the Windows app.  If you choose to experiment with this method, feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.

 

TY @big_guitar for the info, I been a on Turbo Graf 16 kick now get some of there games in as we speak, so I when I am, ready I will get to coleco TY very much for the help. But I do have a question is there a way to make the Arcade star trek controls like the 2600 or 5200?? the arcade in GSP the uses the A button as thrust instead of the joy stick, because of this we have no Warp button to use. to me the setup would be Stick for thrust turn and  move, A to fire, B Warp and Trigger C for Photons.

[big_guitar]

16 hours ago, Marky316 said:

TY @big_guitar for the info, I been a on Turbo Graf 16 kick now get some of there games in as we speak, so I when I am, ready I will get to coleco TY very much for the help. But I do have a question is there a way to make the Arcade star trek controls like the 2600 or 5200?? the arcade in GSP the uses the A button as thrust instead of the joy stick, because of this we have no Warp button to use. to me the setup would be Stick for thrust turn and  move, A to fire, B Warp and Trigger C for Photons.

TG16 👍  perhaps I'll fix my TurboExpress someday.  needs a better screen & new caps.

 

As far as Start Trek goes, without using the Windows gspgames app, you might be able to change the controller settings to some extent using Mame 2003 on Windows and establishing a custom Mame-specific CFG file (not the same as a Retroarch cfg file).  Someone may have already done that, I don't recall.  But I think it better to use the Windows app to implement custom RA cfg settings which opens other options (remaps), since the RA cfg can point to data locations on the sdcard to look for settings you may want to manipulate.

 

With Coleco, the GSP controllers are not ideal due to the limited buttons.  For example, Rocky is not really ideal for the GSP controllers.  Now you could use 2 GSP controllers at the same time (acting as one) to allow for more buttons, but I think it ends up rather awkward during gameplay.  Some games, like Carnival, are fine with a single GSP controller.

Edited July 15 by big_guitar

[big_guitar]

Been trying to see if I can get Apple2 to work on GSP... quite the challenge... attempting to use it via Jungle2016 core.

[Shannon]

On the Xbox one.. I was able to get the Apple2 running on the Mame2016 core.  So it may be possible.  You will need the .XML files for the Apple2, the proper BIOS files and make sure your Apple2 images match the CRC's in the .XML files.  Also there are some name conflicts in the .XML files. so watch out for that.

 

[big_guitar]

1 hour ago, Shannon said:

On the Xbox one.. I was able to get the Apple2 running on the Mame2016 core.  So it may be possible.  You will need the .XML files for the Apple2, the proper BIOS files and make sure your Apple2 images match the CRC's in the .XML files.  Also there are some name conflicts in the .XML files. so watch out for that.

Thanks, I have it working in Windows with RA + 2016 core with a 'cmd' file, trying to see if I can match that somewhat for GSP.  The apple cfg files are the xml if that's what you mean (in xml format, cfg extension).

The toughest thing on windows was getting the right files for votrax for that mame/core version, or votrsrc01.zip, votrsrc01a.zip.  For the latest mame, I used apple2gs just fine, but have been using apple2e on 2016.

 

It is reading the CMD file on GSP, and it seems to be parsing that out, just not loading things properly from there currently.    [Driver apple2e not found]

Despite the "-rp" parameter in the cmd, I don't think it's recognizing the apple zip file or rom location I'm targeting, will have to see if it assumes some things are under system folders & such. 

I had to manually create the saves folder I was targeting on the sdcard before it would properly recognize it.   

Also dealing with the dreaded 'segmentation fault', which is difficult to figure out, will try some other RA cfg files.  That will likely be the final battle if I can get through the other issues 😜

 

But the "unfriendly" decompile shows the that GSP's Jungle2016 core does seem to be based off of Mame 2016.

 

 

Edited July 21 by big_guitar

[big_guitar]

So anyway, regarding using apple2... I believe with Jungle2016 (and likely Jungle2014), it is scaled back code targeted to particulars released with this product. 

 

I believe the code is scaled back to about 08% of what the full release of Mame2016 would have.  I believe the apple2.cpp machine is simply not compiled into the Jungle2016 release.

 

A full compiled version of Mame2016 for this linux-arm platform might be difficult to find, assuming it would even load properly.  I have tried a couple files out there that result in segfaults, but I think the GSP hardware does not provide ideal specs for utilizing the full core releases of mame beyond 2003.

Edited July 31 by big_guitar

[big_guitar]

So, I have been able to get Apple2 to work in a limited sense under a DOS-specific emulator on GSP with Retroarch (for some DSK files), but there is an unfortunate weakness in the graphics.  Essentially I can duplicate what is shown on the LEFT SIDE of this graphic image on the GSP in some cases (comparing Apple2 Tapper), and play the game, but the related emulator (called 'Appler') has an issue that makes it unable establish proper HGR emulation in all my testing.  Ideally you would want the image on the right side of course.   This specific problem is not limited to the GSP, the same issue exists under Windows when combining DosBox and the related Apple Emulator which was designed to run under DOS.  The comparison images of the same point of the Apple2-Tapper game were taken using the same DSK file.

 

 

The DOS version of Tapper is fine of course under the DosBox-pure core.

 

I thought about testing the MacII core on GSP, but in the end there really is the need for a mouse (if not also a keyboard) for the proper loading of a game.

 

Edited August 4 by big_guitar