@database amigaguide.guide @rem $Date: 96/08/26 15:52:49 $ $Revision: 39.1 $ @wordwrap @node MAIN @title "MAME PPC GUI" >>> MAME PPC GUI Instructions <<< Technical Information and Background @{" Introduction " link INTRO} @{" Requirements " link REQ} @{" Installation " link INSTALL} Usage @{" GUI " link OPTIONS} @{" Menus " link MENUS} Other Information @{" Updating the Database " link DATA} @{" FAQ " link FAQ} @{" Contacting " link ADDRESS} @{" History " link HISTORY} @endnode @node INTRO "Introduction" @{b}MAMEPPC GUI@{ub} - Copyright (c) Parallel Realities 2000. All Rights Reserved. This Software is provided As Is. Although it has been tested for bugs and errors, Parallel Realities will not be held responsible for any damage caused to your system whilst running this program. By running this program you are agreeing to this statement. --------- MAMEPPC GUI is a GUI constructed for use with AmiDog's PPC MAME Port. It takes the hassle out of remember various parameters for each game and stores them in a file. It can also recognise the realname of each game you have from a database of over 2200 games! It is also easy to add games to the database. Parameters that can be set include, * Joypad support * Sound support and Sample Rate * Frameskip * Usage of Requesters, GetBestMode ID and Custom Screenmodes @endnode @node REQ "Requirements" @{b}MAMEPPC GUI Requires the following,@{ub} OS 3.0 or Higher. Helvetica Font (everyone should have this!) MAMEPPC Some ROMs @endnode @node INSTALL "Installing the GUI" @{b}What you need to do@{ub} Technically, the GUI can be placed anywhere, since the paths for MAME, the ROMs and the MAME EXE should be written into the tooltypes of the MAMEPPCGUI info file. However, we would recommend placing the GUI in the same drawer as MAME. @{b}You must copy the included games.data into the MAME directory aswell!@{ub} @{b}Setting Up@{ub} THIS IS IMPORTANT, READ THIS CAREFULLY!!! Before you can run the program, you must specify the paths for MAME, the ROMs and the EXE. These *MUST* be full paths, or the program will not function properly. 1) Click Once on the MAMEPPCGUI icon. 2) Access the Workbench menu and select INFORMATION under ICONS. 3) Fill in all the fields with the appropriate data. eg - ROMS=Games:MAME/ROMS/ MAME=Games:MAME/ EXE=Games:MAME/MAME.exe The program has been created this way to cater for the different ways in which people may have their drives setup, although technically, it is not possible to have the ROMS directory away from the MAME exe... but anyway... In Order to use the Guides in the HELP Menu, place the guides in the MAME directory. @endnode @node OPTIONS "The GUI" @{b}The GUI@{ub} The GUI has been created to be as intuitive as possible. When the program first starts it will scan for ROMs in the ROMs directory and compare them to ROMs in the Gamelist. Once it has finished you will be presented with a list of games. The games will be listed in alphabetical order according to the name retrieved from the game list. Games which were not found in the game list will be listed as, "Unsupported" To set the parameters for each game, simply click the gamename in the list and set the frameskip, joypad support, cybergraphics support, sound, sound rate and whether you wish to use a BestModeID, a requester or enter the screenmode yourself. To set a screenmode yourself, either enter the ID into the gadget to the right of "Screen Mode" or click the "?" to choose from a list of available modes. Please Note - Hidden modes are not shown, in which case you will need to manually enter the screenmode. This can be done using the program "GETMODEID" * Please also note the following : the cycle gadget option "GetBestModeID" uses MAMEPPC's inbuilt GetBestModeID. At the time of writing this is not 100% accurate. This is why there is also an option to manually enter a screenmode obtained from the program GetModeID.* When you have finished setting the parameters for the game, click GO! to run. The button will remain ghosted until you finish playing the Game. If the game fails to run, the button will Unghost and nothing will happen! @endnode @node MENUS "The Menus" @{b}Menus@{ub} The GUI comes with a few menus for your enjoyment. File Save ROM List - Saves your ROM list with all the parameters you have set for each game. Load ROM List - Loads in the ROM list. If you completely screw up your parameters then you can always reload them here. About - Tells you about the fab people that brought you this program! :) Quit - Exits the Program. You can also Quit by clicking the Close gadget of the window. Tools Rescan - Does Exactly What It Says On The Tin! If you have recently added or removed ROMs from the directory then you can use this option to search for them. They will be automatically added to the list. Your other ROMs parameters will be unaffected. Options Auto Save - On Quiting the program, this option will automatically save your ROM List, parameters and all. This could be both a convience and a curse, depending on how you at autosaving. Sound - Manual ; Adjust each ROM's sound settings manually. All ON ; Turns on Sound for ALL ROMs. All OFF ; Turns off Sound for ALL ROMs. Joypad - Same as Sound, but for Joypads Cybergraphics - Same as Sound, but for Cybergraphics Screen - Manual ; Adjust each ROM's Screenmodes manually. - GetBestModeID ; All ROMs use GetBestModeID - Requester ; All ROMs use Requesters - Screenmode; All ROMs use a Screenmode REMEMBER TO SET THEM!!! Help* MAMEPPC - Will display the help file for MAMEPPC. MAMEPPCGUI - Will display this help file. * - Assumes Multiview is in SYS:Utilities/ and the guides are in the MAME Directory. @endnode @node DATA "Updating the data base" The database is read from the file games.data. This is the list of currently supported games for MAME. This version is from 37b2 as far as I can remember, but in case it isn't and you have a game that does run, here's how to update the database. Firstly the game list file is double line spaced, so when you add a new game be sure to leave a space between the last rom. To add the new rom enter the name of the file without the .zip extension followed by a space and then the name of the game in quote marks. @{b}Example@{ub} Suppose a game, "Ya Ya Racers", was supported by MAME but was not listed in the game list file. To add it, go to the end of the file and add a space below the last rom. On the next line add the filename of the rom, which in this case is "YAYARA.ZIP", but remove the .ZIP part. Next, add a space and, in quotes, put the name of the game. Thus, the list should look like this: <"Name of the last game on the list"> YAYARA "Ya Ya Racers" You don't have to line the quoted game name up with the other lines but makes it easier to read. Note the space between the game added and the last ROM on the list. @endnode @node FAQ "Frequently Asked Questions" @{b}FAQ@{ub} @{b} Q. Where can I get more up to date information? @{ub} A. http://www.geocities.com/the_scarf/mamegui.html @{b} Q. When I run the program I am told to set the Tool Types. How do I do this? @{ub} A. Read the Installation part of this Guide. @{b} Q. When I run the program I am told that the it could not read MAMEPPCGUI.info @{ub} A. If you have renamed the program then it will not find the MAMEPPCGUI.info file. YOU MUST CALL THIS PROGRAM MAMEPPCGUI @{b} Q. Does this program have to be in the same directory as the MAME Executable? @{ub} A. No, but we recommend you put it there. @{b} Q. The Sound/Joypad/GFX/Display Gadgets are ghosted. Why? @{ub} A. Check that you have not left the Menu Options for each ticked to anything other than "Manual" or you will not be allowed to access the gadget. @{b} Q. I have made some screenmodes to run my MAME games in, but they do not appear in the requester when I click the "?". @{ub} A. The requester does not show hidden screenmodes (sorry). You have to type them in manually. You can use GETMODEID to find them though (included). @{b} Q. This crashes during startup, or whenever I rescan the romlist @{ub} A. You must copy the included games.data into the MAME directory. i.e. The directory you selected in the tooltype. @{b} Q. When I click GO! the gadget ghosts and the window says it is running the game, but then nothing happens and the GO! button reactivates. @{ub} A. It is likely that the ROM does not work. To check, go to the MAME directory in the SHELL and run it manually. The parameters that the game was run in in the GUI are displayed in the WB title bar, if you wish to copy those. @{b} Q. Will there be a GUI for MESS? @{ub} A. MESS might prove somewhat harder... @{b} Q. Where can I get ROMs? @{ub} A. Please don't ask us this. @{b} Q. I've found a bug. @{ub} A. Oh dear God, no!! :) Send us an email with a description. @{b} Q. Can you add (this) or change (that)? @{ub} A. We'll try. Email Us. @endnode @node ADDRESS "Parallel Realities Freeware Amiga Software" About the Author ---------------- Parallel Realites Freeware Amiga Software the_scarf@yahoo.com (Subject line - Parallel Realities) Stephen "The Scarf" Sweeney 29 Gableson Ave. Brighton East Sussex BN1 5FG ENGLAND Other Games by Parallel Realities (all on Aminet) TANX Squadron (AGA, 4MB RAM, 7MB HD, HD ONLY) ------------- Turn Based Strategy Command a Squadron of 10 individuals as they fight to rid Earth of an Alien Invasion. Amiga Format Prize Winner BOTSS 3 (AGA, 2MB RAM) ------- Shoot 'Em Up Lead the Earth Defence Force in their final battle to rid the Galaxy of Zackaria. Final Part of the BOTSS Trilogy BOTSS 1 and BOTSS 2 (AMOS, 2MB RAM) ------------------- Shoot 'Em Up Earth's first invasion by Alien Forces. AMOS Required (sadly) @endnode @node HISTORY "Program History" Program History --------------- MAMEGUI V1.03 - Fixed Menu problem for non Magic Menu users - Path for Multiview is now SYS:Utilities/ not SYSTEM:Utilities/ - Game data list is now called games.data not gamelist.txt - "Sorting" text is now placed correctly during a rescan MAMEGUI V1.02 - Implemented Joypad & Cybergraphics Support (oops!) - Made Listview Highlight selected ROM. - Added Icons for non OS3.5 users MAMEGUI V1.01 - GUI was incorrectly loading Screenmode IDs. FIXED MAMEGUI V1.0 - First Release @endnode