Category Archives: Arcade Update

Arcade, Arcade Update

Arcade Update 2.59-2.61

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Seems that I always forget one or two things when I roll out an update.  Update 2.58-2.59 was no exception.  I had wanted to make the update script automatically choose whether to run the external hard drive or console update paths.  Now, it does.  Along with one or two other minor things.  While I was working on that, I discovered that about 17 of the Visual Pinball tables did not properly display on the console. This problem didn’t occur on the ext. hard drive installation.  Probably due to the fact that the CPU and gfx on the console are Intel 2nd generation, and Windows 10 wasn’t fully supported until 3rd generation. So, I created a second games list, Games-Console that is only the tables that display on the console, and the Games list is the full VP games list.  An example of the way the VP tables that don’t properly display is on the left.  Totally unplayable.  Since all the tables properly display on my Elitebook laptop with NVIDIA gfx, I felt that the proper solution would be to keep them, so that’s why I created the Console games list. That all being said, I must again remind everybody that updates HAVE to be applied in numerical order, or you shall probably break things.  If in doubt, check your version.

Update 2.59-2.61 is HERE.

Previous update blog posts are below:

Update 2.58-2.59 is HERE.

Update 2.56-2.58 is HERE.

FOUR updates (2.40-2.46, 2.46-2.48, 2.48-2.51, and 2.51-2.56) are HERE.

Bit of news here, in closing:  JRod has ordered a spinner for adding to the Tankstick for games like Tempest, Arkanoid, and many others.  I shall let you all know how it goes….

 

 

Arcade, Arcade Update

Visual Pinball Arcade Update 2.58 to 2.59

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Okay, this is the update that a few of you like Dan have been anxiously waiting for.  🙂

This will add Visual Pinball 9.x.x tables under Maximus Arcade as well as a few bug fixes.  As always, I seem to have forgotten something on my ‘to do’ list. (The ability to just do backups from the loader)  Oh well, I’ll get to it next time.  Free lifetime updates mean that sometimes things get forgotten, lol.  This update is a fairly sizable update.  The archive is about 830 MB, and you will want at least 3GB free on the usb flash key that you use to run the update.

The first thing that you all will notice (for those that auto load right into MAME, or those that have multiple emulators configured), that you will be faced with either MAME or Visual Pinball.  So, if you lost configured emulators, or don’t want the VP choice, you will need to go into MA preferences, by hitting Ctrl-P, and then choosing the Display Order tab to set it up as you wish.

After running the update, you will most probably want to set the display preferences of Visual Pinball as the readme guidelines, or else it won’t be fullscreen and will instead run in a window.  In my opinion, that is a less appealing experience.   As you see on the right, is an example of a VP pinball table running full screen. You may also wish to change some of the default keys to other keys o your choice.  For example, the left and right flippers are left and right shift keys.  That may not work for you, and can be changed.

As always, make sure to read the WhatNew text file through at least one time, as well as read it again when the update .bat file loads it.  Also, pay careful attention to the instructions that appear on the screen while the update is running.  At one point, you will have to change the install path to VP, or it will not properly work. 

Okay, click HERE for the 2.58-2.59 update archive.

If you have any issues, don’t hesitate to reach out to me, and I’ll do my best to assist you with your problems. 😉

Now, on to a little bit of news.  RecRoomMasters (maker of the best arcade cabinet kit I ever found) has gone out of business.  For those of you that bought one, I guess your lifetime warranty just ended.  For those of you that procrastinated, and never bought one, you still have hope.  There are other avenues.

A two joystick tankstick with trackball is still available HERE.

A ‘drop in’ spinner control is still available HERE.  (For games like Tempest.)

A full sized ‘naked’ FULLY ASSEMBLED cabinet is HERE. I think it’s a bit more than RecRoomMasters, but it’s assembled.  I think they used to sell these with 250 games, but it may just be the cabinet now.  Email them for details.

Another place that looks pretty cool is the Arcade Guys. Click HERE.

Well, everybody, that gives you a few links in the light of RecRoom Masters demise.  I recommend the tankstick whether you are building a full size arcade cabinet, or if you are just using a console attached to a huge flatscreen TV.  Good quality, and I believe it has a lifetime warranty.

Hard to believe that this arcade console/cabinet has been an ongoing project for 7 years now.  Started with MAME 149, now has MAME 225.  I continue to fix reported bugs (or attempt to, lol), as well as feature additions, so keep your eyes on this blog.  So much easier to do one or two updates at a time.  (Remember, the updates ALWAYS have to be performed in order.)

 

Arcade, Arcade Update, Computer, Computer - Linux, Computer - Windows

Arcade Update 1/2022 B

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If you do NOT have v.2.56 of the Arcade installation, do NOT proceed.

Instead, go here, and apply the four previous updates, and possibly the optional snapshots file:  Arcade Update 1/2022.  (Updates MUST be applied in sequence)  As always, you should perform a backup using your normal PC backup, just in case. (NOT the arcade backup scripts in the installation.)

In the future, you can always just jump to the Arcade Updates  category to check whether you may have missed any updates.  The version that you currently have, whether console or ext hdd, may be checked at G:\version.txt.  I can’t remember, but I think if you have v.2.40, there possibly may be no version.txt.  In the console version, it should report the version number while loading, as long as it’s more recent than v.2.40.

Now that that is all over, here is the download link for the latest Arcade Update file:  Arcade Update 2.56-2.58.  

One note to mention, is that I added a 2 way joystick config for Clowns.  By default, if you check the game’s TAB menu, you will notice that Clowns may be set to Paddles.  You may have to set that to your system as well.  I prefer to take a pic of the settings before I change things on those menus.  These 2 and 4 way joystick configs are most useful if you use an 8 way joystick.

This update also adds a funtion to backup a couple critical 3DArcade directories.

Arcade, Arcade Update, Computer, Computer - Linux, Computer - Windows

Arcade Update 1/2022

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Happy New Year!!

This blog post is to release the first four updates of Arcade v2.40, and updating to v.2.56.

Arcade 1.00 was released on Nov. 2015, and was the beginning of the realization of the dream I had for an arcade experience encompassing several different gaming platforms.  This was updated on 6 Feb 2021 to version 2.00, and I managed to get all users updated to this version. (I managed to get all users upgraded to v.2.40 in Mar. 2021.)  I believe it was v.1.30 in Sep 2020 that I added console/arcade cabinet installations as well as the external hard drive version.

I have actually even tested Maximus front end under a recent Fedora Linux distribution using Wine.  I was using a USB Thrustmaster joystick. This was with the external hard drive version, mapped to G: under Wine. If you need a Maximus key, you can find it HERE.  Seems every time I check, it’s always on sale for $9.99.

One notable thing to mention, is that besides the Maximus frontend, there is also another one, that I never really configured.  3DArcade.  I have spent  quite a bit of time configuring it.  I have stayed in Arcade>Favorites, if my memory is correct. (Meaning, you run 3DArcade, then click Arcade, then click Favorites.)  3DArcade is a ‘virtual’ experience. If you would like to see a particular cabinet added to that arcade, just give me a shout. 😉

Back in the v.1.xx days, updates were hosted on mega, and emailed out.  Now, since most Arcade users are blog members, I will just post the mega update links here.  Also, the user had to ‘hand update’ the installation.  Now, under the v.2.xx updates, I have created update script .bat files that will do all the work for you!!

First, a little background on how the updates actually work now.  Each update file is a zip within a zip.  You must expand them both.  Then, you should read the ‘README UPDATE.txt’ file, which usually just tells you to run the ArcadeUpdate.bat file by just double clicking it.  If there are any other things that need doing, they will be spelled out here, as well as in the README UPDATE.txt file.  Information on exactly what the update does is found in the WhatNew.txt file.  However each update needs to be done, with none skipped. Update files need to be done in succession.  Meaning, if you have version 2.40, you need to perform update 2.40-2.46 first.  Then, the 2.46-2.48 and so on.  In later versions of the console, it will report the version upon booting.  For the ext hdd version, you would find version.txt in the root G: drive.

I STRONGLY SUGGEST backing up your installation using whatever you use to back up your computer BEFORE attempting an update, in case things go sideways.  You have been warned!!

The Update 2.51-2.56 contains TWO scripts, that MUST be run in order, and the first one needs to be run as administrator.  Otherwise your installation will not work at all.

Okay, what you’ve all been waiting for, here are the links for the update files.  (Clicking on them, will open a new tab.)

Update 2.40-2.46

Update 2.46-2.48

Update 2.48-2.51

Update 2.51-2.56

Snapshots Addon for 2.51-2.56

The Snapshots Addon can be expanded into the snapshots-hold directory under WinUAE on your G: drive by hand, or, copied into that same directory in the update architecture.  (Doing that, will just slow the update down, so be patient, if you do that.)  Or, you can omit that Addon completely, as the end user may not need it.

Another notable addition in the 2.51-2.56 update was a bug reported by Jrod and his brother concerning the fact that certain MAME roms would ‘hang’ upon anticipating a joystick movement.  This was tracked down to the difference between 4 and 8 way joystick mappings.  So, I created some custom mappings for certain problematic games like DigDug, and Ms. Pacman and more.  If anybody has any issues with any particular game, feel free to reach out to me.

If you don’t understand all of this if this is your first update, don’t hesitate to reach out to me via text, email, facebook, or phone.  Keep your eyes on this blog for any future updates…. 😉