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Post by maxframes on Oct 26, 2018 17:22:21 GMT
So the next gen firmware(s) is out and I rush to install it, eager to try the file loader. First impression: pretty good, it supports most of the stuff seamlessly, it integrates well into the existing firmware, it seems to load everything, and look at the list of "switches" (by means of file name conventions) to fine tune it (in extreme cases, I thought).
Second impression: almost no one of my games work out of the box. No joystick response. I try to connect the joystick to the other USB port (an automatic response from the old days...) and "no joy(stick)". What the hey? Third impression: OK, so all the games which use port 1 must be renamed accordingly because the default settings call for port 2. Swapping the USB ports does nothing (drat drat).
.. OK, I understand the code is based on VICE. Why wasn't a "swap joysticks" option included then? This limitation is quite a bummer and a show stopper. Next release?
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Post by deerwings on Oct 26, 2018 18:25:30 GMT
You can create a .cjm file that lets you remap the controller both to the other port, or even reconfigure all the buttons individually. The document here: thec64.com/file-loader/ will show you how to create a cjm file.
Hope this helps!
Example:
X:ntsc,accuratedisk,driveicon
J:2*:JU,JD,JL,JR,JF,JF,SP,1,SP,2,3,4,JF <--- J:2* indicates set for Port 2, remove the asterisk and put it on the J:1 instead to tell the C64 mini to use Port 1 instead.
J:1:JU,JD,JL,JR,JF,JF,SP,1,SP,2,3,4,JF
V:0 |
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Post by maxframes on Oct 26, 2018 20:50:42 GMT
Thanks, I'd seen the docs, but that is even worse than renaming a file using a naming convention. I mean, that's one cjm file for every game/disk that does not work with default settings... I am looking for something waaaaay easier which does not require any editing at all. Most of the times the game just won't work for a single reason: it expects a joystick on port 1. So what I am talking about is a built in feature in the firmware to activate the "joystick port swap" feature which is coded in VICE and thus should not be hard to port.
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Post by deerwings on Oct 26, 2018 21:18:40 GMT
Fair enough. I would like them to add a meta key so I could open the Virtual Keyboard on a Joystick keypress instead of having to do it through the menu. It's very jarring and interrupting to have to do it with the current method.
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Post by crispin on Oct 27, 2018 8:26:42 GMT
Thanks, I'd seen the docs, but that is even worse than renaming a file using a naming convention. I mean, that's one cjm file for every game/disk that does not work with default settings... I am looking for something waaaaay easier which does not require any editing at all. Most of the times the game just won't work for a single reason: it expects a joystick on port 1. So what I am talking about is a built in feature in the firmware to activate the "joystick port swap" feature which is coded in VICE and thus should not be hard to port. 90% of games are port2. Favorite older games using port1 are already converted to port2 e.g. Vinnies's collection, here: gurce.net/c64mini/existing_multi-game_disksHow about using another controller? Co-op and multiplayer games are the best part of gaming at C64 anyway, imho. If 2nd original of Mini is to much for you to invest, you can find N64 / SNES / NES USB one easily for 5$. Or, you can find e.g. PS2 to USB adapter for 2$ and use any of old PlayStation, PS2 gamepads. Or use new joypad like this, wireless: is.gd/ps2_wireless_gampadPlenty of options. gurce.net/c64mini/hardware_compatibility_lists#joysticksgamepads |
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Post by maxframes on Oct 28, 2018 8:55:06 GMT
Good to know that these D64 collections are available. But I understand the File Loader only loads the first program on any disk, and to be able to choose which one to download you still have to use the old method of renaming the D64 and go through BASIC?
Add joystick port switching and the ability to browse a D64 and choose any program within it, and the Mini will be a winner.
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Post by crispin on Oct 28, 2018 14:07:33 GMT
Good to know that these D64 collections are available. But I understand the File Loader only loads the first program on any disk, and to be able to choose which one to download you still have to use the old method of renaming the D64 and go through BASIC? Add joystick port switching and the ability to browse a D64 and choose any program within it, and the Mini will be a winner. I see that you are a serious player. Then aquire a 2nd controller. Simple as that. "File Loader only loads the first program on any disk..."  Now you're funny. And Mini is a winner.  You didn't even try, but you are spreading your presums Every disk from link above (e.g. "Joystick 2 hacks.d64") has "FIBR" aka FIle BRowser disk-menu. solution for other disks: a) Put a disk menu on your disk and browse with joystick. Here is a list of them, choose your flavour: gurce.net/c64mini/how_to_make_multi-game_disks#multi-game_menu_toolsOr b) extract your programs from disks to usb stick. You can do it all at once by using DirMaster batch processing. Then, you can use RomSort to sort them how you like it (alphabetically, no more then 256 files per folder). |
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Post by maxframes on Oct 29, 2018 16:41:20 GMT
Thanks, but I believe we're not really talking about the same thing. There are many ways to work around the issue; the point is, they all require to add hardware or to download/edit stuff. Which is perfectly fine if one's so inclined. But it would be cool (and that was the whole point of my post) if the firmware would include a simple built in method to change the joystick port of any game when just one joystick is connected, with no need to do anything else if this is all one's interested in. Just that. But thanks anyway for giving me more options.
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Post by crispin on Oct 30, 2018 1:23:01 GMT
maxframes , tell me: what game that you PAID for Mini " require to add hardware or to download/edit stuff"? You want to add your games, fair enough. But would you protest because file that you downloaded is zipped? And Mini does not have WinZip included? I doubt so. Is it really so hard to type those 3 bloody letters: "_J1" and rename file? OK, another solution for you: you don't have to type anything! Follow this link, this is online tool, it will make everything for you in 2 clicks literary: adjust what ever you want with a mouse click, then save your freshly made cjm companion file to USB. It will work for all programs at your disk/cartridge/tape/whatever. www.thec64minizone.com/cjm-configuration-file-tool/ Could be simplier? Is it still (cite you) " even worse than renaming a file using a naming convention"  Did got to your mind that if you "just swap joystick like in PC VICE", that your keyboard at USB-hub will stop working, or even your USB stick? It is not related to Mini or VICE, it is how allocation of USB ports works!Mini is based on Vice, but Carousel is not part of Vice - it is control of system above VICE. Now, think about what frustration it will rise, today, when every tenth user does not know that he has to have MBR on his FAT32 USB stick (or does not have a clue what is it at all). People usually does not know how to format stick properly! This is sad true.
They (Retro Games LTD) did it intentionally: they reduced many options, just to simplify things for casual user. Fb group is full of new users asking "what are the best games for Mini" and "where I can dl those ROMs?" Obviously, many people don't have a clue what is C64 and how it works. Now, you found that you really need to swap Joystick from Mini menu - although there are thousands of games (literary) that do not need it. Most of it. RGL will add options, in time, with firmware updates. Right now you have to wait if you really need advanced option. I will repeat you once again: it is not just virtual "swapping ports" of some program, it is swaping of controller of whole machine. It could be done like at VICE, but it will bring some other problems for sure. VICE is nasty sometimes, e.g. sometimes it does not allow me to switch back keyboard layout at my PC! You don't want that at Mini. Btw, try to load 1MB .d81 disk image at VICE easily as you can do it at Mini. It won't work just like that, you're have to do much more then add 3 letters to filename. Or you'll have to juggling with disks - because of 160Kb limitations. What I really want to see at Mini is - another disk drive! I want to play with DotBASIC+, for example, with two drives. But 99% of users won't, so should I complain about it?Btw, tell me, how many, exactly, dedicated programs you do have, that works only at port 1 and that you did not found any other working version on the web? There are more then 30000 game titles for C64 online; 90+% are made for port 2. But: " Most of the times the game just won't work for a single reason: it expects a joystick on port 1." Most of the time? Really??? Remind you: you said "almost no one of my games work out of the box." I smell trolling here. Then you said " File Loader only loads the first program on any disk" Any disk? Every one of that link above has Disk Menu as a first program! And that was your exact answer to my solution for you. You didn't even take a look at this link, nor try how it works! But then you continue. " they all require to add hardware or to download/edit stuff." ? All??? Downloading is now a problem? Now I am warning you: watch your words. You made too much presumes in just a few posts. Those "What the hey", "bummer", "show stopper" I won't mention.
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Post by crispin on Oct 30, 2018 23:24:23 GMT
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Post by groepaz on Oct 31, 2018 11:37:14 GMT
like someone else already noted, VICE already has "swap joystick ports" functionality, and it works perfectly fine with zero side effects. it would be ridiculously easy to expose it too.
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Post by crispin on Oct 31, 2018 13:04:46 GMT
groepaz It could be implemented easily, for VICE. Carousel is not part of VICE. It is above it. Think about it as desktop environment. Every option in VICE could be implemented as icon, below carousel. But there are hundreds of options / combinations. Do we really need most of them, as icons, at simplified console? Right now we have 4 of them (with USB stick attached). Right now it is already confusing for many users. I think RGL made it intentionally. Not just that many options will confuse some users. Right now, you *have to* make some effort to get "owned software" working. What about people that do not want fiddling around, or just can't make it works? They have to buy ready-made product that works instantly. This is what they are doing: making space for ready-to-play commercial products. "owned software" is stolen one anyway, in 99% cases. I hope that RGL will make a contract with producers like e.g. "Knights of Bytes" (Sam's Journey), Dr. Wuro Industries (“Shadow Switcher”) etc. Actually, to make a contract with Protovision, RGCD, Psytronik etc. We made a list at Mini Wiki FAQ, here: gurce.net/c64mini/faq#where_to_buy_original_new_or_classic_games_for_c64_-_miniMaybe they are doing wrong. They should invest in VICE project, to get things works at once. It will be natural, imho. I think that legal mess with Cloanto, after RCL Vega+ battle, made RGL distrustful to 3rd parties.
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Post by maxframes on Nov 1, 2018 16:33:23 GMT
OK, thanks.
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Post by deerwings on Nov 1, 2018 22:13:54 GMT
I have been building a new library of games for the Carousel that I am looking to implement as a full wipe/refresh, and this configuration tool makes my configuration of the .cjm file (And as a result, the .tsg files) FAR simpler.
I've been doing it the long way for the last three days. You sir, win a +1 Internet for this link. I don't know why I didn't think of writing something like this myself. Might look into something similar to auto-generate .tsg files while I'm at it.
Thank you!
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Post by deerwings on Nov 1, 2018 22:14:43 GMT
I'd also like to see multi-disk support. I think it'd be keen to be able to start using good 'ol GEOS once again.
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Post by crispin on Nov 2, 2018 18:01:19 GMT
I have been building a new library of games for the Carousel that I am looking to implement as a full wipe/refresh, and this configuration tool makes my configuration of the .cjm file (And as a result, the .tsg files) FAR simpler.
I've been doing it the long way for the last three days. You sir, win a +1 Internet for this link. I don't know why I didn't think of writing something like this myself. Might look into something similar to auto-generate .tsg files while I'm at it.
Thank you!
, if you want to make something really useful, try to simplify this for community: I am not using Windows, but I am sure that many users will apreciate GUI version of this below with some options included! (hint: check subfolders, check type of media) gurce.net/c64mini/multi-cjm_batch_script |
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Post by ShaneRMonroe on Nov 3, 2018 1:53:12 GMT
I have been building a new library of games for the Carousel that I am looking to implement as a full wipe/refresh, and this configuration tool makes my configuration of the .cjm file (And as a result, the .tsg files) FAR simpler.
I've been doing it the long way for the last three days. You sir, win a +1 Internet for this link. I don't know why I didn't think of writing something like this myself. Might look into something similar to auto-generate .tsg files while I'm at it.
Thank you!
I'm glad you're liking it; I'm the author. I just added some more features - including the ability to share your .cjm files. Feel free to reach out if you have feature requests, etc. I'll be offering a catalog of downloads at some point. |
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Post by crispin on Nov 4, 2018 12:59:50 GMT
I have been building a new library of games for the Carousel that I am looking to implement as a full wipe/refresh, and this configuration tool makes my configuration of the .cjm file (And as a result, the .tsg files) FAR simpler.
I've been doing it the long way for the last three days. You sir, win a +1 Internet for this link. I don't know why I didn't think of writing something like this myself. Might look into something similar to auto-generate .tsg files while I'm at it.
Thank you!
I'm glad you're liking it; I'm the author. I just added some more features - including the ability to share your .cjm files. Feel free to reach out if you have feature requests, etc. I'll be offering a catalog of downloads at some point. , you evil ...pacman! I really like your avatar. Welcome aboard! |
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Post by ShaneRMonroe on Nov 4, 2018 16:13:07 GMT
I'm glad you're liking it; I'm the author. I just added some more features - including the ability to share your .cjm files. Feel free to reach out if you have feature requests, etc. I'll be offering a catalog of downloads at some point. , you evil ...pacman! I really like your avatar. Welcome aboard! Thanks! Its from my old radio show site's banner: retrogamingradio.com/ |
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Post by crispin on Nov 4, 2018 20:40:03 GMT
It reminds me of this:  Find NIKE logo It is excellent work of designer Mirko Ilić. I think he recycled it here, originally he made it at illustration for Time or NY Times iirc. It was subliminal pun at Nike, at a time when was discovered that young kids are working hard for a peanuts, producing extra expensive shoes for Nike. He explained that editors would never allowed it, so he has to make it secretly. |
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Post by maxframes on Nov 6, 2018 7:50:20 GMT
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Post by groepaz on Nov 6, 2018 15:08:52 GMT
oh really? dont you say. its a GUI slapped on the core just like other GUIs have been slapped on the core. and yes, adding essential options would be ridiculously easy. if they'd just expose the vice ini for each d64, you'd get swapped joysticks, fliplists and everything else basically for free. a weekend of coding at best.
dont you say! minimum effort for maximum profit it is.
why would they? they are only interested in selling as much units as possible in a limited timeframe.
as for sam's journey, i doubt it will happen either. so far they have been unable to provide proper specs, implement missing features, or even backport the gmod cartridge. its also almost impossible for them to prevent the official download being shared, so why would they give a damn.
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Post by spannernick on Nov 6, 2018 16:28:10 GMT
I believe they made TheC64 Mini to make as much money as possible for TheC64,I think that they rushed TheC64 Mini out to early,and maybe the EU version should of had come out in October with the US version cos when it came out on April 29th a lot of sites reviews were slagging it off. Like the joystick problems with the stick snapping,It makes you think,did they test them of any games at all to see if they can take day to day playing,I think not. I at first didn't believe they were making The64 cause there was not a lot out there at the time and cos of the ZX Spectrum Vega and what happen to that. Retro Games LTD,TheC64 and Retro Computers Ltd ZX Spectrum Vega,its was run by the same person Paul Andrews but he left when the problems started,and no, he is not my brother, and I don't know if he is heavy..  So to me Paul is trying to make this time round work... thats why we have a USB File Loader now.But I do think that this will be it,cos they are letting you load any disk image you like now.I do hope they do make more updates for TheC64 Mini, like for the Multi Disks and that. I do hope TheC64 is a success,and people like it,and want to buy it but do hope it's not to expensive. The Carousel and Vice is one program so Vice code and UI code are in the program with each other cos there is only 1 executable file called The64,thats in usr\bin and the other files like vsf.gz(Compressed save state file vsf),tsg(info file thats a txt file,UI reads this to show game description.)are in usr\share\the64 C64 roms like Kernel are in the lib folder usr\lib\vice. VICE uses alsa for sound so alsa is in \usr\share and usr\lib\alsa-lib is the smixer for alsa. ViCE is running as soon as you boot TheC64 Mini thats how it loads the games so quick it's running in the background so it's multitasking..  I know about the file system of TheC64 Mini and I can't even modify it, dam Uart..Whatever you do DON'T cross the streams... ...  HAHAHAHA GHOSTBUSTERS.........HAHAHAHAHAHHHHAAAA... |
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Post by crispin on Nov 7, 2018 1:24:03 GMT
they are only interested in selling as much units as possible in a limited timeframe. What is wrong with that? |
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Post by groepaz on Nov 8, 2018 18:06:43 GMT
i never said it was. you sure have a funny way of communicating.
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Post by maxframes on Dec 21, 2018 20:33:49 GMT
Looks like Retrogames heard my rant :-P
The "one single cjm for multiple games" new feature looks like a neat way to address this need, and much more.
Well done!
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HAHAHAHA GHOSTBUSTERS.........HAHAHAHAHAHHHHAAAA...