I haven't gone awol, I've just been very busy with real life.
As far as the emulation goes, its getting better, but its now at the stage where adding anything else to the emulation takes a lot of time, because its unknown territory and resources are scarce. The last few days I have been adding a statistics screen, and attempting to add an EDC emulation. What I am aiming for is to get the MPU4 test roms to pass ok.
The EDC also allows me to trace coins in and out from an internal source, rather than relying on meter setups being correct, so when the online mode finally goes live I can get accurate values.
The Sound chips have had updates to emulate them more accurately, including stereo effect for maygay (can be used on other techs too, but M1 actually had a fake stereo sound chip). The OKI chip on MPU4 now also allows for sample rate alteration by the onboard timer.
Reel Bounce has been tweaked to a more believeable level.
I had also been writing the user guides to go up on Dads (will repost them elsewhere soon), and as part of writing the guides i have been putting various machines in using the layout wizards. However with every bug I find I have been trying to fix it, and that means more testing and it all takes time.
Three new components remain to be added, dual lamp prisms (think cards on cluedo, or the grails on indiana jones), disc reels, and prize vend units.
Then with all that in mind, MPU3 needs to be looked at properly, and System 83 needs to be added to the edit tools properly.
Plus hundreds of tiny changes and bugfixes that you never see, but all add up to the stability of the emulation.
Then there is the games that do not run, such as games on MPU4 with plasma display, or BWB Video machines etc etc. Castle tech NEEDS an emulation, as does Proconn (properly), and maygay MMM.
So that's the state of the emulator at present.
Basically absolutely loads to be done, and not a huge amount of time to do it.