30 replies to this topic

[elcondor]

Certainly if you look at AGEMAME (which uses some BFMulator code, but mostly MAME's own), you can see that just sticking the CPUs together won't work on it's own.

As for the real hardware question, I've looked up the relevant section of my license, and although I'll add the payout's through keyboard LEDs, to go any further in the main build is classed as assisting commercial works. However, there is nothing stopping someone else making their own build.

PS. Anyone got the MFME source, AGEMAME can't use the components so it wouldn't matter to me.

PPS. I would wager that MFME was made with a version of Delphi, which is a commercial tool.

[mythicos]

Certainly if you look at AGEMAME (which uses some BFMulator code, but mostly MAME's own), you can see that just sticking the CPUs together won't work on it's own.

As for the real hardware question, I've looked up the relevant section of my license, and although I'll add the payout's through keyboard LEDs, to go any further in the main build is classed as assisting commercial works. However, there is nothing stopping someone else making their own build.

PS. Anyone got the MFME source, AGEMAME can't use the components so it wouldn't matter to me.

PPS. I would wager that MFME was made with a version of Delphi, which is a commercial tool.

JPEMU is written in dephi but mfme is pure c++.

When Tony went over to write mfme with Chris he had to learn C as he had only ever coded with delphi..

AFAIK mpu34-mfme has always been in c++

[elcondor]

On reflection you might be right, I thought it was odd that the code from JpEMU wasn't carried over.

[mythicos]

On reflection you might be right, I thought it was odd that the code from JpEMU wasn't carried over.

JPEMU and mfme's impact were written at the same time.

However, there were certain things that did not work when crossed over and thus Chris ended up with his and Tony ended up with his LOL.

Chris just didnt feel like releasing his one, so its a good thing Tony did tbh or wed probably never have seen impact

[mythicos]

BTW that was probably one of the most frustrating moments in FME history, sitting there watching 2 people write the same damn emu at the same damn time.

What a total f*****g waste of time and energy eh?

[elcondor]

Yes, a real 'reach out into cyberspace and knock heads together' moment.

Anyways, seeing as you seem to have the inside track on all this, any signs of life from the MFME project?

[AngleGrinder]

well surely, given a bit of investigation, the CPU opcodes can be found to the specific processors used in these machines, even RS should be able to give you that information. The CPU's will be some sort of microcontroller, probably with one rom file attached to it, these will all be standard components, I'm certain. then all you need, after you have the instruction set of the cpu in question is an epprom programmer, (which there are DIY kits for, to download the information from the rom, and then it can be turned back into the assembly lanuage it was created from, because the speed of the CPU will demand that the rom was programmed in machine code.

Bit longwinded, but I could do it, I used to use microcontrollers on Traffic light systems, and some of the 4 way ones you see (SPW) in little yellow boxes (the road works type) I actually designed. (its all my fault).

oh if you were concidering using rs232 on a pc, theres also the parrallel port to concider. it latches its signals for one, (very useful) and you can encode the signals to get many more down it at once.

Seems very long winded though, why not just buy a real machine? even a bust one? that would give you all the resources you'd need, as well as indepth knowledge of signals and operations.

(mind you i made a fruit machine of my own design, allbe it direct 3d, its on the downloads section)
Cheers
Grinder

[elcondor]

Just a quick note to say that MAMEDev do not support connecting AGEMAME to a hardware device like this, as it is considered a commercial work.

[nails]

now theres a thought.. Barcrest making a `build your own` psycho cash beast, with the 4th reel at an added extra to make it into a club machine.

and.. for a limited time only, link 3 or 4 pc`s and make your own party time.

hope this post doesnt get deleted, like the others ive posted l8ly.

[GaryMPU34]

I for one hope that add on board support never sees the light on day on MFME or any other FM emulator for one simple reason.

Imagine walking into an arcade and seeing a converted arcade cabinet with a touch screen. On the main menu is pictures of say 6 machines. Touch a machine and it loads up, insert a coin and play it on the screen using the onscreen buttons. Get bored of that game, take your winnings and switch to another machine.

Yeah might sound great in principle but I think it would lead to a lot of sites being closed down. The manufacturers are obviously turning a blind eye to emulation of old machines, partly because if they went heavy handed then it would just drive things onto newsgroups and underground sites but mainly because they are not losing money because of it. If MFME could be used to output coins (inputting real coins can already be done using an Ipac and an mars mech, I know because I tried and did it) then this machine would appear in arcades.

One could be built and make the builder £500 quid for his trouble and be sold for about £1000, the cost of a rebuild and half the cost of a new machine. The arcade owner would get as many machines as he wanted in one unit yet still only pay one licence fee for the machine. This would cause the loss of sales of new machines (why pay 2k for one machine when you could pay 1k for 100s) so therefore the manufacturers would take action to stop it and the illegal distribution and use of their copyrighted property and the quickest and easiest route to start at would be the websites where it all started.

It would not suprise me at all if Barcrest etc have already explored this option as a possible conversion for the sec 16 machines they have out there that are PC based. It would be a good conversion kit if they did legal versions with say gamepacks of 5 machines in the one cabinet. Conversion could be done as simple as a glass change and a usb pen drive to update the software but if someone else did it as a bootleg then I am certain trouble would follow.

In fact I will stick my neck out and say that a scorp 4 or MPU5 emulator would actually do less harm than adding a true payout option to MFME

[elcondor]

Which is precisely why most of the internal handling of payouts in AGEMAME has been altered to provide no guidance at all.

I've also been asked to point out that any violations of the MAME license in this way will lead to legal action.