GamebaseAMY (Amiga) front-end database - Page 2

RCK · 07 June 2004, 14:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by fiath

Yes, I am a member of CAPS.

Really ?!

fiath · 07 June 2004, 14:19

True. But you could argue that codewheels, etc. are part of the experience.

Seriously though, I guess it just depends on what your target audience is.

I think perhaps most of the IPFs don't have that stuff anyway.

We do actually keep information on games needing manuals codes etc. Perhaps we should add it to the games page...

fiath · 07 June 2004, 14:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCK

Really ?!

Hehe.

Runey · 07 June 2004, 14:35

OK I think I have thought of an elegent? solution for the which format problem.

I will modify the GameBase scripts to detect which formats is available and select automatically the appropriate file. e.g. If it only finds an IPF for the selected games then it will use that. If it finds both an IPF and an ADF then it will use the one selected as the default by the user.

How does that sound? I think it's a workable solution and easy enough to implement.

I must thank everyone for their input so far. It's brought up many issues I hadn't thought of yet. It's slowing things down

but I'd rather make sure everything was right before spending too much time adding in games. So keep those opinions and comments coming

fiath · 07 June 2004, 15:24

Sounds like a very good idea.

Dalai · 07 June 2004, 15:40

This sounds like a great idea, I've been waiting for a front-end to do the config job for ages. I can't tell you how many times I've gone to have a quick game of something, but instead just spent 30 minutes playing with the WinUAE config to get the game to work properly.

I'm curious though, how are you going to handle the input config? Will all the configs contributed have to default to using Keyboard Layout X?

Mangar · 07 June 2004, 18:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dalai

This sounds like a great idea, I've been waiting for a front-end to do the config job for ages. I can't tell you how many times I've gone to have a quick game of something, but instead just spent 30 minutes playing with the WinUAE config to get the game to work properly.

I'm curious though, how are you going to handle the input config? Will all the configs contributed have to default to using Keyboard Layout X?

This is something I will be talking with Runey about. In order for Gamebase to be a viable tool for all there has to be a way that the user can determine during install or prior to launching the database certain settings that are machine dependent AND would be the same for every game.

Settings like CPU and chipset could be determined by the creator of the database but settings like sound, display, etc would be considered system dependent and should be able to be set by the user for all games in the database in one quick stroke.

Btw, Runey, you can contact me on my e-mail address at allan.hartigan @ canoemail.com

Toni Wilen · 07 June 2004, 19:49

Future WinUAE version (maybe even next version) will have support for separate configuration for Amiga hardware and host settings.

Mangar · 07 June 2004, 21:18

Toni,

That's is excellent news. Solve a lot of issues with Gamebase.

Dalai · 08 June 2004, 02:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mangar

settings like sound, display, etc would be considered system dependent

Hmm.. but what about games that require certain sound/display settings to work correctly?

Runey · 08 June 2004, 04:26

Everything that is considered a 'technical' configuration will preferably NOT be user configurable. At least at first. I guess the idea is to make it as simple as possible, even for people who have never owned an Amiga. That of course could change if needs to be, maybe an Advanced mode?, but fiddling with configs is one thing I wanted the users to avoid.

As for other 'non-technical' items such as keyboard layouts that will have to be different. That is a very personal choice and needs to be allowed for. I myself have a modified WICO command control and would be spewing if I could no longer use it

However if this causes us too much grief it will have to wait until a second release.

The upcoming? release of WinUAE mentioned before would certianly go a loooong way the make all these things easier. I have all the confidence in the world that Mangar will come to our rescue

Just for interests sake can people let me know their preferred resolution and whether you normally run in full screen or windowed. For me I've found 640 x 480 x 16 running full screen works best. It seems to center automatically fairly well.

Another thing I need to know is what file format people would prefer the music files to be in. And I would appreciate anybody who knows how to convert between formats and / or rip game music directly to contact me.

Mangar · 08 June 2004, 04:35

Those will already be set as part of the game entry.

For instance, say you want to play a game that requires NTSC to run. You highlight the game in the database and click on the entry. Before loading the game, Gamebase will replace the ntsc=False line in the Gamebase.uae to ntsc=True. Same thing goes for other critical settings. You can also set gamebase up to detect how many floppy drives to enable based on how many floppies make up the game. Up to 4 of course. If a game will not run with more than one floppy enabled that can be set as well.

Now, this may not be obvious to those that have looked at gamebase but there are many things you can do with the G.E.M.U.S. scripting language.

08 June 2004, 04:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Runey

For me I've found 640 x 480 x 16 running full screen works best. It seems to center automatically fairly well.

1024*768 32bit stretched through d3d bilinear 32bit filtering. I can't live without filtering!

RCK · 08 June 2004, 10:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Runey

Just for interests sake can people let me know their preferred resolution and whether you normally run in full screen or windowed. For me I've found 640 x 480 x 16 running full screen works best. It seems to center automatically fairly well.

It is also my favorite resolution choice. Maybe one alternate high resolution + filtering would also be nice.

Paul · 08 June 2004, 10:31

I use 640x480 correct aspects for most things before filters (and I find this best for standard PAL workbench or text only things)

I also now use 1024x768 32bit OpenGL filter (lo-res) mostly for best speed and fixed centred display. Or sometimes scale2x filter for some things (but scale2x can give choppy sound on my ageing 1Ghz AMD system)

08 June 2004, 11:45

Larger monitors don't display 640x480 very well.

RCK · 08 June 2004, 13:16

/me is using 640*480 one one LCD 17' very well

even if I would prefer 1280*1024

08 June 2004, 14:25

Because it's a LCD and 640 isn't its native resolution, it stretches the image differently. My CRT 19" doesnt. I can count the pixels and lines.

Mangar · 08 June 2004, 17:27

Runey,

As far as music goes, my current setup in gamebase allows all music to be run via delitracker. Whether its a mod, chiptune or a compressed wav file which I was thinking about using for games with no available music. I think it would be a good idea to stick to using either Delitracker and using whatever formats it supports. I also have another command line player called midas.

Toni Wilen · 08 June 2004, 17:35

Quote:

I can count the pixels and lines

=> your monitor displays 640x480 very well

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07 June 2004, 14:19	#22
fiath Moderator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: South East / UK Age: 46 Posts: 1,930	True. But you could argue that codewheels, etc. are part of the experience. Seriously though, I guess it just depends on what your target audience is. I think perhaps most of the IPFs don't have that stuff anyway. We do actually keep information on games needing manuals codes etc. Perhaps we should add it to the games page...

07 June 2004, 14:35	#24
Runey Survivor Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Adelaide / Australia Age: 52 Posts: 85	OK I think I have thought of an elegent? solution for the which format problem. I will modify the GameBase scripts to detect which formats is available and select automatically the appropriate file. e.g. If it only finds an IPF for the selected games then it will use that. If it finds both an IPF and an ADF then it will use the one selected as the default by the user. How does that sound? I think it's a workable solution and easy enough to implement. I must thank everyone for their input so far. It's brought up many issues I hadn't thought of yet. It's slowing things down but I'd rather make sure everything was right before spending too much time adding in games. So keep those opinions and comments coming

07 June 2004, 15:24	#25
fiath Moderator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: South East / UK Age: 46 Posts: 1,930	Sounds like a very good idea.

07 June 2004, 15:40	#26
Dalai Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: UK Posts: 148	This sounds like a great idea, I've been waiting for a front-end to do the config job for ages. I can't tell you how many times I've gone to have a quick game of something, but instead just spent 30 minutes playing with the WinUAE config to get the game to work properly. I'm curious though, how are you going to handle the input config? Will all the configs contributed have to default to using Keyboard Layout X?

07 June 2004, 19:49	#28
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,505	Future WinUAE version (maybe even next version) will have support for separate configuration for Amiga hardware and host settings.

07 June 2004, 21:18	#29
Mangar Got the fever back Join Date: May 2001 Location: Toronto / Canada Age: 52 Posts: 288	Toni, That's is excellent news. Solve a lot of issues with Gamebase.

08 June 2004, 04:26	#31
Runey Survivor Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Adelaide / Australia Age: 52 Posts: 85	Everything that is considered a 'technical' configuration will preferably NOT be user configurable. At least at first. I guess the idea is to make it as simple as possible, even for people who have never owned an Amiga. That of course could change if needs to be, maybe an Advanced mode?, but fiddling with configs is one thing I wanted the users to avoid. As for other 'non-technical' items such as keyboard layouts that will have to be different. That is a very personal choice and needs to be allowed for. I myself have a modified WICO command control and would be spewing if I could no longer use it However if this causes us too much grief it will have to wait until a second release. The upcoming? release of WinUAE mentioned before would certianly go a loooong way the make all these things easier. I have all the confidence in the world that Mangar will come to our rescue Just for interests sake can people let me know their preferred resolution and whether you normally run in full screen or windowed. For me I've found 640 x 480 x 16 running full screen works best. It seems to center automatically fairly well. Another thing I need to know is what file format people would prefer the music files to be in. And I would appreciate anybody who knows how to convert between formats and / or rip game music directly to contact me.

08 June 2004, 04:35	#32
Mangar Got the fever back Join Date: May 2001 Location: Toronto / Canada Age: 52 Posts: 288	Those will already be set as part of the game entry. For instance, say you want to play a game that requires NTSC to run. You highlight the game in the database and click on the entry. Before loading the game, Gamebase will replace the ntsc=False line in the Gamebase.uae to ntsc=True. Same thing goes for other critical settings. You can also set gamebase up to detect how many floppy drives to enable based on how many floppies make up the game. Up to 4 of course. If a game will not run with more than one floppy enabled that can be set as well. Now, this may not be obvious to those that have looked at gamebase but there are many things you can do with the G.E.M.U.S. scripting language.

08 June 2004, 10:31	#35
Paul RIP Friends Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: UK Posts: 2,157	I use 640x480 correct aspects for most things before filters (and I find this best for standard PAL workbench or text only things) I also now use 1024x768 32bit OpenGL filter (lo-res) mostly for best speed and fixed centred display. Or sometimes scale2x filter for some things (but scale2x can give choppy sound on my ageing 1Ghz AMD system)

08 June 2004, 11:45	#36
oldpx Posts: n/a	Larger monitors don't display 640x480 very well.

08 June 2004, 13:16	#37
RCK Administrator Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Paris / France Age: 45 Posts: 3,086	/me is using 640480 one one LCD 17' very well even if I would prefer 12801024

08 June 2004, 14:25	#38
oldpx Posts: n/a	Because it's a LCD and 640 isn't its native resolution, it stretches the image differently. My CRT 19" doesnt. I can count the pixels and lines.

08 June 2004, 17:27	#39
Mangar Got the fever back Join Date: May 2001 Location: Toronto / Canada Age: 52 Posts: 288	Runey, As far as music goes, my current setup in gamebase allows all music to be run via delitracker. Whether its a mod, chiptune or a compressed wav file which I was thinking about using for games with no available music. I think it would be a good idea to stick to using either Delitracker and using whatever formats it supports. I also have another command line player called midas.

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