| evh347 |
|
Lurker
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reged: 01/05/04
|
|
Posts: 110
|
|
Loc: United States
|
|
|
|
Send PM
|
|
|
MAME - Track & Field Controls
#334412 - 11/11/14 08:40 AM
|
|
|
Folks,
I've scoured the Internet for the definitve answer on this subject and I have to say I don't know yet really know the answer.
I've checked KLOV and there really is no mention of different arcade versions of T&F that required an alternating pattern of hitting the run buttons to achieve maximum speed versus hitting just one or both run buttons simultaneously.
I'm wondering if there is a MAME limitation to the ABABABABA pattern of using the run buttons so as to mimic the strategies I've seen all over YouTube using the arcade version.
It seems I get just as much (if not better) response just hitting one run button or both run buttons simultaneously. But even that doesn't seem to get me close to world record pace. I'm not trying to compete with Hector, but the speed I'm able to achieve on MAME is vastly slower than any pace I've seen managed online by others.
I installed GGG micro-leaf switches and the improvement has been negligible.
So is there a limitation within MAME a so as not to be able to reproduce the scores as on the arcade version or is there another version of MAME that yields more accurate emulation of the arcade. Is it really a limitation of my PC's key refresh ability or what?
|
|
|
|
Re: MAME - Track & Field Controls
[Re: evh347]
#334451 - 11/12/14 06:05 PM
|
|
|
Hmm never really thought about it before. But yeah there has to be some sort of upper limit.
There are two (possibly 3) settings you can change that may make it better. There are 2 settings in the control panel in windows where you can control repeat rate and delay rate. From my rusty memory the best you can do is 35 chars a second. I think the default is in the 10-15 range. I have not seen the 3rd setting in a long time. But in older boxes you could control it also from the bios screen. The best I could ever manage was about 5ms button press which is about 20 per second.
There is a decent amount of junk between the keypress and an application seeing the click. All the way from the click to the chip with a 16 char buffer in it, the interrupt to pick it up, with newer computers the usb stack is involved as well, then the windows keboard driver, kernel mode, context switch, etc. On top of all of that mame has its stack where it decides what to do. Not sure what the limits on that are including the delay as well as mixing it into the emulation on a scanline/tick. Does anyone know if the keypress is evaluated at scanline or screen refresh or other? Mix in an HDMI LCD TV and you can get some weird screen delay effects too. It could be the emulation is piling the key presses up too quickly and basically the loop in the game is missing it?
Something you could try to narrow it down is use a controller (like an usb xbox controller). That may at least eliminate the keyboard repeat part? From what I remember the keyboard is actually a fairly poor input device as it was not designed for what you are trying to do. The downside is if I remember the game you are talking about it is not nearly as satisfying as bashing the buttons as the keyboard more closely mimics that.
|
|
|
| GatKong |
|
Tetris Mason
|
|
|
|
|
Reged: 04/20/07
|
|
Posts: 5907
|
|
Loc: Sector 9
|
|
|
|
Send PM
|
|
|
Re: MAME - Track & Field Controls
[Re: evh347]
#334457 - 11/13/14 12:29 AM
|
|
|
The original T&F cabs had leaf switches, which are by far more speed responsive than a micro switch.
A microswitch, which by design MUST travel a minumum distance in each direction (up and then down) to "press" and then "release" the spring actuated contacts.
Don't be fooled by a microleaf switch... it's still a microswitch, and thus still limited by the requisite travel distance to activate and deactivate.
To wit: install leaf switches, or...
Some years ago, Tafoid made a little patch for me to reset the world records down to microswitch attainable levels. If I can find it (or if Tafoid reads this and can find it) I'll post fer ya.
|
|
|
|
Re: MAME - Track & Field Controls
[Re: GatKong]
#334463 - 11/13/14 05:00 PM
|
|
|
That's why I have leaf switiches in my CP. 
|
|
|
|
Re: MAME - Track & Field Controls
[Re: evh347]
#334551 - 11/21/14 05:32 AM
|
|
|
The PS/2 protocol is plenty fine for the application here. The controller you're using might not be. As for playing technique, I use a ruler with a riser under the center, and placed on the middle button of the lower three-set. I then hold the left edge down onto the left button, and push the right end onto the the right button with my right hand. See-saw. I've gotten over nine feet on the long jump.
|
Scifi frauds. SF illuminates.
_________________
Culture General Contact Unit (Eccentric)
|
|
Index 
Threaded 
MAME - Track & Field Controls
Reply
[Re: 
