HyperSpin 0.6.0.6 and HyperLaunch

[BadBoyBill]

Thanks for being patient on this release.

HyperSpin 0.6.0.6

Fixed Zinc issue with adding period after romname

Fixed issue with spaces after romname which affects magic engine not launching games

Fixed genres causing black screen if main list wasnt called "All Games"

Fixed Zoom Out animation not starting animation from right coordinates.

Fixed chase animation, now can start from left or right side of screen. Default is left side.

Fixed where removing special artwork 1 or renaming it caused HS to lock up.

Fixed where if using a system with default artworks, then choosing a genre causes them to disappear.

Fixed No Wheel Images showing up with doing a game jump (jumping ahead x games)

Fixed where if on first game you hit left to get to a game then scroll down
about 10 games your games would be off by about 20 games and your themes wouldnt be on the right game.

Fixed sounds going away when navigating to themes with background music

Added feature to fade wheel out to an alpha of your choice when entering a theme. In the wheel section for each emulator you can set alpha = 0 to make the wheel go invisible, .5 would be 50% transparency, 1 would be normal.

Added new vertical wheel style [wheel] style = vertical

Added feature to remove background animations all together
Settings.ini [Backgrounds] Animated = true or false

Added feature to just turn off advanced background animations
Settings.ini [Backgrounds] UseAdvanced = true or false


You can either add the ini settings manually or you can download the full install and get the new ini files provided for you.


HyperLaunch

What HyperLaunch is:

HyperLaunch is a multi emu wrapper/launcher.
HyperLaunch is an alternative to using HyperSpins built in launching methods.
HyperLaunch is open for anyone to edit.

Advantages of using HyperLaunch to launch your games.

*No need for special emu's for exiting. HyperLaunch will close any emu with any key or key combo.

*Hide the launching of emu's. No dosbox, no windows, popup screens, etc.

*Can hide the mouse cursor, taskbar, desktop, during emulator launch

*Helps get back to HyperSpin better when exiting an emu.

*No need for daphne bat files, run directly from HS with our xml.

*No need for zinc bat files with our xml.

*Launch NullDC (Dreamcast) without those pesky windows.

*Set 1 or 2 hotkeys to exit any emu.

*Can have multiple rom extensions to check when launching a game

*Everything is verified before launch, emupath, rompath, rom, daphne framefiles location, etc... Gives useful error messages incase you have bad settings.

*Can use relative paths to help use HS from portable drives.

You must set hyperlaunch = true in your ini files.
HyperLaunch uses your ini files for HyperSpin. You must place HyperLaunch.exe into your HyperSpin directory.

HyperLaunch reads these keys from your ini files:
path
rompath
exe
romextension

All other keys in your exe section are ignored. It doesnt launch pc games yet but it will get that value from your ini's also on next release.


COMMAND LINE USAGE TO TEST HYPERLAUNCH:

HyperLaunch.exe "System Name from Hyperspin" "Rom Name"

Ex. 1 HyperLaunch.exe MAME mslug
Ex. 2 HyperLaunch.exe "Sega Dreamcast" "Some_iso.iso"

Use quotes if spaces in name.


So for MAME here is how mine is setup for mame

[exe info]
path = C:\HyperSpin\Emulators\MAME\
rompath = C:\HyperSpin\Emulators\MAME\roms\
userompath =
exe = mame.exe
romextension = zip
parameters =
pcgame =
pcgameextension =
winstate =
hyperlaunch = true


You can have mutiple rom extensions like this:

romextension = zip,bin,iso



I know this might seem complicated but its easy once you set up your first emu. This is meant to give more control over launching games than what HyperSpin alone can provide. You can always still use HyperSpins built in launching.

The source is included if you want to edit some settings, its a .ahk file. Which is an autohotkey script, to compile you need to download Autohotkey, once installed just right click the .ahk file and click compile, simple as that.

Download will be ready shortly.

[cnm]

Wow, very impressive changelist, BBB - thank you for all the hard work on improving HyperSpin. Can't wait to try 0.6.0.6 out!:D

[BadBoyBill]

Files uploaded. Enjoy.

[beatfreakinbadger]

thanks in advance bill...... really needed hyper launch! the choices on the updates are always welcome as well :top:

[RetroBorg]

Fantastic Bill, have disabled those background transitions and am getting much better performance, I actually prefer the background transitions off theme wise anyway.

Thankyou.

[EvilDindon]

A big thanx for the hard and impressive amount of work !

Can't wait tonight after work to try this new version.

[osburn383]

Thanks BBB been looking forward to this.

[EvilDindon]

I've just installed the new HS package.

I have 2 questions :

1/ I tried the new setting for the wheel : Type=Vetical, but made no changes ?

2/ I erased my MAME.xml file with all the new themed games. Can someone link to a copy of an updated mame.xml ?

Thx by advance.

[Visitor Q]

Cool. I'll be giving it a good workout this weekend.

Thanks.

[sp33dy]

Cool, will try out tonight/morning... Thanks

[billpa]

I've just installed the new HS package.

I have 2 questions :

1/ I tried the new setting for the wheel : Type=Vetical, but made no changes ?

2/ I erased my MAME.xml file with all the new themed games. Can someone link to a copy of an updated mame.xml ?

Thx by advance.

That should be wheel [style] = vertical

all lowercase...case matters!

xml of the complete list? Ask Visitor Q :D

[Thebutcherjb]

Just tried it right now and daphne works like a charm Thanks ALOT! , the only thing is whenever I quit the hyperspin windows moves to the side and gets cutoff. This is not to major since it's not the actual resolution I use on my arcade only when I take it inside for work on my pc monitor.

[Dazz]

That should be wheel [style] = vertical

all lowercase...case matters!

xml of the complete list? Ask Visitor Q :D

Correction. It should be:

[wheel]
style = vertical

Also if you want alpha you would use:

[wheel]
alpha = 0

Of course, for both vertical and alpha

[wheel]
alpha = 0
style = vertical

[scrapple]

great stuff BBB!

[Visitor Q]

You can either add the ini settings manually or you can download the full install and get the new ini files provided for you.

Why did you not just provide these files with the update?

Jason

[scrapple]

hmm, can someone double check this:

Added feature to remove background animations all together
Settings.ini [Backgrounds] Animated = true or false

Added feature to just turn off advanced background animations
Settings.ini [Backgrounds] UseAdvanced = true or false


You can either add the ini settings manually or you can download the full install and get the new ini files provided for you.

I downloaded the full 12 meg package (not the standalone exe) and my settings.ini doesnt have any mention of this...

[Visitor Q]

I wish I could help but I have not installed the new exe as of yet. Not sure as to why the new files were not attached with the new exe.

[BadBoyBill]

hmm, can someone double check this:

Added feature to remove background animations all together
Settings.ini [Backgrounds] Animated = true or false

Added feature to just turn off advanced background animations
Settings.ini [Backgrounds] UseAdvanced = true or false


You can either add the ini settings manually or you can download the full install and get the new ini files provided for you.

I downloaded the full 12 meg package (not the standalone exe) and my settings.ini doesnt have any mention of this...

Oops, I took my time and still forgot something, just add this, I will reupload also.


Add this whole new section to Settings.ini

[Backgrounds]
Animated = true
UseAdvanced = true

[BadBoyBill]

Also if anyone is wondering how to get daphne to work I forgot to write how to do so. I'm surprised a user figured it out.

path = path to daphne
rompath = path to framefiles not roms, so stick your framefiles together and point to that folder
exe = daphne.exe
romextenstion = txt
hyperlaunch = true

Just make sure in your framefiles the path is correct for your mpegs and you should be good to go.

Also if you want to use relative paths for your roms and emus then it goes like this:

.\emulators\mame\
This would be an emulators folder in the same directory as HyperSpin

..\emulators\mame\
This would be one directory up from your HyperSpin

[Dazz]

Bill, I was going to ask... Would it be difficult to incorporate having this scan subfolders for roms/image files as well? Sega CD usually has each game located in it's own folder simply because how some rips uses .mp3 and .wav. For instance I have many games that have .wav files named Track01.wav. If I were to put these into the same folder the files would overwrite eachother...

[BadBoyBill]

Oh ok, ya I can add that feature in.

[scrapple]

the alpha = 0 wheel style is awesome... very nice

[EvilDindon]

hmmm..

[wheel]
style = vertical
alpha = 0

Doesn't seem to make any changes ?

[Dazz]

hmmm..

[wheel]
style = vertical
alpha = 0

Doesn't seem to make any changes ?What file are you entering it into?

[Captain Flint]

Well my hyperlaunch is telling me that mameui32 isn't supported yet... is this right?

[BadBoyBill]

True, just put in a request and I will add it to the script. I'll take that as a request.

Is it Mame32UI.exe? exactly

[BadBoyBill]

That or you could rename mame32ui.exe to mame.exe.

[EvilDindon]

What file are you entering it into?

I was trying to edit the settings.ini

I works in mame.ini

No problem

[Aabra]

Well, I already told you last night how awesome this was. This build gives me a monstrous performance bonus. I still use the animated backgrounds but by disabling the advanced ones everything now runs silky smooth. :) I also love the wheel fade.

[BadBoyBill]

It works per emu, not in the settings.ini for wheel alpha. So you can have different settings for different wheels.

[BadBoyBill]

Well, I already told you last night how awesome this was. This build gives me a monstrous performance bonus. I still use the animated backgrounds but by disabling the advanced ones everything now runs silky smooth. :) I also love the wheel fade.

Thanks for the feedback on this feature, Im glad its speeding up peoples performance.

[ChrisPatrick]

I'm with the others. This release is simply awesome.

I've been playing with the Alpha fade for the wheel... Personally, I'm a fan of either .15 or .25. I do like .0 but some of the themes look like they were made with the wheel in mind.

[Dazz]

Yeah, I think with the alpha fade option I think we will start to re-think how some themes were created. I sortta got use to having the wheel in the background and being able to see it, but I also like seeing it in action without the wheel. I am torn as to how I am going to have it setup.

[Visitor Q]

This is getting confusing... What all need to be added to what ini files when install the new exe?

[Dazz]

To remove background animations all together:

HyperSpin/Settings/Settings.ini
[Backgrounds]
Animated = true or false

HyperSpin/Settings/Settings.ini
Turn off advanced background animations
[Backgrounds]
UseAdvanced = true or false

New wheel settings are on a per emulator/system basis so the following edits are in HyperSpin/Settings/(system name).ini

[wheel]
style = vertical
alpha = 0 <--- this sets the alpha blending. 0 for complete wheel fade, .5 for 50%, 1 will show the wheel

[BadBoyBill]

Nothing, I fixed the upload, you can get the new ini files there. If you want to update yourself then

Settings.ini
[Backgrounds]
Animated = true or false
UseAdvanced = true or false

Mame.ini
[Wheel]
alpha = 1 //0 = invisible, 1 = visible, .5 = 50 percent transparent
style = normal //Can be normal, pin, vertical

[ChrisPatrick]

Yeah, I think with the alpha fade option I think we will start to re-think how some themes were created. I sortta got use to having the wheel in the background and being able to see it, but I also like seeing it in action without the wheel. I am torn as to how I am going to have it setup.

I'm torn as well. I was totally pumped for Alpha = 0 but after testing it, I think I'm liking Alpha = .15 better. You can still SEE the wheel albeit barely and still see most of the theme almost clearly.

[Visitor Q]

Nothing, I fixed the upload, you can get the new ini files there. If you want to update yourself then

Settings.ini
[Backgrounds]
Animated = true or false
UseAdvanced = true or false

Mame.ini
[Wheel]
alpha = 1 //0 = invisible, 1 = visible, .5 = 50 percent transparent
style = normal //Can be normal, pin, vertical

We talking the full install here or?

[billpa]

yes...you can either download the full install and use the new ini files or you can just make the additions as stated above to your current ini files.

[Visitor Q]

Cool, thanks.

[kingb33]

!yes thx Bill & HS TEAM awesome release!...as some ppl were mentioning about the themes... i knew from the beginning that eventually when the wheel fade option was implemented a majority of themes would end up looking strange. I believe i posted about this awhile back. So when I built mine i just pretended like it wasn't going to be there as best i could. i havent gotten around to looking at them yet without the fade...im wondering how different it looks or how many themes it affects visually....hopefully not too many.

[The Loafer]

Can't wait to try this tonight, well done BBB and HS team. I'm one of the odd one's, I love the wheel showing up through parts of the art, so I'll try to experiment with the settings, but will probably keep it in view.

[Ego-X]

What an awesome update! Thx 3xB

[tk375]

This is sweet man! just one question. How much time do you spend a day working on Hyperspin?

I spend at least 2 hours a day trying to learn all this.

TK375

[Captain Flint]

That or you could rename mame32ui.exe to mame.exe.

I'll try that...

[BadBoyBill]

Just a couple hours at night, more on the weekend though if I'm not out. I will try to make things a little easier, a working backend is the key we need here and its looking a little slow on that part right now.

[Captain Flint]

all systems go...

BBB thanks I also have a huge performance boost by eliminating the background animations... Thanks soooo much. This this is going to rock once it gets in my cab.

[BadBoyBill]

Thats great, good luck.

[EVEGames]

Thanks for the new release, BBB. Love the vertical wheel, love the Alpha.

Next going to check out HyperLaunch... this is the part that really excites me. If HyperLaunch turns out as cool as it sounds, I think it will spread like wildfire.

[Wob]

How do you set the exit key or key combo in HyperLaunch?

[BadBoyBill]

s & q
Would be the letter "s" key and the "q" key

[Wob]

Ok, so is that hardcoded or can you change it? S and Q are default MAME keys (Player 1 Button 2 & 3) I am getting no use of Q and sometimes I get booted out of MAME probably when hitting Q & S together. I would prefer to leave it as ESC or disable it and leave it up to MAME, as my JPAC is already programmed to require a combo to send a ESC key.

Cheers,
Beau

[BadBoyBill]

No that was just an example it can be any 2 keys.

[Wob]

Ah, so how do I set it? Sorry if I missing that in you post, but I didn't see an explanation to set it.

Edit: OK I read the post better, was the setting file mentioned, I'll play and see how I go.

[BadBoyBill]

You set the exit key in hyperlaunch.ahk in the settings area. Compile it with autohotkey when you make the change.