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druadic

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Everything posted by druadic

  1. Snapshots of ALL the MAME games in a single zip. It's 163.4MB so it's quite large. Works perfect for me in Game Ex! Enjoy! http://www.fileplanet.com/hosteddl.aspx?%2fhst%2fj%2fh%2fjhardyiv%2fSnap.zip
  2. You're more than welcome. Thank you for the amazing front end sir. I plan to purchase it very soon. A VERY SPECIAL THANKS to Frequency who helped me with the "Command Line" in which this walk through would not have been possible. Thanx Frequency!
  3. Here is how I installed Visual Pinball into Game Ex. Hope this helps out those that want to get Visual Pinball running in this amazing front end! The end result is VERY MUCH worth the time. This front end is a blast to use. If you have problems, feel free to EMAIL ME. Thanks! Druadic HOW TO INSTALL VISUAL PINBALL (any version) IN GAME EX: Download the 36MB file first. Place the file on your desktop. Click it. If the Game Ex file is zipped, you'll have to unzip it first. It should open up to an installation screen. If you miss anything, you can always go back to this in the "installation wizard" in your start menu. To know where this is, goto the START button on your desktop then all programs. Scroll around and find "Game Ex" and click on the "Installation Wizard". This is just FYI for later use. After the installation wizard opens, READ IT as you go along. Since you are just installing Game Ex, you will have to add the "emulators" you want to run later and tell the Wizard where these folders and EXE files are located. After stepping through the installation, there is no need to run Game Ex as of right now. You now have to place Visual Pinball in the correct area within Game Ex's folders. To do this, go to "My Computer" in your start menu. Click on the Game Ex folder which should be on drive C. Click on it until it opens. This is where the front end runs. If you don't see a folder called "emulators" now is the time to create one. I didn't get one so I had to create a folder and name it "emulators". Within the folder Emulators, create a folder and name it what you want. I personally used "VPinball" (without the quotes). Unzip a FULL VERSION of Visual Pinball and place it within the folder, including any other folders and files that came with the zip. I would HIGHLY SUGGEST that you rename the EXE file (or the actual Visual Pinball file) to be VPinball. Makes it much easier later and Game Ex has not a single issue with the name change. If you do not have a folder named "tables" I would suggest you make it now in the area you're currently in. This is where ALL your VP tables will be placed. Place all your tables here now if you want. With Visual Pinball placed and your tables in the correct folder, it's time to launch Game Ex's "Configuration Wizard". Remember it's in the start menu. If you want to add "snaps" or photos of each table for Game Ex to show when you're scrolling through them in the program, you can do this, but I'll explain later. Once Game Ex loads, you'll be going through a bunch of info and commands needed to find where each emulator is located on drive C. The first screen you'll see is the welcome screen. Keep your mode "basic" and click the green arrow to the right. Next screen is text/language. Of course it's english (if you speak the language) so once again click the green right arrow again. The next screen is your theme selection. Leave it for now. You can always download new themes and change this later. Click the green right arrow once again. This screen is your audio settings. Later you can mess with this be re- running the Wizard if you have any problems. Click the green right arrow. Next is the touchscreen/tablet settings. Let's go on; click the green right arrow. The next menu is the HTPC/Multimedia settings. You can come back to this later on. Click the green right arrow again. Gamebase settings. Have no idea so press the green right arrow again. Game Ex Arcade. If you're going to use Game Ex online, you may want to set this to "yes". I'm not interested. Press the green right arrow. This screen actually allows you to download any emulator you wish. Yeah, no joke. I have everything I need installed so I'm pressing the green right arrow again. Setup MAME is next. If you're an arcade fan (like I am and I DO have MAME installed) then click yes on this one. Click the green right arrow again to continue. MAME settings is next. This is where everything is controlled for your most absolute fun via arcade games. I've already done this so I'll press the green right arrow. Next is Emulator selection. Is this a VITAL area to setup more than just MAME in Game Ex. Of course MAME is already a integral part of Game Ex and Game Ex knows it's there. But what about Visual Pinball? NOPE. So, here you'll notice a split screen. On the left side, you'll want to click the number 2. Now on the right side you'll scroll down and click on Visual Pinball. Once this is done, click the green right arrow again. Next is "Emulator Setup". Since Visual Pinball is now #2 on the emulator list, you'll have to tell Game Ex where it's located. Most of everything is just about right here, but let's make sure it truly is correct. You'll see (in order) on the screen first: Select Emulator 2: Visual Pinball - This is correct. NEXT: Enabled Yes -This is correct. NEXT: Start Page Name Visual Pinball -This is correct. NEXT: Title Text Pinball -This is correct unless you want to change it. NEXT: Logo Pinball -This is correct unless you wish to change the logo. NEXT: Working Path C:\Emulators\VPinball -This is correct. This is where I placed VP. Change this to where your Visual Pinball (VPinball in my case) program is located. NEXT: ROM Path C:\Emulators\VPinball\Tables -This is correct. This is where all the tables we dumped are located. If not, change this. NEXT: Rom Filter *.vpt -This is correct since VP uses VPT files to run. Don't change this. NEXT: Command Line VPinball.exe -play -"[ROMPATH]\[ROMFILE]" THIS IS THE LINE THAT THREW ME FOR A LOOP. -The above is correct. I changed the original VPinball9.12 file and renamed it VPinball for short. So VPinball is an exe file. Game Ex knows this. -play is the command to automatically run the table once it is selected. -"[ROMPATH]\[ROMFILE]" is what tells Game Ex from the above ROM PATH selection where to find and load the VPT roms. More than likely Game Ex has something else placed here. If so, change it to show the above command in the Command Line area BUT, if your Visual Pinball file is NOT named VPinball, change it to the correct name BEFORE you add -play -"[ROMPATH]\[ROMFILE]". Remember, you can always go back and change any or all the above in the installation wizard. NEXT: Image Snap Path shows next. I placed my pics of each table in the area of c:\Assets\Visual Pinball\Snaps. You can always add your pics later. You now know where to place your table pics when you scroll through Game Ex's listing of Visual Pinball tables/files. NEXT: Background Snap Path - I don't use this. You can always dabble with this later. NEXT: Video Snap Path - yes, you can show videos of the games playing here. I don't need this so let's go below. NEXT: Title Snap Path - I've left this as the same as "Image Snap Path". I have no issues. NEXT: Box Art Path - Yes, you can add pictures of boxes for tables. I guess if you're creative enough you could come up with some neat stuff. I don't use this. Continue by pressing the green right arrow. We are now at Verify Setup. This can be helpful if you think something is amiss or not working right. This might help you to pinpoint the problem. Click Verify to show what Game Ex knows and doesn't. Don't worry about any errors or anything that are shown in red. Some errors mean nothing. Once again, click on the green right arrow. Now you're finished. You'll now notice the green right arrow only shows a green left arrow. All you have to do now is press the orange "X" and Game Ex will save your configuration. Now you can go to Game Ex in your start menu and run it. To find Visual Pinball in the menu, just scroll down five lengths and you'll find "Emulated Games". Click on it. It should show "All Games" and below that is "Visual Pinball". Click it. If all went smoothly, you should see all the tables you've installed. If you have added snapshots of the tables, they'll show along with the table name. Click on a table title. Give it a few seconds. If it doesn't load, you're missing something in the Game Ex setup and need to reuse the Installtion Wizard to find the problem. That's it. It seems like overkill, but Game Ex does an amazing job of keeping track of everything you install. To learn more about Game Ex, you should move around the program's inner workings. Check it all out. If you have an issue, feel free to email me. You can find me at VPForums.org or Pinball Nirvana. Hope everything worked well for you!! druadic via Game Ex forums, VPForums.org and Pinball Nirvana.
  4. Frequency, IT WORKED PERFECTLY! AWESOME! Takes Game Ex about 3 SECONDS to load a table. Thanks so much!!! I will be making a tutorial on how to run JUST Visual Pinball (No PinMame) in Game Ex on YouTube. This is a BIG help. My deepest thanks for all your help and for everyone on this forum who has posted to me. No other loaders/wrappers were needed! I will also be adding VP6 and VP8 as well. This is just awesome. I use VP 9.09 (9.10 in the info) for all the tables I make in Visual Pinball. This issue has been addressed perfectly.
  5. Frequency, My sincerest apologies! I didn't see the dash AFTER play! My mistake. I'm so sorry. Thanks VERY MUCH for your help. I do so much appreciate it.
  6. Here is what it is RIGHT NOW: VPinball.exe - play "[ROMPATH]\[ROMFILE]" I've been trying to use both launchers so it's changed a bit and the above is what it is right now. Appreciate the help.
  7. Enjoy! Make your own here: http://www.labelmaker2600.com/
  8. Tried this one too to no avail. I'm baffled. FREQUENCY: I have Visual Pinball 9.09 (9.10 in the info); I won't use 9.12 as it's too unstable. The file is VPinball.exe As for the config info, I'll have to find the file somewhere on the other machine that is not linked online. Once I find it, I can post it up for you.
  9. Nothing with this. I'm trying NOT to run PinMAME - just straight VP. I can get VP to load with no issues. That screen comes up but the handling of the .vpt rom file is throwing me for a loop. Tables refuse to load no matter what I've done. I'm sure it has to do with the Command Line but what else I can come up with I draw a blank.
  10. Not quite, but I'm having problems with the statement: vpinball.exe - play "[ROMPATH]\[ROMFILE]" Here is what I have in the setup for Game Ex and am still trying to figure out where to put or place the correct command: WORKING PATH = C:\Emulators\Visual Pinball ROM PATH = C:\Emulators\Visual Pinball\Tables ROM FILTER = *.vpt COMMAND LINE = VPinball.exe - play [ROMPATH] So far I am stuck. VP loads just fine but I always get error messages telling me tables are not found. Any other ideas? Maybe I'm just not using my brain right. Please help. Thanks.
  11. The reason I went to Game Ex is the size for one. At 30 some megs it's small and compact. The second reason is that it's very easy to navigate the menus. I haven't had a single problem figuring out where to go next. I like that. There's a lot of talk about Game Ex at the forums and another chatroom that many of us frequent. The chat is located in another part of cyberworld, but I've already got one guy flipping out over Game Ex and a friend who is very interested in making a MAME / VP machine like I am. I hope to get many other folks over here to see what the buzz is all about.
  12. The only way to make tables run in VP9 from older versions is to remake them. Yep, that's right. Many folks still use the older VP6 or VP8 to play the older tables as updates don't come fast enough. I don't know the whole story behind it, but I find that VP 9.12 (newest version) is not as stable as 9.09 - it's what I use and have ran many VP6 through VP8 tables with it with no issues. But, many of the authors are trying to play "catch up" with the newest version so this has spawned new authors. This is awesome, but the conversions are extremely time consuming. I believe it has to do with the numerous enhancements that have been integrated into VP9.12. I'll stick with VP 9.09 (9.10 in the info area in the actual program) as it seems to like my graphics better than the newer version. Like I said before, I'm a flipperless author (tables from 1901 to 1940) so updates are much easier for me to deal with I'm sure. I've done two flippered tables (Pro Pool and Skykings) to VP9 but find flippered tables are not fun to mess with as for updates. If an author has made a version, they have first dibs on if they want to update it or not. If someone else wants to update the table to a newer version they MUST GET PERMISSION FROM THE AUTHOR BEFORE they can do this UNLESS they're going to start from scratch. It's the way it works. I don't have much of a problem since I don't make them and very few folks don't care for tables that have no flippers. So you'll never see someone asking to update one of the tables I've made in the past. Any other info you can post to me. Let me know what you want to know. Will aka druadic PS: I'm far from being a VP guru; I'm just an author that has been around since the beginning of VP and love the old flipperless skill tables. I know VERY LITTLE about VP itself but love to make the machines (skill machines) and tables that I do. You can always find what I've made in VP in download areas. Just follow my name: druadic. As for playing older version tables, your best bet is to get the OLDER VERSIONS of VP (like 6 or 8) and install them separately and place the tables in the proper locations to their versions. It works for most folks. If anyone requires the VP8 zip file, I have it somewhere on a disc. Let me know and I'll send it to someone so others can have it.
  13. Great to know, thanks. There's quite a few folks that are dumping Hyper Spin AND Hyper Pin and going over to Game Ex from the VP side of the spectrum. Many players and authors are quite interested in Game Ex so this is extremely helpful information. Thanks again. Here is a small movie I put up of my PowerSpec N670 playing Gyruss (greatest shooter in the world) in MAME on Game Ex. I'm loving Game Ex very much. Enjoy! The CPU itself is underneath the two speakers. It's VERY VERY SMALL but it's lightning fast.
  14. Go to VPForums.org and at EACH TABLE is an image. Click on it and save it. That's all. I've got mostly my tables I've made in VP9 but plan on adding a few of the other authors as well. At the top of the main page, click on "Visual Pinball Desktop", scroll down the list. You'll find each table there. Click on one and at the left side is the image of the table. Click it. Click it again to expand it and save the image. Do this for each table. That's all there is to it. I'm a flipperless author and have updated quite a few VP6 - VP8 tables to VP9 so I don't have many images to get. I don't play many flippered tables so my quest was an easy one to fulfill. You can grab snaps at anytime and there is no block for them, but if you require table downloads at VPForums.org there IS A LIMIT. Pinball Nirvana (below is link) has no limit to any amount of downloads but the tables are very rarely updated as they are at VPForums.org. Just FYI. I am one of a few authors that updates my tables and puts them at both sites. Here is where Pinball Nirvana is located: http://www.pinballni...orums/index.php Click on downloads at the top of the page. You'll find the tables and images. Hope this helps you.
  15. Thanks guys! I already have the "snaps" in place in the "assets" folder and they work perfect as long as they are the same name as the VP table file. Learned that fast. This is great. Now I can purchase the program. Hope I can register it WITHOUT going online though with a password. I won't go online with my MAME / VP system. Thanks again guys!
  16. Thanks! I gather this has to be done with each and every table you want to load from Game Ex as well? This is extremely helpful, thank you again!
  17. I'm sure somewhere I've missed this, but where exactly in the Game Ex setup (from the start menu) would I fix this problem and what command would I use? I've been told once you have VP that loads through Game Ex (I'm using the folder VPinball) and it loads the VPinball.exe file. After that, no tables load. So, the command is -tables or something like that? I'm lost here. I've got the snaps working perfectly and the tables do run through the editor once I choose what game I want to run, but I would like the tables to load automatically. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!
  18. Thanks! That's what I needed to know. Thanks so much! So I didn't need it! Heh, go figure. The help is appreciated. Thanks again! Will aka druadic
  19. Hello to everyone; This is my first post so be gentle with me. I had the newest Game Ex installed and running in under 2 minutes. I was impressed. I'm using the highest version of MAME there is, but have a question as to how to use the program "delete all excluded ROMS". I'm sure this can't just stay on the main desktop page and be ran so where do I put this to run it? I don't have many MAME games and would like to clean out what I don't have. The real question is, is how and where do I run this and when or where? I'm baffled. Perhaps one of the fine users of Game Ex can help. I am a Visual Pinball author and have been for years but have just downloaded the "help file" for Visual Pinball since all Game Ex likes to do is bring up the main program and not the tables. I'll figure this out soon enough I hope. Would like to have VP load along WITH the table chosen. If anyone can help, thank you in advance. I look forward to soon purchasing Game Ex once I can get it to run stable and cleanly and even look forward to an arcade stick from this site. I might be an "ole fart" but in all honesty I feel like a 7 year old again. Thanks to the creator of Game Ex and all the folks out there that make these front ends worth every second to setup. You've won my vote! Will aka druadic (also via VP Forums)
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