Hi!
In this post I´ll be reviewing the Champion of the Vectrex Cartridges: Richard Hutchinson´s VecMulti
This cartridge is the most advance at the moment for the Vectrex console. It´s a Micro SD card Vectrex multicart with support for every game available.
VecMulti Package Contents
The unit I bought from Richard it´s a "bare bone" one. He has no cases left so the VecMulti production is momentary stopped till he receives new cases.
My VecMulti consist in a VecMulti board, a 128Mb MicroSD card and a cartridge sticker.
I opened up one of my old original Vectrex cartridges and swapped the original board with VecMulti one. The board fits perfectly on the old case and the process took no longer than 2 minutes.
Then I inserted it on my European late model Vectrex and turn it on. I really was surprised of seeing the VecMulti working in full glory as there are known problems with Vectrex Multicarts and newer Vectrex games running on the Vectrex later models.
After a nice intro, the cart goes into the game selection menu. It consist of a series of 4 games pages. You can move between the different pages using the Vectrex control joystick left and right. You can launch any of the four games in each page with the Vectrex control four buttons.
All the games in the MicroSD card are shown in the menu in an alphabetical order for easy finding.
This menu it´s an easy and relatively fast method of accessing the games stored at the Micro SD.
Installing games
The MicroSD card has two directories:
- Games: where you save your Vectrex games
- Utils: where two utilities are stored (ROM_patcher and VecMulti)
ROM_patcher is a tool for fixing games which conflict with the menu
VecMulti is a file loader for use in developer mode.
In the MicroSD card root there is a utility called "MenuMaker.exe". This little program is used to (re-)create the VecMulti menu.
These are the steps you must follow to install new games on this cartridge:
1.- Copy the new games to the directory: Micro SD card:/Games
Rename the games file extension to ".bin". This step maybe be unnecessary but I haven´t tried "*.vec" file names yet.
2.- Run the program Micro SD card:/MenuMaker.exe
3.- Push button "MAKE"
4.- Wait till it says "FINISHED" and then close the app
5.- Carefully insert the Micro SD card back into the VecMulti cartridge.
6.- Try the new VecMulti Menu you´ve just created.
7.- Technical info. The games are stored in their original format in the Micro SD Card:/games folder. The "MenuMaker" app creates another copy and stores it in the card´s root directory using filenames like "XX.men".
MenuMaker "About" menu
NOTE: MenuMaker executable has been tested on a Windows 7 Ultimate X64 environment.
Technical details.
The board can be connected to USB/Serial for development.
The micro SD card must be formatted in FAT filesystem.
The micro SD card must be less than 2Gb size.
The card socket is a 'push-push' type (i.e. push-click card in, push-click card out).
Games file name should be less than 14 characters or automatically will be trimmed before being displayed on the VecMulti menu system
And now a little video showing the VecMulti cartridge in action
Pros:
Works with all Vectrex games
Nice, easy and fast game menu selection
High quality board
Cons:
This is the "perfect" Multicart solution for the Vectrex system. Really there is no "con" against it. The price tag is high BUT you pay what you get, a high quality product.
Some people should say the cartridge must be open (very easy operation) to access the Micro SD card, but ALL the Vectrex games can be store in any Micro SD card so this operation it´s not going to be very frequent.
On Sunday 2 of december I broke (again) the world MineStorm Hi-Score with 1.700.121 points (Level 94)
I reached level 94 after 1h 45 min.playing and I couldn´t keep on playing because I was very very tired :(
My objective was to reach level 89 and test if my MineStorm "hangs up" at this level
Playing MAME games on an Android device (Xperia Neo)
Jrioni Arcade v3.2.0 Features
- ROMs path selectable- Easy launcher. Just select rom and run
- Add images to your games (similar as MAMEUI snapshots)
- Remembers the last game played
This is the hardware you´re going to need:
- Android device (in this case, I use a Xperia Neo mobile phone)
- Jrioni Arcade v3.2.0
- MicroSD
- Games ROMs. Romset MAME 0.37b5 (July 2000).
Watch it now: (Finishing the final video...It will be available ASAP)
1.- Installing the program and ROMs
First, you need to download the MAME emulator for your Android device.
- Jrioni Arcade v3.2.0
The official page is jrioni-arcade.blogspot.com.es and you can download it from Google Play (Lite and Full paid versions). The only limitation it´s the Savegames option. You can´t load savegames with "Lite" version
Copy the downloaded file (Jrioni Arcade 3.2.0.apk) from your PC to the MicroSD card.
Second, you need to download some of your favourites MAME Games. Use "your friend" Google to get them. (For example use search strings like "MAME Q*bert ROM")
You don´t need to make new directories in your MicroSD card to copy the ROMs to. You can put the ROMS files wherever you like in your MicroSD card
Finally, put your MicroSD Card back into the Android device and use any launcher to install the emulators.
The emulator supports the following games:
- Mame rom set 37b, Neo Geo and CPS1 games.
Important: Neo Geo Games need the Neo Geo BIOS in directory where the roms are.
2.- Configuring the emulator
Jrioni Arcade v3.2.0 has almost no options so it is just a click and run app.
Start the app and click on the "option" menu" It will display the configuration options.
"Load ROM File" Selector
Options
"My Cabinet" Selector
In addition, there are a few in-game options.
"Screen size" option
"Rotation" option
"Screen Position" option
There is NO configurable options to get the most of devices like the Xperia Neo :(
3.- Using the emulators
Start the emulator, choose the "Load ROM File" option from the main screen.
Then choose the game you want to play from the selector screen.
After
the game has started click on the red upper left virtual button to insert coins and start the game.
The controls you will use are the virtual ones draw at the screen´s left side (6 colored buttons labeled from 1 to 6 and a 4-way D-pad stick)
Android gamepads may use the hardware controls configuring them properly but I have no opportunity in testing it.
4.- Games tested
These games tested run at full speed:
New Rally X- Very nice playing with touch controls.
Pacmania - Very nice to play.
Metal Slug - Some little noises scratches here and there but very nice to play ;)
Outrun - Doesn´t show the gears box :( but very enjoyable
Spy Hunter - Very hard to control. Needs more tests
Pole Position - Hard to control using virtual controls. Needs more testing with virtual options controls. Q*bert - Very enjoyable
5.- Pros/Cons
This is another nice Mame emulator for Android devices despite it´s lacking of configuration options
Using Virtual controls make some screen zones "invisible" :(
Pros:
- Many games are working perfect. Q*bert, Pac-Man, Dig dug arcades on a Neo are just great!
- Configurable ROMs directory
- ROMs path selectable
- Easy launcher. Just select rom and run
- Add images to your games (similar as MAMEUI snapshots)
- Remembers the last game played
- DIP Switches accessible
- Autofire option.
Cons: - Virtual Controls are hard to use, as they provide "no feedbacks". I usually end with my fingers out of the controls zone :(
- No configurable button layout
- No save states
- No highscores support.
- No game configuration options (as MAME4Droid has)
6.- Final Opinion
It is a great emulator but you should get use to the screen controls.
Some games are easier to play using the virtual control (I miss an Android game tablet with HW controls!)
It´s not as configurable as MAME4Droid but I think it runs games better than MAME4Droid (just a bit better)
So it´s a great emulator to click and run games without having to mess with it.
These is a W.I.P. post. I´ll update it ASAP with more tested games and videos
MAME4droid (0.37b5) v 1.5.2 - Playing MAME games on an Android device (Xperia Neo)
MAME4droid (0.37b5) v 1.5.2 Features
- Android 2.1+ support
- Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) 2D Hardware Accelerated.
- Autorotate.
- HW Keys remapping.
Touch Controller can be shown/hidden.
- Smooth image.
- Digital or Analog touch selectable.
- Animated touch stick or DPAD.
- Button Layout customizable control.
- iON's iCade and iCP (as iCade mode) external controllers supported.
- Wiimote support using WiiCrotroller Market app.
- Tilt Sensor as left/right.
- Local multiplayer (using external IME app as Wiimote Controller or equivalent)
- 1 to 6 buttons optionally shown.
- Options for video aspect ratio, scaling, rotate.
- Adjustable CPU, Audio clock.
- Overlay Filters, scanlines, CRT..
- Highscores support.
- Artwork support but I couldn´t make it work using mrdo.mameworld.info artwork files :(
- ROMs path selectable
This is the hardware you´re going to need:
- Android device (in this case, I use a Xperia Neo mobile phone)
- MAME4droid (0.37b5) v 1.5.2
- MicroSD
- Games ROMs. Romset MAME 0.37b5 (July 2000).
Watch it now: (Finishing the final video...It will be available ASAP). See video game plays down, in section four.
1.- Installing the program and ROMs
First, you need to download the MAME emulators for your Android device.
Copy the downloaded file (MAME4droid-1.5.2.apk) from your PC to the MicroSD card.
Second, you need to download some of your favourites MAME Games. Use "your friend" Google to get them. (For example use search strings like "MAME Q*bert ROM")
You need to make new directories in your MicroSD card to copy the ROMs to.
Make three new directories in your MicroSD card: ROMs, MAME4all and roms, one inside another so you
end up with the following directory tree: <MicroSD Drive letter>:/ROMs/MAME4all/roms
Then copy your downloaded games (in "zip" format, for example qbert.zip) to your new MicroSD card directory (<MicroSD Drive letter>:/ROMs/MAME4all/roms)
In our example of Q*Bert, the rom will be copy to the MicroSD card to this directory:
<MicroSD Drive letter>:/ROMs/MAME4all/roms/qbert.zip
Finally, put your MicroSD Card back into the Android device and use any launcher to install the emulators.
The emulator supports the following games:
- Mame rom set 37b, which includes most Neo Geo titles, CPS1, some Taito, Konami, and Cave titles as well as various other older titles (Circus Charlie, Pacman etc). Emulates over 2000 different romsets. Some games will run better than others and some might not even run with MAME4droid.
Important: Neo Geo Games need the Neo Geo BIOS.in roms directory
Just for curiosity...after running the emulator for the first time, it creates a lot of directories and files in this new MicroSD Card folder:
<MicroSD Drive letter>:/ROMs/MAME4all/artwork/ - Artwork directory
<MicroSD Drive letter>:/ROMs/MAME4all/cfg/ - MAME configuration files directory
<MicroSD Drive letter>:/ROMs/MAME4all/frontend/ - Frontend configuration files
<MicroSD Drive letter>:/ROMs/MAME4all/hi/ - High Scores directory
<MicroSD Drive letter>:/ROMs/MAME4all/inp/ - Game recordings directory
<MicroSD Drive letter>:/ROMs/MAME4all/memcard/ - Memory card files directory
<MicroSD Drive letter>:/ROMs/MAME4all/nvram/ - NVRAM files directory
<MicroSD Drive letter>:/ROMs/MAME4all/roms/ - NVRAM files directory
<MicroSD Drive letter>:/ROMs/MAME4all/saves/ - Save states directory - NOT supported
<MicroSD Drive letter>:/ROMs/MAME4all/samples/ - Samples directory
<MicroSD Drive letter>:/ROMs/MAME4all/skins/ - Frontend skins directory
<MicroSD Drive letter>:/ROMs/MAME4all/snap/ - Screen snapshots directory
<MicroSD Drive letter>:/ROMs/MAME4all/cheat.dat - Cheats definition file
<MicroSD Drive letter>:/ROMs/MAME4all/clrmame.dat - File to convert romsets from other MAME versions to the ones used by this version (using ClrMAME Pro)
<MicroSD Drive letter>:/ROMs/MAME4all/gamelist.txt - File with ZIP file names supported
<MicroSD Drive letter>:/ROMs/MAME4all/hiscore.dat - High Scores definition file
If you have used before MAME on any other platform you maybe know what those directories are for. Don´t worry about them, you don´t need to know nothing more than just the ROM folder (<MicroSD Drive letter>:/ROMs/MAME4all/roms)
NOTE: File and directory names are case-sensitive. Put all file and directory names using low case.
2.- Configuring the emulator
MAME4droid (0.37b5) has so many options that it will scare you at first but if you like to tweak your games this is the emulator for you.
Choose the "option" button from the main screen and then the "settings" option. It will display the configuration options.
In addition, each game has its own configurable options. These set of options are accessible after selecting the game.
These are the most important options you should configure to get the most of MAME games in devices like the Xperia Neo:
- Overclock CPU. I use no-frills CPU (free from Google Play) to play with the Neo at 1,4GHz with no problems at all (apart from the battery extra consume)
- Game selector options - Sound - Lower quality or switch it off
- Game selector options - Video Depth - 8 bit depth
- Game selector options - CPU Clock - Underclock the CPU
- Game selector options - Audio Clock - Underclock the CPU
- Game selector options - Frame-Skip - Auto
- Options - Video Render mode - GL (Faster)
- Options - Threaded sound - Test it with the games you play
- Options - Show FPS - Off
- Options - Animated - Off
- Options - Smooth Scaling - Off
3.- Using the emulators
Start the emulator, choose the "coin" button from the main screen.
Then choose the "start" button.
At the "Select ROM" screen, choose the desired game you wan to play using the red virtual joystick at the bottom of the screen and virtual red button "B"
After choosing the game, another screen will appear displaying the different options for the chosen game.
Push virtual red "B" button to star the emulation.
The controls you will use are the virtual ones draw at the screen´s half bottom (8-way stick, buttons A, B, X, Y)
Android gamepads may use the hardware controls configuring them properly but I have no opportunity
in testing it.
NOTE: To type OK when MAME requires it, press LEFT and then RIGHT.
4.- Games tested
These games tested run at full speed:
New Rally X- Very nice playing with touch controls.
Pacmania - Hard to control with virtual controls.
Metal Slug - Some little noises scratches here and there but very nice to play ;)
Outrun - Doesn´t show the gears box :(
Spy Hunter - Very hard to control. Needs more testings
Pole Position - Hard to control using virtual controls. Needs more testing with virtual options controls. Q*bert - Very enjoyable
5.- Pros/Cons
This is a nice Mame emulator for Android devices. In next post, I will compare it with the rest of MAME emulators available
Pros:
- It´s Free
- Many games are working perfect. Q*bert, Pac-Man, Dig dug arcades on a Neo are just great!
- Configurable ROMs directory
- Button Layout customizable control.
- Local multiplayer. NOT tested
- Options for almost anything
- Highscores support. Cons:
- Virtual Controls are hard to use, as they provide "no feedbacks". I usually end with my fingers out of the controls zone :(
- No "save states" (it is based on a MAME version that does not support it)
- No working artwork. Not very important but artwork gives a nice immersion touch
6.- Final Opinion
It is a great emulator but you should get use to the screen controls.
Some games are easier to play using the virtual control (I miss an Android game tablet with HW controls!)
These is a W.I.P. post. I´ll update it ASAP with more tested games and videos
