Daphne Laser Disc emulator - a comprehensive tutorial

[Daytona24]

I've got most working great except for Cobra Command, it tells me the emulation isn't working right and then doesn't start at the beginning of the game it just starts at some random point (always the same point). It works fine under the actual emulator.

[Govinda]

On 10/25/2016 at 2:11 PM, Soulchip said:

I don't get it... why do you use that overcomplicated string on the .bat file... u know that you do not need that string to load the game ?

Try this, is a lot simple:

Daphne.exe %1 vldp -fullscreen -x 1920 -y 1080 -framefile "..\..\Systems\Daphne\Roms\%1\%1.txt"

I have mine set like this:

Daphne.exe %1 vldp -fullscreen -x 1024 -y 768 -framefile "X:\Emuladores\Daphne\Framefiles\%1.txt"

Remember to set the emulator options in launchbox to not use quotes and file extension.

That's it. Framefiles can have any extension, i have mine named nameofrom.ff, they are a txt that have information about the directory of where the files for the game are located (framefiles can be located anywhere, they do not need to be along the game files but the framefile must tell the emulator where the files are) and the files.

Thanks, Soulchip! 

That was the final piece I needed to get it all working. For some reason the more complex string just wasn't working for me.

[d8thstar]

I have daphne up and running with all games, loving it.

the file for space ace that I have is 720P so it is the only game showing up a bit squished when I launch.  Is there any way that I can get SA to play widescreen and the rest at 4:3?

thanks

[madmart]

I have followed step by step the guide, but am having trouble with the batch file. when I am launching the game from within launchbox all I get is a window that opens and closes very quickly (a black dos / command line window)  and nothing else happens. All my game files are in 'vldp' folder and 'vldp_dl' folder. I am changing the relevant text to suit my setup, (resloution is 1600 x 1200 and my Daphne folder is on my "D" drive in a folder called 'EMULATORS', so the path changed to - D:\EMULATORS\Daphne?. So my batch file looks like this:

@echo off set Passed=%1 For %%A in ("%Passed%") do ( Set Name=%%~nA ) echo.Name is: %Name% Daphne.exe %Name% vldp -fullscreen -x 1600 -y 1200 -framefile "D:\EMULATORS\Daphne\vldp\%Name%\%Name%.txt"

I come normally a apple mac user so still trying to find my way round the new PC stuff!! And know nothing about batch files, Sorry! I have also managed to grab a shot of the window that quickly pops up which I have attached also, hope someone can help!

Just to mention I have tested every game and confirm they all work outside of launchbox through the daphne emulator. So hopefully it is something that I am not doing correctly with the batch file.

On 2/2/2016 at 10:49 AM, CADScott said:

@echo off set Passed=%1 For %%A in ("%Passed%") do ( Set Name=%%~nA ) echo.Name is: %Name% Daphne.exe %Name% vldp -fullscreen -x 1920 -y 1080 -framefile "..\..\Systems\Daphne\Roms\%Name%\%Name%.txt"

 

[greengeek]

Just a quick tip:

Here is how you can keep the CMD window from popping up when you run a game.    I am not a big fan of having the window show up, even for a split second, as it takes me out of the experience.   This will make Daphne function like all the other emulators. 

First follow the wonderful instructions at the start of this topic and verify your games are working.  Then do the following:

1.  Download SilentCMD found at https://github.com/stbrenner/SilentCMD

2.  Unzip it and move the two files into your Daphne emulator folder.   ie. LaunchBox\Emulators\Daphne\SilentCMD.exe and LaunchBox\Emulators\Daphne\SilentCMD.exe.config

3.  Then edit your Daphne emulator in LaunchBox:

Change the Emulator Application Path to: Emulators\Daphne\SilentCMD.exe

Change the Default Command-Line Parameters to: DAPHNE.bat

Click on OK

 

If it was working before, it should work now as well, but without displaying any additional windows.

 

[damageinc86]

Just reading as an onlooker, and damn daphne seems like a lot of hassle.  

[Lordmonkus]

Yeah it can be.

If all you wanted to play is Dragons Lair 1 & 2 and Space Ace just get the Dragons Lair Trilogy pack for the Wii. The video quality is excellent and you have the option of easy or hard mode with or without the prompts.

[damageinc86]

Oh nice! Had no idea those were on the wii 

[rexryan]

Daphne was one of the longest systems that took me to figure out..Once I figured it out Action Max and the others was breeze..

 

[Lilypad]

Daphne fought me for a day and a half..  The bat file solution finally got me going..

Thanks for all the detail..  I almost want to delete it and start again just to reorganize all the files..  But maybe I'll leave well enough alone.

Thanks

[DrewMan70]

On 7/26/2017 at 8:59 PM, greengeek said:

Just a quick tip:

Here is how you can keep the CMD window from popping up when you run a game.   

A much easier way is to right-click the batch file and select "Create Shortcut".  Edit the shortcut properties and set to "Start Minimized".  Then point to the shortcut as the emulator.

[DrewMan70]

On 6/18/2017 at 3:21 PM, madmart said:

I have followed step by step the guide, but am having trouble with the batch file. when I am launching the game from within launchbox all I get is a window that opens and closes very quickly (a black dos / command line window)  and nothing else happens.

Is there any info in the Daphne log file?

[Aevans0001]

Ok so I have found a couple ways of fixing Daphne.

 

1. Using the instructions here on Page 1.  I could not get the original bat file to work using windows 10, how ever when I changed the bat file to the following it worked and simplified it, all you do is place it in the daphne root directory. EDIT: (I found this on my own, but upon reading page 3 of this topic I saw that Soul Chip has already posted about it)

daphne.exe %1 vldp -fullscreen -noserversend -framefile "Z:\VideoGames\Games\Daphne\framefile\%1\%1.txt"

2. Using Lord Monkus way.  This is my favorite way, you can name the directory and the framefile whatever you like. I made some changes on this one to and simplified it, this also incorporates a minimized  cmd window (it does flash on screen still so not a complete solution. 

if not DEFINED IS_MINIMIZED set IS_MINIMIZED=1 && start "" /min "%~dpnx0" %* && exit
z:\videogames\games\daphne\daphne.exe lair vldp -fullscreen -noserversend -framefile "Z:\VideoGames\Games\Daphne\framefile\dragons lair\dragons lair.txt"
exit

So in the example above I am running Dragons Lair, I still use lair as the call to daphne, however my directory and my framefile is called dragons lair.  I'm ocd about my folder structure

I then use Drewman 70's idea and create a shortcut to the bat and set it to minimize on load

Hope this helps!

 

Edited to add thanks to both Lord Monkus, Soul Chip, Drewman70, and CADScott, great tutorial

Edited January 13, 2018 by Aevans0001

[Aevans0001]

I also wanted to bring to attention that Daphne also has new games that work with it called, Singe.  These games include Mad Dog Mcree 1 and 2, Time Traveler, Time Gal, Crime Patrol 1 and 2, Ninja Hayate, Space Pirates, the last bounty hunter, and who shot johnny rock.  These setup the .bat way typically. 

[HotMommasCowboy]

MrCanuto23 or Lordmonkus, do either of you know if this would work with American Laser Games (Crime Patrol, Drug Wars, Johnny Rock, Mad Dog 1&2, etc...)?

[Lordmonkus]

I don't know because my interaction with Daphne is very limited but I can't see any reason why it wouldn't unless they removed the ability to do this in newer versions of Daphne.

[Aevans0001]

@HotMommasCowboy

Did you literally not read the message above yours? lol

"I also wanted to bring to attention that Daphne also has new games that work with it called, Singe.  These games include Mad Dog Mcree 1 and 2, Time Traveler, Time Gal, Crime Patrol 1 and 2, Ninja Hayate, Space Pirates, the last bounty hunter, and who shot johnny rock.  These setup the .bat way typically. "

 

Google Singe (Singe was the name of the dragon in Dragon's Layer)

 

 

Daphne Bat Files.zip

Daphne Framefiles.zip

[HotMommasCowboy]

@Aevans0001

I did see that, but I was thrown off because all my Singe games have .exe files that run the games versus having to create a .bat. So I was wondering if I dragged the .exe files into Launchbox if that would work. I'm about to try that now since I just finished getting all of my Daphne games setup and working properly.

On a side note, all my Daphne games are in my daphneloader.exe, but I can't remember, nor can I figure out how to get the Singe games in there also. So again, I'm hoping the .exe files will work with me dropping them into Launchbox.

[Aevans0001]

@HotMommasCowboy

 

They have .exe files now?  hmmm.  If they run straight from the exe, you will have to work some magic.

 

1.  Import the exe files, choose no options (do not download any images, do not search for metadata)

2.  Choose just any emulator doesn't matter.  Let it import

3.  After completion click on the new platform and one of the games (Single click) then hit CTRL-A to highlight all of the roms in the new platform.

4.  Right click on roms and choose edit.

5.  Choose emulator and assign to a blank emulator.

6.  Search for metadata

 

[HotMommasCowboy]

@Aevans0001

It works like a champ!! I just dragged the .exe files into Launchbox and I put them in Daphne, emulator Daphne and once it was done downloading, I turned off the emulator. I attached a screen shot of the .exe files.