Launchbox/Bigbox + MAME + ServoStik

[FingerCramp]

2 hours ago, DOS76 said:

While many people may not be using something like this to be honest though if I was to rebuild or build a new arcade these (or something with similar function) would be a must. (playing a Pac-Man with a 8 way stick just blows goats.

Yes, this is precisely where I am.  I'm putting together a cabinet and my current 8-way joysticks make playing Donkey Kong impossible.  Try going up a ladder and then immediately going left or right at the top.  If you round the corner (of the joystick) as is comfortable and common to do, Mario just freezes at the top of the ladder.  Miserable.  The Servo Stik is a an absolute requirement.

-Mike

 

[Sithel]

I can confirm making an ahk script compiled to exe works like a charm. Here again is that post:

I also have a couple pics of the config settings and you have to do this for each 4-way game. There is way more 8-way games so I have the JoyTray app set to boot up in 8-way when the pc boots. Then with the script it goes 4-way and then 8-way when exiting with the Escape key. There seems to be around 200 roms that are 4-way or 2-way so looks like you have edit each one and add the compiled exe. Here's a link I found to show 4-way mame roms, maybe outdated I dunno but it's a start. I've done all the testing with the servo outside my cabinet, but once it's all in I can update with a video. Good luck!

http://www.armchairarcade.com/neo/node/486

[FingerCramp]

This is great information, @Sithel.  Much appreciated!

[mthompson239]

@Sithel

 

How do compile to make the 4 and 8 exe?

 

[Sithel]

6 hours ago, mthompson239 said:

@Sithel

 

How do compile to make the 4 and 8 exe?

 

I don't do this anymore, I strictly use rocketlauncher and ledBlinky to handle all my servostick needs now. But you can still use additional apps within launchbox, just make sure you download ahk from https://autohotkey.com/

You will then be able to right click your desktop to create an .ahk file. Put your code in there an save it. Right click the newly created .ahk file and click "Compile Script" this will make it an .exe

I posted a example code off making it 4 way then back to 8 way on exit a couple pages back, but you can remove part off the code to do 1 or the other, just make sure your pointing to path where you installed your joytray.

Example below is 4 way:

#NoEnv  ; Recommended for performance and compatibility with future AutoHotkey releases.
; #Warn  ; Enable warnings to assist with detecting common errors.
SendMode Input  ; Recommended for new scripts due to its superior speed and reliability.
SetWorkingDir %A_ScriptDir%  ; Ensures a consistent starting directory.
#SingleInstance Force

;change drive letter and path to your installed joytray, example below:

run, G:\Program Files (x86)\JoyTray\joytray -servo joy4way

If you want 8 way, change the joy4way to joy8way.

Edited May 7, 2018 by Sithel

[mthompson239]

Much thanks.

 

 

[vaderag]

I want to re-awaken this.

New purchaser and trying to eliminate my usage of RocketLauncher within LB where possible...

Servostik is essential to me and the moment i noticed i'm missing it is a massive frustration - RocketLauncher handles it really nicely and simply, so would be great to see this, but in the meantime is there a nice way to implement this?

[Lordmonkus]

Maybe the post 2 above yours by @Sithel will provide a solution.

I can't say for certain one way or the other on whether it will work or not, I don't have a Servostik nor do I use RocketLauncher.

This should be doable though using the additional apps or maybe even the built in AHK script functionality in LB.

[Headrush69]

Just for completeness sake, setting servostik modes using LEDBlinky with Launchbox's built in support works perfectly.

It's as simple as pointing LEDBlinkly to your MAME cfg folder, a controls.ini file and a MAME.xml and most of the games are preconfigured. (You don't have to have LEDs to use LEDBlinky. LEDBlinky has a tool for adding support for other non-MAME systems. For me setting Atari 2600 games to 4-way was required, but most consoles use 8-way, most 4-ways games are in MAME, so not much configuring since those files cover most of the roms already.

[Gimpy]

I was wondering if anybody had found a way to make the Servostick stay as an 8-way even if it's returning to launchbox? my problem at the moment is that it defaults back to 4 way every time I exit a game, as I imagine it just essentially sees BigBox as a 4 way game because of the menu controls? Just for the sake of not needlessly wearing out the servos, Id much prefer to be able to make the gates stay 8 way unless it's specifically a 4 way game I am playing

[Headrush69]

2 hours ago, Gimpy said:

I was wondering if anybody had found a way to make the Servostick stay as an 8-way even if it's returning to launchbox? my problem at the moment is that it defaults back to 4 way every time I exit a game, as I imagine it just essentially sees BigBox as a 4 way game because of the menu controls? Just for the sake of not needlessly wearing out the servos, Id much prefer to be able to make the gates stay 8 way unless it's specifically a 4 way game I am playing

Curious how your controller is set for your Servostick?

Mine is connected to an iPac Ultimate and configured to send keystrokes and it's 8 way in Launchbox. Is your's cofigured as a gamepad?

 

Edit: Checking the LEDBlinky logs, I don't see anywhere where Launchbox passes any information to set the Servostick to 4-way. In LEDBlinkyControlsEditor do you have a default entry? (not for any emulator) If so, in the common section do you have an entry for 8-way?

Edited October 25, 2019 by Headrush69

[Gimpy]

Hmm, I will have to double check once I am home from work - I am almost definite I do have it set up as an 8 way control as a default, but it's possible I've accidentally changed something - I also have the Ultimate I/O, so on the exact same setup

[Gimpy]

8 hours ago, Headrush69 said:

Curious how your controller is set for your Servostick?

Mine is connected to an iPac Ultimate and configured to send keystrokes and it's 8 way in Launchbox. Is your's cofigured as a gamepad?

 

Edit: Checking the LEDBlinky logs, I don't see anywhere where Launchbox passes any information to set the Servostick to 4-way. In LEDBlinkyControlsEditor do you have a default entry? (not for any emulator) If so, in the common section do you have an entry for 8-way?

I have just checked, and I definitely have the LEDBlinky controls to default to 8-Way as far as I can tell, I genuinely can't figure out why it keeps switching back to 4 every time I exit a game

[Headrush69]

2 things:

1) if you use the Ultimarc Servostick app to set it to 8 way before starting LB, does that change anything.

2) if you enable debugging in LEDBlinkyConfig, do you see any messages about setting the Servostick mode in debug.log? If so when? 

 

[Gimpy]

ignore me, I somehow missed the FE button on the controls tool despite looking at all the options about 15 thousand times, so I was setting the non-emulator defaults, but not the actual BigBox ones - cheers for the help

Edited October 25, 2019 by Gimpy

[thefritz11]

Newbie here trying to avoid having to include a 4 way stick in my build. Is the AHK and compiling an exe the way to go with this still for Launchbox if I don't want to add rocket launcher into the equation?

Edited November 12, 2019 by thefritz11

[Headrush69]

On 11/12/2019 at 3:06 PM, thefritz11 said:

Newbie here trying to avoid having to include a 4 way stick in my build. Is the AHK and compiling an exe the way to go with this still for Launchbox if I don't want to add rocket launcher into the equation?

LedBlinky will set Servostick controls as well and LB has support built in. (You don't have to have LEDs to use LEDBlinky) 

[maxforwardspeed]

A general google search brought me to this older thread... Just got Launchbox to switch my arcade cabinet from Hyperspin, and want to consider finally resolving my frustrations with playing 4-way games with my 8-way sticks. I was thinking about replacing my player 1 8-way with this servostik (or the mag stik if it avoids the additional setup hassle). My current joysticks go to an ipac-4 keyboard encoder, so I'm wondering if anyone else has a similar setup and uses the servostik with a keyboard encoder and launchbox? Is the best way to go through setup still with the Launchbox LedBlinky controls? Thanks 

[Headrush69]

6 hours ago, maxforwardspeed said:

aA general google search brought me to this older thread... Just got Launchbox to switch my arcade cabinet from Hyperspin, and want to consider finally resolving my frustrations with playing 4-way games with my 8-way sticks. I was thinking about replacing my player 1 8-way with this servostik (or the mag stik if it avoids the additional setup hassle). My current joysticks go to an ipac-4 keyboard encoder, so I'm wondering if anyone else has a similar setup and uses the servostik with a keyboard encoder and launchbox? Is the best way to go through setup still with the Launchbox LedBlinky controls? Thanks 

I have this exact same setup and it works great. 

I used to have the Mag-Stick Plus and never cared for it. I found the manual switching wasn't practical for visitors on my machine. With either the Servo stick or the Mag-Stick, although 4-way is an improvement, these aren't as good as a true 4-way stick. Having said that I don't have any issues using the Servo-stick in 4-way mode, but more demanding "power" users might. Also, some or the Arcade cores like mame2003plus and FBNeo have some improvements to help with 4-way mode as well.

[vaderag]

9 hours ago, Headrush69 said:

I have this exact same setup and it works great. 

I used to have the Mag-Stick Plus and never cared for it. I found the manual switching wasn't practical for visitors on my machine. With either the Servo stick or the Mag-Stick, although 4-way is an improvement, these aren't as good as a true 4-way stick. Having said that I don't have any issues using the Servo-stick in 4-way mode, but more demanding "power" users might. Also, some or the Arcade cores like mame2003plus and FBNeo have some improvements to help with 4-way mode as well.

Agree with this entirely

Same setup here and I find it works well (well, worked, my motherboard died so I'm currently without a machine!)

I think the Servo stick definitely takes the concern out of which version to be using and does make a difference but to your point it's subtle compared to some 4 way sticks. 

I'm happy enough with it and I don't think there is a better more seamless solution