Troubleshooting MAME High Scores

[HomerRamone]

On 4/18/2020 at 11:19 AM, GreatStone said:

@HomerRamone I will need the exact mame version, if you use the embedded hiscore.dat, and the list of the games rom name (like 'ccastles').

Mame version is 0.220 (2020-04-06)

I ran hi2txt.exe -rd from a command line in my mame folder and this is what it output (Ive trimmed the pathnames though they look correct)
 

Quote

TRACE: working directory: Mame
TRACE: hiscore.dat: Mame\plugins\hiscore\hiscore.dat
TRACE: game high score: Mame\ccastles
TRACE: game detected: ccastles
TRACE: potential file containing hiscore: Mame\nvram\ccastles\nvram_4a
TRACE: potential file containing hiscore: Mame\nvram\ccastles\nvram_4b
TRACE: reading a description from file:LaunchBox\ThirdParty\hi2txt\hi2txt.zip, entry ccastles.xml
TRACE: reading dtd from file: LaunchBox\ThirdParty\hi2txt\hi2txt.zip, entry hi2txt.dtd
TRACE: format defined: +1
TRACE: format defined: *100
TRACE: format defined: *10000
TRACE: format defined: score
TRACE: format defined: name
TRACE: format auto: hexadecimal_string
TRACE: charset defined: ccastles
TRACE: charset defined: CS_NUMBER
ERROR: unable to find a structure from the xml definition that matches size and hiscore.dat definition' for game 'ccastles'

 

Edited April 19, 2020 by HomerRamone

[GreatStone]

@HomerRamone As you can see in the log file, hi2txt is detecting only nvram files (nvram_4a, nvram_4b). But for this game, the hiscores are stored in the .hi file created with the help of hiscore.dat file description.

As there is no .hi file detected, no score to extract.

When I am playing with my own configuration, a .hi file is created from where I can extract all 250 scores: .\hi2txt.bat -r ..\mame\0.219\prog\hi\ccastles.hi

It is working for me with mame 0.219, I will have a look into mame 0.220.

Keep me informed 

 

 

[GreatStone]

[FIXED] Zeroteam: too much data was taken to decode the scores. I have attached a new fixed zeroteam.xml file to put into hi2txt.zip.

zeroteam.xml

[GreatStone]

[FIXED] "Space Invaders" games family is fixed: some need the score to be *100, other *10, other *1. A nightmare to check all 31 clones

spceking.xml spacerng.xml spaceattbp.xml spaceatt2k.xml spaceatt.xml spaceat2.xml sitv1.xml sitv.xml sisv3.xml sisv2.xml sisv1.xml sinvzen.xml invasionrza.xml invasionrz.xml invasionb.xml invasiona2.xml invasiona.xml invasion.xml invadrmr.xml invadersem.xml invaders.xml swipeout.xml spcewarla.xml spacewr3.xml spcewars.xml alieninv.xml searthie.xml searthina.xml sicv.xml sicv1.xml sinvemag.xml spacecom.xml supinvsion.xml ultrainv.xml sisv.xml searthin.xml cosmicin.xml galmonst.xml invader4.xml superinv.xml

[Shad8]

@GreatStone@Jason Carr

Do we have a section for games requests?

Sorry for the OT

[GreatStone]

@Shad8 Not yet. I have just created a new sheet ("Requests") in the Google Sheets document, already recording issues.

[ItchyRobot]

17 minutes ago, GreatStone said:

@Shad8 Not yet. I have just created a new sheet ("Requests") in the Google Sheets document, already recording issues.

Thanks!

This is awesome... thanks Jason and GreatStone ?

Edited April 19, 2020 by ItchyRobot

[HomerRamone]

On 4/19/2020 at 5:18 PM, GreatStone said:

@HomerRamone As you can see in the log file, hi2txt is detecting only nvram files (nvram_4a, nvram_4b). But for this game, the hiscores are stored in the .hi file created with the help of hiscore.dat file description.

Keep me informed 

 

 

Tried it on 219 and it seemed to work. Then tried a different version of 222 and that was writing the hiscores.. but then it wasnt. something odd going on there. Think I might try installing the mame source and seeing why it doesnt always write the scores

 

[Jason Carr]

Hi all, I just put out 10.14-beta-1, which adds some anti-cheat methods for changing dip switches, and a few other minor fixes:

If you can, please update to 10.14-beta-1 and let me know if you run into any issues. The plan is to give this a good test in the betas, and then we'll put out 10.14.

[Jason Carr]

10.14-beta-2 is out now as well:

The plan is to hopefully put out the official 10.14 release tomorrow, assuming we don't find any new issues. After the 10.14 release comes out, the 10.12 and 10.13 versions will no longer be able to upload high scores, just to make sure no one stays on those versions in order to try and cheat.

I would really appreciate if everyone here could test out beta 2, and let me know if you run into any issues, so that we don't run into anything major upon release tomorrow.

[Jason Carr]

Also, please vote here on whether or not we should reset high scores after the 10.14 release:

 

[xevious1974]

On 4/18/2020 at 8:04 PM, Jason Carr said:

Quick question for everyone here, does anyone use the MAME game .cfg files for anything important or legitimate, other than changing jumper settings? Or does anyone use those files for important things like setting up controls? That's my biggest concern with deleting them in order to prevent cheating.

I dont know what is mame cfg for

But I can answer that I config controls very often. I have set mouse and related sensivity, wheel, and joystick.

With Killer instinct or SF2 I use different set, like I was playing 30 years ago about, for example. I have 8 button ( from 0 to 7) and to play SF2 I use 1.2.3.5.6.7)

Or I have set 8 and 9 coin and start. And so on for other games

I hope it is usefull answer

[Jason Carr]

2 minutes ago, xevious1974 said:

I dont know what is mame cfg for

But I can answer that I config controls very often. I have set mouse and related sensivity, wheel, and joystick.

With Killer instinct or SF2 I use different set, like I was playing 30 years ago about, for example. I have 8 button ( from 0 to 7) and to play SF2 I use 1.2.3.5.6.7)

Or I have set 8 and 9 coin and start. And so on for other games

I hope it is usefull answer

If you would, please test 10.14-beta-2 to make sure everything is still working properly for you. It should be, but would be good to know if you run into any issues.

[xevious1974]

On 4/18/2020 at 9:08 PM, neil9000 said:

People play for the fun of playing, if you are only playing for the hi scores i'd look into another hobby as games arent for you.

If you are speaking of the last 20 years I agree with you.

But if we are talking about mame games...coin-op from golden age... No, sorry, maybe you are not from that age.

Games were built around highscore.

When a new coin-op arrived on the market, kids like me studied it to discover the way to do more points. Dozens of magazines were publishing tricks to achieve more points. There were world leaderboard (AIVA in Italy for example).

otherwise tell me why:
in Bombjack you have to collect bombs in order?
in Flicky you have to save all the birds in one time?

in Ghost'n'Goblins you have to know where to jump to come out 10k bonus items?

In Wardner you take ways without exit and then come back?

in Bubble Bobble you should avoid taking umbrella?

in Phoenix you have to hit central perfect part of the birds?

in Popeye you have to collect heart in the high part of the screen?
These are only examples, to say the games were built as tests of skill and knowledge and the only way to measure skill were through scoring. Today we collect the trophies, but it is a different way from the high score.
So, if I play Horizon Zero Dawn ( I love it), I play having fun.

If I play Nibbler, I play for a better high score (and I have fun doing it, eheheh). Look at wr...53 hours to achieve an historical score. In that I hope there will be no more reset...some scores are not so easy to obtain. Maybe we have to study better to not make another reset later.

[neil9000]

2 hours ago, xevious1974 said:

No, sorry, maybe you are not from that age.

If you username is correct, then we are actually of similar age (i was born in 77).

I agree with you that high scores were a big part of the arcade experience, i spent a small fortune in my local arcade as a kid so i am very aware. However the post you just quoted from me was a reply to another user who said "if people are gonna cheat no point in playing", that is what i disagree with. For me high scores were certainly part of the appeal, but not all of it. That statement by the other user basically says if there are no high scores there is no point playing the games, that i 100% disagree with, i would of still played the arcade games i liked back in my local arcade as a kid if they had high scores or not.

[xevious1974]

@Jason Carr

I have found others 2 different situation with high score.

1) I enter an highscore and then it is saved in a different way: G-Darius Ver.2 - New Zero Team and Alpine Ski (I do 1000 points but it is saved in leaderboard like 700k)

2) In some games you can continue inserting coins and the score is not resetted. In the Hunt (I have finished it) and Metal Slug X Super Vehicle -001

I hope it can help

Edited April 22, 2020 by xevious1974

[xevious1974]

6 minutes ago, neil9000 said:

If you username is correct, then we are actually of similar age (i was born in 77).

I agree with you that high scores were a big part of the arcade experience, i spent a small fortune in my local arcade as a kid so i am very aware. However the post you just quoted from me was a reply to another user who said "if people are gonna cheat no point in playing", that is what i disagree with. For me high scores were certainly part of the appeal, but not all of it. That statement by the other user basically says if there are no high scores there is no point playing the games, that i 100% disagree with, i would of still played the arcade games i liked back in my local arcade as a kid if they had high scores or not.

Yeah, in this way I totally agree with you.

I am sorry, I didnt want to be unpleasent or rude. My english is simple so I use simple expression.

[GoGoGuy]

21 minutes ago, xevious1974 said:

@Jason Carr

I have found others 2 different situation with high score.

1) I enter an highscore and then it is saved in a different way: G-Darius Ver.2 - New Zero Team and Alpine Ski (I do 1000 points but it is saved in leaderboard like 700k)

2) In some games you can continue inserting coins and the score is not resetted. In the Hunt (I have finished it) and Metal Slug X Super Vehicle -001

I hope it can help

In the case of games like In The Hunt and Metal Slug, when an extra credit is used it adds a digit to the score. So all that has to be done is only allow scores that end in a zero.

[xevious1974]

9 minutes ago, GoGoGuy said:

In the case of games like In The Hunt and Metal Slug, when an extra credit is used it adds a digit to the score. So all that has to be done is only allow scores that end in a zero.

Some game's score end with a number different from zero.

Atomic Point or Avalanche for example

[GoGoGuy]

3 minutes ago, xevious1974 said:

Some game's score end with a number different from zero.

Atomic Point or Avalanche for example

Yeah, it would have to be on a game per game basis. Is that possible?