Singe 2 (New Emulator) & Launchbox Possible?

[MAl3Ad3yy]

Hi All,

Everything has been working great with Launchbox so far. What a great program! I had a question. I was looking to add the Daphne set and came across a new Emu called "Singe 2.0" in my research.

 Singe 2.0 Features:

- any resolution/format for games (Daphne/singe was limited to m2v and was experimental at 1080p)

- adaptable overlay (Daphne Singe was limited)

- No maximum length limitation (was 65536 frames)

- Better controls (all buttons of the pad usable)

- Many more... 

**For history, Singe 2 is the successor of Singe, a dll for Daphne allowing to adapt/create laserdisc games. Singe 2 is no longer dependent of Daphne. It is a standalone program (for Windows 32/64, Mac, Linux) and many games are already available

Has anyone tried using this with Launchbox yet? I haven't found any references in the forums or online as it appears "Singe 2.0" is fairly new (October 2020). Would be great if anyone had some input or advice on this being a good alternative to Daphne (I think it emulates more games?).

 

Links:
https://skunkworks.kangaroopunch.com/skunkworks/singe
https://kangaroopunch.com/?page=Software%2F3000-2006-singe.xjs&fbclid=IwAR2eZxtVnzNR7bZWKozmVLAb6NDcVN3bpKAIDicZbavUl72N35nGW9i_00I

[Lordmonkus]

I have no way of testing this but looking at the install.txt file for instructions it should work:

Usage:  Singe-v2.00-Windows-x86_64.exe [OPTIONS] scriptName{.singe}

 -a, --aspect=N:D               force aspect ratio
 -c, --showcalculated           show calculated framefile values for debugging
 -d, --datadir=PATHNAME         alternate location for written files
 -e, --volume_nonvldp=PERCENT   specify sound effects volume in percent
 -f, --fullscreen               run in full screen mode
 -h, --help                     this display
 -k, --nologos                  kill the splash screens
 -l, --volume_vldp=PERCENT      specify laserdisc volume in percent
 -m, --nomouse                  disable mouse
 -n, --nocrosshair              request game not display gun crosshairs
 -s, --nosound, --mutesound     mutes all sound
 -t, --trace                    trace script execution to screen and file
 -u, --stretch                  use ugly stretched video
 -v, --framefile=FILENAME       use an alternate video file
 -w, --fullscreen_window        run in windowed full screen mode
 -x, --xresolution=VALUE        specify horizontal resolution
 -y, --yresolution=VALUE        specify vertical resolution
 -z, --noconsole 

My guess based on this is the .singe file gets imported into Launchbox and you pick which command line parameters you want to use. From there it's just some experimenting as to which check boxes in the edit emulator window needs to be checked or unchecked.

[Headrush69]

The problem is that it also needs a framefile or video file passed using the -v option as well.

There are several solutions like using bat scripts similar to those in Daphne.

Since there are so few games running with this, I just added them as direct applications not using the LB emulation option.  Just enter a custom application command line parameters for each and point each to the Singe2 binary.

Example of my custom command line parameters for Crime Patrol

Quote

-k -w -z -v .\Crime_Patrol_Singe_2\Video\Crime_Patrol.mp4 .\Crime_Patrol_Singe_2\Script\crimepatrol.singe

 

[Lordmonkus]

Ah ok well like I said, I have no way of testing this. I don't so Daphne and I have none of the games or anything at all to even begin to setup Singe. I was just going off of the documentation text file from the site and in what I have pasted from it there is no mention of a need to supply an mp4 file along with the singe file. Reading what I pasted it only says the -v mp4 file is for alternate video files.

What exactly is a .singe file ? Just some plain text file with information or is there more to it ?

[Headrush69]

I assumed the same from the documentation when I first tried setting it up.

It needs to be passed an attract mode video, and the script for the game. The .singe script includes game implementation for this like hitboxes, score display and other user interactions. 

 

Edited January 3, 2021 by Headrush69
Clarified information

[Lordmonkus]

That's unfortunate that the documentation is sort of misleading in that regard.

[Wally]

Please post if you make it running inside Launchbox

I guess it is an ActionMax emulator...not the same with Daphne, right?

[Headrush69]

5 hours ago, zugswang said:

Works fine just setting up the bat file and playing games directly from the menu as intended.

I don’t think most people want to use a front end (LB) to pick a game and than use an in game menu to pick the same game again.

As mentioned you can use a BAT file for each game to launch and bypass the menu, or create a BAT file that parses the game from LB and starts the right game. (Just like all the Daphne scripts on this forum)

i just call the Singe2 executable directly from LB, passing the parameters for each game. Works perfect and straight into game, not the in game menu. Essentially it’s the same as using a BAT file just hard coded.

13 hours ago, Lordmonkus said:

That's unfortunate that the documentation is sort of misleading in that regard.

yes, technically it is a video, an attract video for each game, but it should state that it is a required option.

Edited January 3, 2021 by Headrush69
Added info about required option.

[Headrush69]

4 hours ago, Wally said:

I guess it is an ActionMax emulator...not the same with Daphne, right?

No. It was originally an addition to Daphne to add American Laser Games and Action Max games.

I only play the American Laser Games, and from an end user view, I don’t see a difference between the original Singe and Singe2. This isn’t to say that there aren’t improvements for other people’s systems, with different hardware.

There is also some third-party games, and the ability for people to create new games, and Singe2 has improvements to   Increase their size.

[Headrush69]

2 minutes ago, zugswang said:

Have you used it ?

Yes.

3 minutes ago, zugswang said:

Each game has it's own screen with boxart that will not show if you run it through a bat file (when I tested anyway), so in my opinion it's better loading to the setup, rather than each game.

What are your command line arguments in your BAT file?

It’s the -v option that makes it boot directly into the game, not just using a BAT file.

 

[Wally]

In case someone finds it useful, an example bat:

@start Singe-v2.00-Windows-x86_64.exe -k -w -d data -v daitarn_3_singe_2\video\daitarn_singe_2.mp4 daitarn_3_singe_2\Script\daitarn_singe_2.singe

I am puzzles about the games. I came to the conclusion that most of them are fan created games.

Are there commercial games that do not run with Daphne so the emulator here is useful?

My 360 wired controller does not respond although the help screen shows the xbox controller mappings

[Headrush69]

3 hours ago, zugswang said:

When someone asks a question in a forum, I like to see alternative ideas, rather than someone who thinks there is only one way of doing everything.

I will now leave this conversation to the experts while I play my fully setup Daphne 2.0 !! ?

I'm not sure where that came from, as all I implied was most people probably don't want a frontend to call another frontend. Just an opinion.

Pretty sure I mentioned 3 options: BAT file for each game, a single BAT to start all, or directly calling each from LB.

4 hours ago, Headrush69 said:

As mentioned you can use a BAT file for each game to launch and bypass the menu, or create a BAT file that parses the game from LB and starts the right game. (Just like all the Daphne scripts on this forum)

i just call the Singe2 executable directly from LB, passing the parameters for each game. Works perfect and straight into game, not the in game menu. Essentially it’s the same as using a BAT file just hard coded.

P.S. I have a fully working Singe2 setup too, but I'm patiently waiting for my Sinden light guns! ?

2 hours ago, Wally said:

I am puzzles about the games. I came to the conclusion that most of them are fan created games.

Are there commercial games that do not run with Daphne so the emulator here is useful?

My 360 wired controller does not respond although the help screen shows the xbox controller mappings

No it plays commercial games as well. (American Laser Games for example)

I assume when you say commercial games with Daphne, you are referring to Daphne with the old Singe1. Singe handled those newer games, but used Daphne as the media playing backend.

Sorry, don't know about the XBox controller as I use my cabinet controls. I'll try with my wireless XBOX controllers and see if I can find anything out. 

Edit: Didn't work out of the box with my wireless XBOX 360 controller either. If all else fails a remapper  would likely solve the issue. See below, no remapper like Joy2Key needed in many cases.

Edit 2: Got it working. If you look in the Singe directory there is a controls.cfg.example file. I renamed that as controls.cfg and than edited that file. You'll see in the file it references GAMEPAD_0, in my case it was actually needs to be GAMEPAD_2. Your system will likely be different. You could also just as entries to cover several joysticks. Just add GAMEPAD_1, GAMEPAD_2, GAMEPAD_3 etc. Just copy what is there for gamepads and added new joystick indexes.

Edit 3: For Sinden users, there is a -g option for adding a border not listed on the Singe2 web page. Full information here: Singe2 + Sinden

Edited January 3, 2021 by Headrush69

[Hummer28]

On 1/3/2021 at 1:55 PM, Headrush69 said:

i just call the Singe2 executable directly from LB, passing the parameters for each game. Works perfect and straight into game, not the in game menu. Essentially it’s the same as using a BAT file just hard coded.

Do you have an example? Would be great

[Headrush69]

4 hours ago, Hummer28 said:

Do you have an example? Would be great

Sure. This is the Application Command-Line Parameters for Mad Dog McCree 2

Quote

-k -w -z -v .\Maddog_McCree_2_The_lost_gold_Singe_2\Video\maddog2.mp4 .\Maddog_McCree_2_The_lost_gold_Singe_2\Script\maddog2.singe

Remember you set the application as the Singe2 executable and emulation is turned OFF. (in LB)

Edited January 28, 2021 by Headrush69

[Hummer28]

8 hours ago, Headrush69 said:

Remember you set the application as the Singe2 executable and emulation is turned OFF. (in LB)

Ah right. Thanks! Then I almost had it. Had the parameters set at game level but couldnt get the emulator to start without the initial rom parameter.

How do I assign other keys for exit in this case? Normally you can define that at emulator level

[vgbox]

I'm trying to make LB call the singe2 games (not the singe2 frontend).

I put each game folder in singe2 folder.

I started with Maddog Mcree for test and created a .bat file with the command: 

...\Emulators\Singe2\Singe-v2.00-Windows-x86_64.exe -k -w -z -d -n data -v Maddog McCree\Video\maddog.mp4 Maddog McCree\Script\maddog.singe

put it in singe2 folder:

Pressed the singe2 Singe-v2.00-Windows-x86_64 exe,

Imported the MaddogMcree .bat file to LB with the following platform settings:

When i try to load the game from LB i get this window:What to do next?

Edited January 29, 2021 by vgbox

[Headrush69]

2 hours ago, Hummer28 said:

Ah right. Thanks! Then I almost had it. Had the parameters set at game level but couldnt get the emulator to start without the initial rom parameter.

How do I assign other keys for exit in this case? Normally you can define that at emulator level

Somewhere in the Singe2 directory you should have a controls.cfg.example file. Edit that file and rename it controls.cfg and place it in the same folder as the executable. (It's really easy to edit, you'll see when you open it)

[Headrush69]

46 minutes ago, vgbox said:

I started with Maddog Mcree for test and created a .bat file with the command: 

We are NOT using using the emulation option of LB here.

We are setting the singe2.exe as a direct application to launch and suppling different command line options for each game, to start that game directly without the singe2 menu.

If you want to use the emulation option, you would call your BAT file instead of the singe2 application. In your BAT file you would parse the game name and than have it call the singe2 executable passing the right parameters.

[vgbox]

9 minutes ago, Headrush69 said:

Somewhere in the Singe2 directory you should have a controls.cfg.example file. Edit that file and rename it controls.cfg and place it in the same folder as the executable. (It's really easy to edit, you'll see when you open it)

Did as you said. The problem remains.

[Headrush69]

26 minutes ago, vgbox said:

Did as you said. The problem remains.

It's in the same folder as the executable?

Are you trying to remap QUIT to a different keystroke or a controller?

Edit: Sorry, quoted wrong person.

Edited January 29, 2021 by Headrush69