321 replies to this topic

[JSpradlin]

I'm using virtualDMD (PC monitor). I have the the 1.5.2 version of the dmdext DmdDevice.dll from freezy (github). I guess what I'm not understanding is if the pal files in altcolor are all custom, all in the right place, and the external DMD is definitely running, why am I still seeing standard orange on the external DMD?   

Edited by JSpradlin, 02 April 2017 - 09:05 PM.

[Thalamus]

VirtualDMD is controlled by the dmddevice.ini. From what I understand you have set - use external dmd ( ticked ) and you have also ticked ( colorize) but still get orange ? Do you find a dmddevice.log file in VPinmame folder ? That might give you a clue.

 

...

[1] 2017/03/06 18:19:37.258  INFO | Loading palette file at C:\Visual_Pinball\VPinMAME\altcolor\mtl_170hc\***2***.pal

...

 

Your path looks something like this ? first 3 stars are pin - last 3 are dmd ( rules on this forum prevent me from writing that )

[JSpradlin]

@Thalamus After testing a bit more (and actually realizing how to utilize the log files) I found that I had a typo/error in my INI. I fixed it and now it seems that both my positioning and my color are working. The only problem I still need to fix is the focus when running Future DMD. Who knows I may end up ditching always on Future DMD eventually. I never could get it to display high scores like it is supposed to.

 

I guess my only other question as it relates to the colors and the external DMD is how were the 140+ palette files created. When freezy started this topic, he indicated that outside of the Stern tables there really weren't that many color DMD's because of the frame by frame nature of the process. I, for instance, tested the Doctor Who DMD to find out that the colors were working, but they still seemed like very basic changes from the default (such as a little yellow or blue highlighting on flashing items). Does that mean someone went through frame by frame to add these or is there a way to change just the 4 colors to a different shade easily? From what you said earlier if I wanted to change to say a basically blue shade, would I just leave the altcolor folder for the rom blank and just change the 4 VPM colors for that specific rom?   

Edited by JSpradlin, 02 April 2017 - 09:38 PM.

[Thalamus]

Glad you got it working and yes, you have understood everything. There are several reason for dmddevice.dll to exist - not, only via dmdext does it provide "hacks" to use your dmd for other games. But, one of the other benefits is that since its a dll ( dynamic link library ) it is completely un-related to what the main developers are doing. Makes life a bit easier for them is important, because it benefits us all.

 

Yes, the big change is when you have a patched rom and its matching palette file. Normal - non Stern ones are 4 "shaded" orange. And that will never change. Some people have made available these palettes so you have an alternative. If you don't like it - rename the folder or delete the palette and your back to normal ( well, registry might hold some info still ).

 

So, I guess. If you don't have patched roms, or don't like the way those palettes are colored your back to normal.

 

Personally, I like a few of those provided ones, but, often revert to choosing my own color. Eg. blue and shades there of.

 

Edit : To your question about editing. No, the only edited stuff are if the roms themeselves have been, frame by frame colorized. I guess you can say, the 4 color roms can't be edited. Well, they can - but, only by saying that the default orange #1 is now blue. #2 color is now read. etc. Nothing more than that. That info is in the palette files instead of the registry. One advantage. What if you reinstall your cab and forget a copy of your colors that you have set in registry ? Palette files is the answer.

Edited by Thalamus, 02 April 2017 - 10:18 PM.

[JSpradlin]

So If I have a palette file for a 4 color rom and I want each color (#1, #2, #3, and #4) to be a different shade of for example blue (as opposed to say standard orange) is there an easy way to create/edit the palette file? I have the program that lets you update palette files. Is that what I would use? And can I simply set color 1, 2, 3 and 4 in that program and just save the palette file?  

[Thalamus]

I don't have the details on the format for those files. Lucky1 over at the other site can probably tell you more. I guess a hex editor will tell you though.

Edited by Thalamus, 02 April 2017 - 11:34 PM.

[JSpradlin]

Cool. Thanks for the help.

[sliderpoint]

So If I have a palette file for a 4 color rom and I want each color (#1, #2, #3, and #4) to be a different shade of for example blue (as opposed to say standard orange) is there an easy way to create/edit the palette file? I have the program that lets you update palette files. Is that what I would use? And can I simply set color 1, 2, 3 and 4 in that program and just save the palette file?  

 

I think you might be trying to make that functionality more difficult than you need.  Just open the game options for the rom and change the color.

 

You can right click the DMD and select "game settings" or just press F1 while a game is running.  If you have any kind of recent version of vpinmame.dll you should see the color at the bottom that you can change.  If you check the box for "colorize (4 colors)"  it will allow you to set each % to a different color, but if you don't check the box for Colorize, you can change the main color and it will all be shades of that one color.   No extra features needed.

 

-Mike

[JSpradlin]

@sliderpoint Yeah I get that the color can be changed that way. What I wasn't sure about was if there was an "easy" way to get a similar result editing the palette files. The advantage I think would be the ability to both back up the palette files in case something happened (if the colors were set in the rom and the registry went it would be more of a hassle) and the ability to easily copy the desired palette files to other tables without having to go through specific roms one by one in VPM. It was just a thought. If the process is too convoluted for a 4 shade/color rom then it may not be worth it. I thought that since there were already quite a few palette files created for such tables that the process might not be that hard. 

[freezy]

So just to clarify, Is it possible to add 16 colors to non-SAM games?  So, with the proper manual editing, it would be possible to make STTNG look similar to ColorDMD?  If so, what editor and process would you use to do this?  I'm sure this is probably a tedious process, but I might be curious to give this a go.

 

It depends. Static animations (with no dynamic elements) can be replaced with 16-color animations. When there are dynamic elements, it's possible to "enhance" the color depth by 2 bits, making it 16 colors as well. So yes, you should be able to do the same kind of coloring than ColorDMD does. The editor is as described in the first post pin-2-dmd editor by Steve. You'll find much more help on the other forum about this, since afaik both authors are banned here. 

 

@JSpradlin: I think the palette files you've downloaded were created with the editor mentioned above, so have a try if you want to play around or create palettes for other games.

[xantari]

Is there a good list of colorized roms somewhere?

[Thalamus]

Not a list - but, own section in the forum @ the other site.

[intakan]

Try disable at91jit in registry for that rom ... might be it

 

\\hkcu\software\freeware\mtl_170c\at91jit - set it to 0

Solved my chrashing problem!!! THANK YOU!

[JSpradlin]

I appreciate the help from everyone. I basically have this thing working. The only problem I have left is the focus problem with Future DMD. I believe I mentioned it earlier, but I have Future DMD launching at the start of PinballX. It runs on my 3rd screen and works great. Up to this point when I launch a VP table, the VPM DMD is simply placed on top of my Future DMD, and when I exit it is closed with the Future DMD once again becoming visible. However, when I use the external DMD option, the DMD is not placed above the Future DMD. It is not visible unless Future DMD is closed. I get around this by using a launch before script to close Future DMD and a launch after script to reopen it when running VP tables.

 

My biggest issue with this method is when closing the VP table and returning to the PinballX menu it adds time in which everything is just black making it appear like the program is crashing. The old way was basically instantaneous when exiting a table. The new way takes like 10 seconds which doesn't sound long but in practice makes the whole operation ugly. Can this be fixed in the call to the external DMD?  

[freezy]

Yeah, there's an issue about that.

[JSpradlin]

Thanks freezy. Didn't see that.

[ttdax]

Is there a good list of colorized roms somewhere?

 

I have posted a list of my rom colors previously if this is what you are looking for. See the following link.

 

http://www.vpforums....attach_id=23100

 

The list is pretty straight forward. Red, green, blue, repeat for each color (BCD first color, EFG second color, etc)

 

Regards, 

 

TTDax

Edited by ttdax, 05 April 2017 - 10:26 PM.

[worrick69]

Is there a step by step somewhere for patching rom? I have altcolor folder working with .pal and have purchased pinball browser but I can not figure this out, Im going in circles lost. Tried to figure the bspatch _c color rom and again nothing? Need a step by step for idiot in pinball browser with _c Rom t. Thanks

Edited by worrick69, 07 April 2017 - 10:40 PM.

[Reaper802]

I would also love to see a YouTube video showing step by step directions for this with all the required download links in the description.

[CaptFlam]

bspatch is not for use with pinballbrowser it has to be used with the bspatch utility which is also in the download section of the other forum.

Edited by CaptFlam, 08 April 2017 - 06:27 AM.