Version numbers relate to the documentation drivers (marked as MAGE) 0.15 Drivers added to MAME 0.85u1 As a result of recent developments with the core, MAGE will now be distributed as two compressed programs (no DLL) This is because of a source rewrite, which should enable porting to other formats, such as Mac OS and Unix (Please email El Condor if you wish to assist with this, as all current developers use Windows). MPU4 has been reintroduced, after advice to the effect that the MPU4 has been declared 'dead' by the original manufacturer, and that no actual boards have been produced for a considerable time. However, care will still be taken to avoid damaging any remaining industries using second-hand units. MAGE is proud to announce a major breakthrough - The BFM 'Adder' video board is now working with near-perfect CPU synchronisation. This video hardware was used for a number of games, but again, many are being sold/developed by BFM satellite operations - discussions are taking place with contacts to determine future availability (Don't hold your breath). Re-Animator has made many further changes: drivers: - bfm_dm01.c, small cleanup, this driver is not used anyway, it will probaly move to video hardware once I get it to work - bfm_sc1.c, - the watchdog timer is now emulated, so if the 'backdoor' is close the machine will reset instead of crashing - the roms are now decoded in the emulator, so you have to use different roms (the same as on a real machine) (This affects nearly all BFM games, see www.poundrun.org for details) - bfm_sc2.c, - updated multiplexed inputs - added watchdog timer emulation, same as in bfm_sc1.c - adder hopper simulation (needed for future belgian games) - added some logging for electro mechanical meters - updated NEC sound chip interface code, uPD7759 now works including bank switching !! - emulated coin lockouts - emulated pay slides - the roms are now decoded in the emulator, so you have to use different roms (the same as on a real machine) - added communication with 'adder2' video board new game: bfmqnt BFM quintoon is now working !! (Not two versions after all, the stake is changed via a DIP switch. However, we only have version 3 ROMS, can someone confirm if 'Question of Sport' samples were used in this game, or is it another Scorpion/Adder title?) - bfm_sc4.c, - small update started with SIM07 emulation - starspnr.c - new driver for ACE starspinner doesn't work. I don't have a lot of experience with Z80 maybe someone else can take this over. I tried to decode the GFX roms, but it looks like the the gfx hardware is NOT character based. because the charset changes from resolution(format) at a weird address. So the video hardware is probaly pixel based. machine: - mmtr.c - 'int Mechmtr_update(int id, long cycles, int state)' now returns 1 if a the meter ticked vidhrdw: - bfm_adder2.c , BFM adder2 video board emulation Recoded all the drivers to use the new input system - should be fun in future, as all the INI files are now XML. Incidentally, this means that any existing .cfg files should be deleted. This has tightened up the inputs in Tehkan hardware games (pontoon, lvpoker). New Games supported or promoted from GAME_NOT_WORKING status: ------------------------------------------------------------- bfmqntn BFM Quintoon (Re-Animator) New Non-Working games / clones supported: ---------------------------------------- starspnr ACE Starspinner (Re-Animator) Games removed: -------------- stablkjk Status Blackjack (Current driver is totally incompatible with new core, needs a total rewrite) 0.14 Continued to build Barquest driver, based on new information and a known good dump. The SAA1099 problem was traced to an incorrect bus connection, which will be solved once emulation is more complete. Also, renamed vidhrdw/pontoon.c to vidhrdw/lvpoker.c , and cleaned up lvpoker driver to include more options and better input arrangements. Moved distribution to Sourceforge. 0.13u2 Barquest hardware test driver (Dox) - at the moment all it does is dump the video ram (Every time sound is added, it crashes - there must be something odd about SAA1099) Added Royal Casino (Curt Coder, input cleanups by El Condor) 0.13u1 MPU4 deleted on legal advice 0.13 Some new features added this time round, namely that all of Re-Animator's drivers have been updated in some form or another. bfm_sc1.c - fixed compiler warnings - merged separate read and write memorymaps to one single memorymap bfm_sc2.c - merged separate read and write memorymaps to one single memorymap other Scorpion work too bfm_sys85.c - merged separate read and write memorymaps to one single memorymap mpu4.c - update comment on memory map - added PSG AY8910 interface - added PTM6840 interface (PTM6840 emulation is not finished) - connected the emulated alpha display control lines to the display emulation. The display is now working !! - started with LAMP and LED multiplexers this can only work if the timer interrupts are working which needs the PTM6840 emulation !! - gamecard pia now uses the alternate mapping (probably wrong, but otherwise the software locks up waiting for the unemulated OKI soundchip - added 50Hz signal. machine: added a new module ptm6840, for emulating the motorola MC6840 PTM this does not work yet, This module is very important for MPU4 emulation !!! ptm6840.c ptm6840.h The main DLL is now compressed with UPX , to reduce footprints, if there are any load problems, let us know. 0.12u3 Another mini overhaul, updated to MAME Plus! 0.81u9, and fixed the graphics scaling features. 0.12u2 Experimental dev-sync release, everything in a state of flux. 0.12u1 As I sorted through yet another breakage due to a core change, I realised that there was an easier way of doing this. BUT has assisted me greatly in an overhaul of MAME Plus! and MAGE to automate everything. As a consequence, everything is now built automatically depending on the target definition. Config.def now contains all the extras. 0.12 Switched to the MAME Plus compilation system, described in the html page provided. Note that warnings are to be expected, and do not constitute a problem - MAME code is not actually designed to be studied at the level of pedantry I use. Lovely Cards has been removed - it is not a gambling game (If you still want it, it's in MAME), its gambling equivalent Lovely Poker is still present as the new parent. Basically this has been a housekeeping release, with all the new MAME code (including CD support) added. New features have been added 0.11 Everything up to date, core at version 0.80u1, new MAME Plus code in place. You may have noticed a slight change in distribution, namely that every part of the main MAGE code is in one dll, with the different builds available as two interfaces. This is designed to reduce the amount of time needed to build a new distribution, and also to reduce the amount of bandwidth and disk space needed for either version - you can run both versions in the same directory, from the same dll. The UI code is now a modified MAME Plus core, with the graphical touches added back in - and some new ones too - everything is made that little bit more bulletproof. Meanwhile, the preliminary drivers are still being constructed, with MPU4 now part of the selection (not working). 0.10u2 (It should be pointed out that the statement below regarding MAME32FX is incorrect, the core was available if modified - in the end, it was decided to use an alternative. The misunderstanding was down to a mistranslation, and I apologise for any intimations about the legality of MAME32FX, implied or otherwise.) Deleted new core, as apparently it can't be used by other projects (couldn't see that anywhere on the site though) However, I can use the old core, which is almost as good, but doesnt use the fancy graphical features. As a way of saying sorry, now the build contains the new coinmaster driver too, though like I say, it doesn't work properly. 0.10u1 Now things get interesting... MAGE now starts to move away from the normal MAME core. The internal user interface is the more advanced FX version (with VFD coloured text), the core is now at MAME .80, and there's more... Thanks to Re-Animator, a preliminary simulation system is now included, for lamps, displays and reels. No games work fully with it yet, but eventually BFM support will be added (I've tried to add MPU4 to the same system, but it still needs lots of testing). Working drivers now have their memory maps merged, non working drivers remain in the old manner. Also, pontoon.c games (pontoon,lvcards,lvpoker) have been reanalysed, it appears that lvcards may not be a gambling game - this will be checked in due course. NOTE to porters - all drivers with bfm in their filenames, the new machines and coinmstr.c and mpu4.c are part of the new system, all of them are considered unstable, and are included here solely for the benefit of the developers. 0.10 After a series of pre-releases, this should be considered the first stable version. After double checking the license. the build can be named without the MAME version number, so this has been adopted. A full audit of every file was completed, and now SHA1 values are computed for all games, not just those from the non-updated drivers. ROM sizes and names were also altered to match their logical equivalents, it is recommended that you check your files against the DAT issued prior to this release. The frequencies of the Z80 processors in the IGS games have been amended to closer match their apparent original values (The games ran on 1989 Konami boards, through the 'audio' CPU). Pontoon now has a more realistic hopper setting, and will now pay out semi-automatically. The MAGE code now uses the entirety of the MAME 0.79u4 library, with the timer improvements that that implies. The team are currently having troubles with Playmark Roulette, it is believed that either the dump, or the hardware information is incorrect - we would be pleased if anyone possessing the board contacts us with more information. 0.7902 Fixed minor Lucky Poker ROM loading bug, still doesn't display correct tiles though, so the most likely culprit has been flagged. Also corrected ROM naming of Lucky Today PROM, so that the best known dump is included. 0.7901 MAGE project started, source forked from MAME v79, and comprised of all the existing gambling drivers permitted under the MAME license. In order to stabilise the build, some drivers have been merged/updated by El Condor. Two new games have been partially coded, but have some severe issues, described below. New Games supported or promoted from GAME_NOT_WORKING status: ------------------------------------------------------------- Champion Skill (with Ability)[Mirko Buffoni] Golden Star[Mirko Buffoni] Pontoon (Tehkan) [Zsolt Vasvari] Lucky Cards [Uki, merged with Pontoon] Super Derby [Haze] Lucky Today [Unknown, converted to non-clone status] New Clones supported or promoted from GAME_NOT_WORKING status: -------------------------------------------------------------- Champion Skill (with Ability, Poker and Symbols)[Mirko Buffoni] Golden Star (Blue Version)[Mirko Buffoni] Lucky Poker [Uki, merged with Pontoon] New Non-Working games / clones supported ---------------------------------------- Roulette (Playmark) [El Condor, based on Super Derby] (Graphics loading issues) Blackjack (Status) [El Condor, hooked up to Status Triv II] (Should be Triv I or earlier, but shows some graphics, documentation only)