Differences

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--- game:trac_ball [2026/01/29 19:42] – created mlivolsi
+++ game:trac_ball [2026/01/29 20:48] (current) – [Step 4: Applying this to Tempest (The Spinner)] mlivolsi
@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 <fc #ff0000>**THIS WAS THE HARDEST PART OF GETTING EVERYTHING RUNNING AND I SPENT  3+ DAYS WORKING THE ISSUE**</fc>
+<fc #ffa500>**YOU WILL NEED A KEYBOARD**</fc>
+  * NOTE 1: we're going to do everything command line, but if you need retroarch menu,
+    * it's <SCROLL + F1>
+  * NOTE 2: We need these instructions because by default, Missile Command and Tempest are looking for LIGHTGUN, not mouse, so we need to enable the mouse.
 Score 1 for Gemini.. ChatGPT just fell apart.
-==== Phase 1: Identifying the Hardware ====
+Before we start, and before firing up the game,
+  * we bring up the game in our MAME menu,
+  * then long press Button 1 to bring up a menu.
+  * Move down to "Advanced Game Options".
+    * Emulator will be LIBRETRO:MAME for Phoenix and Missle Command,
+    * and LIBRETRO: MAME078PLUS for Centipede.
+==== Step 1: Identifying the Hardware ====
 The system sees every USB device (Keyboard, PS3 controller, Xinmotec, Trackball) and gives it a "Mouse Index" number.
@@ Line 13: / Line 26: @@
   * Result: This told us your magic number is Index 0.
-==== Phase 2: Enabling the "Engine" (.opt file) ====
+==== Step 2: Enabling the "Engine" (.opt file) ====
 The Emulator Core (MAME) has to be told that it is allowed to use a mouse at all.
-    Location: /userdata/system/configs/retroarch/config/MAME/missile.opt
-    Key Setting: mame_mouse_enable = "enabled"
+  * Location: /userdata/system/configs/retroarch/config/MAME/missile.opt
+  * Key Setting: mame_mouse_enable = "enabled"
+  * Result: This turned on the "ears" of the emulator so it could hear mouse signals.
-    Result: This turned on the "ears" of the emulator so it could hear mouse signals.
-==== Phase 3: Mapping the "Plumbing" (.cfg file) ====
+<code>
+[root@BATOCERA /userdata/…troarch/config/MAME]# tail missile.opt
+mame_media_type = "rom"
+mame_mouse_enable = "enabled"
+mame_read_config = "enabled"
+</code>
+==== Step 3: Mapping the "Plumbing" (.cfg file) ====
 Because the menu wasn't saving, we manually created a "Game Override" file. This tells RetroArch exactly which hardware to plug into the "Player 1" slot.
-    Creation: You created a new text file at: /userdata/system/configs/retroarch/config/MAME/missile.cfg
+  *  Creation: We created a new text file at: /userdata/system/configs/retroarch/config/MAME/missile.cfg
+  *  The Code: You added these two critical lines:
+    * input_player1_mouse_index = "0" (Points to the Trackball)
+    * input_libretro_device_p1 = "3" (Tells MAME to treat Player 1 as a "Mouse" device)
-    The Code: You added these two critical lines:
+<code>
+[root@BATOCERA ~]# tail /userdata/system/configs/retroarch/config/MAME/missile.cfg
-        input_player1_mouse_index = "0" (Points to the Trackball)
+input_player1_mouse_index = "0"
+input_libretro_device_p1 = "3"
-        input_libretro_device_p1 = "3" (Tells MAME to treat Player 1 as a "Mouse" device)
+</code>
+==== Step 4: Applying this to Tempest (The Spinner) ====
-==== Phase 4: Applying this to Tempest (The Spinner) ====
 Tempest uses a spinner, but in MAME, a spinner is just the X-axis (left/right) of a mouse. To fix Tempest without doing all that work again:
-    Navigate to the same folder: /userdata/system/configs/retroarch/config/MAME/
+  *  Navigate to the same folder: /userdata/system/configs/retroarch/config/MAME/
+    * Copy missile.cfg and Paste it as tempest.cfg.
+    * Copy missile.opt and Paste it as tempest.opt.
-    Copy missile.cfg and Paste it as tempest.cfg.
+ Launch Tempest. It will now use the same "Index 0" logic.
-    Copy missile.opt and Paste it as tempest.opt.
-    Launch Tempest. It will now use the same "Index 0" logic.
 Summary Table for Future Reference
@@ Line 52: / Line 71: @@
 |.cfg	| Input Mapping	| input_player1_mouse_index = "0" |
 |.cfg	| Device Type	| input_libretro_device_p1 = "3" |
+<code>
+[root@BATOCERA /userdata/…troarch/config/MAME]# ls -al
+total 36
+drwxr-xr-x 2 root root  4096 Jan 29 14:01 .
+drwxr-xr-x 4 root root  4096 Jan 28 18:01 ..
+-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 11402 Jan 29 13:42 MAME.cfg
+-rw-r--r-- 1 root root    63 Jan 29 13:50 missile.cfg
+-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   817 Jan 29 09:15 missile.opt
+-rw-r--r-- 1 root root    63 Jan 29 14:01 tempest.cfg
+-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   817 Jan 29 14:01 tempest.opt
+</code>
+==== Step 5: Map the keys in the game ====
+  * Using the keyboard, press "Tab" and a menu will pop up.
+  * You will use the arrow keys to navigate
+  * Press 'Z' to choose a menu item, in this case, "Input Assignments (this system)"
+  * "Del"  anything for P1 Button 1,2,3  and P2 Button 1,2,3 and TrackBall Analog
+  * Press 'Z' for Button 1. When presented with '< >' press the button on your console that you want
+  * Repeat for buttons 2 and 3
+  * Move down to "Trackball X Analog" and press 'Z'
+  * Move your trackball in the X axis
+  * Repeat for "Trackball Y Analog" moving along the Y axis
+  * Move down to "Return to Previous Menu" and choose "Analog Input Adjustments"
+  * Currently (subject to change or change as needed), all values are 30. Only "Trackball X Reverse" is set to <fc #ff0000>off.</fc>
+  * Back out of each menu when you're done. The settings will automatically save. Do the above for each game using LIBRETRO (in my case, Missile Command and Tempest)