Update:
Maps - We've got more maps down, so lots of Naomi games can be played with a PS4 controller. I'll be adding a set of USB wheel maps soon. For anyone that doesn't know, the 'maps' are the files which translate the information coming from a USB device, to information that an arcade system understands. So for example a map would include, which USB device to listen to, and that its accelerator pedal for example, should map to player 1 analogue channel 2 on the arcade system.
Netbooting - You can now directly netboot a Naomi/Triforce/Chihiro game from OpenJVS. There is a roms directory in `/etc/OpenJVS/roms/`, where you can put a rom with the same name as a map in. If you then run `openjvs <map_name>` then OpenJVS will boot the game on the system at startup. The netbooting is written in C, and seems to be to be faster than netbooting from a python script. One more thing I'll add to Netbooting is the ability for the system to search for the arcade system on the network, rather than using a static IP. This means that if the IP changes etc. it will continue to work. Another thing I'd like to do is continue the research of the people who where trying to save the game settings information between reboots on the Naomi, but that will be for a lot later down the line.
Sense Line - You can now run the sense line from one of the I/O pins on the Raspberry Pi. You need 4 resistors, but the circuit is just that, 1 wire and 4 resistors in series. I'll do a write up about how to set that up soon - but this means that you can now use OpenJVS on Naomi, Naomi 2, Triforce, Chihiro, Lindbergh etc. etc. basically everything!
Custom Board - I would really now like to make a custom raspberry pi hat which will have the RS485 converter, sense line circuit etc. on one simple board that people can just plug onto their Pi. I'm thinking that using the onboard RS232 the pi has might make this work with raspberry pi 1s which are cheaper. If anyone is interested in helping with making the boards, I'd be really interested to have someone help me design them.
Force Feedback - This is probably the most exciting update. I'm adding force feedback capability from the Lindbergh com port into OpenJVS. My current target wheel is the Mirosoft Sidewinder FFB Wheel, however I think that once it's setup any wheel that can be recognized in Linux should work fine. I get the wheel in about a week, so expect FFB support in about 2 weeks if all goes well.
Auto Start - I've added functionality for this to auto start with the pi, so when you turn your Pi on, it will boot with the default configuration - so in essence it can now be used as a replacement for a JVS I/O without any user interaction normally. I've currently got my Pi powered off one of the USB ports on the Lindbergh, so when you turn the Lindbergh on, OpenJVS boots up as well.
Questions for people:
If I where to make a dedicated board for a Pi, how would people want to select the maps/games that this should start?
- I could include some dip switches which would allow you to switch between maps, for example an Aimtrak for Lindbergh games or a USB wheel for Naomi games etc. There could be folders on the root of the sd card named 0001 and 0101 etc. which would be read for the maps/roms dependent on the dip switch position.
- I could include an lcd screen with some switches, but I'd really rather not do this as it makes the cost bigger and its more likely to break.
- I could just make it so you have 1 map and 1 rom in the root of a readable partition on the SD card and you just pop it into your computer to change it?
- I could just make instructions on how to adapt the current Pi Netboot solution with the LCD, so that my software was selectable from that LCD, and you just had to add in the sync wire.
- I could make it have a web page, where you can select the game and configuration etc. which remains upon reboot.