NES netplay 4-player options?

JordiGH · 9 May 2020 21:38

Hi! We’re trying to play Micro Mages 4-player over netplay. Trying to use the Fceumm core because that has worked well for two players and now we’re trying to break the 3-player barrier!

I’ve managed to get the game working locally with three players. I followed the instructions here,

github.com

libretro/docs/blob/master/docs/library/fceumm.md#multitap-support

# Nintendo - NES / Famicom (FCEUmm)

## Background

FCEU "mappers modified" is an unofficial build of FCEU Ultra by CaH4e3, which supports a lot of new mappers including some obscure mappers such as one for unlicensed NES ROM's.

### Author/License

The FCEUmm core has been authored by

- FCEU Team
- CaH4e3

The FCEUmm core is licensed under

- [GPLv2](https://github.com/libretro/libretro-fceumm/blob/master/Copying)

A summary of the licenses behind RetroArch and its cores have found [here](https://docs.libretro.com/tech/licenses/).

## Extensions

This file has been truncated. show original

and added a 5 port and in the game’s options set the set the device type of port 5 to “4-player Adapter”. I also had to change the port 3 device type from “Auto” to “gamepad”.

So that worked locally, after I mapped Port 3 binds to an unused part of the keyboard, just for testing.

It’s difficult to coordinate three or more people for testing, so I want to understand ahead of time how controller ports get mapped in netplay. Does the netplay server have to change the device type of ports 3 and 4 to “gamepad” instead of “auto” with the fceumm core? Do the hosts also have to do it? Does only one or the other?

If this is all easier with another NES core I’m all ears. Fceumm is just what has worked well until now. We had bad desynching issues with nestopia. Each player was seeing a completely different game.

BarbuDreadMon · 9 May 2020 22:30

FWIW, “NES 4Score” is zeroconf in FBNeo (it will always be enabled if the game supports it), and netplay support should be fine too.

NB : FBNeo’s nes emulation requests usage of romsets and subsystems (putting your rom inside a micromages.zip file inside a nes folder should actually be the fastest way to deal with this)

negativeExponent · 3 August 2020 23:27

if this behaves like a NES game, then setting ports 3/4 will force a 4-player NES multiplayer mode (overrides the need for crc check for compatibility). if multiplayer does not work with this, then setting port 5 (famicom expansion port) to 4player adaptor in addition to above should enable multitap. (only enable this is above step alone does not work)

i usually use the same gamepad on all inputs if im testing.

with regards to netplay, someone else might be able to help with that better.