How to change blueMSX machine to run ColecoVision roms?

deafdogo

I have batocera.linux up and running on an old PC (x86_64). All roms and emulators that I've tested are working except the ColecoVision. I've downloaded the BlueMSX standalone version and extracted the "Databases" and "Machines" folders and added them to the bios folder. However, when I attempt to run a Coleco rom, blueMSX runs, but I only see the MSX console, not the ColecoVision boot screen.

I downloaded and installed BlueMSX on another Windows 10 machine for testing purposes and found that the ColecoVision has to be selected from the list of available machines before it will run the rom otherwise I get the same MSX console. I tested roms there and they are working.

My question is, how do I change the machine from within Batocera/Recalbox (or the code in one of the config files) so that ColecoVision is selected by default?

Francois

I'm having the same problem and it's pretty annoying... I want my Donkey Kong! 😉
I read somewhere that you have to change things in the /system/configs/retroarch/cores/retroarch-core-options.cfg file.
I tried changing the
bluemsx_msxtype =
command from "Auto" to "COL - ColecoVision" but the system keeps refreshing the file back to "Auto"...

deafdogo

I'm running into the same problem with the bluemsx.ini file in the bios folder which seems to be where are the settings are saved.

I've changed the emulation.machineName= command from "MSX2+" to "COL - ColecoVision" but the file reverts to MSX2+ every time I restart the machine.

Can't figure out what I'm missing. Seems more difficult than it should be.

Francois

I'm starting to believe that I'd need to SSH into the system as a root user to change things. There must be a place where there is a configuration file that is not accessible from the GUI or the Samba share...

Francois

I might have found the solution on the libretro forums!
They say that BlueMSX relies on the file extension to select what emulator to start. All the files ending in .col are started in coleco mode. I'm going to rename all my files, scrape the images again and see if it helps. I don't know for sure but I'm confident it works as it was the way files were identified before.

deafdogo

I was using .zip files of .col roms. Tried everything and it wouldn't work so gave up and just downloaded another set of roms... and now it works perfectly! Maybe my original set of .col roms were renamed .rom files? No clue, but they worked fine using OpenEmu on my Mac.

Hope you got it figured out too!

Francois

Yeah, I did. I put my files as is since I have a big enough drive. I figure that if I don't have them zipped, it's one less thing to worry about. All it took was for me to open the network share, open a command prompt in the folder and ren .rom .col

Now I have to figure out why it doesn't respond evenly to the scrapes from ARRM.... but that's going to be for some other day.

Now I can at least play a few games. All I have to do is figure out how to change the button assignment so that it's easier to control...