4-Player Problems - Retrolink USB-to-Gen & Teamplayer

jarrodparkes · Post by **jarrodparkes** » Fri Dec 27, 2013 1:08 am

Has anyone been able to successfully connect a Sega Teamplayer (4-player adapter) to their PC (and play using all 4 controllers)?

I am using a Retrolink USB-to-Genesis that has 2 ports. I have tried various configurations:
- plugging both control 1/2 into the ports
- only plugging control 1 into port 1

I cannot seem to get any emulator to detect all 4 controllers.

Chilly Willy · Post by **Chilly Willy** » Fri Dec 27, 2013 2:24 am

Multitaps have a specific protocol for reading data that is NOTHING like a pad. If the USB interface only supports pads, you won't be able to use it with a multitap.

jarrodparkes · Post by **jarrodparkes** » Fri Dec 27, 2013 2:27 am

@Chilly Willy

As a follow up question... do you know of a 4-controller setup/config that anyone is using for Genesis on the PC?

- what devices, cords, emulator, etc.?

jarrodparkes · Post by **jarrodparkes** » Fri Dec 27, 2013 2:34 am

http://www.raphnet-tech.com/products/at ... dex_fr.php

The above adapter claims to support it. Has anyone used this product or any of the products listed on this site?

powerofrecall · Post by **powerofrecall** » Fri Dec 27, 2013 4:19 pm

You'll need to have your emulator set up to emulate a multitap device, and you will need to use adapters in such a way that your PC actually detects 4 controllers. If your retrolink adapter supports two controllers (and you can configure 2 controllers in the emulator), you'll need two of them for 4 controllers. Like Chilly said, reading a multitap from the hardware end doesn't work like the regular two joypad setup so there's really no way around it. That and there were a couple different types of multitap as well. As far as that link, I can't read French but it looks like it is referring to the Sega multitap. No idea beyond that. You might be better off just buying another retrolink adapter and not using the multitap.

jarrodparkes · Post by **jarrodparkes** » Fri Dec 27, 2013 4:29 pm

I guess my only gripe with using two retrolinks is that I am not sure if that would correctly emulate 4-players from a development standpoint. While it might allow me to play Genny 4-player-compatible games, can it guarantee that if I am writing 4-player Genny code that it will detect controls and behave the same way on actual hardware.

The intent of this setup is to be able to develop with a multitap on a PC (or find a setup where I can quickly test all controls instead of having some wacky controller configuration for 4 players), and then quickly test on real hardware. If the multitap can be bypassed on the PC, but still guaranteed to work when moving the binary to real hardware then that would also accomplish my original goal. I guess I will have to wait for the stuff to ship here...then I will report back

Best,
Jarrod

Chilly Willy · Post by **Chilly Willy** » Fri Dec 27, 2013 6:23 pm

As powerofrecall said, it's not enough that the PC be able to read 4 controllers. The emulator also needs to take four controllers and emulate a multitap. This NEEDS support inside the emulator. The emulator also needs to be able to emulate either EA4Way or the Sega Multitap, depending on the game.

After you can see four controllers on the PC side, then check out your emulator - try using four players via just keyboard keys to see if it works at all, then try selecting the controllers. It won't be automatic - you'll have to map every key of every controller in the emulator setup.

powerofrecall · Post by **powerofrecall** » Sun Dec 29, 2013 1:08 am

Also, if you're worried about it from a development standpoint that again comes down to the emulator. If you have an emulator that properly emulates the multitap you are coding to be compatible with, the way you have 4 controllers connected to the emulator doesn't matter. The controllers are abstracted away as simple USB devices, they have no relation to the emulated "hardware" so that shouldn't be an issue. The multitaps and the regular joypad polling are pretty different in execution but this is all internal to the emulator. Kind of like how you wouldn't need an actual Mega Mouse attached to your computer to test your Mega Mouse code--Kega for example maps it to the standard mouse you have attached.

jarrodparkes · Post by **jarrodparkes** » Sun Dec 29, 2013 4:56 am

Right. What you are saying makes sense. I think I had jumped to conclusions about some things.

Hopefully, if the cord does work, it will make it very easy for some sensible testing (provided the emulator supports the 4tap)

Best,
Jarrod

jarrodparkes · Post by **jarrodparkes** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 10:01 pm

The multi-tap appears to be working fine with USB adapter I purchased here... http://www.raphnet-tech.com/products/at ... dex_fr.php

I will continue to play with it to make sure nothing funky happens.

Best,
Jarrod