Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

VICE C64 emulator - how get it to work?

M

MrMister111

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jan 28, 2009
3,874
368
UK
I want to play an old C64 game. OpenEMU (although great), doesn't support C64. I read that VICE is goo d on Mac?

I downloaded it, I get the blue C64 screen, but not sure after this to open stuff etc? d I have to download anything else? No idea how to do it! As I say OpenEMU is a great app and is easy to use.

thanks
 
T

Tech198

Cancelled
Mar 21, 2011
15,915
2,151
I use VICE on 10.12.4

.d64, .tap, and .crt are all images from real floppy disks/cassette/ or cartridges used on the Commodore 64, so u need these first to load, just like u need to load something from cassette or 1541 floppy drives back in the day

You can find these Google search

Once downloaded, n u may need to un-compress them (double clicking will do it. most are in .zip format and will uncompress on the Mac), then open up Vice, and from "File" menu "Attach disk image."

Point to your .d64. or .tap image you downloaded and that's all there is to it. Keyboard/Joystick emulation may need to be set up.

http://vice-emu.sourceforge.net/vice_2.html#SEC5

The only thing which doesn't work is saving programs.. Although a workaround by taking a snapshot from the menu.
 
Last edited:
M

MrMister111

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jan 28, 2009
3,874
368
UK
Tech198 said:
I use VICE on 10.12.4

.d64, .tap, and .crt are all images from real floppy disks/cassette/ or cartridges used on the Commodore 64, so u need these first to load, just like u need to load something from cassette or 1541 floppy drives back in the day

You can find these Google search

Once downloaded, n u may need to un-compress them (double clicking will do it. most are in .zip format and will uncompress on the Mac), then open up Vice, and from "File" menu "Attach disk image."

Point to your .d64. or .tap image you downloaded and that's all there is to it. Keyboard/Joystick emulation may need to be set up.

http://vice-emu.sourceforge.net/vice_2.html#SEC5

The only thing which doesn't work is saving programs.. Although a workaround by taking a snapshot from the menu.
Click to expand...

Thanks.

I got the download from that site, but I don't have the menu for File>Open. It's not there on the top?? I have some images of .tap though.

When I extracted the VICE download I clicked on x64 it opened the C64 screen

Do you need to add a BIOS or something?

I like OpenEMU for the interface and ease, and also allows me to use my Steel Nimbus gamepad
 
T

Tech198

Cancelled
Mar 21, 2011
15,915
2,151
MrMister111 said:
Thanks.

I got the download from that site, but I don't have the menu for File>Open. It's not there on the top?? I have some images of .tap though.

When I extracted the VICE download I clicked on x64 it opened the C64 screen

Do you need to add a BIOS or something?

I like OpenEMU for the interface and ease, and also allows me to use my Steel Nimbus gamepad
Click to expand...


No.

(Attached) You should be able to also use the game pad with 64 as well.... although configuration may be required in Vice Settings
 

Attachments

  • Screen Shot 2017-04-04 at 1.32.42 pm.png
    Screen Shot 2017-04-04 at 1.32.42 pm.png
    1.2 MB · Views: 3,612
M

MrMister111

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jan 28, 2009
3,874
368
UK

Attachments

  • Screen Shot 2017-04-04 at 2.28.15 pm.png
    Screen Shot 2017-04-04 at 2.28.15 pm.png
    93 KB · Views: 1,836
T

Tech198

Cancelled
Mar 21, 2011
15,915
2,151
ok.. . i'm using 3.1. FN + F12 works for me...... try that. This is the the way to bring up menu now with SDL version..
 
Last edited:
T

Tech198

Cancelled
Mar 21, 2011
15,915
2,151
You need to disable shortcuts.... Mac has control over it.... On the Mac Go to System Preferences >>> Keyboard, Shortcuts.

Uncheck this, and while your there in Mission Control, uncheck that as well... Keyboard will conflict with C64

Hen u've used FN +F12 in C64, go to "autostart image" and choose directory and/or file..

"Autostart image" is used so u don't have to manually type in LOAD "*",8 afterwards.

Default controls are arrow keys, and RETURN is fire.. But i guess these can be changed,, I'm still getting used to version 3.1 myself.

If it still doesn't work, I dunno what else to say. as it works ok for the stuff i'm doing.
 

Attachments

  • Screen Shot 2017-04-06 at 9.36.26 am.png
    Screen Shot 2017-04-06 at 9.36.26 am.png
    250.5 KB · Views: 2,066
Last edited:
M

MrMister111

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jan 28, 2009
3,874
368
UK
Tech198 said:
You need to disable shortcuts.... Mac has control over it.... On the Mac Go to System Preferences >>> Keyboard, Shortcuts.

Uncheck this, and while your there in Mission Control, uncheck that as well... Keyboard will conflict with C64

Hen u've used FN +F12 in C64, go to "autostart image" and choose directory and/or file..

"Autostart image" is used so u don't have to manually type in LOAD "*",8 afterwards.

Default controls are arrow keys, and RETURN is fire.. But i guess these can be changed,, I'm still getting used to version 3.1 myself.

If it still doesn't work, I dunno what else to say. as it works ok for the stuff i'm doing.
Click to expand...
Ok thanks for help, I disabled it and got a game loaded! at last, however what are the keyboard controls, or even better can I use my Steelseries iOS controller? If so how do I map?

I'm trying to go through menus, I use the up/down, but what I select? is it space? just doesn't seem to enable stuff etc?

e.g. go down in menu to keyboard settings, and I want to chose British I scroll onto it, but hitting ret or space won't select it?

So now I've (at last!) got a game loaded but I cant play it! Just like being back in the 80s with the tape cassette loading ha ha
 
Last edited:
BugHunter

BugHunter

macrumors member
Mar 18, 2007
59
82
So I just came across this issue myself, one thing that's really going to help is making sure you grab the cocoa version not the SDL version
http://vice-emu.sourceforge.net/macosx.html

As far as when a game is loaded, I think the trick is working out what Run/Stop has been mapped to on your keyboard. (I haven't done it lately but I remember getting stuck on load screens for ages too)
 
MagnusVonMagnum

MagnusVonMagnum

macrumors 603
Jun 18, 2007
5,193
1,442
I can't for the life of me reconfigure joystick buttons in the last Cocoa version of Vice that works in El Capitan (2.4). They all show "NA" when I click on a button even though it shows PS3 joystick in the list and the joystick works fine for 1 button. The problem is that Castle Wolfenstein uses a lot of keyboard buttons and it would be nice to remap those to a game controller's extra buttons (especially considering the button for fire gun on the mapped keyboard is the "`" key which doesn't work well for holding a game controller in the left hand and trying to press that key with your right hand. It's awful. The remap keys options are awful. Nothing works right for joysticks, only the keyboard. I tried older versions (I've had Vice for over 10 years). They don't even recognize the square button as the joystick button. They want the push down on the controller stick button to be used as the joystick button (AWFUL, just AWFUL). Now the "team" has gone to "SDL" because they're lazy sods and don't want to make proper software anymore, thinking the GUI to use is the one that NO ONE (outside of Linux) uses and the last version PERIOD of Vice REQUIRES High Sierra! REALLY??? El Capitan doesn't work? NOPE! God awful emulator authors....
 
T

Tech198

Cancelled
Mar 21, 2011
15,915
2,151
The Coco version is what i prefer, as its the old style menu bar at the top compared to the newer SDL one..

You gotta configure keyboard as its an "emulator" running on a Mac.... Gives users confidence as well as they can use whatever keys they like, since any emulator keyboard look, feel and actions will be different.

There is no Run/Stop key on Mac for instance

You have to press the key on the keyboard first, *then* click the N/A button. eg left allow will be left cursor key.

There are better versions, always have been, of emulators for Windows, as there better supported, much more of a development needed. But for what its worth.. it works.

Just because its listed as a joystick/controller doesn't always mean its gonna work,, it may be just the development.. And if that's the case, the only thing to try is the SDL version, (which i know we hate), but that's really the only other thing, apart from filing bugs if you want, or go on lemonC64 forum and some do hang out there i think.
 
Last edited:
MagnusVonMagnum

MagnusVonMagnum

macrumors 603
Jun 18, 2007
5,193
1,442
I think there's a run/stop key; it's the caps lock key here. The * key that was on the upper right quadrant is mapped to the "`" (shifted it's the tilda ~ key). Sadly, that makes Castle Wolfenstein hard to play. If I could remap joystick keys, it would work better. Even Mame can remap joysticks on the Mac properly. I wasn't even able to get SDL to work here (at least with any easily accessed config options). Geeze, how hard is it to maintain the Cocoa version when it's 99.9% the same between version updates? The real problem is no one really cares. Frankly, the C64 emulator worked near perfect 8 years ago. The joystick config is one of the things that has changed, but it doesn't work so it doesn't really matter. The only thing improved, is that a PS3 or any other dual stick game controller has a button mapped to the right side buttons in addition to the one you get when you press down on the stick (bad bad bad for C64 games for that to do anything as it really messes up games like Archon). Fortunately, I do have Mac compatible Atari to USB adapters and can use my old Amiga and Atari joysticks with emulators like this. The problem is you STILL need the keyboard keys to play Wolfenstein since those joysticks really do only have one button on them. Sadly, there is no simple way to remap the keyboard keys without editing key maps.... You can easily assign keyboard joystick assignments, but they don't work at the same time as the USB one. You have to edit the keyboard maps.... It's the biggest drawback in the entire emulator, IMO. SDL probably won't make it "better" either since the menus are where? Not at the top or anywhere easy to get at. It's LINUX garbage at its finest. A giant PITA to use.
 
Daniel H

Daniel H

macrumors newbie
Sep 26, 2018
9
2
For some reason when I go to file, I don't get the "Attach Disk Image" option... Can someone help!?
 
MagnusVonMagnum

MagnusVonMagnum

macrumors 603
Jun 18, 2007
5,193
1,442
Daniel H said:
Nothing, I just get the normal things that you’d find on a Mac’s top bar.
Click to expand...

It sounds like the emulator isn't selected somehow, then. If I run x64.app, I get the C64 emulator in a window to start and all the options are most definitely present in the menu bar to open images, etc.
 
Kent Davis

Kent Davis

macrumors newbie
Mar 20, 2020
1
0
MrMister111 said:
I want to play an old C64 game. OpenEMU (although great), doesn't support C64. I read that VICE is goo d on Mac?

I downloaded it, I get the blue C64 screen, but not sure after this to open stuff etc? d I have to download anything else? No idea how to do it! As I say OpenEMU is a great app and is easy to use.

thanks
Click to expand...
-------------------------------------------

MacOS 10.15.4 Catalina
Commodore 64 3.1
I have same and I answer for you. I found yaaa ay
1. Create NEW FOLDER to call "roms"
2. Open x64.app
3. Push the F12
4. > Autostart Image
You will have to go through path where you can found roms > file.tap then push the enter key appear load itself it work.
See youtube:
Focus on Joystick I did not mean on Joyport my wrong no no. only Joystick. (360 Controller wire USB) and you have to do download https://github.com/360Controller/360Controller/releases Latest version 360Controller 1.0.0-alpha.5
 
Hermenegildo

Hermenegildo

macrumors newbie
Sep 9, 2020
2
0
Kent Davis said:
-------------------------------------------

MacOS 10.15.4 Catalina
Commodore 64 3.1
I have same and I answer for you. I found yaaa ay
1. Create NEW FOLDER to call "roms"
2. Open x64.app
3. Push the F12
4. > Autostart Image
You will have to go through path where you can found roms > file.tap then push the enter key appear load itself it work.
See youtube:
Focus on Joystick I did not mean on Joyport my wrong no no. only Joystick. (360 Controller wire USB) and you have to do download https://github.com/360Controller/360Controller/releases Latest version 360Controller 1.0.0-alpha.5
Click to expand...
Still don't get to map the xbox like controller connected thru USB using Catalina patcher in a MacBook Pro 2010 (7.1)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom