Need guidance: Best MAME emulator to use for classic 80's games?

mediamogul

@Riverstorm said in Need guidance: Best MAME emulator to use for classic 80's games?:

Artwork does work with the new source.

Very nice to hear. Is there any noticeable slowdown?

EDIT:

Everything works except using the analog sticks and XBOX button in the Configure Input menu. Is their a way to enable them?

As a temporary solution to this problem, I have mapped the left and right analog sticks, as well as the XBox button to read as keyboard input and it works very well.

mediamogul

After updating RetroArch from binary, lr-mame2003 from source, adding a complete 'artwork' folder to /home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS/mame2003/ and changing the name of /home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS/mame2003/sample to 'samples', I neither have artwork or samples functioning. Are they now meant to be enabled somewhere with this newest version?

Riverstorm

@mediamogul said in Need guidance: Best MAME emulator to use for classic 80's games?:

Very nice to hear. Is there any noticeable slowdown?

As far as I can tell there isn't any slowdown. I know this is a bit simplified but artwork is more like a wallpaper. Something I wasn't even aware of was the ability to set the translucency of the artwork. Thanks to Caver for a great tutorial on vector based games.

As a temporary solution to this problem, I have mapped the left and right analog sticks, as well as the XBox button to read as keyboard input and it works very well.

I think getting the analog sticks working would be a tremendous asset as they can be used for the management function (TAB menu) but also they may be utilized for several dual joystick games like Crazy Climber, Cloak & Dagger, Karate Champ, Robotron, Smash T.V., Total Carnage, Batte Zone, Front Line (I think this one required a spinner too). It basically allows you to play those games with a joystick like the XBOX or PS.

After updating RetroArch from binary, lr-mame2003 from source, adding a complete 'artwork' folder to /home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS/mame2003/ and changing the name of /home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS/mame2003/sample to 'samples', I neither have artwork or samples functioning. Are they now meant to be enabled somewhere with this newest version?

No, if you have them in the correct folders (which they look right) you should be good to go. :)

mediamogul

@Riverstorm said in Need guidance: Best MAME emulator to use for classic 80's games?:

It basically allows you to play those games with a joystick like the XBOX or PS.

Re-reading what I wrote, I realized it was a little ambiguous and perhaps you knew exactly what I meant, but what I was trying to express was that I've mapped the analog sticks of my gamepad to output keyboard keys so that use of the sticks can register in MAME for the games you mentioned. This works out quite nicely as those games don't rely on the full analog range that is lost in that particular solution. Of course getting those sticks to register without a workaround would be most ideal. I logged a report about the issue, but at the time I was under the impression that it just affected the right joystick. This is likely because I have RetroArch configured to duplicate the DPad control to the left analog stick.

About the samples and artwork, I just can't seem to get that working. I'm going to try installing the required pieces again to see if I missed something along the way. If that doesn't work, I'll probably open up a separate topic for my issue as this thread is likely to suffer an identity crisis with any additional topics of conversation. If I do, I'd appreciate your input on the matter, if you have any thoughts.

caver01

@Riverstorm said in Need guidance: Best MAME emulator to use for classic 80's games?:

Front Line (I think this one required a spinner too).

Frontline (I used to love playing this in the arcade) originally had a big rotary dial to aim your gun. It clicked as you rotated it to aim the gun in 8 directions and was also a pushbutton (push to fire). This is nearly impossible to play with arcade controls unless you have the dial described, but I could see how using two sticks and LR shoulder buttons on a hand-held controller might work.

mediamogul

I was pleased to see him make mention of 'Cloak & Dagger'. I love the

and the game. I'm considering going to this year's 'Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention' to ask Dabne Coleman why they never released a 'Cloak & Dagger' breakfast cereal.

Riverstorm

@caver01 said in Need guidance: Best MAME emulator to use for classic 80's games?:

Frontline (I used to love playing this in the arcade) originally had a big rotary dial to aim your gun. It clicked as you rotated it to aim the gun in 8 directions and was also a pushbutton (push to fire). This is nearly impossible to play with arcade controls unless you have the dial described, but I could see how using two sticks and LR shoulder buttons on a hand-held controller might work.

Ah, that's right! You have to love the classics. I did grab a copy of Ready Player One from Ernest Cline you said was a classic. I will give it a read through this fall/winter when spending more time indoors. We have tough winters here so you have to take advantage of these nice long warm light days getting those outdoor projects done. :)

@mediamogul

to ask Dabne Coleman why they never released a 'Cloak & Dagger' breakfast cereal.

The true mysteries of the universe! :) Is he still alive, he must be as old as dirt. Some good old movies but another classic from that era is War Games with Dabney Coleman, Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy.

mediamogul

@Riverstorm said in Need guidance: Best MAME emulator to use for classic 80's games?:

he must be as old as dirt

He was actually around to beta test the stuff that ended up becoming dirt. He looks great for a guy his age though. I love his movies and I hope I can work out the trip to meet him in September. You're in for a HUGE treat with 'Ready Player One'. I'll likely end up reading it a third time before Spielberg's movie adaptation comes out.

Riverstorm

@mediamogul said in Need guidance: Best MAME emulator to use for classic 80's games?:

About the samples and artwork, I just can't seem to get that working. I'm going to try installing the required pieces again to see if I missed something along the way. If that doesn't work, I'll probably open up a separate topic for my issue as this thread is likely to suffer an identity crisis with any additional topics of conversation. If I do, I'd appreciate your input on the matter, if you have any thoughts.

I don't have a lot of input here. What I did was an update from the RetroPie setup. It took like 30 to 45 minutes it seemed. Nothing special as it downloads, compiles, etc. It's a one-click upgrade. Very nice!

I created those two folders "artwork" and "samples" and then copied files over. The only thing I can think of is they are not the correct versions/names possibly?

mediamogul

@Riverstorm said in Need guidance: Best MAME emulator to use for classic 80's games?:

The only thing I can think of is they are not the correct versions/names possibly?

That's really all it can be. I'll reinstall everything later today and hope for the best.

caver01

@Riverstorm said in Need guidance: Best MAME emulator to use for classic 80's games?:

Ah, that's right! You have to love the classics. I did grab a copy of Ready Player One from Ernest Cline you said was a classic. I will give it a read through this fall/winter when spending more time indoors.

It's a fun read for sure! I recommend the Audio book version too. Just make sure you read it before the movie comes out (2018, so you have time).

Riverstorm

@mediamogul said in Need guidance: Best MAME emulator to use for classic 80's games?:

@Riverstorm said in Need guidance: Best MAME emulator to use for classic 80's games?:

The only thing I can think of is they are not the correct versions/names possibly?

That's really all it can be. I'll reinstall everything later today and hope for the best.

I spoke a bit to soon. I must have been in the wrong MAME since they all show the same ES icon. I have 3, one for lr-imame4all, AdvMAME and lr-mame2003. I think the only way to tell the difference is knowing your gamelist and when you launch a game and you briefly see the emulator started. Right now my AdvMAME and lr-mame2003 are almost identical. Anyway I don't have samples or artwork working either.

I verified the samples with both the Wiki DAT:

https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/Managing-ROMs

I also used the official MAME 0.78 executable to create a DAT.

Both show dkong.zip should contain:

effect00.wav
effect01.wav
effect02.wav

When running the game it's missing sounds when the Donkey Kong is stomping the girders in the intro. It's also missing the running and jumping sounds.

I also re-checked Solar Quest and the artwork does not work. The zip is solarq.zip. The files contained within are:

solarbez.png
solarmsk.png
solarq.art
solarq.png

I am using the same artwork for AdvMAME which has the dark blue translucent backdrop and red/yellow colored circles.

Can anyone that does have it working verify the sample names and if it Donkey Kong or another game does have working sound samples in lr-mame2003? (CRC doesn't matter with samples just the proper name).

dankcushions

@Riverstorm where are your samples/artwork? see https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/lr-mame2003#samples for the correct location for samples. artwork isn't documented, but it's in the same place (although in .../artwork rather than .../samples)

mediamogul

@dankcushions

Neither are working for me currently, assuming the location for those directories is still /home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS/mame2003/.

dankcushions

@mediamogul said in Need guidance: Best MAME emulator to use for classic 80's games?:

@dankcushions

Neither are working for me currently, assuming the location for those directories is still /home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS/mame2003/.

the link i just posted tells you the full location :)

Riverstorm

@dankcushions said in Need guidance: Best MAME emulator to use for classic 80's games?:

@Riverstorm where are your samples/artwork? see https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/lr-mame2003#samples for the correct location for samples. artwork isn't documented, but it's in the same place (although in .../artwork rather than .../samples)

Sorry, yes they are located in /home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS/mame2003/samples and /home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS/mame2003/artwork.

mediamogul

I just triple-checked and that is indeed where I have those directories located, it's just that I get no results from MAME. I haven't gone back to reinstall everything like I mentioned previously, but if those are in fact the correct locations, then I suppose it will have to work itself out one way or another.

Riverstorm

@mediamogul said in Need guidance: Best MAME emulator to use for classic 80's games?:

I haven't gone back to reinstall everything like I mentioned previously

The source I used was from 5 days ago. Under "RetroPie Setup" I used "Install individual emulators from binary or source".

@dankcushions I think you mentioned Retroarch needing a potential upgrade if that applies I could give it a shot too.

mediamogul

@Riverstorm

So much can get jumbled in text explanations on complicated issues such as this that it might be worth repeating what I've tried so far.

I compiled and installed the lr-mame2003 source option from the 'RetroPie Setup' menu.
I installed the binary option for RetroArch from the same menu
I changed my 'sample' directory to 'samples', located at /home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS/mame2003/
I added a fully complimented directory of version-appropriate artwork titled 'artwork' at the same location

As a result, the two directory paths are:
/home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS/mame2003/samples
/home/pi/RetroPie/BIOS/mame2003/artwork

It's probably worth noting that these modifications were made just a bit after you tried them yourself, five days ago. Was I reading your previous post correctly that through a bit of confusion, your artwork and samples aren't working in mame2003 either as you first thought?

dankcushions

just done a test, and it doesn't work for me now! after debugging, i have to hold my hands up here.. i super broke samples! :( a change i did a few weeks ago to clean up the old code has now broken it. classic...

it won't work if you have the very latest version.

i will do a fix right now and update when a new one can be downloaded. sorry! on the plus side, i also got mouse/trackball support working :)