FBA Rom set issue

[Locke141]

Hello,

I have set up Retropie 4.0 on my R-piv3 and can not get FBA(0.2.97.38) rom's to work. I followed all the direction in the wiki and still nothing. The rom set I downloaded included the below message in a read me file. My only non Pi computer is my macbook pro, so I can't just download ClrMamePro to try to figure it out. Do I need to make change to the rams some how?

"This Final Burn Alpha 0.2.97.38 collection includes a subfolder named 'patched roms.' Within this subfolder are two FB Alpha 0.2.97.38 arcade ROM sets: dmnfrntpcb.zip and svgpcb.zip, or "Demon Front" and "S.V.G. - Spectral vs Generation", respectively.

Due to a quirk in this release of Final Burn Alpha, the versions of these ROMs which validate via the corresponding FB Alpha ClrMamePro DAT file are are missing data.

The versions of dmnfrntpcb.zip and svgpcb.zip in the patched roms folder contain the full data needed to run in FB Alpha 0.1.97.38. They can be re-added to the set after validation so that ClrMamePro does not remove this additional data which it catalogs as unnecessary but is in fact required to play those games."

[dankcushions]

@Locke141 please fill out all of this form: https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

[Locke141]

Will do.
Pi Model: 3
RetroPie Version Used: 4
Built From: SD Image DD from terminal on my Mac
USB Devices connected: USB Keyboard
Controller used: Non for now, just getting started have a PS3 on order.
Error messages received: non just got bounced from a black screen back to the rom list
Guide used: https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/lr-fba-next
File: All the Final Burn Alpha 0.2.97.38 rims from the rom set I torrented.
Emulator: lr fab next

I put the roms in the FBA rom folder.

I have grabbed CLRmame for mac and am fooling the directions found here:https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/Managing-ROMs
But I still don't understand the instruction in the quotes of my first post.

[dankcushions]

@Locke141 the list asks for a file name with full path - very important :) give me an example of a game that doesn't work - the full path to it, and include the file's extension.

[Locke141]

Roms/fba/FBAlpha 0.2.97.38/roms. My plan is to keep the full set here and move the ones I may want to play to "roms/fba"

working: 88games.zip

Most of the games I tested are not, below are a few I just tested:
xmen.zip
xmen2pa.zip
xmen2pe.zip
goldnaxe3.zip
goldnaxe2.zip
goldnaxe.zip

Is it posable I am just missing bios?

[dankcushions]

that's not the full path.

xmen.zip is a parent and doesn't need a bios, so it should work

xmen2pa.zip
xmen2pe.zip
these are both clones of xmen.zip, so will need it in the same folder or they won't work.

same story with goldnaxe.zip and the sequels - don't need bios and the sequels require the parent to be present.

you're much better to just put the whole set in the /roms/fba/ folder to rule out any bios/parent/clone issues. after that you can start deleting clones you don't want.

[Cellar Dweller]

I was able to get the LR-FBA-Next to work perfectly fine. I do know there are many games that do as you stated where when you click them to play they enter the game, but then just jump back to the game list screen. I tested the GoldenAxe and Xmen games within the list and they all functioned normally.

The actual roms go here: /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/fba.

There are 1459 actual files and are 9.4 Gig, this is using clrmamepro and the dat for 0.2.97.38. The files I have are as listed below.

xmen.zip - 37 files within zip
The games in list are
Xmen (4 Player something)
Xmen vs Street Fighter
Xmen children of the Atom

goldnaxe.zip - 48 files within zip
The game in list
Golden Axe (6 Player US something)

Those 2 files alone cover everything previously posted. I've always merged all my roms and don't use split roms but either should work. There are multiple bios files within the same folder as example neogeo is a bios rom along with svcpcb.zip and from what I can tell these bios files exist as well pgm.zip, skns.zip.

[Locke141]

@dankcushions: Thanks. I kind of came to the same conclusion throw some trill and error. But I still am getting lost of errors.

@ Cellar Dweller: my rom set is 22.75 gb. I think I'll merge my set to help make the set more readable.

In the read me files it tells me to add the dmnfrntpcb.zip and svgpcb.zip failed back in the set. Does that mean I should just unzip and put the files back in the rom set?

Is there an XML file out there that can be used with a program like romlister to make a folder of only roms know to be working in FBA next?

[dankcushions]

@Locke141 said in FBA Rom set issue:

Is there an XML file out there that can be used with a program like romlister to make a folder of only roms know to be working in FBA next?

it pretty much runs the entire fba .38 romset. only a handful of games have known problems as far as I know.

[Cellar Dweller]

As far as the XML file you are looking for the .dat files are nothing more than an XML file.. As far as those 2 files you mentioned I don't even have those 2 files within my folder. Those might have pieces within or required by some of the roms themselves.

Download this file: FB Alpha v0.2.97.38 (ClrMame Pro XML).dat

I've tried a lot of the games and I did as stated before, ran into a couple that would just drop back to the menu, but by the most part a ton of them work perfectly fine. You also have to remember that if a game isn't working it may actually exist as a totally different named rom. Here is a simple example of that. Pacman is also Puckman or Hanglyman. Those all work but as an example when you Scrape and create pictures and then go through your complete set you wouldn't believe the amount of clones so if for some reason it doesn't work it just might work as another rom completely.

[Locke141]

Thanks guys,

It looks like I have a lot of stuff to try. I'll try to get throw all the about suggestion. I have been having more and more success. I'll try making a merged set using FB Alpha v0.2.97.38 (ClrMame Pro XML).dat.

[gomisensei]

@Locke141 if you make sure runcommand is set up in RetroPie-setup, you can press buttons as the game loads to pull up the runcommand menu. You should have an entry in it that says "Launch with verbose logging". After the game quits, you can type "nano /dev/shm/runcommand.log" (without the "s), and skim thru it using arrow keys/pageup/pagedown to get more information .

[Locke141]

It seems that there is still something wrong. I have used the (ClrMame Pro XML).dat to rebuild as a merged set, placed the set in /roms/fba/ and the vast majority of games still do not seem to be working, AS before, some games work but most do not. This is very frustrating as I have had no problems with Mame, PS, SNES, Segs Gen, etc.

I should say that I just mover to a new country and my only home net work at the moment is a mifi and all the transfers take forever and are not alway 100% successful. I am ordering a gb switch to be used with my airport express.

Should I try getting a new rom set? (Clrmame sees to think mine is fine.)
Could I be missing bios?
Should I try moving them Via USB?

[dankcushions]

@Locke141 i think it depends on what games work and what games don't. if, for example, it's neogeo games that don't work, then the problem is likely the lack of neogeo.zip. we need examples.

also, i wouldn't start using clrmamepro if you're having problems. if like most people you have the 'non-merged' FBA .38 set that is in circulation, it should work fine. rebuilding working romsets is asking for trouble.

also, yeah i would use USB if you have crappy wifi.

[Locke141]

@dankcushions Older games like the 88 games and mrpacman seem to work. Mshvsf works mvsc is not.

Here is a short list of confirmed not running
-mslug
-mslug2
-mslug3
-mslug4
But mslug5 does work (note it's 165MB where the other mettle slugs are about half that size) I have the neo.zip in the neogeo

I took a look at the .neogeo.zip and I discovered a few things.
One the .zip flow I put in to the neogeo folder was missing:
neo-po.bin
neo-epo.bin
neodebug.bin

I also took a look at the rom/FBA and saw that my neogeo.zip showed as zero bits. The one in roms/fba is now fixed.

Update:Thank you'll for all the help. Until I get my fiber line installed and my net work set up I think I'll stop asking for help with what mostly seems to be issues with getting files across my net work. I'll start again with a fresh install aster I get real home internet.

[Cellar Dweller]

I'll have to test the mslugs and let you know what I see. I'll respond back when I get a chance.

Here are my file sizes for each at default compression.

mslug - 12,857KB
mslug2 - 17,405KB
mslug3 - 82,460KB
mslug4 - 65,223KB
mslug5 - 161,440KB
mslugx - 27,826KB

neogeo - 1,645KB - files included within zip are:
000-lo.lo
asia-s3.rom
japan-j3.bin
neodebug.bin
neo-epo.bin
neopen.sp1
neo-po.bin
sfix.sfix
sm1.sm1
sp1.jipan.1024
sp-1v1_3db8c.bin
sp-45.sp1
sp-e.sp1
sp-j2.sp1
sp-s.sp1
sp-s2.sp1
sp-u2.sp1
uni-bios_1_0.rom
uni-bios_1_1.rom
uni-bios_1_2.rom
uni-bios_1_2o.rom
uni-bios_1_3.rom
uni-bios_2_0.rom
uni-bios_2_1.rom
uni-bios_2_2.rom
uni-bios_2_3.rom
uni-bios_2_3o.rom
uni-bios_3_0.rom
uni-bios_3_1.rom
uni-bios_3_2.rom
v2.bin
vs-bios.rom

[Cellar Dweller]

I was able to test all the mslugs and they are all working properly. They are all definitely neogeo games so you definitely need to have that proper bios file. Also as a possible helper you can put the neogeo.zip file in the same folder as the roms rather than in the neogeo folder this might actually be causing a problem as well. Mine is in the FBA folder along with all my other roms.

[mike8906]

@Cellar-Dweller

Hi mates, I have a problem with running mslug3, 4, 5 and x on my Retropie. The thing is that I tried a few bios files. I seen your post when you managed to make the roms work. Would it be possible that You could send me the bios zip file and the mslug roms you have or at least advise, from where have you got the bios file and roms?

I'd appreciate your help.

Best Regards

mike8906

[dankcushions]

@mike8906 https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/2/forum-rules rule 1

[Cellar Dweller]

Mike,

I can assure you everything is out on the net and just a Google search away. Use everything mentioned in this overall thread and you should be able to get everything working.