Tutorial: Handheld and Plug & Play systems with MAME

Folly

I have added a readme and a script in my repository :
https://github.com/FollyMaddy/RetroPie-Share/tree/main/00-scripts-00

This is added to improve running handhelds with lr-mess.
The generate-overlay-configs.sh script can be used to generate all the overlay configs required to display the background images as an overlay with RetroArch.

I have not yet included the .png files. So for now, this has to be done manually.

TPR

@folly Is there a tutorial like this one to get the Game & Watch games up and running in lr-MESS?

DTEAM

@tpr
Not yet. For Lr-Mess, the approach is currently being tested. I don't know if all controller setups are fine or if speed issues are fixed. To install the games for lr-Mess, follow Folly's approach, see:
https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/25576/new-scriptmodules-lr-vice-xvic-gsplus-proper-lr-mess-integration/387?_=1610986833918

For MAME method, if you fallow this tutorial, your systems will be fully fonctionnals and your roms will be also scrape.

TPR

@dteam Thanks! Got the Game & Watch games up and running! The tutorial is great! One question. Is there a way to set the frameskip to auto in the .ini or somewhere else so it loads with that config already set to auto?

DTEAM

@tpr said in Tutorial: Handheld and Plug & Play systems with MAME:

One question. Is there a way to set the frameskip to auto in the .ini or somewhere else so it loads with that config already set to auto?

No, I've try but without success. Maybe @Folly knows.

Folly

@dteam said in Tutorial: Handheld and Plug & Play systems with MAME:

@tpr said in Tutorial: Handheld and Plug & Play systems with MAME:

One question. Is there a way to set the frameskip to auto in the .ini or somewhere else so it loads with that config already set to auto?

No, I've try but without success. Maybe @Folly knows.

I think you have to add it in the commandline in /opt/retropie/configs/mame/emulators.cfg :
mame = "/opt/retropie/emulators/mame/mame -autoframeskip %BASENAME%"

Look here for all commandline options :
https://docs.mamedev.org/commandline/commandline-all.html

TPR

@folly Thanks! I'll try that!

TPR

@folly Wow! I think that might have worked! Thank you! This is what I have in my emulators.cfg:

mame = "/opt/retropie/emulators/mame/mame -autoframeskip %BASENAME%"

@DTEAM can you check to see if that works for you? I'm still a bit new to using these roms so I'm not 100% sure.

Folly

@tpr said in Tutorial: Handheld and Plug & Play systems with MAME:

@folly Wow! I think that might have worked! Thank you! This is what I have in my emulators.cfg:

mame = "/opt/retropie/emulators/mame/mame -autoframeskip %BASENAME%"

@DTEAM can you check to see if that works for you? I'm still a bit new to using these roms so I'm not 100% sure.

I think, if you press F11 you can see if the autoframeskip is on or not.

TPR

@folly Yep! I just did that! Thank you!

DTEAM

@tpr said in Tutorial: Handheld and Plug & Play systems with MAME:

mame = "/opt/retropie/emulators/mame/mame -autoframeskip %BASENAME%"

Yes it works !!! but i had to add it for all systems. I will modify the tutorial.---> (new edit: It' done) Thanks @Folly !! To see frameskip It's F10... I think
ex.: emulators.cfg in /opt/retropie/configs.hdmi/jakks

Folly

@dteam said in Tutorial: Handheld and Plug & Play systems with MAME:

@tpr said in Tutorial: Handheld and Plug & Play systems with MAME:

mame = "/opt/retropie/emulators/mame/mame -autoframeskip %BASENAME%"

Yes it works !!! but i had to add it for all systems. I will modify the tutorial. Thanks @Folly !!

Oh yes, you have seperated them.
Well it's an improvement. ;-)

Indeed F10 will also do.
I think using F10 it will dissapear over some time.
I think using F11 it will stay in the screen and dissapear if you press it again.
Am I correct ?

DTEAM

@folly said in Tutorial: Handheld and Plug & Play systems with MAME:

Well it's an improvement. ;-)

🤣 ahah 👍🏻 But honestly, It's great. It's so simple and I wasn't able to set It. Thanks again.

Folly

@dteam said in Tutorial: Handheld and Plug & Play systems with MAME:

@folly said in Tutorial: Handheld and Plug & Play systems with MAME:

Well it's an improvement. ;-)

🤣 ahah 👍🏻 But honestly, It's great. It's so simple and I wasn't able to set It. Thanks again.

Your welcome !

Read your configs in the first post, are you going to improve/edit them later on ?

I think it should be something like this, so you can switch between "with" or "without" (with autoframeskip as default) :

mame = "/opt/retropie/emulators/mame/mame %BASENAME%"
mameafs= "/opt/retropie/emulators/mame/mame -autoframeskip %BASENAME%"
default = "mameafs"

edit :
Perhaps you can also do :
"mame-autoframeskip" in stead of "mameafs".
You have to try if this works, but i think it will.

DTEAM

@folly
Yes good point.
Knowing the problems between Lr-Mess and frameskip = auto via retroarch. Do you think this approach could also work for slow systems like GP32.

Folly

@dteam said in Tutorial: Handheld and Plug & Play systems with MAME:

@folly
Yes good point.
Knowing the problems between Lr-Mess and frameskip = auto via retroarch. Do you think this approach could also work for slow systems like GP32.

If I remember correctly, I already tried something with GP32.
If I could improve it, but it keeps working slow.

I will search the post, it was this post ( to you also I see ) :
https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/25576/new-scriptmodules-lr-vice-xvic-gsplus-proper-lr-mess-integration/230

Perhaps we can add the frameskipping. Did you try it manually ?

DTEAM

@folly
Yes, with no succes, but I'll retry It tomorrow.

DTEAM

@folly said in Tutorial: Handheld and Plug & Play systems with MAME:

Perhaps you can also do :
"mame-autoframeskip" in stead of "mameafs".
You have to try if this works, but i think it will.

Done!

Folly

@dteam said in Tutorial: Handheld and Plug & Play systems with MAME:

@folly
Yes, with no succes, but I'll retry It tomorrow.

Are you going to try GP32 in mame ?

Try this options :
-[no]cheat / -[no]c

Activates the cheat menu with autofire options and other tricks from the cheat database, if present.
This also activates additional options on the slider menu for overclocking/underclocking.

So you only have to add it like this, I think :

mame-GP32= "/opt/retropie/emulators/mame/mame -c -autoframeskip %BASENAME%"

If you run the game, go to the slider menu for overclocking/underclocking.

TPR

@dteam @Folly Seriously great work, guys! I'm in the middle of downloading all the artwork, images, and gamelists from the repositories you've posted. I cannot thank you enough!