Compatibility Problems/Help (New user)

Jiryn

@markwkidd
Thank you so much!

I am used to just dropping all the roms into a single folder and having Mame 0.172 run them without a problem.
So I'm going to have to go through and sort them on my system.
How do I know which rom since all I have is <GameName><region>.Zip for all of them.

(It's really annoying me that I am not getting this as quick as I should be)

markwkidd

@Jiryn you will find that there is documentation on Verifying and Rebuilding ROMs in order to yield earlier versions of the ROMs if you read the bottom section of this page https://github.com/retropie/retropie-setup/wiki/Managing-ROMs

You'll also see that the advice is to find another set that has already been converted to what you need

Jiryn

@markwkidd
Thank you sir!

I admit, some of that page I had already skimmed.
I didn't think the "Rebuilding" portion would have pertained to me, sorry about that.

markwkidd

@Jiryn said in Compatibility Problems/Help (New user):

@markwkidd
Thank you sir!

I admit, some of that page I had already skimmed.
I didn't think the "Rebuilding" portion would have pertained to me, sorry about that.

Until recently, the documentation unintentionally was encouraging everyone to try rebuilding their ROMs to the desired version, but that is not really worth the time it takes to learn unless it's something you plan to do on a regular basis.

The hope for the documentation is it's written now is that the docs will help people understand how arcade ROM version numbers work while also suggesting that they find the correct ROMs to begin with so they don't get trapped in a frustrating rebuild process.

Thank you for your feedback on the docs. If you work through the instructions and the setup process with the correct version of the MAME ROMs and it's still not making sense then post again.

Jiryn

@markwkidd
I still apologize for my ignorance on the subject and how over zealous I was when I posted my original topic. I was just frustrated with the the roms not working correctly when they worked just perfect on my pc (I tested them all before transferring).

Also if roms only work with certain builds, why do about 10% I do have actually work?
Is it a more universal format, or did I just happen upon the right build for these?

I am still curious as to why the NES rom doesn't work though... any suggestions?

batesman

@Jiryn said in Compatibility Problems/Help (New user):

@markwkidd
I still apologize for my ignorance on the subject and how over zealous I was when I posted my original topic. I was just frustrated with the the roms not working correctly when they worked just perfect on my pc (I tested them all before transferring).

Also if roms only work with certain builds, why do about 10% I do have actually work?
Is it a more universal format, or did I just happen upon the right build for these?

I am still curious as to why the NES rom doesn't work though... any suggestions?

If you look around you can find reference rom sets that will match up with the version of MAME you are using. I'd strongly suggest sticking with MAME2003 since it's a libretto core. I think the romset for that is .79 off memory, but it's listed on the Wiki page. Using roms from reference sets that match up to your MAME version will save you a lot of headaches. Otherwise you have to dig into the rom to see what version it is and then get into rebuilding...That stuff is a bit messy for my tastes.

Regarding the NES rom - it's hard to say. Probably a bad rom. Try the untranslated version and see if your luck is better.

Jiryn

@batesman
Thank you for all your help, and yea I've been looking for a set compared to roms piecemeal.

Jiryn

@markwkidd @batesman
Odd, all the roms that I have already are MAME 0.164
As I said, only about 10% of them work though.. which seems weird

I am finding this quite interesting, and your help was very insightful.

batesman

@Jiryn said in Compatibility Problems/Help (New user):

@markwkidd @batesman
Odd, all the roms that I have already are MAME 0.164
As I said, only about 10% of them work though.. which seems weird

I am finding this quite interesting, and your help was very insightful.

Glad to help!

Double check and ensure that you are using the right emulator with roms in question. The default emulator can be set for the Arcade folder, and you can even set an emulator per rom.

Where are you roms located? In the arcade folder? If so, what's the default emulator?

Also, and I'm not sure which roms you're trying to run, but there are some that, for whatever reason, don't work or don't work well.

Jiryn

@batesman
Can I mention the games here?

I tried both LR-Mame2003 and Mame4All
I literally go into /ROMS/ and put into both folders..

dankcushions

@Jiryn said in Compatibility Problems/Help (New user):

@markwkidd @batesman
Odd, all the roms that I have already are MAME 0.164
As I said, only about 10% of them work though.. which seems weird

why would that be odd? there is no mame 0.164 emulator on retropie. that's like putting a playstation 4 game in your playstation 1 and expecting it to work :)

(the 10% of games that are working would be the minority of roms that happen to be unchanged in 15-odd years since the versions we use in retropie, and mame 0.164)

as instructed, forget about the set you have and acquire the correct set for the emulators in retropie. for example, MAME 0.78 romset will work in the /mame-libretro/ folder, running lr-mame2003.

mrbwa1

Piecemeal has never worked for me because there are so many individual roms are part of a split romset. On the Pi, you really need a full ROMSET of the exact version, even if what you have works on PC. The MAME version on Pi are pretty different for PC versions.

If you want more terminology, here is a good start: http://docs.mamedev.org/usingmame/aboutromsets.html

The basic example I like to give in Pac Man. It is actually a child of the Parent ROM puckman. In a normal split set, you need both romsets for Pacman to work, since the Pacman romset will only have it's differences.

If you have means to obtain a full romset, you can use a manager to build out specific roms, but then it because an issue of having time to learn the ROMmanager vs just adding a full romset to a Pi and using that time playing games.

rbaker

@Jiryn said in Compatibility Problems/Help (New user):

only about 10% of them work though.. which seems weird

Have you read this:

https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/7247/guide-arcade-games-and-how-to-play-them-a-non-technical-mame-fba-tutorial

Jiryn

@dankcushions
I found it odd that 10% still worked is all, as you said it means the ROM file never changed over the years.
I got a few more to work, but one game I tried wouldn't respond to my inputs.

It feels like it should be an all or nothing type of ordeal.

@mrbwa1
I got a few games to work just fine by only having the primary parent file and the version I was trying to play, other games I have the whole set and they still don't work.

@rbaker
I'm still annoyed at how much trouble I am/was having with these roms and my ignorance and lack of knowledge on the subject.

I can't thank you all enough for working with me on this subject!

rbaker

@Jiryn said in Compatibility Problems/Help (New user):

I'm still annoyed at how much trouble I am/was having with these roms

Even after reading the non-technical guide?

Jiryn

@rbaker
Before the non technical guide I meant!
I guess it's more of a pride thing, seriously though I am grateful for your assistance.

mrbwa1

@Jiryn said in Compatibility Problems/Help (New user):

@rbaker
Before the non technical guide I meant!
I guess it's more of a pride thing, seriously though I am grateful for your assistance.

Don't feel bad. most of us were humbled by Arcade ROMS at first and a couple folks really stepped up and came up with the Wiki help Pages. At the end of the day, you just can't always easily mix and match like you can with individual games.

It didn't really click with me until I saw a history of General Computer Corporation and it detailed the story of a couple MIT guys who were making "Super Missile Attack" which was an add-on board for the Atari Missile Command arcade cabinet. Atari basically offered them jobs to keep them from selling the conversions, but didn't actually want the guys to do anything. The same guys developer Crazy Otto as an enhancement to Pac Man and managed to pitch it to Namco who bought out the rights and changed it to Ms. Pac Man.

MAME bundles all these conversions and add-ons in separate rom sets. From what I understand, you can actually burn specific ROM dumps to a new flash ROM chip to get a dead arcade board working, so instead of having a logical package of all game components, they are physical dumps of the various chips in an arcade cabinet.

Jiryn

@mrbwa1
I've always prided myself on how adaptable I was to most computers and software.
(except for printers, I don't care how many degrees and certifications I have.. I hate printers)
I'm glad to know I wasn't the only one having trouble and was humbled by these Arcade Roms!
That actually makes me feel quite a bit better.

mrbwa1

@Jiryn said in Compatibility Problems/Help (New user):

@mrbwa1
I've always prided myself on how adaptable I was to most computers and software.
(except for printers, I don't care how many degrees and certifications I have.. I hate printers)
I'm glad to know I wasn't the only one having trouble and was humbled by these Arcade Roms!
That actually makes me feel quite a bit better.

Printers.... Yup, they are terrible. I have a fully rebuilt HP Laserjet 5N that I keep rebuilding because it works. I managed to underclock some old RAM, so I think it's like 128MB in there now (still can't render a PDF from Google Chrome in anything under 20 minutes, so I have to save and prit through a PDF reader). My original Raspberry Pi B+ is actually currently pressed into service to share the Laserjet on the network.... So the yellowed up old beast can directly Air Print from an iOS device without a fuss. Wish I could say the same about my Samsung Color Laser printer that can't even print the same colo from 2 PCs using the same OS.

rbaker

@Jiryn said in Compatibility Problems/Help (New user):

I'm glad to know I wasn't the only one having trouble

It took me quite a long time to transition from Mame32 and it's Windows GUI. I ended up turning to religion and found this in the pages of the holy forum. I certainly felt the vengeance.....

MAME 25:17
The route to frustration and madness is beset on all sides by the practices of the impatient and the resolve of lazy men. Blessed is he, who in the name of thoroughness and good instinct, follows directions, for he will truly find his answers and for those who do not I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and fuuuuuuurious anger those who would attempt to corrupt and destroy my installation with false romsets. And you will know my name is MAME when I lay my vengeance upon thee.