Does MAME even run on Pi4+retropie 4.6? And what happened to Mame4All?
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Title is pretty self-explanatory. I got a new RPI 4 kit from Vilros, got it put together and up and running. I have games working well for a number of platforms. One platform I wanted to get running was MAME, but when I went to install Mame4All, it wasn't there. I know from watching some Youtube videos that is was there on older versions. I couldn't figure out which MAME emulator to use (there a bunch to choose from).
Pi Model or other hardware: (B, B+, 2 B, 3, X86 PC etc..)
Pi4 2GB
Power Supply used: (If using a Pi)
Included in Vilros kit
RetroPie Version Used (eg 3.6, 3.8.1, 4.1 - do not write latest):
4.6
Built From: (Pre made SD Image on RetroPie website, Berryboot, or on top of existing OS etc.. - please provide the filename of any image used)
image dowloaded from retropie website
USB Devices connected:
keyboard,mouse,SNES lookalike controller
Controller used:
SNES lookalike controller
Error messages received:
N/A
Log found in /dev/shm/runcommand.log (if relevant):
N/A
Guide used: (Mention if you followed a guide)
numerous guides on retropie/MAME setup
File: (File with issue - with FULL path)
N/A
Emulator: (Name of emulator - if applicable)
MAME
Attachment of config files: (PLEASE USE PASTEBIN.COM FOR LARGE LOGS)
How to replicate the problem:
N/A -
@tspgallagher It's probably only available for older pi's now. Its equivalent is mame2000. No idea why you'd ever want to use such an outdated emulator. It's ~20yrs old. The pi4 can handle better ones. A pi2 and pi3 can also handle better ones.
https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/Arcade
I recommend finalburn-neo and mame2003plus or mame2016 for anything fbn can't run at all or not properly. -
@Darksavior said in Does MAME even run on Pi4+retropie 4.6? And what happened to Mame4All?:
No idea why you'd ever want to use such an outdated emulator. It's ~20yrs old.
I agree and do use 2003plus, fbneo & advmame but it does have a bit of historical significance as one of the earliest MAME builds optimized for the Pi. As a general rule the older MAME versions do run faster than the newer. They were simply smaller if not efficient.
I think it really boils down to what features and game sets you are targeting but mame4all-pi is quite small, rock solid, simple input configuration, most games run at 100%, it's been ported to about every platform & great golden age game support. Not counting 2003plus the difference between mame4all/2000 (0.37b5) and 2003 (0.78) is only a few years and didn't add and but a few significant games. I wouldn't count it out depending on your needs as a suitable alternative or choice.
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mame4all-pi is only available for pi1-3 on the closed source videocore driver (ie, not pi4): https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/blob/master/scriptmodules/emulators/mame4all.sh#L17. it is not compatible with other systems.
lr-mame2000 is in the optional packages list for all systems (main for pi1/0), and that uses the same romset version as mame4all (MAME 0.37b5), but i agree with @Darksavior - neither are recommended for pi2 and up: https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Arcade/#step-1-choose-your-arcade-emulators
(our recommended MAME emulator for pi4 is tba... testing current MAME as we speak)
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@dankcushions - Ah, ok, good to know it won't work on the 4. So will it be removed from future 0/1 and 2/3 Pi images? I think it would be worthy to leave it in the future images. lr-mame2000 has several things that need fixed. I would prefer 2003 over 2000 obviously but mame4all-pi over 2000.
I understand the recommended is different but I would still consider it a relevant choice depending on feature needs and availability in future images. If you're not using shaders, save states and what not it's a good clean build that works well for a simple setup. I prefer mame4all-pi when using GPIO inputs.
The original 0.37b5 code is roughly 20 years old but was later updated/optimized for portability and renamed to mame4all, then picked up again and optimized for the Pi. Technically the main code is 20 years old but it's been refreshed somewhere between the Pi 1 and 2 release dates I would guess 7 maybe 8 years old.
It will be interesting to see how current MAME runs on the Pi 4. I'm a bit skeptical considering, well it's MAME!
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@Riverstorm i believe mame4all-pi refers to the old pre-fkms graphics drivers so wouldn't work on pi4 without code fixes.
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I was just going to upgrade mu 3.5.17 to 3.6 to see if it fixed the problems I'm having with lr-mame2003. (the default Mame)
I had a bunch of old ROMs that didn't even start up, they just crash. They are all 0.78 stand alone ROMs and I have tried them on my PCs retroarch mame2003 and all the ones that crash on my Pi4 work perfectly on the PC. -
@dankcushions - Ah ok, yeah if it's a bunch of extra work it's probably not going to happen. I do keep all the old releases around and several patched releases shrunk as tight as they will go to a few gig using virtual box and pishrink that would work for all intents and purposes.
The other thing that I find handy is having mame4all-pi as a reference test set so to speak. It gives you an alternative emulator to test ROMs if a Libretro core (2000 that also uses 0.37b5) comes into question due to several modifications that make it a Libretro core! :)
If mame4all-pi crashes then it probably never worked and isn't related to the Libretro conversion. Then you would need to fall back to arcadez, grant, barbudreadmon or one of the MAME code guys to potentially see if it's an easy fix in the core.
Plus you can't beat the size of that itty-bitty-tiny mam4all emulator, weighing in at few MB! ;)
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If I remember right on the 3B+ I needed MAME4ALL for one game - Tapper and it had to be running the MAME 0.37 rom version.
Growing older is mandatory. Growing up is optional!
Enjoy the ride! -
not looked at mame4all didnt it have a sdl code path to work on windows and linux anyway? It shouldnt be a big issues fixing that if it is the case just the video needs reworked if there is enough people wanting it. it actually pretty easy to port mame078 to the pie as well.
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@grant2258 In RetroPie,
mame4allis actually a fork created for the RPI, using the native legacy GL driver - https://github.com/squidrpi/mame4all-pi.This is a highly optimised version for the Raspberry Pi, using GLES2/dispmanx for graphics, ALSA for sound and SDL for input. It also uses the GPU for post-processing effects like scanlines.
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im guessing anything using dispmanx will need reworked for the pi4 :(. Look like i was looking at the wrong repo the one i checked was here. https://github.com/RetroPie/mame4all-pi
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@mitu said in Does MAME even run on Pi4+retropie 4.6? And what happened to Mame4All?:
It also uses the GPU for post-processing effects like scanlines.
That's a major drawback of mame4all, the scanline effects are a turd for sure compared to the Libretro shaders. =/
@grant2258 - I don't think there's much demand. I'm just an advocate of that lean, mean, little core. I even have a version that runs well on my iPad albeit the controls are less than optimal but thanks a lot for the considering it!
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@grant2258 - The word wordspress has flipped letters.
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Sorry, to correct the link I mean.
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@grant2258 The links doesn't work, but that's how almost everything works in RetroPie - we don't use X unless the emulator/game requires it.
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https://drgeoffathome.wordpress.com/2020/02/03/opengl-without-x-on-raspberry-pi-4-part-1/try it that way not sure why its not working
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@grant2258 said in Does MAME even run on Pi4+retropie 4.6? And what happened to Mame4All?:
try it that way not sure why its not working
I think it needs to be wordspress. Words is plural and then it worked.
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anyway there is a part 2 gles2 and 3 can be compiled and used without x
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