SOLVED -ROM version numbers to match emulators?
-
Hi there,
I've built a retro pie 4.1 arcade cabinet and have a handful of MAME ROMS working but I am struggling to get more MAME ROMs to work. I have a success rate of about 1 in 10 for MAME. Is there any correlation between MAME emulator version numbers on the ROM sites and the emulators supplied with Retro Pie? Its tedious trying 5 different emulators with each ROM only to find none work.
For example a ROM site will say XYZ MAME ROM works best with MAME 0.172. Should this then tell me which RPie emulator it will work with?
I realise there are google sheets which say what name of a ROM works with a RPie emulator but I find these very unreliable and ambiguous in the matching of the name on the sheet vs the names on the ROM sites.
I'm hoping there is an easier way.
Please can someone who has navigated through this with success with the version correlations or if you have got some tips please PM me.
thanks
-
@gnome73 You need to read the very clear guidance provided on MAME. Your post has been replicated hundreds of times and answered hundreds of times. A search on here would reveal hundreds of threads on this topic. Just by typing in MAME HELP into the search bar will reveal them. Here are some examples: here, here, here and here
So,
First you must read this:
https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/2859/how-to-use-mame-with-retropie-help-guideThis answers everything.
You should also read this after the above as it will reinforce the above:
https://github.com/retropie/retropie-setup/wiki/MAMEAttempting to download single roms is never recommended. You need to acquire FULL VERIFIED romsets for the emulator which you choose to use according to the wiki. Each MAME emulator is included due to the particular benefits of each one.
For example a ROM site will say XYZ MAME ROM works best with MAME 0.172. Should this then tell me which RPie emulator it will work with?
No, why would it?
Please can someone who has navigated through this with success with the version correlations or if you have got some tips please PM me.
There is no PM. However the correlations you seek are already provided here:
https://github.com/retropie/retropie-setup/wiki/Managing-ROMsIts tedious trying 5 different emulators with each ROM only to find none work.
This is never the correct method. See all previous links to avoid this in the future. Once you have tried all that, you can learn more from here:
http://choccyhobnob.com/articles/demystifying-mame-roms/And before posting, look at the top of the page in bold:
Please do not post a support request without first reading and following the advice in
https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first
In particular, point 3. -
I like the analogy that @dankcushions did once here in the forum: for traditional home console videogames, the user needs to install the emulator and then find ROMs to play on it. For arcade games the way is reversed, the user get the ROMset and then find a MAME version able to run the ROMs. (At least I think he meant it. :) )
Fortunately the wiki page gives the information the user needs to search for specific ROMset versions that runs fine on the arcade emulators available on RetroPie.
-
Ah OK I get it now. I'd previously read the MAME thread by Floob but didnt pick up on the importance of the ROM Sets. I thought a ROMset was just the files that came with a game ROM i.e. 12 files in a game.zip.
Thats how this reads to me.
What are romsets?
A romset is typically a single compressed file (.zip). This zip file will contain various rom files required to run the game.
This differs to many other systems where there is usually just a single file.
For example, the romset galaga.zip for MAME 0.78 contains 14 rom files.So based on that I am doing the right thing in downloading the romsets.
But then I read this..
MAME2003 is based off the MAME 0.78 source code, so you must use the MAME 0.78 ROM set with MAME2003
So from this I gather i'm trying to find ROMs based on the MAME 0.78 source code.
Thanks Guys
-
@gnome73 If you look for MAME 0.78 you should find what you're after. You don't need to download every single game. I don't.
-
Given the files are tiny, is there anywhere or anyone I can go to to get a bunch of 0.78 ROMS at once?
-
-
@gnome73 When signing up you have to "agree" to read the "read me first" link which states to read the forum rules. It's at the top of the screen on every forum page in bold. It's clear you and others are not bothered to spend the time to read them and I am getting fed up with constantly linking people again and again. You want us to spend our time to help you, so please spend some of your time to help us.
-
@BuZz ok apologies
-
@gnome73 said in ROM version numbers to match emulators?:
I'd previously read the MAME thread by Floob but didnt pick up on the importance of the ROM Sets. I thought a ROMset was just the files that came with a game ROM i.e. 12 files in a game.zip.
Ooh. My bad... I am the one who got the ROMSet concept wrong. The Floob's information is right, and your understanding too. I've just checked the official MAME doc about ROMSets and look what I've found:
An example ROM image would be the file pm1_prg1.6e stored in the Puckman ROM set.
I thought that, let's say, MAME 0.78 ROMSet was a compressed file with gigabytes of several hundreds of arcade ROMs (games) in it, but the correct name for this is MAME 0.78 Reference Set.
-
Yeah Im still a bit confused. I too thought that MAME 0.78 ROMSet was a compressed file with gigabytes of several hundreds of arcade ROMs.
My approach now (right or wrong) is just to look for ROMs that are based on the 0.78 ROMset which therefore should work under the RetroPie MAME2003 emulator.
-
@meleu said in ROM version numbers to match emulators?:
I like the analogy that @dankcushions did once here in the forum: for traditional home console videogames, the user needs to install the emulator and then find ROMs to play on it. For arcade games the way is reversed, the user get the ROMset and then find a MAME version able to run the ROMs. (At least I think he meant it. :) )
my analogy was it's like getting a car and putting random liquid into it until you find out which is the right fuel :) so i think you should start with the emulator you want to use (we recommend mame2003 for pi3) and then get the ENTIRE romset for that (0.78).
-
Im still a bit confused.
You shouldn't. The official MAME doc is the final word. :-) And the Floob's information is correct.
What confused you was that sentence on the wiki. I've just updated the Managing ROMs wiki page and replaced "the" by "a". :-)
you must use a MAME 0.78 ROM set with MAME2003
Hope you get it clearly now.
-
@dankcushions said in ROM version numbers to match emulators?:
get the ENTIRE romset for that (0.78)
The term romset is what is confusing our fellow here. I think that reference set is more accurate and works better on web search engines. ;-)
-
Yes!, reference set is what I need thanks....
I understand the different terminology and concepts now - Feel free to delete this thread if anyone wants to.
-
@gnome73 said in ROM version numbers to match emulators?:
Feel free to delete this thread if anyone wants to.
Or better yet: mark it as solved! ;-)
-
done
-
Oh and I found this..
"dankcushions GLOBAL MODERATOR April 28, 2016 @Meneer Jansen
@Meneer-Jansen you're going to make me link to the wiki again, aren't you? :) that answers all your questions: https://github.com/retropie/retropie-setup/wiki/Managing-ROMsthe full mame 0.78 romset is 8GB."
I wasnt that crazy thinking a romset was a bunch of games in a big file afterall ;-)
Oh and re Emulators saving ...
"dankcushions GLOBAL MODERATOR April 27, 2016
0.78 that's for mame2003. so you won't need to convert anything.advmame i don't know much about, but mame2003 certainly saves."
Does that mean high scores? or just save states?
-
@gnome73 Remember the wise words from Master Yoda: Its own topic a new question deserves.
Cheers!
-
OK I put this in the general discussion as its not an urgent help request.
https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/5697/best-emulator-rom-set-for-saving-high-scores
Contributions to the project are always appreciated, so if you would like to support us with a donation you can do so here.
Hosting provided by Mythic-Beasts. See the Hosting Information page for more information.