What version of MAME are you running?

[cigardude]

Are you running an older version of MAME in your cabinet? I am curious to hear the reasons why. Up to now I've been one of the people the would just upgrade and upgrade. I am starting a new vertical cab project with a 4:3 LCD and was wondering if there is a good reason to go to an older set and stay there.

[BadMouth]

Main setup - v.137
Driving Cab - v.142 IIRC, but I also have a separate folder with a newer version and offroad challenge as the only rom.
                                      The way I have things set up, they both show up in the same list.
Current build - v.146 adds the PGM games.

I also keep a set of v.80 roms for installation on old computers.
I chose that version for a specific game, but can't even remember what it was now. 
IIRC, a lot of people stick with v.106 because the video was overhauled and made more demanding for v.107.

I usually keep the current version on my laptop so I can see if recently added things make it worth updating the cabs.  Haven't updated that since v.146 though.
The last big thing worth updating for IMO was the PGM games added in v.146. 

There really isn't any reason to do every single update on a cab.
Don't fix what isn't broke until there is enough benefit to justify the work involved.

[MaxVolume]

Are you running an older version of MAME in your cabinet? I am curious to hear the reasons why. Up to now I've been one of the people the would just upgrade and upgrade. I am starting a new vertical cab project with a 4:3 LCD and was wondering if there is a good reason to go to an older set and stay there.

There is definitely a reason to stick with one particular version and not keep updating.  Most of it is because it's a dedicated project and (for the most part) the idea is to be able to consistently play it for years rather than having to tweak and re-tweak it all the time.  Now that we've reached sort of a saturation point with no notable games being added, and lots of pinball/gambling machines that ARE being added (don't we already HAVE a good pinball emulator???), the case is stronger than ever for just downloading a stable version and staying put.

Personally, I think I'm on .146, but I may have to fall back to .144 because of the change in CHD format.  Very, VERY few games I have any interest in need .chd files, but it may be enough to keep me from going any further.  That's just me of course... here's my short thread on the topic:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=121086.0

[MaxVolume]

LOL... while I was offering my two cents, BadMouth posted his reply, which I'm sure will be helpful to the OP, but I found it very informative for my purposes as well.  Thanks, dude!

[Hoopz]

I use .94 because Golden Tee was added in just prior to that and it's before both the video re-write AND the audio re-write.  On older PCs, those two things did hamper performance.

[paigeoliver]

I run something around .78 whichever is the first version that allows the 3rd mouse axis to be used analog. The machine also has a separate nearly up to date install that only has Robotron on it.

[harveybirdman]

146u5, everything's great except for the annoying bug with the coin in buttons in Moonwalker.

[CoryBee]

Mame32 Plus 0.83 - No real reason besides it works on the older laptops I have used and it came with the first set of roms I ever acquired.

[mgb]

I'm running .104 on my arcade cab. this version runs fine for me and it was before some big changes that would possibly hinder performance on my somewhat older pc

[adder]

146u5, everything's great except for the annoying bug with the coin in buttons in Moonwalker.

which bug is that and i wonder if it has been reported to mametesters?

[harveybirdman]

pretty sure it's fixed in 147.

Basically P1 and P2 coin in buttons don't work.  Something wasn't commented out in the code, methinks.

[Chevron]

I have just started getting into mame in the last week or 2 and almost finished by first build project.
So with being a new comer i just went straight for the latest.

i did start with 147 but that had Mortal Kombat video issues which got fixed in 147u2

so mame 147u2 and the latest MaLa 174 i think.

i have most the games i was looking for on that version with hi score and no nag.
i don't think i will be tinkering with mame online play.

[cigardude]

Very good info guys. Thanks! I am definitely going to have to rethink this.

[dgame]

For my cabinet I am currently going with GroovyMAME 147u3 because it does amazing things with the arcade monitor.
No more resolution tools or tedious INI tweaking. 

[brad808]

I'm on 0.146 right now. I usually update every few full number versions (no u updates) mainly out of lack of anything better to do most weekends. Plus little things get added along the way that eventually add up to make it a lot more pleasent. Things like hsls, actual names for inputs (inputs will read "light punch" instead of "button 1" so you can actually tell what you're assigning), new games, updated drivers. I installed an old version, not exactly sure maybe 0.38?, about a year ago to throw onto a pentium 4 and it was very clear that mame has come a long way  . Forget what the stubborn people on version 0.000001 say they just haven't seen the light 

[paigeoliver]

Hee hee. I champion .55 all the time. It may be feature light, but no important titles are broken in that version and it will run full speed on a 400 mhz processor.

I'm on 0.146 right now. I usually update every few full number versions (no u updates) mainly out of lack of anything better to do most weekends. Plus little things get added along the way that eventually add up to make it a lot more pleasent. Things like hsls, actual names for inputs (inputs will read "light punch" instead of "button 1" so you can actually tell what you're assigning), new games, updated drivers. I installed an old version, not exactly sure maybe 0.38?, about a year ago to throw onto a pentium 4 and it was very clear that mame has come a long way  . Forget what the stubborn people on version 0.000001 say they just haven't seen the light 

[rCadeGaming]

I would read the "What's New" file for each version when it comes out to decide if there's anything important to you worth the update.

PaigeOliver, there are tons of great games added since .55.  I think you may have a fairly narrow definition of "important titles."  True, MAME has become more and more demanding, but why would you want anything to do with a 400mhz processor?  3+ GHz computers are super cheap these days.  You could probably get something with a lot more than 400mhz for free.

One thing about newer versions is that input lag for some games has increased since around version 100.  Supposed it's getting better again now though.  Anyone have any info on this?

[M.Lanza]

I still run .98.
Might upgrade to a newer X64 bit version as I had
recently aquired a beast of a gaming notebook.

Or, I might hold out untill the newer megatouch lines
are emulated, but that could be a while.

[404]

0.145 for the rig attached to my tv (I still don't have a cab)

I have two other small form factor units here. One is a retired POS system running 0.106, that was the last official build before the big change in the graphics rendering that significantly increased the graphical hardware requirements. 1ghz PIII processor, 1gb ram all running on PC100 FSB. Runs tons of games.

[Haze]

Yeah, if you're running something as old as 0.55 you'll be missing a lot of stuff.

http://mamedev.emulab.it/haze/2012/11/06/italy-gets-a-planet-probe-part-2/

from 1985 for example was only added in the current version, maybe you don't care about it, but it's a classic era game which a whole bunch of Italians who remembered it did care about seeing emulated, these things do show up from time to time :-)

Another recent classic era (also 1985) addition was Sky Destroyer

http://mamedev.emulab.it/haze/2012/07/30/burning-skies/

although the sound still needs sorting out

and those are only from recent months, there has been a steady flow of interesting *classic* additions to MAME for many years now, it surprises even me that things keep showing up out of the blue.

of course, doing development I always run the cutting edge latest SVN build of UME, which is the combined sum of MAME and MESS, if I'm doing actual development I have to be current for rather obvious reasons ;-)

[TGov]

Compiled .147 for me.  I never could get older versions to work for compiling hi score saves.  The resolution settings are nice too on the arcade monitors.

[Wade007]

I agree with BadMouth's comments at the beginning of this thread.

I'm running MAME version .145 and will hold there for quite a while.

I only update every few years. Went from ver .36 to .60 to .89 then .145

More info on my cabinet build here:
http://www.cheapskategamer.com/pc_game_stories_and_news/building-an-arcade-emulation-cabinetpart-one-software/

[Cynicaster]

v122 is my "main" MAME, simply because I have a nice set of ROMS that work. 

I also have a more current version running in my front end (v144?  or is it v146?  I forget), only to run a small handful of games that I couldn't get to work in v122 (Simpsons Bowling, SF3, and a few CAVE shooters).  It'd be nice to have everything running under a single version, but this short list of games just isn't enough to make me care. 

 

[paigeoliver]

No I am not running anything with a 400 mhz processor anymore. I know they have added tons of titles. I do update my desktop mame install every few years (or more properly, I have dozens of versions of mame installed on my desktop). The titles they have added since .55 tend to be either 1995 and newer or obscure (or just total mahjong gambling crap). I have been collecting real games for 12 years and I haven't even heard of most of the classic era titles that they add. All the stuff that the game collectors chatter about has been in mame for 10 years or more.

For me .55 is a known good version that I KNOW will run on whatever PC I throw it at, with no "input lag" or sound problems. I don't have to worry about wondering which important titles are broken in this version. I don't have to worry that Donkey Kong or Zaxxon or Joust is broken.

I would read the "What's New" file for each version when it comes out to decide if there's anything important to you worth the update.

PaigeOliver, there are tons of great games added since .55.  I think you may have a fairly narrow definition of "important titles."  True, MAME has become more and more demanding, but why would you want anything to do with a 400mhz processor?  3+ GHz computers are super cheap these days.  You could probably get something with a lot more than 400mhz for free.

One thing about newer versions is that input lag for some games has increased since around version 100.  Supposed it's getting better again now though.  Anyone have any info on this?

[MaxVolume]

I have been collecting real games for 12 years and I haven't even heard of most of the classic era titles that they add.

Uh, yeah, I hadn't heard of a lot of the games I discovered through MAME either, but now they're some of my favorites.  Never ran across anyone who only liked to play popular games... to each their own, though. 

[rCadeGaming]

Uh, yeah, I hadn't heard of a lot of the games I discovered through MAME either, but now they're some of my favorites.

+1