MAME slowdown with Java Running

[JudgeRob]

To be specific, I am trying to run NFL Blitz 99, but it seems to happen with any of the Blitz games.  I am just recently trying to get CHD games to work.  blitz99 works pretty well on my system.  There are a couple audio echos every now and then but it's not too bad. 

The problem is that I can only get it to run smoothly if I launch directly through Rocketlauncher UI.  Normally, I have a little Java program running to run a couple devices on my cabinet.  However, if my Java program is running, it seems to negatively affect the performance of blitz99 to the extent that it is unplayable.  The other program really does not use a lot of resources so I can't see how it is having such a huge impact on MAME.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.  Maybe if I could pinpoint the problem I could work around it...

[ark_ader]

Get a faster PC.  Don't run java.  Buy a blitz main board unless you own the game, you shouldn't be asking for advice if you don't own the game.  Let's see pictures of your blitz cabinet.  I am assuming you don't own the roms.

[Osirus23]

[JudgeRob]

Get a faster PC.  Don't run java.  Buy a blitz main board unless you own the game, you shouldn't be asking for advice if you don't own the game.  Let's see pictures of your blitz cabinet.  I am assuming you don't own the roms.

Wow, thanks for the deep analysis.  Not really very helpful or creative though.

[ark_ader]

Get a faster PC.  Don't run java.  Buy a blitz main board unless you own the game, you shouldn't be asking for advice if you don't own the game.  Let's see pictures of your blitz cabinet.  I am assuming you don't own the roms.

Wow, thanks for the deep analysis.  Not really very helpful or creative though.

I'd be happy to help you with your emulation launcher issue, but it is under the premise that you have an arcade board to have the roms.  It sounds like you do not so:

5. Nothing illegal! Do I even need to explain this one? Need a ROM to repair an arcade board you own? Fine to talk about. Need a ROM to complete your MAME collection? Don't bother to post here. If someone posts such a request, please don't answer it -- no direct answers, no hints, no private messages. 

If you don't own the cabinet no help should be given to you.  Simple.

[BadMouth]

In MAME's in game menu, there is a DIP switch for resolution.  The original game had this so it could run on different monitors.
If you run it at lower resolution, it is a little less demanding.
Also disable scaling in HLSL or disable HLSL alltogether for that game if you haven't already.

[JudgeRob]

I'd be happy to help you with your emulation launcher issue, but it is under the premise that you have an arcade board to have the roms.  It sounds like you do not so:

5. Nothing illegal! Do I even need to explain this one? Need a ROM to repair an arcade board you own? Fine to talk about. Need a ROM to complete your MAME collection? Don't bother to post here. If someone posts such a request, please don't answer it -- no direct answers, no hints, no private messages. 

If you don't own the cabinet no help should be given to you.  Simple.

It's a question about MAME performance and Java interactions.  If you don't know or don't have any ideas, fine, but you don't have to get so defensive about it.

In MAME's in game menu, there is a DIP switch for resolution.  The original game had this so it could run on different monitors.
If you run it at lower resolution, it is a little less demanding.
Also disable scaling in HLSL or disable HLSL alltogether for that game if you haven't already.

Thanks bud.  I'm not sure it is a total system demand issue as opposed to some kind of interaction/conflicts with Java? 

Do you know how to disable hlsl for one game only?  Either via command or in RL?  I can't seem to find the parameter...

[yamatetsu]

Do you know how to disable hlsl for one game only?  Either via command or in RL?  I can't seem to find the parameter...

It might have changed, in the early HLSL versions you could only switch it off globally, if I'm not mistaken. However,  maybe you can install a second MAME, turn HLSL off, put NFL in the roms folder and start it from there?

Edit: Does your frontend allow starting .bat files? If yes, edit mame.ini and switch HLSL off, save it as mame_nohlsl.ini. Make a copy of mame.ini and name it mame_hlsl.ini.

Make a .bat file called nflblitz.bat:

copy mame_nohlsl.ini mame.ini >nul
mame romname (don't know the romname for it)
copy mame_hlsl.ini mame.ini >nul

Use this .bat file to start the game in the frontend.

It will - replace mame.ini with a mame.ini that has HLSL switched off
         - start the game
         - replace the mame.ini that has HLSL switched off with a mame.ini thas has HLSL switched on

[JudgeRob]

Yeah, it seems weird that there is no option to turn off the HLSL via command line...

Thanks man, that's a great idea.  It got me thinking a bit.  I think I might try whipping up a AHK script to close the close the java window on start and then restart the java app on close of the game.  With java disabled, I'll have to button press to exit out of the game but I guess it wouldn't be too bad as a workaround in isolated instances. 

Have you had any experience using the Rocketlauncher PClaunch?

[yamatetsu]

Nope, I'm using fairly old MAME versions & Mala. AFAIK, Mala is able to start .bat files, hence my idea.

[JudgeRob]

Ah, gotcha.  My versions are all pretty old too.  I'm too scared to update things sometimes.  Esp if 95% works just fine... 

[BadMouth]

Do you know how to disable hlsl for one game only?  Either via command or in RL?  I can't seem to find the parameter...

It's been years.  IIRC, my cab has v.146
Pretty sure that I just renamed a copy of mame.ini to (romname).ini, made the changes, and put it in the ini folder.
I made different HLSL settings for different resolutions and disabled it for games that needed a boost.
From what I've read, I gather HLSL has changed a lot since then.

[nexusmtz]

Yeah, it seems weird that there is no option to turn off the HLSL via command line...

-nohlsl_enable
most switches have a 'no...' converse.

You might want to try suspending/resuming your java/device process (with sysinternals pssuspend or similar) instead of quitting it. You can also use sysinternals' Process Explorer to see if something like Interrupts are higher while java is talking to your devices.

[JudgeRob]

Just a quick update...  The Java script was the culprit.  I guess it only makes a difference when the system is really being pushed.  I came up with a solution using Rocketlauncher.  The Java program was tasked with launching so it was a little tricky to work around it.  So, the solution is... Java launches Rocketlauncher and then self-terminates.  Then RL launches a BAT file (using PCLauncher) which launches MAME.  Why use PCLauncher?  Well, it allows me to do a "post exit" re-launch of the Java program, so when MAME is exited, the Java program is up and running again. 

Kind of contorted, but it actually works pretty well.  It took me a while to figure out the PCLauncher methods, but I think it was worth the efforts.  Now I have a work around for demanding MAME games and can integrate PC Games as well. 

Thanks to all who offered up some good suggestions!