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TALK ME OUT OF MAME32!!!
Ryan:
Anyone have the time to explain why I should use a frontend instead of just using only Mame32?
I am using a 1.7ghz pentium4 256 ram for my cabinet. Like the look of Lazarus and ArcadeOS from reading and looking. All I have used though is Mame 32, everything works just great. I have screenshots and lists and a cool background. Is there any over deciding reasons that I should use a frontend?
Oh ya, if frontends are the way to go, can I keep using Mame32, or do I have to use Mame through DOS?
SirPoonga:
I believe mame32 does have a commandline interface. it run like mame but I think (not sure though) that you have to add -quit in order for the gui to auto quit.
Depends on the FE. With an FE it doesn't look like windows, which is one of the biggest pros that most people want. Many FEs have features mame32 does not, like auditing adult games out, organizing by category (yes, I know, you can get catver.ini into mame32 but that is an addition onto mame32, I will assume only mame32 proper).
If you like mame32 though, stick with it.
Howard_Casto:
Mame32 really needs a mouse... and front-ends don't that's the biggest functionality issue i think besides the fact that mame will only run mame games. :)
Dave Dribin:
If you just want to run MAME occasionally on your PC, then MAME32 is probably good enough for ya. If you start getting into other emulators that don't have GUIs or you want to have a single point of control for all your emulators, then a FE is the way to go. The only reason I wrote my FE is so I could pick games to play in my MAME cabinet.
BTW, this should be in some FAQ somewhere. MAME32 is *not* the only Windows version of MAME. The MAME team puts out an official Windows version *and* a DOS version. So, say you want to use a FE, use the official Windows MAME (not MAME32). You'll get the benefit of using Windows drivers w/o the pain of DOS.
-Dave
Ryan:
OK, Front Ends sound alright but still nothing that convinces me to use one. Mame32 does allow you to select games in the game list with the joystick and buttons for select, page up, and page down.
Is there someone out there that was using Mame32 that decided to go with a FE instead?
I was going to create a Hotkey for shutdown of my system. Is this what Auto Quit does in a FE? ???