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pacman-jam:
Hi guys,

I new to all this, I have recently built a custom arcade box and installed a computer in it to run Mame. Forgive me for bringing this up but it's about the high score problem..

As we all know, old arcade games are pretty much all about high scores..

I've read around here abit about the hiscore.dat and I gather thats the ticket. However before I get started I'd like to know a few things:

1. Why was hiscore.dat removed from mame?
2. since I haven't installed mame yet and there are so many versions, is the a certain one I should choose? Or just install the latest version and run the hisorce.dat on it?

Apologies if all this has been covered before.
Jouster:
The newer versions of MAME actually use saved states...these are better than hiscores.dat IMO anyway.  The system basically puts the game on pause (for practical purposes) until you start it up again...no more waiting for the games to 'boot' and the high scores stay along with credits already entered and whatever else was going on.

Jouster
pacman-jam:
how come people don't just download the latest mame then?

but if it was completely saved states.. then it would begin the game where you left off rather than the beginning aye?

and what if you changed games.. when you went back would the high scores still be there?

It seems like there is a lot of compatibility problems with all these versions. Can anyone recommend a specific version of mame and a front end that will work best and be able to save highscores????
bfauska:
The save states work even if you play a different game in between instances of playing the original game.  EX: If you play Pac-Man then exit that and play Galaga, when you go back and play Pac-Man again it will act as if it hasn't been unplugged.  W/O saved states on the game will act as if you just plugged it in for the first time every time you start it.  I think that it does mean some games (if not all) will start exactly where you left them, if you had coins in they will still be there and if you were mid game it will still be mid game, but I could be wrong here.  I seem to remember quitting a game once and coming back to play it later and having it be in the middle of the game I left when I started again.

On a side note... Many classic games didn't keep the high scores after the game was powered down at the end of the night in the arcade, with save states and hiscore.dat you can act as if they did.
pacman-jam:
that sounds cool except for starting games where you left off.. I don't want my mates coming around and starting games mid way through and running away with my score.

why did they change from hiscore.dat to save states anyway?

should I use the latest mame with hiscore.dat then?
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